What if our Unitarian Universalist theology and community could help us transform our own experiences of conflict and repair? 

Explore how we can mend the bonds that connect us, experience accountability with compassion, and feel connected in disagreement with one another. In this four-session introduction, we’ll look at what it takes to move from a paradigm of right and wrong to one of responsibility and care for how we impact and are impacted by one another and the world. Together, we will explore how we can trust our relationships in the face of disagreement, rely on them to support us in conflict, unlearn punishment, and experience accountability that feels humanizing.

We will start with the inspirational – what does our theology offer us beyond a paradigm of right and wrong, good and bad? What lessons from restorative justice and transformative justice movements that congregations can learn from? Then, we will move into the practical – what do we actually do in a meeting, at coffee hour, or over email when things start to feel “off” with the people we care about?

Our four online learning sessions will include two open office hours with Rev. Samantha to bring questions for exploration and consultation in the community.

About the Presenters

Rev. Dr. Samantha Wilson is a Unitarian Universalist minister, community psychologist, and restorative practitioner with over thirteen years of experience as a conflict engagement and restorative justice facilitator. She works as a UUA Conflict Engagement Coach and a restorative practitioner in private practice, partnering directly with individuals, congregations, and communities to navigate misconduct, conflict, and harm in crisis, as well as through short-term and multi-year processes.

Rev. Sarah Gibb Millspaugh is a Unitarian Universalist minister who has served a congregation in conflict and has partnered with dozens of congregations through their own conflicts during her nine years on UUA Congregational Life Staff. She brings skills in conflict transformation, trauma-informed care, addressing destructive behavior, healing from misconduct, and fostering collective liberation.

Date and Time

Learning Sessions — 2nd and 4th Thursdays in February and March (February 12 + 26, March 12 + 26)
All sessions are 1.5 hours
February times: 4PM HT | 6PM PST | 7PM AZ/MST
March* times: 3PM HT | 6PM PST/AZ | 7PM MST *Daylight Savings Time

Registering

Participants register for the full series and are encouraged to miss no more than one session. Recordings and materials will be made available for participants after each session. Space is available for 30 participants. Congregational pairs or trios encouraged.

Register by clicking here today! Registration closes on Thursday February 5th or when max capacity is reached.

The Registration Fee

The registration fee is on sliding scale ranging from $125-$75-$25 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.

Cancellation and Refund Policy

All cancellation requests for any Congregational Life event with a fee 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.
• Refund requests made within one week of the event due to illness or emergencies 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 so that we can update the roster accordingly.

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