UU Network Team
The UU Network Team seeks to strengthen ties between our congregation and the larger association: We alert our members to resources offered by the Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA) and encourage participation in our Chicagoland area, regional and national activities. We aspired to achieve this by serving as a catalyst for greater connection between UCE and Unitarian Universalism (UUism), being joyful in our work, creating fun-filled gatherings, and advocating for UCE participation in local, regional, and national activities.
The UU Network Team meets the second Tuesday every month via Zoom at 11:00 a.m. You are welcome to join us any time. Contact Peggy Boccard via REALM or at admin@ucevanston.org.
We interface with external UU organizations…
Groups that UCE has representation or participation with, including with the UUA, MidAmerica Region, and local Chicago Area Unitarian Universalist Council (CAUUC).
Continue in leadership role for UUA’s General Assembly delegates and attendees (in-person and virtual)
Because the Association is often ahead of individual congregations in social justice causes, UUNT continues to monitor Unitarian Universalist (UU) social justice organizations for opportunities that might be of interest to UCE groups, e.g., REAL Team, Green Team, etc.
We interface with internal church groups…
Educate and encourage UCE groups to consider the opportunities available with external UU organizations and the value of funding participation or access, e.g., Integrated Stewardship Council, Endowment Fund.
Share information with UCE groups about opportunities available through UU social justice organizations, e.g., UCE Social Justice Council (SJC) and various social justice groups listed below.
Membership Engagement, e.g., UUA and MidAmerica Region resources to support leadership development
Youth groups
Expanding information on groups DA monitors
Groups Denominational Affairs Monitors
National-Regional-Local UU Organizing Groups
- Unitarian Universalist Organization (UUA): Association of liberal, non-creedal congregations joined together through covenantal relationships to support shared values. The UUA provides support through training ministers and providing programming for lay-led congregations.
- UUA MidAmerica Region: Annual meeting that includes speakers, workshops and worship from the UUA MidAmerica Region.
- Chicago Area UU Council (CAUUC): Representing UU congregations located in the greater Chicago area and bringing local UUs together to collaborate on shared initiatives.
- Church of Larger Fellowship (CLF): A Unitarian Universalist congregation with no geographical boundary. Together, we create global spiritual community, rooted in profound love, which cultivates wonder, imagination, and the courage to act.
- Fahs Collective: As part of Meadville Lombard Theological School, The Fahs Collaborative Laboratory for Innovation in Faith Formation prepares transformational religious leaders through innovative approaches to religious education that nurture both individual spiritual growth and collective social transformation.
- Our Whole Lives (OWL): A comprehensive, lifespan sexuality education curricula for use in both secular settings and faith communities.
- Faithify: Faithify is a crowdfunding site where passionate people INSPIRE, UNITE, and FUND Unitarian Universalist ministries.
Youth & Family Camps, and Spiritual Retreats
- Midwest Unitarian Universalist Youth Camp (Camp Marwood), IL: Marwood is designed to be a 4-year experience for youth aged 12-15 and the majority of campers choose to attend for all four of the summers they are eligible. The Marwood community is built on a foundation of unconditional love.
- Midwest Unitarian Universalist Summer Assembly (MUUSA), WI: An annual intergenerational Unitarian Universalist retreat for fun, fellowship, and personal growth.
- Camp UniStar, MN: Established in 1961, Camp UniStar is a non-profit, volunteer-managed camp for people of all ages. Families and individuals come seeking personal growth, community, and friendship as well as a deeper connection to nature. They leave with changed lives, new friends, and lifelong memories of a magical place.
- Ferry Beach Retreat Center, ME: The mission at Ferry Beach is to awaken hearts to explore, grow and renew the spirit of universal love. The center works in the areas of Arts & Culture, Education, Spirituality, Sustainability, Personal Growth and Justice & Action.
- Star Island, NH: A center for religious, education, and kindred purposes consistent with the principles of the UUA and the UCC.
Social Justice, Action & Advocacy Organizations
- Unitarian Universalist Advocacy Network of Illinois (UUANI): UUANI empowers UUs across Illinois to work for spiritually grounded, relationally accountable, and strategically effective action in solidarity with those most impacted by injustice. It provides leadership training, builds congregational capacity and organizes statewide advocacy efforts in loving accountability with our partners. Our Actions of the Week make it easy for UUs to make a difference. Together, we seek to bend the arc toward justice.
- Unitarian Universalist Prison Ministry of Illinois (UUPMI): UUPMI equips UU’s in Illinois to transform institutions, partnering with and supporting people harmed by the prison industrial complex. It organizes Illinois UU congregations to advocate for policy changes in Illinois related to prisons, including setting strict limits on the use of solitary confinement, reforming bail/bond system, ensuring people being released from prison be issued state ID and allowing returning citizens access to more job opportunities.
- UUA Side with Love Action Center: An interfaith public advocacy campaign promoting respect for the inherent worth and dignity of every person.
- Unitarian Universalist Ministry for Earth (UUMFE): It is a seedbed for spiritual grounding and education that inspires deep practices of Earth care, justice and flourishing for all. UUMFE’s vision is “A world in which reverence, gratitude, and care for each other and for the living Earth are central to the lives of all people.”
- Unitarian Universalist Service Committee (UUSC): UUSC centers the needs and solutions of communities experiencing oppression and injustice. It provides a newsletter with periodic updates on UUSC’s human rights work, advocacy campaigns, and ways you can make a difference. It combines direct support to its grassroots partners with meaningful advocacy to alter structures and institutions for good.
- Unitarian Universalists for a Just Economic Community (UUJEC): We seek to inspire and help UUs to study our society’s economic and social systems. We advocate for justice issues through our three task forces: Reparations for Racist Crimes, Single Payer Healthcare and Peace, Equity and Climate Task Forces.
- Unitarian Universalists for Justice in the Middle East (UUJME): Unitarian Universalists working to educate and mobilize people in our faith to greater understanding and action for a just peace in Palestine/Israel. Founded in 1971, UUJME’s mission is to work within the Unitarian Universalist community to educate and mobilize individuals, congregations and denominational leaders to recognize and counter inequality and injustice in Palestine-Israel and to support our allies in the global justice and anti-oppression movements.
- Unitarian Universalists for Social Justice (UUSJ): UUSJ works to make our Government fairer and more inclusive by Selecting issues strategically that are moving in Congress, Arranging meetings with Congressional staff so UUs can talk to Congress, Publicizing Action Alerts, Maintaining Issue Action Teams on the priority issues, Conducting workshops and webinars, Organizing witnessing activities.
Affinity and Interest Groups
- Black Lives of Unitarian Universalism (BLUU): Provides information, resources and support for Black Unitarian Universalists and works to expand the role & visibility of Black UUs within our faith.
- Covenant of Unitarian Universalist Pagans (CUUPs): Dedicated to networking Pagan-identified UU’s, educating about Paganism, and supporting Pagan-identified UU religious professionals.
- Diverse & Revolutionary Unitarian Universalist Multicultural Ministries (DRUUMM): A UU People of Color Ministry and anti-racist collective bringing lay and religious professionals together to overcome racism and transform UU.
- Unitarian Universalist Humanist Association (UUHA): The UU Humanist Association strives to promote and extend the use of rational inquiry without supernatural considerations, followed by compassionate action in all human interactions.
- Uplifting the LGBTQ+ Experience Within Unitarian Universalism and Beyond (UPLIFT): UPLIFT is a platform for the UUA to highlight LGBTQ+ issues and concerns by featuring related programming, reflections, and content circulated in our quarterly email newsletter. The UPLIFT blog is for “Uplifting LGBTQ+ experience within and beyond Unitarian Universalism.”
UU Network Team News
News from Denominational Affairs – GA – Part 4
Another reflection about going to GA in Columbus OH in June: From Lee Bannor A great deal of my time at GA this year was spent circulating petitions for the “Action of Immediate Witness” sponsored [...]
News from Denominational Affairs – GA – Part 3
Another reflection about going to GA in Columbus OH in June: From Ellen Rockett: The best aspect for me of GA was just how diverse the experience was. Dr. Glen Thomas Rideout led the GA [...]
News from Denominational Affairs – GA – Part 2
Some additional reflections from UCE members who attended General Assembly (GA) in June: From Karen Courtright: The single most important thing for me was the courageous sermon delivered by Reverend Sinkford. The take home message [...]
News from Denominational Affairs – GA
Several UCE members & friends attended General Assembly in Columbus, OH in June. Rather than writing one, big summary article, we chose to ask attendees about their "favorite moment" at GA. Here's a sampling of [...]