January 28, 2013
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Uganda: New Life Orphanage & School
Unitarian Universalist (UU) seminarians are invited to apply for a 2-4 week (or longer) placement as a volunteer assistant at the New Life Orphanage and New Life School.
New Life School (NLS) is a primary school located in rural Uganda near the village of Kitofaali. With no public schools in the area, NLS serves approximately 500+ students with two kindergarten classes and one class per primary grades one through seven.
Every parent receives an invoice for tuition, but only about one-third of the parents are able to pay. Regardless, all children in the region are welcomed, fed and taught year-round. NLS does not receive any government funding. Its main mission is to “uplift the standards of education among children and youths and the well being of each individual in the community.” Learn more!
Japan: Tsubaki Grand Shrine Scholarship
The Tsubaki Grand Shrine Scholarship is available to Unitarian Universalist (UU) seminarians (in candidate status) attending non-UU theological schools who have an interest in international and interfaith engagement.
Scholarship recipients will be provided with expenses for travel to the Tsubaki Grand Shrine (TGS) in Suzuka, Japan, as well as room and board at the Shrine for two to three weeks.
The deadline to apply for the Tsubaki Grand Shrine Scholarship is April 1, 2013.
India: Anne Margaret Barr Children’s Village
The Anne Margaret Barr Children’s Village (AMBCV) in Kharang, India was established in February 2009 as a home for as many as 24 orphaned children. It is operated by the Unitarian Union of North East India, under the leadership of Reverend Nangroi Suting and with day-to-day care and oversight of the children by three “Mothers.”
Unitarian Universalist (UU) Seminarians are invited to apply for a 2-3 week placement as a volunteer assistant at the AMBCV. Placements will typically occur during July/August and December/January with some flexibility depending on the volunteer’s availability. The optimal circumstance is for two seminarians to be volunteering at the same time during each of the placement sessions.
Applications for July/August placements are due by March 15, 2013.
The UU-UNO invites submissions of sermons or addresses that speak to building a more just international community. The Dana Greeley Award honors the memory of Reverend Dana McLean Greeley, the first president of the Unitarian Universalist Association and a strong support of the United Nations. Winners receieve a $500.00 honorarium and the opportunity to deliver their winning address at UUA General Assembly.
The sermon theme should follow the topic of the most recent Intergenerational Spring Seminar. Papers highlighting the work of the UN and the UU-UNO will enjoy priority consideration.
Read the guidelines for the Dana Greeley Sermon Award and submit your sermon by the February 1st deadline!
Our partners in the Khasi Hills of North East India have announced the recent release of a Khasi hymnal, called KA JINGSHAI BLEI (The Divine Light):
I cannot think of any better time to have this much awaited edition completed and released now before we wind up our Quasquicentennial celebrations next month during our Annual General Conference.
This edition has come after a long time and only few old copies are available in most churches. Our organizers should take note and be careful to avoid stampede in our hymnal counters when all our churches and fellowships meet at Jowai next month!
Continue Reading
The UU United Nations Office's (UU-UNO) 2013 Intergenerational Spring Seminar will focus on stopping violence and discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity (SOGI), and is to take place April 4th-6th, 2013 in New York City. Registration is now open!
Every April, youth and adults from around the United States and Canada gather for an exciting and educational Intergenerational Spring Seminar. All participants gain a deep understanding on a topic of global concern in a fun intergenerational environment.
Past seminars have focused on poverty, HIV, human trafficking, peacekeeping, climate change, and empowerment of women. Approximately seventy-five youth and youth advisors stay at one of our Manhattan-based Unitarian Universalist (UU) congregations while learning, connecting with others, organizing and mobilizing. Not only do youth attend the conference, but many also hold important leadership roles in its planning and execution. Find out more about this unique annual event!
Can people change their sexual orientation? How does the promise and pressure to change affect the lives and human rights of LGBT people worldwide?
The Unitarian Universalist Association -United Nation’s Office in partnership with the UN NGO Committee on Human Rights & the NGO Committee on HIV/AIDS Present:
SELLING THE PROMISE OF CHANGE: International Health and Policy Consequences of Sexual Orientation Change Efforts (SOCE)
Thursday January 31st, 1-3pm, UN Church Center, 777 UN Plaza, New York City.
Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity (SOGI) rights have progressed into the UN framework of international human rights. The notion that people can or must change their orientation to conform with cultural or religious norms has risen to the forefront of the debate on this topic. Mental health, HIV/AIDS prevention, violence against women, religious and personal freedoms all play important roles in this analysis.
Join the UUA-UNO for the groundbreaking discussion on the legalities, ethics and science behind the movement promoting sexual orientation change efforts and its relationship to international human rights. A panel of experts will review the literature, policy and personal narratives relating to this issue. Q & A to follow. Continue Reading
The Church of the Larger Fellowship, a unique UU congregation without walls, offers online worship. If you feel like going to church this Sunday (via your computer), click here.
Join us for worship on Sundays at 8:00 pm (Eastern Time, US), with a rebroadcast of the same service on Mondays at 9:00 am (Beta test during September) and 1:30 pm (Eastern Time, US). Although the service is prerecorded, many viewers arrive at the worship link early and stay late, to participate in a live chat. It’s our version of coffee hour!
Take a look at this You Tube video. Hope to see you at worship!
The International Council of Unitarians and Universalists announces the 113th in its monthly series of global chalice lighting readings. Congregations worldwide are invited to participate.
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 is submitted in Hungarian and English by the Unitarian Church in Hungary. It is to be used during January 2013.
Hol hit ott szeretet,
Hol szeretet ott béke,
Hol béke ott áldás,
Hol áldás ott Isten
Hol Isten ott szükség nincsen.
Where there is Faith there is Love.
Where there is Love there is Peace.
Where there is Peace there is Blessing
Where there is Blessing there is God
Where there is God there is no Need.
Hungarian Home Blessing
submitted by the Unitarian Church in Hungary
- February 1, 2013: Deadline to submit sermon for Dana Greeley Award consideration
- February 1-4, 2013: UUCSJ: BorderLinks Trip to Arizona/Mexico
- February 15-23, 2013: UUCSJ: Sienna Project: Building Schools in Guatemala
- March 15, 2013: Deadline to apply for July/August placement in Anne Margaret Barr Children's Village in India
- April 1, 2013: Deadline to apply for Tsubaki Grand Shrine scholarship
- April 4-6, 2013: UU-UNO Intergenerational Spring Seminar
- April 12-14, 2013: European Unitarian Universalist Spring Retreat, Mittelwihr, France
- May 11-23, 2013: UUPCC: UU Transylvanian Pilgrimage
- May 20-21, 2013: Churches for Middle East Peace Advocacy Conference
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