November 2023 - In This Newsletter
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- Southern Region Blog & UUA Communications - The Southern Region Leadership Experiences are BACK: With a Twist!; Inspired and Humbled…; UUA Statement on the Humanitarian Catastrophe in Gaza and Israel; Statement from UUA President Rev. Dr. Sofía Betancourt Regarding the Conflict Between Israel and Hamas; Autumn 2023 Issue of UU World
- Southern Region Events - Gatherings for Religious Professionals; Primer Leadership Experience; Essentials Leadership Experience; System Theory Renaissance Module; Presidents' Gatherings
- News & Resources - Youth and Emerging Adult Kick Off; Why We Cannot Turn Away: Resources for UU Leaders Engaging on Israel and Palestine; Religious Education Professional Meet-Up; Taproot: A National BIPOC Space; New DRE: Settling in Series; UU Common Read: Seeking a Developmental Editor; Faith Forward Spiritual Leadership Path; Faithify Updates
- Calendar Listing of Events, Occasions, and Connection Opportunities
- Connections and Quick Links - Upcoming Events; UU Camp, Conference, and Retreat Centers in SR; Quick Links; Southern Region Staff
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The Southern Region Leadership Experiences are BACK: With a Twist!
 By Natalie Briscoe
Sending leaders to a Leadership Experience is an investment in the future of a congregation and in the future of Unitarian Universalism. Leadership Experience (LE) participants are more grounded in Unitarian Universalism and hear a deeper call to serve. They function at a high level and are able to inspire and invite others. Because this experience is so valuable for individuals, teams, and congregations, the Southern Region staff recommends that congregations build leadership development, in general, and send teams to Leadership Experiences, in particular, into their budgets.
Overall, Leadership Experience Goals are:
- To grow religious leaders who are able and feel called to steward our Unitarian Universalist faith
- To support congregations by giving leaders the skills, tools, and framework they need to lead both the congregation of Unitarian Universalists and the formal organization of the church
- To strengthen Unitarian Universalism through healthy, vital congregations and communities that are the institutional incarnation of our core values
- To create networks of committed, spiritually-centered, and values-based leaders wherein the co-creation of Unitarian Universalism, spiritual study and practice, and justice-making holds a vision of the Beloved Community across the south.
Continue reading
Inspired and Humbled…
By Nancy Combs-Morgan
This last May (2023) I wrote a newsletter article: What We Can, and Must, Do To Support Our Trans Beloveds where I shared the call to Southern Region congregations to engage in community based OWL programming to support trans youth and their families. As a result, I have been inspired and humbled by the response of many of our member congregations. In particular, the good folx at UU Church of Brazos Valley, in College Station, Texas, who have launched a Faithify campaign to help fund their OWL efforts, along with 6 other UU congregations. Please consider supporting this wonderful effort: Community Care OWL for Sustained Culture Change!
Recent UUA Communications
UUA Statement on the Humanitarian Catastrophe in Gaza and Israel (UUA Press Release, 10/17/2023)
Statement from UUA President Rev. Dr. Sofía Betancourt Regarding the Conflict Between Israel and Hamas (UUA Press Release, 10/07/2023)
Autumn 2023 Issue of UU World
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Southern Region Events
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Save the date for these upcoming Southern Region events!
Plan ahead, as registration deadlines may apply. Be sure to scroll all the way through this newsletter to learn more about additional events offered by clusters, congregations, and other Unitarian Universalist organizations. View our Southern Region events calendar here.
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2023-24 Gatherings for Religious Professionals
Ministers and Religious Educators are invited to gather with Southern Region Lead Natalie Briscoe and team members on the following dates:
Religious Educators: November 2, 2023 and March 7, 2024, 6:00PM Central/7:00PM Eastern
No need to register - send an email to sr@uua.org for the Zoom link.
Ministers: February 1, 2024, 6:00PM Central/7:00PM Eastern
No need to register - send an email to sr@uua.org for the Zoom link.
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 Primer Leadership Experience
February 7
The Primer Leadership Experience (Primer LE) is a self-paced experience with recorded lectures, supplemental materials, and one live processing session. The topics covered in the Primer LE are UU Theology, Covenant, and UU History. The next live processing session for the Primer LE will be February 7th. Participation for the Primer LE is limited to the first 50 registrants. ***If you plan to register for the 2023-24 Essentials LE you must have completed the Primer LE in 2023 or 2024.***
Register for the Primer LE. Registration will close on January 28th (or earlier if our participant limit has been reached).
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 Essentials Leadership Experience
February 24, March 23, and April 20
The Essentials Leadership Experience (Essentials LE) is a three-session experience with recorded lectures, supplemental materials, and activities between three live processing sessions. The topics covered in the Essentials LE are Congregational Foundations, Adaptive and Spiritual Leadership, System Theory, and Dimensions of Faith Development. The 2023-24 Essentials LE will run from January 2024 to April 2024 (with live processing sessions on February 24, March 23, and April 20). Completion of a prior Primer LE processing session (in 2023 or 2024) is a prerequisite for participation.
Register for the Essentials LE. Participation for the Essentials LE is limited to the first 50 registrants. Registration will close on February 1st (or earlier if our participant limit has been reached).
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 System Theory Renaissance Module
February 2 - February 23
Central to our understanding of congregational systems is a grounding in the awareness that “everything we do is faith development; everything we teach is Unitarian Universalism and that the congregation is the curriculum.”
That expression, by Connie Goodbread, is the first part of going deeper into congregational systems, yet the second part must include an immersion into System Theory.
The “System Theory” Renaissance Module will:
- Examine human beings as emotional, intellectual, and physical beings.
- Everything humans create, discover, destroy, and build is born out of our humanity.
- Explore and clarify what it means to be a Unitarian Universalist.
- Discuss the human qualities that help and hinder the growth of the beloved community.
- The overarching lens of System Theory will ground the experience and aid religious educators, and other religious professionals, to apply these learnings to their own professional context.
Learn more and register today. (Registration deadline information: Registration for this Renaissance Module is limited to 24 participants and will close on January 31.)
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 Presidents' Gathering Series 2023-24
Presidents' Gatherings are an online space for congregational Presidents, Presidents-Elect, Vice Presidents, and Past Presidents to create a community of learning and collaboration with each other and with Southern Region staff. This series is offered this congregational year from October through May, on second Tuesday evenings (with a break in December).
Cost per congregational team:
- Complementary for APF Honor Congregations (for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2023)
- $100 for congregations that were not APF Honor in 2021-22
Upcoming sessions and topics (Third Thursdays at 6:00 PM CT/7:00 PM ET):
- November 14: Non-Anxious and Adaptive Leadership
- January 9: Organizational Charts and Committees
Learn more and register here.
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News and Resources
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 Youth and Emerging Adult Kick Off
November 2
Gathering with Lifespan Faith Engagement office where we connect with you and other youth, emerging adults and religious professionals who focus on these ministries, taking a more shared ministry approach nationally, while also providing windows / insights into what is in the works. Online, Thursday, November 2, 2023, 8:30 pm - 9:45 pm EDT. Register now!
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Why We Cannot Turn Away: Resources for UU Leaders Engaging on Israel and Palestine
Side with Love Event for Religious Professionals
November 6
As our world bears witness to the tragic and traumatic events unfolding in Palestine & Israel, many of us are yearning for a faithful way to discuss and engage what is occurring. Join us for this session for religious professionals, where we will invite multiple expert voices to help us deepen our understanding in truth and possibility. Sponsored by the Unitarian Universalist Association and hosted by Muslim and Jewish UU professionals, this session will feature guest appearances by experts who will share about the history of the region, how our world arrived at the current moment, some history about UU engagement with these issues, and what we as people of faith might do in response to it. In this time of collective fear and grief, let us form a community willing to learn, struggle, and heal together.
This event is geared toward anyone who serves as a UU religious professional or in a lay leadership capacity in their congregation. This session will be recorded and made available as a resource for congregations after the live event, and you may register even if you are unable to attend live. We will also be introducing a template for congregational conversations to be used by religious professionals in their settings; all who register for this event will receive a zoom link to the live event as well as follow up communications including the video recording and congregational conversation template.
Register: https://secure.everyaction.com/AeLxTzmTAUWZe_-HCnlPkA2.
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Religious Education Professional (REP) Meet-Up
 November 7
Religious education professionals from across the continent virtually join members of the UUA’s Faith Development Co-Lab for a time of connection with other religious educators around a theme. Our goal is not to "fill you up" with information, but, more so, to have time for you as attendees to share your thoughts with each other. The November 2023 connection theme will be Self-Care and Spiritual Respite. Nov 7th, 12 - 1:30pm ET / 9:00 - 10:30am PT. Register today!
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 Taproot: A National BIPOC Space
November 9 and December 14
The work of Taproot is to provide BIPoC Leaders with the space to gather in community for rest and renewal, analysis building, and leadership development.
You can learn more and register here: https://www.uua.org/leaderlab/taproot.
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 New DRE: Settling in Series - Winter 2024
January 31 - February 21
If you are a newer religious professional serving in UU faith development, this series will provide connection, community, and content! This training is valued at $175 with Continuing Education Grants available. Live sessions Jan 31, Feb 7, Feb 21 Course work available approx. Jan 24. Register now!
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 UU Common Read: Seeking a Developmental Editor
The UUA's Lifespan Faith Engagement Office seeks a developmental editor for congregational resources for an upcoming UU Common Read, Authentic Selves.
We seek an experienced adult curriculum developer or developmental editor with an idea for how UU congregations might process this book from a faith development perspective in this moment.
This is a consulting role starting in November 2023 with benchmarks leading to completion in April 2024.
Please see the full description on the UUA website. You'll find guidance for submitting a proposal by November 10, 2023: https://www.uua.org/jobs/re-freelance.
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 Faith Forward Spiritual Leadership Path
Faith Forward: From Visitor to Leader announces the Spiritual Leadership Path! Many of your congregations have used other parts of the Faith Forward path for your adult faith development, newcomer and membership programs. The Spiritual Leadership Path builds on those offerings - inviting participants into reflection on their gifts and discernment about where and how they can be of service, while grounding them in the practices of spiritual leadership that will help them be successful leaders in our congregations, Unitarian Universalism, and our wider world. More information at https://faithforwarduu.org/spiritual-leadership-path. Email faithforward@dallasuu.org if you would like to setup a time to talk about bringing this to your congregation.
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 Faithify Updates
Tap into the power of Faithify today! UU crowdfunding projects with passion are waiting for you. Check out these current Faithify campaigns for Southern Region congregations and individual Unitarian Universalists:
- Lubbock TX area Unitarian Universalist - Grace's dental expenses (this campaign ends on November 27, 2023): Hi, my name is Grace Darner, 21 years old, and I am in extreme dental pain.
- UU Fellowship of Valdosta GA - Ministerial Intern (this campaign ends on 12/12/2023): Contribute to the Vitality of the "Small but Mighty" UU Fellowship of Valdosta, Georgia and Support the Development of a Future UU Minister.
- UU Church of the Brazos Valley, College Station TX - Community Care OWL for Sustained Culture Change (this campaign ends on 12/26/2023): UUCBV has served the Brazos Valley in Texas since 1956. We seek to make meaning and cultivate justice in a region where Unitarian Universalism is greatly needed.
Learn more about Faithify and view all current campaigns here: https://www.faithify.org/.
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Events, Occasions, Connection Opportunities, and Quick Links
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 Upcoming Events
November 2, SR Religious Education Professionals Gathering
November 2, Youth and Emerging Adult Kick Off
November 5, Commissioning Ceremony for Lay Minister Alberita Johnson, All Faiths, Fort Myers FL
November 5, Installation of Reverend Doctor Audette Fulbright Fulson, Asheville NC
November 6, Why We Cannot Turn Away (Side with Love event for religious professionals)
November 7, Religious Education Professional (REP) Meet-Up
November 9, Taproot: A National BIPOC Space
November 13, Side with Love Monthly Mixer
November 13, UUA Board of Trustees Meeting
November 14, SR Presidents' Gathering
November 14, UUA Board of Trustees Open House
November 19, Side with Love Skill Up Series - Faith Out Loud
November 23, Side with Love Faithful Gathering
November 27, Caring for Trans Families
View our complete events calendar here. The complete UUA calendar is available here.
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Camp, Conference, and Retreat Centers within the Southern Region
The Mountain Retreat and Learning Center, Highlands, NC
UBarU Camp and Retreat Center, Mountain Home, TX
Shelter Neck UU Camp, Burgaw, NC
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