Greetings,
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.
-Blessings and Be Well
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We 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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May 3, “Partnership in an Interconnected World,” Rev. Roger Bertschausen
Our guest speaker, the Rev. Roger Bertschausen, serves as the Executive Director of the Unitarian Universalist Partner Church Council. Before starting there in 2016, Rev. Bertschausen served as minister of the Fox Valley Unitarian Universalist Fellowship in Appleton, WI from 1990 until June 2015. He is a consultant on church governance with Unity Consultants of Unity Church-Unitarian in St. Paul, MN, and is the Director of the UU House of Study at Eden Theological Seminary in St. Louis.
Music Provided by Elena Karpoff, Randy Rosette
Use this link and password to join the service:
To dial in by phone: 1-929-436-2866:
Meeting ID: 299 018 7785
Password: 0000
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SUNDAY SERVICES
10:00 am -
ONLINE
May 10, Our Rite of Passage Service
Traditionally our Rite of Passage youth present their belief statements orally in front of the congregation in an in-person Sunday service. These statements are not meant to be a “check list” of theological believes/non-believes; instead we have encouraged the youth to share what they are passionate about and what it is that guides them in their lives. In this time of the Corona pandemic, this online service will be unique in our 16-year history of offering Rite of Passage and the post-service celebration will be unique to theses times too!
Music Provided by Elena Karpoff, Chris Jensen and Randy Rosette
May 17, “This I Believe”
This is the Sunday Service when we hear from members of the congregation who will share their own personal religious perspective. Our presenters this year we will be Luchia Hornsby and Albert Desalvo. This has been a perennially popular service. We appreciate our presenters' willingness to participate this year and look forward to hearing from them.
Music Provided by Elena Karpoff, Chris Jensen and Randy Rosette
NOTE: The Albany UU Annual Meeting will immediately follow this service - see announcement below.
May 24, “Moral Revival In the Time of COVID-19,” Rev. Emily McNeill
The COVID-19 pandemic has exposed and deepened political and economic crises that were already devastating our communities before the virus arrived. Behind these crises is also a moral crisis - the distorted values and norms that uphold and justify our society's deeply unjust structures. How can people of faith and conscience confront these distorted moral narratives? How do we claim and lift up our values in a way that can bring change?
Rev. Emily McNeill is co-chair of the NYS Poor People's Campaign: A National Call for Moral Revival and executive director of the Labor-Religion Coalition of NYS. Emily is an ordained minister in the United Church of Christ and holds an M.Div. from Union Theological Seminary in New York City. Prior to joining Labor-Religion Coalition in 2014, she was pastor of Parkland United Methodist Church in Tacoma, WA. She lives in Rotterdam with her wife, Emily, and their two dogs.
Music Provided by Elena Karpoff, Chris Jensen and Randy Rosette
May 31, “High School Youth Service: Imagine”
In this time of isolation due to the Corona pandemic, what things do we wish we could forget? What do we not want to forget when the time comes when we can start to get together? What might the world look like then? What would we long for it to be? Come join with our high school YoUUth Group to imagine a post-lock down world.
Music Provided by Elena Karpoff, Chris Jensen and Randy Rosette
Joys and Concerns for Online Services
We have three ways that you can share your joys and concerns.
- One: Use the online form. If you use this form, you can indicate if you would like to have your joys and concerns shared at the Sunday service, and you can leave contact info if you would like a Pastoral Care Associate to follow up with you.
- Two: Email your joy or sorrow to joysandsorrows@albanyuu.org before Sunday morning to have them read aloud during the service
- Three: We will be giving you instructions during the Sunday service about how to share your joys and concerns then.
Sunday Collection
If you would like to make a contribution to the Sunday Offering "Plate", click
https://tinyurl.com/albanyuu-donate
or send your check, with Sunday Offering on the memo line, to the church: 405 Washington Ave., Albany, NY 12206. Mail is still being processed while the building is closed. Or simply text our credit card donation to:
844-976-2618
.
Here is some information and helpful hints to access the service online via Zoom each Sunday:
Sunday services will be online via Zoom at 10:00 AM EST. There will be no service, religious education or other activities in the church building until further notice.
Our Zoom link for the service is here:
To dial in by phone call: 1-929-436-2866 and enter
Meeting ID: 299 018 7785
Password: 0000
Some helpful hints:
-PLEASE
, as a matter of security,
change your name when you enter the zoom service.
To do this, bring our cursor to our picture window, you will see "mute" and three dots in the upper right corner. Click the three dots and and dropdown box will appear. Select "Change Name". A window will pop up to allow you to type your first and last name.
-From your phone, *9 will allow you to raise your hand.
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ANNOUNCEMENTS
NEW Way to Give!
We launched our new text to give option on Sunday. If you'd like to try, simply text the amount and fund (for example: 20 offering; 20 focus; or 20 pledge) to
844-976-2618
. There's a
helpful video
to watch with step by step instructions and a informative
written guide
with visuals. It's pretty slick!
Warning!
Please be aware, that the trolls, scammers and hackers are out there in force more than ever. If someone asks you by phone, email, FB, Messenger or any other platform, to give them or anyone else money, gift cards or financial information of any kind, DON'T DO IT!!!
Volunteer Opportunity
We've add a Zoom Waiting Room feature to our Sunday services as an extra layer of protection from the dreaded "zoombomber."
Last Sunday was our first experience with this and it worked quite well.
We still need folks who would be willing to volunteer to help us provide virtual security on Sunday mornings. Tammy will provide training. Contact her if you'd like to join!
admin@albanyuu.org.
Renewable Electricity Survey - Update
We have received 46 responses to the Green Sanctuary Committee (GSC) survey on use of renewable electricity in our homes. Thanks to all of you who have responded. We will be preparing a full report on the results of the survey in June. Based on the responses so far, our congregation has made a significant effort to use renewable energy. Nearly 50% of the respondents get their electricity from a renewable source and 38% have solar panels on their houses. A number of respondents are also interested in switching to renewable sources and the GSC will be reaching out to them in the coming weeks.
We are hoping more of you take the survey please go to:
Thanks for your help.
Corks and Tabs
Although we can't meet, keep collecting those corks, natural or plastic, for reuse by the Green Sanctuary Committee. If we have too many to use in crafts, we can sell them online with the funds to benefit GSC. Also, continue to save the tabs on aluminum beverage cans for The Ronald Macdonald House.
Scheduling Zoom Meetings
We currently have two zoom accounts that we can use for meetings. To request a Zoom meeting, please do so just as you would when requesting a room to use in our building - using Church Database. When you choose your resources, or "room", choose between Zoom 1 and Zoom 3. There are links to instructions below. This is the preferred method but requests can also be sent via email to Sapphire: office@albanyuu.org.
When you send an email, please have a few dates and times that will work for your meeting to minimize a lot of time consuming negotiating. Thank you!
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Building Justice, Equity and Compassion in Human Relations: A Trauma-Informed Perspective
Sunday, May 17, 2:00 pm
Each of us is shaped by the experiences in our lives. Exposure to toxic levels of stress at any age can impact our self-image and our world view. Our foundational relationships as children can have a profound influence on how we are able to build loving, trusting connections with others. Trauma takes a toll on our physical and mental health. The UU 2
nd
Principle points to the need to build a community that supports justice, equity and compassion. We have a collective responsibility to support one another on our journeys toward healing.
Join Jaye Holly and Danisha Burnett-Bonner for a discussion on the impact that trauma has on individuals and communities. Shifting our viewpoint from “
What’s wrong with you?
”, which is about blame and shame, to a perspective of “
What happened to you?
” helps to foster compassion. Join us to talk about how a trauma-informed approach as a church helps to support the inherent dignity and worth of every person.
Jaye Holly
has been designing and delivering training for more than 20 years on a wide array of topics, including leadership development, adult learning, and diversity. Her career includes working in an eclectic mix of settings, from human services to academia to government. In 2010, Jaye began working with the Sanctuary Model by leading the implementation of trauma-informed care for a child welfare agency serving communities across New York State. Since then, she has worked across the country and around the world to help build trauma-informed communities. She has a B.A in Psychology from Marist College and an M.S. in Human Resources Development from McDaniel College. She lives with her wife and their furry children in Delmar, NY.
Danisha M. Burnett-Bonner
graduated with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in English with a minor in Professional Education from Xavier University in Cincinnati, OH. She continued on to study and complete a Masters of Arts Degree in Clinical Counseling, also from Xavier University. She has worked as a licensed counselor through the state of Ohio for over fifteen years. Her career has taken her to elementary, middle and high schools, residential group homes and correctional facilities, and the campuses of colleges and universities. She has had the privilege of working with individuals and families to assist with servicing their mental health needs and to provide stability in their lives. She continues this work in her private practice in Mason, OH.
Her services to the community locally and across the country include establishing and facilitating programs geared towards youth and young adults, and programs with specific focuses on pre-teen and adolescent girls, and women. Her training as a Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor and Training Supervisor, and her passion to see people live balanced and successful lives, has been displayed in her professional and personal endeavors.
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... to join a Congregational Conversation on the 2020-21 Budget
The Albany UU Finance Committee will be holding two Zoom Congregational Conversations on the 2020-21 budget:
Tuesday, May 5, 2:00 PM
and
Thursday, May 7, 7:00 PM
.
Use this link to join:
To dial in by phone call: 1-929-436-2866 and enter
Meeting ID: 299 018 7785
Password: 0000
A draft of the proposed budget will be available and sent out for all to review shortly.
If you have any questions
please contact Finance Committee Chair, Dick Brewer:
rwbrewerjr@gmail.com
or 518-524-2942.
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Annual Meeting
Sunday, May 17, 2020
The Albany UU Annual Meeting will be hosted via Zoom on Sunday, May 17, immediately after the service. In addition to the presentation of reports, the primary business is the presentation and adoption of the 2020-21 budget. 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.
Learn about the election and the candidates
here
.
Since this will be our first Annual Meeting conducted via Zoom, we will host a practice session on the Sunday previous, May 10, also immediately after the service.
Ballots
The nominating committee will be mailing ballots to eligible voting members via USPS. Ballots will be printed on BOTH sides, the Uncontested on one side and Contested (for nominating committee) on the other. Instructions on how to rank the voting for Contested candidates is on the ballot. Included also, will be a self-addressed stamped envelope so ballots can be returned quickly. Thank you for your understanding and participation in our democratic process.
Completed ballots must be received on or before 11:00 AM on Friday, May 15
.
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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:
To dial in by phone call: 1-929-436-2866 and enter
Meeting ID: 299 018 7785
Password: 0000
Congregation Zoom Check Ins
Get connected during the week with other Albany UU members and friends by coming to a Zoom checkin led by Rev. Sam
.
Monday, May 4, 4-5pm;
Wednesday, May 6
: Lunch checkin, noon-1pm - Take a break from work and checkin over lunch;
Thursday, May 7, 4-5pm
Friday, May 8
: Takeout Dinner 6-7pm - Order something takeout to support your local restaurants and we can have dinner together!
Use this link to join:
Meeting ID: 518-366-4532
Password: 4051842
Philosophy Group
At 10:00 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:
To dial in by phone: 1-929-436-2866 Meeting ID: 845673781
Albany UU Sings
Do You Like to Sing? Join your friends and sing your heart out
every Wednesday evening at 7:00 PM
! We will supply the music and the lyrics. Sing along in Virtual Community. Contact Randy with any questions:
rosette_jensen@juno.com
Use this link to join:
By phone: 1-929-436-2866 Meeting ID: 935725639
Spirit of Life Check In
All are welcome to join Dan Miyake for a Zoom check-in with a spiritual tone on
Thursdays at 11:00.
There will be a chalice lighting, readings, music, meditation, and time for deep check-in.
If you would like to contribute a reading or other element, please contact Dan directly at
intern@albanyuu.org
.
Use this link to join:
Meeting ID: 979 5043 0812
Password: 234155
Adult RE UU History Class
Dan Miyake will be leading a new Adult RE class on UU History during the Month of May! The class will be on
Mondays in May from 3:00 to 4:30
. The first session will be a general overview of our UU history. This is a great opportunity to learn more about our denomination and our spiritual ancestors. Everyone is welcome to attend via Zoom.
Require meeting password: 295114
Developing Coping Strategies with Tara Brach
Tuesday evenings at 6:30 – 7:30pm May 5, 12 and 7pm on May 19
Tara Brach is a widely respected mindfulness meditation teacher and psychologist who works out of the Washington DC metro area. She has developed a mindfulness tool called RAIN that is very effective to help people who are experiencing emotional distress deescalate out of emotional reactivity and into a coping/adaptive/responsive headspace. She describes it in detail in her 2019 book titled, “Radical Compassion.” The class will work with videos of Tara explaining RAIN and guided meditations by her as well as content from her book.
RAIN is an excellent tool to help us with the stresses of dealing with the impacts of COVID-19 – many of them unpleasant, hurtful, even traumatizing. The RAIN method has worked with hundreds of thousands of people and may be useful for members of our congregation as well.
Use this link to join:
Meeting ID: 518-366-4532
Password: 4051842
Walker Book Group
Join the Walker Book Group for a Zoom discussion on
Sunday, May 10 at 6:00 pm
. We will discuss a historical novel
The Return of the Native,
by Thomas Hardy. Learn more
here
.
Use this link to join:
To dial in by phone: 1-929-436-2866:
Meeting ID: 299 018 7785
Password: 0000
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Coping with the Pandemic: Phase 2
We are entering our eighth week of self-quarantine. I sense many of us are moving into a different phase of dealing with this crisis.
This came up for me in the reaction Dan Miyake and I got from his idea to have a “pity party” so people could vent their feelings about being quarantined for so long. We heard about another congregation that had done one and it had been a good emotional release for people’s frustrations at being stuck at home. The name was triggering for some people who had a strong negative response to the idea. I also heard from others that they thought it was fine and would like to attend. In the reactivity I sensed a change – the heightened reactivity may be signaling an increase in stress levels of people in our congregation.
The first phase of the pandemic for many was the adjustment phase. It was about getting accustomed to quarantine at home right at the front end of the crisis. Hospitals were yet to be flooded in New York City and the devastating losses yet to begin to be counted. Being sequestered at home felt novel, even welcome – a chance to catch up on home projects and maybe do some spring cleaning. A time for more family togetherness.
Now we’ve had enough of that. Daily the losses mount up, especially the horrific toll of life and harm down state and increasingly right here in the Capital Region. We feel these losses - whether it’s someone close to us who is sick or has died; or it’s the loss of a job and financial security; or it’s the loss of physical interaction with friends and family; or it’s the loss of innocence in the realization that home is not necessarily safe for all of us; or any number of losses that haven’t been mentioned here. We are mourning these losses, each in different ways. Then each day the media gives us more bad news about the effects of the pandemic that loom large over our future wellbeing. And media reports about what this virus can do to the human body can stimulate intense fear about getting it.
What is now sinking in is the recognition that we can’t go back to the way things were, probably until we have either “herd immunity” or a vaccine universally available. That will likely not happen until the fall of 2021
at the earliest. And that would-be record-breaking speed for vaccine development, testing and production. Until then, physical distancing and masks are going to be our new normal. The impacts of that are just beginning to be considered as we imagine how we can be together again.
All this is amplifying the stress we might have already been feeling. Those of us on the front lines in health care are experiencing that stress more immediately. Others of us at home may not be at risk right now but still have plenty to deal with in the confinement of the home environment maybe with children climbing the walls and furniture. Almost all of us are anxious about vulnerable elders and loved ones worrying for their safety and protection.
Therefore it is essential for us to be attending to our own self-care. If we want to care of others during this time, we need to take care of ourselves too.
First in self-care is care for our bodies. Eating mostly healthy, nutritious food regularly. Drinking beverages without a lot of sugar or alcohol in moderate quantities. Exercising daily whether a morning stretching and movement routine, going for a walk, or going up and down stairs – something to keep the muscles active and the joints lubricated. Getting enough rest is also critical for wellbeing. I’m sure this isn’t new to anyone – but the reminder may be helpful to stimulate change away from unhealthy habits.
One of the most helpful ways to deal with the stress of uncertainty is having a daily routine. Having a morning hygiene routine and morning meal and an evening routine before sleep can help start and end the day in a more centered and peaceful way.
As important for our wellbeing as physical health is our mental health. Overwhelming our emotional brain centers with endless media about the virus isn’t good for us. We should balance our media intake with more positive and comforting stimulation. The rebirth of spring in flower and leaf is a wonderful antidote to too many stories about suffering and death. The projection of our anxiety and fear into the future undermines our positive engagement with what is right in front of us. Breaking things into small steps that can be acted on immediately keeps us from obsessing about the “what ifs” that are endless.
Connect with your support network. We all need a sense of connection with others, be it neighbors, friends, co-workers, family and volunteer organizations. We need to gather people around us who are good listeners and supporters, people who will not react and judge. People who can be there for you if you do get sick.
That is one important role our congregation offers. And not just as a place to support us. It is also a place we can offer support. This kind of a network is a two-way street. It is validating to help others and it is necessary to get that support when we are in need. Our Caring Network is a place that offers that kind of comfort and support. Contact Todd Thomas, the coordinator, if you’d like to help out or are in need of help.
Finally, get a little more sleep that you need. Rest is critical to build our resiliency when we are under stress. Paradoxically the hardest time to sleep is when the stress hormones are coursing through our blood. A bedtime routine can be of great help. Turing screens off 1 hour before bed. Listening to enjoyable music. Reading pleasant light material. Writing someone a note of support and care. Listening to a meditation podcast. All these can make a difference.
I’m sad to say we are in for a long slog with this virus. We need to adapt our lifestyle for the duration. The new normal will be quite different from the old normal … but if it means fewer of us get sick, are permanently harmed or die, then let’s make the best of it.
Rev. Sam
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
Mary Applegate
shares a sorrow: Walter Nichols, a close family friend and favorite college art teacher, recently died of Alzheimer's disease. Thoughts are with his family.
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 provides 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 friendsly “check in’s” from Caring Network members. Please reach out to the
Caring Network
if you need.
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Short Family Chapel Zoom Starting this Sunday, April 19
This is a time for children, youth, parents/caretakers and RE volunteers to gather for 10 -15 minutes while the first part of the Sunday service is happening. It will be a chance for us to see each other and check in. We’ll also have a chalice lighting and a meditation. The Zoom Family Chapel will be a separate Zoom meeting from the regular service. We’ll start at 10:05 and finish around 10:20. At that time you can join the Zoom meeting for the service or just move on with your day. If you join the service, you’ll be in time for joys and sorrows and the meditation, the story and the sermon. You might want to settle your children in with some quiet activity nearby if you want to hear the sermon.
Zoom Meeting for Family Chapel
Password: 4051842 (our address and the year the congregation was founded)
Dial in: 1 929 436 2866 Meeting ID: 931 0179 4118
Rite of Passage Meets This Sunday at Noon
Our task will be to plan our May 10
th
service.
Password: 0000
Dial in +1 929 436 2866
Meeting ID: 726 508 023
Here are the assignments:
- Listen to the whole service from First Universalist, Minneapolis from Oct 27, 2019 https://firstuniv.podbean.com/page/2/ How does this inform your belief statement?
- listen to our service from last week https://www.youtube.com/watchv=ho4NG1e3RfE&feature=youtu.be Think about what you want to include in your service - readings? Music?
- Write your belief statement and record it on your phone. It should be about 2-3 minutes long
Parent/Caretaker Support Group
Wednesdays 8:30 – 9:30 PM
Open to all Albany UU parents and caretakers with children 18 and under. We use the theme of the month to talk about parenting as Unitarian Universalists.
Zoom link to join:
Password: 4051842 (our address and the year the congregation was founded)
Dial in: 1 929 436 2866 Meeting ID: 590 920 009
Story Time – note new schedule
Tracey Hickey and Leah Purcell are taking turns readings chapter book. It's a great time for your child to jump on line with other children from Albany UU and start listening. We start with an opportunity for the children to check-in which how things are going for them; that has been really nice for the children too.
Chapter books 7:00 pm Mondays, Fridays and Saturdays
- geared for children in 2nd-6th grade. Tracey is reading
Wayside School Stories
until May 8th, when she will start
The One and Only Bob.
Open to people of all ages. Supervise your kids as you would at Coffee Hours; keep an eye on them, but you don't have to be right there all the time.
Zoom link to join:
Dial in: 1 929 436 2866
Meeting ID: 801 480 305
Password: 4051842 (our address and the year the congregation was founded)
Dance Party Friday May 1, starting at 5:30
Grab your teddy bear or stuffed animal if you want and put on your dancing shoes! We’ll have some time to greet each other and then Leah will start playing the tunes from the 50’s to today – all kid appropriate. We’ll go until we run out of steam!
Join Zoom Meeting
Password: 4051842 (our address and the year the congregation was founded)
Dial in +1 929 436 2866
Meeting ID: 231 765 622
7th and 8th Grade Check In
No check in this week because of the Rite of Passage meeting. We’ll meet next on May 10
YoUUth Group Check Ins
Tracey Hickey and Leah host: ALBANY YOUUTH GROUP VIDEO CHATS. We are live at 8:00pm each Thursday and Sunday. If you have a Youth, please ask them to check their Gmail and tune in! The group is planning their worship service and everyone’s input is valued.
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Many of us are in the position to take advantage of a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity - we are receiving a financial windfall in the form of the federal stimulus payout, at the same time as there is a great need for charitable donations in our community. The SRC chose four Capital District organizations that are doing great work right now, and can convert cash into services.
Regional Food Bank of Northeastern New York/Sister Maureen Joyce Center
The Sister Maureen Joyce Center Food Pantry is the closest pantry to Sheridan Preparatory Academy (the center is at 315 Sheridan Avenue, Albany). The Center also has a soup kitchen at 369 Livingston Avenue. The Center serves about 800 low-income or homeless people each month. The food pantry and soup kitchen are supported agencies of the Regional Food Bank of Northeastern New York. The Food Bank supplies $8 to $10 of food for each $1 donated.
The online form allows donations to be targeted to particular programs of the Food Bank, but not directly to its supported agencies. The Sister Maureen Joyce Center is administered by Catholic Charities, Tri-County Services. The information here supports the Center through the Food Bank, not through Catholic Charities.
By check: mail your donation check to the Regional Food Bank of Northeastern New York at 965 Albany-Shaker Road, Latham, New York 12110. You can donate as a Gift Alternative for someone’s birthday or event, and the Food Bank will send a card with your message to the recipient.
USCRI Albany Neighbor Relief Fund
The U S Committee for Refugees and Immigrants Albany Neighbor Relief Fund provides cash assistance to refugee and immigrant families caught in an emergency related to recent lost wages or employment. Donations of any amount will make a difference.
In a recent appeal for the Fund, Jill Peckenpaugh wrote:
“We are already seeing that our clients are being hit hard as this crisis unfolds. Many refugees and immigrants are employed as hourly or temporary workers and often within the service industry at hotels and restaurants. As families experience lost work hours, unpaid sick leave, and hospital bills, we know that the need for emergency funding to stop evictions, provide basic necessities, and protect access to medical care is going to escalate. We must start now to be prepared for the long-term consequences.
“Your gift can provide:
• Assistance to families for household necessities or bills after a sudden loss of income;
• Medical attention and/or necessary medical supplies for an individual who is under or uninsured;
• Care packages of non-perishable food, toiletries, child-care supplies, and cleaning products;
• Assistance maintaining critical programming.
“Assistance to an individual family is typically small – a couple hundred dollars – but the impacts can be tremendous. Families are able to weather a temporary setback without losing precious progress toward self-sufficiency.”
Check with the Albany office at 459-1790 to ask about donating by check.
Feed Albany – Covid-19 Relief
Feed Albany provides at-risk and in-need individuals in Albany and the Greater Capital Region with prepared & packaged meals, using commercial kitchens, unemployed restaurant workers, volunteers, and donated vehicles.
Feed Albany works with Albany County, the City of Albany, The Food Pantries, The Regional Food Bank, the Albany County Sheriff and various other local organizations and service providers to identify those at-risk and in-need. Through their resources & partnerships, they facilitate delivery of both prepared meals and food items to these individuals and organizations.
Capital City Rescue Mission / Joseph’s House
Both of these groups are standbys in their communities, and both have been stepping up to the current crisis by providing even more services. Joseph’s House has traditionally had a Troy focus, although recently they expanded into Albany by taking on Homeless Action Committee (HAC) with its outreach van and low-demand housing. Joseph’s House has also always been non-denominational, while the Mission has a Christian aspect in its programs.
The Mission says it can provide a meal to a homeless person for only $2.17. Before the Covid-19 crisis, the Mission was providing about 800 meals each day, and 250 available beds. The Mission also runs a free clothing store at Trinity Place.
Joseph’s House and Shelter in downtown Troy offers single adults and families with children a warm and safe place to rest, hot nutritious meals, medical care, personal items and laundry facilities. Advocates work with guests to identify housing and services in accordance with goals guests set themselves.
The SRC hopes you will consider donating to one, a couple, or all of these groups.
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Rave Reviews for UU Weekend at Silver Bay - October 16-18
Registration
is now open.
Register by June 7, 2020 to receive the lowest rates! Children under 6 are free with substantial discounts for older children and youth. Access the registration form
here.
Note:
We are currently experiencing a time of physical distancing and cancellations of group gatherings due to Covid-19. If the UU Weekend at Silver Bay is cancelled because of continued or reinstated restrictions, registered participants will receive a full refund. Learn more
here
.
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Virtual Service Security
There's a new opportunity to volunteer!
We've add a Zoom Waiting Room feature to our Sunday services as an extra layer of protection from the dreaded "zoombomber." W
e need folks who would be willing to volunteer to help us provide virtual security on Sunday mornings. Tammy will provide a quick and simple training. Contact her if you'd like to learn more:
admin@albanyuu.org.
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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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
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Regular events and meetings
Many of these events and meetings will continue online, however dates and times may vary. Please contact the Team or Group Leader or email
admin@albanyuu.org
if you have questions.
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)
Thursdays
1:00 PM All Sides Considered (1st & 3rd)
6:30 PM Board of Trustees (4th)
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Going to miss a Sunday?
Online service will be recorded
HMUU Join Service with Paula Cole Jones, Sunday, April 5,
watch it here
Community of Communities workshop with Paula Cole Jones,
watch it here
For previous services:
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 - when the building reopens:
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:
The Albany UU Office is closed during this time of physical distancing. Sam, Leah, Tammy and Sapphire have their messages forwarded to their personal cell phones and are available by email.
Websites
Zoom use
To
reserve Zoom
for an Albany UU online meeting, contact Administrative Assistant Sapphire Correa (518.463.7135 or
office@albanyuu.org
).
Photo credit: Jeannie Thompson
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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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