The UNIGRAM
Monthly Newsletter of
the Unitarian Universalist Society of Sacramento
Vol. 32 No. 7 March
2002
Unitarian
Universalist Society of Sacramento
2425 Sierra Blvd., Sacramento CA 95825 (916) 483-9283
Activities/Information 483-9283 ext 208 Fax 483-4934
Minister: The Reverend Douglas Kraft
Director of Religious Education: Kate Throop
Business Manager: Clay Nelson
Organist: Barbara Lazar
Music Director: Mary WillAllen
Bookkeeper: Carole Petracek
Office Coordinator: Bobby Stewart
Office Assistant: Cynthia Creter
Building/Grounds Maintenance Mgr: Robert Hosley
Custodian: Elaine Cooper
Night Custodian: Bill Jones
A MONTH OF SUNDAYS – MARCH
2002
3/3
9:30 a.m Auditorium
- Forum: "Pros
and Cons - Ballot Measures."
Ann Antos of the League of Women Voters gives us some objective comments about
our choices in the March 5 voting booth. Evelyn Loomis, Coordinator.
11 a.m
Auditorium - Service: “Generous Frogs,” Rev. Doug Kraft. When you lose
one glove of a pair, what do you do with the other? How can you move a
wheelbarrow of frogs without losing them all? How do you cultivate generosity
without pressure or guilt? What do these cosmic questions have to do with each
other? On this Canvass Sunday we will try to figure it out. Look for the debut
of our UUSS Men’s Choir.
12:30 p.m. Auditorium
- Bake Sale, 6th-7th grade class.
3/10
11 a.m. Auditorium Service: To be announced.
3/17
9:30 a.m. Auditorium Forum: “Campaign Finance Reform,"
JoAnn Fuller. California
Common Cause Grassroots Organizer JoAnn Fuller brings over 20 years of
organizing and outreach experience with non-profit organizations. She got her
start in political activism when she interrupted her studies at San Francisco
State to join civil rights activists marching from Selma, Alabama, in the
mid-sixties. More recently she has held a variety of local and national
leadership positions with Peace Action, the nation's largest grassroots peace
organization. Terry Cantrell, Coordinator
11 a.m. Auditorium Service: “My God’s Better ’n Your God,” Doug
Kraft. This award-winning sermon title was created by Joan Osborn. At the last
service auction, she bought the right to tell me to write a sermon for it. The
title conjures up images of religious nationalism and the dangers of all forms
of zealotry. But we’ll take it a little further. We all have many concerns in
our lives. Some are more important to us than others. Our deepest concerns
function as Gods directing our lives whether we use religious or secular
language. When is my God just another God? When are Gods demons? When is
my God better ‘n your God?
3/24
9:30 a.m. Auditorium Forum:
"We're Trading Away Our Democracy and Our Water, Too!" Nancy Price is a Co-chair of the Alliance for Democracy
and member of their National Action Campaign Against Corporate Globalization.
The Alliance is a new movement seeking to end the domination of the economy,
government, culture, media, and the environment by large corporations. She has
a graduate degree in Chinese Art History and Ancient Near Eastern Archaeology
and pursued a career in college teaching and research. As a Davis resident,
Nancy is active in local progressive politics and fair trade and campaign
finance reform movement activities. This talk will focus on how under the
global trade agreements, water is now categorized as a commodity to be
traded by private corporations for private profit available for those who can
pay for it. A specific example of trading public water for private gain in
California will be discussed. Rick Loomis, Coordinator
11 a.m. Auditorium Service: Annual Women’s History Service coordinated by Women’s
Ritual Group. In remembrance of Laurie Cahill, we will focus on women in the
peace movement, fully realizing that “Well-behaved women seldom make history.”
Is fighting for peace an oxymoron? Working toward justice is often
contentious. Hear about the creative approaches of some courageous women throughout
history.
3/31 Easter
Sunday Easter egg hunt for ages 2-10.
9 a.m. Auditorium Family Service: “Messengers of Friendship and Love,” a Unitarian Universalist Flower Communion. Flower Communion was the inspiration of Dr. Norbert Capek, founder of the Unitarian Church in Czechoslovakia. In 1923, in war-torn Europe, Dr. Capek felt that it was especially necessary to communicate to children that there were still such things as love, friendship, good will and joy. In celebrating flower communion we honor Dr. Capek, whose outspoken defense of liberty resulted in his eventual death in the Nazi concentration camp at Dachau. Please bring a flower for each member of your family to share. By exchanging flowers, we show our willingness to walk together in our search for truth, disregarding all that might divide us. Service leader, Kate Throop.
11 a.m. Auditorium Service:
“Surrender,” Doug Kraft. Many
Unitarian Universalists are uncomfortable with the notion of religious
surrender. It conjures up images of a supplicant bowing, “I, a worm, surrender
to You, O Exhalted One.” But deeper forms of surrender are not demeaning. They
start with a healthy respect for oneself, but surrender anyway. Love, laughter,
play and true happiness are not possible without surrender. This Easter Sunday
we will explore religion beyond control.
MARCH
SPECIAL EVENTS
Canvass Celebration 3/2
Sumptuous desserts and
more!
Bake Sale 3/3 - By 5th-6th Grade class.
SSS “Fun With Music” 3/29 – All instruments, singers welcome.
Easter Egg Hunt 3/31 - Ages 2-10.
COMING
IN APRIL
Rummage Sale - 4/6
Green Thumb Sale 4/6-7
Women’s Alliance Luncheon &
Fundraiser
4/13
Theater One “Amy’s View” 4/25-28
GET ON BOARD…
…the 2002 UUSS Canvass
The Canvass is a time every year when friends and
members rededicate themselves to the support of UUSS, its goals and its vision.
This
year’s canvass will start on Saturday, March 2, with the Canvass Celebration,
and continue with a special Sunday service on March 3. See the details of the
Celebration below.
But this
year’s canvass is actually well under way. Planning for it began in September
when almost 70 people attended a Financial Summit led by Peter Henrickson. We
learned some new ways to look at church finances and some new ways to think
about out commitment to our church.
We hope
that you’ll think about what UUSS means to you and your family and how UUSS can
change in the next five years so that it meets more of your expectations and
fulfills more of your needs. How can we grow as a community so that we serve
more people who join us? How can we grow so we will better serve the larger
community? If we really get rolling, how can we become a powerful influence for
change in the community?
These are
issues the Board of Trustees has begun to deal with. These are matters on which
you’ll be asked to voice your opinion.
But to be
successful in these undertakings we will all have to examine our commitments to
this community. We’re a small band of about 600 people: 460 members, 20
pledging friends and 120 kids. For us to have the impact we want to have we’ll
all have to work together and we’ll all have to give generously of our time,
talents and money.
Please
think about your generosity in giving to the community and to each other. How
far can you extend that in being generous to UUSS?
Terry Throop, Canvass Chair
___________________________________
AT THE
MOMENT…
The Reverend Douglas C.B. Kraft
Unitarian
Universalists tend to be strong supporters of a wide variety of organizations
from the ballet to political rights organizations, from environmental causes to
social service agencies, from art museums to educational institutions. Yet it
is widely known among those who study church dynamics that Unitarian
Universalists are weak supporters of their own religious societies.
How come?
The quick
answer is that we give to so many that there is less for any one. But the real
answer is more subtle. Churches are both smaller and more intensely personal
than most other causes and organizations we support. Personal service costs
more.
When public radio broadcasts a show, the
same syllables are heard by millions of people. But in a church, we want
something on a more individual scale. We want something different and special
for kids, youth, and adults. We want a Sunday service, Forum, social action
committee, meditation class, Ministry Circle, Woman’s Alliance and so on. We
want a place where we can marry our loved ones, grieve our losses and celebrate
our births. We want a place where our victories and defeats can be known, our
voices heard, our opinions and feelings honored. One of the reasons I am in the
ministry is that it is one of the few institutions left that strives to serve
people from birth to death.
There is no way we can do this for more
than a few hundred or at most a thousand people.
While the symphony or a social cause may
have tens of thousands to tens of millions of supporters, a church can only
count on several hundred families. If we had thousands of families, it would be
hard to be present for any of them the way we’d like.
If I give 1% of my income to public radio,
that may be a very generous contribution because many thousands are
contributing. If I give 1% of my income to our religious society, I’m not
really even pulling my own weight because we have only a few hundred families
and our work is so much more personal.
So the reason UUs may be poor supporters of
their own congregations is that they think of giving to the church in the same
way they think of giving to the League of Women Voters and the Cancer Society.
Those organizations benefit and the church loses.
Our congregation is growing in depth,
breadth, generosity and membership. With your thoughtful support, we will
continue to thrive.
Hope to see you at the Canvass Celebration
Saturday evening, March 2!
Doug
Finding Doug
I
will be at the Unitarian Universalist Minister’s Convocation in Birmingham from
March 6 through March 11. At other times, I can usually be found at the church
between 3 and 5 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays and between 1 and 3 p.m. on
Wednesdays, and other times by chance or appointment. Feel free to come by or
give me a call (483-9283x201).
_______________________________________________________
PRESIDENT’S LETTER
On the Road to Financial Integrity
It is hard today to walk into a bookstore and not
see dozens of books on money. There are many resources and experts telling us
how to save it, spend it, or invest it. One of my favorites is titled “Your
Money or Your Life,” and in it the authors Joe Dominguez and Vicki Robins
present a road map to financial independence and financial integrity. While
financial independence is a pretty straightforward concept and one that many of
you may be familiar with, financial integrity is a more complex and subtle one.
But as Unitarian Universalists, I think it is one we should be aware of.
Essentially it means having all aspects of your financial life in
alignment with your values. As this book details, however, such integrity is
not an easy goal to achieve. I think it is a desirable one though, and I
believe our annual canvass provides us all with an opportunity to explore the
idea and possibly move towards it.
As Doug
has described elsewhere in this newsletter, contributing to a small
organization like UUSS is fundamentally different from sending a check off to,
say, National Public Radio or the Red Cross. And while you may listen to Car
Talk and enjoy it, I do not believe that Tom and Ray would recognize your name.
It is different here at UUSS.
Here at UUSS, you can see immediately and
directly the impact of your financial support. You are not one of thousands or
millions contributing to a goal or a program; you are one of hundreds. Here, we
all know each others’ names and we all appreciate everyone’s support. We can
all see where the money goes and how it is used. As we move towards two
services, becoming a teaching congregation, and other goals we have all agreed
upon, you will KNOW that your financial support made these things happen.
Achieving financial integrity means you take
back the power you have given over to money. You have control of how your money
is used and the benefits that result. I believe supporting UUSS is a step
towards such a goal and I encourage all of you to join me on the journey.
Linda Clear
Your President
________________________________________________________
RELIGIOUS
EDUCATION NEWS
Kate Throop,
Director of Religious Education
Dear friends,
I
knew it was bound to happen sooner or later. I knew it was a good thing and I
should rejoice. But that morning a few weeks ago when I realized I could no
longer remember the names of everyone in our wonderful religious education
program, I felt a little twinge of sadness. Growing up isn’t easy, and
religious education at UUSS has grown up a lot in the past two years!
Every Sunday since January 1 we have
registered at least one new family, and we have welcomed back several children
and youth who attended in years past. Our enrollment of junior and senior high
youth is higher than ever. An average of 12 babies and toddlers are cared for
each Sunday in Room 11, where Nancy Beach and parent volunteers supervise
activities for our youngest UUs. (I call Room 11 “The Invisible Church” – it is
a model of a sharing and caring community that most members never see!) In
September there were five preschoolers in our smallest classroom. Now there are
11 preschoolers – still in that smallest room!
Growth is inevitably accompanied by growing
pains, and we have experienced our share of them this year. If you occasionally
feel a quiet but persistent uneasiness begin to creep over you and you hear a
tiny voice whispering, “I like things just the way they are,” try this. First, hum a few bars of “This Little Light
of Mine.” Then take a deep breath and remember the day that you discovered
Unitarian Universalism, and reflect on the friendships you and your children
have made here, and the commitment our congregation has to be welcoming and to
embrace seekers of all ages. Let the light that was kindled deep inside you
shine like a beacon, and open your arms to new families and new possibilities.
Remember with gratitude those founders whose hard work and vision created this
community. Embrace change! The Religious Education Committee and I are depending
on each of you in the coming months as we plan for the Fall and for our
expanded program at 9:00 a.m. We have an exciting opportunity to create
community in new ways, to stretch ourselves to embrace new faces and new ways
of being together.
This year more than ever, the church’s
annual pledge drive (Canvass) depends on our full and generous support. The
financial realities of growth and expansion are obvious: we’ll need more
mailing labels, more chairs, more scissors, more candles, more playground
balls, more graham crackers. We’ll need full participation from every family.
We are on the threshold of exciting times
here on Sierra Boulevard! I encourage you and your family to attend the Canvass
Celebration on Saturday, March 2 at 7:00 p.m. Childcare will be available for
our youngest members. Older children and youth are invited to join their
parents and friends for dessert and entertainment. Climb on board – there’s
room for everyone!
With hope for the future,
Kate
March Calendar
3/3 12:30 – 1:30 p.m. “Our Whole Lives”
(OWL) Room 6.
Bake Sale- See below.
3/7 Thursday – R.E. Committee 7:00 p.m. @
UUSS
3/
10 12:30–1:30 p.m. OWL - last class – Room 6.
3/17 12:30 p.m. Room 12 - Coming of Agers.
3/24 Class
holiday for all ages – childcare for babies and toddlers in Room 11.
3/ 31 Easter Sunday – 9:00 a.m. Family
Service – “Messengers of Friendship and Love,” a Unitarian Universalist flower
communion. Please bring a flower for
each member of your family to share in this very special communion service.
3/31 Easter Egg Hunt for ages 2-10.
Religious Education Committee
Denis Edgren and
Shirley True, co-chairs
Michele Ebler
Suzanne Hambleton
Joe Karkoski
Sally Lewis
Janet Lopes
Tina Chiginsky,
liaison to Board of Trustees
6-7th Grade Bake Sale
On
March 3 after the 11 a.m. service, the 6th-7th Grade class will hold a Bake
Sale.
Featured
items will be cookies and brownies but there will be much more!
DON’T MISS IT!
________________________________________________
CABBAGES & KINGS
When my daughters were growing up it seemed like
they were growing out of their shoes every other week. At least I could wait to
buy the next size until they needed them. Too bad it doesn’t work that way with
churches.
One of my
favorite jobs was when I was the minister of a small, new church in a
well-established retirement community. Unlike many of the other congregations
in town, the seniors in my church wanted to welcome the young families buying
starter homes in the new developments surrounding the town. I told them if they
were serious they would need to create an attractive nursery and hire a
professional childcare worker, and I would do my part. I had an office for a
secretary, but no secretary, so they could use that for the nursery. The Board
questioned my sanity. “With our budget problems,” they asked, “why should we
spend that kind of money when our average age is 72 and we don’t have any
babies?” However, they humored me and we created the nursery and hired the
childcare worker. For three months she had a cushy job—no babies, but by the
end of the first year she had as many as ten infants who came with their
brothers, sisters, and parents. (Later Kevin Costner starred in the film
version of this story… Field of Dreams: “If you build it, they will
come.”)
UUSS is
in need of shoes. Our toes are pinched. If UUSS were one of our kids we would
buy new ones without question, and we would get them a little bigger size than
they need, because we know they will grow into them. But we are not a kid. A
kid will grow whether or not we buy the new shoes, a church won’t. For our kids
new shoes are not a choice, for our church they are. At 600 members, friends,
and children we are busting at the seams. We have stretched our present
physical and human resources to the limit and we are about to take another
growth spurt when we begin two services. Whether that growth continues or is
stunted will depend on whether or not we build a ministerial, programming,
office, and custodial staff that can handle that growth, but if we do, where
will we put them? We need to plan now for more office space. And we are a long
way from being fully grown. What happens when both services are as crowded as
our one service is now? We can’t wait until then to be planning for larger
worship space and more R.E. rooms.
This year
the Canvass is more that just reminding us that we have to pay our bills. It is
our opportunity to star in Field of Dreams when we fill in our pledge
card. If we pledge to a vision it will come.
Clay Nelson, Business Manager
_________________________________________________
ADULT EDUCATION
UPDATE – “MOVE INTO WHOLENESS”
Dance Therapy
Workshop Sunday April 28, 1:30-5 p.m. This workshop will use movement, sound,
and imagery as we follow the body’s wisdom to recapture the effortless, joyful,
creative life of the Spirit within. In a playful yet safe environment, you will
move past some fears and inhibitions as you transform your Internal Judge into
a Loving Witness. Any level of movement ability acceptable, no previous experience
required. Wear comfortable, loose clothing, sox or soft shoes. Registration
before April 26: $30, after that $40. Facilitator Patricia Ehnisz, ADTR
(Academy of Registered Dance Therapists). More information will be in the April
Unigram.
________________________________________________
COMMITTEES
AT WORK
New Member Friends
Membership Committee
meets new members
We
all know how important it is for us to extend a warm and friendly welcome to
our new members. We’ve got our green mugs, informative orientation sessions,
and a ceremony that everyone seems to like.
After the initial joining, however, comes
the integration process. Frankly, in a community our size, and no matter how
friendly people are, it always takes a while for newcomers to find their niche.
The Membership Committee has been working
on ways to ease the transition. In addition to the monthly Sandwich Supper
Socials, which provide opportunities for fun and mingling for all ages, we have
an ongoing “New Member Friends” program (formerly Facilitators or Mentors). We
ask new members if they would like someone to help introduce them around and
show them the ropes for a few months. We arrange matches based on common
interests or backgrounds. After the agreed-upon period of time is over, we ask
them to complete a brief evaluation. I am pleased to tell you that the
responses have been overwhelmingly positive. Just wanted to share.
Clair Urness,
Membership Committee Chair
UU Partner Church Council Holds Global Meeting
Feb. 2 gathering
inspires UUSS committee
On
February 2, Meg Burnett, Dixie Owens, and I attended the UU PCD Global
Partnership Church Council meeting at the Oakland UU church, joining about 60
participants from the west coast, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, and UUA
headquarters in Boston. Participants showed videos and made presentations on
partner church activities in the Philippines, India, and Romania, and we
reported on our sister church in Debrecen, Hungary. It was really satisfying to
share our accomplishments and hopes with other UU leaders. All are welcome to
come to Partnership
Committee meetings, 6 p.m. on the second Wednesday of each month in Doug
Kraft’s office.
Rosemary Muller
Hemlock Society Support Group
Hemlock
Society Support Group will meet in Room 7/8 right after the March 10 service.
For more information, please contact Carol Weilgart or Virginia Hansen.
Theater One Plans Spring Season
Theater
One invites all who are interested in play production to participate in our
spring season, Amy’s View (April 25, 27, 28) and Witness for the
Prosecution (May 3,4,5). Each play will have a Saturday dinner and
Sunday matinee.
Amy’s View by David Hare is
a well-crafted play that presents telling glimpses of humor, tragedy, and
conflicting values in a contemporary family’s life over 16 years. Amy’s View
was first performed in London, then on Broadway in 1997 to critical acclaim.
Directed by Shirley Hewitt, the cast includes Hank Coffin, Steve Hoverman, Lisa
Karkoski, Dixie Owens, Bobby Stewart, and Hector Venegas.
Witness for the Prosecution
is a first-rate courtroom drama filled with tension and suspense and plot
twists. Francine Kozkodin is the director. The cast includes Barbara Amberson,
Hank Coffin, Richard Dewey, Dave Lust, Ankie Giese, Gina Heckeroth, Blythe
Hewitt, Dixie Owens, Howard Owens, Mike Reynolds. (At this writing there are
still a few small parts open.) Witness is considered the best of the
plays adapted from Christie’s prolific output of mystery stories.
We would welcome your help backstage, or
with tickets, publicity, dinner preparation, etc.-please call the church office
(483-9283 ext O) to volunteer. But whether or not you choose to participate, we
hope that you will plan to come both weekends to see both plays.
Gardeners, Start Your Starts
Plant Sale is April 6
&7
On
the weekend of the April 6 RUMMAGE SALE we will be having a GREEN THUMB PLANT
SALE. Saturday April 6 we will sell to all comers, and on Sunday April 7 we
will sell to the congregation before and after the church service.
Gardeners, please prepare your
contributions now. We need all sorts of plant materials. Everything is
welcome—if it grows, bring it! Everyone, please come and look and BUY.
Barbara Amberson
_______________________________________________________
UUs GET TOGETHER
An Invitation
to the Canvass Celebration
All
families who plan to pledge are invited to the 2002 Canvass Celebration. Come
join us on Saturday, March 3 from 7 to 9 p.m. We’ll have something for
everyone:
Scrumptious desserts
Beverages to please every palate
Entertainment from the Sacramento Banjo Band
A rousing sing-along, and
Some exciting speakers to build to a
frenzied finish.
OK, I exaggerated a little on the last
part. But please come prepared to make a generous pledge to your
community. Child care for infants and
toddlers will be available. RSVP by email or phone:
Email:
canvass@uuss.org
Phone: (916) 483-9283, extension 207.
Please tell us how many will attend and how
many children will need child care.
Terry Throop, Canvass Chair
Vespers
Return
Wednesday evening Vespers will resume on March 6 at
7:00 p.m. in Room 6. Rich Howard, Carrie Cornwell, and others will lead a quiet, brief (less than one hour) service
designed to bring you respite in the middle of your busy week. We will use readings,
meditation, poetry, music, and sharing to create a sacred space for connection
with our inner selves, each other, and the universe.
If an
intimate spiritual experience with a few of your fellow Unitarian Universalists
sounds good to you, please join us every Wednesday at 7:00 p.m.in Room 6
through the end of this church year.
Rich Howard
SSS Calls For Musicians & Singers
Sandwich Supper Social is
March 29
Friday.
March 29 is “FUN WITH MUSIC” night. We have the music to play band and
orchestra classics, and you can have your music ahead of time—so you can
practice! All levels and all instruments are welcome, and if you have a
portable keyboard you can be any instrument we need—so please bring ‘em.
Also—bring your drum. We’ll need lots of drums
for some fun with drumming.
And then there’s the singing. Mary Howard
will lead the group in some singing adventures.
Please call me and leave a message if you
want your music ahead of time, especially if you’d like to go over it with your
music teacher, or just practice, or share it with a friend. We’ll get it to you
right away! Visitors and shy people are also welcome. See you on the 29th!
Mary WillAllen
Poemspirits
Meet March 3
You
are invited to join us Sunday, March 3, at 6 p.m. in Room 7/8. A brief
talk on Marge Piercy will be
followed by a dynamic presentation by guest poet Art Mantecon.
Then it’s open mic time for those who wish
to read their own poems. Refreshments will
be served.
For
more info on PoemSpirits, contact
Nora Staklis or Tom Goff, or call me.
JoAnn Anglin
Gap Group Meets Twice
Theater, movies &
dessert
The Gap Group is a loosely organized
group of middle-aged people, both married and single, who enjoy getting
together for social occasions. New people are always welcome. Please call
me or e-mail me for more information.
Saturday,
March 9.
Join us to see the play, Bus Stop at Chautauqua Playhouse. Call me for
more information.
Saturday,
March 16. Join
Judy Bell for a movie and dessert. Call Judy for time and place.
It is getting to be time to dust off the
bikes and think about meeting for a bike ride. Let me know if you’d like to
schedule a bike ride in April. Cathy
George
UU Young Adults March Schedule
Politics, Skiing,
Bowling
UU
Young Adults are Unitarian Universalists in their 20s and 30s. Some of us are
single, some are married, and some are in between. Newcomers are always
welcome! The group meets on Sundays at 7 p.m. in the library at the Unitarian
Universalist Society of Sacramento unless otherwise noted below. For more
information on the group, please contact Laura Dickinson. To join our e-mail
collective, send a message to Dean Baird.
Sunday
3/3
- California Primary Discussion - 7 p.m. in the Library. Bring your
sample ballot and we’ll wade through the weighty issues and candidates vying
for votes in the March 5 election.
Saturday
3/9
- Downhill Skiing - Meet at 7:30 a.m. in the UUSS parking lot . From
there we’ll head up the hill for a fun-filled day of downhill skiing.
Sunday
3/17
- Ireland: The Troubles - 7 p.m. in the Library. Join us for a
discussion of the ongoing troubles in Ireland.
Sunday
3/24
- Bowling - Meet at 7 p.m. in the UUSS parking lot. From there we’ll
head over to Country Club Lanes for an evening of bowling bliss.
Sunday
3/31
– UU Young Adults take a night off for the Easter holiday.
Dean Baird
Dream Group Meets Weekly
Dreams
are a rich bounty of wisdom and inspiration that nourish and sustain our lives
on every level--physical, emotional, and spiritual. This wisdom is accessible
to us if we are willing to do the hard work of “digging it up” through
dreamwork.
The UUSS Dream Group meets every Wednesday
from 10 a.m.- 12:30 p.m. in the church library. Everyone is welcome. No
experience is necessary. For more information please call me.
Fran Oyafuso
Women’s Alliance Meets March 14
Publishing, poetry to
be discussed
Women’s
Alliance will hold its monthly meeting on Thursday, March 14, at 10:15 a.m.,
followed by a program of poetry readings and narration. Ruth Davis Barr will
read from her recent book and inform us about the “Perils of Publishing.”
Ione Murchison will read some of her poetry and tell “Why I Continue to
Write and Apreciate Poetry.” Ruth and Ione will both welcome your
questions.
SAVE THE DATE: All are invited to
attend our Annual Spring Luncheon on Saturday, April 13. Delicious
catered lunch (Caesar salad, oven roasted tri-tip au jus (or vegetarian option
mostaccioli primavera), roasted red potatoes, glazed carrots, broccoli
flowerets; cheesecake with blueberry/raspberry sauce.)
We will have a Textile Art Show of
handcrafted rugs, quilts, fabrics, clothes, baskets, etc., that you have
acquired in your travels or made. Everyone is invited to participate--if you
have something to display, please call Patricia Setzer or Ellen Bromberg to
reserve a space for your textile item.
Weaving instructor Marilyn Greaves will
demonstrate Navajo rug weaving.
Please call Pat Reitter for ticket
information.
Pat Moore-Howard
Servetus Club Meets
March 3
Servetus is a
social club for older singles. We gather on the first Sunday of each month for
a potluck, 6 p.m. in the Fahs Room, and we plan occasional trips and parties.
Come join us Sunday, March 3. Cost is only $2 for Servetus members, $3 for
guests. Bring a dish to share; beverages provided. Guests are always
welcome!
Dorothy Engelstad
Nine Ministry Circles are Open
Ministry
Circles are made up of small groups of UUSS members, friends, and others from
the community who share a desire for a spiritual and ethical search in a small
group setting characterized by trust and intimacy.
At present, we have nine ongoing groups to
choose from. If you are interested in joining a Ministry Circle, pick up a
brochure at the back of the auditorium or in the church office and sign up.
For more information call the church office
at 483-9283
Special Forum Sunday April 7
An afternoon
presentation on Central America
“Plan Puebla Panama,” a proposal which would
likely bring environmental and economic damage to Central America, is the topic
for a special Forum session April 7 at 2:00 p.m. in the auditorium.
Suzanne Baker, an archaeologist and a
member of several Nicaraguan committees in the Bay Area, will be speaking about
the potentially harmful effect the project would have. “Plan Puebla Panama”
consists of more than 1,500 miles of high-speed railroads, dams, and reservoirs
through the heart of Central America.
For more information about the program,
contact Rick Caughey.
_________________________________
OUTREACH
Social
Responsibility Committee Meets March 3
Begins study of
Economic Globalization
At its February
3 meeting, the Social Responsibility Committee decided to order a study guide
from the UUA to educate ourselves and then the congregation on the study-action
issue of economic globalization, an ongoing issue recommended by the UUA at
General Assembly. The members of the committee will form a study group to examine
each chapter of the guide, then give further information to the congregation on
this issue. Ultimately the plan is to have a church service devoted to economic
globalization.
Our next meeting is Sunday, March 3, 12:30
p.m. in Room 7/8.
Joyce Miller and Corin Choppin
Group
to Discuss Charitable Choice
Action Committee meets March 17
The Action
Committee on Charitable Choice will
meet Sunday, March 17, at 12:30 p.m. in Room 7/8. We will discuss
national developments and plan our activities for California.
For more information call me.
Joan Osborn
Interfaith
Concert is on March 17
ISB sponsors music of many faiths
The Sacramento
Interfaith Service Bureau (ISB) will sponsor the 13th Annual Interfaith
Musicale at St. John’s Lutheran Church, 1700 L Street, Sacramento, on March 17,
3 p.m. The musicale will feature six choirs from various faiths in our
community. Everyone is invited to enjoy the reception afterward and opportunity
to get acquainted with other faiths. UUSS members are especially encouraged to
attend, since our congregation participates in the ISB. Admission is one
non-perishable food item that will be contributed to a community food closet.
Please call the ISB at 448-2212 if you’d like further information.
Barbara Hopkins
Mentors Needed
The
Sacramento Children’s Home on Sutterville Road needs mentors, both men and
women. About 90 of the children of all ages who live at the facility are in
need of mentoring. Sacramento Children’s Home is well established and well
thought of in our community.
Please call me or Judy Schefer, the
Volunteer Coordinator for the Children’s Home, to find out more about this
worthwhile program. Thelma White
___________________________________________________________________
BOARD OF
TRUSTEES
Committee Seeks Nominees
Deadline is March 15
for May election
The
UUSS Nominating Committee is taking nominations for the 2002-2003 Board of
Trustees and they would appreciate your input. Elections will be held on May 19
at the Semi-annual Congregational Meeting.
Five positions are up for election:
President and Vice President (each for a one-year term); Secretary and two
Trustees at Large (each for 3-year terms). Job descriptions and approximate
time commitments are posted by the information table.
To suggest someone for nomination, please
send the following information to the Nominating Committee, 2425 Sierra Blvd.,
Sacramento CA 95825: Your name and phone number, nominee’s name and phone
number; position for nomination (President—one year; Vice President—one year;
Secretary—three years; Trustee—three years). List your reasons for this
nomination—characteristics, experience, talents or skills of the nominee.
Steve Chiginsky
_______________________________________________________
GOOD NEWS
Samaritan Center
We
raised over $650 toward a new truck for the Samaritan Center and their ongoing
efforts to help the working poor of our community. Thanks to all for your generosity.
More Room
at the Inn
By more than a
five-to-one margin, the congregation voted on January 27th to add a 9 a.m.
service beginning this September. This will help us accommodate our many
visitors and new members. We’re growing!
AMONG OURSELVES
The
Sacramento Bee had this to say in a review of Camerata California:
“Judith Ann Osen and Mary Howard, two more soloists from the chorus,
sang a duet in the ‘Magnificat’ that was angelic because of their perfect
blend.”
Another Sacramento Bee article featured Jean
Harper, producer of the Open Book Theater. This troupe visits elemenatary
schools with a 45-minute performance designed to spark children’s imaginations,
help them discover the joy of reading, and introduce them to theater.
________________________________________________________
DENOMINATIONAL
AFFAIRS
Please join us at the larger UU events. It is a
wonderful way to meet new and interesting UUs.
The PCD District Assembly will be April 26-28 in Santa Rosa. There will be workshops galore,
children’s activities, affinity groups, exhibits, worship to touch the soul,
and a Bridging Ceremony to celebrate a passage for some of our young people.
The Women’s Spring Retreat sponsored by Women And Religion is April 5-7 at The Monte Toyon Retreat
Center in Aptos. Renew your spirit in the redwoods.
Information for both events is on the kiosk. I have attended both events
in the past and thoroughly enjoyed them. Please ask me about my explorations in
the fascinating world of Unitarian Universalism.
Be Patterson
Revs. Parker, Bartha Speak
Benefit event at Berkeley
church March 24
“Roots
Hold Close, Wings Set Me Free” is the title of a talk by Rebecca Parker,
President of Starr King School for the Ministry and Zsuzsa Bartha, Unitarian
minister from Transylvania and Balazs scholar at Starr King School, on March
24, 2 p.m. at the UU Church of Berkeley, 1 Lawson Rd., Kensington.
Zsuzsa and Rebecca will share their prayers
and hopes for one another’s countries and their own. Come find out how the
roots of heritage and the wings of travel have changed each of their lives,
deepened their pastoral and theological understanding, and strengthened their
hopes for peace.
This is a benefit for the Balazs Scholars
Program at Starr King School for the Ministry which each year brings a
Transylvanian Unitarian minister to study at Starr King School. Donation, $25.
Lunch is available by reservation 12:30-1:30 p.m. for $6 donation. Contact
Arliss Ungar, for tickets and lunch reservations.
____________________________________________
ONLY 37
DAYS LEFT!
MAKE SURE
YOU’RE PART OF THE
403-FAMILY
RUMMAGE SALE
Saturday April 6
8 a.m. to
2:30 p.m.
CHECK LIST: Have you remembered to:
Bring in donations:
What: Dishes, glassware, garden tools, games,
puzzles, camping gear, toys, exercise equipment, décor, towels, sheets, cards,
stationery, Christmas decorations, pictures, frames, craft supplies, tools,
live plants, books, furniture, bathroom supplies.
When: Any Sunday 10:30-11 a.m., 12:15-12:45 p.m.. Other
times by appointment.
Where: UUSS service driveway—look for
yellow sign.
Sign up to help:
(Watch for the
sign-up board every Sunday before & after the service,
or call Glenda
Smaage or Eileen Karpeles.)
Pick up large items
in your station wagon, van, or truck; sorting & pricing; arrange food for
volunteers; setting up (Monday April 1- Friday April 5); cashiers, baggers
(April 6—7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.); clean-up (April 6, 2 to 6 p.m.)
We also need hangers and paper shopping bags
with handles.
The deadline for the April Unigram is
Sunday, March 10.