The Week Ahead at UUCB

Terra Incognita
Rev. Marcus Liefert
Sunday April 13 Worship Service 11 amSome of us grew up understanding that gender is a concrete and immutable characteristic, as solid as the ground beneath us. Others have always known a more fluid experience, with traditional categories feeling more like oppressive and confining boxes than reassuring clarity about how the world works. As we launch a worship series exploring the complexities of our gendered lives, lets begin with feet firmly on terra incognita—unknown ground—remembering how much we do not know about the territory before us.In Person, Facebook Live and YouTube

Sunday April 13, 2024

9:30 am Personal Theology
Fireside Room – ‘A Glimpse of Heaven’ My 40 year journey through ‘A Course in Miracles’  presented by Alicia Assefa. New to UUCB, Alicia Assefa will discuss her spiritual journey that includes her studies in ‘A Course in Miracles’, the non-dualistic self-study course on forgiveness.

10 am Youth and Children’s Choir Rehearsal
Meditation Room (below the Sanctuary) – Open to all children and youth, ages 5½ and up. Prior musical experience is not required. Email Teacher Katie for questions.

10:30 am Coffee and Community 
Atrium – Starts at 10:30 am in the Atrium

11 am Religious Education
In Person – We will explore our theme for the month LOVE, which is what powers our Unitarian Universalist values. Please email Rev. Kathryn Jay, Director of Family Ministry for more information: kathryn@uucb.org.

11 am Worship Service
In Person, Facebook Live and YouTube – Terra Incognita. Rev. Marcus Liefert.

12 pm Light Lunch
Social Hall – Be our guest for a light lunch in the Social Hall after the service. Helpers to prepare food and clean up are always welcome!

12:30 pm Freestone Congregational Vote Information Meeting
Fireside Room – Gather to learn about what will be up for a vote at the upcoming congregational meeting on April 27.

12:45 pm Pathway to Connection
Safir Room – The second of two sessions with Rev. Marcus in which participants share their own spiritual journeys, learn how we create loving community in our congregation, and the history of our church and tradition. This series is especially useful for people who have newly joined the church or are considering becoming members, but it is open to everyone.

1 pm Humanist Connections
Zoom – Don Anderson will discuss “Elder abuse” followed by a group discussion. The Humanist Connections group meets weekly to discuss topics relating to our humanity, values, ideas. “A free and responsible search for truth and meaning.” (4th principle of Unitarian Universalism.) For more information, contact Ray Westergard.

1 pm Working to Overcome White Supremacy (WOWS)
Zoom  – Julie Winkelstein will present on the role of libraries in addressing homelessness, offering some statistics and insights into being unhoused in the United States. Bring your MAUBs (Moments of Awareness of Unconscious Bias) and MOIs (Moments of Illumination) to share. For more information, contact Julia Rogers and Julie Winkelstein at wows@uucb.org or 510-520-8230 (Julia).

Click here to join on Zoom or dial 669-900-9128
Meeting ID 894 0793 2840

3:30 pm Field trip to Gill Tract Farm in Albany
Off Site  – Part of the Social Justice Council’s and Climate Justice Committee’s activities during Earth month, join other UUCBers for a tour of this month’s Good Neighbor site. For more information, email SocialJustice@uucb.org

The Week

Monday, April 14

9 am Write for Your LifeZoom – “Write For Your Life” is a meditative sharing practice for people who like to write. Please email Kit Hewitt for Zoom link and details.

9 am Women’s Meditation Group 
Zoom – This group meets weekly to practice “Mettā” (pr. METTT-tttah) or “loving kindness” meditation in the Southeast Asian Buddhist philosophy tradition.  Contact: Evelie Delfino Såles Posch.

11 am Textile and Art (2nd Monday)Safir Room – Provide support, fellowship and growth through sharing and exploration of fiber and other arts/ media. Contact Karen Tripp, Helen Toy, and Judy Sam

Tuesday, April 15

10 am Improving Your Balance Through Tai Chi 
In Person – Email Neil Clark for more information.

12:15 pm Applied UU Buddhist SanghaZoom – A weekly discussion group with time for meditation. Contact Lynnette Delgado for more info.

Wednesday, April 16

10:30 am Aging with Grace
Zoom – A weekly gathering of people sharing ideas and encouragement as they age. Contact Anne Greenwood or Jane Ramsey.

7 pm Program Council (3rd Wednesday)
Zoom – Monthly meeting for church programming reports and discussion. Contact Marta Tobey for more info.

Thursday, April 17

10 am Thank You Circle In Person – The Board has launched a monthly gathering of folks writing words of thanks to the MANY volunteers at UUCB. Come join us for coffee, chatting and note-writing. Pens, cards and stamps will be provided — BUT if you have a pen you prefer, blank note cards or extra stamps you’d like to donate, that would be great. Basically, just bring yourself—anything else is extra!  And if you can’t make it Thursday, our future gatherings will be May 29, and June 19 – all third Thursdays except in May.

5:30 pm Learn Javanese music at UUCB! In Person – Experience firsthand the meditative Javanese gamelan. All ages and levels of musical skill welcome. Contact Daniel Schmidt or Tom Tripp.

6:30 pm Freestone Congregational Vote Information MeetingZoom – Gather to learn about what will be up for a vote at the upcoming congregational meeting on April 27.

Meeting ID 384 464 1385

Passcode 1965

7:15 pm Choir Rehearsal
In Person – Luminescence, our choir of adults, joins to sing on Thursday nights in the Sanctuary.  New singers are most welcome! You don’t need choral experience, nor do you need to read music—though both help in learning the new music.

Friday, April 18

9:30 am Improving Your Balance Through Tai Chi 
In Person – Contact Neil Clark for more information.

6 – 8 pm Church du Soleil Lawrence Lecture Kickoff
In Person – Join us for a sunset worship service and community dinner to kick off the Lawrence Lecture Conference Emergence: The Futures We Can’t Yet Imagine. RSVP here.

Saturday, April 19

9 am Work Party
In Person – Help spiffy up of our UUCB Building and Grounds. Enjoyable work for all, in good company! party starts at 9AM with coffee and cake; but come anytime to help. Outdoor Projects include weeding, pruning, and improving the terrace and parking lots. Bring work gloves. Questions or suggestions contact PhilMaynard3@me.com

9 am – 4:30 pm Emergence: The Futures We Can’t Yet Imagine
In Person – Join us for this transformative conference that seeks to answer: how do we nurture spiritual exploration and activation in the face of catastrophe?. RSVP here.

6:30 pm Youth Social Event
In Person – The Youth Group (middle & high school) meets on the third Saturday of the month to have fun and build community! Bring a friend! There will be food and games and good conversation. Please email Rev. Kathryn Jay, Director of Family Ministry for more information: kathryn@uucb.org.

Upcoming Events

April 20 – Easter Egg Hunt
April 26 – The Ice Is Listening: Joint concert with UUCB Choir and KSO. Buy Tickets
May 2-3 – UUCB Leadership Retreat

Announcements & Resources

May 4 Doctors of Durability Recognition: If you are 80 or better, and especially if you have a milestone birthday in 2025, please plan to join us for a special worship service and delicious served luncheon in your honor. Your invitation will be in the mail soon, with RSVP information.
Volunteers needed to help with kitchen prep, lunch service, guest greeting, seating, and hosting before and after the service.
Chalice Camp is a fun and meaningful week-long summer day camp for 1st through 6th graders. Attending camp deepens our Bay Area youth’s understanding of themselves and helps them develop as Unitarian Universalists. We welcome regular UU church attendees, occasional UU church attendees, and all families interested in learning more about UU values! Learn more and register.

Good Neighbor for April

Gill Tract Community Farm
Mission: Our mission is to conduct collaborative community-driven research, education, and extension focused on ecological farming and food justice, and to foster equitable economies, a healthy environment, and increased resilience in vulnerable communities, both urban and rural.

UUCB Staff and Board Availability 

  • Board Listening Presence: Helen Toy.
  • Rev. Marcus Liefert (Minister) meetings by appointment on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays. Email
  • Rev. Kathryn Jay (Director of Family Ministry): open office hours Tuesday and Thursday. By appointment on Wednesday and Friday. Email
  • Bryan Baker (Director of Music): in person Thursdays and Sunday mornings, and remotely Fridays. Email
  • Janae Heard (Director of Finance and Operations): in office Tuesdays and Thursdays 11-5. Works remotely M-W-F. Email
  • Peter Barnholdt (Facilities Manager): Tuesday-Friday 11-7:30. Email
  • Charis Domador (Connections Coordinator): works remotely M-F. Email
  • Diana Steinbach (Finance Administrator) works remotely Mondays and Thursdays. Email

Stay in Touch 

  • Pastoral Care Need? If you or a UUCB congregant you know is sick, hospitalized, recovering, grieving or otherwise in need of attention and support, please email us at pastoralcare@uucb.org. In case of a pastoral emergency, you may call Rev. Marcus Liefert at (510) 525-0302 ext. 303  He is always available for pastoral needs, as phone messages will be forwarded to him.
  • Subscribe to our newsletters.
  • To subscribe to the UUCB general discussion list email connections@uucb.org.
  • Subscribe to the Families discuss list
  • Social Justice email list: Email Sheldon Jones.

Submit items for The Week Ahead to weekahead@uucb.org by 8 am Wednesday. Please limit announcements to 325 characters (with spaces).

Submit items for the Beacon monthly newsletter to beacon@uucb.org by the 15th of the month.

Our Board of Trustees Widening the Circle Vision Statement:
“We, the trustees of UUCB commit ourselves to championing racialjustice, embodying anti-racist practices, and confronting anddismantling white supremacy culture and all forms of oppression(including but not limited to racism, sexism, ableism, homophobia,transphobia, classism, ageism, xenophobia and religious oppression,including anti-Semitism and Islamophobia) in everything we do.”


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