First Unitarian Congregation of Ottawa

CUC: Canadian Unitarian Council, the Canadian national organisation of Unitarians.

UUA: Unitarian Universalist Association, a mostly American national association of Unitarian Universalist congregations, although it does have members from a number of different countries. It is one of the larger and better funded UU organisations, and as a result provides quite a bit of the ministerial training and resource material for UUs. COMPARE: ICUU.

ICUU: International Council of Unitarian Universalists. Just what it sounds like.

YRUU: Young Religious Unitarian Universalists, the organisation for UUs between ages 14 and 20, known as youth.

LRY: Liberal Religious Youth, YRUU's predecessor, formed in 1953, before the creation of the UUA in 1961.

YAC: Youth Adult Committee, a volunteer group of youth and adults (often equal numbers of each) in a congregation, region, or country, who work to make youth programming happen.

UUYAN: Unitarian Universalist Young Adult Network: an organisation for UUs between the ages of 18 and 35, known as young adults. In conjunction with the YAMs office (see below) they provide resources and support for young adult ministries and activities in the denomination.

YAMs: Young Adult Ministries: a UUA office and its activities which serves young adults COMPARE: UUYAN.

UUMA: Unitarian Universalist Ministers' Association. The professional organisation for UU ministers. Provides support, resources, and professional connections.

UUMOC: Unitarian Universalist Ministers Of Canada (pronounced "YOU-mock") --the UUMA chapter in Canada.

UU: Unitarian Universalist.

AUA: American Unitarian Association: the name of the Unitarian half of Unitarian Universalists before the merger of Unitarians and Universalists in 1961.

UCA: Universalist Church of America: the name of the Universalist half of Unitarian Universalist before the merger in 1961.

AUC: American Unitarian Church. A currently active religious group which wishes to keep to the historical Christian form of Unitarianism. Not a part of Unitarian Universalism or the UUA.

GA: General Assembly. The annual meeting of the UUA, with delegates from as many member congregations as can send them, and a number of observers. Policy decisions for the UUA happen here, in democratic assembly. It lasts four days and is packed with workshops and other activities, too. Gives a strong sense that there are other UUs out there; especially useful if you're feeling isolated or burnt out.

AGM: Annual General Meeting. The Canadian Unitarian Council has an annual meeting called the AGM which is much like the UUA General Assembly, but slightly shorter and smaller. Still a place for policy to be decided by democratic vote; still a place for workshops; still a way of connecting with the larger UU community.

congregational record: the document assembled by a congregation to represent themselves as they search for a minister. Consider it a curriculum vitae for the congregation.

ministerial record: the document assembled by a minister to represent zirself in the search for a congregation. It's an oversized resume.

search committee: a committee, elected by a congregation, to search for a minister. This committee works usually for a year, mostly in secret, to find the best candidate for the job. Only one is presented to the congregation for a vote of approval or disapproval.

sexton: caretaker for a congregation's building and grounds

pledge drive: also known as a stewardship campaign, this is the major fundraising event of most years. COMPARE: capital campaign

CLF: Church of the Larger Fellowship: a congregation without a physical location, they offer church by mail and internet for people who cannot or choose not to attend their local congregation. Resources include online classes, a lending library of books and curricula, and a mailing with full sermon texts and ministers' columns for use by congregations and individuals. Many congregations without ministerial leadership use the resources to help them create services.

MFC: Ministerial Fellowship Committee: the committee of the UUA board which determines whether or not a person is adequately prepared for UU ministry. Aided by references, a large packet of printed material, essays, and a one-hour interview, this committee makes a determination about the candidate's fitness for ministry. If they determine in the affirmative, this confers fellowship, not to be confused with ordination, which is a granting of ministerial status from a congregation. In general if a person is ordained without having been granted fellowship ze will not receive the support or recognition of the denomination and its resources, although ze may still be called by a congregation. It is ordination which confers the title "reverend".

liturgy: the pattern of a worship or religious service. In a UU congregation it might involve a sequence like this: prelude, call to worship, lighting of the chalice, opening words, hymn, children's story, joys and sorrows, anthem, meditation and prayer, moment of silence, hymn, offeratory, sermon, hymn, closing words, benediction, postlude.

UUJA: Unitarian Universalists for Jewish Awareness. The organisation of UUs who are strongly Jewish-identified and work to make a place for themselves and other like-minded people in UUism.

UUCF: Unitarian Universalist Christian Fellowship: The organisation of UUs who are strongly Christian-identified and work to make a place for themselves and other like-minded people in UUism.

UUBF: Unitarian Universalist Buddhist Fellowship: The organisation of UUs who are strongly Buddhist-identified and work to make a place for themselves and other like-minded people in UUism.

CUUPS: Covenant of Unitarian Universalist Pagans: The organisation of UUs who are strongly Pagan-identified and work to make a place for themselves and other like-minded people in UUism.

capital campaign: a special fundraising drive for a large, expensive task of a congregation, such as constructing a new building or renovating the old one, re-roofing the building, or starting an endowment fund.

A Quirky Intro to Unitarianism and Unitarian Universalism by Leela Sinha
A Glossary: the cure for an alphabet-soup headache	If you like things in order . . . Introduction to the guided tour: . . . . .. lead me onward If your mind loves a search . . . Menu by Subject general information about Unitarianism and Unitarian Universalism history polity general theology personal theology Religious Exploration political/social action involvement at First Unitarian, Ottawa, Ontario CANADA
CUC: Canadian Unitarian Council, the Canadian national organisation of Unitarians. UUA: Unitarian Universalist Association, a mostly American national association of Unitarian Universalist congregations, although it does have members from a number of different countries. It is one of the larger and better funded UU organisations, and as a result provides quite a bit of the ministerial training and resource material for UUs. COMPARE: ICUU. ICUU: International Council of Unitarian Universalists. Just what it sounds like. YRUU: Young Religious Unitarian Universalists, the organisation for UUs between ages 14 and 20, known as youth. LRY: Liberal Religious Youth, YRUU's predecessor, formed in 1953, before the creation of the UUA in 1961. YAC: Youth Adult Committee, a volunteer group of youth and adults (often equal numbers of each) in a congregation, region, or country, who work to make youth programming happen. UUYAN: Unitarian Universalist Young Adult Network: an organisation for UUs between the ages of 18 and 35, known as young adults. In conjunction with the YAMs office (see below) they provide resources and support for young adult ministries and activities in the denomination. YAMs: Young Adult Ministries: a UUA office and its activities which serves young adults COMPARE: UUYAN. UUMA: Unitarian Universalist Ministers' Association. The professional organisation for UU ministers. Provides support, resources, and professional connections. UUMOC: Unitarian Universalist Ministers Of Canada (pronounced "YOU-mock") --the UUMA chapter in Canada. UU: Unitarian Universalist. AUA: American Unitarian Association: the name of the Unitarian half of Unitarian Universalists before the merger of Unitarians and Universalists in 1961. UCA: Universalist Church of America: the name of the Universalist half of Unitarian Universalist before the merger in 1961. AUC: American Unitarian Church. A currently active religious group which wishes to keep to the historical Christian form of Unitarianism. Not a part of Unitarian Universalism or the UUA. GA: General Assembly. The annual meeting of the UUA, with delegates from as many member congregations as can send them, and a number of observers. Policy decisions for the UUA happen here, in democratic assembly. It lasts four days and is packed with workshops and other activities, too. Gives a strong sense that there are other UUs out there; especially useful if you're feeling isolated or burnt out. AGM: Annual General Meeting. The Canadian Unitarian Council has an annual meeting called the AGM which is much like the UUA General Assembly, but slightly shorter and smaller. Still a place for policy to be decided by democratic vote; still a place for workshops; still a way of connecting with the larger UU community. congregational record: the document assembled by a congregation to represent themselves as they search for a minister. Consider it a curriculum vitae for the congregation. ministerial record: the document assembled by a minister to represent zirself in the search for a congregation. It's an oversized resume. search committee: a committee, elected by a congregation, to search for a minister. This committee works usually for a year, mostly in secret, to find the best candidate for the job. Only one is presented to the congregation for a vote of approval or disapproval. sexton: caretaker for a congregation's building and grounds pledge drive: also known as a stewardship campaign, this is the major fundraising event of most years. COMPARE: capital campaign CLF: Church of the Larger Fellowship: a congregation without a physical location, they offer church by mail and internet for people who cannot or choose not to attend their local congregation. Resources include online classes, a lending library of books and curricula, and a mailing with full sermon texts and ministers' columns for use by congregations and individuals. Many congregations without ministerial leadership use the resources to help them create services. MFC: Ministerial Fellowship Committee: the committee of the UUA board which determines whether or not a person is adequately prepared for UU ministry. Aided by references, a large packet of printed material, essays, and a one-hour interview, this committee makes a determination about the candidate's fitness for ministry. If they determine in the affirmative, this confers fellowship, not to be confused with ordination, which is a granting of ministerial status from a congregation. In general if a person is ordained without having been granted fellowship ze will not receive the support or recognition of the denomination and its resources, although ze may still be called by a congregation. It is ordination which confers the title "reverend". liturgy: the pattern of a worship or religious service. In a UU congregation it might involve a sequence like this: prelude, call to worship, lighting of the chalice, opening words, hymn, children's story, joys and sorrows, anthem, meditation and prayer, moment of silence, hymn, offeratory, sermon, hymn, closing words, benediction, postlude. UUJA: Unitarian Universalists for Jewish Awareness. The organisation of UUs who are strongly Jewish-identified and work to make a place for themselves and other like-minded people in UUism. UUCF: Unitarian Universalist Christian Fellowship: The organisation of UUs who are strongly Christian-identified and work to make a place for themselves and other like-minded people in UUism. UUBF: Unitarian Universalist Buddhist Fellowship: The organisation of UUs who are strongly Buddhist-identified and work to make a place for themselves and other like-minded people in UUism. CUUPS: Covenant of Unitarian Universalist Pagans: The organisation of UUs who are strongly Pagan-identified and work to make a place for themselves and other like-minded people in UUism. capital campaign: a special fundraising drive for a large, expensive task of a congregation, such as constructing a new building or renovating the old one, re-roofing the building, or starting an endowment fund.
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