Have you noticed the link that says "(Message clipped) View entire message" near the bottom of these e-mails? We have so many invitations and so much news in here sometimes that it does not all show up when you open the email. Scroll down and click on the link to see more!

Our November Soul Matters Theme is

The Path of Change

Join our Drop-in Group on the 2nd and 4th Wednesday of the month at 6:30 pm. Join at uuss.org/online

You can find the materials for the session at uuss.org/soiulmatters

For your family or personal reflection,

Here's the link to the November materials.

http://www.uuss.org/soulmatters/

Sunday November 13, 10:30 AM: Fairness

Rev Lucy Bunch, preaching, with Rev. Dr. Roger Jones, Worship Associate Dan Myers, Music Director Anthony Tavianini .Special Guests the Sacramento Master Singers, with Director Ralph Hughes and Accompanist Heidi Regenmorter

No one ever said that life would be fair. And yet we strive for it, we clamor for it, and complain bitterly when we think that something is unfair. But it’s hard to solve the problem because there are many different ideas of what fairness means.  We will explore the idea of fairness through Jesus’ parable of the vineyard workers and the research of contemporary psychologists. 

Newcomers' Orientation & Tour of UUSS after Service. OWL 4-5-6 Parent Info Session too!

Sunday October 20, 10:30 AM: A Celebration of Gratitude for Life

A Circle Service for all Ages with Rev. Dr. Roger Jones, Rev. Lucy Bunch, Worship Associates Karen Sparrow and Courtney O’Neil. Music Director Anthony Tavianini with the UUSS Choir and Irina Tchantceva, piano; Ann Haas, French horn; Tom Goff, trumpet. Altar design by Molly Stuart. 

This Circle Service will celebrate and express our thanks for the life that enfolds us and nourishes us. Our UUSS Choir will sing, and we’ll have a ritual to make this a special day. Join us to count our blessings — including the earth, other people, all creatures. We’ll have special music, a brief message, and a ritual for all ages, and Soup after the service!

Parents' Meeting with Rev. Roger & Soul Kids adult volunteer teachers 11:55 am.

November 27 10:30 AM: Lessons from Marine Mammals

Rev Lucy Bunch preaching, Worship Associate Celia Buckley, Music Director Anthony Tavianini, Pianist Irina Tchantceva.

Have you ever seen a whale breach or dolphins frolic? These creatures fill us with awe and delight and help connect us more deeply with the power of nature. Using ideas from the Black feminist author Alexis Pauline Gumbs, we will explore the lessons we can learn from these amazing creatures.

Exploring UU: “Faith” before the service at 9:30 in the Fahs Classroom. 

2022-23 Sermon & Workshop Series

Finding Our Way to the Future:

The Purpose and Promise

of Unitarian Universalism

In the post-pandemic world, what is a possible future for UUism? Given the current crises and looming challenges in the world, what is a role for us

as a liberal religious movement?

How do we find our way to it? 

What would keep us from living it out?

We will engage these questions in a year-long series on Unitarian Universalism in the future. This series coincides with the work of the Article II Commission of the Unitarian Universalist Association, which is recasting the UUA Principles and Purposes and the Sources of our tradition.  In addition to sermons by Rev. Lucy and Rev. Roger, we will welcome a series of UU ministers for a series of sermons and workshops. 

     January 29  Rev. Alex Da Silva Souto, UUs of the Sierra Foothills

     February 19 workshop and sermon with Rev. Nancy Palmer Jones

     April 9 Rev. Carlton Smith, UUA Congregational Life Staff, Pacific Lead

Join us as we come together to deepen our lives and be a force for healing in the world.

Thanks to the Program Council, funds for our guests will come from the Betty Ch’maj Events Fund. A UUSS lay leader and a professor of humanities and religious studies, Dr. Betty Ch’maj was the founder of the American Studies Program at CSUS. After her untimely death in 1997, the fund was established to support programs of cultural, artistic, and societal understanding.

We live in puzzling times. What better way to distract oneself than putting together a jigsaw puzzle? There is a nice array of at least 20 puzzles in our Bookstore--from 500 to 1,500 pieces.

No charge; the suggestion is to take two and return one. 

Also in our Bookstore is an assortment of children’s books. Some are for the younger set, others include a shelf full of chapter books for elementary schoolers. These might be nice for holiday gifts, or just to let the child choose their own reading adventure. All for a nominal donation. Browse through the abundant adult selections while your youngster pokes among the kids’ choices. Every Sunday, before and after our service, in the UUSS Library, next to main doors to the Welcome Hall.  

We have an abundant selection of gently used books, every genre, for modest donations. Stop by after the service. The friendly bookstore volunteers are there to greet and help. (You know, you always have room for one more book.) Bags of Chalice Blend Coffee are $13 a bag.

Parents & Guardians of kids in Grades 4-6! 



OWL Sexuality Education Program Information Session

Sunday, Nov. 13, 12:00-1:00 pm. Nursery care provided.

An amazing team of trained UUSS volunteers will offer the acclaimed Our Whole Lives sexuality education program (OWL) for kids in grades 4-5-6 starting in January.  

Parents, grandparents and guardians are invited to an Info Session to learn about the Unitarian Universalist values and topics covered in OWL so you can decide whether to register your child for this special program. In addition to physiology and other facts, OWL helps participants to clarify their values, build interpersonal skills, and understand the spiritual, emotional, and social aspects of sexuality. OWL is offered every 2-3 years at UUSS. A special OWL fee helps to cover training and curricula, but need-based fee reductions can be discussed with Rev. Roger

After an initial registration period only for UUSS families, any open spaces will be available for families in the larger community to register. NOTE: every family who registers must send at least one parent/guardian to a 2-hour Parent Orientation session in December.

Join us at noon for the Info Session after the service on Sunday, Nov. 13.  

 Child care will be provided by Yvette and Leticia; please let Rev. Roger know if you will make use of it. Read more about OWL at this link: uuss.org/re/owl/

Renee Dall Parker, Catherine Desberg, Dan Myers, Alicia Taylor & Rev. Roger.

The nursery will be open 9:15-12:15 most Sundays. Parents, please enter the Main Building and sign in at the RE Family Welcome Table and then escort your kids through to the nursery.  Please register your nursery age children at this link.

Bidding for the online auction is open until 11:59 p.m. Nov. 13, one day after the live auction event. Be sure to check your calendar before bidding, and write down the dates of the events you bid on so you can be sure to attend! Find "Bidding Information" choice on the Auction homepage. Click this link to go to the Auction site: uuss.com/auction

Events or services offered in this auction take place from this month until September 2023.  Explore for yourself the nearly 90 items generously offered by your fellow UUs. You can also see a few items listed as Fund-a-Need, and see which ones inspire you to make a donation toward them; we've already received $1,000 in donations through the Fund-a-Need listings!

The Auction dinner tickets are SOLD OUT! But you may come at 7:00 for the Raffle, the entertainment (Rev. Lucy, Irina Tchantceva, Rev. Roger) and the Live Auction plus Fund-a-Need donations. Please register in advance if you are coming then.

All donations and sales support the mission and programs of UUSS.

UUSS won’t host the usual Thanksgiving Day dinner this year, but if you don’t have plans, our members Mark and Cynthia will host a dinner for up to 15 UUSS folks at their home in Land Park. They’ll provide turkey, dressing, and gravy (plus plates and flatware).  Let them know what side dish, appetizer, or dessert you could bring.  Event is from 12:00 noon to 4:00 with the meal at 2:00 pm. A board/card game could follow the meal. They have indoor and outdoor seating. They ask for guests to be vaccinated and ask for no smoking.  Please take care of yourself at home if you have symptoms of cold, flu, or COVID. 

Deadline to confirm attendance is 5 PM, Monday, Nov. 21. Contact Cynthia Shallit through the UUSS Directory of Members and Friends or call the Office to leave her a message.

We hope an organizing team will emerge for future holiday dinners at church; contact programcouncil@uuss.org to offer to help organize.  Meanwhile, we appreciate the many gestures of hospitality taking place this month in the congregation, including this invitation.  

Family Promise Tiny Homes Open House, Sat 11 am-2 pm, 11/12 If you'd like to go to the Open House at the Tiny Homes and to carpool, please meet at UUSS at 10:30am on Sat, 11/12. We'll carpool at 10:45am and return to UUSS by 12noon. If you'd like to drive alone, the address is: 712 Williams Street; use GPS. Sally Wilkins

The Racial Justice team is proposing a land acknowledgement for use at UUSS and we'd like your feedback. Here is a link to the draft and a place to make comments: http://www.uuss.org/racialjustice/draft-land-acknowledgement/

Acknowledging the indigenous people of the land where UUSS is located is a powerful way of giving respect and honor, and a way to resist the erasure of indigenous histories. 

Please join us on our olive harvest on our trees at UUSS. We'll collect the olives and then put them in jars to take home. Join us Saturday, November 12, 11 AM to 1PM. RSVP appreciated so we can have supplies for you. RSVP to uujme@uuss.org

Ukulele Strum-Along on Monday, November 14, 2:00 - 3:30 p.m. in the Fahs Classroom. Everyone welcome. 

The UU Beginning Ukers meet on the 2nd Monday of each month. Beginners are encouraged to come at 1:30 for help getting started. We welcome brand-new players, and we supply the music and have ukes to lend. Contact: ukes@uuss.org

Interplay with Rev. Lucy and Friends In-Person!

New Day and Time - Tuesday, November 15 at 7 PM in the Welcome Hall 

We're back! We've moved to the 3rd Tuesday of the month in person!

Join us for movement, storytelling, laughter, and fun via  More info here. 

Artist Reception Thursday, November 17, from 5:30 to 7:00 pm in the main hall/sanctuary there will be a reception with artist Jim Darke. He paints in large scale the land and sky as seen from an airplane. You can see his work every time you visit UUSS but on this night you get to meet him. 30% of all sales goes to UUSS. Free to all and light refreshments served. For more information contact Patricia Pratt at 916-730-9380.

"A Matter of Balance" Over 60? Worried about falling? Save the dates for a free course on Wednesdays 10 to noon, January 11 - March 1. Information and signups at the Connections Table in the Welcome Hall.