Worship Well Connection, Creativity, and Leadership Development for Lay Leaders

Outdoors, over the surface of a stream or river, a person's hands cup to scoop up water. Droplets of water are streaming off their hands back to the source.

This new UUA program for layleaders—both individuals and congregational teams—is now OPEN for registration!

Worship Well’s goals are to:

  • Create connection and mutual support
  • Build confidence in worship leaders to embrace their authority and use it responsibly
  • Reveal pathways to UU worship resources
  • Center our anti-racist, anti-oppression values
  • Be a fun, accessible gathering

Co-facilitated by Mx. Antoinette Hollamon (they/them) and Rev. Erika Hewitt (she/her), our monthly Zoom gatherings will focus on a range of topics chosen by participants, who will have an opportunity to share tips, success stories, and wisdom before the gathering begins. Worship Well will be guided by a set of Covenantal Agreements that all participants will be asked to honor.

Q&A Session

On June 24, Antoinette and Rev. Erika recorded a Q&A meeting with about 22 people. Due to technical difficulties, the video recording (Vimeo) is imperfect, and we thank you for meeting its flaws with your grace.

Sample Session

Each 75-minute Worship Well session will include time for collective learning and small-group discussion. At the end of each session, congregational teams will be invited to spend an optional (additional) 15 minutes in conversation about how the learning might shape their context and teamwork.

Please review this sample session (PDF), including likely topics.

Time/Dates

The time and dates of Worship Well have not yet been selected. If we have enough interest, we’ll attempt to schedule each topic for two slots: one evening, and one during the day.

Cost

  • Honor Congregations being invited to participate at no cost.
  • All other congregations are asked to pay $60 for the entire series, with as many team members participating as you’d like.
  • If your congregation has the resources to sponsor an under-resourced congregation for $60, we’ll make that possible during the registration process.

Registration

This registration form (Google Form) will be open through Sunday, July 26th, with the possibility of keeping registration open into early August. Even if you and your worship team members are participating as a group, we ask every individual to fill out the registration form. Thank you!

Facilitators

Antoinette, a Black, feminine presenting person with long wavy locs brushing their shoulders, smiles. They're wearing a strapless, multicolored top and a red chalice necklace."
  • Mx. Antoinette Hollamon (they/them/theirs) is a justice consultant, writer, and organizer living in Los Angeles. They are a certified Spiritual Director and have been trained in Movement Chaplaincy. Antoinette’s love of ritual and creating sacred space is apparent in the development of “Care for Activists in Liberation Movements (C.A.L.M.),” a community worship space that centers the spiritual needs of activists and front-line workers. This healing space provides music, guided meditations, and a short reflection. When not leading their own spiritual community, Antoinette serves as the Commissioned Lay Minister and the chair of Worship at their local congregation, bringing their understanding of sacred space to that community.
Erika, a white Gen X ciswoman with brown, shoulder-length hair, is on the chancel of a stone chapel. She's wearing a clergy collar and an ivory stole, and raising a fist as if celebrating.