CHALICE LIGHTERS
Congregations Helping Congregations
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| WHAT IS IT?? |
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As defined in the Metro NY District report, Focus on Growth,
“The Chalice Lighters program is a District-wide, congregationally based
fund raising effort . . . for a particular congregation that needs
help to start a new congregation, acquire or enlarge a building [or
land], secure professional religious leadership or any other form of
program expansion. Individuals from all congregations contribute
$10, or more, to a Call to ‘light the chalice’ for the designated
congregation.
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“Part of the philosophy of the Chalice Lighters program is to help
congregations think outside the boundaries of their immediate faith
communities toward a more global vision of Unitarian Universalism. This
. . . focus . . . embodies the model of congregations helping other
congregations.”
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| HOW MANY CALLS WILL THERE BE? |
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There will be a maximum of two Calls in a calendar year; one in the
Spring and one in the Fall. The target dates for the Call are a 5-week
period for both the Fall and Spring Calls, but the dates are flexible.
The congregations decide for themselves the best way to approach each
Chalice Lighters Call.
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| WHAT IS EXPECTED FROM CONTRIBUTING CONGREGATIONS? |
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The key to a successful Call is advance publicity – including
newsletter articles, postings on bulletin boards, and announcements in
the sanctuary by the minister and the Chalice Lighters Coordinator. Most
important is the enthusiastic support of the Call by the minister and
lay leaders of each congregation. Look at it as a sort of barn
raising for our UU congregations to help one another.
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Support includes:
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Taking up a special collection on a
designated Sunday morning with a notice or insert in the Order of
Service to that effect and support by the minister. |
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Scheduling additional collections the
following Sundays to allow persons not present the first Sunday to
contribute. |
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Setting up a special table during
coffee hour to receive donations. |
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Special appeals to the members from
the congregational leadership. |
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Allowing five minutes within a service
for a speaker from the called congregation to present its hopes and
plans.
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| WHO OVERSEES CHALICE LIGHTERS IN EACH CONGREGATION? |
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Each congregation has a Chalice Lighter Coordinator who receives all
bulletins on the program and keeps the congregation, the minister, the
RE director, the newsletter editor and all concerned persons aware of
the current and upcoming Call.
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| HOW MUCH SHOULD EACH PERSON BE EXPECTED TO GIVE? |
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The suggested minimum donation to become a Chalice Lighter is $10 per
Call for an individual, $20 for a family. Larger amounts are welcome and encouraged, but lesser amounts are welcome as well.
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| HOW DO WE GET A SPEAKER FROM THE CALLED CONGREGATION? |
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Individuals from the called congregation will contact each of the
designated chalice lighter coordinators to determine whether they wish
to have a speaker from the called congregation during the Call.
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| HOW IS A CONGREGATION SELECTED FOR A CHALICE LIGHTERS
CALL? |
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The requirements are that a congregation fills out an application
form that may be obtained from either the Chalice Lighters page on the
District web site or by contacting the District Administrator, PO BOX
898, Croton on Hudson, NY 10520. In addition to a solid, detailed
outline of its proposed program expansion, the congregation must be a UUA Fair Share congregation and a District Full Share congregation in
order to be eligible. The application must be submitted by March
1 in order to be considered for either the following Fall or Spring
calls. The District's Growth & Extension Committee then chooses the two
congregations.
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| FURTHER QUESTIONS? |
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Please contact:
Bill and Rickey Slezak
Metro NY District Chalice Lighter Coordinators
14 Marie Terrace
West Orange, NJ 07052
973-731-9338
email (click icon):
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