How to Be A Grandmother: La Famiglia, or Making Family

“Over these last 45 years, as a minister, I have heard just about every kind of family story there is. Loving. Awful. And everything in between.

Nothing surprises me any more. Most of my blood family has died…my grandparents, parents, my brother due to alcoholism. But that does not mean I do not

have brothers. And sisters. And cousins. And a son. And a nephew. And a grandchild. Friends, yes, But more. When Ellen Johnson Fay and I created the indices in the back of the hymnbook we edited, we found almost no readings or songs or hymns about family. Why? we asked.” Marco Belletini

About Marco Belletini

“I go by Marco now, since I retired in 2015. My grandparents called me that when I was a child, and they were the ones who taught me the meaning of love.  I was born in Detroit, graduated from Oakland University in Rochester MI, worked in car factories and a residential treatment center, came to CA to attend Starr King School when it was still in Berkeley, served my student ministry at Walnut Creek, my chaplaincy training at the U of Cal Medical Center, and went to Rockford Il for my internship. I served the First UU Church of San Francisco, looking out from my office on Starr King’s tomb; then served this congregation for 18 years. During those years I also taught at the seminary, served on the Hymnbook Resources Commission, and designed the services for the International Association of Religious Freedom conference at Stanford U. Meadville Lombard conferred an honorary doctorate on me, which moved me very much. I left CA to move back to Ohio, (closer to my ailing parents.)  I served the First UU Church of Columbus, the state capital, for 17 years, spent 8 years on the credentialing body of the UUA, adopted a son, Tony, and have established a life that I love in a marvelous city that hardly anybody knows anything about. I retired in 2015, turned 75 this year, have a defibrillator/pacemaker in me, and remember this congregation with great affection.”

Welcome!

We are always delighted to welcome guests! If this is your first time visiting a Unitarian Universalist church or our congregation, here’s some idea of what to expect.

Order of Service

  • Ring Tibetan Bowl
  • Prelude: Lea Casini and David Casini
  • Opening Hymn: #128, For All That Is Our Life
  • Welcome
  • Chalice Lighting
  • Wisdom Tale
  • Sing the Children to their Classroom
  • Call to Worship
  • Hymn: #66, When the Summer Sun is Shining
  • Land Acknowledgment
  • Wisdom Readings
  • Prayer, Candles of Joys, Sorrows & Gratitude
  • Sung Prayer by Rev. Rebecca Parker
  • Sermon: Rev. Marco Belletini
  • Hymn: #363, Alleluia Sang Stars
  • Offertory
  • Shared Singing: Hymn #402, From You I Receive
  • Announcements
  • Benediction
  • Extinguishing the Chalice
  • Invitation and Final Wave
  • Postlude: Lea Casini