[UUPoly-L] Early welcome, local questions (was Introduction [...] ChicagoPoly)

["Emily M.-R. B." <greystone.house@pacbell.net>]

Richard - Congratulations on your acceptance to Starr King!  Civilization 
will undoubtedly be delighted to have you back.  ;-)

> I am planning some adventures in my own life...Starr King School
> for the Ministry has accepted me for MDiv candidacy and I'm starting a 
> career change to
> the UU ministry.  That means moving to Berkeley and the Bay area in 
> Summer.  So I'm
> looking forward to getting back to civilization.

But your plans for joining us here in the Bay Area brings to mind a question 
I've been meaning to post for some time.

Perhaps I've simply missed the answer, being a relative newcomer, but why is 
it that we have no UUPA chapter?  Or even something as casual as a quarterly 
dinner or potluck?  It would be a good thing, I think, for any number of 
reasons, to at least have a passing acquaintance with each other.  (I'm 
assuming there's more than two UUPA people in the Bay Area!)  If we need an 
excuse, well, perhaps we might give Richard a *proper* welcome to the Bay 
Area before the fall semester claims his full attention...!  :-)

And I have not yet joined a particular congregation.  Since we live in 
eastern Contra Costa either Livermore or Walnut Creek are possibilities - 
it's only about a ten minute difference in drive time, and the longer drive 
is the prettier.  Anybody with experience of either or both have any 
thoughts they'd care to share on the pros of each for a family with a couple 
of elementary age children?

Thanks! - Emily