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 ReAssociation, 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 Linda Russell, Board Member Kathy Teplitz, Board Member Doug Tamo, Board Member 

Jaynese Davis, Board Member Aki Rasmussen, Board Member 

board@mduuc.org    

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

Rev. Ranwa Hammamy CommunityMinister Rev. Meg Richardson, Community Minister 

Jim Lewis, Consulting Minister Miranda Lennox, Intern Minister / intern@mduuc.org 

Indigo Lewis, Director of Religious Education / indigo@mduuc.org Marie Arce, Business Administrator / marie@mduuc.org 

Jen Marsh Prink, Administrator / jenm@mduuc.org Marena McGregor, Assistant DLRE. / marena@mduuc.org 

Mark Tuning, Music Director / madmin@mduuc.orgusicdir@mduuc.org Tristan Thielman, Facilities Manager / facilitiesmgr@mduuc.org 

Brett Carson, 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.10:00 a.m. - 4:00 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 

   

  

 “The Liberation of Empathy” 

Rev. Leslie Takahashi Sunday, December 8, 2019 

 

SUNDAY PROGRAM December 8, 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 #22, “Dear Weaver of Our Lives’ Design” The words of this hymn were written by Nancy Currier Dorian, an American linguist and Unitarian Universalist. This                                   hymn was one of the winners of a competition for hymn texts celebrating feminine imagery of the divine sponsored by the                                         Hymnbook Resources Commission. The tune was first found in Ein Christlicher Abentreien, Leipzig, Germany,                           1554. 

PRELUDE "Greensleeves" (Traditional) Brett Carson, piano WELCOME Rev. Leslie Takahashi 

Linda Russell, Board Representative EXCHANGE OF GREETINGS  

INVOCATION “To See the World” (Edvard Grieg / William Blake) Chalice Choir LIGHTING OF THE CHALICE  The Persyn Family Each week we light a chalice, which has become a symbol for Unitarian Universalists and our engagement in the world. CALL TO WORSHIP Mark Chase, Worship Associate 

HYMN #338, “I Seek the Spirit of a Child” The words of this hymn is the Unitarian Universalist liturgist Carl G. Seaburg. The music is by Ralph Vaughan Williams. 

TIME FOR ALL AGES “Understanding Par”  Puppets and Friends SINGING THE CHILDREN AND TEACHERS TO THEIR CLASSES 

May your mind be open to new learning; may your lips bring truth into the world May your heart know love, and your hands do the work of justice; 

As you go your way in peace, as you go your way in peace CELEBRATING NEW MEMBERS JOYS AND SORROWS Miranda Lennox      

MEDITATION HYMN #1009, “Meditation on Breathing” U.U. musician Sarah Dan Jones wrote this chant as a meditation for spiritual healing in the aftermath of the September 11,                                         2001 attacks. TIME OF MEDITATION AND PRAYER  Rev. Leslie Takahashi MUSICAL OFFERING “Nada te turbe” (Craig Kingsbury)) Chalice Choir 

Craig Kingsbury is a composer, arranger and editor living in Portland, Oregon. The text, from the mystical writings of Teresa de Ávila (1515-1582) is often used as a chant in the Taizé Community. This musical setting is unpublished, with performance rights granted by the composer as a gift to the Chalice Choir. (Sung in Spanish and English) 

CALL FOR THE OFFERING Mark Chase 

OFFERTORY Improvisation 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 peace for all whose lives are endangered by violence and conflict, and our hopes for a peaceful and nonviolent world. 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.” 

A JOURNEY OF EMPATHY MUSICAL INTERLUDE SERMON “The Liberation of Empathy” Rev. Leslie Takahashi CLOSING HYMN 225, “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel” 

This hymn originated in Latin in the 9th century and was recast to emphasize the mystical. BENEDICTION AND EXTINGUISHING THE CHALICE   

POSTLUDE “Christmas Is Coming” (Vince Guaraldi) 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.  Our ushers are Tom Taylor, Bruce Bignami, Jean Geyer, Sharon Solstice, Lynn Baskett and Joan Lautenberger. Our AV Techs are Liam Takahashi, Brian Seamount, and Jim Botts and Avu Sankaralingam. The flowers were arranged by Karla Leibowitz. Steve Hisch, Jaynese Davis and Kathy Teplitz are at the Umbrella Table. Coffee Service is provided by Mary Alice Lucchetti, Rowena McGregor, David Epley, Hisako Tanaka and Jane North. 

NEXT SUNDAY: “Children and Youth Holiday Pageant” - Join us for our version of Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol in this special and seasonal multigenerational service—with our children and youth choirs and special performers! Don’t miss a chance to enjoy this season anew through this classic tale – oh, and did you know Charles Dickens was a UNITARIAN? Led by Marena McGregor. PLEASE RECYCLE THIS PRINT-OUT AT THE TABLE AT THE BACK OF THE SANCTUARY GREEN REMINDER: “IF IT CAME FROM A PLANT, EAT IT. IF IT WAS MADE IN A PLANT, DON’T.” - MICHAEL POLLAN 

This Week at Mount Diablo Unitarian Universalist Church

Sunday, December 8 8:00 a.m. Craft Fair (Bortin Hall) 9:00 a.m. Sunday Meditation Group (Fireside Room) 9:30 a.m. Community Circle #1 (Redwood Room) 10:15 a.m. Worship (Sanctuary) 11:30 a.m. UU Lunch Fundraiser (Bortin Hall) 12:00 p.m. Young Adult Gathering Owl Room) 12:00 p.m. UU Uke Jam (Fireside Room) 1:00 p.m. Community Circle #2 (Mirror Room) 2:00 p.m. CYRE Meeting (Owl Room) 4:00 p.m. AA Meeting (Fireside Room) 4:30 p.m. Al-Anon Parents Meeting (Owl Room) 5:00 p.m. Contra Costa Chorale Fall Concert (Sanctuary) Monday, December 9 7:00 p.m. BMCM Meditation Group (Fireside Room) 7:15 p.m. Evening Yoga (Bortin Hall) Tuesday, December 10 1:00 p.m. History Committee (Bortin Hall) 6:30 p.m. Social Justice Night (Bortin Hall) 7:00 p.m. Finance Committee Meeting (Owl Room) 7:00 p.m. Interfaith Panel on Nationalism and Faith (Sanctuary) Wednesday, December 11 10:00 a.m. Elder Journey (Bortin Hall) 1:00 p.m. Women of Wisdom (Redwood Room) 6:00 p.m. Wednesday Night Community Circle (Fireside Room) 6:00 p.m. Pageant Rehearsal (Children’s Chapel) 6:30 p.m. Mindfulness and Meditation Challenge (Sanctuary) 7:30 p.m. Women Talk (Sequoia Room) 7:30 p.m. A Gathering of Men (Redwood Room) Thursday, December 12 11:00 a.m. All Staff Meeting (Bortin Hall) 5:00 p.m. LBGTQ+ Committee Meeting (Sequoia Room) 6:30 p.m. LEAP Council Meeting (Heritage Room) 7:15 p.m. Chalice Choir Practice (Sanctuary) Friday, December 13 12:00 p.m. Grief Group (Redwood Room) 6:00 p.m. Pageant Rehearsal (Children’s Chapel) Saturday, December 14 9:00 a.m. SURJ General Meeting (Fireside Room) 9:00 a.m. Men’s Breakfast (Owl Room) 9:30 a.m. Breath and Spirit (Bortin Hall) 11:30 a.m. MDUUC Bicycle Club (Offsite) 3:00 p.m. Celebration of Life for Lyda Dicus (Sanctuary) 6:30 p.m. Dances of Universal Peace (Owl Room and Sanctuary)

NEW MEMBER RECOGNITION

Members: We, the members of the Mt. Diablo Unitarian Universalist Church, welcome you to membership. We invite your full participation in the life of our religious community and in its service to our communities and neighbors. We honor your free choice to make the commitment of membership and to declare that you are part of setting the course of this beloved congregation.

New Members: We affirm the community we join today - its reverence for the past, its vision for the future and its passion to live fully in the present. We seek to live in harmony with one another and with the earth, ever striving to narrow the gap between our dreams and our reality. We affirm that faith in community and relationship will hold us fast in the inevitable times of storm and challenge.

All Members and Friends: May these words and acts of welcome renew our covenant with one another and with our calling to bring our healing message to a hurting world. May we go forward with greater resolve to give of our gifts and to use our shared congregational life as a laboratory for living in this world from our legacy of love and unity.

Our New Members

Oscar Ardans Pamela Jackson Darlene Roth

Megan Armstrong Robert Joe Sharon Sobotta

Larry Cooke Marilyn King Amy Stewart Tom Evans Amy Pennington Barbara Sugrue

Susan Eveleth Bruce Pennington Arlene Young

Penny Evans

LIVING OUR VALUES 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. This is a place to learn a little about what is happening in our world and find quick ways you can take action. If you have suggestions, email to livingourvalues@mduuc.org.

ACTION NEEDED NOW DONATE

We are taking a special collection to help with expenses related to providing a home for our Honduran guest, E. and you can donate here: https://mduuc.churchcenter.com/giving/to/sanctuary or text MDUUCSANCTUARY to 44-321.

EDUCATE ● A new initiative to close the corporate loophole and raise funds for education:

https://www.schoolsandcommunitiesfirst.org/ ● Jury Acquits Aid Worker Accused Of Helping Border-Crossing Migrants In Arizona:

https://www.npr.org/2019/11/21/781658800/jury-acquits-aid-worker-accused-of-helping-border-crossing-migrants-in-arizona

● Interested in what UUs are saying about Climate Justice: https://www.uumfe.org/get-involved/climate-action-network/

● Report on the Army Corps dredging of the Delta: https://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2019/11/15/18828132.php

● Fossil Fuel Industry To Post Risk Bonds: https://sustainable-economy.org/multnomah-county-commissioners-take-first-step-in-requiring-fossil-fuel-industry-to-post-risk-bonds/

SAVE THE DATE ● Gun violence witness, Wednesday, December 18th at the Railroad Ave overpass on Highway 4, in

Pittsburg on the opposite side of the street from the BART station (2099 Railroad Ave, Pittsburg, CA). We will be meeting at the Pittsburg BART on Wednesday December 18th at 3:00pm!

● 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 information soon.

~~~~

(IT’S NEW! IT’S EASIER! GIVE IT A TRY!)

Congregational Forum NEXT SUNDAY, December 15th.

Please join the Board and Lead Minister at our Congregational Forum Sunday, December 15 at noon in the Sanctuary. Congregational Forums are our primary means for engaging and hearing from members, particularly on issues and initiatives requiring member vote and approval. The agenda for the December Forum will include: • Presentation and Discussion of Proposed Bylaw Changes – We’ll share a draft for member input and feedback. This will be the first of two sessions leading up to our January Congregational Meeting where members will be asked to vote to approve and enact the new recommended Bylaw language. • Board Goals for the 2019 – 2020 Church Year – We will present the Board approved goals for the year and regularly share reports of progress against these goals this year. • Lead Minister’s Report and update on staffing – by Rev. Leslie Takahashi.

Gift Cards for Members and Friends - We are collecting gift cards for the Ministers’ Discretionary Fund, to help families within our congregational community. Gift cards from Target, Safeway, Trader Joes, Starbucks, Costco, and others are appreciated.

A celebration of life for Lyda Dicus will be held THIS Saturday, December 14 at 3 p.m. in the Sanctuary.

TODAY

Living our Value of Love through Letters - Please join us after the service this week to live our UU values with two unique opportunities! First, the UU Justice Ministries of CA are collecting holiday colorings and notes for LGBT/HIV positive prisoners and the Worthy Now Satellite Task Force is addressing holiday cards to 1000 incarcerated UU prisoners. Your time and support are greatly appreciated. Hearing your name called at mail time is a high-light of any incarcerated person's day. Won't you help to make that possible?

UU Uke Jam - TODAY 12:00 - 1:15 p.m. in the Fireside Room. UU Uke players Jam Christmas Songs.

THIS WEEK

Interfaith Panel on Nationalism and Faith - Tuesday, December 10, 7:00 p.m. in the Sanctuary. This is an Interfaith Council presentation of a panel discussion on the rise of nationalism in China, India and the United States and its effect on faith communities.

Elder Journey - Wednesday, December 11, 10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. in Bortin Hall. Elder Journey - Join us for lively conversation and connection about the particular joys and sorrows of life in one’s later decades. Led by Rev. Leslie Takahashi, Bring a snack to share in Bortin Hall.

Women Talk - Every second Wednesday at 7:30 p.m. in the Sequoia Room at 7:30 p.m. Hosted by Rev. Leslie Takahashi, this is an important opportunity for those who are female-identified to meet and talk about issues of the spirit. A companion group for male-identified folks is led by Jim Lewis.

A Gathering of Men - Every second Wednesday at 7:30 p.m. those who identify as male are invited to A Gathering of Men. This group will be led by Jim Lewis. In this group, we will have the opportunity to check-in and then engage with each other around a spiritual theme inviting participants into deeper engagement. We will work together to create a supportive and caring environment as well as inviting each other to being stretched.

Mindfulness and Meditation Challenge! Wednesday, December 11 6:30 p.m. - 7:30 p.m. in the Sanctuary. Join Rev. Leslie for a practice-based exploration of the techniques of mindfulness which you can use to increase awareness, reduce anxiety, and be more engaged in your life and your values. The text for this gathering will be 30-day Meditation Challenge by Emma Silverman and Nicole Stumpf.

Grief Group - Join Rev. Leslie Takahashi as we create a space to hold our losses and our griefs together with others who understand this journey. Our drop-in group will meet Friday, December 13, from 12:00 to1:00 p.m. in the Redwood Room.

SURJ (Showing Up for Racial Justice) - monthly meeting. Saturday, December 14, 9:00 - 10:30 a.m. in the Fireside Room. For more information go to www.facebook.com/SURJCCC/ or contact Elsie Mills

MDUUC Bike Club - Saturday, December 14, 11:30 a.m. at the Rudgear Park and Ride. Everyone welcome!

Working on whiteness - Tuesday, December 17, 7:30 - 9:30 p.m. in the Fireside Room. If you are a person who identifies as "white" and would like a safe and supportive space to assist in opening your heart and mind to a broader, more inclusive and intentionally anti-racist way of being in this changing world please join us on Tuesday December 17th as we do just that work! Bring yourself, your open heart/mind and surround yourself with the support you need to move toward collective liberation of all!

RIDES FOR UUs - A growing number of MDUUC congregants are in need of rides to and from church services, programs, and events. The Caring Committee is compiling a resource list of those who can offer rides. Please sign up at the Caring Table in Bortin Hall. Note which service, programs and events, and what area within our church community will be convenient for you to offer rides. To serve others is a blessing.

Climate Action Information - Join the Climate Action Information group by entering your email at https://www.mduuc.org/work-for-justice/environment/info/. This is a low volume list that will provide actions you can take to moderate the climate crisis.

Join the Chalice Choir for the Holidays! “That first breath that a choir or orchestra takes together, a breath filled with focus, intention, and emotion, a breath unified for no other reason than to make something beautiful together... that is the reason we do what we do.” - Eric Whitacre, conductor, and composer. This is a great time to experience creating magic with the Chalice Choir! We're preparing some wonderful music for our Christmas Eve service, so come join us and experience making beautiful music in community and harmony. 7:15 - 9:15 p.m. every Thursday. Contact Mark Tuning at musicdir@mduuc.org for more information.

Hanukkah Celebration! Wednesday, December 18 at 6:00 p.m. in Bortin Hall. Join us for a celebration of Hanukkah! There will be stories, songs, and games of Hanukkah plus latkes and other delicious food. All ages are welcome to join us for a festive evening. Please email Jim Lewis at jimlewis@mduuc.org if you have questions or plan to attend.

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 seven days advance notice. We look forward to seeing you and the kids!

Voting by the Climate Action Committee (CAC) -In deciding on any climate action on behalf of the church, the CAC has decided to require a 2/3 majority of CAC members voting by email. We thus need to be clear who is a voting member. If you agree to participate in the work of the CAC and would like to vote, notify Art Ungar, Co-Chair at ajungar@mduuc.org. We would love to have your involvement. The details of our voting procedure is at https://docs.google.com/document/d/11SPmP3AKtq3KLzTXRvpnRG4n9zyrxlHCfQ2D7W-QEKY/edit?usp=sharing