UUFSD Weekly Newsletter for February 19, 2021 |
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Welcome to the UUFSD Weekly Newsletter
Inspired by our UU principles, we are a vibrant, intentionally diverse congregation that models and promotes both locally and globally: love, spiritual growth, service, right relations, and sustainable living.
NOTE: Newsletter Submissions
Submissions to the Weekly Newsletter may be made via the UUFSD website at https://uufsd.org/news/submission and are limited to 100 words. Your listing will be published only once unless you indicate otherwise on the submission form. The deadline for submissions is Wednesdays at 10:30am for publication in the following Friday's newsletter.
*If you don't receive an email confirmation of your submission please contact the administrator at office@uufsd.org.
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Upcoming Services
We are holding a Single Service on Sundays from 10:00am-11:15am
The Service will be Live-Streamed over Zoom and YouTube
Click HERE to link to the Zoom Service
Meeting ID: 952 2706 0986, Passcode: 618961
Watch on YouTube
The Latest OOS
Click here for more information and help accessing our Sunday format
February 21, 2021
"We Are Not Broken, Simply Unfinished!"
Guest Speaker: Rev. Dr. Tom Owen-Towle
Worship Associate: Wenda Alvarez
Dear siblings, we Americans are truly inspired by the words of the Inaugural poet, Amanda Gorman, as we aspire to grow a more hopeful country and world in 2021.
The Rev. Dr. Tom Owen-Towle was ordained in 1967 and is still preaching, hither and yon, throughout our Pacific Southwest District. When the pandemic is over, Tom will return to his community commitments: volunteering at the homeless center; singing in nursing homes; and mentoring young people. He is delighted to be returning to UUFSD , even if via zooming, where he served years back as an interim minister.
February 28, 2021
"What Commitment Means to Me"
Rev. Jo Green
Worship Associate: Alisa Guralnick
As Black History Month nears the end this month, what can our commitment to racial justice be? How can we show how important it is to us and that we are committed to ending systemic racism? Bring your ideas, your thoughts and feelings and open heart to hear and to listen.
March 7, 2021
International Women's Day
Rev. Jo Green
Worship Associate: Angie Knappenberger
March14, 2021
Rev. Jo Green
Worship Associate: Patricia Cofre-Stone
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Ministerial Musings
Commitment
Our theme this month is Commitment. What does commitment mean to you? For me personally I feel that commitment is a part of my integrity, when I tell someone that I will do something, I will do it – to keep my integrity, to keep my commitment.
One place I’ve noticed most glaringly is that I don’t keep my commitments to myself. How many times I’ve promised to lose weight, to exercise daily, to eat healthier, to give up sugar, to increase my meditation, to get through my to-do list daily…so many promises I’ve broken to myself!
That could be an area we all need to improve on. How many of us break promises to ourselves daily, maybe even hourly? I am sure we all don’t mean to do that, in fact we are all so well-intentioned that I am sure the resolve is there. And yet, we are hurting ourselves the most when we do this. Promises we break on a daily basis to ourselves we would never break for a friend, family member or colleague. We would never even think to do that. At the very least we would apologize to the other person for not completing our commitment.
Let us begin with a clean slate. Let us forgive ourselves for all the past broken promises we’ve experienced to ourselves. Tell yourselves you are so sorry for breaking those past promises. Period. There’s no need to try and make up for them, just simply forgive.
Then look at maybe why you are breaking those promises to yourself. Indeed, there are reasons. Maybe we don’t respect ourselves as much as we respect others. Maybe we don’t see ourselves as important enough to keep promises to ourselves. After all, it’s only us. Who are we hurting if we break our own promise to ourselves? Well we are hurting ourselves and we need to think of ourselves as important human beings, just as important as others. My mother would never use the “good” wedding china they had because they needed to “save” it for when a guest was here. Why not be our own guests? Why not begin to treat yourselves as well as you do guests at your table?
That could become a wonderful new tradition and promise to ourselves. And who knows, you might find that you are keeping your own promises to yourself on a much more consistent basis. <3
Be well and take good care of your own self,
Rev Jo
Please feel free to contact me:
By phone: 858-755-9225
Cell phone: 818-489-2055
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The Worship Committee is dedicated to making our Sunday ZOOM services as meaningful as possible. To do this we need input from you!
Please click on the link below to complete our short survey.
The survey will only take a few moments of your time but your responses will be invaluable to guiding our efforts. Thank you for helping us make our Sunday Services more meaningful.
If you have questions or need assistance, please contact Angie Knappenberger at angie3886@gmail.com.
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Considering the 8th Principle
Sunday,February 21st, 4:00-5:30pm via Zoom
Please join us for our 2nd session where we consider adopting the 8th principle. There are resources online and on Facebook to learn about the 8th principle. If you have time please watch the video of 4 ministers in churches who have adopted the 8th principle and what it has meant for their congregations at:
You are welcome whether or not you attended the 1st meeting.
Join Zoom Meeting
Meeting ID: 921 1757 4863
Passcode: 050524
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Minister’s Discretionary Fund
Most of you are probably aware that Rev. Jo has a Minister's Discretionary Fund available for those in need. She would like to remind folks that these funds are available, especially during this time of pandemic and social distancing.
Please feel free to contact her at revjo@uufsd.org if you are in need or know of someone that could benefit from some assistance.
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Postcard for Social Justice Meetup on Zoom
Thursday, February 25th at 5:30 pm
The 5th Principle Project (fka Indivisible Patriots) invites you to a postcard/letter writing meetup via Zoom to support social justice. Democracy is not a spectator sport. So, grab your postcards or paper/envelopes and have them ready by your computer for the event.
Our postcard/letter writing topic(s) varies each meetup, but covers issues including, but not limited to, racial justice, immigration, gun violence prevention, climate change, voting rights, reproductive freedom and LGBTQ equality.
This is a short meetup – 30 minutes or less. Please RSVP to reimus1@aol.com by noon on Wednesday, February 24 for Zoom link.
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Racial Justice Task Force Book Club
March 7th, March 28 & April 11, 2021 at 4:00pm via Zoom
Please join us for a three-part discussion on the book, “Caste – The Origins of Our Discontents” by Isabel Wilkerson. At the first meeting on March 7th, we will be discussing Parts One and Two of the Book.
The book explores, through a deeply researched narrative and stories about real people, how America today and throughout its history has been shaped by a hidden caste system. Beyond race, class, or other factors, a powerful caste system influences people’s lives and behavior and the nation’s fate.
Zoom Link for March 7th meeting:
Meeting ID: 868 1194 6159
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2nd Monday Book Club
March 8th, 6:30-8:00pm via UUFSD Zoom
We will be discussing the modern novel Sing, Unburied, Sing (2017) by Jesmyn Ward. Drug addition, shame and grief weave through this character-driven story of a mixed-race family on a road trip in Mississippi. The eloquent prose allows us to believe in their ghosts.
We will meet over Zoom at 6:30pm on Monday, March 8th.
Email bookclub@uufsd.org with any questions, or call/text Cathy Leach-Phillips at 650 224-1974.
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Wednesday Mindfulness Meditation Group
The Mindfulness Meditation group offered by Livia Walsh each Wednesday morning will be offered via Zoom from 9:30-11:00 instead of in person attendance. If you would like to participate on any given Wednesday please send Livia an email on Tuesday evenings and she will send you the Zoom link. When the coronavirus is no longer a threat this meditation group will continue in person at Livia’s home in Encinitas and may also include zoom participation. Notification regarding this plan will be offered at a later date. Contact Livia at: livwalsh1@gmail.com
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Call for Endowment Grant Applications
Fellowship members and committees are invited to submit applications for grants funded by our Endowment. Applications are due to the Planned Giving Committee by April 15, 2021 and, if grant applications are recommended to and approved by the congregation at our June meeting, funds will be disbursed to grantees shortly afterward. A brief form (link below) is requested to be used for submitting grant applications to the Planned Giving Committee, in order to explain the project’s name, purpose, cost, and how it is proposed to be carried out and evaluated.
Grants may be requested for any project, need, or use that is consistent with UU values. Examples include social justice, community outreach, UU camps and schools, local social service agencies, programs for those in our community in spiritual or economic need, campus renovation or maintenance, or other projects. Grants must be for activity not otherwise covered by the regular UUFSD budget or grants from other organizations.
Since the current value of the UUFSD Endowment is relatively modest ($115,000), and since this is the first year of evaluating and distributing grants, the aggregate of grants is likely to be several thousand dollars at most, and individual grants proportionately less. Requesters are asked to keep their requests consistent with this reality.
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UUFSD Donates to Interfaith Overnight Shelter
This is when we typically partner with St. James Catholic Church to provide shelter, food and companionship to individuals and families without homes. Due to Covid 19, the north coastal region of Interfaith Overnight Shelter is placing guests in the Motel 8 in Carlsbad rather than in houses of worship. Their goal is to provide 10-12 weeks of stable living arrangements so individuals can move to more permanent arrangements.
UUFSD has donated $1700 to house and feed one family or individual for two weeks. The network is working out individual volunteer opportunities. If interested contact Mary Anne Trause at trause@comcast.net for more information.
Casas de Luz is expecting to partner with them to build a small village of sleeping cottages, like the model in the UUFSD parking lot. If (or when!) that happens, watch for many opportunities to become involved.
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Monthly Call To Action for February
H.R.1, the “For The People Act”, contains provisions to fight voter suppression, including national automatic voter registration, prohibitions on voter roll purging and federal partisan gerrymandering, and improved election security measures. It also requires presidential candidates to disclose 10 years of tax returns and prohibits members of Congress from using taxpayer dollars to settle sexual harassment cases.
Affirm the democratic process by calling your US Representative with this script: “Hi. My name is [NAME] and I am a constituent from [CITY, ZIP CODE]. I’m calling to ask Representative [NAME] to support H.R.1. The ‘For The People Act’. It is a crucial piece of legislation to protect our democracy. Thank you.” If leaving a voicemail, please leave your full street address to ensure your call is tallied.
District 49 - Levin- (202)225-3906/(760)599-5000; District 52 - Peters - (202)225-0508/(858)455-5550. Find other Representative contacts at www.house.gov/representatives/find/
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Dear B&Gers,
Jim Hagan and Ed Mlakar met yesterday at the site. They were joined by Vivian &Gus Robichaux, along with their dad Richard.
Betsy is on medical leave from Building and Grounds while her broken leg heals.
Jim cut down trees and hauled many wheelbarrow loads of vegetation to the dumpster. He continued power washing the amphitheater pavers and the bridge railing that were covered with caked-on sap, mud, and algae.
Vivian & Richard cleaned and raked the playground. Gus re-glued some of the safety strips to the front steps
Ed will be on site Tuesday, February 23rd at 9am (along with Jim) to continue our task list.
- Apply weather strip to the Sandy Hill office door
- Power wash the amphitheater stage & steps - Done by Jim Hagen
- Clean out the drain pit and removed mud & pine needles from the amphitheater - Done by Jim Hagen
- Fix burnt out path lights
- Re-glue some of the safety strips to the front steps that have been dislodged during the storms - Mostly done by Gus Robichaux
All volunteers are welcome!
Thanks,
Ed Mlakar
Cell : (760) 805-4636
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News from The Mountain Top
Dear Camp Supporters and Valentines,
As I think of Camp de Benneville Pines and all it has been through in 2020 – pandemic and forest fire – my heart is full thinking of all of you who have stepped up to help in so many ways.
Please click here to read the full letter from Janet James, Executive Director
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Other Items of Interest to UU's
This is a lovely video shared by member Rigdon Currie showing the story of a man and the little bird he saved.
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Here's Your Good News for the Weekend
And Your Chuckle for the Weekend
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Note for those who use the Le Port School parking lot on Sundays: the gate code is 253
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Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of San Dieguito
1036 Solana Drive, Solana Beach, CA 92075
Phone: 858-755-9225
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