LIGHT Fall 2023 Programs

Clergy Reset Retreat

For Clergy

Rev. Tandi Rogers and Rev. Jake Morrill
In-person at Seabeck Conference Center in the beautiful Pacific Northwest
October 17 – 20, 2023

Cost:

• $1125 Registration (closes Friday, October 6, 2023)

Space is limited! 

The fee includes four days immersed in woods and mountains, lodging, meals, workshops, coaching, spiritual direction, and transportation from/to Seatac Airport.   

Are you …

…getting ready for sabbatical and want a launch pad? Or wanting to make sense of sabbatical and get an integration plan?

…incredibly burned out and in need of a blanket fort to rest and remember?

…working on some new ideas and need time and support to just finish writing?

…fantasizing about reading your study-leave stack on a porch where ideas are popping and the snacks are provided?  

Join Jake Morrill and Tandi Rogers at Seabeck, nestled in the Olympic Mountains on the Hood Canal.  

• Small group worship
• Processing through multimedia means
• Individual and small group coaching with Jake
• Individual and small group spiritual direction with Tandi
• Lovely meals that you don’t have to prepare (or clean up)
• Barn swallows that swoop your feet as you move across an open field
• Forests that welcome your exploration
• Sunrises and sunsets that take your breath away
• Time with colleagues gathered together for many of the same reasons as you   

Learning Outcomes

• (Re)alignment of values, intentions, and life (personal and/or professional)     
• Refuel with spiritual imagination and courage       
• Spacious time to get creative juices flowing again 
• Integrate recent experiences guided by capable facilitators  

Jake Morrill is the founder and lead coach of Generation to Generation, a leadership and consulting firm that aids clergy and non-profit leaders to unlock patterns and move toward ease and alignment. He is on the faculty of the Bowen Center for the Study of Family and the Bowen Theory Education Center. He maintains his license in Marriage and Family Therapy in the State of Tennessee and previously led the Unitarian Universality Church of Oak Ridge (Tennessee) for 19 years.  

Rev. Tandi Rogers directs the Spiritual Direction Program at Meadville Lombard. She is known for her creative reframing, sparky questions, and love for collaboration. She has served the Unitarian Universalist Association in various roles since 2002, most recently concluding three years as Learning Strategist and four years as Congregational Life staff.

The Business of Ministry Bootcamp

For current and future congregational leaders

Ann Y. Verdine-Jones, MBA-HR, ABD
5-week session: Thursdays at 11:00 am – 1:00 pm Central
September 28, October 5, 12, 19, 26
Online
Cost: $295

Last day to register: Friday, September 22, 2023

This series addresses all of the business/human resources aspects of congregational leadership including employee relations & legal implications, talent acquisition, and all other relative HR topics. Teaching a human resource (HR) course to leaders requires a tailored approach, focusing on equipping them with the necessary knowledge and skills to effectively manage their teams and handle HR-related tasks. The objectives for this series are:  

• Understand HR Fundamentals: Provide a comprehensive overview of the key function and principles of human resources management including recruitment selection training, performance management, compensation, benefits and employee relations.   
• Legal Compliance: Ensure leaders are aware of relevant employment laws, regulations, and best practices to minimize legal risks and create a fair and compliant work environment. 
• Recruitment and Hiring: Teach effective recruitment strategies, interviewing techniques, and selection processes to attract and hire the right candidates for various roles within the organization.  
• Performance Management: Equip leaders with skills to set clear performance expectations, conduct performance appraisals, provide feedback, and develop performance improvement plans when necessary.  
• Employee Development: Show leaders how to identify training needs, create development plans, and support employee growth to enhance overall team performance and job satisfaction.  
• Conflict Resolution and Employee Relations: Provide strategies for managing conflicts and resolving workplace issues while maintaining a positive and productive work environment. 
• Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, Belonging & Accessibility: Promote awareness and sensitivity to diversity and inclusion issues, helping leaders foster an inclusive workplace that values individual differences. 
• Employee Engagement: Introduce techniques for measuring and improving employee engagement, as engaged employees tend to be more productive and committed to their roles.  
• HR Metrics and Analytics: Teach leaders how to use HR metrics and data analysis to make informed decisions, identify trends, and improve HR processes. 
• Basic AI/HR Technology: Familiarize leaders with relevant HR technologies, such as HRIS (Human Resources Information Systems) and talent management software, to streamline HR operations and improve efficiency.   
• Change Management: Provide insights into managing organizational change and helping teams adapt to new processes, policies, or strategies effectively.         
• Ethical HR Practices: Emphasize the importance of ethical behavior and confidentiality in handling sensitive HR issues and data.
• Communication Skills: Enhance leaders’ communication skills, both in providing feedback and in resolving conflicts, to ensure effective interactions with employees.
• Role-Play, Practical Exercises and Project Partnership: Include scenarios and practices exercises, as well as team homework assignments, to apply HR concepts in real-world situations, allowing leaders to practice their HR skills in a brave, nonjudgmental environment.    

Ann Verdine-Jones, MBA (ABD) is a Human Resource professional with more than 30 years of experience. While Ann has successfully managed all areas of HR, her recent ventures include consulting with organizations nationally on strategic initiatives, leadership development, cross-sectional team building and employee resource groups, and diversity, equity, inclusion, belonging, and accessibility. Ann has developed workshops that promote intersectional dialogue and she collaborated as a principal thought leader to chief professionals nationwide. Ann most recently served on the General Assembly Advisory Council (20023) and serves is a trustee on the board of her congregation, Eno River Unitarian Universalist Fellowship. 

Pastoral Crisis Intervention

For chaplains, pastoral counselors, mental health professionals, ministers, and anyone interested in the use of faith-based resources in healing or enhancing their skills in responding to individuals in crisis

Rev. Julie Taylor
Wednesday to Friday, September 27 – 29, 2023, 9:00 am – 4:00 pm Central
Online
Cost: $450

Last day to register: Friday, September 22, 2023

Pastoral Crisis Intervention may be thought of as the integration of psychological crisis intervention with pastoral perspectives and resources. This newly revised course (previously known as Pastoral Crisis Intervention I & II) is designed to train participants in the use of psychological trauma and intervention techniques. This program does not provide instruction on spirituality or theology. Additionally, more specific advanced concepts and current field applications where pastoral crisis intervention will be covered.

Chaplains, pastoral counselors, mental health professionals, ministers, and anyone interested in the use of faith- based resources in healing or enhancing their skills in responding to individuals in crisis should find this course of interest.

Program Highlights: 

• Define crisis intervention, CISM and PCI
• Classify risks and potential adverse reactions
• Recount advance topics in assessment
• Describe principles of basic spiritual first aid
• Discuss PCI with those expressing theodical concerns
• Describe the incident management system (IMS)
• Illustrate PCI with those expressing suicidal ideation
• Describe PCI with those in acute bereavement
• Describe principles of death notification
• Principles and practices associated with self-care

Since 2001, Rev. Julie Taylor has been a Unitarian Universalist minister specializing in pastoral & spiritual care, critical incident response, and community ministry. Julie is a sought-after speaker, teacher, and author, and is on the national faculty of the International Critical Incident Stress Foundation as well as Senior Director of Contextual Ministry and affiliate professor at Meadville Lombard. In service to the community, Rev. Julie is a chaplain (Capt) with the New York Air National Guard and is a responder with the UU Trauma Response Ministry.

Weekend in the Archives

For researchers, clergy, and students 

Rev. Dr. Nicole Kirk, Dr. John Dechant, and Sarah Levine
October 13 – 15, 2023
In-person at Meadville Lombard Theological School, Chicago, IL
Cost:
Free for students enrolled in MAR, MDiv, or DMin at Meadville Lombard
$75 for external researchers and clergy

Last day to register: Friday, October 6, 2023

Join us for an exciting weekend workshop immersed in Meadville Lombard’s archives and special collections, including the UUA congregational files. Explore the rich history and hidden stories of the Unitarians, Universalists, and Unitarian Universalists.   

During this unique experience, you will learn about Meadville Lombard’s archives and special collections and an introduction to archival research methods. Participants will also have the time to work on their research. Mini-workshops and presentations will be offered throughout the weekend by Meadville Lombard’s historian and librarians. Individual time with staff will also be available. Already a seasoned researcher? Come for the weekend hours and to build community with other researchers. Learn what Meadville Lombard’s collections have to offer.    

Learning Objectives: 

• Develop practical skills in archival research and identify additional resources to support your research
• Apply a critical perspective and analysis to archival research
• Examine ways to study marginalized voices in the archives       
• Explore the relationship between archives and social justice       
• Engage with other participants in your research and share ideas.

Dr. Nicole C. Kirk is the Frank and Alice Shulman Chair of UU History at Meadville Lombard Theological School. Before joining the faculty at Meadville Lombard, Nicole was a UU parish minister. She is the author of Wanamaker’s Temple: The Business of Religion in an Iconic Department Store. Her current research focuses on mobile communities and their religious practices.  

Sarah Levine is the Assistant Director of Library and Archives at Meadville Lombard Theological School. Prior to joining MLTS, Sarah has done work at libraries and archives in Chicago, including the Webster Institute for the History of Astronomy at the Adler Planetarium, the Gerber/Hart Library and Archives, the Chicago History Museum, and the American Theological Library Association. Her professional interest is in social justice in the archives and she is delighted to be able to pursue that passion at Meadville Lombard.  

Dr. John Dechant is the Director of Library and Archives at Meadville Lombard Theological School. He holds a Master of Library and Information Sciences degree from Indiana University at Purdue-Indianapolis and a PhD from Indiana University-Bloomington in Near Eastern Studies. He joined the staff in the summer of 2023.

Grief Following Trauma

For anyone who works with people experiencing grief and loss following a traumatic event

Rev. Julie Taylor
Wednesday & Thursday, November 1 – 2, 2023, 9:00 am – 5:00 pm Central
Online
Cost: $350

Last day to register: Wednesday, October 25, 2023

This two-day online workshop is designed for anyone who works with people experiencing grief and loss following a traumatic event. In the course of one’s career, it is increasingly common to encounter traumatic death and loss. Professionals often feel ill-prepared to provide effective care throughout the grief process. The ongoing nature of the pandemic(s) over the past several years has brought new layers in the need for care. This course will cover key grief and loss concepts as well as resources relating to trauma. Participants will increase their knowledge of how trauma impacts the grief process and will gain skills for evaluating and supporting persons who have experienced loss connected to trauma.  

Discussed topics include:

• Characteristics of trauma
• Clinical implications of grief
• Primary needs of victims
• What helps and what hurts
• Types of traumatic events
• Traumatic grief and grief reactions
• Death notification
• Supporting grieving people
• Personal self-care plan

This workshop will be registered with the International Critical Incident Stress Foundation, Inc., and is open to religious professionals as well as other professionals seeking related continuing education.

Since 2001, Rev. Julie Taylor has been a Unitarian Universalist minister specializing in pastoral & spiritual care, critical incident response, and community ministry. Julie is a sought-after speaker, teacher, and author, and is on the national faculty of the International Critical Incident Stress Foundation as well as Senior Director of Contextual Ministry and affiliate professor at Meadville Lombard. In service to the community, Rev. Julie is a chaplain (Capt) with the New York Air National Guard and is a responder with the UU Trauma Response Ministry.

Being LIGHT: A Winter Retreat for Spiritual Sustenance

For all seeking spiritual sustenance

Rev. Kierstin Allen, Dr. Mark Hicks, Dr. Kate Lassiter, Rev. Tandi Rogers
Friday, December 15, 2023, 10:00 am – 4:00 pm Central
Online
Cost:
Free for students enrolled in MAR, MDiv, or DMin at Meadville Lombard
$125 for clergy and other professionals

Last day to register: Friday, December 8, 2023

As the days dim in the Northern Hemisphere, the LIGHT staff invites you to participate in time out of time and to receive spiritual sustenance. Please bring a journal, your favorite poem, and wear comfortable clothes. Our time will open with a tea ceremony and include a guided breath and visualization practice to come home to yourself, small group sharing and discussion, and personal spiritual journaling. Our retreat will conclude with an optional hour-long gentle yoga practice or group spiritual direction.