Greetings,
Welcome to Windows Weekly, Albany UU's central source for news and updates. Enjoy!
-Blessings
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W
e welcome everyone. Our Unitarian Universalist community seeks truth and deeper meaning, pursues justice through inspired action, and cultivates compassion and love for all connected by the web of life
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January 12, “Beloved Community,”
Rev. Sam Trumbore
Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. had a very big vision for a just, equitable and compassionate community that he called “Beloved Community.” This term is reverently used in Unitarian Universalist circles at our yearly General Assemblies. A deep understanding of and commitment to his vision in our congregations is less common today. It is worthy of both and may be very important to our visioning process.
Music:
Ann Brandon
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SUNDAY SERVICES
10:00 am
January 19, "Listen to the Earth: Perspectives on the Planetary Crisis," Green Sanctuary Committee
In the year 2020, we are finding our species, and all species, far and deep in a planetary health crisis that has resulted from our bifurcation from the earth. Scientists like Eunice Newton Foote, who grew up in Troy, have known since the nineteenth century that there was a connection between carbon dioxide and global surface temperature. So how, in the face of loss, should we be? Join us as we listen to local environmentalists and we meditate on new ways to be in an age of loss.
Music:
Elena Karpoff
NOTE: This service will be followed by a forum in Community Hall at 11:45 with speakers, Albany UU member, Meghan Marohn from the Extinction Rebellion and Keith Schue, engineer - from fossil fuels to renewable energy. Join us and deepen the conversation.
January 26,
"Driven by Fear," Rev.
David Weissbard
Like most things in this world, "Fear" is not something that we could do well without, but an excess is a problem. There are serious issues when our lives are "Driven by Fear," and there are forces we encounter that promote that. We'll be looking at where an appropriate balance lies.
Music:
Elena Karpoff
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Budgets due this Sunday!
If your team, program or group needs funds in the next fiscal year, your request must be filed by
Sunday, Jan. 12.
Budget requests forms can be found
here in Word
and
here in PDF
.
Word is preferred.
For those who don't have Word on their computer, the free LibreOffice suite (
https://www.libreoffice.org
) provides a compatible substitute; it's available for both Windows and MacOS.
Contact Steve Moskowitz with questions: 518.439.6347 or budget-request@albanyuu.org.
Margaret Foster Art Show and Reception
You are invited to join the Foster Family (Janet, Ruth, and David) at a reception celebrating the art work of their mother (and former member of Albany UU), Margaret G Foster.
Sunday, January 12, 2019 from 2PM - 4PM
at The Honest Weight Food Co-op Community Room, 100 Watervliet Ave. in Albany. The show will be up through the second week in February. Free and no RSVP necessary.
January Jams need a few more volunteers
Each January DREFM Leah Purcell plans special activities around the theme of the month and asks volunteers in the congregation to share their talents by leading 30-minute workshops. We need your help.
We have two art workshops using recycled materials. Please bring in your lightweight cardboard items and small things like milk bottle caps to the RE office on Sunday morning.
You could also help by filling either or both dates assisting the younger
children create a Recycle City using recycled materials, Jan. 19 and 26. Contact Leah Purcell -
dre@albanyuu.org
463-7135
Got
too much stuff???
There seems to be a need for people to talk about what to do with the stuff they have accumulated. We have scheduled two sessions to discuss how we can help each other to deal with this challenge. Join us
Thursday, Jan. 23, 2:00- 3:00 PM
and/or
Tuesday, Feb. 11, 7:00-8:00 PM
both in Room B-8 to discuss "possession consciousness”. We hope to help you with questions such as: Where do I start? How do I keep going? And where can I take things or send them to donate? Please come with your questions and suggestions. Questions about this discussion, contact Carol Butt:
catzen1944@gmail.com
Rev. Sam on Vacation
Rev. Sam will be away
Jan. 15 thru Feb. 19
to New Zealand and Australia. Our intern, Dan Miyake will be covering most ministerial duties during that time.
We’re sending out HUUGS
(Huge UU Greetings)
We're gathering donations for packages for our fledgling young adults. Whether they are now working or volunteering, serving in the military or in college, those who have recently left our youth group so appreciate a package with notes and goodies from us at Albany UU!
Please bring donations to the bin in the Work Room
(where the photocopier is)
by Sunday, Feb 9.
Suggested items:
packets of soup, noodles, dried fruit, tea, coffee, hot chocolate, candy, gum popcorn, granola bars, lip balm, a note with your good wishes.
Grant proposals sought
The Endowment Trust is seeking grant proposals for the Niger Wright Peace Fund. A little more than $3,500 is available for projects and programs furthering world peace. Nigel was particularly interested in Middle East peace. In the past the fund has supported such peace promoting activities as lectures, workshops, training programs, and youth work -- not necessarily exclusively Albany UU initiatives. Proposals can be submitted to the Endowment Trust mail box in the in the workroom where the copier lives or by contacting Jon Newell, chair of ET,
newelj@rpi.edu
.
Sexton Position STILL open!
The Sexton works on Sunday (4-6 hours) and Monday (4-6 hours, flexible days possible) and is responsible for Sunday morning operations and taking care of the church property.
Sunday tasks include preparation and clean up for the service, coffee hour, and other scheduled activities, and for taking care of the church property.
Maintenance entails responsibility for performing tasks on the monthly maintenance schedule, minor repairs and replacements, reporting larger repair and replacement needs, keeping the building tidy by returning items to storage locations, and yard work.
Read full job description
here
.
Pay: $15/hr.
Contact Church Administrator, Tammy Hathaway for more information or to express interest: 518.463.7135 or admin@albanyuu.org.
Plan now for GA in Providence in June 2020
Are you interested in serving as one of Albany UU’s 8 delegates to this annual meeting of the Unitarian Universalist Association June 24-28? Or attending GA. for the first time, to see what it’s all about? Learn more
here
.
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Sunday Schedule
9:00 AM
- Mindfulness Meditation, Room B-8
9:45 AM
- Nursery/Toddler Rooms open
10:00 AM
- Service, Sanctuary
- Family Chapel, Community Hall
- Programs for Children and Youth
11:00 AM
- Coffee Hour, Channing Hall
11:45 AM
- World Cafe, Community Hall
5:30 PM
- Walker Book Group
Quick Links
Denominational Affairs Links
Helpful Local Links
Sign up for a class or event
- Sign up at the Sign Up Site in Channing Hall
OR
- Call the church office, 518.463.7135
If childcare is offered for the event, please let us know you need it when you register, including names and ages of children.
Offering envelopes
We appreciate donations of cash during the offering that occurs as part of our Sunday service. If you would like to have cash contributions recorded and acknowledged in writing for tax purposes at the end of the calendar year, please use and write your name on one of the envelopes that are available on the table in the Community Hall lobby. Thank you very much for your generosity.
Albany UU Safety
A reminder that the West St. door will remain locked on Sunday mornings. Though it will be locked from the outside, the West St. door may still be used to exit the building at any time. The Washington Ave. lobby doors will be locked 15 minutes after service begins and reopened again from 11-noon. A Welcome Table or Greeter volunteer will remain in the Lobby for the duration of the morning to monitor doors. We continue to appreciate your patience as we make this transition. If you have questions, please call the church office
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Warmth for the Homeless
Please gather blankets, sleeping bags, warm coats, etc. for those experiencing homelessness and put them in the bin in the coatroom. Thanks you!
Planning for weather emergencies
In the event of severe weather, a decision to cancel Sunday morning RE classes will be publicized by 9:00 PM Saturday.
A decision to cancel Sunday meditation and the service will be publicized by 8:00 AM Sunday.
The cancellation of all other classes, programs and meetings depends on a decision by the chairperson. We hope to receive information enabling a cancellation announcement two hours before the event start time.
Notice of all cancellations will be posted on our website and Facebook and by email sent through Constant Contact. Sunday service and programs will also be announced on local TV and radio stations through the “School Closing Network”.
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JOIN THE ALBANY UU WORLD CAF
É
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World Café: Visioning for our Future
Sunday, January 12, 11:45 – 1:45
The Board of Trustees is hosting a World Café to facilitate a dialogue among the congregation on creating a vision for our future, and you’re invited and encouraged to attend. As we’ve highlighted at different junctures, the Board’s foundational role under the new governance model is to discern the congregation’s mission and vision. Also as previously highlighted, your participation in that discernment is essential, and the Board is committed to exploring ways to get feedback and input from the congregation on an ongoing basis. The first of these is the World Café we’re hosting in January.
The World Café methodology is a simple and flexible format for hosting large group dialogue, based on seven design principles:
1.
Set the Context
2.
Create Hospitable Space
3.
Explore Questions that Matter
4.
Encourage Everyone’s Contribution
5.
Connect Diverse Perspective
6.
Listen Together for Patterns and Insights
7.
Share Collective Discoveries
Small groups of participants will engage in rounds of conversations centered on specific questions. At the end of the first round, each participant moves to a different table to engage in another question. After a couple more repetitions, we will participate in a full group session to share insights and synthesize results.
Please join us for this exciting opportunity to engage in an energetic and focused dialogue with the congregation. The fuller the participation, the better. Snacks and childcare provided. We look forward to seeing you there!
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TRANS INCLUSION & RADICAL CULTURE SHIFT WORKSHOP
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Following his service on
Sunday, Feb. 2, Alex Kapitan will offer a workshop called
Trans Inclusion & Radical Culture Shift from 1:00 - 4:00 pm.
Over the last few months, many Albany UU members of have engaged in the course “Transgender Inclusion in Congregations” taught by Rev. Mykal Slack and Zr. Alex Kapitan of the Transforming Hearts Collective. On February 2, Alex will lead a workshop at Albany UU on how to build on our learnings and level up our practice of radical welcome. This interactive workshop is open to all, regardless of whether or not you’ve taken the course. Bring an open heart and mind and get ready to create an action plan for transforming our congregational culture into one that is radically welcoming and fully trans-affirming. Please sign up at the sign up site in Channing Hall or by sending an email to registration@albanyuu.org. More information
here.
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Awesome Talents, Awesome Challenges
Ever since I signed our Albany UU membership book over 10 years ago, and even before that – certainly part of the reason I joined – I have been impressed with the tremendous talents and accomplishments of the people I have met here. I stand somewhat in awe of their energy and skills, which they have used both within our UU activities and outside in the larger regional and world communities. Surely, members of other congregations are also talented, but we of the UU, more than most, tend to be free-thinkers who are individually self-motivated. Stereotype: “At UU, just Find Your Thing, and Do It!” Although we have many active teams and committees here, we seem to be a collection of autonomous individuals. For myself, even in smaller groups, I have found discussions and committee work to be challenging, not something my career in a subspecialty medical practice prepared me for. Sharing diverse and even contradictory viewpoints in a group can be difficult. Certainly, there is no Group-Think here. Despite our shared principles and covenants, reaching agreement on cohesive group action can be challenging.
That’s where our Albany UU governance structure comes in. The Board of Trustees provides leadership and oversees the Ministries & Operation Team, but we cannot do this in a vacuum. As Patti Jo Newell has reminded us in earlier messages, the whole congregation must be the foundation, the source of our Mission. The challenge is for the Board to discern the congregation’s vision for the future, and distill that into policy. Maybe some of this discernment can come, bit by bit, through coffee-hour conversations and discussions in group activities; but it won’t come by osmosis or my trying to sense your pheromones in the air!
That’s why it will be so helpful if you can attend our WORLD CAFÉ on January 12, and participate as fully as possible. Help us know your vision, your dreams, your ideas for where Albany UU should or shouldn’t go. Set your mind-function selector switch on “Brainstorming: creative thinking, no-holds-barred discussion, open questions with a million possible answers.” This will be fun, because we DO NOT KNOW what the outcome will be. That’s the point. Let’s find out who we are.
We really do hope to see AND hear you there !
Fred Eames
More from our blogs:
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To share your Joy or Sorrow
with our Albany UU community, you may submit it on a yellow card during the service or by using our
online form.
Join us in keeping our members and friends in your thoughts as they share their joys and concerns.
Member,
Jan McCracken
is happy to report her recovery, resilience, and hopeful cure from anal/rectal cancer. She thanks all who supported her through the brutal treatment.
Need to Talk? Albany UU Pastoral Care Associates are here to listen!
Our Pastoral Care Associates have been trained in compassionate listening skills and are available to all members and friends of our congregation. To contact a Pastoral Care Associate, email:
listeners@albanyuu.org
, contact
Rev. Sam Trumbore
, the Albany UU office at 518.463.7135, or one of them personally. They are: Sharon Babala, Chuck Manning, Donna Meixner, Dan Miyake, Phil Rich, Randy Rosette, Dee VanRiper and Erik F. vonHausen.
Albany UU Caring Network
The Caring Network (CN) reflects the words of the Albany UU chalice lighting - “to sustain a vital and nurturing religious community.” The CN provide encouragement and short term support to Albany UU members who, due to hospitalization, sickness, loss, or isolation, need assistance. Services typically include transportation to medical appointments, meals and shopping during recovery, and friendly visits and “check in’s” from Caring Network members. Please reach out to the
Caring Network
if you need.
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Walker Book Group
Join the Walker Book Group for a potluck and discussion on
Sunday, Jan. 12 at 5:30 pm
in Channing Hall. We will discuss
The Awakening
by Kate Chopin. Learn more
here
.
MLK Interfaith Memorial Service
Each year the Capital Area Council of Churches sponsors the Annual Interfaith Memorial Service celebrating the life and work of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. This year the service will be held on
Wednesday, Jan. 15, at the Macedonia Baptist Church, 26 Wilson Ave., Colonie at 7:00 PM
. Learn more
here
.
Get Connected Activity Fair
Attend the Albany UU Get Connected Activity Fair on
Sunday, January 26
and find out about new opportunities to both get involved and meet more fabulous Albany UU members and friends! Learn more
here
.
Getting to Know UU
Join us on
Saturday, Feb. 1 at 8:45 am
if you're thinking of membership, or wondering just what Unitarian Universalism can bring to your life. Learn more
here
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RELIGIOUS EXPLORATION
For the Faith Development of children and youth this Sunday
The Nursery/Toddler Room
opens at 9:45
January Jams
for children in Pre-K through 6th Grade:
In January, every week we have Family Chapel; then we'll have two sets of workshops: one set for the upstairs groups (Pre-K - 3rd grade) and one set for the downstairs groups (4th - 6th grade). This week Family Chapel is in Community Hall.
Here's how the schedule will look each week of January for grades Pre-K through 6th Grade:
-10:00 - 10:30 Family Chapel
-10:30 - 10:40 Combined Groups meet (upstairs groups in Room 24/25; downstairs groups in room in Room B-7) Guides will let the children know what the choices for workshops are for the day.
-10:40 - 11:10 Workshops: Upstairs Groups have workshops in upstairs Rooms 24/25, 26 and 21; Downstairs groups have workshops in downstairs Rooms B-5, B-6, B-7, and B-2
-11:10 - 11:20 Children return to the room they started in for snack (Room 24/25 upstairs; Room/B-7 downstairs)
7th/8th Grade OWL
meets from 10:00 to 11:20 in Room B-3/4 The workshop Jan 5 is #12 Healthy Relationships
High School YoUUth Group
meets from 10:00 to 11:20 in Room B-8
Save these dates:
Fri, Feb 7
– Multigenerational Pot Luck and Game Night, sponsored by the RE Council
Sat, Feb 8
– Elegant Pasta Dinner to support the Rite of Passage spring trip
Fri, Feb 28- Sun, March 1
–
Youth Con
. Our youth group is hosting up to 60 UU Youth from Upstate New York to stay in our building for a weekend of UU Youth workshop, workshops and fun. We’ll need adult volunteers from Albany UU to work together to prepare meals and run the dishwasher and to serve in pairs for 3-4-hour shifts as awake chaperons Fri and Night from 11:00 pm to 8:00 am. If you'd like to volunteer, please contact Leah:
dre@albanyuu.org.
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SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITIES COUNCIL (SRC)
-Matt Lesniak, SRC Chair,
email
SRC and Peace Team Recommend:
Healthcare and Housing Rights Day of Action by the Poor People’s Campaign.
Join the PPC on
Tuesday, Jan. 14 at 10 am
at the NYS Capitol, and advocates from all over the state during the first week of legislative session to demand Healthcare and Housing Justice for All. There will be some food, so please RSVP to
nysppc.org
.
Be a part of a discussion to respond to India's citizenship law effecting Muslims
.
6:00 PM January 12
at the Masjid As-Salam, 280 Central Ave, Albany. C
oncerned UUs are invited. Men and women meet together, but leaving shoes at the door is expected. Please consider supporting our neighbors.
Martin Luther King day is coming and February is Black History Month.
Whitewashed: the racism project.
Highly recommended by UUs who have seen it. It's brilliantly created and performed. Archie, of Albany UU, will be performing.
Friday, Jan. 10 at 7:30 pm
: Youth FX, 25 Warren St, Albany and
Saturday, Feb. 1 at 7:30 pm
: Opalka Gallery, 140 New Scotland Ave, Albany 12208. Cost: $12.00.
“Always in Season” Screening
Saturday, Jan. 11. Potluck at 6:00 PM, film at 7:00 PM,
in the Old Chatham Quaker Meetinghouse, 539 County Route 13, Old Chatham, across from Pitt Hall Road and Powell House. "Always in Season" takes an unflinching look at the multi-generational impact of lynching, connecting the racial violence that persists today to historical lynching terrorism. This film is co-presented with WMHT Public Media. Free and open to the public. Refreshments will be served and a moderated discussion will follow. For more information call 518-610-3735.
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Sunday Volunteers
Would you like to be involved in the Sunday service in a more meaningful way?
Visit
Sunday Hospitality Sign Up
to find out about the ways you can volunteer on Sunday morning. We thank you and could not do what we do without YOU!
YOU can make a difference!
We at Albany UU are making an effort to increase our visibility and connectivity online. YOU can help, and it's quick and easy! Simply like, follow and share pages and posts on any of our social media platforms, or leave a positive Facebook or Google review. Google Albany UU or find us here:
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Regular events and meetings
Many of these events and meetings take a hiatus in the summer, check with the church office before coming in.
Sundays
11:45 AM Inclusivity Team (2nd)
5:30 PM Walker Book Group (2nd)
11:45 AM Social Responsibilities Council (3rd)
11:45 AM Green Sanctuary Committee (4th)
Mondays
6:15 PM Religious Education Council
(1st, Nov., Feb., May)
Tuesdays
10:00 AM Philosophy Discussion (weekly)
1:00 PM Bridge (weekly)
Wednesdays
10:00 AM Projects & Quilts (weekly)
7:00 PM Choir Rehearsal (almost weekly)
Thursdays
1:00 PM All Sides Considered (1st & 3rd)
6:30 PM Board of Trustees (4th)
Saturdays
9:00 AM Community Breakfast (3rd)
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Going to miss a Sunday?
You can listen to the entire Albany UU Sunday service at home or on your mobile device. The two most recent services are available as MP3 files on the Albany UU member resource website. Here is how to access:
username: AlbanyUU
password: EEthelredBrown405
Our sermon archive (select Ministry/Sermon Archive on the left website menu) has pdf files of sermons texts (when available) and audio files of sermons. You can also request the office put a service on a CD.
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First Unitarian Universalist Society of Albany
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Parking:
Parking is available on the street. On Sundays (and for some special events) Albany UU has permission to use the University at Albany’s Hawley Parking Lot on Robin Street at Washington Avenue.
Office hours (unless otherwise posted)
September-June:
Monday-Friday, 9:00-3:00
July-August:
Monday–Thursday 9:00-1:00
Websites
Building use
To
reserve a room
for an Albany UU activity
or to rent a hall or classroom space
, for a personal or non-Albany UU activity, contact Administrative Assistant Sapphire Correa (518.463.7135 or
office@albanyuu.org
).
Photo credit: Kathy Hodges (promise of spring!)
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First Unitarian Universalist Society of Albany | 518.463.7135| 518.463.1429 | Admin@AlbanyUU.org | AlbanyUU.org
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