Last updated: 05/17/2008

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Metro NY Minute -- October 2006

  
 
News from the UU District of Metro NY
 
The UU Congregation at Rock Tavern (NY) is beginning on the road to recovery, following the tragic fire that destroyed the congregation's buildings on September 12. Read Rev. Jim Bridges' first-person account Acrobat Reader Required.
Save the date! The Metro NY District 2007 Annual Meeting will be held April 27-28 at the Marriott Hotel in Stamford CT. A highlight of the meeting will be the presentation of the 2007 Annual Awards Acrobat Reader Required, and you are invited to submit a nomination for one or more of four awards. The nomination deadline is March 1, 2007.
Small Group Ministry: Covenant for the Future Acrobat Reader Required, a workshop sponsored by the District for congregational teams who want to initiate or energize their Small Group Ministry program, will be held October 28 at the UU Congregation of Princeton NJ. Click here for details. Acrobat Reader Required
 
More Good Stuff to Check Out!

Worship Service Providers available to District congregations

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
The District Board is pleased to announce that Rev. Calvin O. Dame will serve a two-year term as Interim Congregational Services Consultant. Extending his term from one year to two years will permit Calvin to maximize the effects of his service to the District and give the Board adequate time to assess long-term staffing needs and options before commencing a search for a permanent Congregational Services Consultant.
General Assembly 2007 (Portland OR, June 20-24, 2007) is the ideal opportunity to share your congregation's knowledge and talents with UUs from around the country. The District sponsors two workshops at GA, and Andrea Lerner or Calvin Dame would love to hear your workshop idea. The final deadline to submit an idea is November 15.
There's still time to enroll in the UUA Health Insurance Plan! The deadline is October 15. Mailings have been sent to each congregation. Complete information -- including benefits offered, a premium calculator, and an application -- also is available at www.uua.org/leaders/insurance. The plan is portable and comprehensive and covers families and partners. Employees working 1000 hours or more annually are eligible, and it’s okay to have just one person from a congregation enrolled. District Compensation Consultant Lynn Dash is available to answer questions, or contact Jim Sargent, UUA Health Plan Communications Coordinator.
The Fall 2006 Chalice Lighters Call Acrobat Reader Required will benefit the Gulf Coast UU Fellowship (Gulfport MS) and the UUA-UU Service Committee Gulf Coast Relief Fund in efforts to recover from the ravages of hurricane Katrina. Rather than representatives from the called congregation visiting District congregations, congregation Chalice Lighters Coordinators are asked to speak briefly, based on mailed and on online materials at a Sunday service. 
United Nations Sunday is a tradition for many UU congregations as they celebrate the birth of the United Nations -- October 24, 2945. The UU United Nations Office (UUUNO) has materials and suggestions for your UN Sunday. Read a special invitation Acrobat Reader Required from Alex Horton, UUUNO Program Associate.
District Annual Program Fund (APF) chair Jim Sanders reminds congregations to send in pledges for this year's Full Share. Forms have been sent to each congregation. Questions? Contact Jim Sanders. Watch for the new APF page at the District website, coming on November!
Weekend Renewal Acrobat Reader Required, sponsored by the UU Women's Assocation and the District Women and Religion Committee, November 10-12 at St. Josephat's Retreat House, Glen Cove, Long Island, will feature the theme of eco-feminism with the Rev. Katherine Jesch, Director of Environmental Ministry for the UU Ministry for Earth and coordinator of the Green Sanctuary Program.
YO-HO-CON -- Avast ye swabs! The yUUth group of the Fourth Unitarian Society of Westchester (Mohegan Lake NY) is hosting a CON on November 17-19. Registration is limited. For information, contact Pam Parker at 914-277-7274.
Banners proclaiming Marriage is a Civil Right are available from the UUA for $135. If interested, contact Susanna Whitman at 617-948-4270.
 The Unitarian Church of Staten Island is holding a Tribute to the Rev. Benjamin D. Bortin on October 8 in honor of Rev. Bortin's many years of service to the congregation. All are invited to participate.
The UU Congregation of Monmouth County (Lincroft NJ)  Green Sanctuary Committee is working with GreenFaith to co-sponsor two free showings of the widely acclaimed movie about global warming, An Inconvenient Truth, on October 15 (St. Mary's) and November 5 (UUCMC) at 3 p.m. Discussion follows. All are welcome! Questions? Contact Rich Held.
 The UU Congregation of Monmouth County (Lincroft NJ) is studying the tenets of the Network of Spiritual Progressives, founded by Rabbi Michael Lerner, Sister Joan Chittister, and Professor Cornel West, as a way to promote values such as compassion and social justice. Discussion groups to study Rabbi Lerner’s new book, The Left Hand of God, begin October 4. Lynn Dash and Rob Moir are co-conveners.
The Community Unitarian Church at White Plains (NY) is currently considering renovations to their 50 year-old building and determining if they will conduct a capital campaign. The church is in year two of a Strategic Plan Initiative and have recently changed their governance structure to include a Church Program Council. The church continues to work with the challenges and opportunities of growth.
 The Upper Delaware UU Fellowship (Beach Lake PA) will be sponsoring its 13th Annual Bud Rue Walk for Social Justice on Sunday October 15. Participants will walk a five-mile course, raising money for two local Habitat for Humanity groups, for the Victims Intervention Program, and for the Rape Intervention Service & Education program.
 The UU Congregation of the Palisades (Englewood NJ) moved in September to their new meeting location at the West Side Presbyterian Church in Englewood. For the past year, the congregation met in a storefront location in Teaneck NJ but learned in July that the location would no longer be available. Services will continue to be at 10:00 a.m. on Sundays.
 
Milestones and Transitionss
 
The UU Congregation of Monmouth County (Lincroft NJ), the Fourth Unitarian Society of Westchester (Mohegan Lake NY), and the UU Fellowship of Briarcliff, Croton, and Ossining (Croton-on-Hudson NY) celebrate their 50th anniversaries this year.
 
Rev. Kelly Murphy Mason was ordinained by the Community Church of New York UU (Manhattan) on September 17.
 
The Rev. Margaret Haynes Allen will be installed by the Unitarian Church at Westport (CT) on October 29 at 4:00 p.m. Contradance and reception following. Clergy are invited to gather 30 minutes before and process.
 
Emilie Boggis will be ordained by the Unitarian Church in Summit (NJ) on November 5 at 4:30 p.m.
 
The Rev. Hope Johnson will be installed by the UU Congregation of Central Nassau (Garden City NY) on December 10 at 4:30 p.m.
 
Upcoming Workshops and Meetings
 
Visit the District's Calendar and Events page for these and other events:
 
bullet Young Adult/Campus Ministry Conference: October 13-14, sponsored by the District, at the UU Congregation at Shelter Rock, Manhasset NY. For information, contact Andrea Lerner or visit http://www.connectuu.com/.
bullet Young Religious UU (YRUU) Chaplain Training: October 13-15, sponsored by and held at the First Unitarian Society of Plainfield, Plainfield NJ. For information, contact Genna Ayres. 
bullet Small Group Ministry: Covenant for the Future Acrobat Reader Required: October 28, sponsored by the District, at the UU Congregation of Princeton (NJ). For information, contact Calvin Dame.
bullet Youth Advisor Workshop: November 4, sponsored by the District, at the First UU Church of Essex County, Orange NY. For information, contact  Andrea Lerner.
bullet UU Women's Association (UUWA)/District Women and Religion Committee Weekend Renewal Acrobat Reader Required: November 10-12, at St. Josephat's Retreat House, Glen Cove, Long Island NY.
bullet Young Religious UU (YRUU) Con: November 17-19, sponsored by and held at the Fourth Unitarian Society of Westchester, Mohegan Lake NY. For information, contact Pam Parker at 914-277-7274.
bullet
President's Roundtable: November 18, sponsored by the District, at the Community Unitarian Church at White Plains (NY). For information, contact Calvin Dame.
bullet Youth Advisor Workshop: December 2, sponsored by the District, location TBA. For information, contact Andrea Lerner.
bullet Young Religious UU (YRUU) Con: January 19-21, sponsored by and held at the Community Unitarian Church at White Plains (NY). For information, contact Genna Ayres.
 

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.