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Our Weekly Message

News, Invitations, and Ministerial Reflections

May 31, 2024

Dear UUSS,


This Sunday, we will celebrate our annual flower communion service. I love this ritual, with its opportunities for reflection and celebration of beauty. It is always wonderful to see all the flowers gathered together in vases, and then carefully selected and accompanying us into the rest of our days.


The first Flower Ceremony was held in Prague, on June 24, 1923, led by Rev. Norbert Čapek. If you want to learn more about the history of this celebration, you can view the resources gathered for last year's centennial here.


Consider bringing a bright symbol of spring in the form of a flower with you on Sunday morning to share in our participatory service. A wildflower, a stem from your garden, a cut flower, all are wonderful! We will each be invited to leave with a different flower than we brought, a symbol of the beauty of diversity found in nature and in all of us. And, if you do not have a flower to bring, or simply forget, that is ok too-- there are always more than enough to share.


With joy,

Rosemary

Have you noticed the link that says "(Message clipped) View entire message" near the bottom of these e-mails? We have 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!

Sunday Mornings with UUSS

Face masks are available but not required.

Join us for Worship Services in person or on Zoom Zoom links here

(Closed Captioning available on Zoom)

 Service time 10:30 a.m.

Fellowship afterwards in the Welcome Hall and for 22 minutes on Zoom

Did you miss a service? You can find links to past services here


Our Soul Matters Theme for June is



Renewal


Here's the link to the Soul Matters materials


Sunday Morning Programs

Join us before the service at 9:30 AM at UUSS

1st Sunday - Labyrinth meditation in the meadow (June 2)

2nd Sunday - Justice & Equity conversation currently on hiatus.

The Labyrinth is open for self-guided meditation before church.

3rd Sunday - Qui Gong/Tai Chi (June 16)

4th Sunday - Exploring Unitarian Universalism: History and Theology in the Fahs Classroom on June 23.

Sunday, June 9, we will be gathering for a Newcomer Orientation and Tour.

Join us on the second Sunday of any month, right after the service, in the Welcome Hall.

Sunday, June 2, 10:30am: Circle Service for All Ages:

Unitarian Flower Communion: Meditation on a Blossom

Rev. Dr. Roger Jones, Ministerial Intern Rosemary Dodd, Religious Education Coordinator Crystal Fountain, Worship Associates Dawn Huebner and Andy Cramer, the UUSS Choir, Music Director Anthony Tavianini, Pianist Irina Tchantceva, Altar Designer Terrie Taylor.


It is our annual flower communion, founded in 1923 by Czech Unitarians. In our communion, everyone is invited to take a fresh flower provided by someone else in this community. If you can bring one or more fresh flower stems to share, please do! 

In his homily, Rev. Roger invites us to consider a single flower.


  • Labyrinth meditation in the meadow at 9:30.
  • Come early to the service to light Candles of Joy & Sorrow and fill out a prayer card for the ministers (or submit it by Friday).

Sunday, June 9, 10:30am

Thresholds: Takeaways from My Internship Year

Ministerial Intern Rosemary Dodd preaching with Rev. Lucy Bunch, Rev. Dr. Roger Jones, Worship Associate Courtney O’Neil, Music Director Anthony Tavianini, Pianist Irina Tchantceva.


At any time in our lives, a threshold can surprise us, throwing us into a time of transition. This week Rosemary will share about the thresholds of her Ministerial journey, and the invitation and promise of change.


  • Newcomers’ Orientation to UUSS with tour of campus starts 15 minutes after service, ending at 1:00. Look for other newcomers and your guide at the Welcome Table.
  • This is Rosemary’s last Sunday at UUSS! Join the Internship Committee and others for a farewell reception to thank Rosemary for her year of ministry with us and send her off with our best wishes and blessings.

Sunday, June 16, 10:30am Lessons from My Father 

Rev. Lucy Bunch, preaching, with Rev. Dr. Roger Jones, Worship Associate Karen Sparrow, Music Director Anthony Tavianini, Pianist Irina Tchantceva.  


On this Father’s Day Rev. Lucy will reflect on what she has learned from her father and where experience can teach us about the complex, flawed, and fabulous father-daughter dynamic.  

After-service Conversation

in a UUSS Zoom Breakout Room

Members and friends who attend a service by Zoom may enjoy the chance to get acquainted after the service concludes, and may reflect on a question related to the service theme. Please speak briefly and listen so that all may be included.

      2024-2025 Pledge Drive Update: Week Eight

Still Waiting to Hear!

 

Members and friends have responded with enthusiasm to the call to support our staff, ministers and programs and to support our mission.


As of Thursday, UUSS has received pledges from 295 households totaling $598,542. However, we still have not heard from 28 pledgers. Please let us know your intentions for the new budget!


Please make your pledge today, so our volunteers don't have to call you!


Please submit a new pledge each year, even if you have an automatic withdrawal for your current pledge. You may find frequently asked questions and colorful charts— and make your pledge quickly and confidentially at uuss.org/pledge.

Joys and Sorrows in Our Congregation

If you would like to have a joy, sorrow, concern, or milestone spoken by a minister at Sunday’s prayer time, let us know at this link. Make sure to tell us you do not want us to mention it aloud, or if you would like a phone call from one of the ministers.


We continue to send love and healing prayers to members who have been ill, undergoing treatments, rehabilitating from injuries, and confronting an unwelcome diagnosis or an unfair prognosis. Below is the most recent news from members' families.


We send wishes for strength and healing to Alice Mercer, who has been diagnosed with thyroid cancer. We hold her and her husband and son, Terry and Leroy Preston, in our love and care as they prepare for Alice's treatments.

We extend our prayers for healing to Mary Howard, who had major surgery for gallbladder disease last week and is healing at home. Love to Mary and Rich.


We send our congratulations to members Ashley Hamrick and Paul Moore, who weremarried this week at Glacier Point in Yosemite National Park!

Join us in Religious Education!

Click here to read this week's RE/Family Ministry Email

Childcare--The Nursery (Rm. 11) welcomes infants (6 months+) through age 5, year round. Staff supervise child-led play in a fun and friendly nursery filled with toys and games. Snacks are offered. Access through the main entrance. Don't forget to sign in when you get to Room 11. Please contact Crystal with questions.

 

All ages of children and youth are invited to join the all-ages Circle Service this Sunday, June 2.

In RE this summer:

Art Works for Peace

Come spend the summer with us as we use art to explore the many ways we can encourage peace in ourselves, our community and beyond. All ages of children and youth are invited to join us on Sunday mornings during service for fun and creative activities and time to get to know one another.

Begins Sunday, June 9th.


Other engaging activities for children, youth and families are available and information can be found in the email linked above!

There's always a lot happening in RE!


RE Coordinator Crystal Fountain has weekly office hours and is available by email too.

Whether after service or in your own home, you

can enjoy coffee created just for UUSS: Chalice Blend! 

Beans are grown by women-owned cooperatives in Latin America and roasted and blended by a café in Oakland. Fresh beans sold for $15 a bag in the Sunday Bookstore or in the Office weekdays.

Come on in to the UUSS Bookstore!

We’re open Sunday mornings from about 10:00 till 12:30.

Spring is in full bloom! What better way to greet this lovely season than with a great book in hand? Have you visited the UUSS Bookstore recently? You'll be astounded at the excellent, used books waiting for you there. And the prices are unbelievable: just a suggested donation of $1.00 per book or 50 cents per magazine. We also have some new books, most either published by the UUA or written by UUSS authors.

An Important and Simple Way to Serve: The Welcome Team!


The Welcome Team is looking for members and friends who are interested in volunteering as Greeters on Sunday mornings. There is training for this role, which ensures that UUSS is a community of hospitality. We especially seek those willing to step up to the role of Head Greeter, which is on a rotating basis, once every month or two.  


We will meet for a training session after church on Sunday, June 9, in Classroom 9. If you have an interest in greeting on Sundays, or in serving as a Head Greeter, you are most welcome to attend this training. Meanwhile, we are happy to provide any information or answer any questions you might have. Contact membership@uuss.org or visit the Welcome Table before the rush or after church this Sunday!

--Margo Marvin, Steve Hoverman, Christine Lewis & the Team

What's Happening?

For a listing of all events this week and coming up

check out our Weekly Calendar/Bluesheet.

Saturday Stitchers and Crafters - Fahs Classroom. Saturday June 1, 10am Bring sewing, coloring, beading, knitting, or any other portable craft and join us! Contact: stitchers@uuss.org

Some Parables of Jesus: Adult Enrichment Series in June

Join Rev. Roger for a Bible Study for UUs on three Wednesdays at 6:30 p.m.: June 12, 19, and 26. Engage with the perplexing stories told by Jesus of Nazareth in the New Testament. Let's see if we recognize ourselves in any of the characters. Bring a Bible – or we can lend you one -- or a device to look up the readings on the Web. $20 suggested donation to UUSS Adult Enrichment. Please sign up by June 9 at the Sunday Connections Table or at roger@uuss.org.

The Journey of Grief--last day to register is today!

Are you grieving the loss of a loved one and seeking a healing path forward? Consider this small group for sharing and support; 6 sessions on Sundays, June 2 - July 14, 1:30 - 3:00 pm. (Not a drop-in series.)


Facilitators: UUSS members Pat Hofmaster & Gail Evans, with support from Rev. Roger. Register by noon Saturday (June 1) by writing to Pat: griefsupport@uuss.org Pat will call you on Saturday to discuss it.


Camp Registration Now Open

All Ages Camp is June 28-30 


Camp in your tent, park in your RV, or reserve a room with beds - dorm style or single-family. Dorm room space is running out, but there still are plenty of RV and tent spaces.



Saturday pot-luck dinner, campfire singing, hiking, s’mores, Sunday pancake breakfast, outdoor worship-- don’t miss it! An hour up I-80, in Alta, California. Spend time together in nature! Enjoy a wonderful weekend in the forest with families and UUSS people of all ages!  To learn more about our annual camp outing, visit UUSS.org/camp or stop by the Camp table on the patio this Sunday!

A Heart in Two Traditions: UUs with Another Practice

Are you a UUSS friend or member who finds depth and meaning in one of the other spiritual or ethical traditions as well as Unitarian Universalism? Many Unitarian Universalists find inspiration by practicing in other traditions. Please tell Rev. Roger about your participation in in or your curiosity about another tradition by phone or roger@uuss.org

Our Work for Justice

Our June Community Partner

Get to Know Opening Doors, a new Community Partner! Our community partner is Opening Doors, a 501C3 organization that has been helping refugees in their resettlement process since 1993. Their Mission is “to enrich communities by supporting immigrants, refugees and survivors of trafficking on their path to stability, self-sufficiency and belonging.”


Located on Howe Avenue in the Arden-Arcade neighborhood, in 2023 they welcomed 1,635 refugees, provided 970 immigrants with pro-bono immigration legal services, worked with 101 survivors of trafficking to become self-sufficient, and provided $463,000 in loans to support Sacramento area immigrant businesses. Check out more details about their work at https://openingdoorsinc.org/


Stop by the Community Partners table in the Welcome Hall this Sunday, June 2 and on June 23 to learn more about their work and how we can support their critical work. Contact partners@uuss.org with questions or comments.

Staff and Minister Availability

Rev. Roger (Roger's day off is Monday; study day is Friday) is available for pastoral support by appointment by phone, Zoom or in person, and the Pastoral Volunteers are available for support by phone.


Rosemary: Schedule an appointment with ministerial intern Rosemary Dodd: rosemary@uuss.org, or at this link.

Her days off are Friday-Saturday, and her study day is Monday. Her last day in the office will be Thursday, June 13th.


Rev. Lucy Bunch is on sabbatical until June 6. We look forward to seeing her June 9!


Our office staff members (office@uuss.org or 916-483-9283) are available to respond to your calls and emails weekdays 8:30-4:30, except public holidays. Our part-time staff have hours that vary (some of them serve UUSS only on Sundays), so please call the office if you have a question or need to be in touch with them. Our Pianist and Music Director are available by email and invite you to choir practice Wednesday nights at 7:00.

UUSS Mission

We come together to deepen our lives and be a force for healing in the world.  

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