Q: How will the keynote addresses work this year?

A: This year, we have two keynote speakers: the Rev. Rosemary Bray McNatt, president of Starr King School for the Ministry, and the Rev. Dr. Marlin Lavanhar, senior minister of All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, OK. Rosemary and Marlin will be intertwining their comments, presenting together in the two time slots (Friday night and Saturday morning).

Q: Will the Sunday Morning Worship service be open to everyone?

A: Yes it will—we will be holding worship at the Marriott Hotel at 9:30 am Central time. Members of the public, members of UU congregations, and Assembly registrants are all welcome to attend.

Q: Will any part of the Regional Assembly be live-streamed?

A: Yes, we will be live streaming the keynote event on both Friday night and Saturday morning, as well as the Annual Business Meeting. Details and confirmation of times will be posted on the MidAmerica Region website closer to the date.

The Board of Trustees of the MidAmerica Region of the Unitarian Universalist Association issues the following statement in response to the call from our MidAmerica congregations and their ministers in the greater Saint Louis area.

Our deep theology as a justice-seeking people calls upon us to engage this major civil rights work. We, the members of the MidAmerica board, are deeply committed to the work of anti-oppression, anti-racism, and multiculturalism.  We stand on the side of love with the people of Ferguson as they seek justice in the case of the death of Michael Brown.

We see what is happening in Ferguson as part of a larger issue in our Region and all of America. It is about dehumanization, about racism, and about injustice. We note that we are all currently affected by the same culture of fear of difference that festers in Ferguson.

We encourage Unitarian Universalist congregations and religious leaders in the MidAmerica Region to engage thoughtfully in the suggestions for action put forward by the Ferguson Response team of Saint Louis area ministers and Unitarian Universalist Association and UU Service Committee leaders. Some resources can be found on the Standing on the Side of Love web page, www.standingonthesideoflove.org/blog/withferguson, as well as the St. Louis Standing on the Side of Love Facebook page www.facebook.com/stlstandingonthesideoflove.

MidAmerica Board:
Rev. Dr. Bill Sasso, President,
Charlotte Preston, Vice President
Eric Huffer, Secretary
Tom Sommerfeld, Treasurer
Doug Cauble, Trustee
Janis Cheney, Trustee
Kyrie Bock, Trustee
Rev. Dr. Cynthia Landrum, Trustee
Dave Martin, Trustee
Rev. Ian Evison, ex-officio

The Ohio River Group is a Unitarian Universalist Minister’s Study group that meets annually near the Ohio River Valley to hear scholarly papers and hold discussion on a different topic each year. In 2014, the topic was “Race.” Given the events of the summer in Ferguson, Missouri, the group members spent an evening at their meeting discussing resources for worship services on the topic. These readings represent their personal selections for what they might do in a worship service devoted to Ferguson and racial justice, and they want to share them with other UU congregations.

DOWNLOAD the resources (PDF)

We’ve been asked to post this message from the Ferguson Response Team, which includes UU ministers in St. Louis, as well as UUA staff and other UU leaders. If you are looking for ways to respond, to support those working for justice in Ferguson, or to learn more about the situation there, please read this message and share it with others in your congregation.

Dear UU Leader:

People around the country are preparing for the prosecuting attorney to announce the grand jury's decision whether to indict Officer Darren Wilson for the fatal shooting of Michael Brown in Ferguson.

Indications point to a grand jury announcement soon, possibly between Election Day and Thanksgiving. An indictment is extremely unlikely, but whatever it is, whenever it is, there will be much pain and anger that will be expressed in a variety of ways, some constructive and some not.

Our deep theology as a justice-seeking people calls upon us to show up for this. Many of you have asked what you can do. We urge you to help us to SHOW UP in any of the following ways:  (And remember: the most current information will be found on the Standing on the Side of Love Ferguson page.)

Youth Conferences Across the Region

Our MidAmerica regional staff members, Nancy Combs-Morgan, [email protected], and Dori Davenport Thexton [email protected], continue to work with congregations on developing sustainable youth ministry experiences, as well as continuing education training, such as the “New Youth Advisor Webinars" (Sept. 9th and 18th).  Nancy Combs-Morgan serves as advocate for the three area youth councils; both Nancy and Dori organize the training for the Con-Coordinators for the Central Midwest Area. Nancy works directly with the Con-Coordinators, and is the point person for congregational leaders who questions about youth conferences in the MA region.

You can always go to the MidAmerica Region Youth and Young Adult page for the latest!

Greetings!

I'm very pleased to share the wonderful news that UUA President Peter Morales has selected Kathy Burek to receive the 2014 President's Award for Volunteer Service to the UUA at GA in Providence!

This award is presented to the person designated by the President as having given extraordinary and vital service to the UUA as a volunteer.

Please join me in congratulating Kathy for this well-deserved recognition of her exceptional service at every level of Unitarian Universalism, from the choir to the Association!  

Best regards, Rev. Bill Sasso

On June 1st, the First Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Ann Arbor, Michigan voted unanimously to support marriage equality.  Members of this congregation are proud they made this decision and wanted Michigan UU Social Justice Network (MUUSJN) to share their joy with UUs and other people of faith activists around the state. This the first UU faith community in Michigan to affirm marriage equality by congregational vote. 

Here's the language that was adopted at a recent congregational meeting: