UUMA News Challenging News

Spring 2010 From the President ... Volume 43, Issue 3 Dana Greeley, of blessed memory, was fond of describing Unitarian Universalism as “a confederacy of cousins.” There are still some elders at our church who remember a time when almost everyone in the church school were related by blood. There something so dear, so charming, so cozy and safe in congregations which are actually extended families. The trouble is our faith asks more of us. Faith asks “who is my neighbor?” Matthew 10: 37-39 asserts “You who love your father or your mother more than me; and you who love your son or daughter more than me are not worthy of me; and you who do not take up your cross and follow me are not worthy of me. “ He is talking about the need to put first things first. Loyal as we are to those we know and love faith calls us to a larger love than loyalty. Your professional organization is beginning to wrestle with the fact that we’ve outgrown the old model. Our ministry is far more diverse than ever before and so are our ministers. That’s good and challenging news. We’ve always relied on personal relationships to provide the ties that bind. Social capital has been the one essential resource for success. But as we grow we need to change. The UUMA Executive Committee has begun to ask some hard questions. Are Chapters still viable as the primary locus of collegial life? The proliferation of study and support groups seems to indicate otherwise. How can we make best and highest use of new technologies in fostering both collegiality and continuing education? Recognizing the envi- ronmental costs of travel, how can we develop new and yet effective ways of being and learning together? Fascinating as they are these questions make me feel old. I am more than a bit of a Luddite when it comes to new technologies. As a matter of principle I refuse to use the word friend as a participle. And more importantly I and many of our older colleagues feel a palpable loss as Chapter life becomes less central and the sense of family fades. The good news is a younger generation is beginning to take up the obligations of the old and they are far more adept in the new ways of being together. Nothing will ever replace face-to-face intimate meetings but I believe our passionate young colleagues when they tell me our best days are still ahead. This is my last column as your president. These last three years have been a time of significant change for the UUMA. The changes we have instituted over the course of my presidency have inspired considerable controversy. Some say we’ve moved too quickly. Others question the new directions that we’ve set. I want you to know that I and we have always tried to act in the best interest of our colleagues and of Unitarian Universalism. The wisdom of our efforts remains to be judged in the light of posterity. At the beginning of my term I announced three top priorities. Strengthening Chapters, deepen- Inside this issue: ing the UUMA’s commitment to anti-racism, anti-oppression and multiculturalism, and en- From the UUMA Treasurer 2 couraging our members to become full partners From the Acting Executive Director 3 in youth ministry. Even as we question the vi- Whose Are We?: A Theological Conversation 4 From Communications 5

UNITARIANUNIVERSALIST MINISTERSASSOCIATION Our ministry is far more diverse From Chapter Connections & Good Offices 6-7 than ever before and so are our CENTER Institute for Excellence in Ministry 8 ministers. That’s good and CENTER Chapter Presenters 9-10 And We Remember . . . 11-12 UUMA News challenging news . . . UURMaPA and UUMA Relations 13 (Continued on page 2) Announcements 14-15 ability of Chapters I believe we have a number of key initiatives underway which will strengthen our ministry. The “Whose Are We?” conversations ( see page 4 ) promise greater depth. The fulfillment of our new communications plan ( see page 5 ) will provide the tools we need for better feedback and more creative interaction. The UUMA Center Institute ( see page 8 ) will offer both high quality continuing education and a Unitarian Universalist learning community in the interest of preserving our identity as we grow and change. Progress toward the other two stated priorities is far more difficult to measure. I can say that we’ve paid close attention and worked hard to insure that the UUMA will be committed to ARAOM and youth ministry for many years to come. In closing let my just express my deep appreciation to all of our colleagues who have served on the Exec over the course of my presidency. In particular I want to acknowledge the tenacity, skill and devotion of Fred Muir (Good Offices), Sarah Lammert (Vice President) and Hope Johnson (ARAOM) whose terms of service end in June. Hope has agreed to stay on and take over the Good Offices program. I know you will share my gratitude at her willingness to continue to serve. Ministry to ministers has always been for me a source of nourishment and joy. I’m deeply grateful to have had the opportunity to serve as your president and have every confidence in our beloved colleague, Bill Hamilton-Holway, in the rest of the incoming Executive Committee and in our outstanding staff. Yours in Faith,

Rob Eller-Isaacs ([email protected]) 2009-10 UUMA UUMA Leadership Executive Committee Rob Eller-Isaacs , President [email protected] Phone: 651-228-1456 Sarah Lammert , VP [email protected] Phone: 201-444-6225 Marni Harmony , Treasurer [email protected] Phone: 770-578-1533 Alan Taylor , Secretary [email protected] Phone: 708-848-6225 x101 James Kubal-Komoto , Communications [email protected] Phone: 253-839-5200

Pictured (left-right): Front Row: Hope Johnson, Marni Harmony, Kathleen McTigue, Kimi Riegel, Fred Helen Carroll , Arrangements Muir, Don Southworth, Jann Halloran, Bill Hamilton-Holway. Back Row: Helen Carroll, Alan Taylor, [email protected] Rob Eller-Issacs, Greg Ward, Sarah Lammert, James Kubal-Komoto. Phone: 805-459-9696 Hope Johnson , ARAOM 2009-10 CENTER Committee Members [email protected] Phone: 917-304-3048 Greg Ward , Co-Chair Jann Halloran, Exec Liz Lerner Maclay 831-624-7404 303-840-5928 301-434-4050 Jann Halloran , CENTER [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] Phone: 303-840-5928 Kimi Riegel , Co-Chair Carol Huston, Treasurer Jory Agate, UUA Liaison 248-354-4488 914-946-1660 x3 617-948-6453 Kathleen McTigue , Chapters [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] Phone: 203-288-1807 x202 Roger Bertschausen Collin Bossen, Secretary 920-731-0849 216-932-1898 Fred Muir , Good Offices [email protected] [email protected] [email protected]

Page 2 UUMA NEWS From the Acting Executive Director ...

April Fool’s Day was my six-month anniversary as your first Acting Executive Director. At our annual meeting in June members will be asked to pass a budget that will not only increase our dues again, as was agreed to last year, but will also continue to increase the possibilities and programs for the UUMA. Recently I received an email from someone who isn’t sure if their extra dues and our new CENTER Institute for Excellence in Ministry is that good of a value especially since it means we won’t have a CENTER day at Ministry Days this year. It is a fair question; a question that guides me every day as I set out to serve you but also lay the foundation, I hope, to have a per- manent UUMA Executive Director. Since I know many of you are asking the same question I am sharing a portion of my answer. I hope if you have more questions you won’t be shy in asking them. “The loss of a guest speaker on CENTER day is something I think most of us will miss. Many of us felt that while the quality of the three hour conversation was usually quite good, the short time frame and the timing at the end of the congregational year did not provide much depth in the way of professional development. The CENTER Institute for Excellence in Ministry has been designed to give us the chance to do much deeper, much broader and I would dare say, much more meaningful work, with experts and with our colleagues. The goal of the UUMA Exec, CENTER and myself is to create an Institute that is excellent and meets or exceeds any continuing education experience available to UU ministers today. I hope you agree that the quality of the current list of speakers/seminars is outstanding. Not only will the teaching be relevant and inspiring, the preaching and music will be as well. The overarching question that will guide the worship life of the Institute - and which will be a topic for two panel discussions - is "What is required for Unitarian Universalism to live into its promise to be a transformative religion for our people and the world?" In addition to the worship and teaching we will be offering a program for peer mentoring/coaching that will continue after the Institute is complete. As far as the cost of the Institute we believe it is going to be an outstanding value. The total cost for food, lodging, registration and travel will be about $1200 or less for most people. We expect many people will take advantage of the UUA's educational grant of up to $500 and we will have some UUMA scholarships available as well. While we are aware of hard economic times for members, we are going to do everything we can to encourage congregations to support their ministers so they can attend what we believe will be a transformational week in the life of the UUMA and in the life of Unitar- ian Universalism. I truly hope you will be able to attend; I don't think you will be disappointed. We are also working very hard to develop a program that will offer much of the experience to those who don't attend through videos, study guides and online learning opportunities. Your extra dues are doing much more than funding those who can attend the Institute. Some of the other services and programming that are being developed and/or delivered include a continental chapter-based theological training and conversation on the question "Whose Are We?" that will begin in the fall; new and improved chapter and good offices hand- books to assist in our chapters' health and vitality; many new ways of communication and learning that we are beginning and will accelerate in the next few months; the development, in conjunction with the UUA, of a 5-10 year continuing education program for ministers in final fellowship and a coaching/mentoring network that will provide every colleague a chance to work with one or more colleagues in sharing and learning key areas of ministerial professional development. As I hope you hear I am very passionate and excited about the vision and the future of a stronger, healthier, more vibrant Unitarian Universalist Ministers Association. I am honored to serve my colleagues and work with our UUMA leaders who have a bold vision for our professional associa- tions' future and are so committed to making some of UUMA Staff our big dreams come true.” Don Southworth, Janette Lallier, Blessings, Acting Executive Director Administrator 617-848-0416 617-848-0498 617-848-8122 (fax) 617-848-0973 (fax) [email protected] [email protected] Don Southworth, Mailing Address: Acting Executive Director 25 Beacon Street [email protected] Boston, MA 02108

SPRING 2010 Page 3 “Whose Are We:” Unitarian Universalist Ministers Association Spiritual Discernment & Theological Reflection 2010 Ministry Days Program Taking Shape June 22-23, 2010 Laurel Hallman and Burton Carley are preparing to lead a two- day training session for 40 chapter facilitators June 20-22 in Minneapolis, Minnesota Minneapolis. The facilitators will be leading, what we are hop- ing will be, rich theological conversations focused on the ques- Location: Hilton Minneapolis tion, Whose Are We?, in chapters around the continent next 1001 Marquette Avenue, Minneapolis, MN 55403 year. Our Priestley-Kingsbury UUMA Chapter previewed the question and topic at a recent retreat and reported that their Schedule: conversations were "important, deep and intimate theological Tuesday, June 22: Hilton Minneapolis discussions. Folks seemed to enjoy the topic and the opportunity to reflect on it." (Facilitators are listed below. More infor- 4:00-8:00 PM Registration mation can be found at: www.uuma.org/whose_are_we ) 4:30-6:00 PM Singers of the Living Tradition Rehearsal 7:00-8:00 PM Opening Worship Ballou Channing: Dan Hotchkiss, Judith Campbell 8:00-9:00 PM Conversation with Peter Morales Central Midwest: Emmy Lou Belcher, Krista Taves 9:00-10:00 PM Cash Bar Reception Chesapeake: Mary Katherine Morn, Scott Sammler-Michael Clara Barton: Thomas Schade, Ellen Rowse Spero Wednesday, June 23: Hilton Minneapolis Florida: Dee Graham, Sara Zimmerman Heartland: Annie Forester, Jill McAllister 7:00-8:15 AM Breakfast Iroquois: Jennifer Crow, Douglas Taylor 8:30-10:00 AM Worship 25/50 Year Honorees: th Mass Bay: Martha Niebanck, Katie Lee Crane 25 — Barbara Wells ten Hove th Metro New York: Charles Stephens, Jennifer Brower 50 — Kenneth Torquil MacLean Mountain Desert: Alicia Forde, Ellen Johnson-Fay 10:00 AM Coffee break Northern New England: Karen Lewis Foley, Bruce Johnson 10:15 AM UUMA Annual Meeting; Ohio Meadville: Daniel Budd, Kathleen Rolenz UUMPs Annual Meeting Pacific Central: Cathleen Diane Cox, Christopher Bell 12:15 PM Buffet Lunch Pacific Northwest: Cecilia Kingman, Jon Luopa 1:30-3:00 PM Collegial Conversations Pacific Southwest: Rod Richards, Wendy Williams Prairie Star: Mark Stringer, Lisa Romantum Schwartz 3:00 PM Beverage break Priestley-Kingsbury: Craig Roshaven, Lynn Strauss 3:30-5:00 PM Ministerial Conference at Berry Street: Southeast: Marti Keller, Maj-Britt Johnson Lecture by the Rev. Gary Kowalski Southwest: Eliza Galaher, Bret Lortie UU Ministers of Canada: Wendy McNiven, Debra Faulk Register online at: www.uuma.org/ministry_days/register

From the UUMA Treasurer . . . Concerning Issues of Budget and Dues Restructuring

At our spring Exec meeting in San Antonio we spent considerable time discussing the financial aspects of life in the UUMA. It has been a year of significant transition with the hiring of an Executive Director and the ramifications for how we do business. Of most interest to the members will be the following: With careful oversight of spending along with what looks like a dues collection rate of nearly 97% of what was budgeted, we expect to end the year without any significant deficit. A proposed budget for 2011 was approved by the Exec to be presented to you at the Annual Meeting. Total income and expenses are projected to be essentially the same as 2010. While continuing the essential dues format proposed last year (with percentages based on earnings), we have listened carefully to your concerns voiced over the past year. In response, we have developed and are proposing a chart with smaller income ranges, a tiered discount code system, as well as continuing to offer full waiver (with supporting documents), minimum dues for temporary financial hardship, and student dues at the same level as last year. More details will be available in the Annual Meeting packet scheduled for publication in May. Marni Harmony, Treasurer [email protected]

Page 4 UUMA NEWS From Communications Concerning the development of a UUMA Communications Plan

At its meeting in February, the UUMA Executive Committee reviewed a newly-developed communications plan. The goal of this plan is to make sure the UUMA uses the most effective communication practices and technologies (1) between members of the Executive Committee, (2) between the Executive Committee and UUMA members, and (3) between UUMA members. We’ve already started to put parts of this plan into place. At our March meeting in San Antonio, Texas, we used video conferencing technology for the first time to have conversations with individuals across the continent, saving us thousands of dollars in travel expenses. Some other parts of the plan that we’ve already started to put in place are the direct results of feedback we’ve received from you. Based on your feedback, we’ve made tweaks to the newsletter to increase its readability online. However, some of you have told us that you want your communication as short and to the point as possible. As a result of that Don Southworth, our Acting Executive Director, is now sending out shorter but more frequent email updates in addition to our newsletter. Some of you have also told us, though, that you’re more likely to read something on Facebook than something sent by email, so the UUMA now has a Facebook page. If you’re a Facebook user, I encourage you to become a “fan” of the page. You may see some other parts of the plan in place very soon. At an upcoming training for good officers, our hope and plan is that people who are not able to physically attend the training will be able to participate in the training over the Internet. Over the next few months, there will also be some major updates to the UUMA website that will make it much more interactive and will make it much easier for you as a UUMA member to communicate and share materials with other UUMA members. Another part of the plan deals with helping our most geographically dispersed colleagues. While some of us are only a few miles away from our nearest colleague, some of us are hundreds of miles away. If you or members of your local UUMA cluster would be interested in participating in a pilot project that would allow you to meet using video conferencing technology, please contact me. Sincerely,

James Kubal-Komoto, Communications ( [email protected] ) Extraction from the UUMA Communication Plan To view the complete plan visit www.uuma.org/communications Between UUMA Leadership (Executive Committee and Staff) Priority Target Start Begun Task 1 May 2010 Begin using video conference technology for all conference calls. 2 Fall 2010 Staff and appropriate UUMA Committee members are trained to present webinars. Between UUMA Leadership and UUMA Membership 2 Apr 2010 √ Quarterly conference calls between ECM and Chapter Leaders continue. 6 Jan 2010 √ Establish a Face book Page. 7 Feb 2010 √ Begin monthly e-updates from Executive Director. 8 Aug 2010 Executive Director begins blog. 9 Spring 2010 Begin quarterly interactive survey of members on key items of interest. 10 Feb 2010 √ Executive Director in contact with all chapter presidents. 11 Oct 2009 √ Executive Director or ECM visits all chapters. 13 May 2011 Annual member satisfaction & communications effectiveness survey is designed & implemented. Between UUMA Members 1 May 2010 √ Upgrade website to improve the user focused interface 3 Fall 2010 A list of all scholarly groups is created. Essays are regularly solicited & posted on website. 5 Oct 2010 Executive Director arranges regular webinars for members. 8 Fall 2010 Research and implement putting video of all UUMA workshops on website. 9 Fall 2010 Begin to integrate video on website (Exec Director messages, workshops, chapter promos) 10 Fall 2010 Research and implement remote participation for Institute.

SPRING 2010 Page 5 From Chapter Connections Concerning the publication of new chapter resources and the annual Chapter Leader Breakfast We continue to strengthen the communication ties between the Executive Committee and our chapter leaders through our quarterly conference calls, through which the recent business conducted by the Executive Com- mittee is communicated and feedback and questions are solicited from the chapters. These calls also offer a chance for our far-flung colleagues to hear one another’s voices and to engage each other, albeit in a limited way, in the central issues that concern us all. With the leadership of our Acting Executive Director, Don Southworth, we’re moving forward with the long- promised Handbook for Best Practices for our chapters, which will be on-line and easily adapted and updated as time goes on. We encourage all chapter leaders to send us outlines of things you feel your chapter does really well, so we can include these in the handbook. Such practices may include examples of covenants, rituals for welcoming new colleagues and sending off those who are moving, structures for retreats that have worked particularly well, and so on. We’re still devoting attention to some of the thorny issues surrounding membership and inclusivity on the chapter level, and our best guidance to date will be included in the Handbook. These issues revolve around questions of accessibility of retreat sites (not just physical accessibility but timeframes that balance availability of parish and community ministers); how to welcome UUMA members in candidate status without feeling flooded by students (a problem specific to certain chapters); and how to grapple with our relationships to colleagues in our districts who are not currently UUMA members. Three developments in the coming year will surely have a positive impact on our chapter life: the implementation of our theological conversations through “Whose Are We?”; the CENTER Institute in February 2011; and the implementation of new communications strategies including web-based cluster conversations. Stay tuned! In Faith, Kathleen McTigue, Chapter Connections [email protected] From Good Offices Concerning the UUMA Covenant, Code, and Standards of Practice Years ago I served as chair of the UUMA Guidelines Committee (I took over from Wayne Arnason who, as you might expect, did a fantastic job!). Luckily for me, there weren’t a lot of demands on the Committee since there had been major changes under Wayne’s leadership. I say “luckily for me” because I was still relatively new to the ministry and didn’t have a complete understanding of the value and work of the Guidelines Com- mittee. It’s only now – about twenty years later – that I have come to a fuller appreciation of our Covenant, Code and Standards of Practice (CC&S): Little did I ever think that my three years as Continental Good Of- fices Person (CGOP) would immerse me so deeply in these vital and essential documents. And here’s what I’ve learned. • The CC&S are dynamic documents. They speak to our living ministry and relationships – past, present and future. • The CC&S have been crafted, discussed and presented by colleagues who care deeply about Unitarian Universalism and our ministry. • Many – and sometimes most – of the issues and challenges that have been brought to me as CGOP are addressed in the CC&S. • Many – most? – UU ministers have opinions about our CC&S. • Some – many? – don’t pay attention to our CC&S until they have to pay attention to them. Which is all to say that I have a greater-than-ever appreciation for our CC&S and the people (the Guidelines Committee, the Execu- tive Committee, the Continental GOP and chapter Good Office Persons) who work and live with these documents as part of their ministry. At June’s UUMA Annual Meeting, we will vote on recommended changes to the Guidelines. The recommendations can be found at uuma.org. The changes are wide in scope, deep in substance, thorough in application. In sum, they are far-reaching and I urge you to be familiar with these changes before you vote. They speak about vision, practicalities, boundaries, relationships, and our future. What could be more important for us? See you soon,

Fred Muir, Continental Good Offices [email protected]

Page 6 UUMA NEWS UUMA Good Offices Handbook UUMA Leadership Table of Contents June Resources & Events Chapter Leaders Breakfast Introduction ...... 3 There will be a breakfast for all chapter leaders attend- Historical Perspective ...... 6 ing General Assembly, so please plan to join us and be I. Foundation and Structure of the Good Offices Program...... 7 introduced to the new Chapter Handbook and, not incidentally, to each other! The breakfast will be on II. Selecting Good Offices Persons...... 8 Friday, June 26, 2010 from 8:00 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. at III. Responsibilities of Good Offices Persons the Hilton Minneapolis in Marquette IV. Keep a look A. The Steady State: A Healthy, Effective Partnership out for an email from evite.com. We ask that you between Minister and Congregation...... 9 respond to the invitation as soon as possible so that we B. The Beginning of Trouble ...... 11 can plan seating and food.

C. The Storm...... 12 GOP Handbook Webinar IV. Opportunities for Collaboration...... 13 Another exciting resource being unveiled in Minnea- V. Recognizing and Responding to Addictions polis is the newest Good Offices Handbook — pre- A. Addictions Nuts and Bolts...... 14 pared by veteran GOPs David Herndon, Tom Shade B. Getting Involved: The Caring Response...... 18 and Fred Muir. Fred will be presenting the handbook during a Collegial Conversation which we hope to Appendix A: Section III. C. of the UUMA Guidelines...... 21 broadcast via a webinar. If you will be serving as a good officer in the 2010-2011 year you are encourage Appendix B: Perspectives from Several Experienced Good Offices you to attend this conversation. If you did not sign up Persons ...... 23 during the Ministry Days registration process please Appendix C: Sample Document for Starting a Negotiated let Janette ( [email protected] ) in the UUMA Resignation...... 27 office know you would like to attend. If you are not Appendix D: Sample Document for Recording the Results of a able to be with us in Minneapolis and are interested in Negotiated Resignation ...... 32 joining the webinar please contact James Kubal- Appendix E: Sample Separation Agreement ...... 36 Komoto at [email protected] .

COVENANT*

United in our call to serve the spirit of love and justice through the vocation of ministry in the liberal religious tradition, we, the members of the Unitarian Universalist Ministers Association, covenant with one another: • To conduct ourselves with integrity, honoring the trust placed in us; • To embody in our lives the values that we proclaim on behalf of our faith; • To support one another in collegial respect and care, understanding and honoring the diversity within our association; • To hold ourselves accountable to each other for the competent exercise of our vocation; • To use our power constructively and with intention, mindful of our potential unconsciously to perpetuate systems of oppression; • To seek justice and right relations according to our evolving collective wisdom, and to refrain from all abuse or exploitation; • To cultivate practices of deepening awareness, understanding, humility, and commitment to our ideals; • To labor earnestly together for the well being of our communities and the progress of Unitarian Universalism. Through fidelity to this covenant and our Code of Professional Conduct, we aspire to grow in wholeness, and bring hope and healing to the world.

* This Covenant, in final form, was adopted by votes in the 2008 and 2009 Annual Meetings of the UUMA. The Code of Conduct and the Standards of Professional Practice are currently under study and will be presented to the June Annual Meeting for final (Code) and first (Standards) votes. Visit www.uuma.org/guidelines for more information on this timeline and to review the documents as they will be presented to the Annual Meeting.

SPRING 2010 Page 7 From the CENTER Committee . . . Concerning Vision, Chapters and the Institute for Excellence in Ministry The C.E.N.T.E.R. Committee of the UUMA continues to be delighted to provide our chapters with the Chapter Presenters program. This program has served our ministry well in the past and continues to do so today. We are also mindful that the continuing education program of the UUMA is in the midst of a profound change. We want to make sure that our Chapter Presenters program reflects these changes. In the past many of our chapter presenter recommendations came from positive evaluations at C.E.N.T.E.R. Days in June. This year we will be presenting an amazing in-depth program: the Institute for Excellence in Ministry in February of 2011 (see below for more details). This improvement in our continuing education has made it clear that we need to reassess the CENTER Presenters program. We need a better way of recruiting presenters. We need a better understanding of the formats that are most effective for our constituents. We need an updated and more focused vision of what the Presenters program could be. In light of the work of the Institute, and our desire to create more clarity around our vision for the program and successful strategies to address the missing pieces we made three decisions: 1. C.E.N.T.E.R. will begin engaging in a new visioning process in June of 2010 2. The current list of presenters will be maintained with few changes for the next 16 months and 3. We will recruit presenters in two priority areas of the UUMA that are not currently included in our chapter presenter list: ARAOM and youth ministry. We want to make it clear that in the meantime, we will continue the Chapter Presenters program and support it with funding. The current presenters are wonderful choices for you. Also remember that your chapter may choose to use someone outside of the program and still receive the funding support. We want to encourage you, our constituents , to have discussions in your chapters and with us as we gather at General Assem- bly about what works and doesn’t work for your chapter in our Chapter Presenter program. We encourage feedback that will help us know what you would like to see covered by presenters? We will use the data we gathered in our survey from last year as well, and whatever information you are willing to provide. This time of change has been a boon for our mission of continuing education. We continue to enjoy serving you, our colleagues in ministry. In faith,

Jann Halloran, Member of CENTER; Member of Exec, Professional Development Portfolio

The CENTER Institute for Excellence in Ministry February 7-11, 2011 ~ Asilomar Conference Grounds

The CENTER Institute for Excellence in Ministry provides UUMA members a chance to engage in a more intense time of study and learning with opportunities for understanding, practice and feedback. The topics and themes of the Institute will help members to build existing skills and learn new ones in an atmosphere which will foster new and deeper collegial connections. Program Paths to include: • Facilitating Cultural Change - Beth Zemsky MAEd, LICSW • To Infinity and Beyond: Transforming Preaching for a Post Modern Culture - Kay Lynn Northcutt • Rewriting the UU Narrative: The Role of and Response to African Americans in Universalism, Unitarianism and Unitarian Universalism - Mark Morrison-Reed • Growing Our Movement: the Role of the Minister - Peter Morales • Building A House for Hope: UUsm’s Theological Task - Rebecca Parker and John Buerhens • Adaptive Leadership: Facing Ministry’s Toughest Challenges - Terasa Cooley and John Gibb Millspaugh • Social Ethics for Social Justice - Gary Dorrien, Reinhold Niebuhr Professor of Social Ethics Union Theological Seminary Additional Details Available At: www.uuma.org/institute

Page 8 UUMA NEWS 2009-10 CENTER Chapter Presenters UUMA Continuing Education Network for Training, Enrichment, and Renewal Additional presentations available at http://www.uuma.org/chap_presenters_current

Adaptive Leadership for Ministers ~ Rev. John Millspaugh

As Charles Darwin might have said, organizations that do not adapt do not survive. Dr. Ronald Heifetz’s frame- work for adaptive leadership can help our UU organizations not only survive, but thrive. Adaptive leadership in- volves helping groups face challenges neither you nor they know how to address, pastoring and prodding them through a zone of productive disequilibrium where old patterns are broken and new health is embraced. In practi- cal terms, adaptive organizations institutionalize reflection, disperse leadership, speak the unspeakable, hold dis- tress, and continually run small experiments. For their part, adaptive leaders dwell in purpose, distinguish between technical and adaptive work, take faithful risks, regulate the heat, own their piece of the mess, and discover the joy of making hard decisions. No matter your organizational constraints, this intensive reflection on the perils and the promise of adaptive leadership will change the way you think of ministry itself, broadening the options available to you and the people you serve. Contact: [email protected] Playing with Words that Matter ~ Rev. Dr. Nancy Jay Crumbine

Sermon after sermon, I say exactly what I mean, every word my own. Don't we wish. Words, in fact, are wildly not our own, as they rise up out of our vastly unknown unconsciousness and ricochet off decades of other people's experience. We UU ministers love words so for this very reason, the unpredictable possibility that someone might be moved by what we say, in addition to being moved by what we might have meant. When we dare to use words to surprise and enchant, we dare to connect in unpredictable ways. In this workshop we will play with words in new ways, encourage those of us who might be afraid to write a "poem" but who nevertheless are drawn to lan- guage that surprises and delights. We will become writers who, in our wildest dreams, imagine ourselves saying something that flies like a spark into another's heart. Words also can help us slow down. This two-toned workshop is designed to help ministers enrich our voices; ever attentive to the possibility of transforming our feelings, ever hopeful of enriching the public word with ever more personal depth. We will discuss “writer's block,” “minister’s block,” and the other monsters which skulk between our deepest held beliefs, our most precious stories, and the public which wants to hear them. We will do short playful writing exercises, write our dearest stories, share as we are moved to share, laugh, sing and celebrate our impossi- ble calling. Contact: [email protected] Humor and Truth in Ministry ~ Rev. Meg Barnhouse

Meg Barnhouse is minister of the UU Church of Spartanburg, SC, and a credentialed pastoral counselor. She is also an accomplished writer, composer and performer. Meg is a commentator on the NC Public Radio Program “Radio Free Bubba.” Her books include The Best of Radio Free Bubba, Waking Up the Karma Fairy, The Rock of Ages at the Taj Mahal, and Did I Say That Out Loud? Meg’s workshop demonstrates how she uses humor to tell the truth in a “Ha-ha-ha-OH!” technique. She has no idea how to teach humor, but she can teach writing and telling the truth, and participants will have a good time in her workshop. Her methods for changing self-defeating behavior are both profound and easy to grasp, and she mixes in original songs like “The A.D.D. Blues,” and “The Bipolar Waltz.” Contact: [email protected]. Collaborative Worship Ministry ~ Minister/Musician Relationship ~ Rev. Jason Shelton

We often speak of the need for greater collaboration between ministers and musicians, but how might such a relationship actually work? In this workshop we’ll explore the roles of the parish minister and musician, looking honestly at areas of potential conflict between the two as well as celebrating the rich, rewarding partnership that is possible when they engage in a truly shared ministry. Topics covered include: ego and worship leadership; full integration of music into the worship planning process; theological development for church musicians (and the minister’s role in making it happen); and music, worship and anti-racist, multicultural identity. And rest assured, there will be quite a bit of sing- ing, too! Chapters are encouraged to invite musicians to attend and participate. Contact [email protected]. Creating Sexually Healthy UU Communities ~ Rev. Debra W. Haffner

UU congregations and clergy can be proud of our leadership in sexual health and sexual justice issues. But we can do more. Rev. Debra Haffner will tailor a workshop for your chapter on creating sexually healthy faith communities. Three six hour workshops are available: increasing one’s effectiveness as a sexually healthy religious professional, assessing and improving the sexual health of the faith community, and keeping children and youth safe in congregations, including how to include a sex offender in the congregation. The workshop will include tools to help participants assess their needs and effective strategies for implementing programs and procedures. The workshops are appropriate for joint UUMA/LREDA. Participants have called them “Fun, informative, engaging, challenging, and inspirational.” Contact : [email protected]

SPRING 2010 Page 9 The Many Meanings of Ministry ~ Rev. Steve Edington

A minister is a pastor, a prophet, a theologian, a colleague…and a vulnerable human being. What does it mean to operate in these many, and often overlapping modes? And how much of her/his humanity and vulnerability does a minister expose in his/her ministry? This workshop is an outgrowth of conversations between Steve and the Rev. Ric Marsten as it looks at how Ric’s alternative, troubadour ministry informs those of us who minister in the more traditional settings of congregation and community. Using some of the books chapters as backdrop, this workshop offers structured and personally focused opportunities for colleagues to examine the many meanings of ministry. Contact: [email protected]

Repairing Rifts in the Church ~ Rev. Cat Cox

An ongoing challenge of ministry is trying to accomplish our work in the midst of damaged relationships in which trust and good will have been lost. There are concrete processes ministers can bring to bear which meaningfully address the needs of all stakeholders. This workshop will offer an overview and intensive practice in applying the conflict resolution practices of Non-Violent Communication to the dynamics of congregational systems. Learn ways not only to “unstick” specific thorny issues, but to usher in profound, long-lasting changes in congregational culture. Cat’s community ministry of UU spiritual direction serves individuals and communities, UU and beyond, nationwide and is affiliated with the UU Church of Berkeley. Contact [email protected] .

Mental Health in the Church ~ Barbara Meyers

People with mental disorders and their families fill our pews, our streets, our jails and, I should add, our pulpits. Fre- quently, a minister is the first person contacted by a person or a family undergoing mental health problems. But, un- fortunately and sometimes tragically many ministers don't know how to handle these problems. This workshop is designed for ministers and will give an overview of mental health, consequences of mental disorder, treatment, the recovery model and pastoral care. Particular emphasis will be placed on the role of religion and spirituality in mental health and the particular role that a minister as pastoral care giver can play. It also addresses the question of self-care for ministers who themselves have mental health needs. Contact: [email protected]

Writing as a Spiritual Practice ~ Rev. Barbara Child

Every authentic self-disclosure makes one person’s story a gift to all who hear it. No one can tell where its influence ends. Barbara invites colleagues to sit down to write in each other’s company and then to share the writing with each other. She brings together the value of exploring self and the value of having the support of a community in which to do that. The kind of writing she invites in these retreat workshops is quite different from journal writing or writing a spiritual autobiography. Her program offers colleagues a time of creative renewal, an experience of coming to know themselves and colleagues more deeply, and a program easily adaptable for congregational retreats or adult religious education programs. Contact [email protected] The Chapter Presenters Program A Presenter Program is a 6-12 hour ♦ Additional presenter costs are born by Guest Presenters workshop for a UUMA chapter meeting or the chapter When a chapter has an opportunity for a retreat. CENTER offers three kinds of ♦ Each chapter may apply for only one speaker in your area who can address your opportunities for the chapters: Chapter reimbursement per year. Chapters may needs (UU colleague or someone from Presenters, Guest Presenters, and Anti- collaborate by conducting joint presenta- outside our movement), CENTER offers Racism Anti-Oppression Multicultural tions (at $1000 maximum each) the same funding assistance as it does to Programming. other presenters ♦ Program and financial details are Chapter Presenters worked out between the chapter and the CENTER Subsidies ♦ Presenters are chosen from within our presenter. collegial ranks and based on identified Contact presenters directly, then following ♦ Reimbursement for expenses to the needs in ministry the retreat, contact the UUMA Office to presenter is a chapter responsibility and apply for CENTER subsidies. After pro- ♦ CENTER sponsors individual Chapter should be handled with utmost dispatch viding receipts and evaluations your re- Presenters for no more than three years ♦ Each chapter pays the presenter after the quest will be presented to the CENTER ♦ Funding available to chapters: up to program is completed. CENTER will Treasurer for approval. Funds are limited. $500 toward expense of bringing the reimburse the chapter after receipts and Subsidies are awarded on a first-come- presenter to the retreat, and up to $500 summary evaluations are returned to first-served basis. honorarium for the presenter (per chap- CENTER through the UUMA Office. ter per year)

Page 10 UUMA NEWS And We Remember . . . Friends and colleagues are encouraged to share their reflections at this site: http://www.uuma/blog.

Joseph Ira Craig Polly Laughland Guild Suzanne Pike Meyer

The Reverend Joseph Ira Craig (1926 - 2009) The Reverend Joseph Ira Craig died on June 11, 2009 at the age of 82. Rev. Craig was born on October 9, 1926 in Youngstown, Ohio, to Ira B. and Dorothy D. Craig. After graduating as valedictorian of his high school class, Rev. Craig joined the US Army Air Force. He served as an aerial photographer in Italy from 1944 to 1946. After attending Youngstown University, and the University of Dayton, he graduated from Muskingum College in New Concord, Ohio in 1953. He earned his Sacred Theology degree from Harvard University in 1957 and a Master in Library Science from the University of Maine in 1971. Rev. Craig served Methodist Churches in Somerton, OH, and Enfield, NH, before being ordained at The Congregational Parish of Norton, MA (Unitarian) in 1957. In addition to the Norton Church, Rev. Craig served the First Parish Unitarian Universalist of Fitchburg, MA and All Souls Church Unitarian in Augusta, ME, before returning to school to earn his library science degree. He worked as a librarian at the Augusta Mental Health Institute for more than 20 years. Rev. Craig answered the call from Martin Luther King, Jr. with many other UU ministers to participate in the civil rights march from Selma to Montgomery, AL, in 1965. He was a member of the Maine State Advisory Committee to the US Commission on Civil Rights from 1962 to 1969. He served the denomination as a member of the Unitarian Historical Society; as secretary of the Maine Unitarian Association from 1962 – 1965; and as a member of the Board of Directors of the Northeast District of the UU Ministers’ Association from 1966 – 1968. In 1966, he held the position of Northeast District president. Rev. Craig’s many interests included reading, theology, history, painting, fencing, and music. He played viola in the Augusta Sym- phony for many years. Survivors include his daughter, Leslie Flores, and her husband, Rudy Flores, of Augusta, ME; his stepson, Daniel Cake, and Daniel’s companion, Karen Thompson, of Auburn, ME; his stepson, Jeffrey Cake, and Jeffrey’s wife, Laura Cake, of Bar Harbor, ME; and another stepson, Basil Cake, and Basil’s wife, Mia, of Augusta, ME. He also is survived by six grandchildren and four great- grandchildren. He was predeceased by his parents, two sisters, five brothers, his wife, Rachel, and his ex-wife, Jacqueline. A celebration of Rev. Craig’s life was held in July 2009 in Hallowell, ME, with Rev. Helen Zidowecki officiating. The Reverend Polly Laughland Guild 1924 - 2009 The Reverend Polly Laughland Guild died peacefully at home in Weston, MA, on Saturday, November 7, 2009. She was 85. Rev. Guild was born on September 1, 1924 to James A. Callard and Marjorie C. Bachrach. She graduated with a BA in Biology and Chemistry from Colby College in Waterville, ME, in 1945 and an MRE from Andover Newton Theological School in 1964. She also attended Crane Theological School of Tufts University for one year. A Unitarian by birth, Rev. Guild entered the church school of the First Unitarian Society of West Newton, MA, as a kindergartener. Her association with that church would continue for the next 50 years. After she graduated from divinity school, Rev. Guild served the church as minister of religious education for many years. In 1972, one year before her acceptance into preliminary fellowship by the Ministerial Fellowship Committee, the congregation ordained her. She shared parish ministry duties at the West Newton church for the next two years. From 1974 until 1976, Rev. Guild served as interim minister to the UU Society of Wellesley Hills, MA. In 1976, she was called to the Follen Community Church in Lexington, MA, where she served for 16 years. Under her leadership, the Follen Church grew into a strong, effective, and caring community. She was named minister emerita upon her retirement in 1992. Rev. Guild also provided leadership to Unitarian Universalists around the world. In 1986, during her sabbatical, she served as interim minister in Adelaide, Australia. In the 1980’s she and her husband, Ted Guild, served as volunteer international coordinators for the UUA. She was one of the founders of the International Council of Unitarians and Universalists (ICUU.) She was also a long-time member of International Association for Religious Freedom (IARF) and attended their triennial congresses in many coun- (Continued on page 12)

SPRING 2010 Page 11 (Continued from page 11) tries. She organized and led four church-related group trips to Egypt, India, Eastern Europe, and Britain. With her husband, she endowed a Unitarian school in the Khasi Hills of India. She established a micro-lending organization in the Philippines called the Ted Guild Village Bank. Rev. Guild is survived by her children, Lorna and Bruce Winthrop of Deltona, FL; Linda Laughland and Dan Downing of Lincoln, MA, and Andrew Laughland and Barb Gage of Arlington, MA; Todd and Yasuko Guild of Tokyo; Sylvia Guild of Alaska; Kathe- rine Guild and husband James of Texas; and Lina Guild of the Virgin Islands; her sisters, Harriet Cowdery of Boothbay Harbor, ME, and Margo Callard of Needham, MA; and seven grandchildren. Her husband, Ted, died in 2002. Two services were held at Follen Community church to honor Reverend Guild. On November 10, there was a Candlelight Service of Loving Memory for her immediate family and everyone from Follen. On November 11, 2009, a memorial service designed by Rev. Guild with her favorite hymns, solo musical pieces, and readings was held. Gifts to honor Rev. Guild’s memory may be made to the following organizations: Follen Community Church, 755 Massachusetts Avenue, Lexington, MA 02420; International Council of Unitarians and Universalists (Make check payable to ICUU and send to David Shaw, Meadow Hey, Adlington Lane, Grindleford, Hope Valley, Derbyshire, United Kingdom S32 2HT [postage to England is 98 cents]. Please include your name, mailing address and an email address, if available, and David will send acknowledgements personally.); or Parmenter/Wayside Hospice (Make check payable to Parmenter with hospice program in memo and send to Par- menter Community Health Care, 266 Cochituate Road, Wayland, MA 01778. Please send messages of condolence to Rev. Guild’s family in care of Linda Laughland, 15 Sunnyside Lane, Lincoln, MA 01773. The Reverend Suzanne Pike Meyer 1953 - 2010 The Reverend Suzanne Pike Meyer died on January 23, 2010, in the presence of loving friends. She was 56. Rev. Meyer was born on Nov. 24, 1953 in the Florence Nightingale wing of Baylor Hospital in Dallas, Texas, the only child of Robert and Pansy Pike. She was a graduate of the University of Houston (Broadcast Journalism 1976) and Meadville/Lombard Theological School (M.Div. 1983). She was ordained to the Unitarian Universalist ministry on June 19, 1983 by the Unitarian Church of Vancouver, British Columbia, where she had completed her internship. She went on to successfully serve Unitarian Univer- salist churches in Texas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, Georgia, Missouri, and Wyoming, along with postgraduate Clini- cal Pastoral Education at St. Luke’s/Texas Children’s Hospital in Houston and Austin State Hospital in Austin. As a child Rev. Meyer taught herself to read, which fueled a lifelong ambition to become a writer. She would realize this in ministry as many colleagues considered her as one of the finest writers of her generation, as well as an outstanding preacher and pastor. Her early career in broadcast journalism was sidetracked when in the fall of 1977, she was hired by Offender Aid and Restoration (OAR), a national nonprofit criminal justice reform organization headquartered in Charlottesville, Virginia. While at a Memorial Service at the local Unitarian Universalist Church she had what she would later describe as a conversion experience. Raised in the Southern Baptist Church, Rev. Meyer had fallen away from the church in her early adult years as she found the church “irrelevant” to the pressing social, economic, and justice issues of the day. But, at that memorial she was so profoundly moved by an experience of the love of God that she found herself called to service in ministry. After a year at Union Seminary in Richmond, Virginia, she made her way to Mead- ville/Lombard, where her intellect and her faith grew to be an inspiration to so many, and where she later served on the Board of Trustees. Rev. Meyer was as devoted in her affection to others as was the Biblical Ruth, as deep in her allegiance to the Free Church as Hosea, and as sharp in her “truth-telling” as Jeremiah. She was held in esteem by colleagues and congregants for her deep insight into the religious issues of culture, and harbored a long love for the spiritual insights of Southern authors, especially Flannery O’Connor. She will be missed by so many because she embodied the balance between the love a pastor gives to others, and the truth she must tell about humanity. She knew both God’s love and judgment, and knew when to call forth the one or the other. She was diagnosed with late-stage colon cancer in August of 2009. During her illness she was lovingly cared for by her friends from previous congregations, her colleagues, members of the Unitarian Universalist Church of Cheyenne, and others. Memorial Services for her were held in Unitarian Universalist churches in Cheyenne, Wyoming; Tulsa, Oklahoma; Atlanta, Georgia; New Orleans, Lou- isiana; and St. Louis, Missouri. Contributions in her memory can be made to the Unitarian Universalist Church of your choice, or to one of the churches she so ably served. Lovingly written by Rev. Jack Bryant, Rev. Melanie Morel-Ensminger, and Dr. Brent A. Smith

Page 12 UUMA NEWS UURMAPA – UUMA Chapter Relations by Rev. Ralph Mero and Rev. Carol Taylor The focus of this article has to do with relationships between retired and active ministers in our various Chapters around the country. In a recent survey of retired ministers initiated by the UUMAPA Board, and conducted through the UUMAPA Caring Network list serve, there were varied responses regarding relationships between retired and working colleagues. Overall it is safe to say that retired UU ministers are welcomed more warmly at UUMA chapter meetings than some might anticipate, yet fewer retirees attend chapter gatherings than one would expect. Broaching this question quickly leads to a variety of complicated issues both for chapter leaders and for retirees. From the perspective of retirees, there is always a question of the cost of attending chapter meetings/retreats (travel, meals and in some instances overnight accommodations). Another consideration has to do with the fact that retirees are often developing new interests or renewing interests from their lives before ministry. And for some, they are working and cannot take a day (or two) from work to continue to be involved with their local chapter. Some have disabilities that don’t allow them to be mobile or they can no longer drive and spouses are not welcomed so they stay away. Occasionally one hears of retirees who feel their presence has been noted coolly if at all and their choice is not to participate. Often the programming is designed specifically for those in active ministry and is not relevant to the day to day life of the retiree. Also a retiree feeling welcomed at chapter meetings is separate from but clearly related to retirees attending local UU congregations, and as one might expect, there is a wide range of responses to this inquiry. It has been cautioned by the UUA that when a minister retires and continues to live in the same community, it is wise to absent one’s self from any participation in his or her former congregation until a successor ministry has been well established. “Absent” in this context means having no communication with former parishioners, not attending worship, and carefully avoiding any interactions that might be negatively construed, either by the next minister or by members of the congregation. Retirees are urged to stay away during the interim ministry year(s), and for one or two years of the new settled ministry as well. Sometimes this results in a comfortable situation; sometimes it causes profound feelings of loss, especially for the partner or spouse who may have his or her most meaningful friendships within that congregation. For chapter leaders, there is always the question of how to help retirees feel welcome. Do they want leadership positions? Are they able to put forth the energy needed for leadership work? Is there enough money in the Chapter coffers to invite retirees to a comple- mentary lunch or overnight or to cover their travel costs? What kinds of programming would be attractive to our retired colleagues and would also be appealing to our active ministers. Can and will our active ministers provide car pooling services to our retirees? Settled ministers and retirees often report that their relationships are mutually cordial and supportive, but this is not always the case. It has been recommended that settled ministers and their predecessors explore the specifics of a relationship that would work best for both of them, and then sign a formal written covenant that might be disclosed to the congregation and perhaps even acknowledged in a public ceremony. The newly settled minister is accorded more weight in designing the relationship than his or her predecessor, and all members of the UUMA commit to supporting whatever settlement is in place wherever they live. In summary, some of the factors that seem to strongly support or detract from relationships between retired and active ministers and their participation in chapter life are: • - whether a retiree has been a longtime minister in the district or has recently relocated to the chapter area and is not personally known to those in service or to the congregations, • - the health of the retiree and if he or she can manage the costs of travel to chapter and district events and whether a spouse (the driver of the car) is welcome at chapter meetings, • - whether retirees are invited to chapter leadership positions, • - whether the chapter programs concentrate only on issues of current ministerial service, or are more broadly conceived, • - whether the experiences & wisdom of retirees are acknowledged, honored, and engaged, • - the extent to which retirees take some initiative in stepping forward to nurture congenial relationships, even to the extent of serving as a mentor to a younger minister. Some personal comments from retirees to the survey questions were, “I felt awkward going to chapter meetings because I was retired, and ‘out of it’.” “Colleagues were sympathetic, but it was clear they were all busy with their lives.” One active UURMAPA leader wrote, “In our UUMA cluster, retired ministers are very welcomed and are invited to lead programs; our coordinator is a retired minister.” Others offered, “My strong feeling is that UU ministers are uniquely un-embracing of most other ministers, retired or not. Since ordination, I have observed that UU clergy are remarkably aloof from their colleagues.” [This is worth further study.] Others offered, “The programming, to a great extent, has not been too relevant to retirees.” “I was welcomed and included, but I no- ticed that I was never asked to help in chapter leadership.” “I no longer have an expense account… so I no longer go.” One replied, “The attitude in my chapter might best be described as neutral. There is no special effort to include us, but we are welcomed. Yet I found my role often to be ministry to colleagues still in the saddle.” Countering that, one said, “I enjoy staying connected, and I’ve also agreed to be the MSR for part of the district.” And finally, “I think it would be worthwhile for the UUMA to imagine how to keep in touch with retired ministers, not because they need our wisdom but because there may be a time in the lives of all of us when we need each other and to be remembered.”

SPRING 2010 Page 13 Member Announcements: Starr King School Thanks: Dear Colleagues: Our heart-felt thanks for the offering made in honor of UU theological education at Starr King School. We are putting your gifts to good work in our steady mission to prepare people for liberal religious ministry for UU congregations and our larger society. With gratitude, Kelly Flood, VP for Advancement Starr King School for the Ministry Berry Street Essay News: The excerpts from past Berry Street Essays read at the opening session of the UUMA Convo in Toronto last November have now been posted to the Berry Street web site. You'll find a link to it at the top of our home page under WHAT'S NEW. Here's the link to the site: http://www.uuma.org/BerryStreet/index.htm Paul Sprecher, Scribe, The Ministerial Conference in Berry Street UUMA Nominating Committee Hosts Collegial Conversation Have you ever wondered how the nominations process for UUMA leadership positions works? Are you interested in learning about upcoming opportunities to serve our minister’s association? The UUMA Nominating Committee will host a collegial conversation at Ministry Days from 1:30 to 3:00 on Wednesday June 23. The members of the Nominating Committee will offer an overview of the process by which we currently identify potential nominees, detail the responsibilities of and qualifications for the positions that we will be seeking nominees for in the coming year and describe new directions for leadership development we are considering. There will be time for your questions and comments and for dialogue about the pathway to UUMA leadership.

ing with fundamentalists, accepting mortality, the limits of our New Books by Members: knowledge, and the mismatch between human nature and the modern Tender Harvest world. It also offers strategies and techniques for personal and spiritual growth. Quotes and examples are well-documented, providing by Linda Whittenberg, photographs by Teri Thomson Randall rich sermon fodder. The poems in Tender Harvest bring the experi- The book is available for $25. Total including tax and shipping is ences of a life-time into a cohesive whole— $30.44. Orders may be sent to Chris Schriner, 39541 Wilford Ct., memories sifted and sorted, chaff blown away, Fremont CA 94538. For more information: [email protected] . only what nourishes retained. “Linda Whitten- berg gathers moments rich in music and mean- ing to create a soulful feast for the senses. Her poems dare to go both "up into startling light" Be The Change: Poems, Prayers & Medita- and "out in bare feet, / out into the beautiful tions for Peacemakers & Justice Seekers darkness," says Kathleen Johnson, Editor of By Stephen M. Shick New Mexico Poetry Review. This collection is designed to inspire and Themes move from childhood in Illinois corn country to the West, where the author found her heart’s true home in the mountains and sustain activists and others who are working deserts of New Mexico. Poems grapple with the real stuff of for a better world. Shick draws on his four life: identity, heritage, roots, redemption, grief and the end of grief, decades of activist experience to offer moti- everyday pleasures and losses, the spirit seeking and sometimes find- vation and encouragement to those just starting. Both this volume and a chapbook, Dying Can Wait , may be ing out as well as reflections and insights to ordered at www.lindawhittenberg.com . T ender Harvest is also veteran justice-seekers. available through the UUA Bookstore. $13.95. “I love the complexity, depth, and linguistic passion of the poems and meditations. I believe Do Think Twice: Provocative Reflections that all ministers need to be poets, just like Je- on Age-Old Questions sus, the Buddha, and Lao Tzu were. Be the By Chris Schriner, Minister Emeritus of Mission Peak UU Cong. Change offers strong reflections, full of shadow and awareness, and yet profoundly positive. That is a real trick.” –Thomas Moore, au- Do Think Twice offers creative approaches to topics such as mind thor, Care of the Soul and Writing in the Sand Available through and brain, the mystery of consciousness, selfhood, core values, moral the UUA Bookstore. $12.00 http://www.uuabookstore.org/ relativism, free will, religious revelations, theism vs. atheism, deal- productdetails.cfm?PC=1006

Page 14 UUMA NEWS UUA Directory Survey As you may already know, out of respect for the environment and to save money, the annual UUA Directory is no longer being printed. This year, the 2010 Directory was produced in the familiar print format but posted online. In the future, the Directory will not be produced in the old print format. Instead, timely information will be continuously available online through a searchable data- base. To help us make the online version as useful as possible, we'd appreciate your participation in a brief, 9-question survey. Your response is valuable whether you use the annual Directory or not. The survey should take 5-10 minutes of your time and can be found online at http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/uuadirectory . If you have questions or comments, question 9 on the survey offers a place for you to express yourself.

Announcing a brand-new New UU , now on-line as part of Tapestry of Faith! This six-session program, written by the Rev. Jonalu Johnstone, provides important tools to help congregations welcome, orient, and integrate newcomers into their faith communities. The program addresses the needs of newcomers who want to know more about who we are and what we believe. It provides opportunities for members of your congregation to share with newcomers what it means to them to be a Unitarian Universalist. It gives newcomers a chance to examine their own personal stories in the light of our Unitarian Universalist tradition and heritage. It provides a chance for newcomers to the congregation and long-timers to connect. It provides an explicit invitation to become a member. The program includes six ninety-minute workshops (adaptable to one hour). Workshop themes include: Theology and worship, Unitarian Universalist Roots, How We Grow in Faith, Social Justice philosophy and Practice, Governance and Polity, and Mem- bership. Link: http://www.uua.org/religiouseducation/curricula/tapestryfaith/thenew/index.shtml

Short Term Ministry The Church of the Larger Fellowship Sabbatical Opportunity a UU congregation by mail and internet London, United Kingdom The Church of the Larger Fellowship (CLF) is pleased to offer an exciting London is one of the world's great cities, with new way for churches to share their congregation with prospective members. unrivalled theatre, music, architecture and his- “Welcome In: An Introduction to Unitarian Universalism and Your Con- tory. The countryside surrounding the city is gregation ” is an online class, customized for the needs of individual congre- rich in beauty, history and interest. Would you gations. The CLF thinks this will be a valuable resource for lay leaders, like to spend some time ministering church volunteers, and ministers, as yet another means of making informa- there? The Unitarian District of London and tion about their specific church available to new members. the South East of England is growing in Here’s how it works: Designed and hosted by the CLF, churches will be strength, vision and numbers and to further able to offer an online class about their church from their own website. The that growth it invites interest from suitably church’s own banner and logo will be prominently displayed. This new qualified UU ministers to spend up to a year in online class will provide instant information for seekers who find the church this exciting environment. You might be seek- online. This 24/7 online course features five sessions for new members: ing an interim between ministries in the US, • you might be a retired minister wanting a an introduction to UUism and to the congregation stimulating post-career challenge, you might • how the congregation works be looking for something to do while on sab- • UU spirituality and worship batical. You might even be a student seeking • an internship (there are ministers in the District the larger world of UUism who are in Final Fellowship with the UUMA • the history of UUism and of the congregation. who can act as Supervisor). The District is At a cost of $250, the CLF will: registered with the UK Border Agency as an officially recognized Sponsor for Ministers • host this class on our server from non-European countries. • create the class, incorporating text, photos and/or video particular to the congregation Accommodation is available in the heart of the city and in some of the region's most beautiful • design the look of the class to match the congregation’s website provincial towns. • provide three months of technical support If you are interested, please contact Rev. • offer resources for promoting the online class, including a cus- David Usher, District Minister, at 5 Wester- tomized button for the congregation’s website. ham Road, Sevenoaks, Kent TN13 2PX, Tel: For more information visit http://clfuu.org/course/index.html or contact (44) 1732 465248 or by email at Lynn Ungar, CLF’s minister for Lifespan Learning: [email protected] [email protected]

SPRING 2010 Page 15 UUMA Newsletter Submission Deadlines

♦ When is the Deadline? In 2010 there will be no pre-GA UUMA News. Keep on the lookout for monthly E-Updates. August 15 for the Fall edition (posted Sept) November 15 for the electronic (holiday) edition (posted Dec) March 15 for the Spring edition (posted late Mar) ♦ I just missed the deadline; can you edit the posted edition to include my item? We can, but in almost every case we won’t. This is one of those things that are technically possible, but humanly very messy. Besides the newsletter, only documents approved by the UUMA Exec are posted to the UUMA website. To allow exceptions would be to expose our web person to a potentially continuous stream of requests. ♦ If I’m not happy reading it on line, can you send a print version too? As of September 2009 the UUMA has, in a effort to save trees, printing and postage costs, moved to online Newsletters. Hardcopies of the newsletter will be sent to all members without an email address on file. If you are not on that list and would prefer a hardcopy send an email (be sure to include your full name) that says: “SEND NEWS IN HARDCOPY” to [email protected] .

To contact the UUMA Office: Dedicated to excellence in ministry, Janette Lallier, Administrator 25 Beacon Street the Unitarian Universalist Ministers Boston, MA 02108 Association seeks to provide support, Phone: 617-848-0498 nourishment, and professional Fax: 617-848-0973 Email: [email protected] development to Unitarian Questions, Comments, Submissions? Universalist ministers throughout Email : [email protected] the world.

UUMA News Unitarian Universalist Ministers Association 25 Beacon Street Boston, MA 02108

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