About UU Wellspring
20 Years of Growth
Begun in 2005 by Rev. Jen Crow, UU Wellspring grew out of a yearning to develop Unitarian Universalist identity and spiritual growth.
UU Wellspring Inc. is a nonprofit organization with a national Board of Trustees. The program has received grants from the UUA Funding Program and the Unitarian Sunday School Fund to support new programs.
How UU Wellspring Does Its Work of Transforming Lives
UU Wellspring changes lives and is an anchor for Unitarian Universalists. UU Wellspring continues to decenter whiteness in our materials and processes. We also continue to develop additional programs of various lengths and formats to meet the growing needs for spiritual deepening in our faith. UU Wellspring is also intent on building relationships with participants and congregations as we build the Beloved Community together.
Please note that UU Wellspring is an affiliated organization of the Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations but we are not the UUA. If you want to donate through the UUA, you can do so by identifying UU Wellspring as a designated affiliated organization.
The UU Wellspring Board has adopted the Eighth principle and is continuing the work to incorporate this principle into our work and live into all that it inspires to bring an anti-oppressive lens to all that we do. Our newest programs planned for fall of 2024 incorporate the proposed values and covenants of Article II.
Proposed Article II Programs
Young Adult Programs and Participants
UU Wellspring Programs
Board Mission Statement
UU Wellspring Vision
Develop personal and communal depth to fully live Unitarian Universalism.
UU Wellspring Mission
UU Wellspring provides tools to create inclusive, accountable, spiritually deep religious community. Personal inner work evolves in covenanted relationship to create a path toward spiritual wholeness and faithful action that is essential to our collective liberation.
The Future of UU Wellspring
UU Wellspring began as a small group program at First Unitarian Church of Rochester, New York in 2005 under the direction of Rev. Jen Crow.
Over 100 congregations participated in congregational programs in the past two years. Our program for individuals has grown to over 50 religious professionals each year with cohorts for clergy, lay people and seminarians.
We have had participants from 42 states, all 7 Canadian provinces, Great Britain, Jamaica and South Africa.
We are growing by our stellar reputation and personal testimonies of transformation.
In 2020, we were able to reduce our annual fees for small and mid-size congregations and to offer more online programs for individuals to support more Unitarian Universalists in spiritual deepening.
All this is supported by subscriptions from congregations and your generous monthly or one-time donations through the donate button at the top of bottom of this page, a check sent to UU Wellspring, 8848 Grey Hawk Pt. Orlando, FL 32836 or a legacy gift or a gift distributed by the UUA Umbrella Fund. Please include your designation to UU Wellspring if you give through the UUA and send an email to Director@uuwellspring.org so we can follow up on the gift.
**Click here for 2024 Donors
Generous Past Donors
- Rev. Viola Abbitt
- Bev and Craig Alig
- David Banks*
- Sarah Billerbeck
- Chris Blake
- Carolyn Bjerke*
- Michelle Bull
- Melanie Cofield
- David B. And Janis L. Cox
- Wendy Derrow
- David Debitt
- Rev. Kelly Dignan*
- Wendy Derrow
- Jane Dewitt
- Rev. Kelly Dignan*
- Mary Dipboye
- Everett R. Eastman
- Joan Erwin
- Andrew Feigin
- Susan Ferguson
- Mary Foran
- Rev. Jude Geiger*
- Rev. Sara Goodman*
- Martie Haynie
- Elizabeth(Beth) Irikura*
- Libby Jackson
- Ann Labinski
- Rev. Libby Moore
- Paula Hickman
- Edith Hudson
- Donna Karen
- Ruth Kizner
- Patricia Lambert
- Amy Middlebrook
- Ali Mohammad
- Libby Moore
- Amy Moreland
- Janet Mosso
- Dave Munro
- Linnea Nelson*
- Ted Nelson
- James O’Neill
- Karen M. Paulson
- Robin Pugh
- Jennifer Redill
- Alexina Robertson
- Antoinette (Toni) Saunders
- John Michael Scott
- Rev. Tina Simson*
- Rev. Sara Smalley
- Elizabeth Sollie
- Robert Vaccaro
- Elizabeth Weber
- Carolyn Wells
Past Organizational Donors and In-Kind Supporters
- Aaron Tyo*
- Community Church of New York City
- Twinflower Press
- Skinner House Press
2022-23 UU Funding Grant Recipients
Congregations:
All Souls Unitarian Church: Tulsa, OK
First Religious Society of Newburyport, MA
Neighborhood Unitarian Universalist Church, Pasadena, CA
Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Columbia, MD
Unitarian University Church Seattle, WA
West Shore Unitarian Universalist Church: Colombus, OH
Youth:
Coastal Virginia Unitarain Universalist, Virginia Beach, VA
Unitarian Universalist Church of Bloomington-Normal, IL
Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Danbury, CT
Unitarian Universalist Church: Wassau, WI
Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Duluth, MN
Unitarian Universalist Fellowship Bozeman, MT
West Shore Unitarian Universalist Church: Colombus, OH
Meet Our Team
UU Wellspring Executive Director
Linnea Nelson is the Executive Director and President of UU Wellspring. She is also a certified Spiritual Director for Adults, Youth and Children and works primarily with Unitarian Universalists. She has joyfully participated in UU Wellspring since 2013 and finds it a necessary anchor in her life. She has edited and written UU Wellspring curriculum and curriculum for the UUA and led groups both in person and online
Linnea is an educator at heart having served as a Director of Religious Exploration; Teacher and Curriculum writer for the UUA, Head of a private school; Learning Center Director, International Discussion Leader and Trainer, and teacher. Linnea has lived in Jamaica, Australia, Colombia, Indonesia and Germany as well as several places in the United States. Linnea once served as the President of the Liberal Religious Educators Association (LREDA).
She is the author of essays, poems, and prayers and she is the editor of Beyond Welcome: Building Communities of Love, all published by Skinner House Books.
UU Wellspring Board of Directors
Rev. Sara Goodman
Board Chair
Rev. Sara Goodman is the minister of UU Community Church in Glen Ellen, VA. She has also served as nn Assistant Minister at White Bear Unitarian Universalist Church in Minnesota, and a lifelong Unitarian Universalist. Sara loves creativity and movement, and she loves to laugh and to cry with people. She loves feeling useful and whole, and looking out her windows and seeing green things. Sara is a raised UU, transplant from California, mom of Jamie and Emily, married to Shawn, and is so much more than the sum of her parts.
Rev. Tina Simson
Board Director
Rev. Tina Simson believes that people are whole and worthy of grace no matter life’s circumstance, and that given the opportunity to listen deeply to their inner spark, they will find their way home to their true selves.
She is Minister Emerita of First Unitarian Church in Rochester, NY where she served for nine years as Minister of Spiritual Development and Pastoral Care, and currently sees clients for Spiritual Direction. She is one of the originators and authors of UU Wellspring and has facilitated many levels of the program. She has facilitated retreats and mentored congregations across the country as they initiated UU Wellspring. From 2011-2014. she served and the national UU Wellspring Coordinator, originator of the UU Wellspring Blog and member of the advisory team.
Tina is an Interfaith Minister educated and ordained through One Spirit Interfaith Seminary in New York and holds a certificate in Spiritual Counseling. Tina is an Associate Member of the UUMA.
Carolyn Bjerke
Past Board Chair
Carolyn Bjerke serves as the Director of Music at the Unitarian Universalist Church of Ventura, CA. Carolyn is passionate about growing and supporting spiritual community, especially through music. A singer and teacher, she has taught coached singers of nearly every age and ability. The connection to joy and spirit that music brings is universal, which makes her work rich and rewarding. Carolyn is a UU Certified Music Leader.
Rev. Wendy Williams
Board Director
As Senior Minister of Jefferson Unitarian Church in Golden Colorado, Rev. Williams provided opportunities for an intern minister to have small group ministry leadership experience and to bring spiritual deepening to the congregation. She is now an avid supporter of the transformational impact of UU Wellspring!
Aaron Tyo
Board Treasurer
Aaron Tyo is a Youth Advisor at Albany Unitarain Universalist. He is also our primary facilitator for our online Young Adult programs. Aaron’s family includes his spouse and three amazing children.
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Sahar Muhsin Laufman
Board Director
After brilliantly facilitating our first BIPOC online cohort, Sahar will join the UUW board! Watch for the BIPOC Love at the Center: UU Values and Covenants cohort that she will be facilitating in the fall. Sahra is a Starr King alumni (with an MDIV & Masters in Social Change) and consults with UU organizations on social justice, program coordination & somatic well being.
Our Emeritus Directors
Rev. Viola Abbitt
Past Board Director
Rev. Libby Moore
Beth Irikura
Past Chair
David Banks
Past Board Director
Rosemary Bishop
Rev. Kelly Groves Digman
Past Board Treasurer
Dave Munro
Rev. Kierstin Homblette Allen
Past Board Director
Rev. Joy Collins
Julica Hermann de la Fuente
Rev. Sean Neil-Barron
Rev. Jude Geiger
Past Board Director
Rev. Jen Crow
Rev. Dr. Sarah Lenzi
Rev. Linda Pashby Kaufman
Rev. Kimberley Debus
Rev. Deborah Raible
Rev. Sara Smalley
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