From Our President Archive
Check-in from the President: Summer Joys
WHEN LOSSES BRING CLARITY
A warm and joyful welcome to our new community church year. What joy have you found this summer, my lovely friends? Some rest, some play, some visiting old friends and family? Folks that you were missing for a year or more? I hope you found some of these joyful things this summer.
I learned this summer that self care is incredibly important in these trying times. I find that if I am not 100% committed to my practice of self-care, I fall back into old, unhelpful habits. Actually, I began to discover this truth about myself in March 2020, at the beginning of this twisty path we are on. This global pandemic with it’s great suffering and losses has brought clarity around the really important things in life.
One joy that I found is painting every day with watercolors. They are small and fit into the little journal where I write my gratitudes each day. There is some plain journaling in there too, some processing of thoughts. I started with a 100-day commitment (with a friend, as most great things start) to Our Mandala Universes on Instagram and kept it up. I love this practice so much. Every day it brings me clarity, and more joy.
I’d love to hear what practices you have found this summer that bring you happiness or equanimity. Email me at president@uusm.org.
Wishing you joy,
UUSM Board of Directors President Beth Brownlie
UUSM Board of Directors President Beth Brownlie
UUSM Weekend at Camp de Benneville Pines Reset to Oct. 22-24
THE MOUNTAINS ARE CALLING
September 14, 2021 Karl Lisovsky Events
Camp de Benneville Pines logo
Registration Is Open
UU Santa Monica Church Camp at de Benneville Pines
New Dates: Friday, Saturday, Sunday, October 22, 23, 24
Registration Is Open
UU Santa Monica Church Camp at de Benneville Pines
New Dates: Friday, Saturday, Sunday, October 22, 23, 24
Dear UU Santa Monica Church Community,
Good news: our church camp was postponed but not cancelled. We will have a weekend at our beloved de Benneville Pines after all!
Our September 17 to 19 weekend became unavailable as a result of a US Forest Service order to close the National Forests for public safety. However, soon, that fire restriction will be lifted. So we’ll gather in person at church camp the weekend of October 22, 23, 24.
You can still register online HERE. And we hope you will.
Things are flexible. Sign up now, and if it turns out you can’t come, we’ll understand. We are here to hold each other through this time. If you want to come to camp, let us know. We want this to happen.
Note the Comments section at the end of the registration form, which might be especially useful in this unusual year. Please tell us about special circumstances. We want to hear from you!
If you already registered, that’s still valid, and any money that you have put down is still there! Proof of vaccination will still be required for all participants.
Questions, concerns, offers: email us at debenneville@uusm.org. Let’s venture to beautiful Angeles National Forest near Big Bear — just 100 miles from 18th and Arizona — and refresh our spirits in the mountains.
Amy, Karl, Sunni, Judith, Chela, Larry, Greg, Linda, Joyce
September 14, 2021
Single Sunday Service at 10:00 am will Continue through 2019
At the board meeting on November 12, the Board and Rev. Jeremiah agreed to keep the number and time of Sunday services at one at 10:00 am at least through the end of the calendar year.
There are many reasons to do this indefinitely (e.g., the energy at one service feels really good and the attendance at our single service is not so crowded that we’re turning people away).
Having said that, it’s not clear that congregants are excited at sticking to a single service. Preliminary survey results from 80 respondents indicate that a not-insignificant number of 11:00 folks like 11:00 services and 9:00 folks like 9:00 services. Some are fine with a single service at 10:00. Most volunteers love a single service because there’s less work going into running one service than two.
So what’s a congregation to do? It bears investigation and consideration and wondering and pondering. There are no easy answers.
We’ll share more during December as we investigate and consider and wonder and ponder what to do come January 2020. In the meantime, we’ll continue at one service through the end of the year.
Share your feedback by taking our survey.
Wishing you a good holiday season, whichever holidays you celebrate!
— Jacki Weber, President UUSM
On behalf of the Developmental Ministry Search Team, I am pleased to introduce you to the Rev. Jeremiah Kalendae, who will join us beginning Thursday, August 22, 2019.
It’s challenging to welcome a new minister and talk about all the great skills he will bring without implying somehow that there is a comparison to our current minister, so let me make clear that when we went looking for a new minister we did so only with the intention of moving forward the developmental work we began with Rev. Greg in Fall 2017.
We wanted someone who would help us connect more deeply to our Unitarian Universalist values. We needed someone who could work in a complex organizational system to help us find a common purpose and a way for us to engage in new ways to fulfill our mission as a community of faith. And we knew our next minister was coming to UUSM at a pivotal moment in our history when we need to decide how we will adapt for literal and figurative “climate change.”
Rev. Jeremiah is described as “remarkably intelligent and insightful.” According to one of his references, “he has a tremendous spiritual depth and great passion around public witness, social justice, and spiritual growth, deepening, and discipline.
He has a wry wit and he’s an extraordinarily gifted teacher and worship leader. His grounding in spiritual principle and discipline, along with his insight into institutional systems, helps him move people and groups through [difficult situations].”
Over the past decade, Rev. Jeremiah has served congregations in the San Francisco Bay Area and as a member of the adjunct faculty of our Unitarian Universalist theological school in Berkeley. He completed a Chaplain Residency in the Heart Center and Center for Integrative Medicine at the Cleveland Clinic and was a McElroy Scholar and Intern Minister at the largest congregation in our movement, All Souls Unitarian Church, Tulsa.
He holds a Master of Divinity degree from Starr King School for the Ministry, a Master of Science in Social Work degree from Case Western Reserve University, and a Bachelor of Science degree from Baldwin-Wallace University.
I will let Jeremiah tell you more about himself, but I speak for all of us who served on the search team: we are unequivocally enthusiastic about the intellect, positivity, spiritual grounding, and skill that he brings to our community, and we have the utmost confidence that he is the right person for our congregation at this moment.
Our new Director of Religious Educatio will also join us mid-August. Thank you all for walking this path with us.
-- Jacki Weber and the Developmental Ministry Search Team (Ed Brand, Beth Brownlie, Ron Crane, Eileen McCormack, and Kikanza Nuri-Robbins)
PS - Feel free to contact us or any member of the board with questions!
Dear friends at UUCCSM,
When our settled minister the Rev. Rebecca Benefiel-Bijur departed, we engaged in an effort called “compassionate leave-taking.” The intention was to share our feelings in the community as she prepared to leave and as we prepared for the unknown with a new minister.
We are in a similar situation with our minister Rev. Greg, our DRE Kathleen, and intern minister Robin leaving during June.
I apologize for not thinking of this earlier, but with the annual meeting, I came to realize that there are many in the congregation who have feelings about these departures, and they deserve to be shared, aired, and processed in loving community.
There are a number of opportunities coming up to gather in compassionate dialogue. These events are hosted by the Right Relations Team and will be attended by fellow board members.
Here are the opportunities:
Sunday, June 16 - noon following the farewell celebration for Kathleen
July date TBD
August date TBD
Here’s a link where you can indicate your interest/availability. You can also check the online newsletter and Thursday Announcements for further details.
I am excited to announce the hiring of a new minister and DRE but we need to hold off a bit longer because they need to give notice and inform their congregations of their departures.
Stay tuned for more information! In the meantime, thank you for walking this path together.
Jacki Weber
President, Unitarian Universalist Community Church of Santa Monica
President, Unitarian Universalist Community Church of Santa Monica
Dear Friends of UUCCSM,
Inside Out…
I am sad to know that Reverend Greg is leaving us near the end of June. It has been a true privilege to work closely with someone as experienced in ministry and organizational change as he is; and to feel like the work that we began — collectively as a congregation — two years ago is starting to pay off.
I am happy to hear he is leaving to be close to the people he loves the most and I wish him all the contentment that comes with marriage and proximity to family.
And I’m sitting with mystery and uncertainty as we seek our next minister, knowing that everything is changing always. With a spiritual practice that grounds me in this moment and gives me perspective on the cosmic picture, I’m able to practice some equanimity sometimes, and I’m working to put my energy and thinking into constructive thought patterns rather than destructive ones.
Reflecting on Rev. Greg’s ministry here
As someone who specializes in Developmental Ministry, Rev. Greg has made his most meaningful life’s work helping congregations across the country become healthier and more vibrant.
In his first service in September 2017 he came with a “backpack full of tools” to help us become a congregation that honors each other and is committed to work together with purpose to make the world better with our faith.
He’s like the personal trainer who’s come to help us train for the marathon. With his leadership and support we have definitely developed some endurance and strength and we have more energy to do good work. I’m excited for what that means for us.
Specifically, we are managing differences better, learning how to communicate in ways that are affirming. We have newly skilled teams working in pastoral care, worship development, communications, right relations and stewardship. And we have increased our financial stability by gaining a greater understanding of the resources that it takes to be a congregation working for good in Santa Monica today.
The road ahead
As far as what comes next, the Board of Directors has put together a team of folks experienced in successful search for ministers. Indeed, four out of five of us on the team worked together to bring Rev. Greg here. We are working in close partnership with the UUA Ministerial Transitions Office to identify the most appropriate candidates for us. That’s part of what they do for congregations in Developmental Ministry. The process is going to be swift and we expect to be able to introduce you to our minister for the next 3-5 years by the middle of June.
What can we do as members of this community during this time of transition?
Connect with someone new or old and hit a Monday night meditation class.
Pack some sack lunches for homeless folks on a Sunday.
Pick something from our community garden and eat it knowing it’s been grown with love.
Join in a Second Sunday Supper.
If we can enjoy each other in the moment and tend to the spirit that helps us imagine how we can better be love’s hands in the world, all will be well.
We will welcome our new minister in September and continue the developmental work we’ve begun: laying the groundwork to equip us to do important work so that those who come after us benefit from the impact of our faith.
We’ll collectively celebrate Rev. Greg on June 23. More details to come.
Peace and love,
— Jacki
PS – if you want to reach out, I’m always available at president@uusm.org.
On Gratitude and Year-End Giving - Open Your Heart and Support the Community that Nurtures You
Dear Friends,
I’ve recently developed a gratitude practice as part of my spiritual development. Since it’s the season of gratitude, I thought I would share it with you. It’s also the season of giving. But we’ll get to that later.
Jacki’s gratitude list for 2018:
- My closest UUSM friends who model what unconditional acceptance looks like;
- The colleagues whom I’ve come to love as we work together helping make this a more joyful and vibrant faith community;
- Every one of you committed to love and service within and beyond our UUSM walls;
- The children who provide hope for the future;
- Our Minister, Rev. Greg, for choosing to spend his life building a stronger Unitarian Universalist faith;
- The countless blessings that I do nothing to do deserve, including life itself, my family, my health, my able-bodiedness, my privilege, and more.
What are you grateful for? I would like to know. Please drop me a line. I’m just a text or email, phone call, or holiday card away.
Now comes the giving part. Considering your own blessings and your gratitude for this congregation, would you please make a special year-end gift to UUSM? Yes, it’s your last chance to give this calendar year, and your contribution may be tax-deductible. Better yet, giving for generosity’s sake feels good.
Thanks.
Wishing you and your loved ones a merry and bright holiday season.
– Jacki Weber, President
Changes, and Right Relations
Two years ago, when standing as a candidate for President, I promised that I would promote the Right Relations concept in hope of bringing our community together again.
As I review what then was the future and is now the past, my heart is both joyful and sorrowful. I didn’t foresee the pain some of us would experience in the Right Relations process. Pain too often accompanies change. I didn’t foresee the depth to which some of us would embrace Right Relations, and in turn how these same people would find greater purpose to life and amazing connections with others.
We aren’t finished yet with the study and actualization of Right Relations. It appears that it is a life-long process. We have changed. We have much more to do.
I’m not leaving. I’m just moving from President to Past-President, and then to Member. My movement is a part of greater change.
I will continue to promote and support Right Relations. I will continue to promote the practice of “speak to influence and listen to be influenced.”
Know my great appreciation for all of you in making a journey in life that lets us feel both joy and sorrow and contributes to the world being a better place.
Please work to support the safety and security of individual diversity that makes us unique in a world of non-acceptance.
Fondly,
— Ron Crane
HELP!
We are behind in payments of 2017 pledges. We do not have enough increases in 2018 pledges to balance our church operating fund.
There will be a Town Hall meeting on April 15 to explain a proposed strategy to resolve our recurring deficits.
The Board of Directors presents a budget proposal at the Annual Meeting that the congregation approves for the coming year. This year’s Annual Meeting is Sunday, May 20. Unless we receive pledged amounts, and even increases in pledges, the Board will be charged with reducing the operating budget, which means that cuts likely will be made. These cuts are not conducive to the momentum we have experienced this past year.
You and I, and all members of the church (friends are not exempt!) can front run the solution by increasing your current giving, and becoming current on your present pledge, to forestall program and staff cuts.
It is time to both cut bait and fish.
So, HELP!
– Ron Crane
Making Our Vision a Reality
The Finance Committee, the board, the staff, and numerous members are working on next year’s budget for the church.
We need your help, support, and minds.
We currently project a deficit.
This is the year we hoped to reach a balanced budget.
There is a Finance Town Hall planned to give details as we attempt to develop a budget for next year. Your attendance and participation at the Town Hall and the Annual Meeting is needed.
We also need your financial support in supporting the church in the endeavors as we attempt to make a community that addresses the needs of our church family, and our work to make the world a place that reflects our Vision and our Principles.
I strongly request that you be involved in discussions and decisions that face us. Rev. Greg has brought new possibilities to our community.
Each of us needs to be a part of that development.
Please be an active member in our work together to bring positivity to what seems to be an ever-increasingly chaotic word.
We need each other’s hearts, minds, and souls.
Please join in.
— Ron Crane
A Time for Unitarian Universalist Principles
We are but four months until our annual meeting, to be held on Sunday, May 20.
That meeting is the cornerstone of our democratic process. Prior to the meeting, the Finance Committee will hold a Town Hall to present our financial status to the congregation, and to discuss the debt we face for this fiscal year and the year to come.
Our aspiration – to build a stronger community of cooperation and respect – is working. The tenor of dispute and difference has changed. We are treating one another with more of the respect and consideration endemic to our principles.
I encourage you to continue with the Right Relations we have studied so intently in the last year and a half.
Please carry forward in expressing your beliefs with gentleness of presentation and consideration of the differences in our diverse community.
Attend the Town Hall on Finance, the Right Relations presentation of a Covenant of interpersonal interaction, and the Sunday event sponsored by the Nominating Committee, where you may learn more of the many activities available to be of service to one another and the world.
In this time of world disorder, it is a time for UUs to speak out and be seen as providing a better way to inhabit this earth. Let us provide a model for others by practicing on ourselves.
We each need each other.
– Ron Crane