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Become involved with a project that has caught your passion: whether it's Green Sanctuary, Gift-Based Ministry, as a worship associate, leading a covenant group, or something entirely different, your congregation needs your involvement in order to benefit from your unique talents and gifts!

Become a religious educator. Whether you are working with children, youth, young adults, or adults, this work can be deeply fulfilling and fun!

Offer to become a lay leader in your congregation. Talk to your nominating committee. If your congregation's in search for new professional leadership, think about whether you might contribute in new and exciting ways to that venture.

Witness your faith in the company of others, on behalf of your congregation. Seek out connections with other religious groups who share similar values. Help carry the message -- beyond your congregation -- that makes clear Unitarian Universalism's values and voice in this challenging world.

Become a delegate to your UUA District's meetings. You'll learn new skills, develop a sense of Unitarian Universalism that extends beyond your own congregation, and help nurture the vitality of our faith in your district.

Don't wait to be asked: contact your congregation's Nominating Committee and tell them you're willing to serve. They'll be glad to hear from you!

- from the UUA

News from the Greater Philly Cluster (GPC)
of UU Churches

October 18 —

Community Safety: What if our
Congregation Is Targeted?

With the rise of authoritarianism in the US, attacks on queer and trans beloveds both through legislation and right-wing protesters at drag shows, anti-immigrant policies and rhetoric, as well as the censoring of books and school curricula, we are seeing an increase in the targeting of sacred spaces for violence. Across religious traditions, we are seeing online threats, pride and Black Lives Matter banners torn down, hate speech graffiti-ed on synagogues, violent actors appearing at sanctuaries and disrupting services, and more.

So, how can congregations be prepared? Why is this violence escalating, and what community safety practices can we engage in now that also help us build the world we long for? Join us for a 2-part training series for faith communities of all traditions, in which we’ll explore the current context of authoritarianism in the US, why faith communities are being targeted, and practical tools and skills your congregation can build and practice together. The training series will be led by Christian, Jewish, and UUA SURJ-Faith leaders.

Session Two:
Road Map to Building Community Safety
Date/Time: October 18, 8-10pmET / 5-7pmPT

This session will offer a 1, 5, and 10 year road map for building community safety with your congregation, as well as dig in to 2 tools you can begin to practice together.
Register Here for Session 2!

Monthly —

Central East Region's BIPOC Gathering

If you identify as Black, Indigenous or a Person of Color (BIPOC), you're invited to join us for the Central East Region's BIPOC gathering happening monthly at 6:30pm ET. In our gatherings we are joined by lay folks of color, lay leaders of color and/or religious professionals of color to be in community. Our conversations focus on topics like wellness and resilience and our goal is to center BIPOC experiences and create space to explore our UU experiences. Please email or for zoom information.
  • Allegheny/Ohio/New River - 1st Wednesdays at 5pm:
  • Atlantic - 2nd Tuesdays at 5pm:
  • Great Lakes/Hudson Valley - 2nd Thursdays at 1pm:
  • BIPoC - with Rev. Sana Saeed and Paula Cole Jones – 1st Mondays at 6:30pm.

Worship Web

We don’t usually record our drop in calls but we wanted everyone to get the opportunity to hear Erika Hewitt, Minister of Worship Arts at the UUA, talk about Worship Web, copyright, and other worship related topics. I apologize in advance for my amateur recording! You’re welcome to share with your congregation: https://youtu.be/Uw1PpBqeaq0

Here are the links shared with the group:
https://www.uua.org/worship/words - to search Worship Web
https://www.uua.org/worship/music/online
https://cine-books.com/channels/skinner-house-books-channel-427
https://www.uua.org/publications/copyright-permissions/music
https://www.facebook.com/UUWorshipWeb/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dOJYDonV7js – To watch Rev. Dr. Matthew Johnson’s “Practical Guide to Copyright”
https://www.uua.org/publications/copyright-primer-for-congregations - To watch the new Copyright Primer for Congregations

General Information

GPC is on Facebook!
- Please "follow" us on the Facebook page, "Greater Philly Unitarian Universalist Cluster".
- Please join our Facebook group, "Greater Philly UUs". It is a "closed" group, so find "Greater Philly UUs" on Facebook and click the button to request to join.

Introducing UUA LeaderLab! LeaderLab provides relentlessly useful resources for lay and professional leaders of UU congregations and covenanting communities. For more info...

CER Guest in Your Pulpit program
The Guest in Your Pulpit Program is a listing of available ministers, seminarians, ministerial candidates and lay pulpit guests for congregations in the Central East Region. This program was created to assist churches to find people who are willing to provide services. For more info and to be added to the list...

The GPC calendar is always available at http://www.greaterphillyuu.org/calendar/ You can find out what other neighborhood churches are doing there! And of course, there is more information on the Greater Philly UU Cluster, check out our website.

For more information on the Greater Philly UU Cluster, check out our website.

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