UU Belmont Alliance: Creativity and Innovation with Ranganath Nayak

The twin traits of Creativity and Innovation are the flower and the fruit of the human mind. But what exactly are they, how do they differ, and how do they interact? We will examine the role those twin traits have played in the history of homo sapiens, and the role they play in our modern society. What are some of the great innovations of the last 200 years? What roles will Creativity and Innovation play as we face the challenges of the future? Ranganath has been a student of creativity and innovation for 40 years. For 21 of those, he worked at Arthur D. Little. He is the author of 2 books on the topic “Breakthroughs!” and “Product Juggernauts”.Please contact Kathy Lind at kathyalind@aol.com for information regarding the Zoom link.

Our Story:

The Belmont Unitarian-Universalist Alliance is the oldest continuing meeting group at First Church. It was founded in 1890 as the local branch of the Alliance of Unitarian Women. When the Unitarian-Universalist Association was created, this Alliance became part of the Unitarian-Universalist Women’s Federation.

While it met at First Church in Belmont, the Alliance wasn’t part of the Church’s organizational structure. It had its own elected officers, dues, and bank account. Dues-paying participants were the official members.

The Alliance held monthly lunches which included either a presentation or an excursion. In earlier years, the organization ran the Rummage Sale, put on a music program and Wassail every December, and provided the reception following funerals. The group also contributed to church projects such as the restoration of the Tiffany Window.

Alliance bylaws were amended in 1999 to reflect the dissolution of the national organization and the absorption of the local chapter into First Church. The structure of the Alliance remained largely unchanged until 2014, when the group dropped the word “Woman,” from the title to make it clear all, not just women, are now welcome to join in.

Now a subcommittee of Adult Programs, the Alliance remains semiautonomous with its own bank account and elected officers. Because the group now holds its monthly meetings on Zoom, it no longer collects dues. At its May 2023 meeting the group declared that anyone who attends two presentations during a two-year period will be a voting member. The group votes to elect officers and approve expenditures. Officers include President Nicole Bernstein, Co-President Patricia Hawkins, Treasurer Miriam Baker, Secretary Mary Harrison, Program Committee Doris Hunter, and Technical Advisor Mark Rosenstein.