March 25, 2018                                                                                                 “The iPhone and the Pine”

*Gathering Hymn                                           #1010 We Give Thanks

                                                                      Oh, we give thanks, for this precious day

                                                                       For those gathered near, and those far away

                                                                       For this time we share, with love and care

                                                                       Oh, we give thanks, for this precious day.

 

Call to Worship                                               Abby Arnold, Worship Associate

 

Chalice Lighting                                             #552 My Help is in the Mountain                                 Nancy Wood

 

Music for the Morning                                     Both Sides Now                                                             Joni Mitchell

                                                                                                                                                   with Colleen Keene

 

Welcome

 

*Opening Hymn                                            #1018 Come and Go With Me

 

*Covenant                                                    Love is the doctrine of this church.

                                                                     The quest for truth is its sacrament,

                                                                     And service is its prayer.

                                                                     To dwell together in peace,

                                                                     To seek knowledge in freedom,

                                                                     To serve humankind in fellowship,

                                                                     Thus do we covenant with each other.

 

*Hymn of Praise                                            From all that dwell below the skies

                                                                      Let songs of hope and faith arise

                                                                      Let peace, goodwill on earth be sung

                                                                      Through every land, by every tongue.

 

Offering for the Westside Food Bank

 

Time for All Ages

 

*Song of Blessing                                       #1053 How Could Anyone

                                                              How could anyone ever tell you, you were anything less than beautiful?

                                                              How could anyone ever tell you, you were less than whole?

                                                              How could anyone fail to notice, that your loving is a miracle?

                                                              How deeply you’re connected to my soul.

 

Life Together

 

Pulpit Message

 

Offering

 

Offertory Anthem                                          The Circle Game                                                               Joni Mitchell

                                                                                                                                                   With Colleen Keene

 

Devotional Time

 

Reflection                                                        What happens at camp...                                                Jacki Weber

 

Pastoral Prayer

 

Silence

 

Musical Response

 

Sermon                                                        The iPhone & the Pine                                     Jacki Weber, preaching

 

Going Deeper

 

*Closing Hymn                                            #1064 Blue Boat Home

 

*Benediction

 

Musical Benediction

 

Invitation to Fellowship

 

*Please stand in body or in spirit

 

Greeters: James Duckman (9am); Kirk Attebury & Steve Young (11am)

Ushers: Tom Early & Peggy Kharraz (9am); Nina Emerson & Tom Foretich (11am)

Coffee: Sheila Bjornlie & Leah Moore (9am); Cathy Wolfson & Sylvia Young (11am)

Welcome Table: Barbara Gibbs (9am); Carol Ring (11am)

Bookstore: Sarah Harper (9am & 11am)

 

Today, 40% of our offering will go to Gender Justice. Gender Justice addresses the causes and

consequences of gender inequality, regionally and nationally. While GJ believe gender inequality

hurts everyone, it focuses on the needs of individuals, such as low-income and immigrant workers,

who have traditionally had the least access to justice. In each program area, Gender Justice

addresses cognitive bias – the subtle but pervasive ways that stereotypes affect our perceptions,

decisions, and preferences – as a root cause of inequality. It counteracts the most harmful

consequences of inequality by dismantling the gender-based barriers that prevent full participation

in women in our economy and our society. Please give what you can to help out those struggling in

our larger community. Thank you!

 

 

           March 11, 2018                                                  “Butterflies and Zebras and Moonbeams and Fairy Tales”

 

*Gathering Hymn                                           #1020 Woyaya

 

Call to Worship                                             Jacki Weber, Worship Associate

 

Chalice Lighting                                           From “Free Medicine”                                                   Elias Amidon

 

Music for the Morning                                  What if We Are The Key?               Leslie Beauvais & Edward Brand

 

Welcome

 

*Opening Hymn                                           #1024 When the Spirit Says Do

 

*Covenant                                                    Love is the doctrine of this church.

                                                                    The quest for truth is its sacrament,

                                                                     And service is its prayer.

                                                                    To dwell together in peace,

                                                                    To seek knowledge in freedom,

                                                                    To serve humankind in fellowship,

                                                                    Thus do we covenant with each other.

 

*Hymn of Praise                                           From all that dwell below the skies

                                                                     Let songs of hope and faith arise

                                                                     Let peace, goodwill on earth be sung

                                                                     Through every land, by every tongue.

 

Offering for the Westside Food Bank

 

Time for All Ages

 

*Song of Blessing                                         #1053 How Could Anyone

                                                                     How could anyone ever tell you

                                                                     you were anything less than beautiful?

                                                                     How could anyone ever tell you

                                                                      you were less than whole?

                                                                     How could anyone fail to notice

                                                                      that your loving is a miracle?

                                                                     How deeply you’re connected to my soul.

 

Life Together

 

Pulpit Message

 

Offering

 

Offertory Anthem                                        The Morning After                                      A. Kasha and J. Hirschhorn

                                                                                                                                                   with Leslie Beauvais

 

Devotional Time

 

Reflection

 

Pastoral Prayer

 

Silence

 

Musical Response

 

Sermon                                                      Butterflies and Zebras...                                              Rev. Greg Ward

 

Going Deeper

 

*Closing Hymn                                          #1028 The Fire of Commitment

 

*Benediction

 

Musical Benediction

 

Invitation to Fellowship

 

*Please stand in body or in spirit

 

 

Greeters:                        Dwight Flowers (9am); Barbara Gibbs & Katie Malich (11am)

Ushers:                          Erik Paesel & Kit Shaw (9am); Steve DePaul & Ned Wright (11am)

Coffee:                           Alice Hall & Alicia van Ooyen (9am); Linda van Ligten (11am)

Welcome Table:             Barbara Gibbs (9am); Sheila Cummins (11am)

Bookstore:                     Sarah Harper (9am & 11am)

 

Today, 40% of our offering will go to She Should Run. Founded in 2011, She Should Run provides an approachable starting place and network for women leaders considering a future of running and serving public office. Their mission is to expand the talent pool of women of all political leanings, ethnicities, and backgrounds running for office in the United States by providing community, resources, and growth opportunities for aspiring political leaders. When women run for office they win at the same rates as men. Yet women are not encouraged and recruited at the same rate as men... Please give what you can to help support gender equity in public office. Thank you!

 

 

            February 25, 2018                                                                          “You Gotta Know When to Walk Away”

 

*Gathering Hymn                                         #83 Winds Be Still

 

Call to Worship                                            Catherine Grasso                                                    Worship Associate

 

Chalice Lighting                                          “And Yet You Persist”           Rev. Gretchen Haley (for Elizabeth Warren)

 

Music for the Morning                                 Make Me A Blessing                                                    Kimberly Haynes

 

Welcome

 

*Opening Hymn                                           #86 Blessed Spirit of My Life

 

*Covenant                                                     Love is the doctrine of this church.

                                                                      The quest for truth is its sacrament,

                                                                       And service is its prayer.

                                                                       To dwell together in peace,

                                                                       To seek knowledge in freedom,

                                                                       To serve humankind in fellowship,

                                                                        Thus do we covenant with each other.

 

*Hymn of Praise                                              From all that dwell below the skies

                                                                        Let songs of hope and faith arise

                                                                        Let peace, goodwill on earth be sung

                                                                        Through every land, by every tongue.

 

Offering for the Westside Food Bank

 

Time for All Ages                                              “Answer Mountain”                                                   Sarah E. Skwire

 

*Song of Blessing                                              #210 Wade in the Water

 

Life Together

 

Pulpit Message

 

Offering

 

Offertory Anthem                                            Great Divide                                                           Kimberly Haynes

 

Devotional Time

 

Reading / Reflection                                     “Big Magic: Creative Living Beyond Fear”                  Elizabeth Gilbert

 

Pastoral Prayer

 

Silence

 

Musical Response

 

Sermon                                                       You Gotta Know When to Walk Away         Rev. Kikanza Nuri-Robins

 

Musical Response

 

Going Deeper                                               “Perseverance”                                                        Margaret Wheatley

 

*Closing Hymn                                             #1015 I Know I Can

 

*Benediction

 

Musical Benediction

 

Invitation to Fellowship

 

*Please stand in body or in spirit

 

Greeters:                         James Duckman (9am); Kirk Attebury, Michael Young & Steve Young (11am)

Ushers:                            Bonnie Brae & Peggy Kharraz (9am); Nina Emerson & Tom Foretich (11am)

Coffee:                             Sheila Bjornlie & Leah Moore (9am); Sylvia Young & Cathy Wolfson (11am)

Welcome Table:               Barbara Gibbs (9am); Carol Rig (11am)

Bookstore:                       Sarah Harper (9am & 11am)

 

Today, we share 40% of our offering with NAMI Westside Los Angeles.

 

NAMI (or the National Association of the Mentally Ill) is the nation’s largest grassroots mental health organization dedicated to building better lives for the millions of Americans affected by mental illness. NAMI advocates for access to services, treatment, supports and research and is steadfast in its commitment to raising awareness, removing the stigma and building a community of hope for all of those in need.

 

NAMI Westside Los Angeles is committed to improving the lives of families who love someone struggling with mental illness by educating, advocating, listening, learning and leading. Help us partner with those working to ensure hundreds of thousands of families, individuals and educators get the support and information they need.

 

About Guest Musician Kimberly Haynes: Despite limited exposure to art and music in the inner city where she was raised, Kimberly Haynes bravely followed a divinely inspired call to song. Her work is the reflection of a life woven from intense adversity and bountiful blessings, with her passion for sacred music from all over the world always guiding her. Kimberly emerged from the fire of personal challenges with her grace intact, allowing those experiences to deepen and enrich her song. With music as her prayer, her deepest desire is to be of service to the world, using art for the healing of humanity.

 

 

Chalice Lighting                            "And Yet You Persist"                   Rev Gretchen Haley (For Elizabeth Warren)

     Though you have been warned

     And given plenty of explanations

     Reasons to do otherwise

     You have persisted

     To claim a life of joy, and justice

     To carve out this time

     This space for the renewal

     Of your own heart

     Despite all the reasons, the resistance

     Fighting for your attention, luring you towards fear

     You persist

     To practice gratitude

     For this day, this life

     That has been given

     This chance to begin again

     And so let us gather

     That we might

     Offer one another courage, strength

     Healing, hope

     And this promise to

     Persist in kindness,

     Persevere in compassion

     And

     Prevail in a life that is for more than ourselves

     Come, let us worship together

 

 

Reading / Reflection

You will fail. It sucks, and I hate to say it, but it’s true. You will take creative risks, and often they will not pan out. I once threw away an entire completed book because it didn’t work. I diligently finished the thing, but it really didn’t work, so I ended up throwing it away. (I don’t know why it didn’t work. How can I know? What am I, a book coroner? I have no certificate for the cause of death. The thing just didn’t work.)

 

It makes me sad when I fail. It disappoints me. Disappointment can make me feel disgusted with myself, or

surly toward others. By this point in my life, though I’ve learned how to navigate my own disappointment

without plummeting too far into death spirals of shame, rage or inertia. That’s because by this point in my

life, I have come to understand what part of me is suffering when I fail: It’s just my ego. Elizabeth Gilbert,

Big magic: creative living beyond fear

 

 

Going Deeper

Sometimes the best thing to do is just leave things alone. To stop manipulating interfering or pushing

things along with your own worn-out energy. This is the first step—withdrawing your energy from

forcing or cajoling. The next move is to change where you are, to stop looking at the situation from the

outside and to step into it as much as you can. From inside, a whole different territory is revealed.

If we take this approach, in every situation, we discover that the resources we need are already here. We

have more than enough to work with. It’s our task to notice this abundance, and then figure out how to

work with it appropriately. What’s possible, now?

Margaret Wheatley, Perseverance

 

 

For what does Life call you to persist, in spite of the struggle or pain?

From what is it time to walk away? Is it time to pivot? Is it perhaps, an opportunity to embrace something else?

 

 

 

 

           February 11, 2018                                        “What to Know about Good and Evil While Being Trumped”

*Gathering Hymn                                        #1 May Nothing Evil Cross this Door

 

Call to Worship                                            Margot Page, Worship Associate

 

Chalice Lighting

 

Music for the Morning                                  “The Don” - Roy Zimmerman                              Zimmerman / Harby

 

Welcome

 

*Opening Hymn                                           “Hope, Struggle and Change”                            Zimmerman / Harby

                                                                                                                                                          arr. by Buckles

*Covenant                                                      Love is the doctrine of this church.

                                                                       The quest for truth is its sacrament,

                                                                       And service is its prayer.

                                                                       To dwell together in peace,

                                                                       To seek knowledge in freedom,

                                                                       To serve humankind in fellowship,

                                                                       Thus do we covenant with each other.

 

*Hymn of Praise                                            From all that dwell below the skies

                                                                      Let songs of hope and faith arise

                                                                      Let peace, goodwill on earth be sung

                                                                      Through every land, by every tongue.

 

Offering for the Westside Food Bank

 

Time for All Ages

 

*Song of Blessing                                           #210 Wade in the Water

                                                                        Wade in the water, wade in the water children

                                                                        Wade in the water, God’s gonna trouble the water

 

Life Together

 

Pulpit Message

 

Offering

Offertory Anthem                                         “When a Child is Born” (9am)                                Zimmerman / Harby

                                                                     “Church of the Earth” (11am)                                            Peter Meyer

                                                                     Roy Zimmerman and the UUSM Choir

 

Devotional Time

 

Reflection

 

Pastoral Prayer

 

Silence

 

Musical Response

 

Sermon “What to Know about Good and Evil While Being Trumped” Rev. Greg

 

Going Deeper

 

*Closing Hymn “Someday (We Shall Overcome)” Zimmerman / Harby

 

*Benediction

 

Musical Benediction

 

Invitation to Fellowship

 

*Please stand in body or in spirit

 

 

Greeters:                    Dwight Flowers (9am); Barbara Gibbs & Katie Malich (11am)

Ushers:                       Bonnie Brae & David Goetz (9am); Hugo Contreras & Steve DePaul

Coffee:                        Kit Shaw (9am); Hugo Contreras (11am)

Welcome Table:          Barbara Gibbs (9am); Sheila Cummins (11am)

Bookstore:                  Sarah Harper

 

Today, 40% of our offering will go to to the Entrepreneurial Ministry Project. This is a new idea for us. Our offering generally goes to agencies. We try to balance between local, national and global agencies so that we engage in immediate, extended and far reaching ways. We give to agencies both within and beyond UU - so that we support and value our own purpose but also become valuable part of a purpose larger than us.

 

But we live in a world today where Truth of Love and Justice doesn’t just come from agencies or Non-profits. More and more, prophetic truth is coming from inspired individuals following an entrepreneurial call to cast vision, call out shared values, wake people up and get people involved in changing the world.

 

So, our first recipient for the Entrepreneurial Ministry Project - while he’s with us - is Roy Zimmerman. 40% of our collection today will go to helping him get the word out - in his unique, humorous and inspiring way. We want to help him inspire positive change - bend the moral arc toward justice. Part of this offering will be helping his concert tonight be possible. But, also we’d like to help him beyond this place spread some good news as far and wide as possible. We’d love your help. We will now gratefully receive this morning’s offering.