Dear UUSS Friends and Families,

I hope this finds you doing well, in spite of the circumstances. These are indeed trying times for everyone. For some folks, however, these are dangerous times. For our loved ones or neighbors of advanced age or those with compromised immune systems or those living in poverty or on the streets, these are very dangerous times. I’m quite lucky and privileged, relatively speaking. Yet even a modest (and thus emotionally healthy) diet of news from responsible outlets is cause for heartbreak, frustration, and outrage.

What is it that sustains me?

It helps to feel useful and do what I can to help others. It has nurtured me to reach out to longtime friends by phone or email. It lifts my spirits to see a clear sky and sunshine. I like seeing people walking outside while keeping a friendly distance from one another. But most of all, it sustains me to know you are here.

Thank you to responding to our efforts to stay connected. Thank you for supporting the wider community with your kind words and warm smiles, your financial support and legislative advocacy, and your compassion, courage, prayers and healing wishes. Thank you for staying in touch.

Rev. Lucy and I are grateful for the many ways you sustain our connections, and we invite you to participate as you are able to.

Check out uuss.org for the link to Zoom services. You will also find a link to our new Zoom calendar of all the events happening throughout the week and to the latest Ministerial Message.

We are eager to connect with you by phone, email or Zoom.

We’ve been gratified even to get notes in the mail delivered to the church by Claudia, our friendly U.S.P.S. carrier. If you want to “friend” me on Facebook, my professional “name” is Roger Jones Minister. So please use that. For a telephone call or message, it’s better to call me at my number listed in the directory, not at the office.

Take good care, and be in touch.

Yours in faith,
Rev. Roger

PS–if you know someone who doesn’t easily read emails or have a computer, print out this message and mail it to them, or just call them and tell them the news. However, last week we sent a letter by U.S. mail to members who don’t have email, including copies of a few of these email updates and a copy of the Easter homily and prayer. Read our friendly cover letter on the website.
(The vigorous plant on the right is one of the standouts of our succulent garden this spring!)

What’s Happening?

Please join one of our Zoom events, including our worship services on Sunday at 11:00 and Tuesday at 7:00. Tonight at 7:00, Rev. Lucy’s theme is “Are You Cranky Yet?”

Wednesday evening April 22 we launch Exploring Unitarian Universalism at 7:00. For newcomers as well as long-term UUs, this engaging series used to take place before church on the third Sunday morning of each month. Now it will happen more frequently in our Zoom room (in place of the ministerial open house).

Tomorrow night Rev. Roger leads the discussion on the Unitarian Universalist Principles (7 currently) and the Sources of our Living Tradition (6 currently).

This Sunday, April 26, our Stewardship Team has an open house at 1:00 p.m., in the same Zoom Room as the service and Coffee Time after service. All are welcome to bring your questions about pledging for the budget year 2020-21 and hear a campaign update.

• Online worship services via Zoom:
  Tuesday 7:00 p.m. Sunday 11:00 a.m.
  We come together for shared song, stories, readings, homily, and the lighting of our flaming chalice. Familiar faces and voices of our ministers, worship associates and musicians. Virtual coffee hour after the Sunday service, breaking us into small groups for chatting briefly.
  Tuesday Vespers–we have a simpler and shorter format for our evening services. At the start, you are invited to post your greetings in the chat box. At the end, you are invited to open video cameras and wave to one another.
• Zoom Room streaming open house: You don’t have to sign up for Zoom to participate in our Zoom activities. Drop in to chat with one of your ministers and whoever else drops in. All ages welcome! Friday, 10:30 a.m. Zoom link here.
• Religious Education Ministries–Spirit Play, Youth Groups and Coming of Age are meeting in various ways, including families together for an open house. On Sunday evenings there is Parent Voices, a session with Miranda and Sangye for adults who are parenting. If you didn’t see an email for RE families and volunteers, contact Religious Education Coordinator Miranda Massa:
• Theology on Tap every Friday evening by Zoom
  Bring a beverage of choice (from your own fridge) in the room of your choice (in your own place) and a community conversation. Find the Zoom link by emailing theologyontap@uuss.org.
• Is your group meeting on ZOOM?
  Let us know and we will post it in the next message.
  
• Does your UUSS group want to meet on Zoom?
  The UUSS Zoom is a busy place. So busy that we added a second account to accommodate our small groups. Contact Krystal Gollaher, our Administrative and Facilities Coordinator, if you want to set up a meeting for your group.
• Sermons to hear at any time:
  Do you miss hearing sermons?
  You can find more than 5 years of sermons on our web site.
  Click to go to the sermon pages: uuss.org/sermons
                                                                                                                                        

InterPlay is Online for Us Saturday Mornings
Need to move your body and spirit? Join Rev. Lucy and other leaders for Interplay online 10:30 to noon Saturday, April 25! Zoom link below. (Feel free to arrive at 10:15 for technical help with Zoom.) Let’s laugh and play together.
https://zoom.us/j/301459963?pwd=QU80N0hSUXRSSlJYVGRqcmxIOVRzQT09

Religious Education by Zoom
Keeps Us Connected

All RE — meaning all programs, all ages, and whole families can join us every Friday 9:00 – 10:00 am for ritual and togetherness. Elementary-age children attend Spirit Play by Zoom with Miranda and Sangye at 9:30 a.m. on Sunday mornings, starting April 26.
Our junior high and high school youth will be gathering with volunteer adult leaders by Zoom. Contact me, and know that Zoom links are available on the RE page of our website: uuss.org/re.
Come smile with us!
–Miranda Massa, Religious Education Coordinator
Stewardship Open House ~ Sunday 1:00 p.m., April 26
Do you have questions about Leading in Love: A Time to Thrive, which is our Stewardship Campaign for 2020-21 ?

Do you want to know how pledging works at UUSS? How about the budget?
Our volunteers from the Stewardship Team will make themselves available for a drop-in time for members, friends, other supporters and prospective supporters of the mission, people and programs of UUSS to bring your questions to the Zoom Room. Or you can ask them the old fashioned way–by email: .

Pledge Campaign Update!  Leading in Love: A Time to Thrive 

Campaign Update for 2020-21:

As of April 17, UUSS has received monetary pledges of support totaling 72% of the Stewardship goal. We have received 222 pledges at an average amount of $2,043. There are 133 households we have not heard from.

These are uncertain times, to say the least. We know some folks are uncertain about their sources of income in the coming fiscal year. Others among us may be fairly confident about their sources.

Please know that by making your pledge now you can reduce uncertainty for our Board of Trustees as they budget for 2020-2021. Also, please remember that a pledge can be revised during the year, either down or up, if circumstances change. Please know that your support makes a difference at every level.

If you are in financial difficulty, let the ministers know so they can provide support. If you are not in financial difficulty, please make a pledge.

If you are able, please make your own pledge today.
At this page uuss.org/stewardship,
you can print out a pledge form and mail it:

UUSS, 2425 Sierra Blvd, Sacramento CA 95825
Or you could email our bookkeeper michele@uuss.org letting her know the amount you would like to pledge for 2020-21. Thank you!
Get Connected – UUSS Phone Ministry

To keep the community connected, we are offering a Phone Ministry where participants can make or receive calls throughout the week with other participants. An email reminder will be sent with the contact information and when to make or expect to receive a call. This will
run as long as needed. Please fill out the Signup Form and read the Phone Ministry Circle Covenant.
If you have any questions or comments or if you wish to change your schedule or drop out of the group, please email .

Our Community Partner for April
International Rescue Committee in Sacramento

Every month, UUSS gives away half of the offering receipts to an organization doing important work in the larger community. For April our partner is International Rescue Committee, an international relief organization. The local staff helps international refugees get resettled, learn their new neighborhood, look for work and affordable housing, and set up housekeeping.

During this pandemic all staff are working virtually to help resettle nearly 150 families in this area! Please know that your participation in the shared offering this month will make a crucial difference.
Stay up to date on Northern California IRC’s response during this pandemic at this link.

You may donate by PayPal through www.uuss.org/donate or call or email Michele to ask her to charge your credit card, or mail a check to UUSS, 2425 Sierra Blvd., Sacramento 95825, with “offering” in the memo. Thank you for your generosity. It’s inspiring!
UUSS Coffee & Masks to Buy Hymnals to Buy or Borrow
Would you like to borrow a copy of our gray hymnal and our teal hymnal to use at home. In addition to following along as we sing online, you will find songs you’ve not heard and dozens of readings for all occasions and moods in the back of the gray hymnal. Let Roger know if you’d like him to leave you a loan of a pair of UUA song books. Return it when we resume services on site. If you prefer, you can buy a gently-used copy of our gray hymnal for $5.

Coffee & Mask Double Offer–Now, if you buy a 12-ounce bag of Chalice Blend Coffee for $12, you may pick up a brand new, home-sewn face mask, made by Gary Keill. Let Rev. Roger know when you will pick it up and what you’d prefer (regular or decaf, ground or whole bean). It will be outside Rev. Roger’s office.

We have a list of willing volunteers to run errands or bring a meal or a bag of coffee or even chocolate or a bottle of wine. Let Roger or Lucy know of your needs or your ability to help. There are so many ways we care for one another! Thank you, everyone.

UUSS Mission
We come together to deepen our lives and be a force for healing in the world.