On June 22, 2006, U.S. Army 1st Lt. Ehren K. Watada stepped forward as the first commissioned officer to publicly refuse deployment to the Iraq War and occupation. He faces court martial and up to 6 years imprisonment for refusing to deploy and for speaking out against a war that he believes is illegal. His court martial began this week.

Michael Tsukahara of the Watada Support Committee, and Bill Schwalb of Veterans for Peace will update the Forum on the court martial.

A short video of Lt. Ehren Watada's statement on his actions will precede the presentation.

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

The people who circulated the petition are working with the Moderator and Board to bring a changed motion to Sunday's meeting for the Congregation's consideration. The wording of the original statement, which will be initially on the floor but may be amended at the meeting, is:

The First Unitarian Universalist Society of San Francisco shall erect a banner (or series of banners), so that it is visible from Geary Boulevard, Starr King Way, and Franklin Street and encircles the Unitarian Universalist Center at 1187 Franklin Street. This banner will consist of statements proclaiming peace as a way of being our congregation supports for our world, our communities, and ourselves, in line with Unitarian Universalist principles. This project will be funded by a portion of the $25,000 contingency in the 06/07 budget or other suitable Church funds determined by the Board and their representatives.

Grace (at left) watched as dad Hua signed the membership book of the First Unitarian Universalist Society of San Francisco last week.

Members and friends are invited to learn how to supplement single-issue advocacy with personal and institutional relationships that will impact public affairs in San Francisco for many years to come at the Bay Area Organizing Committee's (BAOC's) Public Life Institute. The training will be at St. Mark's Urban Life Center across Starr King Way from our church at 1031 Franklin Street.

You'll discover:

• What it takes ordinary people to secure power over their own lives
• How to build enduring relationships with people different from ourselves
• Form coalitions with neighbor institutions to build a better Bay Area

Admission is FREE and refreshments will be served.

The picture above shows Brendan O'Brine at a previous BAOC meeting reporting on the proposed California Pacific Medical Center high rise project.

Some of the 80 men who slept in the Thomas Starr King Room Monday night couldn't stay for the 6 am breakfast because they had to get to their early-starting jobs.

Angelo Zegna (pictured left) and other volunteers offered toast, oatmeal, and cold cereal to the men who were able to stay.

The Society opened its doors to the winter shelter last Sunday night and will continue to house participant's in the Mayor's Emergency Shelter through March 3rd.

Volunteers for breakfasts and dinners are being scheduled by Leslie Bader. Contact Leslie at coffee hour Sunday to join in the community activity.

No special knowledge of cooking, cleaning, or Unitarian Universalism is required. However, volunteers must have experience in pouring milk, filling coffee pots, scooping jam into a dish, filling sugar bowls, or similar culinary expertise.

"I have to use my blindness as an asset in my painting. I’ll strain my eyes to see, until the reality of now being partially blind registers, and I know I must use a different approach," says artist Charles Blackwell. " I use my fingers to paint with, or the bottom of a brush, or even three color pencils at one time that, along with the jagged lines, brutal strokes, sloshing colors and serendipity point me in the path of moving towards originality."

A free public reception for Charles will be held at Fools Court (234 Hyde Street) Saturday from 2:30 - 4:00.

Following the celebration, the Fools will host an open mic poetry reading until 6 pm.

Then at 7, Always for Pleasure, will screen at Fools Court as the monthly movie night selection. Les Blank's wonderful documentary lets viewers bask in the exuberant spirit, music and food of the New Orleans of 1977. The film begins with a funeral, and amidst all the joy and serious hedonism there are subtle reminders of the race- and class-segregation found throughout the history of "Sin City". Still, the positively pulsing beat of N'awlins is liable to keep your smile smiling and your toes tapping. Musicians featured in the film include Professor Longhair, Wild Tchoupitoulas and the Neville Brothers among others.

Friday (February 9) at 3 pm the Peace Vigil continues at the corner of Franklin and Geary.

All are welcome to come with your own sign or pick up a pre-made one. Just walk up and join in (although rain will cancel), or phone Bernice Biggs for more information.

Ten people joined the silent vigil last Friday including preschooler Joshua who came with his own sign!

Rev. Tibor Rusz-Fogarasi of the Third Unitarian Church of Kolozsvár preached the sermon last week and presented the Society with gifts from our sister church. Our congregation responded with a special plate collection of $1670 which will assist our partner church with rent, expenses, and youth activities for the next year.

A luncheon following the service honored Rev. Rusz-Fogarasi and his wife Professor Enika Rusz-Fogarasi (pictured, at left).

Thank you to everyone for their contributions and enthusiastic participation in this very special visit.

Fr. Roy Bourgeois, founder of the School of the Americas Watch national movement, will speak about his recent meetings with newly elected leaders in Central and South America. These leaders will be considering withdrawing their military and police forces from training at the School of the Americas (SOA) located at Fort Benning, Georgia.

The countries of Argentina, Venezuela and Uruguay have already withdrawn troops from this military training institution. Because of citizen protests, the SOA, whose graduates have been implicated in massive human rights abuses, was renamed the "Western Hemisphere Institute for Security Cooperation."

Fr. Bourgeois will speak about the new democratic hopes for justice and improvement in the lives of the people in the Americas.

Suggested donation is $15-100 with a sliding scale for students and elders. However, no one will turned away for lack of funds! The proceeds will be used for educational projects of the SOA Watch movement. For additional information contact please call Dolores Perez Priem.