Association Sunday 2008: Growing Our Spirit
Thank you for helping to Grow Our Spirit through Association Sunday 2008!
The success of the first Association Sunday, raising $1.4 million from 626 congregations, shows what can be possible when we come together to affirm our common bonds.
Despite serious economic challenges, over 500 congregations chose to join together in celebrating our second Association Sunday in the fall of 2008. As of July 17, 2009, through the profound generosity and commitment to our faith of all of those who participated, we have raised over $406,000 for the following initiatives which will help to Grow Our Spirit:
50% of the funds raised for Association Sunday 2008 are supporting Lay Theological Education programs:
- Congregations, districts, and seminaries now have the opportunity to apply for grants to create programs which focus on spiritual and theological deepening.
Specific Details:- Preference will be given to programs which have a strong lay theological education component, that have built on an idea that has a proven track record of success, and that involve more than one UU congregation or entity.
- Programs should be designed such that they can be replicated in other congregations; recipients of the grants will be asked to create resources and a case study that could be shared with others. The purpose of the grants is to support the creation of materials, rather than to provide for new staff positions.
- Grants will begin to be available in the spring of 2009. Rev. Harlan Limpert, Director of District Services for the UUA, will convene a team in collaboration with the UUMA, LREDA, the UU Funding Panel, and lay leaders to determine the application process and criteria.
- Grants will be for a maximum of $100,000 each.
Read more about the application process.
50% of the funds raised for Association Sunday 2008 have been divided equally among the following Excellence in Ministry programs:
- The Unitarian Universalist Minister’s Association new initiatives for continuing education. The UUMA Executive Committee has voted to direct their portion of the funds toward the hiring of an Executive Director, who will have as a central part of their responsibility the developing of new initiatives for continuing education.
- Scholarships for promising students preparing for our ministry.
Specific Details:- Students in candidate status were eligible to apply for a scholarship.
- Scholarships were in the amount of $20,000 each (as many as funds made available).
- Funds were distributed in June of 2009 through the Ministerial and Professional Leadership Committee on Scholarships, which will include a UUMA representative.
- The application process and criteria were informed by a Summit on Excellence in Ministry, in December 2008.
- The Diversity of Ministry Team’s Initiative to support our ministers of color.
“My hope is that Association Sunday will become a regular part of every congregation’s church year.”
—Former UUA President Bill Sinkford
UPDATE: Print and share a brief report (PDF) on how the money raised by the first two Association Sunday celebrations is helping to Grow Our Faith.
Last updated on Thursday, July 23, 2009.
