Upcoming Fall Workshops to get on the Calendar

Where is our Holy Church? Community Worship in a Time of Change    

Saturday, October 1

9:00 a--12:30p                                  

First Congregational Parish Kingston

A workshop lead by the Rev. Judy Campbell for lay and ordained worship leaders and those who plan worship to talk about new and creative approaches to providing worship experiences in their congregation. $25.00 registration;Pre-registration is required. Register at http://bcduuaworship2011.eventbrite.com                         

Facebook for Congregations 

      Saturday, October 22                            

9:00 a - 2:00 p                                

All Souls Church, Braintree

With the Facebook users becoming more widespread it is rapidly becoming essential for congregations to use it. This workshop, presented by Peter Bowden, will share strategies for integrating Facebook pages and groups into the congregation's ministry, communications, and outreach strategies.  $30.00 registration;Pre-registration is required.Register at http://facebookforcongregations102011.eventbrite.com/     

Healthy Congregations - Part 1            

Saturday, November 12

9:00 a - 4:00 p                                  

First Parish (Old Ship) Hingham

The first of a two part series lead by Bill Zelazny and Peter Bowden to help congregation leaders look at the functioning of their congregation from the perspective that a community is a living system that incorporates thinking, feeling, and responsibilityfor the purpose of developing strategies to make it healthier. Seminar will use Healthy Congregations^tm material. Topic to include creating a healthy congregation, leadership in healthy congregations and healthy congregation's response to anxiety and change. $180 registration for 3 people;Pre-registration is required. Register at http://www.eventbrite.com/event/1996139507                       

The UUA President's Report in Response to "The Green Revolution in Religion" Available

At the 2009 General Assembly delegates adopted a Business Resolution "The Green Revolution in Religion." The Resolution was written by the UU Fellowship of Falmouth and submitted by the Ballou Channing District to the delegates. Among other provisions the Resolution required the President of the Unitarian Universalist Association to report to the 2011 General Assembly on our Association's progress in promoting environmental stewardship and environmental justice, with recommendations for action in the twenty-first century. In response, President Peter Morales issued "Going Green Beyond Belief: The UUA President's Report in Response to "The Green Revolution in Religion" which can be read at www.uua.org/president/goinggreen .

Association Sunday 2011: Celebrating Excellence in Ministries!

Preparations for the fifth annual Association Sunday are underway across the Association. It is scheduled for October 2, 2011, though congregations can observe Association Sunday at any time before April 2012.

Donations to Association Sunday 2011 will support scholarships, continuing education, and a comprehensive assessment of our ministries and their needs for the future. Grants from Association Sunday 2011 funds will help religious professionals get ongoing training to support thriving congregations.

UU Trauma Ministries Available to Help in Disaster Situations

The UU Trauma Ministries consists of trained lay people and clergy who can assist congregations in cases of violent or mass disasters. Watch the Ministry's forty-five minutes of video as an introduction to their work with congregations, The Life Cycle of a Disaster: a UU Trauma Response at http://www.uua.org/safe/response/120488.shtml 

Congregation leaders are also encouraged to look go to the BCD website and download the Emergency Preparedness Manual, developed by District Executive, Bill Zelazny. The manual is a "how to" document designed to help congregations develop plans to address various natural and human-made emergencies. On the website, go to "Resources and Links" then look under "E" to find the links to the manual other materials.

New Affiliated Organization for Membership Professionals Formed

A new affiliated organization of the UUA has been established - the UU Association of Membership Professionals. The UUAMP is an organization for congregation Membership Professionals to network, assemble for support and professional development and to collaborate on and growth ideas and programs.   At GA, the following mission and goals were adopted:

"The mission of the UUAMP is to sustain and nurture the ministry of membership in Unitarian Universalist congregations and to support Unitarian Universalist Membership Professional staff by sharing ongoing lessons of growth, successful strategies and creative solutions."

New England UU Gathering for Training on Congregation-Based Community Organizing

Registration is now open for this workshop on Congregation-Based Community Organizing (CBCO). The workshop will help participants learn more about how this model for social action empowers us to put our UU faith into action in the larger community. 

CBCO is coalitional, multi-issue, and grounded in faith, congregations, and democratic principles that is grassroots led, non-partisan. In CBCO congregations join with other faith-based and secular organizations to address issues of concern in the community with participating organization accountable to those for whom the activities and programs have been initiated.

This four-hour workshop which includes lunch will be held on Saturday, September 24, 2011, 11:00 am-3:00 pm at the UU Church of Nashua NH, 58 Lowell Street, Nashua NH. The training will be provided by the InterValley Project and will cover how to build relationships through one-on-one interviews, how to develop a process for conducting a relationship building campaign in your congregation and community, the role of story-telling in organizing and leadership development and why, what, and how to organize?

Registration is $25 per person.  Register by September 1 at http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/o/1272/p/salsa/event/common/public/?event_KEY=70051Checks can be made payable to the UUA (put "CBCO Workshop" in the memo line) and sent to Susan Leslie, UUA, 25 Beacon St., Boston MA 02108. Congregations are encouraged (but not required) to send teams.

Nomination Process for the UUA Moderator is Starting.

Gini Courter's term as the UUA Moderator will end 2013. The Moderator Nominating Committee, appointed by your Board of Trustees, is charged with recommending candidates for this all-important position.  The Committee is now open to receive applications and nominations. Based on the Bylaws amendment approved at GA 2010, the committee is to submit a report with their recommendations to the Board of Trustees in late November.  The Board will recommend a candidate or candidates by February 1, 2012, for a single six-year term beginning at the close of General Assembly 2013.
 

UUs are invited to either self-nominate or to submit the name of an individual they think would make an excellent Moderator. Go towww.uua.org/uuagovernance.  There you'll find a link to our Call for Nominations and to an electronic application form.  Applications and nominations are due by October 15, 2011.

For more information the Nominating Committee can be reached by email at modnomcom@uua.org

New Resource for Developing AR/AO Work

Keep Talking, Start Doing: Ten Ways to Deepen Your Congregation's Multiculturalism Journey is now available to help congregation members, whether beginning this journey or with years of experience, to do intentional work within their congregation and community around anti-racism, anti-oppression, and multiculturalism. To view this resources go to http://www.uua.org/leaders/idbm/multiculturalism/introduction/185106.shtml.

Rev. Robert Murphy to Receive Sierra Club Award

Calendar

Aug 25           Membership Job-a-Like                                                       7:00 - 9:00 p

                        First Unitarian Church, Providence

Aug 31            Youth Advisor Conclave                                                       6:00 - 8:30 p

                        First Parish Cohasset

Sep 7               New Congregation Leadership Seminar                             7:00 - 9:00 p

                        First Universalist Society in Franklin

Sep 24            Board-President Gathering                                                   8:30 a - 12:30 p

                        Murray Unitarian Universalist Church

Sep 24             BCD Board Meeting                                                            1:00 - 2:30 p

                        Murray Unitarian Universalist Church

Oct 1               Worship Seminar "Where is Our Holy Church"                 9:00 a - 12:30 p

                        First Congregational Parish in Kingston, MA           

Oct 22             Facebook for Congregations                                                9:00 a - 2:00 p

                        All Souls Church, Braintree

Oct 23             Installation Service - Rev. Beverly Boke                            4:00 p

First Parish Unitarian Universalist Canton

Oct. 24            BCD Board Meeting                                                             6:00 - 9:00 p

                        Unitarian Church of Sharon

Nov 12             Healthy Congregations -- Part 1                                          9:00 a - 4:00 p

                        First Parish Church (Old Ship) Hingham

Nov 23-25       BCD Office Closed - Thanksgiving

Dec 23- Jan2  BCD Office Closed - Christmas Season Holiday

Jan 7               BCD Board mid-year-Retreat                                               9:00 a - 3:00 p
                         Location: TBA

Jan 21             Healthy Congregations -- Part 2                                            9:00 a - 4:00 p

                        Location: TBA

Jan 28             Healthy Congregations - Part 2 (snow date)

Feb 25             Leadership Discussion Forum                                               TBA

                        Location: TBA

Feb 27             BCD Board Meeting                                                              6:00 - 9:00 p

                        First Parish Church in Taunton

Mar 3              New England/BCD Music Conference

Location: TBA

Mar 10            Canvasser Training                                                             

                        Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Falmouth

Mar 26            BCD Board Meeting                                                             6:00 - 9:00 p

                        First Unitarian Church, Providence

May 5             Spring Conference and Annual Meeting                              9:00 a - 3:00 p

                        Unitarian Universalist Society of Fairhaven

May 21           BCD Board Meeting                                                             6:00 - 9:00 p

                        First Congregational Parish in Kingston, MA

Jun 20-24        General Assembly

                        Phoenix, AZ