The UU Congregation of Somerset Hills will hold the 2nd Annual Microcredit Fundraising Dinner to Benefit Under-Privileged Women in Nepal on December 1.The funds raised by this dinner and a silent auction will be combined and donated to Friends of Nepal, New Jersey, which helps hundreds of people every year. Every $100 donated can provide a loan for a needy family to buy a new tool, a machine, or buy two goats – millions of the world’s poor people have taken advantage of small loans to improve their lives. http://uucshtest.org/community/social-action/
Category: Congregational News and Events
Hunterdon County – Sacred Wisdom Discussion Series
The First UU Fellowship of Hunterdon County is holding a “Sacred Wisdom Discussion Series.” A book of profound spiritual or religious significance is discussed at each session at Clinton Bookshop. They are open to the general public as well as FUUFHC friends and members. Admission is free, but each month you are encouraged to purchase the book directly from Clinton Bookshop. Next session is on November 29, 7pm: “Being Peace” by Thich Nhat Hanh. Rev. Bob Janis-Dillon will lead the discussion on one of his favorite spiritual writers. http://hunterdonuu.org/activities-and-events/sacred-wisdom-discussion-series/
Bergen County – Change in Polling Places
Please note the changes in Bergen County polling locations:
Allendale
District 1 & 3 moved to Guardian Angel Church which houses Dist. 2 & 4
Bogota
District 1 & 6 move to First Aid Squad, 69 W. Main Street
Closter
Districts 2, 4, 6 to Fire House
Districts 1, 3, 5 remain the same
Demarest
District 2 & 3 moved to District 1 Borough Hall
Dumont
Districts 2, 4, 5, 7 & 11 to Honis School new Gym
All other districts remain the same
Edgewater
District 1 & 2 are moved to Fire House
District 3 & 4 remain the same
Elmwood Park
District 1, 5, 6, 7 & 10 are moved to High School
Districts 2, 3, 4, 8 & 9 remain the same
Englewood
W1 D2 move to Englewood Public Library
W2D1 and W2D2 to Avah Torah Synogue, 240 Broad Ave.
W3-D3 move to Middle School cafeteria
W3 D4 stays at Middle School but move to cafeteria
W4-1, W4-2, W4-3 and W4-4 move to W3D1 Liberty School
Englewood Cliffs
Districts 2, 3 & 4 to Fire House, 475 Sylvan Avenue
District 1 remains the same
Fair Lawn
District 4, 5, 13 & 14 move to Fair Law Recreation Center
District 15 & 20 move to Boro Hall
All other districts remain the same
Franklin Lakes
District 4, 5, 6 to Ambulance Corp. Building
Garfield
Ward 4-1 moves to Ward 4-2
Glen Rock
District 6 moves to District 5
District 7 moves to District 1
Harrington Park
Districts 1, 2, 3 to Fire Department
Haworth
District 1 to Fire House
District 2 to Ambulance Bldg.
Leonia
District 1, 2, 3, 5 & 6 moves to District 4 (Rec Center)
Little Ferry
Districts 1, 2 & 3 to Memorial School Gym back entrance
Districts 4, 5 & 6 to Memorial School Gym front entrance
Mahwah
District 4, 5 & 14 to District 13
Midland Park
District 3 move to Borough Hall
Moonachie
Entire town to vote at Bergen Vocational School, Rt. 46 Teterboro
New Milford
Districts 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 8, 9 to Berkley Street School
Norwood
District 2 to District 1
Oakland
Districts 3 & 4 move to District 1 & 2
Oradell
District 4 & 6 move to Boro Hall
District 5 move to Riverdale Reg. H.S.
Palisade Park
All districts to High School, East Columbia Avenue
Paramus
Districts 8, 9, & 11 to District 1 (High School)
Ramsey
Districts 1, 2, 3, 5, 6 to District 8
Districts 4 & 7 remain the same
Ridgefield Park
District 3 instead of court room put in garage
Ridgewood
Districts 1, 2 & 3 move to District 4
Districts 8, 11, 15, 16 move to District 19
District 9 & 14 to Firehouse Classroom, 201 E. Glen Ave.
Districts 12 & 13 to District 17
Districts 17, 18 and 19 are okay
Rochelle Park
District 1, 2,3,& 4 move to Senior Center in Boro Hall 151 W. Passaic St.
Rutherford
District 1 to District 11
District 7 & 8 to District 6
Teaneck
Districts 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 15, 17 to Hawthorne School District 20 & 22
Districts 12, 13, 14, 16, 18, 19 to Thomas Jefferson Middle School – District 21
Districts 3, 4, 5 to Hawthorne cafeteria (to be delivered on Monday)
All other districts remain the same
Tenafly
Districts, 3, 4, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12 move to Middle School
District 1, 2, 5, 6 remain the same
Waldwick
District 3, & 5 move to District 1 (Boro Hall)
District 2, 4, & 6 Company 1 Fire House, 15 E. Prospect Street
Washington Twp.
District 1, 3 & 5 to Municipal Complex Bld. 350 Hudson Ave.
Districts 2, 4, 6 remain the same
Westwood
District 3 to District 8
Districts 1, 2, 4, 5, 6 & same remain the same
Woodcliff Lake
Districts 1, 2, 3, & 4 move to Tice Center Senior Center Chestnut Ridge Rd
Read more at http://www.politickernj.com/60818/bergen-county-polling-place-changes#ixzz2BAmhMkRB
Welcoming Congregation Leadership Summit – Sept 29
The UU Congregation of Princeton is hosting a Welcoming Congregation Leadership Summit on September 29. All UU congregations are invited to join us in learning effective ways of engaging within our congregations, between congregations and collaborating in the larger political arena. For more information: http://uumetrony.org/metronyminute/sep12/Princeton.pdf
Worship Arts Festival – Feb. 22-23, 2013
The UU Church in Cherry Hill is hosting the Joseph Priestley District’s 2013 Worship Arts Festival on February 22-23, 2013. Peter Bowden, UU growth, outreach, and media consultant, will be the featured presenter. The annual event features a plenary session and workshops for anyone involved in the art of creating meaningful UU worship experiences. For more info: http://uumetrony.org/metronyminute/sep12/WAF.pdf
Morristown: Resolution Supporting Marriage Equality
At its annual meeting on June 3 2012 the Morristown Unitarian Fellowship unanimously passed a resolution in support of marriage equality. The idea for the resolution is a direct result of the UU Legislative Ministry of New Jersey. Starting with a request from the Plainfield congregation asking if other congregations had considered resolutions on marriage equality, members of Morristown said “this is exactly what we should do.”
This is the real value of the UULMNJ: congregations collaborating on making our UU voice heard throughout New Jersey.
Ridgewood: Education Equity
At the UULMNJ recent Plenary, the emerging issues group decided upon the following action. We are looking for volunteers for this worthwhile emerging task force. The message below is from Rev. Charlie Ortman who chaired the meeting.
Dear Members of UULMNJ Congregations,
Our friends at the Ridgewood UU Congregation, under the leadership of Helen Lindsay, have written a letter that can be addressed to either the Governor or to state Legislators regarding Education Equity. We want to get this letter out to you in the congregations for a coffee hour letter writing campaign as soon as possible in an effort to head off budgetary inequities that might severely impair educational opportunities for those already marginalized by that institution in our state. The letter identifies three important elements of the states education plan as it would be regulated in next year’s budget that will have to be voted on by some time in June.
Reduction of state aid to all districts but particularly to districts unable to make up the deficit; Inclusion of a new formula for determining children at risk, reducing state burden while decreasing support to students who are clearly in need; A proposed change in determining the number of students in each district by using attendance records as opposed to the traditional registration numbers, again hitting the neediest districts the hardest.
Thank you for sharing this with members of your congregation.
Rev. Charlie Ortman
Ridgewood: Evening About Immigration – Feb. 24
Friday, February 24, at 7:30 at the Unitarian Society of Ridgewood: an evening about immigration, planned and carried out by immigrants. The event includes a preview screening of a video-in-the-making about the life of Elias Garcia, one of our immigrant friends from North Bergen; and made by Juan Pablo Morales Estrada. The dance performance is by a group of Guatemalan workers who have gotten together to present the story of the Guatemalan hero, Tecun Uman, in a traditional stylized dance/declamation format.
We are all excited about this unusual opportunity for cross-cultural sharing. We’re available to take the show on the road, too!Download a flyer for more information
Princeton: Health Insurance Exchange Forum – Feb. 26
What is the NJ Health Insurance Exchange and What Does It Mean for You?
A Forum on NJ Health Insurance Exchanges will be held on Sunday, February 26 after the second service at 12:30 pm in Fahs Theatre at the Princeton UU congregation. The national Affordable Care Act requires the implementation of an Exchange in each state during 2014 to assist individuals and small employers in purchasing health insurance.
This Forum will discuss what a Health Insurance Exchange is and how it operates. An Exchange gives the opportunity for lowering health care costs and allowing consumers to make better decisions on their health insurance. Learn what the options are for states and the actions that NJ is taking.
The Forum is sponsored by the UU Legislative Ministry of New Jersey in cooperation with the NJ Citizen Action Health Care Campaign.
Cherry Hill: Gearing Up for Marriage Equality
Two years ago, the UU Church in Cherry Hill, under the leadership of our Social Justice Committee, put out an enormous effort to support marriage equality. Sadly, the bill before the legislature was defeated. We stood proudly along with other advocates of marriage equality doing our part. We wrote letters, volunteered time, and created a legislative brigade through which we were able to send about a dozen people (different people for different hearings depending on the individual availability of our church community members) to every important rally and hearing. We worked as a team and were as effective as we could be.
Now, the issue of marriage equality is coming up for vote again. Despite our expectation that the governor will veto the bill, there is sufficient support among our legislators (including some who voted nay the last time around) that the bill should pass, and hopefully, might override a veto as well. This effort is supported not just by our church, but by all UU churches in New Jersey through our New Jersey UU Legislative Ministry.
There are two actions we seek from our church members at this time.
- First, please visit Garden State Equality’s website for more information..
- Second, consider what role you can take in this effort. In particular, we need new leadership in our congregation.
This issue took many of us by surprise. We need organization and we’re trying to balance our need to organize this effort with the many commitments church members already have. If you have passion and time and would like to help lead us in this effort, please contact Ken Goldberg (kennethgoldberg@comcast.net), right away.