CAIR and OCUUC
Your Board and Minister want you to to know that the leadership of OCUUC voted to support CAIR’s call for organizations to stand in solidarity with them against Islamaphobia. CAIR is one of the most respected Islamic organizations in the country. If you’d like to know more about how your Board and Minister stand on the side of love, contact Rev. Sian or Tom Loughrey. Sian’s Shenanigan’s “Come, come, whoever you are. Wanderer, worshiper, lover of leaving. It doesn’t matter. Ours is not a…
Sian’s Shenanigans
“Come, come, whoever you are. Wanderer, worshiper, lover of leaving. It doesn’t matter. Ours is not a caravan of despair. come, even if you have broken your vows a thousand times. Come, yet again , come , come.” Rumi This poem has become in our tradition one of my favorite songs to sing. It invites and humbles. And it is at the core of covenant. This month we are exploring “Covenants.” A covenant is simply a promise. In some churches…
Sian’s Shenanigans
Evil. *shudder* I don’t like to talk about evil, our worship theme this month. I prefer to talk about hope, love, compassion, or justice. I prefer to see the best in people – their inner beauty, their capacity for love, their “best self.” In fact, I pride myself on being able to do just that. I live with a pretty Pollyanna view of the world and that gets me through the tough days. But it also can keep me blind…
Memories from Our OCUUC Faith Community
If you went to church, mosque, circle, or synagogue as a child, what do you remember? What builds memories that last for our children and youth? In the spring, I asked our younger children what they remembered about the last church year, and here are their responses: Stories and Time for All Ages Playing the Hula Hoop Game with the strings (1st-3rd graders) The game with the ball where we said something nice [to each other] The day the bears…
The Care and Feeding of your Staff
It may come as a surprise to you that your minister is not “staff.” Well, not technically. I’m “called” by the congregation (voted in). Today I want to talk to you about your true staff – the ones who were hired by you all. They are fabulous! I can’t tell you how many complaints I get from other ministers about their staff. Ours rock. But while I may be their supervisor, you, in fact, are their employer. Not you, specifically,…
Peace like a River
I’ve got peace like a river, I’ve got peace like a river, I’ve got peace like a river in my soul. Traditional American Song [and a Unitarian Universalist favorite!] ~~~ As our country reels from another domestic shooting this month, I am very grateful that our children and youth have a faith community where peaceful solutions to personal and societal problems can be discussed and modeled. Resolving differences thoughtfully and peacefully is not always a quick or easy thing to…
Getting Cozy
It’s getting awfully cozy in our sanctuary! Now that we are at one service, here are some tips that will help everyone get a good seat: Get there early. This last Sunday I noticed we were about 1/3 full 15 minutes prior to the service! People are there to see friends and to get a good seat. Come on down! Reserve the back seats against the wall for those with strollers, walkers, etc. But don’t block the aisles! We need…
Summer Notes
Welcome to the glorious summer season! We will offer only one service on Sundays, beginning at 10:30 am. As usual, we’ll meet for coffee and conversation on the patio after the service at about 11:30am. Stay cool, and see you soon! Rev. Sian
RE Reflections
Hello OCUUC Community~ Our OCUUC summer program begins in July, and I will complete my 5th year as your Director this summer of 2015. The time truly has flown by. What a gift to see your children grow up in our UU faith at OCUUC! We have an awesome group of 6-8th graders coming up next year, and my dream for them is to have a Jr. High class each Sunday. They are an action-oriented group, and I see them…
REflections
The word ‘fund-raising’ can cause the most fearless member of any organization to take a few steps back and break eye contact with all those in a twenty-foot area. But the reality of any organization is that it relies on some level of monetary funding, not only to survive, but to thrive. Here at OCUUC we have one of the easiest ongoing fundraisers available. It is right on the patio on Sunday mornings, and it costs nothing to actively participate.…
Many Hands for Big Sunday
It was a joy to share Big Sunday with so many members of our community on Saturday May 3rd. We had volunteers of all ages helping out with projects to assist those in need out in the larger community. UUA President Peter Morales has this to say about service: “Every religious tradition on which we draw has a reverence for life. We are a part of an intricate web of life. Every tradition on which we draw teaches that the ultimate…
April Notes
“To be a member means to be a host. To be a host means that you come to serve, not to be served. In other words, you take off the bib and put on an apron.” – Michael Piazza, Director, Center for Church Renewal Each one of us is a host on Sunday morning. We are here to invite people into the life of the church. You know all the ins and outs, how to get what you need from…