MDUUC’s Mission Mt. Diablo Unitarian Universalist Church is a welcoming religious community. 

We bring to life our Unitarian Universalist values as we:  seek truth and work for justice; 

nurture compassion and courage;  reach out to each other and to our larger community of faith; 

bridge the divisions that wound the human family;  transform ourselves and our world. 

 

The 7 Unitarian Universalist Principles  

We, the member congregations of the Unitarian Universalist Association, covenant to affirm and promote:  ❖ The inherent worth and dignity of every person; ❖ Justice, equity and compassion in human relations; ❖ Acceptance of one another and encouragement of spiritual growth in our 

congregations; ❖ A free and responsible search for truth and meaning; ❖ The right of conscience and the use of the democratic process within our congregations 

and in society at large; ❖ The goal of world community with peace, liberty, and justice for all;  ❖ Respect for the interdependent web of all existence of which we are a part.  

2018-19 BOARD OF TRUSTEES  MINISTERS AND STAFF Steve Hirsch, President 

Michele Carroll, Vice President Ron Ahnen, Secretary Chris Carter, Treasurer 

Sharon Solstice, Board Member Kathé Cairns, Board Member Linda Russell, Board Member Kathy Teplitz, Board Member Doug Tamo, Board Member 

Jaynese Davis, Board Member board@mduuc.org  

  

Rev. Leslie Takahashi, Lead Minister / leslie@mduuc.net Rev. Dr. David Sammons, Minister Emeritus 

Miranda Lennox, Summer Minister / intern@mduuc.org Indigo Lewis, Director of Religious Education / indigo@mduuc.org Chuck Rosene, Congregational Administrator / chuck@mduuc.org 

Marie Arce, Business Administrator / marie@mduuc.org Marena McGregor, Assistant DLRE. / marena@mduuc.org 

Mark Tuning, Music Director / madmin@mduuc.orgusicdir@mduuc.org Jen Marsh Prink, Publications Coordinator / publications@mduuc.org 

Tristan Thielman, Facilities Manager / facilitiesmgr@mduuc.org Brett Carson and Larry Crummer, Accompanists 

  

Mt. Diablo Unitarian Universalist Church 55 Eckley Lane Walnut Creek, CA 94596 

Sunday Meditation 9:00 a.m. Two Services Sundays 9:15 and 11:15 a.m. Office Hours: Tues-Fri. 9:30 a.m. - 3:30 p.m. (925) 934-3135 

www.mduuc.org For more information on MDUUC and our programs, please go to www.mduuc.org.   

 

 Mt. Diablo 

Unitarian Universalist Church 

   

  

“Play, Pray, Relate, Create” Rev. Leslie Takahashi 

August 18, 2019  

ORDER OF SERVICE August 18, 2019 

WELCOME!  

❖ We welcome all of you and invite you to bring your full self. ❖ See ushers for large print copies of the order of service, hymn books, and hearing assistance devices.  ❖ A comfort room is available at the back of the sanctuary for those with small children. ❖ A gender-neutral restroom is located in the White Building, which is across the patio.  ❖ We use pronouns in our introduction to recognize the gender spectrum among us.  ❖ Accessible seating spaces for wheelchairs are marked in several places around the Sanctuary. ❖ A Fragrance-Free Zone is located on the right side of the Sanctuary, marked on the back of chairs. ❖ Please put your cell phone on a reverential setting.  

 

GATHERING SONG #1, “May Nothing Evil Cross this Door” This text comes from a poem by the American poet, anthologist, critic and editor, Louis Untermeyer (1885-1977), “Prayer for this House”. 

PRELUDE “Gabriel's Oboe” from The Mission (Ennio Morricone, 1986)  Johanna McShane (violin) and Brett Carson (piano) 

WELCOME Rev. Leslie Takahashi, Lead Minister Steve Hirsch, Board Representative 

EXCHANGE OF GREETINGS  INVOCATION “From all that dwell below the skies” 

From all that dwell below the skies let songs of hope and faith arise;  let peace, good will on earth be sung through every land, by every tongue.  

LIGHTING OF THE CHALICE  Patricia Craven Each week we light a chalice, which has become a symbol for Unitarian Universalists and our engagement in the world. 

CALL TO WORSHIP Bill Yarborough, Worship Associate HYMN #361, “Enter, Rejoice and Come In” Led by UU Ukes 

This popular folk song was composed by Louise Ruspini for a collection called “Journey to Freedom.”  TIME FOR ALL AGES  Blessing the Backpacks Indigo Lewis and Friends SINGING THE CHILDREN AND TEACHERS TO THEIR CLASSES 

As you leave this friendly place / Love give light to every face May the kindness that you learn / Light you hearts till you return 

JOYS AND SORROWS Rev. Leslie Takahashi MEDITATION HYMN #197, “There Are Numerous Strings In Your Lute”  

This song comes from the Love Songs of Rabindranath Tagore, a Bengali polymath, poet, musician and artist in the Hindu tradition. He was the first non-European to win the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1913. 

TIME OF MEDITATION AND PRAYER  Rev. Leslie Takahashi 

MUSICAL OFFERING “Come And Go With Me” (Traditional gospel blues song) UU Ukes CALL FOR THE OFFERING Kaitlin Dey, Worship Associate OFFERTORY “Mercy” (Max Richter, 2010) Johanna McShane (violin) and Brett Carson (piano) 

Each week during the Offertory we light two pillar candles to acknowledge that we are living in a nation at war. The candles represent our wishes for all whose lives are endangered by the conflict, and our hopes for peace. While the offering is received you are invited to come forward and select a stone to place in the column of water representing our community life, sharing it as a sign of remembrance and hope. Feel free to watch and hold your intention as your stone settles into the water’s embrace. 

DEDICATION OF THE OFFERING  “To the work of this community, in transforming ourselves and our world, we dedicate ourselves and our offerings.” 

REFLECTION Kaitlin Dey MUSICAL INTERLUDE SERMON “Play, Pray, Relate, Create” Rev. Leslie Takahashi CLOSING HYMN “This Land Is Your Land” (Woody Guthrie) UU Ukes (see screen for lyrics) 

These lyrics were written by American folk singer Woody Guthrie in 1940, based on an existing melody, a Baptist gospel tune recorded by the called "When the World's on Fire", in critical response to Irving Berlin's "God Bless America." When Guthrie was tired of hearing Kate Smith sing "God Bless America" on the radio in the late 1930s, he sarcastically called his song "God Blessed America for Me" before renaming it "This Land Is Your Land." 

BENEDICTION AND EXTINGUISHING THE CHALICE     POSTLUDE Allegro non Molto from Concerto No. 2 in G minor, Op. 8, RV 315, "Summer"  

(Antonio Vivaldi (1676-1741)) Johanna McShane (violin) and Brett Carson (piano) Please be seated. We ask that those who wish to leave during the Postlude please do so quietly, so that the music may be enjoyed in its entirety by those who choose to remain. 

Please join us for coffee hour following the service.  A BIG THANKS TO THE UU UKES, led by Aki Rasmussen. Thank you to our ushers. Thank you to our audio and video support team. The flowers were arranged by Jen Marsh. Sharon Solstice, Mark Watanabe, and Helen Reznick will be at the Umbrella Table. Coffee Service is provided by Debbie Dannucci, Jean Geyer, and Dolores Olson. The Caring Listener is David Epley. NEXT SUNDAY: “Unboxing” - An enthusiastic spirit of curiosity can lead us toward passionate action. What impact does our perspective have on those actions and what does that mean for us as part of a spiritual movement? Join us for a morning of thoughtfulness and discovery with former intern minister Jim Lewis for this service. 

PLEASE RECYCLE THIS PRINT-OUT AT THE TABLE AT THE BACK OF THE SANCTUARY GREEN REMINDER: THE EARTH THANKS YOU FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION.

This Week at Mount Diablo Unitarian Universalist Church Sunday, August 18 All day Campout in the Redwoods (Offsite) 9:00 a.m. Sunday Meditation Group (Fireside Room) 10:15 a.m. Worship (Sanctuary) 12:00 p.m. Harmony Singers Rehearsal (Fireside Room) 12:00 p.m. YRUU (Sequoia Room) 12:15 p.m. Safety Committee (OWL Room) 12:30 p.m. Sunday Summer Community Circle #1 (Children’s Chapel) 12:30 p.m. Sunday Summer Community Circle #2 (Redwood Room) 4:00 p.m. AA Meeting (Fireside Room) 4:30 p.m. Al-Anon Parents Meeting (Owl Room) Monday, August 19 1:00 p.m. Finance Committee 18/19 Closing Books Meeting (Owl Room) Tuesday, August 20 10:00 a.m. Monkey Mind Meditation & Haiku (Owl Room) 5:30 p.m. 12 Steps for UUs (Sequoia Room) 7:30 p.m. Improv (Mirror Room) Wednesday, August 21 7:30 p.m. Summer Common Read (Children’s Chapel) Thursday, August 22 9:30 a.m. Half-Day Staff Retreat (Bortin Hall) 7:00 p.m. Council Convenors (Owl Room) Friday, August 23 All day No events today Saturday, August 24 8:30 a.m. Pastoral Visitors (OWL Room) 9:30 a.m. Caring Committee (Fireside Room) Find an error? Email corrections@mduuc.org. Donate by Texting any amount to 84321 to give. You can even use this for our special collection today. If you have never set up Text-to-Give, you'll be asked to select MDUUC and set up a payment method. From then on giving will be as simple as sending a text.

Being Sanctuary: Want to make a difference?

At Mt. Diablo UU Church we strive to bring to life our Unitarian Universalist values as we seek truth and work for justice and bridge the divisions that wound the human family. As you consider how you are moved to answer the call of love, here are some suggestions for action.

DONATE

● We are taking a special collection to help with Sanctuary expenses and you can donate here: https://mduuc.churchcenter.com/giving/to/sanctuary

● Heartbroken by the continued gun violence in our nation, consider donating to these organizations:

● The Brady Campaign https://www.bradyunited.org/ ● Everytown for Gun Safety: https://everytown.org/ ● Coalition to Stop Gun Violence: https://www.csgv.org/ ● Giffords Law Center: https://lawcenter.giffords.org/

EDUCATE ● Summer read on climate change is worth discussing! See details starting August 21! ● Want to learn more about what has happened to LBGTQ people in Honduras? Read about the

persecution here: https://www.irishtimes.com/news/world/honduras-they-have-silenced-us-completely-1.2208492

● PR: “Even a Grammar Geezer Like Me Can Get Used to Gender Neutral Pronouns” (a helpful conversation on the “Fresh Air” program: https://www.npr.org/2019/08/06/744121321/even-a-grammar-geezer-like-me-can-get-used-to-gender-neutral-pronouns

● The Impact of Racism on Children’s Health https://www.nytimes.com/2019/08/12/well/family/the-impact-of-racism-on-childrens-health.html?smid=nytcore-ios-share

ADVOCATE ● The American Civil Liberties Union is asking people to sign a petition to ask Greyhound to stop

cooperating with Immigration and Customs enforcement. You can sign it here: https://tinyurl.com/y3nx2t9n

SAVE THE DATES ● Climate Strike on September 20—A Global Action: Learn more here:

https://www.climatestrike.net/ ● June 20, 2020, Poor People’s Campaign Event in Washington, DC. This is a major national

convening and local events will be happening as well. More info soon.

Rev. Leslie’s email is on the fritz again. Feel free to leave her a message at 925-934-3135 ext. 12 if you have sent something and have not received a response. She can find emails by searching for them by name but they often do not show up in her in-box. And yes, we are working on it.

Monkey Mind Meditation and Haiku - Tuesday, August 20, 10:00 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. Owl Room. Monkey Mind Meditation and Haiku offers some quiet reflective time learning about Haiku as a way of quieting your restless mind. Learn about the simple origins from two famous Japanese poets, Basho and Buson. Welcome the element of nature reflected in these writings and compose some of your own. “Monkey Mind” refers to the impulsive antics of monkeys much like our own restless minds-- when redirecting your thoughts in another direction, such as haiku, a quiet meditative state may emerge. Please enroll online. Facilitator: Suzanne Lofquist. Suggested Donation: $10

August Building & Grounds Work Parties Come to the mid-month work party on August 21, 2019. Tristan and tools will be available from 8:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. Drop-ins always welcome if Tristan is on campus.

12 Steps for Unitarian Universalists - Tuesday, August 20, 5:30 - 6:30 p.m. in the Sequoia Room. Join us as we share our experience, strength, and hope with one another at MDUUC. Regardless of what kind of addiction you have, or whether the word addiction even feels right for you, you are welcome to join us as we engage in recovery as Unitarian Universalists. We will meet on the 1st, 3rd, and 5th (if there is one) Tuesdays in September and October.

MDUUC is committed to making adult faith formation programming available for all folks taking care of children- parents, grandparents, and guardians - with free childcare for program attendees. To schedule YOUR childcare requests, please email childcare@mduuc.org with 7 days advance notice. We look forward to seeing you and the kids!

MDUUC Store - Our new Church Store is open! Our first offerings are the brilliant t-shirts and hats created for General Assembly. We will be selling after service in Bortin hall 1st and 3rd Sundays. Soon we hope to have a webpage for online purchase – stay tuned. Wear Your MDUUC Pride!

Climate Action Resolution - The recently created Climate Action Committee intends to put a resolution about the climate crisis before the congregation at the September congregational meeting. To do that we need the signatures of over 150 members. We will be passing a petition after the service on Sundays and will appreciate having your support.

The Green Group invites you to join The Cleaner Contra Costa Challenge presented by Sustainable Contra Costa. https://cleanercontracosta.org/ Join, fill out your energy profile and find actions to cut your carbon footprint and conserve water. Political actions also offered. Be sure to join the MDUUC community group.

Mark the dates!!! Climate Strike -- There will be a Climate Strike in support of Greta Thunberg and Striking School Kids, Friday, September 20, San Francisco. If you have a yellow Love T-shirt, please wear it. Walnut Creek will have a Climate Rally in Civic Park , Saturday, September 21 at 1:00 pm and there will be a Climate Action Now presence at the Twilight Parade, Saturday, September 14. Details later. Contact the Climate Action Committee for information: climateaction@mduuc.org

Chalice Lighter Call: UU’s of the Pacific Central District band together three times a year to answer a Chalice Lighter Call to support one congregation’s special need. This Fall’s donations are for the growing UU Congregation of Marin, which is seeking funds for a shuttle service to supplement their overloaded parking lot. Become a Chalice Lighter and send your check to PCD Chalice Lighters, P.O. Box 567, Brighton, CO 80601-9567.

Notification of Upcoming Forums and Congregational Meeting

The Board of Trustees would like to inform the Congregation of two upcoming Forums, where we will discuss issues to be voted on at our September Congregational Meeting. The Forums will be held in the Sanctuary on Sundays, August 25 from noon to 1:00 p.m., and on September 22 from 1:00 to 2:00 p.m. The Congregational Meeting will be held Sunday, September 29, from 1:00 to 2:00 p.m., in the Sanctuary. The issues to be considered that will eventually require a Congregational vote are:

1) The election of three members to the Board. Steve Hirsch and Sharon Solstice are being elected to a second term, and Linda Russell is up for election to her first term. All are presently serving in an interim capacity.

2) Consideration of Jim Lewis’ request to be ordained by our church. 3) Approval of a proposal being brought forth by the Environmental Justice Committee.

Detailed information on these items will be disseminated at the Forums and will be available online. In addition, members who are not present at the Congregational Meeting may opt to vote via absentee ballot on items 1 and 2 only. Further information on how to vote via absentee ballot will be forthcoming.

Absentee ballots are available from the office September 1, please contact chuck@mduuc.org

Water Communion - Sunday, September 1 - (return to two services, 9:15 and 11:15 a.m.) - Join in this celebration of community solidarity and a chance to reflect on our personal journeys and insights as we gather together. Bring waters from summer travels to each service as well as reflections on your larger journeys of the spirit!

 

UU Travel - Fall in New England, October 10 - 15, 2019. Go to: https://www.mduuc.org/uu-new-england-trip/ to view the full description, itinerary and registration form. Cost includes a $500/person fundraising donation to MDUUC. Questions? Call Kathy Vail 858-437-1167 or email kathyvsd@gmail.com.

Save the Date!

Summer Common Read on Climate Change Starts THIS WEEK - Wednesday, August 21, 7:30 p.m. – 9:00 p.m. Children’s Chapel. UUA Common Read discussion of Justice on Earth: People of Faith Working at the Intersections of Race, Class and the Environment will be held on following Vespers (6:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.). Using the discussion guide from the UUA, MDUUC members Peter Coppelman (environmentalist/lawyer) and Mary-Helen Binger (scientist learning about climate science and intersectionality) will facilitate an interactive discussion of several major themes in this rich collection of essays (165 pages). Copies of the book will be

available for sale in Bortin Hall and the office ordered individually through the UUA bookstore, or on Amazon (ebooks also available). You need not have read the book to join us for the discussion, though it will be more interesting if you have read at least parts of it. We hope to overflow the Children’s Chapel!

MDUUC UU Ukes - If you would like to jam with the MDUUC UU Ukes, come join us on Sunday, August 25, 1:30 - 3:00 p.m. in the Fireside Room. If you have a uke and 3 or 4 chords under your belt and want to have some fun making a little music, UU Ukes is for you! Let’s make music together! Contact Aki Rasmussenakijon8@comcast.net or 925-946-9994.

Young Adults Gathering - Sunday, August 25, 1:00 -3:00 p.m. in the Owl Room and every other Sunday. Adults between the ages of 18 - 35 gather bi-weekly on Sundays at 1 p.m. in the Owl Room for food, conversation, community, and other activities! Contact the Intern Minister for more information at intern@mduuc.org.

Walking our Labyrinth – Wednesday, August 28, 7:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m. (leave when you want). Walking the labyrinth is a timeless way to meditate or problem-solve. Meet at our outdoor labyrinth (outside, nearest to Bortin Hall). Facilitators: Jim Hasse and Sally Wright.

About this Workshop: The call and need for stronger racial justice values and action in our congregations and communities is clear. While there is much talk about white fragility and white silence getting in the way, this is a workshop to develop resilience, courage and leadership. Join us for an interactive workshop with longtime social justice educator, author and organizer, Chris Crass, one of the leading voices in the country calling for and supporting white people to work for racial justice. Whether you’ve been active for decades or a few days, this is an opportunity to develop a stronger culture of inspiration, resilience and courage for racial justice. While one of the themes of the workshop is on white people working for racial justice, the overall theme of the workshop is on how we can build stronger racial justice values and action in our congregations and communities and the workshop is for all who want to do this work.

Chris Crass is one of the leading voices in the country calling for and supporting white people to work for racial justice. He’s a social justice educator who writes and speaks widely on courage for racial justice, feminism for men, lessons from past movements, and creating healthy culture and leadership for progressive activism. He works with community groups, schools and faith communities to develop leadership and momentum for social justice action. Register at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/chris-crass-beyond-white-fragility-tickets-69375787849

The Open Women’s Group will be meeting on Thursday, September 5, at 10:30 a.m. in Bortin Hall. We will have a speaker followed by a potluck luncheon. All women are invited. Don’t forget to mark your calendars.