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Newsletter of the Oak Cliff Unitarian Universalist Church Editor: E. Beth Ferree Email: ella-editor@oakcliffuu.org

March, 2018

Index

From the Editor Service Schedule

1

Calendar 2

News and Information

3

Events to Consider

4

RE News 5

About Our Members

6

Various Info 7

Who’s Who, What’s What and When’s That?

8

Oak Cliff Unitarian Universalist Church

3839 Kiest Blvd.

Dallas, Texas 75233

(214) 337-2429

The Oak Leaf

Sunday Service:

10-11 AM

Adult Talkback:

11:15 AM – Noon

Youth Religious Education:

During Service (Hope Bldg.)

Young Adult Gathering

12:30 PM (Charity)

From the Editor

Beth Ferree, Editor

It’s almost spring folks! Remember to vote

March 6, if you have not already done so,

that way we all can “Spring forward” this

season!

Make sure you check out the new office, it’s

awesome! Also, say hello to our new

Administrative Assistant, Rita Jackson. She

hasn’t been here long but is already doing

some totally cool things.

March Services

4th – Reconsidering Salvation

Universalism aka universal salvation of all people has a long history. Today UUs rarely use the word salvation. How do we think about this aspect of our heritage today? Based on the theology of Hosea Ballou, Rev. Aija Jansone delivers the sermon

11h –Poetry of Ric Masten

Named the Troubadour and People's Poet

of Carmel and the Poet laureate of

Prostate Cancer, the Reverend Ric Masten

was a UU minister at large, even though

he never graduated seminary. Barbara

Fudge will lead our service.

18th Thresholds and Liminal Spaces

Liminal spaces, such as waiting rooms,

stairwells, and rest stops, exist for

those things that come before or after

them. Our lives are full of such times

and spaces. How do we, as a faith

community, make the most of these

times, learning all we can from the

past and preparing for the best of

futures? Sermon provided by D. Scott

Cooper

25th Hope for the Future of the

Disenfranchised

Beth Ferree will talk about creative

problem solving for helping the

disenfranchised of our communities.

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MARCH SUND AY MO NDA Y TUE SDA Y WED NE SDA Y THUR SDA Y FRID AY SATUR DAY

1

Roy Zimmerman in Concert

7 PM

2

3

4 Shambala Open

Mediation 11:15 AM

Services 10 AM Fish Fry 12:30 PM Social Justice Mtg

12:30 PM Shambala Heart of

Recovery 6:00 PM

5

A Course in Miracles

7 PM

6

Shambala Open Meditation and Dharma Talks

7 -9 PM Social Justice

Film 7 PM

7

Choir Rehearsal 7-8 PM

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9

10

11 Shambala Open

Mediation 11:15 AM Services 10 AM

Jazz Jam 5-7 PM Shambala Level Three training

9 AM-5 PM

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A Course in Miracles

7 PM

13

UUCOC Coordinating

Council 7PM

Shambala Open Meditation

and Dharma Talks

7 -9 PM

14

Choir Rehearsal 7-8 PM

15

16

Shambala Everyday Creativity

7-9 PM

17

Shambala Level Three Training 9 AM – 5 PM

18 Shambala Open

Mediation 11:15 AM Services 10 AM

LWCH Mtg. 12:30 PM

Shambala Heart of Recovery 6:00 PM

19

A Course in Miracles

7 PM

20

Shambala Open Meditation and Dharma Talks

7 -9 PM

21

Choir Rehearsal 7-8 PM

Indivisible Oak cliff Happy Hour

5-7PM

22

23 24 RE Veggie Store 11 AM – 1 PM

25 Shambala Open

Mediation 11:15 AM Services 10 AM

Shambala Heart of Recovery 6:00 PM

26 A Course in

Miracles 7 PM 9

27 Gem and Mineral

Society 7 PM

UUCOC Board mtg. 7PM

28

Choir Rehearsal 7-8 PM

29 30 31

Calendar at a Glance

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We Need Heroes – With Coffee

Do you wake up eager

to start the day? Do you enjoy the company of

others who are as happy as you? Then you should

volunteer to make coffee before church! Let’s be

honest, most of us need that extra boost to be civil

and awake for church. We need heroes willing to

provide coffee and a snack that will perk us up and

enable us to do some adulting.

If you’re willing to be a coffee hero please contact

Jose at coffee@oakcliffuu.org. The minute you see

Mr. Grump transform into Mr. Good Natured you’ll

know you’ve changed the world.

News and Information

Redecorated and Restored: The Color

Purple Meets the Office

The transformation of a room that held a lot of stuff to an office

that’s ready for a new minister took many hours of TLC. Rita and

Kenneth Jackson teamed up with Kathy and Scott Grey to clean,

organize and give the room a new color palette. Renee Brill’s

sanding and refinishing transformed a stained desk into a beautiful

piece befitting a new minister. Thank you to everyone involved!

Rita Jackson

After the Transformation

Before Transformation

Update on the Labyrinth

It's a little early to declare success,

but the new labyrinth shrubs and

trees seem to have survived their first

year. (The winter honeysuckle blooms

are delightfully fragrant!) The plants

are still babies, however, and easily

hide in the Chinese privet that's

pervasive on our grounds. We will be

labeling the "good" plants more

clearly in the coming days and

continuing the battle against the

privet and nandina.

As the weather warms, watch for

notice of workdays to further clean

and dress up the area.

Kathy Grey

When you email Jose, you can also volunteer to

judge the t-shirt contest! These are designs

created by participants, not wet ones.

The church is looking for a new trustee. If you’re

interested, please contact one of the board members

listed on the last page of this newsletter.

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Indivisible Oak Cliff meets monthly

at UUCOC From the website:

Indivisible Oak Cliff is a nonpartisan group, based in Oak

Cliff, Texas. We started in January 2017, after the

Inauguration, the Women’s March, and the release of the

Indivisible Guide.

Our mission is supporting the values of inclusiveness,

the freedoms codified in the Constitution, respect for

human rights and dignity, and the peace and well-being

of future generations; and opposing government actions

and officials who disregard these values.

We founded the group with passion but limited

knowledge, so it took some months to get our footing, but

following the interests of our members, we are now

focused on voter registration and education. (More at

IndivisibleOakCliff.org)

NOTE: Everyone is welcome. You do not need to be a

resident of OakCliff to attend.

Special Events

is

.

A community dedicated to providing

support to those who suffer from mental

illness.

www.wellcommunity.org

www

Join us every Second Sunday of the month from 5 to 7 PM for

Jazz Jam! You are welcome to listen or even join in! Whether

your chops are up, down, or out in left field you are

encouraged to bring the instrument of your choice and have

fun.

You’re welcome to BYOB, but nothing stronger than wine or

beer. We may be making music and merry, but there’s no

reason to get rowdy.

For the players who understand the “code”: you are asked

to bring your REAL books (Hal Leonard 6th Edition, Volumes

1&2). All tips will be evenly distributed among the players.

If you decide to play along please RSVP, if possible to

Jazzjam2017@labyrinthwalkcoffeehouse.com

Early voting for the primaries is February 20

to March 2.

Election Day is March 6

Remember, our local elections count!

For meeting times and place go to:

www.indivisibleoakcliff.org

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News from RE

BY: Kathy Kinkaid

I LOVE Kid’s Church. (10-10:10 in Hope Chapel) I explained to the kids that, although I am encouraged to use the word "children" rather than "kids", I think Children Church sounds much too formal for what we're going to be doing. All are asked to participate by reading Opening/Closing words, lighting the Chalice, being the bell-ringer after a moment of silence, as well as reading the Joys & Sorrows and other activities. Participation is not mandatory, but the children should bring a thoughtful presence. In participating Kid’s Church will provide a lot of fun. Last week, I learned that one of our kids plays guitar and sings. We may just be able to talk them into playing for us in Kid Church (Yay!) Angelo Gomez will be working with me in coordinating this very brief 10 minute ritual leading into RE hour. Recently, I asked the question: Is the physical world all that is real....? There was a mixed review on that one. Did you know that Leah's 7-12 year old class:

* Collected $40.83 for the Disaster Relief Fund Class Project: Fighting Disaster

* Was able to deliver to Family Gateway:

127 pairs of socks

1 pair of gloves

4 toddler sweat suits

2 backpacks

1 pair of gloves

4 blankets

3 DVDs

1 pedicure set

14 handmade scarves (10 adult/4 kids)

Class Project: Fighting Poverty

THANK YOU !!!!!!!

THIS was working as a Village as the whole church came together to help these kids out. Continued on page 7

RE Veggie Store! The 4th

Saturday of every month on

the UUCOC campus. It’s being

coordinated by Cat and Mike

Luster

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About Our Members

First Tuesday Film Festival

Co-sponsored by the Dallas Peace & Justice

Center

Every month, at 7:00pm on the first Tuesday, The

Unitarian Universalist Church of Oak Cliff screens a film

focusing on an important social justice issue. We

promise you'll come away inspired and ready to hit the

road in your own quest for a better world.

The best way to make a difference in the world is to

first learn how others have done so. Is there a film

you'd love to see to inspire you? Perhaps you have that

one movie that just recharges you before a social

justice battle. If so, please share with us and we'll see

about putting it on our list of films to show at the

UUCOC First Tuesday Social Justice Film Festival.

Retreats at UbarU This Spring

April 6-8 Men’s Retreat

April 13-15 Women’s Retreat

For more information, see www.ubaru.org. Register through this

email or at our website! We hope to see you at one of our

events!

Robertus Van der Wege Does it Again!

Robertus van der Wege has been elected vice-president of the Texas Sculpture Association. Centrifugal Force, an exhibition of sculpture by Robertus van der Wege will one opening at the Ft. Worth Community Arts Center on Friday, March 2 and will continue through Wednesday, March 28. The exhibition reception will take place on Saturday, March 24 as a part of Ft. Worth's Spring Gallery Night. Admission is free and the public is invited to attend.

Robertus’ Circus Bonsai

Fish Fry Meet and Eat This Sunday,

March 4!

At 12:30 we’ll all meet for a fish fry and

an opportunity to chat with others.

Bring a side and whatever you like to

use to make your fish tastier.

Join us even if you don’t have anything

to share. There’s always plenty!

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Various Church Stuff

RE Continued

Service Projects Hour

We are up to big things in outreach & on-

site service.

*Emily, David, & Tyler cleaned up around

the dumpster-It REALLY needed it!

*Diego, Nora, & Tricia helped sort things in

the supply closet.

*Tristin helped prepare snacks for the

Valentine-making with Sarah Ricke.

*Valentines were made for Alirio Gamez

who is being housed by 1st UU Church

Austin as part of the Austin Sanctuary

Network.

THANK YOU!!!

We will get back into KIVA loans & continue

on-site projects as well as get off-site to

serve a meal at Family Gateway soon.

Chaperones will be needed, of course.

www.kiva.org

www.familygateway.org

TOLBERT ELEMENTARY

Muriel Flowers is gathering information for

building relationship with this neighborhood

school.

Thomas Tolbert Elementary School

I love my church and my work with these

kids!

Kathy Kinkaid

From the filmmakers: On a summer afternoon in 2006, James Chasse was stopped by three law enforcement officers in Portland, Oregon. A dozen eyewitnesses watched in horror as they tackled, beat, kicked, and Taser'd James until he lay motionless on the pavement with 16 broken ribs and a punctured lung. He died in the back seat of a Portland Police car two hours later. This documentary chronicles one man’s struggle with schizophrenia and examines the actions of the police officers responsible for his death, exposing a city grappling with accountability in the death of an innocent, unarmed man. From the director, Brian Lindstrom “Using interviews, personal writings, archival footage, official documents and depositions the film explores James Chasse’s life and the actions and decisions that led to his death. What emerges is an intimate and complex story of one man’s life, the struggle for his family to find justice after his tragic death, and a city and a system grappling with accountability.”

"Infuriating, tragic, heartbreaking and incendiary in equal measures...plays out like a horror film and leaves you absolutely

breathless." - AP Kryza, Willamette Week

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Social Justice Meeting Sunday, March 4

12:30 pm, Hope

(1st Sunday)

Coordinating Council Mtg. Tuesday, March 13

7pm, Faith Lobby

LWCH Planning Meeting Sunday, March 18

(Third Sunday)

Worship Ministry Meeting Sunday, March 25

12:30pm, Hope

(4th Sunday)

UUCOC Board Meeting Tuesday, March 27

7pm, Faith Lobby

(4th Tuesday)

Who’s Who, What’s What and When’s That?

Board of Trustees: (1 year term) President: Vijay Tanwar (2018) Vice President: Darvin Stephens (2018) Secretary: Susan Ammons (2018)

Endowment Fund Managers (3 years) Sherri van der Wege (’19) David Biehl (’18) Stephen Betzen (’20)

Board of Trustees (2 years) Treasurer: Ben Marmaduke (’19) Trustees: Jose Espericuenta (’19) Charlie Cranford (’19) Kathy Grey (’18)

Leadership Development Committee (2 years) Chair: Brad Guerrero-Neri (’19) Barbara Fudge (’18) Becky Brown (’18) Robertus van der Wege (’19) Gus Warren (’19)

Past President: Dan Brown

‘Cuz we’re just so darned proud of our office!

desk before

desk after