Ironicschmoozer’s Weblog

Today Doug preached a sermon about selflessness and led us through some meditation exercises. I was in Religious Education for most of the service but some people exiting when I got back told me it was “awesome” and that it “blew me away.”  At both services we had a number of new and returning visitors, several infants and toddlers with grown ups in tow, and a lot of 20-somethings.
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In RE today we didn’t have regular classes, but all ages were together in the UURTHSONG community garden (founded 2009) on our campus. Junior high and younger kids harvested tomatoes, herbs, peppers, cucumbers and then washed them, cut them up with scissors, and made salsa. We had good corn chips for scooping up the non-runny fresh stuff!
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Glory was in charge, along with Joan, Patricia, Damon, and a few others.   I showed a few kids the zucchini plants and demonstrated that you can eat the delicate orange flower; at least one tried it himself. Some middle schoolers thought it would be cool to try a jalapeno pepper. Before the first bite kicked in, one of them had some more. Within minutes I had to make a milk run for one of them, and then a second run for another. I also told an even smaller kid that maybe he should stop eating so many cute little tomatoes. I said “It might give you diarrhea.” I figured I needed to be blunt. He said that lots of things give him diarrhea. I do apologize to those plot-holding members who lost an eggplant and a watermelon to an eager collector who didn’t realize the names on the signs meant that some were not community plots. Sorry!
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While little kids were frolicking and harvesting, Keith White got out the tools and gave chores to the Senior High Youth Group: digging up dead plants and sawing some thick dried old stalks. They got into it: one working at a time, and the others clustered around watching. Though one girl came to ask for trowels, so I think more of them got into the act.
This coming Saturday morning is Garden Clean-out Day, so all will be torn out. If you have a plot, be sure to harvest the last of your produce. Whether or not you have had a plot this season, you are welcome to come and help out on Saturday.
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We got beautiful new additions to our Welcome Table and RE Family Table area in the Lobby: hand-built and stained wooden welcome tables at different heights for different heights of visitors and children. Thanks to Dick for his craftsmanship and generosity. Thanks to the task force for your work.
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After the second service we had our first Soup Lunch of the fall (and we ran out of soup, so by the time I went through the line all we had was cookies. I managed.) Groups volunteer to provide soup, bread, and dessert and we charge only $4 per adult.
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After soup we had a very thorough and inspiring presentation of our Master Plan with our architect, Jeff Gold. You can see the plans and guiding principles at the church website.  I am sure our Master Planning team will post a report on the conversation at the Master Planning blog:  PlanItUUrth.wordpress.com.
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Finally: today we got a few more donations for UU Association Sunday, so I think we are about $100 shy of last year’s tally of $1,500. We’ll send the checks in later, so there is still time.  If you click that link you can see a video of UUA president Peter Morales, and you can find a link to donate.  Or you can slip a check into my hot little hands.