Congregation News
UUCPA embarks on Welcoming Congregation renewal process
At an open meeting held on Sunday, Sept. 29, UUCPA kicked off an effort to renew our status as a Welcoming Congregation for LGBTQ+ UUs. The UUA’s Welcoming Congregation Renewal program provides a framework for UUCPA and other UU churches to reaffirm our commitment and respond to the evolving needs and concerns of LGBTQ+ people.
The ...Midweek meditation: From fear to fulfillment
Midweek meditation: from fear to fulfillment
Thanks to the creativity and drive of UUCPA member Randy Helmonds, we will be hosting the Blood Donation Olympics on Saturday, October 26. I want to share my story with you.
In my family, donating blood has always been one of those no-brainer acts of
mercy, like giving clothes we didn’t ...UUCPA Auction Is On the Way!
It’s getting close to Auction Time – November 16 is just about a month away!
The Auction is such a great party – delicious food, wine, live music, and plenty of fun for the kids. There will be lots of exciting things to bid for, plus a raffle for a two or three night stay ...October 6, 2019 Bulletin
Parking at UUCPA
We sometimes get a lot of people parking in the UUCPA lot who are not participating in a UUCPA activity. If it’s Sunday morning or there is a youth activity going on, we ask non-church folks to park elsewhere, usually via a note on their windshield. Usually staff do a sweep late on Sunday afternoons, ...Put Your Photo in the UUCPA Directory
Photoshoots in October on Sundays 10:30 to 11 am; 12:15 to 1 pm on the path in the back of the Main Hall We have a complete directory of all of our members available to you to pick up in the Office. It has a very valuable listing of the names, phone numbers, addresses and ...Candy Should Be Sweet, Not Bitter • Buy Fair-Trade Chocolate
Enormous bags of chocolate candies have appeared in supermarkets and drugstores as Halloween approaches. Almost all of them are made by Hershey’s, Mars and Nestle, three companies that have stubbornly refused to remove child slavery from their supply chains. Over a million children worldwide are estimated to work on cocoa plantations far from their families, ...2019 Auction News!!
The UUCPA Auction is the biggest and best party of the church year! Be sure to mark your calendars now. You don’t want to miss the delicious food, wine, live music, and plenty of fun for the kids. There’ll be lots of parties and other stuff to bid on in the silent auction, plus 10 ...Delayed Justice Coming To El Salvador?
South Bay Sanctuary Covenant, our justice partner for the month of October, invites all to join us for our semi-annual program, dinner, and fundraiser for our justice partners here and in El Salvador. Speaker: Terry Karl, professor of Latin American Studies and Political Science at Stanford will explain current efforts to bring to justice those ...New UUCPA Justice Project Approved – Reclaim Our Vote
The Action Council recently approved a new justice project relating to the UUA Voting Rights, Election Reform, and Democracy Initiative. (See https://www.uua.org/liberty/electionreform for more information.) The new UUCPA justice effort will provide opportunities to participate in voter registration and turnout enablement for people of color in various states across the country via Reclaim Our Vote, ...Walk The Labyrinth – Sundays @ 9:05 am
Join others in a group walk of the UUCPA labyrinth between 9:05 and 9:20 every Sunday morning. The labyrinth is located at the front of the church not far from the front doors.
Walking a labyrinth is a silent and ordinarily solitary activity. However, many people find it uplifting to sometimes do it with a group. ...Upcoming Bulletin Deadlines – Oct 13 and 27, 2019
October 13 and 27 are the next two deadlines to submit items for publication. Send them to newsletter@uucpa.org or leave a hardcopy in the church office. Note that we do not publish personal phone numbers/email addresses to safeguard privacy. Deadline Comes out on Service Dates Described Oct 13 Oct 20 Oct 27, Nov 3 Oct 27 Nov 3 Nov 10, 17 Nov 10 Nov 17 Nov ...October 2019 Justice Partner Donation Day is October 6
The Justice Partner for October 2019, as chosen by the congregation at the annual meeting, is South Bay Sanctuary Covenant, an interfaith, non-partisan organization of churches and individuals in the Bay Area concerned with peace, justice and liberation for the people of Central America. On Sunday, Oct 6, Karen Skold will speak in both services about ...From the Associate Minister for Religious Education
We have been delighted to welcome a number of new families to UUCPA’s CYRE program. With that in mind, it’s worth mentioning that one of the nice things about UUCPA is that if you’re a parent, and you see another parent with a child or children about the same age as yours, we think it’s ...Hallowe’en Parade on Oct. 27, 2019
The annual Hallowe’en Parade will take place on Sun., Oct. 27, right after Sunday school classes let out. All kids are encouraged to wear their Hallowe’en costumes when they come to UUCPA that Sunday. The middle school teens (many of whom will also be in costume) will write customized certificates for every child who marches ...Office Hours – Thursday – Sept 26th
The office hours for Thursday, Sept 26th will be from 11:30 am – 2:30 pm. We will return to our regular office hours on Friday, Sept 27th from 9:00 am to 2:30 pm.Seeking New Guest At Your Table Coordinator
Beth Nord is stepping down from coordinating the annual UUSC (Unitarian Universalist Service Committee) Guest at Your Table Program. So….we are looking for someone who would like to take the position. She will be happy to provide extensive information on how it works.
Contact the CYRE committee if you are interested: cyrecommittee@uucpa.org.
September 22, 2019 Bulletin
UUCPA Endorsement And Banner Use Requests Approved in 2019
As of the end of August, the following requests made to the Action Council and Board have been approved this calendar year: Use of UUCPA Banner Approved for: 2019 Women’s Marches Mountain View May Day March San Francisco and Silicon Valley Pride Parades UUCPA Approved as a Co-Sponsor of: Annual 9/11 Peace Picnic and Prayers, hosted by American Muslim Voice and ...The Brown Bag Book Discussion Group – October 2019 Update
The Woman Who Smashed Codes: A True Story of Love, Spies, and the Unlikely Heroine Who Outwitted America’s Enemies by Jason Fagone (nonfiction) is October’s Brown Bag Books selection. This is the story of “ (who) was a tireless and talented code breaker who brought down gangsters and Nazi spies … a fascinating swath ...You’re Going To Have New Ways To Vote!
The Voter’s Choice Act goes into effect in March 2020, just in time for the California presidential primary. It offers you new ways and more time to cast your ballot. Come learn what this means for you, Santa Clara County, and CA.
League of Women Voters of Palo Alto presents – Goodbye Precincts, Hello Easy ...How Can I Get Involved In A UUCPA Justice Project?
One of the roles of the Action Council is to publicize to the congregation ways to be involved in justice work. Over the years this type of work has generally been referred to as “Service Projects.” However, since now there are so many ways to become involved, not all of which are technically “service,” the ...Navigators Bias-Free Scouting Group
Navigators, our bias-free scouting group, meets twice a month, September through May. Contact Ed Vail at chapter42leaders@navigatorsusa.org to be put on the email list. Read more about Navigators at UUCPA here: Navigators
Upcoming events:
“Future of CALTRAIN in Palo Alto” Class postponed
This class, which was scheduled for Sunday, September 29, will not take place then. We hope to reschedule it in the future.
UUCPA Banner Use Approved for Climate Strike Events
On September 9 the Action Council unanimously approved a request from the Green Sanctuary Committee to allow the use of our UUCPA banners at any or all of the Climate Strike events happening on Friday, September 20: San Jose Climate Strike, starting at 2:45 p.m. at SJ Diridon Station Palo Alto Climate Rally, starting at 6:00 p.m. ...September 8, 2019 Bulletin
September 2019 Justice Partner Donation Day is Sept 15
The Justice Partner for September, as chosen by the congregation at the annual meeting, is Hotel de Zink. UUCPA hosts the Hotel de Zink homeless shelter in September and has done so for many years. On Sunday, Sept 15, Edie Keating will speak in both services about Hotel de Zink, and the entire offering collection ...Newcomer Lunches
Are you a newcomer (or semi-newcomer) to UUCPA? If so, please come to the pizza and salad lunch in the Fireside Room after the second service on September 15. Meet other newcomers and talk to members who’ve already joined the UUCPA community. Find out more about an activity or group that interests you. This is a casual way to meet ...UUCPA Endorsement And Banner Use Requests Approved in 2019
As of the end of August, the following requests made to the Action Council and Board have been approved this calendar year: Use of UUCPA Banner Approved for: 2019 Women’s Marches Mountain View May Day March San Francisco and Silicon Valley Pride Parades UUCPA Approved as a Co-Sponsor of: Annual 9/11 Peace Picnic and Prayers, hosted by American Muslim Voice and ...Notification of Endorsement/Co-Hosting Approval for 9/11 Peace Picnic and Prayers
As you may remember, UUCPA has a formal process for requesting endorsements or “co-hosting” of events outside of UUCPA. This process includes a majority vote of the Action Council and of the Board with notification to the congregation by multiple means. The approved policies can be found on our website at https://www.uucpa.org/justice/action-council/endorsement-resolutions/ The following endorsement/co-hosting ...The Brown Bag Book Discussion Group – October 2019 Update
The Woman Who Smashed Codes: A True Story of Love, Spies, and the Unlikely Heroine Who Outwitted America’s Enemies by Jason Fagone (non fiction) is October’s selection. This is the story of “ (who) was a tireless and talented code breaker who brought down gangsters and Nazi spies … a fascinating swath of American history that begins ...About Sunday Collections
Contributions to our justice partner were previously 10% of each week’s collection. A more generous formula was proposed by the Stewardship and Finance Committees and approved by the Board: we now give the whole offering for one week per month to the community organiza- tion chosen by the congregation, while the other weeks’ offerings go to ...Story Time – Second Sundays Between Services
Come join us between services every second Sunday in Room 1 for
UUCPA Story Time, where each month we will read a short story
about a different religion or social issue. Children young and old are
welcome to join us!
After the story, children with their parents are welcome to check out a book bag containing books on different ...From your Associate Minister of Religious Education
Usually we don’t have Sunday school on Labor Day weekend, but since I’ll be at UUCPA this Sunday I’ll lead a session like our Summer Sunday School, with a fun activity for all ages. I’m planning to do jello painting (if you’ve never done it, it’s a lot of fun), and we’ll probably sing a ...Safety training for teachers and youth advisors
All volunteers who work with people under age 18 must attend an annual safety training. This training takes about an hour and reviews emergency evacuations, child protection, earthquakes, and more. Volunteers who have not yet taken a safety training should plan to attend one of the following trainings: Sun., Sept. 8, 10:30 a.m. in Room B ...August 25, 2019 Bulletin
Making a difference – UUCPA style
On Sundays, volunteers help run the service, lay out hymnals, run the audio, cook and answer visitor’s questions – all with a smile. Volunteers are awesome – and a critical part of UUCPA life. Now, imagine one time a month when you join them. What would bring a smile to your face? Many volunteer opportunities don’t ...Audio Committee Seeking iPad Donation
An iPad? The Audio Committee continues to upgrade components of the Main Hall audio system. For our next upgrades, we would welcome a donated iPad with iOS 9.3 or later. We expect to use the iPad to control a new audio mixer and other components. If you have an iPad with 9.3 or later installed that ...Join me–be a Chalice Lighter!
Chalice Lighters is a program to help to spread the light of liberal religious values throughout our Pacific Central District. A few times a year, grants go from those who have agreed to be Chalice Lighters to a specific growth project, usually by a single congregation, occasionally by a multi-congregational initiative or a UU-affiliated organization. Those ...Your Garden Chair Can No Longer Garden!
Since my physical therapist has instructed me not to garden, we need a team of people to help in the garden, where I can still provide instruction and guidance. Please let me know if you can help, whether intermittently or regularly. We would love to have high school students, who can receive credit for community ...By Your Side Singers – Pastoral Care Choir
By Your Side Singers (BYSS) is UUCPA’s pastoral care choir, founded in 2016. In small groups, we visit and sing for any church member or friend, of any age, who seeks comfort, strength, or connection with UUCPA during times of illness, major life transition, or not being able to get to church. To arrange a visit ...From the Unitarian Universalist Service Committee
Reading about migrant detention facilities, for-profit detention centers, the climate crisis and how it is affecting Indigenous peoples feels like a lot to unpack on a daily basis. But getting involved in the fight for human rights is easier than you might think! Here is the link to the UUSC article “Five Ways to Show ...Notification of Request for Co-Sponsorship of League of Women Voters Event
We recently received the following request for co-sponsorship from the Palo Alto League of Women Voters. As noted below, co-sponsorship does not involve a financial contribution. The Action Council has approved this request and the Board will be considering the request at its August 27 meeting. If you have any concerns about UUCPA’s endorsement of ...The Summer BBQs
The summer BBQs continue up to Labor Day. On Labor Day weekend, there will be a BBQ on Monday, September 2, instead of Friday, August 30. All are invited including non-members, friends and visitors. The BBQ area is in the back right-hand corner of the church property. We generally throw our entrees on the fire ...Donations for UUCPA – Amazon Smile
We now have an Amazon Smile account! This means that UUCPA will receive a small percentage of every dollar you spend at Amazon. You only have to set it up once and then it’s automatic. Go to smile. amazon.com and when asked what charity you want Amazon to support, put in UUCPA. After that, whenever ...Seeking Videographer for 2020 Pledge Drive
The Stewardship Committee would love to make a video about our 2020 pledge drive. Are you good at making videos? Do you know someone who is? Please email stewardship@uucpa.org.Want To Read The Board Minutes?
The board meeting minutes can be found on the website under the pulldown “About”, choose “Our Governance” and click on “Board Meeting Minutes” in the lefthand column. Or click this link.Upcoming Bulletin Deadlines – Sept 1 and 15, 2019
September 1 and 15. are the next two deadlines to submit items for publication. Send them to newsletter@uucpa.org or leave hard copy in the church office. Note that we do not publish personal phone numbers/email addresses to safeguard privacy.Please register children and youth for the 2019-2020 school year
Please register your children for religious education programs for the 2019-2020 school year. It really does help us to plan when you register every year. It’s easy, register online here: forms.gle/yRGogUd7Xa5fuR6h6Hotel de Zink – Service Opportunity for Families
UUCPA will be hosting the Hotel de Zink homeless shelter during the month of September, as one of our annual service projects. People from the congregation sign up to cook dinner for Hotel de Zink. Although dinner is served at 9 p.m., past bed-times of younger kids, families with older children may want to deliver ...