Offering Gratitude
Our youth raised $264.01 to buy the supplies we needed to make 100 First Aid kits for the Hearts and Hands interfaith day of service. I’m so proud of them!!! And, grateful to you, congregation, who supported them! Thank you, Judith Stamper for organizing us and buying the supplies. Five youth and eight adults, including myself, spent much of the day assembling our kits and then branching out to other projects like making wooden toy cars and flannel heating pads…
Holiday Music
‘Tis the Season for musicians to be super-busy. OCUUC’s singers are getting ready for our Christmas Eve service plus our annual Winter Solstice Singing Ritual. Readers, a drummer, a narrator, a singing-bowl player, and behind-thescenes volunteers are also helping out with those two services. For many of us, rehearsing and performing the music of this season brings us much joy and peace during this hectic time. We hope that our preparations provide you with meaningful and thought-provoking worship experiences. On…
Keep the Light Shining
Now that the holiday season is in full swing, some of us are celebrating the different traditions of the season and some of us keep our heads down and wait for all the hoopla to end. Whichever approach you take, it is almost impossible not to notice the signs, sounds and sights of the holidays. I have heard that December 25 was set as the date of Christmas to coincide with the Pagan tradition of celebrating the winter solstice which…
The Importance of Attention
My father was a complete luddite (someone who does not understand technology); my twin sister, Regan, is a complete geek and went on to be an IT professional. My father valued higher education; my twin sister (ironically the smartest of all of us siblings) never finished college. You can imagine then that my father had a hard time relating to my sister. But one of the fondest memories I have of my father, was when he tried to understand her…
The Holidays are Upon Us
It is time to dive into the holidays! We will start with a Dia de los Muertos celebration. This has been a big topic of conversation. Can we engage in a cultural celebration that does not have Unitarian Universalist roots? It is a good question. And, I’m not finding any easy answers. After colonizing a culture can the dominant culture then celebrate the festivals of the indigenous one? It doesn’t seem right. On the other hand, does celebrating the holiday…
Musical Events in Nov & Dec
Would you like to get involved with the Music Ministries? Singing in the choir, playing an instrument with congregational songs, supporting behind-the-scenes, other ideas? There are lots of ways to be of service, and I’d be happy to chat with you if you’d like to get involved. Make sure to mark your calendar for these special events: Transgender Day of Remembrance, Wednesday, November 20, 7pm Thanksgiving Interfaith Music Festival, sponsored by Newport Mesa Irvine Interfaith Council, Sunday, November 24, 6:30pm,…
Ways to Participate at OCUUC
“Together may we walk the path of justice, speak words of love, live the selfless deed, trod gently upon the earth, and fill the world with compassion.” –Kathy A. Huff For me, one of the greatest things about being a member of OCUUC is the warmth and strength of our church community. I have come to better know many of you by participating in church life through service on various committees and the Board, and by attending Sunday services, church…
CREATING THE BELOVED COMMUNITY
Unitarian Universalism is all about belonging. That’s what creating the Beloved Community is all about, too. It’s about making sure that each person can find a place here, if they so choose – regardless of what they believe or who they are. That’s a tall order! It means that everyone (and I mean everyone) must play a part in creating that atmosphere. It requires a great deal of self-awareness, a desire to come from a place of love, curiosity and…
LET’S MAKE OUR PRESENCE FELT
News. Young people are making it! I went to the Climate Strike on Friday, September 20 at the Huntington Beach Pier. I have been to countless protests in my life. They all felt urgent, compelling as did this one. I had been to a protest at the Pier before. To release children from detention camps and reunited them with their families. There were maybe 50 people there and, no doubt about it, it was a grim affair. The 200 or…
Always Room for More – Including Youth
Orange Coast Choir has begun its 2019-2020 season with a bang. We have more people participating in choir this fall than we’ve had in a long time. But there’s ALWAYS room for more. If you’re interested in singing, contact Beth, or just show up on any Thursday night. We rehearse Thursdays 7:30-9:00pm in Daniels Hall. Note-reading is not necessary, though it’s a plus if you can do it. All that’s required is that you can match pitch and follow directions.…
FULL CALENDAR OF FALL OFFERINGS
Fall is my favorite season of the year. I love the clear days of sunshine and the hint we are starting to get of cooler days to come. Orange is my favorite color, so I get to see and wear a lot of it at this time of year. For autumn fun for all ages, we will be holding our Fall Auction November 2, 2019 at 5 pm. Please mark your calendars to attend this important and always enjoyable fundraising…
Expectation and Faith
This month’s worship has two themes: Expectation and Faith. And of course, it got me thinking about how those two interplay together: What do we expect from our faith tradition of Unitarian Universalism? Is it there to solve all of our problems? Will going to church make me a better person? What do I expect from my church? From Unitarian Universalism? I love this Faith tradition. It’s definitely for me. But it’s not perfect. And no Faith Tradition is. Like…