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April 7, 2019: Exorcising Descartes
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Upcoming Topics and Leaders
4/7/19 Know Thyself Jim Harrison
4/14/19 How to Play Again Meg Jordan
More Info and additional service topics.
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,
This week we take up a new monthly theme, what does it mean to be a people of
Wholeness?
Wholeness is paradoxically something that is already that state of things, inherent in our nature, and something we long for and aspire to, a goal of the spiritual journey. The Sufi practice of worship is called dhikr which can be translated "remembrance." I love the idea that rich and meaningful spiritual experience, moments of awe and inspiration, of grief and surrender, that these moments are about remembering something we've already known, remembering a truth that has always lived within us. And perhaps our pursuit of wholeness is this way, remembering again and again the wholeness of our lives that is already present.
I do believe remembering our wholeness is one of the most important functions of a community like ours. People come to our congregation seeking to find human wholeness reflected back to them. As we welcome new members into our community and prepare to welcome others seeking what we have here who have not yet crossed the threshold of our doors, it's important to remember that people come here seeking wholeness, not committee membership! Joining a committee in our congregation can be a deeply meaningful experience, but only if it serves in our pursuit of wholeness, rather than one more pull at us in the frenzied pace of modern life. This is the heart of our work on Mission, and the work on planning and organizational structure that we will take up in its wake: to ensure that "how we do church" serves the wholeness of our lives.
If it would serve your wholeness, and perhaps even bring you joy, to strengthen the heart of our community, there are two opportunities to serve I would invite you to consider:
Become a Greeter, Usher or Connector
We are hosting an appreciation and training for current and future Greeters and Ushers. We are also gathering people for a new role, Connectors, who will reach out to folks after they have visited with us, let them know about opportunities to connect, and continue to follow up with them until they've become integrated into our community (or decide it's not the right fit).
If you are interested in becoming an Usher, Greeter or Connector, you are invited to stay after the service on April 14th. We'll provide lunch and offer a short training as we prepare for our next program year. RSVP me if you plan to be there.
Become a Worship Associate or Lead a Summer Service
We are seeking interest from those who like to help lead Sunday services! Being a Worship Associate is a rich and powerful way to deepen your experience of Unitarian Universalism as we work together to craft services throughout the year. Summer is a wonderful opportunity to offer a message or lead a different kind of creative service if there's something you've always wanted to share with the community.
The Worship Associates and I have created an interest form to clearly explain the expectations of these roles and invite those interested to reflect on a few questions as you consider serving in these roles. Please don't be intimidated by the process, we would love to have your gifts involved in the worship life of our community!
With you on the journey,
Rev. Marcus Hartlief
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Spring is glorious and it is so nice to have some time together outside. Creating time for family and loved ones is a task worth the effort. A labor of love. I know families can't attend every Sunday. We love to see you when you come, but it is not the reality most of you are living in. This is why we are going to increase our "Bringing It Home" resources. We want to make UU connections to be easier and more fruitful for families in the home environment. This week we are introducing two aspects:
Soulful Home
and
Children's Birthday Greetings via e-card.
Please take a few minutes to peruse
this
link to the April Soulful Home.
Maybe pick just one thing to share as a family this week. I encourage all families to make use of this material. Parents, Grandparents, Great Grandparents, Aunts, and Uncles. If you can find a way to use these stories, blessings, songs, and curated resources to engage, then our labor of love will ripple into the world in a balanced and wholesome way.
The photo below is of the teen and adult group that met at UUCM this past weekend to train the new leaders of YRUUP, Young Religious Unitarian Universalists of the Pacific. It is a youth leadership council with adult support that has over 20 years of organizational track record and has served thousands of UU youth in our district. UUCM has been a host for many of these council meetings and usually a weekend retreat every year.
And about the retreat:
Thomas Ervin is turning in the first head count today. You can still sign up for the retreat past today, but it makes it easier for Walker Creek to have a close estimate. Email Thomas (or me) if you think you might still want to come to all or part of the retreat.
We are planning a Passover Seder for April 28th. We really hope your child can participate. Each family will be given the opportunity to sign up to bring one of the traditional ritual food items. There may also be an opportunity to come early that day to prepare some of the food. The sign up poster will be on my office door.
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.
7:00 PM - 9:00 PM
12:15 PM - 2:15 PM
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It's time for a new art exhibit in the Fireside Room. If you are interested in showing some of your works, please call Carolyn Planakis. The show can be solo or several people depending on the response.
We will hang the show the second Wednesday in April.
Carolyn Planakis
415 479 5617
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Remarkable People - April 19
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And Remarkable People returns again: April 19, 7-9 pm in the Fireside Room
Brian Hunwick and
Rich Panter are our Remarkable People for April.
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 the evening of sharing and community. Each person talks and there is time for questions and general sociability and usually some sustaining snacks
.
Rich Panter,
a first-year Board member, is in no way new to Unitarianism, having been active across three decades in congregations in Massachusetts, South Carolina, and Napa. Rich grew up in Michigan, grew to love jazz from his detective dad who also played in a dance band and has tales to tell about his career as a documentary film-maker. (A winter storm kept Rich trapped in Bodega Bay when he was to be featured earlier and Julie Prentice stepped up then...but now we predict fair weather....)
As a child of American Baptist missionaries,
Brian Hunwick was born in the southern hills of India and had circled the globe by the age of 10. You will hear about the culture shock, after growing up in a mission school, of coming to live in the US in 1969. And there is more to learn about the 70s, his decade as a medicine man's apprentice and all that has evolved since then.
Come to the Fireside room for a Friday evening of sharing, some snacks, and learning more about our common interests and intriguing differences in life experience.
All are welcome and there will be sustaining snacks too.
And for next month if you want to mark your calendar--
May 17 will bring life stories from
Sarah Tiederman
and
Anne Spatola.
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Our next dinner is April 6th.
Please join us for an informal potluck dinner which is held at members' homes.
New attendees are always welcome.
Please let Sher Sheldon at
shershel@comcast.net
know if you can come or host.
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The Spiritual Cost of Racism - April 7
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"The Spiritual Cost of Racism," Sunday, April 7, 12:15-2:15 pm, Fellowship Hall. Are you interested in exploring the impact that racism has on white people? How has racism compromised your UU values/principles? Have your hearts been broken by unconscious actions? Is complicity and silence wearing you down? If so, come to this AdultEd/Social Justice sponsored event. The Marin chapter of SURJ (Showing Up for Racial Justice) will be conducting and facilitating the workshop designed for our UUCM members.
Bring your own lunch. Questions - contact Jan Seagrave
janseagrave@gmail.com
or Anne Spatola
amspatola@comcast.net.
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Refreshment Provider Opening
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Reguesting one person to assist and provide refreshments on 5/12/19. See Judy Finn or Marge Hollinger if able and willing.
Contact Judy Finn
415-328-4516
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Touch of Beauty Volunteers Needed for June
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We are looking for volunteers to bring flowers (or other Touch of Beauty) on Sundays in June. No experience necessary! Please email sallyrschroeder@comcast.net if you're interested.
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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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