A multi-day conference centered on connecting across individuals, congregations, and regions. Friday, April 19 - Saturday, April 20th. Registration for in person attendance closes on Friday, April 12, 2024. Come for a short visit or for the entire weekend. More info to come!

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Brief Agenda: Friday, April 19 - Saturday, April 20.

• Friday: doors open at 6:00 PM local time - 9:00 PM local time
• Saturday: doors open at 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM local time

Locations:

• Join us in First Unitarian Society Madison, WI 900 University Bay Drive, Madison WI 53705.
• Join us in First Universalist Church of Denver, CO 4101 E. Hampden Ave.
  Denver, CO 80222 - Find out more about the event.
• and online! WHOVA app will open the week in April, 2024.

Highlights:

• Friday Keynote speaker(s): Rev. Dr. Sofía Betancourt & Rev. Dr. Karen Georgia A. Thompson
• On-demand workshops
• Exhibitors
• WHOVA app access (app goes live in the first week of April, 2024)

Brief Agenda

Note this agenda is set to Central Daylight Time.

Friday April 19

• 6:00 PM Doors open
• 7:00 PM - 8:00 PM - Reception & Welcome
• 8:00 PM - 9:00 PM Keynote* Live streamed live from Denver, CO 7:00 - 8:00 PM MST
• 9:00 pm Closing

Saturday April 20

• 8:00 am - doors open - continental breakfast

• 9:00 am - 9:30am Welcome

• 9:30am - 10:30am Session 1 workshops 

  • Workshop 1 A: Answering the 5 W’s about Article II* | Facilitator(s): Kathy Burek & David Jackoway | Location: Atrium Auditorium
    Description: In this workshop, we will provide information about the proposed Article II revision. We will answer Who, What, When, Where, and Why about the proposal. The workshop will explain the details of the changes but will not engage in debate about the merits of those changes.
  • Workshop 1B: Deeper Joy: Youth at the Center | Facilitator(s): Shannon Harper and Jennica Davis-Hockett, Lifespan Faith Engagement | Location: Courtyard Classroom A&B
    Description: Join Shannon Harper (UUA Co-Director of Lifespan Faith Engagement) and Jennica Davis-Hockett (UUA Youth and Emerging Adult Ministry Staff) for a deep dive into Deeper Joy! This day of Deeper Joy is for those who are (or want to be) hopeful about the power of whole community engagement with young people at the center.
  • Workshop 1C: Grief Garden: Transforming Grief one Seedling at a Time (session 1) | Facilitator(s): QuianaDenae Perkins, Congregational life Resident | Location: Courtyard Classroom C
    Description: Grief Garden is a program we are developing. QuianaDenae is in the beta stages of creating a community-guided ritual that supports the naming and transformation of grief. Participants will journey through the garden, using a mixture of song, dialogue, journaling, meditation, and engaged ritual craft. Participants are invited to bring journals; materials will also be provided. This is a two-part workshop; we ask that participants plan to attend sessions one and two
  • Workshop 1D: The Multi-Layered Work of Developmental Ministry | Facilitator(s): Roger Bertschausen, Lisa Friedman, Keith Kron (UUA Transitions Director) & Shelley Page | Location: Online only
    Description: Congregation life is changing. This interactive workshop will explore what DevelopmentalMinistry can offer congregations of all sizes and different histories and cultures and share stories of discovery and growth from congregations who have chosen this path.
• 10:30am - 11:00am Break
• 11:00am - 12:00pm Session 2 workshops 
  • Workshop 2A: Panel Discussion with the MidAmerica Board and the UUA* | Facilitator(s): Rev. David Pyle, Carey McDonald, Rev. Ashley Horan, and the Mid America Board | Location: Atrium Auditorium
    Description: This panel discussion between senior UUA Leadership and members of the MidAmerica Board will be moderated by the MidAmerica Regional Lead, and will highlight elements on the renewed policy defining the relationship between the Region and the UUA.
  • Workshop 2B: Accompaniment as an Antidote to Fascism* | Facilitator(s): Heather Vickery | Location: Courtyard Classroom A&B
    Description: As we see the rise in fascist laws targeting our trans and migrant beloveds, we often struggle to know how to resist. Join UUSC and UUCSJ to learn about how you can welcome both asylum-seekers and trans/gender-expansive folks as an antidote to fascism.
  • Workshop 2C: Grief Garden [part 2] | Facilitator(s): QuianaDenae Perkins, Congregational life Resident | Location: Courtyard Classroom C
    Description: Grief Garden is a program we are developing. QuianaDenae is in the beta stages of creating a community-guided ritual that supports the naming and transformation of grief.
    This second session will continue the work started in session one, with dedicated time to harvest feedback.

• 12:15pm - 1:30 pm Lunch

• 1:30 PM - 2:30 PM Session 3 workshops 
  • Workshop 3A: Congregations as Faithful Employers* | Facilitator(s): Jan Gartner & Sean Griffin, Office of Church Staff Finances | Location: Atrium Auditorium.
    Description: Yes, the UUA “Comp Team” offers compensation guidance. But that’s not all! We support leaders with a wide variety of employment concerns – worker classification, onboarding, staffing levels, performance challenges, and much more. Let’s talk about how to ensure that your congregation is faithful to the law and to UU values.
  • Workshop 3B: Weaving the Threads: Side with Love Resources and Networking* | Facilitator(s): Nora Rasman and Rachel Myslivy, UUA Organizing Strategy Team | Location: Courtyard Classroom A&B
    Description: This facilitated discussion with members of the UUA’s Organizing Strategy Team will provide participants with the opportunity to interact with recent “case studies” of Unitarian Universalists putting their faith into action, and then identify what core skills they would like to develop to promote their sense of connectivity and power as a faith movement.
  • Workshop 3C: First Unitarian Society of Madison LEED Building Design and Tour | Facilitator(s): Committee of the church members from First Unitarian Church Madison, WI | Location: Courtyard Classroom C
    Description: Members of the First Unitarian Society of Madison will lead a guided tour and description of the congregation’s Platinum LEED Certified Building.
  • Workshop 3D: Deeper Joy Open Studio | Facilitator(s): Shannon Harper and Jennica Davis-Hockett, Lifespan Faith Engagement | Location: Online only
    Description: Come as you are, bring some joy with you or find it here. This is a chance to learn about the Community Building Map to Deeper Joy and explore an activity from an area on the map. Participants will leave with an understanding of the various stages of community building and a practical way to bring more joy to their community.
• 2:30 PM - 3:00 PM Break
• 3:00 PM - 4:15 PM Business Meeting* | Location: Atrium Auditorium
  Description: The MidAmerica Regional Business Meeting is your chance to hear from your MidAmerica Regional Board of Trustees about the fiscal, fiduciary, and programming vitality of the MidAmerica Region, to elect new Regional Leaders, and to hear from some of the affiliated organizations of the Region. This year’s business meeting will include a special report from the MidWest Unitarian Universalist Conference, and a report on the Board of Trustee’s work to renew the policy framework for the relationship between the MidAmerica Region and the Unitarian Universalist Association. There will also be a report from the Regional Lead on the staffing design changes of the Regional Staff.
• 4:30 PM Closing Worship

Note, multi-platform workshops are marked with and asterisk *.

Registration Fee

Registration fees are on a sliding scale, based on your assessment of your ability to pay. Those who pay at the highest level are making a donation to help those in financial need for this event. Please remember that for a sliding scale to work, we need the same number of people with means to generously pay more to balance the needs of those who can afford less.

• In-person registration fee: $50-$100-$150-$200
• Online registration fee: $25-$50-$75-$100

Hotels

Please secure your reservation in one of the conference hotels below. These reservations are from Thu, Apr 18 – Sun, Apr 21, 2024:

• DoubleTree by Hilton Madison East - $119/nt (+ tax). Note, you have until March 18th to book a room at this rate.
  Fairfield Inn Suites Madison East- $124/nt (+ tax). Note, you have until March 19th to book a room at this rate.

If you are a mid-America board member, nominating committee member, or Mid-America UUA staff please click here to make your reservation for the DoubleTree by Hilton Madison East. These reservations are from Wed, Apr 17 – Sun, Apr 21, 2024.

COVID

In-Person participation with COVID: This will be a masked event except during meal breaks time. To maximize the safety of the participants, presenters, and their friends and families...

• Participants and presenters are required to be fully vaccinated for COVID-19.
• Participants are required to always wear a mask over mouth and nose during the training. Masks must be multi-layer - no neck gaiters or valves. We will provide surgical masks for participants who need a mask.
• Staff are asked to rapid test before traveling.
• Masks remain required for group settings when we are together, and the default for all shared spaces.
• Eating should be in limited spaces away from the main gathering space
• We recognize that in smaller groups people may choose the level of safety that all can consent to – e.g. eating lunch together or having a small conversation without masks.

Cancellation

General Cancellation Policy

• All cancellation requests for any paid congregational life event or training (i.e. OWL or Renaissance module) must be submitted in writing using this refund request form. 

Refunds

• Refund requests made before the event registration deadline will be eligible for a refund, minus a $5 administrative fee.
• Refund requests made after the registration deadline, but before the event date will be eligible for a 50% refund of the registration fee.
• For refund requests made within one week of the event due to illness or emergencies, full refunds will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis.
• Refunds will not be provided after the event for no-shows. Note, if you registered for an event only to receive the event recording and resources you will still receive all these resources.
• There is no penalty for finding someone to replace you if you cannot attend. Please inform the program staff of the replacement attendee's details.

Cancellation Due to Extraordinary Circumstances

In the case of event cancellation due to low enrollment or unprecedented conditions such as high COVID-19 infection rates in the hosting area, poor weather conditions, acts by government authorities, natural disasters, epidemic or pandemic emergencies, registration fees will be 100% refunded. We strongly recommend securing travel insurance for instances like these in your travel planning.

We ask for your understanding in respecting this policy, which supports our organizational efforts and expenses.

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