Image description: UUA President Sofia Betancourt stands in the middle of a group of UUs outside the national Capitol in D.C. Some wear clergy stoles, some hold protest signs, many are smiling, and others hold up raised fists. Many wear Side With Love yellow shirts and hats and a sign saying, "It's time for moral courage." is displayed above the crowd.

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Dear Delbert,

As many of us begin to enjoy seasonal changes associated with this time of year—flowers, new growth, and more sunlight—we continue to be bombarded with fear-based attacks on ourselves, our Shared Values, and our loved ones and communities. It is exhausting and deeply troubling. Yet through it all, Unitarian Universalists continue to care for one another and show up for our religious values. Recently, UU and UUA leaders participated in public witness events in Washington, DC and news stories from Georgia to California quoted UUs involved in Hands Off! protests nationwide. We are so inspired by and grateful for all you are doing.

The care and support we give one another in community, and the connections we make beyond our individual congregations, will continue to hold us in this long-haul work of dissenting and resistance. We can find strength through building and sustaining our community. This email offers many ways for Unitarian Universalists to build connections across our Association and engage with fellow UUs for democratic governance, justice, worship, and faith development. Please explore these offerings and share them in your congregation or community.  

With you on the journey, 

Rachel   

Image description: Four people are portrayed  on separate Zoom screens above. Clockwise from top left is a light skinned person wearing a brown floral scarf and glasses; at top right is a brown skinned person with dark locs and a dark gray shirt; below them is a light skinned person with short, dark hair and glasses; and at bottom left is a light skinned person with shoulder length light hair and glasses. At center is a white triangle pointed to the right on a black circle, indicating a "Play" button.

In this edition of the JUUst Breathe Live podcast, Antoinette Scully and Lisa Garcia Sampson join hosts and UUA staff members Ember Kelly and Joy Berry to talk about Justice as a Unitarian Universalist Shared Value and what it means in these unjust times.  

The UUA Commission on Appraisal (COA) is committed to fostering deep reflection and creative transformation of Unitarian Universalism, our congregations, and the Association. In service to this work, the COA is inviting congregational leaders to complete a survey focused on changes in Unitarian Universalist communities. Survey responses will help the COA understand how UUs are adapting to a rapidly changing religious landscape in the U.S. and may be published in the Commission’s 2025 publication. 

Sing Out Love, the UUA’s new hymnal, is moving toward its General Assembly launch! This online resource will be available as a monthly, annual, or 3-year subscription. While our Song Selection Team has already begun adding NEW music to our virtual hymnal, we invite even more submissions! Please send in your chants, rounds, protest songs, and zipper songs—as well as any other music for congregational singing. Learn more about Sing Out Love’s submission guidelines, get a link to send in your music, and find details about subscriptions at the link below.

This year’s Common Read is the powerful and inspiring book, Authentic Selves: Celebrating Trans and Nonbinary People and Their Families. Although congregations are engaging with the book in meaningful ways, the current political context has led to increased danger for the Trans and Nonbinary community. In response, the UUA’s Lifespan Faith Engagement staff have developed new Common Read guidelines for confidentiality, inclusion, and learning.

Over the past year, many UUs have gained valuable skills for providing a welcoming and inclusive experience for everyone who comes through our doors. Tending Congregational Life is a training to guide the membership journey, not based on numerical growth, but focused on the transformative power that Unitarian Universalism has on people’s lives. Join the over 250 groups already engaged in this training and bring your ministry teams together to renew and revitalize the membership journey in your congregation.

At General Assembly (GA) this June, Unitarian Universalists will vote to elect a new UUA Moderator. The individual or team elected will serve for the next six years with duties including: chairing the UUA Board of Trustees, facilitating the business sessions at GA, interacting with congregations, and consulting with the President in developing a common vision for the Association. Learn more about the nominees for Moderator at the Moderator Candidates Forum on Tuesday, April 22 at 7:00pm ET / 4:00pm PT. 

Actions of Immediate Witness (AIWs) are a tool for Unitarian Universalists across our Association to gather support for critical, immediate concerns. By proposing an AIW at the 2025 General Assembly, you can disseminate information and galvanize action from UUs everywhere. Take the lead to bring others into resistance, action, witness, and power through our AIW process. Get support and guidelines to make your submission at the link below. 

Three proposed Congregational Study Action Issues will be included in the General Assembly business agenda this year. They are “Housing: Diversity, Equity and Inclusion,” “Fat Liberation: Building Justice and Liberation for Large Bodies," and “Abolition As Faith Formation”. Join upcoming online feedback sessions in April and May, and prepare to engage our democratic process at GA this June.