Greetings Friends,
Good evening everyone and welcome to Windows Weekly, Albany UU's central source for news and updates. Many apologies for the lateness of the hour - technical difficulties were a 'plenty today!
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-Blessings and Be Well
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VIRTUAL SUNDAY SERVICE at 10:00 AM
Begin your Sunday morning with a VIRTUAL 8:30 Meditation session until 9:20
VIRTUAL service begins at 10:00 each Sunday
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The Albany UU COVID Response Team (Mary Applegate, Elizabeth Baldes,
Tammy Goddard Hathaway, Patti Jo Newell, and Rev. Sam Trumbore) recently met and determined that the option to attend Sunday morning services in-person,
and in-person Religious Education groups, will resume on Sunday, Feb 27.
The option to attend service on Zoom will remain.
The health and safety of the church community continues to be our top priority, and we thank everyone for their understanding and flexibility as we continue to monitor and navigate this complicated situation.
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Jan 30, "Myth and History" with David Weissbard
On January 17th we celebrated the 93rd anniversary of the birth of Martin Luther King, Jr. It has been suggested that one of the roots of the controversial Critical Race Theory is Dr. King’s realization that the roots of racism were deeper than most Americans recognized. He said, “The value in pulling racism our of its obscurity and stripping it of its rationalizations lies in the confidence that it can be changed.” Remembering Dr. King and noting Ibram X. Kendi’s assertion in The Atlantic that Dr. King is effectively being assassinated for the second time, we will be looking at what CRT is and isn’t, and why so many are upset by it.
Dave Weissbard was born into and raised in this congregation where he served as president of LRY, the youth group. He was the final graduate of the Theological School of St. Lawrence University in Canton. [His was the last name in the school’s final graduating class.] He served as minister of the UU congregations in Bedford, MA, Fairfax, VA, and Rockford, IL [the latter for 27 years], before retiring and returning to Canton in 2006. He preaches monthly for the UU congregations in Central Square and Watertown, as well as annually in our pulpit, and occasionally in other area churches.
Music: Al De Salvo
Music: To Be Acknowledged, Elena Karpoff
Use this link to join the service:
To dial in by phone: 1-929-436-2866:
Meeting ID: 299 018 7785
Password: 0000
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VIRTUAL SUNDAY SERVICE INFORMATION
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Feb 6 “The Amazing Intelligence of Birds” with Sigrin Newell
The UU 7th principle says "respect for the interdependent web." It doesn't mention enjoy, marvel at, or be surprised by. Birds offer us this opportunity to expand our spirituality. The more that scientists and other folks explore the cognition of birds, the more it becomes apparent that birds have intelligence, different from our own, yet every bit as flexible. Discover things you never imagined about the minds that power wings.
Dr. Sigrin Newell has been active with the First Unitarian Universalist Society of Albany NY for nearly 30 years. During this time, she has given many sermons, recently on the intelligence of plants and on Rev. Olympia Brown. She also sings in the choir. At the Silver Bay retreat, she has led nature walks and conducted sessions focused on botany, and Goddess spirituality. She is retired from Walden University, a distance-learning graduate school where she taught students earning their PhDs in education.
Music: Alyssa Yeager
Feb 13 “A Life of Integrity” with
Rev. Margaret Weis
What does it mean to live a life with integrity and how does our definition of the ideal shape the ways we live into it? Join us for a service where we explore these ideas together.
Rev. Margaret Weis is a lifelong UU originally from the Boston area. She has served as a hospital chaplain in Massachusetts and Connecticut and as a parish minister in Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and New York. Rev. Margaret loves travel, vegan and vegetarian cuisine, and spending time by the water whenever possible.
Music: Randy Rosette
Feb 20 “Homemade by the River” with
Matt Meyers
What architects, masons, and the sound of water can teach us about crafting a home by hand. And what rivers remind us about living a life in motion and movement.
Matt is a musician and worship leader who has led hundreds of services for UU congregations across the country. He has a degree in hand drumming and serves as Director of Community Life for Sanctuary Boston.
Music Matt Meyers
Feb 27 with Rev. Dr. Lynn Ashley
Stay tuned for more information from Rev. Lynn
Music: Al De Salvo
Use this link to join Sunday service
To dial in by phone: 1-929-436-2866
Meeting ID: 299 018 7785
Password: 0000
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Sunday Offering
and other service information
Brighten up Community Hall with a flower donation!
There are plenty of open Sundays waiting for your dedication. Contact the office or Sandy Stone (dsalbany@nycap.rr.com) if you would like to see flowers at our Sunday service.
Sharing Joys and Concerns during Service
Need to Talk? Albany UU Pastoral Care Associates are here to listen!
Archives
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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION FOR
CHILDREN and YOUTH
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This Sunday, 1/30: PreK-6th Grade group as well as Grade 7/8 Book Club will meet online at 10AM. Link below.
Religious Education Council Outreach Event at 12pm! Rev. Sam, Elizabeth Baldes, and the Ministry and Operations Team invite you to join us in welcoming our new Religious Education Council Chairperson, Michael Hornsby. Michael will share some of his vision and plans for the Religious Education Program at Albany UU, we'll have an update on the Interim Consulting process, and also explore ways the RE Program and Council can connect with the other congregational initiatives to support and engage with one another. Please bring an idea from an Albany UU Committee or Team to build collaboration between the RE Program and other activities in our congregation. Link below.
By phone: 1 929 205 6099
Meeting ID: 963 886 2931
Passcode: 2222
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How to Widen Your Circle
I am a creature of habit. I like my daily routines. I’m happiest doing the same thing every morning, meditating then exercising, followed by showering, dressing in clean clothes, and eating the same set of foods for breakfast and lunch. I like following the grooves that are quite comfortable. I enjoy going to the same office, parking in the same spot, sitting at the same desk, day after day after day.
Maybe I like having sameness in my life because of how much change I’m constantly experiencing. Every Sunday is different with special challenges. I’m always looking for new stories and illustration to enliven my sermons. There are the crises of the week to deal with. The problems to resolve. The connections to make. Ministry is very stimulating.
Yet even that can get stuck a bit in a rut. My attention can get narrowed to just what is happening in our congregation, what I read about in the Times Union or the New York Times, and my circle of attention can shrink.
It might also be a function of getting older. I’ve explored a lot of life by now and have found what I like and don’t like. There is a natural drive toward what I like and away from what I don’t like. The Buddha had a lot to say about that tendency and the problems associated with it that cause stress and suffering. This can be a major problem when we seek to embrace more diversity in our congregation when people would rather stay with what is comfortable and feels safe. I find myself falling into the comfort trap again and again, much like my comfortable morning routines.
The first words of our mission statement are: We welcome everyone. Our vision says we want to be “an inclusive, welcoming congregation. Our sacred work is to lift hearts, broaden minds and do justice in the world, in service of building beloved community,” Both our mission and vision challenge us to widen the circle of our congregation. That challenge extends to the personal level to widen our inner circle as well.
Here are some thoughts on how to do that!
One of the easiest ways to experience diversity is with your mouth. Try some new foods you don’t usually eat. I find I settle on one or two things I like to order in a restaurant. Why not pick something different until you’ve sampled all the dishes. Experience the cuisine from a culture that is new. New restaurants with non-American cuisine are often attractive, offering new experiences of décor, smell and taste. What about bringing home a root vegetable or something that is leafy and green that you don’t usually eat. Maybe something you can’t pronounce. Google knows how to cook everything and make it tasty. The challenge is to widen the circle of enjoyed foods without expanding the circle of the waistline.
Clothing can be another way to experience diversity. From a new hat or gloves to a color or pattern you don’t usually wear. A texture of fabric that you’re not used to wearing. I never wore light, puffy down jackets so I thought I’d try it. Now I enjoy being warm without the weight of a heavy coat. Even a different kind of socks can be delightful. One doesn’t have to spend lots of money for the latest fashions to experience a new diversity in clothing.
One of the places few people pay attention to for diversity is movement. I learned about this from a practitioner of the Feldenkrais method devised by Israeli Moshe Feldenkrais. As a way of healing people’s physical problems with their bodies, he showed people how to learn to move in new ways. Using somatic educational methods and gentle, mindful movements, he helped people learn to move in different ways that rewired their brains to resolve physical problems. This can be a lifetime of movement exploration that leads to both inner and outer transformation. Yoga, Tai Chi, martial arts, are other examples of mind body exploration.
Another way to explore sensation is outside the body through the visual and auditory arts. Going to art museums or viewing the constantly changing natural world around us are ways of expanding the diversity of the experience of seeing. The world of music, bird songs, sounds of the planet like lightning, wind, rain, snow, sounds of people’s voices, create a wide awareness through our ears. But our looking can become routine as our eyes go to the same places over and over, look at the same kind of art that appeals to us, looks away from what our mind doesn’t want to see. The same with screening out unwanted sound. There are types of music we don’t listen to because we don’t appreciate it or haven’t listened to enough to hear qualities in it that the ear picks up with repetition. Repetition helps us appreciate subtlety.
A more sophisticated kind of seeing and hearing involve words and sentences. Our world today is saturated with words and sentences. Hundreds if not thousands of television channels. So many virtual places to go to watch and to listen. And then there are the 10’s if not 100’s of thousands of podcasts, blogs and videoblogs. And then there is Vimeo and YouTube. So many different places to absorb content. Again, we can choose to go to our favorite places, or we can choose to explore new channels and hear new voices we’ve never heard before. Explore new ways of thinking and knowing by people who are very different from us.
That matters when we want to explore the diversity within our local community. We can stick with comfortable or familiar voices or we can explore new and different voices and be challenged by unfamiliar ways of thinking or perceiving.
The most intimate way to do this is in our relationships. We can just spend time with people who attract us and we enjoy and ignore the rest, or we can choose to spend time with those who are different from us and who challenge us and make us question our thinking. Maybe not all the time but finding the people who we can have some of both, the comfort and the challenge.
That has been one of the great delights of being in a congregation like ours that emphasizes a wide welcome. We are striving intentionally to appreciate and welcome greater diversity in our congregation. Where we do set limits is on the kind of behaviors we tolerate. We are very intentional, however, not to set limits on how we think and understand our faith or lack of faith.
Here, you are free to widen your experience of living. The guide we suggest isn’t what society or the crowd says you should do or think. It will not be driven by shame and guilt. What we encourage is a growth and development of your inner sense of interest, curiosity, and attraction. We call it a free and responsible search for truth and meaning. It is a beautiful way to widen the circle of your love.
Rev. Sam
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REV. SAM WILL BE ON SABBATICAL
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Rev. Sam on Sabbatical February and March
Sabbaticals are very important for ministers. They allow ministers to step back from the 24/7 alert to be ready to respond to congregational and members’ needs, their weekly creative challenge of putting together Sunday Services and their institutional responsibilities for some rest and recharge. Many ministers have been working extra hard during the COVID pandemic. We’ve had to help our congregations adapt to the new reality of programming and offering services in a multi-platform environment. Rev. Sam is feeling the need for a little down time.
Each year he earns a month of sabbatical. During the 22 years he has been serving this congregation he has taken just one long six month sabbatical in 2006 and a couple of one month sabbaticals. He is way overdue for taking one. So last year he began planning for taking a sabbatical during the months of February and March of 2022.
Rev. Sam has three primary activities planned during those two months. The first is to fly with Philomena to San Diego for a Unitarian Universalist Ministers Association Convocation. It is a weeklong growth and development program for ministers. At the end of the week, He will fly with Philomena to Maui to spend 12 days there. That will be the second activity which is pure rest and recovery. The third activity will be two weeks of silent meditation from March 1 to 14. He will be cut off from all contact and focused all day and night on sitting and walking meditation with some breaks for sleep and meals. The goal will be to develop deep states of concentration to facilitate penetrating awareness of moment-to-moment experience. He will be putting his mind under a microscope to watch how it works to create suffering and to create happiness. This form of meditation liberates the mind from internally created stress and suffering.
Between these activities he has some books he’ll be reading and spending time researching some areas of interest he doesn’t have the time to explore with his weekly responsibilities. He hopes to return refreshed and energized, ready to help Albany UU build back better from COVID.
While he is gone:
- Sunday morning meditation will continue under the guidance of Anny Lapinski and Sharon Babala
- Sunday Services will be delivered by members and ministerial guests
- Meaning Matters groups will do their own facilitation
- Peggy Sherman will cover the Ministry and Operations Team leadership
- Tammy Goddard Hathaway will deal with any staff issues or problems
- Pastoral Care will be offered by both the Pastoral Care Associates and for emergencies and hospital visits, a team will cover them (Bobbi Place, Lynn Ashley and Dave Munro depending on who is available)
Tammy (admin@albanyuu.org, 518.463.7135 or 701.426.9307) will be the point person to redirect any needs for ministerial duties that might come up. Please do not directly contact Rev. Sam during February and March. If there is something you feel strongly needs his attention, please go through Tammy who will make the contact if necessary or redirect to the right person.
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RECYCLE THOSE PLASTIC GALLON JUGS!
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The Vegetable Project is an independent volunteer group working with Albany schools to create hands-on learning opportunities, and whose work contributes to knowledge of, and care for, the environment. Albany UU is supporting their effort to reuse plastic gallon jugs as miniature greenhouses by serving as a collection point for these materials. Please drop your jugs off at church during normal weekday hours which are generally Mon, Tues, Thurs and Fri from 8-4 - BUT it's always a good idea to call first: 518.463.7135. Collection will continue until late February. Any questions email Acting DRE, Elizabeth Baldes at dre@albanyuu.org . Thanks for your support!
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UPCOMING WAYS to CONNECT
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Board of Trustees Meeting
Tonight at 6:30 PM
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
We will sit together virtually 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
Religious Education Council Outreach Event at 12pm on Sunday, Jan. 30! Rev. Sam, Elizabeth Baldes, and the Ministry and Operations Team invite you to join us in welcoming our new Religious Education Council Chairperson, Michael Hornsby. Michael will share some of his vision and plans for the Religious Education Program at Albany UU, we'll have an update on the Interim Consulting process, and also explore ways the RE Program and Council can connect with the other congregational initiatives to support and engage with one another. Please bring an idea from an Albany UU Committee or Team to build collaboration between the RE Program and other activities in our congregation.
Use this link to join:
By phone: 1 929 205 6099
Meeting ID: 963 886 2931
Passcode: 2222
Philosophy Group
At 10:15 AM every Tuesday, the Albany UU Philosophy Group will meet via zoom to discuss the 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
Bridge Group
Tuesdays, 1:00-3:00 PM, Room
B-8 at Albany UU. No matter how many people come, all are fitted into play. All are welcome and assumed vaccinated. Due to the nature of this group, there will not be an online option offered.
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Congregational Conversations on the 8th Principle of Unitarian Universalism
As we move forward towards a congregational vote, the 8th Principle Subteam of the Inclusivity Team would like to invite you to participate in a congregational conversation surrounding the adoption of the 8th Principle of Unitarian Universalism. Please join one of these virtual zoom conversations and let your voice be heard. Learn more here.
Tuesday, February 1 at 7:00pm
Sunday, February 6 at 12:00pm
Use this link to join:
To dial in by phone: 1-929-436-2866
Meeting ID: 299 018 7785
Password: 0000
Ps and Qs
At 10:00 AM on Wednesday, Projects and Quilts (Ps and Qs) will meet.
Use this link to join remotely:
By phone: 929-436-2866
Meeting ID: 299 018 7785
Password: 0000
Albany UU Sings
Join your friends on the following Wednesdays for the rest of the service year at 7:00 PM and sing your heart out in Virtual Community! We will supply the music and the lyrics.
Hope to see you there.
Feb 9, 23
Mar 9, 23
Apr 13, 27
May 11, 25
June 8
Use this link to join:
By phone: 1-929-436-2866
Meeting ID: 979 5961 1765
Passcode: 0000
Walker Book Group
Join the Walker Book Group for a Zoom discussion on Sunday, Feb 13 at 6:30 pm. Join at 6:15 for additional time to socialize. We will discuss Kazuo Ishiguro’s Klara and the Sun. Learn more here.
Use this link to join:
By phone: 929-436-2866
Meeting ID: 299 018 7785
Password: 0000
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The Albany UU COVID Response Team (Mary Applegate, Elizabeth Baldes,
Tammy Goddard Hathaway, Patti Jo Newell, and Rev. Sam Trumbore) recently met and determined that the option to attend Sunday morning services in-person,
and in-person Religious Education groups, will resume on Sunday, Feb 27.
The option to attend service on Zoom will remain.
The health and safety of the church community continues to be our top priority, and we thank everyone for their understanding and flexibility as we continue to monitor and navigate this complicated situation.
GA 2022 Goes Multi-Platform: Meet the Moment
Consider participating in General Assembly 2022 -- either online or in-person in Portland, Oregon! GA, the annual meeting of the Unitarian Universalist Association, will be held June 22-26. It’s an immersive, inspirational experience open to everyone, whether you are a lifelong UU or just getting to know our congregation. Check out uua.org/ga for all the details.
Looking for a little income?
Are you--or a friend--looking to make some money occasionally? And, are you able to work on Sundays?
Albany UU needs a ‘backup’ Sunday custodian. The job is from 8:00-1:00 on Sunday mornings and entails a multitude of small tasks that that enable our service and classes to go smoothly. Some lifting is required. The pay is $15 per hour.
If you are interested in finding out more, contact Tammy Goddard (Hathaway), Church Administrator at 518-463-7135 or admin@albanyuu.org. And pass this on to anyone who might be interested!
Also available: occasional “gigs” as Building Host and Dishwasher. Contact Tammy if you’re interested in either of these.
Warmth for those who are Homeless
Please gather blankets, sleeping bags, warm coats, etc. for those experiencing homelessness and put them in the bin in the coatroom. Church office hours are generally Mon, Tues, Thurs and Fri from 8-4 - BUT it's always a good idea to call first: 518.463.7135.Thanks for helping folks to keep warm.
An event that may be of interest to Albany UUs
Blood Drive - March 8, 2022
Place:
Millionaire Building
Albany Airport
16 Jetway Drive
Albany, NY 12211
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SOCIAL ACTION and INCLUSIVITY
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BLM Vigil in Troy - Left to right are:
Elizabeth Berberian, Karen Kaufman, Jean Poppei, Deborah Vogel, Jora Cohen, Jean Bolgatz, Mitch Cohen, Sam Trumbore, and Marty Hotvet. Present at the vigil but absent from the photo are: Archie, Chuck Manning, and Anne Marie Haber.
Photo: courtesy of Anne Marie Haber
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Meet the new Social Justice Team (SJT)
The Social Responsibilities Council (SRC) met on Tuesday Jan 18 and after a short discussion decided to change its name to the Social Justice Team (SJT).
Further, we thought Social Justice was simply a more familiar term, especially to those not in our congregation. We liked the idea of being a Team, as that suggests coordinated action, an important component of social justice.
Our meetings are now scheduled for the third Tuesday of the month, on Zoom, at 6:45p to 8:15p; we welcome new members, or those who might just want to drop in from time to time.
Black Lives Matter vigil in Troy
When: Saturdays,10:30-11:15 am
Where: Troy - corner of River Street at the intersection of Fulton and Third Streets, 12180
Congregational Conversations on the 8th Principle of Unitarian Universalism
“We, the member congregations of the Unitarian Universalist Association, covenant to affirm and promote: journeying toward spiritual wholeness by working to build a diverse multicultural Beloved Community by our actions that accountably dismantle racism and other oppressions in ourselves and our institutions.”
As we move forward towards a congregational vote, the 8th Principle Subteam of the Inclusivity Team would like to invite you to participate in a congregational conversation surrounding the adoption of the 8th Principle of Unitarian Universalism. Please join one of these virtual zoom conversations and let your voice be heard.
Tuesday, February 1 at 7:00pm
Sunday, February 6 at 12:00pm
Use this link to join:
To dial in by phone: 1-929-436-2866
Meeting ID: 299 018 7785
Password: 0000
Raise Your Voice for End of Life Choice
Please call Assembly Member John T. McDonald if you live in his district (#108), which includes parts of Albany, Troy, western Rensselaer county, Green Island, Cohoes, Waterford and surrounding areas. His office number is 518-455-4474. He serves on the Assembly Health Committee, which has to approve end of life choice for New Yorkers before the full Assembly can do so. Please ask him to vote for New York’s Medical Aid in Dying Act in the Health Committee. His vote is essential. (Enter your address here if you want to confirm you live in the district.)
Contacts for Recycling Questions
AND
See also Information on recycling and donating in links on the Town of Bethlehem website, townofbethlehem.org
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Learn about submitting announcements to for Sunday service and how to reserve a Zoom room for meetings and events here.
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Quick Links
Denominational Affairs 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 Albany UU class or event
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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:
By appointment
Our Website:
Zoom use:
To reserve Zoom for an Albany UU meeting, contact the church office (518.463.7135 or office@albanyuu.org).
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 Patience Pechette (518.463.7135 or office@albanyuu.org).
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Photo credit: Rev. Sam Trumbore
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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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