Justice Team Meeting
Tuesday, May 11, 6:30 to 7:30 PM
As we prepare for transition to in-person activities, join the conversation about opportunities to create justice, at the upcoming justice team meeting. You can find the agenda by following this link. For an auto-reply with the meeting details, email yesplease@uuoakland.org with the subject line JUSTICE. If you are interested in learning more, contact justiceteam@uuoakland.org.
BIPOC Worship Services
Those with the lived experience of being Black, Indigenous, a person of color, or a person of mixed race, are invited to attend BIPOC Worship Services, along with spouses, children, and chosen family of any race. To attend, you must have been invited by a BIPOC or mixed race person. Interested BIPOC folks are also invited to participate in preparing or taking a role in the worship services.
Tuesday, May 11, 8:00 PM – BIPOC Worship Training
Saturday, May 15, 5:30 PM – BIPOC Worship Service, followed by Art Club Coffee Hour
Saturday, June 5, 5:30 PM – BIPOC Worship Service
Please note that BIPOC Social/Art Club has been moved to May 15, immediately following BIPOC Worship Service. Please reply to office@uuoakland.org if you plan to attend, so you can be provided with dot markers to use that evening.
If you are BIPOC or of mixed race and do not have an invitation, or if you have any question, please email Journey Toward Wholeness Antiracism Transformation Team.
Becoming Human, Again and Again
DRUUMM Worship and Fundraiser
Wednesday, May 19, 5:30 PM Pacific
It’s easy to become so overwhelmed by the tragedies of the day that we no longer feel human. We must find ways to return to our present human experience; becoming a softer and stronger human, again. This worship will lift up the DRUUMM community and explore the journey toward our human-ness. Worship team includes Rev. Mitra Rahnema, guest preacher. and Joshua Long and Nicole Rumeau, musical artists. All are invited and welcome to experience, return, and give to the DRUUMM BIPOC community. Watch this invitation video, and RSVP at http://bit.ly/may19druumm to join the congregation via Zoom or watch the livestream online via Facebook. For more information, please contact DRUUMM Administrator Dawn Robinson.
DRUUMM (Diverse Revolutionary Unitarian Universalist Multicultural Ministries) is an essential element of our congregational life. Please attend on May 19 and show up supportively, meaning please give towards the fundraiser yourself and/or email our Journey Toward Wholeness Antiracism Transformation Team as soon as possible to say you support First Unitarian contributing.
EcoChallenge: Sign up online NOW, check in any day May 18-21, 7:00 to 7:30 PM, or May 22-23, 9:00 to 9:30 AM
Although the Drawdown EcoChallenge is largely solitary, online, we are doing it together as Team FUCO. First, sign up for the EcoChallenge. Then Earth Justice Advocates invites you to share your experience: Bring your reflections, learnings, dreams, and short actions that we can take together. To join a check-in sign up here. For more information, contact Earth Justice Advocates.
Boost! West Oakland Advisory Board Seeks New Members
Founded by First Unitarian Oakland members, Boost! West Oakland has been working with underserved students in West Oakland for over 20 years to grow reading, writing, and math skills through weekly tutoring and mentoring sessions with a team of dedicated community volunteers. We’re currently recruiting new members for our Boost! Advisory Board to help oversee the program, make strategic decisions, and increase financial sustainability. We’re particularly looking to diversify by adding skills in PR/marketing, fundraising, and relationship building with potential funders. If you might be interested in serving on the board, please submit this form to share a little bit more about yourself or email Natalie Ingraham for more questions.
Join the New West Oakland Education Justice Team
Natalie Ingraham is looking for folks interested in joining a West Oakland Education Justice Team. This would bring together programs that church already supports (like Boost! West Oakland tutoring and the McClymonds Scholarship program) as well as supporting partnerships with organizations like Black Organizing Project, working to get police out of OUSD schools. You can read more about the proposed team in this Google document. If you’re interested in joining this justice team, please email Natalie.
MARK YOUR CALENDARS: Women’s Retreat
Saturday, June 26, 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM
A joyful, spiritual annual event. We welcome anyone over 16 who identifies as female or gender nonbinary or is a baby of any gender under 1 year old. All except babies must be fully vaccinated by June 12. The event is free, in person, COVID-safe, 30-35 minutes from Oakland on the grounds of the UU Congregation of Marin, 240 Channing Way, San Rafael. For more details, contact womensretreat@uuoakland.org.