This Week on the Peak

This Week on the Peak – Wednesday, August 28, 2019
This Week on the Peak
Mission Peak UU – Fremont, CA
The Home of Liberal Religion in the Tri-Cities and Beyond!
August 28, 2019

This Sunday’s Service:

Self Discovery 
 
                 
One of our most important tasks in life is to discover the principles that we will guide us as we live our lives: what we most believe in; how we treat others; what we will work for; in short, who we really are down deep. We will reflect on this process of self-discovery.     
         
Leading the service will be Rev. Barbara F. Meyers and assisting will be Worship Associate Paul K. Davis. Jay Steele will provide our music
Appreciative Inquiry Committee


If you all recall, last June we held an Appreciative Inquiry workshop where many of the members interacted and answered questions about their memories of MPUUC, their hopes for the future and what they saw as this congregation’s strengths. I have compiled all of the information you all contributed and now I am looking for a committee to be formed to gain conclusions about what this congregation needs and wants and sees in their future.
 
As your Interim Minister, I have been guiding you through the journey of grieving, of healing, and preparing to transition you all for a new settled minister to come. This workshop gave us some answers as to how you see yourselves, what you value, what stories in this congregation are life-giving, and how this congregation has made a difference in your lives.
 
Appreciative Inquiry is a way to keep a congregation thriving and recreating itself by its conversations and its stories. It is a process that you can apply and look back on in the future and use in any walk of life. This is an opportunity for this congregation to define itself, to hold those memories which are most important and to define your future!
 
Please contact me, Rev Jo, and notify me if you would like to be on this committee. This work is very important for this congregation and will give you new insights and direction in moving towards the future you wish to have.
 
I look forward to meeting with you all!

Blessings,

Rev Jo

The UU Association has published its 2019 Actions of Immediate Witness which includes supporting our first amendment right to boycott.

The UU define immediate witness as “the public profession by word or deed of the convictions of an individual or group regarding a particular issue. Actions of Immediate Witness profess convictions grounded in Unitarian Universalism” and “requires immediate action to make an impact.”

SUPPORT OUR FIRST AMENDMENT RIGHT TO BOYCOTT
(UUA 2019 Action of Immediate Witness)
UUA defines Immediate Witness as “the public profession by word or deed of the convictions of an individual or group regarding a particular issue. Actions of Immediate Witness profess convictions grounded in Unitarian Universalism” and “requires immediate action to make an impact.”

For those who are willing and able: 
Then UUA is distributing a petition Petition in Support of Our First Amendment Right of Free Speech!

…We affirm our commitment to the constitutional right to free speech. We affirm that boycotts and divestment in support of human rights are free speech and are aligned with UU principles upholding democracy in human affairs and the right of conscience… 

Copy of the full petition will be available after the worship service starting Sunday Sept 1 for all those interested in signing.

You can also print and sign a copy to mail at
Introduction to Accompaniment Team Training
and September 15th Share-the-Plate

On Sunday, September 15, 11:30 AM – 12:30 PM in Cole Hall (after our service), Interfaith Movement for Human Integrity (IM4HI, http://www.im4humanintegrity.org/) will hold an intro session on their Nueva Esperanza Accompaniment Team (NEAT) program. The event will be open to the public.

An accompaniment team is a group of 4-5 people who commit to help an asylum seeker or family of asylum seekers adjust to life in the U.S. Especially when the asylee(s) first arrive, there is lots to do: finding a lawyer, connecting with local services, going to medical appointments, getting kids signed up for school, signing up for English classes, learning the local mass transit system, ICE check-ins, court dates, and more.

The NEAT program prepares accompaniment teams logistically but also emotionally and politically. Asylum seekers are often fleeing threats on their life, and they may have experienced significant trauma. The root causes of their plight can often be traced to policies of the United States over the past decades. It is the goal of NEAT to address root causes as well as immediate needs of asylum seekers through education.

To help support this program the September Share-the-Plate will be held on Sunday, September 15 and the proceeds will go to IM4HI.
SAVE THE DATE!
 
Our congregation is looking for a new minister, and perhaps distinct images come to mind of what a minister is. A particular gender? Race? Age? We can have biases we’re not even aware of, and limit ourselves in finding the minster who is really best for Mission Peak. 

On Sunday, September 22, there with be a free workshop to help us be fair and open-and heard. The Unitarian Universalist Association is sending a facilitator to conduct ” Beyond Categorical Thinking.” This will help us consider our hopes, expectations and concerns about a new minister. 

After the Sunday service, there will be a light lunch provided for all attendees, with the program to run from noon to no later than 3:00 p.m. Childcare will be available if you RSVP. Use the online form link below to RSVP, or contact Don Ramie.


If you want to have input that will help the Search Committee find a great new minister, this workshop is for you! All are strongly encouraged to attend.
Children & Youth Religious Education (CaYRE)

CaYRE’s summer program started June 16th and ends this Sunday.     
 
We need a teacher and assistant for this Sunday, Sept 1.  This summer it’s teacher’s choice: Share your passion what ever it may be or get into the fun with a game day! Please sign up using our google form https://tinyurl.com/yy8wgeoa  or by emailing  cayre@mpuuc.org.
Black & White Gala – November 2, 2019 – Save the Date!

This year’s Black & White Gala will be Saturday, November 2 starting at 6:00pm. Please put the date on your calendar and start picking out your outfits, making items for the boutique, and thinking up offerings for the auction. Ticket sales and sign-ups will start September 15.

For those of you who are new to the congregation, our annual Black & White Gala is our biggest fundraiser of the year. It’s a great opportunity for you to dress up (if you’d like) and support Mission Peak by participating in our service auction, buying unique, handmade items at our boutique, and testing your luck by participating in our basket raffle. All while enjoying yummy sweet and savory snacks and alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages.
 
Jen King
WE NEED VOLUNTEERS!!

We NEED your help!?? Cole Hall does not magically transform into a special place for our services each Sunday.?? It requires a small army of volunteers.?? We’ve had a few ‘retirements’ lately and we have some spots
to fill.?? PLEASE let Jen King know if you can fill in for any of the following:

URGENT: We have no one to do set-up for the 2nd Sunday of each month!

We also need people for the following:

Additional Set-up assistance for the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Sundays of each month

Additional Greeter for the 1st and 3rd Sundays of each month

PPT Clickers & AV Technicians for ALL SUNDAYS (We will train you! We
promise!)

Additional Take-down assistance for the 2nd Sunday of each month.
 
You can sign up on an ongoing basis for the Sunday’s indicated above by contacting Jen King, or you can sign up on and ad hoc basis by following this link:
The Fellowship Committee Needs YOU!

Do you enjoy the social events we have at Mission Peak? Would you like to see more events? The Fellowship Committee needs more members. Many hands make light work, and we could use a few more hands. We meet around once a quarter and try to plan or support 2-3 events a quarter. Best of all we have a lot of fun together. If you’re interested in joining our ‘merry band’, please contact Jen King.
Celebrating Mission Peak’s 25th Anniversary – Save This Date!!

2019 marks 25 years of MPUUC’s existence as a congregation and we think that’s a milestone worth celebrating.  We have had many different celebrations throughout the year.  Please reserve the following date on your calendar now.  You won’t want to miss it!

September 8 – 25th Anniversary Picnic Celebration
 After the annual Water Ceremony service at Cole Hall on September 8th, please join us at picnic area D2 at Lake Elizabeth/Central Park (maps will be provided at the service) for a potluck BBQ celebrating Mission Peak UU’s first 25 years as a congregation. We will provide hamburgers, veggie burgers, and hot dogs with all the trimmings as well as non-alcoholic beverages. Please bring a side dish to share (chips, fruit, salad, dessert, etc.). You are also welcome to bring beer or wine if you so choose. Please also bring a chair or blanket to sit on (there are tables, but probably not enough and you’ll want to avoid the goose poop). Activities will be provided. Please bring instruments for ‘jamming’; and frisbees, kites, and other lawn/outdoor games. Join us for food, fun, and fellowship and plan to hang out for the afternoon.
Premiere Film Showing: What Happened to Dujuan Armstrong?

In June, 2018,23-year-old Dujuan Armstrong died while serving weekends in Santa Rita Jail. This fast-paced powerful documentary follows Barbara Doss’ search to discover the details of her son death. In her pursuit for justice she quickly runs into the resistance of Alameda County Sheriff Greg Ahern and his Department. Barbara quickly begins to learn of the opaque and powerful position of American sheriffs. The audience travels with her to the Board of Supervisors, the jail, the cemetery where Dujuan is buried, and one climatic confrontation with the sheriff himself.
 
Fillmaker Lucas Guilkey will be joined on a panel with Jose Bernal from the Ella Baker Center for Human Rights and Barbara Doss, Dujuan Armstrong’s mother.    
 
The film will be showed at First Unitarian Church of Oakland on
 
Donations encouraged but no one turned away for lack of funds. This is a free community event open to all community members.
Chris Crass Workshop on Saturday, August 31st

Mt. Diablo Unitarian Universalist Church is excited to host the racial justice educator Chris Crass into the Bay area for a SURJ co-sponsored event next Saturday August 31st, from 10:00 am- 4:00 pm in our Fellowship Hall (Bortin Hall).
 
For more information and to reserve your spot, please click here. To carpool from Mission Peak UU contact Allysson McDonald.
   
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. Jo Green, 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 
Ro Khanna  (202) 225-2631 
Senator Kamala Harris   (202) 224 – 3553
Senator Diane Feinstein (202) 224-3841
 
 
STAY CONNECTED:
Mission Peak UU | 2950 Washington Blvd Fremont CA | 510.252.1477 | missionpeakuu.org