Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Santa Cruz County
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Current Happenings April 16, 2020
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Our ZOOM Link has Changed. Please use this Link Starting this Sunday 4/19/2020
You may join as early as 9:30 to visit with friends.
Service starts at 10:00 am
To join our Sunday Morning Worship Zoom meeting
If you can't connect by computer, please connect by phone, using this phone number:
1 669 900 6833
Meeting ID: 93109048787#
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Sunday April 19, 2020, 10:00 AM
"Earth Day Service"
During our "Great Pause" we stand at a critical moment in Earth's history. Our relationship with the natural cycles has been revealed during our sheltering-in-place. Skies are blue. Birds songs are heard in NYC. This is the time when humanity must choose its future. What will it be?
Worship Leaders: Gail Swain & Rev. Russ Menk
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Children's Service Online
Time
Check in:
9:15 - 9:30 for check in
Service:
9:30 - 9:50
The Children's Religious Exploration Team is excited to be offering a short but meaningful children's service online. We hope this to be an opportunity for your child/ren to continue their journey of faith with us and to feel the support of our UU community.
The children's online service begins at 9:30 a.m., and will end ahead of the general online service that starts at 10 a.m. We hope your family can attend both! If you have any question, please email Teacher Tara: tara@uufscc.org
Here is the Zoom Meeting link to access the children's service:
Meeting ID 2370332491#
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Fellowship Monthly Calendar
To access the Fellowship's monthly calendar,
click here.
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Virtual Connections
New Virtual Parent Connection - Starting Today 4/16, at 8:30 pm
Are you parenting while you Shelter in Place? This is a chance for parents and guardians from the UUFSCC community to check in with and support each other. We'll meet online weekly for the duration of Shelter in Place. Zoom link and additional details will be sent directly to families who have filled out RE registration form. Questions? Contact Jessica Bukowinski thebukos@gmail.com 703-859-1484.
Note: If we have strong interest from folks who have conflicts with day or time we can discuss adjusting it.
"Virtual Connections" are a way for you to connect, see, share, discuss what is on your mind and heart with others during the week. We will continue having these sessions until we can physically be together again.
For days/times/Zoom link:
Click Here
............Rev Russ
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Thank You!
The campaign officially ended Sunday April 12. Together, we have pledged just over $145,000! This is 94% of our campaign goal of $154,000...so much to be grateful for!
Make your 2020-2021 pledge if you haven't already and are able to. Our UU financial commitments are evidence of the importance of our Fellowship impact on our self, on our UU community, and in the world.
Living Our Gratitude
was this year's theme for our campaign to steward the financial health of fellowship.
We share here one last thematic insight reflecting what it means to live our gratitude.
Living Our Gratitude through Joy:
As spiritual practices, joyfulness and gratitude are bound to a belief in human connectedness and a power greater than us. Joy comes to us in ordinary moments. We risk missing out on joy when we get too busy chasing down the extraordinary. Scarcity culture may keep us afraid of living small, ordinary lives, but when you talk to people who have survived great losses without exception, these survivors spoke about their losses, and what they missed the most, spoke about ordinary moments. 'If I could come downstairs and see my husband sitting at the table and cursing at the newspaper...' 'If I could hear my son giggling in the back yard...' 'My mom sent me the craziest texts...she never knew how to work her phone. I'd give anything to get one of those texts right now.' (Excerpt from "Daring Greatly", Brené Brown).
Focus on the small moments of today. Ask yourself, what moved me today? Who or what inspired me today? What made me smile today? What's the best thing that happened today? Our UU Fellowship exists so that we can exercise our gratitude muscles to grow our gratitude awareness and practices.
Thank you for helping ensure that our UUFSCC thrives!
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Small Group Ministry (SMG)
resumes via Zoom
Four of our SGM groups are moving to Zoom meetings this month. They will meet at their "usual" day and time. Our 5
th
group has met via Zoom for over a year. All SGM members will be receiving an email from their facilitator(s) with their Zoom link. If you do not receive this email, contact either Randy James or Rev Russ (
minister-russ@uufscc.org
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Religious Education Teacher Appreciation,
Seeking Your Input
It is time to thank our religious exploration teachers for their work with our community's children and youth. Since we cannot be together to appreciate our teachers, mentors, and volunteers in person we are going to weave together our words and experiences into something that can be read in an upcoming zoom service and shared with our teachers in written form. Please go to
https://forms.gle/3Lkg3KL5LEgVNefz9 to contribute your sentiments by 4/26. Input is also welcome via email to
thebukos@gmail.com
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Announcing a new UUF Justice and Adult Religious Exploration Common Read and Online Discussion Series
White Fragility: Why It's So Hard for White People to Talk About Racism
UUF congregation members are invited to participate in a common read of Robin DiAngelo's book
White Fragility
and then join in a follow-up three-part online discussion series.
Written with white people in mind, White Fragility invites participants into the work of learning skills to disrupt racism as a Unitarian Universalist faith commitment and practice. Through reflection and sharing our own stories and experience, we will examine ways in which we have upheld and reinforced the culture of white supremacy, and develop a new set of practices and ways of being to disrupt this culture.
Congregants are invited to read the book over the month of April then join in the online discussion groups to be schedule in May (dates and times to come.)
Books are available at Bookshop Santa Cruz, on Amazon.com (including free audiobook), from Beacon Press, and as an e-book from the Public Library.
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Items of Interest for our Community and Times
Our building is closed, but our hearts are open and we are connected! Below are some links to items of interest.
Spring Greetings from your UUFSCC Community Minister,
Rev. Terra Collier-Young. I have been asked to offer an occasional article to let you know what I am doing as a Community Minister. For an overview of my activities
UUFSCC's sermons now on YouTube
To see the sermon given by Rev. Terra Collier-Young on Sunday 4/12/20, "Ostara~Easter: Growing Our Spirits"
Click Here
April 12th, Easter service zoom attendance - 83 computers
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Save The Date
There will be a Congregational Meeting Sunday May 24 by Zoom
The main item of business will be for the Nominating Committee to present the 2020-2021 Board slate for approval.
The procedure for voting is being worked out.
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Staying Connected
We want to be sure that we are connected with everyone!
We are looking for friends, visitors, or members who might have lost touch with UUFSCC - maybe someone who changed their email address, or no longer is using email in the way they used to - If you know of anyone, please call or email Linda Monk, (831-724-4089) or the Office Administrator Pamela Sundell (831-684-0506), so we can reach out to them.
Stay home, stay safe, and stay well! from the Communication Team.
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Shared Plate for April 2020
The Covid-19 pandemic has impacted people within our congregation and close community. Our Shared Plate recipient for April will be the Minister's Discretionary Fund-an account where 100% of your donation goes to a congregant or community member in need. Rev Russ Menk administers this fund directly and exclusively. By contributing to this fund, you are helping people of our congregation.
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Campus is Closed
Our connections are flourishing, but our CAMPUS is CLOSED. If you need to come by for any reason, please call or e-mail the office to make arrangements. This protects our staff who are on Campus. Requests to come to campus should also copy the minister and our caretaker Jaye, at tyscibrox@gmail.com
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Assistance with joining a ZOOM Meeting
With our Sunday services, meetings and Virtual Connections all through the wonder of technology on Zoom, we want to be sure that all who wish to participate, can.
If you would like any assistance in downloading Zoom or connecting to the meeting link please contact one of the following people, who would like to help you;
Bruce Fihe - bruce@aftonranch.net
Jessica or Peter Bukowinski - thebukos@gmail.com
Ben Sandal - bescomacct@gmail.com
Rev. Terra Collier-Young - terra@fiveseedsministry.net
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Contacts
Office Phone: 831.684.0506
Fax: 831.685.6736
Minister: Rev. Russ Menk
Rev. Russ is available for virtual
appointments by contacting him at
minister-russ@uufscc.org
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calendar@uufscc.org
Reserve space for a Fellowship event or place an item on the Fellowship public calendar
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Office Administrator:
Pamela Sundell
admin@uufscc.org
Office Hours: Monday-Friday
9:30-2:30
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announce@uufscc.org
Submit announcements to Current Happenings by Wednesday 5PM
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helpinghands@uufscc.org
A private list server to advertise items or services needed or offered, events, or express thanks. An email sent to this address will be forwarded to the full list. Participation is restricted to Members and Friends of the Fellowship.
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| Fellowship Facebook Page |
webmaster@uufscc.org
Anything to do with the Fellowship website; edits, new content, questions, or comments
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Current Happenings is published weekly by Editor
Pamela Sundell.
You can reach me
at
announce@uufscc.org
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