October NAUA Announcements & Events

North American Unitarian Association
naunitarians.org

The NAUA Compass Newsletter

October 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, !

There is nothing spooky about NAUA's values. Like a lantern on an autumn path, they light the way to a rich harvest of peace, compassion, and respect for human dignity. Together, we will keep the flame, which lights up our values for all to see, aglow and protected through this season of darkness.

Autumn Fires by Robert Louis Stevenson

In the other gardens
And all up the vale,
From the autumn bonfires
See the smoke trail!

Pleasant summer over
And all the summer flowers,
The red fire blazes,
The grey smoke towers.

Sing a song of seasons!
Something bright in all!
Flowers in the summer,
Fires in the fall!

Note: If you've written a poem, designed a work of art, or taken a photograph that might be a good fit for this newsletter and its focus on human dignity and traditional liberal religious values, please consider emailing it to jmkrettek@gmail.com. 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!

Monthly Worship Service:
"Welcoming the Stranger"

10:00 AM PT

ZOOM LINK

NAUA Book Club: "Crazy Like Us: The Globalization of the American Psyche"

4:30 PM PT

REQUEST ZOOM LINK

Monthly Ministers' Support Group Meeting

10:00 AM PT

REQUEST ZOOM LINK

NAUA Conversation / Discussion Circle

Topic: "Wonder, Inspiration, and Spirituality"

4:00 PM PT

ZOOM LINK

NAUA Academy: "The Life and Ideas of John Hassler Dietrich: Mystic, Humanist, Unitarian"

4:30 PM PT

Monthly NAUA Board Meeting

All members are invited to join and observe

10:00 AM PT

REQUEST ZOOM LINK

Thank You to All 2025 Summit Participants, Hosts, Speakers and Attendees!!

Our second annual and first all-online NAUA Summit is now complete. We want to thank everyone who attended, spoke, assisted with technology or was otherwise involved in making the Summit a huge success. We had a total of 133 registrants (including speakers who only attended their workshops) and 117 participants who were in at least one workshop.

The Summit began with a workshop on “crafting your own elevator speech” describing what NAUA means to you in your own words for the benefit of others outside the organization. Next, Rev. Twinkle Manning filled our souls with a service on Arguing for the Sake of Heaven. The 20+ sessions over the next few days provided a range of interesting information through presentations, workshops, and various panel discussions. There were also multiple opportunities for NAUA members to connect with each other informally, through the daily "Coffee Time Conversations" Zoom room, an NAUA talent show and an organized sing-along. There truly was something for everyone! The Friday evening keynote was delivered by Rev. Szabó Előd of the Hungarian and Transylvanian Unitarian Church. He discussed the challenges that we as Unitarians face in the world, from Transylvania to our hometown, and how we can work together to make it a better, more tolerant place.

During the day on Friday and Saturday, we had updates on our visioning process for NAUA, an overview of the new Strategic Plan, and discussions around how our organization is growing and evolving. The annual business meeting included a president's report from Rev. Dr. Todd Eklof, a treasurer's report from NAUA Treasurer Bob Simoni and the election of new board trustees along with the approval of updates to our bylaws.

Our final service on Sunday morning, in coordination with the Unitarian Universalist Church of Spokane, was filled with meaningful illustrations of liberal religious faith in our lives in addition to some amazing music. We left the Summit ready to work toward a better world in combination with all NAUA members and friends – and those we have yet to meet!

Thanks to everyone who participated in the Summit. Special thanks to all the workshop speakers and moderators, along with the Summit planning team that worked furiously over the past year to create an enjoyable, collegial and educational event. We look forward to forming a new 2026 Summit planning team to organize an even more exciting Summit next year! If you have any interest in helping to plan the Summit or ideas for the event, please email summit@naunitarians.org.

Summit Follow-Up

For those who attended the 2025 Summit, recordings are available for all 20+ sessions. Simply log in again to the Summit portal (https://tinyurl.com/NAUASummit2025) and click on "Watch on-demand." Once inside the events portal, choose "Sessions," scroll down to any session you want to view, and click on "watch recording."

We are in the process of moving the event recordings to our YouTube channel, at which point any interested individual can view them.

If you haven't yet completed the Summit evaluation, you can find it in the lobby under the bridge image. Simply click on "Share feedback" and complete the brief 1-minute survey. (See below.)

NAUA Elects New Board Trustees and Thanks Outgoing Trustees for their Dedicated Service

The Board of Trustees of the North American Unitarian Association is pleased to announce the addition of four new Trustees who will each serve three-year terms:

Bobbe Gaines Baggio

Lincoln Baxter

Roy Dickerson
Mark Reimers

More information on each of these individuals can be found here. The newly elected board trustees bring a wealth of experience and diverse perspectives that will help guide NAUA’s strategic vision and new Three-Year Strategic Plan.

NAUA also extends its deepest gratitude to the departing board trustees for their commitment and invaluable contributions to our growth and success:

Terry Anderson

Judi Durham

Lynn Jinishian

Mike Long

Ron Strange

All NAUA members are invited to attend the monthly meeting of the Board of Trustees, with the next one taking place at 10 AM Pacific Time on Wednesday, November 12. Please email secretary@naunitarians.org for the Zoom meeting link.

Liberal Beacon #17

The latest issue of the Liberal Beacon is now available!

This issue gathers reflections that invite us to consider what it means to live as religious liberals, by promoting human dignity through freedom, reason and tolerance.

Click below to read or download the latest issue.

ISSUE #17

NAUA Board Meeting
Nov. 12th, 10 AM PDT

If you are interested in joining or observing the board meeting, please read the board meeting participation policy on our website before emailing our board secretary, Stephen Polmar, for the Zoom link: secretary@naunitarians.org.

Monthly Ministers' Support Group Meeting
Oct. 23rd, 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.

Monthly Worship Service:
"Welcoming the Stranger"
October 18, 10 AM PT

Rev. Alex Holt, a longtime Unitarian minister, will be leading the October 18th NAUA Service. His theme will be "Welcoming the Stranger."

It is said we are a hopelessly divided country and perhaps we should secede to make us more unified. Really? Can we as liberal religious communities continue to welcome the stranger rather than push them away? How can that be done with faith and openness?

Zoom access at https://tinyurl.com/NAUAService

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Forum CIRCLE
Oct. 19th
Nov. 2nd
1:00 PM PT /
4:00 PM ET

Reservation Required

The Forum CIRCLE meets every-other-Sunday to discuss scientific and contemporary issues. If you are interested in joining or would like more information, please email CIRCLES@naunitarians.org.

Upcoming topics:

Sunday, Oct. 19: "The Human Experience of Color"

Sunday, Nov. 2nd: "Human Rituals Honoring the Dead"

NAUA Book Club: "Crazy Like Us:
The Globalization of the American Psyche"
Oct. 23rd, 4:30 PM PDT

In October, the NAUA Book Club will discuss Crazy Like Us: The Globalization of the American Psyche by Ethan Watters. Sunil Wijeyesekera will lead the discussion.

The theme of the book is how American concepts of mental illness have been spread around the world while in many cases ignoring local customs and cultural practices.

It raises questions such as how much of what we define as mental illness is culture-bound, and what happens when American "experts" step into a foreign country with no knowledge of local practices.

If you are interested in attending, please email Ed Hudak at bookclub@naunitarians.org.

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NAUA Conversation / Discussion CIRCLE
Nov. 5th, 4:00 PM PT

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 our connections.

Our November gathering is scheduled for Wednesday, November 5th, from 4:00 - 5:30 PM PST / 7:00 - 8:30 PM EST. This month’s conversation will center around Wonder, Inspiration, and Spirituality. Everyone is welcome! 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 Academy
"The Life and Ideas of John Hassler Dietrich: Mystic, Humanist, Unitarians"
November 11, 4:30 PM PT

Those familiar with his name (whom are undoubtably fewer than this colossal figure deserves) are likely to associate John H. Dietrich with Religious Humanism, the 20th century philosophy he founded. But Dietrich was at least as much a modern mystic, driven throughout his life to delve deeper into that vastness of the endless mystery that envelopes our lives and is the fundamental nature of human existence, although few dare to admit it, let alone embrace it. Dietrich embraced it.

In this presentation, Rev. Dr. Todd F. Eklof, who now occupies the same pulpit Dietrich held a century before, will discuss his humanism in the larger context of Dietrich’s mystical yearnings that were the driving force behind his untiring pursuit of greater understanding. It was, indeed, his endless wonder that kept this convicted heretic within the sphere of religion throughout his life and that ultimately led him to Unitarianism, the religion that allowed him to express himself without reservation.

Please join, and bring a friend!

Rev. Dr. Todd F. Eklof, Minister of the Unitarian Universalist Church of Spokane and President of the Board of Trustees of North American Unitarian Association, will be our presenter.

Watch the Recording: "The Science Of Consciousness" with Professor Mark Reimers

Click on the button below to watch the recording of this week's NAUA Academy session: "The Science of Consciousness".

WATCH RECORDING

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