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All Welcome! 10:30 a.m. at 2425 Sierra Boulevard
May 1, May Day
The Prevalence of Pornography
Rev. Lucy Bunch preaching, with Rev. Roger Jones
Molly Stuart, Worship Associate
Music: "Ashokan Farewell," Mary Blanchette, violin; Paula Joy Welter, cello
Our Annual Church Activity Fair follows on the patio!
Pornography is a potent part of our culture, and a ubiquitous presence for many people, including young adults and teens. The Utah legislature recently passed a law saying that pornography is a menace to public health. Come find out why should we be discussing this in church. The sermon is rated PG-13.
May 8, Mother's Day
Start Where You Are
Rev. Lucy Bunch preaching
Charlotte Selton, Worship Associate
UUSS Choir, Keith Atwater, Director
How can each of us make a difference in the world? From what source can we draw our inspiration to counter the negativity and fear that seems so prevalent? This sermon draws on our 7th principle, "respect for the interdependent web of all existence," and the work of Buddhist nun and author Pema Chodron. What are the tools from UUism and Buddhism that can help us be change makers in this troubled world?
May 15
Youth Coming of Age: Take Note!
With Rev. Roger Jones and Rev. Lucy Bunch
Youth from the 2015-16 Coming of Age Group,
Coordinator Irwin Rosenblum, and Adult Mentors
Music: "Spirit of Life," Zoe Dunnaway, soloist (age 5)
with Director Keith Atwater
Congregational Business Meeting at 11:45 a.m.
Today we hear from the 10 youth and their 10 mentors in the Unitarian Universalist Coming of Age Program of this church year, always a highlight of the year! We hear the youths' statements of belief and hopes. We learn about their weekend retreats with youth from other congregations in the Pacific Central District. They participated in a ropes course, nature vigil and city streets retreat. Here at UUSS they have met monthly in groups with their chosen volunteer mentors and with Irwin and Rev. Roger
May 22
A Non-Idiot's Incomplete Guide to Unitarian Universalism
Rev. Roger Jones, preaching, with Rev. Lucy Bunch
Kevin Sitter, Worship Associate
Religious Education teacher volunteer appreciation
at the start of service.
Wake Up & Smell the Coffee! Fundraiser for our Coffee Cupboard!
There are editions of the Complete Idiot's Guide about religious topics, among others. But none about UUism. What would you want it to include? What are the spiritual bullet points of UUism? What is our theological, ethical, covenantal, and musical summing up, and could it ever be called a "Complete Guide"? Hymns today are favorites of a high bidder at the service auction; she bought the right to select what we'll sing.
This is the farewell day for RE before summer RE program.
Tea and Coffee Fundraiser early in the service.
May 29, Memorial Day Sunday
Have Mercy!
Rev. Roger Jones, preaching, with Rev. Lucy Bunch
Mary Howard, Worship Associate
Music Director Keith Atwater and UUSS Choir--last Choir Sunday until September
Mercy is an ancient spiritual term that means many things-about how battlefield enemies regard the humanity of their foes, how we treat our loved ones and ourselves, the forgiveness of God, and the relief of suffering. Come explore mercy!
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Shared Offering Recipient in May: Welcome Home Housing
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Every month we give half of the Sunday service offering to a local not-for-profit. UUSS members vote every year to choose 12 community partners that embody our values and our mission to be a healing force. In February we sent $2,289 to Wind Youth Services; in March we gave $2,323 to Sacramento Family Promise. Thank you!
In May we share with Welcome Home Housing. This agency provides affordable housing and services to people with mental illness. It has four homes in the Rosemont area and provides a variety of support services to ensure residents' success. It also provides a Respite Care Center. The late Fran Yankauer's son and daughter-in-law are volunteers on the agency's board. Read more at www.welcomehomehousing.org.
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UUSS Congregational Meeting May 15
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Please plan to stay after the May 15 service for our spring business meeting,  from 11:45 to about 1:00 PM, with Nursery Care provided.
Come to vote on the 2016-17 UUSS Budget, hear ministers' and lay leaders' updates, and elect new Trustees and other lay leaders. We need a quorum of Members to conduct business, but all are welcome to this open meeting.
Also note:
Budget Explanation Forum
with our Treasurer this Sunday, May 1, 9:30 AM.
Meet the Candidates Reception
hosted by the Nominating Committee Sunday, May 1, after service.
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Senior Minister's Message
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Supporting the Black Lives Matter Movement
B
y Rev. Roger Jone
s
Last June, Unitarian Universalist delegates debated and approved an action of witness at the UUA's
2015 General Assembly
. They urged our 1,000 UU congregations to support the Black Lives Matter movement. There was some heat as delegates addressed the assembly from PRO and CON microphones. Young UUs of color and their allies made an eloquent case for taking such a stand, while some white UUs of older generations voiced their doubts and their requests for clarity about the meaning of the organizing slogan, #blacklivesmatter.
Some UUs and other folks continue to ask, "Do not all lives matter? Isn't that our First UU Principle?"
That's true. Here's the distinction made by this young activist movement. So much of U.S. history bears evidence that some lives don't really matter-that some lives are not as worthy, not as worried about, not as protected. "Black Lives Matter" is a reminder of unfinished work in this land.
With so much pain and so many lives lost, "Black Lives Matter" is a lamentation. With parents weeping over the loss of their sons or anxious for them to come home safely, "Black Lives Matter" is a cry for no life to be overlooked. With persistent racial disparities in economic structures, housing, health, and education systems, to say "Black Lives Matter" is to assert the need for equity. It's a way of saying: "This is what human dignity should look like in practice."
Here is a wonderful talk by a young ministry student at GA
.
The action passed, not unanimously but overwhelmingly. Since then, many UU congregations have posted banners for passers-by to see: Black Lives Matter. As Lucy noted in the
September Unigram
newsletter,
some of these have been vandalized
several times, and replaced.
From teens in our Senior High Youth Group has come this question: Why not UUSS? They are saying it is time for their spiritual community to reflect on this call for justice. Lucy and I have begun that exploration-with sermons, book discussions, and facilitating the five-month program known as Beloved Conversations.
What now? Is it time for us, as a community, to show where we stand? Let me know your thoughts!
Yours in service,
Rev. Roger Jones, Senior Minister
Where's Rev. Roger in May? - and a Personal Note
Office Hours: Monday 11-2, Wednesday 11-7, Thursday 11-8. Sabbath day is Tuesday. Writing on Friday, Saturday. Absences: On May 2, Rev. Lucy and I attend a luncheon to welcome the ministerial candidate at the Grass Valley church the week their congregation calls him. Personal note: May 4-8, I go to West Virginia for the memorial service of Sheila Ross, mother of a close college friend and a source of mothering hospitality to me during my young adult years. She died of dementia a few months ago.
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Assistant Minister's Message:
Being Stewards of our Community
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For the past few months we have been talking about stewardship - in particular financial stewardship that we provide to fund our staff salaries, building expenses, mortgage, and programs. But the term is actually much broader. According to the wise oracle Wikipedia, stewardship is an ethic that embodies the responsible planning and management of resources. Stewardship is also a state of mind, awareness that each of us is a caretaker of our community and our world.
And each of us is a caretaker of our congregation - our finances, buildings and property as well as our people. But for right now let's focus on coffee and weeds.
Coffee: Some of our leaders have been sharing awareness of the difficulty that elders have managing a hot cup of coffee while using a cane or a walker - worse when you add soup or chili into the mix. "Should we have a group of folks who pay attention to the elders' needs and help them carry things?" Yes - we should have a group, and the group is us; it's every one of us. It's the UUSS community. Our stewardship needs to include care and attention for our elders. If you notice someone struggling with their coffee or soup, help them; be a steward of people.
Weeds: Take a look at the picture of the plant - it's hemlock. It is an invasive,  poisonous plant that is invading our landscape. The winter and spring rains have produced a hearty crop. Hemlock blooms with the prettiest, most delicate white flowers - but don't be fooled; vicious small burrs replace the flowers and stick to everything. This plant is driven to take over the world. As a green sanctuary, we minimize the use of pesticides and herbicides on our property - so these hemlock plants need to be removed the old fashioned way. As stewards of UUSS property, each of us who is abled bodied should pull these out when we see them. Of course, there are many more weeds growing in our landscape, so feel free to go wild. Or better yet sign up to be a
weeding steward?
We are looking for individuals, groups and families who would be willing to adopt a plot on our campus and help keep it weed free. All it takes is about 1 hour a month, to keep your plot tidy. Training is provided so you are confident which is a week and which is not!
Contact me
if you are interested.
We are all in this together.
Where's Rev. Lucy in May
My office hours are Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday afternoons. Please call or e-mail to make sure I am available. I will be away at a worship aesthetics retreat May 9-13. I hope to bring back some great new ideas.
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By Keith Atwater, Music Director
This has been a year of "firsts" for me, and also for several of you! I  experienced my first year in our new space, my first fire and water ceremonies, my first all-church costumed, live dance party to the music of No Divas, my first auction, book club, brass ensemble performance, choir singing in brand new stoles, sharing on Islam with an Adult R.E. group, chalice lighting, dropping a stone in remembrance of a loved one, walking the labyrinth, and next month, playing guitar and sharing a campfire with you at family camp.
When I joined you last summer, I knew just a little bit about "UUs."
While a part-time grad student at Pacific School of Religion in 1982, I heard some Baptist students refer to Starr King School (the UU seminary) as "Sky King"-poking fun at UUs' holistic, idealistic, and all-encompassing spirituality. Now let me be among the first to say as a no-longer-brand-new community member that your (our) worship, music, arts, fellowship, passion for justice, generosity, thirst for wisdom, and welcoming spirit make me wish I had taken classes at Starr King back then; maybe I'd have found you sooner!
But here I am with you approaching my first anniversary. Now who will be the first to sing and/or play an instrument with me at Camp Norge this June 10-12?
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Update from the Auction Committee: Thanks and Good News!
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Wonderful news! The Spring Fling-the Auction Thing grossed $30,000! This is a preliminary figure. The net amount after expenses won't be known until after the Unigram deadline, but we couldn't wait to let you know.
Our deepest thanks to all the volunteers who spent so many hours working to make the auction such a success. Special thanks go to Taylor Lewis for the awesome job he did keeping the event flowing, and to musicians Billie Menz, Paula Joy Welter and Rev. Lucy for entertaining us. If you sold tickets, prepared food, decorated, served, cleaned up or any of the other innumerable tasks, we thank you too, very much. It couldn't have happened without the commitment each and every one of you made to the event and to our UUSS community.
Want to keep the fun going? We still have a few unsold items you can bid on. Buy a service, go on an adventure, or join other UUs at a great meal. A sampling of the remaining items includes:
- A sailing lesson on Lake Washington
- A 5K walk around Land Park with a buffet brunch
- A gift certificate for a day of rafting on the American River
- A New Year's Eve party
- A Vietnamese diner
- Roger's ice cream social
- Graphic design service
- Group crochet lessons
- Bird vacation care
- A month of guitar lessons
These are just a few of the opportunities that remain for you to get to know other UUs and help UUSS at the same time. To see the full list, go to uuss.org/auction.The great thing is you won't be outbid! Choose the item you want and contact our bookkeeper, Michele Ebler, at [email protected]. She will charge the purchase to your credit card on file. Or let her know if you'd rather send a check to the office with "Auction" in the memo line. Michele will enter your winning bid, and the item will no longer be available for others to buy.
Finally, a huge thanks to everyone who donated to the silent auction, came to the dinner, bid, bought raffle tickets, and participated in the cake walk. You are the true heroes and winners of the UUSS 2016 Auction. Thank you again from all of us.
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UUSS celebrated Earth Day on April 17 with a wonderful service and special music from the choir to honor our beautiful earth and consider our commitments to the challenge of climate chaos. During the service, all who attended were asked to consider what they will do help prevent climate chaos and write their answer on a ribbon. Each person shared what they wrote and tied their ribbon on a rope draped in the front of the sanctuary. A picture is included below and more are on the Earth Justice web page. After service, Rev. Lucy dedicated our redwood wall made from redwood trees that were cut down last year.
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Adult Enrichment in April
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Religious Humanism: A Unitarian Universalist Spiritual Path
With Rev. Roger
Three Mondays, 6:30 to 8:15 p.m., May 16, 23, 30
Fee payable to UUSS Adult Enrichment: sliding scale for the course ($20 to $45 each), free to teens if you register. Minimum 10 participants, maximum 21. Please register by May 15 at Sunday Adult Enrichment table.
What makes a Religious Humanist religious? What roles do reverence, compassion, love, and hope have to play in the spirituality of Humanism?
This class includes lectures on this tradition in our UU movement, personal reflections on your values and commitments, and group conversations about the sources of purpose and hope found in a humanist spirituality. We will use Rev. Dr. William R. Murry's book
Reason and Reverence. Copies will be in the UUSS Bookstore (in our library) at coffee hour starting May 1, or you can buy one weekdays at the UUSS Office. You and a friend could share the book!
First Aid & Beyond: What We All Should Know in the Adventure of Health Care
With Kim Marta, M.D., and Roger Jones, M. Div.
Two Mondays at UUSS, June 6 and 13, 6:30-8 p.m.
Join with others in community to update your basic knowledge of self-care, learn when to see a medical provider, and learn when to call a minister too!
Trained in family medicine, Dr. Marta has worked in urgent care settings for many years and currently serves at Mercy Medical Group's Walk-in Clinic. She's fun to talk to because she has seen everything! A new UUSS member, Kim brings a calm and encouraging manner to her explanation of the issues and her suggestions on self-care, self-advocacy, prevention, healthy habits and good sense.
Nose bleeds, URIs, UTIs, sprains and conjunctivitis. Fever, fracture, allergies and hives. Palpitations, heart murmurs, DVT and stroke symptoms. Vomiting, diarrhea, rehydration, and acute abdominal pain. Oops! & Ouch! and everything in between!
In Session 1, Kim will give a brief introduction to several topics and find out which ones we'd like to learn more about in the next session.
Minimizing drug expenses. Recommended adult immunizations
And what about our spiritual health? With a bit of poetry or prose and moments of silence, Roger will invite us to reflect spiritually on the journey of health care. For fun and fellowship, we can share our stories about high and low points on that journey.
Fee:
$20-$45 for the course (sliding scale), payable to UUSS Adult Enrichment. Teens are free. Minimum 10 people, maximum 25. Register on Sundays at the Adult Enrichment table. For questions, contact
Rev. Roger
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Monday Yoga at 10 a.m. and 7 p.m.
Page Labrie teaches Yoga with chairs in the Fahs Classroom at 10 a.m. and Yoga with Mats in Classroom 7/8 at 7 p.m. $10 drop in fee or $8/week for a two-month session.
"Happiness Hypothesis" Discussion Concludes
This popular book discussion group concludes this month with a discussion of chapters 10 and 11 of The Happiness Hypothesis by Jonathan Haidt. This drop-in group will meet Tuesday May 17 at 1:00 p.m. and Wednesday May 18 at 7:00 p.m. Both sessions are in the Welcome Hall. You are welcome to come even if you haven't been to a session before and even if you haven't read the book! At this last meeting we will share our own hypotheses about happiness and reflect on those presented by the author. Come join us.
Palestine-Israel Study Group Celebration, May 24
By Patricia Johnson and Cathy Hackett
The UUSS Palestine-Israel Study Group has completed their series of discussions using the UUJME study guide based on the 7 UU Principles. The many activists and supporters of
Unitarian Universalists for Justice in the Middle East
have been hard at work for decades, raising awareness of the decades-long human rights violations and oppression in Palestine-Israel.
May 24 is a celebration of our completion of the study guide and to discuss our future. We are inviting you to attend this celebration-to learn more about the conflict and about the UUA business resolution on the agenda of the General Assembly in June. The UUA recently divested from four companies doing business with Israel in occupied Palestine. UUJME has been pursuing this victory for many years. We are following other large denominations Methodist, Presbyterian, and United Church of Christ. UUJME is in coalition with Jewish Voice for Peace and the Sabeel Ecumenical Liberation Theology Center.
We will have potluck food, music and poetry, along with discussions about the future of UU commitment to the issues of Justice in the Middle East.
All welcome Tuesday, May 24, 7:00 p.m. in the UUSS Welcome Hall
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Senior Fellowship's Many Activities
This new activity group is open to those 65 and more, or thereabouts, who want to get together for activities, friendship, community and adventure.
In May we have the following events:
Saturday May 7,
Walk around Davis Arboretum and enjoy all the flowers, followed by lunch at Whole Foods. Hosted by Jean Kohlhoff.
Sunday, May 15
, The Odd Couple at UUSS. Lunch at Jacks Urban Eats. Hosted by Sally White.
Sunday, May 29
, Brunch after church, location to be decided. Hosted by Sally Cooley
For more information about any of these events or just to get added to our list, e-mail Jean Kohlhoff at [email protected].
Age Challengers meet on Thursday, May 5
Age Challengers welcome new members, people age 70 and up. Our discussions cover topics varying from the wisdoms we have gathered over our life time, to relationships with our adult children, to physical limitations imposed by age, to housing situations. We cover many areas of concerns as well as joys we experience. We continue to meet on the first Thursday of the month from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. in the UUSS Library. We usually bring a bag lunch and have coffee/tea provided by the church. For more information, contact
Ilona Montel
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Alliance Program and Lunch! Thursday, May 12
By Vivian Counts
All welcome! Save the date, Thursday, May 12 for the Alliance. We meet at 10:45 a.m. in the Fahs Classroom. A luncheon will be served, and a donation of $3 is appreciated. Our speaker will be Betty Crockford who will speak about Winston and Clementine Churchill's love letters. This is a side of Churchill that few people know. Who would ever have guessed that they were so in love. Their letters are called, "A Golden Thread of Love."
The letters are now in the national archives.
Please reserve your place for lunch by
e-mailing Vivian
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Challenging Books for Challenging times: Summer Reading with Rev Lucy
Its back! The summer reading group will commence again this summer with three challenging books. We will meet on the second Tuesday of June, July and August at 6:30.
What should we read? What books call to you during these challenging times? Here are some titles currently under consideration:
The Gift of Fear and Other Survival Signals that Protect Us from Violence by Gavin de Becker
True fear is a gift. Unwarranted fear is a curse. Learn how to tell the difference.
The Road to Character by David Brooks
Responding to what he calls the culture of the Big Me, Brooks challenges us, and himself, to rebalance the scales between our "résumé virtues"-achieving wealth, fame, and status-and our "eulogy virtues," those that exist at the core of our being: kindness, bravery, honesty, or faithfulness.
A People's History of the United States by Howard Zinn
It's a wonderful, splendid book-a book that should be read by every American, student or otherwise, who wants to understand his country, its true history, and its hope for the future.
Small Wonder: Essays by Barbara Kingsolver
Sometimes grave, occasionally hilarious, and ultimately persuasive, Small Wonder is a hopeful examination of the people we seem to be, and what we might yet make of ourselves.
Please send your votes, ideas and suggestions to Rev. Lucy by May 15. I look forward to reading and discussing with you this summer.
UUSS Book Readers: The Turner House
On Tuesday, May 31, the UUSS Book Readers will meet at 7 p.m. in the UUSS Library to discuss The Turner House by Angela Flournoy. For more information,
email
Jim Glidden or call Jim at (916) 649-9697.
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Wake Up and Smell the Coffee-Sunday May 22 Special Donations
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Our annual coffee donation day is Sunday, May 22. Your generous gifts will replenish the coffee cupboard and hospitality funds so we can offer refreshments to all members and guests in the coming months. Bring a pound or two (or five) of your favorite regular grind coffee, or a few boxes of tea. Or give a $10, $20 or $100 bill, so our volunteers can buy milk, sweetener, iced tea, etc. Bring your items on or before Sunday by 10:15. We'll cheer the beverage gods as we sing the UU parody, "Coffee, Coffee, Coffee." (If you don't like singing that, slip in late at 10:40!).
NOTE: No flavored coffees, and no whole beans, please. Regular or decaf, either is fine. We also welcome volunteers to make coffee available one Sunday a month or more. Thanks to current and past volunteers!
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Theater One Production of "The Odd Couple" Opens May 6
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Theater One is proud to announce its production of "The Odd Couple" running May 6 through 22. This classic Neil Simon comedy is directed by Jill McMahon and features an extremely talented cast. We've added Thursday performances for this production-and tickets are only $10 on Thursdays. Performances are Thursday, Friday, and Saturday nights at 8 p.m. and Sunday matinees at 2 p.m. Except for the special Thursday price, tickets are $15 general and $13 students, seniors, and SARTA members. You can pay by cash, check, or credit card. Come support Theater One and UUSS. You'll have a great time, I promise! See theaterone.org.
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Social Justice Theme for 2016-17: Confronting Economic Inequality
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By Rev. Lucy Bunch and Rev. Roger Jones
So many wonderful things are happening in our congregation - growth in attendance, energy and commitment. We have completed our wonderful renovation and are poised to focus our attention outward to our community.
Why do we need a theme for our social justice activities?
At a planning retreat last fall the Board of Trustees was called to find a way to focus our social justice energies and give more life to our mission to "be a force for healing in the world." The Board was inspired to create a theme that would serve as an umbrella for shared learning and engagement - a theme that can call us to make a difference in a significant way.
What does this theme mean for our current social justice activities?
Currently we have many wonderful social justice programs in our congregation with engaged and committed members making a difference in our community and our world. All these activities will continue as long as there is energy and commitment for each. Most of our groups can fit within our umbrella theme. We encourage leaders to consider how to take advantage and create synergy among our activities.
Why pick Economic Inequality?
Our theme will be Economic Inequality - the current Congregational Study/Action Issue (CSAI) selected by General Assembly delegates from Unitarian Universalist congregations for four years of study, reflection and action. The CSAI is an invitation for congregations to take a topic of concern and engage it, reflect on it, learn about it, respond to it, comment on it, and take action-each in their own way. And that is what we intend to do at UUSS this coming year. You can read more about this topic and the CSAI process here
http://www.uua.org/statements/current
.
How will this theme be used in our church activities?
Throughout the coming church year we will engage with this theme in sermons, study groups, book groups, religious education activities for adults, children and youth - wherever and however our vision takes us. We will build on all the great work that is currently being done at UUSS and in the Sacramento region. The theme of economic inequality touches on many issues that fill our open hearts and use our helping hands: poverty, homelessness, immigration, wage fairness, class disparities - and many more.
What happens now?
Our first step will be to form a task force of folks who will strategize, plan and coordinate the theme activities for the coming year. Are you a good candidate? Do you feel the call to help UUSS be engaged in important issues in our world? Do you have ideas, energy, planning skills to offer? Contact us if you have interest in serving in this exciting role.
Stay tuned!
Any group in the congregation can participate in the theme - and we hope you will. So start your conversations and get the ideas flowing. And stay tuned for more news as the planning gets underway.
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UUSS Hosts Family Promise Guests May 15-22
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By Barbara Hopkins
UUSS Family Promise (FP) will host four homeless families from May 15 to May 22. At night during FP week, the Fahs Room and other classrooms are converted into dining and private sleeping areas. Every evening, UUSS volunteers will offer a warm welcome, hot dinner, and comfortable sleeping arrangements for the night.
We welcome your help in providing dinner and hospitality each evening, staying overnight for one night (with another team member), or donating food or money to cover the weekly supply costs of this ministry. Other tasks include setup, cleanup, laundry, and towing the FP trailer to the next church. Help with these physical chores is especially welcome.
Family Promise deeply values the support of the countless dedicated volunteers during the past eleven years. We were thrilled to welcome the help of many new volunteers in March and appreciate their energy and ideas ... and we hope you will offer your hands to support our UU Family Promise team.
For more information or to sign up for a specific job, come to the Family Promise table in the Welcome Hall on Sunday and talk with other FP volunteers.
You may also e-mail your questions to Barbara Hopkins at
[email protected]
or Nancy Oprsal at
[email protected]
.
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Religious Education (RE) Calendar, May 2016
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Sunday, May 1, May Day
9:30-12:00 Child care available
10:30-11:45 RE for All Grade Levels
11:30-12:15 UUSS Activity Fair on the Meadow and Patio!
11:45-2:00 Coming of Age and Kids' Freedom Club meetings
Friday, May 6 - Sunday, May 8
High school Spirituality Conference in San Mateo
Sunday, May 8, Mother's Day
9:30-12:00 Child care available
10:15-11:30 RE
Sunday, May 15, Coming of Age service
9:30-1:30 Child care available
10:15-11:30 RE for Spirit Play and True Reflections
10:30-11:30 Youth Coming of Age worship service
11:50-1:00 Congregational Business Meeting (Nursery Care)
Friday, May 20
Games Night 6:00 pm in Fahs Classroom
Sunday, May 22
9:30-1:30 Child care available
10:15-11:30 Farewell Day in RE Classes & RE Volunteer Appreciation
Sunday, May 29
9:30-12:00 Child care available
10:15-11:30 RE Play Day for All Ages (Youth welcome to attend service)
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Spirit Play and True Reflections will spend the morning in our UUSS UUrth  Song CommUUnity Garden on Sunday, May 1. Please dress in garden-like clothing and be ready for outside fun. We greatly thank Glory Wicklund for organizing such a fun day for RE each year. Many thanks to the Spirit Play Champions, Megan Snyder and Alecia Sanchez, in addition to the True Reflections Champions, Carrie Cornwell and Shannon Williams, for their presence and support in our garden.
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Summer RE Program Coming!
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 What happens during summer for our UUSS RE children and youth, you ask? Well, we gather a team of artistic volunteers from our congregation to help out. We schedule these volunteers for two or more consecutive Sundays to share a talent with the group. In summer, the mixed-age group of children and youth come together to community-build and share in friendship. Come share your special niche with Religious Education! I am building a summer of spiritual and artistic classes for Summer ArtWorks 2016 and would love to hear from you!
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Youth Coming of Age Worship Service May 15
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T
he
PCD Coming of Age Program
here at UUSS has been successful, due to coordinator Irwin Rosenblum, the 10 Mentors that guided their youth friends over nine months, and the 10 youth participants, joined with Senior Minister Rev. Roger. The group participated in monthly sessions and three out-of-town weekend retreats focusing on what it means for them to be a UU and part of a larger faith community. Please join us on Sunday, May 15 for this very special Credo service.
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- No scheduled RE for JHYG & SHYG on May 15 for our Credo service. Spirit Play and True Reflections will still meet.
- The Nursery in Room 11 is open every Sunday at 9:30 a.m. for parents attending Sunday Morning Spiritual Practices with Rev. Roger or Rev. Lucy and other leaders, or those attending the 3rd Sunday Exploring UUism Adult Class. For parents not attending these special events the regular Nursery opening time is at 10:15 am.
- Sunday, May 15 our Nursery stays open later for families to attend the Congregational Meeting. Let Nursery staff know if you will be staying for the meeting.
- Sunday, May 22 our Nursery stays open later for families to attend the Newcomer's Orientation and Campus tour. Just let our Nursery staff know when you drop off your child(ren) that they will be staying longer. We appreciate you!
- I hope you are able to stay up to date with reading the biweekly RE Outreach email bulletin. It is a great source for information, events, and other neat things about our wonderful program.
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John R. "Jack" Davidson
passed away April 7 after a long decline with  dementia. He was 91. His late wife, Jeane Davidson, died in 2013. Jeane's daughter, Linda Hoganson, is active in the congregation. Jack was born in Vancouver, BC, grew up in Gastine, CA, and served in the U.S. Navy in World War II. Jack joined UUSS in 1961. He'd met Jeane when she was out with the church choir at a local pub. She brought him into her family and her congregation. At UUSS he sang bass and baritone in the choir, acted with Theater One, and served in governance and administrative roles as a volunteer. He was also part of the Grasshoppers, the volunteers who mow our plentiful grass at UUSS. In retirement from office management for the California Highway Patrol, Jack served a few years on staff as our Business Administrator. In addition to Jeane's children, Jack leaves behind siblings in other states as well as his children, grandchildren and great grandchildren from prior marriages. We extend our condolences to Linda and family and to Jack's many friends. Memorial contributions in Jack's honor are welcome to the UUSS Heritage Fund.
Polly Ostrofe,
passed away April 19 peacefully after a recent series of strokes. She was a UUSS member from 2003 and a generous volunteer until needing to move to a retirement care home in Santa Rosa. She was 88. Professionally she was a nurse, nursing professor, and child health specialist. After losing her first husband to cancer, Polly reared four children as a young widow. She had known Frank Ostrofe as a neighbor earlier in life, and a chance new meeting on the streets of Grass Valley let to a new romance. Frank died in 2009, after 30 years of giddy bliss, as they were proud to tell friends. Roger will officiate at a Celebration of Life at a family home in South Sacramento. The service starts at 2:00 PM, Saturday, May 14. Contact her son Paul Hancock at [email protected] or get the number from the UUSS Office. Memorial donations to the UUSS Heritage Fund are welcome in Polly's honor. Click here to see her April 27 obituary in the Sacramento Bee.
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Sacramento Master Singers Wrap Up Their Thirtieth Year: May 22 & 23
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By Celia Buckley, UUSS Member
This gala concert features the premieres of several songs about Sacramento. The poems of four area writers have been set to music by composers
Ken Medema
, Jared Pierce, and
Larry Shackley. Unforgettable works range from the hauntingly beautiful to the hilarious. You will also get to hear winners of the Master Singers' Asya Pleskach Scholarship for Young Choral Singers. Year after year, Sacramento audiences have thrilled to join the Master Singers in cheering on a new generation of choral artists. "Sing A New Song" will end with the uplifting Sunrise Mass by young Norwegian composer Ola Gjeilo. The non-traditional mass setting is a stirring piece for choir and string orchestra that had audiences leaping to their feet when we performed its Northern California premiere two years ago. Due to audience demand, the choir is preparing to make a professional recording of the work.
Celia Buckley and Lucy Bunch will be singing with the Sacramento Master Singers on Saturday May 22 at 8 p.m. or Sunday May 23 at 3 p.m. at the First United Methodist Church, 21st and J Street. $20 tickets are available at a discount through Celia at 916-261-1199.
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Office Hours and Holiday Closings
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The office is open Monday thru Friday from 8:30am to 5:00pm.
The office will be closed on Monday, May 30 for the Memorial Day Holiday. |
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Serving Our Congregation
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UUSS OFFICERS & BOARD TRUSTEES
Linda Clear, President Linda Klein, Vice-President
Denis Edgren, Treasurer Gordon Gerwig, Secretary
Carl Gardner Shirley Hines
Carol Jacobs
Janet Lopes Dennis Pottenger
Skylar Primavera, Youth Trustee
PROGRAM COUNCIL
JoAnn Anglin
Lisa Derthick Deirdre Downes (Chairperson) Patricia Johnson
Linda Roth
Carol Jacobs, Board Liaison
CHURCH STAFF
Rev. Roger Jones, Senior Minister
Rev. Lucy Bunch, Assistant Minister
Stanton Vedell, Communications and Facilities Coordinator
Michele Ebler, Bookkeeper
Elaine Cooper, Receptionist
Miranda Massa, Religious Education Coordinator
Keith Atwater, Music Director
Krystal Gollaher and Yer Chang, Childcare Providers
Aaron Molina - Sunday thru Thursday, Custodian
Miguel Neri Friday - Saturday and Sunday, Custodian
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