Ironicschmoozer’s Weblog

Dear Visitors, Members, Families and Friends of UUSS:

Greetings!

Well, we did it!  We made it back home.  Last Sunday the sanctuary was full of people, full of energy, and full of love.  Even though it was Labor Day Weekend, we had well over 300 folks—good thing we expanded the space.  We had a large crowd in Religious Education, coming together as a learning community for  anew year.

This Sunday is another very big day, and it will be hot—good thing we installed insulation and air conditioning!  Thank you to the leadership groups, dozens of UUSS volunteers, generous donors, and hardworking staff members for getting us to this moment.  Lucy and I are gratified by and proud of this congregation.

I want to metion two losses in our UUSS family.  As I announced last Sunday in the pastoral prayer, our longtime member Ed Blanchette passed away last week after a long decline, from heart failure.  Our condolences to his wife, daughters, friends and family.   As you know from the Unigram, we lost our UUSS friend Tom Griffin a few weeks ago.  His memorial service will be Saturday, September 26, at 3:00 PM at UUSS.   Doris Janes has told me that memorial contributions to honor Tom may be made to St. John’s Program for Real Change, which he strongnly supported. We extend our condolences to Doris and the rest of Tom’s family and friends.

I hope you stay safe and cool and can “Spare the Air” and spare the stress this weekend.  Take care!

Yours in service,

Roger

Rev. Roger Jones, Senior Minister

Below is a reminder of what to expect this weekend.  For information about Adult Enrichment programs and other opportunities for connection ehre, please check the monthly Unigram Newsletter and the weekly Blue Sheet Announcements by clicking on the titles.

This Sunday Morning

September 13 (at 10:30 a.m.) is our annual Ingathering Service, when we have a service with all ages.  Bring a small bottle or jar of water to represent your summer activities, whether near or far.  This all-ages worship service includes the ritual of the mingling of the waters and the reading of the Memorial Honor Roll, to acknowledge UUSS members and friends who have died since last year.

The service is for all ages, though our Nursery is always staffed for infants and toddlers, starting as early as 10:15.  Krystal and Annie look forward to seeing you. After the service during Coffee Hour there is a drop-in time in Spirit Play.  Parents, kids, grandparents and ALL interested UUSS folks are invited to drop by Room 7/8 to learn about this enriching Religious Education ministry at UUSS.  Our RE Programs begin September 20, though the Junior High Youth Group starts September 27.

Sunday’s Building Dedication Ceremony

The Re-Dedication Ceremony begins at 3:00 p.m. and is for all ages.  It will last up to an hour and include music by our UUSS Choir, Keith Atwater, Ina Jun (piano), Ross Hammond (guitar), Kathryn Canan (recorder) and others.  It includes a dedication ritual, and greetings from local leaders.  The Rev. Doug Kraft offers a story.  The sermon is “From Sanctuary to Caravan,” by the Rev. Dr. Terasa Cooley.  Our UUSS Choir has commissioned a choral song by UU musician/professor Lucy Holstedt.

About our Guest Speaker: The Rev. Dr. Terasa G. Cooley was named Program and Strategy Officer of the Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA) in 2013. She was a parish minister for fif­teen years (Detroit, Chicago, Hartford and Bridgeport, CT), served as a district executive for five years, and became director of Congregational Life at the UUA in 2010.  She is a lifelong Unitarian Universalist with a BA in English from the University of Texas, an M.Div. from Harvard Divinity School, and a D.Min. from Hartford Seminary.

My personal note:  Terasa [ter-AY-sa] Cooley and I have been friends since 1994, when I was a seminary student in Chicago and she was minister at the nearby UU church.  She mentored me in several important ways, as she has done for many clergy and lay leaders, especially young adults, LGBT UUs, and UUs of color.  Many of her friends, myself included, are encouraging her to run as a candidate for president of the Unitarian Universalist Association next year.

Other information:  The Hon. Eric Guerra will bring greetings from the City of Sacramento, and the Rev. Jason Bense will bring greetings from a neighbor church and St. John’s Program for Real Change.  And, did I mention the music?

The service is for all ages, though there is audio in the Welcome Hall and Library if your child vociferously objects to the ceremony!  It will last an hour or less.  Refreshments and finger foods to follow!

Special Gift for the Celebration

We are invited to make a special gift in honor of the success of the renovation project.  Checks may be made to UUSS.  See the colorful box in the Welcome Hall during the morning service, or bring your gift for the offering at the Re-Dedication. You may designate a person in whose honor or memory you wish to make a gift, or any reason or occasion you wish to honor by your gift.  If you are not able to attend Sunday but wish to make a gift by credit card, you may contact our Bookkeeper, Michele.

We celebrate and give thanks for all of the

generosity, work, love and care which have brought us to this moment.