Upcoming Dates
| March 4
Family Pizza/Game Night
with Rev. Chip
March 4-6
Women & Religion UUA Retreat
March 12
Labyrinth Walk
March 16
UUCM Book Group
March 26
Landscape Work Party
April 2
Transylvania Tea
Starr King School
March 27 & April 10
Class on Islam
Adult Ed. after service
12:30 - 3:00
October 8
Partner Church
Inauguration Ceremony
Sovata, Transylvania
More Dates |
Visitor's Box
| Planning a Visit to UUCM
Visitors Subscribe to this eWeekly
We cherish
diversity and
welcome among us
people of all races,
cultures, ages,
abilities, sexual
identities/
orientations, and
faith perspectives.
GUESTS are always welcome.
Sunday worship is a time for
inspiration, renewal, and connection.
CHILDREN AND YOUTH
Join adults during the first part of the
service, and then attend Religious
Education classes. Nursery and
toddler care is provided during the
11:00 service.
REFRESHMENT HOUR
in the Courtyard or
Fireside Room follows the services.
Come, join us!
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Staff Links
| Minister:
Rev. Chip Wright
minister@uumarin.org
415-479-4131
Director of Religious Education:
Linda Haumann
dre@uumarin.org
Administrator:
Janette Morrow
office@uumarin.org
President, Board of Directors:
Jennifer Gennari
board@uumarin.org
Director of Music:
Philip Hildreth
music@uumarin.org
Pianist:
Milton Wong
milton.wong@goaaa.com
Pastoral Care:
Chair: Carol Littrell 883-9676
Partial Resource List
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Minister's Schedule
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Rev. Chip Wright
Office Hours
Tues., Wed., Thurs.
10:00am to 3:00 pm.
Or available by appt.:
or
phone (415)479-4131
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March 3rd, 2011
Issue #107 |
 Sunday Worship Service |
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March 6, 11 am: "Life, Love and War: Real and Earnest"
Norman Solomon with Worship Associate Joan Nelson
As a youth, Norman Solomon (like many of us) got the message about the insanity of war. Unlike most of us, he has turned his private anguish into a deep commitment to cleaning up the collective mindset that leads to war.
View and Print March Services
Past Sermons Online
All new sermons on the web sermons index are audio. Older sermons are text. If you want a text version of an Audio sermon please contact the minister.
Feb. 27, 2011:
AUDIO 'The Transylvanian Unitarian Symbol and its Meaning for Us' by the Rev. Lázár Levente.
Feb. 20, 2011:
AUDIO 'WWDD (or What Would Darwin Do)? by the Rev. Chip Wright.
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Contemplative Service
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Our Lay led Contemplative Service is from
9:00-9:50 am on Sundays (not available in summer).
Readings introduce a silent period to reflect on a topic or idea, followed by an opportunity to share individual thoughts.
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Rev. Chip's Clips
| |  Rev. Chip Wright
UUCM Minister
March, 2011
What a rich and wonderful time we are in. March is the month of St. Patrick's Day and of the vernal Equinox ushering in the spring! It is also the month of International Woman's day, Ash Wednesday and on the weekend of the 19-20th, Hindu Holi, the eve of Purim and Ghambra Hamaspathmaedem, (the Zoroastrian celebration of the creation of human beings.) So much to think about just in this one month and the diversity and unity contained therein! And when I contemplate the meaning of it all for a Sunday morning sermon, one of my favorite poems by Lawrence Ferlinghetti rises to my consciousness:
Constantly risking absurdity
and death
Whenever he performs
above the heads
of his audience
The poet like an acrobat
climbs on rhyme
to a high wire of his own making
and balancing on eyebeams
above a sea of faces
paces his way
to the other side of day
performing entrechats
and slight-of-foot tricks
and other high theatrics
and all without mistaking
anything
for what it might not be
for he is the super realist
who must perforce perceive
taut truth
before taking of each stance or step
in his supposed advance
towards that still high perch
where beauty stands and waits
with gravity
to start her death defying leap
and he
a little Charlie Chaplin man
who may or may not catch
her frail eternal form
spread-eagle in the empty air
of existence.
See you in church. Rev. Chip
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| President's Column: A Turn at the Helm | |
 Jennifer Gennari
UUCM Board President
March, 2011
How often do you pay yourself for a guarantee of grace, comfort, and inspiration? When we write a check to a charity, we are giving because we like the work they are doing. Writing a check to UUCM is so much more-it's like a second home for ourselves, a sanctuary from stress, one where the door is open to anyone who needs our liberal religious faith.
This is the month we promise (or pledge) to keep the lights on and to keep UUCM's staff doing the work they do. How many times have we been greeted by smiles, transported by music, inspired to live better by a sermon? How many times have children found loving guidance, received hugs, uncovered human commonality? These moments are priceless.
Any amount you can contribute-from $50 to $5,000-will help UUCM thrive. This year, we want every member to think about the best they can offer and complete a pledge form by March 31. It's easy-just think of it as a promise that all the things you value about this community will be here for you.
I know we have generous hearts. Please join me in keeping the promise of UUCM alive.
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| March Is Pledge Month! | March: the month that we UUCM members and friends pledge our financial commitment for the upcoming church year. The Board relies on pledge numbers to create next year's budget. Pledge forms were mailed this week, so check your mailbox. Return your pledge form to the office by March 31 or pledge online today.
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Pizza/Game Night for Families at UUCM!
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Friday, March 4, 2011 from 5:30-7:15 pm
Fellowship Hall
Come share a meal and have some fun.
We'll try to "stump the Chip" again this year
as we get to know Rev. Chip even better!
Food and fun is provided by the RE committee
(donations accepted but are optional).
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Remarkable People on March Hiatus
| | Remarkable People will not meet this month. That would be March 11th. Please contact Marge Hollinger or Steve Webster if you would like to be a presenter in April.
Thanks, Marge and Steve
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| Readers' Theatre |
UU Readers Theatre always meets the second and fourth Thursday of the month, 7:30 to 9 pm, Fellowship Hall.
The next meeting is on March 10.
New members are welcome. Contact Jan Seagrave for more information.
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The Next Cafe....Labyrinth Walk March 12th
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Bring your friends to this spectacular event, never held at UUCM before...
Spring Labyrinth Walk with Live Music and ImagesMartin Gregory, Piano
Cindy Pavlinac, Sacred Places Photo Projection & Viola
Saturday March 12th from 7-9pm!
Cindy will install a 32' canvas labyrinth and surround it with candles, contemplative music and photos. She will present a brief introduction to labyrinths, then music and images will flow continuously during the evening. Come to walk the labyrinth, listen to music, watch images, and linger by the labyrinth.
Join us for an inspiring evening experience of joyous reawakening and connection. Plenty of seating. Families welcome.
Admission: $15, $5 youth (under 18)
Refreshments available for purchase.
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Pastoral Care Corner
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The following is a great opportunity for anyone with elderly parents etc. or those of us in our last quarter of life to gain the info needed to seek good care for our loved ones or ourselves before there is an emergency!
Marin Center for Independent Living Presents
CAREGIVER OPTIONS: SUCCESSFUL HIRING STRATEGIES
Thursday, March 10, 2011, 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m.
San Rafael Community Center
618 B Street, San Rafael
Bring your questions and concerns to an interactive discussion with experts in various aspects of home care. Learn how to assess an agency, registry or caregiver to avoid making a bad choice. Don't wait until a sudden illness or decline in health requires you make a decision under stress. Find out how to determine quality of care, responsiveness to your concerns, payroll responsibility, liability, background checks and more.
Pre-registration is requested. To register call San Rafael Goldenaires at 485-3348.
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Adult Education: UUCM Book Group
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Our UUCM Book Group meets the third Wednesday of each month, 7:30 to 9 PM, in the Clara Barton Boom. New members are welcome to come and participate in our lively discussions! Our book for the March 16 meeting is Wallace Stegner's Angle of Repose. This Pulitzer Prize-winning novel covers four generations in the life of an American family in the West. The protagonist, an offspring of the family, is an aging historian whose discoveries are both historically and personally significant. Wikipedia summary
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Landscape Work Party
| | Come clean the Fishpond Saturday, March 26th.
The Landscape Committee is having a work party March 26th to clean the pond and do odd jobs around the garden. The pond has to be emptied and cleaned once a year. The fish are caught and placed in a barrel before being returned to their renovated home. This is a huge job and
lots of fun.
Learn the Secret of Pond Pump from the Master: Be the next in a venerated lineage. We need a UUCM member to come to the Work Party to learn the operation of the fish pond pumping system from Art Derby. I believe this will be Art's last year to work on the system so we need a new expert for the future.
A delicious lunch will be provided.
We start at 8:30 am and usually finish at 2:00 pm.
Come and bring the kids.
John Quinley, Chair Facilities Committee
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Walker Creek Ranch Retreat
April 29 - May 1, 2011
| |  Save the dates for the wonderful UUCM Congregational Retreat at Walker Creek Ranch. Starting Sunday March 6th, be sure to drop by the information/registration table which will be set up in the foyer. Nonmembers pay a $50 extra fee per family. If you are considering joining this would be a good time to do so.
Request for Proposals. The Retreat Committee is asking members to begin thinking about workshops they could offer on Saturday, April 30, at Walker Creek Ranch. We are planning three workshop sessions, two in the morning and one after lunch, 1 and 1/4 hour each. All topics are welcome, as long as the format allows for plenty of participation! Proposal forms will be available on the Web and in the Retreat box on the wall of the Community Room.
We would also welcome suggestions on workshops you would be interested in as a participant. We will then try to find a presenter.
Online Workshop Proposal Form More details will be coming. Visit our web page for general information and photos from previous years. |
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Partner Church News
| | We, the Partner Church Committee, are so grateful to all the people who helped make the luncheon after the service on Feb. 27 so successful. Lots of people brought delicious food and volunteers helped to set up and cleanup. Thank you, thank you, thank you! For the second time we welcomed the Lazar family.
This time, Rev. Lazar was the minister in our pulpit. He spoke of the importance and meaning of religious symbols, ours, the flaming chalice, theirs includes a dove, snake on a mountain and crown. Rev. Lazar is the minister of our partner church in Szovata and this year is here in Berkeley as the Balazs scholar at Starr King School.
If hearing about our Partner Church sparked your interest, consider going to the Inauguration Ceremony for their new church in Sovata, Transylvania, October 8, 2011. Lodging provided. Contact the Merricks.
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Social Concerns News
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Sunday, March 20: Social Concerns Luncheon, Fellowship Hall. "In Our Own Voice," featuring two trained public speakers from the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI). They will share compelling stories about living with mental illness and achieving recovery. All are invited. Suggested donation $6.00. Nobody turned away.
The Social Concerns Committee hosts information/action speaker luncheons several times a year. Congregants are invited to bring suggestions for Social or Environmental Justice issues and speakers to: socialconcerns@uumarin.org.
----------- UUCM hosts a Social Concerns Information/Action Table during coffee hour after Sunday services.
We UUCM members and friends often put our spiritual values to work in the world in ways both large and small. If you care about, or are involved in, some kind of social justice endeavor that you want us to know about, contact socialconcerns@uumarin.org. to reserve a Sunday for your table. No candidate or individual party can be promoted or denigrated. Any political stand or position MUST be about issues not political figures, candidates or party affiliations.------------
Click on the links below to learn more about how YOU can get involved with both of these great programs:
Social Concerns
Green Sanctuary
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Weekly Shelter Report
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March 6 Emergency Women's Shelter Needs: Salad and fruit. Contact Joan Nelson 453-6221.
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On MARCH 6, we will provide food for our regular homeless ladies and ALSO...for 40 people at the Mill St. Shelter.
We continue to provide dinner for Mill St. on the 1st Sunday of each and every month, 12 times a year.
Simply arrange with June Fesler 479-7317, to leave your Mill St. contribution in the UUCM kitchen on Sunday morning. It will be delivered to the shelter.
The Chaplain has put out requests for sleeping bags and ponchos for homeless men.These can be left in the community room at any time.
To participate in UUCM's Sunday Shelter...contact Joan Nelson 415-453-6221
(cell: 415-595-6221)
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Volunteering at UUCM
| | | Now you can go to ANY page on our web site uumarin.org and click on the white and red volunteer button which will take you to the UUCM task/leadership list. You can check any task you are interested in and the information will go to the webmaster who will give the appropriate person your name. Then you will be contacted.
New items will be added and deleted from the list as needed.
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Women & Religion - UUA Retreat
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WOMEN & RELIGION - UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST ASSOCIATION
"BUILDING THE WORLD
WE DREAM ABOUT"
MARCH 4-6, 2011
RETREAT @ ENCHANTED HILLS, NAPA
EARLY BIRD REGISTRATION DUE FEBRUARY 1ST
More info and registration form |
| Balázs Transylvanian Tea on April 2 | | |
The Balázs Scholars Program at Starr King School for the Ministry invites you and your friends to our Spring Transylvanian Tea.
This Fundraiser to support the visiting scholar program will be held on: Saturday, April 2 at 3:30pm at
Starr King School
2441 Le Conte Avenue, Berkeley
The suggested donation is $25.
RSVP to Arliss Ungar 925-283-3288.
Featured guests will be
 the 2010-2011 Balázs Scholar and minister in Sovata and Csokfalva, Transylvania,
Rev. Levente Lázár
and
 Rev. Dr. Dorsey Blake,
Dean of the Faculty and Visiting Professor of Spirituality and Prophetic Justice at Starr King School and pastor of the San Francisco Church for the Fellowship of All Peoples, an interfaith, interracial, intercultural community of seekers dedicated to personal empowerment and social transformation.
They will speak on "Prophetic Voices."
Each year the Balázs Scholars Program brings a young Transylvanian minister (and family) to study at Starr King School and the Graduate Theological Union, and to preach at Unitarian Universalist churches throughout the Bay Area and the country.
If you would like to help sustain this program please make a check to Starr King School with Balázs on the notation line, and send it to Starr King School, 2441 Le Conte Avenue, Berkeley, CA 94709.
Flyer
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UU United Nations Office
Intergenerational Spring Seminar
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The UU United Nations Office
2011 Intergenerational Spring Seminar
April 28-30
"Empower Women for a Better Tomorrow"
Details at www.uu-uno.org
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| It's the Year of the BAFS! | |
 And you are invited! BAFS? Well, that is 'Bring a Friend Sundays.' Bring a friend(s) to service at LEAST once a month--or have them bring you! And you can anticipate a reward beyond heaven, on earth: Gourmet dinner at the home of Rev's Chip and Lisa!
Here's how it works.
Please note the BAFS Sundays:
Second half: Mar. 13, Apr. 10 & May 15
All BAFS will offer an opportunity for any new folks to meet with the Minister, the RE Director, our Board President and other leaders of UUCM informally after the service.
So start calling your friends and telling them what a great place the UUCM is and inviting these special people to our special Sundays on top of the hill. A fun time will be had by all!
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