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!

November 14, 2018

 

 

 

Hello Mission Peak. My name is Drew Wilson, and I am your Treasurer this year, head of the choir committee and a Worship Associate. I am originally from Tucson Arizona, where I attended Sunday School at Tucson’s Unitarian Church. After a stint in Pittsburgh PA where I met Janet at a nearby UU church, Janet and I moved to Massachusetts for seven years then to Fremont. Here we discovered the Fremont Unitarian Universalists, who were just getting organized. We pitched in, taught in Sunday School, served on committees, and I was twice president.
Both Janet and I had been members of our UU church choir while we were in Massachusetts, and we missed singing in a choir here. We importuned on Rev Ben Meyers, Mission Peak’s first minister and a former choir director to help us start one. Eventually Peggy Rahman took over, then Jo Ann Schriner followed by Pat Rodgers. When she left I importuned Shauna Pickett-Gordon, my new girl friend, to take over “temporarily”. The definition of “temporarily” keeps lengthening, but so far she is sticking with it.
I’ve learned and grown a great deal from all the volunteer service I’ve done for Mission Peak, but Worship Associates and Choir are the two activities that really feed me. In particular, I love to sing, and am delighted that Mission Peak gives me the opportunity to do so. I was in choirs through most of grade school, but then didn’t take it up again until I was recruited into the Massachusetts church choir. It was daunting at first, as we sang every Sunday, but gradually I improved. Here at Mission Peak, our more relaxed schedule gives our choir directors the time to teach us singing skills, instead of just racing to the next piece. It has helped my singing immensely, along with a couple other choirs I now sing with.
If you like to sing, even if it is just in your car or the shower, our choir can use you. Please give us a try. We don’t bite, and you don’t need to read music or have perfect pitch to join. But don’t just listen to me. In next week’s “Week on the Peak” you will be able hear from other choir members about their experiences with our choir, and why they love to sing with us.

Drew

This Sunday’s Service:

Blessed Thanksgiving Service
During this month of Gratitude, we will share with each other what we are grateful for. This Sunday come to listen to members of the congregation for a generational learning of different generations and what they are grateful for. We will also be experiencing a Unitarian Transylvanian communion where we can learn more about our heritage.

 

Rev. Jo Green will lead the service and assisting will be Worship Associate Jen King. Peak Rocks will provide our music.
Veterans Valued
 
On Sunday, November 11, Veterans Day, we raised nearly $700 for Operation Dignity! Their representative, Katie Derrig, shared the moving words of a client who said that his assistance gave him the realization that others believed his life has value. Not only does this tie in so well with our first principle (the inherent worth and dignity of all people), but also our seventh (the interconnected web of existence). As Rev. Jo pointed out in her sermon, the 7th principle includes people. She also talked about how kindness and gratitude strengthen the ties that could prevent the next shooting or hate crime. I am very grateful that we are in the business of bringing hope to a broken world! Thank you for your generosity.

 

Next month, on December 9, we plan to share our plate with victims of the recent fire in Butte County. Watch this space for details. We may also collect useful items if that seems appropriate and will let you know what will be accepted.

 

Alternate Volunteer Needed

We are in need of an alternate volunteer on Sunday mornings during services to “click” the slides forward as we proceed through the service.  We have someone that does this when they are at service, but are looking for an alternate when they are not available. There is no age limit for this volunteer opportunity!  Anyone from 13 – 100 can volunteer!  Please contact Rev Jo if this is something you may be interested in!  Training will be provided.  You will be giving a tremendous service, as this part of the Sunday service is driving the minister crazy!  Thank you!

Greetings from the Music side of the services

November is Music Focus Month and we want to remind you that there is always room at the table for more music and more musicians.
At Mission Peak we have four parts to our music, Congregational Hymn singing, Choral singing on the first Sunday of most months, Peak Rocks on the third Sunday, and piano special music and accompaniment. Our services would be rather sterile without the joyful, somber, thoughtful, reverent and serene music we provide each Sunday.
You too can join in the fun while providing a valuable adjunct to the services. If you like to sing, even if you have no training, consider joining the choir. We spend time each month on singing techniques as well as learning our Anthems. Drew, Shauna or any other member of the choir would be happy to talk to you.
Or maybe you play the piano, or some other instrument, then Jay Steele would love to talk to you. Wouldn’t the interludes sound even better if they were piano duets or trios with string, brass or woodwinds? And, depending on the instrument, Peak Rocks might be interested as well.
Come by the music table after church and learn how you can join us in making beautiful music each Sunday morning.
Children & Youth Religious Education (CaYRE)

SAVE THE DATES: 2018 Holiday Pageant

 

 

The 2018 Holiday Pageant will take place during service on Sunday, December 16. Children of all ages and abilities are warmly welcomed to participate. (Plenty of roles for assistant stage managers and theater techs for those youth who would rather not be in the limelight.) Parents, if your child is interested in participating, please make every effort for them to be able to attend RE on December 2 and December 9, when we will do our rehearsals. In the event they cannot make one of the rehearsals, please check in with Lisa Newstrom regarding any practice that can take place at home.

Adults and teens, we could really use some help with the following volunteer positions: working with the children and youth on sets and costumes; helping run lines from our script; and helping design slides for background and other special effects. Please contact Lisa Newstrom if you are able to assist with these roles or able to share any other theatrical talents with our young people.

 

 

 

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!

 

 

BAY AREA STANDS UNITED AGAINST HATE WEEK

 

November 10, 2018 – November 19, 2018
FREMONT EVENTS
Candlelight Vigil for Those Affected By Homelessness
click here for flyer
November 15, 2018, 7:00pm
St. James Episcopal Church
37051 Cabrillo Terrace,
Fremont, CA 94536
Tri-City Interfaith Thanksgiving Service:  Celebrating Our Unity
click here for flyer
November 19, 2018 7:30pm
St. Joseph Catholic Church 43148 Mission Blvd.
Fremont, CA 94539

https://tcicouncil.weebly.com/

 

 

 

 

 

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

 

 

 

 

IRA Charitable Rollover

Did you know that giving through your IRA may help you save on taxes while providing support to Mission Peak? This is particularly true if you will no longer be itemizing deductions because of the increased standard deduction.
If you are 70½ or older you are likely familiar with the Required Minimum Distribution (RMD) from your Individual Retirement Account (IRA). Each year, the IRS requires you to withdraw a certain amount from your IRA and you pay income tax on that withdrawal.
Consider these factors and talk to your tax advisor to determine whether this is right for you:
  • The IRS allows donors 70½ or older to transfer up to $100,000 directly from their IRA to charity each calendar year.
  • An IRA Charitable Rollover can be used to meet all or part of an IRA required minimum distribution.
  • You pay no income tax on the rollover gift. The transfer generates neither taxable income nor a tax deduction, so you benefit even if you do not itemize deductions, and it is not subject to the 50% deduction limits on charitable gifts.
You will need to c
ontact your IRA plan administrator to make a gift from your IRA, and specify that you want to make an IRA Charitable Rollover.
Also, be sure to notify us about your plans as the funds will be sent directly by your IRA plan administrator. Advance notice will help ensure that your gift is properly credited. If you have any questions please don’t hesitate to contact us at Treasurer@mpuuc.org.

Save the Date – Holiday Potluck & Boutique – December 8 @ 6:00

Our annual Holiday Potluck will be December 8 starting at 6:00. This year we will be holding the

Black & White Boutique “After” sale at the Holiday Potluck.  This is a great place to have kids shop for gifts for parents/grandparents/teachers/ etc. If you bring your kids by at 5:00, adults will be available to help them shop for parents/grandparents/teachers and we’ll even have a wrapping station set up.  The potluck will start at 6:00. Please bring a favorite holiday dish if you’d like or feel free to bring pizza or something else quick and easy.  (We know that there are many MPUUC meetings that day.) The important thing is to have you there with us.  After we eat we will have a brief story sharing time.  Come prepared to share your favorite holiday related story – the best surprise or worst cooking disaster or favorite holiday memory.  We will wrap the evening up with some music and sing along to some holiday favorites.

STAY CONNECTED:

Mission Peak UU | 2950 Washington Blvd Fremont CA | 510.252.1477 | missionpeakuu.org