Greetings,
Welcome to Windows Weekly, Albany UU's central source for news and updates. Enjoy!
-Blessings
|
|
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
.
|
|
|
|
March 24, “Pilgrimage,” Rev. Sam Trumbore
A sacred journey to a holy shrine or grotto can be a personally transformative experience. Those desiring healing may travel to Lourdes in France or Medjugorje in Bosnia. All Muslims must do the Hajj, a pilgrimage to Mecca. What might a Unitarian Universalist pilgrimage look like?
Music:
Albany UU Choir sings "Keep Your Hand on That Plow"
HYMN 298 “Wake, Now, My Senses”
HYMN 303 “We Are the Earth Upright and Proud”
HYMN 188 “Come, Come, Whoever You Are”
HYMN 184 “Be Ye Lamps unto Yourselves”
HYMN 209 “O Come, You Longing Thirsty Souls”
|
|
Sunday Services
10:00 am
March's theme: Journey
March 31, “Encountering the Unexpected,” Rev. Sam Trumbore
Leah Purcell, our Director of Religious Education and Family Ministry begins her two month sabbatical. She will be having experiences of rest and renewal as well as engaging in a process of discovery visiting other congregations hoping to learn new thing to bring home. On any journey we encounter the unexpected. The challenge is to expect the unexpected and learn and grow through what is discovered.
Music:
TBD
Announcements
Focus Food Pantry
Please consider a contribution to the Focus Food Pantry this Sunday. There will be an envelope in the order of service for your check or cash. We ask that envelopes remain unsealed for reuse. Thank you for your help.
Auction Pick Up, Pay and More Items!
If you have not checked to see whether you are the lucky winner of any auction items you bid on, please stop by the
Auction Table
in Channing Hall during Coffee Hour on the next two
Sundays, March 24 and 31
. We appreciate your payment for all winnings by check before the end of March, noting "auction" in the memo line. There are also some items left for purchase – check out the the table and bulletin board! Thank you!
Mary Reich Memorial Service
A Celebration of Mary's Life will be held at Albany UU on
Sunday, April 7 at 3:00 pm
in the Sanctuary followed by a reception in Channing Hall. Contributions of finger foods for the reception are welcomed and encouraged. Parking is allowed in the UAlbany Hawley Lot for this event.
Unirondack
If you have youth between the ages of 8 and 17 who are looking to connect with other UU Youth, enjoy limitless fun in the Adirondack Mountains, eat s'mores, create art and music, and play games and sports while learning about the importance of community all shaped by Unitarian Universalist values, welcome to Unirondack.
At Unirondack we live the values that are inherent in Unitarian Universalist principles — acceptance, compassion, and decision-making through the democratic process while co-existing in an intentional community together.
Registration for Young Peacemakers Week is Open! And there are jobs to fill, too!
Would you like to offer your time and talent for one week this summer, promoting peace and having fun with children? Applications are available for Teacher Assistants, Teen Interns, and part-time Child Care Providers. This urban camp will take place at the Albany Friends Meeting House in Albany August 19-23 from 8:30-3:00, with the option of supervised play from 3-5 PM. The maximum enrollment will be 35 children, entering grades 2-8 in September of 2019.
Respecting Our Renters
When we have renters in our halls, please be respectful of the space they have paid to use. Multiple, unnecessary interruptions are problematic and inconsiderate. Thank you for your attention and consideration of our renter's space. If you have questions, please call the church office.
|
|
Sunday Schedule
9:00 AM
- Mindfulness Meditation, Sanctuary
9:45 AM
- Nursery/Toddler Rooms open
10:00 AM
- Sunday Service, Community Hall
- Programs for Children and Youth
11:00 AM
- Coffee Hour, Channing Hall
11:30 AM
- Annual Dinner Skit Rehearsal, Community Hall
11:45 AM
- Green Sanctuary, Room B-7
- Rite of Passage Orientation, Room B-8
Quick Links
Denominational Affairs 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.
Envelopes for your cash donations
A reminder that envelopes are available on the table in the Community Hall Lobby each Sunday for cash contributions that you want to earmark toward a specific fund or pledge. You must use an envelope with your name and pledge year on it, if you wish to have your cash attributed toward your pledge. If you have any questions, an usher will be happy to assist you.
|
|
Growing Our CENT$ of Community
|
Don't forget! Submit your pledge today!
We are now at 58% of our goal. We can still make it if all current pledgers give at least the same amount as last year but it will be close.
Keep those pledge forms coming in!
Many thanks to all those who have already pledged!
If you did not pick up your pledge packet at the church, they have been mailed - you should be receiving them shortly.
All pledges should be returned
by April 1st
so don’t delay. Remember to include your UU Bucks raffle ticket when you return your pledge.
To Return Your Pledge by April 1st, you can:
Thank you for your support and generosity!
|
|
Learning opportunities with our Minister
|
Letting Go
Sessions on March 26, April 2 and 9; 7:00 pm in Room B-8
Instead of just giving something up for Lent, this class will provide an alternative by diving into the process of letting go itself. A companion book for this class will be Dr. David R. Hawkins,
Letting Go: The Pathway to Surrender
. Learn more
here
.
Mindfulness Meditation Workshop
April 12-13, 2019
This meditation training and practice workshop, led by Rev. Sam on Friday 6:00 to 9:00pm, and Saturday 8:00 to 3:00pm, gives the participants an opportunity to learn Buddhist mindfulness meditation techniques and/or refresh and deepen their meditation practice. Learn more
here
.
|
|
Help Evaluate our Professional Ministry
|
The Board of Trustees and Rev. Sam Trumbore would like to hear from the congregation in order to plan for the future of our shared professional and lay ministry. Here are their key questions:
- What are the most important things the congregation wants our professional minister to do?
- How well is Rev. Sam doing at what he does? Where does he excel? Where might improvement be made? Are there other things you would like to see him do?
- What are the needs, if any, that our shared professional and lay ministry is not meeting?
To answer these questions, we invite everyone at Albany UU to complete a questionnaire, and we are also planning to conduct about 40 interviews. You can get the questionnaire:
- In print in the church office;
- As an online form, here, which you can submit online;
- As a PDF document that you can download, print and complete by hand; and
- As a Word document that you can download and fill out on your computer.
We will need your completed questionnaire by April 28 in order to include it in our analysis for a report to the Board. If you use a printed questionnaire, you can return it by:
- Handing it to one of us;
- Scanning and emailing it to EVALUATION@albanyUU.org;
- Mailing it to EVALUATION, First UU of Albany, 405 Washington Avenue, Albany, NY 12206; or
- Placing it in a sealed envelope addressed to EVALUATION in the box labeled “Treasurer” in the Copy Room.
If you prefer to respond orally to the questionnaire, please call the office at 518-263-7135 or email us at
evaluation@albanyuu.org
.
We hope you will join us in this important effort and look forward to hearing from you!
Meredith Andrews, Bruce Rodgers, Reese Satin, Nancy Willie-Schiff
|
|
Annual Fellowship Dinner
The Annual Fellowship Dinner will be held on
Friday, April 5, 6:00 pm
at the Franklin Terrace in Troy. Come join us for an evening of fun, food, fellowship, and frivolity. Find more
here.
Getting to Know UU
We invite you to join us
Saturday, April 6
for “Getting to Know UU”. This orientation for newcomers is from 8:45 a.m. to noon. Find more
here
.
The 11th Annual Hudson-Mohawk Cluster Sunday Celebration
Mark your calendars now for the HMUU service - Is It Too Late? Healing the Earth and Our Spirits -
Sunday, April 7, 11:00 AM
at Doane Stuart School Find out more preliminary details
here
.
Walker Book Group
Join the Walker Book Group for a potluck and discussion on
Sunday, April 14 at 5:30 pm
in Channing Hall. We will discuss
The Fish That Ate the Whale
:
Life and Times of America's Banana King
by Rich Cohen. Learn more
here
.
Spokane in 2019, Providence in 2020
Consider attending General Assembly, the annual meeting of the Unitarian Universalist Association.
In 2019, GA will be held in Spokane, Washington from June 19-23. Closer to home, in 2020, GA will take place in Providence, Rhode Island from June 24-28. Learn more
here
.
|
|
John Cross Legacy Society
|
Have you considered putting Albany UU into your will or estate planning process?
The John Cross Legacy Society was established by the Endowment Trust in 2016 as a way to give members and friends a way to contribute to our future sustainability. A legacy gift to is a planned future donation given through a will or other form of designation. It is a decision that each person makes in their own financial planning process, taking into account various wishes and values about charitable giving.
Every legacy gift, regardless of the amount, is important and cherished. What better way to appreciate the impact of Albany UU on your life, or the life of someone you love, than by making a bequest from your estate? Please take some time to consider your options in consultation with your family, lawyer or financial and/or tax advisor.
To become a member of the John Cross Legacy Society, there is a simple application available through the church office, or feel free to contact any member of the Endowment Trust (Tom Mercer, John Cooley, Jeff English, Jan McCracken, Jon Newell, Reese Satin).
|
|
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!
|
|
 |
RELIGIOUS EXPLORATION
-Leah Purcell, Director of Religious Education (RE) and Family Ministry,
dre@albanyuu.org
Keep up with what's happening for children and youth
, including resources to support parents and caretakers at home by checking out
Leah's RE Newsletter!
Find information on Leah's Sabbatical
here
.
Nursery/Toddler Room
opens at 9:45 for children and infants under 2 years old.
Faith formation of children and youth this Sunday, March 24:
Pre-k through 7th grade
start the morning in the service in Community Hall with their families and then go to their Sunday school groups.
8th/9th grades
and
Youth Group
meet in their rooms at 10:00.
Attention young adults
(ages 18-35)!
Shelter Rock is hosting a social conference Pulp fictCON April 26-28. A weekend full of interaction, fun, and learning! We have some great surprises in store. The deadline to register is April 18th. More information can be found on the
Facebook Even
t page.
RE Volunteer Brunch - Saturday, March 23, 9:00-N
This is for everyone interested in volunteering in RE next year - or just thinking about it! Learn more
here
.
Orientation to 2019-20 Rite of Passage Program - March 24
Next church year we'll offer the Rite of Passage program for incoming 9th/10th graders.
Please join Leah Purcell and Rev Sam for an orientation to the program on Sunday, March 24th from 11:30 to 1:00 in room B-8.
|
|
|
|
SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITIES COUNCIL (SRC)
-Matt Lesniak, SRC Chair,
email
SRC recommends the following:
Rally Buttons now available!
Our UU office staff have made some metal buttons that will identify the wearer as an Albany Unitarian Universalist. They come in a variety of colors, show the chalice, cost $1.00, and are available for purchase at the SRC Fair Trade Table on Sundays. Get yours before they are gone!
An important message from the Capital District Coalition Against Islamophobia
We have all been heartbroken over the terrible massacre at two New Zealand mosques, last week. The Al-Hidaya Center in Latham will be conducting a service TONIGHT,
Thursday, March 21 from 7:00 – 8:30 pm.
Al-Hidaya is located at 322 Troy-Schenectady Rd. If you are able, please join our Muslim sisters and brothers in the Capital region, during their time of grief.
Women, War & Peace II
Two-night, four hour, WMHT TV series. Monday,
Mar. 25, 9-11pm, episodes 1 and 2 and Tuesday, Mar. 26, 9-11pm episodes 3 and 4.
Filmed in Northern Ireland, Egypt, Palestine and Haiti, this TV series examines the changing roles of women in war and peace.
Women Against War’s Annual Gathering - Thursday, April 4, 5:30 pm
, First Lutheran Church, 181 Western Ave. Bring savory or sweet finger food to share, and honor our 2019 Woman of Peace awardee, Marcia Hopple. Donation suggested.
Raise Your Voice for End of Life Choice
Save these Tuesday dates for visiting lawmakers at the Capitol this session to
advocate for legalizing medical aid in dying
. Death with Dignity Albany will be there on
April 9
. Albany UU has volunteered for
April 30
. Lobby Day for Compassion and Choices is
May 14.
Contact: Nancy Willie-Schiff at
n.willie.schiff@gmail.com
.
|
|
|
|
Green Sanctuary's Tip of the Week
|
Living our 7th principle
Re-use instead of Re-Cycle: Many of us order stuff that comes delivered to our houses. It comes carefully packed with different materials including Styrofoam Peanuts, Card Board, Bubble Wrap, etc. Rather than recycle this packing, it can be dropped off at shipping centers such as the Gateways - Shipping and Copying Store at 159 Delaware Ave. in Delmar. They are happy to take it and re-use it. They also take cardboard boxes in good condition.
|
|
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.
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: Chuck Manning, Phil Rich, Randy Rosette, Sandy Stone, Lisa Barron, Donna Meixner, Dee VanRiper and Sharon Babala.
|
|
Regular events and meetings
Check Windows Weekly for changes to date, time and location.
Sundays
11:45 AM Inclusivity Team (1st)
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)
Tuesdays
10:00 AM Philosophy Discussion (weekly)
1:00 PM Bridge (weekly)
7:00 PM UU Humanists (3rd)
Wednesdays
10:00 AM Projects & Quilts (weekly)
7:00 PM Choir Rehearsal (almost weekly)
Thursdays
1:00 PM All Sides Considered (1st & 3rd)
7:00 PM Program Coordinating Council (2nd)
6:15 PM Board of Trustees (4th)
|
|
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.
|
|
First Unitarian Universalist Society of Albany
|
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
).
|
|
First Unitarian Universalist Society of Albany | 518.463.7135| 518.463.1429 | Admin@AlbanyUU.org | AlbanyUU.org
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
