Ministry Only Feeds My Soul.

My Name is Thomas, and I run a liberal religious ministry called I Am UU. The I Am UU project makes me happy. Feeling like I am doing my part to spread awareness and understanding of liberal religion, and of Unitarian Universalism in particular, feels like the thing I should be doing. The world needs to know that this religion exists that says it is ok to think about the big questions and admit that we don't really know the answers. You can be part of a community that encourages you to be your personal best for the low cost of being your best as often as you can, and encouraging others to do the same. I love what Unitarian Universalism stands for, and I want to help the movement to be its best.

The thing I need people to understand is that the I Am UU project is not a part of the UUA. It is not backed by a regional division. It is not funded by any congregation. It is a personal ministry that I am lucky to have volunteers and supporters for. It no longer costs me anything to operate the project in the manner that I have been for the last two years. It also does not benefit me, financially. I am working for free, or I have been.

Currently, that amounts to about 50 hours in an average week. I write Facebook updates, blog posts, and inspirational material. I create graphics and design t-shirts, mugs, and tote bags. I do an aweful lot of research and reading to find the best quotes and links to share. And I moderate and participate in a lot of discussion about liberal religion, humanism, and Unitarian Universalism. I do it all with a goal of making Unitarian Universalism and liberal religion easier for people to understand and share in their community, and with encouragement to keep growing and sharing until we have built the beloved community. 

My needs are 2 fold: To keep my family secure and to seek further education and training on a variety of topics and skills. My ultimate goal is to attend as many training sessions and workshops as possible, espcially the Renasance Moduals for religious educators. I also hope to specifically improve my skills at graphic design so that we can share Unitarian Universalism more effectively online, and making the I Am UU project a better resource. Few of these workshops and classes are offered for free, and I don't have the backing of a congregation to send me.

I cannot keep doing this work, much less take on more, without being able to cover my own living expenses. I cannot ask my family to keep sacraficing for my calling. I need the wonderful community that has sprung up around the I Am UU project to help me keep doing the work. I need to be able to know that rent is covered and that there is money for emergencies.  I want to be able to also attend workshops, buy better software, and maybe attend GA this summer. I hope to be able to afford to start leading workshops and booking speaking engangements, but I need money to get started.

I am asking people to give what they can. I am setting my goal high, because while I can get by on less, it is what the work is worth. This is the pay the UUA suggests for a new Director of Religious Education based on my home region, and that is what I feel I have become. The full amount averages out to $7 per Facebook fan for the whole year. If just over half of you think this work is worth a dollar a month, then I can start planning to achieve my goals.