MUUC
With the merger of the American Unitarian Association (AUA) and the Universalist Church of America (UCA) in 1961, Midwest Unitarian groups and Western Universalist groups formed the Midwest Unitarian Universalist Conference (MUUC) and the Midwest Unitarian Universalist Foundation (MUUF).
The purpose of MUUC is to further the interests of Unitarian Universalists and their institutions in the mid-continental states and provinces, to promote, foster and encourage the interests of the Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA), to support those institutions to spread the message of Unitarian Universalism, and to distribute the surplus income generated by funds in trust by MUUF, a subsidiary corporation. The purpose of MUUF is to hold those funds received from the AUA and UCA in trust, to safeguard and administer the funds, and to invest the funds and securities.
Board Members Elected in 2021
Nancy Spargo
(2021-2024) Nancy Spargo has been an active member of Eliot Unitarian Chapel in the St. Louis region, since 2005. Her current involvement includes a leadership role in the Immigration Justice Team, the spiritual book group, and a focus group facilitator for the Ends Statements.
Historically, Ms. Spargo has been a RE leader for the junior high group, a covenant group leader, and has served on too many workgroups and committees to list. Her biggest role was as Social Justice Coordinator, a half-time volunteer position, which provided the opportunity to create and implement a model for social justice.
Ms. Spargo is a graduate of the School of Social Service Administration at the University of Chicago and completed a post graduate clinical externship in Family Therapy at the Institute for Juvenile Research of the University of Illinois at Chicago. She is the co-founder and the CEO of Sparlin Mental Health in St. Louis, which is a small organization that provides mental health services, advocacy, and organizational consultation and training. She is adjunct faculty at the Brown School of Washington University.
Her commitment to strengthening families as well as their communities has led her to serve a variety of clients, including immigrants and refugees, foster and adoptive families, as well as lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) populations, and the homeless.
Passionate about social justice, Ms. Spargo is a staunch advocate of human rights, and has been active in a variety of causes since her youth. She is the mother of four young adult children, lives with her partner, and father, who she has cared for over the past nine years, and co-parent to Henry, the beloved family dog. Outside of spending time with family, Ms. Spargo enjoys live music, the outdoors, and entertaining friends at home.
Robert (Bob) Lovell
(2021-2024) Bob Lovell has been a member of the Unitarian Universalist Church of Greater Lansing since 1980. Bob has served on the MidAmerica Nominating Committee from 2017-2019 and as its Co-Chair from 2018-2020. At his church, he has served as Coming of Age Mentor, Ministerial Search Committee Chair, President, and is currently a Board member. He has been an alternate or delegate to the Regional Assembly many times and he and his wife Kathy are Chalice Lighters. He has also enjoyed volunteering at the last seven General Assemblies and plans to do so again in this year. In addition to church work, Bob is a volunteer with the Meridian Township Transportation Commission. He is a retired statistician, manager and teacher. He looks forward to contributing to the MidAmerica Region in a new role as a member of the Midwest UU Conference.