Greetings Friends,
Good afternoon everyone and welcome to Windows Weekly, Albany UU's central source for news and updates.
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-Blessings and Be Well
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MULTIPLATFORM SUNDAY SERVICE
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SUNDAY SERVICE at 10:00 AM
Begin your Sunday morning with an 8:30 Virtual Meditation session until 9:20 - Meditation will be online only on Sunday, April 27
MULTIPLATFORM service (both in-person and via Zoom)
begins at 10:00 each Sunday
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Masks are required
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May 1 “Evolution of Beauty” with Rev. Sam Trumbore
What does evolution have to do with beauty? More than advocates for natural selection and survival of the fittest might want you to believe. Many evolutionary biologists turned away from Darwin’s theory of sexual selection because it wasn’t driven by health or fitness signaling. Darwin was convinced that female preference for beauty in mate selection mattered more. Passion for beauty may have more to do with evolution than you might have thought! Preview: A source for this service - Radiolab
Music: Olga Martinez
COFFEE HOUR RETURNS THIS SUNDAY, MAY 1, SEE BELOW FOR DETAILS
Use this link to join the service remotely:
To dial in by phone: 1-929-436-2866:
Meeting ID: 299 018 7785
Password: 0000
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”.
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MAY MULTIPLATFORM
SUNDAY SERVICE INFORMATION
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May 15 “Reclaiming Ugly” with
Rev. Sam Trumbore
This is the title of the work Vanessa Rochelle Lewis started to reverse the damage done by being bullied and called ugly. A large, queer, Black woman, her mother saved her life as a teen by loving her beauty and helping her connect to it through a theater class. Vanessa has a message of uplift, glory, and self-love that all of us can benefit from. Preview: listen to her interview on this podcast.
May 22 Youth Service
This is our annual service put on by Albany UU's Youth Group, led by Adrian Cattell. This service will also be a time to express appreciation for the dedicated volunteers who have been working with the children and youth in our Religious Education Program since September.
May 29 “Nurturing Beauty - Goosebump Moments” with Rev. Steve Anderson
What is beauty? How can we nurture it? In the presence of beauty, why do we sometimes have goosebumps? How can those moments impact our lives? Join us for an interspiritual exploration of beauty.
Rev. Steve Andersen grew up UU, and explored paths of Christianity and Sufism. Retired from the corporate world, he is now an ordained Interspiritual Minister, a chaplain at Albany Medical Center, and is currently studying to become a Spiritual Director.
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Use this link to join Sunday service
To dial in by phone:
1-929-436-2866
Meeting ID: 299 018 7785
Password: 0000
Sunday Offering
and other
service information
Sharing Joys and Concerns during Service
Need to Talk? Albany UU Pastoral Care Associates are here to listen!
Archives
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Human Beauty
If I was asked to name something beautiful, my mind would immediately fill with the images of the natural world. I’ve been fortunate to have been covered in mist and drizzle standing in a boat in front of Niagara Falls seeing rainbows against the blue sky and listening to the thunder of the water pounding on the rocks. I’ve watched Half-Dome in Yosemite from the valley turn yellow with the setting sun. I’ve watched shooting stars from Glacier Point there several thousand feet from the valley floor. Living in Florida, I’ve sat watching gentle waves come in as pelicans skim the water in formation. I’ve walked through many different types of forests enjoying the flora and fauna. And I have a hard disk full of pictures and videos of these experiences.
The theme for this month however isn’t “beauty,” it is “nurturing beauty.” I realized the go-to natural beauty of many Transcendentalist Unitarian Universalists didn’t need to be nurtured. Far from it. It would be better for us to stop harming that beauty through human interference with it via contamination of water, soil and air, and the threatening that beauty through the introduction of invasive species, and pests.
The concept of “nurture” sent me off in another direction.
The cultivation of rose bushes that produce gorgeous blooms is not easy. Roses need a lot of direct sun, 4-6 hours a day. They need a lot of water, 2-3 gallons a week. There are a lot of molds, rusts, and diseases that attack them. There are a lot of insect pests that come after them. They need fertilizer in the fall but not too late in the fall. They need pruning in February, not the greatest time to be outside with your clippers. Yet with tender loving care, good soil, spraying and watering, beautiful blossoms come forth that appeal to the human eye and nose.
Not only can human care magnify the beauty of a rose, so can cross pollination and grafting propagate new varieties with different shapes, petals and colors. Through human coercion of natural selection as well as skill in cultivation, the rose can become even more beautiful – at least as we define that beauty.
Humans do the same thing with horses, dogs, cats and other domesticated animals. We tinker with their genes hoping to make them more beautiful and magnificent. A ministerial colleague and friend, the Rev. Lynn Ungar, who lives in Washington State, trains dogs to perform at dog shows. She is quite skilled at this training process working up routines with her dogs that she hopes the judges will find beautiful. Each year we see horses brought to Saratoga Springs to race who have been bred to be beautiful and fast.
Humans don’t just look for beauty in flowers and animals, they look for it in a human form. Ballet, for example, is a refined, highly disciplined form that seeks to express beauty through movement. Couples dancing can be quite beautiful too. Philomena and I connected with the beauty of human movement watching the show, “So You Think You Can Dance?” The skillful use of their bodies and the creative expression through their movement surprised me with the increased emotional response I felt watching them move to the music. They animated the music with their bodies in ways that touched an emotion I hadn’t expected the song to be able to reach. The show has been running since 2005 and stopped with COVID. It will start up again May 18th.
There are so many forms of human shaped beauty. The wide variety of musical genres that thrill the heart and stimulate the mind. I’m always amazed that designers can keep coming up with new ways to drape cloth on the human body in innovative ways that can be beautiful and not boring and repetitive. And what about beautiful food? Hasn’t every recipe been tried by now? Yet chefs continue to come up with new dishes and ways to plate them that we find appealing. How many paintings of mountains, rivers, waterfalls, trees and flowers do we need? Yet visual artists keep finding new ways to interpret creatively the beauty of nature.
This is all well and good but there is yet another kind of human beauty I’m seeking this month: A moral beauty; An ethical beauty; a spiritual beauty cultivated intentionally, with deep commitment.
This kind of beauty is a beauty of a heart that is full of love, compassion, and care. This kind of beauty is a beauty of a mind that is curious, interested, and explorative. This mind values lifelong learning, growth, and development. This mind seeks the ongoing development of wisdom. This kind of beautiful spirit is dedicated to generous service and social wellbeing before their own self-satisfaction. This spirit values justice, fairness, equity, inclusion, reconciliation, and peace. This spirit can and does say no to hate, cruelty, oppression, marginalization, and greed.
An important purpose of our congregation is nurturing the beauty of the hearts, minds, and spirits of our members and friends. This is especially true of our children and youth. I like this framing better than William Ellery Channing’s description of it as “character formation.” Nurturing beauty assumes the seeds, the root stock, the embryo, the creative spark, is already within us. We know we all contain inherent worth and dignity. But how much more … beautiful … for us to be nurturing the beauty in each other.
May we find ways to nurture the beauty in each other this month as the beauty of the natural world is on full display with spring flowers in full force.
Rev. Sam
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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION FOR
CHILDREN and YOUTH
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This Sunday 5/1: All RE groups will meet at church. Children and youth through 8th grade should start out in service at 10 and will go to their rooms after the Wisdom Story. Our story this week is about spirals found in nature- see if you can spot any this week! Youth Group meets in B8 starting at 10AM.
Spring Reading: Albany UU's Inclusivity Team generously invests their time and effort to regularly find and recommend a reading list for all ages- check out their list 2021-22 list here!
Image by Nowaja @ Pixabay
Elizabeth Baldes
Acting Director of Religious Education
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ALBANY UU ANNUAL MEETING
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Sunday, May 22, 2022
10:00 AM Multiplatform Service - both in-person and online via Zoom
11:00 AM Multiplatform Annual Meeting
The Albany UU Annual Meeting will be multiplatform on Sunday, May 22, immediately after the service.
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.
More information will be publicized in the coming days.
To join remotely, 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
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Music Director
The First Unitarian Universalist Society of Albany (Albany UU) is currently seeking a dynamic and creative part-time Music Director for 20 hours per week for 44 weeks annually. The position starts on April 11, 2022, or as soon as possible thereafter. With over 325 members, Albany UU is a vibrant, theologically diverse Welcoming Congregation committed to social justice, inclusivity, and a spirit of community. The candidate should enjoy working collaboratively in a supportive environment and be enthusiastic about employing a broad range of musical genres, including UU repertoire.
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UPCOMING WAYS to CONNECT
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Memorial Service -
Tom Hotalen
A memorial service will be held on Saturday, Apr 30 at 1:00 pm in Community Hall and on Zoom, followed by a reception in Channing Hall. Contributions of finger foods for the reception are welcomed. We do have permission to use the UAlbany Hawley Lot for this event.
Use this link to join remotely:
By phone: 929-436-2866
Meeting ID: 299 018 7785
Password: 0000
Start your Sunday Morning with Virtual 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. Meditation will be ONLINE ONLY on Sunday, April 27.
Use this link to join:
By phone: 1-929-436-2866
Meeting ID: 299 018 7785
Password: 0000
Coffee Hour Returns!
Join us for Coffee Hour after service this Sunday, May 1, outside the Sanctuary steps at the "point" where Robin Street, Washington Ave and West Street all converge. The Ministry and Operations Team will be providing simple treats! Masks will be optional outside.
Green Sanctuary Committee (GSC) Meeting
The next meeting of the GSC will be this Sunday May 1 at 11:45 on zoom. All are welcome.
Use this link to join:
Philosophy Group
At 10:15 AM every Tuesday, the Albany UU Philosophy Group will meet via zoom to discuss the topic of the day which will be: Divided loyalties. 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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Walker Book Group
Join the Walker Book Group for a Zoom discussion on Sunday, May 8 at 6:30 pm. Join at 6:15 for additional time to socialize. We will discuss Willa Cather’s novel, Death Comes for the Archbishop. Learn more here.
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.
May 11, 25
June 8
Use this link to join:
By phone: 1-929-436-2866
Meeting ID: 979 5961 1765
Passcode: 0000
Join a Congregational Conversation on the 2022-23 Budget
The Albany UU Finance Committee will be holding two Conversations on the 2022-23 budget:
Sunday, May 15, 11:00 AM - Both in-person and online via Zoom
OR
Tuesday, May 17, 7:00 PM Online via Zoom only
Use the service link to join:
To dial in by phone: 1-929-436-2866:
Meeting ID: 299 018 7785
Password: 0000
Join an Orientation for Newcomers
Getting to Know UU
Saturday, June 4, is a great chance for some of us at Albany UU to get to know YOU -- but it's also a perfect opportunity for you to learn about this Unitarian Universalist congregation, explore the roots of "UUism," and begin to figure out how participating in congregational life can enhance your personal journey.
Please join us either in-person in Room B-8 or via Zoom:
9:00 AM to noon
Saturday, June 4
Use this link to join remotely:
To dial in by phone: 1-929-436-2866:
Meeting ID: 299 018 7785
Password: 0000
Signing up is preferred, but logins the day of are welcome, come as you are!
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Albany UU 2022 Auction
Our new Albany UU auction is blooming and we need your donation! The coronavirus has caused us to forgo the auction for the past two years, but we are ready to go this year with a new and different auction. This auction will be online and all items will be fixed price. The auction is an important annual event at Albany UU. Not only does it raise critical funds for the church’s budget, it is an important way of building connections among members. Both goals are especially critical this year.
We hope that everyone will participate in our online auction. We will provide a variety of events and services at a range of prices to meet everyone’s needs. We welcome creative ideas, but if you are stuck here are some popular ideas from our survey: communal meals, social events, main dishes, jams, and sweets. For those worried about covid risk, meals—brunch, lunch, dinner, or dessert—can be offered outdoors or the host can require that guests be vaccinated and boosted.
In addition to items involving foods, survey respondents want to bid on outdoor events, which offer little risk, healthy fun, and income for the church. Hikes, perhaps including snacks or a picnic, help for gardening and yard work, or a pool party are great options.
Other items to consider include gift cards and tickets to music or other performances. If you are fortunate enough to own a vacation home or a timeshare, many bidders would be interested.
You can donate online at HERE. If you prefer, call a volunteer who will be happy to complete the form for you. Finally, paper forms will be available in the church office. Please submit your donation by May 17, if possible. We will release the auction time and website after that date. Questions? Please contact Martha Musser at 518-313-9674 or mussermartha@gmail.com.
For help with making your auction contribution, please call one of these volunteers:
Sharon Babala: 518-312-8973
Linda Hunt: 518-432-3212
Lea Ryman: 518-488-7330
17th Annual Guided Wine and Cheese Tasting
In-person, Saturday, May 14, 7:00 PM in Channing Hall
Your UU Wineaux team is back for year 17! And we’re back in Channing Hall!
$30 per person. Sign up on Sunday mornings, send a check to the church with "wine and cheese" on the memo line or sign up and pay online: registration form here. Deadline to register: May 8.
Masks will be optional; social distancing will not be possible; covid vaccines and boosters or acquired immunity will be expected of attendees.
Annual reports due May 9!
It's been ANOTHER challenging year for all of us, but we have adapted and done wonderful things this year despite the crazy. Let's celebrate those. Bring on your reports! If your team did not meet due to the pandemic, that's ok, just let Tammy know.
Our Annual Meeting will be both in-person and online, May 22
The deadline for reports is Monday, May 9. If you have any questions about the annual report process, contact Church Administrator Tammy Goddard: admin@albanyuu.org.
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, 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. We really need more people to add to our list!
CROP Hunger Walk – Taking Steps for a Better World
The CROP Hunger Walk raises funds for local food pantries, and for hunger and disaster relief programs around the world. Team UU has been active in the Albany Walk for more than 20 years, and in some years has been its biggest team! There WILL once again be a community CROP Walk, on May 1, and Team UU will be there.
We still can’t lure you to the CROP Walk table at coffee hour to make a pledge – but we do urge your support for this good cause. The needs that the CROP Walk supports are real and continuing. You can click here to make an online pledge to Team UU. You can give a check (payable to CWS/CROP) to Dawn or Dick Dana at church on Sunday. Or, email Dawn at dawn.dana56@gmail.com for information on other ways to contribute. Thanks so much for your support!
Join us at UU Weekend at Silver Bay! (10/14-10/16/22)
Comradery, colorful fall scenery, campfires, canoeing, and culinary pleasures await you at this coveted setting on Lake George.
Attending UU Weekend as a newer member of the Albany congregation is a great way to get to know people on a deeper level.
Debbie Reep MacLeod
Access additional information about Silver Bay and the UU weekend, including a registration form, at http://albanyuu.org/uu-weekend-at-silver-bay/ A preliminary schedule will be posted in the coming weeks. Rooms will be assigned on a first-come, first-served basis based on receipt of the completed registration form and accompanying deposit.
Note: Adaptions will be made to accommodate the status of the pandemic, if needed.
This June, Get Inspired at General Assembly!
General Assembly is the annual meeting of the Unitarian Universalist Association. It’s an immersive, inspirational experience that is open to everyone, whether you are a lifelong UU or just getting to know our congregation. GA will take place in Portland, OR from June 22-26, as well as online. Our congregation is entitled to 7 delegates who vote on business matters, but our participation has often exceeded that.
If you'd like to participate virtually or in Portland, please fill out this interest form. Registration and housing reservations are open now at uua.org/ga, and delegate registration fees will be reimbursed by Albany UU. Contact Peggy Sherman with questions, pegmcgsherman@gmail.com.
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Registration is required, and attendance is expected at all sessions as this is a continuing series. Zoom links will be emailed to you after registration.
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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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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
The Inclusivity Team recommends the following book:
Now available in Albany UU's Joy Library!
For all ages:
It's Our Music Too: The Black experience in classical music, by Earl Ofari Hutchinson. (2016). This little paperback is a must-have for every music-loving/appreciating home! With dynamic, kid-friendly stories, the author shows a Black and African presence in music going far back. Indeed, in 1511, John Blanke, the virtuoso horn player for the courts of Kings Henry VII and Henry VIII, was featured prominently on the Westminster tapestry roll! With references for listening and viewing (e.g., Symphony in Black: Rhapsody of Negro Life, and Beethoven's "Bridgetower" Sonata--written for and originally dedicated to George Bridgetower). This little book is NOT available in the Upper Hudson Library System, the New York State Library, or the National Library Service (NLS). It is also NOT available in audiobook format at this time. Two copies now available to members to borrow from our Albany UU Joy Library.
Click the link below to watch and listen to the 9-minute short film, Symphony in Black: Rhapsody of Negro Life. The music is composed by Duke Ellington and is presented in 4 movements:
The Laborers
Triangle: Dance, Jealousy, Blues
A Hymn of Sorrow
Harlem Rhythm
This 1935 film is preserved by the Library of Congress and features Duke Ellington himself and 19-year-old Billie Holiday:
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Green Sanctuary Earth Month Activities
April 30 – Rally “We all Breathe What They Burn – Close Norlite Now demonstration at the Governor’s Mansion 11:30. Sign up here.
May 1 - Sacred Ground Outside Your Door--a multi-faith gathering in awareness of the environment, its marvelous beauty and its disruption. May 1 from 2-4 PM at Kingston Point Park. More information and registration here. Contact Barb Spink to car pool.
The two photos below document all of our volunteers except Kathy Harris and Tracy Manning (Barb and Chuck Manning's daughter). Present were: Zoe Hutchins, Jim Hutchins, Laura Churchill, Astrid Peterson, Neil Rice, Don Odell, Carol Butt, Chuck Manning, Barb Manning, Amor Selah, Brennan Commack, Aven Manning, Tracy Manning, Scott Price, Kathy Harris, plus one young volunteer.
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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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