There has been a lot of music happening at the UUFC since the beginning of Covid. After almost two years of the choir being on hiatus due to the pandemic, we are so happy to have them back with us. Last spring they started meeting just to sing hymns, wearing masks and sitting far apart. It was a tough time, but they were so excited to be singing together.
Last summer they made their first appearance after almost two years of not singing in services at all. They were small but mighty, and now they’re nearly as big as before, and are continuing to grow. We are so glad to have Stephen Evans-Renterria leading the choir. He has been doing an incredible job and brings a lot of enthusiasm to our services. If you are interested in singing in choir, talk to Steven about joining. He’ll be the one waving his arms in front of the choir when they sing.
David Servias has stepped away from being the regular choir director to help in other areas like technology and the website, but is still overseeing our music program. You will see him at the piano with the band. That’s right, we have a band now! We tried putting together a band to lead hymns for the first time last Spring, and we had so much fun that we’ve been doing it ever since about once a month. Steve Strauss (guitar), George Beekman (percussion), and Gary Barnes (singer) have been part of this group since the beginning. Julie Harter (guitar) and Matt Matthews (guitarrón – ask him to show it to you!) joined us for the first time on Christmas Eve, and Priscilla Galasso sang with us for the first time in February. We only rehearse the morning of, so it’s very exciting and we have a great time. If you play guitar, bass, percussion, or sing, and you enjoy flying by the seat of your pants, talk to David.
We did say goodbye to one of our members, Lynn Scott, who moved to Scotland this month. Lynn helped us through the pandemic when we were only doing outdoor services, with less than 30 people and she led the songs. We are so grateful for the music she brought to our services, and we wish her the best in her new adventures.
We’ve had some great guest musicians since we’ve come back to in person services, including Johanna Beekman, Compass Rose, and Roy Zimmerman. But the most important part of our music program is all of you who come together on Sunday morning to join in the singing, clapping, and dancing. We are so excited to have everyone back together making music!
Covid protocols follow the CDC guidelines depending on our community level, show at the top of this page. Here is a guide to what the community levels mean:
Monday was Samhain (also known as Halloween), a time to honor those who have gone before us and a time to honor the natural cycle of death that creates and nurtures life. Let’s honor that cycle with a slightly spooky story about death and flowers!
After you listen to the story, perhaps you’d like to honor those who have passed on in your circle of experience, whether they be family, friends, pets, or even trees or flowers. You can find instructions to create ancestor figures here: https://www.instructables.com/Samhain-Salt-Dough-Figurines/
Sound and Music Attributions The following music was used for this media project:
This week’s story is a sad one, because not all stories can be joyful. A dying child and a kind spirit help the grownups around her to grieve with honesty and truth.
In the same way that not all stories are joyful, not all feelings are joyful, either! Sometimes feelings can be hard, but it’s very important for them to be felt honestly and fully. Here’s a silly way to explore your own feelings with vegetables: https://www.instructables.com/Feelings-Vegetables/
Today’s story is about seeing truly, seeing things others would rather not see. It’s based on a very old story called The Fairy’s Midwife, but it’s a very different take on the premise!
After you listen, why not go outside and see if you can find your own hagstone? Hagstones are also called adderstanes, witch stones, and serpent’s eggs. They are stones that have a naturally occurring hole in them. You can most easily find them in streams or on the beach, because water is very good at wearing holes in things, but anywhere there are stones, you might find a hagstone! And if you look through the hole, who knows what you might see?
Our keynote speaker is Linda Carroll, author of Love Cycles: The Five Essential Stages of Lasting Love, which has been translated into four languages, and the highly-acclaimed book, Love Skills, published in 2020. Linda holds a master’s degree in counseling and has practiced psychotherapy, specializing in couples and communication, since 1981. She works in Corvallis, Oregon, and coaches’ clients virtually, by phone, and in person all over the world. Linda first joined the UU in 1978 and is also a co-founder of a nonprofit serving migrants in Tijuana called Just One Story at a Time. just1atatime.org
Linda has authored three books on personal growth and healing. She grew up in a conservative Catholic family in San Francisco during the 1950s and came of age during the countercultural 1960s. From her traditional childhood, she preserves a faith in the importance of service, mystery, and reverence for all forms of life, and from her early flower-child leanings, she maintains a belief in looking outside the box for approaches to healing. Visit her website at lindaacarroll.com/.
Retreat Schedule:
Friday, Oct. 7 6:30 p.m. – Greetings, registration, workshop sign-ups, and sing-along 7:00 p.m. – Program begins in the Sanctuary Welcome & Housekeeping – Kris Egan Chalice lighting – Jill McAllister Speaker introduction – Amy Ayers 7:15 p.m. – Keynote Presentation – Linda Carroll 8:30 p.m. – Bedtime Story and Singing – Ann Marchant 9:00 p.m. – Housekeeping announcements and Dismissal
Saturday, Oct. 8 9:00 a.m. – Gather and Greet in the Sanctuary 9:15 a.m. – Announcements and chalice lighting – Kris Egan 9:20 a.m. – Speaker introduction – Bonnie Morihara 9:30 a.m. – Focus on Connection, Community, Caring – Linda Carroll 11:50 a.m. – Lunch and break announcements – Heather Thomas 12:00 p.m. – LUNCH and Recess 1:00 p.m. – Break-out Workshop #1 2:00 p.m. – Break-out Workshop #2 3:00 p.m. – Break-out Workshop #3 4:00 p.m. – Bathroom break; Re-group and Gather in Sanctuary. 4:15 p.m. – Singing 4:30 p.m. – Love in Action suggestions – Priscilla Galasso 4:45 p.m. – Closing thoughts – Jill McAllister 6:00 p.m. – Dismissal
Workshops and More!
Walking Connections – Priscilla Galasso
We will begin with circle time in the parking lot to introduce ourselves and focus our attention on the possibilities for connection during our walk. We will walk on paved paths west along Circle Blvd to Witham Hill Nature Area, where we will follow the Upper Loop trail through the woods and then return to the UUFC. The total distance is approximately 3 miles with about 200 feet of elevation gain. The pace will be moderate. Please dress for the weather, wear comfortable walking shoes, and bring your water bottle. This workshop will run from 1:00 – 3:00 p.m.
Listening and Telling: The Yin and Yang of Connection – Shikha Gottfried
The stories we choose to tell others reflect part of the identity we portray as we move through the world. In this workshop, we’ll explore deepening our connection to one another by sharing small slices of our stories via a few guided questions, and perhaps along the way finding threads of shared experiences that you didn’t know existed in this community. This workshop finds inspiration from the book Between the Listening and The Telling: How Stories Can Save Us by Mark Yaconelli. Please bring a small object that symbolizes for you a time when you were either deeply cared for, or that you really gave of yourself to care for someone else. One hour
Connections within sewing and stitching circles – Amy Ayers
A brief history and celebration of women gathering in circles to knit, sew, quilt, or practice any other needle art as a part of community, necessity, charitable works, and political action. Please bring any portable needle art project you may be currently working on such as knitting, crochet, needle point or embroidery to work on while we share our projects and consider the power of women gathered together in sewing circles for connection, learning, and sometimes to promote political and social change. One hour
Poetry and Hats – a lighthearted way to share poetry. – Jean Gilbert
Please bring three poems and three hats. ALL types of hats are welcome! We will read the poems aloud while wearing the hats, with stories about our choices as time allows. I’ll have a few extra poems and hats in case you forget to bring them. One hour
Foods to build Community, Connection, and Caring – Ann Marchant
Community: Each person’s micro-biome is a community of microbes – some beneficial, others not so much. Which foods promote a healthy gut community?
Connection: the Gut – Brain Connection plays a major role in mental health. Food choices help guide that connection.
Caring: What do you bring to potlucks? Is everyone welcome at your table? Introducing “Universal Meals,” developed by the Physician’s Committee for Responsible Medicine. Even most people with food sensitivities can enjoy these delicious recipes. https://www.pcrm.org/universalmeals One hour
Ukraine and our connection to the world community – Irja Galvan
Join Irja as she shares her knowledge of and caring connection to the Ukraine. Learn and discuss more about the current crisis and how we all are connected to it. One hour
Word Play – Bonnie Morihara
Come play with your choice of different “illuminated” acrostic forms. Add words to represent various UU or personal values and color the pages. Or complete an alphabetical acrostic. What fun! Materials: pre-printed forms, colored pencils and pens which Bonnie will supply. Your playful, creative mind: you supply. One hour
Belly Dancing – Dawn Dirks
Come learn some basic belly dance moves. For Dawn, this dance form is sacred dance, ritual dance, Goddess dance. Sacred dance has probably been practiced for as long as humans have been able to move and to think about what it means to practice spirituality. This workshop will include gentle stretches and slow, low-impact movement. No dance experience is necessary – just bring your open heart and willingness to move your sacred body in ways that may be new for you. Dawn will bring hip scarves and silk veils for participants to use during the session. Please bring a yoga mat if you have one for a short meditation at the end of the session. One hour
Living Room Conversations – Nancy Haldeman Limited to 8 participants
Join Nancy in discussing “Coronavirus – Reflecting and Transitioning”. Each person speaks to questions provided for up to 2 minutes each with no cross talk. 1½ hours
2022 Women’s Retreat Planning Team:
Amy Ayers Priscilla Galasso Kris Egan Heather Thomas Bonnie Morihara
