How Accessible Is Your Congregation?

Is your congregation accessible? The UUA curriculum, Weaving the Fabric of Diversity: An Anti-Bias Program for Adults, includes an exercise to help determine your degree of accessibility, covering architecture (ramps, elevators, parking, washrooms); communication (sound systems, large-print orders of service), and attitude (awareness programs, involvement with groups institutionally housed nearby). The curriculum addresses racism, ableism, heterosexism, ageism and classism. Available through the UUA Bookstore. The UUA's accessibility resource contact is Jacqui James.

Youth Advisor Training

New trainers are available in every UUA district to train youth advisors. These new trainers can offer one- or two-day training sessions for adults interested in gaining the needed skills. Contact your district office or the Youth Office at the UUA (617-742-2100 x355) to find out the name of your district youth advisor trainer.

New Resources For Your Congregation From the UUA Bookstore:

Fundraising With a Vision: A Canvass Guide for Congregations, a canvass manual by Edward Landreth; #7250, $25

The Art of Facilitation: How to Create Group Synergy, by Dale Hunter, Anne Bailey and Bill Taylor. This is a training resource to help group members understand and practice effective facilitation; #5218, $17.95

We Light This Chalice, a collection of chalice lightings by the Rev. David Johnson, Brookline, MA. Drawn from sources such as Black Elk, Madeleine L'Engle, John Murray and Rabindranath Tagore; #4010, $5

Rejoice Together: Prayers for Family, Individual and Small-Group Worship, collected by Helen Pickett. Helpful for creating worship services at home or in small groups. Includes opening words, table graces, devotions, readings and prayers for seasonal celebrations and bedtime. (Skinner House); #1850, $9

Compact Discs

Grigolian Chants ($15). Largely a cappella rounds, chants and songs of spiritual transformation and healing by the Rev. Mary E. Grigolia.

Bring Many Names ($15), 20 songs from Singing the Living Tradition, recorded by the Chancel Choir of First Unitarian Church of Oakland, CA.

Comin' Up Shouting ($15), gospel music and spirituals arranged and directed by the Rev. John Andrew Ross, minister of music at First Parish in Brookline, MA.

To order by credit card or to bill your congregation call 1-800-215-9076 or send orders with a check or money order, including $3 handling, to UUA Bookstore, 25 Beacon Street, Boston, MA 02108.

The UUA Video Loan Library has moved. Videos in the UUA program may now be rented through The Etc. Co., 8080 Pierpont Road, Bloomfield, NY 14469. Contact Kathy Rogers at 716-229-5325 or by fax at 716-229-2857. Catalogs are also available. Orders by e-mail may be placed at uuavideo@juno.com. There is a $15 charge for each rental.

Social Justice Empowerment Workshops Available: Facilitators from the UUA's Social Justice Empowerment Program are available to lead workshops for congregations which need assistance with their social action programs. The facilitators can help if:
*There is a serious conflict in your congregation about its role in making social change. *The social justice committee is stifling the potential for the development of action groups that will carry out major projects. *Members of the congregation are having trouble knowing what issues to focus on. *Action groups are in place, but participants are unable to coordinate the program, recruit volunteers, fund projects and create publicity.

Since 1991, 75 congregations have called on the services of the facilitators from the Social Justice Empowerment Program to lead workshops. For more information contact the Rev. Dr. William Gardiner in the Faith in Action Department, 617-742-2100, x450. JUST-UUs, a UUA-sponsored electronic discussion group for people interested in social justice, can be accessed from the UUA Website.

Copies of the 1997 Clergy and Church Staff Compensation Report are available in the UUA's Office of Church Staff Finances. Copies were mailed to presidents of all congregations in October. For additional copies contact Shelli Hezekiah, 617-742-2100, x421.

The catalog for the UUA's Skinner House Books is now on-line. Check it out at (http://www.uua.org/skinner). It includes a news page with the latest Skinner House news and announcements, and a "Meet the Authors" page with author biographies and photos as well as submission guidelines. The catalog is searchable by title or subject area and it is updated frequently.

Anti-Racism Group Changes Its Name To Broaden Focus: The UUA's Black Concerns Working Group has formally changed its name to the Jubilee Working Group for Anti-Racism, reflecting the committee's accountability to a broader constituency than that represented by black/white concerns. The group is best known for its "Creating a Jubilee World" workshops for congregations. The group's newest member is Layla Rivera, a born-and-raised UU of Latina heritage.

For information on arranging workshops for your congregation, contact Susan Leslie, program coordinator, Department for Faith in Action. 617-742-2100, x607.

The UUA Web site has information about UUA resources for your congregation's fund development and financial management. "Be Our Guest," which outlines those resources, is in the Fundraising Area. Information on the Annual Program Fund, to which member congregations contribute in support of the Association's work, is also accessed there. Individuals can also learn the status of APF contributions from their and other congregations through the District Monthly Reports. All of the materials mentioned above are available in hardcopy by calling Izabel DeAraujo, 617-742-2100, x 512.
 

A new report, Economic Realities of the UU Ministry, is available online. Hard copies are also available from the Rev. Ellen Brandenburg in the Education Office of the Department of Ministry. It is designed for persons considering preparations for the UU ministry as well as congregations sponsoring seminary students. Call Ellen at 617-742-2100 x402.

Welcoming Congregation Updated: A training session for the newly modified and updated Welcoming Congregation curriculum will be offered one day prior to Interweave's February 26-27 convocation at Orlando, FL. The new curriculum includes additional help for leaders. It will be available through the UUA Bookstore in the fall of 1998. For information contact Keith Kron, director of the Office of Bisexual, Gay, Lesbian and Transgender Concerns at 617- 742-2100, x465.