Last updated: 05/05/2010

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Metro NY Minute -- January 2009

  
 
News From the District
The second annual Rock and Run for Justice was a great success. Sponsored by the First Unitarian Society of Westchester (Hastings-on-Hudson NY), December 26-28, the event for youth and advisors included a Midnight Run to Manhattan, workshops, and a concert. Read more Acrobat Reader Required.
The 2008 District Annual Meeting will be held May 1-2 at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Jersey City NY. Our theme is Turning Outward in Faith, focusing on how congregations can serve the broader community, a powerful way to help members grow spiritually. The featured guests on Friday evening will be Exit 43, four talented musicians from the Unitarian Church in Westport (CT). Registration begins February 15. Watch for more information!
Grants up to $5000 are available to support congregational growth. Funded by the District using resources provided through the Fall 2007 Association Sunday, grants might be used to improve signage, upgrade a website, produce a video for visitors, or any number of a projects. Ideas that involve two or more congregations working together get first consideration. Click here to apply by February 5. Read more Acrobat Reader Required.
Candidates for UUA President will visit the District February 13-15. Meet the Rev. Peter Morales and the Rev. Dr. Laurel Hallman on February 13 at the Community Church of New York UU in Manhattan, at a New Jersey and/or northern Westchester congregation on February 14, and at a Long Island congregation on February 15. Watch for an email about specific locations and times.
The Fall 2008 Chalice Lighters recipient is the UU Congregation at Rock Tavern (NY). Funds collected will be used to help rebuild the congregation's facilities that were destroyed in a devastating fire on September 12, 2006. For a project description, click here Acrobat Reader Required. As of January 5, nearly $24,500 has been collected. Read more Acrobat Reader Required from Bill Slezak, District Chalice Lighters Coordinator. The Spring 2009 Chalice Lighters recipient will be the UU Legislative Ministry of New Jersey, which will use funds collected to hire part-time staff.
The District Women and Religion Committee is sponsoring a luncheon and lecture on January 31 at the Community Church of New York UU (Manhattan). Madeline Hansen will speak on ForeMentors: How Our Foremothers Can Serve as Guides to Our Future. For a registration flyer, click here Acrobat Reader Required. For more information, contact Reena Kondo.
  
Worth Repeating

Be sure your congregation files for certification by February 2 (8:00 p.m. ET). Visit http://dyn.uua.org/congregation/ to file for certification.

Are you interested in presenting a workshop at the 2009 District Annual Meeting? The Annual Meeting planners would like to hear from you. The 2009 District Annual Meeting will be held May 1-2. Workshops should fit the theme Turning Outward in Faith, focusing on the fourth system -- the Serving System -- in the congregational systems model advanced by Larry Peers. To quote Larry: "Service to others is a powerful way for an individual to grow spiritually. The congregation is attentive to providing support and recognition for individuals to grow through serving others -- and using one’s gifts, talents, or passion in meaningful and powerful ways. This is tied with your community presence: What you do within your congregation and how you serve others in the broader community extends your presence beyond the walls of your congregation." Click here to enter your workshop proposal.

You are invited to submit a nomination for one or more of four 2009 District Awards and to encourage youth to apply for one of three 2009 District Scholarships. The presentation of awards and scholarship will be a highlight of the 2009 District Annual Meeting. The nomination and application deadline is March 1.
Calling all young adults! Come to the Young Adults Winter Retreat and spend Presidents Day Weekend (February 13-16) in community with fellow District young adult UUs at Frost Valley YMCA Camp in Claryville NY! Stay three nights in a beautiful 40-person, environmentally friendly lodge with a wood-burning fireplace. Meet new friends, re-connect with old ones, and just relax in the Catskill mountains. Participate in arts and crafts, hiking, or snow tubing -- to name a few activities -- or take some time for personal reflection. Nightly worship lead by a District young adult religious professional and an open-mic night are also in store. Registration includes all meals and is $200 as of December 1 and $250 as of January 1. Registration ends February 1.
More Good Stuff to Check Out!

Worship Service Providers available to District congregations

RE-Sources for religious education leaders

Job opportunities around the District

InterConnections for lay leaders

Action Campaigns of the UUA

UUA Monthly Mailing to all congregations

uuworld.org, UUA's online magazine

UU Service Committee news

Small Talk newsletter for small UU congregations
Calling all congregations with buildings 50 years old -- or older! The District has long been hoping to gather together UUs within the District who have historic buildings and would like to learn more effective ways to care for them, raise funds for their preservation, and imagine new ways their sacred places can be thriving community resources. Come to an orientation on February 21 from 1:30 to 4:00 p.m. about the New Dollars/New Partners program of Partners for Sacred Places. For a flyer, click here Acrobat Reader Required. To register, click here. For more information, contact the Rev. Alison Cornish.
Pastoral Care: An Intro for Religious Educators will take place April 2-4 at the Xavier Center. Participants will learn about the philosophy of and theological foundations of pastoral care in UU settings and the unique needs of children, youth, and families of color, among other topics. Though not a Renaissance Module, the training counts toward the UUA Credentialing Program. For a flyer, click here Acrobat Reader Required. To register, click here. For more information, contact John Cavallero.
News From the UUA
Information about the Green Sanctuary program, including how to become a certified congregation, is available online. In early 2009 the Green Sanctuary Manual will be available for downloading for no cost. Congregations are invited to join the UUA email list Greensanctuary. To sign up, click here.
 Youth are encouraged to apply for a General Assembly Youth Caucus staff position. Successful candidates will attend General Assembly for free, June 24-28 in Salt Lake City UT. Youth Caucus is a group of UU youth, ages 14-20, who participate in General Assembly programming and hold programming specifically for youth, including daily meetings to discuss and take part in General Assembly business. To read more about the Youth Caucus, click here. For an application, click here Acrobat Reader Required.
Each month, the UUA implements an Action of the Month campaign to engage UUs in accomplishing concrete objectives that reflect UU values. Following are the Actions for January through March: January -- Living Wage: Bring the minimum wage closer to a living wage by supporting the Let Justice Roll Living Wage Campaign to raise the federal minimum wage to $10 in 2010. February -- BGLT Equality: Visit your Representative or Senator and ask them to support BGLT equality. March -- Comprehensive Sex Ed: Coinciding with the annual Sexuality Education and Advocacy Training, which teaches members how to be effective advocates for comprehensive sexuality education. For more information on these Actions of the Month, visit www.uua.org/socialjustice.
Congregations can order additional subscriptions to UUWorld magazine at the reduced rate of $8 for four quarterly issues to share with returning visitors and those seriously considering membership. Read more Acrobat Reader Required. 
UU University will be offered within the normal 2009 General Assembly schedule. In the past, UU University has been held prior to the start of General Assembly, but this year nine hours of General Assembly programming will be dedicated to the highly successful lay leadership education program. Read more Acrobat Reader Required.
The UU Peacemakers Working Group is sending each congregation a copy of their DVD Peacemaking: A Commitment to Study and Action. Peacemaking was adopted by delegates to the 2006 General Assembly as a Congregational Study/Action Issue. A donation of $15 per DVD is suggested, and additional copies can also be ordered. For more information, contact Alex Winnett. The Working Group has also made available a variety of additional resources online at uua.org/peacemaking, including a 62-page curriculum guide, Peacemaking in Congregations: A Guide to Learning Possibilities for All Ages Acrobat Reader Required.
 Audio recordings of the Winter 2008 UU World are available online as mp3 files. You may listen to the magazine in sections or article by article. The recordings are made possible by the UUA Department of Communications and the UUA Office of Accessibility Concerns.
 In response to the current economic situation and several requests, the UUA's Office of Congregational Stewardship Services Director, Wayne Clark, has gathered articles that relate to congregational fundraising during difficult economic times. Wayne especially encourages congregations to remain positive in these difficult times. Read the articles Acrobat Reader Required.
News From Congregations

The UU Fellowship of Briarcliff, Croton, and Ossining (Croton-on-Hudson NY) welcomes Keith Harris [pictured] as the Fellowship's first Music Director. Keith holds a Master’s of Music in Vocal Performance from the University of Washington and also currently serves as Westchester Chordsmen Musical Director. Says Fellowship Minister the Rev. Jim Covington, "Music is a key component of a meaningful Fellowship experience. Keith will be instrumental in deepening and expanding that experience."

  
Milestones and Transitions

Jef Gamblee will be ordained by the Community Unitarian Church at White Plains (NY) on January 25, at 4:00 p.m.

Jude Geiger will be ordained by the First Congregational Society in Brooklyn (NY) on February 1 at 3:00 p.m.
 Skylands UU Fellowship (Hackettstown NJ) will hold a Dedication Service on March 22 at 2:00 p.m. for the Fellowship's new facility. The 126-year-old church is part of the Beattystown NJ Historic District that has both Federal and state landmark recognition.
 The Rev. Susan Karlson will be installed by the Unitarian Church of Staten Island (NY) on April 26 at 5:00 p.m.
The UU Congregation of the Palisades (Englewood NJ) is featured in the Winter 2009 edition of InterConnections, in a story about how congregations respond to tough economic times. "We [called a congregational meeting and] had a frank discussion where people could talk about what’s bothering them,” says President Jonathan King. “We wanted to lessen some of their fears and help them understand they have a community here. We saw this as an opportunity to tend to our own community in a crisis.” Read more.
 The First Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Hunterdon County (Baptistown NJ) welcomes its new Choir Director, Joanna Lovell. This is a new position for the Fellowship. Joanna will be working alongside Music Director Vera Dodd in supporting music of quality and energy. In other news, the congregation has redesigned its website at www.hunterdonuu.org.
 The UU Society in Stamford (CT) hosted 430 people in the Society sanctuary for the Cocoa Caper on December 7. The Society also provided six large boxes of food wrapped in holiday paper for four families in need, collected reference books for teens, and donated 133 pounds of food to the Food Bank.
Other Noteworthy Items
 The District Chapter of the Liberal Religious Educators Association (LREDA) is sponsoring Professional Day on February 5 at the Community Church of New York UU (Manhattan). Gini Courter, UUA moderator, will speak on how religious educators and ministers work together to further the mission of Unitarian Universalism. The cost of $50 includes lunch. To register, click here. For more information, contact Melaney Mashburn.
The Church of the Larger Fellowship (CLF) gets a bit of money each time you make a purchase from Amazon.com when you reach Amazon.com through the CLF website at www.clfuu.org. Just click on the Amazon.com button on the right-hand side of the page.
Going to the Obama Inauguration? UU churches in the Washington DC area are making lodging available. For information about lodging available through the UU Church in Arlington, click here. For information about lodging available through All Souls, Unitarian, click here.
President-elect Barack Obama and his family held a memorial for his grandmother, Madelyn Payne Dunham, at the First Unitarian Church of Honolulu. Pacific Central District Executive Cilla Raughley asked the Church's minister, the Rev. Mike Young, to write something about the experience. Read Rev. Young's piece Acrobat Reader Required. The Church also made national news in 1969 when it offered sanctuary to dissident servicemen protesting the Vietnam War.
Upcoming Workshops and Meetings
Visit the District's Calendar and Events page for these and other events:
 
bullet Anti-Racism and Social Action Con: January 16-18, 2009, First Unitarian Society of Plainfield (NJ). To register, click here. To register as an advisor, click here. For more information contact Corinne Hallander..
bullet Jubilee 2: January 16, January 17, January 18, 2009, sponsored by and held at the First Unitarian Congregational Society in Brooklyn (NY). For more information, contact Michael Richardson.
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Anti-Racism in Worship workshop: January 31, 2009, First Unitarian Society of Plainfield (NJ), sponsored by the District Anti-Racism and Diversity Committee. For more information, contact the Rev. Wendy Pantoja.
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Women and Religion Luncheon Lecture: January 31, sponsored by the District Women and Religion Committee, Community Church of New York UU, Manhattan. For a registration flyer, click here Acrobat Reader Required. For more information, contact Reena Kondo.
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LREDA District Chapter Professional Day, February 5, Community Church of New York UU, Manhattan. To register, click here. For more information, contact Melaney Mashburn.
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7th National Midsize Congregations Conference: February 6-8, 2009, Hilton Houston Post Oak Lodge, Houston TX.
bullet Young Adults Winter Retreat: February 13-16, 2009, Frost Valley, Claryville NY. To register, click here. For more information, contact Ryan Novosielski.
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Youth Con: February 20-22, 2009, Unitarian Society of Ridgewood (NJ). For more information, contact Corinne Hallander.
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New Dollars/New Partners Orientation: February 21, Community Church of New York UU, Manhattan. For a flyer, click here Acrobat Reader Required. To register, click here. For more information, contact the Rev. Alison Cornish.
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Presidents Roundtable: February 21, Community Church of New York UU, Manhattan. To register, click here. For more information, contact Andrea Lerner.
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Peacemaking: Preparing for GA 2009: February 28, UU Congregation at Shelter Rock, Manhasset NY, sponsored by the UU Congregation at Shelter Rock and the UU Fellowship of Huntington (NY). 
bullet Middle Atlantic Large Church Conference: March 6-7, All Souls, Unitarian, Washington DC. For more information, contact Andrea Lerner.
bullet Youth Con: March 6-8, Unitarian Church of Summit (NJ). For more information, contact Corinne Hallander.
bullet UUMA District Chapter Retreat: March 13-14, Senexet House, Woodstock CT. For more information, contact the Rev. Rebecca Sala.
bullet Pastoral Care: Intro for Religious Educators: April 2-4, Xavier Center, Morristown NJ. For a flyer, click here Acrobat Reader Required. To register, click here. For more information, contact John Cavallero.
bullet Bridging Planning Con: April 3-4, location to be announced. For more information, contact Corinne Hallander.
bullet Leading Congregations into a Multiracial, Multicultural Future: April 3-5, Post Oak Lodge, Tulsa OK. For a flyer, click here Acrobat Reader Required.
bullet Junior High Con: April 18-19, Unitarian Church in Westport (CT). For more information, contact Peter Green.
 

Guided by our living faith, the Unitarian Universalist District of Metropolitan New York exists to be a source of connection and transformation for our congregations and our larger world.