Not unlike most religious endeavors, we must act before the mountains in our lives will move aside. To chose hope is to affirm that we are life's meaning makers.

Come and hear why this burden and blessing rest on your shoulders (and on mine as well).

The choir provides music and leads us in the singing of "Standing on the Side of Love," our theme song for The Hope Series of sermons.

The Reverend Fred Rabidoux and worship associate Millie Phillips lead worship with Rev. Stewart on the chancel.

Please bring a friend to this hope-filled service of worship and celebration!

Tim Redmond will lead the Sunday forum in a discussion of "An Editor's Perspective and Analysis of the Winners and Losers in the 2007 San Francisco election"... even while the votes are still being counted!

Tim is the Executive Editor of the Bay Guardian and has been a political reporter in San Francisco for 25 years. He lives in Bernal Heights with his partner, Jean Field, and their two children.

The free 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

Elementary age students will learn about their "Angel Child" - who it is and what the child wants. They will also continue working on their gratitude books and Max Coots' "Garden Meditation," listen to a performance by the youth choir in the Chapel, and hear creation stories.

Junior youth will continue to learn about effective group membership through a UNICEF program, "Discussing Global Issues: What is Participation?"

Senior youth will be building their own lessons within the covenant group framework. The first topic they will discuss is the compatibility between religion and liberalism.

The parent group meets regularly at 10 in the Fireside room, and walk-ins are welcome. While parents talk, children up to age 5 are invited to come to the nursery while older children and youth can join the youth choir in the Chapel or the art class in the Art room.

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.

In July, organist Reiko Lane, members of the church choir (along with members of the Berkeley Alumni choir) under the direction of Dr. Mark Sumner, and other members of the Society toured Hungary and Transylvania.

You are invited to a delicious, authentic Hungarian luncheon prepared by Maria Solis, Reiko, and other volunteers to celebrate the pilgrimage and relive its highlights.

The menu is chicken or mushroom paprika over noodles, cucumber salad, strudel for dessert, and Rachael Balyeat's great wine. The luncheon is a fund raiser for our partner church, 3rd Unitarian church of Kolozsvar, Transylvania. A donation of $15.00 or $40.00 for a family is suggested.

The choir and Reiko performed three formal concerts in churches including First Unitarian Church in Kolozsvar, Transylvania. Informal performances ranged from a salt mine to village Unitarian churches in Homorod valley. The group also visited sites important for Unitarian history and religious liberty such as the burial site of King John Sigismund (see photo below), the only Unitarian king in history.

Diners will view slides of the tour and at the same time listen to recordings of the concerts. Choir members attending the event will sing a Hungarian hymn performed on the tour.

All members of the community are invited to come tonight (Thursday) to a cookie tasting -- come with or without cookies to share. The event is designed to lure Cookie Monsters and their admirers to Up On Top's cookie baking brigade.

Up On Top will again sell cookies at the annual Holiday Faire, on Sunday, December 9. Besides bakers, volunteers are needed to assist with publicity in the immediate neighborhood before the Faire, help Up On Top children make cookies, and help on the day of the Faire.

For more information, please contact Cindy Eckart at (510) 986-0734 or by email, or Luanne Schulte, at 642.1969 or by email.

Up on Top recently raised $9,500 from Society members in addition to another $8,000 in proceeds from Wesla Whitfield's benefit concert! Congratulations!

The annual General Assemblies (GA) of the Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations pass policies and resolutions that govern the organization. Our bottom-up denomination takes its direction from the instructions of voting GA delegates.

Ten of our San Francisco Society's members will be among the decision makers at the June 25-29, 2008 General Assembly in Fort Lauderdale. The Society will elect its delegates in March to allow them to make travel plans.

Candidates for 2008 delegate positions must be Members of the Society and agree to attend GA and its voting sessions. (The cost of attending, including registration, meals, and travel, is estimated in the range of $1,500 - $1,700, and limited stipends are available.) Delegates also agree to participate in the Denominational Affairs Committee activities throughout the following year.

Potential delegate candidates can be suggested to members of the Nominating Committee through next Wednesday (November 14). The committee will be proposing its slate of candidates to stand for election during December in order to meet Bylaw requirements.

The Nominating Committee would appreciate your suggestion of potential delegates. Please contact any of the committee's members with your recommendations.

The members of the Nominating Committee are: Shirley Gibson (chair), Bernice Biggs, Bob Bacon, Dolores Priem, Janet Hewins, and Galen Workman.

Dolores Perez Priem received the 2007 Rheiner Award for community service during last Sunday's service.

Named for Rev. Conard Rheiner, the honor acknowledges a Member of the Society whose life has shown commitment, leadership, significant accomplishments, and meaningful involvement with our Unitarian Universalist principles.

Each year the award spotlights a person who practices humanitarian principles on a daily basis within the church and the greater community.

Congratulations, Dolores!