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Friend,

It is fall, which is, for many of us, a threshold time.

Schools begin now in most places across the country, and congregations re-gather for a new program year. Everything is different this year—so different—but it is still important to celebrate new beginnings. In an era as disrupted as unsettling as this, we need the rituals that remind us where we are and how we are connected to one another.

In my own home, much is changing. Our youngest child just turned five a few weeks ago and started kindergarten last week. Our eldest turns thirteen tomorrow. Our middle son just began middle school and I will turn fifty in November.

Despite the isolation imposed by the pandemic—our school system is entirely virtual for now—we have found ways to mark these transitions.

The distanced Kindergarten Meet & Greet at my daughter’s school wasn’t the same as the traditional first day drop-off, but it helped note the moment. Cake-making in the kitchen and birthday decorations over the door aren’t the same as a party with friends, but they are a reminder that something important is happening.

As a new program year begins in congregations across the country, I wish for you all opportunities to celebrate ingathering and re-connection. The year is likely to be hard. We will need one another more than ever. Our country will need us, more than ever, to care and to show up.

I wish for you rituals of connection that bind us, one to another, in fellowship and care. I wish for you rituals of connection that bind us to the abiding purposes that call us to gather as people of faith.

Blessings to you, and to the congregations and communities you serve, as we enter the fall season.

Special Update: UUA Disaster Relief Fund

It's been a busy season for many UUs (and UUA staff) who live in regions hit by hurricanes or affected by large wildfires. Unitarian Universalists and friends all around the country have responded speedily, making generous gifts to the UUA Disaster Relief Fund (DRF).

Given the extreme wildfire activity happening all along the West Coast, there are numerous UUs, congregations, and UUA staff experiencing significant disruptions to already-changed pandemic life. It is likely that the need for DRF grants will continue throughout the fall; any donations you can make to the fund are welcome.

Rogue Valley Unitarian Universalist Fellowship (RVUUF) in Ashland, OR, is one of those congregations. The Rev. Sean Parker Dennison has reported that while the congregation's building is safe at present, the same isn't true for all their members' homes. If you or someone you know is affected by the fires in southern Oregon, the Rogue Valley congregation has compiled a list of resources for the Ashland area here. 

If you're looking to help people in southern Oregon, check out this post from RVUUF. Updates from the PWR can be found on Facebook (Pacific Western Region - UUA) or in their newsletter. 

Message from the Rev. Carlton E. Smith, PWR Regional Lead

May we find the courage to reach out in sympathy or need.
May we feel within us the life force that stirs under the embers, waiting to be reborn.
-- from "In These Days of Fire", Revs. John Gibb Millspaugh and Sarah Gibb Millspaugh

Beloved Friends —
Unlike any other region in our Unitarian Universalist world, the Pacific Western Region is uniquely prone to devastation by raging wildfires. Our often dry weather, our windy mountainsides, our plentiful forests and our recreational visitors to them make for a dangerous and deadly mix.

As I write, every mainland state in the PWR is being seriously affected by fires, many of which burn uncontained. Some of us have had to evacuate our homes. Some of us feel even more vulnerable to Covid-19 because of the smoke and ash in the air. Some of us fear for our safety, and that of our families, friends and neighbors.

Please know that if your congregation needs specialized pastoral support around these fires, you can contact the UUA Trauma Response Ministry at (888) 760-3332. If your congregation needs financial help due to fire damage, you can reach out to the UUA Disaster Relief Fund. As always, your PWR staff is here to help in all the ways that we can. You can reach your congregation’s primary contact at pwr@uua.org.

In faith,
Rev. Carlton E. Smith, Pacific Western Regional Lead

BLUU Havens and Harbors 

Watch the GA 2020 Virtual Launch of BLUU Havens & Harbors.

The UUA is thrilled to partner with BLUU (Black Lives of UU) on their Havens and Harbors initiative to develop local nodes of Black communities within Unitarian Universalism.

These groups will be woven into our system from the beginning. BLUU Havens will be socially oriented meet-up groups. BLUU Harbors will be intentional spiritual communities, offering worship, small group ministry, religious education and all else that you would expect from a religious community. Our partnership in growing Havens and Harbors, and the partnership of UU host congregations, is both an act of reparation and a commitment to a shared future. Find the UUA news story here. 

Youth & Emerging Adults Program Announces "UUntitled"

In May, Shannon Harper, UUA Youth and Young Adult Coordinator, and Jennica Davis-Hockett, UUA Youth Ministry Specialist, convened a group of River Rising and Summer Seminary grads—later adding Faith Lab grads, GA Youth staff, and the Youth Trustees on the UUA Board of Trustees.

Participants were asked what felt most needed in this time of pandemic to stay connected to each other and their faith. They came up with the idea of creating a national community building and support network for and by young folks.

Because participants want youth (age 14 - 18) and emerging adult (age 18-24) input at every level, they chose to introduce this network with the name “UUntitled,” so they can start with a community feedback survey that leads to a name and logo contest, ending with a launch party scheduled for November 1.

To learn more about UUntitled, email youth@uua.org. 

Some News from the Salish Sea

"Mother orca Tahlequah has had her baby. The endangered southern resident killer whale, J35, touched hearts in the Pacific Northwest and around the world in August 2018 when she lost a calf that lived only a half-hour. She carried the calf for 17 days and 1,000 miles, refusing to let the calf go."

--The Seattle Times, Sept. 5, 2020

Birth announcement by Salish Sea Orcas (Facebook)

Seasons of Giving is the quarterly e-newsletter from the UUA's Stewardship and Development Office. We are publishing semi-monthly during the COVID-19 crisis. Questions can be directed to Suzanne Murray at development@uua.org or (617) 948-4392.