Shepherd Bliss Notes Article on UU Ad Campaign

Sometime UUP attendee and speaker Shepherd Bliss sent out this note via email today (reprinted with permission):

Today’s Press Democrat has an informative article on the Unitarian Universalist (UU) church nationwide. You can find it online at www.pressdemocrat.com by clicking “Home & Garden” or doing a search for “Unitarians.” It is on page D6 of the Sunday “Home & Garden” section.

From the Chicago Tribune, it describes the group “that holds no creed and welcomes all comers” and includes “atheists, Christians, and Buddhists,” as well as Jews and practitioners of earth-based spirituality. The article reports that UUs “have pushed for broader acceptance of the gay, lesbian and transgender community” and “lobbies for environmental protections and against the war in Iraq.” An African-American president heads its national association.

I will be speaking “In Praise of Sweet Darkness” (you can read this sermon as presented at UUP not long ago on our sermon archive pages. at the UU Santa Rosa congregation on Feb. 17, Sun., at their regular 11 a.m. service. The Kokopelli Players will accompany me with live music and recited poetry at 547 Mendocino Ave., which is made available as the Glaser Center to various artistic, cultural, social, political, and social groups. It used to be a cinema. The UU Petaluma group meets on Sunday mornings at 10:30 at the Petaluma Women’s Club at 518 “B” St. for their regular service.

Though I am not a member, I find myself comfortable with the diversity when I go to UU gatherings. For example, Santa Rosa’s Rev. Chris Bell is currently leading a three-times-a-month “Spirit of Life” educational series. I dropped in last week to the session on “Blow in the Wind, Rise in the Sea: Nature and Spirit.” I found it to be fun and was delighted by the group of a couple of dozen people who engaged in lively discussion. The group meets again Jan. 16 & 30 and Feb. 6, 20, and 27, from 7 to 9 p.m.

Lets not leave churches to those who support war, racism, sexism, homophobia, or pollution. At a time when it is important to come-together in community as our society seems to be falling-apart, UU groups present a good option.

For example, the Veterans’ Writing Group that I am a part of will read from our book “Veterans of War, Veterans of Peace” on Jan. 13, Sunday, at 2:30 at the UU fellowship at Cedar and Bonita in Berkeley. Our teacher the award-winning author Maxine Hong Kingston will be reading with us.

It is a good time to embed ourselves within institutions, in my opinion, to help weather the pending strong political/economic/ social storms that are likely to come our way in the possibly difficult 2008 year and the time to come.

For more information, the UU Santa Rosa congregation can be reached at www.uusantareosa.org. and 568-5381. [The Petaluma congregation is at www.uupetaluma.org]

Shepherd Bliss