This Week at UUP: September 20-26, 2007

The Unitarian Universalists of Petaluma
An Oasis for Heart and Mind Every Sunday in Downtown Petaluma


For complete up-to-date info on the Unitarian Universalists of Petaluma, see our website: www.uupetaluma.org. For information on finding other Bay Area UU congregations, please visit www.uuba.org.

SUNDAY SERVICES

(Social time with refreshments begins at 10:00 am , at the Petaluma Woman's Club, 518 B Street. Worship service begins at 10:30 am. )

September 23: Rumi: Whirling to Stillness
Guest speaker: Elisabeth Hathaway
Greeters: Jean Conrad, Nancy Blake, Phil and Jodi Boyle
Rumi, the Persian Sufi poet, recognizes: "Today, like every other day, we wake up empty and scared." Writing 800 years ago, one of the most well-known voices of mystical Islam offers us his deeply personal yet profoundly universal visions of human experience, seeking and meeting the divine in our daily lives. He says simply we can "let the beauty we love be what we do, there are hundreds of ways to kneel and kiss the ground". Join us in honoring the 800 th anniversary of his birth.

October 7: "The Cycle of Simchat Torah"
Worship associate: Mike Iritz
Greeters: Stacy Meinzen, Richard Stark, David Dodd, Elaine Ellsworth
Many outside of the Jewish faith know about some of the more popular Jewish holidays, but how many have heard of Simchat Torah? This holiday is known among observant Jews as the most celebratory - but the reasons for the "party" atmosphere apply to a number of UU Principles as well.

October 21: "Ethical Eating and the 7th Principle"
Guest Speaker: Grayson James
The food we eat may seem like a quotidian matter that does not merit theological debate. However, how we fill our bowls and our stomachs is a vital ingredient in our spiritual soup. Come hear Grayson James of Petaluma Bounty discuss our local food system, how he feeds the hungry, and how we can move from a culture of culinary profligacy to one of reverence and alimentary abundance for all.

October 28: "Day of the Dead"
Worship Associate: Meredith Guest
Death is one of those topics about which we'd rather not think. It brings up life's hardest emotions: grief, fear and even anger. No wonder we avoid it. Yet death is part of life and on Dia de los Muertos we embrace--with both tears and laughter--its reality. For this intergenerational service, we invite you to bring a photo or some object to place on the special altar in memory of a loved one (human or otherwise) who has passed into The Mystery.

Considering Becoming a Member of UUP? Welcoming Ceremony scheduled for October 7th!
We will hold a welcoming ceremony for new members during the Sunday service on October 7 th. If you have questions about membership, please contact David Dodd.

Join a UUP Outdoor Adventure
Come watch the Blue Angels fly by the top of Angel Island, Saturday, Oct. 6. The highest point of Angel Island, Mt. Livermore, is an excellent spot to watch the Blue's Angels' performance during Fleet Week, as the airplanes swoop by directly overhead. Carpool from in front of the Petaluma Women's Club, 9:45 am, to catch the Tiburon Ferry at 11 am. There will be a roundtrip hike of about 5 miles, with some climbing. Bring water, lunch, hiking shoes and fare for the ferry: Adults- $13.50, Children 6-12, $11.50, Children 3-5 $3.50, age 2 and under are free. Contact Marlene Abel for more information. Rain cancels.

October 20th: Save the date!
Join us for this first evening of a delightful, new UUP tradition: the UUP potluck/social evening! Members will be hosting potluck dinners in their homes for 8 or so UUP friends, some with children, some without. Interested in being a guest or host? These dinners will meet at various members' houses, maybe yours if you offer to host! Sign up at church, or email Nancy Blake at antsy.blake@comcast.net. Please indicate if you wish to host or be a guest. Guests will be contacted by hosts with ideas on what to bring, as these are potluck events. We hope to be enjoying a meal together soon!

Bay Area-wide UU Marketing Campaign
The UU marketing campaign is underway. You may have heard or seen radio commercials, TV ads, direct mail, BART station billboards or print ads in parenting and GLBT-oriented publications. The ads direct people to the uuba.org web site, to learn how to find a congregation near them.

Join in the excitement, and let's get ready for company -- let's all watch for visitors, and do everything we can to help them feel comfortable and welcomed. For more detail, see the UUP Blog article at http://uupetaluma.blogspot.com/2007/08/uu-marketing-campaign-set-to-launch.html

UUP Women's Fall Retreat! October 12-14
Join us! We are already getting ready for our twice-annual Women's Retreat! We rent an incredible house in Bodega Bay and enjoy talking circles, communal meals, walks on the beach and a general wonderful time, deepening our friendships and connections. For information and sign up contact T Hathaway.

Share your garden
Our October 21st service will be a brunch and sermon about Ethical Eating as a Unitarian Universalist. If you are growing food in your yard and would consider sharing it with UUP for this brunch, please email Stacey Meinzen at stacey at graphicsingreen dot com. Sharing food is a great way to build community and to be sure that your surplus does not go to waste. No food donation is too small.

Regularly Scheduled Gatherings
- UUP Membership Committee: meets Monday 7:30p at Hope Stewart's house.
- Book Discussion Group: The group discussing "The Left Hand of God" by Rabbi Michael Lerner meets this Sunday.

If you have changed your email address or would like to be removed from the UUP list, please email us at uupetaluma at gmail dot com .