Online Connections by and for Disabled UUs This Week (June 9-14):
This week, EqUUal Access adopts the theme, “Ready”
This week we take up the final part of this year’s General Assembly theme: Ready. What does it mean to be ready, when life and society are unpredictable? In what ways are we ready to be part of the transformations happening in our faith communities?
Online Connections by and for Disabled UUs
NEW: Tuesday 6/9 @ 1:00 PM Eastern:
Pastoral Conversation
Small group and one-to-one conversation with a UU minister. With Rev. Helen McFadyen and Rev. Barbara Meyers (see Note for more information)
Join using Zoom:
https://tinyurl.com/ybretotq
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Tuesday 6/9 @ 3:00 PM Eastern:
Weekly Theme Chat: Ready
Drop in to the EqUUal Access virtual space to connect and chat. With facilitator, Rev. Suzanne Fast
Join using Zoom:
https://tinyurl.com/y7qk3caz
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Thursday 6/11 @ 8:00 PM Eastern: OASIS- a spiritual gathering for disabled UUs
A spiritual gathering space for disabled Unitarian Universalists. EqUUal Access worship team: Revs. Suzanne Fast, Barbara Meyers
Join using Zoom: https://tinyurl.com/y7xanjar
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Friday 6/12 @ 1:00 PM Eastern: Craft & Chat
Bring a project you’re working on and we’ll chat about this week’s theme. With facilitator, Suzanne Fast
Join using Zoom: https://tinyurl.com/yanfgj67
Notes
1) NOW AVAILABLE — EA Pastoral Conversation
Tuesdays at 1 pm Eastern, 10 am Pacific.
These are challenging, often difficult times. Stress, anxiety, worry, fear, difficulty sleeping or eating, and emotions that can overwhelm, these are what many people, including UUs with disabilities, are experiencing in response to immensely hard new realities.
EqUUal Access is piloting a trial online outreach effort for our community folx to access supportive, pastoral conversation with a UU minister. We are going to attempt to make two options available for pastoral conversation; one is going to be a small group (up to 5 individuals) with a UU minister, and the other, one-to-one conversation with a UU minister.
These two different ways of having supportive conversation will hopefully create safe space for individuals who seek an empathetic listener to what’s happening around and to them. Using Zoom’s ‘break out room’ feature, we’ll use two private “pastoral pods” (the small group and meeting one-to-one). This will contain the conversation to those pods, though anonymity will not be possible.
Note: Only those participants who arrive in the Zoom ‘waiting room’ by the start time will be ‘admitted’ to the larger zoom room to enter one of the pastoral conversation options.
Rev. Helen and Rev. Barbara (week one pastors) will welcome all in the zoom room and ask which “pastoral pod” (break out room) each person prefers (one-to-one or group). Up to five individuals may join one of the ministers for a 45 minute talking circle which will begin with forming a simple group covenant for the duration of the sharing time. And, up to three other individuals may opt to have one-to-one conversation (each of 20 minutes duration) with the other minister (some waiting involved for the second and third individuals — so make tea, read, sing….).
Letter from Rev. Suzanne Fast
Dear Ones,There’s so much happening in our EqUUal Access community and in Unitarian Universalism now!
*Next week only, June 18th, instead of our Thursday night Oasis spiritual gathering, we will invite non-disabled folx to join us in our Thursday evening space for our annual EqUUal Access Celebration! In addition to our Q&A with disability activist Judy Heumann, we will celebrate our sermon contest winner, Elizabeth Foster, and the Unitarian Society of Hartford as an AIM certified congregation. There will be a special email invitation with connection details for the Celebration coming soon.
*Our weekly theme activities by and for disabled UUs, including Oasis, will continue during General Assembly, facilitated by Rev. Helen McFadyen.
*EA Pastoral Conversations continue this week with Rev. Helen and Rev. Barbara. See the Note below for a description.
*We will caucus during GA to talk about issues before the Assembly. As an example, the final report of the Commission on Institutional Change has just been released, with exciting implications for our community. And issues will arise during the Assembly. Details about caucusing will be available soon.
In these times of rapid changes, in our UU universe and in the wider world, I hope that you are finding ways to refresh your spirit and to nurture connections.
When we create disabled space together, we make space for sharing our cares, cultivating our inner resources, and creating community. The Facebook Group is findable by searching: Connection Space for and by Disabled UUs.
Wishing you well in these challenging times, and hoping to connect with you soon.
Regards,
Suzanne
Rev. Suzanne Fast
Community Minister |
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