Friend, you are receiving this email in gratitude for your support of the Unitarian Universalist Association through a recent contribution or as a member of our Legacy Society. You can update your preferences or unsubscribe at the bottom of this email.

Dear Friend, 

As you may know, our Unitarian Universalis principles and sources are undergoing review and renewal.

These words, which many of us hold dear, are held within Article II of the Unitarian Universalist Association bylaws. Article II is a brief section that constitutes our Association and communicates the core purposes and values of our faith. Because we are a living tradition, our bylaws also charge us to revisit those defining words at least every fifteen years.

The renewal of Article II is one of the most democratic things we do in the larger body of Unitarian Universalism. We participate in conversations. We listen, learn and share. We place our faith and trust in the wisdom of the whole. We vote. The process takes years. And then we live into the choices we have made together.

We are partway through that review and renewal now. After many hours of community conversations, the Article II Commission has produced a draft for amendment and consideration at General Assembly this June. You can find their report here (PDF, 26 pages).

Most of the changes excite me. I have open questions about others, and look forward to sitting with them in community. Above all, I’m grateful to all those who have led and participated so far, and I have great faith in what comes next.

I have great faith in our collective capacity to listen, discern, speak with honest compassion, and choose a way forward. I have great faith in the community of Unitarian Universalists, as long as we are able to pause, reflect and speak with open hearts and minds, as long as we show up to the task.

I don’t know where we will be at the end of our discernment. I imagine the results—whatever they are—will inspire a range of responses, including enthusiasm and, in some cases, disappointment. That’s as it should be in a democratic process. If we show up with passion and compassion, humility, integrity and presence, the process and the product will be a blessing. Our collective imagining will help us move into the future with wisdom and love.

The next steps are community discernment, an amendment process, and an initial vote at General Assembly 2023 to continue along the path of adoption. If the draft is affirmed at GA 2023, a second vote will take place at GA 2024 to formally adopt the new language.

Please consider employing the resource materials prepared by the Article II Study Commission: talk to one another, engage in personal and community reflection and discussion, and learn what other congregations are doing to discuss the Article II changes.

Thanks, as always, for all that you are, give and do. Today, especially, thank you for your thoughtful presence.

Recent news from the UUA and President Susan Frederick-Gray

• From the UUA Board of Trustees Secretary: Announcement on the 2023 Election of the UUA President With a Single Candidate (February 2)
• From the UUA President: Holding Tyre Nichols and Black Communities in Love and Prayer (January 31)
• Skinner House Books Enters Distribution Agreement with Ingram Content Group (Press release, January 24)
• From the UUA President: We Mourn with the People of Monterey Park, CA (January 23)
• On the 50th Anniversary of Roe v Wade, Unitarian Universalists Remain Committed to Reproductive Justice (Press release, January 20)
• UU the Vote Reached 2 Million Voters During the 2022 Elections (Press release, January 19)

Article II Study Commission Report Now Available

The Rev. Dr. Susan Frederick-Gray sent a message to UU leaders about this process, closing with:

"My hope for us as Unitarian Universalists is that we approach this discernment about Article II with similar openness. May we enter our conversations with a spirit of curiosity, holding off attachment to outcomes, and listen with our whole hearts and to the fullness and diversity of voices in our community. May the process itself deepen our understanding of and commitment to our faith."

Now what? It's time for UUs to read over the report and proposed revisions and talk with one another about the proposal. Congregations are encouraged to have conversations to gather input from their members to inform their GA delegates. More information about possible forums for discussion will be available soon. 

Disaster Relief Update

Our thanks go to all those who have made donations to the UUA Disaster Relief Fund, most recently in support of congregations affected by the atmospheric rivers in California. We received applications for relief from congregations who experienced damage due to fallen trees, water, and power outages. Your support means the UUA can make funds available to those who need it. 

Register Now for UU@UN Spring Seminar

The UU@UN Intergenerational Spring Seminar will take place April 1-3, 2023 in Minneapolis, MN, and online. Join youth (14+) and adults in-person or online for programming and activities! Hosted by the UUA Office at the UN in close collaboration with the UU College of Social Justice and the UU Service Committee, this year's seminar aims to instill in Unitarian Universalist youth and adults a commitment to global engagement and the skills to take action locally to address global issues. Learn more and check out the schedule on UUA.org.

All in-person and youth registration closes March 15. Adult online-only registration closes March 30. Not sure if you should register as a youth? Check out the Youth at Seminar pages for age range details.

Attending in person? We've secured a block of hotel rooms with specialty rates at the Hampton Inn & Suites in Minneapolis. We'll be providing a shuttle between the hotel and the First Unitarian Society of Minneapolis. Visit our lodging page to book your room, find the roommate bulletin board, and read the UUA Youth Safety Guidelines. Rooms are only guaranteed through February 28, 2023.

Want to hear what Spring Seminar is really like, directly from youth participants? Check out this blog post from Noella and Teaghan, past Seminar Deans. We look forward to seeing you there!

GA 2023: Register Before March 1 Price Increase

Considering attending General Assembly this June? Now is the time to register, before prices go up on March 1 (and again on May 15). In-person reduced rates are offered to emerging adults (age 18-24), UUA aspirant and candidate ministers, retired ministers and spouses, and surviving spouses of ministers.

Looking for information about safety protocols, including for COVID? Check out the Safety and Wellness pages. Masking will be required at GA, regardless of state mandates.

Official 2023 Pittsburgh hotel properties are the Westin Pittsburgh by Marriott (headquarters hotel) and the Omni William Penn Hotel. The Pittsburgh Local Area Task Force is working on arrangements for home hospitality and will have more information in March. For information on hotel pricing, reservations, and more, please visit the GA Housing pages on UUA.org.

Scholarships for New Seminarians: Apply by April 14

Are you a lay leader in Unitarian Universalism who will be entering your first year of seminary in 2023, or are undertaking undergraduate work to prepare for seminary? Or do you know someone who fits this description? 

Each year the Rev. Chuck and Nancy Thomas Scholarship supports a student in the first year of seminary or in preparatory academic work for seminary training. The UUA’s Thomas Scholarship was founded in 1998 to honor Rev. Chuck Thomas’s career in the Unitarian Universalist ministry and his family’s long-standing commitment to lay leadership. 

Thomas Scholars qualify for this award by demonstrating their outstanding commitment to Unitarian Universalism as lay leaders. To apply, applicants must email a completed application along with two letters of recommendation, a resume, and a two to three page essay that describes their path to seminary, highlighting their work as a lay leader in their congregation and in the larger community. 

For more information and to find the application for this scholarship and other ministerial scholarships available from the UUA, please visit UUA.org. Applications open on February 15 and must be submitted no later than April 14, 2023.

Upcoming Events in February

Legacy Giving Webinar for Congregations

Saturday, February 11 | 1 pm - 3 pm ET / 10 am - 12 pm PT

The UUA’s Legacy Gifts Office offers a number of services, including an online workshop to assist congregations in creating legacy giving programs. This webinar will cover the basics of legacy giving and how to set up a legacy giving program in your congregation. We aim to equip congregations with the knowledge they need to start a legacy program. To register for the webinar, email us at legacy@uua.org or call (888) 792-5885 (select option 3).

Nourish’s Dinner Church Worship Service for 30 Days of Love

Sunday, February 12 | 7 pm - 9 pm ET / 4 pm - 6 pm PT

In this challenging time, let your souls rest as you experience powerful, embodied worship and connection. Join Revs. Emily Conger & Aisha Ansano of Nourish for a worship service to hold your tender heart, offer you respite, and nourish you in body and in spirit. In our time together, we'll join in embodied ritual, music, small group discussions, & opportunities to name the challenges we face and to bless one another. We invite you to bring a chalice and at least a bite of food, a warm drink, or your whole meal (real or imaginary). Beloveds, a place is set for you - come be nourished in body and spirit!

UUA Board of Trustees February Dates

Meeting: Monday, February 13 | 7 pm ET / 4 pm PT
Open House: Tuesday, February 14 | 7 pm ET / 4 pm PT

The UUA Board of Trustees holds monthly videoconference calls (using Zoom) and four major meetings per year. Agendas, meeting packets, minutes and reports are available online. The Board also hosts monthly Open Houses. All are invited to attend and participate. Bring your comments, questions, and suggestions, and chat about the Board’s work and the Unitarian Universalist (UU) issues that matter most to you. Register here for the February Board of Trustees meeting. To attend the February Open House, please register here. 

Young Adults in UU Congregations: Not Just Committee Members

Wednesday, February 15 | 7 pm - 8 pm ET / 4 pm - 5 pm PT

Do you wish more youth were involved in your Green Sanctuary work? Come learn from Zoe Johnston, UU Young Adults for Climate Justice, about ways to engage young adults in your congregation. At monthly Green Sanctuary gatherings hosted by Rachel Myslivy, come together for shared learning and mutual support with other UUs working on congregational transformation through climate justice. Each meeting includes a short presentation on a climate justice topic, followed by open discussion on pressing needs. Register to attend on February 15.

UPLIFT Trans and Non-Binary Monthly Gathering

Tuesday, February 28 | 8 pm ET / 5 pm PT

Join the UPLIFT monthly gatherings for trans, nonbinary, and other not-entirely-or-at-all-cis UUs. Join us to connect with other trans/nonbinary+ UUs and co-create support and community across our faith. All you need to bring is yourself (and other trans/nonbinary friends, if you’d like)! These gatherings focus on getting to know each other and on sharing our collective dreams, ideas, and talents for this space. Expansive definitions of trans, nonbinary, and UU all apply. Non-UUs are welcome if they are OK with being in a UU-focused community. If you are interested in this space, and you aren’t (entirely or at all) cisgender, it’s a space for you. To attend the next gathering and join the community, register today.

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

Check UUA.org and UUWorld.org, as well as UUA regional websites, for the latest updates.