Registration Open: Join us in Little Rock and/or Windsor!

March 27, 2024

On behalf of the UCA Board and the UK International Conference committee, I’m delighted to announce the opening of registration for two 2024 UCA conferences:

Each conference will feature that special UCA conference blend of thought-provoking presentations, practical workshops, and plenty of time for fellowship, food, and getting to know this year’s Conference Partners. Mutual encouragement is the order of the day, and interesting cross-pollinations and collaborations have resulted from past conferences. We are united by our convictions that the God of the Bible is the Father and that Jesus is his human Messiah. Come and make new connections with like-minded believers. You can register now at either of the above links; don’t delay, as space is limited.

The programs for each conference are still being built:

Workshops! Participate in the Planning for UCA Conference 2024 (USA)

March 18, 2024

If you have an idea for a workshop or are interested in presenting one, please review the following:

Workshops are designed to complement the theological presentations. They are intended to be practical and interactive, and are aligned with the “connecting with others” aspect of the UCA mission. Having meaningful dialog among a group is a way to learn about each other and make new connections. A lecture results in you getting to know the lecturer, but a topic that creates lots of discussion means you get to know a dozen people in the room. Workshops give us the opportunity to put unitarian thought into action.

Workshops are designed to be in a different format than the paper presentations to holistically round out the conference and participants’ needs. So, we have opted for a clear demarcation between these two types of sessions.  Paper presentations are theological, scholarly, detailed lectures, with a Q&A at the end to dig in. The workshops are designed to facilitate discussions. They could be run by an individual, a team, or a panel.

To make workshops as broadly useful as we can, we are favoring topics that are practical, like tools, skills, or building more connections. Some examples of past workshops include homeschooling, interpersonal conflict, deconstruction of faith, and running online church groups.

If you have a workshop idea that fits the above guidelines or the ability to present a workshop, please submit your idea to Laura Willenburg, our workshop coordinator, using the email: workshops@unitarianchristianalliance.org. Please provide a detailed explanation of the topic and some possible points of discussion for the session.

Thank you for making the workshops a valuable part of the UCA conference experience!

Call for UCA UK International Conference Papers

March 15, 2024

The Unitarian Christian Alliance UK International Conference organisers are pleased to announce a general call for papers to be presented at our first annual conference in Windsor, UK, July 25-27, 2024. (Watch this blog for the opening of registration)

The submission deadline is the end of the day (UK time) of Friday May 24, 2024.

Please do not submit multiple papers.

Submissions will be blind-reviewed by a committee of three.

We are looking for scholarly (or at least: informed, insightful, and well-argued) papers which are also accessible to an educated lay audience on topics which can advance the cause of unitarian Christianity. Previous conference presentations can be seen on YouTube and some Model Papers are referenced here.

Topics may include but are not limited to: biblical theology, systematic theology, biblical studies, textual criticism, history of theology, history of unitarian Christianity, apologetics, Christian philosophy, analytic theology.

Authors may submit even if they are neither a member of the UCA nor a unitarian Christian.

Paper submissions must conform to the Chicago Manual of Style (Notes and Bibliography style, with footnotes and bibliography). A fully written paper must be submitted; an outline or proposal is not enough.

The main text should be no longer than 6,000 words, so that the presentation is no longer than 45 minutes. Submitted papers longer than 6,000 (in the main text – so not including footnotes) will be automatically rejected.

Authors should plan on about 10 minutes of audience Q&A after their talk. Papers may be read, although authors are encouraged to present the material in an engaging way.

Conference presentations will be video-recorded and may be posted on the UCA YouTube channel, and our social media committee may also snip out interesting “sound bites” for short videos. By submitting a paper, you agree that your presentation may be filmed and used in these ways by the UCA.

Authors of accepted papers must supply a PowerPoint or Keynote or Google Slides (etc.) presentation to accompany their talk by the end of Monday, July 1, 2024. (This should be emailed to the address below.)

After removing any self-identifying features (e.g. your name, references to your other publications or other work), please email your submission to ukconference@unitarianchristianalliance.org.

Our conference coordinator will ensure that the papers are suitable for blind review and then pass them on to the committee.

The committee’s decisions will be emailed to authors by the end of Monday, June 3, 2024.

Save the date: UCA Conference 2024!

February 22, 2024
Conference Preview Video

The UCA Board is pleased to announce that our fourth annual conference will be at the Vines Center in Little Rock, Arkansas, October 17-20, 2024! Registration will open in the coming weeks!

The conference will be all inclusive (connect, eat, sleep, repeat!) so show up Thursday afternoon, October 17, 2024, and settle in for the teaching, networking, and fellowship, till checkout after breakfast Sunday morning, October 20.

The venue has great meeting spaces; look at the comfy seats in the auditorium and the breakout rooms for workshops!

Sleeping accommodations are onsite: choose at registration for single occupancy, double, or triple if you want to save some money and room with new or old friends!

Their food gets rave reviews: 3 square meals a day, plus cinnamon rolls for brunch, popcorn for mid afternoons, and 24 hour beverage service if you need some caffeine to keep focused. (Post-conference diet plan not included.)

There will be plenty of room to relax and fellowship. I can’t decide if I want dibs on the firepit by the lake or the comfy couches more.

Their grounds are beautiful, quiet, and should probably have some fall colors.

The trip from the Little Rock airport to the conference center is about 30 minutes; we’re looking into shuttle ideas – stay tuned . . .

Last year, attendees had the opportunity to attend church on Sunday at one of the unitarian Christian groups in the area. It was a positive experience for many, and it will be an option again this year.

Watch this space for coming announcements about submitting a scholarly paper or an idea for a practical workshop to be considered for inclusion in the program.

Registration will be announced here, and also via the UCA Facebook Group, so stay tuned!

We can’t wait to see you there!

Sean Finnegan – The Deity of Christ from a Greco-Roman Perspective

November 3, 2023

In a paper presentation at the 2023 UCA Conference, Pastor Sean Finnegan addresses the deity of Christ within a Greco-Roman worldview. When early Christian authors called Jesus “god” (or “God”) what did they mean? Did early Christians think Jesus was God because he represented Yahweh? Did they think he was God because he shared the same eternal being as the Father? Did they think he was a god because that’s just what they would call any immortalized human who lived in heaven? In this presentation Finnegan focuses on the question from the perspective of Greco-Roman theologies. Drawing on the work of David Litwa, Andrew Perriman, Barry Blackburn, and tons of ancient sources he shows how Mediterranean converts to Christianity would have perceived Jesus based on their cultural and religious assumptions.

See more presentations from the 2023 UCA Conference.

The-Deity-of-Christ-from-a-Greco-Roman-Perspective-Final-v2Download

10 Ways to Kill Unitarian Christianity

October 29, 2023

Unitarianism had been very popular in the United States of America. In fact, a number of presidents were themselves unitarian Christians. What happened? How did Unitarianism implode? As the UCA continues grow in numbers and influence, Unitarianism is once again on the rise. How can we avoid making the same mistakes our American forbearers made? Join Dr. Dale Tuggy, as he warns of ten ways to kill unitarian Christianity.

See more presentations from the 2023 UCA Conference.

Christian Centered Counseling

October 18, 2023

Christian Centered Counseling (CCC) is a team of online counselors who believe that the Bible offers the guidance we need for our lives, including the solutions to our problems. Life is hard and there are times when we all need a little help. Counselors come alongside those struggling to help them through the difficulties of life. CCC believes those seeking counseling can find freedom and healing so that they can grow in sanctification.

Counseling is bible-based, spirit-led, 100% online, and confidential. Furthermore, CCC is a biblical unitarian organization, which means their counselors understand and sympathize with the exclusion and persecution unique to those who believe the Father alone is God and Jesus is his human Messiah.

Don’t suffer in silence. Get a loving, external perspective. Reach out to Christian Centered Counseling today. Visit their website at christiancenteredcounseling.org or email them at christiancenteredcounseling@gmail.com and begin your journey of healing and wholeness.

Williamsburg Christadelphian Foundation

October 17, 2023

The UCA is delighted to again have the Williamsburg Christadelphian Foundation as a Conference Partner. They state that their mission is to help “individuals and families grow their faith in God and His Son. . . We help nurture trust in God and Jesus that endures through all the ups and downs of life. WCF sponsors programs and special initiatives around the world that:

  • Root faith in the word of God, learning from the faith lessons of faithful people in the Bible
  • Nurture faith by supplying tools that spur a whole faith to develop – one of head, heart and hands.
  • Inspire stronger growth by connecting people of faith, fostering a spirit that edifies all.
  • Show faith to others by enabling generous service for Christ.”

You’ll want to explore their podcasts and videos. Music is another aspect of their work, from original recordings of hymns to Spotify playlists. Their Newcomers Program gives vital aid to immigrants, and their White Fields mission initiative has placed “over 180 volunteers in 20 countries on 5 continents.”

Be sure to stop by the WCF table at the conference to find out more about how this amazing organization is serving as salt and light in this broken world.

Extracurriculars at the 2023 UCA Conference

There’s more in store than just the workshops, meals, and excellent presentations!

Pre-party at “The Abbey”

Arrive early and drop in at “The Abbey” for the UCA Pre-party, Oct. 19, noon to 5pm. It’s just up the road, so stop in for refreshments, and visiting. Alan Cain shows you around in the video below!

UCA Pre-party Video

Evening Visits

Gather with others after the evening meeting (ending around 8:30). There are restaurants, a brewery downtown, and plenty of space to just hang out and get to know others. If you are a young adult, hang out after the evening session on Thursday and Friday nights for a dedicated time together of encouragement and new friendships.

Baptistry

There is also a baptistry available Saturday lunch for any who want to use it.

Local Attractions

Come early or stay later and take in some local attractions, including the National Museum of the United States Air Force, Cedar Bog Nature Preserve, and more (listed on the Conference page).

See you there!

Allegiance to the King

October 16, 2023

Allegiance to the King (A2K) is once again a UCA Conference Partner. A2K continues their work to connect and fellowship with people far and wide, building faithful followers of our King. 

A2K has two missions:

  1. To promote faithfulness and allegiance to our Lord Jesus and our Father God.
  2. To grow the number of unitarian churches worldwide.

To serve isolated unitarian Christians, A2K has built an online unitarian church called Christian Virtual Fellowship (CVF) which has proven to be a significant blessing to many. Connecting over the internet can be difficult, but A2K has worked diligently to learn and grow through the process, achieving a successful model with members from all over the world. When Christians come to a unitarian view of God through online resources such as the UCA, they often find that there are no local unitarian churches for them to connect to. Christian Virtual Fellowship provides a church home for these isolated brothers and sisters.

A2K also works to both plant and grow local churches including actively supporting the planting and growth of other unitarian ministries’ churches. 

With a host of great teachers, A2K produces many teaching resources and makes them available online. Check out their website (https://allegiancetotheking.org/) to peruse the hundreds of videos they have published on topics from Christian living, teachings on our God and his Messiah, and on the Kingdom of God.

Thanks to A2K for participating and supporting this conference. We are blessed to work alongside you.