CONGREGATIONAL LIFE

CUUW
Community of Unitarian Universalist Women

CUUW plans a variety of programs for the women and men of the church.

A Brief History

The Women's Alliance, established about 1910, is the oldest women's group in our congregation and a local branch of the Continental UU Women's Federation (UUWF). The Alliance has been active in church work and in lifting up and honoring the words, worth, and concerns of women as well as supporting the church and undertaking charitable and social causes.

The Women and Religion Committee (W&R) was formed in 1980 in response to a UU General Assembly resolution calling upon all UU's to explore their religious roots and organization to discover and root out sexist practices that dismissed, undervalued, and demeaned women and women's knowledge and to open the doors of the church to women as officers of the church and as ministers.

In 2000, the Women and Religion Committee chose to rename itself the Community of UU Women, as a way of better reflecting its current role in the church, its collaborative work with the Alliance, and its current activities.

The UUWF (Unitarian Universalist Women's Federation of the UUA) promotes women's causes in the UUA, UU Women's curricula development, and a quarterly newsletter which you can receive by snail mail. See their programs here.

CUUW-Sponsored Activities

The Women's Alliance is a unit of the continental UUWF. The Alliance meets at the church at noon on the 2nd Friday of each month for a potluck lunch, discussion, and occasional business.

Sister Circles are on-going, self-determined gatherings of women. Groups have chosen a variety of foci, including study groups, ritual groups, sharing and support groups. They usually have 5-10 members each, and meet at various times and places. Ellen Chace, 541-466-3453

Women & Religion Book Collection in the Teddy Salmon Library at the church offers a variety of women's literature, and a selection of books on feminism and women's spirituality.

WomenKin is our literary journal. Published twice a year, it consists of short written works by church members and UU's from around the country who contribute their poems, stories, thoughts about womanhood and women's experience. More here

Women's Celebrations and Worship Services created by women, for the congregation for Sunday morning services, summer services, Solstice ceremonies, and special services and ceremonies for women.

Weekend Retreats at the coast for women to share ideas, ritual, books, time, emotional support and feelings with each other.

Classes on women's spirituality and place in prehistory and history. We have used the UU curricula Cakes for the Queen of Heaven, and Rise Up and Call Her Name.

Study Groups in which the works of feminist theologians are considered, as part of a quest for spiritual knowledge, under-standing and wisdom.

Providing programs and speakers from the community to speak about women's issues.

National e-Mail Listserv (easy on/easy off, no charge, interesting) to discuss what other UU churches are doing. Subscribe here: http://lists.uua.org/mailman/listinfo/uuwf-l

Participation in community programs on women's issues, such as Take Back the Night, and WomenSpace.

UUWF* Membership Application

No membership fee is required to be a participant in the CUUW of the Eugene Unitarian Universalist Church. We welcome your ideas and involvement. Occasionally we ask for a donation to cover costs for a program.

CUUW does encourage you to become a member of the UUWF (*Unitarian Universalist Women's Federation of the UUA at www.uuwf.org), whose annual dues of $25 includes $15 paid to the continental UUWF which helps promote women's causes in the UUA, UU Women's curricula development, and a quarterly newsletter which you will receive in the mail. The other $10 helps to defray the cost of occasional speakers and special programs at the local level, pays for child care provided at women's programs, and provides scholarship monies for those whose economic situation might limit their full participation.

An application simply consists of your name, address, phone, email and the request. You may send this with your check for $25 to UUWF c/o Women's Alliance, UU Church in Eugene, 477 E. 40th, Eugene, OR 97405; Attn: Women's Alliance Treasurer.

Contact people for CUUW:
Bonnie Phipps 344-8242 Kathleen Dillon 689-1620 Joyce Salisbury 485-5483

Contact for UUWF:        Kathleen Dillon 689-1620

Contact for Women's Alliance:     Kathleen Dillon 689-1620