In his poem "Outwitted", Edwin Markham writes:

He drew a circle that shut me out -
Heretic, rebel, a thing to flout.
But Love and I had the wit to win:
We drew a circle that took him in

We naturally gravitate towards those who already agree with us. Where do we find the love and wit to overcome the forces of division by reaching out to those with whom we disagree? In this service, Worship Associate Ben Bear makes the case for a strategy of "embrace and include" and seeing the divine light in all.

Joining Ben on the chancel will be Ministerial Intern Jeremy Nickel and Worship Associate Allison Rittger.

Young Performers International, a non-profit children's performing arts company, will provide spirited sounds from Ghana, Hebrew folk music, and the Broadway stage. San Francisco Symphony cellist Barbara Bogatin will perform selections from Bach's Suite No. 2 for Unaccompanied Cello.

The gathering is an expansion of the traditional Thanksgiving service which our Society has shared with Congregational Emanu-el for many decades.

Members and friends are invited to come and share the spirit of thanksgiving with their neighbors of all faith traditions.

from Karen Melander-Magoon

Pierre Labossiere, Haitian Journalist and Activist and founding member of the Haiti Action Committee, will offer the Forum a first-hand perspective of the history of oppression, violence, and international interference that continues to plague our Caribbean neighbor.

Born out of a slave revolt, Haiti became an independent nation on January 1, 1804. Since the 200th Anniversary of its birth as a nation in 2004, Haiti has continued to fight for stability and human rights in the face of incredible odds.

Come to Forum to hear Pierre as well as Leslie Mullin and Robert Roth, members of the Haiti Action Committee who recently took part in a solidarity delegation to Haiti.

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

This Sunday's religious education classes will be the last to focus on the November topic of "gratitude." The story for chapel will be about John Murray, the famous Universalist minister.

Through the end of December elementary youth will participate in a variety of activities including painting sets for the Holiday Faire. Students will learn about other Holiday Faire activities that they can help with, work on an art project, and play cooperative games. The elementary learners will join in these actions following their attendance at the start of the 11 am service in the Sanctuary.

Junior and senior youth will also participate in these Holiday Faire activities and in some activities of their own.

Sunday at 10

The Youth Choir will begin practicing in the Chapel for the Holiday Faire at 10 am. Congratulations to the singers and Carolyn Jayne, their director, for a wonderful performance in last week's service.

Children 5 and older will have an opportunity to work in our well-equipped art room under the able direction of teacher, Theda Burke. Older youth will work with Nancy Buffum on the sets for the Holiday Faire activities.

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.

It is with great pleasure that I announce to all my new friends that last week I got engaged! I met Nicole in 2001 while we were both at the Pacific School of Religion in Berkeley. She is an ordained United Church of Christ minister and is the solo pastor of a beautiful church on Cape Cod where I will be joining her after I complete my time here in this wonderful community.

Nicole is an amazing and dynamic woman, it has been incredible to watch our love grow, and I feel very blessed that she will be my life partner. Nicole will be in San Francisco for Thanksgiving and will be at church this Sunday attending our worship service if you would like to meet her.

The Faithful Fools have published a chapbook of poems by Rev. JD Benson in a collection called Water. Rev. Benson is a former Ministerial Intern and was ordained by this Society.

"Her poems speak to relationship and perception," says Carmen. "Some tell a story and some do not. Some are dialogue gone off. They come from her experience, observable or from within her own heart and mind alone."

The book can be ordered by sending a check to Faithful Fools at 234 Hyde Street, San Francisco, CA 94102. The suggested donation is $10.

The Society's drama group, Wonderful Words, will meet tonight (Wednesday, November 21) at 7 pm to continue the exploration of Spoon River Anthology.

Please join in the Kincaid Room for this free activity. It's great fun and we'd love to see you!

Carefully supervised children and volunteers of Up On Top are making and selling holiday cookies this year. The cookies are made with love and care, and will be available at the December 9 Holiday Faire for $6 per dozen.

Choose from among 7 types of hand-made cookies.

Orders are accepted by email and by phone (leave a message at 885-6018, ext.612) through December 3 for pick-up at the Holiday Faire. Cookies will also be available on a first-come-first-served basis from 12:30 to 3:30 Sunday, December 9th.

Members of the Elevator Committee (pictured at left except for Raj Desai) were honored for their years of work on the accessibility project. Chair Thad Smith praised the determination and dedication of his fellow professionals who volunteered their services to see the elevator built.

Paul and Joan Armstrong, longtime friends of Lois, shared stories about Lois and her love of this community.

Allyne Circle members also were treated to live entertainment and food and drink at their annual party.

Members of the Allyne Circle have included the Society in their estate plans. Further information on the group and on planned giving is available from Joan Rost.

Marvin Mercer, a long-time Member of the Society and past recipient of the Ann Dillon Award, was ordained a Zen Priest in the Soto Zen tradition at Russian River Zendo in Guerneville last Saturday. The event also marked Marvin's 80th birthday.

Barbara Nolan and David Jones attended the ceremony.

The picture from David shows Marvin wearing his new Buddha robe and bowing before his birthday cake.

Two years after the initial devastation of Hurricane Katrina, animals are still suffering and dying in New Orleans. Permanent shelters have failed to reopen, temporary shelters have closed, relinquish rates have doubled, and adoption rates have fallen dramatically.

Following up on the Unitarian Universalists for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (UFETA)'s effort last year to find homes in the Bay Area for needy dogs who have little if no chance of being adopted, Patty Meyers is again returning to New Orleans. She will be volunteering with Animal Rescue New Orleans (ARNO), a grassroots animal shelter and rescue organization which supplied many of our congregation with wonderful loving dogs last year.

UFETA is urgently looking for people who might consider adopting or fostering a Katrina dog. To see some of the incredible dogs available and to learn more about ARNO, go to their web site.

Pictured above is Duke, a medium size adult Labrador Retriever X, who is a true survivor of Hurricane Katrina. He has been in foster care since the storm.

If you might be interested in adopting, fostering or would like more information on ARNO, please contact Patty at 922-4838.

Jonathan Silk lovingly mastered to CD a special service mix from last Sunday's magical music service (plus bonus tracks!). The recording of the music and worship service will be released Sunday morning at the Bookwagon. The CD will be available for $5.

Some of the artists who performed on it are:

• Reiko Oda Lane - Organ
• Carolyn Jayne - Conducting the Children's Youth Choir
• Mark Sumner - Conducting the Adult Choir
• Reiko Oda Lane - Conducting the Bell Choir

Additional artists include the Allen Biggs Ensemble -- also known as the Orient Express -- with:
Sheldon Brown, clarinet and saxophone
Doug Morton, accordion
Bill Lamphier bass
Allen Biggs, percussion

from Dolores Perez Priem

Zack Deutsch-Gross, Nancy Deutsch, and Dolores Perez Priem, members of our Social Justice Ministries committee, SOA Watch West, joined thousands before the gates of Fort Benning, Georgia home of the SOA military training school this past Sunday, November 18th.

The participants, most of them young people, commemorated civilians killed by Latin American military and police trained at the SOA by the US military; and peacefully demanded closure of this military training institution now called the "Western Hemisphere Institute for Security Cooperation (WHINSEC)".

Speakers at the rally included Presidential candidate Dennis Kucinich, who stated that if elected president, the SOA/WHINSEC would be shut down.

Organizations across the world, including Amnesty International USA, have called for closure of this military training school since the Pentagon, in 1996, was forced to admit torture manuals were used at the school. This year in June, a bill to close the scandal-ridden school failed by six votes.

For more information, contact Dolores.