Seminar topics: A Facebook Overview - the impact of social media & technology on how we consume information, and the increasing role of Facebook in maintaining relationships online; "Nuts and Bolts of Facebook - Facebook profiles, pages and groups with special focus on the Facebook page, your congregation's primary presence on Facebook; Policies and Strategies - critical issues related to using Facebook as an organization including policies, developing a coherent strategy for using Facebook for outreach.

Healthy Congregations - Part 1

Saturday, November 12 9a - 2p

First Parish (Old Ship), 107 Main Street, Hingham, MA

$180 registration for 3 people; Pre-registration is required.

Topic, based on Health Congregations^tm material: creating a healthy congregation, leadership in healthy congregations and healthy congregation's response to anxiety and change.

Religious Education Conference "We'll Build A Land"

Saturday, November 19 8:30 a - 12:00 n

Unitarian Church of Barnstable, 3330 Main Street, Barnstable, MA 02630-0285

$15 registration

A conference for religious professionals and religious education volunteers. Workshops on: "Effective Religious Education Committees" with BCD RE Development Consultant Diane Elliot - learn more about how committees work and what you can do to help them to function better; "A Child With Special Needs ....in My RE Class...What Do I Do Now?" with First Parish Stow Acton DRE and special education teacher, Michelle Cote, - practical overview of how to deal with children and youth who are in your programs who may (or may not be!) identified as having special needs; "Multi-Media and Ministry for All Ages" with BCD Growth Consultant and media consultant, Peter Bowden - a look at ways media, primarily video, can be integrated into our ministry and religious education. Child care to be available with pre-registration. Detailed conference information on Eventbrite registration site.

Mass Bay-Clara Barton Districts

Got Purpose? Conflict and Competing Values

Saturday, October 29 9:00 a - 2:30 p

Sheraton Springfield Monarch Place Hotel, One Monarch Place, Springfield, MA

Workshop information including registration at:http://www.cbd-mbd-uua.org/content/got-purpose-conflict-and-competing-values-cbd

A Fishbowl Discussion of the Movie "The Help"

The Rev. Ed Hardy, minister at First Parish Bridgewater, invites UUs in the BCD interested in exploring issues of racism in American to participate in a "fishbowl" conversation about the popular book and movie, The Help with individuals whose family members were "the help". This event is co-sponsored by First Parish UU Bridgewater, MA and Messiah Baptist Church, Brockton, MA as part of their on-going efforts to help members of each congregation learn more about the culture of whites and blacks and the effects of our country's racial history had on both peoples. The Rev. Walker of Messiah Baptist Church said that many members of his congregation have parents or grandparents who worked as domestics in Easton, Massachusetts, maybe even for some Unitarians in Easton. The event will be held at Messiah Baptist Church, 80 Legion Parkway, Brockton, MA 02301 on Thursday, November 3, 2011 at 7pm.

New BCD Program for Congregations to

Learn from Each Other Launched

The Ballou Channing District has just launched a new program - Pairing for Mutual Learning -- designed to create a structure to promote and support congregation-to-congregation learning communities. This program's objectives are to: bring together leaders from congregations to mutually mentor each other and together come up with possible approaches to solve problems, assist congregation leaders find ways to learn together how to adapt to cultural change
,and sustain growth in years to come and develop cross-congregational relationships for learning and support.

The Pairing for Mutual Learning Program has two components:

Open Learning Community - leaders from two paired congregations meet several times over 12 to 18 months in a learning community format to discuss one or more issues of common interest and explore approaches to address the issue in their home congregation.

Information Exchange Community - leaders of two or more congregations meet one time to exchange information and share experience about a specific issue such as capital campaign, social justice programming, etc.

Information about this program, including application forms for participation have been sent to congregation offices, ministers and presidents.

Winter and Holiday Festivals at District Congregations

The below listed events information was received by the District office as of October 15.

November 11 Holiday Fair 11am - 7pm

Murray UU Church, Attleboro

November 19 Holiday Hall 10am - 3pm

UU Church of Brockton

November 19 Silver Bells Fair 9am - 3pm

First Congregational Parish UU in Kingston

December 3 Christmas Fair 9am - 1pm

Second Parish in Hingham

December 3 Holiday Fair 9am - 2pm

Unitarian Church of Barnstable

December 3 Merrie Market

Old Ship Church, Hingham

December 3 Holiday Fair 10am - 2pm

First Unitarian Church, New Bedford

December 7 Christmas Acoustic Benefit Concert 7pm

Channing Memorial Church, Newport

District Directory Mailed

The 2011-2012 District Directory has been mailed to congregation offices. Please keep the BCD office informed throughout the year of email, phone and staff and congregation officer changes so that the district's data base can be as up to date as possible. Send change information to BCDOffice@verizon.net.

"Like" the BCD Facebook

The BCD is on Facebook. This is a great way to receive news and updates about district events, resources, and announcements. If you are on Facebook, please our district's page so you can start to automatically get new posted information.

Ask the Right Question

Leaders do not need to have all the answers.
Leaders need to be able to ask the right questions

A basic question for congregation leaders who want to improve their governance is....

What is our process for deciding to make a major change in how we do something,

is it clear to everyone, and

does it empower people to make it happen?

Revised Handbook for UU Treasurers & Finance Leaders Available

The UUA Stewardship and Development Office's Annual Program Fund

has compiled a new Treasurer handbook, which contains information about essential elements for financial management. This resource, designed to be adaptable and user-friendly, is available for download at http://www.uua.org/finance/fundraising/generosity/index.shtml

Annual Program Fund Update by BCD APF Chair

Hello beloved community! There are only two matters to bring to everybody's attention today. The first is that half of our congregations have sent in to the UUA's APF office their pledge for the current year. And, half have not mailed in their pledges. I have been given the list of non-responders to date. I will not make that list public now - so please ask if your Treasurer or board member in charge has sent in the congregation's Annual Program Fund pledge to the UUA. And if not, please do so soon - within a month or so. If someone asks: Does the UUA need this pledge information? Please respond with "Yes. It's basic."

Second concerns the necessity for us to move away from anger and pessimism in this Recession caused in part of financial fraud on Wall Street. This is no time to blame everything on them. Rather, we need to "stand on the side of love" with regard to marriage equality, and also to "stand on the side of love - with commitment to our faith community." Do not let "them" take it all away from us. I know it is not easy. We have to re-dedicate ourselves to our collective Unitarian Universalism, and know that we are asked to make genuine our financial stewardship. Our congregations are ultimately bound together by Covenant (excuse the higher case) within our Unitarian Universalist Association today, tomorrow and in the future, or we shall not be viable. We shall not have happen to us what happened to the Crystal Cathedral in CA, which went bankrupt. Please take this for some real hope for UUs: Pew surveys show we are one of the few religious organizations in the USA which are not falling off the cliff.

Rev. Bob Thayer, Chair

Time for Congregation APF Pledges

We do not belong to these larger associations by obligation but rather by covenant. We covenant to affirm and promote the principles of our Association as free churches. Part of that affirmation and promotion is our congregations' financial support. Rev. John Morehouse

These words point to the importance of each congregation pledging its annual financial support to our UUA. Just as the local congregation depends on the knowledge of its members' annual giving intentions to plan its annual budget, our UUA does as well. This is the time of the year when the contribution pledge forms that were sent to each congregation in June are requested to be returned to the Annual Program Fund Office, 25 Beacon St, Boston, MA 02108.

Gathered Here Initiative!

Our UUA Board of Trustees has launched Gathered Here, a multi-layered initiative that uses the appreciative inquiry process for UUs to connect with each other to discover together what the future is calling from us as religious leaders and people of faith. It is an opportunity to shape, not only the future of our Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations, but to also be able to make meaning of our local personal and congregational stories. It is an exciting opportunity to discern together how we are called into shared ministry and lives of meaning and value that will transform the world and each one of us. Information will be coming soon to congregation offices from the District about how congregations and individuals will be able to participate in this Association-wide project this winter and spring.

"Meet a Trustee: Catherine Cullen"

The October 3 issue of the uuworld.org, the UUA weekly on-line magazine, has an article byMichelle Bates Deakin about our BCD UUA Trustee, the Rev. Catherine Cullen. Read the article at http://www.uuworld.org/news/articles/187748.shtml?utm_source=n to learn how her legal training and Buddhism, as well as, her life experiences inform her work on UUA board.

General Assembly 2012

GA program grid

In June 2012 UUs will gather in Phoenix, Arizona for the annual UUA General Assembly. This year it will be a bit different than prior General Assemblies with all programming and events focused on issues of Justice. To get an idea about what is being planned for this GA see a outline grid of the week at http://www.uua.org/documents/gaoffice/grid.pdf.

Program proposals

Proposals for workshops are now being accepted. To be considered, proposals should be related to the issues of migration and borders, and/or racial and economic justice. Workshops and other events that serve to educate and prepare attendees to do public witness and to perform service, both in Arizona and at home, are especially sought. Every proposal need not be about immigration; however, a reasonable person must be able to draw a clear connection between the proposed topic(s) and the issue of Justice. For example, a program on water scarcity would be considered, as its relationship to immigration and economic justice is easily demonstrated.

All proposals must be submitted by Tuesday, November 1. The Program Proposal Form is short, but it requires a clear description of a fully designed 75-minute event (workshop, worship, etc.). Proposers must assume the participation of people of all abilities and of all generations in all General Assembly activities. The link for proposals is at http://www.uua.org/ga/programming/12741.shtml

UUA blog on Immigration

The UUA Ministry and Faith Development staff group has opened a new blog where everyone can share information for education and action around the issue of immigration. The blog is meant to be multi-generational, so ideas for children and youth as well as adults are welcomed. The blog, called "Cooking Together" can be found at: http://immigrationjustice.blogs.uua.org/

Calendar

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, MA

Oct 23 Installation Service - Rev. CJ McGregor 3:00p

Religious Society of Bell Street Chapel, Providence, RI

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

Unitarian Church of Sharon, MA

Oct 27 BCD UUMA Fall Retreat 9:00 a

First Unitarian Church, Providence

Nov 3 "Fish Bowl" Discussion on The Help* 7:00 p

Messiah Baptist Church, Brockton, MA

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

First Parish Church (Old Ship) Hingham

Nov 19 BCD Religious Education Conference* 8:30 a - 12:00 n

Unitarian Church of Barnstable, MA

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
First Parish Brewster, MA*

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, MA

Mar 3 New England/BCD Music Conference

Mar 7 BCD UUMA Chapter gathering 9:00a-12:00n

First Universalist Society in Franklin, MA

Mar 10 Canvasser Training TBA

Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Falmouth, MA

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

First Unitarian Church, Providence, RI

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

Unitarian Universalist Society of Fairhaven, MA

May 7-9 BCD UUMA Chapter Retreat

Glastonbury Abbey, Hingham, MA

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

First Congregational Parish in Kingston, MA

Jun 20-24 General Assembly

Phoenix, AZ

* New since last issue