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What a peculiar phase of Pandemic Church we are in….although I guess that can be said about every chapter we’ve experienced! This phase may well be called Dipping the Toe.
By Megan Foley | July 18, 2022 | From Better TogetherTagged as: #COVID19, Building Community, Leadership Development, Worship -
Have you heard the exciting news about Youth and Emergent Adult Ministry (YEA) alignment across the UUA? If not, check out this video from the Lifespan Faith Engagement Office (LFE) where we explain what changes are being made and what lead to this reconfiguration.
By Shannon Harper | July 10, 2022 | From Better TogetherTagged as: Youth Ministry, Faith Development -
Find out what's happening in the Central East Region! This month - inSpirit Bookstore, Board Training Resources, OWL and Youth Trainings, CERSI and more!
By Central East Region of the UUA | June 28, 2022 | From Central East RegionTagged as: News -
At the Sunday service at General Assembly yesterday, Rev. Gretchen Haley charged us to reach out in partnership with other congregations in underserved areas, where the struggle with reproductive justice, trans care and LGBTQ issues is significant. This is your chance to live that charge. In the...
June 26, 2022 | From Better TogetherTagged as: Fundraising for Congregations, Outreach & Marketing, Support and Caring in Congregations -
Summer is fast approaching and for some of us, summer is a time to catch up on reading. If you or a reader in your life is looking for interesting books to read this summer, check out the offerings from Skinner House and Beacon Press books - both part of the UUA.
May 16, 2022 | From Better TogetherTagged as: Anti-Racism, Leadership Development -
It's the old adage two steps forward, one step back - every time we think we're making progress back to "life as it was" something happens to push us back into that waiting zone.
By Beth Casebolt | May 9, 2022 | From Better TogetherTagged as: Pastoral Care, Social Justice -
Is your congregation dreaming of a project that could make a huge impact in its mission and growth, but in need of some additional funding to make it possible? Do you want to add a new staff position or increase the hours of an existing position so that you can enrich your congregation’s outreach...
May 2, 2022 | From Better TogetherTagged as: Awards, Scholarships, & Grants, Fundraising for Congregations -
Each night of UUMAC in the blistering heat of July my friends and I went on a walk. Despite having just met each other we formed a deep bond
April 25, 2022 | From Better TogetherTagged as: Building Community -
When all is going wrong and you're scared as hell What you gonna do? Who you gonna tell? A hundred bad days made a hundred good stories A hundred good stories make me interesting at parties, yeah No, I ain't scared of you No, I ain't scared of you no more -AJR, “100 Bad Days”, Neotheater Can you...
By Megan Foley | April 11, 2022 | From Better TogetherTagged as: Change & Conflict, Spiritual Practice -
I imagine people all over New England walking into sanctuaries, looking around and wondering, Who even are we anymore? Who are we? We don’t know; we haven’t met us before. At least, we haven’t yet discovered who we are now.
By Wren Bellavance-Grace | March 28, 2022 | From Better TogetherTagged as: Membership in Congregations -
Recently, I’ve been getting messages from more and more congregations who have passed the 8th principle. This is exciting!
By Sana Saeed | March 21, 2022 | From Better TogetherTagged as: #8thPrinciple, Principles and Purposes, Anti-Racism -
Remember the classic Dr Seuss book, Oh the Places You’ll Go? Arguably the most quoted text at High School graduations and a favorite baby shower gift? Ultimately inspirational, it paints a seussical story of both the ups and down, trials and tribulations involved with becoming who we are meant to...
By Shannon Harper | March 14, 2022 | From Better TogetherTagged as: Youth Ministry, Faith Development, Leadership Development -
This song, written by Ghanaian drummer Sol Amarifo, is on my mind right now as we in congregational life navigate this liminal pandemic time.
By Shannon Harper | February 14, 2022 | From Better TogetherTagged as: Youth Ministry, Faith Development -
Last week I skimmed over an article that talked about how Americans love to be the heroes but never want to do the long term work to make lasting change. And I wondered about that. Was it true? And then the storm of this past weekend happened.
By Beth Casebolt | February 7, 2022 | From Better TogetherTagged as: Congregations in Partnership, Leadership Development -
There have been a lot of questions recently about fundraising options for congregations in different situations, so we thought a blog to help you understand the different types of grant vehicles we have available and when to use which ones would be helpful.
By Central East Region of the UUA | January 24, 2022 | From Better TogetherTagged as: Fundraising for Congregations, Funding for Social Justice -
As the omicron surge–tsunami–hits the United States I am grateful for the protection of vaccination and yet I am braced against less deadly, but still deep impact. The impact of a form of trauma called “moral injury” or “moral distress”. I’m worried for all of us.
By Evin Carvill Ziemer | January 3, 2022 | From Better TogetherTagged as: #COVID19, Support and Caring in Congregations -
Happy Holidays, Central East Region!
By Central East Region of the UUA | December 20, 2021 | From Better TogetherTagged as: UUA Districts & Regions, UUA Staff -
One of the reasons that I am a Unitarian Universalist is that I get the freedom to engage and reengage with deep questions of ultimacy, interconnection, and meaning.
By Renee Ruchotzke | December 13, 2021 | From Better TogetherTagged as: UU Theology -
With Thanksgiving just past and the holiday season approaching, this marks the beginning of the season of thankfulness and gratitude. And so we want to take this opportunity to say Thank You. First of all, thank you to all of those who stepped up when the pandemic became a reality for our...
By Central East Region of the UUA | November 29, 2021 | From Better TogetherTagged as: UUA Districts & Regions -
If you’re a congregational leader, you may be wondering why you can’t do anything right and it seems like someone is always angry with you right now. It’s not you. You’re not alone.
By Evin Carvill Ziemer | November 22, 2021 | From Better Together -
I am tired. Are you tired? I'm tired and cranky and just want all of this craziness to stop.
By Beth Casebolt | November 8, 2021 | From Better TogetherTagged as: Building Community, Covenant Groups & Small Group Ministry -
How might our expectations about year-round berries impact our expectations around our church’s programming? Sometimes we see consumer expectations show up in our faith communities when it comes to Sunday services, religious exploration, and so on.
By Renee Ruchotzke | November 1, 2021 | From Better TogetherTagged as: Covenant, Governance for Congregations -
When people ask me, “What is a Jubilee training?” I try to describe an experience of a similar shift in thinking. The workshop shines a light on the ways cultural and institutional racism operate in American culture.
By Renee Ruchotzke | October 4, 2021 | From Better TogetherTagged as: Anti-Racism -
The early emergence stage of the pandemic, followed by the ongoing threat of variants, has prompted rowdy and aggressive behavior in many areas of society (airplanes, ballparks). It is not surprising that some of this behavior has made its way into our congregational life.
By Sharon Wylie | September 27, 2021 | From Better TogetherTagged as: Governance for Congregations -
What is Faithify? It is the crowdfunding for UU projects. Think of it as GoFundMe for UUs. Or Chalice Lighters on steroids. Faithify is a crowdfunding site where passionate people INSPIRE, UNITE, and FUND Unitarian Universalist ministries.
September 20, 2021 | From Better TogetherTagged as: Fundraising for Congregations, Outreach & Marketing, Social Justice -
We had about a minute in, when, June? when we in congregations thought we were on the path to pandemic freedom. I don’t know about you but I definitely was imagining A Return To Normal Church.
By Megan Foley | September 13, 2021 | From Better TogetherTagged as: #COVID19, Change & Conflict, Leadership Development, Support and Caring in Congregations -
This summer has seen a number of natural disasters that have affected millions of individuals and some of our congregations.
By Beth Casebolt | September 6, 2021 | From Better TogetherTagged as: Trauma and Disaster Response -
This week we offer this blog post by our New England Region Colleague, Wren Bellavance-Grace. September is County Fair season in much of New England. In our UU congregations, September is alsoIngathering time; water communion time; returning-to-church-time after far-flung summers laden with small...
By Wren Bellavance-Grace | August 25, 2021 | From Better TogetherTagged as: Change -
There are youth here. And young adults. And adults. Children. We’re all here. None of us solely the future or the past. All of us in the present. We are all bridging tonight. Into a world where there are 8 principles of Unitarian Universalism and we live them all in our daily lives.
July 26, 2021 | From Better TogetherTagged as: Building Community, Youth Ministry -
When I think about covenant making, I think of Kintsugi.
By Sana Saeed | July 12, 2021 | From Better TogetherTagged as: Building Community, Covenant -
Do you know about the UUA's Disaster Relief Fund? This fund was created to help congregations who need assistance in times of disaster. The fund assists congregations who have experience floods, hurricanes, tornadoes, wildfires, severe winter storms or any other disaster....
June 27, 2021 | From Better TogetherTagged as: Covenant -
Whether you are reminiscing about Summer Institutes of the past, or looking forward to Summer Institute 2022 at California University in PA, this summer's CERSI 2021 is just the thing to bridge that gap!
June 21, 2021 | From Better TogetherTagged as: Building Community -
Back in 1999, each June my family of four would load up our van with a tent, sleeping bags, camp stove, dishes, food and more and head out for wherever that year's General Assembly was being held....
By Beth Casebolt | June 14, 2021 | From Better TogetherTagged as: #COVID19, Building Community -
On this Memorial Day we want to take time to recognize those who have given their lives for our country throughout its history.
By Central East Region of the UUA | May 29, 2021 | From Better TogetherTagged as: Memorial Day, UU History -
I keep hearing the word “resilient” and keep wondering what people mean by it. From a trauma-informed lens, resilience doesn’t mean we aren’t impacted. People who go through trauma are changed. Just as all of us have been impacted over the last year.
By Evin Carvill Ziemer | May 10, 2021 | From Better TogetherTagged as: Keeping Children Safe -
I entered the Commissioned Lay Ministry program in 2014 when I became an empty-nester. I needed something to do with my time once my daughters and infant granddaughter moved out on their own.
May 3, 2021 | From Better TogetherTagged as: Adult Faith Development, Pastoral Care, Worship -
In December 2020, I became a CLM (Commissioned Lay Minister) with the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of the Poconos, UUFP, a small congregation in Stroudsburg
April 19, 2021 | From Better TogetherTagged as: Adult Faith Development, Pastoral Care, Worship -
Last fall I wrote a blog post about bringing my plants inside and setting them up to survive the dark, cold, dry months of winter. I debated whether it was worth the effort to buy lamps and humidifiers or if I should “let the leaves fall” as it were. Here's what I learned.
By Shannon Harper | April 12, 2021 | From Better TogetherTagged as: Personal Inspiration -
Change is afoot in our congregations! Ready or not, we are all learning new skills and adapting old ways to meet emerging needs, especially your professional staff.
By Patricia Infante, Beth Casebolt | March 29, 2021 | From Better TogetherTagged as: Staffing & Supervision -
During these pandemic times, our congregation’s Membership Committee was looking for a way to receive and welcome new members. I know—it seems impossible that being online would lead to new members but our attendance has increased significantly and several were interested.
By Alice King | March 15, 2021 | From Better TogetherTagged as: #COVID19, Membership in Congregations, New Member Ceremony -
When I was a child, I was fascinated by terrariums. There can be something alluring about creating miniature worlds. It’s a chance to observe a world under glass.
By Renee Ruchotzke | March 8, 2021 | From Better TogetherTagged as: Change & Conflict, Leadership Development -
Many congregations have been hoping to do a form of “hybrid” or "dual-platform" worship as a way of getting back together in person once we near the end of the pandemic. We are called to be inclusive-and each congregation will
By Evin Carvill Ziemer | March 1, 2021 | From Better TogetherTagged as: #COVID19, Faith Development, Support and Caring in Congregations, Worship -
By now you’ve probably already seen notice of the New Day Rising National Conference coming to a virtual screen near you on February 27th.
By Megan Foley | February 15, 2021 | From Central East RegionTagged as: Anti-Racism, Social Justice -
As we enter year two of the pandemic, I and many others are dealing with loss and some degree of broken-heartedness. A trip through my local drugstore reminds me that Valentine’s Day is nigh, and I find myself pondering, are there Valentine’s for the broken hearts among us?
By Patricia Infante | February 8, 2021 | From Better TogetherTagged as: Pastoral Care, Support and Caring in Congregations -
In an end-of-the-year meditation over the holidays, the teacher suggested that we students take what we were grateful for and what we had learned and what had made us stronger in 2020 and bring all of that into 2021, leaving the rest behind.
By Megan Foley | January 11, 2021 | From Better TogetherTagged as: Mission/Vision/Planning -
From all of us at the Central East Region, we wish you Happy Holidays and a joyous New Year and extend a deep appreciation for our congregational leaders who do so much for our faith.
By Central East Region of the UUA | December 21, 2020 | From Better TogetherTagged as: UUA Districts & Regions, UUA Staff -
A confluence of events has come together to create a season of potential miscommunication, reactivity, and disconnection.
By Sunshine Jeremiah Wolfe | December 14, 2020 | From Better TogetherTagged as: Change & Conflict, Staffing & Supervision -
It is with overwhelming sadness and shock that the Central East Region acknowledges the sudden death of our colleague and dear friend, Hope Johnson, from a long-term respiratory illness. Here are some of our memories of her.
By Central East Region of the UUA | December 7, 2020 | From Better TogetherTagged as: UUA Districts & Regions, UUA Staff -
With Thanksgiving this week and the holiday season approaching, this marks the beginning of the season of thankfulness and gratitude. And so we want to take this opportunity to say Thank You.
By Central East Region of the UUA | November 23, 2020 | From Better TogetherTagged as: UUA Districts & Regions -
If there’s a knot in your stomach still; a dread of what else may be coming; fears about the Supreme Court; worry about your safety; feelings about your neighbors, family, and fellow citizens who support racism, fascism, and misogyny; this is an offering from me to you.
By Evin Carvill Ziemer | November 9, 2020 | From Better TogetherTagged as: Election Reform, Social Justice