Image Credit: Lorraine Day (NAUA Membership Co-Chair)

Greetings, !

February 1-7 is celebrated as World Interfaith Harmony Week, a nod to our enlightenment values of freedom, reason and tolerance, which form the basis for interfaith respect and cooperation. 

One Song Poem

All religions
all this singing
is one song.

The differences are just
illusion and vanity.

The sun's light looks a little different
on this wall than it does on that wall,
and a lot different on this other one,
but it's still one light.

We have borrowed these clothes,
these time and place personalities
from a light, and when we praise,
we're pouring them back in.

-Rumi

• With your family or friends group, take turns lighting a candle and naming one value or tradition from your faith that promotes love or peace
• Read a story or watch a short video from another religious tradition and reflect on it
• Join a local interfaith conversation circle or interfaith action group (e.g., Interfaith Alliance, Charter for Compassion, Interfaith America, United Religions Initiative, Interfaith Power & Light)
• Participate in or watch a recording of an International Association of Religious Freedom (https://iarf.net) course, ideally about a faith different from your own
• Ask the children in your life to make a drawing a write a poem about what peace looks like (or what loving your neighbor looks like)
• Write a daily reflection about topics like: compassion, justice, humility, hospitality, service, truth and peace - consider posting it on social media or sharing with friends
• Engage in a service project with others of different faiths

Former board trustee Mike Long suggested we could use a little more humor in the Compass, so he submitted the following:

Did you hear the one about the Unitarian family who moved into a new neighborhood? Their little girl finds a new playmate, and they are happily getting to know each other. One day, the playmate says, “We’re Episcopalians, what are you?” The Unitarian child thinks for a minute and says, “I’m not sure, but I think we’re League of Women Voters.”

Note: Members and readers are invited to share a poem, short letter or artistic rendition of their hopes for NAUA and the wider world in the coming year. Please email your contribution to jmkrettek@gmail.com for inclusion in this newsletter or posting to our social media accounts. 

Dear NAUA leaders and friends,

 

Warm greetings from the Philippines.

 

I am writing to ask how you are doing in light of the current situation in the United States. We have been following the news with concern, especially the challenges affecting communities, immigrants, and religious leaders. Please know that you are in our thoughts and prayers during this time.

 

You are in my prayers and wishes. May we continue to encourage one another and remain faithful to our shared values of dignity, hope, and love.

 

With respect and solidarity,

Rev. Jeremias Jr. B. Bacaling

Note: In the fall, NAUA members together raised over $750 for our friends in the Philippines suffering from two catastrophic typhoons: Fong-wong and Kalmaegi. We appreciate our ongoing relationship of mutual concern and support.

When:
🗓️ Fourth Monday of each month - Starting Monday, February 23rd
🕖 7 PM Eastern / 6 PM Central / 5 PM Mountain / 4 PM Pacific

What’s it all about?
Each session will be a chance to dive into a new spiritual topic. At the first meeting, we’ll brainstorm a list of potential topics, then vote on which ones we want to explore over the next 7 sessions.

How it works:

• First session: We'll suggest ideas, then vote on the top 7 topics.

• Next 7 sessions: We dive deep into those chosen themes, with opportunities to shape the conversation as a group.

• Want more? After 8 sessions, we can decide to extend the circle if there’s interest.

Ready to join?

If you’d like to be part of this thoughtful, spiritual exploration, email us at circles@naunitarians.org. Registration is required and will close at 12 participants. We will keep a wait list in case a space becomes available.

We are recruiting NAUA members and friends who are willing to serve on the committee and help with any of the following:

• Identify a theme and keynote speaker
• Host a workshop
• Contact, recruit and support session speakers
• Invent ways in which this event can rise to new Summit heights! 

We are are especially in need of folks with a background or skills in promotions/marketing to recruit organizations to serve as conference sponsors or partners. Sponsorship perks may include the opportunity to host a session or booth or have the organization's logo added to the Summit website and materials.

Finally, we know that many (most?) NAUA members have areas of particular interest, skill, expertise or knowledge that they could share during a 50-minute Summit session. We have room for a wide variety of  sessions - musical, travel, personal care, friending, historical, theological, scientific - the possibilities are endless.  Those interested in speaking will be asked to submit an outline of their session and (if available) a recording of past presentations. Workshop leaders will be selected by the committee based on a number of factors, including the topic's relevance to liberal religion and/or the Summit theme (TBD). 

If you are interested in serving on the Summit 2026 Planning Committee or assisting during the Summit, PLEASE email the committee at summit@naunitarians.org. We would also like to invite suggestions for any of the following (even if you are unable to serve on the planning committee):

• Summit theme
• Possible options for a keynote speaker and how we might contact them
• Suggestions for workshop leaders or topics
• Organizations that might be interested in supporting and/or sponsoring the Summit

Again, please email summit@naunitarians.org with your ideas and/or interest in helping with the Summit!

These were private sessions over Zoom, where no votes were taken. Nonetheless, progress was made on a number of issues, including:

• Building on the Strengths/Weaknesses/Obstacles/Threats (SWOT) Analysis compiled by the January Conversation / Discussion CIRCLE
• Strategizing around themes and goals for the coming year (building community, membership growth, leadership development and support, financial stability, and identity formation)
• Reviewing existing committees and chairs and considering new ones that are needed, including a Finance committee and a Fundraising committee
• Reviewing technology and systems needed to support long-term strategies

Special thanks go out to former Board Trustee Terry Anderson, who shared a little history on NAUA's formation and has agreed to chair the newly formed Principles Task Force. If you have volunteered to join that group, expect to hear from Terry about next steps soon. And many thanks to Interim Board President Roy Dickerson, who arranged and helped plan and conduct both meetings. Our thoughts and support will be with Roy as he undergoes surgery in February. If you'd like to send Roy messages of support, please email them to president@naunitarians.org. We will be thinking about him and wishing him a full and restful recovery. 

We will seek to understand how science confirms or contradicts religious or philosophical conceptions, think about how the disagreements might be resolved, and also identify religious or philosophical issues that have been neglected by science, which might lead to fruitful growth on both sides.

• Session 1: February 7

• Session 2: March 7

• Session 3: April 4

• Session 4: May 2

Register with IARF.net and then register for the course at https://iarf.net/network/courses/30/. The time is always 8:30 AM ET. The course has a discussion board for announcements, asking questions and general conversation related to the subject.

Dr. Wu is a Member of the Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA), a member of the World Health Organization (WHO) Food-Based Dietary Guidelines Committee, and an elected Fellow of the Society for Risk Analysis. She is appointed by Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer as a Commissioner of Agriculture and Rural Development for the state of Michigan.

NAUA hosts a monthly worship service on the third Saturday of each month, followed by small group discussion. February's worship service is on "AI and Spirituality." 

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

Note: Past board meeting minutes can be found on our website.