This Sunday is our RE Sunday
Our Religious Education Director, Naomi Yoshida
And the RE Committee
Are putting that together.
Celebration of our Children’s Religious Education program
For the last year
Including a bridging ceremony for two of our youth
After worship this Sunday, June 14th 11:30 am – 1:30 pm
What will we do as a faith community about the systemic racism in U.S. society?
Let’s gather to talk about our commitment to racial justice and how we will manifest this in our lives, our congregation, and our community.
There’s also a google group you can join
If you want to discuss
Send an Email to UUCLBracialjustice@gmail.com to be added to the group.
Small Group Ministry (SGM)
a program which deepens members’ and friends’ experiences of “church” through their participation in lay led small groups.
UUCLB’s SGM Summer Zoom Edition includes six groups
that will meet every other week
with meetings lasting approximately 1-1/4 hours so as to avoid “Zoom fatigue.”
There’s a meeting for every day of the week except Monday
Morning, afternoon, and evening times are available
More information is available in your weekly email announcements
Which will be in your email inbox this Thursday
You must sign up by June 15
Some of the groups are filling up
So please include a request for a 1st choice
And a second choice
And if you want to enroll right now
Send an email to
smallgroupministry@uuclb.org with your 1st and 2nd choice and telephone number
This will be the last week that I do these messages
I will give my last message on Saturday, 1pm
I need to turn my attention to some other closing business
And I need to start my leave-taking
The week of the 15th
I’ll attend the Board meeting
I’ll attend the Pastoral Care meeting
I’ll lead the weekly staff meeting
I have a sermon to write for June 21
And I’ll finish the communication I’m preparing for Lissa.
June 21, is my last day preaching to you
Then for the last week of the month
I will participate in some of the GA and Ministry Days activities
I will finish cleaning out my office
I did something fun last weekend
On Sunday, Jim and I went over to a friend’s house
And we had a bit of physically distant
Social engagement.
These two guys are a couple
That Jim and I have been friends with for several years
They have a home in the valley
They invited us to come over and sit in their backyard
If anything, this two guys are even more conscientious about proper health procedure
Than Jim and I
One of the guys is 68
The other is a bit younger but is diagnosed with COPD
So they are appropriately vigilant about protecting their health.
And this is also the first time that Jim and I had met in person
For a social function
With anyone
Since the middle of March
We drove over to their house
We walked around the side of their house into their backyard
Without going inside
We had our own designated chairs and a table
They came out of their house and had their own chairs and a table
More than six feet apart.
We brought our own bottle of wine and glasses and snacks
And they had their drinks and snacks at their table.
We didn’t touch
Or get closer than six feet
And we never went inside
Even to use the bathroom
We just chatted
And after about an hour and half we said goodbye
We waved
And we walked back around the side of the house and drove home.
It sound kind of miserable
But actually it was lovely
It was great just to see friends and catch up
But it was also great because the experience
Stripped down the social experience to the essential
It wasn’t a party
It wasn’t a crowd
They didn’t make us dinner
Or offer us a drink
Or let us in their house
All they offered was their friendship
And that was such a gift
And because we didn’t have all of those other things to distract us
We were able to really just enjoy their friendship
They never got called away to the kitchen
Or to answer the door
Or to say hello to someone else
It was just them
And us
And each of us giving our complete attention
And it was the best conversation I had with either of them
In years.
It was lovely
As the COVID-19 pandemic continues
Now into a third month
And with infections not plateauing
But continuing to rise
We need to understand that the health precautions we have adopted
Are going to be with us for many months to come
And so we need to find ways to adapt to the needs of the time
But still find satisfaction and fulfillment in our living.
We cannot live without social interaction
I had been focused on the miserable part of not being able to
Be together physically
As were used to do
And that had been keeping me from experimenting with
How we might be together
In a new way
Which turned out
when I tried it
to be extremely satisfying
And fulfilling
I encourage you to experiment
Stay safe
Follow the necessary health precautions
But within those protocols
See what you can do
And you might be surprised.
See you Tuesday, 1pm.