News & Announcements Archive
Letter to the Editor: Rudolf Steiner and Anthroposophy
Recently, many UU congregations, including ours, have been developing relationships with Anthroposophy, a German mystical religion founded by Rudolf Steiner (1861-1925). Anthroposophy-controlled groups such as the Center for Nonviolent Communication and Waldorf Schools have attracted the interest of many UUs. I think it is important for church members to understand the background of Rudolf Steiner's philosophy.
Anthroposophy started as a splinter group of German followers of the popular nineteenth-century cult, Theosophy. Theosophy teaches a complex racial theory of human development in which Aryans, refugees from the lost continent of Atlantis, are the most advanced "root-race" on earth. Steiner broke with mainstream Theosophy in 1912 over his belief that the Nordic-German sub-race was superior to other Aryans. In
general Anthroposophy tries to control its internet presence but it can't really hide its roots in German cult culture.
It may seem bizarre that modern UUs would be attracted to the ideas of an early twentieth-century German cult
leader. Yet many of Steiner's ideas about, for example, education and organic farming, resonate with modern thought.
Steiner is well-known in Germany, but information in English is hard to find. One mainstream source is Marquette University Professor of German History, Peter Staudenmaier. His views can be found at http://www.socialecology.org/2009/01/anthroposophy-and-ecofascism-2/
I bring this to the attention of the congregation because of the danger that small, wealthy, liberal churches face
from cults. Fifty new members could dominate a congregational meeting, taking control of an organization with about $4,000,000 in assets. We need to listen to new ideas, but keep our eyes open.
—Tom Hamilton
Procedural Announcement
If you are a part of a group meeting at the church in the evening, please assign one of your group members to lock all doors and gates in the building and turn all lights off once the meeting has ended. When office staff arrives in the morning we often find the gates wide open, doors to Forbes Hall and the Cottage unlocked and lights turned on. The sexton leaves at 8 p.m. Monday through Thursday and there is no sexton here in the afternoon or evenings Friday through Sunday. We are trying to keep our space safe and secure and we need everybody’s help in order to do that. If you attend an evening meeting, please do not assume someone else will lock the space once you leave. Thank you for your cooperation.
-- Nurit Gordon, Church Administrator
Camp de Benneville Pines Weekend in September
Each year, UUCCSM members and friends flock to Camp de Benneville Pines, an idyllic rustic paradise two hours east of Santa Monica (if you leave at the right time on Friday) for a weekend of reveling in nature, ping pong tournaments, dam building, s'mores, tie-dying and sing-along versions of every ‘60s song you know (or don’t). New this year, we have DeReau Farrar (UUSM music director) and our choir section leaders inspiring us with music and wine pairing! You are invited to join us! Singles, couples and families young and old enjoy clean mountain air, lots of activities, great camp food and fellowship. Rustic heated cabins are clean and comfortable, with indoor plumbing and hot showers, for “roughing it, gently.” And now we have paved roads! Sign-ups are currently being taken at www.tinyurl.com/2013debenneville. Prices start at $145/person for adults, $85/person for kids and $110 for teens, and that includes all food and activities for the weekend! Also this year, we’re offering a limited number of financial aid “camperships” for those who need it. If that's your situation, your camp fee is just half-price (down to a slight $73 per adult), and FREE for kids/teens. Or alternately, if you're flush with cash, you could contribute to the campership pot, which would help even more campers make it to de Benneville in September. A full camp is a happy camp and we aim to be very happy.
— Jacki Weber
Girl Scouts Say "Thank You!"
Dear Everyone,
On behalf of the Girl Scouts of UUCCSM we thank you for your support of the 2013 cooperative cookie sale. Your purchases provided enough cookies for many coffee hours.
Families receiving food from the Westside Food Bank may enjoy an unexpected treat and those living at Step Up on Second will appreciate a cookie snack — and this all due to your generosity. Hopefully, too, you relished your
personal box of treats. All of us — the girls, their parents and the troops — appreciate your understanding and celebration of the leadership goals of Girl Scouting by supporting us year in and year out.
— Beth Rendeiro
for the 8 UUCCSM Scouts and their families
UUCCSM Staff at Our 2012 Holiday Lunch
Back row, left to right: DeReau Farrar, VanNessa Hulme, Nurit Gordon, Bobby Akinboboye;
Middle: Rima Snyder, Tom Ahern, Gabriel Paredes;
Front: Rebecca Benefiel Bijur, Nancy Thompson, Catherine Farmer Loya.
Not pictured: ZaNyaa Lee, Roxanne Coleman-Bell, Kevin Roller, Norma Rodriguez (on leave).
Caregivers Support Group
I have been caring for my elderly disabled mom, Frances Spencer (member of UUCCSM since 1961!!!) for
almost 3 years now, and I have found the tips gleaned from my participation in this group to be invaluable. The
very best thing I have gotten, something I was completely unaware of, was that my mom would most likely
be eligible for hospice care at home. I always thought hospice meant the person was very close to death, and
that is not the case. Joyce Holmen is just the most wonderful, caring, and comforting individual who continues to moderate the group along with Helen Brown, who is cut from the same cloth as Joyce. This generous service they provide is something I would very highly recommend to anyone who is in the position of caregiver. The input of all who attend has been extremely helpful to me. The meetings take place at 10 a.m. in Forbes Hall on the second Tuesday of the month. Upcoming dates are April 16 and May 21. Hope you can make it.
— Amy Lacombe
Are you a graphic designer?
Are you a (semi-) expert in QuarkXPress, Adobe InDesign or Microsoft Publisher? Have you been looking
for a way to share your skills and talent with UUCCSM? Please help us continue to provide a clean,
clear, and inviting traditional monthly newsletter, the primary communication vehicle for our community.
You would be responsible for designing and producing just a few issues a year as part of a team of other
dedicated and experienced church members. You must have access to your own software. We can provide
fonts, a clear style guide and supportive fellowship. Much of the charm of our newsletter is the unique design
sensibility each artist brings to their issues of the newsletter. Make an impact at UUCCSM and join our
team! Contact us at newsletter@uusm.org for more information.
Are you a graphic designer?
Are you a (semi-) expert in QuarkXPress, Adobe InDesign or Microsoft Publisher? Have you been looking
for a way to share your skills and talent with UUCCSM? Please help us continue to provide a clean,
clear, and inviting traditional monthly newsletter, the primary communication vehicle for our community.
You would be responsible for designing and producing just a few issues a year as part of a team of other
dedicated and experienced church members. You must have access to your own software. We can provide
fonts, a clear style guide and supportive fellowship. Much of the charm of our newsletter is the unique design
sensibility each artist brings to their issues of the newsletter. Make an impact at UUCCSM and join our
team! Contact us at newsletter@uusm.org for more information.
Are you a graphic designer?
Are you a (semi-) expert in QuarkXPress, Adobe InDesign or Microsoft Publisher? Have you been looking
for a way to share your skills and talent with UUCCSM? Please help us continue to provide a clean,
clear, and inviting traditional monthly newsletter, the primary communication vehicle for our community.
You would be responsible for designing and producing just a few issues a year as part of a team of other
dedicated and experienced church members. You must have access to your own software. We can provide
fonts, a clear style guide and supportive fellowship. Much of the charm of our newsletter is the unique design
sensibility each artist brings to their issues of the newsletter. Make an impact at UUCCSM and join our
team! Contact us at newsletter@uusm.org for more information.
Volunteer Opportunity
Are you engaged in the work of UUCCSM?
You know the saying “It takes a village …” Well it takes many villagers to maintain a healthy, vibrant UU Congregation.
If you have been looking for a way to get involved we have an opportunity for you. We are looking for someone to help develop a Disaster Preparedness Plan for UUCCSM. This is a short-term commitment. It is not a request to develop a committee, chair a committee, or be a member of a committee. The UUA has prepared a template for UU congregations to use in tailoring a plan specific to individual congregations.
A disaster preparedness plan provides for the safety of our members, staff, children, and the public who visit or rent our spaces. It will also help us put in place plans to preserve our beautiful church campus.
If you can take this on, or would like more information, please talk with our President, Cynthia Cottam, or Church Administrator, Nurit Gordon.
— Pat Gomez
for the Board of Directors
Save the date...
...for our all-church all-ages camp at de Benneville Pines Friday, September 13 to Sunday, September 15. The best of nature and nurture at 6,700 feet among towering pines with 100 fellow UUCCSMers, just 100 miles east
of Santa Monica. Contact Jacki Weber for more information.
Save the Date!
Our next Camp de Benneville Pines weekend will be September 13-15, 2013 - put it on your calendar!
40th Anniversary of Roe v. Wade
The year 2013 marks the 40th Anniversary of Roe v. Wade, the 1972 landmark decision of the U.S. Supreme Court to make abortion safe and available. On January 12 of this year the California Coalition for Reproductive Choice held a banquet for “clergy pioneers in the struggle for reproductive justice” who helped women to reproductive health care and abortion services during the years prior to Roe v. Wade — the 1960s and early 1970s. These were Pre- Roe v. Wade members of The Clergy Counseling Service and The Clergy Consultation Service on Abortion. Of the eight clergy honored, two were Unitarian Universalists: the Rev. Ellen Livingston and the Rev. Ernie Pipes.
Darling Family Contribution
“I have today made a $10,000 donation in memory of my mother, Lu Ann W. Darling. As you may know, she had been actively involved with the church since 1958 in several roles including Church School teacher, membership chair, and organizational development consultant. She gave much to the church during her lifetime and received much in return. My sister, Martha, joins me in honoring our mother and her church.”
With my very best regards,
Steve Darling
News from the Communications Committee
Faith In Action News is now online in the Faith In Action section of the church website under “Getting Involved.” While Faith in Action has always been available as part of the newsletter, both online and printed, it is now easier to find in the FIA section. A link to our extensive archive of FIA News can be found at the bottom of the FIA
News page.
The FIA News content is currently the monthly newsletter article. We are looking for ways to allow more frequent updates and greater visibility, and we are considering expanding the Twitter feed on the home page of the website.
If you haven’t noticed it, it’s the blue box below Rebecca’s welcome message. We now follow only the UUA, but may soon add a new UUSMFIA feed to publicize in real time FIA activities and events to church members and the outside community. Other church groups, such as Religious Education and Music, might also use this
technology, and you will be able to follow along with your own Twitter account or just check in on the website. We’ll provide some social media training opportunities if we move forward with this strategy.
Also New on the Website
The Small Group Ministry page under both Getting Involved and Sundays & Services includes the brochure and registration form.
A pledge form can be downloaded from the 2013 Commitment Campaign page featured in the Stewardship/Fundraising section of About Our Church. It can also be accessed from the Make A Donation page.
If you have any trouble setting up or logging in to your account to retrieve a PDF of the latest or previous newsletters, please contact us. We want your experience to be easy.
— Pam Teplitz and Liz Fuller
Please Wear Your Nametag!
I’m so embarrassed when I don’t remember your name. Please wear your nametag.
Church Artists
The February 2013 Art Wall is for us. If you wish to participate, contact Diana Spears
Calling those of sonorous voice!
Would you like to serve as a reader for our Christmas Eve services? Rev. Rebecca is recruiting 6 to 8 individuals and/or families to read the story of Jesus’ birth from the Christian Bible at 6 p.m. and 8 p.m. on December 24. Please email her by December 15 at minister@ uusm.org if you are interested.
Dining for Dollars
It isn’t too soon to be thinking about how you can help with Dining for Dollars this coming year. Next to pledging, it is the most important fund raising activity of the year. To volunteer to host or bake for Dining for Dollars, call
Melissa Weaver.
More Useful Additions to uusm.org
Project Dazzle is pleased to announce that our Membership Directory is now available online in the For Members area. Just log in to access a complete PDF of the most current directory, color photos and all, at any time.
We’ve added a Help link at the top of each page with answers to Frequently Asked Questions about website issues, such as how to create accounts. Please don’t hesitate to email us at webmaster@uusm.org if you have any questions. Not only will we answer you but this is how we learn what needs to be fixed or explained more clearly.
Orders of Service are also now archived online in the Sundays & Services area.
— Pam Teplitz and Liz Fuller for Project Dazzle