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
-Blessings and Be Well
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VIRTUAL SUMMER SUNDAY SERVICE
LIVE on ZOOM
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WELCOME TO ALBANY UU SUMMER SERVICES
Service at 10:00 AM
Begin your Sunday morning with an 8:30 Virtual Meditation session until 9:20. We then have Virtual Service beginning at 10:00 each Sunday and a chance to stay online for virtual "Fellowship and Conversation."
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July 4 “Making Amends Rev. Chris Antal
Using a collaborative art installation constructed by Iraq Veterans and Iraqi refugees as an example, we consider how moral repair happens in the aftermath of wrongdoing.
Reverend Chris J. Antal is a Clinical Staff Chaplain at the Michael J. Crescenz VA Medical Center in Philadelphia. Chris interned at Albany UU (2009-2010) and was ordained in 2011.
Music: 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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JULY SUNDAY SERVICE INFORMATION
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July 11 “It's a Process,” Rev. Kimberley Debus
They (whoever 'they' are) say that the only constant is change. In this service, we'll explore what that means from a theological and spiritual perspective, and how this way of understanding calls us to our work in the world.
Rev. Kimberley Debus is a community minister based in upstate New York, inspiring an artful and art-filled faith. She consults with congregations and religious professionals throughout the denomination. She has previously served at the Church of the Larger Fellowship as well as congregations on Long Island and Key West.
Music: Elena Karpoff
July 18 “Engaged Spirituality: Confessions of a Militant Mystic,” Rev. Richard Gilbert
For some time, Rev. Gilbert has been pondering the words of German theologian Jurgen Moltmann. Moltmann speaks about a theology of relinquishment and an ethic of class betrayal. Add to that the words of UU theologian James Luther Adams that UUs join churches, not to have their values challenged, but confirmed. Food for thought.
Rev. Dick Gilbert, retired UU minister, has published books on faith development, social justice and meditations. He is currently working on a book entitled: No Consorting with Angels: the Spiritual Life of Susan B. Anthony. He lives in Rochester with his wife Joyce.
Music: Lois Bailey
July 25 “Bikini Bodies,” Rev. Eileen Casey Campbell
We know that liberation for anyone must mean liberation for everyone. That includes the liberation of our bodies from the constraints of a false morality about the "right" size for a body to be. On Sunday, let us embrace the gifts of delight, pleasure, and wonder in our embodied selves as we rejoice that all bodies are good bodies.
Eileen Casey-Campbell (she, her, hers) is a minister serving the UU Church of Canandaigua, NY. She shares a life with her partner, Brian, their children, and their goofy dog. Eileen is a yoga teacher, who is also called to social justice work, creative worship, and to ministry with youth and young adults. She loves the spiritual practice of learning to create with her own hands–art, bread, gardens, knitted caps, and more.
Music: Elena Karpoff
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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Albany UU Virtual Summer Services
Our summer services 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!
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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UPCOMING WAYS to CONNECT
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Start your Sunday Morning with Meditation 8:30 - 9:15 AM
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
Ministries and Operations Team
The MOT will meet on Wednesday, July 7 at 12N. MOT meetings are open to all Albany UU members.
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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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:
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
Ps and Qs
Projects and Quilts (Ps and Qs) will zoom next on Wednesday, July 21 at 10:00 AM in Room B-8 at Albany UU.
To join remotely, use this link:
By phone: 929-436-2866
Meeting ID: 299 018 7785
Password: 0000
Walker Book Group
We hope to have the Sunday, Sept 12, 5:30 pm Walker Book Group potluck and discussion back in Channing Hall! We will discuss Walter Isaacson’s Leonardo da Vinci Learn more here.
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IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENTS!
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July 4 Holiday Observance
Monday, July 5 is the July 4th observed holiday and most of your Albany UU staffs' virtual and church offices will be closed. Have a safe holiday!
What happened at UUA General Assembly:
First, our very own Rev. Sam Trumbore was elected to the UUA Board of Trustees!
Thank you to our delegates: Sharon Babala, Elizabeth Berberian, Chris Bystroff, Dick Dana, Marty Hotvet, Karen Kaufmann, Jacqui Williams and Rev. Sam.
Our appreciation also goes to Michael Hornsby, who served on the Conflict & Covenant Team. This team's important work was to assist registered attendees of virtual General Assembly who were in conflict and/or whose actions violated the GA covenant.
Delegates acted on the following social witness statements.
The General Assembly affirmed these Actions of Immediate Witness:
The Statement of Conscience (SOC): Undoing Intersectional White Supremacy (PDF) was adopted.
Delegates also adopted the Responsive Resolutions
IMPORTANT BUILDING USE UPDATES!
In case you missed the previous announcement, our building use guidelines have been updated. Groups can now meet in the building by following these simple guidelines.
Sunday services will remain online through the summer since all the logistics for these services were set up to be remote, before most restrictions were lifted. We are looking forward to providing our first official in-person service on the first Sunday of our new service year, September 12 at 10:00 AM. This will be a multiplatform service and include an online option. There will be separate guidelines for Sunday services - those are being drafted - and will be available later in the summer. There will also be guidance provided should conditions change and we need to pivot again to meet those.
Staff are slowly transitioning from working almost exclusively from home to a combination of working from home and at the church office. Right now, office hours are by appointment until a routine is established. We are incredibly grateful to you all for your patience, support and resilience through these many months. THANK YOU!
Concert
Charles Semowich will play a concert on the famous Albany City Hall Carillon on July 4 at 1 PM. It can be heard at various locations near Albany City Hall and printed programs will be available in front of City Hall. Of course, there is no charge, The program will consist of patriotic music including some form the 18th century, American Folk Tunes, African American music and end with the Fanfare for the Common Man. It will last one hour.
July 11 Memorial for Scott Bassinson
There will be a memorial service for Scott Bassinson, who passed away last year, on Sunday July 11 at 5 pm at the First Reformed Church in Schenectady. There will be lots of live music and sharing remembrances of Scott. Scott, his wife Meg, and their two sons Paul and Max (who sadly passed away in 2015) were members of UU Albany in the 1990s, and Meg was our music director for several years.
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Racial Healing Monthly Group
One of the many wonderful outcomes of the Racial Healing Workshop was creating a space specifically for BIPOC members for discussion and connection. We continue to hold that space and open it up to other BIPOC members of Albany UU. We 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.
Calling all artists
Ellen Chernoff, our Art Wall organizer, would like to call artists to get those paintbrushes painting, pencils drawing, cameras rolling, etc. and make some art! Ellen would like you to be ready for a member art show in September!
Open to artists of all ages, media (watercolor, pastel, photography, etc.) skills, and styles.
Art work should be framed, wired, and ready to hang. Attach a 3x5 index card on the back of the
work with: artist name & contact information, the title of the work, and the price (if for sale).
Questions may be directed to Ellen Thea Chernoff 518-463-5503.
Gardening Volunteers
Do you have two hours to contribute to maintaining the gardens surrounding Albany UU? The Gardening Committee welcomes you to sign up here. No experience necessary. For more information or to receive e-mail updates, please contact Donna Meixner or 518/439-5947.
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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2021 Music Program Survey!
Over the years, members and friends of Albany UU have consistently told us that our Music Program is a vital part of our community. As we move towards a return to our building, we think it especially timely to get YOUR impressions about the music we presented during virtual services over the past 15 months. In addition, we would like to know your overall thoughts about music and related activities at Albany UU currently, as well as your hopes for the future. To this end, we encourage everyone to participate in the 2021 Music Assessment Survey. Please complete this survey as soon as you can. Your opinion will aid the continuation of a strong and vibrant music program. Thank You!
A Few Opportunities to Serve as an Albany UU Pastoral Care Associate
Are you a good listener? Do you have good self-awareness, solid commitment to our congregation and are a member in good standing? Do you have a good personal support system and can you work collaboratively? Are you willing to ask for help when needed? Do you have an understanding of Unitarian Universalism and a sense of identity as a Unitarian Universalist?
Then maybe the Pastoral Care Associates program is for you. Each year PCA’s step down and need to be replaced.
The process is simple:
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Submit an application (online)
- If selected for this year, Attend a training program.
- Make a renewable service commitment of two years.
The duties are:
- Make a commitment to being available to offer listening ministry and emotional support for one or more congregants for a limited time period.
- Serve as a PCA on duty Sunday morning at least once a month.
- Participate in monthly ongoing support, training and guidance from the minister and the PCA Team.
Building a Multi-Platform Tech Team
As we plan a return to in-person Sunday Services in Community Hall September 12, we will continue to stream out services out on Zoom for those who are not vaccinated, not able to be vaccinated or attend in person. Three “PTZ” (remote control) cameras, a camera controller, a video switcher, fast computer and lots of cables have been purchased to accomplish this goal.
We have the equipment now we need. What is missing right now are a team of people needed to operate the cameras, to support the Multi-Media Tech. If we could build a big enough team, each person would volunteer once a month.
If operating remote control cameras and adjusting audio levels sounds like fun to you, please contact Rev. Sam at minister@albanyuu.org or by cell phone 518/366-4532. Trainings begin in July 31.
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Welcome Patience Pechette to the Albany UU Staff Team as our new Administrative Assistant!
Patience lives in Albany with her husband, son, and two goofy labs. She has a diverse background, including teaching, program coordination, and office management for a youth advocacy non-profit. Currently, she splits her time between Delta Airlines at Albany International Airport and the Albany UU office, doing administrative assistant work. She has degrees in Secondary Education and History. She loves to travel, cares deeply about animal rights, and likes to volunteer in the community.
Patience can assist with room rentals and reservations and other clerical tasks. Patience is here part-time, and is the friendly person you are most likely to meet when you contact us. She will be in the Albany UU office on Wednesday, 2-6 PM, and Thursdays and Fridays, 8-4 PM. To reach Patience, call 518-463-7135 or email office@albanyuu.org.
Welcome to Albany UU, Patience!
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Welcome Elizabeth Baldes in her new role as Acting Religious Education Director!
Leah Purcell has officially retired her role as Director of Religious Education and Family Ministry.
Elizabeth teaches at a local private nursery school and has years of experience at Albany UU as the Religious Education Coordinator, Religious Education Assistant, teaching team volunteer and Religious Education Council member. A Capital Region native and lifelong learner, she is a graduate of Empire State College. She and her husband Rich live in Albany with their two school-age daughters.
Elizabeth will be our Acting DRE, working part-time, supported by an RE Assistant to be hired and start in August. We also have an agreement with Dr. Michele Townsend Grove to work with us as an Interim RE Consultant. She will do the interim work we would have done if we had hired a interim DRE rather than an acting DRE. Dr. Grove will also be a mentor for Elizabeth to support her first year working as a director of religious education.
This is an exciting time for Albany UU.
Welcome Elizabeth, to your new role!
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Voter Suppression in Rensselaer County
In 2019, New York State passed legislation to allow early voting. Rensselaer County Board of Elections created three early voting sites, all outside the city of Troy. When the Board failed to respond to protests over the lack of access for Troy residents, including voters of color and lower-income residents, the State Attorney General, Letitia James, sued. A Supreme Court judge ruled that an early voting location had to be offered in Troy. The Board appealed and won a stay, temporarily suspending the order - though the Board did create a last-minute early voting option at the Board offices. The Attorney General appealed the stay and won. The lawsuit now proceeds, to force the Board to create a site where residents can easily exercise their right to vote early.
For more information about the lawsuit and interesting statistics about Rensselaer County and its voters, follow this link.
Opening Up AlbanyUU
As the Covid-19 pandemic recedes, we look forward to the return of normal in-person contact with our family, friends and Albany UU Community. Since March 2020, we have adapted to wearing masks, social distancing and different ways of being with each other. However, along with Covid-19, another pervasive, virulent epidemic: an infection of systemic racism and white supremacy, has continued to severely harm marginalized groups, especially black persons.
On February 5, many Albany UUs were privileged to attend a Zoom performance by the cast of Whitewashed: the racism project. The cast shared new performance pieces concerning the impact of both epidemics on the lives of persons who are black, including how the police treated whites who stormed the Capital on January 6 more favorably, than black persons and their allies who protested the death of George Floyd last summer. Another piece described the fear of black persons encountering racist flags and signs while maintaining social distance on walks during the pandemic.
In recommending this performance, the Inclusivity Team reminded Albany UUs that systemic racism wasn't created by the last President and his supporters – it's been a disease in America, Albany and even at Albany UU since their respective beginnings.
When the doors of Albany UU open [for Sunday service] again, we must ask ourselves whether our congregation will step up to the challenge of opening our hearts and minds and do the work necessary to eliminate the disease of racism and white supremacy. We have become stronger and more resilient by taking various uncomfortable measures and getting new vaccines to help ourselves and others survive and overcome Covid. Imagine the authentic welcoming and social justice community Albany UU could become if we accept the covenant of the 8th Principle “...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.”
The Green Sanctuary Team Recommends:
The Interfaith Power & Light network has been offered a unique opportunity to be among the first to share the new short film, Other Side of the Hill.
The film is a hopeful, inspiring look at local leaders on the ground in rural America who are leading climate action in their communities. But it is also about coming together, finding common ground and new climate frameworks, and shining a light on rural voices as we envision a path forward.
SAVE THE DATE. The film will be available for free online viewing July 10 - 25. Registration opens July 1.
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
- pandemic concerns: It's important to remember that vaccines protect the vaccinated. Even as restrictions are lifted in New York State, some may choose to take precautions because of inability to be vaccinated (e.g., age, illness, compromised immune system). Please remember that if you are vaccinated, you are still susceptible to being an asymptomatic carrier of Covid-19. Those who wish to take precautions are invited to. If you are no longer taking precautions, please respect the decisions of those who do. Only an individual knows their full risk. It can be perceived as confrontational to ask vaccine-status of others.
- 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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No Family Chapel or RE Sessions until the fall. Contact Elizabeth Baldes, Acting Director of Religious Education, ebaldes@albanyuu.org, with any questions. Have a wonderful summer!
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UU WEEKEND AT SILVER BAY
October 15-17
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Renew, Refresh and Relax at Silver Bay
Do you feel as though the summer is moving too fast? Keep the good times rolling! Come to the UU Weekend at Silver Bay from October 15-17, 2021 to build and strengthen relationships and nurture spirit, mind and body. Learn, play and hang out with your fellow UU’s before winter sets in.
After a year’s hiatus, the Silent Auction will return!! New or almost new items, including gift certificates, hardcover books, art, collectibles, nice quality jewelry, bottles of wine, homemade jams, jellies, honey and high-quality crafts, will be gladly accepted. The children’s auction will accept toys, puzzles, and stuffed animals in good condition.
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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UPDATED Building Use Guidelines:
Sunday services will remain online through the summer since all the logistics for these services were set up to be remote, before most restrictions were lifted. We are looking forward to providing our first official in-person service on the first Sunday of our new service year, September 12 at 10:00 AM. This will be a multiplatform service and will include an online option. There will be separate guidelines for Sunday services - those are being drafted - and will be available later in the summer. There will also be guidance provided should conditions change and we need to pivot again to meet those, if needed.
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
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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:
Staff are transitioning from working almost exclusively from home to a combination of working from home and at the church office. Right now, office hours are by appointment until a routine is established.
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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