12/16/2023 – Blue Christmas by Rev. Twinkle Manning

2023 Dec 20 | Worship Service, Worship Services

December’s NAUA worship service theme was: “Blue Christmas.” The holiday season, while filled with light, can create palpable darkness. This service offers a space to hold your grief sacred and to honor any loss or pain you are feeling. Join us for heartfelt music, sacred solace and reflection. This service includes Christmas, Solstice and Hanukah Music.

Our worship leader for this service was Rev. “Twinkle” Marie Manning. Twinkle is the contract minister for the Universalist Unitarian Church of Waterville, Maine. She is an author, poet, retreat leader and liturgist, as well as a semi-retired television producer. She served for many years on the core leadership team for UU Women and Religion and is the Creator of the UU Talks platform. Her theology is centered in, “Living Life as a Prayer.” For more information about Rev. “Twinkle” Marie Manning, visit: www.TwinklesPlace.org www.EmpoweringWomenTV.org www.TVforYourSoul.org

Timely Unitarian History Lesson

2023 Dec 19 | News

In times of unrest and disagreement it is comforting to know that these times are not unique.  We have been challenged by different understanding and goals of our religious organizations in the past and in the present.

In this NAUA Academy video, Kevin McCulloch, details the transcendentalist critique of historical Christianity that created a rift in the Unitarian church. Although the National Conference of Unitarian Churches was founded in 1865, it took nearly 30 years for the conference participants to reach consensus on a statement that defined what it meant to be a Unitarian. 

12/13/2023 – Lessons from the Unitarian Quest for Consensus 1865-1895 by Kevin McCulloch

2023 Dec 19 | NAUA Academy

The Transcendentalist critique of historical Christianity created a rift in the Unitarian church between traditional-minded Unitarian Christians and more radical Free Religionists who felt that the church should embrace a more universal form of religion. Although the National Conference of Unitarian Churches was founded in 1865, it took nearly 30 years for the conference participants to reach consensus on a statement that defined what it meant to be a Unitarian. Since we are living through another period where there is a lack of consensus on what Unitarianism and Unitarian Universalism are all about, we will revisit this earlier conflict to see what lessons it holds for us today.

Speaker: A lifelong UU, Kevin McCulloch holds a Master’s of Theological Studies from the Candler School of Theology at Emory University, where he studied American religious history. He most recently taught Unitarian Universalist history as a member of the adult religious education committee at All Souls Church Unitarian in Washington, DC.

Blessed are the Peackeepers

2023 Dec 12 | News, Peace

The recent events in Palestine/Israel and in the Ukraine gives us shocking awareness of the need for peace making. These type of long lived national and tribal warfare are an all too familiar component of our human history.  However, we know from experiences in Bosnia, South Africa, Peru and elsewhere that long standing grievances and wars can be resolved. 

This 12 minute episode from CBC News features interviews with professionals peace makers as well as  leading politicians who have led their countries out of very long standing grievances and wars.  

The video is an adaptation of the 60 minute from the CBC Ideas podcast  Inventing Peace.

Parliament of the World’s Religions

2023 Dec 5 | News

A recording of the Nov. 2023 NAUA Academy Session is now available.

“We accept all Religions as Truth” are the words spoken by Swami Vivekananda at the founding of the Parliament of the World’s Religions in 1893 in Chicago. Our speaker is Bruce Knotts, a Trustee of the Parliament of the World’s Religions.

Bruce discusses the founding and history of the Parliament of the World’s Religions, as well as its Mission to create and cultivate harmony among the world’s religious and spiritual communities, foster their engagement with the world and its guiding institutions in order to achieve a just, peaceful and sustainable world. This same sentiment is reflected in the 6th Principle of Unitarian Universalism, ”the goal of world community with peace, liberty and justice for all”.  

11/14/2023 – Parliament of the World’s Religions by Bruce Knotts

2023 Dec 5 | NAUA Academy

“We accept all Religions as Truth” are the words spoken by Swami Vivekananda at the founding of the Parliament of the World’s Religions in 1893 in Chicago. Our speaker is Bruce Knotts, a Trustee of the Parliament of the World’s Religions.

Bruce discusses the founding and history of the Parliament of the World’s Religions, as well as its Mission to create and cultivate harmony among the world’s religious and spiritual communities, foster their engagement with the world and its guiding institutions in order to achieve a just, peaceful and sustainable world. This same sentiment is reflected in the 6th Principle of Unitarian Universalism, ”the goal of world community with peace, liberty and justice for all”.

Online Communities – Good enough?

2023 Nov 28 | News

The link from this page is to the recording of a recent service at UUSpokane. This regular service is not an NAUA event, but given the need in the NAUA and all distributed organizations to create and sustain online communities, I hope it will be of interest. I also am at risk of “blowing my own horn” in that I (Terry Anderson) was the speaker.

The talk is entitled Online and Offline Community – Building Effective, Sustainable and Enjoyable Religious Communities. I overview the ways that religious communities are using the internet to support a variety of personal and ritualized interaction designed to support and build  community.

The service recording is at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a4aSlnYt5tY  The talk begins at approx. minute 28 of this recording.

Tributes to Rev. Dr. Finley C. Campbell

2023 Nov 21 | News

In this special issue of UUMUAC”s View from the Mountaintop 11 friends provide memories and pictures of  Rev. Dr Finley C. Campbell, 

Rev Campbell was the founder of the Unitarian Universalist Multiracial Unity Action Council. (UUMUAC) 

Finley’s principled anti-racism, so thoroughly uncompromising, led him to an understanding that is still not grasped by many people: that racism in many forms globally is the obstacle that holds back all social progress. 

He fought for multi-racial unity against racism and all other forms of economic, political, social, and cultural discrimination. His work bore fruit, not just in UUMUAC, but in the tens of thousands who have been directly and indirectly influenced by his work and who, in turn, will carry that forward. 

He leaves a hole in the hearts and minds of all who knew him.