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Office of International Resources

The Office of International Resources seeks to support congregations as they respond to the call of the Unitarian Universalist Association's (UUA) Sixth Principle: "to affirm and promote the goal of world community with peace, liberty and justice for all." The International Office does this by providing resources to congregations, and by maintaining linkages with and between Unitarian Universalist (UU) organizations involved in international work.

UU congregations are engaged internationally through:

Spiritual Support
Congregations provide spiritual support by including people around the world in their spiritual practices. During worship, in meditation, through prayer, singing, preaching, and in many other ways, UU congregations can extend themselves, spiritually, to brothers and sisters around the world. Among other resources, the International Council of Unitarians and Universalists provides a monthly "Global Chalice Lighting Reading" for congregational use.
Education
Learning about the lives and experiences of people around the world, developing understanding of complex global issues, and studying methods of effective international engagement are a few of the ways that we can provide educational opportunities. This is an essential piece of our international engagement.
- Providing educational opportunities about world religions to children, youth and adults;
- Local work with immigrant populations including resettlement help and English-as-a-second-language classes;
Justice-making and Advocacy
When an international injustice has been identified, and a congregation exerts its power to bring it to an end, it is engaging in Justice-making and Advocacy. Often this is done successful in secular or interfaith coalitions. Sometimes it involves participating with an organization that has already developed an action plan. Examples can range from participating in lobby days and letter writing campaigns to providing labor for home construction ala Habitat for Humanity.
- Relationships with UU international agencies including the Unitarian Universalist Service Committee, the UU United Nations Office, the UU Global AIDS Coalition, and the Holdeen India Program;
- Relationships with Interfaith service agencies including Heifer International, Habitat for Humanity International, Save Darfur, and others;
Partnership
There are many types of international partnerships, but Faith Without Borders uses it in the specific sense of a church-to-church partnership modeled upon the UU Partner Church Council—or similar—methodology.
- Church-to-Church Partnerships through the UU Partner Church Council;
Faithful Stewardship
This category includes all of the financial support that a congregation provides to international engagement. This can include support for an international organization, an international program, or for the entirely of a congregation’s international engagement (what used to be called “Missions”).
- Relationships with community service providers including hospitals, schools and orphanages
- Providing financial assistance following disasters around the world;
Pilgrimage and Witness
This includes all varieties of sacred travel from the United States to visit a partner church, organization, or justice project in another country.
Associational Leadership
Congregations that have developed leaders who share the blessings of commitment to international engagement with U/U institutions and other congregations are engaging in the denominational project area.

Please be in touch with the International Resources Office regarding your congregation's international projects.