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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April 26, "How Good Do We Really Need to Be?" Dan Miyake, Intern Minister
Nobody likes to make mistakes, large or small, but making mistakes is part of what it means to be human. Mistakes make us feel bad. They can be embarrassing, and even humiliating, and can hurt other people's feelings.
How can we escape the guilt and shame of not reaching our visions of perfection, either in ourselves or others? How can we embrace and celebrate our mistakes and take risks that we might not otherwise take? Come, explore the topic of perfectionism.
NOTE: The topic for this service has been updated since previous publications.
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
Sunday Morning Meditation
(8:30 – 9:15 AM)
Sunday morning meditation, led by Rev. Sam, will begin at 8:30 AM with a ten-minute inspirational reading about meditation, likely directly from a meditation teacher’s recording so you can hear it in their voice. We will sit together for twenty minutes then have some conversation about the reading, meditation methods or experiences followed by a live loving kindness meditation.
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
here
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. The full link to make contributions, if it's easier to remember, is here:
https://tinyurl.com/albanyuu-donate
NEW Way to Give!
We are now offering the option to text your donation in just a couple of clicks on your mobile device. See below for more information about this exciting new opportunity.
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:
You do not need a camera or a microphone on your computer to join. In fact, you don't even need a computer to join!
To dial in by phone call: 1-929-436-2866 and enter
Meeting ID: 299 018 7785
Password: 0000
A couple of helpful hints:
-When you're coming into the meeting by computer and a window comes up with a few options, select "computer audio on".
-If you come into the meeting by computer and see a lot of little squares with people or names in them; look in the upper right hand corner of your screen; you'll see the words "speaker view" - select that. You want to be in "speaker view" and not "gallery view".
-The "Alt H" key stroke will open chat.
-From your phone, *9 will allow you to raise your hand.
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ANNOUNCEMENTS
Focus Food Pantry
Please consider a contribution to the Focus Food Pantry this Sunday. You can now do this one of three ways: electronically using this link:
https://tinyurl.com/albanyuu-donate,
by text using this number: 844-976-2618 (explained in detail below) or by sending a check to the church with Focus on the memo line.
Thank you for your help.
Warning - again!
Lois Griffin contacted me to let folks know that someone is using her name and profile on Face Book to scam.
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.
Now, we 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. Our first training is tomorrow,
Friday, April 24 at noon
. Contact her if you'd like to join!
admin@albanyuu.org.
Please Answer Our Survey
The Green Sanctuary Committee is measuring how committed the Albany UU congregation is to attacking the climate emergency. We hope everyone will complete the survey on using renewable energy at:
We hope enough of you will complete the survey so that we can report the results by the annual meeting on May 17. If you haven't yet, please do it NOW.
Thanks for your help. The climate crisis will be continuing long after the COVID 19 crisis is history.
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!
Annual Reports due in less than a week!
Thank you to those who've already submitted their reports! The deadline is
Monday, April 27
. If you have any questions, contact Church Administrator Tammy Hathaway:
admin@albanyuu.org
.
Thank you!
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We are launching a new and simple way to give to Albany UU!
Simply text the amount and fund to
844-976-2618. There's a quick and easy set up process and you're good to go!
We have three different funds to text your contribution to at the moment: Sunday
Offering,
Focus Food Pantry and Current
Pledge. The default is Sunday Offering so if you don't indicate anything except but a number in the text line, that's where your gift will land. To choose one of the other options, simply type, for example,
20 focus or
20 pledge and $20 will go to one of those funds. Tammy has tested this and it works pretty slick!
There is a limit on how many times you're able to use the texting option in a 24 hour period which seems to be twice in one day.
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BUILDING BELOVED COMMUNITY
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Our stewardship campaign continues. Many thanks to all those who have already pledged.
If you haven't returned your 2020-21 pledge, you can still do so in these ways:
-
Mail your pledge to the Albany UU office. (Mail is being forwarded)
LET'S GET GROWING!
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Congregation Zoom Check Ins
Let's meet together electronically to see how we're doing in these challenging times and offer mutual support.
4:00-5:00 PM - Friday, April 24 and Monday April 27; Lunch Check In from noon-1:00 PM on Wednesday, April 29, Dinner Check In from 6:00-7:00 on Thursday, April 30, and a May Day Party from 7:00-8:00 PM on Friday, May 1
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 1:00.
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
New 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. Participants can then vote on further UU History topics to explore in-depth over the remaining three classes. 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
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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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,
Sandy Stone
shares a sorrow. Her 95-year old sister in CT has had several strokes and a brain bleed. She has been in and out of ICU, improving and declining.
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
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
Leah has been reading the story "Goat and Sheep" - a sweet and simple, yet engaging book with UU values. Anyone is welcome to join in as we finish the second half of the book this week. We start at
7:00 on Friday, April 24.
Tracey starts a new book next week - “The One and Only Bob". We'll probably have story time on Monday, Thursday and Friday nights. Stay tuned on the new schedule.
Older children and parents/caretakers are welcome too. We start with a brief "hello" or check in. Some families have found this to be a nice time together; other families appreciate having a time when they can occasionally check on their kids, but also do other chores, or just relax.
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 April 24, 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 -note new password required
This is an informal time for the youth with 2 OWL facilitators (or 1 facilitator and me). No OWL content is being offered on line.
7th/8th Grade Check-In Sundays at noon
Zoom link to join:
Meeting ID: 183 771 517
Password: 4051842 (our address and the year the congregation was founded)
Dial in: 1 929 436 2866
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 starting to plan their worship service and everyone’s input is being sought.
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UU Weekend at Silver Bay on Lake George - 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.
Remember
– the cost is all-inclusive for room and board, activities and entertainment. from Friday after dinner through Sunday lunch. 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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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
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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