If you are expecting a service that speaks only to teenagers, think again.

Yes, we are consistently drawing more young people to our worship services. My own thesis is that today's youth prefer deep content over relevant form.

They want a liberal religious faith that inspires them to celebrate life's good times and help survive the rough times. They want beliefs that influence their daily decision making. They want to make friends and have fun.

If this sounds familiar, it suggests that we more mature members of the congregation want the same things.

Come and learn more about the religion that puts its faith in you.

Millie Phillips will be our Worship Associate and Grace Sizelove our Youth Worship Associate.

Lunch Served - following the service, the Congregation is invited to enjoy a hot lunch for $5 prepared by the Partner Church committee. The proceeds from the lunch will help with expenses and special activities for our partner church minister, Rev. Tibor Rusz, and his wife Eniko, during their visit here in January. You can win a FREE lunch if you are the first person to correctly identify the names and ages of their children. (Hint: See back issues of Flame or newsletter. Staff and committee members are excluded from competition.)

Join the Board and Forum leaders for a stimulating round table discussion of the recent Social Justice initiative to erect a banner encircling our church and center to proclaim our commitment to peace. What do you think about this proposal? Do you have a better idea? We want to hear from you!

The program will start at 9:45. Come at 9:30 for conversation, coffee, and (for a slight charge) a light breakfast.

Speaking for Peace... 1:00 pm, Martin Luther King room

If you missed the Forum - or just want to continue the thread, there is a second opportunity to participate in this discussion.

Following this Month's Hospitality Sunday luncheon on January 21, the Board of Trustees and the Social Justice Council will ask for feedback and recommendations regarding a resolution to be considered at a Special Congregational Meeting scheduled for February 11.

The petition presented to the Board requesting the Special meeting, proposes that the congregation erect a banner encircling our church and center to proclaim our commitment to peace. Join us in a conversation to explore the actions we may want to take as a congregation to communicate to the wider community.

Individuals and couples are invited to attend this seminar, which will address issues that can arise in relationships that damage the health of the relationship.

Topics will include handling conflicts, dealing with abandonment and engulfment fears, maintaining boundaries while still loving unconditionally, and expressing anger in healthy ways.

The seminar will be led by Dave Richo. Mr. Richo is the author of several acclaimed books, including "How To Be an Adult in Relationships: The Five Keys to Mindful Loving". He teaches at Esalen Institute and Spirit Rock Meditation Center and has a loyal following in the Bay Area.

To register please call the church office (415) 776- 4580.
The cost for the seminar is $60

If you are looking for a way to deepen your connections to the church community, look no further! Small Group Ministry has openings in the Monday, Thursday, and Sunday groups.

Groups meet for 2 hours, twice a month, and engage in a shared ministry of spiritual and intellectual seeking. All groups are led by trained facilitators.

Interested? More questions? Contact Matt Fuller at 415.203.1745 or
matt@fullerbrantner.com, or Carol Ruley at 415.846.3986 or cjruley@yahoo.com .

To learn more about the Small Group Ministry program, you can also view the Participant's Handbook.

On Friday, January 19, the Antiwar Peace Vigil will resume on the corner of Franklin and Geary streets from 3 to 4 o'clock.

Signs are provided or bring your own sign. If you prefer not to hold a sign, that's fine too - your presence is what matters.

All ages welcome. Questions? Call Bernice Biggs at 415-921-3443.

Gini and her partner, the Rev. Charlotte Cowtan, were in the Bay Area for a class in Public Ministry at Starr King School in Berkeley.

Gini writes - 'I decided to stay over the weekend so we could attend service at the UU Society of San Francisco. I'm very glad we did! Reverend Stewart's sermon on Martin Luther King, Jr. was outstanding; the choral music was wonderful; and we were warmly welcomed at the social hour following the service. I look forward to worshipping with your community again in the future.'

We welcomed them and encouraged their return to San Francisco!

Representative Dennis Kucinich (D-OH) will speak at the Unitarian Universalist Center on January 27 at 7pm at an event sponsored by the Labor Council for Peace and Justice and other Bay Area peace organizations.

Rep. Kucinich will share his analysis of the latest progress in Congress to stop the escalation of the war in Iraq.

Also speaking will be Carolyn Ho, mother of Lt. Ehren Watada, first military officer to be court marshaled for refusing to deploy in Iraq.

This is an educational event. $5-$10 sliding scale donation is requested.

For more information, email:
labor-for-peace-and-justice@igc.org.

Fourteen members of the First UU Society of San Francisco attended the annual growth conference of the Pacific Central District last Saturday at the First Unitarian Church of Berkeley in Kensington.

Our delegation was the largest of all the congregations represented at the conference!

Over 200 UUs from around the PCD gathered to hear the dynamic and inspiring speaker Rev. Larry Peers of the Alban Institute discuss new directions for growing vital congregations.

Attendees included Liz Strand and Mike McGirr (pictured), Rev. Greg Stewart, Moderator Linda Enger, and ten other Board and lay leaders.

Forty 8th-10th graders from several churches in the south part of our PCD district will be spending the weekend here at the church for their Social Justice Weekend.

Our youth did this two weeks ago, and it was a weekend filled with thoughtful experiences and joyful revelations.

Please welcome them to our church.

All our children and youth are working on art projects to display in the Winter Shelter. You'll see their work at a special reception on February 4.

Our religious education classes are studying Transylvania in preparation for the partner church minister's visit on January 28. They compiled questions to ask the youth at the partner church, which ranged from factual to spiritual. Hip-hop and "what did you get for Christmas?" are on the list. We will share their answers with you!

The Williams and Alice Hinckley Fund, a charitable foundation associated with our Society funds grants to non-profit organizations and scholarships for graduate studies in the helping professions.

Graduate studies scholarship applications will be available in the church office February 1 following the January 28 grant application deadline for non-profit organizations. (See Jan 4 issue of The Flame for more details.)

2007 - 2008 academic year scholarship applicants must be permanent Bay Area residents and full time, graduate study students in the helping professions. (This includes students of Starr King School for the Ministry.) Scholarship applicants who reach the last round of selection will be interviewed. Scholarship applications must be in the Hinckley box in the church office on or before February 28. For information on Hinckley Scholarships contact Scholarship Committee co-chair, Don Williams at UUDonWilliams.aol.com.

Grant applications are available now and the deadline is January 28.
Scholarship applications will be available February 1 and the deadline is February 28.