I hope you’re all enjoying the signs of spring that are budding up all around us… and UUMFE also has a new bud of our own to celebrate!

We’re so excited to introduce Mary Ellen Morgan as the new Executive Director of UU Ministry for Earth! We’re thrilled to have her on board and excited for the fresh perspectives and rooted experience that she brings.

A forty-year Unitarian Universalist, Mary Ellen brings a wealth of experience in many important facets of UU leadership. Professionally, she has worked for several UU congregations in the areas of Religious Education and Administration. She has also served as the President of the Association of UU Administrators and the Treasurer of the UU Trauma Response Ministry. Currently, Mary Ellen serves as Ministerial Intern at the UU Fellowship of Redwood, City, California, and will graduate with a Masters of Divinity from Meadville Lombard Theological School in 2025.

Most importantly, Mary Ellen is passionate about Climate Justice, and her energy is catchy! We know she’ll be a fantastic asset, and we are already energized and inspired by the possibilities. Let’s give Mary Ellen Morgan a warm welcome to UUMFE!

If you’d like to introduce yourself to Mary Ellen or send her a message of welcome, you can email her here: director@uumfe.org

And, as always, if you’d like to reach out to me as UUMFE Board Chair, please message me here: laurenlevwood@uumfe.org

To conclude, a personal note: I know that there are many challenges in our world that are impacting us, and weighing heavy on hearts, bodies, and minds. Thank you for taking a moment away from those challenges to celebrate a positive change with us.

During these times, UUMFE remains rooted in our Mission and Vision to create “a world in which reverence, gratitude, and care for each other and for the living Earth are central” through acting as “a seedbed… that inspires deep practices of Earth care, justice, and flourishing for all.” As the political and earthly climate changes in unsettling ways, and as our organization moves through its own leadership transition, we remain committed to our priority to create Climate Justice and support the most vulnerable among us along the way.

So… here’s to positive new changes! May they bud and bloom in inspiring ways.

May your heart remain anchored to hope, rise rooted in joy, and be sustained with love and resilience in the days to come,

Rev. Lauren Spivey Levwood, Board Chair, UU Ministry for Earth