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WHAT'S NUU!!!

We have updated our ZOOM schedule.
To access the most recent Zoom programs



Please join us for our next Sunday Service
on April 11 at 10:30 a.m.

Poetry and Social Justice: Where I'm From and Why I Write

Special Guest Speaker
Celebrated Fresno Poet
Marisol Baca
Beginning this Sunday join Rev. Tim LIVE in the
Zoom Room for in-person worship - Here is the link:
Meeting ID: 934 6817 2400

Service led by:
Rev. Tim and Guest Speaker Marisol Baca
with Lorenzo, Ida Jones, Josie & James, and Sharon Rossi

Music by:
Dawn DeLozier, Hannah Fey, Jenny Lewis, Amanda Monaco, Chris Eacock, Don Gaede, Mike Reilly, Gary Rossi, Chris Toth & Marc Wise





Special
Guest Musicians:
Eva Scow

and
Merlinda Espinosa




Beginning this Sunday join Rev. Tim LIVE in the
Zoom Room for in-person worship - Here is the link:
Meeting ID: 934 6817 2400

If you prefer,
CLICK HERE to join our service on Facebook live
Or watch on our YouTube channel at:
In-Person Movie Showing “Kiss the Ground” - The Environmental Justice Team and the Alluvial Community Garden are sponsoring an in-person outdoor movie screening of "Kiss the Ground" on Friday, April 16th. The program starts at 6:30pm with an optional tour of the Alluvial Community Garden, followed at 7pm by a panel discussion of local soil and food growers, and the Kiss the Ground screening at 8pm. Please bring your own lawn chairs and water bottles. This free event is hosted by the US Green Building Council Central California, sign up is Required at https://www.usgbccc.org/event-4209908

Join us LIVE for Sunday Service in Zoom beginning this Sunday, April 11 at 10:30 am!! You’ve told us you want to feel more connected during the Sunday Services. You miss seeing smiles and looking into each other’s eyes. Rev. Tim deeply misses seeing you each week. So, we are going to renew our connections by inviting you to join Rev. Tim, Dani, and Lorenzo live in the Zoom Room each Sunday, beginning THIS Sunday, April 11th. We will also continue to offer the livestream to Facebook and Youtube at 10:30 am for the time being.  

Earth Day Picnic and Scavenger Hunt, April 18th from 1pm-2pm. Join us on campus for an outdoor picnic, the making of bird feeders, and a family nature scavenger hunt in honor of Earth Day. Extra points if you bring your own pinecone!! Registration for children is requested at: https://forms.gle/cyBVQaiEzUqJyWSd9.
Faith and Film Series With Rev. Tim Kutzmark (Second Sunday of Every Month at 6:30 pm) -  This Sunday, April 11, “Soundtrack for a Revolution” - Taking a fresh approach to the story of the American Civil Rights Movement, Soundtrack for a Revolution features the powerful music from the movement. Focusing on the freedom songs sung by protesters on picket lines, in mass meetings, in paddy wagons and in jail cells, this film celebrates the vitality of the music and the infectious energy that it provided. Freedom songs evolved from slave chants, the labor movement, and from the Black church, and were a vital tool as protestors stood up against adversity. They energized and empowered them, enabled them to sing the things they couldn’t say, and allowed them to meet aggression with dignity and non-violence. This documentary brings songs of the movement back to life again through new performances by top artists, including John Legend, Joss Stone, Wyclef Jean, and The Roots. Registration is Required at: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfLyAOVR9FSM8erO831vwxlEngPqr3ik4owrdMi7fThEEraUQ/viewform?usp=sf_link.

Salvation: A Unitarian Universalist Perspective Wednesday, April 14 at 10:00 AM or 7 pm - Facilitated by Rev. Tim Kutzmark. Registration is Required at: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfLyAOVR9FSM8erO831vwxlEngPqr3ik4owrdMi7fThEEraUQ/viewform?usp=sf_link. Join Rev. Tim for this exploration of what Unitarian Universalism says about salvation. Has our focus on love caused us to miss the mark when it comes to understanding wrong-doing? Do we need to re-introduce the idea of sin into our theological language? A short reading will be sent in advance so you are prepared for this one-time class.
 
CRASH COURSE in Unitarian Universalism, SATURDAY, April 17 at 10 am on Zoom. Join Rev. Tim and Patty Bennett for an engaging and informative introduction to Unitarian Universalist history and beliefs. This workshop is designed for newcomers but it is equally valuable to anyone who wants a refresher about our roots, stretching back more than 2000 years. Zoom link: https://zoom.us/j/92175357741. Registration requested. Patty Bennett, Coordinator of Congregational Life, msc@uufresno.org.

UU Humanists – Sunday, April 18, 1-2:30 p.m. Fannie Wright: infamous Freethinker, writer of travelogues, first woman to speak to mixed gender crowds, abolitionist, and feminist. https://zoom.us/j/94339993291. Contact Devin Carroll, devinc@sbcglobal.net, 559-240-5127.

The Poets of Unitarian Universalism Wednesday April 21st at 7pm or Sunday April 25th at 1pm - Facilitated by Robert Mitchell. Registration is Required at: https://forms.gle/zm7sEWs9byVrdji47. Join Robert for a deep dive into Poets closely associated with Unitarian Universalism. Learn about their work and connections to our Faith. Featured poets will include Sylvia Plath, E.E. Cummings, May Sarton, and more.

In Person Religious Exploration–Becoming, May 16th (Youth at 10am and Pre-K-Elementary at 11:15). Join Dani for a little lesson and lots of fun as we deep dive into this month's theme followed by some good ole' fashion outside games.
 
Now Would Be a Good Time to Join the UU Buddhist Fellowship - Which meets weekly at https://zoom.us/j/94225906754 to support one another in the study of Buddhist teachings. We are beginning a new book: 8 Mindful Steps to Happiness: Walking the Buddha's Path by Bhante Gunaratana. For more information contact Linda Mack lindamack4554@gmail.com.

Yoga classes continue! Hatha Yoga, Monday nights 6-7:30 pm, Chair Yoga Wednesday from 12-1 pm and Friday
1-2 pm. Zoom link is the same for all classes: VIDEO: https://zoom.us/j/97768989369Meeting ID: 977-6898-9369. PHONE: 669-900-6833 (then enter Meeting ID: 977-6898-9369, followed by #, When prompted for User ID, just hit # again) All are welcome. For questions or concerns refer to Jenny Rohan 559-281-7972 or sarayuyoga@gmail.com.

Grow Spiritually – If you are looking to deepen or refresh your spiritual life, Rev. Tim invites you to join him at one of his weekly “Spiritual Drop-In Group” each Tuesday at 7 pm and Thursday at 11 am (except the first Thursday of the month, when it is at Noon). Each week we explore a different aspect of our spiritual lives. VIDEO https://zoom.us/j/94599824478. Meeting ID: 945 9982 4478. PHONE: 669-900-6833 (then enter Meeting ID: 945 9982 4478, followed by #. When prompted for User ID, just hit # again).

April is National Poetry Month! To celebrate, In Spirit the UUA's book store would like to recommend the following poetry books for children and youth. Full of wonder, power, memories, and mindfulness. We hope these beautiful collections will nourish their spirit. You can check out these selections and more at https://www.uuabookstore.org/Default.aspx. You Don't Have to Be Everything: Poems for Girls Becoming Themselves edited by Diana Whitney Created and compiled just for young women, You Don’t Have to Be Everything is filled with works by a wide range of poets who are honest, unafraid, and skilled at addressing the complex feelings of coming-of-age, from loneliness to joy, longing to solace, attitude to humor. These unintimidating poems offer girls a message of self-acceptance and strength, giving them permission to let go of shame and perfectionism. Includes poems by Amanda Gorman, Maya Angelou, Elizabeth Acevedo, and Mary Oliver, among others. Ages 12–18. Breathe and Be: A Book of Mindfulness Poems by Kate Coombs and illustrated by Anna Emilia Laitinen Teaching mindfulness helps kids learn to stay calm, regulate their emotions, and appreciate the world around them. With Breathe and Be, author Kate Coombs and illustrator Anna Emilia Laitinen team up to present a book of poetry and art for young readers to make mindfulness easy, natural, and beautiful. Here is a book sure to soothe parents and kids alike, blending lovingly illustrated nature imagery with elegant verse about living with awareness and inner peace. Ages 4–8. I Remember: Poems and Pictures of Heritage compiled by Lee Bennett Hopkins from the joyous to the poignant, poems by award-winning, diverse poets are paired with images by celebrated illustrators from similar backgrounds to pay homage to what is both unique and universal about growing up in the United States. Together these heartfelt poems and captivating illustrations shine a light on the rich diversity of people in our nation as well as the timeless human connections and experiences we all share. Readers of any age and background will find much that sparks their memories. Ages 9–12. Out of Wonder: Poems Celebrating Poets by Kwame Alexander and illustrated by Ekua Holmes. Out of gratitude for the poet’s art form, Newbery Award–winning author and poet Kwame Alexander, along with Chris Colderley and Marjory Wentworth, present original poems that pay homage to twenty famed poets who have made the authors’ hearts sing and their minds wonder. Stunning mixed-media images by Ekua Holmes, winner of a Caldecott Honor Award, complete the celebration. Ages 8–12.
Help With Children's Religious Exploration Wanted!! Are you interested in making a tangible difference in the lives of our church’s children? We are looking for volunteers who are willing to help with Family Engagement Activities and Children’s Religious Exploration Activities. The time commitment would be approximately 2 hours once every 3 months. If you’re ready to both have fun and change lives email Dani Livesey at growspiritually@uufresno.org.

The Beautify Fresno Effort Launched by Mayor Jerry Dyer is Looking for 800 Volunteers to put in about two hours of work on April 24. A dozen sites will be targeted from 10 a.m. to noon that day and will be followed up by an outdoor celebration rally in the H Street parking lot across from Chukchansi Park. That includes food trucks, music, and other activities. Trash cleanup is planned at all the sites, and a couple of the locations include tree planting or graffiti cleanup. The cleanup will follow safety guidelines related to the pandemic from the Center for Disease Control and the Fresno County Department of Public Health. Safety vests, paper pickers, gloves, and trash bags, along with snacks and water will be provided.
More information and sign up at

Join in the Food Collection Palooza!!! The food bin will be in front of the Church Office daily, between the hours of 9:30am - 3pm. We are partnering with Wesley United Methodist Church and Valley Children's Hospital in their food distribution to people in need and families who stay in the rooms with their children. Items needed are: canned fruit (15-20 oz.), peanut butter, cereal, Ramen Noodles, non-refrigerated single-serve meals of any sort including soups, vegetables, fruits, beans, etc., preferably with "flip-top" type cans. If the item is a canned item, nothing perishable, and nothing that has expired. Instant meals such as oatmeal or other meals that can be put into a microwave are best. Please stick to items that are on the list. If you have questions regarding acceptable food items contact Steve Sacks at johnsonsacks@comcast.net

The Central Valley Blood Supply is Critically Low - Consider Donating if you can.  The Central California Blood Center needs donors of all blood types. Donations will immediately help community members in need from all walks of life and ease the stressful burden of our front-line health care workers. Online scheduling is simple through their website where you can select an appointment location, date, and time that fits your schedule. Use this link for more information https://www.donateblood.org/ or call 559-389-5433.
The 2nd Sunday Social Justice Collection this month goes to GO Public Schools-Fresno. GO Fresno builds and supports a local coalition of families, educators, and community allies to expand access to quality education in Fresno’s most historically underserved communities. Please Note on Check Memo Line: GO Public Schools-Fresno.

We Need Nominees for Our Church 2nd Sunday Social Justice Collection - Due to COVID-19, our schedule was thrown off for this year. If you know of a group that is a non-profit and is doing social justice work in our community and needs our financial support, please contact Steve Sacks, johnsonsacks@comcast.net and I will email an application to you.

UUBorders Returns - Online! Register for our April 2021 Virtual Journey Today! In partnership with Via International & UU Refugee Immigrant Services & Education, we are excited to offer a new online immersion for UUs and UU-aligned individuals interested in learning and engaging more with the realities of immigration at the California border. Through online virtual visits, attendees will have an opportunity to witness the effect of US Immigration policies from both sides of the border, deepen our faith connection to issues and efforts around immigration justice, and connect with communities directly impacted by our broken immigration system. https://uujmca.salsalabs.org/uuborders_april2021/index.html?eType=EmailBlastContent&eId=93005088-a4ca-47e8-8333-5b04ce58e324
Staff Sabbatical – April 19th- 25th: In appreciation of your UU Fresno Staff’s hard work and service during the pandemic, we’ll be taking a break! We’ll be back at our computers on Monday, April 26th! Questions? Contact Chloe Emily at cc@uufresno.org.

UUA General Assembly (GA) June 23-27, 2021 - GA is the annual meeting of all Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA). Participants worship, witness, learn, connect, and make policy for the Association through democratic process. Additional information and registration are available at https://www.uua.org/central-east/blog/better-together/virtual-ga-2021. If you are interested in participating as a delegate, please contact Cindie Gonzales, Admin. Asst. 322-6146 ext. 10 or aa@uufresno.org.

When Making Contributions to UUCF - It is important to clearly indicate your intention of the contribution. UUCF maintains multiple funds and in order to process contributions properly, it is important to identify the purpose of the contribution. See examples below: 

Social Justice = Social Justice Committee or 2nd Sunday Social Justice special collection.
Pledge = Current 2020-2021 Pledge, Pre-Payment of 2021-2022 Pledge, or make-up contribution to a prior year pledge. 
Contribution = Pledge, Unpledged, Plate, We Care Fund, etc.
 
The administration makes every effort to process contributions correctly and proper notation is helpful and saves time. Please note that if an unidentified contribution is received, first we will check to see if there is a pledge of record for the individual, if so, the contribution is posted as a current year contribution. If we do not have a pledge of record, it will be posted to Unpledged Donations. We encourage everyone to review their monthly Contribution Statements carefully and to please contact the office if you have a question or concerns regarding contribution postings.

Virtual Screening and Panel Discussion of the Documentary MOTHERLOAD, Sunday, May 2, 4PM-5PM PDT – Hosted by the Fresno County Bicycle Coalition (FCBC) - The film looks at the global movement to replace cars with purpose-built bicycles. This film has something for everyone! No kids or bicycles required to enjoy this film. Subtitles will be available in Spanish. You can Register for this event, view the movie trailer, and find out more information by using this link https://fcbc.eventbrite.com. Contact person for this event is Anthony Molina events@fresnobike.org.

Long-time Church member Pat (Patricia) Moore would appreciate notes and cards of support and encouragement as she continues living in assisted living. Even if you don't know Pat, a kind word from you would help lift her spirits. If you have young children, perhaps they could draw her a picture? Send to: Patricia Moore, Sunrise of Fresno, 7444 N. Cedar Avenue, Fresno, CA 93720.

The Pastoral Care Team is available to serve congregants with short-term needs. For more information regarding the services we offer, visit the UUCF website. To contact the officer on duty call 559-322-6146 ext 16.

UUCF Board of Trustee meeting minutes and monthly financial reports are available for those who would be interested in reviewing them. In an effort to minimize unwanted email communication, if you are a church member and would like to automatically receive board meeting minutes and/or financial reports upon acceptance and approval, please contact Cindie Gonzales, Administrative Assistant aa@uufresno.org. Additionally, a digital archive of UUCF board minutes and monthly financial reports are maintained with the church administration and are available to members upon request.
In gratitude to those who made special donations of
$50 and above (beyond pledge contributions)
during the month of February.
(March to be updated soon)

Special thanks to:

Non-Pledge Donations:
Sydney Story* Marcella Pratt * Lynda Lynch Dutton & Paul Dutton * Curtis Tunget * Mary-Allen Macneil * John Livesey * Korine Minyard & Ben Mooneyham

We Care Fund:
Mary McDonough * Sally Carroll & Paul Hanff * Marc & Carrie Wise * Lydia Flores * Mary Ann Goff * Susan-Jean Perry

Plate Donations:
Linda Knight * George Burman & Patricia Looney-Burman * Tom Willey

Minister’s Discretionary:
Colby Morrow & Evan Shipp

Endowment:
In Appreciation for Yoga Class:
Pastoral Care:
Pastoral Care Team Food Support Fund:


In Honor of and In Memoriam:
Building Fund:
Dianne Hanzlicer * Eleanor Stokle * Sylvia Woodburne * Margarita Engle * Sal & Denise Sciandra * Ken & Betty Cornelisen

Non-Pledge Donations:
Bill Noblett

We Care Fund:

*******************
Contribution Funds: Areas of Giving

Pledge: A “Pledge” contribution is for those who have made a financial “Pledge of Record” for a given July-June fiscal year. The majority of our annual operating budget is determined by the pledges that are received during our Annual Pledge Drive.

Non-Pledge Donation: A donation without restrictions that supplements the yearly operating budget.

Sunday Offering (Plate) via Cash App, PayPal, Credit Card or Check: Sunday offerings or plate donations are an act of generosity for our Sunday Services and support our annual operating budget. They are an important additional source of income each week.

We Care Fund: “We Care Fund” is a discretionary fund that Rev. Tim utilizes to provide needed financial support to members and friends, especially needed in this time of Pandemic. Examples include gas cards, gift cards for clothes or other needed items, assistance with bills, emergency rent assistance, and other expenses that arise, especially during the Pandemic when more people are financially vulnerable.

Pastoral Care Team Food Fund: This fund allows the Pastoral Care Team to provide purchased and delivered meals to members and friends who are in need of support during illness, family death, or other life events. It can also assist with basic grocery purchases, especially during this time of Pandemic.

Minister’s Discretionary Fund: The Minister’s Discretionary Fund is utilized by the Minister for a multitude of purposes and can fund unexpected church expenses (emergencies arise) and church purchases (for instance, broadcasting equipment for virtual services, needed equipment for our fire alarm system, etc.). It can also be used to assist those in financial need.

In Honor of and In Memoriam: You can make a special donation in honor of something (for instance, appreciating Monday yoga class) or to honor a person who is living. You can also make a financial contribution to honor a church member or other person who has died.
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We are listed as: Unitarian Universalist Church of Fresno
For additional information about our church, services or activities, please contact us at (559) 322-6146 or visit our website at www.uufresno.org. If you are interested in reading or listening to past sermons, look under menu item "Worship" and you will find both audio and written sermons to choose from.