This Week at UUP: May 9-14, 2008

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


ANNOUNCEMENTS AND UPCOMING EVENTS

Share-the-Plate this Sunday: Burma Relief
In the wake of the flood and cyclone in Burma, UUP will direct its Share-the-Plate Sunday this month to support Burmese Relief. From the Unitarian Universalist Association website:
"The Unitarian Universalist Service Committee (UUSC) and the Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA) have joined to launch a humanitarian relief fund to help survivors of the recent Myanmar (formerly known as Burma) cyclone. Both organizations strive to coordinate strategic response to natural or man-made humanitarian crises, especially when rights are threatened or when those in need are overlooked or neglected by traditional relief approaches. Aid, which will be coordinated through the UUSC, will be channeled to humanitarian relief work in an effort to help survivors—especially those left out of traditional relief strategies—regain their lives and livelihoods. Please support this relief effort."
If you can't come on Sunday, but would like to support this important effort, please visit the UUSC website for information on how to contribute.

FLASH! Memorial Day Weekend Retreat spaces available!
Join us! We have a place for two more individuals or a family! Please contact T Hathaway ASAP to sign up.

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.

Considering Becoming a Member of UUP? The next New Member Ingathering is Sunday, June 1st
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 June 1st. For details, please contact Hope Stewart, for the UUP Membership Committee.

Unitarian 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 to11 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.

Zen Center Excursion
The next half-day introductory sitting at the San Francisco Zen Center is Saturday, May 17th from 9 am to 1 pm.
If you'd like to join a UUP group planning to attend - and possibly carpool, contact Susan Price. Here are more details: Details at the Zen Center website

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, May 11, 2008: "The Myths of War: A Sermon for Mother's Peace Day"
Minister: Rev. Ben Kocs-Meyers
In the U.S., we celebrate Mother's Day with a flurry of gifts and greeting cards. However, this holiday was originally called "Mother's Peace Day", and one of the main organizers was the Unitarian Julia Ward Howe. Begun in 1870, it was a rallying cry for mothers who lost husbands and sons in the U.S. Civil War, and a renunciation of war, militarism, and patriarchy. In that original spirit, the service will focus on the ancient myths of war, our vulnerability to them, and, despite these, how to embolden ourselves to the peace that is yet possible and in our reach.

Sunday, May 18, 2008: "A Unitarian Considering Christ"
Speaker: Jim Weller, M.T.S.
Worship Leader: Lara Abel
How did a life-long Unitarian Universalist layman come to be a Christian theologian and religious scholar, preparing for ordination in the United Church of Christ? Grasped by the gospel of love, Jim Weller, a recent graduate of Pacific School of Religion in Berkeley, will come tell us the story of his journey of faith.


REGULARLY SCHEDULED GATHERINGSUUP Membership Committee will hold a retreat Saturday, May 10th at 11am at Hope's home.
The Women's Group will meet at Jean Conrad's house Friday, May 16th at 7:30 pm. Topic is "Friendship". Please bring something representing what friendship means to you.
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 www.uupetaluma.org/calendars/current.html), please send your event details to the same email address.

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