Shouldn't we try to slow down in a speeded-up world? The sloth doesn't intend to stop and smell the roses; in fact, the sloth does not care.

What first starts as, "I'll do it later," soon becomes "Why bother?" Like the other so-called sins in this sermon series, sloth seeks to isolate us from ourselves, others, and God, by inculcating the world view that nothing really matters -- not even life itself, not even you and me.

Together we'll explore sloth's antidotes and how to make our lives matter more with each passing day.

Joining Denis on the Chancel will be Pastoral Care Minister Rev. Fred Rabidoux and Worship Associates Alison Rittger and Dionte Stewart.

Dr. Mark Sumner will lead the choir, accompanied by organist Reiko Lane.

Why don't you bring a friend with you this Sunday to the place you call your spiritual home?

This week's service will feature the second in a series of special commentaries by members who share their story about what this congregation has meant to them. These testimonials are part of our Annual Budget Drive which will culminate at Celebration Sunday on April 5.

Sunday Alison Rittger will continue this dynamic and challenging series. Don't miss her presentation!

Sunday School participants will select the area of social justice is the most interesting to them and create tiles about that subject.

Learners and leaders will talk about ways we can do something to make a difference in the world. Then the students will get started on a project!

Don't wait to register for Peter Olandt's class, "Biology for Religion and Ethics." The course starts April 2nd so register this week at the table in the Thomas Starr King room following the service. You can also register in the church office.

Jennifer Friedenbach, Executive Director of the Coalition on Homelessness, will talk to the Forum about steps to take to end homelessness in The City. She is also a founding of the People's Budget Collaborative, dedicated to ending poverty in San Francisco.

The free program will start at 9:45. Come at 9:30 for conversation, coffee, and (for a slight charge) a light breakfast.

If you have not paid for your wining bid, please stop by the auction cashier after services to settle up! The auction will accept cash, checks, and credit cards.

Vacations were sold for destinations in Colorado, Michigan, and Mexico! More than 36 bottles of wine were won: some by the case, some in four-packs, and some in individual bottles. A lot of great food was awarded, too. The latest count showed more than 108 people will be attending brunches, lunches, and dinners purchased at the auction.

John Steele's photograph at left shows auction co-organizer Anna Sylvester modeling one of the event's libations.

The activists had been arrested in November after blocking the roadway at Market and the Central Freeway.

All legal fees were covered by the National Lawyers Guild.

Rev. Stewart continues to recuperate from now-officially-diagnosed Influenza A and its complications. He will be on a doctor-restricted schedule through the end of the month. We wish Rev. Stewart and the other ill members of the family speedy recoveries!

There will be times for music, prayers, sharing, and stories.

Society members and friends are invited to help in the planning and leading of these open-air, public worship events.

If you would like to read, lead a song, play an instrument, light the chalice, or participate in any other way, please contact Peter at 776-4580 or by email.

The Art Committee honors the creators of the artwork hanging the Kings Gallery at a free reception following the worship service. The group show features contemporary work of the San Francisco Women Artists (SFWA).

Begun in 1887 when a group of ladies gathered to share and critique their work, the SFWA now fosters artistic endeavors in two and three dimensions, including sculpture, jewelry, and ceramics.

SFWA has a proud heritage of former members and acclaimed artists including sculptor Ruth Asawa who recently donated a piece to the Society.

One of the SFWA's three current exhibitions is the showing of drawings, paintings, prints, photographs, and mixed media presented in the Kings Gallery. The art will be on display through April.

The Society for Community Work (SCW) will present a free screening of the Bill Moyers Journal entitled "Rage on the Radio' in the Murdoch Room after the 11 am worship service. The program spotlights the shooting in the Knoxville Unitarian Universalist church which resulted in the deaths of several Unitarian Universalists.

Mr. Moyers examines the influence of talk radio on violence in our society. He interviews the Reverend Chris Buice of the Knoxville Unitarian Universalist Church and returns to him several times during the video.

After Sunday, the program will be available in the library.

The Intern Committee will be selling food on Sunday, and you can bring your lunch with you when you come for the video.

We are currently forming a new task force to imagine ways that our San Francisco Unitarian Universalist community can be brought closer together through new media and social networking tools.

Some ideas that we've already got bouncing around include an email discussion list, an electronic bulletin board, YouTube video sharing, active blogging by members and staff, Twitter updates, easy online access to other members' contact info, donations through eBay GivingWorks, a more active Facebook group, event postings to the wider community, photo sharing, etc.

What ideas do you have?

If you are interested in helping us make these kinds of things a reality, please join the Online Community Building Work Group. Perhaps the best part of joining this work group is that there won't be any in-person committee meetings -- we're going to conduct business entirely online!

Contact Emily Drennen by email or at 374-9556 (cell/text) for more info, or subscribe to our Google Group online.

Would you like to see our Church and Center move to solar energy? Come learn how we can do it!

Stet Sanborn, an architect with the firm of Siegel and Strain and lecturer at the UC Berkeley College of Environmental Design and the California College of the Arts, has prepared an initial report showing that our Unitarian Universalist Sanctuary and Center would benefit from the use of solar energy.

In addition, a long-range building maintenance report, initially prepared by John Rutherford in 1993 and recently updated with current cost information by Maric Munn, will be presented.

On April 10th at 6:30 pm the Congregation will host its annual Seder at the church. Maria Solis and Peter Olandt are looking for participants to help with organization of the meal, cooking, cleaning, and tabling beforehand.

Please join in this amazing sharing of fellowship around a most holy dinner. It's an opportunity to share you own Jewish background or create your own connection to Judaism. All are welcome to attend and help out.

Please contact Peter Olandt at 776-4580 or by email to volunteer and for more information.