LOVE IS THE SPIRIT OF THIS CHURCH,
AND SERVICE IS ITS PRAYER.
WORSHIP SERVICE
"Life is Pure Jazz"
Sunday, June 11, 10:50 am
Rev. Vanessa Rush Southern, Senior Minister, Preaching
There are so many metaphors for life: a journey, an unfolding (like a flower), a cycle (like the cycle of the seasons), a drama ("Life’s but a walking shadow, a poor player/That struts and frets his hour upon the stage"). And there are just as many metaphors about how to approach life so you weather it with grace, find some joy, meaning and come out on the other side having made something of it. How about life as jazz, pure jazz?!
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MAKE IT A BANNER YEAR
UUSF Budget Passed and over $20,000 Additional Pledges in!
Last Sunday the Amendments and Budget for our FY24 was passed at the congregational meeting. That budget that begins on July 1, 2023 and runs through June 30th, 2024 has an expectation of $750,000 of pledges and committed donations from members and friends. Last week, in response to the email and letter we sent, our giving went from $707,000 in pledges and commitments to $735,000. Thank you who sent in your pledges and those of you who sent in generous increases in the pledges you already made!
At this point the possibility of staff furloughs has been taken off the possible budget cuts. The way this speaks to support of our staff and the commitment to our values is not lost on our staff. The additional fundraising also looks like it will allow us to restore most of our programmatic budget cuts too.
We still have a little ways to go. So we are asking those of you who haven't already done so, if you can, to please make your financial commitment. Our robust financial support for UUSF is what allows the community to both exist and thrive. When we support the strength of the community we do so as people like us have done since 1850 to make sure UUSF -- it's community, it's work in the world -- endures and serves us and those who find us in good times and in harder, challenging times too.
Click the pledge form link below. This form offers space for those who haven’t already pledged to do so and for those who have already pledged (thank you!), to raise your pledge or give an additional one-time gift for the operating budget of Fiscal Year 2024.
THE FLAME
UUSF Weekly Newsletter
May 31, 2023
The Flame, our weekly newsletter, is published every Wednesday! We cover Sunday services as well as recent UUSF news and upcoming events. On Fridays, we also send a brief email outlining the weekend's events. If you send us an email at flame@uusf.org The Flame will be sent directly to your inbox.
SUNDAY FORUM UPDATE
Upcoming Presentations
GETTING ACTIVE ABOUT CLIMATE CHANGE: DALY WETTERMARK, ACTIVIST-SCHOLAR-R&D PROFESSIONAL.
June 11
Daly Wettermark of Extinction Rebellion (XR) will speak on how her activism harmonizes her experience with her passions and insights regarding the societal changes all of us need to make, to achieve environmental justice and ecological balance.
WAYNE HSIUNG: HOW PLANT BASED FOOD CAN SAVE OUR PLANET!
May 28
Wayne Hsiung is an attorney who has led teams that have investigated and rescued animals from animal-abusing enterprises across the nation – while challenging unconstitutional “ag gag” laws in the process. Recently he served as the lead counsel in two “right to rescue” trials in which activists were acquitted after being charged for giving aid to sick and dying animals in factory farms, garnering much media attention.
AN ENCOUNTER WITH THE WORK OF ARTIST LESLIE GOLDBERG - THE FAMILY OF MAN!
May 21
Leslie’s paintings and character sketches are fictional. But like all fiction, not entirely fictional. You might even recognize these folks—like annoyed Mr. and Mrs. Lu, OR curious young Bud, OR sad, elderly Monica, OR critical artist Simon, OR the criminal couple Sue and Frank . . and many, many, more.
THE WOMEN’S RIGHTS GROUP ENCOURAGES YOU TO PUT THESE DATES ON YOUR CALENDAR!
The Women’s Rights Group is meeting this summer! Everyone in the congregation interested in working toward increasing all Women's access to comprehensive reproductive health care is invited!
See the dates shown below. All meetings will be hybrid, but we encourage everyone to come in person and enjoy the breakfast treats and the community!
At these meetings, we will be working on our planned Fall Activities. We will need a lot of volunteers to work on these projects, which include:
● Co-sponsoring lectures with the Forum that highlights individuals who are prominent activists in the area women’s reproductive rights
● Partnering with our local and regional Planned Parenthood Organization on activities such as clinic escorts and campaigns to encourage individuals to consider women’s reproductive rights when choosing candidates to support
● Working with our Religious Education committee and staff to identify and meet the needs of our member families
● Field Trip to the First Unitarian Church (Dallas, TX) to better understand their programs
● Outreach to other churches in the Bay Area to increase our impact
● Outreach to the Interfaith Council
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FAMILY MINISTRY
Stay up to date with what is happening for our families and Sunday School program by subscribing to the Thursday weekly emails. To be put on the email list, please contact Rev. Laura Shennum at lshennum@uusf.org.
UUSF COVID UPDATE SPRING 2023
UUSF will no longer require masks indoors on our premises, following the lead of the San Francisco Department of Health. We do, however, encourage people to wear masks or do anything else that protects and respects their own health and comfort, and there is a designated mask-only area on the far right side of the Sanctuary.
FOR MORE INFORMATION
If you have questions, suggestions, resources or want/need clarification, please reach out to our Covid Advisory Team at covidgroup@uusf.org.
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WATCH & LISTEN
While we meet live every Sunday morning at 10:50 am PT, worship certainly isn’t restricted to those moments! Anytime you need a comforting word, a song that will help you with your life, visit our video archives or listen to one of our podcasts.
