Featured Resource: Faithify
Do you Faithify?
Faithify is the best place for Unitarian Universalists to fundraise, whether you are a congregation, organization, or individual.
Share your story with UU’s and likeminded people around the world who can help fund your project!
Campaigns on Faithify have an amazing 85% success rate.
Accept contributions, update backers, and receive funds with our safe and easy-to-use website created and staffed by your Unitarian Universalist Association.
Visit faithify.org to learn about our expanded Keep-it-All funding mode categories, get resources for starting and running a crowdfunding campaign, and browse projects from UU’s like you.
Faithify is crowdfunding you can trust to align with Unitarian Universalist values.
Not sure if you can figure out how to run a campaign? You can learn more on the site and even take their Faithify University class for free!
Ingathering Video from Rev. Susan Frederick-Gray
Networking Sessions Are Back!
They are back! This year the Central East Region is offering a series of Networking Calls for congregational staff and leaders to participate in. Instead of dividing up by geography this time, we're offering two times on each date for you to choose from. Come to one or to all. CER staff will be on each call to answer questions, but our main focus will be what you can learn from and share with each other.
The 2022-23 call schedule:
- Thursday, September 15 - 12:30-2 pm and 6-7:30 pm
- Thursday, November 10 - 12:30-2 pm and 6-7:30 pm
- Thursday, January 19 - 12:30-2 pm and 6-7:30 pm
- Thursday, April 20 - 12:30-2 pm and 6-7:30 pm
Please reach out to your primary contact or email cer@uua.org for connection information. - We look forward to seeing you there!
CER BIPOC Gatherings for 2022-23
If you identify as Black, Indigenous or a person of color (BIPOC), you're invited to join us for the Central East Region's BIPOC gathering happening once a month on a Monday at 6:30pm ET. In our gatherings we are joined by lay folks of color, lay leaders of color and/or religious professionals of color to be in community. Our conversations focus on topics like wellness and resilience and our goal is to center BIPOC experiences and create space to explore our UU experiences. Please email Sana Saeed, ssaeed@uua.org or Paula Cole Jones pcolejones@gmail.com for zoom information.
Our first meeting of the year will be on September 12th at 6:30pm ET. Remaining dates: 10/3, 11/7, 12/5, 01/09, 02/06, 03/06, 04/03, 05/08, 06/05.
Taproot Dates for 2022-23 Set
Taproot: A National BIPOC space is returning for 2022-23.
Congregational Life is excited to explore and co-create a network with congregational leaders that supports them in this time in emergent ways through Taproot: A National BIPOC Space. The organizing pillars of this collective is:
- Rest & Renewal
- Analysis Building
- Leadership Development
BIPoC Leaders rooted in the Unitarian Universalist congregations are invited to take part in this monthly, virtual gathering as we explore these pillars in creating a means by which to ground ourselves in resilient communities of care.
Learn more at the UUA website.
Neurodivergence Skill Up Series: Session 2 & 3
Congregational Life with Dr. Ramon Selove, Wednesday, September 7, 2022 3-5 pm ET.
With Meredith Plummer, Wednesday, September 27, 7-9 pm ET
This is a series by the UUA and UU Ministers Association on neurodivergence, neurotypicality, and ableism called Welcoming Neurodivergent People: Skill Up Series. Read more about how we got to this series and where we hope it might take us.
While UUMA holds the registration, you DO NOT need to be a minister to attend! When the UUMA site asks you to login, you can click "continue as guest" near the bottom of the page.
To Everything There is a Season....: More CER Staff Changes
By Patricia Infante
The days are getting shorter and after a hot summer, the nights are blessedly cooler. Here in New Jersey the smell of autumn is in the air and with it the anticipation and excitement of a new congregational year. This fall marks my 14th season as Congregational Life staff at the UUA. If you include my two years as staff for the Joseph Priestley District and nine years as a religious educator in a congregation, I’ve reached the quarter century mark of serving my Unitarian Universalist faith.
As the seasons of the year move inexorably to the next, so it is for me as I prepare to move into the season of retirement later this year or early in 2023. My transition is a happy one – part of a life plan that includes more time for beloved family, days spent camping and visiting as many beautiful places as I can and, yes, a return to my own congregation as more than an occasional pew-sitter.
Read more about Patricia's upcoming change and learn about hiring for her replacement (PDF).
Better Together Blog: A Cloud of Ministers
by Rev. Renee Ruchotzke
Last summer, East Shore UU Church in Kirtland, Ohio had just been through a very difficult year. Along with the continued challenges with the pandemic, they had to say goodbye to their developmental minister after 5 years. The search for a new minister ended in disappointment, with no viable candidates available.
East Shore is part of a cluster of congregations in the greater Cleveland area. The ministers in the area meet regularly. After they learned about East Shore’s situation from the departing minister, the Rev. Denis LeTourneau Paul, a few colleagues offered to help.
You may also be interested in "How Do We Bring Folks Back?"
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News from the UUA
Has your congregation hired new staff? The workbook From Starting to Parting is a guide created for congregations from the Office of Church Staff Finance. Originally written for religious educators and musicians, much of this document can be applied to any staff position.
JUUst Breathe Live is now a podcast! Find us at any place you get your podcasts, or still on YouTube. Be sure to like and subscribe our YouTube Channel, and follow us on Instagram - JuustbreathePod … spread the word!
Does your congregation have staff? You need the Benefits Tune Workbook, now in a new format. Our popular Benefits Tune-up Workbook, now in its 5th edition, will help you understand key documents, eligibility criteria, enrollment windows, and more while providing a path to putting sound systems in place to ensure compliance with Plan rules. We urge all congregations participating in any UUA benefit plans to complete the Workbook annually - as well as whenever a new congregational leader becomes a responsible party. Make it a team effort among a small group of staff and lay leaders who have benefits administration responsibilities.
The UUA has a Disaster Relief Fund for those who want to make a donation to help congregations who have faced losses due to tornadoes, earthquakes, hurricanes, wildfires and more. Please donate if you can. To learn more about the work of the Disaster Relief Fund visit their webpage. If your congregation needs assistance, you can apply for a grant on that webpage. We are Better Together.
Virtual Guest in Your Pulpit! The UUMA has a list of virtual speakers, check it out to see who is available! Visit the Virtual Guest in the Pulpit Database to see who is available. Also, don't forget to check out the CER Guest in Your Pulpit program, which includes both lay and professional worship leaders.
New publications from the UUA - Announcing the 2022-23 Common Read: Mistakes and Miracles: Congregations on the Road to Multiculturalism by Nancy Palmer Jones and Karin Lin. The UU Common Read will begin in late 2022 with a recorded conversation with the authors. If you are starting Mistakes and Miracles now, note that each chapter ends with questions to reflect on learning and experiences around multiculturism and Beloved Community work in your own congregation. Materials for in-person and online gatherings will follow. Visit the Common Read page for more information. Available now for pre-order is Care for the World: Reflections on Community Ministry edited by Rev. Erin J. Walter. As part of the start of the new church year, don't miss the We Are Unitarian Universalists Digital Package, a multimedia outreach tool for congregations. Each digital package include an 8.5x11 PDF; an audio file; a link to a video; an embed code for a web page with text, audio and video and social media graphics.
The UUA is hiring for several positions, including one for the Central East Region. Find job descriptions and application information at their Job Openings webpage.
Calendar Items and News
For events, webinars and congregation news and events visit the following pages:
- CER Calendar of Events and Webinars
- Find your CER Primary Contact
- Chalice Lighter Grants - October 1 is the deadline for Intent to Apply Applications for the January 2023 grant awards
- News Section for Congregational Stories and Articles
- Better Together Blog
- Congregational and Affiliate Group Calendar
- UUA Jobs Board for congregational job postings of all types