This Week at UUP: Auctions, Parades, Retreats, Oh My! PLUS: The Feminine Divine

The Unitarian Universalists of Petaluma
Nurture Your Spirit. Help Heal Our World.


ANNOUNCEMENTS AND UPCOMING EVENTS

Fly High at the Time & Talent Auction on Sunday, March 1st!
Have you ever wanted an aerial tour of the North Bay? Put your flight goggles on because a flight in a small plane is the latest service donated. Thanks to all who have already donated their talents, time, and precious items. Our donation list includes a Feldenkrais session, dump runs, music lessons, Italian lessons, a model rocketry afternoon, fresh-baked bread, baby-sitting and pet-sitting, custom-knit hats and blankets, art by Nancy Chien-Eriksen, donations from merchants around town, and lots of other great stuff!
* This Sunday: LAST CHANCE to make your donation!
* Entertainment during the lunch by the Petaluma All-Start Bluegrass Band, and a special appearance later by YouTube sensation Hockey Mama for Obama.
* Don't forget to invite a friend to the yummy enchilada lunch and auction starting at noon. The more bidders, the merrier.

SAVE THE DATE! Join us for our Annual UUP Memorial Day Retreat, May 22nd-25th!
We have room for fifty people (usually 30+adults and 20+ kids!) at Four Springs Retreat Center for our seventh annual four-day have-a-great-time-together fun fest. We live in community and enjoy, enjoy, enjoy: cooking & meals together, swimming pool, rustic cabins, beautiful remote location, a smattering of fun groups and mostly: time to visit and get to know each other. ALSO: Let T know ASAP if you want to help create & organize! We especially need people to organize kid events and support, support with food/meals, to plan the Worship Service, and to organize/communicate/administer the details! If interested, contact T Hathaway. Yay!

Butter & Eggs Day Parade
The Butter & Eggs Day Parade is on April 25th, and it's a time for UUP to really show our community what we're all about. The theme is "Recycle, Reuse and Remember", and we want everyone to remember us! If you have creativity to lend to this project or even a few hours on April 25th, please help us out. Kids especially welcome. Talk to Stacey Meinzen for details.

Adult Religious Exploration Groups are Forming
If you are interested in participating in any of these three short courses of religious exploration sign up on Sunday or contact Diana Spaulding. Each course offers you the opportunity to deepen your spiritual life and to make friends at UUP. Availability of each course is subject to interest -- sign up to make it happen!
1) Building Your Own Theology
Developing a personal theology is not an academic exercise; it has to do with the very stuff of our lives. This 10-session class invites you to develop your personal credos: the fundamental religious beliefs, values and convictions that inform and direct the living of your life. Workbook cost $17. Co-leaders: Bruce Eriksen and
2) Evensong
Gather together with a small group of people for 8 sessions of earnest listening and sharing of thoughts, beliefs, and journeys in spirituality and religious life. Evensong is an experience of shared worship. Weekly or biweekly; time TBD. Looking for 1-2 facilitators.
3) A Chosen Faith: An introduction in Unitarian Universalism (a book discussion group)
Thought-provoking, entertaining sourcebook for searchers, newcomers and lifelong learners. Discuss a chapter per month or week. Book costs $15; some copies available for load. Meeting times TBD; looking for 1-2 moderators.

SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY CORNER - "...service is our prayer"
In case you wondered, the Social Responsibility Committee has not closed up shop! We're just taking a short break from newsletter anouncements and our Sunday morning table while we plan and organize our next project. Stay tuned for more info and circle March 29th after church on your calendars for a special event!

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, February 22: "The Two Faces of Mary"
Guest speaker: Sonsiris Tamayo, Ministerial Student at Pacific School for Religion
Worship Leader: Diana Spaulding
An exploration of the feminine divine, including those manifestations in our Western religious heritage, and also derived from the Yoruba tradition, which embraces the feminine part of the divine not limited by gender, but rather as a realization of the whole self.

Sunday, March 1: "This I Believe"
Speakers: UUP Members Rachel Walters Steiner and Berkley Sturgeon
Worship Leader: Jodi Boyle
Two UUP members will share the stories of their faith journey to Unitarian Universalism and how their values have been shaped. Larking About, our UUP choir, will sing, and Rachel's mother's Petaluma All-Star Bluegrass Band will play. This would be an excellent Sunday to bring a friend, and then plan to stay after the service for lunch and our (very fun) Time and Talent Auction.

REGULARLY SCHEDULED GATHERINGS
UUP Women's Group will meet Monday, February 23rd at 7:30 pm at Jean Conrad's house. Topic: love.
Larking About, the UUP choir, meets Wednesdays at 8 pm at David Dodd and Diana Spaulding's house, 716 Bassett St. New singers are always welcome!

Links:

www.uupetaluma.org
Facebook page (be sociable with UUP friends!)
Flickr Gallery