Feb 23: UUFSD Kids Standing on the Side of Love

Standing on the Side of Love is a public advocacy campaign that seeks to harness love’s power to stop oppression. It is sponsored by the Unitarian Universalist Association, and all are welcome to join.

National Standing on the Side of Love Month kicked off on Martin Luther King Day and ended on Valentine’s Day. Our children, under the guidance of DRE Alison Crotty, participated by making Valentines Day “thank you” cards to the organizations and lawyers that fought hard against Prop 8. You can read more about it here (search on UUFSD – you’ll find us about 3/4ths of the way down). On the same day, the whole Fellowship wore Standing on the Side of Love t-shirts and Rev. David Miller preached a sermon entitled “Is God Love?”

UUFSD kids and their Valentines for the lawyers that fought Prop 8.
(Credit: Alison Aguilar Lopez Gutierrez McLeod Crotty)

Dec 9: Vandals hit UUFSD

In the early morning hours on Friday, Dec. 9, our fellowship was vandalized with spray paint and what was apparently intended to be hateful words. It is unclear whether the person or persons who did this meant these words to be specifically against Unitarian Universalism or perhaps just a rant against some sort of religious institution. No matter how they were intended, it is clear that when these acts occur the fabric of civil society tears a little more.

Read the full article, written by Reverend David Miller, that was published in Letters to the Editor in the Del Mar Times and Solana Beach Sun.

The same article was posted on the Standing On the Side of Love blog and commented on by the Reverend Peter Morales, President of the UUA, on his facebook page on December 20, 2011.

Occupy San Diego and UUFSD

On October 15, 2011, nine members and friends of UUFSD marched in support of the Occupy San Diego movement. Members and friends marching in downtown Encinitas included Karen Freeman, John Gilles, Livia Walsh, Irv Himelblau, Dave and Deborah Ploesner, Angela Knappenberg, Ed Mlakar, and Bev Conner.

The Encinitas march was an adjunct to the march in downtown San Diego at which the Rev. David Miller and Ruth Gregory were present. Lisa Shaffer, Steve Bartram, Christie Turner and Laura Colban also participated in the ongoing Occupy demonstrations.

On October 24, Reverend David participated in leading an interfaith service in downtown San Diego outside the Civic Center for the Occupy San Diego protesters. You can find his sermons on the Occupy movement here and here.

And on October 31, the UUA released a statement on the Occupy protests, which can be read here.


Update, Feb 28, 2012:

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40 Voices 12 Days 5 Concerts

In the Autumn issue of the Unitarian Universalist Partners Church Council (UUPCC) magazine is an article by Ruth Gibson about the Unitarian Universalist Association’s 2011 Festival Choir Tour (see pages 12 AND 13). This stirring article with images describes how 40 members of various choirs in the US toured UU’s in eastern Europe to conduct 5 concerts in 12 days. Hence, the title. There are three terrific videos available on YouTube:

Amerikai Unitárius Kórus – Sepiszentgyörgy, 2011.08.11. (52:07)
Amerikai Unitárius Kórusfesztivál – Unitarian Festival Choir Tour (13:42)
Székely himnusz – Amerikai Unitárius Kórus (3:16)

Our own Anne Larocca and Karen Eckhart are in the choir!

Strengthening Connections on 9-11-11

This is an article by Reverend Miller in the electronic magazine: Standing on the Side of Love dated 9 September 2011. The campaign for Standing on the Side of Love is made possible by the generosity of individual donors and gifts to the Annual Program Fund and Friends of the UUA. His article illustrates the work and actions of this wonderful program that is part of our fellowship. Here is the link to his article.

Never forget that we are all on a common journey

This is Reverend David’s article in Sign On San Diego (the on line version of the San Diego Union Tribune) reminding us of common ground we share. His quote is the essence of his message.

“We add our voices to these remembrances by saying that this day of despair was a rip in our interconnection, a moment in time that continues a decade later to call us into a renewed urgency to work together to heal this world.”

Here is the link to this poignant message from the 9 September 2011 Sign On San Diego.

Why I got Arrested by John Atcheson

A compelling story about how John Atcheson walked the walk to demonstrate his level of support for environmental issues. On August 25th 2011 he was arrested for his peaceful demonstration to bring attention to the impending disaster should the Keystone XL Pipe Line be approved. His story is told at Common Dreams (Commondreams.org), a 501(c)3 nonprofit U.S. based progressive news website. Click here to read his article.

Just what is Cruel and Unusual Punishment?

On May 8, 2011 Loraine Reitman and Margorie Cohn gave a lecture at UUFSD, Just What is Cruel and Unusual Punishment?, sponsored by Activist San Diego for Networking for Social Justice. This lecture was in support of U.S. Army Pfc Bradley Manning, he has been accused of leaking classified information to Wiki leaks. For information about Activists San Diego go to: activistsandiego.org