This Week on the Peak



This Week on the Peak
Mission Peak UU – Fremont, CA
The Home of Liberal Religion in the Tri-Cities and Beyond!
February 21, 2018

 

This Sunday’s Service:
Circle of Values
Our Unitarian Universalist values are not seven unrelated maxims; they fit together to make a whole; they relate to each other.  Paul will show how he arranges them in a circle, to see how they connect, and remember that each is important.

 

Leading the service will be Paul K. Davis.  Assisting in the service is Worship Associate Megan McMillen  Our Time for All Ages will be offered by DRE JeKaren Olaoya and music will be provided by Eric Niessner.
BENEFIT FOR MPUUC
The hilarious, politically savvy comedy of Will Durst,
Sunday,
April 22, 7pm, to be held at
36600 Niles Blvd (Niles Discovery Church).

Tickets available in advance $25 (plus small fee)
www.mpuuc.org/durst; $30 at the door.
Buy early, buy for all your family, friends, neighbors: everyone could use a good evening of laughs about now, right?
 Fellow Mission Peak Folks,

My name is Drew Wilson, and I serve on the Board as co-treasurer along with Holly Ito. I’m a charter member, and have held many volunteer positions over the years, including other stints on the board, and as chair or member of many committees. I also have done my part to fund Mission Peak, consistently pledging and usually raising my pledge each year.

Why do I do this? Because Mission Peak is very important to me! For starters, it is a wonderful, loving community which has supported me and many other members in times of illness and loss. We care deeply about each other, and show it in many ways. We also support people when they uncover formerly hidden talents, such singing, teaching, assisting worship, setting up for service, promoting social justice, or even entering the Ministry. It’s been rewarding to watch children, youth, members and friends grow and flourish under Mission Peak’s nurturing.

I’ve learned a huge amount from being a part of Mission Peak. Of course,
Sunday Sermons are packed with information, ideas, and new ways of seeing things. But volunteering for tasks big and small has also helped me grow in many ways. For example, I overcame my fear of meeting new people by actively greeting newcomers
on Sunday mornings, and my extreme nervousness when speaking in public by doing announcements as Board President Elect and President back in the early days. Attending District workshops, Assemblies, and the former Leadership School provided many “Ah Ha” moments of personal insights and discovery, not to mention many new ideas. Mission Peak is a great facilitator of personal growth.

There is much more I could say, but this column would be way too long. So I’ll conclude by noting that in my current role as co-treasurer, I’ve also learned how many, many checks have to be written each month to keep Mission Peak running. Thus, in addition to sharing your many talents, we also need you to share generously of your treasure. When you make your pledge this Canvass season, consider carefully what Mission Peak means to you, and increase your pledge as much as you can, until it feels Really Good! I, and the Congregation will thank you.
A few words from our minister in the interim…
Dear ones,

     The old Dylan song, “Blowin’ in the Wind” is worth a listen about now. We have a whole slew of politicians, each with a broken moral compass. We knew this before last week’s devastating shooting at a Florida high school. We are hit over the head and heart with this reality once again as 17 people were murdered. A  young and troubled youth killed them.  And those who enable these events by failing to do their jobs and legislating sensible gun laws have the nerve to vilify the young survivors now.

We must do better for our youth. Even as they cry out for just laws, they are being victimized again, now with the politically-motivated accusations that the youth are faking or being manipulated, not speaking for themselves. As if they would let anyone tell them what to say! Does that not amaze us, the absolute abuse of political power these elected officials feel free to exercise? It amazes me. Yet again. Blaming victims in this way, these children, survivors of a shooting tragedy, is the work of opportunists with a badly broken sense of morality.

These evil ones in office are some of the same people who spend their time debating who gets to use which bathroom. These are some of the same people who waste taxpayer money on misguided fears and obsessions rather than doing the work needed for the common good.

We must do better. We must do better. Support our youth. They speak their truths with the fire of commitment!

 

  -Rev Benson
A Message from Your DRE
We are proud of our children’s program and support for families here at MPUUC. Know that YOU are needed to lead or assist in the classrooms to make the program work.
Teach a little, learn a lot!  Contact JeKaren Olaoya, DRE,
dre@mpuuc.org
…read more
 

Right Now:
 

The Following statement was developed by 5 members of the Tri-City Interfaith Council, your Interim Minister, Rev Benson, among them. Please read and share broadly:
TCIC Anti-Hate Statement
January 5, 2018

As a grassroots collection of people from many spiritual traditions, we want to clearly state that our faith traditions call us to recognize all people as equal and sacred. We reject racism, bigotry, and hatred.  “read full statement here

 

 

 

 

 

 

OUR Tri-City Interfaith Council 

MPUUC is now a member organization. Only individual members can vote and anyone from the congregation may join for a $25 dues, and attend whether a member or not. Rev. Benson is a member. Join in!

 

 

 

 

                 “We Are One” Rally:

The next rally is Thursday, February 22, from 5 to 6 pm. The focus will be support for the Dreamers. Show up at Walnut & Paseo Padre!

Our friends at Temple Beth Torah will once again host the annual
Yom HaShoah, or Holocaust Remembrance Day Service:
April 15th at 7:30 pm.  Interfaith participation is in the planning through our TCIC.
 

 

 

                  LGBT tobacco prevention project
:  Contact Tri-City Health Center,  Brian Davis, for more
information. HIV-infected individuals and Trans women on hormones have increased negative health consequences if they smoke. Help with this education project.

 

 

 

 

Anti-Racism Training: Niles Discovery Church, 36600 Niles Blvd, Fremont, CA

Saturday, February 24 2018 From 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM (Check-in: 8:30 AM)
Are you unsure what the difference is between racism and personal prejudice?

How racism is a system beyond individual choices? Why racism still grips the United States? And how we, as people of faith, can help dismantle it internally and socially?
If these questions interest you, plan on attending this workshop. You don’t have to have been trained before. All it requires is some time and an open heart and mind.
Registration is $40 with light breakfast and lunch included.
Scholarships: Limited funds are available to those in need. Contact Joy Barnitz via email:
jbarnitz@nilesdiscoverychurch.org for more information.

 

 

 

 

Justice: Next meeting for members to discuss MPUUC  justice efforts:
March 1, 6 pm-7:30 pm Ockerman 7

 

 

 

 

Call your Elected Officials!  
Keep your representatives alerted to your views! Keep these names and numbers where you can refer to them at any time. There’s a new bill to be introduced in the House of Representatives to decriminalize marijuana. So many people are in prison, in some places for long prison sentences, even for small amounts of marijuana.  Rep. Barbara Lee, Oakland, is one of the bill’s sponsors.  Let your representatives know your thoughts.  Let’s do all we can to interrupt the school-to-prison pipeline!

And let them know what you think about immigration justice, DACA, and the proposed “wall” between the US and Mexico.

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
VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES:
 

 

*Baby ShowerTime
:  Allysson McDonald is looking for one or two folks who would enjoy helping coordinate a virtual baby shower for an expectant mom recently rehoused by Abode Services. The money collected by our congregation in December will go towards the purchase of a crib. Rhea’s baby is due in just a few weeks! Please contact Allysson if you can help.

 

 

 

 

*Ask what committees can use new members or specific tasks done: contact Gayle Tupper, Membership or Jen King, Leadership Development

 

It’s your community. Be a part of it with a little time and talent, too!

Save the date:
 
 

 

 

 

 

Our friends at Niles Discovery Church, Second Saturday film series, invite one and all:
On 3/10 at 1:30 pm the movie at Niles Discovery Church will be “Requiem for the American Dream.”  Noam Chomsky unpacks the principles that have brought us to the crossroads of historically unprecedented inequality in the United States.

 

 

 

 

UUA Pacific Western Region Conference

 

is coming on April 27 to 29 in Portland Oregon Follow  this link for details!

 

 

 

 

Book Signing
After the service on
February 25, our Minister Emeritus, Dr. Chris Schriner, will sign copies of his books, including Bridging the God Gap: Finding Common Ground Among Believers, Atheists and Agnostics; Your Living Mind: The Mystery of Consciousness and Why It Matters to You; Do Think Twice: Provocative Reflections on Age-Old Questions; and Feel Better Now: 30 Ways to Handle Frustration in 3 Minutes or Less.  20% of the proceeds will be donated to MPUUC.

 

Anne Abrams
A Celebration of Life will be held for former member Anne Abrams at the Palo Alto Unitarian Church at
3 pm
on
March 11
. Please rsvp Leonard Abrams
lnrdabrams2@gmail.com
Help for
Sunday Services Needed
Helping set up or take down for our services every
Sunday is one of the easiest ways to give back to the congregation and get involved. We currently have several spots that we DESPERATELY need volunteers for:
  • 1st Sunday of the Month: Set-up (1 person needed), Greeter (2 people needed), and Take Down (1 person needed)
  • 2nd Sunday of the Month: Take Down (1 person needed)
  • 3rd Sunday of the Month: Aesthetics (1 person needed)
We also need more people to sign up to fill in for coffee subs.
If you can’t commit to one
Sunday per month, please consider being a substitute so we won’t have as much trouble filling slots when our regular volunteers have to be out of town.
Please contact Colleen Arnold at
colleenag@sbcglobal.net
  or text her at 510-589-7481, if you can help. Thank you!

 

20’s and 30’s Lunch Social
Join us on February 25th at noon for a lunch social after the service. This is a great way to meet other UUs and to connect with like-minded people. We would like to create a space for people to connect with others
in the congregation who share the challenges and joys of being a young adult UU.  We will primarily be a social networking group, but we would also like to explore participation in outreach activities and have events designed to support the spiritual needs of our members.  Any young adult, married or single, is welcome to join.
Tiffany Longfield
UU in America: Learning Opportunities
On March 11, from 12 noon to 2 pm, members of our congregation and the larger community are invited to hear Rev. Dr. John Buehrens discuss the subject of his newest book. The title of his presentation is “The Transcendentalists: What You Didn’t Know That You Didn’t Know About Them.”
Rev. Dr. John Buehrens was president of the UUA from 1994 through 2001 and has authored many books.
This presentation will take place in the Sanctuary of First United Methodist Church, down the driveway. No sign up necessary.
Mission Peak UU | 2950 Washington Blvd Fremont CA | 510.252.1477 | missionpeakuu.org
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