Substantial Bequest Received by Church

Earl Morgan, a longtime friend of our church who died August 31, named thechurch the beneficiary of his retirement accounts, amounting to almost $500,000.The Board of Directors has asked the Finance Committee for recommendations concerningthe ongoing investment of this bequest, and the allocation of the money amongour depleted reserves, the new
building fund, and other possible alternatives.

Trained as an architect, Earl enjoyed hands-on building projects. He helpedout at church work parties
and enjoyed Camp de Benneville Pines retreats. Although he had no immediatefamily, Earl had friends
from his many diverse interests, including the Hawthorne American Legion, ElCamino College, and
sailing. He was especially close to former members of our church Bill and GinnaBaker MacDonald, and their
children. He lived in Inglewood and died at the Daniel Freeman Hospital there.He was 47.

The Rev. Judith Meyer said, “I was saddened to learn of Earl’suntimely death, but very moved to learn that the church meant so much to him.”President Carol Kerr said: “I look to the Finance Committee and the Boardto find a way to honor Earl Morgan by allowing his gift to make a lasting contributionto our future.”

— Paula Bernstein

Despite Wonderful News, the Puzzlement Continues

Last month, I observed that we are heading into our third deficit year in arow. I bemoaned the fact that we have a vital church community with excellentprograms and services, but not quite enough income to pay for it.

With the stunning news of Earl Morgan’s bequest, you may think thatproblem has suddenly gone away. Not true. The primary thing the bequest willdo for us is to assure that we can complete both parts of our building program(previously,
with a projected cost of a little over $1.5 million and capital pledges in handof slightly over $1.0 million, that was not assured). But use of any non-continuingsource to cover ongoing operating expenses is a sure path to disaster, whenthe source runs out and we suddenly have no way to pay our bills.

The bequest is indeed wonderful news and will let us do wonderful things,but the necessity to pay our ongoing expenses out of current income is undiminished.We still have the same puzzlement: How to get our pledge income up to a levelthat will support the operations the congregation wants.

--Warren Mathews, for the Finance Committee

Stewardship Story: “What it Takes”

A place to call home – where I can daily become the person I want tobe, develop my spiritual life, create values-based relationships that enrichme and my family and make me feel like I live in a community rather than a sprawlingmetropolis – these are my personal aspirations as they relate to my churchcommunity.

Beyond the spiritual, though, is the practical: the fact that in order tohave this place called home, I am called to make a number of commitments. Oneis to attend Sunday services, another is a volunteer commitment, third is a
financial contribution.

In the time since I’ve joined this church (a mere two years) we’venot been very clear about what it takes, beyond worship, to make our churchtick. That is changing. You’ve seen more communication in a variety ofareas from member interest surveys to new “GettingInvolved” brochures. You’ve even received a program bookletwith a letter from Judith articulating
our collective hopes for the congregation. Now we’re in pledge seasonand it’s time to think about money.

You and your neighbors in the pews on Sunday will contribute nearly 80% ofUUCCSM’s operating budget this
year through annual pledges. We’ve never asked for a specific amount –though it does take about $100 a month per member to keep the doors open –and there’s always been an assumption that regardless of anyone’sindividual pledge, we’ll somehow pay the bills.

It’s time now to rethink the way each of us pledges support to the church.

This year, we decided to adopt the UUA’s fair share giving guidelinesand distribute them widely to all members
of our community. The idea is that each of us can make a meaningful financialcommitment to the church (in addition
to our commitments to worship and to volunteer our time), and that the amountshould be based on a graduated
percentage of our income. If you haven’t received the new guidelines withyour pledge card yet, you will shortly;
and just as we held stewardship meetings after services in June, we’llhold them again in October to answer your
questions.

Consider the implications if we each were Fair Share contributors: think aboutthe support for our vital community
and the hopes and dreams (articulated in this year’s pledge/program booklet)that could be realized.

— In faith,
Jacki K. Weber

Most members of our congregation have e-mail addresses, and we have a recordof most of those addresses. Last month a message was sent to every address wehave, asking recipients to take an online survey about our electronic communications.In case you didn't receive that message or haven’t taken the survey, pleasevisit http://archive.uusm.org/survey2.html.

As our church continues to expand its electronic communications offerings,we need to find out more about how our congregation uses the online informationand publications we provide . . . and how we can create stronger relationshipsamong our traditional newsletter, our website, and our very newest publication,the Faith in Action Bulletin. Youcan provide this valuable input by taking a few minutes to complete the electroniccommunications survey, even if you are not a regular newsletter reader.

The survey contains 22 questions, divided into three sections dealing withnewsletter, website and Faith in Action Bulletin issues. It should take fiveto 10 minutes to answer all the questions. Thank you for your help. We lookforward to hearing from you!

New Website Design is Up and Running

Liz Fuller has finished her long-planned revisions in our website design.The new layout, which creates eight top-level navigation categories, with sub-menusfor each one, will allow us to add a lot more content to the site, while alsomaking it easier for our users to find things (no matter how big the site gets),and much, much easier for them to bookmark favorite pages. All the old contentis still there, and Liz has added a lot of new things, too, particularly inthe Newsletters section.

The Stewardship Story: Commuication and Community

Stewardship is defined as the careful and responsible management of somethingentrusted to one’s care -- and this church is entrusted to our care. Whatwill make us better stewards?

We’ll be better stewards when we can communicate effectively the stateof our church finances. We’ll have more vitality when we know, and canarticulate and fulfill, what the church expects from each of us. Closer to ourspirit, though, we grow in faith and commitment when we create personal connectionswith each other.

During June we held a number of informal conversations about stewardship. Consistently,people talked about the need for creating a stronger sense of community in thecongregation:

• “I’d like more interchange of people.”
• “Get people involved in the church community.”
• “People give to people…create people connections.”
• “What’s important to me is building personal relationships insmaller groups.”
• “I’d like to get to know people outside of a didactic environment.”
• “We missed both greeters and ushers in service today. These are an integralpart of making congregants new and old feel welcome.”
• “We need a more sharing and open approach. We are inclusive as a religionbut not as individual members.”
• “There’s a perception of an in-crowd.”
• “Let’s have social activities during the week.”
• “We used to hold monthly potlucks that allowed people to get togetherinformally and get to know each other there.”

We’re living in a time where we’re information-rich and connection-poor.But our church has an opportunity to combat this truism. As UUs, we can createcommunity without dogma, making the best of what “religion” hasto offer.

Someone said in my stewardship meeting on June 22, “We are more thanspiritual people. What makes us religious is that we’re joining togetheras a community for similar principles.”

Our challenge, then, is to truly join together and strengthen our bonds. Inthe case of the stewardship committee it means engaging this congregation byasking “If a stronger community means a stronger congregation, what canwe do to get there from here?”

Continue the conversation. It’s a good one, isn’t it?

In faith,
Jacki K. Weber

Stuart Moore Honored

On June 22, the Rev.Judith Meyer presented Stuart Moore with a plaque honoring him for taking careof the physical structures of our church since 1970. “He has done morethan any other person to keep our religious home in good condition,” thewording on the plaque states. “He is knowledgeable of all standards, codesand regulations pertinent to the care of our buildings, and has the myriad professionalskills and techniques required in their maintenance. . . The entire congregationowes Stuart Moore a debt of gratitude for his extraordinary services to thischurch.”

Talented Church Members Schedule a Great de Benneville Pines Program

As this issue goes to press, our de Benneville Pines registrations exceedany for the past eight years. We are now at 90, and closing in on the camp’scapacity.

The program includes a mix of first-time events and old favorites. DeanVoegtlen will once more be leading the traditional dam building, anevent joined by many campers, adults and children, participants and watchers.Last year’s “new tradition,” Chris Brown’sseed spitting contest, will be repeated. He still hasn’t decided whetherto use watermelon or cherry seeds. And Bill Damerell will againbe leading a hike.

The lodge porch will be the setting for singing, crafts, and socializing.Joyce Holmen will lead children and adults in singing WoodyGuthrie songs on Friday and decorating cookies on Saturday. Kerry Thornewill lead the Santa Monica UU Troubadors, which includes all the campers. Thecampfire program, led by Michael Branton, will feature at leastfour guitars and promises to be scary.

Judith Meyer will lead a workshop, sharing what she learned from the religiouseducation transition process. Alan Cranis’ workshop willhelp us understand Islam. Suzanne De Benedittis’ workshop,“Finding Your Bliss,” will teach the difference between passingpleasure and lasting fulfillment. Judy Schonebaum will leada community service project of making dolls for children in need, for ages 8to 88. Chris Hero will teach landscape drawing and painting.For early risers, Judith Martin Straw will lead pre-breakfastyoga classes. Anne Silver will be doing a Sunday morning writingworkshop.

Joanie Wilk is providing a children’s program of artsand crafts for those who are four and over. The pool and hot tub will be open,with bathing suits optional after 9 p.m. Other programs are swimming at JenksLake, aerobics, crafts, and a DJ.
Best of all, we will be in the church community, enjoying the clean mountainair and each other’s company. If there is space left, come join us.

About 160 People Have Sent Us Their Congregational Survey

The survey task force is happy to report that as of the newsletter deadlineabout 160 of you have returned your surveys. Others have told me that they intendto complete and return theirs, but just haven’t done it yet. If you wantto be part of this project, now is a very good time to respond. We have begundata entry into the church’s new computer program. During June I willbe using the software to print and distribute lists to committee chairs andactivity group leaders of those who are interested in specific areas. Afterthis initial mass distribution, we will continue to add information as surveyscome in. This information will be available on an ongoing basis to those whoare in charge of committees and activities.

We would like very much to start off with your skills and interests includedin the initial distribution of information. If you have already returned yoursurvey, THANK YOU! If you can’t find the time or courage right now, wewill be glad to accept your survey whenever you get it done, but would be evenhappier to have it now. Remember that expressing an interest is not a commitment.You can say “yes” or “no” later. Surveys are availablefrom the church office or from me, via e-mail. Thank you for thinking abouthow to share your talents with our congregation.

Kathy Cook,
Survey Coordinator

Jacki Weber Tells the Stewardship Story

Last month, Judith Meyer, members of a newly-created stewardshipcommittee, and another dozen members of our congregation began a dialogue onstewardship and what it means to our church. Stewardship is defined as the carefuland responsible management of something entrusted to one’s care –and this church is entrusted to our care.

We talked about why we come to church and what we want out of it. We talkedabout how we express ourselves in ways that support our UU principles and whatthe church’s obligation is beyond our walls. We articulated what makesus feel good about being religious people and what is reasonable for the churchto ask of us in return. We didn’t come to conclusions. We simply askedand answered questions for ourselves and for each other. Everyone involved foundit gratifying and enlightening. And we’re excited to continue the dialogue.

This month we expand the conversation. During June we’ll hold a seriesof informal stewardship discussions to explore the attitudes and beliefs ofour congregation. And we want you to give voice to your own thoughts on matterslike those mentioned above.

Next month we’ll seek to synthesize that feedback, reflect it back tothe congregation, and continue the discussion in all of the committees in whichwe volunteer and from which we benefit. Ultimately, we hope to create pledgematerials that will speak to a newly articulated mission that represents theconversations we’ve been having for months.

What will be the effect? We hope to deepen our spiritual lives as individualsand as a congregation, making us a stronger, more dedicated congregation.

Please join the conversation.

In faith,
Jacki K. Weber

The Folks at Interweave Say a Great Big Thank You

As I write this,the May 18 congregational vote committing us to be a welcoming congregation,one that welcomes, embraces, and supports bisexuals, gays, lesbians, and transgenders(BGLTs), is days away. However, I trust that when you read this, the majorityof voting members will have made that commitment.

What a blessing and honor it is to be a part of this church!

As other religions face divisive debates over whether to ordain gays and lesbiansas ministers and whether to bless same-sex marriages (or have decided to somehow“love the sinner, but hate the sin”) UUs have ordained many BGLTministers, same-sex marriages are routinely performed in UU churches, the UUAhas an office devoted to our concerns, and, for the most part, when other UUsare tempted to hate us, it’s because we’re obnoxious at meetingsor we voted against the latest ballot measure — not because of whom welove! What those religions, as well as whole societies, are struggling withis basically the question of whether BGLTs are less than or fully human.

Which is why the UU welcoming congregation program is so important. When achurch becomes a welcoming congregation, it is a declaration that BGLTs areindeed fully human and deserving of love, support, and a spiritual home.

On a recent trip back to his home state of Kansas, welcoming congregationcommittee chair Ron Crane saw a bumper sticker saying, “StopAIDS: Kill a Queer.” Last October, a transgender youth in Newark, California,was murdered after a number of young men discovered she was biologically male.In our son’s elementary school, two common pejoratives are, “He’sso gay!” or “Gaylord.” This is the embedded hatred and intolerancethat we are choosing to counterbalance with our love.

Our church is no less than a haven for BGLTs, a true sanctuary from the swirlingundercurrent of threats that we face. For this, we thank you!

Participants in the welcoming congregation committee have been RonCrane (chair), Judy Federick, Charles Haskell,Christine Haskell, Achim Jung, KrisLangabeer, and Aidan Tanner.

We thank the following church friends for their generous help or support overthe past 18 months: Carol Agate, Steven Andrews,Kelly Bryan, Peggy Butler, Jim Cadwell,Alison Chipman, Kathy Cook, LouisDurra, Michael Eselun, Melinda Ewen,John Fels, Jerry Gates, Cicely Gilman,S.J. Guidotti, Joyce Holmen, SusanneIntriligator, Gina Isaacs, Max Joffe,Marie Kashmer-Stiebing, Dan Kegel, LisaKohane, Ofelia Lachtman, Lee Lipinski,Warren Mathews, Lira Maywood, PatMcGuire, Debbie Menzies, Judith Meyer,Leah Moore, Aire Norell, Pat Parkerton,Ernie Pipes, Clare Rampling, BethRendeiro, Jose Ruvalcaba, Marguerite Spears,Kerry Thorne, Linda Van Ligten, DeanVoegtlen, Steve Wight, Alyssa Wood,and Jim Weinberg.

We also thank the following church groups for their support: administrationcommittee, adult religious growth and learning, bienvenidos, board of directors,faith in action, finance committee, gallery wall, Our Whole Lives, personnelcommittee, religious exploration, social action, and women’s alliance.

And finally, we thank Keith Kron, director of the UUA officeof BGLT concerns and the following community groups for their contributionsto our welcoming congregation efforts: Invisible Lives Through InvisibleEyes multi-media exhibit; Center for Transgender Sanity; Gays and LesbiansInitiating Dialogue for Equality; Gay and Lesbian Adolescent Social Services;BiNet Los Angeles; ACLU of Southern California; and the Los Angeles chapterof Parents, Families, and Friends of Gays and Lesbians.

-- Kris Langabeer

The Story Behind Our Website

From the first four pages in 1999, our church’s website has grown toover 100 pages today, containing newsletters, sermon summaries, photos, anddescriptions of activities. But webmaster Liz Fuller envisionseven more important changes soon.

“I have two major goals for the next year or so,” she says. “Iwant to update the site's layout and navigation system to make it even easierto find things, and easier for users to bookmark individual pages within thesite. I also want to continue to build the site’s evolving ties to thechurch’s other publications and communications efforts.”

In the beginning, recalls Liz, many people didn’t even know the siteexisted, and when they did, they didn’t consider it a useful resource.“But as the site grows, people involved in other church communicationsprojects become more aware of our online presence and the opportunities it presentsto them. I’m now working to more strongly coordinate the content and planningof the site with the newsletter, the Faithin Action Bulletin, and projects like the forthcoming ‘GettingInvolved’ brochure.”

Jim Cadwell spearheaded the original website project in 1999,and contacted fellow church member DanKegel, a software engineer and now Liz’ husband, for helpin expanding and re-designing his initial efforts. “So Dan helped Jimwith some of the technical and administrative issues of setting up a new andimproved site,” says Liz, “and then Dan and I worked together onre-designing the pages, with Jim’s input.” After it was up and running,Dan turned over the bulk of the project to Liz. “And ever since, I’vedone all the routine maintenance, updates, occasional major expansions, additions,and design changes, bringing Dan in every now and then, when necessary, to helpwith new technical challenges.”

Liz, who moved to LA in 1991 for her MFA degree in screenwriting from USC,came to our church looking for one similar in spirit to the one she attendedin her native Minneapolis. Dan, born and raised in Seattle, moved to LA in 1980to attend CalTech. In 1997, he joined the church, and that year he and Liz hadtheir first date at a Sunday service. In October 2000 they were married in thesanctuary by the Rev. Judith Meyer.

Dan is a software engineer at Ixia Communications, a company that makes networktest equipment. He specializes in creating highly sophisticated multi-user networksand works mostly with the Linux operating system. Liz is a freelance writerand video producer, winner of numerous writing awards, specializing in corporatecommunications for blue-chip clients, including 3M, Hughes Electronics, KaiserPermanente, Great Western Bank, and the LA Times.

“I got into web design about four years ago as a rather natural extensionof my other communications skills,” says Liz. “I just wanted tobe able to communicate as effectively, both personally and professionally, inthis new medium as I do in print and video.” Between client projects,Liz is writing a book of advice for aspiring screenwriters, helping remodeltheir 1926 duplex, caring for their six cats, and getting ready for the birthof their first child in July.

As if this weren’t enough, she often updates her personalwebsite and her professionalsite, and, of course, continues her creative work on our church’swebsite, which draws an increasing number of visitors each month.

“Every now and then,” says Liz, “ I receive a very gratifyingnote from someone who hasn’t really explored the site before or just gotaround to it for the first time in a long time, expressing their surprise anddelight with how much information we actually have on the site. These are alwaysfun and much appreciated!

“Several times, during the coffee hour after services, I’ve beenchatting with visitors or new members, and they’ve told me that they firstfound the church through the website. I think this is one of the most importantfunctions of the site — and we do know for sure that the church now hasat least several new members who might not have found us otherwise, becauseof it.”

And, she emphasizes, “feedback of all kinds is always welcome —just write me at webmaster@uusm.org.

-- Paula Bernstein