Service Leaders: Rev. JD Benson, Jay Roller, Susan Panttaja
Music by: Jay Roller 
Share the Basket: The Guardian Group, First UU Society of San Francisco

What does it mean to be a refugee or asylum seeker in the United States today? We can be proud that the United States is one of the countries that welcomes people who are persecuted in their home countries for their sexual orientation. What is the experience of those who are serving LGBTI people fleeing for their lives? Come hear stories of how the UUSF Refugee Guardian Group and other faith communities are helping to resettle these newcomers in northern California.

Rev. JD Benson is Assistant Minister at our San Francisco church, serving as lead minister on pastoral care. She is also the ministerial liaison to our Human Rights Working Group which includes the Refugee Guardian Group as well as anti-racism initiatives.

Jay Roller has been an LGBTI activist and is now working for human rights issues in a UU context in the Bay Area. He is also active with the Balazs Scholar Program at Starr King School for the Ministry.

Service Leaders: Millie Phillips, Andy Levine
Music by: Sadie Sonntag and The Choir
Share the Basket: The Martin Luther King Birthday Celebration

 Our UU sources include "Humanist teachings which counsel us to heed the guidance of reason and the results of science, and warn us against idolatries of the mind and spirit." A self-identified "religious humanist," Intern Minister Millie Phillips will share why a humanist outlook continues to provide spiritual grounding - and even joyous inspiration - for many UUs and may offer a soul-saving antidote to the current idolatries of our culture. 

Service Leader: Rev. Chris Bell, Sharon McCarty, Claire Beery
Music by: Claire Beery and some of the U-Usual Suspects
Share the Basket: UU Justice Ministry of California

Plus: New Member Ceremony!

William Ellery Channing’s 1819 sermon “Unitarian Christianity” at the ordination of Rev. Jared Sparks is one of the watershed moments in our history. It helped our ancestors identify themselves as a distinct religious movement and presented the tenets of a new kind of Christianity, which, frankly, the world could sorely use more of today. Although UUism has expanded far beyond its early Christian identity, we’ll examine the teachings of this masterpiece closely today, and a few of us may discover we don’t mind the label “Christian” after all.

Service Leaders: Rev. Chris Bell, Jen Collins
Music by: Sadie Sonntag and The Choir 
Share the Basket: The Breakfast for our Neighbors

Climate change and environmental degradation are two of the greatest challenges facing humankind today, and addressing them is a top priority for many Unitarian Universalist activists. Transforming human behavior and thinking to create a sustainable social and ecological system is THE moral and spiritual crisis for our time. The roots of every person and culture are ultimately sunk into the Earth. Preserving her takes sacrifice, but also brings enormous joy and opening of the soul.

Service Leaders: Rev. Chris Bell, Veronica Jordan
Music by: Robert Howseman and some of the UUsual Suspects
Share the Basket: Adrienne Swenson Award

George Lakoff, author of Moral Politics: How Liberals and Conservatives Think discovered that conservatives and liberals have two different ideal models of the family that he calls a Strict Father Family and a Nurturing Parent Family. This metaphor maps those models of the family onto our national moral and political life, and what you get are two very different models of the family, and with them two very different models of politics.” And, Rev. Chris will add today, two very different models of religion.

Presented by the Children of the Religious Education Program
(One service only)

Service Leaders: Rev. Chris Bell, Deborah Mason, and many children 
Music by: Children of the Religious Education Program
Share the Basket: Restorative Resources

The story of Jonathan Livingston Seagull – trippy and mystical though it may be – offers a powerful lesson in following your own path and finding true freedom. Through words, actions and songs our children will help Rev. Chris and Deborah tell this magical tale. Come and learn to fly!

Please note the special times and the congregational meeting and spread the word.

Service Leaders: Millie Phillips, Eric Fischer
Music by: Sadie Sonntag and The Choir ; the U-Usual Suspects Valentunes
Share the Basket: Catholic Charities Family Support Center

Valentine's Day— yes, you guessed it, the topic is Love: romantic love, familial love, "justice is what love looks like in public." Intern Minister Millie Phillips explores what all forms of love share in common.

Service Leaders: Rev. Chris Bell, Cathy Read
Music by: John Ray and some of the UUsual Suspects
Share the Basket: West County Health Centers

Unitarian Universalists historically have had a special fondness for the capacity of reason and for the powers of the intellect. But not all of existence, or even our own lives and minds, can be captured under that banner. Many of us have had powerful experiences of intuition, epiphanies, and other moments of direct experience that are hard to explain. What are we to make of these? Can we trust ourselves even when it is our gut instead of our head that is leading the way?

Service Leaders: Rev. Chris Bell, David Hope
Music by: The Choir
Share the Basket: Saturday Breakfast For Our Neighbors

Creativity is one of the miracles of life. The universe evolves. Once the Earth was only rock and fire. Over time it came up with giraffes, orchids, clouds, and you. People constantly come up with new ideas, new objects, new technologies, new insights. We write new songs. Every person has the capacity to be creative. And all hope for a challenging future depends upon creativity! Today we’ll celebrate this miracle and explore its sacred dimension.

Service Leaders: Rev. Chris Bell, Scott Miller
Music by: Ben Ford and some of the UUsual Suspects
Share the Basket: The Living Room

Through the ages art and spirituality have been intimately linked. For centuries most art centered on religious themes and stories. We’ll expand on last week’s service on creativity by looking at the spiritual dimensions of art, in particular, Zen art and modern abstract art, which (not coincidentally) are two of Rev. Chris’s favorites. Bring your glasses – there will be many images shown.

Service Leaders: Rev. Debra Haffner, Frances Corman
Music by: The Choir
Share the Basket: Buckelew Programs

How does our faith help us explore the "big" questions and live into our answers? The Reverend Dr. Debra Haffner is our guest minister today. The Reverend Dr. Debra Haffner is the President of the Religious Institute (www.religiousinstitute.org) and the endorsed community minister at The Unitarian Church in Westport. She has been a consultant to the UUA and its congregations across the country, a member of the Ministerial Fellowship Committee, and received the Ministry to Women award from the UUWomen's Federation.

Service Leaders: Millie Phillips, Eric Fischer
Music by: Natalie Brundred and some of the UUsual Suspects
Share the Basket: Women’s Justice Center

"A picture is worth a thousand words." Visual images reach us powerfully in a way that words often cannot. Intern Minister Millie Phillips shares images from the history of Christianity, inviting us to explore them with contemporary UU eyes.

Service Leaders: Rev. Chris Bell, Sharon McCarty
Music by: Robert Howseman and some of the UUsual Suspects

We mark the night of the Last Supper with a modern and very UU celebration of the ancient rituals of communion and foot washing. All are welcome!

Service Leaders: Rev. Chris Bell, Sharon McCarty
Music by: Robert Howseman and some of the UUsual Suspects

Meditations on suffering and grief interspersed with inspirational readings and periods of extended silence provide space to discover the presence of the Spirit of Life even in times of death and despair.

Service Leaders: Rev. Chris Bell, Scott Miller, Veronica Jordan
Music by: The Choir
Share the Basket: The Saturday Breakfast

Let us celebrate the wonders of Life in its gorgeous, ever resurrecting splendor. Please bring a single flower or many flowers to share, as together we will create a huge beautiful bouquet for our annual Flower Communion ritual. At 11:00 our children will be in the whole service, and join in the making of music. This is an Easter service for everyone!

Service Leaders: Rev. Chris Bell, Andrew Hidas
Music by: Paul Gilger and some of the UUsual Suspects
Share the Basket: Parkinson's Disease Support Group

The Dalai Lama says the point of life is to be happy, and the nation of Bhutan uses a national happiness quotient to determine the success of its government. But just what is this often-elusive experience of happiness? And how can we justly generate more of it for everyone?

Service Leaders: Rev. Chris Bell, Cathy Read
Music by: Sadie Sonntag & The Choir
Share the Basket: Santa Rosa Quilt Guild

Grief is a burden of mental and emotional suffering that each of us is destined to carry in our lives, whether it comes from the loss of a loved one, the loss of our own capacities, the loss of polar bears, or the loss of our democracy. Since there is no avoiding it, learning how live through it, and turn it toward something good is the only way forward. Today we’ll look at what our UU faith has to offer us in this process.

Service Leaders: Rolland Carlson, Roger Corman
Music by: The Choir, and Robin Rogers
Share the Basket: Saturday Breakfast For Our Neighbors

John Muir and Ralph Waldo Emerson met in Yosemite and forged a close friendship while visiting the Giant Sequoias. Emerson’s Unitarian thinking had a significant influence on Muir and the campaign to preserve sacred wild places in National Parks, a uniquely American idea. We ponder this appropriate theme close to Earth Day and will include some Sequoia and Yosemite history, plus the story of an amazing man, Sequoia, whose name graces these magnificent species.

Service Leaders: Rev. Chris Bell, David Hope
Music by: Robert Howseman and Roger Corman
Share the Basket: Sonoma County Vet Connect

We kick off a month looking at spiritual practices by considering one very close to many UUs: working for justice. And, Lord knows, there are plenty of opportunities to do so these days, with anti-LGBT statutes in North Carolina, global terrorism, hate-speech and demagoguery in our politics, climate change, and attacks on women’s rights. The good news is that the practice of working for social change also changes us, opening our hearts and minds.

Service Leaders: Rev. Chris Bell, Deborah Mason
Music by: Sadie Sonntag and the Choir, Tyler Johnson
Share the Basket: Youth Group trip to New Orleans

The Fourth UU Principle calls us to engage in a “free and responsible search for truth and meaning,” and we greatly honor the process of life-long learning. Being religious does not mean giving up our minds or critical thinking! Today we’ll consider the process of education – in both its providing and receiving forms – as a spiritual practice. At the center of the 11:00 service is the Bridging Ceremony for our graduating senior high school youth, and their reflections on their journey.

Service Leaders: Rev. Chris Bell, Andy Levine
Music by: Special Guest Bobby Jo Valentine, Tyler Johnson
Share the Basket: Council on Aging / Meals on Wheels
“Embodied spirituality views all human dimensions—body, vital, heart, mind, and consciousness—as equal partners in bringing self, community, and world into a fuller alignment with the Mystery out of which everything arises. Far from being an obstacle, this approach sees the engagement of the body and its vital/primary energies as crucial for not only a thorough spiritual transformation, but also the creative exploration of expanded forms of spiritual freedom.” — Jorge N. Ferrer

Service Leaders: Millie Phillips, John Ray
Music by: The Choir AND The UUsual Suspects!
Share the Basket: The Saturday Breakfast for our Neighbors

Jazz is often misconstrued as "every person for him/herself," riffing like mad with the hope it all coheres in the end. Rather like "UU's can believe anything, making it up as they go along and then talking about it on Sunday." But underneath jazz's reverence for free-form improvisation lies a deep structure and tradition of individual creativity lending itself to group cooperation. Hmmm...Join us, including a swingin' group of UUsual Suspects players and singers and our Choir, for this musically rich and thought-provoking journey through a home-grown American art form and its interweave with liberal religion.

Service Leaders: Rev. Chris Bell, Sharon McCarty
Music by: Ben Ford & the UUsual Suspects, Tyler Johnson
Share the Basket: NAACP Sonoma County Chapter

“There are times when a human soul cries out in mourning, and there are times when a human soul sings forth in gratitude for the sheer joy of life,” writes Rev. Patrick O’Neil. Spontaneous expressions of our soul’s deep longing are the most familiar form of prayer (for theists and non-theists alike!), but what might come of making a daily practice of this form of mindful and intentional speech?

Summer schedule begins: one service only at 10:00am.

Service Leaders: Rev. Chris Bell, Eric Fischer
Music by: Paul Gilger and some of the UUsual Suspects
Share the Basket: The Living Room

As we begin June, a month devoted to the consideration of fighting and struggle, we ask "When is fighting ok?" Not just fighting with words and ideas, even, but actually fighting. Like with fists or guns. St. Augustine’s theories of "Just" wars will provide some guidance, or a foil, depending on how Rev. Chris interprets it. The Adrienne Swenson award is also presented today.

Service Leaders: Susan Panttaja, Joe McCarty, David Hope, Joe Gabaeff
Music by: Sadie Sonntag and the Choir
Share the Basket: Planned Parenthood So Co

As UUs, we strive for peace and understanding in our interactions, even in conflict. How far will we go "to meet injury with service and evil with good," in the words of Unitarian pacifist John Haynes Holmes? Today we explore pacifism and nonviolence, and we hear from two members who chose to become conscientious objectors.

Service Leaders: Scott Miller, Eric Fischer
Music by: Robin Rogers and some of the UUsual Suspects
Share the Basket: North Bay Black Chamber of Commerce

At the last Men's Retreat, the men of UUCSR sought to develop a vision of sustainable masculinity. What versions of ourselves could forcefully support the health of the people and of the world, and resist the siren call traps of masculinity, especially violence? Today men of UUCSR share insights from negotiating the challenges of inhabiting manhood in America and the world.

Service Leaders: Veronica Jordan, others
Music by: Robert Howseman, Claire Beery & the UUsual Suspects
Share the Basket: Saturday Breakfast for Our Neighbors

The long struggle for human fulfillment and human dignity is the source of some of the greatest music ever written. The role of songs in providing hope and energy for those fighting the good fight cannot be overstated. Today we’ll celebrate this sacred legacy with a VERY musical service. Rev. Chris is at G.A.

Service Leaders: Rev. Chris Bell, Roger Corman
Music by: The UUsual Suspects
Share the Basket: NAACP Sonoma County

Fresh on the heels of the UUA General Assembly, Rev. Chris offers the highlights, review the theological conversations, leadership elections and social justice decisions that transpired there, and discuss the top issues that our denominational leaders are directing us towards now.

Service Leaders: Erin Howseman, Cathy Read
Music by: Jenny Harriman, Robert Howseman, & Tom Rough

In 1991, Lauren Atress, then Canon Pastor of Grace Cathedral in San Francisco, went on a life-changing pilgrimage to Chartres Cathedral in France to experience the medieval labyrinth inlaid in its stone floor sometime early in the 13th century. That was the beginning of a renaissance of labyrinth creation and use throughout the world. This Sunday, with reflections, music and poetry, we will explore how the modern spiritual practice of the labyrinth can aid us in our personal searches for healing and transformation. We will place our canvass labyrinth on the floor of the chancel, and all will have the opportunity to walk. Wheel chairs and walkers are welcome.

Service Leaders: Andrew Hidas, Eric Fischer, Mary Chapot
Music by: Various UUCSR vocalists

Both depth psychology and every pop psychology book ever published focus on the notion of a “Self.” But is that Self one or many? What is it made of? On the religious side, Christianity extols an immortal Self that will someday be reunited with its Creator, while the Asian traditions regard Self as the ultimate delusion. Sociology alludes to many selves, filling various roles. Where do we come down on this matter as UUs? What, in the end, is inside this bag of bones?

Service Leader: Scott Miller
Music by: Paul Gilger and many of the UUsual Suspects

What breaks when a heart breaks? What do we learn when we part from former partners? Join the musical ministers of UUCSR in a meditatiion-through-song exploration of the endings of love stories. As we’ll see, loss of love yields no loss of rich material for artistic expression. The lessons that expression teaches us will give us clues about the further opening of the heart and invite us once again to attend to some of the things that really matter

Service Leaders: Rev. Dr. Leisa Huyck Sharon McCarty, Joe Gabaeff

There are two ways we can live in this world: from a place of fear, in which we compete for scarce resources, or from a place of love, in which we share in the life abundant. Universalism calls us to the latter. How can we make it so?
Rev. Dr. Leisa Huyck, an ecologist for 20 years before becoming a minister, is called to help our culture make the spiritual transformation we need in order to live on Earth sustainably, with love and justice for all.

Service Leaders: Rev. Chris Bell, Scott Miller, Susan Panttaja

Music By: Susan Panttaja and the UUsual Suspects

Share the Basket: Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA)

The science fiction universe of the Star Wars films enjoys almost unparalleled devotion and attention from its legions of fans, and indicates just how deep our hunger for magic and myth remain. There are even real orders of Jedi Knights. We’ll look at the spirituality and philosophy behind the movies and the way good, evil, and violence are portrayed therein, in light of our own conflicted and divisive times.

Service Leaders: Rev. Earl W. Koteen, Jennifer Collins
Music By: Roger Corman and the UUsual Suspects
Share the Basket: Today we will give our entire offering to the Redwood Credit Union's 2016 Lake County Fire Relief Fund. 

How does one maintain a spiritual center in the midst of growing chaos? Our planet is becoming increasingly uninhabitable, and our political leadership has not yet proven itself capable of reversing our course. We can face this daunting future by developing our own spiritual strength. Rev. Earl W Koteen, our guest minister, a lifelong UU, is the Environmental Justice Minister for the UU Ministry for Earth.

Service Leaders: Rev. Chris Bell, Lucia Milburn, David Hope

Music By: Paul Gilger and the UUsual Suspects

Share the Basket: Breakfast for Our Neighbors

On August 1st, 2006 a clean-cut Harvard man arrived in sunny Sonoma County to accept his call to ministry from the UU Congregation, Santa Rosa. Ten years have passed. Together we will reflect on the change and evolution of our shared ministry over the last decade, and look to the future of our community.

Service Leaders: Rev. Yvonne Schumacher Strejcek, Eric Fischer

Music by: Robert Howseman and some of the UUsual Suspects

Share the Basket: The Living Room

Rev. Schumacher Strejcek reflects on the living Unitarianism in Hungary and Romania, and the exciting possibilities of partnering with a sister church there.

Back to two services! 9:15 and 11:00!
Service Leaders: Rev. Chris Bell, Joe Gabaeff
Music by: The Choir, Tessa McClary
Share the Basket: ACLU Foundation of Sonoma County
Welcome back! Summer’s passing and vacation is over. It’s time to return to two services, and to kick off the Children’s Religious Education program.
Today’s service uses the metaphor of Home, and Homecoming, to ground us and help us look ahead to a new year of service to each other and our community.

Service Leaders: Rev. Chris Bell, Veronica Jordan
Music by: Robin Rogers and some of the UUsual Suspects, Tessa McClary
Share the Basket: Brady Center to Prevent Gun Violence
Radical Hospitality is a concept that originates in the Benedictine tradition, but accurately captures an essential part of Unitarian Universalism: the conviction that all people are our relations and should be treated and loved accordingly. We’ll consider ways we can be truly welcoming and embracing of diversity, and offer hope and belonging even to those who are very different from ourselves – not just in our congregation, but in our nation.

Service Leaders: Millie Phillips, Susan Panttaja

Music by: The Choir, Tessa McClary

Share the Basket: Breakfast for our Neighbors
Intern minister Millie Phillips draws upon her experience as a hospital chaplain intern this summer to explore the weirdness and rewards of accompanying some of life's most difficult and intimate moments and emotions - pain, anger, fear, grief, death - with people one has never met before and likely may never meet again.

One service only at 10:00!
Congregational Meeting at 11:30!

Service Leaders: Mr. Rick Concoff, Rev. Chris Bell, Claire Beery, Scott Miller

Music by: Mr. Rick Concoff, Tessa McClary

Share the Basket: Becoming Independent

An interactive, song- and story-filled multi-generational service - we learn the meaning of Rosh Hashanah, consider an ancient creation story, and prepare for a week of forgiveness and atonement. We’ll hear the sound of the Shofar! Our special guest service leader, Rick Concoff, is a Jewish community social worker, educator and camp counselor.

Service Leaders: Millie Phillips, Eric Fischer, Deborah Mason

Music by: The Choir, Tessa McClary

Share the Basket: Graton Day Labor Center

Our service will be held close to Yom Kippur, the highest holy day in the Jewish faith, also known as the Day of Atonement. On this day, Jews atone for their sins in the previous year and pray for forgiveness. They renounce all false or unintentional vows and promises to the self or to God. They recommit to living with integrity and compassion for the coming year. Intern minister Millie Phillips and Worship Associate Eric Fischer will put a UU spin on these themes, exploring the positive spiritual power of keeping our word, forgiving others (and ourselves), and acknowledging and making restitution for our mistakes. The Jewish part of UU heritage will be honored in music and readings.

Service Leaders: Rev. Chris Bell, Roger Corman
Music by: Robin Rogers, Paul Gilger, and the UUsual Suspects

Share the Basket: League of Women Voters, Sonoma County

Today we honor our 7th Principle by inviting our animal friends to join us at our worship services. We encourage you to bring your friendly, well-mannered pets to a courtyard Blessing of the Animals. Or bring a photo of your pet, or one in remembrance of a friend now gone. There will be some indoor seating in the RE common area which will be animal-free. Through song and poetry we pay homage to our connections with the creatures of the Earth.

Service Leaders: Guest speaker: Carolyn West, Worship Associate: Veronica Jordan

Music by: The Choir, Tessa McClary

Share the Basket: Breakfast for our Neighbors

Religion can take us deeper into ourselves, deeper into communion with each other, and the Sacred. But we must be willing to let go of assumptions and habits that act as safety nets. Some seem able to jump into the depths--without a safety net--so much more easily than the rest of us. What can we learn from their willingness to let go and go deep?

Service Leaders: Rev. Chris Bell, Cathy Read, Susan Bartholome

Music by: Paul Gilger, John Ray and the UUsual Suspects, Tessa McClary

Share the Basket: Earle Baum Center

Many traditions recognize this time of year, with its falling leaves, as one when the boundary between life and death grows thin. Today we honor our ancestors and departed loved ones, and make friends with the reality of death. An altar will be built. Please bring an image or object that represents a person (or more) who has passed away.

Service Leaders: Rev. Chris Bell, Joe Gabaeff

Music by: Susan Panttaja and the UUsual Suspects, Tessa McClary

 Share The Basket: Wellness and Advocacy Center
The interminable, embarrassing, depressing spectacle that is the American Presidential Election will be coming to a close in just two days. Today we will consider its implications for our democracy and our future, and how we will keep the faith and keep our hope alive, no matter what happens. (Part One)

Remember we have set our clocks back one hour in order to end Daylight Savings Time and change to Standard Time.  

Service Leaders: Rev. Chris Bell, Andrew Hidas
Music by: Anthony Martin & the Choir, Tessa McClary
Share the Basket: Women’s Justice Center
The interminable, embarrassing, depressing spectacle that was the American Presidential Election will be over just five days ago. Today we will consider its implications for our democracy and our future, and how we will keep the faith and keep our hope alive, no matter what has happened. (Part Two)

Service Leaders: Rev. Chris Bell, Susan Panttaja, Others

Music by: Robert Howseman, Alan Bell, and the UUsual Suspects, Tessa McClary

Share the Basket: YWCA Safe Place
We will celebrate the inherent worth and dignity of all people and the beautiful uniqueness of each person’s gender expression, whatever it may be. We will memorialize those who have been murdered as a result of trans-phobia and bring attention to the continued violence endured by the transgender community.

Service Leaders: Rev. Chris Bell, Sharon McCarty
Music by: Anthony Martin & the Choir, Tessa McClary
Share the Basket: Breakfast for Our Neighbors
Gratitude, it has been said, is the very essence of Unitarian Universalist spirituality. Gratitude isn’t just a feeling. It is something we can practice, much like one might practice yoga or even practice for a play. Many of us find that being generous back toward the world is the
best way to say “Thanks!” for the many blessings we have received. A fun story for all ages and some great music will help complete our Thanksgiving today.

Service Leaders: Rev. Chris Bell, Deborah Mason, Jen Collins

Music by: Robin Rogers, John Ray, the UUsual Suspects, Tessa McClary

Share the Basket: Redwood Empire Food Bank
Let’s kick off the winter holiday season with our own UU observance, Chalica, a kid-friendly celebration of our Principles through story and song. As a community we will light a flame for each Principle over the course of a week as a way of recommitting to the values that most deeply bind us. Don’t yet have a Chalice at home? This is a good time to get or make or repurpose one!

Service Leaders: Millie Phillips, Scott Miller

Music by: Anthony Martin and the Choir, Tessa McClary

Share the Basket: The Living Room

As we end Chalica, we focus on our seventh principle, which recalls to us the indigenous wisdom that tells us we are a part of, not apart from, the Great Big Thing. Building respectfully on the words of Chief Seattle, this service will help us understand various meanings of the idea of "web." The aim will be to teach us ways of healing the many kinds of alienation that we are heir to.

Service Leaders: Rev. Chris Bell, Millie Phillips, Cathy Read

Music by: Alan Bell, John Ray, the UUsual Suspects, Tessa McClary

Share the ENTIRE Basket: International Rescue Committee*

Nature Herself is our greatest teacher. As the cycle of the year moves toward darkest night and shortest day, we consider the lessons, challenges and comforts that Mother Earth offers us in the eternal changing of the seasons.

 *Our fellow members Shirley White, Linda Harlow and Pam Tennant have recently become closely involved with an organization that helps settle refugees from war-torn areas in the Middle East. Through the Oakland branch of the International Rescue Committee, a highly regarded NGO, they have become particularly well acquainted with an Afghani family that was forced to flee their homeland for their lives. The father, who speaks English, served as a translator for the U.S. Army during our military engagement there. Our government has been shamefully negligent in supporting and resettling such dutiful servants of our country, in spite of what has amounted to a death sentence by the Taliban and other extremists since the U.S. withdrawal.
What do I mean by shamefully negligent? Among many other challenges, this family was responsible for the cost of their own airfare in order to get to the United States.
Since that ain’t right, on Sunday we’re going to give the ENTIRE collection to the IRC towards reimbursing the cost of those flights.
 I hope you will be generous.
 Fondly,
Rev. Chris
Want to learn more?
http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/relocated-afghan-translators-u-s-life-offers-new-struggles/
http://www.cnn.com/videos/international/2014/11/05/exp-no-one-left-behind.cnn
https://www.thisamericanlife.org/radio-archives/episode/499/transcript

Download (PDF, 170KB)

Service Leaders: Rev. Chris Bell, Millie Phillips, Joe Gabaeff, Deborah Mason Music by: Anthony Martin and the Choir, Tessa McClary

Share the Basket: Minister’s Discretionary Fund
We remember and give thanks for the life and teaching of Jesus, in whose words many Unitarians, Universalists, and UUs, have placed their trust. In our time of uncertainty, his bravery and compassion toward “the least,” and his teaching about loving your enemies is more vital than ever.

Service Leaders: Rev. Chris Bell, Deborah Mason
Music by: Robert Howseman & the UUsual Suspects

Share the Basket: Saturday Breakfast for our Neighbors
Join us Christmas morning for a contemplative service of music and readings celebrating peace. Come in your jammies if you want. We’ll have hot cocoa. One service only, at 10:00am!