Newsletter for June, 2020
From Our Minister:
Happy Pride!
“There is no such thing as a single-issue struggle because we do not live single-issue lives.”—Audre Lorde
Pride month arrives with the warmth and sunlight of June days beckoning us to the outdoors. I know many of us are appreciative of the arrival of summer after so many weeks cooped up in our homes. Hopefully, we will be able to appreciate the outdoors — while maintaining physical distance and wearing a mask — and connect with the life-giving energies of summer. Our pride-approved spiritual theme for community exploration this month is play. Theme-based ministry invites the entire congregation to reflect upon universal themes of religious life in creative ways each month. Play can be broadly defined as any activity we engage in solely for enjoyment. It is something many of us have fond memories of in our earlier lives but we may not make time or space for it in our all-too-serious and demanding adult lives. Yet, play is essential to our well-being and can rejuvenate our souls. We will explore play in multiple services this month and I hope you consider the themes of play and pride in your group meetings and other activities in the life of the church. A theme-based check-in question you might want to consider this month could be: “What would it look like to invite more play into your life?”
Our congregation is in the process of moving through three important stages as we celebrate the end of the church year, move into the summer, and prepare for the year to come. Right now, the first stage is working to tie up loose ends and conclude the church year. We have a few more services and our annual meeting — which is really a series of online events and processes through June this year — before I am able to take some much needed restorative time this summer. Our second stage will be the summer months of July and August when staff and leaders are able to take a break and restore ourselves for the autumn. I am encouraging everyone in the congregation to slow to a sustainable pace this summer so we have the energy and inspiration to respond to whatever the autumn brings. We will have a few weeks of extraordinary guest preachers and the exceptional worship leadership of the Rev. Dr. Kikanza Nuri-Robins over the summer. Our third stage will be to launch our church in more online and possibly hybrid (online and in person) spaces in the autumn. I am imagining a robust small group ministry program serving as the grassroots social fabric of church life as we co-create the church of the future.
Although our congregational focus has been pastoral the past two months, we hope the new church year will include expansive prophetic activities that respond to the injustices, violence, and oppression this pandemic is making evident to all. Apocalypse literally means an “unveiling” and that certainly feels like part of what we are experiencing. Systems of anti-black, anti-brown, and anti-indigenous violence are exposing themselves. The lack of healthcare, sick leave, and sustainable wages for our essential workers is becoming apparent to many people. We are learning how this pandemic is decimating our elders and people of color. I hope that we start heart/brainstorming now around the role we have to play as a beacon of liberal religion in ushering a more peaceful, compassionate, and just world into being.
Yours in ministry,
Jeremiah
Rev. Jeremiah Lal Shahbaz Kalendae
Developmental Minister
Featured Articles:
2020 UUSM Annual Meeting: A New Adventure #AloneTogether
WITH GRATITUDE FOR THOSE WHO SERVE
Given these extraordinary days of COVID-19 and physical distancing, we will not be able to come together at church for our 2020 Annual Meeting. But more than 100 of us have been “assembling” weekly to enjoy worship and music and fellowship during the Facebook Live services on Sundays. Staff and volunteers, contributing hundreds of hours, have produced the messages of care and hope we need at this difficult time in our lives.
Following on the success of streaming Sunday worship, our Annual Meeting will likewise be presented on Facebook Live on Sunday, June 28, 2020 at noon. We will hear reports from UUSM Board of Directors President Jacki Weber, Treasurer Vilma Ortiz, and the Rev. Jeremiah Kalendae. We will look at the past year to take stock, and then envision the future with thanks to our leadership and all those who support our church home and our fellow members.
We continue the work of the church. Note that this virtual Annual Meeting will be considered an “interim” business meeting. We will vote in advance, by mail and online, and the results will be announced at the June 28 virtual Annual Meeting. UUSM leadership has done its level best with respect for our traditions and bylaws, conforming them to our commitment to keep each other, and those in our wider community, safe. We will ratify the results of the June election at a future meeting when the congregation is able to come together once again, in real life, and be physically present for one another.
Elections
This month we will elect a new Board of Directors and pass a budget for 2020–21. Three online events are scheduled as we consider our votes. Note that these will be our opportunities to ask questions and express concerns and appreciations prior to the close of voting June 22. Of course, staff and leadership will take questions on an individual basis, but we hope you will Zoom-in for these presentations.
Meet and Greet the Candidates
Join in a Zoom meeting with candidates for the board and Nominating Committee. Candidates will be available on Thursday, June 11, 7:00–8:00 pm and Friday, June 12, 6:00–7:00 pm. Because this is a large group, we will have two meetings to accommodate everyone. You are welcome on one or both dates to engage with the candidates. Contact president@uusm.org or admin@uusm.org for Zoom or phone-in information.
Finance/Budget Informational Meeting
Come to discuss the financial status of the church, reviewing the past church year along with proposed changes and the budget for the 2020–21 year. You will have received your election packet in the mail, so Zoom- or phone-in for this meeting on Sunday, June 14 at 11:30 am. Contact president@uusm.org or admin@uusm.org for the Zoom info.
Voting
This year there are two methods of voting.
Vote by mail—As in past years, an election packet containing a paper ballot has been mailed to each member, including a stamped return envelope. Just complete your ballot, place it in the return envelope, and mail to the church office, with your name on the outside of the envelope. You may also drop your ballot in the mail slot next to the church’s front doors on 18th Street.
The deadline to submit a paper ballot to the church office, in a sealed envelope with the member’s name on the outside, is Monday, June 22, at noon. Drop it off or make sure to leave plenty of time for the US Postal Service to deliver. UUSM election officials will accept any ballot received by June 22 at noon or postmarked on or before June 15.
Vote online—Following a recommendation of the Unitarian Universalist Association, UUSM has enlisted ElectionBuddy to allow members to vote, securely and confidentiality, online. On or about June 5, ElectionBuddy will send each member a “Vote now” email. It will be sent to the email address the church office has on file for every member. That email will contain a link for the election along with an identification key that is just for you. Do not share the link with your unique key with any other party. Just complete your ballot online and click Submit. If you do not vote online right away, ElectionBuddy will send you one reminder that includes your unique key. Online voting ends Monday, June 22, at noon.
If you do not receive a “Vote now” email from Unitarian Universalist Community Church of Santa Monica (via ElectionBuddy) by June 11, check your email spam folder. If you do not find the email, then go ahead and vote by mail.
If, for any reason, a member votes both by paper ballot and online, the mailed-in (or dropped-off) paper ballot will be discarded. There will be no proxy voting in the June 2020 UUSM election.
If you have questions or need help with voting, contact Board of Directors Vice President Beth Brownlie, Board of Directors Treasurer Vilma Ortiz, or volunteer parliamentarian Lois Hutchinson; they’re all in the Member Directory. You can also email president@uusm.org or call the office at (310) 829-5436 and leave a message; a staff member or volunteer will get back to you.
Whether you vote by mail or online, vote! We want your voice to count.
2020 Annual Meeting
Join in the group experience of the Annual Meeting on Sunday, June 28 at noon, streamed on Facebook Live @UUSantaMonica (just as we do our Sunday services). Light a chalice in your home, and together we will remember those who have passed this year. The results of the election will be announced, and we will “swear in” the new board. It will be a time for looking forward with hope for the future and with gratitude for those who serve our community.
Board Highlights May 2020: Annual Meeting and Budget Planning
ANNUAL MEETING AND BUDGET PLANNING
On Tuesday, May 12, the UUSM Board of Directors met via Zoom. Vice-President Beth Brownlie chaired the meeting and remarked that we are finding new pathways in “doing church.” She sees a future hybrid style, including video and face-to-face. The group discussed preparations for the Annual Meeting and finalizing the 2020–21 budget.
Our minister, the Rev. Jeremiah Kalendae, reported that the church is in decent health. Sunday services reach around 100 people online, but we need to consider the sustainability of the effort required of staff and volunteers. We will likely continue this method for three months more, perhaps longer. Jeremiah has been working with the Nominating Committee on leadership development. His Wednesday “coffee with the minister” has been popular. Thresholds is the theme for May.
Board Secretary Norm Richey has been working with Administrator Nurit Gordon and a small task force on the format for the Annual Meeting, June 28, at noon. Zoom is considered too cumbersome for the numbers of members expected to participate. Various methods for the election have been considered. It’s been decided that voting will take place in the weeks before the actual meeting so results can be announced. In addition to mail-in ballots, a voting platform, ElectionBuddy, will be utilized to allow members to vote online. Pat Gomez, co-chair of the Nominating Committee, said that bios and photos for the committee’s official slate will be available before voting commences. Because our bylaws specifically state that the UUSM Annual Meeting must be in-person, any virtual meeting will be considered “interim” until we can be together — even if we’re social distancing.
Treasurer Vilma Ortiz gave an update on current finances and the almost final version of the 2020–21 budget. The church received a federal Paycheck Protection Program loan of $70,000. To the extent that this is used for salaries, it is intended to be forgiven. All of the money will be spent in the current fiscal year, specifically on salaries. This allows the current fiscal year to have an overall surplus, which can carry forward into next year. The church has also received a UUA Spirit grant of $10,000 for fiscal 2020–21. Despite these pluses, the budget for next year will still show an end-of-year deficit. Stewardship did well this spring, receiving more pledges from the membership, but the church will continue to suffer considerable losses from the predicted lack of rental income. In the next year, if fundraisers such as Dining for Dollars and rentals fall short, it may be necessary to dip into the Emergency Fund. A Zoom town hall to discuss budget specifics will take place on Sunday June 14.
Nom Com Presents 2020–21 Slate
2020 ELECTIONS UPDATE
It’s that time of year again. April showers have brought an abundance of May flowers, but it looks like June gloom might just wait until June this year. We hope you are able to enjoy the spring renewal, even though COVID-19 has upended everything else over the past few months. With spring comes the stewardship drive followed by budgeting for the next church year and then elections.
As announced, our Annual Meeting will take place June 28, 2020. We will be sharing more details about how we will all come together to “meet” and vote very soon. Stay tuned!
We wanted to introduce you to the amazing people who have volunteered to serve on the Board of Directors and Nominating Committee. The Nominating Committee worked very hard to gather a slate of experienced and dedicated candidates, and presented the slate to the UUSM Board of Directors May 12.
Board of Directors
Beth Brownlie is running for her first 1-year term as president.
Collaborative Leadership for Collective Liberation: this is a very powerful and moving session I attended at the 2019 General Assembly, in Spokane, WA. Collaborative leadership is a topic I would like to explore during this leadership role. How do we all participate together? Making light work for many hands.
Functional Organization Protocol or “Look! Everyone knows what they’re doing!” is really so important. I am excited about creating better documents to help us collect our institutional knowledge and make it easily accessible to all. How do we cultivate our leaders in our community? I have found so much here at UUSM. I’ve become a more developed human being and a better leader by committing fully and participating fully in this community. How can I help to cultivate this for everyone who wants to learn and grow?
Our Mission and Vision. Let’s work on what this really means. When I walked into UUSM and found the strong environmental commitments of this community, with Green Living and Faith in Action, I was in, really in. It is one of our strongest and most powerful statements: We stand with those most affected by climate change…the people in our inner cities and coastal cities. Those who contribute the least amount of a carbon footprint will be the most affected by climate change. We commit to lifting these community partners up, so that all can be resilient and have equity in the coming of climate change.
- Board of Directors: Past six years
- Vice President (2018-2020)
- Secretary of the Board (2016-2018)
- Member-at-Large (2014-2016)
- Attended UUA GA, 2012, 2015, 2019.
- Co-chaired Facilities Committee, past seven years, Currently the Board Liaison for Facilities/Maintenance Committee
- Co-chaired Green Living Committee (2011-2014), currently a member
- Led efforts to achieve Green Sanctuary Certification in 2016 and Santa Monica Sustainable Quality Awards for Stewardship of the Environment in 2018
- Served on Stewardship Committee
- Attended Annenberg Alchemy leadership development program
Eileen McCormack is running for her first 1-year term as vice president.
I joined UUSM, along with my husband, Michael, in May 2015, after attending for about 6 months as visitors. I am very happy we made that decision. Over the past 3 years, we’ve gotten to know so many wonderful people who share our values. We’ve had the opportunity to experience countless beautiful moments in conversations; meals; performances; and, of course, the worship services.
I’ve participated in three Heart to Heart groups. I started protesting for the first time in my life! I don’t know if I ever would have done that if I hadn’t joined UUSM. My most regular volunteer gig has been the coffee committee, and last year I completed my 2-year term as a board member-at-large. I’ve also participated in a variety of meetings and planning sessions. Michael and I have tried to make meaningful contributions to UUSM, including becoming part of the Sustainability Fund this year. We believe in this place.
I am honored to be among the nominees this year and excited about the opportunity to serve as board vice president. This moment feels like an important one to our church, holding great potential for what we can build and become, together.
Larry Weiner is running for his first 1-year term as secretary
My name is Larry Weiner, and I currently serve on the UUSM Board of Directors. I was appointed to complete the term of a vacated member-at-large seat.
I am 70 years old, and my wife, Laura, and my 22-year-old son, Jacob, have been members of our church for about 13 years. I have spent most of my time here teaching Religious Exploration; so if you don’t know me well, it could be because I’ve spent so much time upstairs in Forbes Hall. It has been an honor and a privilege to work with our youth, and a lot of fun, too. If you are looking for a way to make a difference here at our church, I recommend teaching RE.
I worked in retail grocery for 35 years and am now retired. While working, I was a union shop steward and also on the Executive Board of UFCW local 1442. I also served 6 years on a homeowners association board in a large community in Culver City, where I have lived for 41 years. I was the president of that HOA Board for the past 5 years. More recently, while my son spent 12 years in Culver City Unified School District, I also spent 12 years on various PTA boards both at school and council levels. I was known for my advocacy. When my son graduated, I left the PTA and moved on to the Exchange Club, a service organization in Culver City that produces events to raise money for children’s and veteran’s causes.
I love this church and would be honored to continue to serve on the board here.
Vilma Ortiz is running for her second 1-year term as treasurer
I first attended UUSM in 1994 with my 4-week-old son and late husband. Ofelia Dumas Lachtman greeted us warmly on that Sunday. As we participated in the service that first day, I felt at home in the church. I was not previously familiar with Unitarian Universalism, and as I learned about what it stands for, I fell in love with its values. What has most resonated for me, is the first principle of valuing the inherent worth and dignity of every person.
In the past few years, I have been involved with UUSM’s right relations effort. This work has helped me be a better person in my relationships with others. Our work in the Right Relations Committee has taught me that our right relations goals are aspirational, and the work is ongoing.
I am committed to working with the board and the congregation to move us forward. I understand that as treasurer, I work on one of the toughest issues facing our congregation today: that of our financial situation. I plan to listen carefully and work closely with each of you as we move forward.
Norm Richey is running for his first 2-year term as member-at-large
UU Member, West Hartford, CT, for 2 years
UUSM Member, 5 years
Involvement:
- Board secretary, 2 years
- Board member-at-large, 1 year
- Co-chair, Membership Committee, 3 years
- Heart-to-Heart chairperson, 2 years; co-facilitator 1 year; participant 3 years
- Participant in Meditation Group, 4 years, and Men’s Group, 5 years
- Attendee, UUA General Assembly, Spokane, WA, June 2019
- Attendee, UUA General Assembly, New Orleans, June 2017
I believe…
- In a congregational home that provides opportunities for spiritual and personal growth.
- In a caring and loving community that is welcoming and inclusive and assumes an active responsibility for our community and world.
- That UUSM is a hidden gem in the community of Santa Monica. I think it should be easier for people to find us!
- That as we continue to grow as a healthy congregation, we will attract people to our Church and membership will grow.
- That a UU community that supports high-expectation membership will attract members who are dedicated, energized, and committed.
- That in addition to seeking and growing our UU community, it is equally important to connect with and care for each other as current members.
Goals:
- To fulfill, to the best of my ability, the position of board member-at-large.
- To bring ideas, energy, dedication, and commitment to the board as we deal with the important issues before us.
Roberta Frye is running for her first 2-year term as member-at-large.
I joined UUSM about 12 years ago and had begun attending 2 years prior to that. I was drawn by the welcoming community and Unitarian Universalist values such as inclusiveness and, particularly, our 6th Principle: Goal of world community with peace, liberty, and justice for all. My activities at UUSM have included: monthly Sunday greeter; active member and sometime leader of the Peace and Social Justice Committee (including monthly committee meetings; staffing the Faith in Action table; and planning programs, some with the Green Living Committee); host of Dining for Dollars events most years; participant in several Heart to Heart groups; co-leader of a multi-session workshop on the Israeli-Palestine conflict; and co-leader of a workshop for a book on racism.
We are experiencing a time of immense uncertainty and despair. It seems to me that our world cannot emerge unchanged in fundamental ways. It will take a new consciousness and renewed commitment on everyone’s part to create a world of peace with justice. I truly believe that another world is possible, and that UUSM can help sustain us in the struggle.
Mike Monte is running to complete the term of a vacant member-at-large seat, a 1-year term.
I came out as an atheist on the day of what would have been my confirmation as a Catholic sometime in the late 1980s. I didn’t get involved with church until my ex-wife convinced me that church would be good for our daughters. She found the Unitarian Universalism in 2000, but I was skeptical. During the first sermon I attended, we broke out into groups for a discussion. I don’t remember the topic, but I hadn’t met that many other atheists in one sitting before.
I started coming to UUSM in 2011. I like it here, and I plan on staying. I’ve been involved as an Our Whole Lives (OWL) facilitator for a several years, and I’ve hosted a few Dining for Dollars events. In my spare time, I like to surf and play board games.
Abby Arnold will continue to serve her 2-year term as member-at-large. No vote is required.
Jacki Weber will assume the role of past-president. No vote is required.
Nominating Committee
Sheila Cummins is running for her first 3-year term.
Sheila has been a member at UUSM since 2014 and was a friend for several years before becoming a member. She has served coffee almost as long as she’s been attending this church, and served on the Hospitality Committee (now defunct) for 3 years Sheila is now a valued member of the Newsletter team, for about 2 years. She has been a Unitarian Universalist for most of her life.
Chela Metzger is running for her first 3-year term
Chela has been a member of UUSM since 2017. As a lifelong Unitarian Universalist, she has attended UU churches in Boston; Pasadena; Detroit; Austin, TX; and Wilmington, DE. She is involved in the coffee crew, and has been a de Benniville co- registrar for a couple of years
Natalie Kahn is running to complete the term of a vacated Nominating Committee seat, a 2-year term.
Natalie is a 20-year member of UU Santa Monica. She has sung in the choir, taught Adult Religious Exploration programs, and served on the Adult RE Committee. She has also served on the Dining for Dollars Committee, the Stewardship Committee, the Membership Committee, and as a Heart to Heart facilitator. Natalie currently serves as a worship associate, beginning her second year in that role. She looks forward to new adventures in the coming years, most notably greeting new members and old friends, face to face, as in olden days.
Karl Lisovsky is running to complete the term of a vacated Nominating Committee seat, a 1-year term.
Karl has been a member at UUSM since 1995 and has been active in several church areas. He’s been an usher, served coffee, was on the Facilities Committee for many years, and taught Religious Exploration for 4 years. He is currently chair of the de Benneville Pines Planning Committee and serves on the Second Sunday Supper Committee. His children went through RE and OWL, and his wife, Janet, has also been involved in church life for years.
Note that this past fall, Karl was appointed to serve on a vacated seat on Nom Comm, and has worked hard to assemble this slate. In order to comply with the UUSM bylaws, he is running by petition to serve the remaining year on this term.
Patricia Gomez will continue to serve her 3-year term. No vote is required.
Barbara Kernochan will continue to serve her 3-year term. No vote is required.
Charles Haskell Recalls UUSM History
HOW WE BECAME WHO WE ARE NOW
Charles Haskell and his wife, Christine, have been members of UUSM for forty years. He has served in many leadership positions over the years, and most recently has provided portrait photography for the church directory. In August 2019, his portraiture work for us and other non-profits in the Santa Monica area was featured on our artwall (see the August Artist of the Month article).
In March, Lois Hutchinson, Chair of the Communications Committee, suggested that church members contribute short videos of their thoughts and concerns as we “shelter in place.” In that spirit, Charles has been recording short videos recounting his memories of key events and programs in the church’s history. All are collected in a playlist on our YouTube channel. We will also add them to our Videos page as they become available.
Thank you, Charles!
Charles Haskell - Church History Talk #1 - "Build Your Own Theology"
Lois Hutchinson, Chair of the Communications Committee, has suggested that church members contribute short videos of their thoughts and concerns as we "shelter in place." In that spirit I'll be contributing a series of short videos based on my church experiences over 40 year of membership. The first deals with writing our own epitaph, an exercise in our first BYOT class with Ernie Pipes.
Charles Haskell - Church History Talk #2 - "Peace Site"
This is the second in a series of 2 minute videos on various aspects of UUSM history taken from my 40 year membership perspective. This one tells how our church became a designated "Peace Site."
Charles Haskell - Church History Talk #3 - Social Action Committee
This is the third in my series of short videos on UUSM history. This one deals with social action during the Ernie and Maggie Pipes era (1956-1991).
Charles Haskell - Church History Talk #4 - Faith in Action
This is the 4th video on UUSM history from my 40-year membership perspective. It tells the story of how Faith in Action was created during the ministry of the Rev. Judith Meyer.
Charles Haskell - Church History Talk #5 - Westside Coalition and Cathie Gentile
Charles Haskell - Church History Talk #6 - Welcoming Congregation
Join our Worship Team
WORSHIP GIVES WORTH TO OUR SPIRIT
Sunday worship is the heart of how we come together as a faith community. Worship at the Unitarian Universalist Community Church of Santa Monica is led by a diverse team of clergy, professionals, and volunteers. If you have imagined yourself in the pulpit as a Worship Associate, now is the time to apply.
The purpose of worship is to connect with a sense of transcendence and transformation. The root of the word “worship” is to give worth, and worship gives worth to our spirit, and offers an opportunity reflect on our purpose and the meaning of our lives. By coming together, we build community, center ourselves, and nourish our spirits.
Worship Associates work as a group and individually to help plan and present Sunday worship each week. Each Worship Associate signs on for a one- to three-year term during which we learn the elements of worship and add our voice to our congregational service each Sunday. The committee meets each month with Rev. Jeremiah and plans services well in advance using monthly liturgical themes. We emphasize the Seven Principles based on the Six Sources, incorporating a variety of traditions, cultures, and voices into our Unitarian Universalist worship experience.
New Worship Associates are mentored, trained, and supported, so no previous experience is necessary but there are qualifications and skills that are strongly desired. Worship Associates should be able to write engaging, time- and word-limited copy for presentation, and speak engagingly to a live audience and in front of a camera. It is important that you are able meet deadlines, and that you are available to be in the pulpit at least once each quarter (four times per year).
Worship Associates must speak as allies and advocates, or members, of historically oppressed and underrepresented communities. You should have a heart for social justice and be able to experience empathy with people of differing views. Unitarian Universalism as a faith is committed to challenging traditional assumptions about who has power and who has a voice. The Worship Associates ministry is part of how our congregation can center voices that are often overlooked and unheard in legacy institutions.
All Worship Associates understand that this is a ministry of service. This is not the place to push a personal agenda or a particular point of view. Worship Associates must be comfortable speaking to and for the diversity of our congregation – theists and humanists, liberals and moderates, and using sacred texts from the many faith traditions and spiritualities of the world.
We will be adding three to five new Worship Associates this summer and fall as others cycle off the team. Those who are interested should contact Worship Associate Chairperson the Rev. Dr. Kikanza Nuri-Robins for an application and to discuss any questions you may have. You may also contact the Rev. Jeremiah Kalendae at minister@uusm.org.
News & Announcements:
The First Call Goes Out to Our UU Chalice Lighters
SPRING REQUEST FOR GRANT FUNDING
More than 20 Santa Monica UU’s have joined the Chalice Lighters program this past year. We are thrilled to announce that our first request for grant funding has arrived — and it comes from the Chalice UU Fellowship of Conejo Valley and their minister, the Rev. Nica Eaton-Guinn. Many of you will recall Rev. Nica with great fondness, as she served our own congregation as ministerial intern from 2014 to 2015, and then as interim minister in the summer of 2015.
She writes, “We are endeavoring to build the most dynamic multi-media worship services possible, striving for an experience that fully engages the participants, keeps their attention, and flows smoothly from one moment to the next. We have made great strides over the past few years… This contemporary approach to worship has contributed to increased membership, more young people, increased enrollment in Religious Education…” What’s not to like about that?
By enrolling in the Chalice Lighters program, you pledge to respond with a donation of $20 or more to support one of a maximum of three grant requests per year from other UU congregations in the Pacific Southwest District. If you are interested in joining the Chalice Lighters program, in support of Rev. Nica’s request and/or future grant proposals, please contact Chalice Lighter Ambassador Barbara Kernochan. It just takes a minute and can make all the difference for a UU congregation struggling to grow and thrive.
More info:
Chalice Lighters program: http://news.uusm.org/becoming-a-chalice-lighter/
Conejo Valley’s request for grant funding: https://pswduua.org/uncategorized/pswd-spring-2019-20-chalice-lighter-call/
Pacific Southwest District: https://pswduua.org/
Pacific Western Region: https://www.uua.org/pacific-western
June Generous Congregation Supports Westside Food Bank
EMERGENCY AID NEEDED
The NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, Inc. is America’s premier legal organization fighting for racial justice. Through litigation, advocacy, and public education, LDF seeks structural changes to expand democracy, eliminate disparities, and achieve racial justice in a society that fulfills the promise of equality for all Americans. LDF also defends the gains and protections won over the past 75 years of civil rights struggle and works to improve the quality and diversity of judicial and executive appointments.
Generous Congregation
Our practice here at UUSM is to dedicate half of our non-pledge Sunday offerings to organizations doing work in the world that advances our Unitarian Universalist principles; the other 50% of the offering is used to support the life of our church.
UUSM’s Generous Congregation supports our church community. And together, we uplift the reach and impact of vital organizations doing work we could not do on our own. This month, we support the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, Inc.
The NAACP LDF is America’s premier legal organization fighting for racial justice. Through litigation, advocacy, and public education, LDF seeks structural changes to expand democracy, eliminate disparities, and achieve racial justice in a society that fulfills the promise of equality for all Americans. LDF also defends the gains and protections won over the past 75 years of civil rights struggle and works to improve the quality and diversity of judicial and executive appointments.
Please consider supporting the mission of our church, and the NAACP LDF. To give right now, text “$10 GCC” to 844-982-0209. (One-time-only credit card registration required.)
Online GA This Year Expands Access: Scholarships Available
This year’s General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association will be different. Like so many large events, 2020 GA is being held virtually Wednesday through Sunday, June 24 – 28. As an online-only event, GA will be a different experience with fewer opportunities to strike up conversations with strangers that start casual and then go deep. But there are also significant advantages. The cost of travel to the conference site and accommodations are a non-issue, and the registration fee to attend all the ceremonies, worship, and workshops is only $150. The leadership at UUSM is so excited for our members to attend the virtual GA, the Board of Directors is providing a limited number of half and full scholarships for any member who might find the registration fee difficult in our current economic environment.
For many years, GA has offered virtual attendance as an option, and this year they will scale and enhance the streaming technology to accommodate a wider, more global audience. Just as UUSM has embraced virtual meetings and Sunday services, UUs use technology to come together in large numbers to worship, witness, learn, and connect to our greater Unitarian Universalist faith.
Rooted, Inspired, & Ready! is the theme for General Assembly 2020: we remain in touch with our theological roots as we engage in transforming our faith, fired up to take action in the wider world. As the annual gathering of Unitarian Universalists from all over the country, attendees of past GAs report an exciting, invigorating experience. It’s an opportunity for UUs to deep dive and then “come home” inspired by ideas and examples of ways to move our faith forward and live into our principles.
“I have attended three previous GAs and have always returned with my faith revitalized, inspired to try new things at our church. If you are in a position to attend online this year, I encourage you to do so,” said member Dorothy Steinicke.
Scholarships
The Rev. Jeremiah Kalendae and the UUSM Board of Directors encourage all interested members of our congregation to register and participate in GA. Attend as many workshops, lectures, and musical events as possible over the five days, as you remain sheltered in the comfort of your home. Register now at https://www.uua.org/ga/registration. Full and half scholarships are available to those who express a need: send your request to Administrator Nurit Gordon (admin@uusm.org). We hope to “see” you at GA this year!RE News:
Personal and Spiritual Exploration for Adults, June 2020
UPCOMING ACTIVITIES, PROGRAMS, AND WORKSHOPS FOR ADULTS
Learning and exploration are about the transformation of the individual, our community, and the larger society. Participation helps us grow in wisdom, compassion, and ethical living. See our upcoming activities, programs, and workshops for adults.
To contact the facilitator in regard to any offering, you may email AdultRE@UUSM.org with the title of the group in the subject line. Your email will be forwarded.
Do you have a passion or an expertise? Are you a chef or a gardener, a historian or an actor? Would you like to offer some help, support, or some frivolity to our UU community via Zoom? We’re seeking programming that is fun, informative, and engaging. Please let us know if there’s something you’d like to offer and the Adult RE Committee will help you to do it. Email the Adult RE Committee (AdultRE@UUSM.org) or Teri Lucas (uusmREassist@uusm.org) and we can work with you on presenting your ideas.
Special Offering
Nature Journaling Sunday, June 21 – Online Zoom
Dorothy Steinicke will lead a brief discussion of how important natural places have been to us. We will then engage in some exercises using writing and drawing to more closely observe natural items. She will address the anxiety that the majority of people feel about drawing. We will take time to work individually and then share, not necessarily what we have done – although that will be welcome, but what insights we gained from making our observations. We will start with brief times of observation and then gradually extend them. Dorothy has designed this group so that it can be done by people who do not currently have access to the outdoors. Contact: Dorothy Steinicke. We will meet on Zoom from 1:00 to 2:30 pm. A lifelong lover of the outdoors, Dorothy Steinicke has more than twenty years experience leading hikes for children and for adults and introducing people to different aspects of nature in Topanga Canyon, Ballona Wetlands, and Dockweiler Beach. She surveys beaches for the Audubon Society looking for endangered beach birds. She has been involved in programs that document amphibians in local creeks and has been involved in programs to monitor turtle populations.
Dorothy Steinicke will lead a brief discussion of how important natural places have been to us. We will then engage in some exercises using writing and drawing to more closely observe natural items. She will address the anxiety that the majority of people feel about drawing. We will take time to work individually and then share, not necessarily what we have done – although that will be welcome, but what insights we gained from making our observations. We will start with brief times of observation and then gradually extend them. Dorothy has designed this group so that it can be done by people who do not currently have access to the outdoors. Contact: Dorothy Steinicke. We will meet on Zoom from 1:00 to 2:30 pm. A lifelong lover of the outdoors, Dorothy Steinicke has more than twenty years experience leading hikes for children and for adults and introducing people to different aspects of nature in Topanga Canyon, Ballona Wetlands, and Dockweiler Beach. She surveys beaches for the Audubon Society looking for endangered beach birds. She has been involved in programs that document amphibians in local creeks and has been involved in programs to monitor turtle populations.
Community Building Through Personal Development:
Online Coffee & Teahouse Conversation Wednesdays – Online Zoom
Bring your tea or coffee cup and have a check in with Reverend Jeremiah and your fellow UUs. We shall examine our current lives, as well as focus on UUA monthly themes at our weekly Wednesday check-in. Scheduled for every Wednesday from 1:30 to 3:00 pm. Contact Reverend Jeremiah at minister@uusm.org for the Zoom link.
CommUUnity Connection Meetings June 3 – Online Zoom
A time to connect with others and share experiences during this time of isolation. Margot Page and Wendi Gladstone will be conducting this meeting. Email CommUUnity@uusm.org to register for this 7:00 to 8:00 pm Wednesday Zoom meeting.
Ukulele Strum and Sing-Along To Be Announced
UU Ukes of Santa Monica presents a monthly strum and sing-a-long. Come and play Ukulele with us (or join with another strumming instrument) or come just to sing along. All levels welcome (from no experience to advanced). Bring a Ukulele if you can, chords and lyrics will be provided and we will share tips and support each other to strum and sing-a-long, pulling from a wide range of music. Contact: Kim Kalmanson for updates.
Exploration of Ideas:
AAHS Freethinker Forum Sunday, June 28 – Online Zoom
AAHS (Atheists, Agnostics, Humanists, and Secularists) is an open group that meets for a lively and engaging discussion on topics of politics, science, religion, and philosophy. We also host occasional guest speakers, films, and outings. We are a home base for non-believers and questioners, but everyone is welcome. For many, atheism/agnosticism is a first step; Humanism is the thousand steps that come after. We’ll meet from 12:00 noon to 1:30 pm via Zoom. Contact: James Witker.
Science Non-Fiction Book Discussion Tuesday June 16 – Online Zoom
We will discuss Pandemic: Tracking Contagions, from Cholera to Ebola and Beyond, by Sonia Shah. The author, a science journalist, concentrates on the viruses and how their infectivity and pathogenicity change over time and circumstance, with particular emphasis on cholera. Politics and preparation are woven in. The book was published in 2016. To receive the Zoom link, you will want to be on the group email list. Contact: Rebecca Crawford at sci-nonfiction@uusm.org for more information. We meet from 7:30 to 9:00 pm.
UU Men’s Group Thursdays, June 4, June 18 – Online Zoom
The Men’s Group offers a special opportunity to the men of the congregation and other like-minded men to join our welcoming group with provocative and stimulating discussion and to get to know others with UU perspectives in a more meaningful way. The topic for June 4 is: “There are in fact no masses, but only ways of seeing people as masses.” (Raymond Williams (1961), Resources of Hope: Culture, Democracy, Socialism) It seems that it is human nature to label and categorize people we do not know well personally. What is an example of people you realize that you tend to regard mainly by a group label? How is this bad for them and for you? The topic for June 18 is: Recalling an important conflict in your life, did you handle it successfully? If not, did you benefit from the experience in a similar situation later in life? For more information and Zoom link, contact Richard Mathias.
Meditations:
An Enjoyable Dive into Who and What We Are Mondays, June 1 and June 15 – Online Zoom
Bill Blake will present an enjoyable dive into the “who and what” we are. This on-going, twice a month class on the 1st and 3rd Mondays is presented to help participants master specific meditation skills. We endeavor to answer the questions Who am I? (attitudes and beliefs) and What am I? (essence or true nature). This class will include meditations that explore participants’ spiritual goals. The monthly group meetings will also focus on insights gained throughout the month. It is expected that participants will develop and enjoy a regular meditation practice. The class meets from 7:30 to 9:00 pm. Contact: Bill Blake.
Open Meditation Mondays, June 8, June 22, June 29 – Online Zoom
We gather twice a month to sit together quietly for 20 minutes, to walk with gentle awareness for seven minutes, and to explore the integration of meditation with ordinary life through reading and sharing. Anyone who senses they would benefit from 20 minutes of silent, non-guided sitting is welcome to join us. We have found that this time of quiet meditation and shared exploration can be deeply nourishing – a time of simply “being” amidst all the “doing” of our lives. We meet from 7:30 to 9:15 pm. Contacts: Bev Shoenberger or Carol Ring.
Open Meditation: Wellsprings Tuesdays and Thursdays – Online Zoom
These are exceptional times, Taking this time for quiet meditation and sharing in the intimacy of having sat in silence together can help sustain and ground us during these difficult days. We trust each of you will use this group in the way that fits your needs. We listen to brief readings, sit together quietly for twenty minutes, journal and share with each other what’s on our hearts. This time of quiet meditation and sharing can help sustain and ground us during these difficult days – supporting us to pause and rest in our embodied experience, as it is. We simply sit together in our shared humanity. We call off the struggle to become other than we are. These are drop-in groups. You are welcome to join us when it feels right to you. If you come in late or need to leave early, just do so quietly. We meet every Tuesday and Thursday afternoon from 12:00 to 1:00 pm online. Contact: Bev Shoenberger.
News from Children & Youth RE, June 2020
STAYING IN TOUCH WITH FUN AND GAMES
You aren’t seeing us now, but we’ve been busy organizing and arranging a number of activities for our children and youth. Even though we are staying at home along with all of you, we are busy on Zoom with fun and games to help while away the hours.
Our Children and Youth Religious Exploration Committee has been calling all the families in our congregation to check in and make sure that all of people we care about are feeling well and loved. Please do check in with us, any time. We’d love to hear from you: call Director of Religious Education Cleo Anderson and leave a message for her at 310-829-5436 ext. 105.
Here is a sampling of the events we have going on…and the best part is that you’re all invited!
Pre-School Check In—Tuesdays 11:00 am to noon.
Meet us on Zoom for a chalice lighting, story, and discussion of our favorite parts of being at home.
Middle School Logic Puzzles—Wednesdays from 2:00 to 3:00 pm.
Join us on Zoom to try to solve some logic puzzles as a team.
Elementary Check In—Thursdays 11:00 am to noon.
Join us on Zoom for a chalice lighting, check-in, and a few fun videos and quizzes.
Coming of Age
Demonstrating their impressive command of the 5th Unitarian Universalist Principle, the use of the democratic process, this year’s class has elected to mostly halt our formal Zoom gatherings until it’s safe for us to return to in-person meet-ups. In the meanwhile, Coming of Age participants are moving forward with their church community service project, which can be done while safer-at-home orders are in place. We’re also connecting via Zoom about once a month to check in and connect socially. We hope to complete the program with our full cohort and schedule a Coming of Age service in the fall.
New Ideas…
Watch your emails for announcements on new art and dance class offerings. Let us know the best times to offer these classes. We’ve got some experts lined up to bring the arts right to you. Fun for all ages and all families.
Our attendance varies from week to week, and we know our children have school work to do alongside their time to play. If you have any ideas of something you’d like to do/see/attend, please let us know. Email Teri at uusmREassist@uusm.org or Cleo at dre@uusm.org. We’re open to fresh ideas and want to involve and connect with as many of you as we can. We do miss seeing you!
Nature Journaling with Dorothy Steinicke–Sunday, June 21
DISCOVER THE REFRESHING BEAUTY OF NATURE
In this time of quarantine and sheltering indoors, reconnecting with nature is most important. Exposure to the natural world can help with feelings of deep connection, clarity, serenity, peace, joy, amazement, and rejuvenation. It helps maintain a healthy balance, and it is well documented that having a strong connection with nature and spending time attending to the natural world, gives us a heightened sense of well being and happiness. It is good for both our emotional and mental health. One can argue that it is good for our spiritual health as well.
Nature journaling, even if you are limited to the indoors, can be a healthy addition to your life. In our workshop, we will strive to reconnect. We will work from direct observation and from memory, recording through words and drawings what we remember, observe, and wonder about our chosen natural objects. With drawing the natural items, the aim is not to be perfectly realistic, but rather gaining insight upon close observations. We may gain greater appreciation from these reflections, and it is an enjoyable way to spend time. We may find that even in our homes we are more connected to nature than we had realized.
To participate, you do not need access to the outdoors (a yard or a balcony) although you may feel free to make use of those if they are available to you. You just need a pencil, a sheet of paper, and a few items from nature that most of us can find around our homes: a stone, shell, potted plant, a piece of fruit or a vegetable. By journaling, the natural world opens its immense beauty to us.
This group will meet on Sunday, June 21, from 1:00 pm – 2:30 pm on Zoom. Please RSVP to AdultRE@UUSM.org, with Nature Journaling in the subject line.
A lifelong lover of the outdoors, Dorothy Steinicke has more than twenty years experience introducing people to a love of the natural world. She leads hikes for children and for adults in Topanga Canyon, Ballona Wetlands, and Dockweiller State Beach. She surveys the beaches for the Audubon Society looking for endangered beach birds. She has been involved in programs that document amphibians in local creeks and in a program to monitor a sensitive turtle population.
Tarot Meditation for UUs
A FOUR-PART EXPLORATION
The Tarot is a fascinating, intricate system of interconnecting pictorial symbolism that is meant to catalyze helpful transformations within ourselves and our psyches, affecting not just behaviors, but perhaps even granting serendipitous opportunities.
Jonathan Quant, aka “Buddha,” has been a practitioner of Tarot meditation for over 20 years and is eager to introduce you to the practice. Whether you are new to Tarot, or believe you know much… you will certainly gain fresh insights. The workshop will run June 30, July 7, July 14 and July 21, from 7:00 pm – 8:30 pm. Please RSVP to AdultRE@UUSM.org, re: Tarot Meditation.
Jonathan has kindly provided some additional information on the Tarot, its sources, and its relevance for Unitarian Universalists:
What is the Tarot?
The Major Tarot consists of 22 pictures that demonstrate a plenitude of interconnected symbols, drawing from such systems as the mystical Qabalah, astrology, alchemy, numerology, sacred geometry and mathematics, world mythology, Theosophy, Hermeticism, Rosicrucianism, and even Freemasonry. In modern times, it acquired Jungian psychological commentary as well. It is meant to catalyze helpful transformations within ourselves and our psyches, affecting not just behaviors, but perhaps even granting serendipitous opportunities, leading to the discovery of one’s true identity and full self-realization.
The Tarot draws primarily from Hermetic Philosophy, which had a great impact on the Renaissance, the Reformation, and even continuing with the Enlightenment. Hermeticism helped spark the development of science from 1300 to 1600 AD, with the philosophy that alchemy and its related magical systems could control nature in a transcendent way. Sir Isaac Newton greatly valued Hermeticism in his endeavor to understand the physical world.
The Hermetic philosophy teaches that the entire physical universe, including humanity (called the microcosm), reflects the Absolute (or the macrocosm): thus, the maxim “as above, so below.” What happens on any level of reality (physical, emotional, or mental) will happen on all other levels of reality. Thus, what one absorbs as they view the Tarot cards will have an impact on the multiple layers of oneself.
Why would a Unitarian Universalist study Tarot?
As one of its primary tenets, Hermeticism asserts that there is a single, true theology which is present through all spiritual paths. In Hermeticism, the ultimate reality is referred to variously as God, the All, the Absolute, or the One. Hermeticism is monotheistic, deistic, and unitarian.
Universalist thought has much in common with the tenets of Hermetic Philosophy. Hermeticism had a large impact on the Transcendentalists, of which Unitarian Universalism is a direct descendant. Ralph Waldo Emerson was greatly inspired, and co-authored “The Hermetic Book of Nature: An American Revolution in Consciousness.”