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.
If this email was forwarded to you, and you would like to receive it directly, please
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-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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VIRTUAL SUNDAY SERVICE VIA ZOOM
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July 5 “Sharing the Spirit,” Joseph Bruchac
In our Native American communities, it's often said that sharing is one of our most sacred duties-- a sharing of food and shelter, a sharing of kindness towards each other, a sharing of song, of giving thanks and prayer. Joseph's service will begin with a traditional opening prayer of thanks to all Creation and including some music on drum and flute.
An enrolled member of the Nulhegan Abenaki Nation, Dr. Joseph Bruchac is a traditional storyteller and musician whose over 170 books for young people and adults include Keeper of the Earth, Thirteen Moons on Turtle’s Back
and Our Stories Remember
.
Music:
Alyssa Yeager
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VIRTUAL SUNDAY SERVICES - 10:00 AM
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We are now in summer session!
Albany UU Virtual Summer Services
Summer services continue through September 6.
8:30 a.m. Virtual Sunday Meditation continues through the summer and we will have Virtual Service at 10:00 AM each Sunday. Summer services are coordinated by Randy Rosette, with a delightful list of guests in the pulpit, including Rev. Sam.
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July 12 “Is Doing Your Best...Good Enough?” Rev. Sam Trumbore
Dr. Conrad Trumbore (Rev. Sam’s father) has a favorite expression: “Do your best and to hell with the rest.” Doing “your best” is a common admonition today that is remarkably free of context. Do what best? How do we define what one’s best is? And is one’s best … good enough … as compared to what?
Rev. Sam Trumbore has served as minister of Albany UU since the fall of 1999. Before coming to Albany UU, he served a small Fellowship in Port Charlotte, Florida for six years. He is married to Philomena Moriarty and they have an adult son Andrew.
Music:
Elena Karpoff
July 19 Wellspring Highlights
Wellspring offers a place to explore and choose for yourself what’s important for your body, mind and heart. Together we set out on a journey of deep listening and compassionate connection, along with some laughter and fun along the way. Attendees from both the Sources and Sacred Arts program will be presenting!
Music:
Elena Karpoff
July 26 A Kaleidoscope of Time,”
Sigrin Newell
We Americans tend to think of time as something fixed, something from which we cannot escape, an ever-present part of our daily lives. As the pandemic shut-downs have demonstrated, we have equally strong opinions about personal spaces and public spaces. That time and space might be experienced in any other way seems unnatural and strange. Yet other cultures envision both time and space in radically different ways. In a global world, these unconscious expectations frequently clash, causing problems for tourists, business people, and politicians. Exploring differing views of time and space adds depth to our practice of UU principles: accepting one another and believing in the dignity of every person.
Dr. Sigrin Newell has been active with Albany UU for more than 30 years. She has given many sermons, sings in the choir and is the music librarian. She retired from Walden University, a distance-learning graduate school where she taught students earning their PhDs in education.
Music:
Alyssa Yeager
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 Offering
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 being processed while the building is closed.
Try our text to give option! Simply text the amount and fund (for example: 20 offering 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.
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.
Wearing your Zoom “Name Tag”
When signing into a Zoom worship service on a Sunday morning, you can't put on your traditional name tag to be welcoming to others, but you CAN rename your screen so that it displays your full name. This is the new way to practice hospitality with everyone who is part of the online worship service.
To change your screen name, look for three white dots, usually appearing in the upper right corner of your zoom window when you hover over it with your cursor. Click the dots, and a dropdown menu will appear. One of the options in the dropdown menu is "Rename." Click that option, and a box will pop up that displays the name currently showing in your Zoom window. If it's not your full name or names, change it to your name(s) and click the "Save" button.
If you have any questions, feel free to send an Usher a message in the Chat on a Sunday or email Tammy Hathaway - admin@albanyuu.org anytime. Thanks for taking this extra step to be welcoming!
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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
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, call: 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, July 8 at 10:00 AM.
Use this link to join:
To dial by phone: 929-436-2866
Meeting ID: 970 3238 2631
Password: 0000
Albany UU Sings -- New Dates for Summertime!
Sing along in Virtual Community on the following Wednesdays for the Summertime:
July 8 and July 22
August 5 and August 19
At 7:00 PM,
join your friends and sing your heart out! We will supply the music and the lyrics. Hope to see you there.
Use this link to join:
By phone: 1-929-436-2866 Meeting ID: 935725639
Walker Book Group
Join the Walker Book Group,
Sunday, July 12 at 6:00 pm
. We will discuss,
Little Fires Everywhere
by Celeste Ng.
Learn more
here
.
Use this link to join:
To dial in by phone: 1-929-436-2866:
Meeting ID: 299 018 7785
Password: 000
Note:
We are taking a break from Congregational Checkins at this point. Stay tuned for more info.
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Ibram X. Kendi, author of the bestselling book "How to be an Anti-Racist" discusses the difference between being "not racist" and antiracist. (include pic of Kendi or snapshot of his book?)
There is no such thing as being "not racist," says author and historian Ibram X. Kendi. In this vital conversation, he defines the transformative concept of antiracism to help us more clearly recognize, take responsibility for and reject prejudices in our public policies, workplaces and personal beliefs. Learn how you can actively use this awareness to uproot injustice and inequality in the world -- and replace it with love. (This virtual interview, hosted by TED's current affairs curator Whitney Pennington Rodgers and speaker development curator Cloe Shasha, was recorded June 9, 2020. 51 minutes )
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Church Administrator Vacation
Please note that Church Administrator, Tammy Hathaway, will be out of town thru Wednesday, July 8. If you need assistance, please contact Administrative Assistant, Sapphire Correa: office@albanyuu.org. Thank you!
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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Across the country voting machine vendors are recommending and selling voting machines that are not secure, and not reliable. Find out what you can do to ensure that your county or town doesn't buy these risky systems. Make sure your vote counts for the candidates and issues of your choice – and is not miscounted by computer error or stolen by a hacker to support other candidates.
https://smartelections.us/your-vote-is-under-attack
Join us Monday, July 6 at 7:00 PM for a Zoom forum with Lulu Friesdat, sponsored by the Green Sanctuary Committee.
Lulu Friesdat is a journalist and documentary filmmaker whose election security investigations have received over 4 million views and been featured in Politico, The Hill, Now This,
MSN.com
, the Young Turks, The Christian Science Monitor, Salon and TruthOut. Over the course of a more than ten-year career in network news, she has had assignments with NBC, CBS, Nightline, and contributed to Emmy award- winning programming at ABC. Her first documentary "Holler Back - [not] Voting in an American Town" was featured in The Hollywood Reporter as part of a group of "thoughtful and provocative” films being made by women. She is a Co-Founder of SMART Elections. Follow her on twitter @LuluFriesdat.
Please RSVP/register here (no charge):
Use this link to join:
Meeting ID: 518-366-4532
Password: 4051842
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The Summer Sizzler
The RE theme for July is Resilience
Story Time
Tracey Hickey is volunteering to read the chapter book at
7:00-7:30 pm Mondays Wednesdays and Fridays
- geared for children in 2nd-6th grade.
Open to people of all ages.
Zoom link to join:
Dial in: 1 929 436 2866
Meeting ID: 801 480 305
Password: 4051842
Brunch Church for Families and Guides, Sunday July 5 at noon
This will be a time for us to gather over Zoom with some food, hang out and talk a little about the theme of the month.
Password: 4051842
By phone +1 929 436 2866
Meeting ID: 867 9876 7127
Password: 4051842
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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.
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 friendly “check in’s” from Caring Network members. Please reach out to the
Caring Network
.
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Virtual Service Ushers
This is a great opportunity to volunteer on a Sunday morning!
Ushers are needed on Sunday mornings to help provide a welcoming, safe and enjoyable virtual experience.
W
e need folks who would be willing to volunteer to help. Tammy will provide a quick and simple training. PLEASE contact her if you'd like to learn more:
admin@albanyuu.org.
Gardening Volunteers
Do you have two hours to contribute to maintaining the gardens surrounding Albany UU? The Gardening Committee welcomes you to
sign up here
, where you can select which week(s) you'd like to help. Volunteers often work in pairs. No experience necessary. For more information or to receive e-mail updates, please contact
Donna Meixne
r or 518/439-5947.
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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Quick Links
Denominational Affairs Links
Helpful Local Links
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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
Some of these events and meetings will continue online, however dates and times may vary,
especially during the summer months.
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)
Wednesdays
10:00 AM Ps and Qs (June 10, 24)
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 is generally recorded
"Religion, Sex and Politics: A Conversation for Polite Company" with Rabbi Dennis Ross
watch it here.
Building Justice, Equity and Compassion in Human Relations: A Trauma-Informed Perspective with Jaye Holly and Danisha Burnett-Bonner, May 17,
watch it here
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, before quarantine:
You can listen to the entire Albany UU Sunday service at home or on your mobile device. March 1 and 8 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 (
http://members.albanyuu.org/wp/ -
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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