The LFDC/s meeting in December included discussions of two “field trips”: one, led by Jim Acock and Lonnie Moseley, who attended a concert in Santa Cruz featuring Rhiannon Giddens: the other, led by Christina Creveling (who sings with Oakland Interfaith Gospel Community Chorus), as some of us attended the fabulous concert in Oakland that included the main gospel choir and the young peoples’ chorus. We listened to music from these events and sang along! Then, a very thoroughly prepared Cordell Sloan so titillated us that we voted to carry over the discussion of The Obama Inheritance, Fifteen Stories of Conspiracy Noir, edited by Gary Philips, ‘til February. Join us! But first, we hope you will join us on January 7 at 12:30 for a discussion of Daring Democracy: Igniting Power, Meaning, and Connection for the America We Want by Frances Moore Lappé and Adam Eichen, the UUA Common Read for 2017-18.

In December, a trio of us were delighted to see and hear Julie Rogers perform Hanukkah songs with her chorus—Kol Truah, at the Congregation Netivot Shalom in Berkeley.

The New Year will see the UUCB engaged by Social Justice Council’s project on Immigrant Sanctuary starting with an informative meeting with local immigrant justice speakers immediately following the January 21 service, and culminating in a vote to become a “Sanctuary Church” during the Congregational Meeting on February 11. For those interested in becoming part of the Sanctuary “Accompaniment Team” to support local undocumented youth or a mixed-status family, please contact Elisabeth Jay.

The New Year is also the time for existing and new Social Justice Projects to (re)apply for the coming 2018-19 church year. Applications and guidelines can be found by downloading the Sponsored Application document, or by contacting Craig Scott. They are due by the second Sunday in March.