(Midspring) 2015 - UUWomenspirit.org
Transcription
(Midspring) 2015 - UUWomenspirit.org
She Speaks The Quarterly Newsletter by and for the Members of UU Womenspirit Mid Spring 2015 It’s All Eve’s Fault Inside this Issue: Celebrating the Season—Beltane 3 News from the Coordinating Council 5 News from the Search Committee 8 Spring 2015 Event 9 Fall 2015 Event 11 Our Web of Community 12 Our Healing Circle Of Support 16 Voices of our Community 17 Contributors: Martha O. Adams, Christine Grewcock, Sue Hand, Gloria Hausser, Judy Padgett, Tammy Sadler, Lisa Sherman, Toni Stephenson, Tina Whittle, and Kate Wolverton Most of us tend to surround ourselves with people who share our values and think of the world in ways that are similar to our own. Being raised as a Unitarian Universalist in a suburban neighborhood filled with overwhelming numbers of Catholics, Protestants and Jewish people, I am no exception to this general rule. I learned very quickly at a young age that not everyone is open to less literal interpretations of the Bible and as a result, I am very cautious when it comes to sharing my personal views on spirituality. This is one of the many reasons why I love attending UU Womenspirit events…regardless of the theme of the event, I know I will be surrounded by women who I have much in common with from a spiritual perspective and can, for a time, truly “let my hair down”. I have noticed, though, from time to time I encounter people who assume I share their views on spirituality when I have given them no indication of this. I find this tends to happen more often when the subject of religion or spirituality comes up and I chose to remain silent, rather than contributing a viewpoint that will be not only different but possibly deemed radical, provocative or even hostile. Some may feel my “path of least resistance” is inconsistent with my quest to lead a life of authenticity, but I have found it to be the most effective way to honor my introverted, non-confrontational, earth based, divine feminine celebrating UU self. I had a recent experience that reminded me of the power of assumptions and the importance of questioning one’s views. A few years ago, I began seeing a clinical aesthetician once a month for facial treatments and to receive microdermabrasion (if you’ve never had it done, its like having your face sanded and vacuumed…it is downright fabulous.) My aesthetician and I have become friendly over the years, but knowing that she was close friends with the wife of a well- known televangelist who served time in federal prison for fraud, Continued on Page 2 She Speaks Page 2 I suspected she followed a more traditional religious path and would think it odd if I wished her “Happy Solstice”. As I sat in her chair recently, she was discussing the “joys” of menopause when out of nowhere she proclaimed “its all Eve’s fault, you know. If she hadn’t sinned and taken a bite of that apple, we wouldn’t have to deal with all of these things.” The next couple of minutes consisted of a recitation of the litany of issues unique to women solely because of their biology, with Eve being the root cause of all. Needless to say, I was so stunned by this proclamation that I had no response. But as I sat there and the conversation shifted elsewhere, I found several thoughts running through my head. Firstly, blaming one biblical/mythological/symbolic character for everything from menstrual cramps to labor pains and hot flashes seems patently unfair. Eve isn’t here to defend herself, and that’s a lot of stuff to attribute to one person. It also occurred to me that for some, there must always be someone or something to blame for an unpleasant outcome or circumstance. The idea that “sh@! happens” is unacceptable to some folks, and everything bad can be avoided by making different choices, believing in a bigger and better God, or blaming Eve for the trials and tribulations of the human female experience. As I continue my life’s journey, I have become more comfortable with uncertainty … a very big step for the literal, order-centered Virgo that I am. I am continuously amazed at the great mystery of the universe, and I accept there are some things that simply defy explanation. I can take in the beauty and wonder of the sunrise and I don’t need to know why or how it came to be. It is what it is…and most of the time, it is glorious. In celebration of uncertainty and acceptance of that which defies explanation… Namaste, Lisa C. Sherman, Editor She Speaks Page 3 She Speaks Page 5 Page 3 Celebrating the Season—Honoring Mid Spring/Beltane/May 1st Editor’s Note: Through my work preparing the worship services for the Fall 2014 event, I have become increasingly interested in being connected to and living in rhythm with the elements of earth, air, fire and water. For the 2015 issues of She Speaks, we will explore the Cross Quarter Days through their corresponding elements. Starhawk’s book The Earth Path: Grounding Your Spirit In the Rhythms Of Nature, served as the inspiration for these essays. Most essays and articles I come across with Beltane as the subject focus on ancient rituals involving procreation and fornication of some fashion. For me, this aspect of the season and its celebration by the ancient ones is but a minor role in the great drama that is unfolding before our eyes this time of year. As the temperatures begin to warm, we begin spending more time outside. As we spend more time outside, we observe evidence that the earth is waking after its long, winter slumber. The energy outside is palpable, transformative, powerful! You can see the plants literally bursting forth with new life. The air is humming with sounds of insects, and the birds interject with calls in a language only they can truly understand. The sun radiates with renewed brilliance and beckons all living things to move, grow and transform. This is truly the time of year where we can experience the element of fire and its power as a catalyst for new life, the element with the power of infinite potential to create and also to destroy. In The Earth Path, Starhawk talks about fire in expansive ways and does not limit the power of fire solely to fire itself. There are many ways to experience fire that do not involve striking a match or rubbing two sticks together (who has time for this, anyway?) and suggests several different rituals and exercises by which the practitioner can connect on a deeper level with the element of fire. Set forth below are a few examples Starhawk has compiled that explore fire, or energy, in its many forms. Energy Observation/Exchange Find a spot outside during daylight hours where you can sit (or lie down) comfortably for several minutes. Take several deep, cleansing breaths and clear your mind of distractions. After you feel grounded and centered, look around you and notice your surroundings...trees, plants, animals, perhaps a water source. Focus on one aspect in your surrounding area and think about its energy source. For example, plants use sunlight and carbon dioxide in the air as their main source of energy. Animals, in turn, may ingest plants to meet their energy needs. Take several moments and notice what sources of energy are being used around you. Now turn your attention to what sources of energy you use to fuel your body, and consider how the energy you use is created by the things in your environment. Notice how the efforts of one species supports the life of another species. Consider how energy flows from one source and is drawn in by another. Conclude this exercise with a recognition of the interrelationship between all things. Energy/Sacred Intention Exercise To do this exercise, you will need to have in your mind an intention for yourself...something that you want to either create or bring into your life. Find a quiet place; sit or lie down and take several breaths to ground and center your being. Take a few moments and think about your intention...as you do this, notice how the energy is flowing through your body. Think about a decision you recently made that was in alignment with your sacred intention...how does this make you feel? What was the result of this decision? As you do this, notice any shifts in Continued on Page 4 She Speaks Page 4 She Speaks Page 4 Page 5 Celebrating the Season—Honoring Mid Spring/Beltane/May 1st, continued your energy and the quality of the energy. See if you can come up with a word or symbol that captures this feeling. Now, think about a choice you recently made that was not in alignment with your sacred intention...how does this feel? Notice any changes in your energy...what happens to the quality and flow? How is this feeling different from how you felt when you considered choices that were in furtherance of your sacred intention? Consider how you are using your energy and whether it is consistent with your sacred intention. Is there a decision you are facing in the present, and think about your options. Notice if any of your options feel more in line or out of line with your sacred intention. What happens to your energy when you consider your options? Use this exercise periodically to monitor your choices and how you feel energetically when you make decisions that are in alignment with your sacred intention. Starhawk recommends keeping a journal to chart your progress. Home Energy Exercise Pick one room in your home and sit quietly...after you ground and center with your breath, take inventory of all the objects in the room that use electricity. Perhaps lamps, TV sets, computers, etc. Where does the energy come from? What is the cost of the energy? What is the environmental impact of the energy’s creation…does it create pollution or waste? Are you using the energy wisely or wastefully? Are there any appliances that stay on all of the time, and what energies do they give off? Use your senses to explore the energy given off by these appliances when they are turned on; after a few moments, turn the devices off and see if you notice a shift in the energies they emit. Do this exercise in each room of your home. If possible, turn off everything in your home (even the refrigerator) and sit quietly...what changes do you detect in the energy surrounding you as well as the energy that is flowing within you? Notice if there is any appliance you find distracting or irritating when it is turned on? Is anything in your environment that may be interfering with the quality of your sleep? Consider how you are using electricity and whether you are using more than you need. She Speaks Page 5 News From the Coordinating Council The Coordinating Council, or CoCo, is the governing body of UU Womenspirit. The current members of the CoCo are Edie White (Publicity and Outreach Liaison), Margaret Schmidt (Outgoing Membership Chair/Registrar), Christine Grewcock (Incoming Membership Chair/Registrar), Cheryl Dent (Volunteer Coordinator), Judy Padgett (Program Resource Liaison), Sue Hand (Treasurer) and Dale Cost (Scribe). News from the CoCo Save the dates for upcoming UUWS events: Fall: 2015 October 14-18; Spring: May 11-15, 2016 Along with most of you, we imagine, the CoCo is glad to see Spring arrive. We were not able to convene for our regular winter meeting due to lots of circumstances. The most serious, by far, was Cheryl Dent's (Volunteer Coordinator) recent illness, which put her in critical condition for a time. We are so happy to report that she is almost completely recovered now and plans to be with us at the Spring Event. Illness, surgery and other personal issues kept us from being able to find a time to meet that would work for everyone. So, in addition to our usual late summer meeting, we will be meeting in June. We also always meet at The Mountain during each event. Meanwhile, every one has been busy with the revisions to the Sacred Text and creating a CoCo Timeline, which will help keep us on task throughout the year. Margaret Schmidt (Registrar & Membership Chair) has been on medical leave from work and able to dedicate lots of time to these updates. She is doing an excellent job for us on this project. We hope each and every one of you is planning to attend the Spring event in a few weeks. We are just waiting for your registration to come in!!! We also hope you are feeling creative and willing to share your talents by offering a Track or Workshop for an upcoming event. We hope that you will be sending us a Track and Workshop Proposal in the near future. We are always happy to have new and exciting offerings to lure our membership to our events. Proposal forms are available on our website and will be sent directly to Cheryl Dent. Don't forget, if you have any financial issues or need to pay your annual dues, you can always contact our Treasurer, Sue Hand. Any updates to your email information or if you would like someone added to our listserve, please contact Dale Cost (Scribe). A reminder from Edie White (Marketing and Outreach) - There is a lovely one-page flyer for the upcoming event available on the website for download. These can be posted in places in your community where like-minded women will see them. Help us promote UUWomenspirit. Continued on Page 6 She Speaks Page 6 News From the Coordinating Council From Judy Padgett, Program Resource Liaison: Things are in FULL swing with lots and lots of planning going on……not only for the event coming up in May, but also for this coming Fall and next Spring!! We are very happy to have two full Planning Committees in place for the next two events. A big THANK YOU goes out to the following women for volunteering to help put on two more fabulous events and keep the momentum going full speed ahead: FALL 2015 – Kate Wolverton, Tammy Sadler, Miera Gans, Penny Featherstone, Eleanor Cutts and Kailee Hattaway SPRING 2016 – Margaret Schmidt, Amber Grey, Toni Stephenson, Susie Adams, Linda Sterner and Liz Kuemmerer By the time you read this newsletter, I will have attended the 1st meeting of the Fall 2015 PC, which I expect to be enthusiastic, fun and very productive, based on their excitement. I’m excited already about these two wonderful committees. They are both sure to give us very special events. Plan now to attend!! One of the biggest CoCo related tasks we’ve been working on is the revising of the Sacred Text. The Sacred Text is the “How To” manual for planning and implementing events and for the general operating functions of UUWomenspirit. It is a large and complex document, which tends to be a bit overwhelming to most women who need to use it. What we are trying to do is make it more user friendly, so that volunteers will have an easier time finding what they need from it. We’re improving the Table of Contents, changing descriptions to bulleted lists instead of huge, wordy paragraphs, updating procedures to reflect the current electronic communication and registration format and updating and organizing the indexes. My job has been to update the whole Planning Committee section and I’m happy to report that it’s finished! Last but not least, I’d like to express much gratitude to the current Planning Committee: Gloria Hausser – Event Coordinator Rain Pope – Scribe Alice Carnes and MJ Lieberman – Worship Coordinators Jennifer Harris and Melissa Christopher – Tracks and Workshops Gail Stephenson – Sales and Activities Continued on Page 7 She Speaks Page 7 News From the Coordinating Council, continued From Judy Padgett, continued They are working very, very hard at the moment to finalize all the details of the upcoming Spring Event. Don’t forget that they are volunteers and their dedication to putting on a wonderful event is a very special gift to the rest of us. If you haven’t already registered for this event, there is still time. Let them honor you by honoring their hard work and attending this event : Stars Above, Light Below: A Call to Celebrate Magic!! You definitely don’t want to miss all the magical things they have planned for you! See you at The Mountain…..May 13-17. –Judy Padgett, PRL She Speaks Page 8 News From the UU Womenspirit Search Committee The UU Womenspirit Search Committee (Arianna Bara, Tarleton Brooks and Tina Whittle) is pleased to announce that we are recommending Lisa Sherman as the new Marketing and Outreach Coordinator. If affirmed at the Spring 2015 Membership Meeting held during the Gathering, Lisa will replace Edie White on the CoCo, who will be rotating off the CoCo after serving her three-year term. In addition, Tina Whittle has agreed to serve another year on the Search Committee, pending affirmation at the Spring 2015 Membership Meeting. We are currently looking for two new Search Committee members and would welcome any volunteers -- for more information, please contact Cheryl Dent, CoCo Volunteer Coordinator. She Speaks Page 9 Spring Event—May 13-17, 2015 Stars Above, Light Below: A Call To Celebrate Magic As the ancient ones shine down upon us, we draw strength & courage from their collective wisdom to step into new possibilities during May’s waning moon. Logo design by Rain Pope The time is getting near till we meet again at the magical Mountain with our sisters. We can’t wait to welcome you home. So many have expressed this is how you feel when you return to your heart home. This is how I feel, a combination of relief, comfort, anticipation, excitement and loving support. I urge you to share this with your friends by inviting them to attend this spring. I continue to be grateful to the friends who invited me when I had no idea what a women’s retreat could be or why I would want to go. I left feeling I had found a new universe and way to be in the world. Yes, it was magnificent. Our facilitators are pumped, and our Planning Committee is ready for your arrival. More activities have been added we know you will love. How about greeting the sunrise with a circle dance, or creating a group Spirit collage that some lucky woman will get to take home? Make your own potions and decorate your own witch’s hat, hmm. Of course all your favorite activities will be returning. We will have an evening candlelit labyrinth walk, drumming and dancing, a silent auction for both Institute Continued on Page 10 She Speaks Page 10 Spring Event—May 13-17, 2015 and Gathering, and so much more plus those spontaneous activities like watching the stars from the top of the tower. You never know what magic will occur when you get a tribe of like-minded women together. It is hard not to spill the beans on what worship has planned. Let’s just say it will be magical! Remember bring your festive wear, open heart and joyful spirit. Invite your friends, and be sure to register. So looking forward to embracing you all. Gloria Hausser, Event Coordinator Rain Pope, Scribe Jennifer Harris, Tracks and Workshops MJ Lieberman, Worship Alice Carnes, Worship Gail Stephenson, Sales and Activities Corn Shuck Witch by Anne Freels, Workshop Facilitator for Spring 2015 Event She Speaks Page 11 Fall Event—October 14-18, 2015 From Tammy Sadler: Love Matters: Fall 2015 Event is in the Works! What is the purpose of life and how much does “love matter”? The planning committee just finished a weekend retreat to explore the theme of the event. Between planning ideas for worship, workshops and tracks, our group was delighted in sharing our love with one another as we began creating a love filled event. Our beloved team invites you to join us October 14-18, to deepen our relationships with ourselves and others so we can be an embodiment of love in action Love is a natural state of being Love rocks! Fall Planning Committee Members: Tammy Sadler, Scribe, Eleanor Cutts, Sales & Activities, Kate Wolverton, EC, Miera Robin Gans, Worship, Penny Featherstone, Worship, and Kailee Hattaway (not pictured), Tracks & Workshops She Speaks Page 12 Page 12 Our Web of Community—News From Our Members From Christine Grewcock: Kiva Update Using the money raised from Ba'alat's Bookstore in 2013, we continue to make loans to women through Kiva (www.kiva.org). Kimly in Cambodia (http://www.kiva.org/lend/712402) has repaid her loan. Mrs. Kadiatou in Mali (http://www.kiva.org/lend/773433) repaid 97% of her loan; the rest was a loss due to local currency devaluation. With repaid funds, we were able to fund another woman in March 2015. Clara (http://www.kiva.org/lend/857866), who is a member of the Las Jovenes De Exito De Panimache Group in Guatemala, is using the loan to purchase silk threads, silk cloth, wool and dyes for weaving traditional regional garments. If you want to read about the other women who have a current loan, they are Liezel in the Philippines (http://www.kiva.org/lend/717047, Anonymous in El Salvador (http://www.kiva.org/ lend/707026), and Rebecca in Guatemala (http://www.kiva.org/lend/813604). I am trying to spread our support throughout the world. If you have a specific country where you would like us to support a woman entrepreneur, please email [email protected] with your suggestion. She Speaks Page 13 Page 13 Our Web of Community—News From Our Members From Martha O. Adams: Buried Seed: Poems for Planting You may remember Martha O. Adams at UU Womenspirit presenting her poem, Girl Talk from her book What Your Heart Needs to Know. That was 2008. Now Martha is announcing her new book, Buried Seed, poems that stimulated this quote: Martha O. Adams’ new poems resonate with melodic sounds, pounding rhythms and soulful meaning. Each poem, a buried seed, sprouting from hospital rooms and circle dances, from wilderness and gardens, invites us to marvel at life’s wonders. In the spirit of Mary Oliver and Wendell Berry, she champions unforgettable images wrapped in ancestral wisdom challenging us to care for Earth and our own buried seeds. Karen Luke Jackson, Ed.D As we stumble into awareness of our impact on the Earth, Martha’s poems arise shimmering like lit candles that focus the eye with her ruthless gaze into the human heart. She finds there a sanctuary of uncommon strengths and shadowed frailties for her buried seeds to root and bloom in you. Her Earthhonoring poems take you down paths that feel familiar as she examines life, death, and renewal. A home for the homeless, a spa for the soul, these are poems for gardeners, hikers, ecologists, teachers, students, mystics and ministries. Martha plants a garden in your heart’s fertile ground and sows her love poems with an experienced hand. “You must marry the Earth,” she announces in iridescent blossoms of poems. Tender moments shine like prisms hung in a breeze; others haunt with the evidence of our fears and carelessness. She takes you where time disappears: inside an okra seed, wilderness canoeing, making love, into memory loss, even inside a dream to take a lesson with a blues man. You’ll stand “ankle deep in this heathen, holy land” at ocean’s edge, time-travel to swing from a beam in a Kansas barn, and mourn with her the savage losses common to us all. Think of each of these poems as invitations to thoughtful perches and carefully tended gardens. You are invited to bear witness to transformative moments as experienced by a writer who tenderly cares for them as if they were seedlings and she looks to your hands to hold them, soil, roots Continued on Page 14 She Speaks Page 14 Page 14 Our Web of Community—News From Our Members From Martha O. Adams, continued: and all. Martha O. Adams’ handling of words is authentic, precise, and in the moment, a reflection of how she chooses to live her life. In a transplanted state after meditating with her work, I am in a carefully constructed place which invites my own journey. I cannot think of any higher praise for a poet than to say she moves the reader this far, creating one’s own place of beginnings. Much like a buried seed. Jay Joslin, author, poet. Martha’s Buried Seed is now available at Amazon. Inside, you’ll find she holds a mirror before you. There, you’ll recognize yourself at your worst and best as we tend our part of the vast garden of Earth in all its complexities and connections. Titles by Martha O. Adams, poet Buried Seed What Your Heart Needs to Know Peeling the Rind She Rises Through the Sickle Moon She Speaks Page 15 Page 15 Our Web of Community—News From Our Members From Toni Stephenson: Getting the Word Out About UU Womenspirit– An Open Letter Dear Womenspirit Sisters, Yesterday I had lunch with a woman I recently met who has been an active UU for 20 years at two different congregations in the Knoxville area. One of these congregations even has a large active Pagan group. My friend told me that she has NEVER heard of UUWomenspirit! Another woman who is part of our local Full Moon Circle told me that she has never seen anything on the bulletin board at the church in Oak Ridge which she attends. This news really is bothering me. What is wrong with this picture? Does this mean that we are not doing enough publicity or are the churches ignoring what we send them? We continue to call ourselves "UU" but are we getting any real support from UU congregations? I am very disturbed by this. I do not have an answer but am hoping we can have some kind of discussion at the next membership meeting to address this concern. She Speaks Page 16 Our Healing Circle of Support We offer our love and support to our sisters in need To Cheryl Dent on her illness and journey on the road to recovery. To Rebecca Reeves as she recovers from surgery and receives upcoming medical treatments. And to all our sisters who are facing injury, illness, loss, and the other challenges that life throws our way, spoken and unspoken... She Speaks Page 17 Page 17 Voices of Our Community The following are offerings from our creative sisters From Kate Wolverton: Staying Abreast with Kate Wolverton My Mom Sally died of breast cancer when she was 50, and I was almost 10 years old. She had her first mastectomy when I was 2 and the second when I was 4 years old. She was in and out of the hospital a lot in my early years. Because of this experience I did not have much confidence in doctors, and I had always thought I too would die of cancer at an early age. When I passed the milestone age of 50, I expressed that concern with my sisters who had similar feelings. I have seen the advances in cancer cures and early detection, and I witnessed survival of my sister Mimi who had breast cancer at age 35. One of my cousins (who had both breast and ovarian cancer) introduced us to the BRCA gene test and recommended it 5 years ago. Last fall I found out that another of my sisters had an early detection bout with cancer in her early 70’s. Last summer I was tested for the BRCA2 gene mutation, and I found out the positive results in July. I realized that if I did not take care of this likely problem, if/ when I got cancer in the future (87% chance by age 70) I would be angry at myself. I figured I would be able to heal faster from it if I had a mastectomy when I was healthy. I loved my breasts. I am glad I was able to nourish my babies with them…so natural, organic flowing, magic! Funny thing about it…I always got my Mammograms but I was very inconsistent with self-checks (my own private denial). Realizing that I could live without them was easy; all that flopping, sweating, “bra wearing” misery. Deciding to be reconstructed came with Continued on Page 18 She Speaks Page 18 Voices of Our Community, continued From Kate Wolverton, continued lots of thought and justification. I look forward to getting a tattoo on my scars once they are healed enough. In preparation for my recovery, I cut a lot of stained glass. I tend to have a creative compulsion, and I figured mosaic work would be an acceptable activity for my healing self. My first projects were Mounds to celebrate breasts. With all this time for healing and introspection, I realized how ruthless we as women can be in facing our self-criticism. With the glass I cut (reusing scraps from a stained glass artist) and repurposed, discarded, mirrors, I made a series of heart mosaic mirrors to remind us to love ourselves, however slightly scarred or blemished we, or our mirrors, are. I will be selling them at the upcoming event. I am thankful for support and love I have received from my husband, friends and UU Womenspirit community. She Speaks Page 19 Voices of our Community, continued From Martha O. Adams: This Bright Moment The air moves, yet all is still The sun throws its last twilighting glance annealing trees and green hills barely quivering. The air moves, yet all is still. A calm familiar silence descends within reminding me I am home, tend the flame. Years gather like a shawl I wrap around. My hearth-fire leaps and poets sing within the familiar silence descending into this moment darkening This arcing breath of time. O quiet end of day your hidden light extends this bright moment welcoming the night a moment darkening filled with light. By Martha O. Adams from her book, BURIED SEED © 2015. Published by House of Myrrth. All rights reserved. Presented with permission of the author and publisher. She Speaks Page 20 Voices of our Community, continued From Sue Hand: Light Pours Out We’re born with radiance inside. Light that sparkles in our smile, Gurgles in our laugh, radiates in our touch. Uncontainable and unguarded Until pain suggests caution. Heating-growing-cooling-shrinking cracks our protective shell Cringing hearts can’t contain all the love once known And break apart when love comes again knocking. Cohen not with-standing, That’s how light gets back out She Speaks Page 21 Voices of our Community, continued From Sue Hand: PJ Day I spent the day in my pajamas Watched TV Played solitaire Outside the world was sleeted o’er Ice formed on every surface. Roads slickened, cars tricked into a sideways dance Inside I lazed upon the couch The biggest effort of my day Resisting the clarion call to Clean and organize I’m proud to say … I was victorious! She Speaks Page 22 Page 22 Original photographs on pages 1, 2, 4, 7, 8, 10, 12, 15, 16, 19, 20, 21 and 22 © 2015 Lisa C. Sherman She Speaks is issued quarterly and is a publication of the UU Womenspirit community, edited by Lisa Sherman. All UU Womenspirit members are encouraged to submit information, events, and creative submissions to be included in an upcoming newsletter by sending it to [email protected]. The views expressed by an individual contributor are those of the contributor and are not necessarily the views of the organization as a whole. The mission of UU Womenspirit is to create, conduct, and support activities that encourage and empower women to explore their religious and spiritual origins, experiences, and beliefs. Pursuing, nurturing, and affirming creativity and diversity are major emphases. There is a strong commitment to developing the use of consensus as the model for decision-making. Volunteers do all the work for UU Womenspirit. There are no paid positions. Learn more about our community by going to: www.uuwomenspirit.org.