This Week at UUP

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


ANNOUNCEMENTS AND UPCOMING EVENTS

Time & Talent Auction This Sunday, Noon-2:30 pm! Come, Come, Whoever You Are!
Come and eat a free wonderful enchilada lunch (vegan, vegetarian and chicken options!), bid on a delicious dessert, listen to some great music (The Petaluma All-Star Bluegrass Band, and the Hockey Mama for Obama YouTube sensation in person! and bid on silent and live auction items.
Up for auction will be a variety of goods and services, including such wonderful items as a small plane flight over the North Bay, tickets to Arlo Guthrie, babysitting and pet-sitting services, beautiful art, voice and music lessons, and many more donated by congregation members and community businesses. Follow this link to the amazingly full auction catalog
Bring your checkbook and your date book, too.
Come and invite your friends, too, for a fun, community-building event!
Bring a packaged food item to donate to COTS on Sunday and receive a free raffle ticket for a gift basket of green products!


Middle School Enchilada Making Party on Saturday
The UUP middle school group is gathering at Leslie and Kevin's home this Saturday from 3-5 p.m. for Time and Talent Auction prep activities! We will make enchiladas for the lunch and decorate a few desserts for the auction. We'll also make number cards for bidders to use. Contact Marlene or Leslie for details.

Special Religious Education program this Sunday
Nancy Chien-Ericksen, a professional artist, will present a drawing class to our children and youth during the adult service. Does your child want to learn to draw a dragon or other animals? We are very fortunate to have Nancy sharing her expertise with us! Art materials will be supplied. (Note- we love it when our adults share their talents in RE! Thanks, Nancy!)

The Miracle Worker at Burbank Auditorium, Santa Rosa, Saturday, March 7th, 2pm.
Our very own Harley Boatsman is performing in SRJC's production of the Miracle Worker, the story of Helen Keller and her teacher, Annie Sullivan. Come support Harley, enjoy this moving story of triumph over great difficulties, all in the company of other UUPers. Religion Education has reserved a block of three rows of seats at the bargain matinee price of $5 per seat. We are arranging carpools for children who need a ride. Recommended by SRJC for ages 10 and up, but slightly younger children may attend at their parents' discretion. Of course, all UUP adults are very welcome to join us! Contact Marlene Able soon to reserve a seat.

Religious Education Field Trip to Shomrei Torah in Santa Rosa, Friday, March 20th 5-9 pm.
Shabbat service from 6-7 pm. Children and youth, first grade and up, and invited to our field trip to Shomrei Torah. We will carpool from Petaluma at 5 pm, and meet a friend of Marlene Abel's and fifth grade teacher at Old Adobe Elementary School, Heidi Doughty, for an orientation to the Shabbat service at 5:30 pm at the synagogue. We will also have a light snack. After the musical, intergenerational service, we will eat pizza at a Santa Rosa restaurant and discuss our experience. Our return to Petaluma is estimated to be 9 pm. We will need adult drivers and chaperones. Contact Marlene for more information.

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 at weaverly@earthlink.net . 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.

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, 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.

Sunday, March 8: "To Whom It May Concern: Unitarian Universalist Approaches To Prayer"
Guest Speaker: Sue Magidson
Worship Leader: David Dodd
For UUs who don't believe in a favor-granting God, prayer may seem superfluous at best. Why pray if you don't believe that your prayers will be answered or that anyone is listening? During this service, we'll look at different types of prayer through a UU lens and consider why we might want to heed the admonition of UU Rev. Erik Walker Wikstrom to "Simply pray!" regardless of what we believe.
Sue Magidson is a lifelong UU, a longtime member of the UU Church of Berkeley, and a third-year M.Div. student at Starr King School for the Ministry.

REGULARLY SCHEDULED GATHERINGS
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