Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) is officially celebrated on November 1st and 2nd, which coincides with UU Coastside's annual Remembrance Ceremony this Sunday, November 1st. Please don't forget to bring pictures or other mementos of loved ones to both remember those who have passed on and to celebrate their lives.

Unitarian Universalists draw carefully from a wide range of traditions. With our upcoming remembrance ceremony, we'll honor the Mexican tradition of Día de los Muertos, which emphasizes universal themes of remembering, celebrating life, and the enduring power of love that unites the living and the dead.

Rooted in ancient Indigenous rituals that later blended with Spanish Catholic holidays, this celebration recognizes death as a natural part of life. It centers on the belief that souls of the departed briefly return to earth, emphasizing universal themes of remembering, celebrating life, and the enduring power of love that connects the living and the dead.

We look forward to seeing you this Sunday, November 1st, 11am, Odd Fellows Hall.

On Sunday, November 1st, at 11am, UU Coastside explores Conviction as the monthly theme for November. We warmly welcome back Rev. Ryan Althaus to the UUCC pulpit with a sermon entitled "The Essential Elements of a Good Wipeout." This service takes place at Odd Fellows Hall in Half Moon Bay.

A popular, if perhaps slightly mistranslated, verse buried in the Gospel of Matthew is usually attributed to an Apostle and tax collector (a profession not particularly known for its high level of conviction). It reads something like this: "Therefore be perfect as God your father in heaven is perfect..." Hmmm...

Rev. Ryan (a.k.a. Capt. Mango) is a slightly unorthodox Presbyterian minister who spends most of his Sunday mornings out sailing around the aptly named “Monterey Bay Sanctuary." So it's slightly unusual for him to speak before an equally unorthodox Unitarian Universalist community, using a Gospel reading to set the stage for his Sunday service. However, no matter what your faith tradition, gender identity, age, sexual orientation, interests, education level, or the like, this verse is much richer than its limited words might suggest

Come join Rev. Ryan on November 1st for a deep dive into the role perfectionism plays in purpose — something that all of us (Presbyterians, Unitarians, Agnostics, Atheists, Universalists, the Spiritual-but-not-Religious, and more) long to discover in this choose-your-own-adventure novel known as Life — following (and inspired by) his own recent (and rather "perfect") wipeout on his surfboard.

Pianist Diedrik Edholm and classical guitarist Vera Vandershalk provide beautiful music. Tom Devine plays a lovely piece by Bach for the ritual interlude.

Order of Service

UU Coastside Community

Sunday, November 1st

Please join us at 11 am PT

Odd Fellows Hall, 526 Main Street, Half Moon Bay

Our next Deeper Conversations group meeting is scheduled for Saturday, November 20th, at 1:30 pm at Half Moon Bay Coffee Company, 20 Stone Pine Rd. We always have a great time considering thought-provoking questions from a variety of card decks. Join us as we set aside the small talk and knit deeper bonds within our UU Coastside beloved community. Hope to see you there!

The next SKOMMG (that's "Some Kind of Modern Men's Group") re-manifests itself/themselves on Wednesday, November 11, from 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm. For this gathering, the topic posed is "What stories come to mind when you hear references to perfectionism?"

If you appreciate good (if sometimes ineloquent) conversation, a delicious (if not four-star) meal, a tasty (if modest) dessert, a slightly more-than-adequate wine, etc., join us. Once more, the group comes together for a home-cooked (albeit humbly stitched together) meal at the Heavlin home in El Granada. For further information, email Bill Heavlin.

12 small things you can do to help support our beloved community here at UUCC for less than 15 minutes a month:

1. Bring a potluck item to share for coffee hour on First Sundays.
2. Come 15 minutes early to help set up the kitchen area for Coffee Hour.
3. Like and comment on our NextDoor posts announcing first Sunday services and/or on our YouTube video uploads.
4. Send an idea to the Public Relations (PR) Steering Committee on how to increase local awareness of UU Coastside's First and Third Sunday Services.
5. Bring flowers for the hall.
6. Take a photograph of the service.
7. Greet a newcomer!
8. Set up and/or put away chairs.
9. After coffee hour, wash dishes and wipe down the tables.
10. Call or send an email to someone in our community who could use more emotional support.
11. Invite a friend to join you for a First Sunday service.
12. Commit to an annual pledge or contribute money at every service. Our average monthly expenses include rental of Odd Fellows Hall and payment for ministerial speakers, musicians, and tech support.

Bill Heavlin, UUCC Planning Committee

Dave Rokosky, UUCC Planning Committee

Noreen Cooper Heavlin, UUCC Planning Committee

Bruce Rafnel, UUCC Technical Director

Tom Devine, Hymn Leader

Nancy Palmer, UUCC Treasurer

Carlean Gharpurey, Bookkeeper