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OMD Now!

A monthly roundup of news, events, dates and deadlines of the Ohio-Meadville District

December 2011

In This Issue

  • District Assembly 2012
  • Stewardship Conference
  • Social Justice News & Resources
  • Winter Institute
  • Current Chalice Lighter Call
  • Young Adult Events
  • Youth Events
  • Webinar Schedule & On-Demand Learning Center
  • Congregational & In-District News
  • CERG News and Events
  • UUA & National News & Events

Welcome to the December edition of OMD Now!. For individual information, flyers and details, click the links in each article. Want to share one of your events with the district congregations? Send it to the OMD Office to be included in the January edition. Deadline is December 29th.

  • If you made a pledge to the Phoenix Witness Project, now is the time to make your first half payment. Learn more at www.ohiomeadville.org/donations/pwp
  • The OMD is looking for a volunteer chalice lighter coordinator. Learn more...
  • It is time to certify your congregational membership. Deadline is Feburary 1 - this is firm. Learn more at www.ohiomeadville.org/headlines/267-uuacertification
  • The OMD has updated our website. Please check out our new look! And note - All links to pages on the site except the home page will no longer work, so please update your bookmarks.
  • Do you need demographic information to plan growth and marketing strategies? Link2Lead, a new program from CERG, is for you. Learn more at the CERG website.
  • Are you a small, just starting out group? Register for the Coming Home Forum Series. Learn more at www.cerguua.org/cergwebinars/232-cominghome.html

Check out the district website for information about events and resources for your congregation.

District Assembly 2012

  • DA 2012 will take place at Allegheny College, Meadville, PA with the Northwest PA/NY cluster hosting on March 23-24, 2012. Keynote Speaker will be David Owen-O'Quill. Our theme is Growing Branches, Strong Roots: Breaking Boundries. Learn more at www.ohiomeadville.org/program/da
  • DA Workshops - Workshop applications are now being accepted for OMD District Assembly 2012. Deadline is December 1. Priority is given to those who fit the theme or address current needs of our congregations. Learn more and find the forms at...
  • District Awards - we are revamping our awards program for this year. Each year we will offer 2 awards on a rotating basis. We will also give a $100 donation to the winner's congregation or cluster. This year we will be accepting nominations for Unsung Hero and UU Visibility. In 2013 we will accept nominations for Service to Children and Youth and Faith in Action. Learn all the details and find the nomination forms....

Quick Links

District Calendar
District Events
District Webinars
District Assembly
CERG Events
CERG Webinars
On Demand Learning Center
OMD Library
Resources
Congregational Events
Guest In Your Pulpit
OMD UUYAN
OMD YAC
OMD Up Close
OMD Headlines

If I Had a Million Dollars...

A special stewardship seminar that will focus on this topic, fund-raising in general, and the great importance of building and increasing "legacy giving" in our churches. Saturday, February 11, 2012, 10 am to 3 pm at UU Church of Akron, OH. For details and registration...

Social Justice News

 

Help others attend district events

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Support our Scholarship Fund and the SI Scholarship Fund.

Learn more...

Winter Institute

Join us for our annual stress free weekend February 17-20, 2012 at Salt Fork State Park near Cambridge, OH. Registration is now open.

Chalice Lighter Call to Benefit 2 Congregations in the St. Lawrence District

The current Chalice Lighter Call benefits two congregations in the St. Lawrence District who experienced severe flooding this past fall. Chalice Lighters received this call on November 1st. To learn more and donate, visit the OMD Chalice Lighters Page

Young Adult Events

Youth Events

  • YAC SAC Planning Meeting ~ Feb 24-25, 2012, UU Church of Kent, OH
  • YAC Social Action Conference ~ March 16-18, 2012, First UU Church of Columbus, OH
  • YAC Spring Planning Meeting ~ April 20-21, 2012, East Suburban UU Church, Murrysville, PA
  • Youth Work Camp has been scheduled for a site in West Virginia for June 24-30, 2012. Details are still being worked out, but learn what we know at the OMD website...
  • You can keep up with Youth News from the UUA by subscribing to their monthly newsletter. Go to: http://www.uua.org/religiouseducation/youth/news/index.shtml

Staff & Consultant Links

Rev. Joan VanBecelaere
District Executive

Karen LoBracco
Program Consultant for Lifespan Faith Development

Michelle Buhite
Youth, Young Adult &
Campus Ministry Intern

Beth Casebolt
District Administrator

Rachel Baker
Social Witness Coordinator

Adjunct Congregational Consultants

CERG Webinars & On Demand Learning Center

Not able to take one of these workshops at this time? Check out the On-Demand Learning Center, where basic level programs are available for you to explore on your own time schedule. Current programs include Congregational Polity 101, Basic Safety Policies and Tips, and Committees on Ministry. More programs are being developed and will be added soon.

  • NEW! Blended Classes (webinars and on-demand combined classes). Passing the Torch Series. A four session webinar series with advance work at our On-Demand Learning Center on Creating a Leadership Development Team in Your Congregation led by Rev. Renee Ruchotzke. Two offerings, the second one runs Jan-Feb. Learn more...
  • The Coming Home Forum Series for congregations just starting out will start in January. Learn more and sign up...
  • Youth Ministry 102 series. This series addresses various issues of youth minstry each month and is open to professional and volunteer youth leaders in the Central East Regional Group. The next session is Dec 21at 7:30 pm and the topic will be Worship With and For Youth. To register and see the rest of the year's schedule...

New webinars are being added every day, please check www.cerguua.org/calendars/cergwebinars.html to see what is being offered.

UUA Links

UUA Website
UUA Directory
CLF Online Classes
General Assembly Pages
Green Sanctuary Program
Interconnections Tip Sheet
myUUA.org
Resources For Lay Leaders
Skinner House Book Resources
UUA Monthly Congregational Bulletin
WorshipWeb

Other Resource Links

UU Wiki
Mary Grigolia's Song of the Month

Congregational & In-District News

Central East Regional Group News & Events

Don't know what CERG is? Check out this video that premiered at GA to find out.

Did you know ~ That OMD folks are welcome at Joseph Priestley, Saint Lawrence or Metro NY events? Webinars from all four districts are listed on the CERG webinar page, event information can be found at the CERG Events page. Or you can check the CERG Calendar page.

New CERG Resource - Link2Lead, a new program from CERG, offers demographic information to congregations planning growth and marketing strategies and more. Learn more at the CERG website.

  • Elementary Our Whole Lives Training ~ UU Congregation of Shelter Rock, Manhasset, NY ~ Dec. 2-4, 2011
  • Worship Arts Festival ~ UU Church of Rockville, MD ~ February 24-25, 2012.
  • JPD Annual Assembly ~ April 13-14, 2021, Key Bridge Marriott, Arlington, VA. Rev. Peter Morales will be the theme speaker.
  • SLD District Assembly ~ April 28, 2012
  • Metro NY District Assembly ~ May 4-5, 2012
  • Universalist Convention ~ May 18-20, 2012 at Murray Grove UU Retreat Center, NJ
  • Sally Patton Training ~ May 19, 2012 at Unitarian Fellowship of West Chester, PA.

OMD Website

OMD District Office
Email: office@ohiomeadville.org
Phone: 740-297-6966
PO Box 157
St. Clairsville, OH 43950

UUA & National News & Events

  • The UUA bookstore announces that the 2011 Meditation Manual Shine and Shadow by Kathleen McTigue is now available.
  • Want to see this year's breakthrough congregation videos? Or past breakthrough videos?They are now online at the UUA website at www.uua.org/growth/breakthrough/index.shtml
  • Check out what is new at the UUA bookstore, Beacon Press and Skinner House. Skinner House announces that many of their books are now available as ebooks.
  • The UUA is now searching for a Database Administrator and Information Security Manager, Assistant to the President, Housekeeper, District Executive in Northern New England. Check the UUA website to see descriptions.
  • CLF offers a new service called Make Your Own Sundays for $129 a year. Select your theme, readings, children's story, sermon, songs, select holidays, formats or a season. Contact CLF at clf@clfuua.org or 617-948-6150 for details.

 
 

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