The Great Water Games
Rev. Marcus Liefert
Sunday August 24 Worship Service 11 am

In our first worship series of the church year we’ll explore the spiritual themes of faith and trust through the lens of games of play. However stacked the odds may be against you, however disastrous the situation on the game board, your turn is bound to come around once again. The stakes are high, the situation is dire, the choices seem limited—yet still, what move will you make?

In Person, Facebook Live and YouTube
Wanna watch last week’s sermon? Replay it here.

Sunday August 24, 2024

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

Starting at 10:00 am Childcare
In Person – Please email Kathryn Jay, Director of Family Ministry for more information: kathryn@uucb.org.

11 am Worship Service
In Person, Facebook Live and YouTube – The Great Water Games. Rev. Marcus Liefert, preaching.

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! For information on how to volunteer, please email Rev. Kathryn Jay.

12:30 pm Pathway to Connection: Covenant
Fireside Room – One of three short classes where participants share their own spiritual journeys, learn how we create loving community in our congregation, and the history of our church and tradition. This class focuses on UUCB’s mission and covenant, and explores the meaning of membership in the church.

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 or In Person (3rd Sunday) – Kathy Rai and Paul Ulbrich will discuss “Deep rest and emotional agility” followed by a group discussion. We start at 1 pm and may go until 2:30 on Zoom with link.

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 Harold Ogren.

The Week

Monday, August 25

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.

10:45 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.

5 pm Climate Justice CommitteeZoom – The Climate Justice Committee, a project of the Social Justice Council, meets once a month to plan and carry out projects and actions that address local and global climate and environmental crises. We are also working to earn Green Sanctuary recognition from UUCB from the Uniitarian Universalist Association’s Green Sanctuary program. We are an action-oriented group. Contact SocialJustice@uucb.org for more information.

Tuesday, August 26

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

10:15 am Lunch Program at Greater Richmond Interfaith Program (GRIP)
In Person, off-site – UUCB volunteers prepare and/or serve lunch at the Greater Richmond Interfaith Program (GRIP) every fourth Tuesday. Make sandwiches from 10:15 to 11 am, serve lunch between 11:15 am to 12:45 pm. If you’re interested. Contact: Gillian Smith.

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

11 am – 2 pm Immigrant Solidarity Project VigilsIn Person – Join the Immigrant Solidarity Project for vigils in support of immigrants going to hearings at the Concord Immigration Court, 1855 Gateway Blvd., Concord. If you’d like to share a ride, please meet at the UUCB parking lot in time to leave at 11 am. Contact Francey Liefert with questions or 970-391-2547.

7 pm World Peace CommitteeZoom – The mission of the World Peace Committee at UUCB is to promote peace through education, social action, and charitable funding. Our work includes providing a forum to facilitate gathering information, sharing and discussing all perspectives, and promoting constructive dialogue.  We also provide a platform for members conducting peace-related action projects supporting our mission. Contact Don Klose for more information.

Wednesday, August 27

10 am Walk & Talk Group
A small group meets for a vigorous one-hour walk. All are welcome. We are building loving community while supporting our physical and mental well-being. Meet in front of UUCB on 1st, 2nd and 4th Wednesdays. For meeting location on 3rd and 5th Wednesdays, contact Ann Harlow.

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.

Thursday, August 28

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.

7:00 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, August 29

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

11 am Textile and ArtSafir Room – Provide support, fellowship and growth through sharing and exploration of fiber and other arts/ media. Contact Karen Tripp, Helen Toy, and Judy Sam

Saturday, August 30

Upcoming Events

Aug 30 – Third Annual Labor Day Weekend Upscale Rummage Sale
Aug 31 – An Afternoon of Ellington and Strayhorn
Sept 5 – Friday Family Movie Night
Sept 9, 16, 23, 30 Theology Class A House for Hope: Deepening Your Journey with Unitarian Universalism
Sept 7, 21 Fall Community Book Read The Beadworkers: Stories

Announcements & Resources

 

Get ready to shop sustainably and stylishly on Aug. 30 at our Third Annual Labor Day Weekend Upscale Rummage Sale in the Social Hall! We’re accepting donations of stylish clothing, unique home décor, and up to 12 recent books (in excellent condition, please – no furniture) from this Sunday August 24–29. Volunteers are also needed to help with setup, staffing, and cleanup – email Ann Harlow or call 510-559-3616 to join in the fun!
 

All are welcome to join in!! A UUCB special Fall community book read of The Beadworkers: Stories by Beth Piatote. Three in-person book discussion meetings on Sundays in the Fireside Room 9/7, 1:30-3:00 pm 9/21 & 10/5, 1-2:30 pm. In-person talk with the author, Sunday, 10/19, 1-2:30 pm. Book discussion meetings include a community beading project—joining together our intentions for the common good. For questions and to sign up for the Book Read, please contact Helen Tinsley-Jones. More info.
Kay Crider, a UU consultant, will be on-site with us September 5-7, 2025. She will meet with our board, ministers, staff, and members to hear about our culture, concerns, and our hopes for our church both programmatically and with our building. A core focus of Kay’s visit will be on identifying recommended next steps and giving us practical information to help us prepare for a possible capital campaign for our church home. More info.

Good Neighbor for August

Berkeley Public Schools Fund
Mission: To champion equitable public education for students, families, and our community. Through grants, volunteers, and STEM programs, we center equity for the benefit of our students and the entire community.

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 (Minister of Congregational Life): 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 (Operations Director): 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 (Manager of Membership and Engagement): in office Thursdays and Sundays. Works remotely M-W. Email
  • Eliza Cantwell (Office Administrator): in office Tuesdays and Thursdays 10-4. 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.
  • 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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