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Editors Suggestion:
The Tao of Emerson
(Modern Library)
By Ralph Waldo Emerson, and Lao Tsu
Amazon description excert:
The Tao of Emerson strikingly brings together two of the most
influential voices in the history of letters: Lao Tse, the
sixth-century B.C. Chinese mystic, and Ralph Waldo Emerson, the
American transcendentalist known to many as "the sage of Concord"...See rest
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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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Online UU Classes
As you travel to
work or on your way to some wonderful summer vacation, wouldn't you like
to take along some UU friends?
Unitarian
Universalist Podcasts -- sermons, meditations, RE
materials and more, are available from the Church of the Larger Fellowship
anytime and any place for your ipod, MP3 player, or computer. Hear the
voices of UU contributors to the CLF's
worship publication via iTunes subscription, or listen à la carte.
You can subscribe to our free podcasts atwww.clfuu.org/podcasts, or listen
to segments à la carte atwww.clfuu.org/quest. The CLF Quest podcast has nearly 1,000 subscribers
worldwide: join our community of listeners today! Visit the Church of the
Larger Fellowship at www.clfuu.org.
Questions? Contact Beth Murray:
bmurray@clfuu.org
617-948-6150
A Chosen Faith: Self-Study
Guide
On-going
A
guided examination of Unitarian Universalism, based on the book A Chosen Faith by John
Buehrens and Forrest
Church. Full
participation in this course requires having the book A Chosen Faith,
available from the UUA bookstore at www.uua.org/bookstore. Free
In the Arms of the Beloved: The Poetry of Rumi
Taught by Robert Moore: August 1, 2009 -
September 12, 2009
Rumi
was a 13th century Sufi teacher and poet
who wrote wonderfully evocative and vibrant poems to his Beloved that are rich
with meaning, image, and wisdom. We will create a spiritual practice over six
weeks using Rumi's words as a basis for weekly reflection, prayer, and
writing. With this practice, I hope we can discover abundant wisdom for our
lives and our spiritual journeys. $40
The Church of the Larger Fellowship is the UU congregation through mail and the
Web. Our monthly worship publication, "Quest" (also available
in print and on-line), gathers contributions from renowned UU ministers.
For information about these courses and more, contact
The Church of the Larger Fellowship (CLF)
www.clfuu.org/learn
617-948-6150
re@clfuu.org
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 Introducing Sam Webster
Sam Webster, M.Div., was trained at two notable Unitarian Universalist seminaries - Meadville/Lombard Theological School and Starr King School for the Ministry, graduating in 1993.
Since 1984 he has studied, written about, taught and practiced inspirational
knowledge and devotional arts from a wide variety of ancient eastern and western
religious traditions. After graduation from seminary he built an educational
and liturgical ministry serving the Bay Area Pagan community as a priest of the Hellenic God Hermes, patron of scholars and magicians.
Sam's experience as a ritualist has taught him how bring together folks of
diverse beliefs and create experiences of deep, immediate, spirituality.
Ritual, for Sam, is not the rote repetition of meaningless formalities which many of us have endured in orthodox traditions that exalt forms and creeds over substance, but as a highly participatory process allowing people to engage the universal spirit.
A pioneer in the application of the open-source attitude to religious practice, Sam helps people learn that both discussion and ritual are necessary to accomplish a full flowering of spiritual experience and personal meaning.
Sam will be spending the year with us cultivating our strengths as an institution while helping us grow as a congregation. Sam is not yet an ordained Unitarian Universalist minister but is working toward that goal. |
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Service Calendar
August 30th. Harold Wood will lead the service. Topic: Walden Ballad of Thoreau Part 2.
Sept. 6th. April Hill will lead the service. All are invited to
bring and share their favorite poem, meditation, or
spiritual passage.
Sept. 13th. Sam Webster and Marilyn Geise will lead the service.
Topic: "Out of Many One". The
Congregation will gather outside the Meeting House and be led in
processional by the choir into the Chapel. At this, the start of the
Church year, we will sanctify the sacred space with water, and
consecrate it with frankincence , circling the room in procession
before finding our seats.
Choir day, rehearsal at 4:00.
Sept. 20th. Marilyn Giese will lead the service. Topic: "How About a Little Balance". To provide a look at the ways in which we can get in balance as we
celebrate the Fall Equinox.
Sept. 27th. Emerson and Taoism. Lead by Harold and Janet Wood and Alex McDavid. Second half from week before.
Choir day, rehearsal at 4:00.
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
Harold & Janet have prepared a detailed report about the 2009 General
Assembly, tailored toward our members and friends in UU  Visalia:
General Assembly 2009 Report to UU Visalia:
"Standing on the Side of Love"
Review, Summary & Excerpts from the 2009 UUA General Assembly held in Salt Lake City, June, 2009
by Harold and Janet Wood
Read the report for a summary of democracy in action, theology for a secular age, and workshops on education and small congregations. Download in PDF format here:
http://www.uuvisalia.org/media/ga_2009_report.pdf
KEEP IT UP WITH SAVEMART S.H.A.R.E.S. FUNDRAISER!
Fund raising report: July, 2009 $83, Year to date - $519
25% Donated to Food Link, 75% UUFV
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 Edwards to get cards and
more information about the program.
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Unitarian Universalist
Events & News
Saturday, 9/19/09, 9AM-3PM - "Train 2 Lead"
Learn how to organize effective activism in your congregation. Worship,
healthcare curriculum, how-to tips, guest speakers, fellowship with
other UUs.. First Unitarian Church of Los Angeles,
2936 W 8th St, Los Angeles. UU Legislative Ministry.
RSVP to bruetersward@uulmca.org
13th Annual PCD Men's Retreat: Friday-Sunday, October 16th-18, 2009
Theme: What will it take for you to be happy?
Come join men from
all around the Pacific Central District for a weekend of fun,
community-building, kinship, singing, workshops and more! We will be
gathering once again at the Westminster Retreat Center in Alamo (10 miles south
of Walnut Creek), a beautiful location for reflection and enjoyment of natural surroundings.
The cost for the weekend is $225, with a deposit of $100 at time of
registration. Please register now, since the cost rises to $235 as of Oct. 1.
To register or to get more information, go to http://pcd-uua.org/men/frames.htm
We'd love to see you at this event! Questions? Contact us:
Gordon Smith at 408-393-6182 or gordonsmith100@gmail.com
Harry J. Mersmann at 209-955-0291 or pcdmensretreat@gmail.com
Unitarian Universalism: Nurture Your Spirit. Help Heal Our World |
Community Events for Social Justice and/or Personal Spiritual Development
Wednesday 9/2/09, 7PM March for Health Care. Downtown Visalia, Garden St.Plaza, 307 E.Main
Tuesdays
& Thursdays 9/8, 10, 15 & 17; 6:30-8PM Water Programs at
Visalia Library, 200 W Oak Ave. Three film documentaries on California
water issues from the Water Education Foundation and a moderated
discussion of water issues. Free and open to the public.
9/8/09 "Water on the Edge"
9/10/09 "Drinking
Water: Quenching the Public Thirst"
9/15/09 "Salt of the Earth: Salinity
in California's Central Valley"
9/17/09
"Uncertain Waters: Navigating California's Water Priorities" - Community
Discussion
And a
Community Discussion led by Craig Paterson from National Issues Forums.
For more information contact Judith Wood at 713-2706 or Sheryll
Strachan at 713-2709.
Friday 9/11/09, 6PM Social, 7PM film
Sierra Club Film Series at 210 Cafe, 210 W Center, downtown Visalia.
Free admission. "Shaman's Apprentice" about a rainforst ethnobiologist
2009 Three Rivers Concert on the Grass will
be the afternoon of Saturday, September 26. See www.concertonthegrass.org for
details. We hope you will join us if you can. Our own David Reid will
be playing bagpipes as well.
Thursday
10/1/09, 5:15PM-8PM - "Crossing Lines" community workshop with Fresno
Interfaith Social Justice Collaborative at Alliant International
University, 5130 E Clinton Way, Fresno (at Fresno Airport). Modern
tools of communication for students, families, educators, activists,
businesspeople & clergy, using story as entry to relationship and
change. Facilitators Libbie and Len Traubman cofounded the 17-year old
Jewish Palestinian Living Room Dialog of San Mateo CA, coproduced two
films "Dialogue at Washington High" and "Peacemakers: Palestinians
& Jews Together at Camp". Free how-to videos and literature to take
home. Event information at http://traubman.igc.org/fresnonight.htm
Event info link
Three Rivers Environmental Weekend, Oct. 3 & 4, The two day event will be October 3rd and 4th, at the Arts Center on Saturday, along with a green home tour on Sunday. Saturday's event
will start at 9:00 with the CNPS annual fall plant sale outside, and inside exhibits
and information, featuring a presentation by artist/scientist John Muir Laws
at 1:00 p. m. He spent 7 years in the field sketching and doing research for
his spectacular Field Guide to the Sierra Nevada, and gives an inspiring presentation,
which the CNPS has sponsored for the afternoon. A morning presentation and exhibit
will feature Max and Jane Eggman of Terra Bella. They produce the only comb honey
in the area, and will have some to sample and for sale...Read
more: (PDF)
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)
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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Out of the Box
After reading about this Gentleman, you may begin to doubt that you even know what a box is...really:
Lakoff Wikipedia
and
More
Lakoff Info
His political/psychological writings are informative and box-busting enough, but his writings on mathematics and cognitive science are anything but the regular dry-academic run of things. If you want to have your frames flipped and suspect you are made of sturdy enough stuff to stand up to profuse doubt heaped upon old and opressively comfortable patterns there's plenty to read on the net if you follow the links above to articles.
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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!
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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