Beloved Gathering 2026

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Beloved Gathering 2026

September 17–20, 2026 | Thursday to Sunday
Unity Village — Kansas City, Missouri

This DRUUMM’s national gathering is when our community pauses from the pace of daily organizing and ministry to reconnect with one another, deepen our spiritual grounding, and strengthen our collective vision

In September 2026, we will gather at Unity Village, just outside Kansas City, for 4 days of worship, conversation, learning, and celebration among Unitarian Universalists of color and our communities of care.

  • Renew relationships across generations within the DRUUMM community
  • Deepen spiritual grounding
  • Celebrate our cultures, music, and traditions
  • Share skills and wisdom across ministry, organizing and justice work, and community leadership
  • Build DRUUMM’s future togeth

This page will continue to grow with more details in the months ahead.

Register Now
What to Expect

The DRUUMM National Gathering will include:

Worship & Spiritual Practice

Shared worship, ritual, and grounding led by DRUUMM ministers, chaplains, and community leaders.

Workshops & Learning Spaces

Sessions on organizing, ministry, spiritual care, community leadership, and racial justice work within Unitarian Universalism.

Community Conversations

Honest dialogue about the future of BIPOC leadership and community in our faith.

Arts, Music, and Cultural Celebration

Music, storytelling, and creative spaces reflecting our cultural richness.

Affinity Spaces

Time for caucuses and connection among specific cultural groups and identities.

Unity Village

Our gathering will take place at Unity Village, a historic retreat and conference center located just outside Kansas City, Missouri. The Kansas City International Airport is about 45 minutes away.

Unity Village provides:

  • A peaceful retreat environment surrounded by nature
  • Walking paths, gardens, and reflective spaces
  • Comfortable lodging and gathering facilities
  • Easy access from Kansas City International Airport

Kansas City also offers a rich cultural history, including vibrant music traditions, strong community organizing networks, and a growing UU presence.

More information about travel, lodging, and registration will be posted here soon.

Program Highlights

The DRUUMM National Gathering brings together a wide range of participants from across the country, including:

  • DRUUMM members and friends
  • UU ministers, seminarians, and religious professionals of color
  • Lay leaders and organizers
  • Young adult leaders
  • Elders who have helped build DRUUMM across generations
  • BIPOC Friends and supporters committed to racial justice in Unitarian Universalism

A list of key facilitators, speakers, and musicians will be announced in the coming months.

We are inviting community members to offer workshops, conversations, and creative sessions.

Possible offerings include:

  • Spiritual practices and rituals
  • Healing and restorative practices
  • Storytelling and community history
  • Arts, music, and cultural expression
  • Faith and justice conversations
  • Healing and restorative practices
  • Movement organizing and leadership development

If you have an idea for a program offering, we would love to hear from you – contact info@druumm.org. If you would like to offer a program, please fill out our Beloved Gathering Interest Form.

Submit a Program Proposal

National gatherings are made possible by volunteers who create a welcoming, organized experience.

We need volunteers to support with:

  • Registration support
  • Hospitality and welcoming
  • Workshop hosting
  • Worship and music support
  • Accessibility coordination
  • Logistics and setup

If you would like to volunteer, please contact noemi@druumm.org.

Volunteer Interest Form

We will be sharing updates regularly as the gathering takes shape.

To stay informed:

Become a Member

The vision of DRUUMM CALIFORNIA is to uplift, amplify and center BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, People of Color) Unitarian Universalists, through cultivating a network of regional retreats within the three main regions of the state: the Bay Area, Central Valley and Southern California. We dismantle white supremacy culture by centering the stories, lived experiences, and spiritual traditions of BIPOC UUS.

Interest Form

If you are interested in attending, volunteering, or offering a program, please fill out our Beloved Gathering Interest Form.

The form helps us:

  • Estimate attendance
  • Identify workshop leaders
  • Organize volunteers
  • Share updates with participants

What’s Coming Next

Over the coming months we will add:

  • Registration information
  • Travel and lodging details
  • Program schedule
  • Speaker announcements
  • Volunteer orientation information
  • Program leader orientation sessions

This will remain a living page as the gathering grows.

Questions?

If you have questions about the gathering, collaboration ideas, or ways to support the event, please reach out.

noemi@druumm.org

We look forward to gathering in community and continuing to build the future of DRUUMM together.

The vision of DRUUMM CALIFORNIA is to uplift, amplify and center BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, People of Color) Unitarian Universalists, through cultivating a network of regional retreats within the three main regions of the state: the Bay Area, Central Valley and Southern California. We dismantle white supremacy culture by centering the stories, lived experiences, and spiritual traditions of BIPOC UUS.

The vision of DRUUMM CALIFORNIA is to uplift, amplify and center BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, People of Color) Unitarian Universalists, through cultivating a network of regional retreats within the three main regions of the state: the Bay Area, Central Valley and Southern California. We dismantle white supremacy culture by centering the stories, lived experiences, and spiritual traditions of BIPOC UUS.