From Our Minister Archive
Dear friends,
What wisdom have you gained from your lateryears? This spring I plan to lead a service here on TheThird Age, a time I have not yet experienced in my ownlife. Will you write to me and share some of what you'velearned in your 60s, 70s, 80s, or 90s that you could nothave guessed at an earlier time in your life?
What has surprised you? Pleased you? What hasbeen most challenging? (And a bonus question: what doyou wish I'd thought to ask you?)
Speaking from your own experience and sharing ananecdote or two, in the area of 200 to 500 words, andemailing or mailing it to me at the church by February28 would be particularly appreciated.
In other news, I am looking forward to celebratingtogether at my service of installation on Sunday, February 13, at 3 p.m. This is a time when we affirm the uniquerelationship between minister and congregation in ourdemocratic, participatory faith; when we share ourhopes and expectations with one another; and when weformally celebrate my call to serve this congregation asyour ninth settled minister.
In this church, such a formal ceremony is quite rare.This will be only the third service of installation held inthis sanctuary since 1956. Several of our honored speakers and guests will travel across the country to attend,including our Minister Emerita the Rev. Judith Meyerand her husband David Denton. The Rev. Ernie Pipesand Maggie Pipes will also have special roles. SteveWight will direct our Celebration Choir, including guestmusicians from the UU Church of Long Beach. We willalso gladly welcome clergy colleagues from Santa Monica, Greater Los Angeles, the San Fernando Valley, andthe Pacific Southwest District. See you there!
In faith,
- Rev. Rebecca Benefiel Bijur, Minister
Dear friends and neighbors,
When should I call the minister? Perhaps thisis a question you have asked yourself before. Youshould call the minister if you...
...are planning a rite of passage, such as a wedding,memorial service, or child dedication.
...need to talk about an important decision youare making in your life.
...are worried about a medical diagnosis facingyou or your loved ones.
...could use some help and don't know where toturn.
...want to talk about theology, religious and spirituallife, and liberal religion.
...love what is going on in this congregation andwould like someone to celebrate with.
... aren't feeling connected to what is going on inthis congregation and would like to feel moreplugged in.
...are new to the church and would like to learnmore about our faith.
...have been in the church for years and yearsand would like to learn more about our faith.
...are thinking deeply about your vocation, especiallya call to ministry.
...would like to meet the new minister (and checkout the new rug in her office).
Don't try to talk yourself out of it - just pickup the phone. This is what I'm here for!
(310) 829-5436 x104.
Gratefully,
Rev. Rebecca Benefiel Bijur, Minister
January may begin the calendaryear, but the churchyear began September 1with the beginning of the interimperiod. Each congregation has a unique experience ofinterim ministry. However, there are five specific goalsof the interim period that every congregation makes itsown. First, the congregation claims and honors itspast, and engages and acknowledges its griefs andconflicts. Second, the congregation recognizes itsunique identity and its strengths, needs, and challenges.Third, the congregation has a clear understandingof the appropriate leadership roles of minister,church staff, and lay leaders, and has successfully navigatedthe shifts in leadership that may accompanytimes of transition. Fourth, the congregation makesappropriate use of District, UUA, and other outsideresources. Fifth, the congregation is in proud possessionof a renewed vision and strong stewardship, preparedfor new growth and new professional leadership,ready to embrace the future with anticipation and zest.
An essential part of the interim period is the transitionteam. Our transition team was created by theboard of directors in the fall to help the congregation navigatethe two-year interim period so it will be wellprepared when your next settled minister is selected.The team's job is to make sure the tasks of the interimhappen, but not necessarily to be the ones makingthem happen. Transition team members are OfeliaLachtman, Robin Lowney-Lankton,Warren Mathews,Peter van den Beemt, and Linda van Ligten.
The transition team has noted the congregation ison a journey. History is part of your journey.Who youare depends so much upon where you have been as afaith community. I am hearing bits and pieces aboutthe legacies of your ministers emeriti. The naming of alegacy is part of your work during an interim time. Aspart of the first goal of honoring the past, I would liketo offer a session on January 25 after the 11 a.m. service.You will have the opportunity to set aside an hourto talk about the legacy of the Rev. Judith Meyer. Shehas been an important part of your religious journeyand naming a legacy now will help you as you begin tomove into the stage of asking what you want in yournext settled minister.
Blessings on our between time together,
- Roberta
December is a busy month with family andfriends. Some of the busyness can be quiteexhausting. I notice the stores are already havingsales. I am sure some people are getting the jump onholiday buying. Some of the busyness enriches our lives.The sights, smells, and delights of the season are apparentall around. It's a time for reconnecting with peoplewho live at a distance. It is a time for deepening connectionswith those who live both close and faraway. But,even the fun can leave us spent.
Let's declare an island of serenity in the midst ofbusyness. I hope you can find a place of refreshmentright here at UUCCSM during this holiday season. Theseason of light and darkness invites us to pause andreflect. From age to age, when the nights became longerour ancestors sat by the hearth, built a fire, gatheredround, and told stories to stoke their courage to face acold world. Come to UU Community Church ready tostoke a hearth fire of warm community. Come out of thecold. Tell the stories of wonder and love to each other.Tell the stories that create a more peaceable world.Come alone or with family or with friends to relax, toenjoy one another's company, to forge a place of calmserenity, and to find a still point in this spinning world.
My favorite seasonal song, written by Unitarian UniversalistEdmund Hamilton Sears, is "It Came Upon aMidnight Clear." The historical context was the Mexican-American war. It has become especially poignantover the years, as when I have introduced this hymn ateach Holiday service, I have also been able to identifythe specific arena of human warfare active in the world.In 2008, the message rings out anew from a midnightclear: "Peace on earth. Good will to all." May the world"in solemn stillness" grant us peace within our selves,our families, our friends, and the entire Earth.
Blessings on our holiday time together,
- Roberta
This November, let us ponderthe words of one of the mostfamous American men whoshaped the Unitarian tradition,Ralph Waldo Emerson:
We are not born free; we are born with a mortgage.That mortgage is a debt, a debt that we owe to thepast and to the future. While we live we pay interestand then pass it on to the next generation. That'show churches, communities, and nations survive; byaccepting what has been bequeathed and passing iton to those that come after them. This ritual ofreceiving and giving is an act of Thanksgiving.
My hope is that UUCCSM is a place to receive and givesustenance for your minds, hearts, and spirits. There ismuch for which to be grateful. I am grateful for an excellentstaff, who give so much of their talents and skills toserve this church. I am grateful for the excellent musicand religious education programs. I am grateful forthose among us who without fail work tirelessly for thebenefit of everyone. There are congregational challengesahead. Yet, there is much to be thankful for. In thisinterim period, I invite you to stop and celebrate whoyou are and who you are becoming. November is thattime to show your gratitude.
Along with the stewardship leaders, I invite each ofyou to attend the November 16 service, CommitmentSunday, and be ready to make your 2009 pledge on thatday. After service, it will be a time to celebrate communitywith good food, good company, and good conversation.You need to know that you can count on eachother for a fulfilling future together. The annual pledgedrive is a ritual - a rite of commitment. You commit yourfinancial resources to the church's operating fund andyou commit yourselves to one another. Through makinga financial contribution, you show others how muchthey mean to you. It doesn't matter if you only have aseemingly small donation. It matters that you give fromyour heart to build up the community you cherish.
It is a well-known fact that people become involvedbecause "Someone asked me." For example, when nonblooddonors were asked why they didn't give blood, themost common response was, "Nobody asked." You willnot be asked to participate in a blood drive; rather, youwill be asked to make your pledge to the future ofUUCCSM. You are preparing for a new minister, whowill be happy to learn of your generosity in so manyways, including having a solid financial future.
Henri Nouwen says: "Every time I take a step in thedirection of generosity, I know I am moving from fear tolove." The word, liberal, literally means generous.We area liberal religious tradition. We are generous people.Please, be generous with your time and financialresources as you are able.
-- Roberta Haskin
Encircled by the immense beauty of our place onearth, I am eager to share with you today these wordswritten by my colleague, Richard Gilbert, in the UUAmeditation manual, "In the Holy Quiet of this Hour":
IN BETWEENNESS
We live
In between festivals of gratitude and joy,
In between seasons of contrasting color,
Between floods of brightness
And seas of whiteness.We live
Walking from city of birth to death,
Hoping along the way
To see something of beauty,
To touch hands with those we love,
To give more than we get,
To make some sense of it all.
We live in betweenness.
We are fortunate to have such a beautiful facilityemerging here. When I walk to work now I can see thecottage and the courtyard. The landscaping is lovely. Weare progressing on our goal to have a remodeled andaccessible facility. It seems at times the whole communityis "under construction." This may be our goal as afaith community too. An interim year is a good time tolook at the various parts of the community. What partdo you play in constructing this community? Are youpresent on Sunday morning greeting and meeting newpeople? Maybe you are one of the newcomers who arejust trying to see if this faith community fits your way oflife. Maybe you are one of the people who have beenhere for many, many years who support one of ourcommittees through your volunteer efforts. The endproduct depends on you and your commitment to seethe construction of a vibrant faith community throughto the end.
We have only just begun to meet each other. Wehave only begun to construct this interim ministry thatwill help you prepare to settle a permanent minister. Thetransition team has only begun its time together. I ameager to continue to help you construct your emergingidentity, to articulate who you are and where you aregoing as a faith community.
This is a great place to belong! It is a great placebecause of each one of you. Your presence enlarges thebeauty of the community. As we live in this betweentime,let us not forget to see the beauty in each other.Blessings on our betweentime.
- Roberta Haskin
In the Betweentime
We live
In between winter cold and summer heat
In between birth and death
In these perpetual betweentimes,
Let us celebrate life.
—Rev. Jean Rickard
I am so glad we'll have this "betweentime" together as yousearch for a settled minister. We will be sharing joys andsorrows, challenges and achievements. Last year I was theInterim Minister at the Unitarian Universalist Congregation ofPhoenix. Before that, I served as an Interim for the UU Congregationof Las Vegas, the First Unitarian Congregation of Waterloo,Ontario, theEvergreen UUFellowship inMarysville, Washingtonand for theJames Reeb UUCongregation inMadison, Wisconsin.I am eager tomove to Santa Monica. I have lived in the desert for the past twoyears and now am ready to live by the ocean. As my permanenthome is in Minneapolis, I have never lived by the ocean. I amready for this new adventure we are about to take.
This coming year, I am excited to respond to your needsfrom the wisdom I have gained from a wide range of experience.Early in my career, I was a professional religious educator forevery age along the life span of learning. I especially love thesmall group model for deepening spiritual growth. Later in mycareer, I was a chaplain, certified by the Association of ProfessionalChaplains. I have worked in just about every unit of threedifferent large city hospitals for six years, while also serving severalsmall family-size UU congregations.
In my monthly column, I will write about time and space.Time and space are spiritual concepts. Time is, on one hand, ahuman construct from which to speak and act and, on the otherhand, a mystery so much larger than human experience cangrasp. Time will be in control of our relationship because I willbe with you for a set time, an interim time. From time to time, Iwill tell some stories and I will listen to yours. I want to hearabout you and your congregational life. I want to know whatyour traditions are, what accomplishments make you proud,and what you would rather roast than toast. I plan to do morethan take a trip down memory lane with you. Neither you nor Ilive in the past. However, memory of the past is one componentof time of great import during an interim. Your future and ourfuture are full of possibilities.
I look forward to meeting all of you when I begin workingon September 1.
Blessings on our betweentime,
- Roberta Haskin
Thank you for voting at the annual meetingto name me Minister Emerita. I amhonored and thrilled that you have conferredthis status on me. Not only does it allowme to have a continuing relationship with thecongregation, but it validates my career in ministry.I am particularly grateful to Rebecca Crawford,who crafted the resolution with help fromher mother, Gaye Deal, and to the Board ofDirectors, who recommended this action to theannual meeting.
During the interim period over the nextcouple of years, however, I will not be active inthe congregation. The recommendation fromboth the Unitarian Universalist AssociationMinisterial Transitions Office and the UnitarianUniversalist Ministers Association is that thedeparting minister absent herself while thetransition takes place. Interim Minister RobertaHaskin and I have discussed this policy and willrevisit it from time to time together. She is mytransition coach.
My time away from the church and yoursearch process will inevitably change our relationship.But the covenant we have shared asminister and congregation - the trust you haveplaced in me - continues. As Minister Emerita Iwill have an altered role but I will still be a ministeramong you. We shall find out what that rolewill be as the future unfolds.
In the meantime, I will take the next coupleof years to let go of my involvement in thechurch, so that you can move forward. The Rev.Roberta Haskin is a skilled transitional leaderand a centering presence - for you and for me.We are all in good hands.
- Judith
The end of a ministryalways leaves somethingunfinished. Whether it's a projectwe hoped to see through together but did notquite complete, or regrets about what has beendone and can't be undone, or said or not said,every ending comes with unanswered questions.Some of them belong to the awkwardness andpain of saying goodbye. But not all of them. In fact,some questions can be answered and should be.
In the service Sunday, June 22, I will address thequestions that I can answer. Your questions. Aboutour ministry. Send them to me (by email or note inmy mailbox at church) and I will do my best toanswer them. If I cannot address them all in theservice, I will respond to them individually.
It's one way to honor the relationship we've hadand the work we've done together over the years.It's a good way to use some of our time togethernow. I look forward to hearing from you.
Love,
Judith
This is the third year our Coming of Age servicecoincides with our Annual Meeting Sunday,May 18. As it turns out, it's a happy confluenceof events. In the morning we recognize and affirmour young people and in the afternoon we conductbusiness for the future of the church.
I know that this year will be a somewhat differentAnnual Meeting than usual. I will deliver myfinal Annual Report of the Minister and you willinstall a Board of Directors that will work with aninterim minister. It's a time of uncertainty and sayinggoodbye for all of us.
It's also a good time to acknowledge the manystrengths you possess - a group of teens celebratingComing of Age, another group getting ready fortheir heritage trip to Boston, President Ron Cranedemonstrating that he can lead us through any crisis,each of you supporting each other and makingcommunity together. All at the same time as you areremodeling your buildings and getting ready for thefuture.
These are the strengths of a healthy institution.When we get to May 18 we'll take the time to appreciatethem. Whatever the future brings I am certainthat you will meet your challenges and exceed yourdreams.
- Judith Meyer