Last updated: 05/17/2008

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Metro NY Minute -- May  2006

  
 
Upcoming Workshops and Meetings 
 
Visit the District's Calendar and Events page for these and other events:
 
bullet Anti-Racism Training for Youth and Advisors: Sponsored by the District, May 12-14, at Central Unitarian Church, Paramus NJ. For information, contact Genna Ayres.
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 in advance through June 10..
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 Star Island Religious Education Week: July 15-22, at Star Island off the coast at Rye NH.
bullet UU Mid-Atlantic Community Family Camp: July 16-22, at DeSales University, Central Valley PA. Click here Acrobat Reader Required for brochure and registration form.
bullet Eagles Leadership School: Sponsored by the St. Lawrence and Ohio-Meadville districts, July 23-29, Geneva NY. For a brochure, click here Acrobat Reader Required; for an application, click here Acrobat Reader Required.  For information, contact Lynn Sohn
bullet Unilead Lay Leadership School: July 30-Augusts 5, at the Kirkridge Retreat and Conference Center, Bangor PA. For information, contact Laura Shemick. 
bullet New Director of Religious Education Workshop: Sponsored by the District, August 1-2, at Murray Grove Retreat and Conference Center, Lanoka Harbor NJ. For information, contact Andrea Lerner. 
bullet UU Identity Renaissance Module: Sponsored by the District, August 2-4, at Murray Grove Retreat and Conference Center, Lanoka Harbor NJ. For information, contact Andrea Lerner.  
bullet Elementary OWL Training: Sponsored by the District, August 4-6, at Murray Grove Retreat and Conference Center, Lanoka Harbor NJ. For information, contact Andrea Lerner. 
bullet Junior/Senior OWL Training: Sponsored by the District, August 4-6, at Murray Grove Retreat and Conference Center, Lanoka Harbor NJ. For information, contact Andrea Lerner.
bullet Junior High Retreat: Sponsored by the District Junior Youth Steering Committee, September 16-17, at Harriman State Park, Bear Mountain NY. For information, contact Peter Green.
 
Did You Know . . . ?
 
. . . The District 2006 Annual Meeting Acrobat Reader Required proved to be an inspiring event for District UUs on April 29-30 at the Stamford Marriott Hotel, highlighted by the Rev. Rosemary Bray McNatt's keynote address, Nick Page's joyful musical experience, 17 workshops, the Metro NY District Choir, and first-ever children's programming.

. . . The Rev. Calvin Dame Acrobat Reader Required will join the District as Interim Congregational Services Consultant beginning July 1. Rev. Dame succeeds the Rev. Harry Green, who is retiring from District service.

. . . District awards and scholarships were presented at the District 2006 Annual Meeting to the UU Fellowship of Huntington (NY) -- Mendon W. Smith Award; Susan Nykolak -- Award for Excellence in Religious Education; Nancy Ruckes -- June Z. Gillespie Award; Jean and Werner Wandelmaier -- Unsung UU Award; Charlotte Gross, Eleanor Mason, and Frank Rennie -- Unsung UU Award Honorable Mentions; and Lisa Cavallero, Hannah Nevitt, and Tara Umbrino -- Scholarships.

  
More Good Stuff to Check Out!

Report from the District UUA Trustee Acrobat Reader Required, the Rev. Charles Blustein Ortman

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
 
. . . The UUA Health Insurance Plan has been approved by the UUA Board of Trustees for congregation, District, and UUA employees working more than 1,000 hours per year, to take effect January 1, 2007. Once 500 people are enrolled, final steps will be taken to implement the plan. Open enrollment runs from May 1 to October 15. Complete information -- including benefits offered, a premium calculator, and an application -- is available at www.uua.org/leaders/insurance. District Compensation Consultant Lynn Dash is available to answer questions, or contact Jim Sargent, UUA Health Plan Communications Coordinator. Packets will be mailed to congregations in May.
 
. . . The Fall 2005 Chalice Lighters Call raised $26,227.25 for Fourth Unitarian Society of Westchester (Mohegan Lake NY) to engage its minister, the Rev. Dawn Sangrey, for half-time service. A check in that amount was presented to the Society at the District 2006 Annual Meeting. The Spring  The Spring 2006 Call Acrobat Reader Required is now underway to benefit the UU Congregation of Central Nassau (Garden City NY) in efforts to make the congregation's building handicapped accessible. The Fall 2006 Call will benefit the Gulf Coast UU Church and other UU congregations in the general Gulf Coast area; the Spring 2007 Call will benefit the First Unitarian Society of Plainfield (NJ).
 
. . . Covenant Groups  will be part of General Assembly 2006 in St. Louis, helping people connect easily with others while offering a taste of how Covenant Groups work. Covenant Groups, also known as Small Group Ministries, were well received at GA 2004 and GA 2005, proving for many to be a GA highlight. Registration Acrobat Reader Required for a GA Covenant Group closes June 5.
 

. . . The 6th National Conference for Midsize Congregations Acrobat Reader Required, held in Phoenix AZ on March 2-5, offered opportunities to learn from the successes and experiences of other midsize UU congregations. Materials for many of the conference workshop are available at www.uua.org/cde/midsize2006.

 
. . . The UU Society of Society of South Suffolk (Bay Shore NY) is sponsoring a Mommy & Me Yoga/Movement Class. The goal is to get more involved in the community and to attract young families to the congregation. The 45-minute class costs $20.00.
 
. . . Artists at Community Church of New York UU Acrobat Reader Required (Manhattan) have joined together to create a group named art@cc to foster and exhibit members' artistic talents. Part of the group's vision is to be an art center in the neighboring, perhaps attracting new members to the church. Art@cc is sponsoring an exhibit May 20 - June 17.
 
. . . Frances Sink Acrobat Reader Required, member of the Unitarian Church in Westport (CT), contributed to the Spring 2006 edition of Congregations, an online magazine of the Alban Institute, reflecting on the connections between her congregational and vocational lives. 
 
. . . The UU Fellowship of Huntington (NY) Acrobat Reader Required passed a resolution to end torture and urges other congregations to do so.
 
. . . The UUA has won a best-of-industry award in the 2006 Internet Advertising Competition for uuworld.org, the UUA's weekly online magazine. The annual competition sponsored by the Web Marketing Association identified uuworld.org as the “Best Faith-Based Online Campaign” of the year. Click here to see the award online.
 
. . . Ways to the Spirit '06 Acrobat Reader Required is a weekend spiritual retreat at Murray Grove Retreat and Conference Center, Lanoka Harbor NJ, on July 28-30 led by the Rev. Craig Hirshberg and the Rev. Charles Stephens. All are welcome. For more information contact Craig Hirshberg (908- 832-0219).
 
. . . 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.
 
Milestones and Transitionss
 
The Rev. Megan McCown Kelly Acrobat Reader Required was ordained by the Central Unitarian Church (Paramus NJ) on April 30 at 4:30 p.m.
 
The Rev. Susan Veronica Rak was installed by the Unitarian Society, a UU Congregation (East Brunswick NJ) on May 7 at 4:30.
 
The Unitarian Society of Ridgewood (NJ) will hold a special service on May 21 celebrating its history and 110th Anniversary.
 
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 http://www.uucsf.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.