Faith In Action News Archive
Temple Isaiah sponsored a two-day Interfaith Call to Justice Conference in November 2007. UUCCSM was one of the many sponsors. For more detailed information on what took place at the conference please see the Interfaith Call to Justice website at http://www.call-to-justice.org
Ann Fagan Ginger, Executive Director of the Meiklejohn Civil Liberties Institute and author discussed “New Paths for Action” in a panel discussion on October 19 in the church sanctuary with Professor Antonio Brown. Professor Brown currently serves as Vice President of the ACLU Southern California Board.
The current UUA 2007 Actions of Immediate Witness approved at General Assembly in June 2007 were handed out for discussion:
• Social Support for the UN Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women
• Support Immigrant Families – Stop the Immigration & Customs Enforcements (ICE) Raids
• Support Comprehensive Sexuality Education Legislations
• Stop US Sponsored Torture – A Religious Call to Action
• Repeal “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell”
• Pass the Employment Non-Discrimination Act with Transgender Inclusion and Protection.
Committee Reports:
Green Sanctuary: Leslie Reuter presented the Action Plan that lists the 12 actions our congregation must take to become a certified Green Sanctuary church. The plan includes actions on Environmental Justice, Sustainable Living, Worship celebrations and Religious Education. The Action Plan was unanimously approved. Leslie also demonstrated an LED lamp that the Green Sanctuary Group would like to sell at church.
Hunger Task Force: Members of the congregation present at the Issues Election affirmed continuing our volunteer relationship with Step Up On Second coordinated by Janet Goodwin and Daybreak Shelter coordinated by Denise Helton. FIA chair presented the challenges of securing funding for these activities on a monthly basis. A request has been made to the Long Range Planning Committee to allocate funds to support this work in the future. We need a new volunteer coordinator for Turning Point Transitional Housing. The chair would like to thank the many congregation members who have donated so generously in the past.
The suggestion was made to add the film “Sicko” to our list of programs. This request will be directed to the Peace & Civil Liberties Committee.
The Multi-Racial Development Group presented their plans to focus on immigration as they relate to labor struggles:
- Plans to address car wash owners’ failure to provide a living wage to their workers
- The new Sanctuary Movement along with CLUE, Clergy & Laity United for Economic justice
- Bond-out families in detention as part of the UUA’s Action of Immediate Witness, Support Immigrant Families – Stop the Immigration & Customs Enforcements (ICE) Raids
MRDC will provide a liaison, Nora Hamilton, to the FIAC meetings and the FIAC chair will participate in the MRDC meetings to foster a close working relationship.
UU Legislative Ministry items:
- Carol Agate, Kris Langabeer, and Jacki Paddock all agreed to participate and report on the UULM’s Marriage Equality work group
- Joan Verdon and Cathie Gentile will participate and report on the Health Care Reform work group.
25,000 Petition for Peace
Phyllis Gabriel and Joan Verdon circulated the Rev. William Sinkford’s petition that calls for an end to the Iraq war. Rev. Sinkford will take the petitions to Capitol Hill on October 10.
Minutes taken by Judy Federick and transcribed by Cathie Gentile
• Social Support for the UN Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women
• Support Immigrant Families – Stop the Immigration & Customs Enforcements (ICE) Raids
• Support Comprehensive Sexuality Education Legislations
• Stop US Sponsored Torture – A Religious Call to Action
• Repeal “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell”
• Pass the Employment Non-Discrimination Act with Transgender Inclusion and Protection
Actions of Immediate Witness are adopted to address pressing policy concerns in a timely manner. Individual Unitarian Universalists, congregations, districts, and departments of the UUA and UU affiliate organizations are urged to act on it also.
Please Join Us for an Important Gathering
Co-Sponsored by UUCCSM
Concerned members of religious communities will join together this coming November for what promises to be an interactive learning experience about public policy and advocacy. The Interfaith Call to Justice: LA 2007, scheduled for November 11-12, 2007, brings together people of faith with a burning desire to create justice in their local community. Hosting this gathering will be Temple Isaiah in West Los Angeles. The two-day social justice training and community strategy planning conference will educate and train religious leaders and their congregations about how to effect systemic change through legislative and public policy advocacy.
More than 60 faith-based organizations are co-sponsoring this event including the Episcopal Diocese of Los Angeles, the Office of Justice and Peace of the Catholic Archdiocese of Los Angeles, the Presbyterian Synod of Southern California and Hawaii, the Southwest California Synod Board for Public Ministry of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, the Union for Reform Judaism, and the Islamic Center of Southern California.
- Keynote speakers include:
- Father Greg Boyle, Founder/Executive Director of Jobs For A Future/Homeboy Industries
- Rev. Cecil “Chip” Murray, retired pastor of F.A.M.E. and current Chair of Christian Ethics at the University of Southern California
- Rabbi David Saperstein, Director of the Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism
- Maria Elena Durazo, Executive Secretary-Treasurer of the Los Angeles County Federation of Labor, AFL-CIO
All four individuals are examples of how organized efforts make an enormous difference. One of the topics they will address is: Moving from Charity to Justice.
During breakout sessions, participants will be introduced to the “nuts and bolts” of advocacy training, community organizing, and issue-based campaigns, such as immigration, economic justice, the environment, youth at risk, affordable health care, homelessness and affordable housing.
The conference is the brainchild of Rabbi Suzanne Singer, who has spent a year and a half planning the event. Rabbi Singer is no stranger to the social justice cause. In November 2005, she organized a similar conference within the Jewish community in Oakland, CA called the Consultation on Social Justice (COJS), winner of the Irving J. Fain Award for Social Action from the Religious Action Center.
“The conference in the Bay Area demonstrated the appetite people have for social change,” said Rabbi Singer. “The Bay Area conference also underlined the need for joining together in interfaith coalition. Clearly there is a great deal of enthusiasm for working together in this city, as over 60 congregations, denominations and faith organizations, Jewish, Christian, and Muslim, have signed up as sponsors. The LA conference is just the first step towards joint efforts in Los Angeles.”
Major Financial Support Provided by the Jewish Community Foundation of Los Angeles.
Established in 1954, the Jewish Community Foundation is the largest manager of charitable assets and the leader in planned giving solutions for Jewish philanthropists in Greater Los Angeles. The Foundation currently manages assets of nearly $750 million dollars and, according to the National Foundation Center, ranks among the ten largest Los Angeles foundations (based on assets). In 2006, The Foundation and its 1,200-plus donors distributed $63 million in grants to more than 1,500 organizations with programs that span the range of philanthropic giving.
Additional funding provided by (partial list): the local archdiocese, diocese or synod of the Episcopal, Presbyterian, Lutheran, and Catholic Churches; Brentwood Presbyterian Church; St. Alban’s Episcopal Church, Westwood; St. Michael and All Angels Episcopal Church, Studio City; the Kalsman Institute on Judaism and Health; the discretionary funds of rabbis from several Reform congregations.
Conference Location: Temple Isaiah, 10345 W. Pico Blvd., Los Angeles
PRE-REGISTRATION REQUIRED. See http://www.call-to-justice.org
As the church year draws to a close I wouldlike to thank the members of the Faith InAction Commission (FIAC) for all theirwork to make this a better, more socially-awareand environmentally-friendly congregation. Themembers of FIAC are: Lyn Armondo, Liza Cranis,Eleanor Eagan, Judy Federick,Jesse Figueroa,Phyllis Gabriel, JanetGoodwin, Charles andChristine Haskell, DeniseHelton, Patrick McGuire,Leslie Reuter, HeatherSmith, Diana and MargueriteSpears, Sandra Trutt, Alyssa Wood,Marge Zifferblatt, and of course, the Rev.Judith Meyer. Geralyn Lambson deserves amention and is "adopted" into FIA by hermonthly clothing collections. Everyone hascontributed in some way to the original missionof the FIAC: "...to coordinate socialaction efforts in the church, empowering thecongregation to choose social justice issues forstudy and action. . . ."
Our social justice issues have included providingfood and clothing for the homeless or theformerly homeless, the mentally ill, or the "justgetting by"; bringing wonderful and stimulatingguest speakers and films to the congregation;raising awareness of the health care crisis and ofthe situation in Darfur; creating a Green Sanctuaryand incorporating many green ideas into thenew building program and our daily lives; providingbooks to the annual Head Start party;fundraising for Common Ground to serve homelessyouth; fundraising for the UUSC; sellinggreat fair-trade chocolate and coffee; and so2 JUNEmuch more. All of this would not have happenedwithout the generosity in time andmoney of many members of this congregation.
I don't wish to sound ungrateful, but - wecould do a lot more. Every fall, the FIAC holds anissues election to vote on the activities for thenew church year. We on the Commission takethese votes very seriously to fulfillour mission. We simplycannot continue topromise the same levelof social action withoutmore volunteers and aconsistent funding baseof support. It is wonderfulto be appreciated andthanked for what we do,but joining us or makinga donation to one of our activitieswould be even better.
The FIA table is set up in Forbes Hallalmost every Sunday after both services. Dropby the table some time and ask the FIAC memberwhat you can do depending on your interest,ability, time, and/or financial situation. You willgain points, karma, blessings, whatever rewardyou may wish to achieve. Don't let us have allthe fun.
The FIAC also wishes to gratefully acknowledgethe many friends who have stepped forwardthis past year to lend assistance and support.Last, but not least, many thanks to:Melinda Ewen, Holly Nguyen, Carmen Haley,Kevin Roller, and Attila Molnar.
- Cathie GentileChair, FIAC
Glen Howell Entertained and Taught Us All
The Peace & Civil Liberties Committee hadchurch member Glen Howell speak on May 11about his 50 years in the Space Program. Theevening was vastly informative and really demonstratedthe principle of interconnectedness. Toanswer a question from Rob Briner about JPL,Glen had googled and even found a UU connection.Amos Throop, a retired Chicago businessman,came to Pasadena in the 1880s where heestablished Throop Polytechnic which laterbecame California Institute of Technology (Caltech)with its offshoot JPL. In addition, hefounded the first Universalist Parish of Pasadena(now Throop Memorial UU Church) in 1885, withminister Florence Kollock, who helped organizethe Parliament of World Religions at theColumbian Exposition in Chicago in 1893.
Glen explained that much of V-2 rocket theorywas initially developed here in the U.S. by RobertGoddard. Goddard was awarded the first patenton a liquid rocket engine in 1914. In the 1920'sGoddard's research got a boost when CharlesLindbergh brought it to the attention of HarryGuggenheim. Sadly, it was Nazi Germany in WWIIthat developed Goddard's work with the V-2rocket, and used it against England. With the endof WWII the U.S. and Russia each took Germanscientists who had worked on the V-2 program. InOctober 1957 Russia used the information thescientists developed to launch Sputnik (whichcelebrates its 50th anniversary this year). In theU.S. we developed our own space programs withhelp from Wernher von Braun - culminating inthe Apollo series that took us to the moon.
We thank Glen and hope to have him back tocontinue this fascinating story.
- Diana Spears
The Meeting was called to order @12:30 p.m. in the Sanctuary. The first orderof business was a resolution to sign the Covenant with the California InterfaithPower & Light Organization as follows: "Shall the Rev. Judith Meyer,as the spiritual leader of this congregation, pledge to support the goal ofCalifornia Interfaith Power and Light?"
Leslie Reuter, co-chair of the Green Sanctuary Committee outlined the CongregationalCovenant. The members of the Congregation in attendance voted unanimously toauthorize the Rev. Judith Meyer as our spiritual leader to sign the CongregationalCovenant with CIPL.
Next, we discussed becoming a Certified Green Sanctuary with the UUA Ministryfor Earth. The resolution stated: "Shall the UUCCSM Congregation takethe necessary steps to become a Green Sanctuary?" There was agreementto take the necessary steps to become a Green Sanctuary. The Rev. Judith Meyerhas authorized the Application for Candidacy and the $100 application fee tothe UUMFE on submission.
Leslie Reuter and Alison Kendall, member of the Building Committee, outlinedwhat steps have already been taken and what steps the Building Committee iswilling to take to establish the UUCCSM as a Green Sanctuary.
Leslie talked about some activities planned by the Green Group, starting a3-2-1 Pledge Campaign to get members to pledge to save energy. Rev. Ernie Pipeswill begin a discussion course on Global Warming, sponsored by NWEI which willbe offered in March.
Our last item was to relate information about the Health Care for All billsponsored by Senator Keuhl. We will distribute literature on this and worktowards passage of this needed legislation.
Respectfully submitted,
Catherine Gentile
Shakeel Syed Will Speak on Islam in America and Mid-East
The Faith in Action Peace and CivilLiberties Committee Speaker Serieswill present Shakeel Syed, ExecutiveDirector of the Islamic Shura Council ofSouthern California, to speak to the norms,values and conflicts of Islam in America andthe Middle East on Friday, December 1, at7:00 p.m., in the church sanctuary. A Q&Aperiod and reception will follow.
He will provide insights into the Shiitedenominational view and respond to questionssuch as the following:
FIA Issues Election will be on September 24
As the new Faith in Action (FIA) chair, Iwould like to thank Charles and ChristineHaskell for their dedicated work duringCharles' three-year tenure as chair. I would alsolike to thank Judith and the members of the commissionfor their support. I realize that I have verybig shoes to fill.
FIA is holding the annual Issues Election onSunday, September 24, at 12:30, in the Sanctuary.I strongly urge as many of you to attend as areable. As a congregation, a community, and citizensof California, we have very importantchoices coming up in this November's election.Do we want to see affordable health care for allCalifornians, not just those able to pay? Do wewant "clean money" financing future elections?How as a congregation are we going to act onActions of Immediate Witness from this pastJune's General Assembly?
Please give somethought to thesequestions and bringup your own topics.Each suggested topicwill receive a vote.The top three votecarriers will determinewhat actionsFIA will take for thiscoming churchyear. Rememberthat a churchmember or friend has to be willing to take thelead and organize a group to follow through onthe issue. The procedures will be explained at themeeting.
Lunch will be sold after the service.
Please contact me if you would like to suggest any topics for the Issues Election.
- Cathie Gentile
Support for Daybreak Wanted
Long-time Social Action Committee member Dagmar Schnauss,has been coordinating delivery of food items to Daybreak Day Center and Shelter,which works exclusively with mentally ill homeless women in Santa Monica. Dagmarand a group of committed volunteers have been providing casseroles once a monthfor approximately the last 10 years. Dagmar is no longer able to continue thiseffort. If you would like to take up this worthy cause please contact CathieGentile. Any current or former members of the Social Action Committeeare cordially invited to attend the Faith in Action Commission meetings. Thenext meeting is Sunday, September 10, 12:30 to 2 p.m., in Room 4.
— Cathie Gentile
Faith in Action Commission Welcomes a New Leader
Faith in Action was created in 2000 as a new way ofengaging our entire congregation in witness andadvocacy issues such as peace, civil liberties, socialjustice and homelessness. We developed a set of proceduresand policies that wereendorsed by the congregationand the board. One of thosepolicies called for two-yearterms for the chair of the Faithin Action Commission.
It has been my privilegeand pleasure to have servedtwo terms as chair. Now, it istime for new leadership. Itgives me great pleasure toannounce that the new chairis Cathie Gentile.
Cathie was a foundingmember of Faith in Action andhas played a variety of leadershiproles in our witness andadvocacy program. She helpedus choose and manage hungeras the primary issue of congregational concern. She hasbeen instrumental in establishing our relationships withthe Westside Food Bank,Turning Point and Step Up onSecond. She played an importantrole in our involvement ineconomic justice, workingwith our Faith in Actioninterns involved in helpinghotel workers in Los Angelesobtain a better contract. Morerecently, she has been our liaison with the UnitarianUniversalist Legislative Ministry in California.
Cathie's new position as chair was endorsed by the Faithin Action Commission and the Board of Directors at theirMay meetings. We are fortunate having such a dedicatedand qualified leader.
- Charles Haskell
Unequal Marriage Rights Amendment is Headed to the Senate on June 5
The personal milestones that we celebrate withinour families and as a society - graduations, marriage,the birth of a child - resonate deeply for all of us.When these milestones are marked, we are oftenwarmly inundated with validations and blessings forthe growth we have accomplished and the growth thatis expected to follow. And most of us take these milestonesfor granted.
Unfortunately for some of us, however, the milestoneof marriage and the more than 1,000 legal rightsof a civil marriage are denied us. Frankly, the fact thatmy society does not allow me, as a lesbian, to marrythe woman I have been committed to for 20 years now,tells me that I am not considered fully human. Howelse can I be denied participation in one of the mostbasic and life-changing of human rituals?
Yes, hearts and minds are changing on this issue,but we have many battles ahead.
Around June 5, the U.S. Senate will again voteon the Marriage Protection Amendment (S.J. Res. 1),which would amend the U.S. Constitution to bansame-sex marriage nationwide and, most likely,invalidate existing state domestic partner and civilunion laws.
Many argue that such an amendment is needed toprotect the "sanctity," or holiness or sacredness ofmarriage. We need to send a message to the Senatethat same-sex relationships are holy and sacred andthat our families need the protections that only civilmarriage can confer.
To take simple and quick action against S.J. Res. 1,visit these Web sites: Human Rights Campaign(hrc.org), People for the American Way (pfaw.org), orAmerican Civil Liberties Union (aclu.org). Also, pleasecontact family and friends in other states to urge theiraction on this issue.
How can love not be holy? As UUs, we stand on theside of love (see uua.org).
- Kris Langabeer
Here are some of the church members and friends who sorted 12,200 pounds of food in cans, jars and packages andpacked it in boxes during our church's semi-annual two-hour Food Sort at the Westside Food Bank in Santa Monicaon January 24. Bruce Rankin, Food Bank director (back row, third from left), said, "I want you to know how much wevalue that kind of help from volunteers.Your work completed a job that would have taken one of our employeesmore than one solid week of drudge work to accomplish, assuming we even had someone available. Thanks again toeveryone who participated - a great deed and great fun, too."