First Unitarian Universalist Society of San Francisco

August 30, 2015 11:00 AM

The Unitarian VisionU P CO M I N G E V E N T S

Senior Minister Rev. John Buehrens 132 jbuehrens@uusf.orgAssociate Minister Rev. Alyson Jacks 232 ajacks@uusf.orgAssistant Minister Rev. JD Benson 162 jdbenson@uusf.orgDirector Finance & Administration Emily Wilson 152 ewilson @uusf.orgCenter Facilities Director Kerry E. Parker 202 reservations@uusf.orgBuilding Manager Donald Johnson 272 djohnson@uusf.orgCommunications Manager Jonathan Silk 192 jsilk@uusf.orgYoung Adult Coordinator Joseph Chapot youngadults@uusf.orgMusic Director Dr. Mark Sumner 252 sngwtme@gmail.com Organist Reiko Oda Lane 282 reikolane@gmail.com

UUSF STAFFTitle Name Ext. Email

1187 Franklin Street, San Francisco, CA 94109 415-776-4580 ; FAX 415-776-4400

www.uusf.org/ info@uusf.org/ #UUSF

WELCOME TO THE FIRST UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST SOCIETY OF SAN FRANCISCO

Since its founding in 1850 this congregation has been a beacon of religious liberalism in this city. During the Civil War, the Rev. Thomas Starr King was credited with keeping

California in the Union. He also challenged racism, raised millions for humanitarian relief and inspired new efforts in education.

Unitarianism and Universalism in America both arose in New England during the American Revolution. Because the roots of both traditions are in the Judeo-Christian tradition, you will see on the walls of our sanctuary two inscriptions:

"What doth the Lord require of thee, but to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God?" (from the Hebrew prophet Micah) and “The Kingdom of God is within you.” (from the Gospels)

Our religious forebears were far more interested in the religion of Jesus than in beliefs about Jesus. Today we agree more about how we strive to treat others than we do about beliefs. Our backgrounds and spiritual orientations are diverse. Among us are people who consider themselves atheists, agnostics, humanists, Christians, Jews, Buddhists, Muslims, and people guided by other forms of spirituality and belief.

Belief is many things, and so is disbelief. But we are interested in what happens to us when we open our minds to wider truth, our hearts to compassion, and our souls to the call to work for justice and peace.

If you are interested in learning more, we invite you to a Newcomers Orientation usually held on the first Sunday of each month following the service. At the Welcome Table you will find pamphlets and other information. For more about our congregation, please visit our website at www.uusf.org.

Register for Small Group Ministry 12:30 PM, Gallery (TODAY)

Small Group Ministry Facilitators will be present in the gallery after the service today to provide information about the program and to take registrations for our 2015-16 groups. Questions may also be addressed to sgm@uusf.org.

William Ellery Channing, 1780-1842Spiritual Leader of early American Unitarians

Sign-up to be in our new Church Photo Directory! We want you – members and friends - in the picture!

Lifetouch studio photographers will be at UUSF between October 6 through October 17, times will vary to best accommodate member’s schedules. Weekday appointments will run from 1PM - 8:50 PM. Saturday appointments on October 10 will run from 10AM - 5:50 PM, and appointments on October 17 from 10AM – 2PM. Go to www.uusf.org to sign-up!

Feed the Need and get $5 off your Lifetouch Portrait!!!Lifetouch Studios has a great offer: make a donation to the Food Bank and they will give you $5 off the purchase of your portrait. There will be a barrel from the Food Bank at the portrait location. All you need to do is bring some food to donate and get your discount! The Food Bank suggests that canned tuna or peanut butter make great donations, as do soup, cereal, beans and other non-perishable food stuffs, but, please, no glass. Sign up for your portrait and pick up a little something extra the next time you grocery shop. It’s a great opportunity to do well while doing good! Go to www.uusf.org to sign-up!

Can you help as a Lifetouch Photo Directory Host? We need a group of volunteers to work 2-4 hour shifts to check-in individuals and families for their photo session. This is an easy and fun volunteer opportunity, and a chance to meet members and friends in our church community. If you can volunteer, please go to www.uusf.org to sign-up online or email ajacks@uusf.org.

WelcomeIf you are visiting today, please take a moment to fill out the yellow Newcomer Card located in the pewrack. It will allow you to sign up for our weekly e-newsletter, The Flame. Please stop by our Welcome Tablein the gallery after the service or speak with a minister to learn more about our liberal religious home. Ifyou would like to share your experience here on Instagram or other social media, be sure to include #UUSF.

Service Animals & Scent Free ZoneIn our Sanctuary we have dedicated two areas. The left pews as you face the chancel are for people with animals such as assistance dogs. The right pews as you face the chancel are for people who are sensitive to fragrances such as cologne and/or perfumes. If you have any questions please see one of our Sunday Worship Ushers located in the Narthex (entry way of Sanctuary).

Join us for coffee hour in the Courtyard or Gallery following the service.

Building Tour, SanctuaryIf you are new to the church, or just visiting, and would like a tour of the church building, please meet your tour guide at the front of the Sanctuary immediately after the service. Tour will last approximately 15-20 minutes. Building Tour Guides coordinated by George Mayer.

Upcoming Service

Sunday, September 6, 11AM, SanctuarySWINGING ON THE CHAINS

The Rev. John Buehrens, Senior Minister, preaching

Meet with John!

Rev. Buehrens is eager to meet with church members and friends individually. Contact John to schedule an appointment at 415-776-4580 x132

* Please rise if you are able.

Upcoming Events

August 9 - September 14 Registration for Small Group Ministry!Small Group Ministry

Thursday, September 3, 7PM Xavier Hall, University of SFIntegral Ecology: Concern for Environmental and Economic Justice - Presentation by Mary Evelyn Tucker, PhDGreen Committee

Sunday, September 6, 6PM Fireside RoomAmerican Freethought - Video SeriesThe Humanist and Non-Theist Committee

Sunday, September 13, 12:30 PM, Meet in the CourtyardBuildings and Grounds Mini Clean-up!Buildings and Grounds Committee

Saturday, September 19, 11AM to 1PMJoin UU Animal Ministry for a Marin Headlands Hike!UUs: In SF meet at 9AM on the steps of UUSF, 1187 Franklin St. We will drive away at 9:30 AM. Contact Dolores to RSVP. 415-595-7306 or doloresmp@aol.com.

Sunday, September 20, 9:15 AM, MLK Room“San Francisco Under the Microscope” with Scott WienerSunday Forum

Sunday, September 20, 9:30 AM, Fireside RoomMARTIN BUBER: To Hallow This Life. An Introduction & TributeMinister's Seminar with Rev. John Buehrens

“I do and I must reverence human nature. . . I shut my eyes on none of its weaknesses and crimes. . . But, injured, trampled on, and scorned as our nature is, I still . . .bless it for its kind affections,for its strong and tender love. I honor it for its struggles against

oppression, for its growth and progress under the weight of so many chains and prejudices,for its achievements in science and art, and still more for its examples

of heroic and saintly virtue. And I thank God that my own lot is bound up with that of the human race.”

--William Ellery Channing, Likeness to God, 1826

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Reflection Galen Workman

Music Seducción Miguel del Aguila (b. 1957)

Prayer and Meditation Rev. John Buehrens

Responsive Reading 592 The Free Mind William Ellery Channing

Sermon The Unitarian Vision Rev. John Buehrens

Offertory Sentence words of Rev. Arthur Foote II

*Benediction

Offertory Olas del Pacifico Chus Alonso

Postlude Fuga y Misterio Astor Piazzolla (1921-1992)

*Hymn 123 Spirit of Life Carolyn McDade

*Hymn 298 Wake, Now, My Senses words by Thomas Mikelson

About Today's Guest Musicians

The Bernal Hill Players is an adventurous chamber music group from San Francisco featuring Martha Rodriguez Salazar on flute and voice, Sarah Bonomo on clarinet, Samsun Van Loon on cello and Jennifer Peringer on piano and percussion. Their fascinatingly diverse repertoire includes European classics, Latin American discoveries, and newly commissioned pieces by Californian and Mexican composers. Since their formation in 2008 the Bernal Hill Players have been playing concerts throughout the Bay Area and Mexico City, and have commissioned several pieces for an ongoing project about the neighborhoods of San Francisco and Mexico City called “Music of Two Cities”.

Newcomer Orientation Class!

Sept., 6, Murdock Rm.

New to this church? New to Unitarian Universalism? Come to this informal, interactive orientation to learn more about our church community and our faith tradition. Newcomer orientation is co-led by our ministerial and membership teams. Open to everyone.

Membership Matters - Invitation to MembershipSunday, September 13,12:30 PM to 1:30 PM, Chapel

If you've found your spiritual home at UUSF and wish to become a member of our beloved community, please join Associate Minister Alyson Jacks and members of this community in the Chapel for an

Invitation to Membership.

August 30, 2015

Prelude Movement I from Trio Aram Khachaturian

Call to Worship and Chalice Lighting words of the Rev. Philip Hewett

*Covenant

Love is the spirit of this church, and service is its prayer. This is our great covenant: to dwell together in peace, to seek the truth in freedom, and to help one another.

*Doxology Tallis' Canon

Welcome and Announcements Galen Workman, Board Secretary

Greeting One Another

*Hymn 189 Light of Ages and of Nations words by Samuel Longfellow

Bernal Hill Players (1903-1978)(Please refrain from applause as we begin worship,

and express appreciation to our guest musicians at the close of the postlude.)

(By an Uruguayan composer who studied at the San Francisco Conservatory)

Music With the Birds Above Fort Funston Erik Pearson (written for the Bernal Hill Players)

Reading The Free Church James Luther Adams

(written for the Bernal Hill Players about Ocean Beach) b. 1958

(Piece by the famous Argentinian creator of ‘Nuevo Tango,’arranged for the Bernal Hill Players by J. Peringer)

Your invited to spend the High-Holy Days with Or Shalom Congregation!

September 13 - Erev Rosh Hashanah - 6PM (Children’s Programming available) SanctuarySeptember 14 - Rosh Hashanah - 9AM (Following services there will be a small Kiddush) SanctuarySeptember 22 - Kol Nidre -6PM (Children’s Programming available) SanctuarySeptember 23 - Yom Kippur -9AM and Ne’ilah Service at 6:30 PM Sanctuary with a Havdalah & Break-the-Fast Potluck at 8PM in the King Rooms.