Membership Committee Keeps on Keeping on

On the Membership Committee this year:  Barbara Gibbs, Gretchen Goetz, Carol Ring, Sarah Robson, Shanna Shaked, Adrienne Sumpter, and Larry Weiner; Cynthia Cottam and Norm Richey are the co-chairs.

Rev. Ernest D. Pipes, Jr. (1926 – 2021) - HONORING A LIFE

Rev. Ernest D. Pipes, Jr.
October 6, 1926 – February 10, 2021

It is with sadness that we bring you news of the passing of the Rev. Ernest D. Pipes, Jr.  He served as our Minister at the Unitarian Universalist Community Church of Santa Monica for 35 years and then as our Minister Emeritus since 1991.  Born in Texas, educated there and at Harvard Divinity, he died peacefully at home in Santa Monica, California, at the age of 94.  He is survived by his children, Bruce, Heather, and Gordon.  He was preceded in death by his loving, amazing wife, Margaret Cope Pipes.  With the family, we will hold a memorial service for Rev. Pipes in the future.  For now, we offer a few perspectives on his legacy and encourage you to share your stories with each other.

The Rev. Judith Meyer, our Minister Emerita, writes to us today:

Ernie was at the heart of our church and its history.  He ministered to all of us with intelligence and compassion.  He was my dear colleague and friend.  I shall always be grateful that I had the opportunity to work with him and shall always remember him with love and respect.

The Rev. Jeremiah Kalendae, our Developmental Minister now, notes:

Rev. Ernie Pipes’ ministry was a beacon of liberal religion for a generation in the Los Angeles area.  The church we call home was well cared for by his generous heart and spirit.  During the pandemic, members and I have reached out often to Ernie, wishing that we could safely visit with him in person.  We owe much to him for passing the legacy of this church’s living tradition on to our generation and those that will follow us. Let us remember, grieve, and celebrate his incredible life and ministry with us. May we continue to receive the blessings of his bright spirit and may they continue to encourage our flourishing. Rev. Ernie:  We love you and we miss you deeply.

Congregational leader Charles M. Haskell writes:

The Rev. Ernie Pipes was my minister for about 23 years.  His late wife, Maggie, was also my late wife’s best friend.  With his passing, we have lost a fount of institutional memory and philosophical excellence.  He taught us a great deal about life, death, and all that joins the two.  One such lesson is the subject of my video vlog episode #18, which can be seen on my website.  I join the congregation in mourning the loss of Ernie and that whole segment of church history.  May his memory live on in our hearts and minds.

Congregational leader Joyce Holmen adds:

Ernie’s gone?  It seemed like we might be fortunate enough to have him all the rest of our days, but no.  It’s good to let the tears come, then think of another happy event shared, and something else about Ernie and Maggie that sparks respect and gratitude.  From the early 1960s, the two of them were active in civil rights and justice work, inspiring many to join them as they promoted interfaith dialog and action.  Not only did he lead our church with a gentle hand, elegant sermons, good listening, and a truly open mind, he guided dozens of men and women entering into or wrestling with UU ministry.  Our resident philosopher read widely – and sent lots of parishioners and staff off to denominational events and training, saving his travels for weeks with Maggie in Mexico or Europe.  Ernie married hundreds of loving couples, often strangers to our faith who couldn’t find acceptance from any other clergy; and he celebrated the first local gay marriage in 1955.  He honored the passing of so many people, raising up in each memorial service the unique qualities of the one who died as well as the poetic, universal aspects of such a rite of passage.

I alternate today between a few tears and a little more acceptance, various memories popping up, grateful for knowing Ernie as a mentor and friend to me and to my family as well.  For a decade, he was my generous colleague, promoting professionalism in Carol Edwards’ Religious Education field and in my work, Administration.  He retired with typical grace, letting us fuss over him but not too much.  An annual lectureship funded in his name has continued Ernie’s diversity training for us all.  I have loved his steady presence in the pews throughout the years that his successors have ministered to us; he continued to practice learning, respect, and love – while enjoying a piece of cake or another potluck in Forbes Hall.  May you travel light and travel easy, old friend.

From the November 2016 UUSM Newsletter:

Forbes Hall was full Saturday afternoon, October 22, for a celebration of the Rev. Ernie Pipes’ 90th birthday. Many of the UU Santa Monica members present had been in the congregation during Ernie’s 35-year ministry (1956–1991), had been friends with Ernie’s wife, Maggie, and had walked beside her in the fight for social justice. Several of the speakers at the “High Tea” spoke of the many weddings Ernie had performed in the decades during and after his ministry, including the first “committed unions” of same sex couples in California.

You can also download the program from the birthday celebration, with a full bio. 

UU Santa Monica Beer Tasting Dining for Dollars – Thanks for bidding in our auction!

Bidding Extended! Online Holiday Auction Supports UUSM
UUSM Online Auction bidding extended to Jan. 6, 2021

Make Sure You’re Registered to Vote
ARE YOU REGISTERED AND READY TO VOTE?

• Check your voter status HERE. If you are registered you’ll be able to confirm your address as well.

• Online voter registration is open until Monday, October 19, 2020.
• Mail-in your voter registration by Monday, October 19, 2020:
• You can register to vote using the federal voter registration form available HERE.  (Spanish and additional languages HERE.)
• Send the completed form to your local election official:

Los Angeles County
Dean Logan, Registrar
P.O. Box 1024
Norwalk, CA 90651-1024

• Californians can register to vote in person up until and on election day, Tuesday, November 3, 2020.
• Conditional (same-day) voter registration is a safety net for Californians who miss the deadline to register or need to update their voter registration information.
• Eligible citizens can go to their local election office, polling place, or vote center to register and vote conditionally.

Did you know that children ages 16–17 can pre-register to vote, so they are ready for election day upon turning 18? Click HERE to pre-register to vote in upcoming elections?

League of Women Voters’ Information on California’s 17 Ballot Measures
GENERAL ELECTION • NOVEMBER 3, 2020

 

 

At this election, California voters will choose the president of the United States for the next four-year term, and elect state and federal legislative representatives.

 

California voters will also be deciding on 12 state propositions that are explained on the League of Women Voters’ website and in their publication, Pros & Cons — a PDF is below. Four of the propositions were placed on the ballot by the state legislature, seven of them were placed on the ballot by supporters who gathered sufficient signatures and seek to make changes in state laws or the California Constitution, and one is a referendum that seeks to overturn an existing law, and was also placed on the ballot by supporters who gathered sufficient signatures.

 

Visit Voter’s Edge California to see everything on your ballot, your polling place, and unbiased information on all your voting choices.

 

How to Evaluate Ballot Propositions

 

• Examine what the measure seeks to accomplish. Do you agree with those goals?
• Is the measure consistent with your ideas about government?  Do you think the proposed changes will make things better?
• Who are the real sponsors and opponents of the measure? Check where the money is coming from on the Voter’s Edge California website: votersedge.org
• Is the measure written well? Will it create conflicts in law that may require court resolution or interpretation? Is it “good government,” or will it cause more problems than it will resolve?
• Does the measure create its own revenue source? Does it earmark, restrict, or obligate government revenues? If so, weigh the benefit of securing funding for this measure against the cost of reducing overall flexibility in the budget.
• Does the measure mandate a government program or service without addressing how it will be funded? Does the measure deal with one issue that can be easily decided by a YES or NO vote? Or, is it a complex issue that should be thoroughly examined in the legislative arena?
• If the measure amends the Constitution, consider whether it really belongs in the Constitution. Would a statute accomplish the same purpose? All constitutional amendments require voter approval; what we put into the Constitution would have to come back to the ballot to be changed.
• Be wary of distortion tactics and commercials that rely on image but tell nothing of substance about the measure. Beware of half truths.
• The League of Women Voters of California Education Fund (LWVCEF), a 501(c)(3) nonpartisan organization, encourages informed and active participation in government and works to increase understanding of major public policy issues. The LWVCEF does not support or oppose candidates, political parties, or ballot measures.

Pros & Cons is a nonpartisan explanation of state propositions, with supporting and opposing arguments. The arguments come from many sources and are not limited to those presented in the Official Voter Information Guide. The LWVCEF does not judge the merits of the arguments or guarantee their validity.

The LWVCEF grants permission for the Pros & Cons to be reproduced. This publication is available online at CAVotes.org.

 

 

News from the Mountain Top
OUR HEART IS IN THE MOUNTAINS

 

El Dorado Fire Update #11 from Camp de Benneville Pines Executive Director Janet James

Reprinted with permission

 

September 27, 2020

 

Dear Campers and Camp Supporters:

 

The drive up the mountain was emotionally difficult. Hot spots in some places on the mountain shoot up plumes of smoke. One major spot on San Bernardino mountain looks like a volcano erupting. All along the drive the charred remains of manzanita, yucca, scotch broom, pines and oaks are everywhere. Acres upon acres of charred nothingness. Burned logs and branches are along the road, and one can see where Cal Trans has been busy pushing burned limbs, blackened rocks and boulders off to the side. It is an eerie, stark, devastating, and curiously mesmerizing drive up to Angelus Oaks. I just wanted to stop the car in the middle of the road and take pictures. How strange to actually see hiking trails up into the forest, where no forest remains. On several occasions I found myself thinking “What will hold this mountain back when it rains?”

 

I attended a meeting with San Bernardino County Fire officials yesterday in Angelus Oaks. The news was not surprising.

 

• Cal Trans will be working to improve culverts over the next two months and road closures on Hwy 38 may last from a few hours to several days each time they work on another section.
• Mud flows and rockslides will be ongoing problems each and every time it rains.
• There are still hot spots up on the peaks and with the expected winds over the next few days, some fire crews will remain in the area.
• Angelus Oaks residents remain on evacuation alert until the wind event is over.
• The El Dorado fire consumed 22,000 acres of forest and wilderness. To visualize the size of the area, think of 22,000 football fields of burned trees.
• USFS fire officials and County engineers will be out accessing dangerous rock and water flow areas over the next 2 weeks.

Of importance was the official thank you from community members to so many fire crews and hot shot teams from areas near and far. As I was driving to camp, I saw fire crews and rigs from Santa Barbara, Ventura, Loma Linda, Big Bear, Yucaipa, Redlands, San Diego. I pulled over whenever it was safe to do so, and I personally thanked the fire weary warriors.

 

Along this drive, I couldn’t help but feel relieved that most of the trees along the highway are still standing and alive. It gave me hope for Jenks Lake Road. But around many of the bends where I had a clear view of the mountain top, I could only see the smoldering remains of trees. And I realized that the park-like drive was only a screen hiding the real truth. Again, the thought “What will hold this mountain back when it rains?”

 

Coming around the curve to the Jenks Lake Loop I saw a large group of fire fighters resting under some shade. I stopped to thank them. When they found out I worked at de Benneville Pines they were happy to tell me they had saved our camp. And I was beyond pleased to meet the crew members who fought so hard to save our cabins. As it turns out, Fire Captain Jett Schuster was in the group, and I thanked him to the moon and back for texting me personal updates from the fire front. I told him I had been sharing his texts with over 4,700 campers and supporters. The crew looked pleased to know that the camp they had saved was an important place to so many. They asked if they could one day retreat at our camp. Gosh, I do believe we can work that out Captain Schuster and crew!

 

Fire Captain Jett Schuster from the San Bernardino Country Fire Department.

 

The drive up Jenks Lake Loop looks fairly green and lush, and one has to look into the woods to see where the fire took off in the direction of our camp. The fire came into camp on the west side above Cabin 3 and wanted to naturally burn the maintenance area and travel down into camp. The fire fighters had a battle on their hands to push the fire back behind the upper cabins. The fire came across the hill behind these buildings; and between Cabin 6 and Craig’s Cabin it came down to the camp road (across from the swimming pool). It whipped around to the northeast after burning past the Staff Cabin, traveling down around the Pavilion. It burned the forest between the Pavilion and the creek and was stopped short of the Coffee House/Office.

 

Miles of yellow and white fire hoses are in and around camp. Some hoses are still attached to the hydrants. A few crew members were in and out of camp today checking on hot spots, and I could hear the sounds of chain saws running up in the burn area. The crews were dealing with burned and dangerous trees. Our water tanks ran dry after the stored water was all used up. The fire burned through the wooden structure that supports the water pipe across a deep culvert. When the structure burned, the pipe could not support itself and fell to the ground broken. Frank Haahr, maintenance supervisor, has already rigged up a bypass so our tanks can fill again.

 

The walk from the Staff House across to Maintenance was tearful. I was relieved to see the buildings intact, but the idea of the loss of our green belt between camp and the Lake Fire burn area fills me with worry. Remember, it is the duff (decaying vegetable matter on the ground of a forest) that helps to hold back the mud and water when it rains. With two feet of duff turned to ash, we will have to mobilize quickly to fill sandbags and place them in strategic locations. I am in conversation with our civil engineer and the USFS about next steps.

 

Rock with plaque

 

This rock is on the edge of the camp road between Craig’s Cabin and Cabin 6. You can see how close the fire came and the loss of the duff we need to prevent flooding and mudslides.

 

Please know that your beloved camp looks perfect in so many ways. The forest and drive up into the parking lot look green and thriving. Once in the parking lot, the view up to the mountain above the camp reveals the truth. Thousands of acres of forest are gone.

 

In the weeks prior to the fire, employee Ed Bagdon was assigned to check out all of camp’s fire hoses by running water through them. During this process of checking for leaks, he decided to shoot the water at the base of the cabins in order to chase the leaves and pine needles out of their hiding places. Because of this decision, 100% of the ground around each cabin was free of debris for about 12 feet. This decision essentially made the difference to structure protection in our camp. Strange how these things play out. Earlier in the year we had over 200 trees pruned away from structures by a professional tree service.

 

Please click here for a slide show of my drive up the mountain to camp, and my walk in the ashy woods. I concentrated on taking photos of the burn areas since all of our buildings are intact and look as you remember them. I am in contact with our insurance inspector. He will be in camp this week to assess for smoke damage.

 

As I was walking down from the water tower I had a chance meeting with Jeff James (no relation) who was in camp with his GoPro streaming live for Redlands Buzz. Employees Niki Giberson and Frank Haahr came over to meet Jeff, and we applauded his daily live coverage of the fire. Day after day, Jeff drove up from Redlands and bounced down mountain roads to film the fire crews. His daily journeys and his posts gave us an inside view of the fire situation. Jeff said that “UU’s are a chatty bunch” and laughed. He shared that many camp supporters had reached out to him directly with stories of their days at camp, and they were not shy about asking him to return to our camp each day for more video updates.

 

 

Folks, this was a very close call, and I know you are all feeling relief in knowing that your camp is still intact. Your love for camp is great and it is clear you want to see it protected for generations to come; and it will be! We will need your volunteer labor filling sand bags and your donated dollars to pay for straw bales to be placed upon the hill from one end of camp to the other. Your financial support will be needed indeed. And then it will be needed again, and again, and again if we are going to make it through this crisis.

 

It is clear to me that you are the caretakers of camp’s legacy, and as such, the stewards of its future. Your collective heart lives upon this mountain top, now five generations strong. I look forward to the day when you will return to this place you hold so sacred.

 

I will be back with another update as I know more, but I imagine it will be a few days out.

 

 

Janet James

Executive Director

Your Beloved Camp

 

 

Watch a quick video of Janet, Niki and Frank filmed by videographer Jeff James.

 

UUs Step Up for Camp de Benneville Pines
CONCERT RAISES THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS FOR OUR BELOVED CAMP

 

 

Karl Lisovsky and family have been spending UUSM Family Retreat weekend at Camp de Benneville for about 25 years. Lesley Kernochan spent weeks on the mountain when she was a teenager, and has recently been a camp counselor there. They both have deep attachments to our church retreat, UU Camp de Benneville Pines.

 

The two have been collaborating musically recently, with Lesley bringing vocals, instrumentation, and creative ideas to original songs of Kai Landauer (Karl’s artist’s name). When they heard that de Benneville was running out of money as a result of having to shut down because of COVID, they decided to offer a fundraiser.

 

With UUSM Sunday worship services in mind as a model, they held a Facebook live event, a concert among the trees and flowers behind Karl and Janet’s house. Karl and Lesley produced a short but satisfying concert of four original songs. Lots of people tuned in to the show.

 

De Benneville Pines tells us that $1,550 was raised in donations, possibly with more to come. Furthermore, because of a dollar-for-dollar matching gift grant program, these donations will count double.

 

UUSM has done well in efforts to keep alive our beloved UUCamp at 7,000 feet in the San Bernardino Mountains, which narrowly escaped any serious damage from the El Dorado fire (see Camp Director Janet James’ post). We wish for it a wonderful and verdant future.

 

You can watch the concert video on Facebook or YouTube and make a donation at uucamp/contribute.