service conducted by The Reverend Gregory Stewart

I hear it more and more: a disdain for organized religion but an enthusiasm for free-form spirituality.

The former is often viewed as antiquated and dry as dust, while the latter is believed to be authentic and invigorating. But is this really the case?

"While some may find the 'new spirituality' to be a genuine impulse toward meaning making, I consider it an excuse to avoid the real work of faith," says Rev. Stewart.

Sunday we'll explore the differences between religion and spirituality as Rev. Stewart makes the case for religion.

Ministerial Intern Jeremy Nickel and Worship Associate Sue Anthony will assist in the service. The choir will sing an arrangement by Bobby McFerrin of Psalm 23.

Bay Area Unitarian Universalists are kicking off a growth campaign this week.

How are these growth efforts different from those of the "conservative" churches and congregations? Are they different?

Bruce Budner, Executive Director of the Rockridge Institute, founded by Dr. George Lakoff (author of Don't Think of an Elephant), will share his thought-provoking analysis of the Evangelical movement in the United States and the political agenda often associated with Christian fundamentalists in the USA.

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

from Betty Skwarek, Acting Director of Religious Education

Religious Education classes begin Sunday at 11. To better accommodate families, art, children's choir, and other special programs will start weekly at 10 and religious instruction will begin 11. Sunday school will end at 12:15 and all children should be signed out by 12:25.

The classes this Fall will focus on Small Group Ministry for Children, a curriculum developed at the Unitarian Universalist Church in North Andover, Massachusetts.

Elementary school age children will start Sundays in the Sanctuary with their parents at 11. The children will go from the Worship Service to the Chapel where they will hear a lesson and a wisdom tale. After the lesson the children will divide into small groups and participate in a variety of age-appropriate activities.

Junior and senior youth will meet in their classrooms at 11. Their lessons are also based on the small group ministry model.

Preschool children will meet in their classroom at 11.

Religious Education also will offer three activities at 10 - art, children's choir, and a parents' group. New students are welcome throughout the year, and parents are invited to phone Acting Director of Religious Education Betty Skwarek at 776-4580 for more information.

Congratulations to Laurie Southgate on her 100th birthday!

A respected pillar of our Society, Laurie takes her values beyond the church walls. She is a strong and active participant in Society groups, and she is a past winner of the Rheiner Award for her extraordinary activism in the wider community.

Join us in feting Laurie on her milestone birthday! Laurie will receive a presentation during the Worship Service and birthday cake will be served in the courtyard afterwards.

A hospitality lunch with lasagna and salad will also be available for $5.

If you are new to this Congregation or to Unitarian Universalism, the Newcomer Orientation program is made for you.

Newcomer Orientation is for non-members and is particularly good for anyone who wants to know a little more about this San Francisco Society and Unitarian Universalism in general.

During this session, we will briefly share how each of us got to this place, provide some basic background on Unitarian Universalism and this particular congregation, and watch a short -- but terrific -- video.

Join us for a low-key, interesting, and fun program Sunday at 12:30 in the Fireside Room.

The Congregation contributed $3,600 to the Up On Top Embrace a Child special collection at last Sunday's worship service . Last year the Society raised over $10,000 in a month-long fundraising effort, and we are well on our way to another successful campaign. Contribution envelopes are available in the church pews.

Tickets for Up on Top's Wesla Whitfield benefit concert are still available online in addition to being sold at coffee hour on Sunday. Proceeds from the September 22nd cabaret will help fund the afterschool program which was started as a Social Justice project of this Society.

from Stephen Schwichow

The Principles and Purposes of the Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations (UUA) are under review this year for the first time in 15 years. These statements were developed democratically by congregations throughout the denomination as part of the bylaws.

The UUA's Commission on Appraisal has undertaken a review of the text the covenant, better known as the Principles and Purposes, and has requested messages and suggestions about these principles, sources, purposes, and also the responsibility of non-discrimination and individual freedom.

The members of the Society's Denominational Affairs Committee encourage you to share your opinions which will be relayed back to the UUA for distribution prior to the 2009 General Assembly when any proposed revisions will come before the delegates for a first vote.

Just inside the main entrance to church you will find a bulletin board display asking what do you think about our 7 Principles, how do they speak to you? Feel free to jot down your comments or pick a card and begin the conversation. You may also send email to the committee.

The sign-up period for this Fall's Small Group Ministries ends Sunday. Small groups -- each with about ten people -- meet twice monthly creating an intimate environment that helps participants achieve a deeper sense of connection to the community and to Unitarian Universalist principles.

Ben Bear, a member of the Small Group Ministry steering committee, says that for him small group ministry allows people to gather together in a way that allows them to discover and honor the inherent worth in ourselves and each other.

Information on the ministries is available online, and Committee Chair Carol Ruley would like to personally answer questions you have about the program or the application process. She can be reached at (415) 846-3986 or by email.

from Valerie Holton, Marketing Outreach Director
Unitarian Universalist Association

How many times can you say "Unitarian Universalism" in 15 seconds? The answer --- three!

Live 15-second sponsorship announcements on behalf of Bay Area Unitarian Universalists began Monday on KQED. Thirty-second recorded commercials for Unitarian Universalism with Rev. Greg Stewart and others also started airing on KQKE this week.

The $300,000 Bay Area marketing campaign to spread awareness of Unitarian Universalism has begun!

Cable TV commercials will appear on the Daily Show and Colbert Report in the upcoming weeks. Postcards, newspaper inserts, BART billboards, and online ads are coming later this month as part of the six-week Bay Area marketing effort.

We look forward to meeting and learning from visitors checking out the church this Fall. This growth season is also a perfect time to invite your friends to come to a service and see our welcoming community!

The first Senior Friday luncheon gathering of this fall will be held on Friday (September 14) in the Fireside Room at 11 am. Please bring lunch for yourself and the Society will provide dessert and refreshments.

Members and friends of the Congregation who have the distinction of being in your 70s, 80s, 90s, 100s are invited to join in the socializing and conversation.

Following lunch, the movie Mrs. Palfry at the Claremont, staring Jean Plowright and Rupert Friend, will be shown. There is no charge for the program, so come on down!

photo by Sonnie Willis

These photogenic friends came up on the chancel after the service last week for the picture of the Congregation. Thanks to photographer Sonnie Willis for the visual memory!