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USSS Awarded Grants

Projects We Have Funded.

Search by Year

2019 and 2020

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May 2019

Chalice Camp III, UU Faith & Climate Justice; Starr King School for the Ministry

Pride of Place: Affirming an African American Unitarian Universalist Identity; Rev. Dr. Natalie Fenimore

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2019
2018

2018 and 2017

 

November 2018

The UU Wellspring Experience for Youth; UU Wellspring

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May 2018

Open Our Hearts- Stories to Grow By; Alycia Davis and The UU Church of Barnstable

UU Curriculum for Racial Justice for Children (Preschool – Grade 5); Leia Durland-Jones, Thomas Jefferson Memorial UU Church

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November 2017

Unitarian Universalist Polity Day; Gregory C. Carrow-Boyd

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May 2017

In Liminal Time:  Exploring Interim Religious Education in Unitarian Universalist Congregations; Guild of Interim Religious Educators

2016

2016 and 2015

 

November 2016

Side Street Leadership: Leadership Circle and Accompanying Workbook for Cross-Cultural Teens; Anne Principe.

Field Test OWL-Out Workshop; Nan Kleiber First Unitarian Church of Honolulu.

Unitarian Universalist Communities and Homeschoolers; Teresa Honey-Youngblood

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May 2016

Video Recording of LREDA Thrive 2016 Fall Conference:  “Money, Death, and Sex- Bringing the Spiritual Dimension to Tough Topics.”

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February 2016

Urban Social Justice Journeys; UU Urban Ministries

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Sept 2015

To Touch Inward Springs: Teaching and Learning for Faith Development-  Betty Jo Middleton  –available on Amazon, iUniverse, bn.com.

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May 2015

Living the Principles; Westminster Unitarian Church

Coming of Age Enrichment Program Pilot; Murray Grove Retreat Center

2014

2014 and 2013

 

November 2014

Teaching and Learning About Freedom School; Annie Scott

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May 2014

Roots & Wings: Parenting in the Millenium (Part 2 The “Tween” and Teen Years); Linda Scacco, Ph.D., The Universalist Church of West Hartford, CT.

Religious Education Sunday -Curriculum Incubator to Design and Launch; Fahs Collaborative at Meadville Lombard Theological School

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February 2014

Spiritual Activist Leadership Training (SALT); UU Mass Action–Tom Bozeman

The Energy of Action: Minimum Wage (working title); Boston Mobilization– Elizabeth Nguyen

 

May 2013

Revel in the Darkness- A Celebration of the Return of Light Six week winter holiday curriculum that culminates in a children/youth worship. Louise Marcoux- Unitarian Church of Sharon, MA

2011

2011 - 2012

 

Pre-Curriculum Materials Development-  Center for Ethical Living and Social Justice Renewal, New Orleans, LA This pre-journey curriculum will be for volunteers to participate in prior to outreach work in New Orleans. Link HERE and HERE to materials

http://celsjr2.banksconsulting.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/Reflection-Questions.pdf

http://celsjr2.banksconsulting.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/Reflection-Questions.pdf

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To Touch Inward Springs: Teaching and Learning for Faith Development-  Betty Jo Middleton  –available on Amazon, iUniverse, bn.com  andsoon, the UUA Bookstore.

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Roots and Wings- Parenting in the Millennium- Part I Linda Sacco . Universalist Church of West Hartford .   Completed curriculum available HERE

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Worship Weaving ~ by Mandy Neff, Cambridge, MA A 12 week program for middle school that explores worship : components,  creating, leading. Link to program HERE

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Class Conscious Curriculum –  How to talk about social class issues. Suzanne Zilber. UU Fellowship of Ames November 2012  www.uufames.org. , szilber@catalystcounseling.com

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The Selma Awakening: How the Civil Rights Movement Tested and Changed Unitarian Universalism; Mark Morrison-Reed   – has recently won the “UU History and Heritage prize for the best original RE Curriculum”!!   available at UUA Bookstore  http://www.uua.org/documents/skinner/selma_companion.pdf

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Earth Circles – by Maureen Oates, First Parish in Bedford, MA.  A 6-part environmental justice curriculum in the context of the UU Principles. Earth Circles supports children in gaining understanding of and caring for our natural world, in accordance with our Seventh Principle. Earth Circles can be downloaded for free in the Religious Education dropdown menu at  www.uubedford.org. You can also access the curriculum directly at: bit.ly/2mgb64R_EARTH_CIRCLES

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CERG- On- Demand Webinars. Rev. Renee Ruchotzke  . Webinars HERE

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Growing Up Absorbed  – Religious Education among the Unitarian Universalists.  Author: Richard S. Gilbert – Available at the UUMEtroNY  Library : , and  available for purchase at  UUABookstore iUniverse

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In the Middle of a Journey–   Readings in Unitarian Universalist Faith Development- author: Richard S.  Gilbert- available at the UUMetroNY Library:.  And for purchase:  at UUA Bookstore,  iUniverse

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Little Books About Big Stuff: About God. Betsy Williams. Church of the Larger Fellowship http://www.uuandmepublishing.com/uuandmepublishing.com/Welcome.html

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Little Books about Big Stuff- Book 3-  Church of the Larger Fellowship, Boston, MA The third book in a series- topic: Right and Wrong. Available for purchase: uu&me Publishing

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Dancing Our Faith- DVD- UU Worship Through Liturgical Dance Sunsue Fleming. First Parish Duxbury, MA  more info HERE

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Explorer’s Club- April Adventure UU Urban Ministries, Roxbury, MA – Greg Friedman  More info 

2010

2010 and 2009

 

From the High Hill: A long view of our lives submitted by Rev. Anne Odin Heller Funds requested for writing a work book to accompany already published From the High Hill book. uua.org/Fre/tapestry/adults/hill/highhill.doc Amount Granted: $1,500

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Distribution costs for Souls of Our Students Submitted by Kathleen Carpenter To create 15 DVDs for $30 each, making more affordable for purchase (originally $100 each). meckmin.org/souls-of-our-students Amount Granted: $950

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Religious Exploration as a Spiritual Practice- Year 1- Submitted by Judy L. Adourian, Westminster Unitarian Church Multi-themed curriculum (63 lessons) addresses spiritual growth for both students and teachers. available by conatcting author at:  JAWriteyes@aol.com Amount Granted: $3,000

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SUUmmer Magic & Fun: A Guide for Creating a Summer Program based on J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter book Submitted by Jessica Zebrine Gray www.imaginedcollective.org/curricula.html Amount Granted: $3,000

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Oral History Curriculum Submitted by Lena Richardson, Berkeley Fellowship of Unitarian Universalists An intergenerational oral history and story circle program for UU congregations training, curriculum guide and introductory video will provide a step-by-step guide to initiating, piloting and completing an oral history project and story circle program at a UU congregation. The grant covers the cost of the director’s work in creating curriculum and editing audio clips and paying a videographer to shoot footage. storiesbetweenus.comAmount Granted: $3,000

 

Tao Te Ching Curriculum Submitted by Cindi Brown, First UU Church of Nashville Create a permanent resource for the study of the Tao Te Ching as a means of understanding and deepening UU faith. The resource would take the form of a 3 session adult religious education curriculum. www.eternallycompelling.org Amount Granted: $2,635

2009

2009 and 2008

 

Growing Green curriculum Submitted by Abigail Westwood, Unitarian Universalist Church of Pittsfield The goal of this project is to create a living curriculum that empowers students to follow the path of their food from the seeds they plant to the meals they prepare to the waste and recycling left over to new soils and plants. Amount Granted: $2,500

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Theme Talk Recording for Star Island Lifespan Religious Education Conference 2009 Submitted by Laura Beth Brown, Dean of RE Conference The theme is “Seeds for Growing a Spirited Life.” In six session recordings, the theme speaker, the Rev. Meg Barnhouse, will help participants explore a spirited life: what does one look like, and how do we know if we are growing one for ourselves and those who are in relationship with us? Meg will also include her music compositions throughout these talks. www.starreweek.com/resources/2009.asp Amount Granted: $3,000

 

The Last Lecture: A Discussion Guide for Coming of Age Mentors and Youth Submitted by Sara Sautter Propose to create a discussion outline for 61 stories and sensitive subjects for youth and mentors from the book, “The Last Lecture”. Amount Granted: $2,500

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Revise “Perspectives on Disability” (an 8 session/adult curriculum) written in 2003-2004 Submitted by Rev Laurie Thomas Expands the established curriculum so that it appeals to wider spectrum of faith communities. perspectivesondisability.com Amount Granted: $3,000

 

DVD of the LREDA Fall Conference 2008 on Building Multigenerational Faith Communities Submitted by Cathy Seggel and Jesse Jaeger The goal would be to give religious educators and others a tool to make change in the congregations and to make information accessible to those who cannot afford to come to the fall conference. http://www2.uua.org/clf/ItemShow.asp?Cat=211Amount Granted: $3,000

2008

2008 and 2007

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Challenging Faiths Submitted by Allison Gammons, West Hills UU Fellowship, Portland, OR. This is a youth-geared 30, one-hour long session which encourages youth leadership and examines both Western and Eastern faiths. This overview of religion (relations between and mutual influences that have shaped many faiths, and historical events that have had influence over the roots of belief) is used to frame the development and questioning of the participants beliefs while equipping them with an understanding of a few of the varied ways faith and belief take root in the world. Amount Granted: $1,300

 

Keepers of the Earth Supplement Submitted by Dawn Star Borchelt, CRE; Davies Memorial Unitarian Universalist Church, MD. This supplement supports UU religious educators to make use of Keepers of the Earth: Native American Stories and Environmental Activities for Children (Michael J. Caduto and Joseph Bruchac) in a summer or regular RE class setting. The supplement is UU seventh principle-based, uses a multi-sensory approach with an anti-oppressive lens. www.dmuuc.org/curriculum/keepers-of-the-earth.htmlAmount Granted: $1,120

 

Digital Archive of out-of-print curricula Submitted by Jamie Gross, First Unitarian Church of Alton, Alton, IL This project will collect and digitally store out-of-print UU curricula to be used as a virtual lending library to congregations and organizations, both, to preserve a portion of the history of UU religious education materials, and to make available historical reference material. This project will be available on line through the First Unitarian Church of Alton. Amount Granted: $3,000

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LREDA Multigenerational Faith Community DVD Project Submitted by Cathy Seggel and Jesse Jaeger, LREDA Board This DVD will record Building A Multigenerational Faith: Creating Wholeness in our Congregations, presentations from the 2008 LREDA Fall Conference; Rev. Dr. Rebecca Parker, keynote speaker; UUA Staff and other practitioners, presenters. Amount Granted: $3,000

 

Exploring Our Universe Submitted by Leslie Ross, First Unitarian Society of Madison, WI. 40 session curriculum; will be available on disc. Overall goal is to provide children the intellectual and spiritual space to develop a sense of their own place within the cosmic narrative of the evolution of the universe and life on Earth. Amount Granted: $3,000

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Families TUUgether Submitted by Rev. Christopher Holton Jablonski, UU Church of Berkeley. Asking for $3,000. This is a multicultural curriculum designed to compliment any Life Span RE program. It is designed to help families establish some of the crucial first relationships as they enter into a spiritual home, and to rekindle commitment and enthusiasm in families who might have drifted from active engagement. Amount Granted: $3,000

 

“The Theological and Cultural Antecedents of the New Beacon Series,” a dissertation by David Parke. Submitted by Rev. Dr. Elizabeth Strong and Joan White This dissertation contains valuable information about the development of Unitarian religious education from the earliest catechisms to the publication of the New Beacon series by the Unitarians in the 1930s. The book would eventually be available on Amazon.com. Amount Granted: $3,000

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Peacemaking DVD and Peacemaking Learning Guide Submitted by John B. Hooper, the UUA Commission on Social Witness Through the efforts of the Peacemaking CSAI Core team, will complete a “Peacemaking DVD” and package it with a Learning Guide. By interviews with UU activists and scholars the DVD will introduce our congregations to the contemporary challenges of sustainable and enduring peace. www.uua.org/documents/csw/csaiguide_pm06.pdf Amount Granted: $3,000

 

Dancing the Living Tradition: a DVD of eight Liturgical Dances Submitted by Sunsue Fleming, DRE, First Parish Duxbury, Mass. Instructional DVD of liturgical dances, meant for all ages, choreographed to music from our hymnal “Singing the Living Traditions”. www.duxburyuu.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=107&Itemid=151 Amount Granted: $1,750

2007

2007 and 2006

 

Young Adult Prophets Seminar video and web project Submitted by Neil MacLean, Steering Committee member, UU Young Adult Prophets Project, Continental UU Young Adult Network, C*UUYAN A video capture, edit, and web distribution of a seminar focused on a critical social and theological context for UU anti-racism justice work. www.warmcove.org/yaprophets/concentric_resolution.htm Amount Granted: $2,000

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CLiF Notes: A Curriculum for Families and Small Groups Submitted by Lorraine Dennis, Church of the Larger Fellowship A CD containing 10 months of curriculum designed for use by families and mixed-age small groups, easy-to-use lessons on the topics of UU Identity, World Religions, UU Principles in Practice and Intergenerational Worship; each week includes a time of spiritual practice, called centering, as well as background information and activities; also includes audio files to help educators and children learn songs which may be included in the lessons. clf.uua.org/re/express.html Amount Granted: $2,000

 

“Bundle of Life:” Children/youth ministry summer camp project Submitted by First Parish Brewster, MA This project is a multi-age (7-10) school vacation/summer camp curriculum that focuses on helping children know their place in the unity of the world. UU values are at the core with love, service, truth, justice, respect and kindness. Amount Granted: $875

2006

2006 and 2005

 

Compass Points Submitted by the UU Fellowship/North Nevada A full year program for middle schoolers (grades 6-8) exploring themselves, their beliefs, their UU faith, their relationships with others and the world and is easily adapted for use with high school groups. Amount Granted: $1,000

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Spiritual Enrichment Program Submitted by First Unitarian Madison Amount Granted: $3,000

 

Experiencing the Music of our Being: A New Theology of Faith Thandeka, Theme Talks at Star Island RE Week 2006 Submitted by Star Island Religious Education Conference Amount Granted: $1,000

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A Faith-Based Sexuality Education Guide for the Inclusion of Children and Youth with Special Needs Submitted by Sally Patton, Project Coordinator, Winchester Unitarian Society, MA Amount Granted: $3,000

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Coming of Age: Deepening Ties within the Congregation Submitted by the Unitarian Universalist Church of Greater Lansing, MI This year-long program has two goals: 1. Offer a rich COA experience to all Unitarian Universalist youth that provides them with tools to direct their own spiritual lives; and 2. Deepen the ties within our congregations. Amount Granted: $3,000

2003

2003 and 2002 

 

Who Are Our Unitarian Universalist Partners Around The World?Submitted by the Partnership Church RE Materials Task Force. The grant is for development of seven program sessions focusing on UU partnership congregations from 6 areas of the world. Sessions will include board games, worship, songs and other activities that will provide information and experiential learning. Author: Betsy Williams, Advisor: Reverend Gretchen Thomas Amount Granted: $3,000

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The Larger Message: Universalist Religious Education’s Response to Theological and Cultural Challenges: 1790 to 1930 This grant help cover the cost for the publication of a doctoral dissertation on Universalist Religious Education. The book will be available to theological students, Adult RE classes and can serve as a resource for sermons and stories adapted for children. Submitted by Reverend Elizabeth Strong Amount Granted: $1,000

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Follow The Gleam: A History of Liberal Religious Youth Movements The grant is for research, writing and publishing a revised and updated edition of the original “Follow The Gleam”, a history of the UU youth movement. This project is being developed by Reverend Wayne Arnason and Rebecca Scott. Amount Granted: $1,000

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Small Congregations, Strong Congregations This grant was given to the Church of the Larger Fellowship to help them expand and revise the existing Church on Loan program. The newly revised program will include updated religious education materials and web accessibility. Amount Granted: $3,000

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To Live A Truer Life The grant is partially funds a children’s picture book, which depicts the life of the Hopedale community and its founder, Universalist minister, Adin Ballou. Submitted by the Friends of Adin Ballou, author Lynn Gordon Hughes. Amount Granted: $1,000

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Unitarian Universalist Worship Website Project The grant is to help cover the cost of maintaining the website, promoting and marketing its use and for continued research and development of scripts. The USSS funded the development of this project in 1999. Reverend Greg Ward is the project director. Amount Granted: $1710

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Humility, Anger and Grace, Thoughts on Education and Faith The grant helps to defray some of the costs incurred in publishing this book. Reverend Nancy Crumbine received funding from the USSS for the writing of this manuscript in November 2001. Amount Granted: $3,000

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Taking It Home: Families and Faith, pamphlet Series This grant was submitted by the Family Matters Task Force, UUA in March. A decision was made by the directors to postpone their decision until their May meeting. The Board approved a matching grant of $3,500 for completion of stages 2and 3 of the “Taking It Home: Families and Faith”, pamphlet series. Amount Granted: $3,500

2002

2002 and 2001

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Spirit Play The project is for development of a curriculum based on the Montessori Method of Education, modeled after “Godly Play”, a Christian education program developed by Jerome Berryman. USSS granted partial funding for project. Amount of Grant: $2000

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Involve: A Guide for the Inclusion of Children & Youth with DifferencesThe project is being developed by Sally Patton. The goal is to provide a resource guide for religious educator and ministers for accessing information on the wide variety of common disabilities in our churches. It will include information and strategies necessary for creatively weaving children with special needs into R.E Ministry and the spiritual fabric of the church community. Amount of grant: $5000

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Church of the Larger Fellowship Website Development The project will be a live website, accessible to all, linked to the UUA and CLF It will include easily accessible religious education materials suitable for home use. Lessons and activities will be taken from existing R.E curricula and other resources. Once the site is fully established it will be managed by CLF. Amount of Grant: $1,088.00

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Education Materials for Emerson Bicentennial Project was submitted by the Emerson Bicentennial committee to develop an activity book for children to engage them in the tri-centennial celebration of Emerson’ birth in 2003. Activities will include stories, games, arts & craft projects. Betsy Hill William (DRE of CLF, editor of UU & ME) will be the principal writer and editor. USSS granted partial funding for project. Amount of Grant: $3000

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Holding Our Faith Up To The Light: Toward a Philosophy of EducationGrant was submitted by Reverend Nancy Jay Crumbine. The project is to write a book on the philosophy of education drawing from the excellent work within our own tradition, from the history of philosophy, theology and literature and from her experience as educator and UU minister. Amount of Grant: $3000

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Super Heroes Submitted by Gaia Brown. The completed project will be a Jewish/Christian Bible Stories curriculum for Grades 1-3 based on a revision of UUA curricula, Adventures in God Folk. Available June 2002 Amount of Grant: $1340

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“Taking It Home” Families & Faith Pamphlet Series Submitted by Family Matters Taskforce, UUA. Project is to design a series of pamphlets for families that are faith based and can assist in articulating the UU theology as it applies to family and family values. USSS granted partial funding for project. Amount of Grant: $3500

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Creating Website & Resource Catalog for UU Jewish Awareness (UUJA)Project is to create a user-friendly website to serve as a networking tool for information and resources with the goal of integrating Judaism into our UU experience. USSS granted partial funding of project. Amount of Grant: $1600

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