"Benchwarmers - Put Me in Coach!"

Sunday July 30th , 10:00 AM

Put me in Coach! I'm Ready to Play. Today! An empty pulpit is kind of like an empty batter's box--and as members of UUFSC, we have officially been called out of the dugout. But what's that mean? Are you ready to step up to the plate? Do you fear a spiritual strikeout or do you dream of a divine homerun? Well lace up your cleats, spit out your chewing tobacco, and grab a bat because July is baseball season here at the fellowship and it's time for some faith-filled fun.

Worship Leader: Rev Ryan Althaus



Worship Associate(s): Thomas Witz and Sylvia Forsyth

Our goal is to provide a meaningful worship experience for all—for those who can attend in-person and for those who can’t.

Please join Sunday in-person or click the link below to join on-line as we live our mission and work toward our vision of beloved community.

ZOOM Link for Sunday Morning

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84095601835?pwd=bXNPemtaOUN5cVFNS2tzZldLQ3B2Zz09

Meeting ID: 840 9560 1835

Passcode: 612397

When you click on this link on Sunday morning, you will see a pop-up window asking: "Allow the host to unmute you etc." with two buttons; Allow and Don't Allow.

Please click on “Don’t Allow” and you will then join the meeting as usual.

The Zoom link can also be found on the Church Calendar

(https://uufscc.org/site/full-calendar/)

There is no children's zoom service. 

TGIF July 28th

Hosted by Bill and Marianne Callahan

This Friday's Potluck TGIF is from 5-7pm, outside at the home of Bill and Marianne Callahan; Cohosted by Janie Gleghorn. Bring a dish to share(or a few dollars for the donation bowl), and come enjoy an evening of community with fellow UU's!

Address: 332 Morrissey Blvd, Santa Cruz

Directions: From Highway 1, tale Morrissey exit, toward midtown/beach. 3 blocks from the freeway, on the left. There is street parking available and a couple parking spaces in the back alley for those with less mobility.

Call (925) 914-1032 if you need help finding the place.

Upcoming TGIF's:

Aug 4th, Lee and Lorainne, Watsonville

Aug 11th, Terra & Scott Soquel

Aug 18th, Sylvia Forsyth Aptos

Aug 25th, Woody & Jenny's Vineyard, Santa Cruz

Adult Religious Education Offerings 

Climate Change

Note that the Climate Religious Group is meant to supplement the Justice Team's sub-group led by Lorraine Sandoval-Vigil. Chuck Torrey is serving as liaison between the two groups and is a convener for spiritual development. Our group is about education leading to action. We are suggesting two approaches

1. Lobbying for Climate Justice led by Surrey Kent who has already done a great deal of networking and can inform others and support political efforts aimed at climate recovery.

Surrey is offering and after-the-service meeting at 12:15 on 8/13/23

Email: surreykent@baymoon.com or text at (831) 345 - 9579

2.We are a Green Sanctuary, but we need leadership to explore maintaining and upgrading this effort. If interested, text Jennifer at (831) 588 - 6508

For those interested, please see Nova video on warming planet:

Nova Video

Wednesday, Aug. 9th and 23rd (note date changes)

Discussion of the book, NOT TOO LATE edited by Rebecca Solnit et al led by Jenny Choate, 6:30-8 PM. Zoom Link

Please contact me with any proposals for Adult RE sessions in the Fall, especially if one is interested in leading. The committee will help and support you.



Jennifer Choate, (831)588-6508

Write Letters with the Justice Team

After the service last Sunday, letter-writers joined the Justice Team to write 40 letters to Ohio voters, to encourage them to vote in their upcoming special election. Ohio's Republican-controlled state legislature has been using their gerrymandered super-majority to pass legislation restricting abortion access and making it harder for Ohioans to vote. Now, they have triggered an August special election on a proposed constitutional amendment that will reduce the power of Ohioans' votes and weaken the state's democracy. Their proposed amendment would raise the threshold to pass ballot initiatives from a simple majority of the vote to 60% of the vote. That would mean that popular initiatives—like a proposed amendment to protect abortion access in Ohio—could potentially fail even if the majority of Ohio voters support them. This is an attack on democracy, and on the power of every Ohioan's vote. 

We only have one more Sunday to write more letters before they must get in the mail. Join the Justice Team after the service this Sunday to write 5 letters to young women voters in Ohio. Together we can make a difference! 

UUFSCC statement to Side with Love is Published!



Yet another Santa Cruz hate incident (theft of pride flags), so Justice Team member, Teri Wiss, again sent out our statement of solidarity with marginalized groups to local media. This time, it was published!! Go see the Letter to the Editor in Lookout Santa Cruz here. We cannot ignore hateful acts!

July's Shared Plate is COPA

(Communities Organized for Relational Power in Action)

This summer the UUFSCC shared plate will support COPA. We are charter members of this now 20 year old community organizing and action association of faith and other organizations from Santa Cruz, Monterey and San Benito Counties. Communities Organized for Relational Power In Action works through these member organizations to listen to community concerns and develop them into action plans to effect change. At the same time, COPA builds relationships with politicians and others who can implement change, demonstrates to them the power of community COPA develops, and in this way becomes Communities Organized for Relational Power in Action. Current areas of action are affordable housing, health care access, and good paying jobs. It is up to us and other member institutions to support, direct and implement these activities.

Shared Pulpit / Sermon Writing Course

Coming this Fall

Are you interested in delivering fulfilling and meaningful sermons for our Fellowship? Here is an opportunity to refine and share the great ideas or experiences you have had, that have impacted you or your loved ones lives; ideas and actions that will help the quality of life for others. 

Bill Heavlin and Esther Wallace will be putting together a Shared Pulpit class sometime in September for members of our congregation who are interested. The class is on zoom and exact dates will be determined once participants are identified.  

Over the course of the 8-session class, participants are expected to spend substantial time in creating and refining a sermon-length reflection, progressing from about 300words to as many as 2000 words. Early sessions occur twice a month, later sessions are more like once a month. Each session runs 2.5 hours, plus an optional ½ hour.

If you are interested in learning more about this Shared Pulpit class, please contact Lorraine Sandoval-Vigil, (831) 728-3533. 

Book Club Announcement

UUFSCC Book Club is taking a summer break from June, through the month of August. Book club may reconvene in September.

Past Sermons Available on Youtube



If you would like to revisit a sermon (and often a reading or two from previous services, here is the Youtube site where you can find the archives: Past Sermons

Fellowship Monthly Calendar

& One Church Tutorials

To access the Fellowship's monthly calendar, click here.   

The Zoom links for all UUFSCC meetings and services are included on the Calendar.

All of the tutorials for One Church can be found on our website under Donate or Pledge or click here.

Contacts

Office Phone: 831.684.0506

Administration Office

admin@uufscc.org

Office Hours: Monday-Friday 

9:30 - 2:30

calendar@uufscc.org

Reserve space for a Fellowship event or place an item on the Fellowship public calendar

announce@uufscc.org

Submit announcements to Current Happenings by Wednesday 5PM 

Progressive Religious Network 

on Facebook

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