Using the Washington Office as a Resource

The UUA Washington Office has created a new section on its Web site entitled Resources to Go. It includes documents that can be printed, copied, and distributed at your social justice meetings.

The articles there include information on more effective social justice work, using the news media, and fundraising for justice work. Articles are coming on how to include youth and young adults in social justice work and lobbying legislators.

The office encourages congregations to suggest helpful resources and to send in inspirational stories about their own justice work.

Now is the time . . .

To select delegates for General Assembly 2001, which is June 22 to 26 in Cleveland, OH. GA delegates from each congregation will elect the UUA president, moderator, and financial advisor.

Those who will be attending should make their reservations soon. for more information on GA 2001, check out www.uua.org/ga/.

Free On-line Subscriptions to InterConnections

InterConnections is mailed only to board members and professional staff of our congregations, but other leaders are eligible to receive the on-line version. Here's how simple it is to take advantage of this:

Anyone who is not receiving the newsletter is invited to sign up to get a short e-mail every time a new issue of the newsletter is ready. The e-mail will contain a headline description of the feature articles and a link to click that will pop the new issue right up on their computer screens.

Youth Group Priorities

When teens were asked in a Gallup poll to rank six aspects of life they considered important for youth in their religious communities, the chance for a good spiritual life through worshipping in church, studying the Bible, or through fellowship groups ranked at the bottom.

At the top was spending regular time with an adult who cares about them, such as a mentor, tutor, or coach. Second was an opportunity to serve the community through volunteer work or other charitable activities.

How-To Manual Available for UU Women's Groups

The manual offers governance models, women's history, resource lists, and easy-to-follow guides for rummage sales, childcare coops, retreats, and circle groups. The manual grew out of a retreat by 60 Minnesota UU women. Contributors include the UU Women's Heritage Society and the UU Women's Federation, with support from the Fund for Unitarian Universalism.

A new how-to manual for creating and energizing UU women's groups is available for $15 (payable to AUW) from the Association of Universalist Women, First Universalist Church, 3400 Dupont Ave., Minneapolis, MN 55408 or on-line to Diana Allen at diana@infinitejoy.com. Editorial inquiries to Mary Junge at mjunge@bpsi.net.

Congregation Starting Its Own Radio Station

The UU Fellowship of Porterville, CA (24 members), may soon have its own radio station. It has applied for and expects to receive a license for a low-power FM station permitting it to broadcast in a 3.5-mile radius.

The fellowship expects to use the station to broadcast educational messages as a means of increasing membership, says Hal Hill, the fellowship's director of religious education. The studio will probably be in the congregation's fellowship hall. Porterville is a community of about 30,000 people north of Bakersfield, CA.

The FCC permitted applications for such stations during brief periods recently. Only one application period remains, in May, and only for the following states: Alabama, Arkansas, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Montana, Nebraska, New Mexico, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Washington, and Guam. For more information go to the FCC Web site.

Just for fun

Go to selectsmart.com's Religion Selector to take a short quiz that purports to tell you which religion is right for you.

Field Staff Adopts Fair Employment Statement

The UUA field staff, including district executives, program consultants, and compensation consultants, has adopted a statement of fair employment which it will use when working with congregations in developing employment policies.

It is as follows: As a Unitarian Universalist community, institution, and employer, we are committed to living our UU principles in our relations with staff. We are committed to follow fair hiring, including affirmative action, review and termination practices; to support our employees with an active and informed personnel committee; to develop and implement excellent personnel policies; to provide honorable compensation in salary, benefits, and time off; to respect and support the work of our employees and to create positive working conditions as they work for the good of our community.

"We think this can serve as a base from which to work in right and fair relations with our employees," says Angela Merkert, Central MidWest District congregational services director and coauthor of the statement along with Rev. Robbie Cranch, district consultant for Pacific Central District. Congregations wishing to develop fair employment and fair compensation practices may get advice through their UUA district offices.

Keeping E-Mail In Bounds

The UUA sponsors an array of e-mail lists for leaders, including UUA-L, UU-LEADERS, MEMB-L, and UU-MONEY. Go to http://lists.uua.org/. for information on how to subscribe.

Worried about too much e-mail coming in? Each of the lists can be received in "digest" form, meaning that rather than arriving individually, complete messages are collected and grouped and sent daily or every few days. Just click the "Yes" button on the last question on the subscription page.

New UUA Staffing Guide for RE Now Available

The new UUA religious education staffing guide, named The Search for RE Leadership: Good Practices for Unitarian Universalist Congregations, is available on the UUA Web site.

The UUA RE Department has also published its first entirely on-line curriculum, called Stewardship: The Joy of Giving. It is available from the RE Web site.

To view and print either of these documents, you must have Adobe Acrobat Reader software, which can be found and downloaded at no cost here. Those who cannot view the documents on-line can receive paper copies by contacting Emily Mace, Religious Education Dept., UUA, 25 Beacon St., Boston, MA 02108; (617) 742-2100, ext. 371 or emace@uua.org.

Do World Subscription Changes Early and Often

Unsure about how or when to send in names of your new members so they can start receiving UU World magazine? Irene Greene, World circulation manager, says many congregations think they can send in additions and deletions only annually. Not so. Send them as often as you like, by post mail or e-mail. Always include the name of the congregation and its UUA ID number (found with your congregation's information in the UUA Directory in your congregational office). New folk should begin receiving the World in one to three months.

Have a question whether someone is already on the list? The World sends out a list of subscribers annually to each congregation. It should be on file in your office or with your membership chair. Also mailed out annually is a form to be returned with any changes you have at that time. Still have a question? Contact circulation@uua.org, but please be aware that if you've misplaced your list of subscribers, a new one takes time to produce.

UU World on Audio Tape

Are there people in your congregation whose eyesight is impaired and would benefit from receiving an audio tape of UU World magazine? Tapes are now available, in four-track format. Contact Rachael Brown in the UUA Religious Education Department, rbrown@uua.org; (617) 948-6454. Tapes are for vision-impaired and dyslexic people only.

From the UUA Bookstore: New Books For Lay Leaders

The following new books for lay leaders and clergy are available from the UUA Bookstore (800) 215-9076.

• Learning While Leading: Increasing Your Effectiveness in Ministry, by Anita Farber-Robertson. Three case studies provide specific techniques for clergy and lay leaders to learn new ways to lead. Clergy will find real-life examples of how more effective leadership enhances the life of the community and promotes the deepening of members' faith. (Alban Institute, 2000). 153 pp. #7022 $15.95

• The Very Large Church: New Rules for Leaders, by Lyle E. Schaller. A new rule book for the 21st century. Helps church leaders understand how to make the transition to the megachurch culture while retaining integrity. (Abingdon Press, 2000). 247 pp. # 7025 $20.00

Providing Information for Sunday Visitors

What to include in a Sunday morning packet for first-time church visitors? The First Religious Society of Newburyport, MA, UU (310 members), hands out the following in a 6 by 9-inch envelope:

Letter from the minister, one-page history of the society, tri-fold brochure with statements from eight members explaining why they belong, Dinner for Eight flyer, a newsletter, brochure on social justice activities, brochure on children's RE (called "Young Church"), and the following UUA brochures: "Meet the Unitarian Universalists" (Mendelsohn); "Should My Child Go to Sunday School?" (Larsen); "Becoming a Member" (Guild). Brochures are available from the UUA Bookstore (800) 215-9076.

Thank You Notes

The Mt. Diablo UU Church, Walnut Creek, CA (369 members), has a HATS OFF bulletin board for "honors, accolades, and thanks" where friends and members can write and post notes that recognize contributions of volunteers.