|
Our Summer Message
Sent Every Other Friday through August
August 26, 2022
| |
|
Beloveds –
Last Sunday was our annual Question Box service when I answered your questions. As UUs, questions are important to us. I grew up in a religion that was uncomfortable with questions or gave pat answers that did not satisfy me. Likely many of you did too. But questioning is part of the our search for meaning.
At our service this coming Sunday we are going to explore the 4th Principle of UU: a free and responsible search for truth and meaning. It seems like a simple thing, but many of us have been in environments where it was not comfortable or safe to ask questions that suggest you don’t agree with the status quo. For many UUs it was quite liberating to find a community that not only allowed you to question but encouraged you in doing so. I hope you will join us on Sunday to hear a powerful reflection on this theme from one of our new worship associates, Dan Myers.
In the meantime, we had quite a few questions submitted on Sunday and couldn’t get to all of them so I thought I would answer a few more here.
Q: What is the meaning of the Labyrinth to UUSS?
A: When I arrived in 2013 the labyrinth had just been completed and I was proud to officiate at the blessing ceremony. It quickly became clear to me that the labyrinth at UUSS signified our commitment to honoring different spiritual paths (literally in this case) and connecting both to history and other religions. We could have chosen a contemporary pattern for our labyrinth but instead chose a pattern from medieval Christianity. And perhaps most importantly is that the labyrinth was built by UUSS members and friends with their own hands, brick by brick. At UUSS the labyrinth means community working together to create opportunities for spiritual exploration and honoring religious traditions.
Q: Do you feel UU would genuinely welcome people who identify as conservatives, supporters of certain conservative past presidents, or others who may not consider themselves to be left-leaning, liberal, or progressive?
A: This is a two-part answer. We have had more conservative folks in our congregation, and it is not always comfortable for them. We could do better in this regard, particularly when we are disdainful of conservative positions. Often in matters of politics people gravitate to those who share their perspective, and they will not find many other conservatives in our midst. However, I think the answer is more about values than political perspective. We welcome all who share our values, and there are many ways in which UU values overlap with those of conservatives but there are other ways in which our values diverge. We will not tolerate bigotry, maintaining white supremacy, bullying, discriminating against LBCTQ folks, racism and fascism. Those values are not welcome.
Q: If biblical prophets came to earth today, what do you think their reaction would be?
A: I warned you about this. You should have listened to be 4,000 years ago!
Sending love to all,
Rev. Lucy
| |
|
We are sad to announce the passing of beloved UUSS Member Ray Reynolds. Ray was engaged in many UUSS activities including Ted's Web, Adult Enrichment, and many other groups. Declining health and lack of mobility never kept Ray from participating. He cared deeply about our community.
A memorial service is planned for October.
| |
Sunday Mornings with UUSS
Proof of Vaccination & Masks Required to Attend in Person
Join us for Worship Services in person or on Zoom Zoom links here
Service time 10:30 a.m..
Miss a service? You can find links to past services here.
| |
Half of all offering donations made in August
will support our local community partner:
| |
|
Sunday Morning Programs at UUSS
Join us before the service at 9:30 AM at UUSS
1st Sunday - Labyrinth walk in the meadow (next one: Sept. 4)
2nd Sunday - Racial Equity conversation - Fahs (Join us Sept. 11)
3rd Sunday Qui Gong/Tai Chi - patio (next one: Sept. 18)
4th Sunday - Exploring Unitarian Universalism - Fahs Room (Aug. 28)
| |
Join us for a Newcomer Orientation the second of every month Sunday right after church in the Welcome Hall. There is no orientation in September - join us for the Activities Fair. | |
Joys and Sorrows: If you would like to have a joy, sorrow, concern, or milestone spoken aloud by a minister in Sunday’s prayer time, at this link. You may also use that link to inform us of a joy, concern or sorrow and let us know if you do not want us to mention it in church, or if you would like a phone call by a minister.
| |
|
Sunday, August 28, 10:30:
A Free and Responsible Search for Truth and Meaning
Rev. Lucy Bunch and Rev. Dr. Roger Jones, with Worship Associate Dan Myers, Music Director Anthony Tavianini, Pianist Irina Tchantceva. Special music by vocalist Bill Zinn.
The fourth principle of Unitarian Universalist is a “free and responsible search for truth and meaning.”
This is a powerful principle that could be considered the hallmark of what it means to be UU, but what does it mean to put it into practice? We will hear perspective on this principle from different UU’s and reflect on who we foster this search within our community. This is the first in a series on the UU principles.
| |
|
Sunday, September 4 10:30: U-PICK Sunday
Rev. Roger will preach a favorite sermon from the past few years. You get to vote to choose which one. Choose from five options. Vote early and vote often.
Polls close on Friday September 2.
Click Here to VOTE
| |
|
Sunday September 11, 10:30 AM: Ingathering: Belonging
Rev. Lucy Bunch, Rev. Dr. Roger Jones, Worship Associate Courtney O'Neil and Dan Myers. UUSS choir with Music Director Anthony Tavianini, Pianist Irina Tchantceva
We come together at the start of a new church year to name our challenges and express our gratitude for life and for this community. We will share the waters of our spirit, and reflect on the power of belonging, our Soul Matters theme for September. Let us begin again in love.
| |
Community Partner Nominations for 2023 | |
|
As part of our commitment to being “a force for healing in the world” every month UUSS gives away half of our Sunday offering to a local not for profit organization. Who will be a Community Partner for the upcoming year is decided by the UUSS congregation in the fall after the congregational meeting in October. To be eligible, the organization must be involved in helping the greater Sacramento Area community, and whose mission supports goal #2 from our strategic plan: Increase our presence and identity in the larger community by living our mission of being a force for healing in the world.
If you would like to nominate an organization, please complete the “UUSS Nomination for Community Partner” form found on the UUSS website at http://www.uuss.org/forms/ The form has been revised to make it shorter and more user friendly. It can be filled out and submitted online. You can also print it, fill it out and drop it off at the office. Nomination forms can also be picked up at the UUSS office. Your completed form must submitted by Sunday, October 1 either electronically or at the office. Please note that this year’s community partners will not be automatically included on the ballot and must be re-nominated.
If you have questions about the process, contact Bobbie Keill at Partners@UUSS.org.
| |
📚 In the Sunday Bookstore | |
Were you one of those who became a pandemic chef? Ready to expand your recipe repertoire? Be sure to sample from the enticing buffet of gently loved cookbooks in our bookstore.
Or, perhaps you like to escape the heat by getting chills from mysteries and thrillers. We’ve got Pattersons, Grishams, Ludlums, Lescroat and more. Time to investigate.
Come by to browse, every Sunday, 10-Noon. Used books, $1.00; recent magazines, 50 cents.
| |
Summer Religious Education (RE) for ALL AGES! | |
|
RE Summer ArtWorks happens Sunday, August 28 at 10:15 am!
August 28: Weaving Turtles Using God's Eye Pattern with Catherine & Duncan
Families, please enter through the main building per our UUSS safety guidelines. Vaccination list sign-in is in the main lobby. Then please come through to Room 7/8 to sign your child in for RE Summer ArtWorks. Remember to bring proof of vaccination and a face mask covering mouth/nose.
Sunday, September 4 Backpack (OR gym bag, dance bag, lunchbox, briefcase, purse, diaper bag, cell phone, tablet, computer, or a keychain) Blessing for your new school year.
For students & teachers at any level!
2022 - 2023 Religious Education form available - Please click here.
Religious Education begins on September 18, 2022.
Children and youth will begin in the sanctuary with their families at 10:30 am. Our congregation will sing the group
out to RE soon thereafter.
Our Senior High Youth Group (SHYG) will continue meeting after service in Room 12.
| |
Meals to the Door—When a member family has a health crisis or has welcomed a new child, it's helpful to have a few dinners. Can we add you to this volunteer network? If you don’t have time, are you able to order and buy a delivered meal? (You could also donate to the UUSS Ministers’ Discretionary Fund.) A Ride to Church—We occasionally get requests for rides from members without access to Paratransit. Can you give rides occasionally? (No heavy lifting.) Contact Rev. Roger by phone or email.
| |
UUSS Caregivers Support is a new group led by Marilyn Reynolds and Jon Peterson that offers information, conversation, and support for those caring for loved ones with cognitive impairments or other disabling conditions. Go to uuss.org/caregivers/ for details and links to trusted local organizations. Questions? Contact Jon and Marilyn at caregivers@uuss.org
Jon Peterson provided care for his late wife, Sally, and has for several years sponsored the Revere Caregivers support group. Marilyn Reynolds provided care for her late husband, Mike, and is the author of "Til Death or Dementia Do Us Part". Neither is an expert in the field of caregiving, but they are happy to share their personal insights.
| |
|
It’s Soup! Yes, Soup Sundays start again this fall
In August it’s hard to think about eating or making soup, but cooler fall weather is only a couple of months away, bringing with it fond memories of the delicious smells of soup in the Welcome Hall after the service. This fall we will bring back Soup Sundays starting in October and continuing through February. For a $5 donation our members and friends can enjoy a hearty bowl of soup, bread and a cookie the first and third Sunday of the month. The soup will be served in the Welcome Hall but must be eaten on the patio (unless that Covid policy changes).
Proceeds go to the UUSS General Fund to support our financial and program goals.
In past years we have asked UUSS groups who would be willing to sponsor a Sunday to contribute 8 soups. However, because about half of our members join the service on Zoom every Sunday, we will only need 6 soup makers. Each group is responsible for serving the soups. The Soup Sunday team will help with the logistics of set-up, clean-up, and other supplies.
Are you a baker? Perhaps you prefer baking to making soup. Providing cookies or making a donation is another way to support Soup Sunday and reduce the out of pocket costs, resulting in more of the proceeds going to our financial resources. It’s a wonderful and simple way to support UUSS. Soup Sundays are also great opportunities for getting to know each other better over a bowl of fragrant soup.
If your group can sponsor a Soup Sunday, please contact us at SoupSunday@UUSS.org. You will receive additional instructions for preparing and serving the soup. The intrepid American River Parkway clean-up crew led by Eric Ross has already signed up for October 2…will your group be next?
The Soup Sunday Team also is recruiting volunteers to help out on a rotating basis on Sundays with set up and clean up during those 5 months. No experience necessary!
| |
Be a Force of Healing in the World | |
|
Join the Voter Outreach team
Postcard writing Thursdays in September
UU the Vote works with Reclaim Our Vote (ROV), a black-led organization working with local groups in Southern states and high-minority states like Arizona. They are using several methods to counter the "you can't vote" message that minority voters have received for generations and still receive. ROV has hired local people to register voters, and we writers and callers and texters will encourage those voters to go to the polls.
It's Easy to Participate and Make a Difference
Join Susan Jones and Theo White for postcard writing at the church on Thursdays 10 to 12 on the patio. We will write to people of color who are registered to vote, but who don't vote in every election. This one is important! Neat handwriting is the only requirement.
Contact her at rov.sacvalley@gmail.com to get involved!
Channel your frustration and join us!
| |
|
Climate Justice - Join Marion Randall and Hazel Watson for a presentation and discussion of the City of Sacramento Building Electrification Strategy.
We will meet in the Fahs Room, Sunday, September 18 at 12:15pm-1:30. Grab your coffee and come along.
| |
Groups, Gatherings, and Classes | |
Face masks are required at UUSS events open to the public and held indoors. Masks required outdoors in the presence of children not old enough to be vaccinated. To attend indoor events, please provide proof of being fully vaccinated (includes a booster) and your ID; if you have done this earlier, you can just check your name off the list.
| |
|
Reading and Responding to Poetry with JoAnn Anglin Monday, August 29 at 10:00am via this Zoom link. All are welcome to join JoAnn Anglin on the 1st and 3rd Monday each month at 10:00 a.m. via Zoom at uuss.org/online/ for “Reading & Responding to Poetry”.
We’ll consider the poem What I Wouldn’t Do, by Dorianne Laux. Approaching Labor Day, let's consider jobs we do or have done — were they a good fit? Maybe some were mistakes, but we probably learned something about the world, about ourselves. In her poem, the poet reviews the kinds of work, mostly service jobs, that helped lead her to where she is now. Do your experiences compare? Her poem is online at: http://doriannelaux.net/what
NOTE: Because 1st Monday in September is Labor Day, we won’t meet then, but will enjoy an extra gathering on Monday, August 29.
| |
"Heart Practice Meditation" with Ann Kronser, Tuesday evenings, 6:30-8 p.m., Aug. 30th & Sept. 6,13,20,27, to be offered in person at UUSS and online via Zoom. Please sign up at the Connections table on Sundays or e-mail: mindfulmeditation@uuss.org. This 5-class series begins with a review of mindfulness meditation practices, then explores the 4 qualities of heart which help us respond to our own suffering and that of the world around us with compassion. Please note: In-person attendees are asked to show proof of full vaccination against COVID and to wear masks indoors. And if contagion increases in the area, we may have to limit the class to Zoom only.
| |
"What a Life: Introduction to memoir writing", a two-hour class facilitated by author Kelli Wheeler, Wednesday, September 7, at 10:00 a.m. in the Fahs Room and on Zoom. Fee: $30. You’ll walk away with your first page written, and lots of writing and publishing tips. Pre-register by September 4 at the Connections Table on Sundays or by email to adultenrichment@uuss.org. | |
Our next art show called Hidden Talent are all UUSS members. The reception will be held on Thursday, September 8th from 5:30 to 7 pm. It is free and open all. There will be light refreshments served on the patio. Save the date. More info on web site. Contact Patricia Pratt at quiltsrpat@aol.com. | |
|
Depression Peer Support Group Are you living with depression? You are not alone. Our confidential, in-person is for adults with depression.
Next session: Tuesday, Sept. 13, 6:00pm in Fahs Room.
Email peersupport@uuss.org or contact Rev. Roger or Rev. Lucy for more information.
| |
|
Mah Jongg - Tuesday, Sept. 13, 7:00pm. This drop-in activity meets on the 2nd and 4th Tuesdays of each month at 7:00pm in Classroom 6.
We play "American-style" Mah Jongg using the current years card of the National Mah Jongg League. For more info contact: mahjongg@uuss.org
| |
Staff and Minister Availability | |
|
Rev. Roger (Roger's day off is Monday; study day is Friday)
Rev. Lucy (Lucy's day off is Monday; study day is Friday)
Both are available for pastoral support by appointment by phone, Zoom or in person, and the Pastoral Volunteers are available for support by phone.
Schedule an appointment with Lucy at calendly.com/revlucyb.
Our office staff members (office@uuss.org or 916-483-9283) are available to respond to your phone calls and emails weekdays 8:30-4:30. Our RE Coordinator and Pianist and Music Director are available by email.
| |
|
OFFICE CLOSED
September 5 for Labor Day
| |
We come together to deepen our lives and be a force for healing in the world. | | | | | |
