The city of Baltimore recently saw violent clashes between communities of color and local police forces. Unitarian Universalists (UU) joined the community seeking stability and justice following the death of Freddie Gray by taking part in peaceful prot…

At at Fourth Universalist in Manhattan, young adults animate church life with deep connection, mutual support, community activism and more. This article in the Spotlight series tells their story. 

By Rev. Christian Schmidt

For First Parish in Cambridge, a move to hosting a shelter for homeless youth and young adults wasn’t just a nice thing to do, it was a chance to fulfill its mission.

In a new collection of meditations, Vanessa Southern ponders life passages, ways of looking at the world, and the many possibilities for building a life of meaning. Part of the InSpirit series, previously known as the Meditation Manual series.

The local service project at the UUA’s 2015 General Assembly is with Portland, Oregon’s Reentry Transition Center (RTC), helping formerly incarcerated people transition back into the community. 

Rev. Jan Taddeo: “Unitarian Universalists step out into the unknown all the time.”

The Rev. Peter Morales, president of the Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA), issued this statement following recent events and new developments in Baltimore, MD, following the death of Freddie Carlos Gray, Jr.: “Today the Baltimore Police Department handed over to prosecutors the results of its investigation into the circumstances surrounding the death of Freddie Gray while in police custody.

The minister of First Unitarian Church in Baltimore reflects on justice, protest, and what we can do in Baltimore.

On April 25, communities in Nepal, India, and Bangladesh suffered a devastating 7.8 magnitude earthquake. So far, reports reveal that more than 4,000 people have died and thousands more are injured or missing. Unitarian Universalist Service Committee (UUSC) President Bill Schulz and Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA) President Rev. Peter Morales have issued this joint statement in response to this tragedy: 

Unitarian Universalists around the world are turning their caring thoughts and prayers to the people impacted by the disaster unfolding in Nepal. The Unitarian Universalist Service Committee and the Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA) are considering options for effective response. And, the UUA’s Holdeen India Program Director, Derek Mitchell, is in direct communication with grassroots organizations – including the All India Disaster Mitigation Institute – as our global partners mobilize. In the midst of the crisis, let us begin in prayer and prepare for further response.

Unitarian Universalists (UUs) and other people of faith and conscience across the country are participating in Climate Justice Month from World Water Day (March 22) to Earth Day (April 22). The month is a time of reflection and spiritual grounding leading to commitment to long-term actions for climate justice. 

The American philosopher, academic, activist, author, and public intellectual Dr. Cornel West will speak to thousands of Unitarian Universalists this summer at our annual meeting and convention, the UUA General Assembly. 

Americans see water as abundant and cheap: we turn on the faucet and out it gushes, for less than a penny a gallon. We use more water than any other country in the world, rarely considering the consequences for our rivers, aquifers, and other freshwaters. Blue Revolution exposes the truth about the water crisis-driven by a tradition that has encouraged everyone, from homeowners to farmers to utilities, to tap more and more.

Sometimes it feels like there are a lot of broken things in the world. How can we help to heal our world and each other? Each month, the Church of the Larger Fellowship curates reflections, stories, prayers, and more on a spiritual theme that’s close t…

“What Unitarian Universalism Looks Like 20 Years from Now,” by Rev. Rosemary Bray McNatt

December 15, 2034 
Thanks for the phone call, sweetie; your dad gave me a heads-up about your Coming of Age assignment. It’s a good question you asked—how being Unitarian Universalist is different now than it was for your dad or your grandfather, or your great-grandfather, for that matter.

There are no other earths that I know of.
There are no other skies that we have mapped.
This is our earth.

On March 27, Indiana Governor Mike Pence signed into law the Religious Freedom Restoration Act (RFRA), a thinly-veiled attack on the civil rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) people. The bill was promoted as being necessary to preserve religious freedom in Indiana, but make no mistake: this bill was passed in order to legally permit blatant discrimination against the LGBT community. 

Did you know that the UUA’s annual meeting, General Assembly (GA), is one of the greenest events around? Did you know that GA 2015 in Portland, Oregon will engage UUs in working for climate justice?

The Rev. Lindi Ramsden, a Unitarian Universalist minister long at the forefront of work for human rights and environmental justice, wrote these blessings—”beatitudes”—for people who work for positive change. They are part of of our collection of readings, reflections, and prayers on WorshipWeb.

Blessed are you who can question your own assumptions and listen with an open mind; you will receive new insights beyond your imagining.

Blessed are you who suffer the attacks of others to stand up for what is right; you will not be alone, for your courage will inspire others to rise.

Blessed are you who build friendships as well as justice; even when you lose an issue, you will have strengthened the foundation of your community.

Blessed are you who take delight in people; you will not be bored in meetings.

Set against the backdrop of China’s ascendance to world dominance, Blood of the Tiger tells of a global fight to rein in the forces of greed on behalf of one of the world’s most treasured and endangered animals.

On Sunday, March 8, 2015, hundreds of Unitarian Universalists, dressed in Standing on the Side of Love gear, marched with tens of thousands of people across the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma, AL, to honor the 50th anniversary of Bloody Sunday. 

I lived in the San Francisco Bay Area for twenty-four years. In 1981 I remember reading the New York Times thoroughly one summer day as I rode the subway. Somewhere way in the back pages I saw an article reporting that a number of young men were suffering from Kaposi’s sarcoma, a rare cancer usu­ally found only in older men with Mediterranean heri­tage.

Our Subaru Forester was sliding sideways down Interstate 80 at fifty miles per hour. My wife, Nan, had gingerly switched to the left-hand lane to avoid a truck that was overturned on the right shoulder, but no amount of experience, skill, or caution could overcome our car’s mass and momentum on a nearly frictionless surface. In an instant, we’d lost traction on the icy highway and were headed toward the wide median between the east- and westbound traffic.

“About February” by Kathleen Montgomery

February is not for the faint hearted, I think.
It is so exceedingly ordinary,
having neither the romance of spring
nor the bravado of winter.
And the ordinary is tough, it seems to me, demanding as it does not …

Our Whole Lives: Sexuality Education for Grades 7-9 is fully revised and available from the UUA Bookstore. This progressive, inclusive, comprehensive program is the keystone in the lifespan series of sexuality education programs the UUA and United Church of Christ published together beginning 1999. 

We’re proud to introduce the new UUA.org, home of the Unitarian Universalist Association and representing our 1,000 local congregations. Here’s your quick guide to what’s new, what’s the same and what’s next for this website, with a video introduction from UUA President Peter Morales.

In Reclaiming Prophetic Witness, author Paul Rasor dispels the myth that conservative Christianity is the only religious voice in the national debates on key social issues. This book will inspire you to lift your voice and reclaim a place in the public conversation.

Have you seen Selma yet? Check out this excellent review and reflection of the movie and its UU connections from UU World, with links to download a handy discussion guide. And be sure to go see it!

UU World reports on Kate Frederick’s battle with her former employer, the New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services, for refusing to allow her to breastfeed her son in a private space at work or drive to his nearby daycare center during work breaks to feed him there.

From World Water Day to Earth Day (March 22 to April 22, 2015), Unitarian Universalists and other people of faith and conscience will begin a spiritual journey for climate justice.

Climate Justice Month is being organized by Commit2Respond, the new environmental justice initiative led by UU groups across our faith movement. Join Commit2Respond to participate, and if you’re a congregational leader, save the dates for Climate Justice Sunday and Earth Day observances.

All UUA member congregations are required to log in and complete the annual Certification of Membership report by the deadline of Wednesday, February 4, 2015, at 5 p.m. PT. This is a requirement to have voting delegates at General Assembly 2015. 

Unitarian Universalist ministers joined interfaith partners to stage a protest during lunch in front of members of Congress and their staff. Find out what happened next.

As the 50th anniversary of the historic march from Selma to Montgomery, AL, approaches, people are talking about how the events of the civil rights movement changed our nation. Unitarian Universalists emerged from those events profoundly changed as wel…

UU World reports how the lay-led Unitarian Fellowship of Lawrence, KS, doubled its membership and was named a UUA Breakthrough Congregation. The article reads, ‘ The ministry part of the church’s success involved a little serendipity. Just when Lawrence was trying on a worship service, some of the nearby UU congregations in Kansas and Missouri began offering ministerial support to small and emerging congregations. ‘

The slate of nominees for the 2015 elections to be held at General Assembly in Portland, OR, is now available. Please take this opportunity to learn more about the positions and the process for running by petition. People interested in running by petit…

The Rev. Peter Morales, president of the Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA), issued this statement following the decision by a grand jury to not indict Officer Daniel Pantaleo in the death of Eric Garner that took place this summer on Staten Isla…

The Winter 2014 issue of UU World is now available online. Highlights include ‘Selma’s challenge’ by Mark Morrison-Reed, a fellowship’s membership breakthrough, competing over ‘Jingle Bells,’ and a special report on safe congregations.

The Unitarian Universalist Association’s offices will be closed from 2 p.m. Dec. 24 through Jan. 2. During this time, the UUA Stewardship and Development Office will be staffed 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. ET (except Dec. 25 and Jan. 1) to assist with your year-en…

The Rev. Peter Morales, president of the Unitarian Universalist Association, issued a statement reflecting on the indictment decision in Ferguson, MO. It begins, “Our fear that justice will not be served is now a reality. Regardless of the reasons why a grand jury decided not to indict Officer Darren Wilson in the shooting death of Michael Brown, people are angry, frustrated, and outraged. We still have questions unanswered. We still seek justice.’

The Rev. Peter Morales, president of the Unitarian Universalist Association, issued a statement applauding President Obama’s immigration announcement. It begins, “Today we celebrate President Obama’s immigration plan that will improve the lives of millions of undocumented immigrants in the United States.”

The Unitarian Universalist Assocation (UUA) is pleased to announce that it has received Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Platinum Certification for its new headquarters located at 24 Farnsworth Street in Boston’s Innovation District. Platinum is the highest of the four possible LEED certifications.

The UUA Board of Trustees invites you to explore possibilities for re-imagining governance—from small-scale fixes to broad changes—and comment on them by completing the survey, “Re-Imagining UUA Governance.” For the future of our faith, please share your thoughts in this important dialogue.

Restored to Sanity: Essays on the Twelve Steps by Unitarian Universalists , is the newest release from Skinner House Books, and the first to explore the intersection of UUism and Twelve-Step recovery programs. In this book, each Step is explored with t…

We are facing a climate crisis. Recognizing the interdependence of all life, we are called as people of faith and conscience to heal and sustain the planet we call home. Climate change is a moral issue, and Commit2Respond is our moral response. UUs and…

UU World shares the transformational story of the UU Church of Boulder, CO. It reads, ‘Just five years ago, things were so bleak at the Unitarian Universalist Church of Boulder, Colorado, that there was a question as to how much longer it would survive…

UU World reports that the Rev. Susan Frederick-Gray joins a federal class-action lawsuit against Maricopa County Sheriff Jospeh Arpaio. “I joined this case because these Arizona laws are another tool used to tear apart families, to separate children from their parents and grandparents,” says Frederick-Gray, head of the Arizona Immigration Ministry.

The new 2014 edition of Religion in Life for Girl Scouts in grades 4-12 is now available online for UU Girl Scouts, their leaders, and their parents to use at no charge. Activities and projects invite participants to learn more about UU faith and herit…

Faith entrepreneurs, both those working within and beyond congregational walls, may now submit program proposals for the 2015 General Assembly (GA) in Portland, OR, that addresses the theme of ‘Building a New Way.’ What are your stories of engag ed religious community? What are your efforts to build an inclusive community that supports justice and lives compassionately? How are you building a new way? All proposals must be submitted by Mon., Nov. 3.

UU World reports on what local UUs in Missouri and UUs across the country are doing to support those in the Ferguson community including holding vigils and collecting food and supplies.

In the wake of Congress’ inability to act, UUA President Rev. Peter Morales and other national faith leaders have delivered a letter to President Obama today, urging him to take administrative action on immigration reform and to end the inhumane immigration enforcement policies that destroy families .

UUA President Rev. Peter Morales has issued a statement following the continued violence in Ferguson, MO. It begins, ‘The images from Ferguson, Missouri, are profoundly unsettling: tanks, tear gas, military weaponry for urban warfare, angry crowds. We …

‘This is a problem for our whole nation, not just for people of color. We are in this together. And riot gear, intimidation, and more brutality from police are not the way forward towards healing. They are, in fact, yet another giant step backwards,’ r…

UU World shares how the Unitarian Universalist Church of Bloomington, IN used social justice work as a way to mark the retirement of its co-minister, the Rev. Bill Breeden. It reads, ‘People were encouraged to volunteer at a food pantry and a shelter …

The New York Times reports that leaders from a broad range of religious traditions—from the Southern Baptist Convention to the Roman Catholic Church to the Unitarian Universalist Association—are leading a ‘backlash to the backlash’ against undocumented children who came to the U.S. this year on their own.

Reclaiming Prophetic Witness: Liberal Religion in the Public Square by Paul Rasor is the 2014-2015 UUA Common Read. In this inspiring call to action, Rasor dispels the myth that conservative Christianity is the only va lid religious voice in national …

Offering curious ‘nones’ the chance to look inside a UU service, congregations are now turning to digital media to attract new visitors. In this story, the Rev. Ann Marie Alderman of the Unitarian Universalist Church of Greensboro talks about how her c…

Meg Riley, senior minister of the Church of the Larger Fellowship, shares how a t-shirt can be a tool for evangelism. She wrote, ‘I put it on when I have something to say or do, to bring more love where love has been violated. Wearing it grounds me when I’m afraid, helps me remember that I’m not alone, and tells the world, including me, what I stand for.’

UUA President Peter Morales issued a statement following the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision on the contraceptive mandate. He said, “This is yet another blow against reproductive rights. Removing the no-cost contraceptive coverage requirement in the Affordable Care Act dangerously diminishes the religious, moral, and legal rights of every American, but especially women.’

UUA President Peter Morales issued a statement following the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision on buffer zones. It begins, “Today, the U.S. Supreme Court struck down the use of protest buffer zones around Massachusetts abortion clinics in McCullen v. Coakley. This is a major defeat in the fight for reproductive rights and may put clinic workers and individuals seeking pregnancy-related care at great risk.’