Readers Respond I was interested in your article about preschools renting
church space. As the president of a parent-run preschool . . . I think
that the mix of preschool and religious institution is great, as many
congregations don't have much going on during weekdays, and the income
from the school can defray costs. Additionally, it is a great service
to the community to offer a preschool in a liberal, inclusive environment.
A great way to spread our values and to be known for who we are! I much appreciated the article in your Fall 2006 issue "Meaningful
Worship Requires Attention, Focus." Having conducted worship in
our churches and church schools for over fifty years, I have come to
some conclusions that might be helpful to your readers. With the exception
of some very special Sunday services, our children belong in the church
school on Sunday mornings. If you compare the time for church school
lessons with the hours children spend in almost any other aspect of
their lives, we come off on the very, very short end. Having the children
spend fifteen minutes in the adult service watching someone light a
chalice or tell a story will not solve our children's or our adults'
needs. I just read "Meaningful Worship Requires Attention, Focus."
I enjoy reading what congregations are doing across the nation. But,
I am tired of reading about ministers who say that reading a story to
children during a service is "the wrong way." This is just
not true. One thing in the latest issue of InterConnections concerned me, and
it was the comment about "crying babies" in the piece about
worship. Your mention of crying babies was listed like an annoyance,
and while some people may not like the sound, to me it is a sound of
growth and celebration-our UU faith is being passed on to younger generations!
When I preach at congregations, I tell them one of the best things they
can do is get used to the sound of crying babies and learn to like it!
First Contemporary Worship Conference Congregations looking to liven up worship will want to
know about the UUA's first Conference on Contemporary Worship, February
22-24, at the First UU Church,
San Diego, Calif. The program will feature worship experiences;
a keynote presentation by Marcia McFee, (marciamcfee.com),
an author, worship designer, preacher, and artist; and 17 workshops,
including some led by UUs Jeanne Gagne, Ken Herman, and Sarah Dan Jones,
all of whom have created contemporary worship experiences at General
Assembly and in their congregations. The fee is $250; students pay $100.
Redesign for UUA.org The uua.org website is undergoing its first comprehensive
redesign since its creation in 1996. The first public phase of the new
look will be online by the end of March 2007, although work will continue
throughout the year. The goal, says website manager Julie Albanese,
is a "more user-friendly, intuitive, welcoming, accessible website
for all users." CLF's Prison Ministry Needs Letter Writers Looking for a social justice project that people can do
alone, at home, or in groups? Almost 300 prisoners have joined the Unitarian
Universalist Church of the Larger Fellowship, and dozens are still
waiting to be matched with UU penpals through CLF's "Letter Writing
Ministry." Groundwork Offers Antiracism Training Groundwork, the Unitarian Universalist Youth and Young
Adult Anti-Racism Training and Organizing Program (formerly known as
AR TOP), has trainers available to conduct antiracism trainings for
churches, schools, and community groups. The trainers, youth or young
adults, participate in a three-year leadership development program emphasizing
empowerment of young people and building relationships with community
partners. New Children's Songbook May This Light Shine is a new songbook for children and youth from the UU Musicians Network. Single copy, $8; bundle of five plus a director/accompanist book, $50. Includes worship and holiday, from Mozart to Tanzanian gospel.
Association Sundays Part Of 'Now Is The Time' Stewardship Campaign Congregations will be invited to participate next fall
in the UUA's "Now is the Time" stewardship and development
campaign, an effort to create a fund that will be used for various types
of congregational growth. The UUA's Stewardship and Development staff
group will coordinate the campaign. District Website Makes It Easier for Visitors Congregations in the Baltimore/Washington, D.C., area
have created a district website to help church shoppers find them and
learn about Unitarian Universalism. Congregation
Creates Social Justice Fund To Honor Ministry Looking for a way to celebrate senior minister the Rev.
Jon Luopa's 25 years in ministry, members of University
Unitarian Church in Seattle, Wash., made a substantial commitment
to social justice by contributing $130,000 to establish the Social Justice
Program Fund at the church. One donor made a $50,000 challenge gift,
which inspired other friends and members to contribute another $80,000.
The money will be used to hire a social justice coordinator. Electronic Newsletter More Fun Than Paper The Pacific Central District of the Unitarian Universalist
Association of Congregations is using a new weekly online newsletter
format from constantcontact.com
that is suitable for districts or congregations. Corrections The description of an Alban Institute book, When a Congregation
is Betrayed: Responding to Clergy Misconduct, in the Fall 2006 issue
of InterConnections, should have included the Rev. Deborah Pope-Lance
as a co-author. Pope-Lance, a UU minister and licensed marriage and
family therapist, is an affiliate community minister with the First
Parish in Wayland, Mass. Church
Seeks, Signs For-Profit Tenant See "Be
Careful What You Wish For: You, Too, Can Rent Your Church Buildings" |
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