[Lekooks] Fw: March News from MidAmerica Region-UUA

Wed Mar 9 12:00:28 CST 2016

an FYI for You UU's~~~

---------- Forwarded Message ----------
From: MidAmerica Region UUA <midamerica at uua.org>
To: gymbeau at netzero.com
Subject: March News from MidAmerica Region-UUA
Date: Wed, 9 Mar 2016 12:42:05 -0500 (EST)

 The MidAmerica MessengerVolume 3, Issue 8

March 2016
In This IssueJoin Us for Regional Assembly 2016More Opportunities for MA Religious EducatorsRegister Now for MWLS/YMWLS 2016Governance Webinars in MarchLearning Network Covenant at RAApologies ContinueCalendar Quick LinksFind Us on FacebookLast Month's NewsletterMore About UsEmail the Editor   To: James Hansen   With Regional Assembly less than two months away, we wanted to fill you in on all the details. If you're planning on attending, don't forget you can register at the early bird rate until March 31! 

And as always, your MidAmerica regional staff is here for you, so don't hesitate to contact us if you need any resources, consultations, or coaching.    

Sincerely,Phillip Lund Congregational Life Consultant
plund at uua.org 612-875-0959   
The MidAmerica Region is building a new era 
in Unitarian Universalism, where UUs visibly live our faith,  create connections, grow our membership, and  welcome all persons who share our UU values.   Join Us for Regional Assembly 2016 in St. Paul
REGISTRATION IS NOW OPEN!        
 As we've mentioned here before, this year's Regional Assembly in Saint Paul, Minnesota (April 29 to May 1), is building on last year's New Era theme. This year we'll be looking at WHO we want to be as faith communities in the coming years. Who will we Unitarian Universalists need to be, to be relevant? How will we get there? Who will be accompanying us on this journey? Keynote Presenters To help us consider these questions, MidAmerica's Regional Assembly 2016 will feature three leaders in the movement: 

Rev. Elizabeth Nguyen, Leadership Development Associate for Youth and Young Adults of Color at the UUA   

Rev. Jeremy Nickel, Minister of the Mission Peak UU congregation in Fremont, California

Kenny Wiley, UU World senior editor and Director of Faith Formation at Prairie UU Church in Parker, Colorado

 Workshops The conversation will continue with the some of the great workshops options at the assembly, including: Spiritual Discipline of Followership: UUs and #BlackLivesMatter
Circle of Belonging: information on how to bring people along from visitor to fully engaged member
Escalating Inequality: a workshop on our current Congregational Study-Action Issue
Heresy in the Heartland: Humanism in the Second Century
End of Life Conversations: how to have these conversation in your congregations
Navigating the Theist-Humanist Gap with Creativity and Grace
Positioning Small Congregations for the New Era and Millennials
Reverence for Diversity: Group Spiritual Direction in Congregations
Who is Your Congregation on the Web?
All in all, there will be 23 workshop offerings from which to choose. Worship The three Unitarian Universalist Ministers Association Chapters in the MidAmerica Region will each be presenting one of the worship services at this year's Regional Assembly. The Central Midwest UUMA chapter will be handling the worship on Friday evening. The Heartland UUMA Chapter will be leading the worship on Saturday afternoon. And the Prairie Star UUMA chapter will be offering the multigenerational Sunday morning worship. Entertainment Saturday evening's entertainment will feature OVation, the portable version of One Voice Mixed Chorus, Minnesota's lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and straight allies (LGBTA) chorus. OVation is an a cappella ensemble of 12 singers that shares One Voice's music and message of building community and creating social change by raising their voices in song almost anywhere. Location and Registration So join us at the InterContinental Hotel in Saint Paul, Minnesota, April 29 to May 1 for an exciting weekend celebrating the future of Unitarian Universalism in the MidAmerica Region. You can find out more here.

Register for the 2016 MidAmerica Regional Assembly before March 31, 2016 and receive the early bird rate.More Opportunities for MA Religious Educators By Nancy Combs-Morgan, CRE-ML, Congregational Life Consultant

I am hoping that our MidAmerica religious educators take advantage of some of the wonderful spring offerings over the next few months. Starting with a pre-regional assembly track, "Prophetic Partners," organized by the Minnesota UU Social Justice Alliance, at Unity-Unitarian, in St. Paul, MN, on Friday, April 29th, from noon-4p. I will be leading an afternoon track for religious educators, focusing on the faith development and multigenerational social justice programming. 

At the regional assembly, there will be a wide array of super workshops, including one on Adult Faith Development, that I will be co-leading with my colleague, Rev. Phil Lund. I would warmly recommend any religious educator to take part in this workshop, even if you don't have a lifespan faith development portfolio. I will be focusing on the impact of considering adult RE teachers as a community of practice, which are in search of spiritual direction and support. What a difference it would make in religious education recruitment if the adult leaders felt nurtured in their own faith development!

Then, follow up that brief workshop experience with a more in depth review at our  Adult Faith Development Renaissance Module, at North Shore Unitarian, in Deerfield, IL, May 12-14th.   

Finally, I promise, be sure to save the dates and register for the Heartland LREDA retreat, held at the beautiful Oakwood Retreat Center (near Muncie, IN) on May 24-27-this will be the 10th year of this marvelous retreat, which focuses on the self-care of DRE's and has a wide array of spiritual practices through the week.   

Information about the regional assembly, "Prophetic Partners," and the Adult Faith Development Renaissance Module are available at: https://www.midamerica.org/events/calendar.   Information about the Self-Care Retreat, will be posted on the Mid-America UU Religious Educators page.  Register Now for Midwest Leadership School - July 10-16  How will you spend the week of July 10 - 16 this summer? We invite you to join a talented group of UU adults and youth in Beloit, Wisconsin. This will be a week you'll always remember!MidWest Leadership School is a week-long intensive program in leadership and group dynamics, for adults and for youth, ages 14 - 18. Led by lay and ordained staff with a deep understanding of UU congregations, MWLS:develops both youth and adults into congregational leaders
provides leadership tools and skills
deepens Unitarian Universalist identity
Grow, thrive and renewExplore your spirituality and nurture the gifts you bring back to your congregation. MWLS is an immersive and rigorous week of learning in classroom and small-group settings. Our program blends the practical (leadership tools and best practices) with the spiritual (theological exploration and worship) and experiential (small-group challenges) in a safe, welcoming environment. Leaders trained at MWLS have gone on to help their congregations through growth challenges, building new programs, expanding outreach and confronting social justice issues head-on.

For more information or to Register, click HERE!

  Governance Webinars in March  By Ian Evison, Congregational Life Consultant and Lead Staff

We've added a March webinar on the subject of governance to our calendar:
Introduction to Governance March 22
Introduction to Governance March 31
Tuesday, March 22 and Thursday, March 31, 7:45 pm Eastern/6:45 pm Central.

While good governance can be a great help, bad governance, un-reflective governance, and even-as we are discovering-misconceived efforts to change governance approaches, can get us into painful tangles. This webinar (great for board members, presidents and staff of congregation) gives a very brief introduction to the subject and some basic wisdom concerning doable changes that can set a congregation on a road to more thoughtful practice...and perhaps to meetings that are filled with more meaningful conversation and end when they are scheduled to end. Imagine that!Learning Network Covenant at Regional Assembly        By Shannon VanLandingham for the LNC Task Force  

Have you heard about the Learning Network Covenant, but are wondering, "What the heck is it?" Join us for our workshop at Regional Assembly to see how you can connect with other congregations and communities to share resources, see what is working for others, and share your leadership and knowledge. Our task force has been hard at work, and we want to show you where we are headed and get your input. 

Are you a Board Member, Young Adult, Fundraising Chair, Minister, or Lay Leader? Basically anyone involved with a UU community will benefit from the Network. We are looking forward to sharing our vision and hearing what you need.Apologies Continue         By Lisa Presley, Congregational Life Consultant  

Friends, as I said last month, there are days when no matter how hard you try, you lose track of details. And I regret to say that I missed the UU Congregation of Grand Traverse from the list of Fair Share congregations! 

Thanks to them, and you, for your indulgence for my mistakes!Calendar - Upcoming MidAmerica Events   
March
11:     CARE for Youth Conversations about Racial Equality
18-19: Intercultural Competency Workshop-Madison,WI
22:      Introduction to Governance Webinar
31:      Donate to Chalice Lighters Winter Call Deadline
31:      Introduction to Governance Webinar 

April
1-3: BaeCON: Northern Area CMW CON - Rockford IL
3:    Ordination of Shari Woodbury
8:    Ordination of Jim Jaeger
8:    High School Bridging CON in Heartland 
11:  Reserve your hotel for RA by today!
22:  Last Day to Register for RA
27:  MidAmerica UU Ministers Association Meeting -St Paul, MN
29:  Prophetic Partners: A Capacity-Building Workshop for UU Justice Leaders
29 - May 1:  Regional Assembly 2016

See complete MidAmerica calendar at https://www.midamericauua.org/events    
  MidAmerica Region 
Unitarian Universalist Association2355 Fairview Ave. #312, 
Roseville, MN 55113
Web:  http://midamericauua.org  Phone: 312-636-9724Email: midamerica at uua.org 

Central Midwest, Heartland, and Prairie Star Districts
of the Unitarian Universalist Association
joined together as MidAmerica Region in July 2013.  

 MidAmerica Region UUA, 2355 Fairview Ave. #312, Roseville, MN 55113SafeUnsubscribe™ gymbeau at netzero.comForward this email | Update Profile | About our service providerSent by midamerica at uua.org in collaboration withTry it free today
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