In this episode, we explore the value of authentic connection within and beyond traditional UU communities by showcasing 3 affinity groups and a path to ministry that lay outside the congregational expression, followed by a conversation about covenant and the challenges of togetherness.

Our guests include:

• Janet Pivnick, Minister in Training

• Anonymous leaders of QUUeer Connecting

• Claire Heistek, with Le Rassemblement unitarien universaliste d'Ottawa

• catharine strickland, UUs of the Salish Sea

• Liz James from Mirth and Dignity

• Z Brimacombe from Loving Justice group

• Camellia Jahanshahi, Rising Together host

• Reverends Anne Barker and Linda Thomson, CUC's Congregational Life Team

  
  

  Questions for further discussion:
  

  1. What feelings and questions arise in you when you consider affinity groups within UUism?

  2. How could the notion of safe spaces and dynamic spaces play a role in your UU community?

  3. How could you facilitate healthy fluidity between affinity groups and the larger collective?

  4. In what ways does your UU community pave the way for authentic connection? Where is there a growing edge?

  5. How do you know when it is ethical to ask others to change to suit your needs/desires and when it is not?

  6. In the context of inclusion within various UU Expressions, when is compromise a positive, negative, or neutral thing?

  7. Within your UU community, how could you actively build trust to ensure that people will embrace the storming phase of group development when it starts?

  8. What role is covenant playing in your UU community and how could it be strengthened?

  9. How could the concept of roles and intentional friction be used to assist your UU community in co-creating whatever comes next? (think saw metaphor)

     Notes and Research Links

     • Heartwood House - The organization the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Ottawa have a partnership with.

     • Flaming Chalice International - Rev Mwibutsa (Fulgence) Ndagijima's international ministry.

     • The 8th Principle Process - Forums dedicated to help the national UU community navigate their feelings toward adding the 8th Principle to the previous seven: Individual and communal action that accountably dismantles racism and systemic barriers to full inclusion in ourselves and our institutions.

     • Our Covenant by Alice Blair Wesley

     • The Responsibility Covenant - Tool created by the CUC to help create space for those with less relative power to be able to share without facing as much resistance from those with more relative power.

     • Rising Together- Online affinity group for UU's of Colour

     • Unitarian Universalists of the Salish Sea- The new UU community that is centring youth and young adults in their UU expression.

     Note 1: After recording was complete the facilitators of QUUeer connecting informed us that they are taking a leave as they navigate a busy time of their life. If people are interested in connecting, or helping to keep the group going, they can send an email to UU connecting.