Small Group Ministry Meeting
Date / Time:
Sunday, January 19, 2014 - 1:00pm - 2:30pm
Room:
Contact Name:
sgm@uusm.org
Peace & Social Justice meeting September 2013
Date:
Sunday, September 22, 2013
Peace and Social Justice Committee
Minutes of Meeting September 22, 2013
Present: Ann Winchester, Brig Johnson, Laura Ackerman, Margarite Spears, Diana Spears, Carrie Lauer, James Witker, Nora Hamilton, Cathie Gentile (Chair), Noah Bray-Ali, and Roberta Frye (Note taker)
1. Nora reported on the progress of our textbook fund for prison inmates, saying we’ve collected more than $750. Cathie will ask Charles if/how we can announce the fund on our website. We discussed whether we should make our fundraising an annual event and perhaps raise our goal. Nora will contact Bob Nash at Coastline College to clarify the price of books and how and where they are bought.
2. Brig reported that he’s still working on his Ralph’s scrip program for A New Way of Life, including the flyer. He noted that there will be a film festival on mass incarceration at Loyola Marymount Univ. on October 21 and 22. We agreed that our “Without a Home” film and discussion event with the filmmaker was very successful as was our “Unlikely Friends” film and discussion with the filmmaker.
3. On Rick’s behalf, Cathie proposed that we host an educational discussion on Syria, perhaps starting with a documentary. We decided that we would do so on Sunday, October 13 after second service in the sanctuary.
4. Cathie reported that the UU Legislative Ministry is hosting a discussion on setting statewide social justice legislative priorities. The event will be at Neighborhood Church on Saturday, October 5, from 3 to 6 p.m.
5. Roberta reported that our committee will again co-host a program with the ACLU, this one screening the documentary “Two Americas” and having a discussion with the filmmaker. It will be on Tuesday, October 22, from 7 to 9 p.m. in Forbes Hall.
6. James said that a bill supported by CLUE/L.A. on rights of carwash workers is on the governor’s desk. He will email us a template of a letter to send to Gov. Brown.
7. Cathie suggested that we host an informational event on the Affordable Care Act. We can request the help of Abby Arnold who knows quite a bit about it.
8. The Friends of Orange County Detainees’ visitation program has been reinstated!
October, 2013
Michael Rohde
About the work:
The medium in which I choose to work is fiber, primarily flat woven pieces, but lately including vessel forms. I’ve picked this less than common medium, having been drawn to the possibilities of relationships between subliminal texture and the interaction of light and color. Having taken this route, the weavings can become an embodiment of the freedom to explore how colors relate to each other and to the surface properties of the fibers used. Pure color and specific color combinations of color have the power to speak to each of us, often producing differing responses in each person. By limiting the vocabulary to color and woven texture, the works are better able to stimulate reactions and emotions that these raw color and spatial relationships can have on the viewer. 
Recent pieces of work over the last several years have addressed the impact of human and natural causes on the homes and lives of people. These include houses that disappear into the sands of war, are filled with rising flood waters, or simply vanish as the natural consequence of time. Yet, without the foreknowledge of what is behind the creation of these images, the works stand as objects of quiet beauty: begun with white yarns of wool, silk, linen and other fibers, I add my own dyes to achieve a range of colors and contrast not available in commercially dyed materials. Like a painter, I mix my own colors to create something new.
About the artist:
After pursuing dual careers in biochemistry and weaving, I left behind a job as director of a biotechnology research lab in 1998 to devote full time to this work. Weaving has been a fervent activity since 1973. Formal training in drawing, color, and design came from the Alfred Glassel School of the Houston Museum of Fine Arts. Over the years, activities included lectures, workshop teaching, juror, show organizer, and exhibitor in many local, national and international juried and invited shows.
Recently work has been included in the United States Department of State Art in Embassies Program, exhibits at the Textile Museum in Washington, DC, the American Craft Museum in New York, the invitational Triennial of Tapestry in Lodz, Poland, from Lausanne to Beijing (twice), Houses for Nomads (a solo exhibit at the Janina Monkute-Marks Museum in Lithuania), an exhibition at the Mingei International Museum in Balboa Park in San Diego, and the permanent collections of the Mingei, the San Jose Museum of Quilts and Textiles, the Ventura County Museum of Art, and The Art Institute of Chicago.
— Michael F. Rohde
Exhibit Schedule:
Weavings by Michael Rohde is open to the public Sundays in October from 9 a.m. – 1 p.m.
Artist's Opening Reception, Sunday, October 6, 2013, noon - 1:30 p.m.
Artist's Closing Reception, Sunday, October 27, 2013, noon - 1:30 p.m.
Weekdays by appointment - contact Nancy in the church office at 310-829-5436, ext. 102 or assistant@uusm.org
Visioning Meetings
Join your Board of Directors in imagining the near and distant future of UUCCSM. This opportunity only happens once every 5-10 years. We are in our fourth year of Rev. Rebecca’s settled ministry. We are looking to honor, by making use of, the remarkable legacy gifts of Drew Still and Judy Federick. Our Long Range Planning Committee is urging us to work towards balance between spiritual depth, community and social justice in the life of our church. It’s time to think about what you really value: what you want more of, what you want less of, and what you love just the way it is. It’s all happening NOW in October, 2013.Sign up in Forbes Hall after both services, or email Nurit Gordon in the office with your choice of times.
October 2013 - Four Meetings at Church
Sunday, October 6 - 12:30pm-2pm Sanctuary
Sunday, October 13 - 10:30am-12:00pm Cottage
Sunday, October 20 - 12:30pm-2pm Sanctuary
Sunday, October 27 - 10:30am-12:00pm Cottage
Four Neighborhood Meetings in members’ homes (limited to 10 participants)
Thursday, October 3 - 7:30pm-9:00pm Goetz home, Santa Monica
Saturday, October 19 - 4:00pm-5:30pm Duckman home, Culver City
Tuesday, October 22 - 7:30pm-9:00pm Bonacich home, West LA
Tuesday, October 29 - 7:30pm-9:00pm Allen home, Santa Monica
Sunday 12:30 Church meetings will have light refreshments. We will email you the questions after you sign up. Or look for them in your October newsletter.
RE Teens - Haunted House set-up
Calling all young ghosts and goblins! YRUU will be hosting a haunted house in the upstairs classrooms on Saturday, October 26 from 6:30-9:30 pm and also Sunday, October 27 after the second service. Non-scary games and crafts for the little ones. Suggested $3 donation for charity.
Date / Time:
Saturday, October 26, 2013 - 9:00am - 9:00pm
Contact Name:
Catherine Loya
Faith in Action - Education Panel Discussion on Syria
Date / Time:
Sunday, October 13, 2013 - 1:00pm - 3:00pm
Room:
Contact Name:
Cathie Gentile
Knitters and Friends Annual Holiday Bazaar
In Forbes Hall after both services. Beautiful handmade items from KNITTERS AND FRIENDS. 100% will be donated to UUCC. Come do your holiday shopping and help our church!! Contact Karen Patch with questions.
Date / Time:
Sunday, December 8, 2013 - 10:00am - 12:00pm
Contact Name:
Karen Patch
Dia de los Muertos
Theme:
Change
Sunday, October 27, 2013
Rev. Rebecca Benefiel Bijur, Catherine Farmer Loya and DeReau K. Farrar
The Adult Choir will sing at 9am and 11am for our intergenerational services.
All of the Above
Theme:
Change
Sunday, October 20, 2013
Rev. Rebecca Benefiel Bijur