Peter Bowden

Creating a “Culture of Yes” Tweetchats 12/22 and 1/5

We have two upcoming Tweetchat’s scheduled on the topic of creating a “Culture of Yes!” — one this Thursday, the other the first Thursday of the new year. This subject follows our last #UURiskFaithers Tweetchat on Supporting emerging & entrepreneurial Unitarian Universalist ministries.

Tweetchat Times

For these conversations we’ll be chatting using the #uuriskfaithers tag. To access the Tweetchat.com room CLICK HERE at times listed below.

Thursday, December 22, 2011 at 1pm ET
A more UK friendly time for this international conversation!
Tweetchat archive on Storify by RevNaomi

Thursday, January 5, 2012 at 8PM EST /7PM CST (corrected time)

Hosts:

Phillip Lund: @UURevPhil Minnesota MSP Saint Paul USA
UU minister, husband, wannabe GeekDad. Interests: parenting, religion, interspirituality, digital ministry, interfaith relations, social media, & more.
http://philontheprairie.wordpress.com/

Rev. Naomi King: @revnaomi Western Broward County, FL

Unitarian Universalist preacher, teacher, knitter, swimmer, reader, coffee drinker, lover of life!
http://www.cityofrefugefl.com/

Andy Pakula: @apakula What’s so funny ’bout peace, love, and understanding? A Unitarian minister in London.
http://throwyourselflikeseed.blogspot.com/

Rev. Nate Walker — “Whose God Rules?”

My colleague the Rev. Nate Walker has just announced his book “Whose God Rules?: Is the United States a Secular Nation or a Theolegal Democracy?” co-edited with Edwin J. Greenlee is being released Dec. 20th and is ready to pre-order.

This scholarly volume includes a foreward by Tony Blair. Contributors include Alan Dershowtiz, Martha Nussbaum, Kent Greenawalt, Robby George, Bill Schultz, Joe Grieboski, Mark Rozel, and other distinguished scholars.

From WhoseGodRules.com

In Whose God Rules?, preeminent scholars debate the theolegal theory, which describes the gray area between a secular legal system, where theology is dismissed as irrational and a threat to the separation of religion and state, and a theocracy, where a single religion determines all law.

The United States is neither a secular nation nor a theocracy, leading scholars to ask whether the United States is a theolegal democracy. If so, whose God rules?

Reviews

Cornel West says, “This book is a provocative and pioneering effort to rethink the complex relation of religion and the state in the American past and present. Don’t miss it!”

According to the late Forrest Church, “Whose God Rules? offers an illuminating new frame to revitalize the stale debate over church-state separation. Bringing a thoughtful and diverse group of experts to the table, Walker and Greenlee present a feast for the intellect that challenges us all to become better citizens.”

In Phili?

Nate tells me that Philadelphians can secure signed-copies for a discounted price of $51.00 by attending Sunday services or visiting the church office M-F 10 to 4 pm of the First Unitarian Church, 2125 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia, PA 19103.

About Nate Walker

The Rev. Nathan C. Walker an ordained Unitarian Universalist minister and serves the First Unitarian Church of Philadelphia. He is currently an advanced doctoral student in Law, Education and Religion at Columbia University where he received his Master of Education and Master of Arts degrees. He also graduated from Union Theological Seminary with a Master of Divinity degree and from Emerson College with a Bachelor of Fine Arts. He is a mindfulness practitioner in the Zen Buddhist tradition led by Thich Nhat Hahn. More at natewalker.com.

“Gamification” of Church

I just watched the following videos by Gamification expert, author and speaker, Gabe Zichermann.

If you, as a congregational leader, want to understanding the coming generations, watch one of the following presentations.

At present we are, as Zichermann says, more disconnected from our youth than any other generation. That’s right, the technological cultural differences between generations are greater than they have ever been. You still making phone calls? Exactly.

While you watch Gabe’s talk, consider what “gamification” of your congregation and its ministry might look like.

TEDxKids@Brussels – Gabe Zichermann – Gamification

Fun is the Future: Mastering Gamification

Tweetchat: Supporting Emerging and Entrepreneurial #UU Ministries

Join us for the following Tweetchat scheduled for December 8th. I’ll be joining the conversation. Hope you will too.

New to Twitter and Tweetchats? A “Tweetchat” allows you to pull together all tweets (Twitter messages) marked with the same hashtag (#something) forming a conversation. The website Tweetchat.com, and other tools, can easily pull together every Twitter message in the Universe with a give hashtag making it easy to focus on one conversation during a set time. Tomorrow we’ll be chatting using the #uuriskfaithers tag.

Topic

Supporting emerging & entrepreneurial Unitarian Universalist ministries!

Time

8:00 PM Eastern
7:00 PM Central

Hosts

Rev. Naomi King: @revnaomi Western Broward County, FL

Unitarian Universalist preacher, teacher, knitter, swimmer, reader, coffee drinker, lover of life!

http://www.cityofrefugefl.com/

Hashtag and Tweetchat Room

#uuriskfaithers

http://tweetchat.com/room/uuriskfaithers

Intro to Twitter Video

Now Booking: Chalice Man and The Flame Dame!

Friends, you’ve heard of them. They’ve recently been captured on video (below). Now the burning question, ahem, is can they come to your congregation, district, region, camp, conference and/or General Assembly… YES!!! I’ve confirmed via a trusted source that Chalice Man and The Flame Dame are ready and willing to appear at your UU event. Booking information and secret Chalice Man and The Flame Dame email follows. ~ Peter

Chalice Man and The Flame Dame – UU Superheroes promoting the 7 Principles and Expansion of All Things UU

Unitarian Universalists: you must wait no longer. Two superheroes have emerged from relative obscurity, and stand ready, willing, and able to assist in your next endeavor!

Chalice Man and The Flame Dame are available to help with any campaign or activity that could benefit from superhero flash and dash. If summoned to your premises, we shall arrive, clad in high superhero fashion, prepared to deliver an announcement, testimonial, or skit to encourage participation in an upcoming event or campaign. We are also available to attend events.

Our recent presence at an auction event and as pre-event speakers created buzz, inspired laughter, and generally lifted spirits. We are prepared to do the same for you!

Write to us at chaliceman.flamedame@gmail.com. Our services can be engaged in exchange for travel expenses; depending on the task and the time and travel involved, we may need to charge modest fees on a sliding scale.

Reflections on Ministry UUA Video Series

In this video series from the Unitarian Universalist Association, religious professionals reflect on Unitarian Universalist ministry in all its forms. Each video ranges from 2 to 4 minutes. According to the Rev. Harlan Limpert, UUA Vice President for Ministries and Congregational Support Administration, the last videos in the series will be released over the next two weeks. If you don’t see your video here, stay tuned! ~ Peter

Unitarian Universalist Ministry – What do you love about ministry?
Updated version – 12/12/2011

Unitarian Universalist (UU) ministers respond to the question, “What do you love about ministry”? In two minutes and six seconds, ten current UU ministers describe what they love about being in ministry. Very moving.