This Week at UUP: April 17-April 23, 2008

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


ANNOUNCEMENTS AND UPCOMING EVENTS

Step Up to the Plate -- Annual Pledge Drive Gets Underway April 27
Please plan to attend an informative event following the service on Sunday, April 27. Lunch will be served, and childcare will be provided. We will spend about an hour talking about the congregation's financial well-being, and make our pledges of sustaining support for the coming year. Letters announcing the campaign go out this week, along with a brochure featuring our "team" statistics: averages, box scores, a review of the past season, and our prospects for the coming season--hmmm...how far can this baseball theme go, you may ask? Come and find out on April 27!

Leadership Positions Available at UUP
This year's annual meeting (June 1) will see three members elected by congregational vote to the UUP Board of Trustees. These are three-year terms. Don't be surprised to be approached by a member of the Nominating Committee (Nancy Blake, David Dodd, and KC Greaney), who will be seeking out hidden talent throughout the membership. If you would like to know more about this opportunity, please don't hesitate to speak with any member of the Nominating Committee.

"New to UU" Visitors' Orientation this Sunday
Trying out UUP? Visiting for the first time, or for a while, and want to learn more about our congregation and about Unitarian Universalism? Gather with several UUP members to ask questions you might have, and to hear more about UUP. Meets near the fireplace immediately following the service on the third Sunday of each month.

Unitarians Universalists are fighting global warming together with the "UULM Low Carbon Challenge"
Our goal is for Unitarian Universalists in California to collectively lose one million pounds of carbon dioxide emissions by Earth Day 2009. "Carbon Rings" in 50 of our California congregations are going on the "Low Carbon Diet" to lose 5,000 pounds of carbon emissions per household. Please contact Stacey Meinzen, David Dodd, or George Beeler for details.

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.

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 20, 2008: "Passover"
Guest Speaker: Ellen Beeler
Worship Leader: Mike Iritz
From the origins of our faith to its inclusion as one of many Spring rites from around the world, Passover reminds us to break free from that which might enslave us: the dregs of Winter, debt or even an addiction to our favorite foods. Spring renews faith in the cycle of life; Passover brings family & community together to honor and celebrate the opportunity of freedom within that cycle. Join us in celebrating this cherished Jewish Spring holiday.

April 27, 2008: Stewardship Sunday: "The Present Value of Our Future Vision"
Minister: Rev. Ben Kocs-Meyers
Worship Leader: Meredith Guest
The words of the great American social reformer, Dorothy Day, are encouraging: "Spend your life on something that outlasts it." This Sunday, the hopes for the future of this congregation, the quality of its programs and services, and the vibrancy of its mission and ministry to the community will either be met and fed, or not. What role does a collective vision play in this little drama? How do you assess the present value of your future legacy as a member or friend of this congregation?

Immediately following the service, we will gather to share our hopes for the ensuing year and make a pledge for fiscal year 2008-09 to fulfill our collective vision. Plan to stay after for a light lunch, and a one-hour meeting. Childcare provided.


REGULARLY SCHEDULED GATHERINGS

The Women's Group will meet Monday, April 21st....the topic is: Risk Taking. At Jean Conrad's home - 7:30 p.m. All UUP women are welcome.
UUP Membership Committee will meet Thursday, 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

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 (located at http://www.uupetaluma.org/calendars/current.html ), please send your event details to the same email address.