
Central East Regional Group (CERG)
The Central East Region helps congregations of all shapes and sizes connect with each other and with resources that help them best express their Unitarian Universalist faith in a changing and hurting world.Farewell Message from Rev. Susan Frederick-Gray
As her time as UUA President winds down, Rev. Susan Frederick-Gray shares a message of appreciation for the work we’ve done together and excitement for what’s to come. Some of her proudest moments during this time include fulfilling the Promise and Practice campaign to fund Black Lives of UU, implementing the recommendations of the Commission on Institutional Change, leading UU the Vote campaigns in 2020 and 2022, and supporting UUs to show up unequivocally and courageously for LGBTQIA+ and BIPOC communities and for people with disabilities.In this moment of great challenge and cultural change in our world, Rev. Frederick-Gray reminds us that Unitarian Universalist values matter. This is an opportunity to be bold and unwavering in living and leading in love. We have done amazing things, and we will continue. With excitement for our next president, Rev. Frederick-Gray is confident in how new leadership will guide us through these continuing fraught times.
Watch on UUA YouTube
June 2-4 — |
Jubilee 3 Anti-Racism Training

Weekend Activities: The training includes presentations, discussions, videos, exercises, and small group work. This 2 ½ day workshop is open to anyone who wants to journey toward making a stand against racism. Church members and church leaders of any faith, as well as non-church members are all welcome! June 2-4, 2023 online. Registration and details at the CER website.
June 21-25 — |
General Assembly 2023 - CER Meet Ups and More!
General Assembly 2023 is coming to Pittsburgh, PA! Join us June 21-25, 2023 in-person or virtually to worship, witness, learn, connect, and make policy for the Association through the democratic process.- The Central East Region is setting up several meet ups in-person and virtually for our attendees to GA. Please check the Whova app for additional topics, dates and times for both in person and virtual gatherings.
- Congregational Presidents - Friday, June 23, 11 am, in person Convention Center room 325
- Virtual CER Participants - Wednesday, June 21, 3:15-4 pm,
Connect with other Central East Region folks attending virtually. We'll introduce ourselves, connect, and swap tips for doing GA online before we all join the Virtual GA Orientation. Link in the Whova App. - Virtual CER Participants - Thursday, June 22, 11:45am-12:15pm.Online check-in space for Central East Regional folks attending GA virtually. Casual drop-in space for making connections and asking questions. Link in the Whova App.
- Virtual CER Participants - Friday, June 23, 11:45am-12:15pm Online check-in space for Central East Regional folks attending GA virtually. Casual drop-in space for making connections and asking questions. Link in the Whova App.
- The GA App by Whova will be available to all in-person and full virtual registrants June 1. Learn more at the UUA GA webpage.
- Regional Staff across the country are sharing our expertise on a variety of subjects at General Assembly! Look for these on-demand workshops:
- Creating a New Future for Struggling Congregations - created by the Southern Region
- Faithfully Finding Balance: Reaching in and Reaching Out - created by the Smaller Congregations Team
- Spiritual Leadership: Becoming Who We're Born to Be - created by the New England Region
- Conflict, Destructive Behavior, Our Bodies, and Our Brains - Created by the Pacific West Region
- Making Your Congregation an Employer of Choice - created by Lisa Presley of the Mid-America region along with Jan Gartner from the Office of Church Staff Finances, and Sean Griffin from Stewardship and Development
- The Repercussions of Misconduct - created by Sunshine Wolfe of the Central East Region, Sarah Millspaugh of the Pacific West Region, and Terasa Cooley, author of Transforming Conflict
- UU the Vote: Run for Office! (2023 Edition) - created by Carlton Smith from the Pacific West Region along with the UUA Organizing Strategy Team
July 9-15 — |
Featured Resource: CERSI and UUMAC Together!

Adult theme speaker CB Beal (they/them/theirs), is a storyteller, educator, and speaker who is known for their humor, insight, ability to use their own foibles and unfortunate life experiments as cautionary tale, and to hold space where people can be braver and safer, facilitating learning experiences where people get to make their next move towards justice. Through stories, reflections, and conversation about practices of preemptive radical inclusion, CB will help us explore our capacity for witness, self examination and change. The theme is The Call is Coming From Inside the House: Preemptive Radical Inclusion and Practices for Witness, Self Examination and Change.
Youth have their own speaker and program and children have daily RE programming each morning. Drop-in programming, including games and art for all ages, is offered in the afternoon. Evenings are filled with community fun time such as a talent show and games.
Registration is open. Scholarship Deadline is May 31. Learn more today at the CERSI website. Registration closes June 20th.
Second Week in July — |
Creating Intentional Summer Communities
Many people have an intentional community that brings them joy and sustenance. It might be a fiddle camp, quilting retreat or one of the of the many other options out there. It is intentional, you will only sign up for fiddle camp if you play or love the fiddle. And there is community, a community that shares your values and interests. That intentional community gathers each year. The bonds are strong even though people often see each other during that one week because of their shared interest and time spent together.CERSI (Central East Region Summer Institute) has been an intentional UU community for over 40 years. It started in the Ohio Meadville District (OMD), known as Summer Institute. The very same year another group in the Mid Atlantic area of our country started having a weeklong intergenerational intentional community, UUMAC (UU MidAtlantic Community). For 40 years both camps have run successful programs the 2nd week in July. Hundreds of UUs have participated in these intentional communities.
CER Events at a Glance
The following events are upcoming in the region. For full details and a complete list visit the CER Calendar Page. Also, please note, if you are mailing a check to the regional office to pay for your registration, you must write the name and date of the event in the memo line. Otherwise we may not get it properly credited.If you are looking for Renaissance Modules for Religious Educators or Our Whole Lives Trainings, check the full calendar on the UUA website.
- UUA Board Meeting, May 8, 2023, 7 pm ET online. Register for the meeting.
- UUA Board Open House ~ May 9, 2023, 7 pm ET, online. Register for the meeting.
- Taproot: A National BIPOC Space - May 11, 2023, 8-9:15 pm ET
- Part-Time and Thriving ~ May 13, 2023, 12-5 pm ET online. Save the date, registration coming soon!
- Presidential Forum ~ May 20, 2023, 4 pm ET ~ Santa Barbara, CA and online. Register to attend online or in person.
- Jubilee 3 Anti-Racism Training, June 2-4, 2023, online
- Presidential Forum ~ June 3, 2023, 2 pm ET ~ Dallas, TX and online. Register to attend online or in person.
- General Assembly ~ June 21-25, 2023 ~ online and in Pittsburgh, PA.
- CER Summer Institute ~ July 9-15, 2023 ~ California, PA. This year UUMAC is joining CERSI for our weekly camp. Registration is open!
This year the Central East Region is offering a series of
Networking Calls for congregational staff and leaders.
Instead of dividing up by geography this time, we're offering two times on each date for you to choose from. Come to one or to all. CER staff will be on each call to answer questions, but our main focus will be what you can learn from and share with each other.
Who can attend? Any congregational staff member, board member, committee chair or member, or other leader in the congregation. Come if you have questions to ask your peers, or if you have successes to share.
The 2022-23 call schedule: Thursday, April 20 - 12:30-2 pm and 6-7:30 pm
Meeting connection information: Join Zoom Meeting
Featured Resource: YUUP - Young UU Project

Anyone (youth, caregivers, religious professionals, lay leaders, everyone!) can tap into the social ministry of YUUP by following them on Instagram @yuup.uua and signing up for the YUUP newsletter. YUUP also has a community sphere just for youth, those who bridged in 2022 and support adults. These "Third Monday Meetups" are where youth swap ideas they can take home to their local communities. In August they swapped Favorite Check In Questions. In September they swapped favorite youth group games, which will soon be released on Instagram and in the newsletter.
Adult readers - We need your help connecting youth to this community! Please point them to UUA.ORG/YUUP to connect at whatever their capacity is.