Awakening and Wisdom
I served as Minister-in-Residence at Elementary/Family Winter Camp at de Benneville Pines over Presidents’ Day weekend. Did you know that there were more opportunities to get up to camp as a family in addition to our October weekend? Children in grades 2 through 6 can come up as independent campers—and we had one from our congregation, Elise Kaufel. I took my great nephew and niece, Rowan and Leyla. One extended family came up with grandparents, parents and children for a…
Music Under the Stars
Do you have your act together? March 7th is our annual Open Mic Night at 7pm in Daniels Hall. Bring your family-friendly act and share it with our community.It’s free to perform and free to attend. Performers, just arrive by 6:45pm that night to get on the roster. And mark your calendars for our semi-annual Music Under the Stars event on April 18. You’ll be treated to all kinds of musical performances by OCUUC folks and usually a few guests…
The Quakers are Moving In
We have the very good news to share that OCUUC has signed a ten-year lease with the Orange County Friends Meeting (Quakers) for Suites 8 and 9 commencing June 1, 2020. This wonderful news was first announced to the congregation at the February 16, 2020 Townhall meeting held after the Sunday service. Let me give you some background on how this excellent arrangement for us and the Quakers has come to fruition. In June of 2019 an OCUUC Property Use…
Resilience
People often ask me “how long shall I grieve?” as if there is a certain timetable that I could give them. And I always tell them, “There is no timetable. You’ll grieve as long as you grieve.” What, I think, people are really asking me is: “How long do I have to go through this pain?” No one wants to feel the pain of grief, or any other difficult emotion. Resilience is about allowing ourselves to feel those difficult emotions…
Feelings Count
Resilience is our theme this month. From Soul Matters, “Resilience is the ability to bounce back from stress, challenge, tragedy, trauma or adversity. When children are resilient, they are braver, more curious, more adaptable, and more able to extend their reach into the world.” The person I’ve read the most on the combined topics of resilience and parenting is Brene Brown. You may have seen her TED Talks. Here is an exercise the recommends as a family activity. It has…
Open Mic Night: A Safe and Welcoming Space
Do you have a hidden talent you’d like to share with the congregation? On March 7 we’ll be hosting our annual Open Mic Night. It’s open to all ages, all abilities, all genres. The only requirement is the act has to be family-friendly. It’s free to perform and free to attend this event. So start digging out those tap shoes, that ukulele, that journal full of your poems, or that song you wrote. Our Open Mic Night is a safe…
Outcome of Special Congregational Meeting
A special congregational meeting was held January 19, 2020 for OCUUC members to vote on the following motion: “Authorize the OCUUC Pledge Drive Committee and the New Sanctuary Task Force to move forward with a combined operating fund and capital fund campaign to determine the financial feasibility of replacing the building housing suites 3-5 with a new OCUUC sanctuary.” Prior to voting on the motion, Nancy Loughrey presented the Proposed New Sanctuary Report, prepared by the OCUUC Property Use Group…
Integrity builds better relationships
When I was a teenager lied a lot. Mostly little things: Little white lies… sometimes making people feel good (and then me!); exaggerations that made me feel smarter, meant to impress; leaving out an important piece of information for a parent’s decision, so I could get my way. I figured if everyone else did it, then why shouldn’t I?And what was the harm if they made me and others feel good? The problem is that there really are no good…
Vision for RE in 2020
Happy New Year! The day after Christmas I look out my window to see squirrels frolicking in the trees munching on pine cones. The night rain has washed everything clean. The trees are well watered. I love these trees and the squirrels who live in them. I feel kin to them and to the humming birds that hover above the red and orange flowers. The world blesses me, fills my heart with gratitude and I do my best to bless…
MLK Day UU Choir Festival
A big shout-out to all the musicians, readers, A/V volunteers, and setter-uppers who participated in the festivities of the last month. December has been a very busy time for our Music Ministries, with the Winter Solstice Singing Ritual and the Christmas Eve service, on top of our regular Sunday offerings. I was very pleased with how the Winter Solstice event turned out this year. Thank you to all the Singers and Readers, plus Rica Kaufel the Narrator, Andrés Triviño the…
Two Important Meetings
We have two important meetings coming up in January to which all OCUUC members and friends are invited and are encouraged to attend. Sunday, January 12 at noon in Daniels Hall a Power Point presentation will be shown about the new sanctuary project followed by Q&A. Please attend and bring your questions and comments. Sunday, January 19 at noon in Daniels Hall a special Congregational meeting will be held to vote on the following: Approval of the concept of replacing…
Awe and Reverence
Have you ever felt awe? What does it feel like to you? When and where have you felt it? Some describe awe as a kind of fear (Its even related to the Scandinavian word for fear). It’s defined as an overwhelming sense of fear (mixed with admiration), produced by encountering something beyond ourselves. Awe is often used to describe God, if one exists. I don’t know about you, but fear is not something that I want to feel a God.…