3rd Wednesday Vesper Service - Sponsored by the UU Multiracial Unity Action Council (UUMUAC) Wednesday, August 20 • 7:00 pm Central Time, (8:00 Eastern, 6:00 Mountain, 5:00 Pacific) Our speaker for the August Vespers service is retired DeKalb, Illinois high school teacher Dan Kenney. Dan will be exploring Tim Shriver's Dignity Index and Dignity Pledge - an instrument for healing America's divisions. Dan is a long-time member of the UU Congregation of DeKalb, and the founder of DeKalb County Community Gardens (now "Rooted for Good"), which began as a backyard effort to grow a few vegetables, and now feeds thousands of DeKalbans with weekly free food distributions. Dan is a regular contributor to WNIJ Public Radio's "Perspectives" series. You'll want to hear this one! FOR THE ZOOM LINK: please send your name, email address, and congregation (if any) to richard3point@gmail.com. (If you received a Zoom link to a previous service from that email address, you will automatically receive one for this service.) The link will be sent Tuesday before the Vespers service. 9

Link: UUnderWorld January 2025d The new issue should be up on the website (UUnderWorld.com) soon.

As the holiday season approaches, we want to take a moment to extend our warmest wishes to you and your loved ones. This time of year brings a special kind of magic—moments of joy, gratitude, and togetherness. Whether you're celebrating with family, friends, or taking some time for yourself, we hope that your holidays are filled with warmth, laughter, and peace. The season reminds us to slow down, appreciate the little things, and embrace the spirit of kindness and giving. As we reflect on the past year, we are grateful for the connections we've made, the memories we've created, and the opportunities to grow together. May this season offer you a chance to recharge, reflect, and find joy in the simple pleasures of life. As we look ahead to the new year, we’re excited for the adventures and opportunities it will bring. In the meantime, we wish you nothing but happiness, good health, and cherished moments with those you hold dear. Thank you for being a part of our community. Warmest wishes from the members and friends of NAUA. December's NAUA events include: Liberal Religion—Is It Time for Hospice? Religious participation is plummeting. “Church” has become a bad brand. Should we resign ourselves to palliative care for our aging congregations? Can we find ways to feed the hunger for meaning and community? One thing is certain: We cannot church the way we always have and hope for different results.  Speaker: Rev Peter Morales is the former president of the UUA. Before becoming UUA president he was senior minister at Jefferson Unitarian Church in Colorado. Jefferson was one of the UUA’s fastest growing congregations during his tenure. Before entering the ministry he was editor and publisher of a community newspaper in Oregon. He has lived abroad as a Fulbright lecturer in Spain and a Knight International Press fellow in Peru. Peter lives in Sequim, WA with his wife Phyllis. When: December 10th, 2024 4:30 PM Pacific Time (7:30 Eastern Time)  Download iCalendar entry for this event.  Add event to Google Calendar You must Register Now to obtain the Zoom URL for this event and to receive a reminder email. Anything Goes with Jack Join us for an evening of conversation led by UU Minister Rev. Jack Reich.  These chats allow you to get to know other NAUA members and yourself a little better! Access this chat on the first Wednesday evening each month from 4:30 PM Pacific Time (7:30 Eastern Time). When:  Dec., 4. 2024  Monthly NAUA Community Worship Service   The Rev. Twinkle Marie Manning will be speaking at this service with a Winter Solstice/Holiday theme. Zoom link - https://tinyurl.com/NAUAService When: December 21st, 2024 10:00 AM Pacific Time (1:00 PM Eastern Time)  Download iCalendar entry for this event.  Add event to Google Calendar   NAUA Book Club Invitation     You are invited to join the NAUA book club which reads books chosen by members and normally meets by Zoom on the 4th Thursday of each month. All are welcome. Book club begins at 4:30 PM Pacific Time (7:30 Eastern Time). This month featuring a discussion of  How to Walk Into a Room: The Art of Knowing… – Emily P. Freeman The club is open to all so please invite a friend.  For more details and to join the Book Club mailing list contact Ed Hudak at bookclub@naunitarians.org  Monthly Ministers' Support Group On the fourth Thursday of each month, (a week earlier this month due to Christmas holiday)  NAUA ministers and ministerial friends attend a regular meeting meant to foster support, collegiality, and learning. Periodically, there are also longer ministerial gatherings that include unique programs and professional development. It is important that members of this group maintain confidentiality and anonymity. If you are a Minister and would like to explore or join this group, please email president@naunitarians.orgWhen: Thursday, Dec. 19, 2024 from 10:00 AM to 11:00 AM Pacific Time, (1:00-2:00 PM Eastern Time). Circle News New Opportunities for Participation in NAUA CIRCLES A ‘New Congregation’ Circle is in the works for those interested in forming a fellowship oriented around NAUA principles and values. Interested individuals should email circles@naunitarians.org with “New Congregation Circle” in the subject line. Additionally, we are planning a What’s Happening at NAUA Circle, which will meet monthly and be open to all members. This Circle will feature a Board member who will facilitate discussions and collect suggestions. We are still gathering interest for a 7 Principles CIRCLE (currently 2 interested parties), and a New Member CIRCLE (4 interested parties) with details forthcoming.  When indicating interest in any CIRCLES to circles@naunitarians.org, please don’t forget to insert the specific circle you are interested in on the subject line of your email. Follow NAUA on Social Media In addition to all latest NAUA news, program information in Liberal Beacon, and our online video archive of past events (available at www.naunitarians.org), we are now posting “news” items to a variety of sources, including X (formally Twitter) at https://twitter.com/NAUnitariansAnd on Meta (Facebook) at: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61553146776020   If you have news items you think might be of interest to other Unitarians, please share this news (along with a photo, if possible) to web@naunitarians.org Contact Us: Many NAUA volunteers and board members are pleased to talk to you over the phone or correspond via email. However, for privacy reasons we do not publicize private emails or phone numbers on this website.  Please drop us an email to the appropriate address below and we will respond. General NAUA inquiries                          info@naunitarians.org Website technical contact                       NAUA-web@googlegroups.com Membership inquiries                              NAUA-web@googlegroups.com NAUA Academy                                      Academy@naunitarians.org Monthly Worship                                     NAUA-worship@googlegroups.com NAUA Book Club                                     bookclub@naunitarians.org NAUA Circles                                          circles@naunitarians.org NAUA Board of Directors                        nauaboard@googlegroups.com NAUA President                                      president@naunitarians.org NAUA Summit                                        summit@naunitarians.org International Alliance                              alliance@naunitarians.org

New UU-Related Newsletters Recently, two new electronic newsletters were inaugurated – one sponsored by the UUA, and one from independent sources.  These publications are known as WAYFINDER and UUNDERWORLD, respectively.   Mayann Batlle, editor of UU World – the bimonthly magazine published by the UUA, describes Wayfinder as, “a twice-a-month newsletter that connects Unitarian Universalists to the latest news and storytelling from UU World.”  Free subscriptions can be obtained at:  https://tinyurl.com/4w9vw6bd   UUnderWorld describes themselves as “a newsletter for Unitarian Universalist free thinkers.  The UUnderWorld presents a variety of articles that will be of interest to Unitarian Universalists and other religious liberals.”  Free subscriptions can be obtained at https://uunderworld.com

November's NAUA events include: Special Program Presented by the International Alliance: “Beyond all “—isms” — the creative, inquiring, free & liberative spirituality of Imaoka Shin'ichirō” When: November 9th, 2024 Time: 10.00 AM Pacific, 1.00 PM Eastern, 18.00 UK, 19.00 Central Europe “Beyond all “-isms” -the creative, inquiring, free and liberative spirituality of Imaoka Shin’ichro” presented by Rev. Andrew James Brown, Minister of theCambridge Unitarian Church, Cambridge, UK with Professor George M. Williams, President of the International Association for Religious Freedom. This program is open to all, please Register here.  You will be given the Zoom URL for this meeting when you register  Imaoka Shin’ichirō (1881-1988) was a pioneering Japanese religious leader and educator, deeply involved in the development of a creative, inquiring, free and liberative religion/spirituality (jiyū shūkyō 自由宗教), and interfaith dialogue. He played a key role in the Japanese Unitarian Mission and the Japanese Free Religious movement. In 1952 he brought the first Japanese groups into the International Association for Religious Freedom (IARF).  His commitment to religious inclusivity and cooperation has left a lasting impact, and in this introduction to his life and work, we’ll look closely at two of his “Principles of Living/Statements of Faith.” In the conversation that follows the introduction, we will explore how Imaoka-sensei's understanding of jiyū shūkyō may be helpful in articulating a confident, contemporary, cosmopolitan liberal religion/spirituality. A spirituality that is able to look beyond any kind of "-ism". Register Now    Download iCalendar entry for this event.  Add event to Google Calendar November NAUA Academy Session: Overcoming Identity Politics in North America: The Organization FAIR Previously, Ken Ing traced the roots of the identity centric movement that dominates the UUA, and influences institutions throughout North America.  As a follow-up, Sunil Wijeyesekera describes the work of The Foundation Against Intolerance and Racism (FAIR), an organization that counters identity politics. FAIR is a non-partisan civil rights organization based on universal principles of Fairness (not discriminating based on skin color or other immutable characteristics), Understanding (being willing to listen to other points of view) and our Common Humanity. Sunil Wijeyesekera retired in 2020 after a career in material science/engineering.  He has been a UU for 38 years. Sunil is currently a member of the NAUA Hayward Fellowship, as well as a Chapter Leader for FAIR. In describing the work of FAIR, Sunil Wijeyesekera plans to simulate a discussion of how we can apply our NAUA values in the larger society. The presentation features a guest speaker, a question and answer and then a breakout group.  When Wed. Nov. 12 2024 at 4:30 PDT (7:30 EDT). Attendees must register to obtain the Zoom URL and a reminder email for this event. Anything Goes with Jack Join us for an evening of conversation led by UU Minister Rev. Jack Reich.  These chats allow you to get to know other NAUA members and yourself a little better! Access this chat on the first Wednesday evening each month from 4:30 PM PST (7:30 EST) at  https://tinyurl.com/naua-anything-goes  When:  Nov. 6, 2024  Monthly NAUA Community Worship Service -  This month's service features a sermon by the Rev Dr. Todd Eklof in addition to readings, meditations and songs. All are welcomed! When:  Saturday Nov. 16  10:00 AM PST (1:00 PM EST) Zoom link - https://tinyurl.com/NAUAService NAUA Book Club Invitation     You are invited to join the NAUA book club which reads books chosen by members and normally meets by Zoom on the 4th Thursday of each month. This month, due to American Thanksgiving, the book club meets a week earlier on Nov. 21. All are welcome. Starts at 7:30 PM (EDT) 4:30 PM (PDT) This month featuring a discussion of Survival at Stake : How Our Treatment of Animals Is Key to Human Existence by Poorva Joshipura. The club is open to all so please invite a friend.  For more details and to join the Book Club mailing list contact Ed Hudak at bookclub@naunitarians.org  Monthly Ministers' Support Group On the fourth Thursday of each month, (a week earlier this month due to American Thanksgiving)  NAUA ministers and ministerial friends attend a regular meeting meant to foster support, collegiality, and learning. Periodically, there are also longer ministerial gatherings that include unique programs and professional development. It is important that members of this group maintain confidentiality and anonymity. If you are a Minister and would like to explore or join this group, please email president@naunitarians.org When: Thursday, Nov. 21, 2024 from 10:00 AM to 11:00 AM Pacific Time, (1:00-2:00 PM Eastern Time). News and Announcements: NAUA Historic 1st Summit Gathering The historic first NAUA Summit was held in Spokane and  online from Oct 17-20, 2024 The weekend attracted 62 delegates to Spokane and 96 delegates online. We are still gathering responses from delegates in an online Summit Evaluation form and we will be sharing the results of these evaluations with the Summit organizing committee, the new Board and our faithful members and subscribers.  An overall impression is that the Summit was a great success! The keynote speaker John Wood Jr. from Braver Angels was outstanding. Rev Eklof's opening remarks, workshop and Sunday service sermon were all provoking and entertaining.  The participant workshops allowed a wide variety of input on NAUA's future and on specific NAUA programs.  Stay tuned for results of the registrant's evaluations. At our Annual General Meeting, delegates passed two important resolutions: 1. The NAUA membership voted to adopt the bylaws posted on the website to guide our organization. At the annual general meeting, we noted a few deficiencies with these initial bylaws that we will be addressing these through amendments at our next annual general meeting in 2025.  2. We elected our first Board of Trustees. Names, Photos and brief Bios of the board members are on the website at https://naunitarians.org/meet-the-board/ Of course, the online sessions had a few minor challenges, but we are proud of the technical team, both in Spokane and online who supported online registrants. We are pleased to say that we supported the Summit online with no professional e-conference support other than our dedicated volunteers and existing technical resources both online and at UU Church of Spokane. Recordings of the John Wood Jr. keynote and all the other sessions excepting the small group breakout sessions are available on Youtube  Circle News Forum CIRCLE (Meets Sunday at 4pm Eastern) Forum CIRCLE is open for 5 or 6 more members. The purposes of Forum Circles are: • To discuss topics of interest and concern with fair-minded people • To get to know others who are participating in, or considering, NAUA events Format: The discussion leader will present a brief summary of the main readings, and then pose a question for follow-up discussion. Please keep your comments brief (preferably under one minute) so that everyone has a chance to be heard in an online meeting. There will be one or two primary readings and several secondary readings (optional) each week. Most readings (and all primary readings) are publicly available. Some secondary readings are behind paywalls; the text of some readings will be copied to Google Docs. New Circles forming. Rural Voters in America  (Nov. 3)        The Next 4 Years  (Nov.10) TOPICS OF PAST  FORUM • The promises and perils of Artificial Intelligence • The crisis in youth mental health • The outlook for liberal democracy in America • The origins of Western religious ideas • The Cass Report and youth gender transitions • What we can learn from two Native American Societies • Can brain science inform our spiritual path? • Socialized medicine: what are the pros and cons? • Transgender ideology: what’s the evidence? • The US Election New topics will be agreed on by group. There will be one or two primary readings and several secondary readings (optional) each week. Most readings (and all primary readings) are publicly available. Some secondary readings are behind paywalls; the text of some readings will be copied to Google Docs. If a link does not open when you click on it, copy and paste into your browser. If you are interested in joining, send an email to circles@naunitarians.org and add the word Circles in the Sunject line. How to Become a Member of the NAUA The Membership Team has been getting inquiries lately about how to become an official member of the NAUA.  Some folks who have been receiving our electronic publications and attending our numerous events assumed they were already Members, but you aren’t considered a Member of the NAUA until you fill out the online Membership form. This form is accessible from our Main Menu under the Membership tab.  Just click on Join Us  and then enter a few personal identifiers.  Be sure to use the same email address you received this email with while filling out the form to prevent the creation of a duplicate contact record.  There is no harm in rejoining as a member if you are already a member, so if in doubt, just got ahead and join us.   Our only membership requirement is to check the box that says “I agree to join the NAUA in good faith with a sincere interest to support its Mission”.  We do occasionally make the contact info of members available to other members who are looking to connect with members in the same geographic area.  If you do not want your contact info shared for such purposes, check on the “Do Not Share” box at the bottom of the form. That’s all it takes to become a member!  Membership is required to vote at our Annual Meeting and to receive correspondence for members only. At some point we may require a minimal contribution in order to verify the identity of our members for voting purposes, but at this point, your contributions are welcome but not required. Follow NAUA on Social Media In addition to all latest NAUA news, program information in Liberal Beacon, and our online video archive of past events (available at www.naunitarians.org), we are now posting “news” items to a variety of sources, including X (formally Twitter) at https://twitter.com/NAUnitarians And on Meta (Facebook) at: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61553146776020   If you have news items you think might be of interest to other Unitarians, please share it (along with a photo, if possible) to web@naunitarians.org Contact Us: Many NAUA volunteers and board members are pleased to talk to you over the phone or correspond via email. However, for privacy reasons we do not publicize private emails or phone numbers on this website.  Please drop us an email to the appropriate address below and we will respond. Website technical contact                      NAUA-web@googlegroups.com Membership inquiries                            NAUA-web@googlegroups.com NAUA Academy                                    Academy@naunitarians.org Monthly Worship                                   NAUA-worship@googlegroups.com NAUA Book Club                                   bookclub@naunitarians.org NAUA Circles                                        circles@naunitarians.org NAUA Board of Directors                      nauaboard@googlegroups.com NAUA President                                      president@naunitarians.org NAUA Summit                                        summit@naunitarians.org International Alliance                              alliance@naunitarians.org Other NAUA inquiries                            info@naunitarians.org

INFO on Forward Together Task Force, Jacksonville FL Forward Together Overview UUCJ’s delegates attended the UUA’s General Assembly (GA) and returned to our congregation with deep concerns about, among many, the changes that were being proposed by the UUA leadership to its Bylaws Article 2; the research methodology that had been used as the basis for making the proposed changes; the underlying language being adopted as the rationale for the changes; and importantly, the lack of widespread, comprehensive, extensive, and thorough dissemination of information and educational attempts by UUA. To address the concerns, the Board established the 2023-24 Article 2 Review Task Force (A2RTF) and charged the task force with establishing a process for educating the congregation on the issues. The issues included for analysis and study were: polity; existing Article 2 language; the COIC; the Eighth Principle TF work; the work of the UUA Fifth Principle TF; the Article II Study Commission; and the final proposed changes to Article II. The overarching objective was to provide relevant information to the congregation so the members could, at a duly called Congregational Meeting, cast an informed vote to either vote to accept the UUA proposed amendments to its Bylaws Article II, or reject Article II as amended.  According to UUCJ’s Bylaws, the delegates to the 2024 GA had to vote the conscience of the congregation. At the April 21, 2024 Congregational Meeting, the members voted to reject the UUA’s rewrite of the UUA Bylaws, Article 2. Of the 84 members present at the meeting and voting by secret ballot, 80 voted to reject the rewrite and four (4) voted to accept the rewrite – 95% of those present and voting.  Unlike UUCJ, the majority of the delegates present and voting at UUA’s 2024 GA accepted Article II as amended. The UUCJ congregation unhappy with UUA’s adoption of the amended Article; disappointed at the substitution of the principles by the values; dismayed at the inclusion of a specific covenant for each value; and concerned about the proposition that violation of values’ covenants could result in some type of punishment in the name of accountability, a new task force was authorized by the Board, the Forward Together Task Force.  The charge to the new task force is to assess the impact of UUA’s new Article II on UUCJ; monitor proposed changes to UUA’s Bylaws Article III; research options for potential affiliation with Unitarian/Universalist group(s) beyond UUA; develop a process for congregational engagement with forging a new path to practicing our faith; design an educational program; and provide for a congregational vote on how to move forward while maintaining congregational integrity.    Charter Forward Together Task Force Charter https://uucj.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/Forward-Together-Task-Force-Charter.7.11.pdf Educational Program Design Process Graph https://uucj.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/Process-Graph.8.1.pdf Deep Dive Organization https://uucj.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/NNs.Shared-Doc.Deep-Dive-Organization.8.6.pdf Directional Workshop Results Summary (September 22, 2024) https://uucj.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/FTTF-Directional-Workshop-Results-Summary.092224.pdf Documents Values and Principles https://uucj.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/Values-and-Principles.pdf So What’s Changed, And So What https://uucj.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/SO-WHATS-CHANGED-AND-SO-WHAT.pdf Links • Unitarian Universalist Association • North American Unitarian Association • Fifth Principle Project • Save The Seven Principles • UU Multiracial Unity Action Council • The Direct Action & Research Training Center

Follow up from our NER Congregational Leadership Gathering Thank you to those who were able to join us on Tuesday evening. For everyone's consideration, see the resources shared and discussed below.  Please mark your calendars for our next gathering: Thursday, January 09, 2025 from 7:00 to 8:30pm. We will send an official invite, and some reminders, about a month before the gathering. In case it is useful, though, here is the Zoom link for our second Quarterly Leadership Gathering. We hope to gather with you soon! ______________________________________________________________ NER Leadership Gathering, Q1 Resources • In response to a question about who has installed security systems: First Church Boston now has cameras, electric locks; contact their administrator Julianna Dunn (see website) • Organizations that may provide free or very discounted legal consultation to congregations: • Pro Bono Partner; Massachusetts Pro Bono, or search for the appropriate one for you • New program!: Treasurer Consultants from the UUA Office of Church Staff Finances • UUA guidance about congregational 501(c)3 status • Check out: pictures of the rainbow driveway at the Marlboro-Hudson congregation in Hudson, MA!

In Defense of The Enlightenment by Tzvetan Todorov:  “The first constitutive characteristic of Enlightenment thinking consists of giving priority to what individuals decide for themselves over what is imposed upon them by an external authority.”

The NAUA is at the beginning stage of evolution and states that their hopes are to continue to expand further as a service organization for all Liberal Religion.  https://naunitarians.org/ The NAUA is not a denomination.   The NAUA indicates that members can be both members of the UUA and of the NAUA.   Membership can include Individuals as well as whole Congregations.    All are welcome to NAUA "We welcome all people committed to liberal religion and embrace the principles of freedom, reason, and tolerance in pursuit of their individual paths.  You do not need to be a Unitarian or a Universalist to join."

Event format: Online Date & time: Tuesday, October 22, 2024, 7:00 pm - 8:30 pm EDT Type of event: Meeting NER Quarterly Leadership Gathering (Q1, October) Let's connect! Join with your peers to share ideas, strategies, questions, concerns, and to receive and offer support. This gathering is open to current Board members and those who will be on the Board within the next several months. The Zoom link will be sent to all Board members. To ensure receipt, please check that all information for your congregation on my.uua.org is current. Latecomers and early departures are welcome. We look forward to gathering with you! For more information contact newengland@uua.org.

Sunday Worship UU West Hartford with Rev. Dr. Sofia Betancourt, UUA President Sunday, October 20 Worship Service: 10 AM with Rev. Dr. Adam Robersmith Can’t make it in person? Join us online: https://www.youtube.com/@theuniversalistchurchwesth5818/streams Our worship services are live-streamed on YouTube every Sunday at 10 AM EST.  Click the link above to view a live service or to browse previously recorded services.

UUA NER October newsletter HERE

Welcome to this month’s Words To Lead By from your New England Region UUA Staff! View this email in your browser.

Liberal Beacon: https://naunitarians.org/liberal-beacon/ Liberal Beacon is the bi-monthly newsletter of NAUA, North American Unitarian Association, https://naunitarians.org/. It is distributed at no charge to members and subscribers who have completed our mailing list form below. If you are a member of NAUA, you are automatically placed on our mailing list. You may unsubscribe at any time.

NAUA Summit – https://naunitarians.org/ Thursday, October 17 to Sunday, October 20, 2024 will be the first Yearly Summit of the NAUA in Spokane, Washington. We have an exciting online and in person schedule, featuring a Keynote Presentation, workshops focussed on current issues facing Unitarians as well as a Sunday service. The conference will be in-person and on Zoom. Register NOW  or look for more information on Summit schedule workshops, speakers, Summit Hotel and more.  North American Unitarian Association is a member service organization dedicated to supporting and promoting the practice of liberal religion by embracing freedom, reason, and tolerance—rooted in our commitment to the inherent worth and dignity of every person and all peoples. Helping Liberal Religion Thrive.

Below is the link to the October 2024 UUnderWorld (#6!). This one has a bunch of very interesting articles, opinions and information. The latest:  October 2024a UUnderWorld All issues can be viewed on the website (UUnderWorld.com) . Be sure to note the upcoming NAUA North American Unitarian Association Summit (still time to register!) from October 17-20. More info on the NAUA site (NAUnitarians.org) and in the NAUA Liberal Beacon. We're hoping that UUnderWorld is developing into a platform for unrestricted, independent and thoughtful submissions. Some of the pieces might be excellent 'starters' for future articles and opinions, so please comment, elaborate and suggest new avenues of thought about spirituality and Unitarianism. There is no limit to what might be interesting to other freethinkers. With so many good articles, it would be a shame if it didn't get as wide a distribution as possible, so please share! Feel free to post the link on other sites, too. . And thanks so much to all the contributors! John Griffin Miller, l' éditeur UUnderWorld74@gmail.com --