An MLA newsletter and a new expanded website, exciting stuff, but how will it affect you, and what does it represent for MLA? Change is such an oddity, perhaps the only thing we can really be certain of, but in more deep and nagging ways it still has the ability to stir fear and doubt, to insert a little uncertaintly in our lives. Will the familiar remain? Will the "new" still support me?

It's been a whirlwind year of changes for MLA, changes that have been swirling in the winds for some time now, and we're not done yet. Let me spend some time talking to you about where MLA is heading in the internet age, in new ways to serve you.

Before I begin any process I find it helpful to get grounded, and to recognize my allies and gaurdians. In this circle, immediately in front of me, I see Thomas Fischer. A few years back Thomas and I began the work of writing an MLA website. Due to calendar conflicts, and all to quickly, I went to work on a different project that competed heavily for my time; and it was Thomas that stayed the course and launched the first MLA website. So to Thomas, a deep bow of gratitude from me. I also look around over my elders' shoulders and see a long tradition of connection. Paper and electronic newsletters that have come and gone over the years. I see the "Men's Council Journal" and "Mentor" magazine, and I see a vision of what we can accomplish.

Connection is the biggest reason you're reading this article online today, and the reason you recieved an MLA newsletter in your email. How can you best stay connected to MLA, and how can we more easily stay connected to you? How do we better support the regional MLA-related groups outside of Boulder, and most important to me - how can we connect to men that we can perhaps serve, but haven't even met yet? One of those connection mediums is the internet, it's a place I know well from my own businesses.

Once a quarter MLA will be delivering a newsletter update that gives you the latest MLA news, upcoming event schedules, and last minute training changes. You'll find the usual things you would expect from an internet newsletter like messages from MLA staff and leadership. But we also want to go places a newsletter rarely goes, to hold the heartstone, so you will also find insipiration: in poetry and songs, book excerpts, and articles that address men's contemporary concerns.

Farther down the road there will be more. Regional sections will be added to both the newsletter and the website where you can read about a variety of events, perhaps in the Berkshire's, or maybe from our Louisiana brothers. There will be references, and suggested reading and programs. And soon we will announce an article submission process and comment areas to include your voice more directly.

Finally, we want to deliver a newsletter that works best for you and your community. We've chosen to pay for our own newsletter delivery service, it's an extra cost for MLA, but by doing this our mailing lists remain our own and secure, they will never be sold or rented for corporate spam. If you want to stay on the distribution list for next quarter and beyond, you don't have to do anything, we'll email you the next newsletter soon. You can help us reach out to new men by forwarding a copy of this newsletter to your friends using the "Forward email" link of the copy you received. This forward is safe and simply sends the newsletter along to your friend, it doesn't add that person to our mailing list until they choose to "opt in" on their own. And finally, you can choose to "unsubscribe" at any time.

Change and Connection - I hope you'll stay with us while MLA continues to grow over the coming quarters. The vision I have for a newsletter and website, I haven't yet seen, but I believe it's still possible. I'm excited to go there with you.