This Week at UUP: April 11-17, 2008

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


ANNOUNCEMENTS AND UPCOMING EVENTS

This Sunday, UUP will Share the Plate
In keeping with UUP's commitment to supporting our community, we will share our non-pledge offering on Sunday with Petaluma Wetlands Alliance. The Petaluma Wetlands Alliance, a committee of Madrone Audubon, is dedicated to the creation, restoration and stewardship of publicly accessible wetlands and wildlife habitats. They support Shollenberger Park, Alman Marsh, the new wastewater treatment property, and future wetland sites in the watershed. The Petaluma Wetlands Alliance works with local governments, environmental organizations and other groups to educate the public about the ecology and value of wetlands.

Gather, UUP Men!
The UUP Men's Group will participe in Rebuilding Together Petaluma on Saturday, April 19th. All men are welcome. Contact Phil Boyle for more info.

Religious Education Volunteers Needed
Our program is growing! Please consider volunteering occasionally to help with the 7-11 year old class on Sunday mornings. Volunteers will assist our regular teachers or help out on a service Sunday project. No advance preparation is required. This is a great opportunity to strengthen our intergenerational connections! Please contact Leslie Harrison for more information.

Save the date! Saturday, May 3rd Annual Petaluma River Clean Up
As part of our Service Sunday program, the Religious Education committee invites you to participate in this year's Petaluma River Clean Up. Please join our children and youth as we pull on our gloves and head down to the river. We'll work as a team under the guidance of Friends of the Petaluma River, city-wide sponsors of this event. Meeting time and location TBA. Please contact Leslie Harrison for more info.

Special Choral Performance
The Bija Children's Choir, including our very own Eva Harrison-Lee, will be presenting the Quiltmaker's Gift, on Friday, April 11 at the Sebastopol Community Center, 390 Morris Street, in Sebastopol. Refreshments will be served at 6:30 pm, with the performance at 7:00 pm. This show promises to be fun for all ages. Tickets are $5 and available from Leslie Harrison. Please contact Marlene Abel for carpooling info.

Holly Near and Emma's Revolution to play Santa Rosa on Friday eve
On Friday April 11, 2008 at 8pm, the Glaser Center at the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Santa Rosa presents famed activist-folksinger Holly Near, teaming with Emma's Revolution for an inspiring evening of world-class folk music. Her poetry-packed songs have been heard across the globe, used as anthems at churches, peace rallies and in television shows (Six Feet Under). In this, her only Sonoma County concert of the year, Holly is joined by Pat Humphries and Sandy O, the rousing, politically charged duo known as Emma's Revolution. Special pre-show reception early seating and musical Q& A with Holly offered for additional cost. $20 in Advance; $25 at the door, call (707) 568-5381 or check www.glasercenter.com for more information.


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. )

This Sunday, April 13, 2008: "Membership Fees"
Guest Speaker: Garrick Linn
Worship Leader: Lara Abel
April 15th is a day of reckoning in the United States, a day when a portion of our hard-earned dollars is collected and eventually redistributed in the service of what we hope (and are promised) is the common good. One might expect for such democracy-loving Unitarian Universalists as ourselves that this day would warrant celebration rather than consternation, but I have noticed that our feelings towards filing tend to be, shall we say, ambivalent. As part of an attempt to reframe our thinking about what it means to be one among many, George Lakoff has proposed that the word "taxes" be replaced in our public discourse with "membership fees." In that spirit, let us frame and explore some of the connections and responsibilities we share in our various capacities as employers, employees, citizens and congregants. The taxman cometh...will we lay out the welcome mat, or lock the door?

April 20, 2008: "Passover"
Guest Speaker: Ellen Beeler
Worship Leader: Mike Iritz

REGULARLY SCHEDULED GATHERINGS
UUP Board of Trustees will meet Sunday, April 13 at 8:30 am in the Christian Science Fireside Room
UUP Membership Committee will meet April 24 at 7:30 pm at Hope's home
UUP Membership Committee will also hold a retreat at May 10 at 11am at Hope's home
Larking About, the UUP Singers, meets on Wednesday evenings from 8 to 9:30 at the home of Diana Spaulding and David Dodd. All are welcome to join at any time!

INSTRUCTIONS FOR SUBMISSION TO "THIS WEEK AT UUP" AND TO THE UUP CALENDAR
If you have an item for "This Week at UUP" (UU or UUP-related only, please), send it to our Administrator, Jennifer Newman at uupetaluma at gmail dot com by Wednesday for inclusion in that week's email newsletter. For information that needs to go on the calendar, please send your event details to the same email address.

www.uupetaluma.org