"I think such a community could move mountains"

Meredith Guest's sermon, "Charting the Course," is now available on the web. It's a thought-provoking and powerful talk about her experience as a member of Church of the Savior in Washington, D.C.

An excerpt:

What would I expect such a community might do?
I think such a community could move mountains. I would especially hope it might move the twin peaks of homophobia and heterocentrism and set my people free, probably the last group of people for whom hate, prejudice and discrimination are officially and morally sanctioned and where, with the exception of a few states, discrimination is codified in the law.
I think it might shake the foundations of hell and tear to bits the altar to the gods of war upon which we keep sacrificing our children, especially the children of the poor.
It would heal the sick of heart.
It would restore sight to those who are blind to the ways we misuse and abuse this beautiful and incredible planet on which we live.
Those crippled by terrible childhoods, it would help walk.
It would raise the dead to life anew.
It would do these things and more.
That’s what I imagine.
What do you imagine? What do you hope for? What do you want? And what are you willing to give?

Religious Education Update: February 25, 2007

May This Light Shine

Today the children will be introduced to their new songbooks, May This Light Shine. Many of the children at UUP already love to sing. A particular favorite of theirs is the Louis Armstrong song that Florence taught them, "What a Wonderful World." Today, they will learn some new songs that other UU children have enjoyed with their congregations. An example from the songbook is this beautiful work that the UU Children’s Choir sang at last year’s General Assembly in St. Louis, Missouri:

Let there be light,
To drive away the darkness.
Let there be wisdom,
To shine on the unknown.
Let there be love,
To heal our aloneness,
Let each of us be a light for one another.

Children’s music can be incredibly powerful. As a chaperone for the UU Children’s Choir last summer, I had the great joy of hearing 90 young UU’s raise their voices in song in a lovely cathedral. The last song of the concert, "Then I May Learn" moved most of the audience to tears.

I remember that after the concert the young choristers were excited and exuberant. They had sung from their hearts, made beautiful music, moved the audience, and deeply touched their own souls. They rode back to their dormitories in large yellow school buses, glowing with joy. On that warm summer evening, they rolled down the windows in the bus, and serenaded St. Louis with their concert music. They just couldn’t stop singing. Later, back at the college dormitories, the children calmed down in a UU children’s worship service and then went to their beds, very tired but still glowing. It was a night to remember for all of us.

Marlene Abel
Director of Religious Education

This Week at UUP: February 22-28, 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

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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. )

Sunday, February 25: "Charting the Course"
Speaker: Meredith Guest
Worship Associate Stacey Meinzen

As UUP charts its course into the future, it is potentially important and useful to consider what others who are similar to us have done and how they have avoided the pitfalls common to the progressive religious movement. Come and consider how another progressive spiritual community, now some fifty years old, has made its way and what that might mean for us.

During the first part of the morning service, we will celebrate a baby blessing for Elysia Autumn Replogle, baby daughter of Amanda and Brian Replogle. This ceremony has been put together by the members of the UUP Worship Committee to welcome and celebrate the gifts of new life in our community.

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Family-friendly Discussion of Weekend Ministry

Marlene Abel will provide nourishment and entertainment for the kids from 9:30 to 10:15 am this Sunday so that the adults can ask questions and discuss the Weekend Ministry Program with UUP Board members. All members and friends of UUP are welcome to join the forum, whether or not you bring children. The discussion will include, but not be limited to, the impact of the program on our RE program for children and youth. An RSVP would be most appreciated, but isn't required.

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Town Hall Meeting Update

Please join the UUP Board as we continue to discuss issues and concerns about our proposed grant request for the Weekend Minister Program. All discussion groups will take place from 9:30 to 10:15 am in the Fireside Room at the Woman's Club.

• How will the Weekend Minister Program affect our Religious Education program? Come join this discussion Sunday, February 25. (see note above)

• How will the Weekend Ministry Program affect worship? Please join the board and the Worship Committee for this discussion on Sunday, March 11.

• How will the Weekend Ministry Program affect our membership? Please join the board and the Membership and Hospitality Committee for this discussion on Sunday, March 18.

Sign up sheets will be located at the UUP table in the back of the worship space. Thank you in advance for your participation.

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Join the Membership Committee!

The Membership and Hospitality Committee will meet Monday at 7:30 pm at the home of Hope Stewart. All UUPers are welcome! Please RSVP to Elaine Ellsworth.

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Do You Love a Parade?

For three of the last four years, UUP has participated in Petaluma's quintessential small-town event, the annual Butter and Egg Days Parade (we won awards twice!). This year, as always, the parade will wind its way through downtown on the last Saturday in April (April 28). The parade theme will celebrate 150 years of the Petaluma Fire Department. If you'd like to be the point person for UUP's participation, the Membership, Outreach and Hospitality Committee would love to provide backup help in organizing our entry for the year. (Some ideas came up: Red T-Shirts with flaming chalices and a slogan along the lines of "You'll Never Put Out Our Fire!" or something like that...) The entry can be a simple walking group or a float.

Contact Elaine Ellsworth if you are interested! This is a great way to get to know people at UUP, and it gives our community a high profile in the larger community.

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Regularly Scheduled Gatherings

- Larking About (UUP Choir): Rehearsal Sunday at 9:30 am at the Woman's Club.

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

Unitarian Universalism in "Second Life": A Virtual Religious Community

If you've been reading about the virtual world called Second Life, you may be interested to know that it includes a popular and fast-growing Unitarian Universalist congregation, Unitarian Universalists of Second Life. There's an excellent article at the UU World, which includes a sidebar with pointers to related articles, and to Second Life and the congregation itself, which now numbers around 180 members. The congregation meets twice weekly for worship services! I plan to go take a look. If you see me there, say hi: my avatar is named Lefty Link.

Religious Education Update: February 18, 2007

Happy New Year!

Today is the first day of Chinese New Year, the Year of the Pig, 4704. In Chinese communities there will be parades with fireworks and even a dragon this evening. If you watch closely, you may even spot a scary dragon at UUP today! Why a dragon and why such a frightening beast? The following is from a REACH website, our UU religious education resource page:

Long ago, in the ancient and olden days, it was known that the dragon, a most powerful and mysterious being, would be a teacher to anyone truly wishing to be wise. But in most stories, the dragon also seems to be a dangerous monster. If a dragon is a wise teacher, why would it begin by frightening us?

I will tell you what I think. Most of us are not at all afraid of things we know and understand. It is the things we don't understand, the things that are strange, that frighten us. Maybe it's a new job, a new neighborhood, a vegetable you never ate before, or an idea you have been staying away from any of these things can be like dragons in our lives. But if you can get close enough to something strange, especially something strange that makes you nervous, then probably you'll begin to understand that strange thing a little bit. You'll find out that just because it is different doesn't mean it is dangerous.

In China, the dragon comes at the beginning of the new year, which is as good a time as any to think about trying new things. The youngest children, who have not seen very many new years or very many dragons, are usually afraid. Sometimes they cry. Sometimes they don't want to go near the dragon. And that's O.K. But sooner or later, when they get bigger, they can do it -- they go up to the dragon for the very first time, and shake hands with it. Then they can say: "I was brave! I shook hands with the dragon! It was breathing fire and stamping its feet but it didn't hurt me."

When you can do that, you are learning to feel good about yourself. You feel confident. And if you find yourself in another strange or uncomfortable situation, you can say to yourself, "I'll be O.K. I'm brave. I shook hands with the dragon." The next year, when the dragon comes again, you won't be so afraid of it. When you shake hands with the dragon, you'll feel joy instead of fear. With such courage comes the blessing of self-confidence, along with a step towards wisdom. That's why the dragon begins by frightening us.

If you’re feeling especially brave, come shake the dragon’s hand today. Happy New Year!

Marlene Abel
Director of Religious Education

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

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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. )

Sunday, February 18: "The New Atheism"
Guest Speaker Leland Bond-Upson
Worship Associate Mike Iritz
As Leland foreshadowed last month in his criticism of the Catholic Church and its pedophilia problem, and his condemnation of fundamentalism in Christianity and Islam, maybe we shouldn't let bad religion get the polite pass any more. What does the new atheism teach? Is more to be gained than lost by its adoption? Is it possible to reject religious nonsense but retain a reverent sensibility, to be a religious atheist? Many in the new atheism movement are saying 'No'! 'Zat right?

Sunday, February 25: "Charting the Course"
Guest Speaker Meredith Guest
Worship Associate Stacey Meinzen
As UUP charts its course into the future, it is potentially important and useful to consider what others who are similar to us have done and how they have avoided the pitfalls common to the progressive religious movement. Come and consider how another progressive spiritual community, now some fifty years old, has made its way and what that might mean for us.

*******************************************************************
Do You Love a Parade?

For three of the last four years, UUP has participated in Petaluma's quintessential small-town event, the annual Butter and Egg Days Parade (we won awards twice!). This year, as always, the parade will wind its way through downtown on the last Saturday in April (April 28). The parade theme will celebrate 150 years of the Petaluma Fire Department. If you'd like to be the point person for UUP's participation, the Membership, Outreach and Hospitality Committee would love to provide backup help in organizing our entry for the year. (Some ideas came up: Red T-Shirts with flaming chalices and a slogan along the lines of "You'll Never Put Out Our Fire!" or something like that...) The entry can be a simple walking group or a float.

Contact Elaine Ellsworth if you are interested! This is a great way to get to know people at UUP, and it gives our community a high profile in the larger community.

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Regularly Scheduled Gatherings

-Larking About (UUP Choir): Rehearsal Sunday at 9:30 am at the Woman's Club and Tuesday at 8pm at David and Diana's house.
-UUP Women's Group: Monday, Feb. 19 th at 7:30 pm at Jean Conrad's house.

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

Religious Education Update: February 11, 2007

Happy Valentine’s Day

This is the week for white glue, pink construction paper, shiny red glitter, and tiny candy hearts in homes and schools all over our town. It is also the middle of winter, which means that heavy rain is expected and normal. Sometimes, the juxtaposition of these two annual events is an issue, as happened on Valentine’s Day in 1984, when my first grade son had created hand made cards for each of his classmates and all Petaluma schools were closed due to flooded roads. I remember the many tears that morning when the radio announcer broke the sad news.

There is a historical connection between winter and Valentine’s Day. Many centuries ago, ancient Romans looked forward to spring and new life with a Fertility Festival called Lupercalia, which was celebrated on the Ides of February, February 15. According to legend, the names of eligible young women would be placed in a large urn. The young men would then take turns drawing names, and would be paired with the young women whose names were drawn. Many marriages grew out of these pairings by lottery. The young people would try then to increase their chances of fertility through rites of animal sacrifice.

In the year 498, Pope Gelasius declared the lottery to be "unchristian" and outlawed the practice. He declared February 14 to be St. Valentine’s Day. The Catholic Church recognizes three different St. Valentines, all martyrs, and has made various connections between the St. Valentines and the celebration.

Later, in the Middle Ages, the French and English believed that February 14 was the beginning of the birds’ mating season, which added to the romantic aspect of the St. Valentine’s Day celebration.

Despite the best efforts of the Catholic Church’s hierarchy, the pagan roots of today’s celebration persist. The little cherub, Cupid, is the son of the Roman goddess of Love, Venus, and is pictured often in Valentine’s Day greetings.

There will be a special Valentine’s Day surprise from RE today! Happy Valentine’s Day to all our friends in UUP!

Marlene Abel
Director of Religious Education

This Week at UUP: February 8-14, 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

**************************************************************
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. )

Sunday, February 11: "Is UUism Pertinent Today?"
Worship Associate Elisabeth Hathaway
Starr King Ministerial student Alexandra McGee addresses the question: Is Unitarian Universalism pertinent today? We are a denomination that welcomes personal discernment and diversity. But what roots us during storms and gives us light during dark nights of the soul?

Sunday, February 18: "The New Atheism"
Worship Associate Mike Iritz
Guest Speaker Leland Bond-Upson
As Leland foreshadowed last month in his criticism of the Catholic Church and its pedophilia problem, and his condemnation of fundamentalism in Christianity and Islam, maybe we shouldn't let bad religion get the polite pass any more. What does the new atheism teach? Is more to be gained than lost by its adoption? Is it possible to reject religious nonsense but retain a reverent sensibility, to be a religious atheist? Many in the new atheism movement are saying 'No'! 'Zat right?

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Share-The-Plate This Sunday!

Our request for suggestions for a local arts organization to be the recipient of February's and August's Share-The-Plate donation resulted in three nominations: all for the Petaluma Arts Council. So it's unanimous! To read more about this very active group, visit their website. They state that "The Petaluma Arts Council is committed to making the arts accessible to all of our residents and helping Petaluma serve as an example of a community that values its artists and the role they play in the quality of life." As an added bonus, our donation will be tripled thanks to a current matching challenge grant, which you can read about on their website. Pretty great! Please bring your generous hearts to the service this Sunday.

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Do You Love a Parade?

For three of the last four years, UUP has participated in Petaluma's quintessential small-town event, the annual Butter and Egg Days Parade (we won awards twice!). This year, as always, the parade will wind its way through downtown on the last Saturday in April (April 28). The parade theme will celebrate 150 years of the Petaluma Fire Department. If you'd like to be the point person for UUP's participation, the Membership, Outreach and Hospitality Committee would love to provide backup help in organizing our entry for the year. (Some ideas came up: Red T-Shirts with flaming chalices and a slogan along the lines of "You'll Never Put Out Our Fire!" or something like that...) The entry can be a simple walking group or a float.
Contact Elaine Ellsworth if you are interested! This is a great way to get to know people at UUP, and it gives our community a high profile in the larger community.

**************************************************************
Regularly Scheduled Gatherings

- UUP Board of Trustees: Monthly meeting Sunday, Feb. 11 th at 8:30 am at the Woman's Club.
- Larking About (UUP Choir): Rehearsal Sunday morning at 9:30 am at the Woman's Club.

If you would like to be added to from the UUP email list to receive this newsletterette via email, please email us at uupetaluma at gmail dot com.

Religious Education Update: February 4, 2007

Huichol Religion and Art

Today the children will explore the religion and art of the Huichol Indians, a small tribe still living high in the Sierra Madre Mountains in Central Mexico. They are said to be the last tribe in North America to have maintained their pre-Columbian beliefs.

According to the Dance of the Deer Foundation, "Huichol life is a continuous cycle of ritual and devotional exercises designed to help them stay connected to the Ancient Ones-Tate Wari (Grandfather Fire), Takutsi Nakawey (Grandmother Growth), Kauyumari (our brother, the Deer Spirit), and Tatei Yurianaka (Mother Earth), among others. The Huichols say that during ceremony, they are inviting these spirits to come into the circle of life to be with them- to help empower them and their families, and to help the universe stay in balance."

The Huichol tribe has no written language, so they have transmitted their beliefs to their children through art and storytelling. This small tribe is renowned for their yarn paintings and intricate beadwork.

I want the children to know about the native traditions which have survived, despite the influence of the dominant religions, such as Catholicism. The Huichol tradition, in common with other indigenous faiths, emphasizes living in harmony with Mother Earth.

The children will express their own ideas and beliefs through their own yarn and beadwork.

After the service, come back to the Fireside Room and see what they have created!

Marlene Abel
Director of Religious Education

Hymn of the Month, February 2007: "Joy, Thou Goddess"

Beehoven's Ninth Symphony. Is there a more familiar piece of classical music? Do the children in every congregation gather around the piano after the service to show that they can play this melody? They do at UUP!

This month, our Hymn of the Month is "Joy, Thou Goddess" (#327). The words are by Friedrich Schiller (1759-1805) and the music is, of course, by Ludwig van Beehoven (1770-1827).

Schiller's Ode, entitled "An Die Freude" (To Joy) in German, is a milestone of optimism, celebrating the potential of humanity to shed its pre-Enlightenment ways and proceed into a brighter future, despite the "fashions" of the day, embracing the ideals of universal brotherhood. Here's the complete text (note that the German words are included in the hymanl--we may try them later in the month...)

Joy, thou glorious spark of heaven,
Daughter of Elysium,
We approach fire-drunk,
Heavenly One, your shrine.
Your magic reunites
What custom strictly parts;
All people become brothers,
Where your gentle wing alights.

Chorus
Be embraced, you millions!
This kiss for the whole world!
Brothers, beyond the star-canopy
Must a loving Father dwell.
Do you bow down, you millions?
Do you sense the Creator, world?
Seek Him beyond the star-canopy!
Beyond the stars must He dwell.

Whoever succeeds in the great attempt
To be a friend of a friend,
Whoever has won a lovely woman,
Let him add his jubilation!
Yes, whoever calls even one soul
His own on the earth's globe!
And who never has, let him steal,
Weeping, away from this group.
All creatures drink joy
At the breasts of nature;
All the good, all the evil
Follow her roses' trail.
Kisses gave she us, and wine,
A friend, proven unto death;
Pleasure was to the worm granted,
And the cherub stands before God.
Glad, as his suns fly
Through the Heavens' glorious plan,
Run, brothers, your race,
Joyful, as a hero to victory.
Be embraced, you millions!
This kiss for the whole world!
Brothers, beyond the star-canopy
Must a loving Father dwell.
Do you bow down, you millions?
Do you sense the Creator, world?
Seek Him beyond the star-canopy!
Beyond the stars must He dwell.

Finale repeats the words:
Be embraced, ye millions!
This kiss for the whole world!
Brothers, beyond the star-canopy
Must a loving Father dwell.
Be embraced,
This kiss for the whole world!
Joy, beautiful spark of the gods,
Daughter of Elysium,
Joy, beautiful spark of the gods

These are the words as set by Beehoven for his Symphony Number 9, considered by many to be the crowning achievement of his composing career, including, as it does, four soloists and a full choir and a final movement that can make the hair on your arms stand straight up.

Let's see how well we can do, and have some fun!

UUP Blog Places Third in UU Blog Awards!

It's not the Oscars, but we did snag a nomination for "Best Online Community or Group Blog" in the UU Blog Awards for 2007. Browse through the winners and runners-up in all the categories, and you'll find excellent, enlightening ongoing forums of all kinds: spiritual, political, ministerial, and personal commentary.

UUP's blog finished a distant third in the polling--but who's counting?

This Week at UUP: Feb 1-7, 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
********************************************************
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. )

Sunday, February 4: "This I Believe"
Part of an ongoing series in which two members of our community share their spiritual journey that led them to UUP.

Sunday, February 11: "Is UUism Pertinent Today?"
Worship Associate Elisabeth Hathaway
Starr King Ministerial student Alexandra McGee addresses the question: Is Unitarian Universalism pertinent today? We are a denomination that welcomes personal discernment and diversity. But what roots us during storms and gives us light during dark nights of the soul?

Sunday, February 18: "The New Atheism"
Worship Associate Mike Iritz
Regular Guest Minister Leland Bond-Upson
As Leland foreshadowed last month in his criticism of the Catholic Church and its pedophilia problem, and his condemnation of fundamentalism in Christianity and Islam, maybe we shouldn't let bad religion get the polite pass any more. What does the new atheism teach? Is more to be gained than lost by its adoption? Is it possible to reject religious nonsense but retain a reverent sensibility, to be a religious atheist? Many in the new atheism movement are saying 'No'! 'Zat right?
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Nominate a Local Arts Organization for February's Share-the-Plate Choice!
Do you have a favorite local cultural arts organization? Would they benefit from a monetary donation? Nominate your favorite group to receive this month's Share-the-Plate funds from UUP, to be collected on February 11! Send your nominations to David Dodd. The organization receiving the most votes will be our choice this month.
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Do You Love a Parade?
For three of the last four years, UUP has participated in Petaluma's quintessential small-town event, the annual Butter and Egg Days Parade (we won awards twice!). This year, as always, the parade will wind its way through downtown on the last Saturday in April (April 28). The parade theme will celebrate 150 years of the Petaluma Fire Department. If you'd like to be the point person for UUP's participation, the Membership, Outreach and Hospitality Committee would love to provide backup help in organizing our entry for the year. (Some ideas came up: Red T-Shirts with flaming chalices and a slogan along the lines of "You'll Never Put Out Our Fire!" or something like that...) The entry can be a simple walking group or a float.
Contact Elaine Ellsworth if you are interested! This is a great way to get to know people at UUP, and it gives our community a high profile in the larger community.
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"Love All" Tennis Group Starting Up
Many see tennis as more than just a strenuous, fun activity. In fact, books have been written about the Zen of Tennis, etc. and for good reason: this sport demands focus and discipline. Not that you'll find much of either among such a group of rank amateurs as we. Several of us have begun playing tennis on Sunday afternoons after church, usually starting around 2 o'clock. We hope to rotate our informal rounds of play between Petaluma High School, Leghorn Park, and the "L" Park in Rohnert Park. Depending on how many of us show up, we can form ourselves into doubles, singles, or French doubles matches. No need to rsvp--just watch this space for the announcement of where we'll be meeting each week and drop by with a racket and balls. This Sunday: 2 p.m. at the Petaluma High School courts.
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Regularly Scheduled Gatherings
- Larking About (UUP Choir): Rehearsal Sunday morning at 9:30 am at the Woman's Club and Tuesday evening at 8 pm at David and Diana's home. - Book Club - A Chosen Faith: After the service this Sunday in the Fireside Room of the Woman's Club.- Worship Associates: Monthly meeting Monday, Feb. 5th 8pm.


If you would like to receive this every week by email, ask to be added to the UUP list by email us at uupetaluma at gmail dot com.