Our UUniverse February 2017

Transcription

1 Sunday Services 10:00 AM Located at Via Vail, Rancho Mirage Send Mail to: PO Box 2853 Rancho Mirage, CA President 1st V. Pres 2nd V. Pres Secretary Treasurer At-Large At-Large UUCOD.org Board of Directors Sarah Gonzales Shirley LeMaster Roger Beaman Patti Gallagher Jerry Hogsett Bruce Elwood Denise Janssen Eager Membership Information Randy Steele The February Newsletter Deadline Is February 25 Published Monthly by The Unitarian Universalist Church of the Desert Our UUniverse February 2017 The Unitarian Universalist Church of the Desert CALLING ALL FRIENDS OF FAITH AND CONSCIENCE: INVITATION FROM UUA PRESIDENT AND UUSC PRESIDENT AND CEO Dear Friends of Faith and Conscience, We re writing with what we expect is the same urgent sense of concern you re feeling about the results of the presidential election and what will follow. Based on the many conversations we ve had with each other, people of our communities, our partners, and those most likely to face looming threats, we ve concluded that in these extraordinary times we must be united in purpose to protect the values of our democracy and those vulnerable populations among us. To that end we have undertaken an unprecedented degree of coordination between the Unitarian Universalist Association and the Unitarian Universalist Service Committee. There is a sense of urgency, and a need for vigilance. And there is clarity that we must act, not alone, but together. We need everyone including you, your congregation, your friends, and your colleagues. As a first step, we have prepared a Declaration of Conscience stating in the strongest possible terms our commitment in these troubling times. By signing the declaration, individuals and congregations will be affirming our core values and declaring our willingness to put them into action. Please read it and, with your signature, join us in standing on the side of love, protecting the most vulnerable among us, and defending core values that are under attack. We will be vigilant of administration actions, policies and verbal assaults that undermine the principles of our declaration or disparage, threaten or attack innocent people. We will respond by speaking truth to power and mobilizing support for those who are under siege. To be successful, your support and that of your congregants will be critical. This is not about partisan politics. It is a principled response to the potential targeting of people not for what they have done, but for who they are. It is a commitment to speak out and to act in support of basic human rights. We will keep you informed of the progress of this effort and of further opportunities to advance our cause together in the coming weeks and months. We cannot predict what the future will bring, and we do not pretend to have all the answers, but we can and will be ready for the struggle ahead (continued on page 2) 1

2 Rev. Julie Forest Rev. Julie Forest resides in San Diego with her wife, Maren Outwater. She will serve us a half time minister. Their son, Jude, is in college. Rev. Julie has served congregations in Wisconsin and Washington. She attended Wayne State University and earned a degree in Psychology. She also time studied Chinese literature, history, and the Mandarin Chinese language. She graduated from seminary at Seattle University s School of Theology and Religion. Her first Sunday with us will be February 19. Mark you calendars! Unitarian Universalist Church of the Desert INTERIM MINISTER ANNOUNCEMENT Greetings! I am the Rev. Julie Forest. In a few weeks I will be making my way to Rancho Mirage to serve as your interim minister for the next six months. I am very excited to share my ministry and to be in sacred community with you; a community that has withstood more than its fair share of challenges over the past year. What has it been like? How are you feeling? How has it frustrated you? How has it invited you to pull together? The work we do as a community will strengthen the UU Church of the Desert. The care we give each other, the fun we have and the worship we experience will all be expressions of this faith we share as Unitarian Universalists. A faith that is seeking to meet the unique challenges of our time, mindful of both the inner ecologies we have as humans and the fragile ecologies of Earth. A faith that seeks justice with vulnerable populations and a faith that understands that we are not perfect and that when we make mistakes, when our actions don't meet our highest aspirations we can begin again in love. May the spirit of love bless and hold us as we begin this journey together. Rev. Julie The Interim Search Committee including Shirley LeMaster, Katy Faas and Vikki Porter worked long hours review paperwork, interviewing candidates, checking reference and deliberating on recommending the strongest candidate for our congregation. The UUCOD Board of Directors accepted the committee s recommendation in Executive Session at their January 17 board meeting. (Calling All Friends continued from first page) of us. If you feel the same, please join us. Join us in transforming faith into action, sign the Declaration of Conscience today, share it with your own networks and please encourage others to sign as well. Thank you for your concern, vigilance, and willingness to act. In Faith and Solidarity, The Rev. Peter Morales, president of the Unitarian Universalist Association Hon. Thomas Andrews, president and CEO of the Unitarian Universalist Service Committee Please sign and support of this declaration of conscience! 2

3 February s Church Calendar Meetings and Events Wednesday February 1 6:30 pm Choir Rehearsal 7 pm Bridge 7 pm Pledge Stewards Training Session Thursday February 2 6:15 pm Girls Night Out Friday February 3 6 pm Desert Outreach Synagogue Saturday February 4 9:30 am Desert Outreach Synagogue Sunday February 5 PLEDGE DRIVE BEGINS 10 am Sunday Service 10 am Food on the First 11:30 am Chili Cook Off Monday February 6 5:30 pm Meditation Tuesday February 7 5:30 pm Membership Committee Wednesday February 8 6:30 pm UU s Dine-Out 6:45 pm Choir Rehearsal 7 pm Bridge Thursday February 9 6:15 pm Social Justice Committee Friday February 10 7:30 pm s2s2s Performance Exit Strategies Saturday February 11 7:30 pm s2s2s Performance Exit Strategies Sunday February am Worship Service 10 am New Member Induction 10 am Socks on the 2nd 11:15 am Finance Committee 11:30 am Community Potluck Monday February 13 5:30 pm Meditation 7 pm Evening Book Club Wednesday February 15 6:45 pm Choir Rehearsal 7 pm Bridge Sunday February am Sunday Service 11:30 am Afternoon of Games Monday February 20 5:30 pm Meditation Tuesday February 21 1 pm s2s2s Rehearsal 6:30 pm Board of Directors Meeting Wednesday February 22 6:45 pm Choir Rehearsal 7 pm Bridge Thursday February 23 Friday February 24 1:30 pm Women s Afternoon Book Club Sunday February am Sunday Service 11:15 am Facilities Committee Monday February 27 5:30 pm Meditation Tuesday February 28 1 pm s2s2s Rehearsal 3

4 February Service Descriptions Complete Service Descriptions will be published in the Weekly newsletters and on the church website as they become available. The Theme for February is Love and Compassion January 29th Beyond Generosity Rev. Arvid Straube will help us examine our priorities as we enter our stewardship drive and how we care for our own spiritual growth. Rev. Arvid Straube-Worship Leader Sarah Gonzales-Worship Associate February 5 To Forgive or Not to Forgive There is no more important yet difficult spiritual experience than making amends, pursuing reconciliation and forgiving those near or far. Nothing. Rev. Tom Owen-Towle, Worship Leader Joni Padduck, Worship Associate Rev. Lisa Marie Sanchez, Worship Leader Josette Pacino, Worship Associate Choir Performance February 12 To Be Announced Rev. Julie Forest, Worship Leader Interim Search Committee Members, Worship Associates February 19 We Welcome our New Interim Minister Rev. Julie Forest, Worship Leader February 26 To Be Announced Your Presence is the only gift we request! Please join us, this Sunday, January 29th after service for a presentation on the planned UU Oasis Labyrinth that is to be built on the UUCOD campus. Vikki Porter will describe the vision for the Chartres-style labyrinth, which will be open to the public. There will be an opportunity for questions and input at the presentation in the sanctuary. We hope you can attend! NOTE: This is NOT a fundraiser. 4

5 Friends Among Us February 2017 Out and About It been a quiet time after the holidays, until the end of the month. We were very well represented at the Women's March in Los Angeles. Among those from the church who bussed down are Bill Masco and Joni Padduck, Vikki Porter and Diane Carmony, Diane Chapman and Susan Hannon. Sharon Miller and other s mar ched in Palm Desert and Palm Springs. Denise Janssen Eager represented at the hub which was Washington, DC. Thank you all for such wonderful, thoughtful representation. We are grateful! On another note, Pamela and Chet Cole celebrated New Years in Puerto Rico. What a wonderful place to celebrate anything! Jerry and Suzanne Hogsett visited MaryAnn Kaestner in her new home in Santa Barbara. We hope she is well and happy there and miss her here. Many of us were laid up with bad...really bad, colds. Jane Zahn and others, we hope you are feeling 100% by now. And now, our Volunteer of the Month. This month it is the hard working, ever smiling, oh so friendly MAXINE ZIEBARTH. In her own words, she tells of how her journey brought her to us... My Faith Journey I grew up in a small town in Missouri. There were many churches. My father always claimed to belong to the Methodist Church. My mother did not belong to any church. Neither parent attended church but insisted that I and my sisters attend Sunday School. So, we did at the nearest church to our house which was just called Christian Church. I was baptized at 12. My Grandmother was an ardent member of the Assembly of God Church. In summertime, when I spent much time with her, I attended Church, Sunday School and Wednesday Prayer Service. She wanted me to be baptized in her Church by my dad said NO one baptism was enough. After high school graduation, I worked in Washington, DC. My roommate at the time invited me to attend church with her one Sunday. It was a church close to where we lived, so we walked to All Soul s Unitarian Church. The minister at the time was the rather famous Welshman, A. Powell Davies. I was enchanted with his sermon and the beautiful simplicity of the church. I told my friend that it was so different from the churches I had attended and wondered about attending again. She said rather abruptly, You will see the light. I was attending George Washington U as a night student, and one Sunday I did return to All Souls and saw my English teacher there. The next time I went to class, she read my essay to the class and said that my work was good enough for The New Yorker magazine. I immediately subscribed to The New Yorker, researched Unitarian religion, began attending services there, and married my first husband in the library of the church. That was in I have been a Unitarian ever since and have attended services in Baltimore, Kansas City, New York, Minneapolis and Montclair, CA, where I lived for many years. My volunteer service at UUCOD: 3 years on the Board as First VP, 1 year at large, Hospitality Committee, and most recently, member of the Membership Committee. At present, I work with Randy Steele at the Welcome Table. I saw the light. Maxine, thank you for all you have done and still do for us. We appreciate everything. MEMORIALS That's We all (the for this Board) month. have Remember, decided if to you expand want something sentiment mentioned of the here, Memorial you have pavers to tell us. to now Have include a great the Celebratory Pavers. In the spirit of the circle of life, month, everyone. Please contact me with your informatioden to at celebrate ecj0097@aol.com. major life events such as marriage, we would like to invite you to add a paver to our gar- birth of a child or grandchild, or other such events or beautiful sentiments as you see in the garden Ingrid now. It will be beautiful to see a paver memorializing the passing of someone s loved one next to the birth of a child or a marriage. The cost for a paver is $250 and can be paid in increments. The paver will be ordered upon final payment of the total $250 cost. Forms are available in the office The Flower Sign-Up Sheet for February is now on the clip board in the foyer. Please help brighten everyone s Sunday by celebrating a special occasion or by remembering a loved one with flowers. 5

6 KEEP THE FOOD AND SOCKS COMING IN! You gave 103 food items in January to the migrant families of Oasis School! Let s do even better on February 5th! Donate bagged rice, dried pinto beans, cooking oil, canned tomato sauce, corn, green beans, tuna, canned fruit, jars of peanut butter, corn masa mix (like Maseca), and similar items. On January 8, the RE kids counted 115 pairs of warm, dark-colored socks! With the current cold weather, generous donations of warm socks and new or gently-worn warm clothing are needed on February 12th. Well in the Desert will get them where they are needed. If you miss the 1st or 2nd Sunday, bring your food, socks and/or clothing the following week and put them in the receptacle provided in the foyer. You ll be glad you did, and so will all those we are helping! Food on the First FOOD ON THE FIRST (FEBRUARY 5) AND SOCKS ON THE SECOND (FEBRUARY 12) February may be chilly... but CHiLi will keep you warm! All members and friends, we hope you're looking forward to our Chili cook-off, Pledge Kickoff after service on Sunday, February 5th. Who makes the best Chili? You taste and decide! There will also be bread (some homemade) and desserts. We're looking forward to seeing all of you. Questions? Contact Barbara Storms. A short program will follow. We will not be soliciting pledges on that day. All are welcome. Please attend to learn about our goals for the Church. Put in Your SCRIP Orders! Be sure to your Scrip orders to uucodscrip@gmail.com or fill out a form that is in the church lobby this week. Be sure to pay for your order before it can be placed. Anne McCabe will have your cards on February 5th. Any questions, call Denise Janssen Eager, (760) Remember, every Scrip card you buy rebates a percentage to our beloved community to provide the programs we all love! Please join us on Thursday, February 2, 2017 at the Kaiser Grille in Palm Desert at 5:15 pm. We ll be in a private room through the dining area and off to the right. For more information, contact Judi Mills at jksmills@windstream.net. UU Dine-out at Native Foods Cafe This month, the group meets on Sunday, February 5th. We meet at Native Foods Restaurant in Palm Springs (1775 East Palm Canyon Drive #135) at 6:30pm. Meet friends, new and old, who are interested in sharing a table and some good conversation while enjoying casual vegan cuisine at the desert's only 100% vegan restaurant. You need not be vegan or vegetarian to join us! If you have questions, contact Frank Riela at or frank.riela@yahoo.it Join us for conversation, great food and great company! 6

7 Scrip 2Stage2Screen Presents Exit Strategies By Vicki Vodrey Kansas City writer Vicki Vodrey brings us another wonderful script. One doesn't often think of end of life discussions and comedy in the same breath. That's why we loved this play. Expect the unexpected as friends gather to push a blind date on an unsuspecting man and bring a new member into their very special group. The talented cast of The Exit Strategy Club includes Jan Briggs, Don Cilluffo, Chet Cole, Pamela Cole, Lou Galvin, and Doug Graham and is directed by Gina Bikales. Friday, February 10 and Saturday, February 11, 7:30pm. For information, contact Barbara McReal, Box Office script2stage2screen.com AM Chalice Circle AM Chalice Circle will meet Wednesday, February 15th. (Topic: THE POWER OF OPTIMISM) The time is 10-11:30 AM, followed by optional lunch at a local restaurant. We meet at my home, conveniently located on Country Club in Palm Desert, midway between Monterey and Portola. WE ALWAYS WELCOME NEW MEMBERS who want to join us in discussion of topics of interest using a structured format. Our goal is to build stronger friendships among fellow UUers as we explore our relationship to the seven UU principles. For more info and directions to my house, contact me, Sharon Miller, at bmcclane@redshift.com or DATE CHANGE! An Afternoon of Games! Be sure to sign up for UUCOD s Afternoon of Games, which will be held on Sunday, February 19th, 11:30am 2:00pm in the community room. Monopoly, Pictionary, Trivial Pursuit, Dominoes, Scrabble and various card games are just some that will be available to play. You may also bring your own game(s). Sandwiches will be provided. Tickets are only $15.00 adults / $9.00 children. The sign-up sheet will be in the lobby. For more information, see Susan Hannon. The Women s Afternoon Book Group Will meet on Friday, February 27th at the home of Yvonne Burk to discuss The Outlander by Diana Gabaldon at 1:30 pm. This group is open to Friends and Members of the Unitarian Church. For further information please contact Linda Davis-Brede at davis.breede@gmail.com or leave a message at We welcome seasonal visitors. 7

8 Each of these Opportunities is vital to the Financial Health and Vitality of our beloved community For February Won t you volunteer for one or more? Need: Stewards (Canvassers) for the upcoming annual Stewardship Drive Time Required: Pledge Drive begins February 5th and ends March 31 Skills Required: Have a strong passion about the congregation, our church and desire to see it grow. Comfortable speaking about stewardship, generosity, money and financially supporting the church. Info: It is anticipated that each Steward would have approximately 10 people to contact and meet with during the pledge drive to discuss their annual pledge. There will be a training session scheduled for February 1st at the church at 7:00pm where you will receive helpful information on conducting an effective pledge meeting and information you can share with the member about our needs for the upcoming year. Want more information? Talk to Walter Gendell a member of the Stewardship Committee at (510) Need: Green Sanctuary Members Wanted Time Required: You decide how much time you want to commit Skills Desired: An interest in the environmental health of our beloved community Info: A very small group is wanting to re-accredit UUCOD as a Green Sanctuary church, but cannot do it unless we have more assistance. Want More Info? Talk with Sue Caspari, (760) or Carol McDaniel (760) Need: Assist UUCODers Who Need Help in their Homes Time Required: You decide how much time you want to volunteer Skills Desired: Hammering a nail, computer knowledge, light lifting Info: Some of our members & friends are in need of someone to do odd jobs in their homes; hanging pictures, helping them figure out their computer, etc. Want More Info? Talk with Denise Janssen Eager, (760) Need: Volunteering Coordinator Time Required: 30 minutes - 1 hour each month Skills Desired: Maintain the list of our volunteers & match them with opportunities to volunteer at UUCOD as needed. Info: You would be the clearinghouse for the list of volunteers we already have & match them with the opportunities to volunteer Want More Info? Talk with Denise Janssen Eager, (760) Need: Scrip Publicity Coordinator Time Required: 30 minutes each month. Skills Desired: Write & send s reminding people to order their Scrip. Info: This is a small commitment that nets UUCOD $2000 each year! Want More Info? Talk with Denise Janssen Eager, (760) YOU-YOU-COD NEEDS YOU! 8

9 Is on Wednesdays at 6:45 pm Contact Dorian at for more info. This week s pianist is Mike Welden Return of the Coin Barrel Beginning February 12 th, the Coin Barrel is back! So, start collecting spare change from between your couch cushions, under your car seats, the bottom of your purse and on top of your dresser and bring what you have to church each Sunday. Everyone s little bit adds up to a lot. CHURCH HUMOR The church will host an evening of fine dining, superb entertainment, and gracious hostility. If you choose to heave during the Postlude, please do so quietly. A new loudspeaker system has been installed in the church. It was given by one of our members in honor of his wife. The outreach committee has enlisted 25 visitors to make calls on people who are not afflicted with any church. 9