UUHA Chapters are an important part of the UU Humanist Association’s mission. Local groups may be tightly affiliated with a Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA) congregation, as one of a congregation’s programs or groups, or they may be more loosely affiliated (ie they use a UU meeting space and/or welcome UU members to their meetings.)
Why get involved with a local group?
- Local groups provide community and an arena in which to act on our Humanist values.
- Humanist local groups raise positive awareness of the philosophy of Humanism.
- Local groups associated with UU congregations help strengthen Humanism within the UUA.
- These UU-associated groups also emphasize that UU congregations are welcoming places for Humanists to find like-minded people to work on social justice issues, to help educate their children, to broaden their own education, and to have fun.
Why affiliate your local group with the UUHA?
- Help people find you! We’ll link to your website, Meetup, and/or Facebook page and help people learn about your existence and find out how to get involved.
- Show support for the UU Humanist mission, support our goal to strengthen Humanism in the UUA, and help us be a bridge between the secular community and the UU community.
- Get your events listed to increase visibility.
- All UUHA Chapters can also become Affiliate Local Groups of the American Humanist Association (AHA) without needing to file a separate application. Affiliate status with the AHA connects you to resources like:
- Trainings, programs, and speakers through the AHA
- Advertising your local group in AHA’s national directory, attracting new members curious about humanism
- Coaching and support for group leaders from the AHA’s full-time community organizing staff
- Access to grants for service projects
- Access to seminars, courses, and resources about humanism
- Opportunities to be involved in AHA advocacy initiatives to protect the separation of religion and government, defend science, and stand up for human dignity whenever it’s threatened
To be recognized as a UUHA Chapter, a group must:
- Be in sympathy with the UUHA Mission, Vision, and Values.
- If meeting in a UU Congregation, have authorization from the minister and/or board of the host congregation to form a UUHA Chapter and operate as part of the congregation. A covenant between the chapter and the hosting congregation is required.
- A prospective UUHA chapter must include at least 3 individuals who are voting members of the UUHA.
- All new and existing chapters shall provide a contact person for publication, who shall at all times be both an active member of UUHA and a member of a UU congregation.
- All chapters shall submit an annual registration form.
- A Statement of Mission and/or Purpose is required to become a chapter. (Bylaws or other organizational documents should be sent in at the first renewal.)