Video Upload of UUCC's Holiday Service
"Light Shining in Darkness"
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Many of us enjoyed a truly beautiful holiday service this past Sunday, December 18th, as we raised over $2,500 dollars for Abundant Grace Coastside Worker. Highlights included a funny hat and prop rendition of "Deck the Halls," a heartfelt skit on the King Wenceslas story, thoughtful poetry readings, and rousing reflections by Shauna Pickett-Gordon on the Winter Solstice, Noreen Cooper Heavlin on Christmas, and Rabbi Moshe Heyn on Hannakuh. As expected, we were continually entertained with beautifully performed holiday pieces by Tom Devine, Brian & Julie Novak-McSweeney, Shauna Pickett-Gordon and members from the Peninsula Scottish Fiddlers (Elizabeth Ingber, Jim Tillotson, David Lange), Rabbi Moshe Heyn from CJC, and the UUCC Choir featuring LindaGrace Frost, Pat Kimmel, Donna Yearwood, Barbara Correia, and Bill Heavlin. Special kudos to Tom Devine, UUCC's Music Director, and Bruce Rafnel, UUCC's Technical Director, for their work on this outstanding holiday production.
And there is still time to donate to Abundant Grace Coastside Worker. This is a great way to show your appreciation for their programs and for all the musicians and singers who performed at this year's UUCC holiday special.
To Donate by Check, make out the check to AGCW and mail to AGCW, 515 Kelly Avenue, Half Moon Bay, CA 94019. Please note “UUCC Fundraiser” in the memo field.
Here is a note from Eric Debode on Abundant Grace's Facebook page: "Many thanks to the Unitarian Universalist Church who invited me to participate in their holiday service where they generously raised over $2500 for Abundant Grace! Their service was lovely; full of poetry, music, theatrical portrayal of the King Wenceslas story, and very inspiring reflections from various members. Help us out and donate at https://abundantgracecw.org/donate.html. Happy Holidays to all!"
We are promoting this holiday video upload on NextDoor and Facebook. Please "Like" and "Share" widely with family and friends!
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UUSM Christmas Eve Service, December 24th, 5pm
at Peninsula Temple Beth El
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Please join UU San Mateo for their annual Christmas Eve service, this year at the Peninsula Temple Beth El, 1700 Alameda de las Pulgas, San Mateo. Shared Pulpit graduate Shaun Collins speaks on "The True Meaning of Christmas." Don’t hesitate to bring your family and friends for this holiday event. You are also welcome to attend on Zoom. Please visit UUSM's website for the active Zoom link on December 24th.
And come a little early—4:30 PM—to enjoy the UUSM Brass Choir followed by Christmas songs with Paul Zawilski. The service begins at 5:00pm. Bring cookies to share for the reception immediately after the service. Heaters are to be arranged on the outdoor patio, and a canopy in case of rain.
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Rae DuFore Memorial Service on December 27th |
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Rae DuFore, a longtime member of UU San Mateo, and a frequent visitor at UUCC, peacefully passed away on December 12th. Please join us to celebrate her life at the UUFRC sanctuary, 2124 Brewster Ave, Redwood City, on Tuesday, December 27th, 3pm. The service will be officiated by Rev. Dr. Tovis Page. If you wish to send a sympathy card, please email UUCC for the mailing address.
Rae DuFore first started attending UUCC services during Tovis Page's internship with UUSM back in 2017. She continued attending UUCC services until she moved over the hill last year to an assisted living facility in Burlingame. Having a UU presence on the Coast has been especially helpful for our older congregants who can avoid a long drive. Her daughter Valerie wrote to say that Rae really appreciated having a UU presence on the Coast. Rae was a ray of sunshine and we are all missing her very much at this time.
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UUCC New Year Burning Bowl Ritual, January 1st, 11am |
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The Touchstones for January is Wintering. On January 1st, Bill Heavlin offers a homily entitled "Winter Nights: a Personal Reflection." Bill recalls some moments of creativity and perseverance that flowed from stoking a warm hearth on a long winter night.
UUCC also presents a modified Burning Bowl Ritual, which symbolically ushers out the old year and brings forth the new one. This service encourages you to reflect on the joys and sorrows, the changes and transitions and the ups and downs of the past year. Everyone is to be invited to write down words on paper that represent what they wish to let go of from 2022. One by one, these words are to be dissolved as we celebrate the arrival of 2023. Happily, UU San Mateo will be joining us for this special New Year's service.
The service takes place at Odd Fellows Hall, 526 Main Street, Half Moon Bay, CA, 94019. Out of an abundance of caution, we require mask wearing for churchgoers throughout the service—with the exception of those actively speaking at the front of the room. Odd Fellows Hall has quite new high-circulation air ventilation system. Since May, with our mask protocols in place, no one attending our in-person services at Odd Fellows Hall has caught COVID. If you are a first-time visitor, we ask for proof of vaccinations.
We will have a new pianist join us for this service, Carol Siegal, and help from UUSM's Nicholas Soriano Smith for the broadcast. All while our Music Director, Tom Devine, and Technical Director, Bruce Rafnel, take a much needed sabbatical.
Please join us at 11:00 am Pacific, 2pm Eastern
Gathering for service and music begin at 10:50 am
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Volunteer Jobs Needed for In-Person Services |
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Now that we are meeting in person on First Sundays, we need help in different ways. Can you commit to helping out in any of the following ways?
- Photograph our January 1st Service
- Greet people as they come in
- Set up chairs before, and/or put them away after, the Service
- Help unload and load video equipment for hybrid service
- Assist with setting up video equipment for hybrid service
- Bring flowers!
- Pass out the orders of service and distribute hymnals
- Assist with hand-held cameras for hybrid service
- Clean up of the hall before closing
To tell us how you can help our Beloved Community come together again, please contact us at uucoastside@gmail.com. And thanks to all who have or continue to volunteer!
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Compassionate Caring Committee: |
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The UUCC Compassionate Caring Committee volunteers are often able to support our members during life events such as post-operative, illness, or being homebound. Do you need food delivery or an errand run? Are you feeling loneliness, loss, or grief that a call might help?
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We Appreciate Your Support: |
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For supporting UUCC financially, we have two options: |
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If you prefer to donate by check, please make your check payable to UU San Mateo, and write UUCC on the memo line. Please mail your check to:
Nancy Palmer
506 Willow Avenue
Half Moon Bay, CA 94019-1648
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Unitarian Universalist Coastside Community
Half Moon Bay, California
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Bill Heavlin, UUCC Planning Committee
Dave Rokosky, UUCC Planning Committee
Noreen Cooper Heavlin, UUCC Planning Committee
Tom Devine, UUCC Music Director
Bruce Rafnel, UUCC Technical Director
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