Issue 35: September 2006, page 5

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News From PSD Congregations

Congratulations to these PSD congregations celebrating special anniversaries in this year:

• Nora UU Church (Hanska, MN) — 125 years;
• First Unitarian Society (Minneapolis, MN) — 125 years;
• White Bear UU Church (Mahtomedi, MN) — 50 years;
• Shawnee Mission UU Church (Overland Park, KS) — 40 years;
• UU Fellowship (Northfield, MN) — 40 years;
• Minnesota Valley UU Fellowship (Bloomington, MN) — 40 years;
• Blue Hills UU Fellowship (Rice Lake, WI) — 25 years.

The UU Church of Fargo-Moorhead (ND) has chosen the theme of antiracism and anti-oppression for their Sunday services this year.

All Souls UU Church (Kansas City, MO) is developing a Parish Nurse program.

The UU Fellowship of Mankato (MN) has been recognized by the UUA as a Welcoming Congregation, one of 28 PSD congregations to be designated in this way.

We have received a letter from Shelter House, in Iowa City, thanking all who contributed a total of $5,309 [WOW!] as part of the Sunday service during the District Annual Conference last April. Thanks to all who contributed — members of the UU Society of Iowa City (IA) — our host congregation — as well as Annual Conference participants.

First Unitarian Church (Duluth, MN) had a “ground blessing” on September 10 to initiate their project for a new building on College Street. The plans for this “green” building include underground parking and an intensive greenroof to eliminate over one acre of hard surface runoff, a landscaped earth berm to reduce heat loss, and a 45-degree sloped roof design over the sanctuary as a solar collection area. The plan was featured in a recent Duluth News Tribune article.

Health Insurance for Your Staff

Eleven congregations of Prairie Star District have already contacted the UUA and either enrolled some of their staff or have committed to enrolling their staff. Across the country, congregations of every size with staff 50% time and above are enrolling their employees into the UUA Health Plan. But TIME IS RUNNING OUT! Do not let your staff and ministers go without health insurance. This is about putting our UU values into action and taking care of our employees and ministers.

You must have any interested staff enrolled into the plan by October 15, 2006 in order to ensure the future of the plan. We need 500 church staff enrolled by that date in order to have the plan self-sufficient. We are not there yet! If you do not enroll your staff or ministers by that date, either the plan will not go forward because the minimum number of enrollees will not have been reached; or, if we meet the number of enrollees, your staff may have pre-existing conditions excluded from their coverage if they decide to enroll later. Not all staff has to be enrolled in order to take advantage of the plan.

So, do not wait any longer. Church boards need to make a decision and people need to enroll. Go to the UUA website to calculate cost of coverage for your staff at http://archive.uua.org/leaders/insurance/benefits.html.

Contact Louise Livesay, PSD Compensation Consultant at louiselivesay@yahoo.com or M-Th daytime at 651-294-2338 if you have any questions or would like more information. Or check out the UUA Web site and click on UUA Health Plan on the right side of the page.

Friends of Prairie Star District

UU individuals working together to help congregations thrive

Your gift to Friends will help fund the services PSD offers to congregations — leadership training, assistance with growth-related issues, and consultations with congregations’ staff and volunteers — services that help congregations thrive.

Please send a generous gift in response to the letter you have been mailed or write a check with Friends of PSD in the memo line and mail to the District office or make a donation online at http://www.psduua.org/GivingToPSD/FriendsOfPSD.

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