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What Are They Talking About?

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We Unitarian Universalists (UUs) have the habit of speaking in acronyms. Lots of UU groups and organizations (see bottom of the page for more information) have long names which are often abbreviated, and some of us who have been around for a while may forget that everyone doesn't always understand this gibberish. Here is a list of common UU, liberal religious, and congregational acronyms that you may hear people say, or that you may read in UU publications. Thanks to the Unitiarian Universalist Congregation of the Ohio Valley (UUCOV) for getting this list started. For other acronyms (such as those used by the federal government as many of our members at Davies are government workers) check: acronym guide or acronym finder.

AA (Alcoholics Anonymous) - An organization that often meets in UU churches.

AEU (American Ethical Union) - An organization with several UU members, but not UUA-affiliated.

AHA (American Humanist Association) - An organization with several UU members, though not directly UUA-affiliated;HUUmanists are the humanist affiliate. 

AIW (Action of Immediate Witness) - A policy statement approved by the General Assembly (see "GA" below) concerning a timely event or emergency

A/PIC (Asian/Pacific Islander Caucus) Part of DRUUMM

APF (Annual Program Fund) - An important source of income for the UUA; this is where the "UUA dues" the Congregation pays on your behalf go.

ARE (UU Allies for Racial Equity) - An anti-racism organization for those identifying as "white" to support DRUUMM

BHCM (Beacon House Community Ministry) - North East DC neighborhood based organization supported by DC-area UU churches

BWGC (Baltimore Washington Growth Committee) - Committee of JPD

BWPO (Baltimore Washington Public Outreach) - Team/Sub-committee of BWGC

CLF (Church of the Larger Fellowship) - The "mail-order" church housed in Boston, for UUs who don't live near a local congregation.

COA (Commission on Appraisal) - The national body that studies and evaluates the operations of the UUA.

COA (Coming of Age) - A rite of passage or program for children becoming youth (usually grades 6-8).

CRE (Credentialed Religious Educator) - An individual employed by a local congregation to administer the RE program who has completed a process to become credentialed.

CSW (Commission on Social Witness) - The body of the UUA that brings social justice issues to the attention of the General Assembly

CUC (Canadian Unitarian Council) - The organization of Canadian Unitarian and Universalist churches.

CUUMA (Chesapeake UU Ministers Association) - The area UU ministers' support network.

CUUPS (Covenant of UU Pagans) - An organization for UUs who are interested in or practice pagan or Earth-centered faiths.

C*UUYAN (Continental Unitarian Universalist Young Adult Network) - The organization for UU Young Adults (aged 18-35).

DMUUC (Davies Memorial Unitarian Universalist Church) - Our church, named for A. Powell Davies.

DRE (Director of Religious Education) - An individual employed by a local congregation to administer the RE program.

DRUUMM (Diverse and Revolutionary Unitarian Universalist Multi-cultural Ministries) – An affiliate organization of the UUA for People of Color.

DRUUMMYAYA - UU Youth & Young Adults of Color

E (S/he) - An attempt at gender inclusive language, though not many people are using it.

EC (Ethical Culture) - Related to AEU above.

G&EC (Growth & Extension Committee) Committee of JPD that administers Chalice Lighter grants

GA (General Assembly) - The annual business meeting of the UUA, to which congregations send delegates.

GAYT (Guest At Your Table) - An annual fundraising program of the UUSC (see below).

GLBTQI (Gay/Lesbian/Bisexual/Transgender/Queer-Questioning/Intersex) - To use inclusive references to include people who are not straight and provide special ministering to them. Sometimes with 2 Q's, sometimes with fewer letters.

GWA (Greater Washington Association) - A cluster of ~25 congregations within the Joseph Priestley District, which is fading out and being replaced by a regional group.

GWAREC (Greater Washington Association Religious Education Council) - M/DRE support network of the GWA.

IARF (International Association for Religious Freedom) - An organization made up of groups from 20 different nations, of which the UUA is a member.

ICUU (International Council of Unitarians and Universalists) – An organization of Unitarian and Universalist societies from around the world.

JPD (Joseph Priestly District) - District of the UUA made up of congregations in eastern Pennsylvania, Southern New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, D.C., and northern Virginia.

JTW (Journey Toward Wholeness) - The UUA effort to find and eliminate institutional racism in our denomination and congregations.

LREDA (Liberal Religious Educators Association) - The professional organization of RE administrators.

LUUNA (Latina/o UU Networking Association) - An organization that connects UUs of Hispanic descent and promotes UUism in the Latino community.

MFC (Ministerial Fellowship Committee) - The body of ministers and laypeople that evaluates candidates for the UU ministry.

MRE (Minister of Religious Education) - A minister who specializes in Religious Education.

OBGLTC (Office of Bisexual, Gay, Lesbian, and Transgender Concerns) - The UUA department organized to help educate people and establish local groups regarding issues of sexual orientation and gender identity.

OWL (Our Whole Lives) - A life-span sexuality curriculum created by the UUA and United Church of Christ

PCC (Partner Church Council) - A group that works to connect North American UU congregations with churches in the rest of the world, especially in Eastern Europe.

PG (Prince George's County) - County leaders perfer we do NOT use this abreviation since it can be construed as disrespectful.

POC (People of Color) - A population that is small in our association and to be more inclusive and diverse, we'd like more POC involvement in our congregations.

PR (Public Relations) - Focusing on growth; bringing in newcomers; educational outreach

RE (Religious Education) - Education regarding religious issues, and the UUA department responsible for assisting with it.

SAI (Study-Action Issue) - A topic selected by the General Assembly for long-term study by UU congregations; may develop into a SOC (see below)

SOC (Statement of Conscience) - A major policy statement and philosophical "stand" taken by the General Assembly, usually related to a social justice issue, which guides the work of the UUA Administration.

UUA (Unitarian Universalist Association) - The association of all the Unitarian Universalist congregations in the US and Canada; also used to refer to the UUA headquarters in Boston.

UUADP (UUs for Alternatives to the Death Penalty) - An organization of people who are concerned about the death penalty

UUBF (UU Buddhist Fellowship) - A group of UUs who are interested in Buddhism and Buddhist practice.

UUCF (UU Christian Fellowship) - A group for UUs who identify themselves as Christians.

UUDPR (UUs for Drug Policy Reform) - A new group for UUs who are concerned about the "war on drugs."

UUETA (UUs for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) - The UU version of PETA.

UUJA (UUs for Jewish Awareness) - An organization for UUs who are interested in Judaism or are of Jewish descent.

UUJEC (UUs for a Just Economic Community) - A group for UUs who are concerned about economic justice, racism, and discrimination.

UUMA (UU Ministers Association) - An organization for UU ministers.

UUMeN (UU Men's Network) - An organization of UUs interested in men's issues, and of congregational men's groups.

UUMN (UU Musicians' Network) - A group for UU musicians and composers.

UUNIA (UU Network on Indigenous Affairs) - A group of UUs working for greater justice for Native Americans.

UUPCC (UU Poets' Cooperative) - An organization and publishing concern for UU poets.

UUSC (UU Service Committee) - An organization, independent of the UUA, that works for social justice around the globe.

UU-UNO (UU-United Nations Office) - An associate organization for the purpose of representing the UUA to the UN and keeping UU's informed about the UN.

UUWF (UU Women's Federation) - An organization which represents women's concerns within the UUA.

UUWO (Unitarian Universalist Washington Office) – The office of the UUA’s Social Justice Department in Washington, D.C.

YAC (Youth Adult Committee) - The body of youth and adults that administers youth activities in the district.

YRUU (Young Religious Unitarian Universalists) - An organization for UU youth (ages 14-20).

Links for some of these organizations are on Our Link Page and some are on the History pages. If you're looking for information about a certain UU term or acronym and don't find it here, email us.

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