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UMMAS Policies and Practices

Who may participate?

The Spiritual Leader of a Unity ministry in GA, NC, SC, and TN, which includes:

  • Ministers, Associate Ministers, Co-ministers, retired Unity ministers, inactive Unity ministers, and Unity ministers leading "alternative" forms of ministry. (Unity ministers in nearby states are also welcome.)  
  • Spiritual Leader of a church (including a Unity Licensed Teacher who is serving as the spiritual leader of their church.)  
  • Spouses/Partners of ministers/spiritual leaders.  Spouses are full voting members and may hold office.
Quarterly Meetings
  • October during the SouthEast Conference
  • February & May at various UMMAS churches (Changing locations allows us to become acquainted with each other's church facilities, community, and practices.  We also enjoy the renewal of a short vacation "get-away".)
  • September at the annual UMMAS Retreat (ministers arrive a day early to Retreat for this meeting). 

Sometimes we extend the February or May meeting by a day or two for a special training experience or a ministers' retreat.

Usual format of our Feb/May Quarterly Meetings:

  • Monday:
    • Gather at noon for lunch (often at the host church)
    • 1 or 2pm: "Heart-Check" - a time for personal support.  Each person shares a few minutes of update about what's happening in your life, especially your personal life.  This non-judgmental personal support is the heart of UMMAS, the process by which we bond and grow.
    • Dinner on our own / informal fellowship
  • Tuesday
    • Continue/Finish "Heart-Check" as needed
    • Business meeting - financial report, tithe decisions, planning our events, etc.
    • Share ideas and "how to" of what works in our church
    • Dinner together (paid by UMMAS) 
  • Wednesday
    • Continue/Finish Business meet needed
 Distant ministers policy (adopted May 2010)
  • We offer five (5), $200 travel vouchers to ministers/spiritual leaders who want to come to UMMAS meetings, based on the following criteria:
    • Distance from site meeting
    • Availability
    • Deadline is 6 weeks prior to meeting

About the Retreat

UMMAS pays most of the cost for all active UMMAS Ministers & Spiritual Leaders and their spouses to attend.  Each UMMAS member pays small portion of the fee.  All are expected to assist in various ways at the retreat... some of the opportunities for service include:

  • Lead a Vespers service or Morning Meditation
  • Give a workshop
  • Program Chair - coordinate speakers/schedule, do introductions
  • Registration
  • Publicity - prepare Flyer and Schedule
  • Help at Registration/Check-in table
  • Retreat "Chaplains" - available for informal counseling, answering questions for retreat participants
  • Lead/Organize "extra" programs: some ideas: Evening Fellowship in the lobby, Sing-a-long in the lobby, Talent Show, Nature Walk/Hike, pre-retreat whitewater raft trip, Twelve Step meeting, golf or tennis match, jog together, yoga, etc. 

UMMAS members arrive at retreat a day early.  We meet at 2:00 for Heart-Check and last-minute details of the retreat, then have a wine & cheese social at 5pm, and dinner together at 6pm.  We continue with a short meeting the next morning.  (Per usual meeting participation policy, non-UMMAS members who may be traveling to Retreat with you are NOT invited to these meetings.)

A short meeting is held on Friday immediately after the close of the retreat (10:30am-noon), for business and de-briefing about the retreat (suggestions while they're still fresh in our minds).

Retreat policy, amended Feb. 2008:

Any Unity minister or Spiritual Leader of a Unity church, or any Unity minister living in the UMMAS region, pays $150 for themselves and $150 for their spouse/partner, (amount amended May 2010) to attend the Kanuga retreat.

The requirement to teach a workshop at the Kanuga retreat is that the prospective presenter must attend either the February or May business meeting of said year.

Grant & Scholarship Guidelines - Policy (revised Feb. 2006) for UMMAS expenditures for grants and scholarships.  Includes grants for financial assistance to Licensed Unity Teachers, Field Licensing Program, new building for an UMMAS ministry, retreats & leadership trainings, and other needs that arise for active UMMAS members. www.ummas.org/grants.html

Definition of Active Membership: (from Grant & Scholarship Guidelines).

Active UMMAS membership is established after one year of UMMAS membership including

  • attending at least one regular UMMAS business meeting and
  • supporting UMMAS through gifts and tithes. 

Active UMMAS membership is maintained by 

  • attending at least one regular UMMAS business meeting a year and
  • supporting UMMAS during each active year through gifts and tithes, either personally or through their ministry.
Last modified: 2010-05-20
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