PWR Newsletter - June 2023

By Rev. Sarah Millspaugh
Pacific Western Region Congregational Life Staff

This year’s General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations promises to be both engaging and historic.

Delegates from congregations—attending virtually and in-person in Pittsburgh—will vote on new language for Article II of the UUA’s Bylaws, the article that describes the Association’s principles, purposes, inclusion, and freedom of belief. Delegates can bring amendments to the language that has been proposed by the Article II Study Commission, and the first of (potentially) two votes will take place on revised language. If the proposed changes to Article II pass in 2023, then UUs will have a year of study before General Assembly delegates take a vote on whether or not to amend Article II with the language that is proposed at that time.

Delegates will also vote on affirming the presidential nominating committee’s choice for our next UUA President, Rev. Dr. Sofía Betancourt. (The committee had made two choices, but the other nominated candidate withdrew.) Rev. Betancourt is campaigning and is eager to engage with Unitarian Universalists and to hear from you what is important. She has engaged in several presidential candidate forums (see PWR’s 5/20 event online) and is running an active campaign. We encourage you to make a connection, if you haven’t already.

Big changes are afoot for General Assembly 2024. GA will continue to be an annual meeting, but next year it will be virtual-only. The necessity of virtual gathering for GA 2020 and 2021 showed us how we can run a General Assembly that is far more inclusive, financially and mobility-wise, and is far greener, environmentally. The UUA’s plan going forward includes some virtual-only GAs and some multi-platform virtual/in-person GAs. Sites and platforms will be announced by the General Assembly Planning Committee each year.

This year our Ware Lecture will be from Imani Perry, the Service of the Living Tradition will be led by Rev. Chris Buice and Dr. Glen Thomas Rideout, our Sunday Morning worship will be led by
Rev. Manish Mishra-Marzetti, and Chris Hardin will be directing great music throughout. The annual Berry Street Essay will be delivered by our own Rev. Cecilia Kingman. We’ve got on-demand workshops plus synchronous presentations and events galore—many of them led by UUs from the Pacific West! See the GA 2023 schedule on the Whova app (via the web) to learn more. And most of all, join us! We look forward to seeing you there.

—Rev. Sarah Gibb Millspaugh, on behalf of all the Pacific Western Region UUA staff

Are you a board member of a large “corporate” sized congregation with multiple staff focused on mission, policy, and strategy? Your LeaderLab team is offering a training especially for you! Self-paced prework will include frameworks such as Hotchkiss's Governance and Ministry partnership, conflict and change dynamics, cultural competencies, fiduciary responsibilities, efficient meetings, mission-based budgeting and decision-making, self-differentiation and boundaries, and spiritual grounding. In the live session you will be able to engage with board members from other large congregations as you work on case studies and creative problem solving. You will also be given planning tools for a self-directed goal-setting session.

Prework available Tuesday, August 01, 2023

Interactive Live Session Saturday, August 26, 2023, Noon-4pm EDT
Cost $200 per congregational team

Regional Staff across the country are sharing our expertise on a variety of subjects at General Assembly! Look for these on-demand workshops:
Creating a New Future for Struggling Congregations - created by the Southern Region
Faithfully Finding Balance: Reaching in and Reaching Out - created by the Smaller Congregations Team
Spiritual Leadership: Becoming Who We're Born to Be - created by the New England Region
Making Your Congregation an Employer of Choice - created by Lisa Presley of the Mid-America region along with Jan Gartner from the Office of Church Staff Finances, and Sean Griffin from Stewardship and Development
The Repercussions of Misconduct - created by Sunshine Wolfe of the Central East Region, Sarah Millspaugh of the Pacific Western Region, and Terasa Cooley, author of Transforming Conflict

General Assembly registrants (online or in-person) will have access to these workshops during and after General Assembly through your participation portal. The workshops will be available to everyone through the UUA website in the fall. Register for GA here!

As her time as UUA President winds down, Rev. Susan Frederick-Gray shares a message of appreciation for the work we’ve done together and excitement for what’s to come. Some of her proudest moments during this time include fulfilling the Promise and Practice campaign to fund Black Lives of UU, implementing the recommendations of the Commission on Institutional Change, leading UU the Vote campaigns in 2020 and 2022, and supporting UUs to show up unequivocally and courageously for people with disabilities, LGBTQIA+ people, and BIPOC communities.

In this moment of great challenge and cultural change in our world, Rev. Frederick-Gray reminds us that Unitarian Universalist values matter. This is an opportunity to be bold and unwavering in living and leading in love. We have done amazing things, and we will continue. With excitement for our next president, Rev. Frederick-Gray is confident in how new leadership will guide us through these continuingly fraught times.

Watch on UUA YouTube: https://youtu.be/cWoNriK1yuU

Renaissance Modules are programs for religious educators’ and other religious professionals’ growth and development. They are an essential part of credentialing for religious educators. The Teacher Development Renaissance module equips a religious leader to nurture the teaching skills in themselves and others. It is an online learning experience comprised of five two-hour webinars with reading and other assignments for each session.

Dates and Timing:

July 18, 2023: 12pm ET - 2pm ET
Session 1: Teaching and Learning — What Shapes Us?

July 25, 2023: 12pm ET - 2pm ET
Session 2: Teachers as Learners and Seekers

August 1, 2023: 12pm ET - 2pm ET
Session 3: Supporting Learners and Seekers

August 8, 2023: 12pm ET - 2pm ET
Session 4: Toolkits for Teachers

August 15, 2023: 12pm ET - 2:30pm ET
(please note this last session would be 2.5 hours long)

Registration Fee: $250.00 for all 5 sessions.

Registration will close at Midnight (Eastern) or 11:00 PM (Central) on July 14th 2023 or if the webinar reaches its registration capacity. We will send an email with the Zoom number on the day of EACH event. Please register here for this event.

Wondering how you and your congregation can contribute to the Article II conversation on the revision of our Principles and Purposes?

Read the Article II Commission Report (pdf) or watch the video of their presentation (YouTube)!
Watch the Article II Commission space! You can now suggest amendments ideas here. This months, discussion groups will be organized to craft the amendments. Check the webpage for more information and details!
Commit to attend General Assembly! It might be fun for your delegates to attend this year’s General Assembly in Pittsburgh in person, but your delegates can also attend the business only online GA meetings for no cost. There really is no excuse for not representing your congregation at General Assembly this year. Register here!
Plan a good process and select your delegates! How can your delegates represent the overall perspective of the congregation? Members should feel confident that your community’s chosen delegates have sufficient guidance to represent your whole congregation. How to do this? Our nominated candidate for UUA President, Rev. Dr. Sofia Betancourt, suggests some good processes here. Long story short, plan for intentional conversation and broad outreach!

The Article II Commission is looking forward to continued engagement with Unitarian Universalists about this important shift in our theology. Your voice matters!

In the beauty of the great outdoors, youth build community and deepen their connection to Unitarian Universalism through worship, workshops, justice work and plenty of good ol’ fashioned camp fun.

PWR Camps are open to all middle and high school youth (current 5th graders through class of 2023) with age specific cabins and programming. Reserve their spot now with a deposit you can afford (sliding scale) and customize your payment plan to fit your budget.

QUUest Camp: Week-long, residential camp in the mountains. July 9-14, 2023 Casper, Wyoming

Camp Blue Boat: Week-long, residential camp in the Pacific Northwest. July 16-21, 2023 Ellensburg, WA

Have you heard of YUUP yet? The Young UU Project began in 2020 as a way for young UUs to keep in touch with each other and their faith during the pandemic, and is held by Lifespan Faith Engagement. The purpose of YUUP is to be a national community care network and multi-directional communication channel that centers BIPOC, trans/non-binary and neurodivergent youth and offers a transition zone for young people moving into emerging adulthood.

Anyone (youth, caregivers, religious professionals, lay leaders, everyone!) can tap into the social ministry of YUUP by following them on Instagram @yuup.uua and signing up for the YUUP newsletter. YUUP also has a community sphere just for youth, those who bridged in 2022 and support adults. These “Third Monday Meetups” are where youth swap ideas they can take home to their local communities. In August they swapped Favorite Check In Questions. In September they swapped favorite youth group games, which will soon be released on Instagram and in the newsletter.

Adult readers - We need your help connecting youth to this community! Please point them to UUA.ORG/YUUP to connect at whatever their capacity is.

UU young adults and friends from around the world are invited to attend our monthly worship service, held on the third Sunday of each month. Each month our Worship Team puts together a fabulous, faithful, spiritual program that reflects our faith and the fact that we are young adults. From our song choice, to the content of our reflections, this isn’t your traditional UU worship experience. So join us, and discover a different way to embody our faith. This is an intergenerational event, all people ages 18 and older are welcome to attend. Register here.

Emerging Adult Database
If you or another emerging adult UU (18-24) are interested, please sign up and join our community. Our Pacific Western Region 2022 EA Database signup can be found here.

Small Groups
We have an annual, monthly gathering for EA (18-24) Small Groups. It’s a mix of fun, ministry, and faith. Email ebliss@uua.org if you’d like more information. It's a great way to stay connected to UUism if you don't have the time or inclination to attend church on Sunday!

Pastoral Care
Are you an 18-24 year old in need of Pastoral Care? We have a network of chaplains specifically for you! Simply email pastoralcare@cuc.ca or by phone: 204-900-0150. Rev. Marcia Stanard and others are here to listen and be of support.

Music lovers, choir enthusiasts, and vocal virtuosos, have we got a camp for you! Get ready to elevate your voice to new octaves and tune into the rhythms of the choral world with Donald Milton III, one of the leaders in Unitarian Universalist music and worship creation. This year’s Summer Break Camp for Adults & Singing in the Pines at Camp de Benneville Pines is sure to be one to remember.

Singing in the Pines participants will:

Spend a meaningful 5 days and 4 nights making beautiful, energizing music together
Participate in lively, interactive sessions and receive expert vocal pedagogy
Explore beautiful anthems together every morning
Perform an unforgettable concert for all camp participants at the end of the week

But that's not all! You'll also have a chance to participate in the full camp sessions, forge lasting friendships, and create harmonious memories that will echo long after the final encore.

So, what are you waiting for? Warm up your vocal cords, grab your sheet music, and secure your spot today! You won’t want to miss this incredible opportunity.
Click here to learn more about Donald Milton III
Click here to Singing in the Pines at Camp de Benneville Pines

Groundbreaking in its depictions of joy and community, Authentic Selves celebrates trans and nonbinary people and their families in stunning photographs and their own words. Foreword by transgender activist Jazz Jennings and her mom and fellow activist, Jeanette Jennings. Developed in collaboration with PFLAG National and Transgender Legal Defense & Education Fund.

So often trans and nonbinary people’s stories are told only through the lens of their struggles and challenges, including their political battles for legal rights, but trans and nonbinary people live rich and fulfilling lives full of joy and community too. Authentic Selves is a sweeping compilation of life stories and portraits of trans and nonbinary people, as well as their partners, parents, children, siblings, and chosen family members.

The compelling stories in Authentic Selves provide a glimpse into the real lives, both the challenges and the triumphs, of these remarkable people and their families—people like Senator Sarah McBride, disability justice advocate Parker Glick, drag entertainer TAYLOR ALXNDR, September 11th first responder Jozeppi Angelo Morelli, model Lana Patel, youth activist Elliott Bertrand, and so many others—all of whom are working to create a more just, diverse, and compassionate world. Order now!