“The World’s on Fire (and We Still Fall in Love)”
Installation of Rev. Theresa I. Soto
Sunday, April 25, 4:00 PM
Please join First Unitarian Church of Oakland in a service of installation as the congregation acts formally to enter into shared ministry with our called minister, the Rev. Theresa I. Soto! We will gather in a unique virtual event that combines the installation ritual and community celebration into one experience, where we will express and strengthen our commitments to each other while sharing food and treats.
RSVP. Please complete the reply card so we can provide you with virtual meeting details and prepare for your participation. Whether or not you can join in, please take a moment to visit our greeting board and post a note of blessing, memory, or hope on this celebratory occasion! Also, here’s a coloring sheet of the church building. Pastor Theresa would love it if we could color this and hang it in our Zoom space for the installation. Need to receive a coloring sheet in the mail? Write to office@uuoakland.org.
Family-Friendly Special Earth Day Edition of Family Feud
Sunday, April 25, 7:00 to 8:00 PM
Come as a team or as an individual, and we will form a team for you. This is a joint UU Church in Livermore and First Unitarian Oakland event. All are welcome! Join the fun by following this link.
Environmental Learning/Action FUN – Join the UU Drawdown Ecochallenge!
Environmental Justice Advocates is partnering with UU Ministry for the Earth’s 6-week Ecochallenge! Create an account via Ecochallenge! On “Team FUCO” choose challenges like: eat a meatless meal, write a congressperson, make a donation for women’s education, forgo a plane trip, and more. (Credit for actions already taken!) Watch our team tally RISE! For assistance contact Jeffrey Melcher. Together we are greater than the sum of our individual actions.
Board of Trustees: News and April 27 Meeting Info
The board of trustees has posted their latest update on what they are accomplishing on your behalf and what you should know about our shared ministry. Please read it and plan to attend their meeting on Tuesday, April 27, which begins with a 15-minute public comment period at 6:45 PM; you also may send comments to secretary@uuoakland.org, to be read aloud for you. View the meeting packet for the agenda. To receive the meeting link, email yesplease@uuoakland.org with BOARD MEETING in the subject line.
Support an Oakland Family Separated at the Border
The CAPAS (Congregational Accompaniment Project for Asylum Seekers) accompaniment team seeks 1-2 more core team members to help support and befriend a mother and daughter reunifying after being separated at the border. We anticipate a commitment of 1-2 volunteer hours a week, depending on the family’s needs. So far the core team consists of Janet McFarland, Noemi de Guzman, Megan Wachspress, and Amy Carlson. CAPAS is a program of the UU Service Committee, which staff provides guidance and support. If you are interested in this ministry and joining us on this spiritual journey, we’d love to hear from you at accompaniment@uuoakland.org
Congregational Read-Along: Braiding Sweetgrass
RESCHEDULED! Saturday, May 8, 7:00 to 8:00 PM
This year, we are gathering wisdom and perspective from Robin Wall Kimmerer’s book, Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge and the Teachings of Plants. For this fourth meetup, please read “Allegiance to Gratitude,” “Epiphany in the Beans,” “The Three Sisters,” and “Wisgaak Gokpenagen: A Black Ash Aasket.” Write to yesplease@uuoakland.org with READ ALONG in the subject line to receive the link. If you would like support in obtaining the book, e-book, or audiobook, please reach out to Pastor Theresa.
BIPOC Social: Art Club!
Saturday, May 22, 6:00 to 7:00 PM
If you identify as Black, Indigenous, or a person of color, you are warmly invited to a social evening of sharing art in many forms. Please come with your art or examples of art created or performed by another. Please invite your BIPOC family and friends to join too! Contact Journey Toward Wholeness Antiracism Transformation Team at jtw@uuoakland.org for more information.
Notice anything different?
The Chalice Chatter editorial team (Pastor Theresa and interim office manager Noemi) welcomes feedback, with the desire for congregants to be informed and to be able to make the most of experiences offered. Starting this week, Chalice Chatter will have a more streamlined and shorter format:
- Announcements will be published only once, and there will no longer be an “In Case You Missed It” section. There will be a link to the News page on the website, where current and past announcements can be found.
- Only events for the next week and a half will be listed. To view a complete calendar of events, readers can follow a link to the Church Events List on the website.
- Some of the usual information has been deleted, moved around, or consolidated.
We hope you will let us know what you think by writing to office@uuoakland.org.