April NAUA Announcements & Events

North American Unitarian Association
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The NAUA Compass Newsletter

April 2025 Announcements & Events

North American Unitarian Association is a member service organization dedicated to supporting and promoting the practice of liberal religion by embracing freedom, reason, and tolerance—rooted in our commitment to the inherent worth and dignity of every person and all peoples.

Greetings, !

We can all use a bit of humor these days. To kick off the month of April, scroll to the bottom of this email for a few tidbits about
April's Fools' Day.

NAUA Member Services Update

The newly established NAUA Member Services Committee presented their Action Plan to the NAUA Board of Trustees on March 12^th. Many who participated in last year's Summit will find their ideas expressed below. The Committee has a threefold purpose: 1. To recruit new members; 2. To ensure that current members are and remain engaged; 3. To Identify and reach out to Fellowships and Congregations about the advantages of joining NAUA.

Our first focus will be...[Read more]

NAUA Conversation / Discussion CIRCLE
April 2nd, 4:00 PM PST

The NAUA Conversation / Discussion CIRCLE is a monthly space for connection and community building. This CIRCLE is designed for NAUA members and friends to gather, share ideas, spark meaningful conversations, and deepen connections.

Our next gathering takes place on the first Wednesday of April, from 4:00 - 5:30 PM PDT / 7:00 - 8:30 PM EDT. The NAUA Conversation / Discussion CIRCLE has no limits on participation and is open to all NAUA members and friends. Join in creating a vibrant, supportive space for dialogue and reflection. The zoom link is: https://tinyurl.com/naua-circle

For questions or to register for reminders, email us at circles@naunitarians.org. The CIRCLE will be facilitated by a member of the NAUA Board of Trustees. We hope to see you there!

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NAUA Forum CIRCLE

April 6th, 1:00 PM PDT
4:00 PM EDT

The NAUA Forum CIRCLE meets every other week to discuss a selected topic relevant to current events and issues.

If you are already a member of this group, look for an email with readings and discussion questions from CIRCLE host Mark Reimers a few days before the meeting.

If you are not currently a member but interested in joining, please send an email to circles@naunitarians.org to get added to the waiting list.

NAUA Academy:
"Role of Faith Communities in Abolishing Nuclear Weapons"

Tuesday, April 8th,
4:30 PM PST

Discussions about nuclear weapons are often framed as security, legal, political or military issues. Yet equally important are moral and ethical perspectives, and faith communities play a critical role in bringing such dimensions to discourses about nuclear weapons, which pose existential threats to humanity and our planet. In this talk, Anna Ikeda of Soka Gakkai International will discuss efforts by people of faith in advancing nuclear disarmament and abolition, both at the United Nations and grassroots levels.

Guest Speaker: Anna Ikeda is a Representative to the UN for Soka Gakkai International (SGI) and the Program Coordinator for Disarmament for the SGI Office for UN Affairs, where her work focuses on nuclear abolition and autonomy in weapons systems. She is a campaigner for the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN) and Stop Killer Robots, where SGI serves as an international member. Anna is an Executive Committee member of the Voices for a World Free of Nuclear Weapons, a cooperation circle of the United Religions Initiative. She also serves on the Board of Directors of the Metta Center for Nonviolence, where she co-hosts the podcast series “Uniting Nations”, which explores the intersection of nonviolence and the UN.

International Alliance Study Course: "Mythology Then and Now: How Can It Inform Our Future?" Part IV

April 12th, 10:00 AM PST

Mythology has an important connection for Unitarians and others who practice free religions aligned with values of inclusivity, spiritual exploration and the search for universal truths. As myths often embody the mystery and wonder of life, this will be an opportunity to think of your mythical connection to archetypes and the hero/heroine’s journey. During our sessions we will explore how the commonality of myths has fostered interconnectedness and provides a foundation for our spiritual and religious traditions.

We welcome new participants to the fourth session of this five-part series, held on Zoom on the second Saturday of the month, ending in May 2025. The time is 10:00 AM Pacific Time, 1:00 PM Eastern Time, 6:00 PM UK Time and 7:00 PM Central European Time.

This discussion group will be hosted by Marga Hanna, MA, a retired Registered Clinical Counselor/Psychotherapist and Art Therapist, with experience as a University Professor and Trauma Specialist. She will be supported by Wayne Hanna, PhD., FCMC with cross-cultural experience in leadership development.

The Joseph Campbell lecture to watch for this session is “From Goddesses to Gods” available on YouTube. The reading is the last three chapters (6, 7, 8) in “The Heroine’s Journey" by Maureen Murdock. If you are interested in other readings, here are some suggestions:

"Goddesses in Older Women: Archetypes in Women over Fifty" by Jean Shinoda Bolen
"Goddesses in Everywoman: Powerful Archetypes in Women's Lives" by Jean Shinoda Bolen
"A Life of Meaning: Relocating Your Center of Spiritual Gravity" by James Hollis
"Tracking the Gods: Studies in Jungian Psychology by Jungian Analysts" by James Hollis
"King, Warrior, Magician, Lover: Rediscovering Masculinity through the Lens of Archetypal Psychology" by Robert Moore and Douglas Gillette

If you have not registered for this study course before, please register by clicking on the 'REGISTER NOW" button above. If you have already registered, there is no need to register again.

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NAUA Board Meeting
April 9th, 10:00 AM PDT

If you are interested in joining or observing, the board meeting, please email secretary@naunitarians.org for the Zoom link.

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Monthly Ministers' Support Meeting
April 24th, 10 AM PDT

NAUA ministers and ministerial friends attend a regular meeting meant to foster support, collegiality, and learning.

If you are a minister and would like to explore or join this group, please email info@naunitarians.org.

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Third Saturday Worship Service: "Life After Death"
Saturday, April 19th, 10:00 AM PDT, 1:00 PM EDT

Bob Simoni will be the featured speaker for the April 19th Worship Service. The title will be "Life After Death."

At its heart, religion must try to provide answers to the questions surrounding our existence. Perhaps the biggest questions, and the ones we all ask ourselves, is "What happened before and what happens next?" Bob Simoni will explore those questions in the April service as we transition from winter to spring and experience nature's rebirth.

Zoom Access: https://tinyurl.com/NAUAService

A suggestion is to cut and paste the Zoom link above (that will be used for this and other recurring 3rd Saturday services), into your calendar to avoid scrambling to find the address on Saturday!

Guest Speaker: Bob Simoni is our NAUA Treasurer, board member, a long-time Unitarian, and a member of the Hayward Fellowship. Bob and his wife, Sandy, live in Paso Robles, California.

NAUA Book Club
April 24th, 4:30 PM PST

This month features a discussion of The Gospel of Inclusion by Carlton Pearson.

"Fourth-generation fundamentalist Carlton Pearson, a Christian megastar and host, takes a courageous and controversial stand on religion that proposes a hell-less Christianity and a gospel of inclusion that calls for an end to local and worldwide conflicts and divisions along religious lines."

If you are interested in attending please email Ed Hudak (bookclub@naunitarians.org).

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April Fools' Day History
(from Wikipedia)

April Fools' Day has been celebrated in many countries for centuries. Here are a few examples:

The German newspaper Berliner Tageblatt reported in 1905 that thieves had tunneled beneath the U.S. Federal Treasury and stolen all its silver and gold.
In 1962, Swedish national television broadcast a 5-minute special on how one could get color TV by placing a nylon stocking in front of the TV. Thousands of people tried it.
In 1965, the BBC purported to conduct a trial of a new technology allowing the transmission of odor over the airwaves to all viewers. Many viewers reportedly contacted the BBC to report the trial's success.
Canadian three-dollar coin: In 2008, the CBC Radio program As It Happens interviewed a Royal Canadian Mint spokesman who broke "news" of plans to replace the Canadian five-dollar bill with a three-dollar coin. The coin was dubbed a "threenie", in line with the nicknames of the country's one-dollar coin ("loonie" due to its depiction of a common loon on the reverse) and two-dollar coin ("toonie").
The National Geographic announced via Twitter in 2016 that they would no longer be publishing photographs of naked animals.

April Fools' Day Prank Ideas
(from Merca 2.0)

Change the language on a family member, friend, or coworker’s phone or computer to one they don’t understand
Cover the sensor of the remote control with tape so no one can change the TV channels
Cover a bar of soap with clear nail polish so it won’t lather

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