Greetings, !

A free bird leaps
on the back of the wind   
and floats downstream   
till the current ends
and dips his wing
in the orange sun rays
and dares to claim the sky.

The caged bird sings   
with a fearful trill   
of things unknown   
but longed for still   
and his tune is heard   
on the distant hill   
for the caged bird   
sings of freedom.

Excerpted from "Caged Bird" by Maya Angelou

NAUA summarizes our values, which emerged during the Renaissance and flourished during the Enlightenment, as FREEDOM, REASON, and TOLERANCE, and considers them fundamental for any society to demonstrate respect for the worth and dignity of every person.
Let's reflect on our values prior to the fall Summit.

FREEDOM: Every person must be free to think and speak for themselves and to choose their own purposes and meaning in life.

“Freedom is the open window through which pours the sunlight of the human spirit and human dignity.”  Herbert Hoover

"We must be free not because we claim freedom,
but because we practice it."
William Faulkner

“I am not free while any woman is unfree, even when her shackles are very different from my own.” Audre Lorde

“Lock up your libraries if you like; but there is no gate, no lock, no bolt that you can set upon the freedom of my mind.” Virginia Woolf

“The most courageous act is still to think for yourself. Aloud.”
Coco Chanel

Note: If you've written a poem, designed a work of art, or taken a photograph that might be a good fit for this focus on our values, please consider emailing it to jmkrettek@gmail.com. (Our next focus will be on the value of "Tolerance.") If we aren't able to use it here, we may request your permission to share it on our Facebook page or via other communications. Thanks!

Since NAUA is now a member of the International Association for Religious Freedom (IARF), NAUA members can now attend the courses and programs of the IARF Free Religion Institute. On July 23 and 24 there will be a program on Buddhism, which is a part of a Free Religion Institute course. The topic for this class is  “Dependent Co-arising and Free Religion.”  Rev. Michinori Maruta of the Japanese Buddhism movement Rissho Kosei-kai, will be speaking on a foundational teaching about the Buddha’s enlightenment that provides insight about the Middle Path that is liberative.  This insight points to Jiyū Shūkyō (Free-Religion), the liberative essence of genuine religious and spiritual paths.

Rev. Michinori Maruta has dedicated his life to Buddhist practice and interfaith dialogue since joining Rissho Kosei-kai (RKK) in 1966. His diverse experience includes significant work in interfaith dialogue and cooperation at RKK headquarters, serving as minister at RKK centers in California and Hokkaido, and since 2001, leading the Institute of Mindful Life. Through lectures, seminars, and digital platforms, he continues to share Buddhist wisdom and promote mindful living, bringing together traditional teachings with contemporary understanding.

The program will be offered twice. Please note the date and time in your time zone. The Zoom link is below. Registration is not required.

Date & Time: July 23-24 Wednesday-Thursday. 

1st Session

JST  10:00 am (Japan, July 24)

ICT   8:00 am (Thailand, July 24)

HST  3:00 pm (Hawaii, July 23)

PST 6:00 pm (Los Angeles, July 23)

EST  9:00 pm (New York, July 23)

2nd Session

JST 7:00 pm (Japan, July 24)

IST 3:30 pm (New Delhi, July 24)

BST 11:00 am (Britain, July 24)

CET 12:00 noon(Germany, July 24)

Zoom URL: https://us04web.zoom.us/j/8099882717

ID 8099882717  Passcode 195052

Some members of the Board are completing their terms, and the Nominating Committee is interested in identifying individuals who would like to join the Board. 

Please let the Nominating Committee know if you are interested in assuming a role on the Board, or if you know of someone you believe would make a meaningful contribution as a Board Trustee. 

Kindly direct any questions or suggestions for potential candidates to the following email: nomcom@naunitarians.org 

In several cases, we have duplicate entries with different email addresses or entries that do not include physical addresses. You may be contacted over the next few months asking if you'd like to update or add to your member / friend profile. In particular, we have about 400 contacts without physical addresses, which are not required. However, having physical addresses on file ensures that you are invited to attend regional groups where you reside and receive any physical mailings that may be sent going forward. For these reasons, you may choose to provide your physical address, preferred email address or any other information that you feel would help us serve you better. If you don't want to wait until someone reaches out to update your contact information, please email Communications@naunitarians.org with your requests.

Your Are Invited to the 2025 NAUA Summit!

Our August gathering is scheduled for Wednesday, August 6th, from 4:00 - 5:30 PM PDT / 7:00 - 8:30 PM EDT. We’ll be discussing the NAUA Vision Statement: “Empowering Liberal Religion to Survive and Thrive." If you're interested (not required) to get a sense of what Rev. Dr. Todd Eklof (founder of NAUA) presented as his vision, click on his Academy presentation from October 2024 “Where Do We Go From Here?” Click here: NAUA and the Future of Liberal Religion

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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Note: The Forum Circle, which is led by Mark Reimers and requires a reservation, is taking a break over the summer. Twice monthly meetings will resume in the fall.