UUA Bookstore Web site includes new features

Now you can order books faster and easier from the redesigned UUA Bookstore Web site. It includes a new shopping cart feature, a streamlined search engine, an improved design to help you navigate the site, and book cover photos. The Web site also includes a place to register comments, says Rose Hanig, bookstore manager.

Check it out at www.uua.org/bookstore. You may also telephone the bookstore at (800) 215-9076. The Web site includes special categories for church administration and leadership, religious education, inspiration, pamphlets, etc.

. . . to do a membership accounting for the year. Update rolls with names of those who joined this spring. Add them to the UU World subscription list by e-mailing circulation@uua.org with their names and addresses and your congregation's identification number (find it next to your congregation's name in the UUA Directory); also send in names of those who have left the congregation. Then go back over your membership and visitor lists and check on those you haven't seen for a few weeks.

Are your buildings accessible? Do a survey for the following: Are there levered handles on all vital doors (restrooms, exterior, church office) that people with arthritic hands can use easily? Is there a bright strip of color on the leading edge of your steps, especially in poorly lighted areas? Are there ramps where needed? Are you providing large-print orders of service and handouts at other meetings?

From the Central Midwest District Committee on Disability and Accessibility.

Planning adult education courses for the fall? Remember the adult education e-mail list adult-re@uua.org and the UUbooks@uua.org list for discussing books, sermons, etc. Subscribe at www.uua.org/lists. Another resource is homestead.com/uubooks/uubooks.html.

The UUA's Florida District will be holding its District Leadership School Oct. 21-27 at a retreat center near Orlando. Contact the district at uuafldist@aol.com or the district office, 1901 E. Robinson Street #18, Orlando, FL 32803.

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Contact the Extension Ministry Administrator; 25 Beacon St., Boston MA 02108; (617) 742-2100, ext. 270. See also www.uua.org/cde/extension/.

A major obstacle that stewardship teams must overcome is that people think that canvassers come to call wanting thousands of dollars to support next year's budget. While this is basically true, the canvasser does not want the money all at one time. The challenge is to break those amounts into manageable parts that fit people's budgets.

Most people simply do not budget on an annual basis. They budget either weekly or monthly. For example a new member may be very able and willing to write a check each week for $25, but asking him or her for a pledge of $1300 -- the same amount over a year -- might cause them to hesitate.

Clear, concise communication is essential. It is the most difficult barrier for stewardship teams to overcome. People have the money. They are willing to give it to support the programs and activities in their church!

From Asking Makes a Difference, A Guide for Stewardship Teams, by Jerald L. King, UUA fundraising consultant, 2000. This book encourages and explains stewardship campaigns based on a year-round timetable. In order to make full use of the book, a computer disk is included to help congregations with scheduling a stewardship campaign, recruiting, and the orientation of canvassers. At the UUA Bookstore (800) 215-9076   #7020   $39.95

The Department of Religious Education has added a "Frequently Asked Questions" resource to its Web site, plus a Planning Guide for coordinating training for teachers at all levels of the OWL sex education program. See them at www.uua.org/re.

The following books are new at the UUA Bookstore (800) 215-9076, or visit www.uua.org/bookstore for more information.

The Prophetic Imperative, Social Gospel in Theory and Practice, by Rev. Richard S. Gilbert (Skinner House, 2001, 2nd ed.). A much-needed look at the role of social justice work in our congregations. Explores the connections between spirituality and social action. Helpfully presented in two parts: "Theoretical Foundations" and "Social Gospel in Practice." Contains vital advice and models to help congregations engage in effective justice work. Study guide is available at www.uua.org/re/curriculum.   #4470   $18.00

Doing Justice, Congregations and Community Organizing, Dennis A. Jacobsen (Augsburg Fortress, 2001). Drawing on the organizing principles of Saul Alinsky, the author weaves the theological and biblical warrants for community organizing into concrete strategies for achieving justice. Opens vistas for community action in support of the poor, the disadvantaged, and the disenfranchised.   #7227   $14.00

Never Call Them Jerks, Healthy Responses to Difficult Behavior, Arthur Paul Boers. (Alban Institute, 1999). No church is immune to the problems that can arise when parishioners behave in difficult ways. Responding to such situations with self-awareness and in a manner true to one's faith tradition makes the difference between peace and disaster. Helps congregational leaders to avoid the trap of labeling such members and to exercise self-care when the going gets rough.   #7181   $14.95

A new workshop guide is available for board members and denominational affairs committees to educate themselves and others about the UUA.

UUA 101 provides basic information about the UUA's structure, governance, services, and "money flow" in a workshop format. It could also be a topic for a congregational forum or district workshop.

View it at www.uua.org/apf/uua101. Questions? Contact the Annual Program Fund staff, (617) 742-2100, ext. 513.

Two new tools, designed to be used together to assess the overall ministry of a congregation, will be available at General Assembly and thereafter the UUA Department of Ministry.

The first tool, as yet unnamed, is for an assessment of the congregation and was developed by the Rev. Lawrence Peers and the Rev. John Buehrens. The second tool, for assessing the elected leaders and staff, is titled Leadership Assessment Guide for Governing Committees, Clergy, Professional and Lay Leaders of Unitarian Universalist Congregations.

"We're trying to get away from the old practice of simply keeping a scorecard on the minister," says Rev. Kenn Hurto, a member of the team that developed the leadership assessment guide. "These new tools are focused on what it is we're trying to do together as a congregation." The leadership assessment guide itself says, "This is not designed to be a personnel performance process. It is designed to be a process that deepens the ministry and the mission of the congregation."

The two tools may be ordered from the Department of Ministry, 25 Beacon St., Boston MA 02108; (617) 948-6437. There will be a charge for the documents.

The UUA Washington Office of Faith and Action will have overhauled its Web site by the time you read this. Go to www.uua.org/uuawo/issues to find pages on the following issues: campaign finance reform, charitable choice, hate crimes, reproductive freedom, responsible consumption, responsible tax policy, war on drugs, and School of the Americas, including what you can do about each issue.

The right name can help a social justice project. When Eastrose Fellowship UU, Gresham, OR (60 members), set out to collect new underwear and socks for homeless families through an interfaith network, it dubbed one Sunday in March "Undies Sunday."

Lynne Pfeiffer Spahn, coordinator of the project at Eastrose, first heard the name at UU Church of Palo Alto, CA, 15 years ago where "Undies Sunday" was -- and still is -- held each December.

Eastrose contributed four or five laundry baskets of underwear. "The congregation really got into it," says Spahn. "People made announcements each Sunday where the best underwear sales were! On Undies Sunday we put a basket at the front of the church and people came up with their contributions." The name was also adopted by the other churches in the project.

Another collection effort at Eastrose -- for food -- brought in lots of canned goods on "Souper Bowl Sunday," Spahn says.

A new five-session program "Stewardship, the Joy of Giving," is available free on the UUA Web site to educate all ages -- from school age through adulthood -- about responsible stewardship. See the curriculum at www.uua.org/re/curriculum/stewardguide.