October 24, 2019
Issue #518

Coming up on October 27th, 3-5 pm at the Civic Center, is the Marin Organizing Committee 10 year Anniversary Convention! I've been asked to co-chair the event, and Linda Haumann and I told organizers from other congregations and non-profits that we think we can get 50 people from UU Marin there.  Can you help us meet that goal?  I think it will be a very inspiring event, celebrating a decade of accomplishment and launching a platform for the next chapter of our work to bring about more joy and justice in Marin.  Political luminaries and up to a 1,000 representatives of other community groups that care about making a difference in Marin will be -- I hope you will too!  Let Linda know you'll be there so we know how many of us to expect.

Looking ahead to November, we will be exploring the theme, "What does it mean to be a people of Attention?"  For one of the November services, I would like to make a "collage of voices," a liturgical element involving sharing stories and reflections from members of the congregation, your words woven together and shared anonymously, read by a Worship Associate and/or myself.  So here's my question:

To what have you given sustained attention, and what difference has that made in your life?

If that question inspires a response from you, would you send me your thoughts by November 1st at revmarcus@uumarin.org?  Your words may be shared in whole or just a part in a service, but they will be shared anonymously.

With you on the journey,

Rev. Marcus Hartlief

This week in RE we will be wrapping up our discussions on our church's monthly theme -- Belonging.  We will also begin discussing Stone Soup!

Nursery-1st grade: Seeds and Sprouts

2nd-5th grade: Belonging to the World

6th-8th grade: Middle School Group

9th-12th grade: High School Group

There will be a sign in the foyer every week that lists where each class is meeting.  This is also where you can find RE registration forms.  Please fill one out if you haven't yet this Fall!

In faith,

Lara

Lara@uumarin.org

Upcoming dates link to the UUCM calendar for saving on iCal, Outlook, etc.

 

Sunday, November 10, 12:15-1:30 pm, Fireside Room

  

Please join us for UUCM's second Death Cafe.  Death Cafes are an international phenomenon that began in the UK in 2011.  The first one at UUCM was last June.  At a Death Cafe, people gather to eat cake and discuss death in a respectful, accessible space.  It is a group-directed discussion with no agenda or objectives.  It is not a grief support or counseling session, although referrals for that will be available.

  

This Death Cafe will be facilitated again by UUCM members Ilana Trumbull, an Acupuncturist working with the East Bay End-of-Life Doula Network, and Jan Seagrave, Adult Education Committee Chair.  Our objective, like that of all Death Cafes, is "to increase awareness of death with a view to helping people make the most of their (finite) lives."  We will have small-group discussions on several topics, for example, what participants want as their legacies, their love and fear of the aging process, and what they want in their last hours.  No one will be led to any conclusion, product or action.  Attending a Death Cafe is one step towards opening up a difficult and often taboo topic in America.

  

For more information, visit https://deathcafe.com  or contact Jan Seagrave ( janseagrave@gmail.com).

  

Presented by the UUCM Adult Education Committee

UUA Common Read is on!

An Indigenous Peoples' History of the United States

by Roxane Dunbar-Ortiz

 

The Common Read for 2019-2020 is An Indigenous Peoples' History of the United States by Roxane Dunbar-Ortiz, published by Beacon Press.

To get a feel for the book, read this interview of the author in The Progressive https://progressive.org/dispatches/the-land-is-the-body-of-the-native-people-roxanne-dunbar-ortiz-180703/ or watch a video of her being interviewed by Marc Steiner: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sgc4Ans4_p0

Chosen by the UUA, the Common Read invites participants to read and discuss the same book in a given period of time.  UUCM's reading period has begun.  It culminates in three discussions of the book after Sunday services on Nov. 24 (Intro & Chapters 1-5), Jan. 5 (Chapters 6-8), and Feb. 2 (Chapters 9-12).

How to get a copy of the book:

• Purchase a copy at Copperfield's, or online on Amazon or the UUA Bookstore at https://www.uuabookstore.org/An-Indigenous-Peoples-History-of-the-United-States-P17699.aspx.