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October 3, 2019
Issue #515
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October 6, 2019: Serving with Grace
In our tradition we have a multitude of beliefs and practices-we celebrate many paths! And we share a common path, the shared spiritual practice of community. But community is one of those words that glows with warmth and beauty in theory but can be thorny and endlessly frustrating in practice. What makes it worth it? We'll hear from members of our community who serve in a range of ways, and after the service, we'll have an opportunity fair where leaders will be available to share how to get involved in the life of our community.
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Upcoming Topics and Leaders
10/6/19 Action, But What Action? Elizabeth Ferris
10/13/19 To Be Determined Emilio Rojas
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 theme in October is what does it mean to be a people of
Belonging?
Belonging is at the heart of why we gather in religious community. We name it in our mission, to Share Life's Journey. I hear it every time I ask newcomers what is drawing them to explore our congregation. Belonging to something greater than ourselves is fundamental to human well-being.
But as much as we want to be welcoming and hospitable to all who walk through our doors, truly belonging in a community like ours does take time and dedication. Similarly, having something to belong to requires countless hours of dedicated members fixing leaks and maintaining a website, making music and making flyers, teaching classes and bringing food, facilitating meetings and writing emails. All the tasks of church can sometimes lead us to feeling of overwhelm and scarcity.
This Sunday we will hear stories and reflections from members of our community about the meaning that serving in our community has for them. After the service leaders will be available to share about the breadth of ways to be involved in our community and offer opportunities for those who would like to get more connected.
We're calling it an Opportunity Fair. I know that in our marketing saturated culture we have a healthy cynicism about using words to sugarcoat, and it might sound like it's simply a euphemism for recruiting reluctant volunteers. You could make it that. But if we really value what we are doing here, if we believe that participating in the life of this community is the life-changing, nourishing, soul-strengthening experience I know it can be, we can rest assured we are indeed offering holy opportunity.
This may be risky to tell you, but here's my prayer for each of us and our community:
That we will each listen to our own heart's longing and the call of spirit in our lives.
That we will find ways to serve that make us come alive.
That we will let committees go dormant or die rather than try to push the river upstream.
That we will trust each of us is right where we need to be on journeys.
And that we will be led by bright dreams and hopeful vision toward ways of building beloved community we have yet to imagine.
May it be so.
With you on the journey,
Rev. Marcus Hartlief
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Upcoming dates link to the UUCM calendar for saving on iCal, Outlook, etc.
7:00 PM - 9:00 PM
7:00 PM - 8:30 PM
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We cherish diversity and welcome among us
people of all races, cultures, ages, abilities, sexual
identities/orientations, and faith perspectives.
GUESTS
are always welcome. Sunday worship is a time for inspiration, renewal, and connection.
CHILDREN AND YOUTH
join adults during the first part of the service, and then attend Religious Exploration classes. Nursery and toddler care is provided during the 10:30 service. There is a speaker system to bring sound from Fellowship Hall to the nursing room and the pre-K area.
REFRESHMENT HOUR
in the Courtyard or
Fireside Room follows the services.
There are two "Sunday First Time Visitor" parking spots at the top of the parking lot.
Come, join us!
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Reminder: if you want an article to go in this newsletter, send it to
groupemail@uumarin.org
, not to Lisa Cohen. The deadline is Tuesday by 7 am.
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New Art Show in Fireside Room
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Alexandra Bopp-Suess has been interested in photography since Middle School. She is now a Junior at Marin School of the Arts at Novato High School focusing on Creative Writing and in the past two years was also in the MSA Photography Program. She is a life-long UUCM member.
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Thank you all who came to our Dinners for Eight potluck in September!
Our first hosted potluck dinners will take place on Saturday, October 12th.
Please let Sher Sheldon at
shershel@comcast.net
know if you can host or attend.
New members are always welcome and you need not be able to host to attend.
This is a wonderful opportunity to meet in a small group, the host provides a table and a main dish, and the guests bring the rest.
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On
Sunday, October 20, the Social Justice Committee will have a presentation (in lieu of a meeting) on the immigrant experience at the Arizona border. Members of Rodef Sholom and Westminster Presbyterian will show a film and discuss what is going on based on their witnessing and talking to individuals waiting on the other side. Please come to the sanctuary at 12:15 on October 20 for this very poignant event.
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UUCM 70th Sapphire Fund Appeal
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Founded in 1950 to provide a liberal Sunday School for children and a caring community for families, the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Marin has for the past 70 years worked together to further this mission. Our celebration will begin on
January 25th with an anniversary party from 4 to 7 pm followed by commemorative activities on
Sunday, January 26, 2020. Please make plans now to join us for the party that will include memories from the past, themed appetizers, a puppet show, live music and dancing.
For our Sapphire Anniversary, we will be celebrating the light, positive energy, and
spiritual power of healing and truth that sapphires represent. This celebration is also a
fundraiser. We are challenged to raise $7,000--no small effort. But we have all the
confidence that we can do this and when we are successful, a group of generous
donors will match it two-for-one and ensure a magnificent milestone anniversary gift of
$21,000. The great news is that early contributors have already given to launch this
campaign, and we are over halfway there!!
Sapphires are shining and getting brighter as we near our 70th Anniversary in January
2020. Please join one of our giving categories.
● PURPLE SAPPHIRE: $700+
● GREEN Sapphire: $500 - 699
● YELLOW Sapphire: $100 - 499
● PINK Sapphire: $7 - 99
Make your check out to UUCM or your online contribution should be clearly marked for the 70th Anniversary!
Join in planning the celebration with Kat Braemen and Joan Smith.
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Remarkable People - October 18
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October Remarkable People!
Friday, October 18, 7:00-9:00 pm, Fireside Room
This ongoing series gives us time to learn about each other from the interesting stories of individual lives in an evening of sharing and community.
Each person talks briefly, followed by time for questions and general sociability and some sustaining snacks
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Judy Finn and Terry Lucas, will be our Remarkable People for October.
Watch this space for more details and the calendar of other Remarkables for the coming year.
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The Parking Shuttle will be operating
th
is Sunday, October 6th.
Please give it a try and let Rev. Marcus, Ted, or myself know what you think. It starts at 10:00 am at the bottom of the hill. Look for the sign.
Jim Harrison
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The Poetry Connection: A Reading Series at UUCM
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On
October 11, 7:00-9:00 pm, "The Poetry Connection" will feature Marin poets
Francesca Bell (left) (author of the newly released collection, Bright Stain), and
Meryl Natchez (right)(author of the forthcoming collection, Catwalk of Consciousness). Sponsored by Marin Poet Laureate Terry Lucas and the Adult Education Committee, the reading series features outstanding Marin poets, provides refreshments and a time to connect with poets and lovers of poetry. There will be an opportunity to read a short (one page) poem at the open mic. Terry will host and introduce the readers. UUCM members and the public are invited.
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October Plays - Theater on the Go
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Sandy Levitan is offering an ongoing theater activity called Theater On The Go. If you are not yet involved in this, contact Sandy for more information.
The plays for October are the following:
College of Marin, 2 pm, Oct. 12, "Little Shop of Horrors"
Ross Valley Players, 2 pm, Oct. 13, "Deathtrap"
Marin Musical Theater, 7:30 pm, Oct. 18, "Rocky Horror Show"
Cinnabar Theater, 2 pm, Oct. 20, "Luna Gale"
Hopefully you can join me at one or more of these plays. Lunch or dinner is always a possibility. Let me know of your plans.
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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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MOC 10th Anniversary Convention
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Please join UUCM as we gather power with others in the broader Marin faith community to address local issues such as Aging, Housing, Mental Health for youth and the Environment at the 10 year anniversary Convention of the Marin Organizing Committee on
Sunday, October 27, from 3-5 pm at the Exhibit Hall at the Marin Civic Center.
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Katherine DaSilva Jain visited Transylvania recently and in particular Sovata, home of our Partner Church. She will write more later, but here are some photos.
To the right, Katherine is in front of our Sovata church with their minister.
Left is Bear Lake in Sovata. Below right is Katherine in the Sovata Church.
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Refreshment Providers Needed
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The Hospitality Committee is reaching out to new members and existing members to fulfill the need for refreshments after the Sunday 10:30 service. It would be wonderful if we could have three people (one to be a new member) to work together to provide a light snack and do the clean up after the refreshment hour. It has been traditional that members provide snacks at least once a year for the enjoyment of all the congregation. Possibly we will have a new system of sign-up in a couple of months. Presently I need volunteers to fulfill the
October Sundays. Please contact Judy Finn at 415-328-4516 or email:
judyfinn@mail.com.
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UUCM Book Club Sept. - Dec. Dates and Books
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The UUCM book club will meet
on October 6, the book is "Run" by Ann Patchett, at Nani Ranken's house.
November 3rd's book is "Return to Haifa" by Ghassan Kanafani, at Janice Prochaska's home.
December 1 at 3 pm, the book is "These Truths" by Jill Lepore, discussion to be held at Villa Marin.
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Social Justice Information
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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:
Wednesday and Thursday afternoons
415-578-9788 (direct)
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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
Proofreader and Assistant Editor: Victoria T. 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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