Resources

Discussion guide available for Muhammad: the Story of a Prophet and Reformer

The Faith Development Office of the Unitarian Universalist Association is publishing a three-part, free, online discussion guide for the new Skinner House book, Muhammad: The Story of a Prophet and Reformer, by Sarah Conover.

The book offers younger readers and those who read with them “an encounter with a man quite different from the Muhammad often seen in Western popular culture,” according to publicity for the book. Conover relates the story of a radical prophet who challenged the rich and powerful, guided his community of followers through a dangerous time of persecution and exile, formed alliances with people of different beliefs, and preached “love for humanity what you love for yourself.”

Part One of the discussion guide is available now. It includes a 75-minute workshop for people aged 10 and up, using art and discussion to build knowledge about Islam and compare it to Unitarian Universalism.

Parts Two and Three of the discussion guide will be published later this fall and will be designed for combined groups of youth and adults. Part Two will explore contemporary stereotypes of Muslims. Part Three will examine interfaith relationships, including the interfaith roots of Unitarianism.

Conover is also co-author of Ayat Jamilah: Beautiful Signs: A Treasury of Islamic Wisdom for Children and Parents.

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Accompaniment tracks available for hymns

The UU Musicians Network is making available recorded accompaniment tracks for certain hymns and other pieces used in worship. The tracks were created for use by congregations that have limited music resources.

Accompaniment tracks are available for Comfort Me [P. 1002 in Singing the Journey], De Colores [P. 305 in Singing the Living Tradition], The Fire of Commitment [P. 1028 in Singing the Journey], and Gather the Spirit [P. 347 in Singing the Living Tradition].

For each hymn there is a piano accompaniment and a second track with piano and saxophone. The tracks are free. The UUMN would like to hear from congregations that find these useful. Email uumn at uumn.org.  The network will consider making more tracks available if these initial ones prove useful.

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‘Assembled 2013’ features major GA presentations

Assembled 2013, a collection of sermons and other major presentations from this past General Assembly in Louisville, is available from the UUA Bookstore as an eBook.

Assembled includes the Ware Lecture by Eboo Patel, the Berry Street Essay by the Rev. Donald E. Robinson, the sermon from the Service of the Living Tradition by Rev. Vanessa Rush Southern, and Rev. William F. Schulz’ sermon from Sunday morning worship.

The collection is $6 from Amazon and $4.62 from Google Play. A similar collection, Assembled 2012, is available from GA 2012.

The theme of General Assembly was “From Promise to Commitment,” about calling UUs and congregations into relationship.

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Pittsburgh creates congregational history model

The Unitarian Church of Pittsburgh, Penn., has a long and storied history and now much of that history is posted on the congregation’s website. With the help of a grant from the Unitarian Universalist Funding Panel, the congregation has posted a collection of letters and sermons dating from 1825. The letters describe the state of religion in western Pennsylvania in that early time and the difficulties encountered by Unitarians.

The letters include some from Martha St. John, wife of a minister, describing church life in the 1890s from her perspective. There are also many sermons from the congregation’s long line of ministers.

Kathleen Parker, coordinator of the project and a member of First Unitarian, said several factors came together to make it happen. “First, there were people in our congregation who knew enough to save valuable records over time. Second, I’m a historian and I was open to a new project.” Parker is editor of the Journal of Unitarian Universalist History.

Parker spent six years writing Here We Have Gathered: The Story of Unitarian Universalism in Western Pennsylvania, 1808-2008. She catalogued the records of the six area congregations. The collection is now housed at the Heinz Regional History Center in Pittsburgh. She also had 65 photos enlarged into photo panels for an exhibit. In addition to the book, the collection of paper records, and the photo exhibit, a fourth part of the project was to put some of the sermons and other documents online.

She explained why her congregation’s history means so much to her. “When I stand in the congregation of my church and we are singing our favorite hymns, or listening to the choir, I often look around at our 110-year-old sanctuary and consider the many generations of congregants who met in the same space and shared the same liberal outlook that we hold today. It’s important to realize that, yes,  they were here––and the photographs and documents that remain remind us of the reality of their presence and the words they wrote speak of their devotion to liberal religion and what it meant to live out that ideal in their time.”

She added, “The documents that church members of the past left behind are precious keys to the vital heritage we have inherited and should preserve––a heritage we cannot know unless we search the lessons found in these valuable records.”

The UU History and Heritage Society invites congregations to contact it for help in collecting their own histories. Its webpage includes the following: Tools for Creating Congregational Histories. An InterConnections article on creating congregational histories is here.

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New books about congregational fundraising, storytelling in worship

The following Skinner House titles are now available for pre-order through the UUA Bookstore:

The Generosity Path: Finding the Richness in Giving, by Mark Ewert, (available Dec. 20, $14). Ewert is a UUA congregational stewardship consultant. He writes about stewardship issues on his blog, Generosity Path.com. From the book description: “Financial giving can be a spiritual path. We have a deep potential for meaning-making and life satisfaction when we transform ourselves from occasional, haphazard donors to deliberate, ambitious philanthropists.”

A Good Telling: Bringing Worship to Life with Story, by Kristin Maier, (available  October 9, $16). Using the art of storytelling to enrich worship. Includes workshop materials to build storytelling skills, and resources for appropriate stories.

Other new books, suitable for adult education or book groups, include the following:

Where Two Worlds Touch: A Spiritual Journey Through Alzheimer’s, by Jade Angelica, (available December 16, $16).  Angelica chronicles her mother’s journey through Alzheimer’s and her own experiences with grief and the unexpected gifts that can come with this disease.

Jewish Voices in Unitarian Universalism, edited by Leah Hart-Landsberg and Marti Keller, (available Jan. 22, $14). A collection of reflections from people who are both UU and Jewish. From the book description: “While there has been a long and consistent presence of Jewish culture and people in Unitarian Universalism, this poignant anthology is the first to give voice to this community’s struggles, wisdom, and contributions. Essayists include born Jews who came to Unitarian Universalism, Unitarian Universalists who adopted Judaism as a spiritual path, and Unitarian Universalists who have encountered Judaism in diverse ways.”

Discounts are available for multiple copies.

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Test of accessibility certification program underway

A two-year field test is underway to create a program that will help congregations become more welcoming to people with disabilities.

EqUUal Access, in partnership with the Unitarian Universalist Association, has developed a program that will allow congregations to work toward certification in the area of accessibility and inclusion.

EqUUal Access is a UU group that advocates for increased inclusion and access in congregations and throughout the UUA. A pilot test of the certification process is underway in ten congregations. The certification program is expected to be available to all congregations by 2015, said the Rev. Barbara F. Meyers, chair of the EqUUal Access Policy Committee, and coordinator of the certification effort.

The program, with the working title Disability/Ability Action Program, leads congregations through a process that begins with an assessment of how accessible it is. The program helps congregations learn about accessibility issues through worship, workshops, and other means. When the certification program has been completed a congregation can vote to be recognized by EqUUal Access.

The program is modeled after the UUA’s Welcoming Congregation and Green Sanctuary programs. Said Meyers, “We are highlighting the religious and spiritual dimensions of becoming certified. Our certification program addresses changing hearts and living our faith, not just building ramps and installing hearing loops, as important as those actions are.” For information about the program, contact Meyers at com_minister@mpuuc.org.

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Film explores LGBT crisis in Uganda, urges support

Congregations have an opportunity to stand against the oppression of LGBT people in Uganda. A new documentary film, God Loves Uganda, which explores a campaign by Western evangelical religious leaders to promote intolerance and punishment for LGBT people in Africa, is available for viewing by congregations. A movie trailer is on the website.

The film follows prominent conservative American and Ugandan religious leaders who are actively attempting to create an African culture based on religious bigotry and Biblical intolerance.

The Rev. Mark Kiyimba, minister of the Unitarian Universalist Congregation in Kampala, Uganda and who runs a housing program for HIV orphans, homeless LGBT youth and others, is asking UU congregations in North America to raise their voices against this tide of intolerance.

In a video posted on the Standing on the Side of Love website Kiyimba said there are religious leaders and others in Uganda who do support LGBT people, but without backing from North American allies, they are afraid to speak out.

Kiyimba urges congregations to view the film and decide how they could support LGBT people in Uganda. To view the film, fill out an online application. Next to your  congregation’s name on the application add the letters “UUA” to receive a reduced rate of $150 for screening the film.

The film will be shown in theaters in New York City, Los Angeles, Washington, D.C., and San Francisco. Congregations in those cities will not be permitted to show the film. They are urged  instead to gather groups to attend one of the movie screenings. Bulk ticket prices will be available. Screenings around the country will be listed on the God Loves Uganda website as they are scheduled.

Congregations are also invited to support a fund created by the Unitarian Universalist Association and the UU United Nations Office, called the UUA/UU-UNO LGBT Uganda Fund, either by direct contributions or by naming it as a Share-the-Plate recipient.

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UU Social Media Lab a place for questions

The UU Social Media Lab on Facebook has included the following discussions in recent weeks:

• Whether to make worship services available on DVD, livestreaming, or by posting the files onto websites and Facebook pages. And if posting to websites, to be mindful to omit music that is copyrighted unless permissions have been obtained.

• From a congregation that loans its folding chairs for public events: How can the chairs be creatively marked to promote the congregation’s mission?

• Locating email newsletter software that will allow creation of PDFs so it can be added later to a website.

• Reviewing and rating your congregation on Yelp as a way of attracting seekers. Try this. Go to yelp.com, put in the name of your congregation, and see what comes up.

Join the lab (registration required) for discussions about a variety of topics around how congregations can and do use social media.

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Growth, Resources

Tips to recruit and retain volunteers

On the blog Growing Vital Leaders, the Rev. Renee Ruchtozke, leadership development consultant for the Central East Regional Group of the Unitarian Universalist Association, offers some tips for recruiting volunteers. In brief, find out what each member’s gifts and passions are and help them find a role that feeds them, notes Ruchtozke, drawing on information from Bonnie Blosser, the director of lifelong learning at the Unitarian Fellowship of Lawrence, Kans. See the blog entry “Your Trash, Another’s Treasure.” Also read the comments for more information.

If someone is being fed, say Ruchtozke and Blosser, they are less likely to burn out or fade away. And if you find a volunteer who seems to be struggling, make it possible for them to give up part of that job to someone who might enjoy it more. Or leave it empty to see if someone will step into it. It’s important, Blosser says, to “walk beside” the volunteer. “Sometimes just knowing you have someone you can turn to helps you to plow through.”

Growing Vital Leaders is a blog of the Central East Regional Group that focuses on ideas, tips, and tools on leadership formation. Recent blog topics have included congregational communications and management issues.

Many other articles and several webinars on volunteer recruitment are here.

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Resources

Resources to help you start new church year right

From our August InterConnections feature, now online at UUA.org:

The new church year is underway. Newly elected board members have been on the job since June or July at many congregations, and board retreats are scheduled this month or next. Religious education offerings have been organized and added to the calendar, and worship themes have been developed.

But there is still a lot to do and to think about as a new church year gets underway. For those times when you need information but don’t know where to find it, turn to InterConnections. For 15 years, InterConnections has been reporting about issues that leaders grapple with, and most of that information is online, available at the drop of a search word.

Go to full article.

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