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Mission Peak UU – Fremont, CA
The Home of Liberal Religion in the Tri-Cities and Beyond!
December 26, 2018
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Welcome to the end of a year.
As the year ends, I am mindful of two topics: people to thank and charitable donations to make.
I have probably hundreds of people to directly thank, but here I’ll only identify people in our congregation, and only by group, though it’s individuals who accomplish things, even if through a committee. My special thanks to our Sunday logistics people: set-up, take-down, aesthetics, goodies, audio-visual, etc. My special thanks to our Interim Minister Selection Committee, which I’ve been on previously and it’s not easy, especially with the severe schedule issues. My special thanks to our choir, for singing five times in two months when usually they do only once a month, and this included a performance outside the congregation for Fremont’s Las Posadas Festival. My special thanks to all the leaders who met in the recent Supercouncil session. My special thanks to our Transition Team. I’m sure this only covers a small portion of those I should thank.
I’m also making my usual end-of-year charitable donations. I caught my MPUUC pledge up to date, and made a special donation Christmas Eve to our Minister’s Discretionary Fund. If you missed this opportunity, bring your check or envelope to service this Sunday, or mail it, with memo note “Minister’s Discretionary Fund”. I’m also sending off donations to: Wikipedia, Stage 1 Theatre, Sacramento Archeological Society scholarship fund, Washington Township Museum of Local History, Math-Science Nucleus, Coastside Hope, and others. I have seen the good work of all of those organizations. This brings up my thankfulness to our own Share-the-Plate program, which gives me opportunity to donate to yet more local organizations whose good work we often see without even knowing how it was accomplished.
Happy New Year.
— Paul K Davis
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It’s Elemental!
In the last service of 2018 we will each have an opportunity to reflect back on the last year and make wishes for the new. We will explore four stations representing Earth, Wind, Fire, and Water. In completing each ritual activity we will also move through the themes we focused on over the last months (forgiveness, gratitude, and healing) and begin to develop a vision for the next year (our next theme!). Join us for an all ages New Years program with opportunities for doing rather than just listening.
Allysson McDonald will lead the service and assisting will be Worship Associate Sharon Davis. Jay Steele will provide our music
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January Board Meeting
The MPUUC Board will meet at 7:00 PM Thursday evening January 10th. For further information, including a copy of the agenda, please email President Paul K Davis at
paulkdavis@earthlink.net.
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Volunteers needed for the county-wide homeless count
The biennial county-wide homeless count will take place on Wednesday, January 30, 2019 from 6 am to 10 am. Once again, the City will lead the coordination effort in the South County and is looking for volunteers to participate in this important event. Volunteers will work alongside formerly or currently homeless guides to count the number of homeless individuals in the South County.
Please click
here
for more information and to volunteer.
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Who are the Heroes in our Community?
Every day we hear news about oppression and violence. As Mr. Rogers so famously said, “look for the helpers.” We not only want to look for them, but to honor them! Mission Peak UU Congregation presents an award each February to a member or group in our area who has been courageously showing up to challenge oppression and violence. Our nomination period is open now! Contact Allysson McDonald by Jan. 6 with your suggestions and a few words about your nominee and why you are nominating them. We will have a brief meeting after the Service on Jan. 6 to consider the nominations. This year’s award will be paired with our February Share the Plate, so will come with a monetary prize.
Does someone or a group in the Tri-Cities area (Fremont, Union City, Newark) or Milpitas come to mind? Is there someone who has inspired a local movement for love? Is there an organization or individual who has faced oppression, discrimination, and prejudice with grace and inspired determination? The goal is to recognize love’s power to challenge exclusion, oppression and violence based on sexual orientation, gender identity, immigration status, race, religion, or any other identity.
In the past we’ve honored folks such as Samina Sundas (American Muslim Voice), Arnav Gupta (Youth Radio), Sister Ramona (Interfaith Sisters of Peace), Pat Skillen (Fremont/East Bay PFLAG), and others. For some ideas for people or organizations you might consider nominating this year, click here.
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Centering Prayer Meditation
First United Methodist Church has invited us to attend their weekly prayer meditation. Please see attached document for more information by clicking
here.
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Black & White Gala Photos
I know that many of you have been waiting anxiously for the photos from the Black & White Gala. I apologize for the delay. We’ve had issues trying to set up a website. So, for the time being here’s the plan. If you would like to see your photos from the Gala, please email Jen King and she will send them to you. If you decide to use them and have photos printed (via Shutterfly, Walgreens, Costco, etc.) we ask that you make a small donation to MPUUC as a sort of ‘studio fee’. Many thanks to Don Ramie’s brother, Jerry, for sharing his wonderful photography skills with us.
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Mark your Calendars: January 13 is Bring a Friend Sunday and Potluck
Lunch
What do your friends know about Unitarian Universalism? About Mission Peak Unitarian Universalist Congregation? If the answer is “not much”, we have the perfect opportunity to change that: invite your friends to our Bring a Friend service to be held on January 13. And of course, invite your relatives too. The more the merrier. Let’s spread the word about our Unitarian Universalist values and extend our hospitality to the people we care about. After the service, we will have the opportunity to spend time with new and long-time friends as we kick off our celebration of MPUUC’s 25th Anniversary year with a potluck lunch. Please bring a dish to share. Drinks and dessert will be provided.
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Turning Love Into Justice:
The Tri-City Interfaith Council (tcicouncil.weebly.com) is a grass-roots organization bringing together people of diverse religious beliefs from Fremont, Newark, and Union City (California). Rev. Barbara Meyers and Paul K. Davis are members. Join in!
Call your Elected Officials!
Calls can make a difference! Contact your representatives to alert them to your views!
Congressperson Eric Swalwell 510-247-1388 or go to
house.gov
Senator Kamala Harris
(202) 224 – 3553
Senator Diane Feinstein (202) 224-3841
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Mission Peak UU | 2950 Washington Blvd Fremont CA | 510.252.1477 | missionpeakuu.org
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