OUR MISSION
Unitarian Universalist Animal Ministry empowers individuals, chapters, and congregations to build justice and compassion for animals.
Unitarian Universalist Animal Ministry is a group of concerned Unitarian Universalists and friends who desire to express their faith, in part, through their compassion towards all beings.
UUAM chapters across the United States and Canada work to promote compassion for animals at the local level.
WHO WE ARE
We believe in the inherent worth and dignity of every being.
Events
Planting for Pollinators
April 28, 2024
Sunday April 28, 2024 at 7pm EDT / 6pm CDT / 5pm MDT / 4pm PDT / 1pm HST
Featuring Shartrina White, Vice President of Education, The Butterfly Pavilion.
Find out about the lives of the unsung heroes of our ecosystems at this free Zoom talk, and learn how to support them as we plan our spring gardens!
With a distinguished 23-year journey in the nonprofit sector, Shartrina White embodies a deep-rooted passion for crafting educational programs that champion the protection and reverence of all life forms. At the Butterfly Pavilion in Westminster Colorado, Shartrina steers a dynamic team of educators, interpreters, and volunteers, orchestrating enriching experiences tailored for a diverse audience. Her pivotal role includes creating and executing curriculum and outreach initiatives in sync with Butterfly Pavilion’s unwavering mission—the conservation of invertebrates and their habitats.
Planting for Pollinators is sponsored by UUAM.
Please register in advance to save your spot.
May 1, 2024
Pet Loss Support Group
DETAILS: The Pet Loss Support Group is held on a monthly basis, and new participants are always welcome. The meetings are held on the first Wednesday at 8:00 pm (Eastern).
In order to gain access, email Rev. Elleven (relleven at gmail dot com) and he will send you the link and password. You can also find it on the UUAM Facebook page).
In the meantime, visit Rev. Russell’s Animal Chaplain page.
Is UUAM for You?
Do you care about animals and the more-than-human world? Are you into wildlife, dogs, cats, humans, horses, pigs, leafy seadragons, Meatless Mondays, training service animals, rescuing raptors, trying veganism, volunteering at shelters, saving endangered species, or protecting ecosystems?
You’ve found a group of kindred spirits here, and you will want to learn about Unitarian Universalist Animal Ministry (UUAM).
April 2024
Quote of the Month:
“I could never have imagined it would be the last seen alive. I always thought there would be more. I was wrong.”
~ Entomologist Harry Lange, speaking of the day in 1941 that he dropped the last Xerces blue butterfly seen alive on Earth into his killing jar.
Do you have a favorite animal quote? Send it to info@uuam[dot]org and enter “quote” in the subject line.
Stay updated on all the UUAM happenings.
Sign up to be the first to know about our events and news. We’ll send a monthly newsletter that highlights important animal-related stories, UUAM chapter activities, a photo of the month, and the occasional vegan recipe. Don’t miss it.
Past Events
October 1, 2023
Guest Speaker: Christopher “Soul” Eubanks
DETAILS: Animal Celebration / Blessing of the Animals
We are thrilled to announce our guest speaker: Christopher "Soul" Eubanks! Soul is an advocate for anti-racism, climate, and for other animals. His own experiences of marginalization motivate him to campaign for animals, and he describes his opening to animals as a "spiritual awakening."
Christopher was raised in Atlanta, GA, and has dedicated himself to advocacy for collective liberation. After learning the horrors of animal exploitation, Christopher became vegan, began doing community organizing and helped to co-organize Atlanta’s first ever animal rights march. Christopher is the founder of APEX Advocacy, a nonprofit animal rights organization that teaches grassroots activism and creates various campaigns to empower Black, Indigenous and People of Color to advocate for animal rights.
This online event will take place Sunday October 1st, 2023 at 4pm ET / 3pm CT / 2pm MT / 1pm PT.
Please mark your calendar and register today!
June 11, 2023
Guest Speaker: Former Farmer Harold Brown
DETAILS: Acclaimed animal advocate and former farmer Harold Brown speaks to YOU and UUAM! Join us on Sunday, June 11 at 4pm Eastern / 1 pm Pacific for a Zoom presentation and Q&A. Mr. Brown is a former beef and dairy farmer. He was born on a cattle farm in Michigan and spent over half his life in agriculture. After a personal health crisis forced him to confront the incidence of heart disease in his family, he went vegan. Living in great health on a vegan diet led him to reexamine all of his previous assumptions about eating animals. Harold was featured in the film "Peaceable Kingdom: The Journey Home" and is now a globally recognized speaker and animal advocate. We are so excited that he will be speaking with us! Register here.
December 19, 2023
Homelessness and Animal Welfare: PUPP Act webinar
DETAILS: Did you know people experiencing homelessness are sometimes accompanied by a companion animal? Did you know these human-animal partnerships face a standard “no pets allowed” rule in emergency shelters and housing programs? But there is hope, in the new "PUPP Act."
Join the UU Animal Ministry, UUs for Social Justice, and Reverend Daniel Lawlor from UU Congregation of the Hudson Valley for a presentation and Q&A with guest speakers from the national nonprofit My Dog Is My Home. They will explain the intersecting issues of homelessness and animal welfare. Hear about how people who have already survived the trauma of losing their homes must also decide between accessing services and giving up their beloved companion animal or forgoing services to stay with their furry family members.
The bipartisan Providing for Unhoused People with Pets (PUPP) Act was reintroduced to support adopting pet-friendly policies in homeless services in June 2023. Learn about the issues that inspired the PUPP Act and what you can do to help.
Tuesday, December 19, 2023
8:00 p.m. ET • 7:00 p.m. CT • 6:00 p.m. MT • 5:00 p.m. PT
Online, via Zoom.
Join us for the virtual screening of "Love Stories" on Feb 18th as we celebrate love in its many forms. Following the 20-minute screening, Emma Schwarz and John Burton, the film's creators, will join us for a discussion to share experiences and discover ways each of us can promote positive change and peace for all living beings as we face the challenges of living in an ever-changing world. Join us and be inspired to share new gained knowledge to create a world we all want for ourselves and other living beings.
Sun Feb 18 at 7pm ET / 6pm CT / 5pm MT / 4pm PT / 2pm HT.
Emma Schwarz and John Burton are award-winning multi-medium artists who use their skills in filmmaking, 3D animation, photography, musical composition, and writing to inspire positive change. Their focus lies in illuminating the stories of farmed animals and educating about veganism, igniting a collective call for a more compassionate and sustainable future for all. Emma and John’s work has been accepted into 15 international film festivals including the Lyons International Film Festival, the International Vegan Film Festival, and the Berlin Indie Film Festival, garnering 10 awards including "Best Documentary Short," “Colorado Craft Cinema Award,” and "Audience Choice Award." Most recently, they were awarded the “Special Jury Changemaker” award at the Los Angeles-based Awareness Film Festival, at which they shared the stage with legendary musician Moby for a post-festival Q&A session. Their work has also been featured on prominent social media and streaming platforms such as Vegan FTA and UnChainedTV.
February 18, 2024
You’re Invited: “Love Stories”
A young couple falling in love
A mother's selfless love for her baby
Two friends who totally get each other
The complex bonds between siblings
Life companions enjoying retirement together
The transcendent love between species
UUAM Board Vice President Kathleen Jefferies is excited to bring a program of love and connection to our community during February, the month when we celebrate love, relationships, and connections. This program will be an opportunity to observe and discuss the rich emotional lives of these sentient beings who share the planet with us, but who are generally seen as ‘products’. As we honor the value of the lives of these individuals, we are reminded that our daily choices impact the lives of those who have no choice.
Sermon Contest
Sermon Contest
Enter our 2023-2024 Albert Schweitzer Sermon Contest!
$1,000 prize to be awarded for best sermon!
Click here for more information.
Juliette Moore submitted the winning entry for 2022–23. Read her sermon: “Veganism and the 7th Principle” by clicking here or watch it by clicking here.
Guiding Principles
Four guiding values keep our efforts on track:
Intersectionality – Taking seriously the interactions of racial injustice, gender, poverty, class, ability, animal exploitation, environmental degradation and more, we seek to build a world that is more just, inclusive, and equitable.
Internationalism – Based largely in North America, we serve Unitarians, Universalists, and Unitarian Universalists throughout the world.
Interfaith – We value the work of other faith movements and collaborate to build wisdom and effectiveness.
Interdependence – Ecologically, we protect the integrity of the web of life that human and non-human animals share; Organizationally, our board and chapters, each and all, partner in mutual support amidst our particular strengths and shortcomings; Individually, our different perspectives, journeys, passions and commitments are gifts we respectfully share and gratefully receive.
We do good work not just for non-human animals, but for people and all of life, knowing that our connection with the more-than-human world helps us live most fully, deeply, and authentically.
Rev. John Millspaugh, Executive Director