New District Resource
for Southern Congregations
Meghan Conrad
A new Outreach and Extension Ministry position has been created. This fall I am
excited to be working with the Prairie Star District staff in their efforts to
strengthen and support the growth of the smaller congregations in the southern part
of the District including congregations in Kansas, Western Missouri, and Nebraska.
This new half-time ministry, called “Southern Cluster
OutReach/Extension” (SCORE), will run from September 2005 through May of 2006.
Funding for the program is being provided by PSD and by the Unitarian Fellowship of Lawrence, with other kinds of support from other congregations in the area.
In this position I will be traveling to some of the smaller congregations to provide Sunday morning services, workshops and consultation. This District service will make professional religious leadership available to congregations who may not have the budget to afford even a quarter time minister on their own.
One of the goals of this new program is bringing people from various congregations in the southern cluster together for fellowship and to share resources and ideas. The annual Southern Cluster campout and retreat, on October 7–9, near Council Grove, Kansas, is a great way to kick off this new initiative. There will be plenty of time for rest and relaxation as well as some exciting programming for kids and adults. All UUs in the PSD southern cluster are encouraged to come. For more information go to: www.uuft.org/cluster.
Please contact me at: meghanconrad@gmail.com or 816–531–6856.
Meghan Conrad is a candidate for the UU Ministry and is serving in this new position while completing her requirements. She was Intern Minister at All Souls UU Church in Kansas City last year.
UU Hurricane Relief Fund
The UUA has created the UUA Gulf Coast Relief Fund to collect donations for the UU churches and congregation members affected by Hurricane Katrina. All funds received will be distributed under the auspices of the UUA's Southwest and Mid-South Districts and will be used entirely for hurricane relief.
You can make an on-line, credit card donation through the UUA’s secure website at www.uua.org or you can send checks payable to the “UUA–UUSC Gulf Coast Relief Fund” to:
RELIEF
Unitarian Universalist Association
25 Beacon Street
Boston, MA 02108-2800.
Next Year in St. Paul
Sonja Johnston
Approximately 260 members of the UU Musicians’ Network (UUMN) spent the first week in August this year at their annual conference in Denver.
Next August, the UU Musicians’ Network conference will be held at Unity Church – Unitarian in St. Paul. Ruth Palmer, Director of Music Ministries at the host church, and I are co-chairing the conference. The theme of the conference is “Music: Always New, Always Inspiring.”
Dale Warland, founder and conductor of the Dale Warland Singers, is contracted as the choral clinician, and the UUMN has commissioned him to write a choral piece to be premiered at the conference. Libby Larsen, local composer and speaker, will give the keynote address.
As at past conferences, a variety of workshops, i.e., conducting, composing, children's’ choir, choral techniques, mentor training, etc, will be featured as well as choral reading sessions of music for small, medium, and large choirs.
All UUMN members in PSD should plan to join us for a busy week filled with music, learning, sharing, inspiration and camaraderie!
Sonja Johnston is Minister of Music, MN Valley UU Fellowship in Bloomington, MN and UUMN Liaison to Prairie Star District