CERG

The opportunities for our faith are breathtaking. We must prepare to minister to the multicultural America that we are living into or risk disappearing as a part of the religious landscape. Together, we can be the religion for our time.
–Peter Morales, UUA President

The Board members from the four Districts of the Central East Regional Group of the UUA (CERG- Ohio-Meadville, St. Lawrence, Metro NY and Joseph Priestley), met in Harrisburg PA, March 12-13 to discuss a proposal that, if adopted, would result in the sharing of regional Program Specialists and the implementation of a joint Regional Growth Project.

In Harrisburg, the Board members raised questions, discussed implications and proposed changes. Their input is currently being used to amend the proposal and the final version will be available at OMD's District Assembly where delegates will vote on a district budget designed to support OMD's part of the regional project.

When asked what they found exciting about the proposal, some of the participants noted:

• "This proposal is responsive to the call of our times – the covenantal call to collaborate more at all levels, congregations, districts, regions, UUA – to participate in something larger than ourselves."
• "This proposal is vision-driven, strength-based, inclusive of all congregational sizes and also helps some move out of isolation. It will increase a sense of denominational awareness and connection."
• "This proposal will help us spread liberal religion. Doing this makes us a threshold region!"

The four districts approved the proposal at their board meetings or District Assemblies following this meeting in March.

This was not the first such experiment in this region. Prior to CERG, there had been the "NRG" or Northeast Regional Group made up of the same four districts. This group was gathered to share current district based staff and resources as much as possible. This incarnation developed around 2007 and was the precurser to the ideas that created CERG.

Prior to 2007 the Ohio-Meadville District and St. Lawrence Districts experimented with sharing staff in several different roles. This was the original project that led to NRG that led to CERG.