VIEWS OF YOKOHL VALLEY, an Exhibit at Arts Visalia During the Month of July
On March 3rd 2008, a group of artists and friends attended the Yokohl Ranch Planned Community EIR Scoping Meeting In Exeter. Most
of them, even some who were already members of the Tulare County
Citizens for Responsible Growth, were shocked to grasp the huge size
and scope of the planned development, and realize the impact it will
have on the health and environment of all of the citizens and wildlife
of Tulare County. The
plan is for a city of 10,000 homes with all of the additional
infrastructure and water needs that it would entail. The goal is to
attract 30 or 40 thousand people of means from other areas, which the
developers claim will benefit the area economically. Those
in opposition believe that the environmental costs are far too high,
and that true development benefits would come instead from projects
within the boundaries of existing cities within the county, not
additional sprawl away from those centers, with destruction of a huge
area of the natural environment.
One
of the artists attending the meeting, Mona Fox Selph, was a friend of
Ray Strong, a well known California landscape painter who spent his
final years in Three Rivers. Ray
was a founding member of the Oaks Group, a collection of landscape
painters from the Santa Barbara area which held numerous shows over
several decades raising both public awareness and funds, and thereby
saving many hundreds of acres of beautiful coastal land from
development. Mona approached Kevin Bowman, director of Arts Visalia with the idea of a show about Yokohl Valley. Kevin
agreed, stating, "I have always felt that art offers the opportunity to
raise discussion of difficult subjects, and I envision this exhibition
as a vehicle for creative reflection."
The
exhibit, entitled VIEWS OF YOKOHL VALLEY, will be held throughout July
at Arts Visalia across from the Depot Restaurant at 214 Oak Avenue. Hours are Wednesdays through Saturdays from noon to 5:30 pm. The reception with the artists will be on Friday, July 10th from 6 to 8 pm. A number of Three Rivers artists are represented in the show. The public is cordially invited.
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Please visit our online bookstore!
Anything you buy from Amazon.com after clicking on the
Powered by Amazon.com
logo, will provide a percentage to help support our Fellowship.
Editors Suggestion:
Simply Pray: Modern Spritual Practice to Deepen Your Life
Link to Description
By Erik Walker Wikstrom
From Amazon:
Drawing from the wisdom of the world's religions, Simply Pray offers
readers an easy-to-use modern prayer practice free from any particular
theological orientation.
(Editor: A whole colorful spectrum of worship really; See the link)
Use GoodSearch to support our Fellowship!
UU Visalia
Quick Links
Home Page:
uuvisalia.org
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Want a fun and attractive
reminder of our UU Principles for your wall?
You are sure to
enjoy CLF's
Principles
and Purposes Poetry Poster.
The Church of
the Larger Fellowship offers
a poster featuring the
Seven
Principles in
limerick form!
Bright, colorful, and clever
11" x 18"
poster.
All plants, beasts and people
belong
To a web that is silent but
strong.
Every choice that you make
Leaves a trail in its wake,
So
remember you're part of the throng
$8.00
plus postage
To purchase a poster or learn
more about the Church of the Larger Fellowship (CLF),
contact us:
www.clfuu.org
CLFUU clickable link
The poster can be purchased online by clicking on CLF
Shop;
or
call 617-948-6150.
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Please Use your Save-Mart S.H.A.R.E.S. Card
When you present your SHARES card to the check-out clerk, our Fellowship receives 3% of your grocery purchases. Contact Jolene to get cards and more information about the program.QUARTERLY SAVE-MART SHARES RAFFLE - July 12, 2009 We will hold our quarterly raffle for our Save-Mart SHARES fundraiser! The Prize is a $20 gift certificate to the Visalia Farmer's Market - that's 10 $2 coupons to use at all the vendors! Your raffle ticket is your Save-Mart Receipt - bring them to worship service and deposit in the raffle box with your name on them.
-Jolene
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July
Worship Service Calendar
Sunday, June 28, 2009 'To Pray or Not to Pray', a sermon of Jane Rzepka, Senior Minister,
Church of the Larger fellowship, presented by April Hill. Choir Day.
Sunday, July 5 Spiritual Journeys, Congregational members share how they became a UU; to be led by April Hill.
Sunday, July 12 General Assembly report by
Harold and Janet Wood. Choir
Day.
Sunday, July 19 Reflections
from Taoism; presented by Deborah Lynn
Sunday, July 26 Buddhist Insight for UUs (a sermon by Christine Robinson) Anna will lead service. Buddhism and Unitarian Universalism have unusually close ties. So here is a Buddhism 101 for UUs, an under-standing of our neighbors that we can put to use ourselves. Choir day.
Please Note - Service topics are subject to change
The 5PM Worship Service is followed by a potluck supper at 6 PM to which all are welcome! Please do not hesitate to come to church and join us for dinner potluck. Even if you forget to bring a dish, we always have enough and your company is most welcome.
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UU Visalia Fellowship News
KEEP IT UP WITH SAVEMART S.H.A.R.E.S. FUNDRAISER!
From January through April, the UU Fellowship of Visalia has raised $276. For the month of April alone we made $95 due to members and friends using the Savemart S.H.A.R.E.S. card when shopping for groceries! Each month is getting better!
We send 25% of proceeds to Food Link, while 75% of he proceeds go to UU Visalia Ethical Eating projects. Special thanks to Jolene for organizing this program! If you need another card, please contact Jolene!
See the sidebar below for news on the upcoming raffle and prizes.
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Unitarian Universalist
Events & News
August 15-21, 2009 - Pacific Central District's 32nd annual Unitarian Universalist Leadership School, at the beautiful
retreat setting of Tuolumne Trails in Groveland, California. Talk with a Visalia UU Fellowship board member about scholarship opportunity. More information at www.pcd-uua.org Unitarian Universalism: Nurture Your Spirit. Help Heal Our World |
Out of the Box
This first one is just plain encouraging. If you find articles by Malcolm Gladwell in the road, please read them. Gladwell is all about de-boxing things which seemed pretty well packed before.
Late Bloomers
http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2008/10/20/081020fa_fact_gladwell
This next one is about why 'experts' can have the same problems of belief as anyone else.
Profiling Made Easy
http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2007/11/12/071112fa_fact_gladwell
Editor's note: I'm going to include some good articles or puzzles which may or may not have anything directly to do with UU but have some fascination factor to them. My choices do not reflect any opinion of the church, the deities or even mine, just the fact that some rides on the cerebral playground are just too shiny to enjoy alone and if that isn't a UU notion then what is?
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Community Events for Social Justice and/or Personal Spiritual Development
Tony Redhouse-Native American
Healing Meditation Concert with Song, Dance and Music. July 7, 2009 at 7pm
at the Tulare Senior Center, 201 North F Street, Tulare, Ca, 93274.
Children welcome. Admission FREE to the
public. Call to reserve seating 686-1718 or 920-3740.
Tony Redhouse is a Grammy Nominated Recording
Artist, Inspirational speaker, sound healer and hoop dancer. CD's can be
purchased at tonyredhouse.net.
Concert sponsored by Tulare Radiation Oncology,
David Gallardo, M.D. Co-sponsors American Cancer Society, Breast Cancer
Detection Program, Impact Program (prostate cancer program) will be on site with
information.
The Human Right to Water Bill - AB 1242
AB-1242
(Ruskin-Jones) the Human Right to Water Act, has been passed by both
the Assembly Water, Parks and Wildlife Committee and Appropriations
Committee and will soon be heard on the Assembly Floor California teachers and nurses are joining with a
wide range of environmental justice groups in showing their support.
The
UU Legislative Ministry Action Network is pleased to be an active
co-sponsor of this bill, along with our national partner, the UU Service
Committee, as well as the Environmental Justice Coalition for Water,
Urban Semillas, Alliance for Democracy, and Food and Water Watch.
AB 1242 establishes a right to water for basic human needs, as a policy of the state of California. "It
is hereby declared to be the established policy of the state that every
human being has the right to clean, affordable, and accessible water on
an equitable basis, that is adequate for the health and well-being of
the individual and family."
LGBTQ On-line info and discussion:
The Tulare County Chapter of Marriage Equality USA(MEUSA and
Porterville LGBTQ invites LGBTQ organizations and supporters in
Tulare County and surrounding areas to share ideas, announce event info, and discuss LGBTQ issues. I have started a new yahoo group to
keep MEUSA and Porterville LGBTQ members connected with other groups
such as PFLAG, Gay Visalia, COS Pride Club etc. Please join this group
by going to MEUSA-TulareCounty-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
Jamie Garza
Chair Porterville LGBTQ, Tulare County Chapter Leader Marriage Equality USA (MEUSA)
Audubon Society Field Trips - meet at the Sears parking lot in Visalia at 6:15AM to carpool. Bring a lunch, water, a hat, sunscreen & insect repellent.June 27, 2009, South Fork Valley of the Kern and Chimney Creek. Also explore Kennedy Meadows & Troy Meadows.July 25, 2009 , Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks. Time to catch late nesting birds of the Sierra.
Visalia Farmer's Market - Saturdays - 8-11:30 AM at Sequoia Mall Parking Lot (near Sears) and Thursday evenings in downtown Visalia.
November 6-8, Quaker Center, The Sacred Depths of Nature - Exploring the religious potential of our scientific understandings of nature with Ursula Goodenough.
Lawn Mower
Exchange Program: Registration began 4/23/09 for So Cal Edison's Lawn Mower
Exchange Program. Pay just $100 or $160 for a brand new electric
cordless mower valued at $400 or $500 when you exchange your gas mower.
Find quick registration instructions and program details online at
ww.sce.com/lawnmower or call 888-425-6247 once registration opens.
Please give or send any anouncements you have to Bryce Lane, joandbryce@sbcglobal.net, we need more.
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Online UU Classes
Humanism Today: Issues and Origins
The heritage of humanism is a central strand in Unitarian
Universalism. We will explore the history of this idea in classical
philosophy, western intellectual development, and American religious
development. We will also examine the variety of institutional forms
of contemporary humanism, the issues it confronts, and the unique
spiritual resources that it offers in the context of our UU movement.
Taught by the Rev. Drs. Kendyl Gibbons and Bill Murray, two of the
most noted humanist scholars in our UU movement.
This class begins June 15 and runs for eight weeks.
You can sign up for these and other classes at our Online Learning
Center -- see www.clfuu.org/learn for more information about how
classes work and how to sign up. These classes carry a $40
registration fee.
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ONGOING FELLOWSHIP EVENTS
Invite Your Friends to the Fellowship!
We have a convenient way for you to invite your friends and acquaintances
to our Fellowship. Many people are turned off by "organized religion" but
they have no clue that there is such a wonderful religious alternative
like Unitarian Universalism that that is guided by a quest for
truth and meaning, not by a set creed or dogma. So we've created
handy "pocket
coupons" to help you share the good news! The "coupon" entitles
your friend to a FREE potluck dinner, "A Message to Celebrate Life," "Lively
Discussion" and Free e-mail Newsletter. A brief summary of the seven principles
and time and place with directions to our Sunday services are
included. You
can download our "Pocket coupon" from our website, and print your own
with text back-to-back, then cut the page to provide yourself
with four handy pocket coupons to carry with you. The
pocket coupon is available, on our "Welcome to Visitors: page, here: follow
link or http://www.uuvisalia.org/visitors/
That's a good page to refer your friends to so they can learn more about our Fellowship, and learn the good news of the liberal religious alternative!
Ongoing Meditation Sessions
Each Wednesday, 6:30-8PM at
Friends Meeting House. An opportunity to practice this universal
spiritual discipline and discuss mindfulness.
Caring as a Fellowship
If you
know of any Fellowship member or friend experiencing a life challenge
(including yourself!), please tell a board member so we can offer
support. E-mail your request to: info@uuvisalia.org or mention during "Joys and Concerns."
Please Use your S.H.A.R.E.S. Card at Save-Mart
Our Fellowship is participating in the Save-Mart S.H.A.R.E.S program. If you take one of our S.H.A.R.E.S. cards and give it to the clerk at the check-out counter, our Fellowship will receive 3% of your grocery purchases from Save-Mart, at no extra cost to you. Please get your own S.H.A.R.E.S. card from Jolene. And... bring your receipts for the Raffle!
UU Visalia Online Bookstore
Our online bookstore allows you
to purchase anything available from Amazon.com (even electronics, clothing, cameras and auto
parts, etc.) at www.uuvisalia.org/bookstore/ We have a number of new
books in our Featured This Month section - including Everyday Spiritual Practice by Scott Alexander and other books on home-made spirituality, and this months editor's suggestion 'The Souls of Animals' by Gary Kowalski. Also, we've added a new section on Ethical Eating. We also have a large number of
relevant CDs available in our new Music section. Our bookstore is a
valuable resource for spiritual growth, learning and just plain
fun. Please support our Fellowship fund-raising when buying ANYTHING online!
Before going to Amazon, just visit: follow link or www.uuvisalia.org/bookstore
JOIN US ON FACEBOOK
An
increasing number of our members and friends are networking with each
other and our Fellowship on the social networking website,
Facebook.com. Please join our UU Visalia Facebook group
and have some fun with online interaction and sharing! It's a good way
to learn more about each other, and to keep in touch between Sundays!
Friday UU Visalia Social Lunch Group
Join us every Friday at 12:15 p.m.for lunch - we'll be visiting different locations each week! If you'd like to attend, contact Harold at 739-8527 or email harold@uuvisalia.org to be added to our weekly notification list.
Join Our Choir
The Choir practices at 4 PM for rehearsal
on several designated Sundays each month. If you are interested in joining the choir, contact Ken Elias at kelias@prodigy.net or phone: (559) 561-0610.
Carpooling
Save money, gas, and the planet! Sign up to commute to Fellowship Worship
Services from Hanford, Three Rivers, Tulare, or Visalia. Look for sign up sheets at
the Meeting House or e-mail info@uuvisalia.org if you're interested.
Reminder to GoodSearch!
Search
the World Wide Web and support our Fellowship at the same time!
Use GoodSearch to support our Fellowship! Identify "Unitarian
Visalia" as "who you search for" and earn monetary points for the Fellowship.
Bring Your Used Printer Cartridges!
Recycle your cartridges and earn cash for the Visalia Fellowship. Please place in the Empties4Cash box in the entry.
Share Your UU Magazines
After you have read the UU World, Interconnections and/or CLF Quest publications, please contribute them to the library.
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