Greetings Friends,
Good afternoon everyone and welcome to Windows Weekly, Albany UU's central source for news and updates.
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!
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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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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
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 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 "We Need One Another" with
Rev. Dr. Lynn Ashley
Ordained many years ago at Albany UU, The Rev. Dr. Lynn Ashley is a retired minister and long time friend of the congregation.
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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PreK-6th Grade group + Grade 7/8 Book Club meet online at 10AM. Link is below. If your young person is not able to attend, please consider finding another time to make the valentines in your materials kit and mail them using the pre-addressed, stamped envelope. The residents at Shaker Place really appreciate them! Thank you!
By phone: 1 929 205 6099
Meeting ID: 963 886 2931
Passcode: 2222
Skating Meetup for Youth Group 2/6 12-2pm: Meet Ashley and Becky at noon near the rental trailer at the Empire State Plaza skating rink. Skate rental and cocoa is covered by Albany UU. Event wraps up at 2, when the rink closes for maintenance.
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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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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
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 this virtual zoom conversation and let your voice be heard. Learn more here.
Sunday, February 6 at 12:00pm
Use this link to join:
By phone: 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
Join the Ministries and Operations Team for their virtual meeting at 1:00 PM, Tuesday, Feb 8. MOT meetings are open to all Albany UU members.
Use this link to join:
By phone: 1 929 205 6099
Meeting ID: 963 886 2931
Passcode: 2222
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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.
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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Can you help?
The untimely death of Richard Brewer leaves a gap in many areas of our congregational life, including putting together a budget for the next fiscal year (July 2022 - June 2023), as one of Dick's many contributions was overseeing Albany UU's insurance needs. If you have some experience in this area, would you be willing to take a look at what we have in place and ascertain any upcoming rate increases? Please contact Tammy in the church office (518-463-7135 or admin@albanyuu.org) if you can give a hand.
Filling some gaps in church Leadership roles are Kathy Harris, stepping up to be Treasurer and Reese Satin filling the Assistant Treasurer's role. Thank you for your willingness to serve!
The Albany UU Nominating Committee would like to share the following quote with you, as we begin to prepare the slate of candidates for leadership positions at Albany UU. Our election is held each May.
“Everybody can be great. Because anybody can serve. You don’t have to have a college degree to serve. You don’t have to make your subject and your verb agree to serve. You don’t have to know the second theory of thermodynamics in physics to serve. You only need a heart full of grace. A soul generated by love.” -Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr
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.
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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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 this virtual zoom conversation and let your voice be heard. Sunday, February 6 at 12:00pm
Use this link to join:
By phone: 929-436-2866
Meeting ID: 299 018 7785
Password: 0000
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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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