The Faith Lab Toolbox series contains videos, songs, activities and quotes on a variety of themes for you to draw from for consistent faith engagement with young UUs. This page is dedicated to the Care Groups Toolbox on creating communities of care.

Introduction and Overview of Camera Options video text Audio video text OBS video text Camera Mounting and Placement video text Lighting video text If You Need Help video text...

Facilitators have the important roles of organizing, coordinating, behavior-modeling as well as being a participant in the group.

Most Small Group Ministry sessions have a similar format or pattern, with some variations. Here is an overview of a typical format with explanations.

How can your congregation be a good employer during the COVID-19 outbreak? Caring for staff is an opportunity to model your values and spirit for the congregation, to demonstrate the kindness, creativity, and interdependence that these days ask of us....

Trying to figure out how to talk about wearing masks in church? Here are some examples!

Widespread vaccination against COVID-19 makes our communities safer. How do we encourage vaccination with sensitivity and kindness?

Moving into summer and fall of 2021, we are moving towards reconnecting. And yet our volunteers and staff are exhausted. This six session series is provided by UUA staff to support this need whether used throughout the week or on Sunday mornings when staff and volunteers need a break.

From exercising regularly, sticking with spiritual disciplines, and enjoying hobbies, to reading for pleasure, getting enough sleep, and spending time with those we love, caring for ourselves is hardest precisely when we most need to do it. Throw in the limitations of physical...

Good communication habits and healthy boundaries between the laity and the minister make for a sustainable and resilient ministry!

A congregational board member called to ask what their church might do about their building. Like so many New England churches, theirs is old, labyrinthine, mostly inaccessible, and larger than they need now....

Even with the most thoughtfully constructed covenant, human beings may need reminders. Here are some tips to keep your small group on track.

“As Unitarian Universalists, we affirm right relationship as a reverential act. This affirmation is our covenantal act together as a non-creedal people. This is our religious history.” – Thandeka About Covenants A covenant is not a rule. It is not an obligation imposed on people by one or more...

Vibrant and vital Small Group Ministry depends on developing and maintaining healthy practices learned from the experiences of dozens of congregations: Clear Mission Faith development is a primary purpose of Small Group Ministry Developing deep listening and communication skills is another import...

How to Bring the Culture of Youth and Emerging Adult Ministry to Multigenerational Communities.

This video is a portion of the Conversations with Leaders: Dual Platform Future for All Ages webinar that was offered in April. In this video, Nancy Combs-Morgan, Mid-America Congregational Life Staff talks about inclusive congregations and how that needs to be the focus as we plan for the future.

This video is a portion of the Conversations with Leaders: Dual Platform Future for All Ages webinar that was offered in April. In this video, Annie Scott, Pacific Western Staff talks about the role of religious educators in planning for moving forward....

This video is a portion of the Conversations with Leaders: Dual Platform Future for All Ages webinar that was offered in April. In this video, Wren Bellavance-Grace, New England Congregational Life Staff, talks about trauma and how it impacts our congregations and returning to religious education...

This video is a portion of the Conversations with Leaders: Dual Platform Future for All Ages webinar that was offered in April. In this video, Patricia Infante, CER Staff in Lifespan Faith Development talks about conflict and how change and conflict are connected in our congregations. As our...

In covenantal communities, we are called to relationships of mutuality. Sometimes this requires taking time to listen deeply to one another’s concerns and fears before making important, impactful decisions.

Is your congregation overwhelmed? Confused about how to move forward towards some in-person ministry? Facing too many options? This post is for you.

With the advent of built in Zoom Live Transcription, any congregation with a Zoom account should be able to turn on captions for any event or meeting. While the transcription isn't perfect, and a live captioning would likely be more accurate, it does open up your video streams to more people.

New ways UU congregations are considering moving towards multi-platform congregational life especially focused on Sunday morning and all ages inclusion.

With the recent relaxation of CDC guidelines, our communtities will be under pressure to reopen. We need to make sure that we have systems and processes to keep the most vulnerable safe and included.

Join UUA Youth Program staff Shannon Harper and Eric Bliss to talk about ways to enhance your youth programming by joining with other congregations.

Hear insights from Congregational Life Staff and read insights from leaders about the challenges and possibilities of moving toward in person ministry that is inclusive for our whole community including children and youth.

As a faith community, we need to be grounded in our principles and values when making decisions during times of turmoil.

Key principles for congregation planning for multi-platform operations based on the needs and risks in your community.

As congregations consider physically re-opening for hybrid or multiplatform worship and programs, families with children and youth may be left out or excluded. Inclusion will take care and consideration of the challenges families are facing.

What does this Multi-Platform era mean for staff? Once again, expectations are changing. We offer some considerations to help you live into our values of equity and compassion so that staff can do their best work in these challenging times.

I often wondered about the term, "settled minister" -- since I come from a long line of wanderers.

In planning for post-pandemic church, you may find this opening reading useful. As the author reflects, "No one's done this in living memory."

The departure of a staff team member provides a fruitful time for reflection, visioning, and change. Some UU professionals are equipped to work with congregations during transitions, providing specialized skills and tools that help a congregation prepare for robust new leadership....

Join Jan Gartner, the UUA’s Compensation and Staffing Practices Manager for the Office of Church Staff Finance, as she talks about the advantages of sharing staff and the new UUA platforms for finding and offering shared staff.

Make it easy for people to give using online technology!

This resource may be helpful in understanding and using different kinds of circles in your congregation, and the kind of practice and training that are needed for each.

Think about the different needs of both the in-person and online participant when meeting in small groups.

Think about the different needs of both the in-person and online participant for Worship, Concerts, Theater, Poetry Readings, etc.

It's important to understand that our faith communities have gone through a traumatic experience, and that is having an impact on our physical and mental functioning. 

It is important for leaders to communicate with clarity, timeliness, and compassion, about the changes that are coming. 

Where are the greatest needs right now in your community, both among your membership and your surrounding community?

Three qualities of church that will be important in our next phase of how to be together are attention to mission, nimbleness, and inclusion.

In the months ahead, many congregations plan to offer a combination of online and in-person programming options. Will there be new budget items? How might staff hours or responsibilities be changing? Here are some considerations.

Framing and insights from a gathering of congregational leaders from the Central East Region looking forward to what multi-platform church could be.

In the middle of a pandemic when none of us have all of our cylinders firing consistently, when all of us are experiencing extra pressure, confusion, and fear, as well as illness, loss, and grief, we need to be clear.

Improve the quality of your process by taking time to create a shared understanding of all of the things that should be taken into consideration.

This video features two Directors of Religious Education who have developed innovative programs for teaching about the 8th Principle.

Learning to understand human communities (and in our case, congregations) as systems has been an ongoing learning process for the past several decades for family therapists, organizational development consultants and social scientists....

Once we can meet in person, our communities will need to help members and friends be more mindful about interpersonal interactions, especially around touch. The Our Whole Lives curriculum can give us us some guidance!