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OCTOBER 2016 NEWSLETTER

Navigating Whiteness
by Meck Groot

The Movement for Black Lives has woken many up to the reality that systemic racism did not end with Civil Rights. For a long time, the path considered in dominant groups as acceptable has been "color-blindness" and "color-muteness." As Toni Morrison notes, "the habit of ignoring race is understood to be a graceful, even generous, liberal gesture." Yet, this time of awakening has many of us longing for honest conversation and meaningful action that address the horrors of racism.

Blanket of Snow
"Whiteness" in the United States is the set of assumptions, norms, standards, attitudes, laws, definitions, stories, histories, beliefs and behaviors that keep racism in place. It is the conscious and unconscious agreements made by people of European descent to participate in a system that gives them benefits and immunities that people of color cannot count on. This reality is held in place with an elaborate system rewards and punishments.

Everyone in the United States navigates this system, whether we are people of color or white and whether we notice it or not. How we navigate it is different depending on where we are pinned to the color line. For people of color, awareness of how the system works and what they must do to navigate it can literally mean the difference between life and death.  White people learn early that resisting whiteness results in silencing and social ostracism - forms of punishment that feel threatening to our wellbeing. At the same time, there are many benefits and immunities for white people willing to accept the status quo. The temptation to participate in the system is so compelling we create elaborate stories about how and why we deserve the rewards of a racist system and how people of color do not.

Flaming Chalice
All of this impacts congregations in historically-white religious traditions, particularly if they are committed to racial justice and multicultural ministry. Just talking about whiteness typically brings up so much anxiety, shame, guilt, and other feelings of discomfort in white people, the conversation tends to get shut down. One of the first steps to addressing racial injustice therefore is to break the taboo against making whiteness evident and to "get comfortable" talking about "white space," "white fragility," "white supremacy culture," and "white privilege." A willingness to talk about these in racially-mixed or all-white groups is an indicator of a congregation's commitment to racially-just multicultural ministry.

Other indicators of this commitment include:

  • the presence in a congregation of a group of people dedicated to inspiring, supporting and equipping the congregation to engage in racially-just multicultural ministries. Whatever they are called -- Transformation Team, Diversity Committee, Multicultural Ministries Task Force -- at their best, these groups consider both the political and the spiritual challenges of this ministry and work in covenantal partnership with congregational staff, elected leadership and volunteers.
  • programs that give congregants opportunities to explore issues of race, racism and racial justice through religious education, small group ministry, book discussions, guest speakers, social action, etc.
  • cultural expressions through artwork, books, music, language, worship and leadership style that reflect non-dominant ancestral heritages. Would people who do not identify as white, easily recognize that this space is or could be theirs also?
  • congregational demographics may or may not demonstrate commitment. Given a history of segregation across the country, every congregation finds itself in communities that are more or less white. We cannot assume the same demographics in rural New Hampshire as in suburban Massachusetts or downtown Worcester. Thus, the racial makeup of the congregation and the networks its members are part of may or may not reflect its commitment.
  • partnerships with groups led by and serving communities of color. Many UU congregations have or seek relationships and connections with religious, political, social and cultural groups that represent a culture different from their own.
  • intercultural competence: the ability to know when cultural difference matters and when it does not. Overlooking meaningful differences and assuming "we're all the same" can create an unwelcoming environment for people outside of the dominant group. At the same time, behaving as if every difference matters can do the same thing. Knowing when a difference matters is a skill and congregations committed to racially-just multicultural ministries support honing that skill.

On Saturday, November 12 in Weston, MA, the New England Region will offer "Navigating Whiteness," an opportunity to gather with folks from other congregations to explore through worship, story, and reflection ways we can navigate whiteness within Unitarian Universalism for the purpose of liberation and transformation. We hope you can join us then.
RESOURCES
RESOURCES FOR NAVIGATING WHITENESS

Multicultural Welcome: A Resource for Greeters - This 15 page guide from the UUA's Multicultural Growth Office offers a wealth of resources for growing your congregation's capacity for welcome and inclusion. It includes theological grounding for the work, definitions, tips and techniques, ideas for making behavior change in your congregation, and much more.
Jay Smooth, TedX Talk

How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love Discussing Race - In this entertaining and thoughtful TEDx Talk, Jay Smooth, helps us consider how to move away from a "tonsils" approach to thinking and talking about racism to a "dental hygiene" approach.


Verna Myers
How to overcome our biases? Walk boldly toward them - A TEDx Talk with Vernā Myers. "We can stop these types of incidents...these Fergusons...from happening by looking within and being willing to change ourselves." Invites us to do three things to stop these things from happening.

WORKSHOPS & WEBINARS
Learning together is inspiring, faithful, and fun. We offer excellent in-person and online workshops to address key areas of congregational life. Below are the events currently open for registration. Find out how your church can get one FREE registration to a workshop this year. Check our event roster for a complete schedule for the 2016-2017 church year.

Karen Bellavance-Grace
Cracking the Leadership Crisis:
Re-Imagining Congregational Leadership

PRESENTER: Karen Bellavance-Grace,

Saturday, October 22, 10am-3pm in Lexington, MA
Thursday, November 10, 7pm-8:30pm Webinar

Re-Imagining Congregational Leadership for Board and Committee members, Ministers and Religious Educators, Nominating and Leadership Development Committees. Attending in teams of three or more is recommended to root the learning and take it back to your congregation.
Hilary Allen

Living into Right Relations

Saturday, October 22, 9am-1pm in Barnstable, MA

PRESENTERS: Hilary Allen and Meck Groot 

In this workshop, we will explore the invitation of right relations, and how it allows us to stay connected, or reconnect, for increased potential for 
Meck Groot
personal and congregational wellbeing. 

Designed for religious professionals, lay leaders and members at large to come in congregational teams.
Rev. Jason Shelton
What We Sing Is Who We Are:
Congregational Singing Workshop

Saturday, October 29, 10am-4:30pm in Concord, MA

PRESENTER: Rev. Jason Shelton, Associate Minister for Music at the First Unitarian Universalist Church in Nashville, Tennessee (listen to hymns)

Congregations that sing with vitality are congregations that know who and why they are. Revitalizing congregational singing is one of the best growth strategies available, and it's easier to do than you might think!

This workshop is for anyone who believes in the future of Unitarian Universalism, but will be especially appreciated by music directors, choir members, clergy, and anyone else who loves to sing. No experience necessary!
Rev. Mary Katherine Morn
Generosity & Stewardship:
Going to the Heart of It

PRESENTERS: Rev. Mary Katherine Morn, UUA Director of Stewardship and Development and Special Advisor to the President, and Joe Sullivan, New England Region UUA 

Saturday, November 5, 10am-3pm in Manchester, NH
Wednesday, November 16 7-8:30pm Webinar
Joe Sullivan

That time of year has come again - time to prepare for the annual budget and pledge drive. Even if last year's drive was successful; you feel the familiar weight of inertia and dread...

This is a workshop for clergy, governing board members, and stewardship leaders to explore the soulful core of generosity and stewardship and their roles as leaders in setting the tone for the congregation. We will give shape to practices of stewardship in service of mission and ministry that push past mythologies of our own making about giving. Ideally, for teams of five including the minister and representatives from the governing board and stewardship ministry team. Please register your team early as there will be a preparatory assignment.
RE Start! for Religious Education Teams
Renew, Re-Evaluate, Re-Energize Your RE Program

2 OPPORTUNITIES TO ATTEND:
Saturday, November 5, 10am-2:30pm Boston & Online
Saturday, December 3, 10am-2:30pm in Peace Dale, RI

PRESENTERS: Kim Sweeney, Karen Bellavance-Grace

Karen Bellavance-Grace
Designed especially for teams which include the DRE, Minister, RE committee, and other key stakeholders to the RE program.
Whether you are a DRE who is new to the field, new to a congregation, or just looking at new and creative ways to respond to the faith formation needs of your congregation, this workshop will help. Participants will also learn how they can connect intentionally to colleagues in sibling congregations throughout the year.
 
Growing Racial and Cultural Equity
Navigating Whiteness

Saturday, November 12, 9am-1pm in Weston, MA

PRESENTERS: The Growing Racial and Cultural Equity Team (G.R.A.C.E.) is committed to building a learning community among congregations working to grow their capacity to create and engage in multicultural, anti-racist ministries.

In the United States, everyone must navigate whiteness - whether they realize they are doing that or not. At this year's G.R.A.C.E. Summit, we will hear stories from Unitarian Universalists of various racial identities about their experience of navigating whiteness within and beyond their congregations. Our story tellers will share how they notice whiteness, name it, are impacted by it, resist it, transform it. Grounded in worship and story, participants will then engage in small group reflection to consider how they, too, navigate whiteness - finding their own stories. Together, we will identify ways each of us can work within, across and beyond congregations for collective liberation. People of all racial identities are welcome and invited to participate.
Karen Bellavance-Grace
This is Our Church: 
Being/Becoming a Lay Led Congregation

2 OPPORTUNITIES TO ATTEND:
Saturday, November 19, 10am-3pm in Leominster, MA
Wednesday, November 30, 7-8:30pm Online

PRESENTER: Karen Bellavance-Grace

For lay leaders in congregations with no minister or with a minister that has gone from full-time to part-time. Ideally, three or more lay and professional leaders will attend together as a team. Come to this workshop to explore how to be more healthy, more relevant, and more invested in the joyful ownership of your Spirit's home. In the company of lay leaders with similar experiences, we will talk about:
  • Discernment: how do we decide what is ours to do - and, crucially, what is not
  • Healthy communication, governance, and infrastructure that creates on-ramps for new leaders 
  • Preventing burnout, or How Not To Be The One Person Who Does All The Things
  • The stewardship challenge - assessing your gifts, sharing the wealth, creating a culture of giving
Rev. Karen McArthur
Financial Management for Your Congregation

Tuesday, December 6, 7-8:30pm Webinar

PRESENTER: Rev. Karen McArthur

A Webinar for Treasurers, Trustees, Finance teams, Governing Board members and Ministers

Congregations rely on the time and skill of volunteers to manage church finances. These lay leaders therefore have responsibility for everything from bookkeeping and payroll to financial reporting and tracking restricted gifts. Leaders are expected to meet accounting and legal standards and be able to answer a range of congregants' questions. They also have to sort out who does what: the treasurer, the bookkeeper, the administrator, the payroll service, the finance team, etc. If you are among those volunteers in your congregation with questions about how best to handle these responsibilities, consider joining this webinar with Rev. Karen McArthur of Congregational Finance LLC. 
Our Whole Lives
Our Whole Lives Facilitator Training, Grade Levels 7-9 and 10-12

Our Whole Lives (OWL) Facilitator Trainings are intended to equip individuals to lead OWL programs in their community. OWL Facilitators are required to be 25 years of age or older to teach in Unitarian Universalist congregational settings. 

TRAINING LOCATION: The Walker Center for Ecumenical Exchange at 171 Grove Street, Auburndale, MA 02466
Regional Assembly Featured Guests

New England Regional Assembly - Awaken!
April 21-22, 2017 in Woburn, MA

Gather this spring in Woburn, Massachusetts with Unitarian Universalists across New England to celebrate our faith. Come for inspired worship, engaged learning, community singing, UUA Presidential Candidates Forum, regional workshops, fellowship and fun. Awaken your spirit!


New England Region UUA Staff

For those new to our email list, we welcome you especially to our regional communications. You'll receive a monthly regional newsletter, weekly invitations to workshops, announcements, useful tools and resources for congregational leaders. If you know of others who would like to subscribe, please forward this message to them. To all, we look forward to seeing you in your churches, at workshops, online, wherever else our paths may cross, and however we may be of service to you!
 
In faith, Your New England Regional Staff Team
New England Region UUA | (617) 948-6415 |  newengland@uua.org | uua.org/new-england
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