On behalf of our Art Director, Beverly Alison, UU Santa Monica would like to invite you to our Art Wall Opening Reception on Sunday, September 8 at 11:00 am for:

Vietnam: Land of Diversity

Figure 1: 18”x22” Price $110 Figure 3: 13”x14” Price $90   The Opening Reception for Vietnam: Land of Diversity, a collection of paintings from Vietnam, will be held on Sunday, September 8 from 11:00am until 1:00 pm. These works were gathered by Rhoda Lurie this year. At the reception more than 100 painting will be available for your consideration. Light snacks will be provided. The exhibit will be open every Sunday from 9:00 am until 1:00 pm and on weekdays by appointment through September 29th. The exhibit is free and open to the public.   Rhoda Lurie is an Art Historian who has traversed the many exotic places in the world in pursuit of art and artifacts. She has been to 79 countries and has brought back many items that have enriched many people’s lives.   The Vietnam: Land of Diversity exhibition features many artists that Lurie found as she searched Vietnam earlier this year. She was especially interested in people from the Hill tribes: the Hmong, Tay, Red Dao and Giay in the Sapa areas of the Northwest part of Vietnam.   The colorful paintings in this collection reflect the people, their traditional dress, village life and more. Lurie loved the ethnic diversity, the freedom of the paintings and the beauty that they display. Many of the paintings are on rice paper or canvas. Charcoal drawings, collages and calligraphic paintings in a variety of shapes and sizes add to the wide range of this extensive collection. Each picture is individually matted and ready for framing. A biography of the artist is attached to each picture.   You are invited to enrich your home with a painting or two from this unique and unusual collection.
1260 18th Street, Santa Monica, CA 90404 310-829-5436	Contact Art Director, Beverly Alison, balison@aol.com for further info about this show.   For appointments contact the church office. Cyndee at assistant@uusm.org 310-829-5436 x102   On Sundays, follow the signs to church parking. Handicap parking is available behind the church.

Figure 4: 12”x16” Price $90

Charles Haskell is coming to the Art Wall, Sunday, August 4 at 11 am in Forbes to provide portrait photographic services to members during coffee hour. Haskell provides portrait photographic services at no charge to nonprofit organizations since 2003. Haskell's organizations served to include the Unitarian Universalist Community Church of Santa Monica, the Westside Coalition and its member agencies, the Santa Monica Family YMCA, and the volunteers of the Santa Monica Library, among others. Haskell Photography is available for portrait photography services to individuals, businesses, and nonprofit organizations willing to make donations to suggested charities. Marquis' Who's Who, the world's premier publisher of biographical profiles, named Haskell, as the recipient of the Albert Nelson Marquis Lifetime Achievement Award. Haskell has made major contributions to cancer research and treatment in his 35+ year career. He served as professor of medicine at UCLA until his retirement when he was named Professor Emeritus. Married and devoted to Christine, his daughter, granddaughter, and great-granddaughter, he served in a great many capacities here during his nearly 40 years as a member of UU Santa Monica including serving on the Board, on the bylaws committee and contributing his amazing photography skills for our directory and website (charleshaskellphotography.com).

Several times in the last couple of years, scammers NOT associated with the church have sent out texts and e-mails (all from gmail.com addresses) that look like they belong to our minister, president or administrator but are NOT associated with any of them, or with the church in any way.  The messages ask for financial or other unspecified assistance and encourage a discreet response or ask people to send money or gift cards to the person who sent the original note.

The scam has now popped up again, so we want to renew our warnings.  Here are some of the addresses used by the fake e-mails (again, note that all of them are GMail addresses, which we do NOT use for church business):

• uusmpastor@gmail.com
• office.email1245@gmail.com
• bchurch.info.church@gmail.com
• revjeremiahkalendae432@gmail.com
• leadpastor97@gmail.com
• churchonline131@gmail.com

Please note that these addresses do NOT belong to Rev. Jeremiah or to any other staff member at our church.

Here are the texts of some of the fake notes:

A few months ago (via text):

"I pray that your family are safe and well.  Do you have a moment?  I have a request I need you to handle discreetly. I am currently busy in a prayer session, no calls just reply to my text. Peace and love, Pastor Jeremiah Kalendae."

 Previously we've seen (via GMail):

"Available? Write back."

Also:

"Hi,

Get back to me as soon as you receive my message, I need you to handle something for me, I can't talk on the phone at the moment, Just reply to me on here. 

Blessings,Rev Jeremiah Kalendae"

And another one:

"Do you have a moment I have a request i need you to handle discreetly.  I'm a little busy
at the moment,no calls so just reply my email. Thanks"

Please note that THESE MESSAGES ARE NOT FROM ANYONE AT UUSM...AND THE ADDRESSES DO NOT BELONG TO THE CHURCH.  All official UUSM correspondence these days comes from addresses ending in @uusm.org, NOT from anything at gmail.com 

If you receive one of the scam e-mails, please do NOT click on anything in it, do NOT reply to the e-mail, and do NOT send any money to the person who sent the e-mail.

For more on phishing scams and how you can recognize them, see https://phishingquiz.withgoogle.com/

Visitors and prospective members are encouraged to attend this informal get-together held on each Sunday of the month in the NE Cottage Room.  It is a time to learn more about Unitarian Universalism, our Church Community, and the opportunities of growth and connection through many of our Adult programs.  There will be time for any questions you may have, and information about the steps to membership.  Come, let us get to know you, and you to get to know us.  Everyone is welcomed.  Looking forward to meeting you.  Norm Richey & Sarah Robson, Co-Chairs, Membership Committee.

Meeting of Coalition for Police Reform.

All-Ages trip to Westside Food Bank - Join us Sunday, August 4, 2019, from 11 am to 1 pm. We will be sorting food for people at risk of hunger at Westside Food Bank (near 21st and Olympic). No child is too young (bring a grownup though). Singles, couples, and families are welcome. Participants will be walking to the WFB at 10:30 am from our UU Santa Monica Community Church. Please e-mail Erik Paesel epaesel@hotmail.com if you'd like to attend.

Andie Miller will be offering weekly yoga classes beginning Monday, August and continuing through Monday, September 9th, 6:00 pm to 7 pm, in Forbes Hall, except Labor Day.

We will explore traditional yoga poses in a safe, compassionate, non-competitive environment that is welcoming to all who can get up and down from a yoga mat.

We will be working on traditional yoga poses with a focus on creating a safe, productive, compassionate, non-competitive environment that is welcoming to all. We will work on strength, flexibility, restorative poses, and deep relaxation.

We recommend the following props for the best experience:

Yoga Mat (required)
-Two yoga blankets or beach towels (required)
-Two yoga blocks (suggested - available on Amazon)
-Yoga strap or any belt (required - available on Amazon)
-Yoga bolster (recommended - available on Amazon)

Andie Miller has a 500-hour certificate as a yoga teacher.

For more information or to register, drop by the Adult RE table on Sunday or email Andie Miller at AdultRE@UUSM.org.

Please join us on Sunday, August 18 at 11.45 a.m. in the Cottage SouthEast for the second Healthy Congregation InterGroup Dialogues Across Difference.  These events provide contained and respectful spaces where we can discuss topics about which we may strongly disagree.  InterGroup Dialogues encourage thoughtful verbal exchanges directed to more thoroughly understanding each others' possibly opposing perspectives.  The goal is not to debate, nor to change each others' minds, nor even to come to an agreement, but rather to explore controversial issues while appreciating our differences, to accept the inherent worth of each another's viewpoint, and in so doing to uphold the dignity of our fellow congregants. The topic for the upcoming gathering will focus on aspects of our varying experiences with food - for example physical health, social and emotional well-being, scarcity and the ethical implications of what we eat. Dialogues Across Difference: Are we what we Eat?