Windows Weekly April 22, 2021
ALBANY UU WINDOWS WEEKLY
Greetings Friends,

HAPPY EARTH DAY!

Welcome to Windows Weekly, Albany UU's central source for news and updates. Please stay safe and stay connected to your Albany UU Community during this uncertain time in the many ways provided online - all described below.

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Learn more about what's happening with UU Kids and Families by reading the Religious Education publication, RE Roundup.

-Blessings and Be Well
VIRTUAL SUNDAY SERVICE
LIVE on ZOOM

Main Service at 10:00 AM, Children's Service at 11:30 AM

Begin your Sunday morning with Rev. Sam guiding an 8:30 Virtual Meditation session until 9:15. We then have Virtual Service beginning at 10:00 each Sunday and a chance to stay online for virtual
"Coffee Hour" followed by RE for ALL, at 11:30.

Use this link to join Sunday service:

To dial in by phone: 1-929-436-2866:
Meeting ID: 299 018 7785
Password: 0000

April 25, “Becoming Wise,” Rev. Sam Trumbore
Wisdom is different than knowledge, skills or understanding. Wisdom is knowing when to use knowledge and skills. That wisdom isn’t as easy to learn. Maybe it takes a lifetime to become wise. We’ll reflect together on the process of becoming wise.

Music provided by special guest: Tanya Hotalen, recorder; Elena Karpoff

We will be introducing our newest Albany UU members to the congregation during service!

Those wishing to access closed captioning/live transcript can turn on the function in their Zoom toolbar. To update to the latest version of Zoom, please do that within the software by finding the menu link and “check for updates”.

Use this link to join Sunday service:

To dial in by phone: 1-929-436-2866:
Meeting ID: 299 018 7785
Password: 0000


Focus Food Pantry
Please consider a contribution to the Focus Food Pantry this Sunday. Online donations can be made here or directly to Focus Churches, here, or you may send your check to the church with FOCUS on the memo line. Thank you for your help.


Join us for Family Chapel for Children and Families at 11:30 AM
We’ll wrap up the theme of the month – Becoming– and celebrate Earth Day with the story “The Day You Begin”. Family Chapel is a short worship for children, youth, their parents/caretakers and the RE guides. It includes the story for the week. Then we have break out rooms for each group in 8th grade and younger for their group sessions.
SUNDAY SERVICE INFORMATION

WELCOME NEW ALBANY UU MEMBERS!

Join us this Sunday, April 25 as we introduce our new members to the congregation during
our virtual service.

Use this link to join:

To dial in by phone: 1-929-436-2866:
Meeting ID: 299 018 7785
Password: 0000
Cynthia Johnson
 
Cynthia is 62 years old and was raised within Unitarian Universalism. She has zig-zagged North through NYS during her life and currently lives in Berne (Western Albany County). She has 2 amazing daughters (though she is sure everyone’s daughters are amazing). Cynthia has been trying to homestead since 1979, in addition to having a fulltime job. Currently she has a garden, bees, chicks and woods to steward, as well as a pond to have fun swimming in. She loves sewing, embroidery, knitting, reading, cooking and building, but has little time for any one thing. Her outdoor activities include kayaking, hiking, walking and camping.
Susan Kalia
 
Susan was born in California and raised in Ann Arbor, Michigan. As the 2nd child, she was always fighting her dad’s authority and getting into trouble with him. He had a PhD and thought MDs were “stupid - just looked things up in a book, no original thinking!” Susan got her MD in 1979, did her residency in Internal Medicine and practiced in Detroit Receiving Hospital Emergency Dept for years. She moved to this area several times over the years, with two different husbands. Her most important accomplishment: her daughter, Tania (named after Che Guevara’s girlfriend of course) who will turn 50 next month! She has nine beautiful grandkids (Tania had two of them and the rest are from my blended family!) She is looking to meet people with liberal, loving outlooks in life
Valerie Kavanaugh

Valerie lives in Averill Park with her husband Charlie and their two springer spaniels. Her children, Shawn and Meegan, are married, and Val has three grandchildren. She taught high school English. After retirement, she taught theater and creative writing at HVCC and volunteered at USCRI and Centro Civico, teaching English as a New language. Besides family and teaching, Val writes plays and directs community theater. She loves to travel, especially if the travel involves hiking, and enjoyed walking the Inca Trail and England’s “Coast to Coast” Trail. In the past, Val has attended Albany UU occasionally; Covid pushed her to follow her beliefs, leaving a more traditional church. She’s looking forward to meeting UU members in person!
Ireta London

Ireta found Albany UU through the Deacon whose parish was located at Capital District Psychiatric Center (CDPC) Interfaith Chapel. She recently retired from CDPC after working in city and state service for 35 years as an Occupational Therapist - which included working on Sundays. At age 55, she achieved her dream of being the first in her family to obtain a doctorate degree. Ireta presently works as an adjunct professor at Russell Sage School of Health Sciences. She lives in Troy, New York with her husband. She has a 27-year-old son. Ireta's favorite hobbies are playing the Mountain Dulcimer, knitting, reading, crafting, and until last year, traveling. She is so excited about continuing her spiritual journey with Albany UU.
Chieko Reed

Chieko was born, raised and educated in Japan. 30+ years ago, she met her future husband, a visiting American, when she worked as an interpreter/translator of the same company he worked for. She moved to the USA. Since then, she and her small family moved to several domestic and international locations including Switzerland and Philippines. Her first encounter with anything to do with Unitarian Universalism happened one day in her Geneva days when she stood where Michel Servet (aka Michael Servetus) was burned alive with his books in 1553. 
She was with UUCP in Princeton for the last several years. She and her husband Bruce (a Presbyterian) are in the process of moving from New Jersey to the Capital Region; closer to her son and his family in the Berkshires. Her hobbies include word games, reading and water-coloring.
Shannon Simpson

Shannon started attending Albany UU after the death of her partner because she was seeking a community. She found the people at Albany UU were very welcoming and it didn’t take long for her to find that this is what she was looking for. Shannon is a single mom of her 3 nephews and she has 3 dogs. She is a photographer, artist and poet. She likes walking barefoot to feel the energy of the earth. Shannon also likes to garden and is a “tree hugger”. Her beliefs include many of the pagan and Buddhist principles. 
From left to right: Cynthia Johnson, Ireta London, Valerie Kavanaugh, Rev. Sam, Susan Kalia,
Shannon Simpson with Mekei (missing from the group photo: Chieko Reed)
ALBANY UU ANNUAL MEETING

Sunday, May 16, 2021
 
10:00 AM   Virtual Service via Zoom
11:00 AM Virtual Annual Meeting via Zoom
 
The Albany UU Annual Meeting will be hosted via Zoom on Sunday, May 16, immediately after the service. In addition to the presentation of reports, business will include the presentation and adoption of the 2021-22 budget.

Annual Reports are due to Tammy Hathaway (admin@albanyuu.org) on Monday, April 26!
 
Ballots for all elections, both contested and uncontested, will be handled by mail. Active members eligible to vote will receive a ballot by mail, along with a self-addressed stamped envelope for returning completed ballots. Learn more about the ballots and meet your candidates here.
 
Remain on Zoom after service, or use the service link to join:
 
 
To dial in by phone: 1-929-436-2866
Meeting ID: 299 018 7785
Password: 0000
UPCOMING WAYS to CONNECT

Board of Trustees Meeting
Today, April 22, 6:30 PM the Board of Trustees holds their monthly meeting. Board meetings are open to all Albany UU members. Find the agenda here.

Use the service link to join:

To dial in by phone: 1-929-436-2866:
Meeting ID: 299 018 7785
Password: 0000


Start your Sunday Morning with Meditation - 8:30 - 9:15 AM
Sunday morning meditation, led by Rev. Sam, begins with a ten-minute talk by Sharon Salzberg or Joseph Goldstein from their course on Insight Meditation. We will sit together for twenty minutes then have some conversation about the talk, meditation methods or experiences followed by a live loving kindness meditation. 

Use this link to join:

By phone: 1-929-436-2866
Meeting ID: 299 018 7785
Password: 0000


Philosophy Group
At 10:15 AM every Tuesday, the Albany UU Philosophy Group will meet via zoom and discuss their topic of the day.
All are welcome.

Use this link to join:

By phone: 1-929-436-2866 
Meeting ID: 987 7102 4708
Password: 0000


Ps and Qs
Projects and Quilts (Ps and Qs) will zoom next on Wednesday, May 5 at 10:00 AM.

Use this link to join:

By phone: 929-436-2866
Meeting ID: 299 018 7785
Password: 0000
A Virtual Orientation for Newcomers on Zoom
Getting to Know UU
Saturday, May 8 (note date change), is a great chance for some of us at Albany UU to get to know YOU. Learn more here.

Use this link to join:

To dial in by phone: 1-929-436-2866:
Meeting ID: 299 018 7785
Password: 0000


Walker Book Group
Join the Walker Book Group for a Zoom discussion on Sunday, May 9 at 6:30 pm. Join at 6:15 for additional time to socialize. We will discuss The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison. Learn more here.

Use this link to join:
 
By phone: 929-436-2866
Meeting ID: 299 018 7785
Password: 0000


My Grandmother’s Hands Book group/workshop
Trauma therapist Resmaa Menakem examines the damage caused by racism in America from the perspective of trauma and body-centered psychology. Facilitated by Philomena Moriarty LCSW, a trauma therapist. May 11 - June 29, Tuesdays 7:30pm - 9pm. Learn more here.


Albany UU Sings
Join your friends and sing your heart out in Virtual Community! We will supply the music and the lyrics.
Save these Wednesday dates at 7:00 PM for the rest of the the service year:
May 12, 26; June 9
Hope to see you there.

Use this link to join:

By phone: 1-929-436-2866
Meeting ID: 979 5961 1765
Passcode: 0000
IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENTS!

SOCIAL ACTION


RELIGIOUS EXPLORATION

JOYS and CONCERNS

UU WEEKEND AT SILVER BAY

Prestigious Awards for the Silver Bay Conference and Family Retreat Center
 
The Silver Bay Conference and Family Retreat Center, which will host the UU Weekend from October 15-17, has received multiple accolades:
 
  • Best Resort in the Adirondacks by Adirondack Life Readers’ Poll
  • Best Venue for a Reunion by Unique Venues Magazine
  • Best Lodging on Lake George in a poll conducted by Lakegeorge.com
   
Come join us for a beautiful fall weekend in the Adirondacks! Learn more here.
IMPORTANT INFORMATION

Essential Building Use Guidelines:
Find more information about our Building Use Guidelines during COVID HERE.




Learn about submitting announcements to for our virtual Sunday service and how to reserve a Zoom room for meetings and events here.


Other important resources, our file cabinet, guidelines and information can be found on the Resource Page of our website, here.


If this email was forwarded to you, and you would like to receive it directly, please
CONNECTIONS






Publication deadlines
This is an important reminder that the news and article deadline for Windows Weekly is 9:00 AM on Monday. Thank you for your cooperation.

Sign up for an online class

- Send an email to: registration@albanyuu.org

First Unitarian Universalist Society of Albany



Office hours:
The Albany UU Office is closed during this time of physical distancing. Sam, Leah and Tammy have their messages forwarded to their personal cell phones and are available by email.

Our Website:
General: www.AlbanyUU.org

Zoom use
To reserve Zoom for an Albany UU online meeting, contact the virtual church office (518.463.7135 or admin@albanyuu.org).

Photo credit: Rev. Sam Trumbore
First Unitarian Universalist Society of Albany | 518.463.7135| 518.463.1429 | Admin@AlbanyUU.org | AlbanyUU.org