Last updated: 05/17/2008

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Metro NY Minute -- March  2006

  
 
Upcoming Workshops and Meetings 
 
Visit the District's Calendar and Events page for these and other events:
 
bullet A Conversation with the District Board Acrobat Reader Required: Sponsored by the District, March 11, at the Unitarian Society of Ridgewood (NJ). For information, contact Jerry Muntz.
bullet Young Religious UU (YRUU) Confident Con: Sponsored by and held at the UU Congregation of Monmouth County, Lincroft NJ, March 24-26. For information, contact Genna Ayres.
bullet Presidents Roundtable Acrobat Reader Required: Sponsored by the District, April 1, at the Community Church of New York UU, Manhattan. For information, contact Andrea Lerner. 
bullet UU United Nations Office (UUUNO) 2006 Annual Intergenerational Seminar: April 6-8 (youth programming begins April 5).
bullet Adult Our Whole Lives Training Acrobat Reader Required: Sponsored by the District, April 7-9, at the Xavier Center, Morristown NJ. For information, contact Andrea Lerner. 
bullet Junior High Con: Sponsored by and held at the Unitarian Church in  Westport (CT), April 8-9. For information, contact Peter Green. 
bullet District 2006 Annual Meeting: April 28-29, at the Marriott Hotel, Stamford CT. Registration is now open.  
bullet Anti-Racism Training for Youth and Advisors: Sponsored by the District, May 12-14, location to be announced. For information, contact Andrea Lerner.
bullet Young Religious UU (YRUU) Con: Sponsored by and held at the UU Fellowship at Stony Brook, Stony Brook NY, June 9-11. For information, contact Genna Ayres.
bullet Religious Educators Retreat: June 11-14 at Grove Hall, Ocean Grove NJ. For information, contact Louan Minzner. 
bullet UU University: A Gathering of Leaders Before General Assembly,: Sponsored by the UUA, June 20-21, St Louis MO. Click here Acrobat Reader Required for flyer.
bullet UUA General Assembly: June 21- 25, St Louis MO. Registration is now open.
bullet Religious Education Week: Sponsored by the Southeast Chapter of the Liberal Religious Educators Association, July 2-7, at the Mountain Retreat & Learning Centers, Highlands NC.
bullet Ferry Beach Religious Education Week: July 8-14, at Ferry Beach, Saco ME.
bullet UU Mid-Atlantic Community Family Camp: July 16-22, at DeSales University, Central Valley PA.
bullet Star Island Religious Education Week: July 15-22, at Star Island off the coast at Rye NH.
bullet Unilead Lay Leadership School: July 30-Augusts 5, at the Kirkridge Retreat and Conference Center, Bangor PA. For information, contact Laura Shemick.  
 
Did You Know . . . ?
 
. . . Registration is now open for the District 2006 Annual Meeting! See the sidebar for details.

. . . The District's Spring Presidents Roundtable Acrobat Reader Required on April 1 will feature Valerie Holton, UUA Marketing Outreach Consultant. Leaders involved in membership, communication, websites, and public relations are especially encouraged to attend.

. . . The District Nominating Committee Acrobat Reader Required presents its slate of 2006 nominees for members of the District Board and the Nominating Committee; voting takes place at the District 2006 Annual Meeting.

. . . The first-ever UU University, a gathering of UU leaders June 21-22 in St. Louis just prior to General Assembly, is dedicated to increasing leadership knowledge and the capacity to serve congregations. Click here Acrobat Reader Required for flyer.

. . . Would your congregation like help  becoming a "committed" Fair Compensation Congregation? Do you have questions about compensation or the Fair Compensation Congregation information request? Contact District Compensation Consultant Lynn Dash at ldash@comcast.net or 732-741-8295. Compensation guidelines are available online.

. . . UUA Trustees voted to consider approving a health insurance plan Acrobat Reader Required for congregation, District, and UUA employees working more than 1,000 hours per year. 

. . . The Fall 2005 Chalice Lighters Call has raised more than $23,500, 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 Acrobat Reader Required is now underway and 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, Acrobat Reader Required District Chalice Lighters Coordinators.

. . . A series of young adult conferences -- RADIUS -- are scheduled for spring and summer, sponsored by the Continental UU Young Adult Network (C*UUYAN) and the UUA Office of Young Adult and Campus Ministry. Young adults (ages 18-35) and those working with young adults are invited to attend.

. . . The UU Fellowship of Hunterdon County Acrobat Reader Required (Baptistown NJ) and the UU Congregation of Somerset Hills (North Branch NJ) are among 20 to join the podcasting universe.

. . . The Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of the Poconos Acrobat Reader Required (Stroudsburg PA), following in the footsteps of the UU Congregation at Shelter Rock (Manhasset NY) and the UU Congregation of Central Nassau (Garden City NY), passed a resolution against torture at a special congregational meeting on February 5.

. . . The UU Congregation of Monmouth County Acrobat Reader Required (Lincroft NJ) is studying global warming in preparation for the presentation of a Statement of Conscience on Global Warming at the 2006 General Assembly.

  

2006 Annual Meeting Highlights

** April 28-29, 2006, at the Marriott Hotel in Stamford CT. Registration begins February 15 at uumetrony.org/am06.

**  Radical Hospitality: Welcome All Into Our House is this year's theme and focus.

 
**  The Rev. Rosemary Bray McNatt, minister at the Fourth Universalist Society (Manhattan), will deliver the keynote address Saturday morning.
 
**  Nick Page, UU composer, author, and song-leader, will create a joyful musical experience Friday night.
 
**  Programming for children -- an annual meeting first!
 
**  The Metro NY District Choir open to all willing voices.
 
Is Your Congregation Radically Hospitable?

Drive-Time Essays offer inspiration and guidance. This month, listen to or read We All Come to Make a Community by Jesse Jaeger 3:31. [Click the title to read, the time to listen to, or here for listening instructions.]

More Good Stuff to Check Out!

RE-Sources for religious education leaders

Job opportunities around the District

SmallTalk Acrobat Reader Required for small congregations

Action Alerts from the UUA Washington Office for Advocacy

InterConnections for lay leaders

UUA Monthly Mailing to all congregations

UUWorld.org, UUA's online magazine

UUA News Clips for newsletter editors
 
. . . Junior High Our Whole Lives (OWL) Acrobat Reader Required will be offered at the Fourth Universalist Society (Manhattan) on Sundays, September 10 - February 11, from 2-4 p.m. in a joint effort with the First Unitarian Society of Rockland County (Pomona NY). Other congregations are invited to participate. For more information or to register, contact Laura Beth Brown, DRE, Fourth Universalist Society (Manhattan), at 212-595-1658 x.52.
 
. . . The First UU Fellowship of Hunterdon County (Baptistown NJ) and the First UU Society in Brooklyn (NY) each won a $50 gift certificate for the UUA Bookstore in a drawing among names of congregations completing the UUA Faith Communities Today Survey. Eight other congregations in the country also won.
 
Milestones and Transitions
 
Catherine Torpey will be ordained by the South Nassau UU Congregation (Freeport NY) on March 19 at 4:00 p.m. For more information, contact Lisa Bryson-Brockmann.
 
Megan Kelly will be ordained by the Central Unitarian Church (Paramus NJ) on April 30 at 4:30 p.m. For more information, call 201-262-6300.
 
The Dedication Ceremony for the UU Congregation of the South Fork (Bridgehampton NY) will be held at the new meeting house in Bridgehampton on May 21 at 4:00 p.m. Those interested can get directions and information at www.uucsf-bh.org.
 

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.