This Week at UUP: February 15-20, 2008

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


ANNOUNCEMENTS AND UPCOMING EVENTS

Come to UU 101 on Sunday after service!
Are you new to Unitarian Universalism or relatively so? Have you ever wondered how this unique approach to religion got started? Do you care to know more about this religious community and its values and principles? Are you thinking about becoming a member of UUP and want a deeper understanding of its goals and vision? Do you have questions you're burning to ask someone? You are warmly welcomed to join Reverend Ben, and UUP members David Dodd, Janette Morrow, and others, for this informal hour, beginning 15 minutes after the service. We especially encourage anyone considering joining UUP at the upcoming Ingathering ceremony on March 16th. All are worthy, all are welcome!

Considering Becoming a Member of UUP? The next New Member Welcome is Sunday, March 16
If you've been attending UUP regularly and have been thinking about joining the congregation as a member, here's your chance! We will hold a new member welcome ceremony during the Sunday service on March 16. For details, please contact David Dodd, for the UUP Membership Committee.

The Awakening the Dreamer, Changing the Dream Symposium
Sunday, February 24 from 12:00 to 3:00pm at Petaluma Woman's Club
This Symposium explores the link between three of humanity's most critical concerns: environmental sustainability, social justice and spiritual fulfillment. The symposium invites participants to explore the nature of our time and to positively affect the direction of our world with our everyday choices. Cost is a sliding scale from $10 to $30.

Hymnal Amnesty and Drive!
Our Singing the Living Tradition hymnal is rich with rousing songs and profound readings…which is why we understand that a few may have drifted home for private perusal (we are missing about 15). If one may have found its way to your home, please quietly bring it back by Feb 17th (no questions asked!) so we can get an accurate count of how many we need to purchase in our Hymnal Drive in March! We will be taking donations for inscriptions in new copies and individuals may order hymnals for themselves (for home!) at this time as well. Any questions, please contact T Hathaway.

UUP Bi-Annual Women's Retreat!
We have two UUP Women's Retreats a year, in March and October, and this year the retreat was full before it was announced! Apologies to those of you who may have wanted to go, but we're not sure who you are! Or how much unmet interest is out there. PLEASE: if you are interested in the Women's Retreat (or the Women's Group) contact Elizabeth Hathaway as soon as possible to let us know, so we can plan accordingly for October. We may be at a critical point of change, needing to find a new venue or change our format or start a second group, and this will take some advance planning. Contact: Elisabeth Hathaway.

UPCOMING 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. )

February 17, 2008: "Learning to Live the Questions; Religion for the Head and Heart"
The Rev. Ben Kocs-Meyers, preaching
Meredith Guest, Worship Leader
Religions are often depicted as institutions with iron-clad answers that discourage questions about life's meaning (e.g., catachisms, dogma, and creeds.) In stark contrast, Unitarian Universalism encourages questioning sometimes to the exclusion of any answers [Note the old UU adage: "To Question IS the Answer."] In his classic work, Letters to a Young Poet, the philosopher and poet, Rainer Maria Rilke, encourages us to "Live the questions, now" Today's sermon explores the religious quest that binds head and heart: the positive compulsion to question and to seek, and the solace of finding and living into some answers. Bring a friend!

REGULARLY SCHEDULED GATHERINGS

The next UUP women's group meeting is Monday, Feb. 18 at 7:30 pm Jean Conrad's house.

Larking About, the UUP Singers, meets on Wednesday evenings from 8 to 9:30 at the home of Diana Spaulding and David Dodd