Congregational Life Program 2024-2025
Welcome Back from your Congregational Life Team
The “CUC Congregational Conversations Series” will continue this year. Congregational leaders have shared timely themes – so we’ve scheduled many, but not all, of our fall topics.
We’re holding three spaces for your highest priority topics – so be sure to join us in September and help shape the rest of the season. Please see below for fall details.
While the focus of this series is primarily congregational, all are welcome. We appreciate your RSVP for planning purposes.
New this fall! 2024 Congregational Conversations Living Resource Guide
The 2024 Congregational Conversations Living Resource Guide contains the collaborative wisdom of participants in the CUC Congregational Conversations project. The Guide will be updated as conversations continue and more resources are known.
Got a great resource? Please share to: congregationallife@cuc.ca
Or better yet, join us for the next conversation!
Congregational Conversations Fall Schedule
Congregational Conversations Fall Schedule
All fall Conversations will be at 10am PT / 11am MT / Noon CT / 1pm ET / 2pm AT
Saturday September 14 or Wednesday September 18 - Emerging Needs (repeat session - pick 1)
Join us for a conversation about your needs: What’s going on for you right now and what do you most want to connect around this fall?- Friday October 25 - Pastoral Care for Lay Led Congregations
Open to everyone, this session will focus specifically on the unique challenges of pastoral care when there is not full-time professional ministry available. What are your strengths? What help do you need? Where can help be found? What creative options have you tried? - Wednesday October 30 - Topic to be determined following September session
- Wednesday November 20 - Communications Needs & Resources
Communication tools can help your congregation to build community, be more visible in the wider community, and make a difference in the lives of others. What’s working, what’s challenging, and where can you find help? - Saturday November 23 - Topic to be determined following September sessions
- Wednesday December 4 - Challenges of Being a Congregational Leader
The more you do, the more complicated your congregational experience and relationships can become - and we don’t always notice it happening until it becomes a problem. Join us for a conversation about some of the unique challenges of congregational leadership. - Saturday December 7 - Topic to be determined following September sessions
2024 Congregational Conversations Living Resource Guide
2024 Congregational Conversations Living Resource Guide
The 2024 Congregational Conversations Living Resource Guide contains the collaborative wisdom of participants in the CUC Congregational Conversations project. Themes include Thriving, Surviving, & Sustainability, Volunteer Bandwidth, Burnout and Reimaging, Financial Planning & Income Streams, and more! The Guide will be updated as conversations continue and more resources are known.
Got a great resource? Please share to: congregationallife@cuc.ca. Or better yet, join us for the next conversation!
The Congregational Conversations Project was created following a 2023 survey, designed to help us better understand the current congregational and community climate. Find the Living Resource Guide here.
CONNECT & DEEPEN … is moving to Saturdays
CONNECT & DEEPEN … is moving to Saturdays
All sessions: 1pm PT / 2pm MT / 3pm CT / 4pm ET / 5pm AT (90 minutes)
Same time … new day!
Looking for connection?
Connect & Deepen is an online community for adults interested in meaningful reflection, conversation, and shared ideas for living our values. This welcoming space encourages spiritual, philosophical, and practical exploration. The intent is to deepen our experiences of Unitarian Universalism, enriching our own lives with thoughtful meaning-making - so that we live grounded in our UU values.
Meetings begin with a time for connection – sharing joys and concerns – before moving into the theme of the day. We examine a wide range of topics - this year leaning into “Intentional Action”.
Fall 2024 Connect & Deepen Themes:
- Saturday September 21: CARING
What does it mean to be a Caring person? Or a Caring community? Reflecting on our 8 Principles, 5 Aspirations, and other UU inspirations, how does being UU impact our experiences and ideals of Caring? Host: Anne Barker - Saturday October 26: CONNECTING
When you think about Connecting, what comes to mind? What does being a UU have to add? How’s it going for you? What do you need? Host: Anne Barker - Saturday November 16: LEADING
Leading can be a challenging concept - bringing up our ideals, our insecurities, and a host of other things. How is UU Leading different from other styles? What are your experiences and thoughts around Leading? Host: Anne Barker - Saturday December 21: REFLECTING
Reflecting can be an intentional practice, an accidental occurrence, and many other things. What important roles does Reflecting play in your life? What practices help you to do it? Host: Linda Thomson
Winter & Spring 2025 Dates:
- Saturday January 18 - Host: Linda Thomson
- Saturday February 15 - Host: Linda Thomson
- Saturday March 15 - Host: Anne Barker
- Saturday April 19 - Host: Linda Thomson
Meaning Making: Roots of Resilience
Meaning Making: Roots of Resilience
If you participated in last year’s Meaning Making in Liminal Times sermon series, or if you’ve heard others talk about it, you’ll be glad to hear that Rev. Karen Fraser-Gitlitz has made plans for a 2nd year. Changes include a new theme, more services, and optional monthly Canadian theme packages. More information is available.
We look forward to gathering with you soon. Please feel free to share this information with anyone you think would benefit, & everyone you hope will attend.
Your Congregational Life Team,
Anne Barker & Linda Thomson
congregationallife@cuc.ca