Men’s Group

 

Men’s Group

Welcome to the webpage for the UUSS Men’s Group. If you are curious about what we do, why we gather, and what you might enjoy about coming to this group, please take a moment to read our Mission and Vision Statements below. Please note that this group is newly forming. We invite you to attend one of our upcoming Fall meetings, the third of which will be Sunday, November 17, 2024 from 12:15PM-1:45pm in Room 7/8 at UUSS. Please check the Blue Sheet weekly for more details. You can also email us at for more information about the UUSS men’s group.

If you would like to get on our email address, please send a note with any questions and your contact info to

Men’s Group Mission Statement:

“We come together as men and as spiritual beings, to deepen our lives through mutual support, through exploration and growth. We journey together to be a force for healing within ourselves and in the world. We share in the pursuit of our highest selves… to discover and live our deepest purposes… to offer our best presence to those we love. Indeed, Love is at the center of all that we do, love for our families, our friends, our colleagues, our communities, ourselves, for all.”

Vision Statement:

We understand that an evolved expression of the masculine is one that is built on integrity, accountability, authenticity, and love – one that balances, coexists, and complements the feminine, valuing harmony over competition, and safety in our shared vulnerability. We work together, and support each other, in identifying, understanding, and transcending (with compassion), the internalized toxic messages and behaviors that our culture has provided with the male identity.
We gather together not to exclude anyone or any identity but to cultivate a unique solidarity, spirit, and service among men. We welcome all who identify with the male or masculine, embracing all identities therein, while striving for equity, diversity, and inclusiveness in all interactions. May we go together in fearless pursuit of interconnection.”

Our Covenant Agreement:

As Unitarian Universalists, We Gather Together To Deepen Our Lives And Be A Force For Healing In The World. When we gather together in this men’s group, we make a commitment and an agreement to do the following:

  • Try on ideas: If someone expresses an idea, opinion, or point of view new to you or different from your own, try it on; try to see it from within the other person’s perspective.
  • Use “I” statements: Speak from your own personal experience rather than speaking of another’s experience or generalizing about a group, whether that group is your own or another’s.
  • Respect challenges to being in community: Remember the physical and cognitive differences people bring to participation in community: hearing, standing, moving, sitting, smelling, learning, processing, and so forth. Don’t assume everyone manages their mind/body or engages in the same way you do.
  • Listen to your emotions: Pay attention to strong emotional responses that spring up… they may well be signaling that you’ve touched a deep well of power or knowledge. When you feel glad, sad, mad or scared, try to figure out what your emotions are teaching you.
  • Respect confidentiality: It is good to share our learnings and experiences from dialogue with others, but it is not OK to share another’s story and to name that person unless that person gives specific permission to do so.
  • Honor one another’s contributions: Each of us shows up as we are able, so our commitments to one another matter. Communicate with others when your capacity changes and practice flexibility to meet your goals together.

Please note that this group is newly forming and so our curriculum and gathering schedule is a work in progress.

Men’s Group Updates