UU Humanist Association

The UU Humanist Association is excited to be able to participate in a Zoom conference panel with the First UU Church of Wichita on Saturday, January 30. We hope you can join us!

• Date: Saturday, January 30
• Time: 8:00pm Eastern (7:00pm Central)
• Where: Zoom (We will post Zoom log-in info here the day of the event. You can contact First UU or email the UUHA for Zoom information in advance.)
• Info: Visit First UU Church of Wichita for more information

Three officers of the UUHA Board of directors - Leika Lewis Cornwell (President), Roger Brewin (Journal Editor), and Jack Reich (Membership Coordinator) - will participate in the panel.

Topics of discussion will include:

• Why am I a humanist?
• What is important about humanism?
• How do I apply humanism to the world today?

UUHA Members and non-members alike are invited to attend and have a lively discussion about the role of humanism today, as well as to get a taste of some of the programming being offered by UU congregations across the country!

Zoom Login Information:

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83502766778

Meeting ID: 835 0276 6778
Passcode: 119659

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Meeting ID: 835 0276 6778
Passcode: 119659 Read more about EVENT: Zoom Panel on UU Humanism with First UU of Wichita featuring the UUHA »

We are pleased to announce the publication of our latest edition of the UUHA's official publication, the Journal of Religious Humanism. Paid UUHA members should receive a digital copy of the journal via email today.

Our latest issue of the journal is "Humanist Elevator Speeches." 

It’s a simple idea – you get on an elevator on the ground floor. An acquaintance asks: “You’re a Humanist, right? Tell me about that.” It’s your “good news of Humanism” moment. Do you know what you would say? That’s what this issue is all about. Your Humanist Elevator Speech. Your response to that question ... your clear, positive, short response.

As our Executive Committee told you in their recent letter - this is the first issue to go to every member in digital format.  We hope you will embrace this approach, which allows us to continue to bring you Humanist opinion and scholarship, and other Journal content, without the ever increasing burdens and costs (environmental, administrative and financial, of maintaining a mostly print-and-paper product.

For those of you who paid for a full fare membership ($60 for one year, $108, $250 or $600 for multiple years or life) which previously included a print version, there will be a limited number of physical copies that are part of our obligation to supply library subscribers and incarcerated Humanists.  We will make those available to those who request them, as long as the supply lasts.

Looking for more to read? Or maybe you can't become a member right now? Check out our journal archives, where we have nearly two decades' worth of essays and musings from some of the smartest voices in UU Humanism. (You need to log in to view.)  

Please contact our editor, Roger Brewin, at rabrewin@aol.com, to:

• Verify your membership status or report an issue in the delivery of your e-journal. (if you're not a member, become one this week!)
• Inquire about a print copy (you can also inquire online here)
• Offer commentary (critical, complementary or curious) about this issue
• Suggest topics for future issues
• Submit specific material for consideration

In Community,

Roger Brewin, UUHA Journal of Religious Humanism Editor Read more about "Elevator Speeches" Edition of Religious Humanism Journal Available to Members Today! »

This Saturday the UU Humanist Association will hold its Annual Meeting. This is one of our organization’s most important events, as it gives the UUHA Board of Directors a chance to meet directly with its membership and it gives members a chance to vote on the proposed UUHA board slate.

This year will be one of our most unique Annual Meetings as well. Due to the public health concerns surrounding COVID-19, the 2020 Annual Meeting will be hosted via the Zoom Conferencing Application. Though conducted remotely, our hope is this allows far more of our members the chance to meet with us! If you are a member of the UUHA, we really hope to see you. And if you are not a member, but you are interested in the UUHA, we hope you’ll attend the meeting as well.

Instructions on how to attend the Annual Meeting via Zoom are below, as well as details on our agenda for the Meeting.

HOW TO ATTEND:

WHEN: Saturday, July 11 
TIME: 4:00pm Eastern Time (3:00pm Central Time | 2:00pm Mountain Time | 1:00pm Pacific Time)
DURATION: 60 minutes, with a possibility of going longer.
ZOOM LOGIN INSTRUCTIONS:
Join our Zoom Meeting via the link below:

https://zoom.us/j/97332367124?pwd=ZkI5TlkvVmVLWE1jMGpHSVVyZlc1QT09

Meeting ID: 973 3236 7124
Password: UUHA

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Meeting ID: 973 3236 7124

Find your local number: https://zoom.us/u/abXGhlXOI8

MEETING AGENDA:

Opening Remarks
UUHA President Amanda Poppei, along with other Board members, will welcome attendees by discussing the UUHA’s progress as an organization in the last year. They will also discuss where the organization stands in a dramatically changing world, why that makes the UUHA relevant, and will also present a greater vision for the next year.

Presentation: Humanists of Past and Present
Ordinarily the UUHA selects a Religious Humanist of the Year, who often attends the meeting and gives a presentation pertinent to their outstanding work. This year, in lieu of honoring just one person, the Board will give a presentation highlighting significant humanist figures of the past and of today, showing the history and the legacy of religious humanism the UUHA is advancing.

Board Slate Elections
The election of new board members is the most vital part of Annual Meeting business. A nomination committee, charged by the UUHA Board of directors, has worked hard to present a slate of outstanding UUHA members and leaders of the UU Humanist community to fill openings in the UUHA Board of Directors. All active members of the UU Humanist Association have voting privileges. (Not yet a member? Consider joining or renewing.) The proposed Board slate that will be voted on, along with brief bios of proposed board members, is listed below.

Opening the Virtual “Floor”
This is the chance for members and non-members alike to speak at the Annual Meeting. If you have questions about the UUHA, proposals for future work, or personal touchpoints or insights you feel resonate with anything discussed at the meeting, we want to hear from you!

PROPOSED ELECTION SLATE:

Below is the list of open positions, term details, and a brief bio for each proposed addition to the UUHA Board of Directors:

PRESIDENT OF THE UUHA: LEIKA LEWIS-CORNWELL

• TERM: 2 Years (July 2020 - June 2022)
• ABOUT LEIKA:Leika Lewis-Cornwell is a consultant and a minister in formation, pursuing her Masters of Divinity online through Chicago Theological Seminary. She is currently serving as the Summer Minister for the Unitarian Universalist Church of Annapolis as she ends a two-year ministerial internship with the congregation. As a strategy and leadership consultant, Leika has engaged with organizations in DC and across the nation to help them grow toward their best versions. Leika’s humanism is rooted in the liminality of deep space, although she confesses to hugging the occasional tree. Leika comes to this role from the UUHA position of At-Large Member, and she looks forward to a bright future ahead for the UUHA!

VICE-PRESIDENT OF THE UUHA: JAMES WITKER

• TERM: 2 Years (July 2020 - June 2022)
• ABOUT JAMES: James Witker is a member of the Unitarian Universalist Community Church of Santa Monica, where he serves as a leader of the Faith In Action and AAHS (Atheists, Agnostics, Humanists, and Secularists) groups. A long-time member and champion of the UUHA, James comes to this role from his position as an At-Large Member of the UUHA. When he’s not traveling to promote humanism or spending time with his spouse and infant son, James works as a producer and editor in film, TV, and documentaries.

AT-LARGE MEMBER: MARTIN WOULFE

• TERM: 3 Years (July 2020 - June 2023)
• ABOUT MARTIN: Rev. Martin Woulfe has served as the minister of the Abraham Lincoln UU Church of Springfield since 2003. He has identified as a religious humanist since his days at Meadville/Lombard Theological School. He earned a Master of Divinity from Meadville/Lombard in 1998. His wife Angela is from Spain & works for the State of Illinois. They have one daughter, Celeste, who will soon be a senior at St Louis University. Throughout his career, Martin has been active with local interfaith groups and social justice efforts, especially related to promoting racial justice and LGBTQ issues.

AT-LARGE MEMBER: JEN RAFFENSPERGER

• TERM: 3 Years (July 2020 - June 2023)
• ABOUT JEN: Jen Raffensperger is pursuing her Master of Divinity degree at Meadville Lombard Theological School. A strong naturalist with a pragmatically humanistic approach, Jen also brings to the UUHA her years of experience working as a religious educator and OWL facilitator for children and youth.

AT-LARGE MEMBER: BLASIE NTAKARUTIMANA

• TERM: 3 Years (July 2020 - June 2023)
• ABOUT BLASIE: Blasie is a standout in the UUHA’s Ambassador Program with a long history of building humanist communities, beginning in his native Burundi. We are particularly excited for Blasie to bring the perspective of humanists whose country of origin is outside the US, as the UUHA continues to expand its reach.

COMMUNICATIONS AND OUTREACH ADVISOR: ALIX KLINGENBERG

• TERM: 3 Years (July 2020 - June 2023)
• ABOUT ALIX: Rev. Alix Klingenberg is a community-focused minister in two Massachusetts congregations, and brings to the UUHA some wonderful ideas about how we can reach out to humanists, including youth and young adults. In addition to her work as a humanist minister, Alix is also a writer, designer, and photographer. In her newly-created role as Communications and Outreach Advisor, Alix will be responsible for programming and efforts to promote the UUHA and UU Humanism within and outside of Unitarian Universalism.

CHAPLIN TO THE UUHA: CHRISTIAN SCHMIDT

• TERM: 3 Years (July 2020 - June 2023)
• ABOUT CHRISTIAN: Rev. Christian Schmidt most recently shared a co-ministry in Berkeley with his wife, and is now living in Maryland and remotely ministering to the UUs in College Station, Texas. Christian has a very broad, modernist perspective of humanism, and his approach will appeal to humanists across the spectrum of experience. In his newly-created role as UUHA Chaplain, Christian will be responsible for programming to support the personal growth of humanists, and for coordinating resources for humanist chaplains and ministers.

UUHA LIAISON: JOHN HOOPER

• TERM: 2 Years (July 2020 - June 2022)
• ABOUT JOHN: A former president of the UUHA, John Hooper is well-known and well-respected across the humanist community. In his newly-created role as UUHA Liaison, John will engage with humanist organizations and the UUA, working with the UUHA Board and Executive Team to develop partnerships and help the UUHA increase its profile.

Dear UUHA Members,

Each year the Unitarian Universalist Humanist Association Board hosts the UUHA Annual Meeting. This is a vital opportunity for members to meet directly with UUHA leadership. Items on the Annual meeting agenda include, but are not limited to, elections for open UUHA Board positions, announcement of our UUHA Person of the Year, and a chance to brief members on programming and general updates.

Usually this meeting is held concurrently with the UUA's own annual meeting, General Assembly, held each June. As you might have heard, GA is no longer going to take place in Providence this year due to concerns about the COVID-19 pandemic, and will instead be an all-virtual event. With no physical space to hold our meeting, UUHA has decided to do follow suit.

The UUHA Annual Meeting will be held a next month (after GA) via the Zoom Video Conference Application. Members will be able to log in or call in from the comfort of their home and attend the meeting fully online. Specific details about the meeting -- Log-in/Call-in information, agenda items, election ballots, possible Zoom training opportunities -- will be provided in advance of the meeting; likely sometime after General Assembly.

But for now, you can mark your calendars with some important general information:

• What: The UUHA Annual Meeting
• When: Saturday, July 11, 2020 -- 4:00pm Eastern Time (3:00pm Central)
• Where: Zoom Meeting (general information here)
• Who: Intended for all members of the UUHA, but non-members interested in Humanism in a UU tradition are welcome to attend!

Again, stay tuned for more information. We will announce further details on the meeting here, on Facebook, on Twitter, and through our Email Newsletter (you can sign up at the right of our homepage).   

We are sorry we will not be able to see you this year at GA. But we are also hopeful an all-virtual meeting will result in a more accessible meeting for all UUHA members, especially for those who do not make it each year to our meetings at GA. 

We hope to see you on Zoom next month! In the mean time, watch this space for more updates, and be safe.

The Board of the Unitarian Universalist Humanist Association Read more about Save the Date: UUHA Annual Meeting »