Greetings Friends,
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.
Please note, the Daily Reminder was not sent out this morning since there were no events to remind folks about today. Everything you need to know is right here in the Weekly. Daily Reminders will continue tomorrow morning. Thank you!
If this email was forwarded to you, and you would like to receive it directly, please
Learn more about what's happening with UU Kids and Families by reading the Religious Education publication, RE Roundup.
-Blessings and Be Well
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VIRTUAL SUNDAY SERVICE
LIVE on ZOOM
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Service at 10:00 AM
Begin your Sunday morning with Rev. Sam guiding an 8:30 Virtual Meditation session until 9:15. We then have Virtual Service beginning at 10:00 each Sunday and a chance to stay online for virtual "Coffee Hour and Fellowship."
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June 6, “Religious Education Celebration Sunday,” Elizabeth Baldes, Rev. Joe Cleveland, Leah Purcell and Rev. Sam Trumbore
Let’s celebrate this year's joint Albany UU/Saratoga Springs UU online program for children and youth. We’ll hear from the children, their guides, parents and the religious educators and ministers. And we’ll honor our high school youth who are “bridging" from our RE program.
Music provided by Elena Karpoff
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”.
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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JUNE SUNDAY SERVICE INFORMATION
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June 13, “Coming of Age,” Leah Purcell and the CoA Youth
The CoA program is offered to our 9th graders to help them articulate their own beliefs and values, and to help them understand what it means to embrace Unitarian Universalism as an adult. Even in this year of the pandemic, CoA youth and their adult mentors met regularly through the year and attended online meetings with Leah. In this service, three youth, Isaac Allen, Katie Myers and Romeo Tilgner, will offer their reflections to the congregation.
Music provided by Guest musicians: Katie Myers, Isaac Allen Guest choirs: Hudson Mohawk Virtual AND the Albany UU Virtual Choir and Musician: Elena Karpoff
Albany UU Virtual Summer Services
The last Sunday of the regular service year is June 13; our summer services start June 20 and continue through September 5.
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 and an opportunity to virtually attend the General Assembly service!
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Sunday Offering
and other service information
Joys and Concerns for Online Services
Need to Talk? Albany UU Pastoral Care Associates are here to listen!
Archives
Past service video recordings can be found here and past sermons can be read here.
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YOU'RE INVITED! REMEMBER TO RSVP!
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We're busy getting ready for Leah's Retirement Party!
Yes, PARTY!
See details below.
RSVP with the number in your family attending to reserve your spot.
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Make checks out to Albany UU with Leah's Retirement on the memo line! |
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UPCOMING WAYS to CONNECT
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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:
By phone: 1-929-436-2866
Meeting ID: 299 018 7785
Password: 0000
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
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Albany UU Sings
Join your friends and sing your heart out in Virtual Community! We will supply the music and the lyrics.
Save these Wednesday dates at 7:00 PM for the rest of the the service year and on into summer:
June 9, 23
July 7, 21
August 4, 18
Hope to see you there.
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, June 13 at 6:30 pm. Join at 6:15 for additional time to socialize. We will discuss Viet Thanh Nguyen’s The Refugees. Learn more here.
Use this link to join:
By phone: 929-436-2866
Meeting ID: 299 018 7785
Password: 0000
Ps and Qs
Projects and Quilts (Ps and Qs) will zoom next on Wednesday, June 16 at 10:00 AM.
Use this link to join:
By phone: 929-436-2866
Meeting ID: 299 018 7785
Password: 0000
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IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENTS!
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Thrift 2 Fight is coming to Albany!
This is a pop-up ADULT clothing sale that Albany UU is hosting outside on the church grounds, Friday, June 4 from 11-6. They will have at least 12 racks of great, sorted adult clothes for sale and all proceeds will be given to All of Us and In Our Own Voices.
Masks and distancing will be enforced.
There will be two pop-up outdoor dressing rooms so folks can try things on.
VOLUNTEERS are needed! They need 15 shift volunteers to help with customers and the clothes, keeping things flowing smoothly, etc. There are three, three-hour time slots that need five people each. The recipient organizations will be offering volunteers as well. The volunteer sign up is here.
Rev. Sam Requests Important Feedback
Every year, staff members are evaluated. Part of that evaluation process is collecting feedback from members of the congregation on their employee satisfaction along with comments about the work of employees. This is a great opportunity to show appreciation of them by giving specific feedback about what they have done well. It is VERY MEANINGFUL for the staff to receive this feedback. Your praise matters! And there may be a problem that you’d like to alert us about too. That may also be done on the feedback form.
PLEASE, PLEASE take a moment to use this form to leave feedback for individual employees. Use the form multiple times, once for each employee for whom you’d like to leave feedback.
Thanks in advance for your participation in this yearly cycle of appreciation and support for the good work our staff does.
Racial Healing Monthly Group
The first round of the "Racial Healing Workshop" has finished, and one of the many wonderful outcomes of the group was creating a space specifically for BIPOC members for discussion and connection. We would like to continue that space and open it up to other BIPOC members of Albany UU. We'll meet on the second Monday of the month from 7:00 to 8:00 pm via Zoom. If interested or to get more info, please reach out to Jaye Holly jholly63@gmail.com.
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Offering Albany UU Library Chair needed!
If you are interested in becoming a steward of these resources, please check out the volunteer job descriptions HERE and HERE, and contact Church Administrator, Tammy Hathaway to express your interest: admin@albanyuu.org
Endowment Trust Grants
Each calendar year the endowment trustees use a prescribed formula based on income from its investments to calculate the amount of money available for special project grants. The 2021 granting capacity is $20,000.
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LEAH'S LAST BLOG AS DREFM
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Looking Back and Moving On; My Time as Your Religious Educator and Looking Forward to New Leadership at Albany UU
Some of you remember when I was hired as Albany UU’s first full time Director of Religious Education the summer of 2007. Though I had been involved in our RE program for many years by then, I had a lot to learn!
At the request of the Albany UU leadership, I entered the UUA Credentialing Program and became a Credentialed Religious Educator in 2012. After 11 years in the position, I requested to work part time, 30 hours a week and to have the role of Family Ministry officially added to my position. At that time, the congregation hired Elizabeth Baldes as the 10 hour a week RE Program assistant. This past year, I went to half time and Elizabeth also went to half time with additional responsibilities in the role of RE Program Coordinator. Elizabeth and I have worked together in wonderful collegial collaboration these past 3 years.
Some of the accomplishments I am most proud of are:
- Creating Family Chapel and “January Jams” (special programming for the month of January)
- Using thematic programing that integrates with the Sunday morning services and other activities in the congregation
- Including monthly service projects and lessons on social justice in the curriculum
- Expanding the RE calendar so that there are opportunities for the faith development of children and youth every Sunday from the beginning of Sept through mid-June.
- Starting the Our Whole Lives programs for the elementary aged children as well as the 7th and 8th graders.
- Strengthening the Sunday morning program by strengthening support to the RE guides and increasing communications with the guides and with the families.
- Working with the Religious Education Council to look closely at how to make the program more multicultural and welcoming
- Working with Rev Sam to increase the number of multigenerational services each year and find ways to make each Sunday morning more multigenerational
- Bringing Family Ministry to the congregation with timely events and resources to support our families.
None of this would not have been made possible without the help and support of the RE Council, Rev Sam, Elizabeth Baldes, the Board, the volunteers, the parents/caretakers, and the whole congregation. Thank you all! I feel like I have grown personally and spiritually through my work. It wasn’t always easy, but it was sure well worth it!
My husband, Kevin and I have been members of the congregation since 1996 and raised our 2 children here. We have a few friendships that we established before I became the religious educator, but it’s time for us to put a hold on the rest of our interactions with congregants. We plan to attend some of the activities that will welcome the congregation back to in person worship and programming, and then we will move away from congregational life for a while. I’ll change my social media settings so that my posts will be private, and I won’t see congregants’ posts for that time. These are best practices established by LREDA (the Liberal Religious Education Association) so that departing religious educators can make space for the new religious educator. When we return, Kevin and I can look forward to catching up with you and to participating at Albany UU in new ways.
While I’m stepping back from congregational life, you’ll be welcoming new leadership in Religious Education and Family Ministry. I am so pleased that Elizabeth Baldes as accepted the position of Acting Director of RE and Family Ministry for the 2021-22 year. The congregation has also engaged the services of Michelle Grove to be a part time RE consultant to mentor Elizabeth and to help the congregation through a year of interim work. Michelle will invite you – parents and other adults, and perhaps children and youth too - in various processes to discern what you’d like to see in your RE program and in Family Ministry and how you’ll support those. The congregation will also hire a parttime RE assistant. Finally, Tracey Hickey will continue as the Lead Youth advisor.
So, while this transition time will be hard, I think we can all rest easy knowing that the leadership of Albany UU is has the well-being of children, youth, and families well in hand. And yes, we’re all having sad feelings, but this is also a time for joyfulness and celebration! You all are invited to my retirement party which will be Saturday, June 12 from 1:00 – 4:00 in Thatcher Park. And I hope you’ll come if you can. Email Tammy Hathaway at thathaway@albanyuu.org to let her know you’re coming and get more details.
Yours in faith,
Leah
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THE GIFTS OUR CONGREGATION GIVES
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In our Flower Communion service May 30, everyone was invited at one point to put in the chat gifts they have received from our congregation. I thought everyone might want to see what was listed. What might you add? – Leah Purcell
- The opportunity to serve the growth and development of each other as we strive to respond to the challenges we face
- An opportunity to serve others
- Friends
- Shared realities
- Support during tough times
- Emotional resilience
- Greater meaning
- connection with kindred spirits
- Positive outlook
- Albany UU taught me the gift of deep listening through Wellspring
- Fun memories
- Healing
- Friendships and community
- Tutoring at Sheridan prep
- Support to move forward when I feel unsure.
- Patience
- Sense of belonging
- Opportunity to stretch
- Joy!
- Choir
- Opportunities for my children to learn about each other and themselves
- A caring community
- Friendly ears and minds to listen and understand.
- For the beauty of the earth
- Belonging and meaning
- Togetherness
- Healing
- Music
- Resonance
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INTERIM RELIGIOUS EDUCATION PLAN
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Interim Religious Education Plan for 2021-22
As we thank Leah Purcell for her service with us which will end with her retirement at the end of June, she will be stepping away from our congregation for a while. She will refrain from involvement in our religious education activities and participation in our congregational life. This is a “best practice” of the Liberal Religious Education Directors Association when leaving a position of employment. Though she plans to refrain from posting or commenting on member’s Facebook timelines, you may still encounter her on social media or in a store as she isn’t moving away. If you do see her after June 30th, please refrain from asking for her advice or comments about our religious education program.
So … what are we going to do without her?
Here is the plan!
First, and most important, next year, Elizabeth Baldes who worked as our part-time Religious Education Coordinator will serve as our Acting Religious Education Director starting July 1. For the next year she will keep our program together as we decide what is next for our education program. We were already experimenting with RE for All and dealing with a pandemic by doing everything on Zoom, so we need to assess how we want to go forward with our program in the fall. That work is happening right now and will continue over the summer. Stay tuned for more in August and September. We expect a slow, phased-in start with some programming starting probably in October.
Elizabeth also runs a nursery school and will not be giving that up (here is where I took a part out). That will mean she will be working 20 hours a week as she does now. To assist her, we will be hiring a 10 hour a week RE Assistant to start in August and work till June.
Finally, when a long-serving RE professional leaves, it is appropriate to do an interim assessment process to reflect on the history and heritage of our RE program, assess the current state of the program and its values and identity, then finally to do vision work about where we want the RE program to go. This assessment will be for ALL AGES not just children and youth. We will assess adult education offerings too. These three assessments will be done in September, October and November.
Who will organize and lead this? We have accepted a proposal by Dr. Michele Grove who is a credentialed RE interim. She will work as our consultant on this specific work. She will also work with Elizabeth Baldes mentoring her as she grows into the role of a RE Director. Based on a negotiation process and the work we do together in the three programs listed in the last paragraph, Elizabeth will decide if she wants to apply to be the kind of RE Director we envision for our congregation as we move forward.
This is a time of transition and change as we say goodbye to Leah and hello to Elizabeth for our coming program year. There is strong interest in our membership to be together in person and resume much of our activity before the pandemic. Today we just don’t know exactly what form our fall programming for children and youth will take, however we are working now on creating plans that will best meet the needs of our congregation and our RE community. With Dr. Grove’s professional guidance, I have great confidence we can come through this time ready for greater growth and development for the benefit of our members, friends and the future of our congregation.
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The Albany UU Social Responsibilities Council (SRC) and Inclusivity Team recommend a 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
- physical distance, masks
- signs only, no chanting (except for meditative religious practice)
- the vigil will automatically be canceled due to threat of thunderstorms or other severe weather
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The Albany UU Inclusivity Team recommends:
For adults and youth (with guidance as needed):
Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous wisdom, scientific knowledge, and the teachings of plants, by Robin Wall Kimmerer. (2013). Part biology and chemistry, part history, part indigenous knowledge and lore, this book is as much about sustaining and healing relationships as it is about sustaining and healing Earth. Available in the Upper Hudson Library System in hardcover, CD audiobook, and downloadable e- and audio-book formats. The audiobook is highly recommended: it's read with passion by the author.
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Everyone is invited to the 10:00 multigenerational RE Celebration Service this Sunday. No Family Chapel or RE Sessions until the fall.
Leah Purcell would like to hear from families with children and youth
Leah is checking in with families in the coming weeks. How has the online RE program been working for and your family? How about the online resources and occasional zoom supports? What do you need? How can the RE program and our family ministry make a difference in your lives? Please fill out this form now to help Leah get started with scheduling. Thanks!
The Treehouse is our own multigenerational community for Religious Education for Children and Youth. Families can find resources to practice UU-ism at home and supplementary materials for RE groups. Everyone - parents/caretakers, children and youth can share their written thoughts, pictures, videos they make. Click here to join: https://tinyurl.com/Albany-Treehouse
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UU WEEKEND AT SILVER BAY
October 15-17
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Silver Bay Discounted Rate Ends Soon
I don’t want to wish the summer away but I can’t wait to sit in the front of the fire in the lodge, chatting with old and new friends. Elizabeth Berberian
Don’t miss this highlight of the fall season! Register by June 7 to receive the lowest rates for the UU Weekend at Silver Bay on Lake George, which will be held from October 15 – 17, 2021! Children under 6 are free, with substantial discounts for older children and youth. You do not have to be a member of Albany UU to attend this special weekend.
Remember – the cost is all-inclusive for room and board, activities and entertainment - including all meals from Friday dinner through Sunday lunch.
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Essential Building Use Guidelines:
The Board and MOT are in the process of reassessing our guidelines for the use of our building. As pandemic restrictions are loosened and more people are vaccinated, it makes sense for us to review the status of our building. We will conduct that review with the needs of both congregants and potential renters in mind. We expect to update those guidelines in the next week or so and thank you for your patience in this important matter.
Learn about submitting announcements to for our virtual Sunday service and how to reserve a Zoom room for meetings and events 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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First Unitarian Universalist Society of Albany
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Office hours:
The Albany UU Office is closed during this time of physical distancing. Sam, Leah and Tammy have their messages forwarded to their personal cell phones and are available by email.
Our Website:
Zoom use
To reserve Zoom for an Albany UU online meeting, contact the virtual church office (518.463.7135 or admin@albanyuu.org).
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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