BCD In-Brief News and Announcements

February, 2011  *  Volume 4, No. 7
In This Issue
BCD Spring Conference Looks at "The Big Questions"
BCD UUA Trustee Election
Water Justice Conference in April
New England Music Conference March 5
UU-UNO to be a UUA Department
Falmouth Sponsors New Orleans Project
Staff Transition Assistance Available
Planning for 2011 General Assembly
Church of the Larger Fellowship Pod Casts
Calendar
Quick Links

BCD Spring Conference Looks at "The Big Questions" for Moving Forward

 

What are the Powerful Questions, the ones that really drill down to the core of an issue, we need to honestly ask ourselves about the way we do religion in order for us to move forward as a viable religion in the next decade?  This is not an  academic exercise - this is reality for our future. Asking and answering these powerful questions may be the only thing that will give our faith renewed life in New England and keep us vital. 

 

On April 30, 2011 at the Unitarian Church of Sharon, MA at the 2011 Spring Conference, participants will have the opportunity to consider this topic.  Three keynote sermon presenters, the Rev. Jim Robinson, Peter Bowden, and the Rev. Karen Brammer, will lead off the morning, followed by workshops on asking the big questions, spiritual autobiographies, managing change in a congregation and providing pastoral care to an aging population.

 

You can help develop this conference.  We want to know what you think is the One Big Question we need to ask ourselves about ourselves. Submit your Big Question by February 28 (new date). Go to http://tinyurl.com/bcduua2011bigquestions and completing the form, or by emailing your question along with your name, congregation and a short statement explaining why you think this is an important question to bcdoffice@verizon.net with "Big Question" in the subject line.  During March the conference planning team will send out the question selected as the most significant for us to consider with an invitation for UUs in the BCD to answer that question. 

 

The 2011 BCD Annual Meeting will be held starting at 1:30.  This year's meeting will include the election of the BCD's UUA Trustee. Delegate packets will be mailed to congregation offices in early April.

 

What is a powerful question? Check out: "The Art of Powerful Questions, Catalyzing Insight, Innovation and Action" at 

http://www.theworldcafe.com/articles/aopq.pdf

or Google "Powerful Questions" to get a host of articles.

BCD UUA Trustee Election to be held at Annual Meeting

 

The Ballou Channing District will elect our Trustee at the District Annual Meeting, April 30, 2011 at the Sharon Unitarian Church, Sharon, MA.

 

Nomination for the position is made by petition by member societies of the UUA and the District. The nominee must be a legal member of a member society or a minister in fellowship with the UUA serving a member society of the District. A nomination  requires the sponsorship of at least thirty members of member societies, with no more than ten signatures of members from any one member society.  The petition, which is available from the District office 325 West Elm Street, Brockton, 508-559-6650 / BallouChanning@verizon.net, must be submitted to the District office on or before   March 29, 2011.

 

Information about the functioning of the UUA Board of Trustees can be found in the UUA Bylaws at:

http://www.uua.org/aboutus/bylaws/articlevi/index.shtml

Water Justice Conference to be held April 16.

 

The Unitarian Church of Barnstable is hosting a regional conference, "Water Justice: Our Wellbeing, Our Rights, Our Responsibilities" on Saturday, April 16th.

 

This special event will enlighten us about the value of clean water around the world; about its impact on vulnerable populations, the environment, and all living creatures; about the polluted state of the water in our region; and, most importantly, what we can -- and must -- do to have clean water again. If you want to know what it takes to have clean water again, either as a consumer or activist, this conference is for you.

 

The registration fee for this all-day conference, including speakers, lunch, and workshops, is $15. Space is limited to 125 participants. Registration details will be available in March.

 

The conference is co-sponsored by the Cape & Islands UU Social Justice Cluster, the Cape & Islands UU Growth Council, and the Sierra Club.

New England Music Conference at Attleboro on March 5

 

The Annual Music Conference will be held on March 5 at Murray Unitarian Universalist Church, 505 N. Main Street, Attleboro, MA.  The conference is sponsored by the New England UU Musician Network and the Ballou Channing District for music directors, choir members, worship and music committee members, ministers, religious education directors, and all individuals interested in music in their church. The program includes workshops on organ repertoire,copyright protection, choir rehearsals, children's choir, bell ringing ensembles and singing meditation. The afternoon will have the ever-popular "choral repertoire" where participants will have the opportunity and fun of singing through several anthems that are currently available from publishing houses.  Registration fee is$30 pre-conference and $35 at door. Go to

http://bcduuamusicconference2011.eventbrite.com/ to register.

 

Conference brochures have been sent to congregation offices.  When registering please include email address for contact in the event of a snow that may require cancellation.

UU-UNO to become a UUA Department

 

Over the past several months leaders of the Unitarian Universalist Association and the UU United Nations Office (UU-UNO) have been working out the plans for the UU-UNO to become part of the UUA organization.  Though the UU-UNO has been an independent organization since 1971, it was originally a department of the UUA and has been working in close association with the UUA for some time.

 

If approved by the UU-UNO  membership at the April 30 Annual Meeting, the UU-UNO will become a department of the UUA's International Staff Group, effective July 1.

 

Though a department of the UUA, the UU-UNO will keep its current relationships with envoys, member congregations, individuals, donors and funders. 

A New Orleans Work Project to be Sponsored by Falmouth Congregation

 

Though it has been over five years since hurricanes Katrina and Rita there is still much to be done to help the region recover and heal.  The Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Falmouth plans to send a crew of volunteers to work in New Orleans, May 21-28. Individuals interested in joining the work team should contact Pamela Hughes (508) 563-9947.  For general information about the work being done and still needed  see the Greater New Orleans Unitarian Universalist site at http://gnouu.org/ 

Staff Transition Assistance Available from BCD

 

The Ballou Channing District has consultants that can assist a congregation in preparing for minister or religious educator transitions.   Contact District Executive, Bill Zelazny, (zelaz@aol.com / 401-353-5334) to discuss the pending transition and arrange for a consultant's meeting.

 

Planning for 2011 General Assembly - An Anniversary Celebration

 

This is the 50th anniversary year for the formation of the Unitarian Universalist Association.  The 2011 General Assembly will celebrate this important event when it convenes June

22 - 26 in Charlotte, NC.  In addition to anniversary celebration events there will be several important issues for delegates to vote upon concerning governance of the Association and elections of Trustees at Large, and for other UUA committees. There will also be the usual outstanding worship,  presentations by famous and interesting people, workshops and the popular market place.  Housing registration opens March 1.  For information about General Assembly and links to registration pages go to http://www.uua.org/events/generalassembly/

CLF (Church of the Larger Fellowship) Pod Casts

 

Podcasts of sermons, meditation and religious education materials are available from the Church of the Larger Fellowship.  People can use an iPod, MP3 player, or computer. Have a listen at www.clfuu.org/podcasts and  www.clfuu.org/quest 

 

The Church of the Larger Fellowship is the UU congregation through mail and the Web.  There is a monthly worship publication Quest (also available in print and online) that offers sermons and religious education materials from renowned UU ministers. Visit the Church of the Larger Fellowship web site at www.clfuu.org 

CALENDAR

 

Feb 21             BCD Board meeting                                                             6:30p- 9:00p

                        First Parish Bridgewater

Feb 25-26       Renaissance Module: Multicultural Religious Education

                        (Mass Bay/Clara Barton Districts sponsored event)                    

Walker Center, Auburndale, MA

Mar 5              UUMN Music Conference

                        Murray Unitarian Universalist Church, Attleboro, MA

Mar 6              Ordination: Katie Lawson

Foxborough Universalist Church, Foxboro, MA

Mar 17-20      8th National Large Congregations Conference 

Hyatt Regency Minneapolis, Minneapolis, MN

Mar 17            BCD Board - BCD UUMA Chapter Roundtable               9:00a-11:00a

                        Location: TBA

Mar19             Inland Cluster President's Gathering                                 9:30a-11:30am

The Unitarian Church of Sharon

Mar 20            Installation - Rev Jay Libby                                                4:00

                        First Parish in Plymouth. Plymouth, MA

Mar 21            BCD Board meeting                                                             6:30p-9:00p

                        Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Falmouth

Apr 3              Installation:  Revs Mary Ganz & J D Benson

                        First Parish Brewster, Brewster, MA

Apr 16            Cape & Islands Water Justice Conference

                        Unitarian Church of Barnstable

Apr 18            BCD Board meeting                                                             6:30p -9:00p

                        Channing Memorial Church, Newport

Apr 30            BCD 2011 Spring Conference & Annual Meeting              8:15a-.3:30p

                        Unitarian Church of Sharon

May 16           BCD Board meeting                                                             6:30p - 9:00p

                        Second Parish Hingham

May 29           Installation - Rev. Jill Cowie

                        UU Society of Martha's Vineyard,Vineyard Haven, MA

Jun 22-26       General Assembly (GA),

Charlotte, North Carolina