We are committed to compassion. We are….
…a sanctuary for diversity, spiritual growth, and social justice
…nuestra misión es ser un santuario de diversidad, crecimiento espiritual y justicia social
Worship Services
Sunday Worship: “Where Will Our Hope Come From?”
News in Brief
Bread not Stone: The Past and the Future
Dear ones,
An ad was placed in The Desert Sun in October of 1959 that asked readers “Are you a Unitarian and don’t know it?” It was placed by the Rev. Ray Manker, from Riverside. And then on the evening of Wednesday, October 19, 1959, a diverse collection of people—a few humanists, liberals, and at least one person who was already Unitarian—gathered for the first time at the Palm Springs Chamber of Commerce office.
Since then, this community has grown and thrived, through struggle and wandering in the desert, through ministers coming and going, through dreaming and hard work. And here we are, 65 years later, stronger than ever!
Let the New Church Year Begin
It’s the end of September, snow birds are returning, church seats are filling up, groups are re-assembling, and the new church year begins. The new Board—constituted by two new Members and one re-elected Member—has now met twice and taken some actions of which to be aware.
Look at how full the church calendar already is! One occasion of which to take note is our 65th birthday on October 13. The first Church Council follows on October 19, and then November brings the Pride Parade on the 3rd and our annual service auction on November 8 and 9. New Members are celebrated on November 17
Growing Connections to Our CommUnity
This following post is the beginning in a series of mothly posts outlining what stewardship means to us at UUCOD. Each month we will explore a different aspect of being in CommUnity.
Growing Connections To Our CommUnity: Thank You Good Stewards!
Over many years, we have likened stewardship to a shepherd watching over their flock; ensuring the flock is protected and has what it needs to flourish. Put in simpler terms, our community is blessed with many Members and Friends who contribute their time, their talent, and their treasures to ensure that our community has what it needs to flourish.
Thank goodness for our volunteers who make our community possible. With our limited amount of staffing, we rely heavily on our Members and Friends to help with both large and small tasks critical to ensuring a robust and fulfilling experience for all Members and Friends.
Did you know it can require up to 35 people to assemble a Sunday morning? And what about all the individuals who serve as committee and board members or the folks who maintain our building and our grounds. Or the many Members and Friends who help with Hospitality or the auction or packing food boxes during the holidays. The list goes on and on and all of us benefit from this abundance of giving of our time.
Many volunteer opportunities take only a few minutes, take little, if any, training, and can be done at your convenience. How about volunteering to be a greeter on a Sunday morning? Or helping prepare for or clean up Coffee Hour occasionally? Or sign up to bring flowers for a Sunday service?
How does one get more involved in serving our community? Talk to someone who is already doing something you would be interested in. They will point you in the right direction. When you volunteer – when you give back to our community – you experience the satisfaction of giving and the gratitude of the community you serve.
UUCOD Stewardship and Membership Committees
What’s Happening This Week
Week of Events
Formula on the Fourth
Introduced by the Social Justice Committee in January 2023. Donate formula, which will be given to Galilee Center for distribution to their families with babies.
Why donate formula rather than money? Due to shortages, stores have been setting tight limits on the number of cans per purchase. Our donations help Galilee Center hand out more formula each month to families with babies who are unable to buy it on their own.
Click through to see images of the only powdered formulas they will accept....
Sunday Worship: “Envisioning a Democratic Future”
Sunday Worship: “Envisioning a Democratic Future”
Worship Leader: Rev. Ian W. Riddell
Worship Associate: Ginger Hemingway
We UUs cherish democracy. It grows out of our deepest values of inclusion, generosity, and interdependence. This morning, as we are getting ready for a momentous election, we’ll explore what a spiritual commitment to democracy means and how we can work toward democratic thriving in the reality of our divided culture.
Featured Events for October
Recognizing and Moving Beyond Unconscious Bias
Saturday, October 26
9:30 am – 2 pm
Discussion Leader: Lauren Joichin Nile, friend of UUCOD
In this ‘no blame, no shame’ highly interactive workshop participants will be lead in a number of discussions including:
- What it Unconscious Bias?
- How do We Develop Unconscious Biases?
- How do Unconscious Biases Impact our Lives and the Lives of Others?
- What Can We Do to Unlearn Our Unconscious Biases?”
Attendees have found this workshop to be both eye-opening, and a true growth experience.
Brought to you by the Diversity, Inclusion, and Belonging Ministry
CA Ballot Proposition Discussion
Sunday October 20
11:30 am – 1 pm
Join a discussion of ballott issues including the pros and cons of each proposition. We will use the California Voter Guide as our basis for understanding the implications of each proposition. We will review the positions taken by the UU Justice Ministry of California (UUJMCA) and endorsements from other organizations.
Featured Events for November
Silent ‘drop in’ auction – Free
Friday, November 8th @ 10:00am-4:00pm.
Live ‘in person’ auction – $15
Saturday, November 9th @ 6:30pm-9:00pm
The Auction is our BIGGEST FUNdraiser of the year. Members and Friends donate services or phsical items to be auctioned off to the highest bidder.