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Love is the Spirit of this Church, and Service is its Prayer.
WORSHIP SERVICE
"MLK"
Sunday, January 19, 2025, 10:50 am
Rev. Vanessa Rush Southern, Senior Minister, preaching
Jonathan Eig won the Pulitzer Prize for Biography in 2024 for his biography King: A Life. People who previously refused to be interviewed told their stories, government documents that were newly released, and lots of research present a rich perspective on more of the layers of the story of Martin Luther King Jr., his gifts, theological commitments, and his struggles. In the full story of a life, we know the heroic for what it truly is. Let's unpack some more layers of the story of this hero.
Watch This Week's Service Here
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THE FLAME
UUSF Weekly Newsletter
January 15, 2025
The Flame, our weekly newsletter, is published every Wednesday! We cover Sunday services as well as recent UUSF news and upcoming events. On Fridays, we also send a brief email outlining the weekend's events. If you send us an email at flame@uusf.org The Flame will be sent directly to your inbox.
January: Story
Story is our theme for January. We human beings are so many things: tool makers (though not the only tool-making species); language users (though not the only species to communicate in sounds); and also one of the only story-telling species we know—at least so far. Stories are how we make sense of the world. They can tell the hero's journey, teach moral lessons, make us laugh, hold a mirror up to some piece of our world so we can see it clearly, and even show us the shadow side of the human spirit. History is just journalism, Joseph Campbell once said, and not very reliable. “Myth is much more important and true than history.” Myth and story, at their best, capture something deep and powerful, ground us in a narrative, and invite us to throw our life up against or through that narrative. Nothing is more powerful than learning to tell a story about the world that makes sense, a new story to lead the world forward to a new way of being. Come reflect with us on story and what stories are most important to you.
-- Soul Matters (www.soulmatterssharingcircle.com)
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What Do We Talk About?
Sunday, January 26, 12:30 pm, TSK Room/Zoom
The Congregation is holding a Social Justice Town Hall Sunday, January 26th, after the worship service. We will discuss social justice positions Members will be voting on at the February 2nd meeting, and the gathering will feature a presentation on a Palestine resolution by the Human Rights Working Group.
But we will also talk about other initiatives you want to work on. We will help you meet others who are interested in working on the causes and approaches you’ve thought about exploring.
If you would like to share an interest at the meeting, please contact a minister or member of the Board of Trustees this week so that we know to call on you on the 26th.
Do you want to work on the legal defense of immigrants? the defense of trans rights? keeping the media independent and free?
If you are planning to engage in any area and want others to join, let us know. And, come to the meetings on the 26th and 2nd to join in the UUSF social justice movement!
Special Voting Meeting on February 2nd!
Sunday, February 2, 12:30 pm, TSK Room/Zoom
A special voting meeting of the Membership will be held after service on Sunday, February 2nd. Members will be asked to approve resolutions of immediate witness.
The exact wording of the resolutions is still being developed. This is necessary because current events are impacting the potential focus of the resolutions. Exact wording of the proposed resolutions will be distributed in The Flame before the voting meeting.
One resolution will urge an end to apartheid in Palestine.
Another resolution will outline the social justice stands, priorities, and planned actions of the First Unitarian Universalist Society of San Francisco as the new Federal administration takes office.
Additional resolutions may be proposed by social justice groups in the next week.
The proposed resolutions may be amended at the meeting. However, no absentee ballots are allowed by the Bylaws.
Please contact the Board Secretary (secretary@uusf.org) if you have questions.
Small is Beautiful: A Thought-Provoking Screening and Discussion on Development and Conservation
Sensible Cinema Presents: A Screening and Discussion of 'Small is Beautiful,' a Movie by Carolyn M. Scott on Sunday, February 9, 12:30 pm, TSK Room
Lunch will be available for a nominal cost. After the screening there will be a discussion and Q&A with Carolyn Scott, director/writer, and Dennis Richards, former VP of the San Francisco Planning Commission.
This short documentary, SMALL IS BEAUTIFUL, delves into the contentious proposal surrounding the Sonoma Developmental Center (SDC), a state-owned property situated in a rural area encompassing the towns of Eldridge and Glen Ellen. This region, nestled at the base of Sonoma Mountain, serves as a crucial wildlife corridor, which will be destroyed by this development. Also, this area is in a high fire zone area that has already experienced extreme fires, putting lives at risk during an evacuation.
The proposed development plans to add nearly 930 homes, 400,000 square feet of commercial space, and a luxury resort hotel with a conference center. Concerns include insufficient infrastructure improvements, particularly water scarcity and narrow roads that may hinder wildfire evacuations. Additionally, a documentary highlights other major developments in the Valley of the Moon, driven by new laws and housing mandates that override local zoning and environmental regulations under the guise of "affordable housing," which is often not truly affordable.
Carolyn M. Scott is the director, producer, and writer of the film SMALL IS BEAUTIFUL, with over 25 years in education, environmental advocacy, and filmmaking. An Emmy-nominated visual storyteller, she has received the National Women’s History Project’s “Women Taking the Lead To Save The Planet!” award. Dennis Richards, a neighborhood activist with over 25 years of experience, has been involved in successful rezoning projects and served six years on the San Francisco Planning Commission, including three as Vice President. He raised awareness about upzoning issues in the film and co-initiated the “Our Neighborhood Voices” project with late Redondo Beach Mayor Bill Brand to empower local zoning decisions in California.
GET INVOLVED!
“… and Service is our Prayer.”
UUSF relies on all of us to offer our time and ideas in order to build the church that we all know and love! To see a list of volunteer opportunities, classes, and ministries, visit the "Finding Your Ministry" form below. For additional questions, or if you are interested in finding other ways to get involved at UUSF, feel free to contact the UUSF Nominating Committee HERE.
NEWCOMER ORIENTATION
NEWCOMER ORIENTATION
Sunday January 5, 2025: Fireside Room
12:30pm
New to this community? New to Unitarian Universalism?
Newcomers are welcome to join us after the service to meet some of our members and learn more about our congregation and Unitarian Universalism.
It's a great chance to meet other folks in the community, ask any questions you might have, and find out how to get involved in our programs and ministries.
We look forward to meeting you!
Upcoming! & Watch Now
"Looking Back, Looking Ahead"
Sunday, December 29, 10:50 am, 2024
"The Stories We Tell"
Sunday, January 5, 10:50 am, 2025
Exploring The Fillmore's Deep History with Immersive Stories
Sunday, January 12, 9:30 am, 2025
"Build Strength Through Our Stories"
Sunday, January 12, 10:50 am, 2025
January Sensible Cinema "Separated"
Friday, January 17, 6:30 pm, 2025
"MLK"
Sunday, January 19, 10:50 am, 2025
What the New Administration Can and Can’t Do to Immigrants with David Bacon
Sunday, January 19, 9:30 am, 2025
Prospects for Restraining Militarism in U.S. Foreign Policy with Norman Solomon
Sunday, January 26, 9:30 am, 2025
FAMILY MINISTRY
Stay up to date with what is happening for our families and Sunday School program by subscribing to the Thursday weekly emails. To be put on the email list, please contact Rev. Laura Shennum at lshennum@uusf.org.
FROM THE COVID ADVISORY GROUP
Recommendation for close contacts of cases.
If you have new COVID-19 symptoms, you should test and mask right away.
If you do not have symptoms, and are at higher risk of severe COVID-19 infection and would benefit from treatment, you should test within 5 days.
If you do not have symptoms and have contact with people who are at higher risk for severe infection, you should mask indoors when around such people for 10 days. Consider testing within 5 days after the last exposure date (Day 0) and before contact with higher-risk people. For further details, see CDPH COVID-19 testing guidance.
FOR MORE INFORMATION
If you have questions, suggestions, resources or want/need clarification, please reach out to our Covid Advisory Team Here.
NEW TO UUSF?
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WATCH & LISTEN
While we meet live every Sunday morning at 10:50 am PT, worship certainly isn’t restricted to those moments! Anytime you need a comforting word, a song that will help you with your life, visit our video archives or listen to one of our podcasts.
