Apr-05
From Our Minister:
Our congregational vote March 6 to ordain Stefanie Etzbach-Dale to the UnitarianUniversalist ministry is an important event not only for Stefanie but also forour church. Stefanie has worked hard to arrive at this point in her trainingfor ministry. She has met with the Ministerial Fellowship Committee, the credentialingbody of the Unitarian Universalist Association; she has completed her internship,and she will graduate from Meadville- Lombard Theological School this May. Itis time for her to be recognized as a Unitarian Universalist minister.
Ordination, however, is not just an event in the life of a minister. Accordingto Unitarian Universalist tradition, only a local congregation can vote andenact an ordination. As with most important congregational decisions, only aproper congregational meeting and vote can lead to ordination.
Our vote March 6 belongs to a 350-year-old tradition of congregations ordainingand calling our ministers. It is rooted in our democratic self-governance, whichrecognizes the authority of the congregation in all church matters, includingreligious leadership. Schools may confer degrees and our Association may grantprofessional credentials, but only a congregation can elect a minister.
Stefanie's experience with our congregation as an intern minister led her toask us to ordain her. She has acknowledged the role we played in her formationas a minister. Now we have the happy task of affirming the culmination of heryears of preparation. Please mark the evening of June 19 on your calendars forStefanie's ordination service and plan to join us for this historic event.
-- Judith Meyer
P.S. As some of you already know, my husband, David, has been diagnosedwith Parkinson's disease. This is not good news, but we have been greatly reassuredthat his condition is mild. He does not have any complications and has respondedwell to a new medication. We want you to know that we do not expect this developmentto affect David's work or my ministry. Thanks to all of you for the caring andconcern you have expressed to both of us. - J.M.
From Our President:
We tried an experiment this year with our budgeting process, and I think wehave created some new conversations around our mission and how we fund it.
Usually, the Finance Committee would deliver a draft budget to the board forconsideration at our April meeting. The Finance Committee does a pretty goodjob of crystal balling our next year's budget. The board then makes some refinements,and the budget gets submitted to the congregation for approval at the annualmeeting in May. There tends to be little discussion about the budget at ourannual meeting, and the congregation approves a financial path for another year.
What we have realized, however, is that the financial path is heading straightfor a cliff. This information will be covered in more detail with you in May,but it is fair to say that our expense line has an upward trajectory of about5% a year, while our income line (mostly pledge income), has been rising about3% a year. It is not hard to imagine what happens when your expenses outstripyour income . . . you go broke.
Action was needed! In a break from tradition, a joint Board, Finance and Stewardshipretreat was held on March 5 to develop some revenue and expense strategies thatcould reverse this misalignment. We held a congregational workshop on March19 to continue the work started at the retreat. Both the retreat and the workshopwere facilitated - and it encouraged dialogue and new voices. The congregationalworkshop was attended by about 40 people - a very gratifying turnout for a Saturday.
We do have some ideas about how to bring our income back into line with ourexpenses - but those ideas will require imagination, volunteer energy and enhancedawareness about the financial realities of the church we all cherish.
-- Carol Kerr
Featured Articles:
Don't Park on Street; You Could Win a Raffle Ticket
The Building Committee met with neighbors of our church on March 13 to answerany questions about our building project. We blanketed the neighborhood withinvitations, and had six neighbors attend, all of them residents of 17th, 18thor 19th Streets. We soon learned that they had three issues on their minds:parking, parking and parking.
The neighbors acknowledged that much of the problem in the neighborhood comesfrom employees at the car dealerships and visitors to the nearby hospital andmedical offices who park on the street rather than pay high parking prices.In addition, many housing units in the neighborhood lack onsite parking forresidents. Our church contributes to the lack of street parking at our busiesttimes, especially Sundays and Monday evenings when a large group rents ForbesHall. We can help to reduce our impact on an already difficult situation bycarpooling with others to events at the church.
We have a long-standing agreement with UCLA that provides us with access totheir garage at the corner of Arizona and 16th Street from 8:30 a.m. to 2:30p.m. every Sunday. These hours can be lengthened with advance notice to accommodateour occasional Sunday afternoon events. All you need to do is pick up a lightblue parking permit from the front office, place it on your dash, and have theattendant let you in. We are distributing copies of the parking pass at servicesto make sure everyone has a copy.
If you need to drop off food, young children, or older or disabled people whohave difficulty with the walk from the garage, please use the spaces along Arizona.We have asked the City to allow one of the spaces on Arizona near Forbes Hallto be designated a yellow "drop off zone," but until the curb is painted, wewill need to try to keep this area free for dropping off on Sundays.
Another great way to get here without parking hassles is on the Big Blue Bus,Santa Monica's award winning bus system. Our church is located right betweenline 2 on Wilshire Boulevard and lines 1 and 10 on Santa Monica Boulevard. Wehave posted the bus map and schedule in the lobby of Forbes Hall, along witha supply of schedules for these lines. The fare is 75 cents and is only 25 centsif you are at least 62 years old. Check bigbluebus.comfor further information.
My favorite way to arrive at church is on foot or on a bike. If you've beenlooking for an excuse to take a walk or a bike route, what better time thanSunday morning? Walking to church gives you a chance to relax and enjoy thegardens, stop in for brunch, and do your errands. We have a bike rack in theback yard of 1248 and are looking into installing one in Anderson Courtyardto provide a convenient place to lock your bike. Don't forget to wear a helmet.Bike route information is posted with the bus schedules in Forbes Hall.
For the next few months we will be offering special incentives for using ourremote parking, carpooling, walking, biking or taking the bus to church. Asyou arrive at the church, tell us your "good neighbor" effort and you will geta raffle ticket good for prizes at the end of the month. You'll also be helpingus document our good neighbor travel behavior for our follow-up meeting withthe neighbors and our public hearing with the Planning Commission later in thespring. So let's not forget to "walk the walk" on our way to church, as wellas within.
-Alison Kendall, Building Chair
Our Own Weekend Retreat Beckons Us June 17 to 19
Did you ever want to own a cabin in the mountains - a place where you can retreaton weekends; a place to walk in the forest and hear the sounds of the wild -the birds, a babbling brook, the chatter of a squirrel; a place so quiet youcan hear an acorn or a leaf hit the ground; a place where you can wonder atthe nighttime sky and smell the pines?
Well, you do own justsuch a place.
"Everyone who is a member of any UU church in southern California owns Campde Benneville Pines," says John Schaibly, president, Camp deBenneville Pinesboard of directors.
Our church will occupy the entire camp again for the Father's Day weekend thisyear. The dates are June 17 to 19. A full agenda of activities for all agesis planned, so there is always plenty to do. Or, you can simply relax, enjoythe good food and get to know people from church in a very different setting.
We expect to have a full house again this year, so be sure to register aftereither of the services on Sunday, April 17. If Craig's Cabin is overbooked,we will have a random drawing to select the lucky ones.
Don't miss this special event. The record rainy season will guarantee a mostenjoyable summer solstice environment.
News & Announcements:
Stefanie's Ordination Needs Volunteer Help
Would you like to be involved in the ordination of Stefanie Etzbach-Dale theevening of Sunday, June 19? There are many ways that you may contribute to thissignificant church event. We need people to serve on a committee to plan andorganize the event (one or two meetings). In early April, we need people toaddress invitations for ministers in the Pacific Southwest District (PSWD) andothers who live outside the local area. (Food will be provided for this addressing"party.") On the day of the service, we will need ushers and people who willbring light food or drink for the reception. If you would like to be involved,please contact the church office, Kathy Cook, Pat Gomez, or the Rev. JudithMeyer.
Thanks from the UUCCSM Scouts
Many thanks to those of you who ordered 232 boxes of Girl Scout Cookies froma group of three Junior and two Cadette Girl Scouts. The girls worked cooperativelyto take cookie orders at both services and invited people to donate these popularcookies to coffee hour and two of our service projects.
In all, 25 boxes of cookies were ordered for the Westside Food Bank, 22 boxeswere ordered for delivery to Step Up on Second and 48 boxes are going to ourvery own coffee hour.We also appreciate the personal orders so many of you placed.Girl Scout cookie sales are the main way troops earn money to pay for campingor field trips and other activities. Cookie sales also help fund the regionaland national Girl Scout organizations that support local troops.
A wonderful side benefit is that girls in our congregation learned who elseenjoys this activity, helping to forge another connection among them. If therewere any Girl Scouts we missed contacting, we apologize. Please contact BethRendeiro if you want to order more cookies or if you have a Girl Scoutwho would still like to get involved.
Covenant Group Sign-Up Sundays on April 3 and 10
The trainingof eight new facilitators in March has enabled our church to establish new covenantgroups this month.
Are you a longtime member, a visitor, new member, or friend of the church?Do you want to explore your own spirituality? Are you interested in others andwhat they think about life's important questions? You may enjoy being a partof this fulfilling spiritual program.
Signup Sundays are set for April 3 and April 10, during coffee hour at theCovenant Group information table. If you have previously signed the interestlist, a member of the Covenant Group Implementation Team will contact you tobe sure you are aware of our sign-up Sundays. Your next step is to officiallysign up for the groups now forming. We hope to be able to form enough groupswith meeting times that will accommodate all who are interested. If the interestis greater than the number that can be accommodated, selection will be doneby lottery. The remainder will be placed on a wait list for the first availableopenings. More new groups will be added in the fall to meet the continued demands.
Registration forms are also available in the print version of this month'snewsletter. If you are unable to sign up in person at church, fill one out andbe sure to indicate all times that you could be available, so that you havethe best chance of success. Drop it off at the office before April 10 and youwill be included in the formation process. As Josephine La Rosa, a newcomerand choir member says, "I wouldn't be involved in the church now if it weren'tfor the feeling of belonging that I got from my covenant group."
-Covenant Group Implementation Team
Appreciations to:
All the members of the congregation who worked and voted tomake our church a "dedicated peace site" in 1986...
...to Beth Rendeiro and Girl Scouts Rosie DePaul,Rachel Dodd, Arbor Pruett, AngelicaJue, and Rachel Moore for selling Girl Scout cookiesas a group and giving us the option of donating our cookies to the WestsideFood Bank, Step Up on Second, or our own coffee hour
...to Interweave, our church group for gay, lesbian, bisexualand transgender Unitarian Universalists, for showing courage in their own lives,coming out and living the truth; for showing hospitality to our entire community,with picnics, educational forums, and a monthly lunch date, to promote fellowshipand understanding; and for showing patience, as they wait for such civil rightsas marriage, often enduring risks and making personal sacrifices in the meantime.
Dining for Dollars Copmmittee Acknowledges Donors, Bidders
The Dining for Dollars Committeethanks the donors of the 70-plus events for this year's auction held on February20 and 27. We also acknowledge the extreme generosity of the many bidders whoenabled us to contribute over $23,000 to the church coffers. We are so fortunateand grateful and hope the attendees enjoy the events and appreciate the senseof community that they foster.
- Helen Burns, Shirlee Frank, Sue Moore, and Sandra Trutt
What is Kabbalah -- Really?
How did this difficult system of Jewish mysticism suddenly become a statussymbol with entertainment celebrities? And more importantly, what is Kabbalah- really? This presentation will look beyond the hype and examine the arcaneand centuries-old tradition of Kabbalah, its origins and history, its methods,and its meaning to Jews and to Unitarian Universalists alike.
This Adult Religious Growth & Learning class will be led by UUCCSM member AlanCranis. It meets one Saturday, April 16, from 2 to 4 p.m. in room 4. Alan hasoffered workshops on the world's religions and similar topics for the past severalyears. To register, call or e-mail the churchoffice.
Building News:
Don't Park on Street; You Could Win a Raffle Ticket
The Building Committee met with neighbors of our church on March 13 to answerany questions about our building project. We blanketed the neighborhood withinvitations, and had six neighbors attend, all of them residents of 17th, 18thor 19th Streets. We soon learned that they had three issues on their minds:parking, parking and parking.
The neighbors acknowledged that much of the problem in the neighborhood comesfrom employees at the car dealerships and visitors to the nearby hospital andmedical offices who park on the street rather than pay high parking prices.In addition, many housing units in the neighborhood lack onsite parking forresidents. Our church contributes to the lack of street parking at our busiesttimes, especially Sundays and Monday evenings when a large group rents ForbesHall. We can help to reduce our impact on an already difficult situation bycarpooling with others to events at the church.
We have a long-standing agreement with UCLA that provides us with access totheir garage at the corner of Arizona and 16th Street from 8:30 a.m. to 2:30p.m. every Sunday. These hours can be lengthened with advance notice to accommodateour occasional Sunday afternoon events. All you need to do is pick up a lightblue parking permit from the front office, place it on your dash, and have theattendant let you in. We are distributing copies of the parking pass at servicesto make sure everyone has a copy.
If you need to drop off food, young children, or older or disabled people whohave difficulty with the walk from the garage, please use the spaces along Arizona.We have asked the City to allow one of the spaces on Arizona near Forbes Hallto be designated a yellow "drop off zone," but until the curb is painted, wewill need to try to keep this area free for dropping off on Sundays.
Another great way to get here without parking hassles is on the Big Blue Bus,Santa Monica's award winning bus system. Our church is located right betweenline 2 on Wilshire Boulevard and lines 1 and 10 on Santa Monica Boulevard. Wehave posted the bus map and schedule in the lobby of Forbes Hall, along witha supply of schedules for these lines. The fare is 75 cents and is only 25 centsif you are at least 62 years old. Check bigbluebus.comfor further information.
My favorite way to arrive at church is on foot or on a bike. If you've beenlooking for an excuse to take a walk or a bike route, what better time thanSunday morning? Walking to church gives you a chance to relax and enjoy thegardens, stop in for brunch, and do your errands. We have a bike rack in theback yard of 1248 and are looking into installing one in Anderson Courtyardto provide a convenient place to lock your bike. Don't forget to wear a helmet.Bike route information is posted with the bus schedules in Forbes Hall.
For the next few months we will be offering special incentives for using ourremote parking, carpooling, walking, biking or taking the bus to church. Asyou arrive at the church, tell us your "good neighbor" effort and you will geta raffle ticket good for prizes at the end of the month. You'll also be helpingus document our good neighbor travel behavior for our follow-up meeting withthe neighbors and our public hearing with the Planning Commission later in thespring. So let's not forget to "walk the walk" on our way to church, as wellas within.
-Alison Kendall, Building Chair
Faith in Action News:
Personal Stories from the Marriage Equality Express
Interweave, our church's group for bisexuals, gays, lesbians, and transgenders(including their friends and allies) presented a wonderful program on marriageequality in our sanctuary on Sunday afternoon, March 13. It featured two participants(see photo) from a cross-country bus tour last October that brought the storiesof same-sex couples and their struggle for civil rights to 10 American cities.
Among the riders on this marriage equality express were two UU ministers, manysame-sex couples whose marriages were voided, parents supporting their childrenhaving the right to marry, a woman who lost her home to taxes after her partnerdied, and a member of the armed forces who was willing to forfeit her pensionby coming out.
Iam proud that our welcoming congregation presents Terri Fabris and Roberta Conroyspoke on March 13 of their participation in October's Marriage Equality Express.The program was sponsored by Interweave. Details are in the FIA column. programsof such high caliber and importance. Church members and friends interested inworking to support same-sex marriage are encouraged to contact Judy Federick,the leader of our Interweave group. In addition, the UU Legislative MinistryCalifornia website providesa wealth of information for possible action in support of this important religiousissue, especially through the promotion of AB19, California's Religious Freedomand Civil Marriage Protection Act.
The continuing importance of this issue is reflected in the headline news onMarch 15. A Superior Court judge has ruled that laws prohibiting same sex marriageare unconstitutional in the state of California. This decision is still subjectto review by the California Supreme Court and it will undoubtedly stimulateefforts at the national level to promote a constitutional amendment banningsame-sex marriage. It is up to each of us to study and act on this religiousissue.
-Charles Haskell Chair, Faith in Action Commission
From the Archives:
Our Sanctuary was Last Upgrqaded 12 Years Ago in Spanish Revival
As plans move forward to develop 1248 18th Street (the property next door),at the same time our sanctuary will be altered dramatically with the expansionof seating on the south side - displacing the current church office.
As things change, it's good to look back and appreciate the most recent sanctuaryupgrades, which were completed in 1993 during the period between the Rev. ErniePipes and the Rev. Judith Meyer. (Judith was installed in January 1994.) Changesand improvements at that time included new light fixtures on the walls; changingthe clerestory windows from a gold color to off-white; new Mexican chandeliersin the foyer and minister's office; new carpeting; painting; refinishing thepews; and covering painted brick in the atrium and removing dark paneling. Thenew light fixtures on the walls replaced ones that weren't Spanish Revival style.Carpeting and pew cushion upholstery was changed from green to dark red, bettercomplementing the woodwork and architecture of the building The old pew cushionswere donated 23 year ago by Will Wright, who is now deceased.
Leonard Adler chaired the design and d
Splinters from the Board:
Instead of its regular monthly board meeting, the church board met on Saturday,March 5, together with the Finance Committee, the Stewardship Committee andthe senior staff, for a facilitated mini-retreat focused on the budget problem.The group brainstormed the church's priorities and sought solutions for theproblem of our routine deficits. The outcome of that meeting served as the basisfor the discussion by the congregation on Saturday, March 19.
Other UU News & Events:
The Pacific Southwest Chapter of the UU Christian Fellowship will hold itsnext general meeting on Sunday, April 3, at 3 p.m., at our Costa Mesa church.Iris Jue will moderate a discussion on "Our lives as UU Christians: How do wekeep our strength growing as Christians? Do we have a special purpose in beingamong our fellow UUs?"
There will be refreshments followed by a brief study session. Let us know ifyou plan to bring children to the Christian Education class. David Miano willlead the worship service at 5 p.m.
The Santa Monica UUCF Prayer Group meets the first Sunday of each month, betweenfirst and second services. Contact Achim Jung or IrisJue for more information.
RE News:
From the Desk of the DRE
In UU circles, "ritual" sometimes seems as if it has become a bad word. Butit doesn't need to be. I think that we, as Unitarian Universalists, have tendedto associate ritual with dogma, and have lost something in the process of lettinggo of old ways and other faiths.
In my extended family, when we gather for meals, we always pause for a prayerbefore we eat. And though the theology in the prayer sometimes makes me squirm,I have always appreciated the practice of being mindful, in community, whenwe eat together. In some UU families, this means holding hands and sharing somethingthat each person is thankful for that day. Or having a short meditation overwords that remind us of the many people who made the meal possible. Lately I'menamored with the idea of lighting a chalice at the table, and saying somethinglike "May the food we eat help us build up strength to change the world."
In RE classes, we like to bookend our lessons with classroom rituals that helpus focus on our UU principles: light a chalice, say our covenant or sing a song,check in with one another and share something good that happened or somethingthat illustrated one of the principles in our lives this week.
At the end of class time, we share a snack together, and a closing such asa "pass the squeeze" circle, or a reminder to take what we've learned out intothe world with us. But for all that we do in our hour on Sunday mornings, howmuch stronger is our kids' RE experience when it mirrors what is happening athome?
Our principle for the rest of this church year is Principle #3: Acceptanceand encouragement to spiritual growth. Parents, as the primary religious educatorsof your kids, what can you do to reinforce this focus in your home life? I inviteyou (as well as all the rest of us who don't have children at home) to createsome rituals of your own that you enjoy. Sing a song together, create a bedtimemeditation, light a chalice and say the principles, start a family spiritualpractice, do a project in the community that engages you in acceptance of people'sdifferences. Practice mindfulness before heading out to school and work in themornings by saying together, "May I enter this day with clear thoughts, wisewords, kind heart."
My guess is that many of you already incorporate lots of meaningful ritualsinto your family lives. In that case, I invite you to think about what you dothat is distinctly UU: what can you do to help your kids feel connected, ona daily basis, to their identity as Unitarian Universalists?
-Catherine Farmer
What's it Like to Be a Teen at UUCCSM?
An Interview with Emily Hero
How long have you been coming to our church?
I started in seventh grade and I'm in the eleventh grade now at Santa MonicaHigh School. My mom started coming at first; then I joined her, then my youngersister, Madeline, started coming, too. That first year we did Neighboring Faiths,which is really great. You get to learn about different faiths and visit thechurches, mosques, and synagogues. I really like learning about different cultures.I also did Coming of Age and we then started the current YRUU group. YRUU hadn'tbeen around for a long time, but now it is really big.
What do you enjoy about the church?
This is really a community based on trust and working together. I like seeingmy friends and feeling that community. YRUU is really fun and exciting. Rightnow we are getting ready to do a worship service in April. We also have rapsessions and take on different service projects.
Is this really different from school?
Oh, yes, at school we don't get to do projects together like this. Here we canhave fun working on something, see the results, and have people enjoy it. BecauseYRUU is basically youth-run, I have worked on my leadership skills. I've learnedyou have to delegate and have everyone involved. Otherwise, you'll go crazy.Plus, the end result is better this way.
Has YRUU changed in the last four years?
We've grown a lot from the original three or four teens. Now because we aremuch larger, there are new pressures. We are doing more, like the book drivefor Sojourn House, getting to the food sort at Westside Food Bank, doing a children'sworship service and the haunted house at Halloween. We also did the Graham JarvisTalent Show last summer, which was a lot of fun, too. Hopefully, we can keepgetting better at balancing fun and activities. That is not always easy, andI think that is what we still need to work on.
-Karen Patch
Our RE Star for April
PeggyKharraz has worn many hats in our congregation - working with Dining for Dollars,signing up folks for the church's Camp de Benneville Pines weekend, just tomention a couple - but it is her service to Religious Education that has madeher this month's RE star. Peggy has been teaching RE since her own childrenwere in it a number of years ago.
This year she is teaching the 9 a.m. sixth and seventh grade class, NeighboringFaiths, in which they are learning about other faith traditions and visitingmany religious services in the local area. Because only two teachers volunteeredto teach this group, Peggy and her co-teacher, Amy Giles, teach every singleSunday. In addition, Peggy is currently a Coming of Age mentor to Jordan Paddock.
Despite her many years of teaching RE and three years of mentoring Coming ofAgers, Peggy still bubbles over with enthusiasm for the kids and the curriculum.Her warmth, smile, and genuine joy in what she does shines through to all whomeet her. For all these reasons, we honor her this month. Congratulations, Peggy.
RE Group Visits a Mosque and Learns Beliefs of Islam
On Sunday March 13, sixth andseventh graders from our Religious Education classes journeyed to downtown L.A.,across from USC and Exposition Park, to visit the Masjid Omar mosque, part oftheir continuing exploration of world religious faith traditions. This was theirsixth visit to other religious communities, having already attended Catholic,Jewish, Methodist, Quaker, and AME services.
We were met at the mosque by Daser F. Dakhil, Director, Community Developmentand External Affairs for the Omar Ibn Al Khatab Foundation, associated withthe mosque. After removing our shoes, we were lead into the expansive sanctuarythat was mostly devoid of furniture and wall decoration. The women and girls,respectful of the Muslim tradition, wore head scarves when they went into thesanctuary.
The room was filled with natural light from floor-toceiling windows on threesides and from windows that circled the dome.
Mr. Dakhil was joined in the sanctuary by a calligrapher and an Imam who workedat the mosque. These three men came from Iraq, Turkey, and Iran. Mr. Dakhildescribed the congregation for Friday noon services as a little United Nations.
As the group sat on the blue rug delineated by long yellow lines, Mr. Dakhildescribed some of the beliefs of Islam, including the belief in one God, thatthe prophet Mohammed was not divine, that Islam recognized Jesus as a prophet,and that Islam does not believe the idea of original sin as portrayed by Eveor Adam. Men and women, Mr. Dakhil said, all have part of the divine in them.While he was talking another group, including children, sat on the floor inthe middle of the sanctuary learning and reciting verses from the Quran.
The Imam demonstrated the call to prayer for the group and then when it cametime for the Muslims' time of prayer, our group moved to a comer and watchedas men lined up in front of the Imam with the women and children gathered inthe back behind a rope. The Imam, like a cantor, sang out the prayer, and themen, women, and children alternately stood and prostrated themselves beforeGod. The dome, acting as an amplifier, brought the musical voice to everyonein the sanctuary.
Later the group was led up to the roof to see the dome from the outside andto see the surrounding area from 50 feet up. We then went to the basement recreationroom and saw pictures of the religious interfaith outreach the mosque performs.While there, each person in the group had his or her name written in Arabic.Before leaving, we were treated to cookies and juice.
-Nels Hanson