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Mission Peak UU – Fremont, CA
The Home of Liberal Religion in the Tri-Cities and Beyond!
April 25, 2018
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This Sunday’s Service:
UU Assets For Youth
We worry about youth suicide, gun violence, and other issues affecting young people, but often feel helpless and don’t know how we can make a difference. The Search Institute has identified 40 positive supports and strengths that young people need to thrive. Half of the assets focus on the relationships and opportunities they need in their families, schools, and communities (external assets). The remaining assets focus on the social-emotional strengths, values, and commitments that are nurtured within young people (internal assets). How do these fit with our UU values and how can we help instill them so our children can feel valued and lead healthy lives? All community members , not just parents, have roles to play. Do you know how to make a difference?
Allysson McDonald will lead the service and assisting will be Worship Associate Ilze Duarte. Jay Steele will provide our music.
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TRANSITION SURVEY UPDATE
Thanks to everyone who could come to our meeting after last Sunday’s service to discuss results from our Congregational Survey. As it happened, we ended up going over and explaining the survey results, but due to time constraints left he comments for a future date. The results have brought up questions and things we as a congregation want and need to work through together, so we will be exploring those subjects in more depth in the near future.
Here are some of our thoughts that we shared at the meeting:
First, thank you all for your phenomenal response rate, and also for the thoughtfulness of the responses; they show how much people care for this congregation and where we are going. The survey should be considered a ‘snapshot in time’, which raises more questions, and is a representation of how the congregation is feeling.
Terri went through the survey results with the attendees; you can see the survey again
here. Moderate growth of the congregation was a clear ‘yes’ response; and we want to grow to increase our diversity and have a positive impact in the wider community. We are looking for ministers who give great sermons, and we have lots of ideas on what makes a great sermon. We want someone who is positive, energetic, hopeful, collaborative, and experienced.
We need to look at our desire for growth when combined with realistic expectations about how much we are really ready to go out in the wider community. We need to talk about how we can adapt to work with a real-life minister, not an unattainable ideal.
We need to talk about how we can reconcile our desire for growth and outreach with our limited willingness and time to go out and spread our message; we need to find more realistic and manageable ways to approach our outreach efforts. We need to discuss what we mean by community outreach, and what that looks like for us as a congregation, with our busy lives; we have a limited pool of people who are actually passionate about outreach.
How we communicate within our congregation needs more discussion, especially between the leadership and the congregation, as a majority of people don’t feel like they are well informed on leadership decisions, but many people also wanted to say thanks to the Board for all the work they do.
Overall, we have some wounds to heal, and a cautious optimism for the future of Mission Peak. We feel confident that our strong love for each other and our values will hold us together and help us overcome any obstacles.
We plan to have more informal gatherings to discuss these questions and the issues raised by the survey and we will keep you posted for details, but for now, if you have any comments or questions please feel free to approach any of us.
Your Lay Transition Team: Beckett Gladney, Terri King, Shaun Klopfenstein, Tiffany Longfield, Mark Rahman
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Opportunities to Serve & Deepen Our Connections (part one)
When we volunteer in our beloved congregation, it gives us an opportunity to engage together, to live our values, and to deepen our connections with each other and the broader community. The Leadership Development Committee (LDC) invites you to reflect on how you would like to get involved this coming year. What interests you? What excites you? Are you just getting started and would like to “dip your toes in” or do you feel ready to “dive in?” Here are some “dive in” opportunities to consider:
Please note that all opportunities come with training/mentoring.
Committee Positions
- Transition Team
- Adult Education
- Small Group Ministry (chairperson)
Board of Trustee Positions (start this July):
- President Elect
- Co-Treasurer
- Secretary
- Trustee-at-large: 2-yr. term
- Trustee-at-large: 1-yr. term.
Note: According to the congregational by-laws, the Leadership Development Committee must present a slate of candidates to the board, which then presents it to the congregation for vote at the June annual meeting.
Naturally, these are just a few ways to get involved. Please take some time to see where you would like to get involved. What piques your interest? What do you envision yourself doing next year? Find your passion! Deepen your connections!
Please contact the members of the LDC if you are interested in or have questions about a position listed. We are happy to answer questions or refer you to the person who can provide more information. Please check in next week for Opportunities-part 2.
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A Message from Your DRE
This Week Teaching: Next Week Teaching:
K-4:Shyno Chacko Pandeya, Lisa Newstrom K-4: Lisa Newstrom, Melissa Holmes
5-8: Melissa Holmes, Kellie Spielmann 5-8: Kellie Spielmann
Youth Group: Not Meeting Youth Group: Youth Retreat
DRE: (substitute) Steve Wallcave
Earth Day Family Movie Night
April 28th 6 pm
Movie: Wall-e
Join us for another free family movie night! In honor of earth day, we will be showing Wall-e. For more information about the movie click here:
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0910970/
Summer Camps
There will be two amazing camps for children this summer! Attend both or choose one! Both will offer experiences they will never forget!
UU Mosaic Peace Camp
First Unitarian Church of San Jose
June 18-22
Chalice Camp
First Unitarian Church of Oakland
August 6-10, 2018
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Get Involved: Opportunities for Service
Once a Month, Be Part of Something Special: the
Sunday
Service team!
Our services are held in a space that is transformed each
Sunday. There are a number of opportunities for you to get involved with making our space welcoming and worshipful.
With your involvement, chairs will be set up or put away; hymnals will be set on chairs or put back in the cabinet; people arriving will be greeted and handed an order of service; there will be coffee afterwards. So, what do you say? This is our shared religious home and we aim to do Sundays well!
Sign up for a monthly assignment or find a friend to share with and each of you serve every other month! Sign up
here
*
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!
Be Part of the Black & White Gala Team!
November may seem very far in the future, but believe it or not, in order to have the most successful Black & White Gala possible we start planning…Now! So, first off, go to your calendar right now and reserve Saturday evening, November 3rd for the Mission Peak Black & White Gala Fundraising Event. Secondly, have you ever been interested in knowing what goes into putting on an event like the Black & White Gala? Have you ever wanted to help put on such an event? Do you have ideas about how we can improve the event to make it even more fun and, most importantly, profitable? If so, Jen King would like to hear from you! Please contact Jen ASAP if you are interested in joining the planning team for the Black & White Gala or if you have ideas for how we can make changes to the event to keep it fresh, fun, and fiscally flourishing.
Turning Love Into Justice:
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!
Stay Strong, California! Join UUs and others from throughout the state on May 14 in Sacramento: Immigrant Lobby Day. Come to the Capitol & speak to your legislators to advance and strengthen this work. Policy agenda, developed by
California Immigrant Policy Center, includes: Access to Health Care & Public Benefits; Fighting Mass Detentions & Deportations; Immigrant Integration & Inclusion
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.govSenator Kamala Harris
(202) 224 – 3553
Senator Diane Feinstein (202) 224-3841
Experience Pacific Western Regional Assembly-no Travel Required!
If you’re not able to go to Portland to attend Regional Assembly you can view portions Livestream all in our own time zone!
- Opening Ceremonies, 7-8:30 p.m., Friday, April 27, featuring UUA President Susan Frederick-Gray
- Keynote Address, 9:45-10:45 a.m., Saturday, April 28, featuring Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal
- Sunday morning worship, 10:30 a.m., Sunday, April 29, featuring the Rev. Vanessa Rush Southern
New Members! New Friends! Save the Date: June 3
Be on the lookout for more details about lunch for our new members and new friends on
June 3 after
Sunday services at Eric Dittmar and Gayle Tupper’s home. Get to know other newcomers to Mission Peak, and have time to chat with Reverend Benson and some of our congregation’s leaders. If you feel new, then you are new, and are welcome to join us. More information will be available at the Welcome Table on Sundays and in upcoming editions of Week on the Peak.
MPUUC 2018 Summer Camp Out – June 15-17
Spring has sprung and Summer is right around the corner. This year’s Congregational Camp Out will be
June 15-17 at Del Valle Regional Park. We have room for up to 20 people. Tents only. Please contact Jen King for more information and to reserve your spot. Check in is anytime after
2:00 on Friday, and check-out is by
noon on Sunday (and yes, Sunday is Father’s Day). Cost is sliding scale not to exceed $25 per family.
Del Valle Regional Park, part of the East Bay Regional Park District, is located in a valley framed by oak-covered hills. The centerpiece of the park is a five-mile long lake, with all kinds of water-oriented recreation, surrounded by 4,316 acres of beautiful land for hiking, horseback riding, and nature study. Del Valle is also the eastern gateway to the Ohlone Wilderness Trail, 28 miles of scenic back country trail. The Livermore valley and its MANY wineries are also nearby.
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THANKS TO EVERYONE who made our fun/fundraiser with Deb & Mike, and Will Durst a great success. We laughed out loud and netted over $3,000 for MPUUC! Let’s have more fun/fundraisers like this!
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Mission Peak UU | 2950 Washington Blvd Fremont CA | 510.252.1477 | missionpeakuu.org
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