CER News Update - June 2026

By Central East Region of the UUA

Tyler Coles, a person of African-American descent who has short facial hair and brown glasses, stands before a blurred cityscape.

A Year In Review

by Rev. Bryon Tyler Coles, CER Regional Lead

What a year it has been! Like all church years, it has come with twists and turns, great successes, and a few misses. Yet this is the course of life. Neither good nor bad, right or wrong, it just is. So much of the practice of one’s faith, especially as Unitarian Universalists, is holding the space between what is and what can still be.

As the 2025-2026 church year comes to a close, I find myself sitting in that space and reflecting on all the vital ministries that we have engaged in across the Central East Region. From the moments of collective witness in Washington, D.C., Minneapolis, MN, and Newark, New Jersey. To the more personal, one-to-one moments of tenderness in which we cared for the hearts and souls of others. Whether they gained notoriety or went by silently, know that your Regional Staff are deeply thankful for all that you have done in practicing Love.

Read the rest of the post on the Better Together Blog.

Save the Date: Board Facilitation Training

The Central East Region is excited to offer congregations and their boards a new opportunity with the “Board Facilitation Training: Grounded, Faithful Leadership” on Saturday, August 22 from 10:00 am to 1:00 pm. This virtual opportunity will provide leadership with a toolbox of materials on: governance; a workflow checklist; roles and responsibilities; the importance of mission in Unitarian Universalist governance; church year calendars; shared ministry and committees on shared ministry; yearly goal setting; and further resources for continued education throughout the church year.

Leading Spiritual Lives: A Summer Session at CERSI

July 6-10, 2026

“Leadership is people leading spiritual lives,” says Hilary Allen, a member of Congregational Life Staff in the New England Region. As practicing Unitarian Universalists, we have historically proclaimed that all have a role to play in creating the Beloved Community. But in times of stress and constant motion, how do we engage the depths of Love as a grounding force?

In Leading Spiritual Lives, a summer workshop offered by the Central East staff, participants will come to a deeper understanding that trustworthy, inspired leadership is aligned with deep spiritual work that guides our choices, priorities, and actions with our professed values. Not only will we learn about the essential history and theology of our tradition, but we will also explore the ways that it is present for us today.

To attend you must register for CERSI.

Congregational Life Resources

From Jan Gartner, Congregational Staffing Practices Director

Headshot of Jan Gartner, a white woman with short dark hair and bluish-purple rimmed glasses, wearing a blue, green, and white patterned top. The background is outdoor greenery. Jan is smiling.

You may know me from my work in the Church Staff Finances (Benefit Plans and Services) group at the UUA. Well, I’m still equipping congregations as employers, but now through a position on the Congregational Life team.

I’m delighted to introduce you to our new Growing Administrative Capacity pages in LeaderLab. Check out this 3-minute introductory video! And if you’re attending General Assembly, look for the Grow Administrative Capacity prerecorded workshop in the Whova app.

Also at GA, I’d love to have you join me for a 3-hour online cohort about Staffing Sustainably and Faithfully.

Please browse our reorganized and refreshed Congregations as Employers pages, and feel free to contact me at congregationalstaffing@uua.org.

News from the UUA

Attend General Assembly Close to Home

Would you like to attend General Assembly on June 19-21 without traveling to Louisville, KY? Register to attend at one of our region’s satellite sites. You can attend at First Unitarian Church of Rochester, NY or the UU Congregation at Montclair, NJ. You can add your satellite site when you register. Virtual attendees are also welcome. See the full schedule and register at the UUA website.

Celebration of Firsts A Multigen Worship Resource

The Celebration of Firsts multigenerational worship is polished and is absolutely profound.
Big ups to DRE Sol Cornell along with NEAT who put this thing together: “I wrote this ritual with the intention of providing congregations with a practice that, while applicable to all ages, acknowledges and honors one of the most defining features of the young adult. Firsts are a lifelong experience, a daily one even, but many of us have some of our most foundational and transformative firsts in that turbulent period of early adulthood.” Here’s a video (YouTube) of First UU Austin doing the service. Once more from Sol, “Your firsts are holy, and you are holy for living them.”

Side with Love Events

Black inkbrush heart with words "Side with Love"

Upcoming Gatherings

  • June 3 — Green Sanctuary 2030 Office Hours, 7 pm ET
  • June 5 & 19 — UU Solidarity Sessions, 2 pm ET
  • June 8, Our June Gathering will kick off a 2026 learning series that examines the limits and possibilities of American democracy ahead of the 250th anniversary of the United States, 8 pm ET.
  • June 9 — UU the Vote Solidarity Summit Interest Meeting, 7 pm ET, regional interfaith justice training and practice gatherings designed to strengthen the connections, skills, and capacities needed for this moment.
  • June 16 & 17 — Side with Love at General Assembly, see the Whova App for workshops at GA
  • UUTV Trainings & Gatherings in June. Voter outreach is a huge part of UU the Vote in 2026; join one of our many trainings in June to reach voters and become a Good Trouble Congregation!

Resources and Announcements

  • Side With Love is hiring a fully remote, part-time Climate Justice Fellow to support congregational climate justice organizing. See job description & application requirements at the UUA website.
  • Our Faith’s Superpowers in Action — Resources for May Gathering

Camps and Institutes

Co-creating Hope: The Art and Beauty of Resilience. image of flower growing up through a crack in a sidewalk with a can and bag nearby.

Summer Institute 2026

Join us at Oberlin College in Oberlin, OH, July 5-11, 2026 with Rev. Susan Ritchie, speaking on Co-Creating Hope: The Art and Beauty of Resilience. Registration is open but closes June 20th so don’t delay.

Seeking Raffle Donations — if you have something to donate for the raffle for the scholarship fund, please reach out to Charlie Tridrick, Bookstore Coordinator at bookstore@cersiuu.org.

Visit the websites of the camps in our region to learn more about their programs:

Calendar Items and News

For events, webinars and congregation news and events visit the following pages: