The Third Act: Redefining Ourselves as We Age

March 24 @ 11:00 am – 1:00 pm (Central)

with Rev. Dr. Clare Butterfield

Dr. Elias Ortega, President of Meadville/Lombard Theological School, suggested this FREE program might be of interest to our membership.
https://meadville.edu/event/the-third-act-redefining-ourselves-as-we-age/

Many clergy and other working professionals have been privileged to enjoy long, stimulating, and maybe even impactful careers. Work has brought economic benefits, and it has helped to shape a sense of identity. Retirement—our Third Act—can be liberating but also complex and challenging!

You’re invited to join Rev. Dr. Clare Butterfield, spiritual director and former executive director of Faith in Place, for a guided and grounded program to begin to look back on what you’ve accomplished and begin to look ahead to what comes next. Clare will lead you through a time of conversation and reflection, and will share about “The Third Act,” a 9-month guided program starting in Fall 2026 of reflection on service, wise discernment, and planning for continued meaning and purpose through retirement and beyond.

Co-sponsored by The Garrett Collective.

Spring 2026 Conference Pods

The spring 2026 conference for UURMaPA members is April 27-29. Our theme is “Keeping It Together While Democracy Is Falling Apart,” and will be presented during the first session on Tuesday, the 28th, by Dr. Glen Thomas Rideout.

Our conference in April is always available via Zoom, but if you have a notion to meet in person, you can participate at one of two locations where you can attend the sessions with your friends and colleagues. This allows you some face-to-face discussion time as well as opportunities to socialize and exercise your tourist muscles. The pod organizers at each location provided the information below so you can better understand the amenities and attractions that await you.

Wilmington, Delaware

One pod is in Wilmington, Delaware, and Richard Speck, the organizer, is justifiably proud of his city. He writes “The world famous Longwood Gardens bring people from all over the world. We also have Winterthur, a large museum dedicated to the American arts of furniture and collections of fascinating objects. The Brandywine River Museum of Art, the Delaware Art Museum, the Delaware Museum of Nature and Science are all nearby and easily accessible. There is much colonial-era history to explore, including Valley Forge and the Brandywine Battlefield.”

The First Unitarian Church of Wilmington, Delaware will be the host for both large presentations and small breakout groups. You might consider bringing a laptop or tablet for use during the breakout sessions. The church has a strong wi-fi signal throughout the building.

The church is about twenty miles south of the Philadelphia airport. Hotels are located 1-2 miles from the church. Some shared meals will be at the church with opportunities to go to area restaurants. Where possible, Richard says that transportation from either location and from the church to the hotels will be provided.

For more information, and to register for the pod, write Richard Speck, rgspeck@comcast.net or call him at 302/239-6286.

Kingston, Massachusetts

If you live in the orbit of Boston MA, or Providence RI, you might make a short Drive to Kingston, MA, where another pod is organized by Judy Campbell. Judy says, “Come to see and hug one another in person after several years of online conferences. Secondly, there are major attractions within an easy drive of the church. Coastal Massachusetts, Kingston and Plymouth, have any number of historic, and cultural attractions, not to mention some wicked good restaurants. The views of the harbor and ocean are stunning. Here is just a short list of attractions to tempt you to come:”

Go to www.Seeplymouth.com The official tourism site of Plymouth County

The Pilgrim Hall Museum offers outstanding early colonial history and a Wampanoag history and culture collection.

The Plymouth Guild for the Arts is a museum of local artists and features an elegant gift shop.

Plimoth Patuxet is the oldest town in New England and their living history museum is fascinating.

We will be meeting just a few miles north of Plymouth center at the First Parish Church in Kingston. More information is available by visiting www.kingstonuu.org. The website has everything you need to know about the location and has a map, directions to the church, and pictures of the buildings.

Contact the organizer, Judy Campbell, at 781/422-6519 or 508/939-1391, or send a message to revdocmom@comcast.net

If you think you might like to organize a pod or a watch party, it’s not too late. Richard Speck has some advice and suggestions. Write him at rgspeck@comcast.net.

The conference will feature a minister’s odyssey with the Rev. Diane Miller, and a partner’s odyssey with Barry Finkelstein. The conference opens and closes with a worship service and a service of remembrance is planned for the evenig session on the first day. Connecting rooms, where we can interact with others on a deeper level, are planned for three sessions.

To register, visithttp://uurmapa.churchcenter.com/registrations/events/3106236
The fee is $50 until April 6th, thereafter, $70.

Help is available with the registration process and if you need help with the registration fee, scholarships are available. If you just recently retired, or if this is your first UURMaPA conference, the Board is happy to waive your registration fee. For more information about registration or for help, please send a message to Barbro Hansson at conferences@uurmapa.org.

We look forward to greeting you in April at our spring conference. In the meantime, know that every one of us has a part to play in our struggles for inclusivity and justice. If you live in the USA, you might be a little closer to the heat, but if you are not, you are still here, you are more than a witness, and we’re all in this together.

Spring 2026 Conference Theme

“Keeping It Together While Democracy Is Falling Apart”

Our spring conference opens on Monday, April 27. We have arranged for eight sessions—three on Monday, three on Tuesday the 28th and two on the 29th. Our theme—“Keeping It Together While Democracy Is Falling Apart”—will be presented during the first session on Tuesday.

We are lucky to have Dr. Glen Thomas Rideout to present the theme. He is a writer, worship artist, and longtime leader in UUcommunities, where his work has centered on how people remain human, responsive, and connected during seasons of profound change.

Drawing on music, ritual, and close pastoral attention, he has accompanied communities across generations—especially elders—through moments when familiar forms no longer steady life in the same way. He understands Unitarian Universalism at its best as a tradition that turns anxiety about the unknown into a relationship with it, inviting each life into deeper rapport with mystery rather than retreat from it. His writing and teaching attend to thresholds rather than answers, and to the practices that help people move with time rather than withdraw from it. Glen lives in Minnesota. His ministry is alive wherever love and the people call him.

Dr. Rideout believes there are seasons of life when time stops behaving like a straight line and begins calling to itself from multiple directions at once. He said, “For the elder, this widening is often felt immediately—when the forms we trust most no longer hold us in the familiar old ways: memory answering memory, body and story renegotiating their terms.”

When asked how our members might adapt to the challenge of our theme, he replied, “The work, then, is not to retire into withdrawal but to remain—to know when to recline and when to rise, to relax in order to revive, to return transformed—bearing a posture of openness that teaches us what is still possible, even where we least expect it to last, when the songs need to be sung.”

Other features of our conference are two worship services and a service of remembrance, a minister’s and a partner’s odyssey, connecting rooms for stronger and more personal interactions, and a concert on Tuesday evening.

Registration is now open. Please visit uurmapa.churchcenter.com/registrations/events/3106236
The fee is $70, but tariffs have been deferred until April 6th. If you register before that date, the fee is only $50.

If you have never attended one of our conferences, the board is happy to waive your registration fee. If you need assistance with the fee or the registration process, help is available from our registrar, Barbro Hansson. Write her at conferences@uurmapa.org

2026 Spring Conference News

We are pleased to announce that our next spring conference opens on Monday, April 27. We have organized eight sessions: three on Monday, three on Tuesday and we’ll close the conference with two on Wednesday. As in recent years, the conference will be transmitted via Zoom, an online video conferencing platform available to you on your computer, laptop, tablet, smartphone or (audio-only) a telephone.

See DRAFT Conference Schedule HERE.

Barbro Hansson, who has guided numerous conferences for the Board, said, “I have loved every minute of this ministry, which helps our members connect with one another and explore what really matters, like how to keep our focus in these challenging times.”

Theme. Our theme is “Keeping it Together While Democracy Is Falling Apart,” and will be presented on the second day by Dr. Glen Thomas Rideout. Dr. Rideout is a worship artist and longtime leader in UU communities, and he suggests that as elders, we should not withdraw, but remain, and bear a posture of openness that teaches us what is still possible, even when we least expect it to last, and when the songs still need to be sung.
See more on the theme HERE.

Odysseys. The conference will feature a minister’s odyssey with the Rev. Diane Miller, and a partner’s odyssey with Barry Finkelstein. Diane said, “As an elder, I find myself looking back at decades of ministry and asking, ‘What was that all about?’ I hope that sharing my Odyssey will provide some insights.” Barry reminds us that sharing our life journeys is a wonderful way of connecting with one another and embracing our common humanity, and so important in these dark times.

Worship. The opening worship service will be produced by Wayne Arnason and Kathleen Rolenz. As always, our memorial service will honor those colleagues and partners who have left us. Tom Schade has gathered several people to produce the memorial service and a closing worship.

Connections. Connecting rooms, where we can interact with others on a deeper level, are planned for three sessions. One session will follow the theme presentation and be guided by what we learn from Dr. Rideout and our own experiences and hopes for the preservation of democracy.

Concert. The last session on Tuesday will feature Dr. Rideout in a concert of music that underscores the theme and inspires us to live into our role in keeping it together in challenging times. There’s more to this conference, so be prepared for connections, inspiration, and fun when we meet in April.

Pods. Regional pods and local watch parties offer a way to experience our virtual conference in community. They are for people who long to worship, reflect, and learn alongside others, and to share meals and conversation while participating fully in conference programming. Pods offer in-person connection, care, and the joy of being together rather than watching alone. Currently, pods are being developed in Kingston, Massachusetts and Wilmington, Delaware. See more information about these pods HERE.

Registration is open. Please visit https://uurmapa.churchcenter.com/registrations/events/3106236

Fees. Inflation and tariffs have caught up to us, and we regret that we must raise our fee for the conference to $70. However, if you register before April 6th, your cost will only be $50, unchanged from last fall. Early registrations help us make better plans for the conference.

Assistance. Help with all things registration is available from Barbro Hansson, the registrar. Scholarships are available if you need help with the fee. If you have never attended a UURMaPA conference, the board happily waives your fee. If you would like a scholarship or you are a newbie, please send a message to conferences@uurmapa.org for more information. You will receive a special code to use when registering.

Eyes on the Prize. We look forward to greeting you in April at our spring conference. In the meantime, know that every one of us has a part to play in our struggles for inclusivity and justice. If you live in the USA, you might be a little closer to the heat, but if you are not, you are still here, you are more than a witness, and we’re all in this together.

The Rev. Christopher G. Raible

The Rev. Christopher “Chris” G. Raible died on February 10, 2026, at the age of 92 (1933−2026).

Chris is survived by his wife of 71 years, Patricia Woolven Raible, his three children, John Raible, David Raible, and Anne Raible Beasley, six grandchildren and a growing number of great-grandchildren.

A celebration of life will be held at a later date.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may go to Planned Parenthood and/or the American Civil Liberties Union. UURMaPA will contribute to the UUMA Endowment Fund in honor of our colleague’s ministry.

Notes of condolence may be emailed to Anne at anicholson410@gmail.com.

A more complete obituary will be forthcoming after biographical research has been completed. It will be published in an upcoming issue of Elderberries and posted on the UURMaPA website.If any readers would wish to contribute information or reminiscences, we would welcome them. Please send them to UURMaPA’s clergy obituary editor, Rev. Jay Atkinson – jayatk40@gmail.com.

UURMaPAns Can Access the New Hymnal!

As you may know, the UUA has published a new hymnal, Sing Out Love, in an online format. (More info about this hymnal HERE) Subscription access to this hymnal is available only to institutions. Individuals can browse, but if you want to download, say, lyrics to a hymn, chords, a piano part, or if you want to have your copy transposed into a key you can sing, you have to sign up through an institution, usually, a church.

Your UURMaPA leadership has negotiated (and paid for!) access for retired UU ministers. We can have up to 999 people with log-in credentials, so…really, even if you just want to peak, you can get access.

Just Click this link: Access to Sing Out Love

Fill out the form, click submit, and the Sing Out Love staff will get you all signed up. (Might take a few days…be patient!)

Need help? Email Christine Robinson.

The Rev. Margaret A. Barnhouse

The Rev. Margaret “Meg” A. Barnhouse died on January 13, 2026, at the age of 70 (1955−2026).

Meg is survived by her wife, the Rev. Kiya Heartwood, their two sons, Sam Barnhouse Durrett and Ned Durrett, and five grandchildren. She is also survived by her stepmother, Bethie Barnhouse, her sisters, Ruth Story and Lucy and Joana Barnhouse, her stepsister, Mindy Cardenas, her stepbrother, Miguel Cardenas, and her nephew, Aidan, and niece, Lillia.

Two memorial services are planned. One will be held at 6:00 p.m. on Friday, February 27, 2026, at the UUChurch of Brazos Valley, 1719 E 29th Street, Bryan TX 77802. A second service will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, February 28, 2026, at the First UU Church of Austin TX, 4700 Grover Ave, Austin TX 78756.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Unitarian Universalist Church of Brazos Valley. UURMaPA will contribute to the UUMA Endowment Fund in honor of our colleague’s ministry.

Notes of condolence may be sent to dearmegb@gmail.com.

The Rev. Patricia Trudeau

The Rev. Patricia “Pat” Trudeau died on December 27, 2025, at the age of 73 (1952−2025).

Pat is survived by her husband, Wilburn, and her son, Donovan. Memorial service information will be shared at a later date.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Canadian Unitarian Council or to a charity of one’s own choosing. UURMaPA will contribute to the UUMA Endowment Fund in honor of our colleague’s ministry.

Notes of condolence may be mailed to the Canadian Unitarian Council, and they will forward them to the family, c/o Canadian Unitarian Council, Center for Social Innovation #302-192 Spadina Avenue, Toronto, ON M5T 2C2.

The Rev. Harry C. Green, III

The Rev. Harry C. Green died on December 27, 2025, at the age of 82 (1943−2025).

Harry is survived by his partner, the Rev. Linda Hart Green; his children, Christine Green LeLait (Alain) and Harry C. Green IV; and his grandson, Samuel Pitts (Abby). He is also survived by his sister, Penny Green Reid, and by his nieces, Kate Weidenbenner (Barry), Megan Nelson, and Emily Routt. He was preceded in death by his younger brother, James Bradshaw Green.

A memorial service will be held at 3:00 p.m. on Friday, February 27, 2026, at Story and Song Bookstore Bistro / Center for Arts and Culture, 1430 Park Ave., Fernandina Beach FL 32024.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Amelia Island Museum of History or Doctors Without Borders. UURMaPA will contribute to the UUMA Endowment Fund in honor of our colleague’s ministry.

Notes of condolence may be written here.

The Rev. Dr. Walter F. Wieder

The Rev. Dr. Walter “Walt” F. Wieder died on December 22, 2025, at the age of 81 (1944−2025).

Walt is survived by his wife of 38 years, Janet Wieder; his daughter, Gina Gerger; and his siblings, Joan Wieder, Theresa Wieder, and Mark Wieder.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Phoenix, 4027 E Lincoln Dr, Paradise Valley AZ 85253, or the Desert Botanical Garden, 1201 N Galvin Pkwy, Phoenix AZ 85008. UURMaPA will contribute to the UUMA Endowment Fund in honor of our colleague’s ministry.”

Notes of condolence may be written here.