Newsletter for May, 2022
From Our Minister:
From Our Minister: Nurturing Beauty
The most beautiful people we have known are those who have known defeat, known suffering, known struggle, known loss, and have found their way out. These persons have an appreciation, a sensitivity, and an understanding of life that fills them with compassion, gentleness, and a deep loving concern. Beautiful people do not just happen.
–Elisabeth Kübler-Ross
The doors to our sanctuary are wide open on Sunday mornings, our church bell is once again tolling, and church life is rapidly returning to our campus. We’ve hosted a wonderful Green Living Fair for Earth Day, we are making Lunches for Bunches following our services each week, and we are once again collecting food for the Westside Food Bank–so don’t forget to bring some nonperishable goods to church with you!
Our Women’s Retreat is back at Camp deBenneville Pines, our annual pledge drive is ongoing (don’t forget to submit your pledge card or complete it online), and work will soon begin on the capital project to repair the foundation around the Arizona Street entrance.
We’re hosting Bylaws Refresh Town Halls to reflect together on our proposal to update our Bylaws, and our pastoral care leaders are organizing a new Pastoral Care Team that merges the ministries of the Pastoral Associates and CaRing. There is far more happening at church than I am able to share in this article but I hope you’re finding this return to so many of the activities we love to be life-giving.
How might you engage with all the renewing energy, events, and activities at church? I hope you’ll take advantage of this opportunity to be of service in this rebirthing of our beloved community on Sunday mornings and throughout the week!
Our Soul Matters theme for this month is “Nurturing Beauty.” We are invited to reflect together each month on a theme of spiritual significance through some of our publications, group meetings, and worship services. “Nurturing Beauty” asks us to consider a topic that is often neglected in religious life but holds much potential. We tend to think of beauty in physical terms, but is not beauty much more than that? One of my favorite hadiths (sacred sayings) cherished by Sufi tradition is “G-d is beautiful and she loves beauty.” What might it mean for us to consider beauty more holistically as a spiritual reality rather than something simply of an aesthetic nature?
Mevlana Rumi wrote, “Let the beauty of what you love be what you do.” Might we think of nurturing beauty as cultivating a state of being within oneself and acting in accord with it? Our friends at Soul Matters provide us with some excellent questions to consider as we reflect more deeply on this month’s theme: When were you first healed by beauty? When were you first protected by beauty? When did beauty first teach you something? When was beauty a doorway to the divine? What makes a beautiful soul? What do you do to beautify your own soul? What did your family of origin teach you about what it means “to be beautiful?” What parts of life have grown more beautiful as you’ve aged? You’re invited to bring some of these potent questions to your church meetings and activities to encourage community spiritual reflection.
If you are celebrating a joy or mourning a loss or marking a milestone that you’d like shared with the community at a Sunday service, please reach out to our new Pastoral Care Team at pastoralcare@uusm.org. You can also request confidential spiritual companionship if you’d like some additional support by contacting us at that email address.
Yours in ministry,
Jeremiah
Rev. Jeremiah Lal Shahbaz Kalendae
Developmental Minister
Developmental Minister
Featured Articles:
Memorial Finale for Pipes Distinguished Lecture Series
The Pipes Lecture Series will have its Finale on Saturday, May 7 at 5:30 pm in the Sanctuary with memorials to three pillars of the lecture series committee, Leonard Adler, Rev. Ernie Pipes, and Marguerite Spears, pictured above. All three died last year within six months of one another. The committee felt it a fitting time to put on this final event.
Entertainment will be provided by accomplished gospel singer Linda Alvarez; her Mahalia Jackson Tribute Show accompanist, Severn Behnen, who is also Music Director at the UU Palos Verdes church; and William Bryant, Santa Monica College’s Emeritus Gospel Music Choir Director. Bryant’s early career involved working with Motown artists.
We plan to record these events for the church’s record and for those who may not be able to attend. Light refreshments will follow in Forbes Hall.
— Diana Spears and Patrick McGuire
About the Pipes Distinguished Lecture Series
The Pipes Lecture Fund was established in 1991 to honor Rev. Ernest D. Pipes upon his retirement after 35 years in the Santa Monica pulpit. The founding members of the committee (Leonard and Elizabeth Adler, Ray and Betty Goodman, Patrick McGuire, and Marguerite Spears) collected monies for an annual free Pipes Distinguished Lecture Series of renowned guest speakers. The series continued yearly since 1991 with one interruption in 2018. There were no events in 2020 or 2021.
The series began with William Schultz, President of the Unitarian Universalist Association, and has included luminaries such as Ramona Ripston, Patt Morrison, Arianna Huffington, Michael Dukakis, George Takei, Father Gregory Boyle, and Reza Aslan. It resumed in 2019 with an organ recital — something Ernie had always desired because our organ was handpicked in Italy by the Goodmans to complement the acoustics of our Sanctuary. The committee was also able to provide money to repair our ailing organ.
Previous Speakers in the Ernest D. Pipes Distinguished Lecture Series
1st - 1991 - William Schulz, President of the Unitarian Universalist Association - “Religion in The 21st Century”
2nd - 1993 - Deborah Prothrow-Stith, MD, Expert on Community Violence - “Adolescent Violence and Its Impact On The Community”
3rd - 1994 - Rev. Peter Kreitler, Episcopal Minister, Historian/Educator - “The Environment and the Church”
4th - 1995 - Ramona Ripston, Executive Director of the ACLU Foundation of Southern California - “Equal Justice Under The Law”
5th - 1996 - Patt Morrison, LA Times and KCET Journalist and Commentator - “Bumper Sticker Politics and Hair Spray News”
6th - 1997 - Rep. Anthony Beilinson, Former Member of US Congress - “Politics: Past and Future Perspectives”
7th - 1998 John B. Anderson, Former Member of US Congress; 1980 Candidate for US President - “Why a Livable World Requires a Restructured and Empowered United Nations”
8th - 1999 - Kennard Lipman, PhD, University of Judaism - “The Dancing Cosmos: What I Learned About God from Buddhism”
9th - 2000 - Robert Sheer, LA Times Journalist and Commentator - “Sex, Politics, and Sheer in the 21st Century”
10th - 2001 - Margo Reeg, League of Women Voters of California - “Make Every Vote Count”
11th - 2002 - Charles Haskell, MD, Chief Ethics Officer, US Department of Veterans Affairs - “Health Care Ethics”
12th - 2003 - Arianna Huffington, Chief Editor of Huffington Post - “How Corporate Greed and Political Corruption are Undermining America”
13th - 2004 - Erwin Chemerinsky, USC School of Law - “Civil Liberties and the War on Terrorism”
14th - 2005 - Tom Plate, UCLA School of Public Policy - “America and China, Odd Couple or Fatal Attraction?”
15th - 2006 - Michael Dukakis, Former Governor of Massachusetts; 1988 candidate for US President - “The Health Care Crisis, 45 Million and Counting”
16th - 2007 - Dr. Gary Small, UCLA Center on Aging - “Strategies for Living Better Longer”
17th - 2008 - Mike Farrell, Actor/Activist - “Where Do We Go From Here?”
18th - 2009 - Tim Rutten, LA Times Journalist and Commentator - “Does News Have a Future?”
19th - 2010 - George Takei, Actor/Activist - “Embracing Change”
20th - 2011 - Father Gregory Boyle, Executive Director of Homeboy Industries and Anti-Gang Activist - “The Power of Boundless Compassion”
21st - 2012 - Reza Aslan, PhD in Religions, Author or No god but God, and founder of AsianMedia.com - “Islam in the 21st Century”
22nd - 2013 - Steven D. Goodman, PhD, California Institute of Integral Studies, San Francisco - “Opening the Heart of Compassion: Buddhist Reflections”
23nd - 2014 - Sandy Banks, LA Times Journalist and Commentator - “Foster Care: Behind the Headlines – The Pain and Promise of Broken Families”
24th - 2015 - James Dusenberry from Al Gore’s Climate Reality Project - “Climate Change! Global Warming! CO2 Emissions!”
25th - 2016 - Rev. Dr. William Schulz, Executive Director of Amnesty International USA, President and CEO of the UU Service Committee - “Seeing the Garden, Not Just the Wall”
26th - 2017 - Rev. Judith Meyer, UUSM Minister Emerita - “Falling Out: Alienation and Community in Divisive Times.”
27th - 2019 - Organist Jeffrey Parola - Organ Recital
News & Announcements:
UUSM 2022 Pledge Drive Matching Grant Announced!
RESPOND TODAY TO DOUBLE YOUR IMPACT!
Dear Beloved Community,
There’s still time to make your pledge for the 2022 pledge drive, which we’d planned to finish up this weekend, until we heard from an old friend who put up a super generous challenge grant and gave us until May 10th to fulfill it.
I wanted to let you know right away because THE IMPACT OF YOUR PLEDGE TODAY COULD BE DOUBLED.
A longtime former church member* (now living in Connecticut but still keeping up with us) has offered to MATCH YOUR BRAND NEW OR INCREASED PLEDGE DOLLAR FOR DOLLAR when you respond here — https://archive.uusm.org/2022pledgedrive — or return your pledge card by mail today.
Here’s how you can double your impact:
- If you are already a pledging member, increase your pledge by $20/month or more and he’ll match it dollar for dollar.
- If you do not have a pledge on file, make one. As long as you are contributing $100/mo or more, he’ll match it.
- If you’ve already made your pledge for this year and you’ve left it the same, see number one above!
You must respond by May 10th to have your impact doubled.
Jim loves UUSM — as I’m sure you do. That’s why he stepped up with this dollar-for-dollar matching challenge. He heard that rental income had evaporated because of the pandemic, and thought that a grant like this would help us emerge from COVID a little stronger.
Let’s take him up on his generous offer and max out his challenge!
Again, you can respond here. Increase your pledge by at least $20/month or make a brand new pledge. He’ll match it dollar for dollar as long as you respond NOW.
Thank you for strengthening this community with your pledge.
This Sunday, help Patrick Meighan and friends make Lunches for Bunches for our homeless neighbors and then drop by the stewardship table to return your pledge card and get a treat! $5 Trader Joe’s gift cards and candy while they last!
Yours in ministry,
Jeremiah Beth
Rev. Jeremiah Kalendae Beth Brownlie
Developmental Minister President of the Congregation
* You may remember Jim Cadwell from ’95 to ’05. He’s just a fantastic guy, and a dedicated UU, and he made a tremendous difference in helping to build the UUSM we know today (from the original website build to the cottage on our campus)! Jim still visits on occasion, and I’m trying to convince him to send video greetings from Connecticut.
May 2022 Generous Congregation Supports Sojourn Domestic Violence Services
50% OF SUNDAY OFFERINGS SUPPORT THE GCC RECIPIENT
Since 1977, Sojourn, The People Concern’s domestic violence program, has been meeting the emergency and long-term needs of thousands of domestic violence victims each year. They do this by providing shelter, support groups, workshops, hotline calls, children’s empowerment programming, legal services, and service referrals. Because of their work, Sojourn brings safety, connection, and hope to individuals and families. As part of their mission, Sojourn also works to educate the broader community and advance public policy that affirms the rights of oppressed populations.
Last year, Sojourn added in-house counsel to expand the capacity of its legal services programs and better serve the complex needs of this population. The staff attorney provides much-needed legal assistance, including various direct services to clients and training and consultation for staff and volunteers.
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 program 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, half of our Sunday offerings will go to Sojourn Domestic Violence Services. Your donations will help them continue their work in providing support for victims of domestic violence and continuing their work in advancing social justice, locally and globally.
Please consider supporting the mission of our church, and Sojourn Domestic Violence Services. To give right now, text “$10 GCC” to 844-982-0209. (One-time-only credit card registration required.) Or visit Make a Donation and reference Generous Congregation. Thank you.
Circles of Caring for the UUSM Community
TIME TO RECONNECT, CHECK-IN, AND STRATEGIZE
The CareRing Committee invites all in the UUSM community to two facilitated circles of caring.
We will hold two circles, one virtual and the other in-person. The goal of these gatherings is to re-connect, catch up, and share personal thoughts, feelings and strategies for dealing with a challenging time.
We hope you will join us for this connection time.
Please RSVP to: pastoralcare@uusm.org
Wednesday, May 18: In-person facilitated circle of caring. UUSM Cottage, 7-8:30pm
Wednesday, May 25: Virtual facilitated circle of caring. On Zoom (link sent after registration)
Bylaws Refresh Town Halls
SETTING NEW DIRECTIONS
One important task of our developmental ministry has been modernizing and refreshing our congregation’s bylaws. A team of congregations leaders, chaired by Past President Patricia Wright, has been working diligently with our Developmental Minister for the past year to study UUA recommendations and the best practices of similar-sized UU congregations to draft refreshed bylaws.
The Bylaws Refresh Task Force is happy to announce they have completed the first draft of proposed bylaws to be considered for adoption at the Annual Meeting in June. We would like to share the draft proposal with the congregation at two Bylaws Refresh Town Halls. We will provide information on the process we followed, the changes we’re recommending, and we want to hear from you before we finalize the proposal.
Please plan to join us online on Wednesday, April 13, from 6:30-8:30 pm for our first Bylaws Refresh Town Hall or in person at the church on Sunday, May 1, from noon until 2 pm. You’ll have a chance to ask questions and provide feedback for the Task Force to consider. We will share a Zoom link as the first date nears. We hope to see you there!
Email bylawsrefresh@uusm.org with questions.
Announcing our Candidates and their Bios for Our In-Person Annual Meeting on June 5, 2022, 12 - 2 pm
Our IN-PERSON Annual Meeting will take place on June 5, 2022, at 12 pm. Members in good standing can look for your ballot in the mail (remember to vote on the resolutions, too) and in your email inbox. If you would like to save a tree and opt out of getting a mailer, please contact the office, assistant@uusm.org. We will be emailing the entire packet directly to your inbox. You could mail or email your ballot in. Absentee Votes must be received by Thursday, June 2, at noon.
Please join us in person! Our existing bylaws require that our Annual Meeting be done in person, so that is what we will do. We will not be streaming this year’s Annual Meeting or voting online. We would like to entice you to come with a delectable vegan lunch box provided by the Board of Directors, as a thank you to all the wonderful leaders in our community who help us run UUSM, by showing up and voting. Lunch will be served in the Courtyard for Members. Be prepared to stay and vote. Remember those great coffee drinks? We will have some of those too.
Bios of our Candidates
Board of Directors
Eileen McCormack, President
I joined UUSM, along with my husband, Michael, in May 2015, after attending for about six months as visitors. I am very happy that we made that decision. We’ve gotten to know so many wonderful people who share our values. We’ve had the opportunity to experience countless beautiful moments of conversations, meals, performances, and, of course, the services.
I have participated in three Heart to Heart groups and am participating in Beloved Conversations. I’m on the coffee committee when we meet in person. I’ve served one term on the board as a Member-at-Large and Vice President and I am nominated for my first year as President. I was on the search committee for our developmental minister, am presently on the COVID steering committee, and have 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. We believe in this place.
I have been awed by the grace with which this community has met the challenges brought by the pandemic. I am honored to be among the nominees this year and excited about the opportunity to serve as Board President as we move toward being together in person again.
Norm Richey, Vice President
UU Member, West Hartford, CT, 2 years
UUSM Member 5 years
Involvement:
Board Secretary, 2 years
Board Member-at-Large, 2 years
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
UUA General Assembly, Spokane, WA, June 2019
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 Vice President
- To bring ideas, energy, dedication, and commitment to the Board as we deal with the important issues before us.
Beth Brownlie (she/her), Past President
Collaborative Leadership for Collective Liberation. This statement is still powerful for me. How do we all participate together? Making light work for many hands. Collective Liberation is something we have heard a lot of in our work in Beloved Conversations, our powerful anti-racist anti-oppression work we are doing together with the program created by the Fahs Collaborative @ Meadville-Lombard.
Functional Organization Protocol or “Look! Everyone knows what they’re doing!” is really so important to me and now we are working towards modernized Bylaws. I am really excited about creating better documents to help us collect our institutional knowledge and make it easily accessible to all.
Leadership. How do we cultivate our leaders in our community? I have found so much here at UUSM and become a more developed human being, a better leader in my work by committing fully and participating fully in this community.
Our Mission and Vision. Let’s work on what this really means.
Board of Directors: Past 8 years
President (2020-2022), Vice President (2018-2020), Secretary of the Board (2016-2018)
Attended UUA GA, 2012, 2015, 2019, 2020, 2021
Larry Weiner, Secretary
My name is Larry Weiner, and I am running for the Board of Directors of UUCCSM and for a third one-year term as Secretary. I am 72 years old. My wife, Laura, my 23-year-old son, Jacob, and I have been members of our church for about 14 years. I have spent most of my time here teaching RE, so if you don't know me well, it could be because I 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 six years on a Homeowners Association Board in a large community in Culver City, where I have lived for 42 years. I was the President of that HOA Board for the last five 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 veterans' causes. I love this Church and would be honored to continue to serve on the Board here.
Vilma Ortiz, Treasurer
It has been an honor to serve as church treasurer for the last three years. I knew before I started in this position that it meant working on our long-standing financial issues (namely deficit budgets). But I could not imagine that only a few months later, we would be facing a global public health crisis that would shut down our society. The financial worries of the pre-Covid times paled by comparison. Yet we are a stronger church today because of our commitments to each other and our commitment to ensuring that our church survives. As I originally promised, I commit to working with the board and the congregation to move our church forward. As treasurer, I promise to work on the toughest issues facing our congregation today: that of finances. I commit to listening carefully and working closely with each of you.
Linda Van Ligten, Member-at-Large
Linda has been a member of UUCCSM for over 26 years. With her husband Greg Wood, they raised their daughter Alyssa in this church and tried to live the Seven Principles. She is a retired RN. During the Pandemic, she chaired Care Ring, was part of Pastoral Care, became a member of the Intersectional Anti Racist Anti Oppression Commission, and Zoomed Adult RE Classes. Prior to the Pandemic she participated in RE as an OWL teacher, was an usher, a coffee barista, and was part of the Second Sunday Supper team. For fun, she likes to hike, travel, and take classes at Emeritus College.
Mike Monte, Member-at-Large
I came out as an atheist on the day of what would have been my confirmation as a Catholic in the late 80s. I didn’t get involved with church until my ex-wife convinced me that church would be good for our daughters. She found the UUs in 2000. 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 UUCCSM in 2011. I like it here, and I plan on staying. I've been involved as an OWL facilitator for a few years, and I've hosted a few D4$ events. In my spare time, I like to surf and play board games.
Abby Arnold, Member-at-Large
Abby Arnold has been a member of the Unitarian Universalist Community Church of Santa Monica since 1995 and raised two Unitarian Universalist children as a single parent. She has served the church as a worship associate and a leader of several Heart to Heart Circles, editor of the newsletter, and co-led a Religious Education group exploring the Sermon on the Mount from the New Testament. She was first elected to the Board in 2019. She values our connection to the Unitarian Universalist Association, attends the General Assembly as often as possible, and served on the UUA’s national Generosity Network. She is active in the Santa Monica community where she is co-chair of Santa Monica Forward. Abby works as a consultant and grant writer on issues including homelessness and housing, violence against women, and job development. In 2019, she had the life-changing experience of traveling in Alabama with other UUs on the Living Legacy Pilgrimage, focused on the legacy of slavery and how we repair it.
Siobhan Braybrook, Member-at-Large
I am relatively new to UUSM, and organized faith traditions as a whole. I came to UUSM during the pandemic and became a member in Fall of 2020 after recognizing (even through Zoom!) that this was the community I had been searching for and a place for my service. My ministry at UUSM currently includes being a Greeter and serving on the Membership Committee. I would be humbled by the opportunity to serve on the Board as a Member at Large. I believe that my newness to UUSM (and UUA) is a strength that allows me to bring a different perspective to our community, while also providing me with an amazing opportunity to learn and serve.
In my professional life, I am a Professor of Molecular, Cell, and Developmental Biology at UCLA. Our lab studies plants and seaweeds in order to serve our planet and address societal challenges; work that is deeply linked to our UU Principles. As a professor, I aim to build inclusive classrooms that ignite and fan a lifelong passion for biology in our students; again, this work is connected to our Principles. I have always been a UU at heart! I have the opportunity to serve in many ways on campus and in the broader scientific community, including participating in and chairing committees dedicated to equity and inclusion. This work has led me to train in, and practice, anti-oppression facilitation, equity-based organizational change leadership, and inclusive community building. I hope that this experience and skills will be of benefit to our community at UUSM, and continue to grow and develop in community. I hope to have the opportunity to serve, and to get to know many more of you over the coming years!
Nominating Committee
Karl Lisovsky
Karl Lisovsky has been a member at UUCCSM 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, taught in RE for four years, is the chair of the DeBenneville Pines Planning Committee, and currently 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.
Sheila Cummins
Sheila Cummins has been a member at UUCCSM 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, served on the Hospitality Committee (now defunct) for three years, and has been a member of the Newsletter team for about two years. She has been affiliated with UU churches for most of her life.
Dan Patterson
Dan Patterson has been a member of UUCCSM since 2009. He has been a youth advisor, a member of the Adult RE committee and Committee of Ministry, a Small Group facilitator, and a member of fUUsion, the young adult group. He has been an usher for almost a decade and the head usher for the last five years. He enjoys small group discussions and looks forward to doing that in person again.
Wendi Gladstone
I have been a member of the Santa Monica UU Church since 2009. I love our Community and the wonderful people I have gotten to know. There are many more folks still to meet. I am looking forward to that time. Over the years, I have had the pleasure of serving at the Church in many ways. I previously served on the Nominating Committee, the Membership Committee, and with Greeting & Welcome Table team. I have always stepped up and helped in the kitchen at the Christmas Eve Services and various other events over the years. Now that we are coming closer to post-covid, I look forward to resuming activities at the Church.
Teresa Castelli
I have attended UUCCSM since 1994–my first Sunday was the day of the Northridge earthquake. At that service, Kris Langabeer’s and Debbie Menzies’ son, Skye, was being welcomed into the community, and I knew this was the place for me, I have served in various areas–I have been a greeter, usher, coffee hour host, RE teacher, at-large board member. I have worked on new member activities and dinners. I am particularly interested in our social action ministries and in our work to expand our church family to make it more inclusive and diverse. I look forward to serving on the Nominating Committee and having the opportunity to get to know more members of our community.
Return of Dining for Dollars?
WOULD YOU PARTICIPATE THIS SUMMER?
To the UUSM Community:
As our church returns to in-person worship services, and things begin to feel something like normal again, some of us are wondering if we are ready for Dining for Dollars to return. Maybe you’re wondering, too.
Remember all the enjoyable company, the entertaining and edifying conversations and the lovely diversity of food prepared by our fellow congregants in the spirit of community? Do you miss it? Miss it enough to participate in a new round of D4$ this summer? Attend an event? Host an event?
We invite you to offer your thoughts. Please fill out this survey of the UUSM congregation.
Thanks,
The Dining for Dollars Committee
Searching for Hikers
The UUSM hiking group is ready to venture out from our Covid caves to see what interest there is in a hike. We are thinking maybe Solstice Canyon. This easy hike is 2.1 miles round trip on a paved and then dirt road. You can email Greg Wood for more info at hiking@uusm.org.
Hikers have been found! - SATURDAY, MAY 28, 2022 AT 9 AM
The hiking group will be gathering together at the church on Saturday, May 28, 2022 at 9 AM to prepare to carpool to Solstice Canyon for an easy 2.1 mile round trip hike. The trail is a paved/dirt road with plenty of room for social distancing and good conversation.
For more information or if you have questions, please email Greg Wood at hiking@uusm.org Please bring the usual good things for hiking like sturdy shoes, water, hat, and snacks. RSVP would be helpful.
See you soon,
Greg
Greg
Women+ of UUSM, Unite! - MAY 29, 12:30 PM - 2 PM
As we begin to think about how we want to be in community together as we emerge from the pandemic, you are invited to a “Victuals and Visioning” session around ministry that centers community who identify as women, genderfluid, genderqueer, and non-binary.
We’ll meet in the shade structure on Sunday, May 29, from 12:30-2 pm, share scrumptious salads, and take stock of all the ways we’ve been gathering in ministry over the past few years. We’ll also consider how the eight elements of effective ministry figure into current and imagined offerings. This is a “get (re)acquainted gathering and brainstorming session.” Everyone and all ideas are welcome. Bring a salad if you can, or pick up a baguette or beverage to bring with you. For more information, contact: Carol Ring, carol.ring@uusm.org.
Faith in Action News:
“Bans Off Our Bodies!” — May 14th in Downtown LA
1ST NATIONWIDE ACTION TO PROTEST LEAKED DRAFT OF SUPREME COURT DECISION
This coming Saturday morning, May 14th, will see the first coordinated nationwide action in support of reproductive rights since the leak of a forthcoming Supreme Court decision overturning Roe v. Wade. Join Faith In Action, UUSM members & friends, and other area UUs as we meet up in Downtown LA for this rally and protest co-organized by Planned Parenthood, the Women’s March Foundation, and other allied groups!
This is a moment for urgent, faithful action. Legal scholars have noted that the intent behind this potential ruling reveals a radical judicial agenda that could imminently endanger other hard-won rights: privacy and intimacy, marriage equality, even contraception.
As the UUA Side with Love Team has written:
To be clear: The conservative supermajority–enabled by a majority of justices appointed by Presidents that did not win the popular vote–is suggesting they will renege on their confirmation reassurances that Roe was the settled law of the land. Should this decision be finalized, it will be an intentional choice to side with white supremacy and Christian nationalism, and it will be an attack on all people with uteruses, particularly and especially BIPOC, poor, rural, and disabled people. It will have immediate and deadly consequences for millions of people.
Our Unitarian Universalist faith affirms that all of our bodies are sacred, and that we are each endowed with the twin gifts of agency and conscience. Each of us should have the power to decide what does and doesn’t happen to our bodies at every moment of our lives because consent and bodily autonomy are holy. And when disparities in resources or freedoms make it more difficult for certain groups of people to exercise autonomy over their own bodies, our faith compels us to take liberatory action.
Let’s respond to these trying times as ever by showing up, raising our voices, and “praying with our feet.”
IMPORTANT DETAILS
The event begins at 10AM at City Hall. We will meet starting at 9:30 at the Vietnam Memorial in Grand Park: 145 N Broadway, Los Angeles, CA 90012, buddy-up and walk together to City Hall.
Do you want to carpool or meet for the train? Some of us will travel together and others will meet in DTLA. Please use the link below to sign up and connect with the group.
SIGN MAKING
Join us in the courtyard at UUSM this Wednesday, May 10th at 6PM, for a sign-making party!
Questions or concerns? Please contact justice@uusm.org.
UUSM to begin ramping up for Get Out The Vote
Get Out the Vote meeting, Sunday, May 22, 2022, 9:30 am – 10:30 am, Shade Structure.
We will convene BEFORE THE SERVICE at 9:30 am with bagels, cream cheese, and coffee for the first time as a group to plan UUSM’s collective effort to Get Out the Vote in advance of our fall elections. Let’s make our liberal religious voices heard to secure reproductive freedom and resist those who would threaten personal and religious liberty!
Mobilizing for the Midterms at UUSM
JOIN US 5/22/22 AT 9:30 FOR SHMEAR AND SCHEMING
Unitarian Universalism in America has more than a century of history of advancing our liberal religious values through the democratic process. Following in that tradition, the UUSM Board of Directors has committed that we will do all we can to #SideWithLove in November: we are fully committed to mobilizing the electorate and UUs in support of dignity and justice for all through our democratic process.
When we organize, we build power in our communities for justice, accountability, and healing. In the last two years, UU the Vote has built new networks of spiritual and political communities to #VoteLove and #DefeatHate.
With UU the Vote 2022, we’re organizing on the state and local levels to fight for fair elections, advance voting rights, protect abortion access, and resist the targeting and criminalization of Black, Indigenous, and people of color communities. And we’re working with organizations advancing voter participation across the country.
There is so much at stake in the 2022 midterm elections. Together, our communities can address the current threats to our democracy and human dignity.
Please join us on Sunday, May 29, 2022 at 9:30 at UUSM under the Shade Structure. as we gather to organize in the months before the election. (The Evite link may show May 22, but rest assured, we will be meeting on May 29!)
Already ready to sign on? Join the Santa Monica UU the Vote Team today!
You don’t need to be told about the importance of the November election, or to mail back your ballot early. But you might be wondering what else you can do to move the needle on the election, and who are the people you can do it with?
Well right now, you can plan to show up this Sunday morning and scheme to mobilize the electorate and UUs. We are unequivocally: Pro-Migrant, Pro-Democracy, Pro-Equity & Liberation Movements, Pro-Human & Civil Rights for All, Pro-Reparations, and Pro-Sustainability.
Then join UUSM as we:
- Act alongside candidates and issues that have direct and material impacts on the communities in which we have declared political solidarity with.
- Get Out the Vote through phone banks, text banks, postcards, and voter registration.
- Have values-based conversations with our UU community and networks about our values and what we are voting for in 2022.
- Participate in learning and political education to responsibly and effectively engage and organize in anti-racist and pro-democracy movements.
- Share our resources with people and communities most deeply impacted by the handling of the COVID-19 pandemic and the decades-long campaign of voter suppression.
- Turn out with resources, time & support to fight against authoritarianism and in support of communities of Color, poor people, people with disabilities, immigrants, Trans and Queer people in our congregation and community following the election.
- Vote!
UUSMers are already phone banking, writing postcards, and working with civic and faith-based organizations like the League of Women Voters, Clergy and Laity United for Economic Justice, and the UU Justice Ministry of California.
Now we’d like to invite you to join us as we plan to mobilize as a community in the remaining months before the midterms.Please join us Sunday, May 29 at 9:30 a.m.! Reserve your bagel and your seat here!
Splinters from the Board:
May 2022 Board Highlights
The UUSM Board met on Tuesday May 10th, 2022, by way of Zoom, to review committee work and the congregation’s overall operations.
Gathering:
Eileen McCormack called the Board Meeting to Order. Linda read the First Principle (about the inherent worth and dignity of every person). She also quoted from the Second Source (words and deeds of prophetic people which challenge us to confront powers and structures of evil with justice, urging compassion and the transforming power of love). The Church theme for the month is “Nurturing Beauty” and Jeremiah suggested a theme-based check in: “What makes a beautiful soul?”
Membership:
Elyse Hook is a new member.
The following people are no longer members: Sanna Egan (deceased). Audrey Lyness, Teri Bond, Todd Withers, Margot Page and Ian Dodd resigned.
Total Current Membership is at 254.
Standing Monthly Reports
Motion:
A motion was made and unanimously passed to accept the Standing Reports and the April Board minutes as written.
Minister’s Report: – Reverend Jeremiah Lal Shahbaz Kalendae
Introduction
Jeremiah announced the “Soul Matters” theme for the month which is “Nurturing Beauty.” He acknowledged us as having a community filled with so many beautiful souls. UUA General Assembly and the end of the regular church year are rapidly approaching. Our pledge drive is wrapping up and our annual meeting is nearing. We are in transition with our office staff and we are finalizing our new website.
Jeremiah was delighted to attend the dissertation defense of Susan Hendricks-Richmond who is the co-chair of our IARAO Commission. He notes that our ministry is really at its heart the nurturing of spiritual beauty.
In a section on Worship, Jeremiah remembered the month’s four services to a “socially distanced” “full house” assembly. He also announced there would be no GLAM summer road trip this year and that he is working on filling our summer services with wonderful speakers.
Our Pastoral Care leaders are joining forces. All Pastoral Care members will now be designated as “Pastoral Associates.” They will be presenting two Circles of Caring later this month.
Jeremiah led two Bylaws Refresh Town Halls, one in person and one online. With the new feedback from these gatherings, we will be delaying finalization of the new By-Laws until a Special Congregation Meeting in September.
Our Leadership Development Team met to discuss a 9-month program for the next church year. Jeremiah consulted with our Board and Nominating Committee Leadership to develop our consultative process. They will assemble a slate of candidates for the upcoming election.
There will be a Women’s / Reproductive Freedom March this coming Saturday at downtown City Hall. We are working to have a good showing.
We are looking to hire a new person for a Communications Coordinator Position. We are saying goodbye and a giant thank you to Sibylla for all her great work always, especially in the difficult last 2 plus years. She will be leaving us later this month.
Jeremiah has reached out to Reverend Janet at the Church at Ocean Park in the spirit of doing whatever we can to help them during this difficult time as they will need to fix their collapsing roof.
Jeremiah intends to begin attending the meetings of the Santa Monica Interfaith Council and will report back to us what he learns. He also will continue to participate in the UCLA Hospital Ethics Committee meetings monthly.
In conclusion, Jeremiah gives thanks for the spiritual beauty that all of us offer to our beloved community.
Social Witness:
Jacki reported on a women/reproductive rights march scheduled for this coming Saturday, May 14th at downtown city hall from 10-12. A discussion followed about the logistics of getting a large number of participants from our church. An email will be sent out tomorrow. Joyce Holmen can put an article in the newsletter.
Stewardship:
Jacki and Beth reported that about 37% of our households had pledged approximately $182,000 leaving us short of our goal by approximately $165,000. We will continue to make phone calls reaching out to folks who have not pledged. Jim Cadwell’s matching grant (up to $5,000) for new pledges and additional pledges after April 27th has been met and exceeded to the tune of $5,692. We discussed the difference between autopay and rollovers.
Website Update:
Norm reported for Lois Hutchinson and the team.
- The member sign-in issue has been resolved.
- Security issues have been identified.
- Our SSL certification has been finalized. (This is the technology that enables our website to have the “https/” before our uusm.org address. This indicates that it is a secure website, safe from hackers and fraudulent predators on the internet.
- We are in the process of uploading our archives.
Treasurer’s report:
Vilma said she had not done the monthly report but had an annual report available. We will have a shortfall of around $100,000 this year, due mostly to loss of income from rentals and fundraisers. Last year, we did better because we had PPP loans from the government. Without them this year, the full toll of the pandemic was felt. If we can get up to 50% of our past rental income and generate clever fundraisers, she hopes that the deficit for next year will be closer to $40,000. Vilma also mentioned we should think in terms of employing a website specialist on an ongoing basis to keep our new website fresh.
Facilities:
Abby reported that our building permit has been granted for the repair of the Arizona Street door. The contractors are ready to begin. She will facilitate the communication with the contractors for the time being until Nurit can take over and oversee the remainder of the project. Nurit was out sick and was on vacation so she has a lot of annual meeting preparation on her plate.
COVID Steering Committee:
With a bit of normalcy returning to the congregation, the committee will temporarily morph into an advisory team. Linda and Eileen will continue to do research and stay on top of this moving target. Discussions are scheduled on the art wall.
Youth RE reopening:
Beth reported that we now have a team (not a committee) to get youth Religious Education (RE) moving forward. The team consists of Shanna Shaked, Eric Paesel, Beth, and JoAn Peters. There will be a beach cleanup and Volleyball clinic on May 22.
There was a discussion about what we need to do to be in compliance with rules about adults hanging around with children. Do we need everyone to be live scanned or have a different kind of background check? Jeremiah talked to Melissa from the region. She did not think live scanning was necessary but will investigate further. Meanwhile, Indigo and Sophia will continue to serve the community by taking care of the children during the services.
Social media specialist:
We discussed the hiring of a social media specialist.
Motion:
It was moved and unanimously passed to adjourn the meeting.
Respectfully Submitted,
Larry Weiner, Board Secretary
RE News:
Personal and Spiritual Exploration for Adults, May 2022
Come, come, whoever you are!
Welcome to an exciting journey of questioning, challenging, and celebrating life’s mysteries and wonders. For generations, Adult Programs at UU Santa Monica has welcomed seekers, exiles, and interfaith families along with those who have grown up in our own Unitarian Universalist tradition. We are a congregation made up of people who believe in God or a higher power, people who do not, those who are content to live with the mystery, and those who are ever searching for answers to the big questions. Most of all, we are enriched by one another’s life journeys, diverse beliefs, shared progressive values and uniting UU Principles as we learn and explore together.
Our Purpose and Our Guide
At its core, the purpose of our educational ministry is to provide opportunities for people of all ages and backgrounds to deepen their spiritual lives, and to live with compassion, integrity, and joy as we nurture beloved community and work together for peace and justice in this world. Adult Programs offers classes, discussion groups, and special events on an array of topics relevant to the Six Sources and our congregation’s spiritual life. Some of these may include in-depth study of theology and spirituality, discussion of science writing or Humanist ideas, opportunities to explore music, arts and crafts, or chances to connect socially for fellowship and fun. Many programs are made possible through the time and talent of our members and friends.
An Invitation
Do you have an idea for a program or event? We want to hear it. Email the Adult RE Committee (AdultRE@UUSM.org) and we can work with you on presenting your ideas.
Community Building Activities:
NEW OFFERING: Envisioning Meeting for “Women of UUSM (and those who identify as such), Unite!” As we begin to think about how we want to be in community together as we emerge from the pandemic, you are invited to a “Victuals and Visioning” session around women-centered ministry. We’ll share scrumptious salads and take stock of all the ways we’ve been gathering in ministry over the past few years. We’ll also consider how the eight elements of effective ministry figure into current and imagined offerings. This is a “get (re)acquainted gathering and brainstorming session.” Everyone and all ideas are welcome. For more information, please contact Carol Ring at carol.ring@uusm.org.
Introduction to SoulCollage®: An Intuitive Artmaking Process Saturday, May 14
Soul CollageSoulCollage® is a collage art endeavor founded by art therapist Seena B. Frost, MA, MDiv, in which the participants create a personal deck of cards. The method of creating cards develops one’s creativity, encourages self-discovery, and provides personal guidance. Using the cards can help access those inner and outer resources in difficult times, access the sacred, strengthen our awareness of our dynamic lives, make decisions mindfully, and help resolve personal or interpersonal conflicts. Community is also very important to the process as we explore our group’s imagery together. People who have done this program before claim that the creation and usage of these self-crafted cards is transformative. This process is being shared across the world, in many languages, and enjoyed by people of all ages, genders, and cultures. So bring your curiosity, your wonder, your wisdom, your imagination and a beginner’s mind to this introductory workshop. This workshop is led by Adrienne Sumpter, who is a trained facilitator for SoulCollage®. This month, we will concentrate on Community Cards – significant people in our life journeys. Please gather and bring pictures of friends, family, and important people in your life. We will meet in person in the cottage from 1:00 – 4:00 pm. If you are new to the process, we ask that you come 15 minutes ahead of schedule. It is okay to attend only one workshop. Please note that there is a 10-person maximum for groups held in the cottage. All participants need to send proof of vaccination to the office, and people need to stay masked at all times. Regardless of past attendance, please sign up ahead of time so we can maximize the 10-person participation. Contact: AdultRE@uusm.org
Nature Journaling Sunday, May 22
Celebrate spring by spending time with flowers in this nature journaling and drawing class! We will be learning about, thinking about, and observing flowers. Flowers have tremendous diversity and are fascinating to look at closely. We will do a little botany, some drawing, and some writing. You are very welcome to join even if you have no knowledge of flowers, drawing or writing. All you need are paper and pencil and a flower to observe. Your experience will be enhanced if you also have a magnifying glass and colored pencils or other tools to draw in color but these are not necessary. We will meet from 2:30 – 4:00 pm. A lifelong lover of the outdoors, Dorothy has more than twenty years experience encouraging people to a love for the natural world. She leads hikes for children and adults in Topanga Canyon, Ballona Wetlands and Dockweiller State Beach. To reach Dorothy for the Zoom link, contact AdultRE@uusm.org.
Exploration of Ideas:
Science Non-Fiction Book Group Tuesday, May 17
We will discuss “Breath: The New Science of a Lost Art,” by James Nestor. An Apple watch has us doing motivational breathing. Before we react to a situation, we are supposed to breathe. Proper breathing is supposed to help all manner of ills. What is the science behind it? To receive the link, you will want to be on the group email list. Contact: Rebecca Crawford, sci-nonfiction@uusm.org. We meet from 7:30 – 9:00 pm. All are welcome.
UU Men’s Group Thursday May 5, Saturday May 21
The Men’s Discussion Group provides a special opportunity to the men of the congregation and other like-minded men to join in thoughtful and stimulating discussion and meet others with UU perspectives. We will hold the first meeting of May via Zoom on Thursday the 5th at 7:30 pm and our second meeting of May on Saturday the 21st at 1:30 pm under the outdoor pavilion on the grounds of UUSM. The discussion topics will be:
- 5/5/22: What was the worst date you ever had? Reflecting on the role you might have played in this disappointment or disaster, what might you have done differently
- 5/21/22: How has formal education changed during your lifetime, from elementary school through college? In what ways do you believe that education should be improved?
To request more information or to join us, please ask the church office for information about how to contact Jim Rheinwald or Richard Mathias through the Adult RE Committee email, AdultRE@UUSM.org.
Meditations:
NEW OFFERING: Fostering an Undefended Heart – Morning Meditation and Check-in Weekdays
Join in a weekday morning meditation and check-in session on Zoom May 9-20 and May 30-June 10. We’re following along with Insight Timer’s Karen Anderson as she leads a course on Fostering an Undefended Heart. It’s a 30-day course, and we are in days 11-20, but you will benefit from even one day of participation.
As Karen Anderson says, “Many of us wait for conditions to bring about enjoyable emotions such as love or peace. But wisdom traditions teach that we can in fact practice cultivating these states, as they are at the core of our true nature but often get obscured by fear and confusion. This course invites you on a profound exploration of daily ‘heart practices,’ drawn from various traditions, to comprehensively promote positive emotional states. These pro-social attitudes–called the ‘abode of the gods’–include loving-kindness (founded on forgiveness), compassion, joy, and equanimity.” Although you may want to complete this course, it is recommended to repeat a given heart practice until it takes root in your heart and mind.
For these brief 30 minute sessions, we will sign on at 9 am, settle in for a brief lesson and meditation, and close by a 10 minute checking in and sharing what’s on your heart and mind as you launch your day. Contact AdultRE@uusm.org for further information.
Open Meditation Mondays, May 9, 23, 30
We gather and listen to brief readings, sit together quietly for twenty minutes, journal and share with each other what’s on our hearts. We explore the integration of meditation with ordinary life through reading and sharing. This is a non-guided, quiet meditation that may be deeply nourishing. A time to simply “be” amidst all the “doing,” calling off the struggle to become other than we are. We meet every 2nd, 4th, and if possible 5th Monday evening, from 7:30 – 9:00 pm. Contact Bev Shoenberger through meditation@uusm.org
Open Meditation: Wellsprings All Wednesdays and Fridays
Taking 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. 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 Wednesday and Friday afternoon from 12:00 noon – 1:00 pm online. Contact Bev Shoenberger through meditation@uusm.org.
Reminders for Closed Groups:
Writing For Discernment with Bettye Barclay will meet on Wednesday May 11.