Under the Umbrella

Inspired by our UU principles, we are a vibrant, intentionally diverse congregation that models and promotes both locally and globally: love, spiritual growth, service, right relations, and sustainable living.

Contacting Our New Minister

Reverend Ellie's email: RevEllie@uufsd.org.

To make an appointment: https://calendly.com/revellie/30min.

NOTE OFFICE HOURS: The office will be closed on Monday, January 16, 2023 in observance of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day.

FROM THE BOARD

Invitation from the UUFSD Board and the 8th Principle Collaboration Group of San Diego

Saturday, January 14 at 10:00am via Zoom

UUFSD Board of Directors and The 8th Principle Collaboration Group of San Diego invites you to join us in continuing a study of Widening the Circle of Concern. Our next meeting will be on Saturday, January 14 at 10:00am. We have found these discussions to be enriching and fulfilling work and hope to share that joy among our congregations. This work is an affirming way to celebrate the adoption and implementation of the 8th principle.

These sessions will be informal and open to all San Diego UUs. The next meeting will cover Living Our Values in the World. The book is available for free online, including in audio format, and is also available for purchase as a printed book or kindle book (links below).

If you are interested, please sign-up here: https://bit.ly/3CXmdHb. or join us via zoom: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89424509323?pwd=OW5uUklqRHZKSDVvekk1aU1wMllDZz09

Meeting ID: 894 2450 9323

Passcode: 253544

What is the 8th Principle Collaboration Group of San Diego?

Our group formed in 2021 as part of the work San Diego UU congregations are doing to implement the 8th principle. We collaborate to share ideas and resources; we celebrate being able to do the work of the 8th principle in community. We usually meet monthly and welcome new members. Use the google form above to join our mailing list.

Contact Liora Kian-Gutierrez @ liorauufsd@gmail.com

Notice of Congregational Meeting

Sunday, January 29th,

Immediately Following our Sunday Service

The January Congregational Meeting will be held in our amphitheater on Sunday, January 29th immediately following our 10:00 am service. There will be updates from our Minister, Board President, Treasurer, Dream Builders, and Planned Giving. In addition, we will be voting on ByLaw changes proposed by the Board. Click here for a copy of these.

A quorum is needed so please do plan to attend. The meeting will be livestreamed on Zoom and YouTube for those who physically cannot attend, but for this meeting, members must be physically present in-person to be able to vote.

Any questions, please contact Angie Knappenberger @ board@uufsd.org

SOCIAL ACTION

MLK Day of Service & Outreach,

January 14, 8:00am - 12:00pm, in Oceanside

Our UUFSD Sunday service on 1/15/23 will commemorate Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and his mission to achieve "the riches of freedom and security of justice" for all. It will challenge us to consider how we can continue the work in ourselves, our fellowship and community.

An integral part of our nation's celebration of Dr. King has been a day of service in his name. The North County NAACP sponsors such a day on Saturday 1/14/23 from 8 am to noon. Individuals gather at Mira Costa Community College in Oceanside then spread out to participate in various projects. Many from our Fellowship have volunteered over the years. If you would like to come out of your pandemic inertia, the link below will give more information and help you register. Hope to see you there!

https://m.signupgenius.com/#!/showSignUp/4090a45a8a929a5f58-mlkday/47989701

Interfaith Shelter Network In Person Again!

Hosting begins January 29

Our Fellowship will participate in the Interfaith Shelter Network Program in person this year after two years off due to Covid-19. We will partner with St. James Catholic Church in Solana Beach, as we have for years, in providing shelter and food to individuals and families without homes.

The guests will spend the nights at St. James for two weeks. UUFSD volunteers will provide overnight hosts and meals for the second week which runs from January 29 until February 5.

This year Barbara Walker will create a Sign-Up Genius to allow us to sign up online to bring food or to stay overnight as a host. Guests will be vaccinated and tested for Covid before staying. They are involved in case management. The program has been very successful in helping individuals to transition to more permanent housing and jobs.

If you would like the Sign Up Genius invitation to be sent to you, please let Barbara know at barbarawalker1@yahoo.com or Mary Anne Trause at trause@comcast.net.

FELLOWSHIP LIFE

Celebration of Life service for Charlie Khoury

Saturday, January 28th, 2:00-4:00pm

There will be a Celebration of Life service for Charlie Khoury, a former member, on Saturday, January 28, 2023, at 2:00 pm at the UUFSD.  All are welcome. The service will be held outside, weather permitting, and also be available on Zoom, at

https://zoom.us/j/97588552716?pwd=a0ZVN0kzL2E3eTdBUWppV0ltNnZvZz09.

ALL attendees must be vaccinated, and masks are recommended. If the service is inside masks are required.

Messages of condolence can be sent to his wife, Eberly Barnes (eberlyb@gmail.com), Ben Khoury (benkhoury@yahoo.com), and Caitlin Khoury (caitlinkhoury@yahoo.com), who will pass them along to other family members.

Contributions in Charlie’s memory can be made to any of the following nonprofit organizations, all of which meant the world to him:

· Toccata Tahoe Symphony Orchestra (an outstanding symphony orchestra and chorus known for quality concerts in the greater Reno-Tahoe area and beyond)

· Kontrapunktus (a chamber orchestra performing Baroque music)

· Equal Justice Initiative (committed to ending mass incarceration and excessive punishment in the U.S., challenging injustice, and protecting basic human rights for the most vulnerable)

· UUFSD (Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of San Dieguito, Solana Beach, particularly its social justice and music programs)

For further information contact Livia Walsh at livwalsh1@gmail.com

Sacred Texts Discussion Group

 Next Meeting: Saturday, January 21, 11:00am - 12:30pm

The Sacred Texts Discussion Group meets to discuss our six sources of UU ism, plus other topics of related interest. We include all types of religious experience -- theist, deist, atheist, polytheist, humanist, etc. All are welcome to attend in person or via Zoom.

Here are the topics of our upcoming meetings:

January 21: Norma Showalter and friend will discuss the religion of Latter Day Saints

February 18: Robin Mitchell will discuss the parables

March 18: Kathryn Sturch will discuss Buddhism

Contact Rich Macdonald to get on the email list with Zoom information at ridumac@yahoo.com

Celebrating Tracey Weiss

Sunday, January 22 Worship Service 

As has been announced, our beloved Congregational Administrator, Tracey Weiss, will be retiring from UUFSD as of January 25th.  Sunday, January 22nd, will be an opportunity to express our thanks for the wonderful job Tracey has done for us. The Board will be recognizing Tracey during the service and hosting a cake reception afterwards. There will be a basket for cards of gratitude and well wishes.   

Football Tailgate Foods Cook Off

Sunday, January 22, 11:15am

Tonya W. Bradford, co-author of a 2015 cultural analysis of tailgating published in the Journal of Consumers Research, stated that modern tailgating can be traced back to Fall Harvest festivals in ancient Greece and Rome. Those events had music, community, and plenty of food and drink; the Winter was approaching.

Bradford says food around contests, such as football is not a new idea. Food has always been a natural given. A strong connection existed between many gatherings because people had to travel great distances; food was a necessity. In early years, fans of football contests often dined from wagons, and even sipped champagne. Wow.

January is the beginning of the ending of football season and there are a lot of games being played. To get you in the mood, The Kitchen Elves are having a throw down before the touchdown. After the service, kick off the day right. Bring your favorite tailgate food for UUFSD’s tailgate party cook off. Drinks and desserts will be provided. Dust off those recipes!

Suggested donation $5.00, free if you bring food. Questions, contact Louise Garrett at lovenlou@gmail.com

Sign Up for January 28 Circle Dinners!

Circle Dinners will return on January 28!

Signups will begin after the service on January 8, with online signups available the following week. As a change to the fall circle dinners, members will sign up for specific dinners, with the possibility of being on a back up list and/or last minute substitute list.

Just a reminder that this dinner was postponed from the 21st to the 28th to avoid conflicts with the concert happening on the 21st.

We are still looking for a couple of additional hosts, plus people to help coordinate the program throughout the year.

For more information, or to volunteer as a host or coordinator, please contact Nancy Hebert at nancy.e.hebert@gmail.com.

2nd Monday Book Club

February 13, 6:30-8:15pm, Founders Hall West

On February 13th, at 6:30pm here at UUFSD, we will be discussing the non-fiction: A Bigger Picture: My Fight to Bring a New African Voice to the Climate Crisis (2021) by Vanessa Nakate. "...a long-awaited addition to recent books by young climate activists. Nakate is a Ugandan activist in her early 20s who writes in a compelling voice about her youth climate activism, the national and international barriers she has faced, and the importance of inclusive movements for climate and environmental justice". (Rachel Conrad, climatelit.org) Read more here.

Send questions or comments to bookclub@uufsd.org or call/text Cathy Leach-Phillips at 650 224-1974.

Message From the Kitchen Elves



On display in the Courtyard will be some of the new equipment for the Kitchen. The Kitchen is preparing for members to create and host wonderful events at the Fellowship. The new equipment will allow any committee or individual to prepare scrumptious foods for a gathering without having to clean your home. There is ample parking space and area for any size event. The only thing needed is the food and the excitement!

The Kitchen Elves are concerned with three main areas of the kitchen that need your help:

1. Help plan how to use the kitchen and plan wonderful events twice a year.
2. Volunteer twice a year to prepare for the Sunday Coffee Hour, no experience required, instructions are available, easy peasy.
3. Donate Food to the Sunday Service Coffee Hour.

We have some wonderful cooks in the Fellowship who would love to make one or two delightful treats for the congregation to nibble on as they talk to old and new friends.

Contact Louise to sign up at lovenlou@gmail.com

Dream Builder Committee Activity Update

The new curb and gutter along Solana Drive as required by the City has been completed. Thank you for your cooperation and patience during construction. Due to absences during the holiday break, the bid date for the Addition and Remodel of the Administration Building project (Phase 1 of Capital Campaign scope) has been extended to January 20.

In addition, we expect to receive a comprehensive budget estimate for Phases 2, 3, and 4 of the Capital Campaign work scope from White Construction within the first week of January, allowing the board to make informed decisions about pathways forward for these projects. They include Phase 2, the firetruck turnaround and additional parking, Phase 3, a new shade structure at the Amphitheater, and Phase 4, a new AV Kiosk with accessible toilet rooms and other accessibility improvements in the Amphitheater. Phases 2, 3 and 4 include their own unique components of new landscaping and accessibility improvements. 

Be A Candle of Care

Pastoral Care is a core component of our beloved community as it strengthens the meaning and experience of community. Every caring action is a compassionate action. We can all participate in caring for our community through a variety of compassionate actions. Here are some ways you can be a “Candle of Care”:

Offering to bring food to someone in need

Send a “caring card”

Visit someone who is experiencing a challenging time

Make a phone call to express your care

Offer transportation to Sunday services or for essential appointments (e.g. medical)

Give a hug (when appropriate)

If you would like to participate in UUFSD’s Candle of Care program please contact pastoralcare@uufsd.org

SAVE THE DATE

Scripps Institution of Oceanography

Saturday, February 25th at 10:00am

Tour the ice lab at Scripps Institution of Oceanography with our own Jeff Severinghaus. Cost: $40 all proceeds to UUFSD.

To register: https://uufsd.org/events/scripps-institute-of-oceanography-lab-tour-auction-item/

Camp de Benneville Pines - Family Camp

April 14 - 16, 2023

Registration deadline is March 31.

To register: https://uufsd.org/events/camp-de-benneville-pines-family-camp/

For more information click here.

Good News and Other Items of Interest

“If you pay attention the garden will teach you things. Like patience and hope and the grace of return."

– K. Elting Brock

• Australia Cut Plastic Waste on Her Beaches by Nearly One-Third Over Just 6 Years
• Interior Design of Human Cells is Mapped for the First Time, a Breakthrough That Could Revolutionize Healthcare
• Near-Record Snowfall in California Mountains Might Reverse State’s Historic Drought
• How the Army Corps of Engineers Made Us Love Their 2023 Calendar: They Added Giant Cats! (And it’s Free)

Note: those who use the Le Port School parking lot on Sundays: the gate code is 152