Labor Day Picnic
Join us for a potluck picnic at Lake Temescal in Oakland on Labor Day. We gather informally to eat and play together. You might see croquet or badminton games in progress. Some folks sit at the picnic tables and play Scrabble or Apples to Apples or card games. There are always impromptu hikes and, depending on the weather, a swim in the lake. People bring a dish to share, their own meat (or non-meat) to grill, beverages, and a sense of joy in being together and being in nature.
Annual Retreats -- Women, Men, Community, and Leadership
Our church offers several retreats for our community throughout the year. The biggest is the Community Retreat for everyone, held just after Memorial Day each year. There is also a Men's Retreat and a Women's Retreat. Concurrent with the Women's Retreat is a Men's and Kids' Campout. And finally, in January, the church holds a Leadership Retreat for those currently in leadership roles and anyone else interested in participating in the workshops and discussions. There are limited scholarships available to help individuals who could not otherwise afford to come to these community-building retreats.
Annual Community Retreat
This retreat, held the weekend after Memorial Day, is for everyone -- singles, families, couples, youth, groups of friends, YOU! Our community gathers at Camp Arroyo in the heart of the Livermore wine country. Situated on 138 gorgeous acres, the camp's buildings are made from recycled and reused materials -- a shining example of green construction. The on-site organic garden provides fresh produce for meals. Lodging is in duplex cabins, each side sleeping up to 12 in bunk beds and having its own bathroom and sunroom.
There are activities for everyone: workshops, arts and crafts, swimming and hiking, games and athletics, high and low ropes courses and a rock wall. On Saturday night we have the World's Best Talent Show followed by a campfire with s'mores for all.
Sunday's outdoor worship inspires and rejuvenates our spirits. This is a time for all of us to come together, relax, and enjoy each other's company before the end of the church year.
For more on the Community Retreat, email Kristen Montan at krmontan@earthlink.net or call her at 510-272-9625. And watch for announcements in the church newsletter starting a few months before the next retreat.
Men's Fellowship Retreat
Early March brings the annual Men's Retreat. About 50 men from the congregation gather in the redwoods at Monte Toyon Retreat near Santa Cruz for fellowship, fun and rejuvenation. For more information, email Jay Roller at jaybroller2002@yahoo.com or phone him at 510-295-7832. You can also contact Jay about the men's group at First Unitarian Church of Oakland.
Women's Retreat
If you are looking for opportunities to get acquainted with other First Unitarian people, the annual Women’s Retreat is a great place to start making connections that can develop into friendships. Please join us for this year’s retreat, at Camp Harmon in the Santa Cruz Mountains from Friday, October 5th through Sunday, October 7th, 2007. If you don’t have time for the full three days, there is also a one-day option. After a weekend of swimming, crafts, walks in the woods, campfire singing and home-grown rituals, you’ll feel as if you’re reuniting with old friends the next time you go to church. The year's theme is one of Gratitude. For more information or to be part of the planning please contact Kelly Jonick via email kelly@rappidrabbit.com or by phone at (510) 531-1198.
Men's and Kid's Campout -- same weekend as Women's Retreat
The annual Men's and Kids' Campout is usually held at Tilden Park. This event grew out of a need to support the women being able to get away for their retreat and has become a joyous gathering of men and children. Contact Scott Elder at elder.scott@comcast.net or 510-521-7603.
Leadership Retreat
Each year during the last weekend in January, the church leadership and other interested members take off to the beautiful Marconi Center on Tomales Bay in western Marin to talk about our beloved community and share in leadership development workshops. Members of the Board, Executive Team, Councils, and several other groups are strongly encouraged to attend this retreat. There are always a limited number of additional spaces available for others in the congregation who are interested and want to attend. Watch for information about this retreat in November or early December of each year.
Secret Buddies
This wonderful program helps to connect the generations. Participants are matched -- a child with an adult -- and then the buddies exchange clues about themselves and small no-cost or inexpensive gifts, as they get to know one another each week for four weeks. The first Sunday of the program the buddies begin the fun of revealing a bit about themselves while they try to figure out to whom they are matched. The fun culminates at the Secret Buddy Breakfast on a Saturday when the buddies reveal themselves and find out if their partners have already figured out who their buddy was. Everyone is invited to participate. This event takes place in late winter/early spring.
Halloween Party
Costumes, carnival-style games, cake walks, and entertainment highlight this intergenerational event held the Saturday before Halloween.
Seder Dinner
Each spring we celebrate the Jewish festival of Passover, a time of remembrance and recommitment to the ideals of freedom and justice. As UUs, we honor and participate in the Jewish heritage that so greatly informs and inspires our contemporary faith. It is also a meaningful way for those of us who come from a Jewish background to integrate our UUism with our family traditions.
At the Seder, we each share in telling the story of the Passover with a prepared script called a “Haggadah.” Our Haggadah blends both contemporary and tradition elements and ritual acts. Following the rituals, we share an organized potluck. Nearly 80 adults and children attended the Passover Seder this past year. Note: this is an event that the children enjoy as much as the adults.