Live on our Alluvial Avenue Church Campus

Our Church Campus has Re-Opened for in-person meetings and Sunday Services. We have multi-platform services (live in the sanctuary and online) Sundays, at 10:30 am. We want to welcome everyone to the campus in the safest way possible. Our “in-person” Covid-19 protocols prioritize and protect the most vulnerable among us: unvaccinated children and immunocompromised adults. They will remain in place until Fresno County declares we have reached herd immunity, or Fresno County declares we will not reach that threshold and we have reached the highest percentage of vaccinated people we can expect.

IMPORTANT - If you or a family member test positive for the Covid-19 virus AND you have attended an in-person service or meeting at the Unitarian Universalist Church of Fresno within the last 14 days, please notify Rev. Tim as soon as possible. It will be important for the church to notify those who may have been in close contact with you so that they can take appropriate measures for their own safety. Your identity will be kept confidential. You can reach Rev. Tim

at our temporary phone number 322-6128 ext. 13 or tkutzmark@uufresno.org.

1.     Everyone*, no matter vaccination status, will be masked at all times both inside and outside.

2.     When outside, everyone, no matter vaccination status, will practice social distancing of 6 feet. Inside the sanctuary, those who prefer social distancing are invited to sit in our socially distanced section or in our outside seating area.

3.     We hope that all children 4 and up will participate in our outside masked and socially distanced Children’s Programming led by staff. We do not recommend it, but if adults wish their unvaccinated children to be in the sanctuary, we will honor that desire, but, for their safety, they must be masked, sit in the socially distanced section, and stay with their adults at all times.

4.     We welcome unvaccinated adults and ask that they in our socially distanced section in the sanctuary or our outside seating area for their own protection.

5.     For everyone’s safety, adults* attending meetings or classes, no matter vaccination status, will be masked at all times and practice social distancing of 6 feet.

6.     Before we offer a hug or handshake in the non-socially distanced section in the sanctuary, please ask the other person if it is ok. Not everyone is comfortable with close physical contact.

NEW Sunday Social Time Options -

On our Alluvial Campus: Shaded and socially distanced seating will be set up between the sanctuary and the office building. Plan to stay after the service for conversation and connection (sadly, without coffee for the time being).

On our Virtual Campus: Social time will begin at 1:00 on Zoom, at this link: https://zoom.us/j/93468172400. Bring your own beverage and join the conversation!

This Sunday is the 2nd Sunday Collection in September - Is for the US Green Building Council Central California (USGBC-CC). USGBC-CC is working towards advancing green buildings and communities in Central California to implement solutions for climate change and a healthy built environment. USGBC-CC’s programming is focused on education, networking, bicycle programs and its newest project to develop an Indigenous and Environmental Resource Center at the San Joaquin River. This project is in collaboration with the Advocates for Indigenous California Language survival, who is leading the outreach effort to local tribes, indigenous individuals, and organizations serving Native American Communities. It will be a Green building demonstration project, provide access to the San Joaquin River and advance environmental justice for Native American communities. More info at www.usgbccc.org. For questions contact lgromis@usgbccc.org.

VOTA/VOTA in California Gubernatorial Recall Election. Please be sure to vote by this Tuesday, September 14, 2021, and let your Unitarian Universalist values be heard! No contact voting: drop the ballot in the secure ballot dropbox (including the dropbox on our Alluvial Avenue Campus) or mail it by September 14th. Democracy is a core religious principle in Unitarian Universalism - everyone should have a voice and a vote.

Ask a friend to join you at our church service on Invite a Friend Sunday, September 19 at 10:30 am. Rev. Tim’s specially selected topic for this service is “Evolutionary Religion.” Your friends are welcome to join us on either our Alluvial Campus or our Virtual Campus. Patty Bennett, msc@uufresno.org.

Hearing Assistive Devices are available at the Sound Booth for those attending Sunday services who require assistance in hearing spoken words, and, in particular, sung lyrics. The audio feed to the devices has been set so that vocalists will be prominent, with the accompaniment secondary in the audio feed to the devices. If you would like to use one of these, please stop at the Sound Booth before the service. Questions? Contact Lorenzo at lorenzo.bassman@gmail.com.

Prison Holiday Gift Bags for the women incarcerated in the Central California Women's Facility. Items may be placed in the bright red "Prison Holiday Gift Bags" box on the church patio on Sunday mornings or at the church office on weekdays, 9:30 A.M. - 3:00 P.M.

Contact Joanne Michelson at 559-349-3312 if you have questions.

1.     Emergency Rental Assistance Program. If you or someone you know is having difficulty paying the rent during this pandemic, there are State and Federal funds to support you: www.fresno.gov/mayor/erap

2.     First-Time Homeowner Down Payment Assistance – The ‘One Fresno’ initiative has launched a new program to assist low-to-moderate income individuals and families purchase a first-time home. It is open to all: https://onefresnoconnect.com

Help beautify Fresno with Mayor Dyer's citywide initiative to clean up trash in various parts of the city. For details and to sign up to serve gratefully, go to https://www.beautifyfresno.org/events/.

Join in the Food Collection - The food bin is located in front of the Church Office daily, between the hours of 9:30 am – 3:00 pm. 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: peanut butter, canned vegetables Ramen Noodles, macaroni and cheese (preferably not Kraft), 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. 

NOTE: This link https://betterworldshopper.org/ may be handy in keeping Social Justice issues in mind while shopping. Companies are rated based on Human Rights, Environment, Animal Protection, Community Involvement, and Social Justice. 

Fresno City Council is Open to You: The Next City Council Meeting will be September 16th at 9 am. As always, you can watch the meetings live on the City’s Facebook page, CMAC or on Fresno.PrimeGov.com. Comments for agenda items can be e-mailed to clerk@fresno.gov. You can find the agenda on the City’s website.

“[‘Inclusion’] was then and remains today a profoundly passive and analytically weak term to use. Inclusion is irreconcilable with the foundational hierarchy and surveillance that higher education rests on. In order for higher education to be more inclusive, it would actually need to reckon with its history, its origins, and the ongoing nature of colonization and transform its ways of being.”

“Our schools, particularly for Black children, function to fill the mind, police the body, and cast away the spirit. To be ratchetdemic is to have no role in starving part of the self in pursuit of ‘academic’ knowledge. It is a recognition that any education that is disconnected from helping students understand themselves and the power structures that influence their worlds and how these structures operate to stifle or obfuscate young people’s purpose is not education at all.” —Christopher Emdin, Ratchetdemic

A “Celebration of Life” for long-time church member Pat Pickford (who died on Nov 20, 2020) has been postponed until the Spring due to pandemic concerns. A new date will be announced next year.

Our thoughts are with church member Don Gaede whose mother died this week. Notes and cards can be sent to Don and Jenny at 9151 N. Holyoke Lane, Fresno CA 93720.

Our thoughts are with church member Parvin Malek whose mother died last week.  Notes and cards can be sent to Parvin at 8366 N. Raisina 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 our temporary office number at 559-322-6128 ext 16.

Thank you for your generous pledge for Fiscal Year 2021-22, which began on July 1st. Many of us took a summer break from making any pledge payments and that is making things a bit tight financially. If you haven’t made a pledge payment for July or August, would you please consider doing so? If you’ve already made those payments, thank you.

A Gentle Reminder - Masks Are to be worn at all times while on the church campus. We're happy so many of you are vaccinated and ask you to continue Covid-19 protocols. This includes wearing a mask when stopping by the office.

Amazon Shoppers - Activate the AmazonSmile App to Make a Difference While You Shop (At No Extra Cost to You) - UUCF Recently Earned a Donation of $94.17! Simply follow the instructions below to select "Unitarian Universalist Church of Fresno" as your charity and activate AmazonSmile in the app. They'll donate a portion of your eligible mobile app purchases to us. How it works:

You can also access online at https://org.amazon.com/ 

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.

to our GIVING page at www.uufresno.org.

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.