Metro NY Minute -- February  2006

. . . Harry Green, District Congregational Services Consultant, is retiring from District service effective June 30.

. . . The District Board seeks an interim appointee to succeed Harry Green as District Congregational Services Consultant.

. . . There's still time to nominate worthy UU individuals and congregations for the 2006 District Awards and 2006 District Scholarships. The deadline for nominations is March 1. Awards and scholarships will be presented at the District 2006 Annual Meeting.

. . . The Fall 2005 Chalice Lighters Call has raised nearly $21.000, helping the Fourth Unitarian Society of Westchester (Mohegan Lake NY) to engage its minister, the Rev. Dawn Sangrey, for half-time service. The Spring 2006 Call will benefit the UU Congregation of Central Nassau (Garden City NY) in efforts to make the congregation's building handicapped accessible. An update from Bill and Rickey Slezak, District Chalice Lighters Coordinators. 

. . . Are your congregation's Annual Program Fund pledge and payments up-to-date? Do you have any questions? Do you need support material for your next congregational or board meeting? Jim Sanders, District Annual Program Fund Chair, is ready, willing, and able to help.

. . . The North Fork UU Fellowship (Northville NY is negotiating to secure a lease on the Historic Old Church in Jamesport NY. Built in 1731, the church is among the oldest in New York State. The Fellowship hopes to occupy the building by April 1 while ongoing repairs and restorations are in progress.

. . . The Morristown (NJ) Unitarian Universalist Fellowship is sponsoring Global Partnerships: Saving Lives Through Economic Justice - A United Nations Millennium Development Goals Conference on March 25. District leaders will receive a mailing on the conference, which will focus on information and strategies for individuals and groups to contribute to the UN Goals.

. . . The Unitarian Society of Ridgewood (NJ) participated in honoring Martin Luther King by hosting a visit from children in nearby Paterson. Rev. Sarah Lammert said, "The more we can bring these communities together, the better we can help bridge that divide [between the two areas]. These wealthy suburban communities need to make relationships with cities like Paterson."

. . . The UU Congregation of Central Nassau (Garden City NY) passed two important social justice resolutions, one on US torture and one on Darfur, and invites other congregations to join them.

. . . The Task Force on Election Integrity of the Community Church of New York UU (Manhattan) had Letters to the Editor published twice in January, in the Albany Times Union and in New Mexico. Chairwoman Teresa Hommel submitted comments to the State Board of Elections, including a 45-page suggested revision of the state's draft Voting System Standards.