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May 16, 2019
Issue #500
This is our 500th issue.
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May 19, 2019: The Opposite of Worry
Spiritual practice that unlocks hearts and opens doorways to connection and understanding. How can we practice radical curiosity as an antidote to the modern tribalism plaguing our culture?
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Upcoming Topics and Leaders
5/19/19: Finding the Infinite in the Finite Carol Kerr
5/26/19:
Being with Grandchildren
Janice Prochaska
The Sunday Circle is held from 9:00 am to 10:00 am each Sunday in the Fireside Room.
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Dear ones,
Our search process for our next Director of Family Ministries has begun! Please help spread the word by sharing the following job announcement widely. The Search Committee (Susan Matthews, Rich Cohen, Sarah Tiederman, Tiffany Rowe, and myself) will be reviewing applications, conducting interviews and hopefully recommending a candidate to the Board in June.
Know anyone who loves building community and supporting the growth of children, youth and families? We are seeking a talented educator to join the staff team of our growing community. We are hiring a Director of Family Ministries to begin in August, 2019. Detailed job description and information on how to apply found here:
Job Description.
We know that this new staff member will be vital in continuing to grow our community and support the spiritual lives of our children, youth and families. Thank you for helping us find the right fit!
With you on the journey,
Rev. Marcus Hartlief
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Starting new things can be both exciting and terrifying.
Leaving the familiar and heading out into the relative unknown, the liminal space, the creative pregnant in-between is both familiar and strange. My preparation to take leave of UUCM is personal and spiritual growth in and of itself. In ministerial language, it is sometimes called "leave-taking." I/we have a chance to practice healthy goodbyes and relationship endings. Most of us have had plenty of the other kind of relationship endings with dangling closures. So, I invite you to join me in practicing healthy leave-taking. If you have anything that needs to be shared with me in order to have closure, I am open to a letter, call, or a face-to-face moment. Hugs are always welcome too.
Building picnic tables! Service Project this Sunday for all ages grades 2-12: A long time in the planning process; we are now ready to start building two picnic tables that will be placed where the playground used to be. The design includes wheelchair accessible seating at the tables. The redwood is reclaimed salvage from trees damaged in last summer's fires. If your kids want to help stain the wood, please bring them in clothes appropriate for this activity.
Here are links to some of this year's photos -
My winding path of/to ministry - I have been getting lots of questions about what I am doing next and trying to explain my personal winding path of ministry will not fit in this newsletter. Therefore I will be writing several installments and posting them on my blog page.
https://jeffreymelcher.blogspot.com/ Your questions are welcome.
Jeffrey Melcher, M.Div.
Director of Family Ministries
415.578.9788
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Upcoming dates link to the UUCM calendar for saving on iCal, Outlook, etc.
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May Remarkable People: May 17, 7-9 pm Fireside Room
Anne Spatola and
Sarah Tiederman
are our Remarkable People for May.
This ongoing series gives us time to learn about each other from the interesting stories of individual lives. Whether you already know them by name or not, you will learn what you don't know in this evening of sharing and community. Each person talks and there is time for questions and general sociability. Come join in!
Anne Spatola
grew up in a tenement apartment on the lower east side of Manhattan, then left for college and hitchhiked with friends to Berkeley in 1970. You will learn about both communes and life in political collectives - and a career working for the state of California - as well as love and family life being married to a Unitarian minister.
Sarah Tiederman
is a San Francisco native and a "life-long questioner." She grew up in the Midwest and the Episcopal Church before migrating back to the Bay Area as a young adult. Come learn what her life adventure has taught her about recycling, legal investigation, and teaching high school history. Sarah is also a mother to two teens growing up in the digital world, a Girl Scout leader, and an active advocate in creating political and social change.
Come to the Fireside Room for a Friday evening of sharing and learning more about our common interests and intriguing differences in life experience.
All are welcome and there will be sustaining snacks too.
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Crafting for a Cause
Fourth Wednesday evenings, 6:30 - 9:00 pm, offsite.
Knitters and crocheters of all skill levels are invited to join in ongoing efforts to create handmade items for children and adults facing challenging life circumstances. Recipients have included Syrian refugees, Afghan babies, emergency shelter women and premature babies and, recently, breast cancer survivors.
Patterns, guidance, encouragement, camaraderie and some materials provided. Beginners welcome. The next monthly meeting will be
Wednesday, May 22nd. For location or more information, email:
crafting@uumarin.org.
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Connect through Volunteering
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Connect through Volunteering
Are you looking for a way to connect more deeply with UUCM? While Sunday services instill a sense of community and shared values, getting involved in the behind-the-scenes activities at the church is a great way to meet new people, make a contribution, learn new skills, and grow as a person.
No matter what your interests, experience, and talents, there is a place for you to contribute your energies to make the church a more vibrant community.
Want to learn more? Everything you need to know is here:
UUCM Volunteers page.
Try it, you'll like it!
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Dinners for Eight concludes June 1
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Dinners for Eight (or Six), a long-standing tradition of potluck dinners at members' homes, will conclude for the church year with final dinners on Saturday, June 1st.
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Take a look at the Lost and Found in the foyer. You may find a water bottle or a coat that you have been looking for. We need to clean out the closet. End of May everything goes.
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Thanks to Jim Harrison the 50th anniversary quilt is rehung in the stairwell. The quilt was designed by former member Edy Raby and pieced by Edy and Lorayne Hansen. Please note the "flaming chalice" in the center of the quilt. The photos are of early members and their names are written on the yellow strip, the green blocks on the outside edge are autographs of the members at the time the quilt was made. Next year will be the 70th anniversary of UUCM.
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The next meeting of the Classic Book Group is May 22, at 1:30 pm, in the Clara Barton Room. We are reading Pickwick Papers, chapters 1-25.
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New Art Exhibit in Fireside Room
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Exhibit and description by Marjorie Hollinger
I started doing photography when I went to college and my father gave me a camera. I was hooked and took lots of photos with my 1950S camera which had to be adjusted for distance and light exposure.
Now I love taking photos with my IPhone. So easy and convenient.
My paintings have been done over the last 30 years. I find it much more difficult and time-consuming than photography, but rewarding.
Thank you to the Art Committee for allowing me to show my work.
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Register for General Assembly - June 19-23
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General Assembly is the annual meeting of our Unitarian Universalist Association. Attendees worship, witness, learn, connect, and make policy for the Association through democratic process. Anyone may attend; congregations must certify annually to send voting delegates.
The 2019 General Assembly will be June 19-23 in Spokane, Washington. Most General Assembly events will be held in the Spokane Convention Center.
https://www.uua.org/ga
GA HOUSING AND REGISTRATION ARE NOW OPEN
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Social Justice Education/Action
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If you are not already receiving emails from the social justice committee and wish to receive them along with information about social justice actions/rallies in and around Marin, please send your email address to:
socialjustice@uumarin.org
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Do you want to make a difference in our county and the world?
We focus on local issues which are relevant to all of us. Bring your ideas and concerns to the
UUCM Social Justice Committee.
We meet the third Sunday of each month at noon.
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Continue your commitment to environmental and economic justice by shopping at
http://shop.uusc.org
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Staff Links
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Office hours:
Tuesday-Thursday: mid-morning to late afternoon or into the evening.
Call, text or email to make an appointment.
415-578-9632 (direct), 510-213-0404 (cell)
Office hours:
Wed 10:30-2:00
Thursday 10:30-2:00
Sunday 9:00-1:00
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I appreciate any feedback about this weekly newsletter.
eWeekly Deadline for Thursday issue:
Tuesday by 7 am - activities and announcements, staff columns, committee reports
Weekly articles can contain:
- Notices of UUCM sponsored events, meetings, or other activities which involve the entire congregation.
- Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA) or Pacific Central District (PCD) announcements of interest to the entire congregation.
(Staff article length 250 words)
Weekly, UUCM Connect and Special Announcements Editor: Lisa Cohen and Victoria Holdridge
Backup Production Editor: Valerie Taylor
Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Marin
415-479-4131
240 Channing Way
San Rafael, CA 94903
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