Somerset Hills – Microcredit Fundraising Dinner

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/

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

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 state’s 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.