Are you looking for a meaningful way to contribute to our faith community? We are excited to announce that NAUA is seeking dedicated members to serve on our committees. This is a wonderful opportunity to use your talents, share your insights, and help shape the future of our community. Whether you have professional expertise or simply a passion for helping others, your unique perspective is valuable.
If you feel called to serve on a particular committee, please send an email to the committee chair named in each committee description below. For general questions about becoming more involved in NAUA, please email info@naunitarians.org with your questions, thoughts or ideas. We welcome all interested members and are grateful for your willingness to serve.
Summit Organizing Committee
The Summit team organizes and coordinates the annual NAUA Summit. The team works together with the NAUA Board liaison to plan either an online-only or an integrated in-person / online conference in the fall of each year. The committee will be composed of at least five volunteers who are interested in working together as a team over the course of several months.
If you enjoyed the 2024 Summit or possibly have ideas for how it could be improved, we need your help! Are you interested in working collaboratively with a team to put together a compelling, interactive, multi-day event? Do you like organizing? Do you have an interest in or skills with online technology, workshop moderation or planning activities? Please let us know what areas interest you when emailing Committee Chair Joyce Kinnear, joycekinnear@hotmail.com.
Note: Members will need to be available for Zoom meetings once per month at minimum, with meetings becoming more frequent as the Summit approaches. Members will also be expected to work collaboratively and contribute where necessary, whether that means coordinating with conference hosting services, designing slides, recruiting and communicating with workshop leaders, or responding to member questions and concerns. Everyone in the team will be involved in the process and will be able to contribute to the overall needs of the Committee and of the Summit.
Member Services Committee
The new NAUA Member Services Committee is anticipated to be a large group (~10 members) and designed to serve the needs of member Congregations, Fellowships, and Individuals, as well as increase NAUA membership and engagement.
Below are a few of the needs and services that were articulated in the first annual Summit Visioning Workshop; however, these examples do not describe the complete scope of the committee.
- Provide assistance, information and outreach to new, emerging and existing Fellowships; e.g., the advantages of joining NAUA, and information related to the process of fellowship formation.
- The development of training materials for lay leaders; e.g., how to conduct worship services, how to provide pastoral care, memorial services, marriage ceremonies, or develop RE (religious education) programs.
- Assistance with the creation of regional groups to: increase feelings of community, as a vehicle for outreach to increase NAUA’s individual and organizational membership, and to create an upward Spiral of Engagement.
If you are a team player, enjoy working collaboratively, and would like to join this committee, please send an email to Committee Chair Judi Durham, judi.durham@gmail.com, describing why you would like to join the committee, what you think you might contribute, and where you are located (city / town and state). Since NAUA is primarily an online organization, having Tech skills is a plus, but not a requirement for this committee.
Worship Committee
The Worship Committee plans and delivers the monthly online NAUA worship service. Current members enjoy the chance to participate, the challenge of producing an enjoyable and interesting event, the learning that comes with the process, and the friendship that develops among members. If you want to participate, have an idea for a service, or have advice, we want to hear from you. Please get in touch with Committee Chair Roy Dickerson, royhdsk@gmail.com.
Finance Committee
The Finance Committee oversees and promotes the financial health of the NAUA, including reviewing the budget, monitoring financial statements, ensuring proper financial reporting and investment oversight, and planning strategic fundraising initiatives.
The Finance Committee currently consists of the Treasurer, Bob Simoni, and the former Treasurer, Lynn Jinishian. We are looking for 1-3 new members with experience working as a treasurer or finance committee member for non-profit organizations. Additional desirable experience could include bookkeeping, budgeting, etc. If interested, please send a letter of interest to Treasurer Bob Simoni, bobsimoni@gmail.com.
Liberal Beacon Editorial Committee
Liberal Beacon is a formal publication of the NAUA that is generally published every other month. It includes a variety of articles of interest to religious liberals, as well as information and announcements about NAUA, and a place for feedback from our readers. At the last meeting of the editorial committee, the group said emphatically that we need more members. The group meets monthly on the 2nd Tuesday at 8am (Pacific). Among the tasks that we need help with is gathering articles and reviewing them prior to publication. We are looking for at least 2 or 3 more members. If you are interested, please contact John Miller, editorial@naunitarians.org.
Communications Committee
The Communications Committee establishes and implements standards for all public-facing communications, including the website, social media, press releases and events calendar. The committee is also responsible for internal communications, such as the twice-per-month announcements email.
The Communications Committee is currently co-chaired by Joanne Krettek and Board Trustee Terry Anderson, and we are hoping to welcome 4-6 additional volunteer members. Ideally, the committee will include individuals with experience in website development, publishing, graphic design, event management, marketing/promotions, professional writing and/or proofreading. All committee members will embrace NAUA’s values of freedom, reason and tolerance and strive to be polite, respectful, and welcoming toward all new and potential NAUA members. If you are interested in learning more about the Communications Committee, please contact Joanne Krettek for a committee description and available roles: jmkrettek@gmail.com.
