International News from the UUA (iNews)
Contents:
I. A Ritual for Ingathering Water Communion Services: With an international focus
Congregations are invited to make use of a new Water Communion liturgy from the UUA's International Resources office. The liturgy is adaptable to a variety of contexts. Though Water Communion services vary greatly from congregation to congregation, they are generally an excellent opportunity to express commitment to our Sixth Principle: We Covenant to Affirm and Promote the Goal of World Community with Peace, Liberty and Justice for All. The International Resources Office also offers a general Water Ceremony/Communion resource (PDF), in the framework of the "Faith Without Borders" program, offering suggestions for Sixth Principle ministry in the areas of spirituality, education, advocacy, partnership, stewardship, pilgrimage & witness, and associational leadership. Read more about the IRO's 2009 Water Communion liturgy here! II. Videos from General Assembly Now Available Full video coverage of General Assembly 2009 workshops "A Theology of International Engagement" and "A Pilgrimage to Africa" are now available online for viewing. Click images below to view the videos:
Additional video from Opening Worship and from the Introduction of International Guests at Plenary is also available:
See also:
III. Sharing Global Faith
Grounded in the goal of world community with peace, liberty and justice for all, Sharing Global Faith invites Unitarians and Universalists from around the world to deepen and enrich our shared global faith. The international devotional will be distributed on the second Monday of every month starting in April, 2009 and running through September, 2009. Each publication will address a central issue in the development of faith-life and will include thoughtful responses from a diverse geographical selection of U/U spiritual leaders. Topics range from freedom to fellowship, justice to hope. Alongside the monthly e-resource, the devotional's webpage will host additional information about the project and each of the contributors. Read the most recent devotional online! IV. Leadership for a Religiously Diverse World
Interfaith Youth Core's (IFYC) 6th Conference, Leadership for a Religiously Diverse World, will engage participants in the question of how young people can be the architects of a global movement of interfaith service. This Conference will offer:
IFYC welcomes faith leaders, educators, researchers, student leaders, community activists, civic leaders, media professionals, funding professionals, and policy influencers. Join interfaith youth movement colleagues from across the country as IFYC explores interfaith leadership in today's world! Register today!
V. News from the ICUU New ICUU Executive Secretary and Program Coordinator Named
Click here to read the official press release.
September 1-5, 2009 The Council Meeting will run from Tuesday 1 September, 2009 (arrivals) to Saturday 5 September (departures). A full day pilgrimage to Deva, site of the prison where Dávid Ferenc (Francis David) died, is being planned -- this might be just before, just after, or during the Council Meeting (the dates of the CM might be adjusted slightly if the Deva trip is during the meetings). All Member Groups are entitled to send one voting delegate to the Council; Groups with more than 3000 individual adult members are entitled to a second voting delegate. There will be a sponsorship fund to assist travel and accommodation for delegates from developing economies. Additionally, individual Unitarians, Universalists, and Unitarian Universalists may attend the International Gathering at their own expense; these individuals may observe the Council Meeting but not speak or vote at business sessions although they may participate in the other aspects of the programme. Please click here for further information! VI. Now Available on Google Books
The International Resources Office is pleased to announce the addition of two new out-of-print titles to our Google Books Library. The full texts are available online, free:
Credo International: Voices of Religious Liberalism from Around the World, by Don McEvoy
This refreshing book suggests the sources from which serious seekers have discovered insight and inspiration. -- Religious Humanism winter/spring 2001
VII. UU Church of the Philippines
The UU Church of the Philippines (UUCP) has embarked upon a Sustainability Program that seeks to build a Dormitory in Dumaguette City. Congregations and individuals can find out more about this exciting program by visiting the project website. A PowerPoint presentation of the BUILD Project is now available online at www.uua.org. You can also listen to a recording of the UU Partner Church Council's most recent "Virtual Conference" during which Rev. Nihal Attanayake (Chair of the UUCP Faith in Action Department) and the UUA's Ambassador to the Philippines, Rev. Fred Muir discuss this project and others. Additionally, the UU Church of the Philippines held its Annual Meeting in late April and Bob Guerrero was kind enough to share some wonderful photos from the event. VIII. International Opportunities for UU Clergy
Experienced UUA ministers are invited to consider applying to spend 3- 4 months of a sabbatical with the Unitarian Universalist Church of the Philippines (UUCP), providing skill development in these and other areas:
Successful applicants should expect to be engaged in this ministry for approximately 20-hours/week. Contexts will include worship services, traditional classes and less formal discussion groups. The unique skills that a successful applicant brings to this ministry will also be integrated. The organizing and implementing body for this program will be the UU Church of the Philippines' Religious Education Committee. The UUCP will provide sabbatical program participants with housing and local transportation. Other expenses will be the responsibility of the applicant, with some assistance available from the UUA. Read more about the UUCP Sabbatical Program and how to apply! IX. ICUU Global Chalice Lighting Reading for August 2009
All ICUU-affiliated groups have been asked to submit brief chalice lightings for the project. Every month, a reading will be distributed to Unitarian and Universalist congregations around the world. We ask each congregation to use the reading for at least one worship service in the designated month, identifying it as the "Global Chalice Lighting" for that month and naming the group which submitted it. Readings will be circulated in English and, where different, in their original language. It is hoped that the ICUU Global Chalice Lighting Project will enhance the worship experience in our congregations and raise awareness of the international dimensions of our religious movement. This Global Chalice Lighting, in French and English, is to be used during August 2009.
Allumons le calice qui symbolise notre foi!
Let us light the chalice which stands for our faith.
Jean-Claude Barbier
X. Events
XI. International Resources Office on Facebook
Combining the best features of email, MySpace, and other Web 2.0 technology, 374,000 people join Facebook each day to connect, reconnect, and interact. So, it's about time the International Resources Office joined the (page) ranks of the Facebook-o-sphere (or maybe it's Facebook-o-verse?)! The versatility of the Facebook layout allows for our office resources to be neatly listed and easily navigable. You can find out about upcoming events, learn more about the Faith Without Borders program, and hear announcements about new resources available on our homepage. XII. Faith Without Borders
Participants in the program will receive resources, consultation and celebration from the International Resources Office. For more information, click here.
XIII. Inspired Faith - Effective Action Blog
XIV. International Engagement Database The IRO maintains a database of the many varieties of international engagement that UU congregations are involved with. To date we have records from approximately 150 congregations in the database. Is your congregation one of them? If so, we'd love to update your entry. If not, we'd love to include information about your congregation's international engagement. Contact Nicole McConvery to check/update your congregation's status in the database. Or, if you'd like to be in contact with other congregations who are involved with international programs that are similar to yours, let us know and we'll provide you with a report.
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UUA Office of International Resources Email News and Updates |
October 25 - 27, 2009
Adopting a new staffing model designed to launch the International Council of Unitarians and Universalists (ICUU) into its next stage of growth and development, the Executive Committee is very pleased to announce the hiring of Rev. Steve Dick as Executive Secretary and the creation of a Program Co-Ordinator position to be filled by Rev. Jill McAllister. Both appointments take effect August 1, 2009.
UUCP Sabbatical Program 
The International Council of Unitarians and Universalists announces the 72nd in its monthly series of global chalice lighting readings. Congregations worldwide are invited to participate. 
The latest pervasive, must-have technology since the invention of the cell phone, Facebook is everywhere. And it's growing.
As part of the UUA's Advocacy and Witness Staff group, the International Resources office contributes to the