An Invitation to Creating Covenanting Groups

January 2025

Dear Friends,

As the new year begins, we are reminded of the profound beauty and strength found in the diversity of our communities. At the heart of our Unitarian Universalist faith is the call to embrace pluralism—not just as an ideal, but as a lived practice.

This month, we are excited to share the Celebrating Diversity: Bringing Our Wholeness social media series. Each day, this series uplifts the sacred beauty of diverse theologies, family structures, cultural identities, and life experiences. I invite congregations to share these posts widely as a way to affirm our shared commitment to inclusivity and to spark meaningful conversations about what it means to bring our whole selves into community.

Covenant Groups have always been a vital expression of our faith, offering spaces for deep connection, reflection, and spiritual growth. These groups allow us to practice pluralism on a personal level—listening deeply, sharing authentically, and building trust across differences. This January, I invite you to consider joining an existing Covenant Group or forming a new one. Whether your group focuses on spirituality, identity, justice, caregiving, or another shared passion, these circles create the bonds that sustain us.

I am also thrilled to introduce new programs designed to support Covenant Groups in the year ahead. These include:

• Finding Your Passion: A Constructive Theology & Creative Expression workshop series will begin on Saturday, February 1st. This series is designed to assist you in exploring your passion for Liberative Justice. During our times together, we will work through what it means to be Justice Advocate rooted in your personal history and experience. Sessions will be creatively tailored to the needs of the participants. There are always new stories to be told. This series will be hosted online with local discussion cohorts. If you would like a cohort of your own, please let us know. Please Register.
• Leadership Development Workshops: Join us beginning Monday, February 17th for an opportunity to learn from experts, share experiences, and collaborate with peers from other congregations. Whether you are a congregational leader, staff member, or volunteer, these meetings offer invaluable resources to strengthen your ministry and align your practices with UU principles.
• Mind, Body & Spirit: Join us on Monday evenings to discuss stresses of daily life, eating options, struggles with exercise, and support each other in mind, body, and spirit.

In this moment, when many feel the strain of division, I hope that we are reminded that we are never alone. Together, we embody the power of pluralism, creating spaces where every voice matters and every story is honored.

Let us make 2025 a year of connection, courage, and collective action as we live out our shared faith.

With gratitude and hope,

Susan
Susan Ermisch
Covenant Group Coordinator
Bridges: A Unitarian Universalist Network

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