What will the funds raised for Association Sunday support?
Association Sunday 2008
The success of the first Association Sunday, raising $1.4 million from 623 congregations shows what can be possible when we come together to support our common goals.
Our second Association Sunday scheduled for October 12, 2008 will raise funds to support projects focused on deepening our Shared Ministry. The theme is Growing Our Spirit. The following specific initiatives were chosen based on a survey of Unitarian Universalist leaders—to which over 1,828 responded—whose 1st and 2nd priorities are represented in this plan.
“My hope is that Association Sunday will become a regular part of every congregation’s church year.”
—President Bill Sinkford
50% of the funds raised for Association Sunday 2008 will support Lay Theological Education programs:
- Congregations, districts, and seminaries will 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.
- Grants will be for a maximum of $100,000 each.
- 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.
- Specific Details:
50% of the funds raised for Association Sunday 2008 will be divided equally among the following Excellence in Ministry programs:
- The Unitarian Universalist Minister’s Association new
initiatives for continuing education programs for ordained leaders through their
CENTER programs.
- Scholarships for promising students preparing for our
ministry.
- Specific Details:
- Students in candidate status are eligible to apply for a
scholarship.
Scholarships will be in the amount of $20,000 each (as many as funds make available). - Funds will be 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 will be informed by a
Three subsequent Association Sundays (one per year) will be devoted to the following themes: growth in diversity, growth in witness and growth in leadership.
For more information contact associationsunday @ uua.org.
Last updated on Wednesday, December 3, 2008.
