Mission

The mission of the Association for Unitarian Universalist Music Ministries is to support music and worship arts professionals, leaders, and those they serve through advocacy, education, and inspiration.

Purpose

The Association for Unitarian Universalist Music Ministries is dedicated to furthering the ministry of music and musicians in the congregations of the Unitarian Universalist Association. 

Our purposes are:

• To lead the denomination in establishing a spiritual and aesthetic climate which encourages excellence and diversity among those who serve in its ministry of music; 

• To provide the community of UU musicians with a network of mutual support, education, information, and opportunities for professional and spiritual growth;

• To provide assistance and advice, as well as worship and music resources, to the Unitarian Universalist Association, particularly in its provisions of new material for common worship, services of celebration, and religious education;

• To encourage a unity of purpose among musicians and religious leaders within our churches and congregations; and 

• To reveal and celebrate that breadth and wealth of the world's music which expresses and embodies the values of Unitarian Universalism.

History

The Association for Unitarian Universalist Music Ministries (AUUMM) was formed as the Unitarian Universalist Musicians Network (UUMN) at a meeting during the 1982 General Assembly. The AUUMM is an international organization which currently boasts a membership of approximately 550 from the United States and Canada.  In 1985, the Unitarian Universalist Musicians Network (now AUUMM) was recognized as a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization.

An elected Board of Trustees governs AUUMM. Board members are identified and vetted by the Nominating Committee before put forward for election by the membership. Trustees represent congregations from across the continent and serve staggered three-year terms. As outlined in the Association’s bylaws, Trustees and Nominating Committee members serve no more than two full, consecutive terms.

A continental mailing invited broader membership. In 1983, the UUMN Newsletter, Notes, began publication and the first summer conference was held in Boston. In 2012, began reaching a broader audience and answered the changing times with an electronic membership blast, Grace Notes.

The Association for Unitarian Universalist Music Ministries, as UUMN, took an active role in the development of the first UUA hymnbook, Singing the Living Tradition (1994), and the hymnal supplement, Singing the Journey (2005). Our members served on both task forces. The Association provided support in raising development funds, collecting and evaluating material, and helping to introduce the new book to congregations and their leaders.

An Administrative Office was created in 1995 for the purposes of coordinating Association activities, providing communication among members, and making contact with officers and liaison personnel.

In 2000, our Association organized the first UU Children’s Choir in conjunction with the Unitarian Universalist Association General Assembly (GA). UU children from the US and Canada come together for five days where they prepare and present music for GA attendees. In 2016, the sixth UU Children's Choir was held in conjunction with the AUUMM Annual Conference in Madison, Wisconsin. 

The Music Leaders Certification Program (MLCP) for UU musicians was established in 2006 with 10 candidates. The MLC is administered by the Music Leadership Certification Committee of the Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA).

Every summer, AUUMM offers a conference where members meet to educate and inspire one another. Conference sites and hosts are listed below. 

At the 2018 annual meeting in Portland, Oregon, members voted to change the name to Association for Unitarian Universalist Music Ministries. The new name went into effect on January 1, 2019.