November 2012 BCD In Brief

The Ballou Channing District Board has launched a campaign to add new members to the corps of Chalice Lighters in the district in order to increase the size of grants that can be awarded to congregations for growth and development initiatives, including capital improvements and expanded staffing. Congregation Chalice Lighter Sundays or other special events are planned over the next several months.

A Chalice Lighter is a person who wants to help grow Unitarian Universalism in the District by pledging $10 a "Call" for up to three Calls a year. A Call is a donation request for a specific project. Projects come from congregations who ask for a grant.

Currently there are about 300 registered Chalice Lighters that allows grants of about $3000 to be made. Each new Chalice Lighter adds $10 to the grant amount, so 500 Chalice Lighters would enable grants of $5000 each.

The BCD now has a Facebook page, www.facebook.com/chalicelighter with more information about the program, as well as directions about how to enroll as a BCD Chalice Lighter.

Inland Leaders Cluster to meet November 17

Presidents and other congregation leaders are invited to participate in the Inland Leaders Cluster Gathering on November 17, 9:30-11:00AM at the Unitarian Church of Sharon - http://www.uusharon.org/. The program will focus on networking, sharing information about initiatives that have excited and inspired the congregation, and discussion about projects, programs or initiatives on which neighboring congregations could share to expand their impact in the participating churches and/or the larger community.

The Inland Cluster is one of the four lay-led collaborative groups of congregations working together to assure that the UU churches in our geographic area are connected through leader networking, training and joint programs and projects. The clusters are coordinated by District Board members. They meet at least quarterly. The other leaders clusters are Cape & Islands, Rhode Island and South Shore.

BCD Office Closed for Thanksgiving

The BCD Office will be closed Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, November 21 -23 to permit BCD staff to celebrate the holiday.

District Endowment Committee Appointed

The District Board at their November 12 meeting appointed several individuals to serve on the BCD Endowment Committee. The Endowment Committee, created by the BCD Bylaws, is charged with advising the Board concerning the management of funds designated by the Board as endowment funds, including investment and reinvestments. Appointed were Rev. Paul Sprecher, (Second Parish Hingham) Bill Fox (Unitarian Church of Sharon) and Ralph Brown (First Parish Hingham). There are also three ex officio members, Janet Richardi, BCD President, Mary Alice Smith, BCD Treasurer and Rev. Bill Zelazny, District Executive.

Congregations Invited to List Major Events on BCD Calendar

The BCD Website (www.bcduua.org) has a calendar that lists District and Association events. Congregations are also invited to list their major events such as holiday fairs, installations and other special celebrations. Send information to the BCD Office - ballouchanning@verizon.net - to have it listed on the calendar.

Employment Opportunities

Director of Religious Education (Part Time) -Second Parish in Hingham

Open immediately. Overall responsibility for religious education program in smaller Unitarian Universalist church. Manages and teaches in the religious education program which blends liberal UU beliefs and teachings with more traditional Bible-based teaching. Ability to engage parents necessary. Teaching experience with strong references is required. The position is for an average of 12 hours of work a week from August to June, three of those hours usually to be completed on Sunday mornings. The DRE will report to and will be evaluated annually by the minister.

More details at www.SecondParish.org/DRESearch.htm or call Rev. Paul Sprecher, 781-210-2016. Send resume to DRESearch@secondparish.org

District Annual Conference Date

The Ballou Channing District Annual meeting and Spring Conference is scheduled for April 27, 2013. It will be held at First Congregational Parish in Kingston, MA. Additional conference information will be available in January.

News from the Larger UU World

Clara Barton/Mass Bay District Offers Congregation Learning Workshops

The Clara Barton/Mass Bay Districts invite BCD congregation leaders to attend their Learning Congregation Workshops.

The up-coming workshops are:

Creating and Supporting Lay Pastoral Care Teams - Saturday, December 1, 2012
Beyond Fundraising: Building on Strengths to Create a Culture of Generosity - Saturday, January 26, 2013
Navigating Differences in the Beloved Community - Saturday, April 6, 2013
Evaluating Congregational Ministry - Saturday, May 11, 2012
Creating and Leading Dynamic Lay-Led Worship - Saturday, June 8, 2013

Congregations are encouraged to send teams. Programs are held on Saturdays 8:30 AM to 12:30 PM. For more information about each workshop and to register go to: http://www.cbd-mbd-uua.org/drupal/content/saturday-workshops.

All the workshops, trainings and conferences held in four districts in New England are open to UUs across the region without any fee differential. In the coming months there will be more news about cross-district programs and activities.

Gift Items Available from CLF On-line Store

The Church of the Larger Fellowship (CLF), the UU congregation without walls, offers a wide variety of UU-themed items perfect for the holidays. Go to https://www.questformeaning.org/shop to look at the merchandise available this year. This holiday season the CLF Shop is offering a 20% discount on all pewter and enamel items.Click on "Shop" and simply write the words"CLF Rocks!" in the Add Comments field. The discount will be processed within a week and offered as a credit card refund. Questions? 617-948-6150

For congregations wanting to dress up their holiday services, the CLF Shop also offers seasonal Order of Service covers and note cards.

UUA's Racial Justice and Multicultural Ministries Staff Group New Home Page

The RJMM Staff Group has been working to improve their web presence to make it more user-friendly, straightforward, and true to the work we're doing with leaders and communities across the Unitarian Universalist Association. The new site now offers links, entry points and UU programsfor engaging in multicultural ministry, the brand-new UUA study guide for The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness, the UUA's 2012-2013 Common Read; background on the "Doctrine of Discovery" resolution from Justice General Assembly and how to take action; and information about the Multicultural Leadership Institute.

Visit the website at www.uua.org/multiculturalism.

· Subscribe to the Justice Action News

The UUA's "Justice Action News" is a monthly e-news page where people can find justice resources, organizing campaigns, stories that will inspire and challenge, and updates on UU actions of public witness. In the November's issue, readers will find links for "Standing on the Side of Love" endeavors with Walmart workers, resources for the November 20th Transgender Day of Remembrance, Immigration Justice intergenerational activities for the winter holidays, information on the 30 Days of Love Campaign, a Social Action calendar, awards, and more.

To subscribe go to http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/o/1272/p/salsa/web/common/public/signup?signup_page_KEY=1357

Calendar

Nov 21-26       BCD Office closed - Thanksgiving

Dec 1-2           Senior Hi Con                                                                        TBA

Unitarian Church of Sharon, Sharon, MA

Dec 1^@            Creating and Supporting Lay Pastoral Care Teams S      8:30 a - 12:30 p

[a Clara Barton/Mass Bay District seminar]

First Parish UU, Northborough, MA

Dec 20-31       BCD Office closed - Holiday

2013

Jan 1               BCD Office closed - Holiday

Jan 12             BCD Board of Directors Winter Retreat & meeting          9:00 a- 2:00 p

First Parish Church, Cohasset, MA

Jan 26^@          Beyond Fundraising: Building on Strengths to Create     8:30 a - 12:30 p

a Culture of Generosity

[a Clara Barton/Mass Bay District seminar]

First Parish Church, Weston, MA

Jan 28-31        UUMA Center Institute for Excellence in Ministry

Tampa, FL

Feb 22            Senior Hi Con                                                                        TBA

First Unitarian Church, Providence, MA

Mar 2              Music Conference                                                                 TBA

Murray Unitarian Universalist Church, Attleboro, MA

Mar 3            Senior Hi Con

First Parish Church, Brewster, MA

Mar 18            BCD Board of Directors meeting                                        6:30 - 9:00 p

First Parish Church, Plymouth, MA

Mar 29-30New England Region Boards Gathering

Nashua, NH

Apr 6-7           Senior High Con

First Parish Duxbury, Duxbury, MA

Apr 6^@           Navigating Difference in the Beloved Community            8:30 a - 12:30 p

[a Clara Barton/Mass Bay District seminar]

First Parish UU, Northborough, MA

Apr 27             Spring Conference & Annual Meeting                               9:00 a - 1:00 p

First Congregational Parish, Kingston, MA

Apr 28            Rev Paul Langston-Daly installation                                   TBA

First Unitarian Church, New Bedford, MA

May 11           Junior High Con

First Parish Duxbury, Duxbury, MA

May 11^@         Evaluating Congregational Ministry                                   8:30 a - 12:30 p

[a Clara Barton/Mass Bay District seminar]

Location; TBA

May 20            BCD Board of Directors meeting                                        6:30 - 9:00 p

First Congregational Parish, Kingston, MA

Jun 8^@            Creating and Leading Dynamic Lay-Led Worship           8:30 a - 12:30 p

[Clara Barton/Mass Bay District seminar]

Location: TBA

Jun 19-23       General Assembly

Louisville, KY

^#Change of information from last BCD in Brief

^@New from last BCD in Brief