UUA announces 2016-2017 ‘Common Read’

My earliest opportunity in library collection development was as volunteer administrator of a small lending library for a Unitarian Universalist (UU) church.

An important addition to the library’s collection was the Unitarian Universalist Association’s annual Common Read.

I have long appreciated the shared experience of reading a book in common and, since the program’s inception, I’ve closely followed — and publicized — each year’s announcement of the latest Common Read.

The program continues to resonate with me in my professional capacity as Religious Explorations administrative coordinator for a local UU church.

Via congregation blog, post to social media and MailChimp email campaign, I had occasion this week to publicize the 2016-2017 Common Read: The Third Reconstruction: Moral Mondays, Fusion Politics, and the Rise of a New Justice Movement, by The Rev. Dr. William Barber II and Jonathan Wilson-Hartgrove.

The Common Read selection committee believes this is a moment for UUs to answer a call by Rev. Barber, to build and sustain a movement for justice for all people. A discussion guide for the book will be available by Oct. 1.

Children’s books that support diversity, ‘connection’ and engaging in ‘the work’

Pictures from seeds, created by children in ‘Religious Explorations’

My work in library “Readers Advisory” can surface any time, in any capacity. At the church where I work part-time as administrative coordinator for Religious Explorations, I was asked to identify children’s books that reflect the church’s mission: to “Embrace Diversity, Empower Connection, Engage in the Work.”

Professional communication and editing

My part-time work for a local church includes posts to social media, “MailChimp” email campaigns and updates to the church blog. The spirit of connecting people with information and resources infuses my work with the church, and is consistent with my work in the field of library service.

Hand-made banner for ‘Religious Explorations’

It’s great to employ my creative abilities for the benefit of employers. In this instance, I assembled and hung a banner depicting the names of famous Unitarian Universalists at the Rogue Valley Unitarian Universalist Fellowship. (I work for the church as web content editor and administrative coordinator for the church’s “Religious Explorations” program.) The sweatshirt from which the banner’s applique panel came, was donated to Religious Explorations and I made the banner with the donor’s permission to make use of the sweatshirt this way.

‘Strega Nona’ and lesson in Integrity

Strega Nona’s magic pot with spaghetti spilling out of it

I work as both web editor for the Rogue Valley Unitarian Universalist Fellowship and as administrative coordinator for its Religious Explorations program. When I post announcements about R.E. activities to the church’s blog, these two positions’ responsibilities intersect.

During Religious Explorations classes on Sunday, the pre-kindergarten to second grade had a lesson in Integrity through the story of “Strega Nona” acted out and expressed through art. While Strega Nona is away, her assistant uses her magic pot to make spaghetti. But he can’t make it stop and the spaghetti overruns the town. After Strega Nona gets her magic pot to stop, her assistant must make things right by cleaning up the mess he made.

Religious Explorations: Recent posts

Here are recent posts to social media in my professional role as Administrative Coordinator for the Religious Explorations program at the Rogue Valley Unitarian Universalist Fellowship. I have worked part-time in this capacity since May 2014.

‘Deserving’

The Rogue Valley Unitarian Universalist Fellowship, where I work part-time, is participating this year in a study and small-group discussion program called “Soul Matters Sharing Circles.” Each month, people work with materials organized around a theme. This month, the theme is “Grace,” a blessing that is unexpected and perhaps even undeserved.

‘Just Mercy,’ UUA Common Read

The Unitarian Universalist Association announced today that this year’s “Common Read” is Just Mercy, A Story of Justice and Redemption by Bryan Stevenson.

Since the program’s inception, I’ve closely followed each year’s Common Read selection.

I have long appreciated the shared experience of reading a book in common, and the UUA Common Read was an important addition to the UU lending library where I volunteered as librarian. Promoting the Common Read continues to be in-character as Religious Explorations administrative coordinator and web editor for a UU congregation.

Religious Explorations student art exhibit

Religious Explorations lead teacher Liz Bianco and I hung student artwork Saturday in the Great Hall at Rogue Valley Unitarian Universalist Fellowship.

Children’s picture books for Pride Month

Source of image: DRESara/Children's Chalice

At The Children’s Chalice, DRESara recommends/evaluates children’s picture books for Pride Month. Some of the titles made “Banned Books Week” lists for frequent challenges to their inclusion in libraries.

YA novels’ treatment of sexual identity and faith

Here’s an essay that resonated in my dual capacities of aspiring youth librarian and administrative coordinator of Religious Explorations for a Unitarian Universalist church. For School Library Journal, contributor Robert Bittner discusses young adult (YA) novels’ treatment of LGBTQ youth and faith. He argues that the “either/or” nature of many of these books “creates an unhelpful dichotomy between those who are queer and those who are Christian (or, in some ways, spiritual in any sense of the word).” He articulates a need for YA books that depict an ability for sexual identity to co-exist with faith.

Is anyone’s family truly ‘normal’?

While reading and formulating my response to Selfish, Shallow, and Self-Absorbed (Picador, April 2015), I was reminded that intentionally childless people are not alone in being criticized. In her blog posts, Kate Wasserman challenges negative views that society holds toward single parenting.

Generation holds ‘fate of the earth in balance’

For the first time, “a generation of people [hold] the very fate of the earth in balance.” For the Huffington Post, Marilyn Sewell, a Unitarian Universalist minister, lists 10 reasons why more people are not crying out for change. (Distributed by UU World’s The Interdependent Web.)

Cross-posted to RVUUFian Parents on Facebook

Religious Explorations: Recent posts to social media

Image credit: Unitarian Universalist College of Social Justice

Here are recent posts to social media in my professional role as Administrative Coordinator for the Religious Explorations program at the Rogue Valley Unitarian Universalist Fellowship.

‘Platinum Rule’ and measuring stick for ‘normal’

Among links shared with readers as Religious Explorations administrative coordinator for a Unitarian Universalist church, here’s a thought-provoking post from DRESara at The Children’s Chalice. She identifies a flaw in the Golden Rule, that it “presumes that I can use myself as the measuring stick for ‘normal.’” DRESara suggests that instead, people observe the “Platinum Rule,” to “Treat others the way they would like to be treated.”

Religious Explorations: Recent posts

Here are recent posts to social media in my professional role as Administrative Coordinator for the Religious Explorations program at a church in Ashland, Oregon, the Rogue Valley Unitarian Universalist Fellowship. When curating these items, I look for resources and commentary that strengthen constituent families.

UUA Common Read: ‘Multigenerational’ suggestion

I’ve long promoted the Unitarian Universalist Association’s Common Read, most recently as administrative coordinator for Religious Explorations at a UU community in Southern Oregon. Before that, I promoted the Common Read as volunteer administrator of a small church lending library.

In email correspondence, I commented that the Common Read is promoted by the UUA as a “multigenerational” resource, and I recommended that the UUA select companion materials grouped around the themes in the Common Read: picture books for the youngest UUs, elementary- to middle-school level and so on upward.

Religious Explorations: Recent posts

Source of image: woodleywonderworks via Creative Commons/Flickr

Since May of this year, I’ve been employed part-time as Administrative Coordinator for the Religious Explorations program at a church in Ashland, Oregon, the Rogue Valley Unitarian Universalist Fellowship.

Here are recent posts to social media in my capacity as Administrative Coordinator. With these selections, as with earlier posts, I emphasize connecting people with information that benefits them.

Religious Explorations: Recent posts

Image credit: Call and Response/UUA Blogs

Here are recent posts to social media in my capacity as Administrative Coordinator, Religious Explorations, for the Rogue Valley Unitarian Universalist Fellowship.

‘Reclaiming Prophetic Witness’: UUA ‘Common Read’

Reclaiming Prophetic Witness: Liberal Religion in the Public Square by Paul Rasor (Skinner House Books, 2013) is the Unitarian Universalist Association’s “Common Read” for 2014-2015.

In an Aug. 5 blog post, Gail Forsyth-Vail discusses the selection committee’s considerations among nominations this year, calling Rasor’s book a “gem.”

“Rasor observes that many liberals are uncomfortable with talking about our faith as the well from which spring our social justice commitments. The book includes insights from our theological heritage and our history that have bearing for us today, and calls us to prophetic, faith-based justice work.”