In January, Natalie Aguila Briscoe assumed the role of Director of Congregational Life for the Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA). In this two part series, In Good Faith talks with Briscoe about why congregations are so important to Unitarian Universalism, how she has learned to care for herself in order to care better for others, and why she calls herself a “Beverage Goblin.”

In Good Faith: Tell us a little about your experience at the UUA, including current and past roles?

Natalie Briscoe: Before I was on staff, I served as a Director of Religious Education in the Southern and Pacific Western Regions for nearly 13 years. Back then, we were organized by districts instead of regions, and I was a consultant for the Southwest District and the Director of our family summer camp, the Southwest UU Summer Institute. I was also the Chair of my local LREDA (Liberal Religious Educators Association) chapter and served on the Nominating Committee for the District.

I began working for the UUA in 2013, as Field Staff for the Southern Region. In 2017 I became the Co-Lead for the Southern Region with my indispensable good friend, Connie Goodbread. In 2021, Connie went on to found the Hope for Us Conflict Engagement Team, and I became the sole Lead in her absence. Just this year, I became the Director of Congregational Life.

In Good Faith: You are the UUA’s Director of Congregational Life, so tell us why congregations are so important to Unitarian Universalism?

Natalie Briscoe: Congregations are the institutional incarnation of Unitarian Universalism. They are the place where our values stop being abstract ideals and become lived, embodied practice.

In a tradition without a creed, congregations are where covenant becomes real. They are where people learn how to care for one another across difference, how to make meaning together, how to hold grief and joy in community, and how to practice democracy, generosity, and shared responsibility. They are where we teach children what it means to belong to something larger than themselves. They are where people show up for one another in moments of crisis and transformation.

For me, congregations are not simply programs or buildings or Sunday services. They are spiritual ecosystems. They are places where people can grow into deeper humanity and deeper relationship with one another. They are also one of the few remaining places in American life where people voluntarily gather across generations, identities, political differences, and life experiences to ask: How do we live together faithfully? That matters profoundly right now.

Congregations are the places where individual stories meet each other and become woven together into a rich tapestry; where people discover they are not alone. At their best, they help people become more loving, more courageous, more connected, and more alive, and in a fragmented and lonely world, that is sacred work.

But congregations are not isolated entities. They are part of a larger covenantal network that stretches across our faith. When congregations are thriving and connected, Unitarian Universalism becomes more resilient, more courageous, and more capable of living into our aspirations for Beloved Community.

In Good Faith: What drew you to this work at the UUA—and what keeps you here?

Natalie Briscoe: What first drew me to this work was a deep belief that Unitarian Universalism matters — not just as an institution, but as a living force in people’s lives. I always wanted to work for the UUA because I believed I could help make a meaningful difference for congregations and for individual Unitarian Universalists. Even early on, I saw congregations as places where people are shaped, healed, challenged, and called into deeper relationship with themselves, each other, and the world. I wanted to support the people doing that sacred work.

Over time, that conviction has only deepened. In my role, I get to witness the extraordinary courage and care that exists across our faith. I see lay leaders giving countless volunteer hours because they love their congregations and believe in their missions. I see ministers carrying communities through grief, conflict, celebration, and transformation. I see staff members, membership professionals, musicians, religious educators, and administrators showing up every day trying to help people feel more connected, more alive, and more hopeful. The brilliance within our congregations and among our staff constantly humbles me. There is so much joy, generosity, and creativity in this work, even in difficult moments.

I think people sometimes imagine denominational work as abstract or institutional, but for me it has always felt profoundly relational. The work only matters because people matter. What keeps me here is watching Unitarian Universalists continue to choose this faith — to keep building community, keep practicing covenant, keep striving toward Beloved Community even when it is hard.

Seeing that kind of devotion makes me want to work even harder for them. It makes me want to help create the conditions where congregations and leaders can thrive, because I know how much they are carrying and how much hope they hold for the world.

In Good Faith: Part Two of this profile will be posted next week.