Rev. Rosemary Bray McNatt, District UUA Trustee, says We Must Change in an article in the spring 2010 issue of UUWorld magazine. "We must admit that Unitarian Universalism has a specific, sometimes alienating culture, and we must change it." Read more.

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News From the UUA 

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Registration and housing reservations are now open for General Assembly. Early bird registration ends April 30, and the more economical housing choices go quickly, so don't delay! This year's Opening Celebration and Banner Parade will feature UU singer-songwriter Peter Mayer. The Ware Lecturer is Winona LaDuke, renowned Native American activist working on issues of sustainable development. Rev. Galen Guengenrich, minister at the Unitarian Church of All Souls (Manhattan), will follow up last year's popular UU University track, Theology for a Secular Age, with a new eight-part workshop series, The Necessity of Virtue. Over 300 workshops, lectures, and worship opportunities are planned.

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Do you have a short video to share at General Assembly? The General Assembly Video Project invites you to submit your video by May 14. The best submissions will be chosen for viewing at the Plenary Sessions. Videos under 120 seconds will be considered. Possible topics include, among others: invitation or message out Unitarian Universalism or a specific congregation, personal testimonial, spiritual or theological message, lay leadership development, stewardship, social justice, anti-racism or multi-culturalism, religious education, children's, youth's, or young adult's faith expression. Be creative and share your talent! For more information, click here . To submit a video, click here.

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UUA President Rev. Peter Morales announced major UUA organization and staffing changes will take effect over several months and will be completed by July: A new staff group, Multicultural Growth and Advocacy, will combine the work of two previous staff groups, Identity-Based Ministries and Advocacy and Witness. A second new staff group, Professional Ministry, will combine two other previous staff groups, Ministry and Professional Leadership and Lifespan Faith Development. As part of the organizational change, 13 staff positions will be eliminated. Read more.

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The UUA Board of Trustees voted February 4 in a teleconference meeting to pursue significant changes in governance, including reducing the size of the board and formalizing a system of regions to supplement the existing 19 districts. In a unanimously passed motion, the board agreed to work with "congregational delegates at General Assemblies in 2011 and 2012 to amend the UUA bylaws to significantly reduce the size of the UUA Board" and to invite the "President of the UUA, district board members, and district presidents to continue our substantive discussion of the shift toward regionalization, during General Assembly 2010." Read the minutes . The teleconference was a follow up to the Board's January 13-17 meeting. 

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UUA President Rev. Peter Morales was among those condemning the proposed Ugandan Anti-Homosexuality Act 2009 in a statement issued February 12. Ugandan UUs held a conference on February 14 to build solidarity among Ugandan gays and lesbians and to help them strategize ways of fighting the legislation. If passed, the bill would prohibit "any form of sexual relations between persons of the same sex" and inflict punishment ranging from life imprisonment to execution. Read more.

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The third annual Association Sunday campaign has collected $325,959 from 553 UU congregations to support diversity initiatives, as of March 1. The total collected will grow as some congregations continue to hold events into the spring. The current total is down from last year's contributions -- $409,000 -- but "Considering the economy overall, I'm pleased with how it's turning out," said Catherine Lynch, UU Director of Campaigning. Read more. As reported previously in the Metro NY Minute, the UU Fellowship of Huntington (NY) made the largest contribution: $11,875.78. Association Sunday 2010 is October 3. To sign up, click here.

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The Standing on the Side of Love campaign is organizing a contingency to participate in the March for America on March 21 in Washington DC in support of immigration reform. To register, click here. You'll receive information on logistics and updates. Use the tools in the UUA Immigration Toolkit to educate and mobilize your congregation.

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Planning a youth group trip to Boston? Book a tour of the UUA and meet with the Youth and Young Adult Ministries (YaYA) staff! To arrange a tour, call 6-17-948-4652 or email info@uua.org. To meet with YaYA staff, call 617-948-4350 or email youth@uua.org.

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Tom Howard, District Annual Program Fund Representative, is introduced in the current issue of the Annual Program Fund Quarterly . Tom replaces Jim Sanders, who is now Acting Chair of the Annual Program Fund Committee.