Opportunities for Connection-CERUUA Update March 2019

You are invited to join us for General Assembly June 19-23, 2019 in Spokane, WA for The Power of We.

What do we want Unitarian Universalism to be? It is a time when we are asking big questions in our faith, and GA 2019 will be focused on digging into those questions together. It is a critical chance for congregational leaders and passionate UUs to set new goals and aspirations for our religious community. Help begin to reshape our Association and our congregations in new and powerful ways.

Important dates to remember and webpage to check:

Financial Aid for General Assembly - Financial aid for General Assembly is available in the form of working volunteer positions as well as registration scholarships and travel grants. GA Volunteers exchange a set number of hours of work at GA for a full-time GA registration. There are several different funding sources available via the General Assembly Unified Scholarship Application, including additional funding committed by the UUA Administration to the 2018 budget to facilitate the participation of People of Color and Indigenous (POCI) Persons at GA. Anyone with a relationship to a Unitarian Universalist congregation or UU organization (covenanted community) is encouraged to apply. Financial Aid applications are accepted March 1 through March 31.
Registration opens March 1.
Housing Reservations open March 1 at 12 noon EST.

Learn more about the program, the Ware Lecturer and find Marketing materials at the UUA website GA pages.

The Central East Region is excited to announce the creation of a new week-long youth leadership experience happening this summer in 2019. Rising River will include several aspects of the previous Goldmine Leadership School but with lots of new exciting changes.

At River Rising Youth will spend a week creating community and learning to care for that community spiritually, pastorally and physically. They will have conversations about how Unitarian, Universalist and Unitarian Universalist values influence their own sense of purpose and work on articulating their own faith based values. We’ll approach leadership as a continual process of self reflection, group processing and practice work. And we’ll have a lot fun just hanging out and playing together!

Interested in learning more? Read Shannon's Blog about why we made this change or visit the River Rising information page.

This year we are offering 2 locations and 2 dates.

CER Summer Institute Hosts Dr. Ysaye Barnwell
Don't know about you but we've been dreaming of CERSI (formerly SI) during these dreary days of winter. Sunshine, old and new friends, engaging programming, worship, music. Ahh! This 40th year of magic promises to be especially memorable with our theme speaker Dr. Ysaye Barnwell, a power speaker and musician. Join us July 7-13, 2019 at Oberlin College, OH. Registration opens March 15. More info at www.cersiuu.org.

UUMAC: one-week, residential family camp for UUs, including YOU!
Loved by kids of all ages, this is a peak life experience for those who have been in attendance. Not kidding! Located on an idyllic college campus in Central PA, someone else cooks AND cleans: vegan, vegetarian, omnivore, and with MANY and VARIED allergy requests. The children go to programming in the morning. You can have some free time or do a fun workshp with others. This year's theme talks are on Non-Violent Communication let by the Rev. Lora Kim Joyner. Check the YouTube video on the UUMAC website homepage for more information. Contact Ann Andrex, andrexes@comcast.net for detailed help or encouragement.

I’ve seen several versions of a cartoon which shows the unfortunate result of a traffic altercation – a person laid up in the hospital speaking or a tombstone inscribed with the words: "But I Had the Right of Way!"

It’s all too human to want to be right, to insist that we are right in the face of disagreement. It takes introspection and patience to stop, take a breath, and try to look at things from other perspectives. Without that perspective, we often do damage to our relationships, our organizations, and ourselves.

Read the rest of the article

Did you know that UUCSJ and UUSC host visiting youth groups at our Cambridge office on Fridays in March, April and May? If your youth group is coming to Boston this spring and would be interested in learning more about the work and programs of CSJ and UUSC, please email us at info@uucsj.org or call us at 617-301-4347 to schedule a time.
If you are interested in having UUCSJ help you plan an extended youth visit that includes elements of our Activate youth justice programs, contact Angela Kelly at akelly@uucsj.org.

Because of the current situation at the border, UUSC and UUCSJ have been getting a lot of requests for support and solidarity and a lot of requests for volunteer opportunities. The landscape there is changing quite rapidly, so the UUCSJ/UUSC team has put together a google doc with a list of all opportunities to support asylum seekers at the border. It will be updated regularly. Please feel free to share or to point people here if they are asking for opportunities. bit.ly/BorderSolidarity.

The Music Leadership Certification Program (MLCP) is a program of the Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA) that summons music leaders to their calling of music ministry, enriches their service to Unitarian Universalist congregations, and enhances their professional perspective and skills. Over the course of the three year program, music leaders in our congregations develop a foundational understanding of three main areas of knowledge: music skills and resources, UU heritage and values, and leadership and interpersonal skills. The deadline to apply is March 15th. For more information, as well as the application form, visit the website at https://www.uua.org/careers/music/certification-requirements Contact Pat Kahn, Professional Development Programs Manager at pkahn@uua.org if you have questions.

2019 Intergenerational Spring Seminar - "Equity in Action: Gender in an Intersecting World" - New York City, April 11-13, 2019. Registration is open through February 25; rates increase after Jan 21. Applications are now open to apply for reduced registration rates. We also have a special discount rate for young adult participants (age 18-35) which includes lodging at the hostel where youth and their sponsors stay. The UU United Nations Office is excited to host this year’s Intergenerational Spring Seminar on gender equity in collaboration with the UU College of Social Justice. Programming will be interactive and intergenerational, encouraging participants to challenge their assumptions, connecting their activism with grounding in UU faith, and empowering them with the tools to bring back to their communities to make change locally and globally. More at www.uua.org/unspringseminar

New publications from the UUA - New from Skinner House books is The Interfaith Family Journal by Rev. Nancy McDonald Ladd by Suzan Katz Miller and After the Good News: Progressive Faith Beyond Optimism. Check the Publications Page additional reviews and book details.

The UUA is hiring for several positions. Find job descriptions and application information at their Job Openings webpage.

The following events are upcoming in the region. For full details and a complete list visit the CER Calendar Page. Also, please note, if you are mailing a check to pay for your event to us, you must write the name and date of the event in the memo line. Otherwise we may not get it properly credited.

Youth Ministry Revival ~ Bethesda, MD ~ March 1-3, 2019
Jubilee Workshop ~ Devon, PA ~ March 8-10, 2018
PA Media Youth Cluster Conference ~ Media, PA ~ March 8-10, 2019
The Healthy Congregation ~ Rochester, NY ~ March 9, 2019
Restorative Practices for Faith Communities ~ Hastings on Hudson, NY ~ March 16, 2019
UNY Junior High Con ~ Buffalo, NY ~ March 23-24, 2019
Fundamentals of Healthy Youth Ministry ~ Columbia, MD~ March 23, 2019
Commissioned Lay Ministry Retreat West ~ Delaware, OH ~ March 29-31, 2019
UNY Youth Conference ~ Schenectady, NY ~ March 29-31, 2019
MNY Youth Conference ~ Danbury, CT ~ March 29-31, 2019
OM Spring Youth Conference ~ Kirtland, OH ~ April 5-7, 219
Restorative Practices for Faith Communities ~ Oneonta, NY ~ April 6, 2019
Small and Mighty ~ Jamestown, NY ~ April 6, 2019
UU-UNO Intergenerational Seminar ~ New York, NY ~ April 10-13, 2019
Seaway Gathering ~ May 3-4, 2019
Commissioned Lay Ministry Retreat East ~ New Harford, NY ~ May 24-26, 2019

The following webinars will take place in the region the next two months. For full details and a complete list visit the CER Webinars Calendar .

Annual Program Fund Open Office Hours every Monday, 5-6 pm ET with Norrie Gall, Congregational Giving Manager. https://zoom.us/j/6179486514
Money Matters Roundtable - March 11 at 7 pm with Patricia Infante for anyone who is involved with money in the congregation.
Curriculum Conundrums LFD Webinar ~ March 18, 2019 at 7 pm with Patricia Infante.
Money Matters Roundtable - April 8 at 7 pm with Patricia Infante for anyone who is involved with money in the congregation.
The following online Renaissance Modules are currently open for registration:

Teacher Development on Tuesdays, starting March 5th
Administration as Leadership on Thursdays starting April 4th
UU Identity on Tuesdays starting April 9th

Our congregations and clusters in the region have many exciting activities and announcements going on. For a complete listing of events, visit the CER Congregations and Clusters Calendar Page. For news and to see which congregations are hiring, please visit our News Blog for listings.

Voices in Action MUUsic Fest ~ Princeton, NJ ~ March 9, 2019
Jr/Sr High OWL Training of Facilitators ~ Canton, NY ~ March 15-17, 2019
Volunteerism: The Struggle is Real ~ Philadelphia, PA ~ March 16, 2019
Installation of Rev. Charlotte Lehman ~ March 23, 2019
Installation of Rev. Julie Kain ~ March 24, 2019
Ordination of Norman Allen ~ March 24, 2019
Ordination of Leonisa Ardizzone ~ April 7, 2019
To Being the World Over Again Movie Screening ~ Collegeville, PA ~ April 12, 2019
Singers Workshop ~ Media, PA ~ April 13, 2019
Annual Long Island Area Council Dinner and Workshop ~ Manhassett, NY ~ April 13, 2019
UU Buddhist Fellowship Annual Convocation, Garrison, NY ~ April 25-28, 2019. Registration is now open.
UUPLAN Annual Meeting ~ April 26-27, 2019. Registration is now open.
Camping in the Grove at Murray Grove Retreat Center, Lanoka Harbor, NJ ~ August 4-8, 2019. Registration is now open.

If your congregation or cluster has news or events to share, please send it to us at bcasebolt@uua.org

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Central East Region of the UUA
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