Aug-05
From Our Minister:
You will have the opportunity to attend a workshop, "The Importance of an AdvanceHealthcare Directive," Sunday, August 28, after the worship service. The workshopis presented by the Center for Humane and Ethical Medical Care, a program ofthe Santa Monica-UCLA Medical Center, just down the street from the church.Leaders are Poonam Bhatla, Executive Director of CHEC, and Laura Larsen, authorof "Facing the Final Mystery."
We scheduled this workshop after the intense media coverage of the death ofTerri Schiavo. Among the many painful lessons to take from this widely publicizedcase is the need for each of us to have an advance directive for our healthcare.End of life decisions are simply too personal and too profound to leave to chance.
It is not difficult to create an advance healthcare directive. What is difficult,however, is to overcome the denial, fear, and procrastination that often getin the way of doing it. No one wants to contemplate death, let alone end-of-lifescenarios as grim as what Terri Schiavo endured.
An advance healthcare directive helps us to maintain some control and to exertsome determination over how we spend our last days. It can't take care of everyeventuality, but it can go a long way to easing suffering and dying with ourdignity intact. That is something all of us want.
I encourage you to attend this workshop. It will be easier to learn about advancehealthcare directives if we do it in the comfort of our community. You'll havegood company. You'll also have peace of mind once you take care of this importantpersonal responsibility.
-- Judith Meyer
[Note: The Rev. Judith Meyer will be on sabbatical from September 1 toJanuary 1. Look for reports on her activities in this space throughout the fall.And don't miss Sundays with the Rev. Jim Grant, sabbatical weekend minister.]
Featured Articles:
The Seventh Principle of our Unitarian Universalist faith is "Respect for theinterdependent web of all existence of which we are a part." With that in mind,we would like to share some more ideas on living green.
1. Reuse everything until it's worn out.
2. Buy produce from local farmers markets to reduce the cost of getting foodto your table, save gas, and save on packaging materials.
3. On sunny days, hang wash outside to dry.
- Sandra Trutt
News & Announcements:
Choir Records CD of Dining for Dollars Performance
SteveWight, our music director, on July 10 volunteered his time and his house/recordingstudio to re-record professionally the choir's Dining for Dollars event. LouisDurra, our pianist/organist volunteered his time and his 10 talented fingers.Members of the choir who were available to record volunteered their time andtheir voices. The result was a great recording of many of the songs at the Diningfor Dollars event. The CD will be available in the fall at the music table inForbes Hall for $5.
Leslie Reuter is Honored
Leslie Reuter has received an award from Camp de Benneville Pines. The PatronAward was given to her "in recognition of outstanding financial contributionto the George de Benneville Endowment Fund." The citation adds, "Thank you forbeing a caretaker of our camp."
Ordination Collection Benefits School
President Carol Kerr, The Revs. Ernie Pipes, Stefanie Etzbach- Dale, and JudithMeyer at Stefanie Etzbach-Dale's ordination on June 19 at our church. A collectionat the ordination ceremony yielded a donation of just over $800 to Stefanie'salma mater, Meadville Lombard Theological School.
Building News:
On July 20, the Santa Monica Planning Commission approved our constructionplans (see details above).
Splinters from the Board:
There were several reports from committees at the July 12 board meeting. MarshaSmith reported for the Long Range Planning Committee. Addressing issues of membershipand leadership have been most useful in organizing thinking. The committee hascreated a "work-in-progress," a map of activities in a logical progression frombeing a visitor to becoming a leader in church management. Recommendations tofacilitate this progression of member participation include:
- Create visibility and awareness of Church programs and the framework andstructure of Church programs
- Rationalize existing programs and where appropriate reduce redundancy or"status quo" programs
- Sustain existing programs and develop new programs
- Coordinate programs as part of developing new leaders
Jacki Weber reported that the Stewardship Committee has been developing a programto increase members' understanding of the relation between their contributionsand the church's ability to meet the needs of members and the need to maintainthe church organization.
Jerry Gates, reporting for the Personnel Committee, presented office job descriptions,which led to discussion of work to be done and staff needed to do that work.It was agreed that Marie Kashmer-Stiebing is to have Saturdays and Sundays off,and the office is to be staffed by volunteers on Sunday.
As the Church had not yet met with the Santa Monica Planning Commission atthe time of the meeting, it was optimistically planned that, after the City'sexpected approval on July 20, we would have a congregational meeting on September11 to approve construction, and groundbreaking on September 18.
Marie reported that church membership stands at 466. Carol Agate, Treasurer,reported that we had a deficit of $19,077 against a budgeted deficit of $17,189.Major unanticipated expenses were gardening for the new property and additionsto the sabbatical fund.
Marie reported that codes to differentiate members who wish to receive printedcopies of the newsletter from those who wish to receive electronic copies havebeen set up. Also, that a study of the cost of outsourcing the Church's bookkeepingand accounting indicates that outsourcing is expensive. In the meantime, WarrenMathews is assisting with deposits and pledges and Marie is writing checks topay bills and make reimbursements.
- Gerrie Lambson
Other UU News & Events:
The Pacific Southwest Chapter of the UU Christian Fellowship holds its nextgeneral meeting on Sunday, August 7, at 4 p.m., in San Diego at the meetinghouseof the First Unitarian Universalist Church, 4190 Front St. An ecumenical communionwill be celebrated, led by Ned Wight, UUA trustee. There will also be biblestudy and discussion. We invite participants to bring a dish to share at a potlucksupper following the service. Call Ned, (619) 463-4676, for more information.
Our September 4 meeting at 3 p.m. in Costa Mesa will focus on a review of JimWallis's book, "The Politics of God: Why the Right Gets It Wrong and the LeftDoesn't Get It." Bible study and worship will follow the discussion, and allare invited to stay for dinner at a nearby restaurant.
Clarence Darrow Justice Tour Comes to Costa Mesa on August 6
Clarence Darrow (1857-1938) was often referred to by the press as the "attorneyfor the damned" and the "lion of the courtroom." Famous for his work in theScopes "Monkey" trial, Darrow fought against the death penalty, social injustice,racism, conspiracy laws, and civil liberties violations. He is considered bymany to be the most famous lawyer in history.
Gary L. Anderson of Redding, CA, is the country's foremost portrayer of ClarenceDarrow, with his Darrow performances being characterized as being in the sameleague as Hal Holbrook's Mark Twain.
On Saturday, August 6, Anderson will be bringing his Darrow portrayal to OrangeCounty for performances at 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. at the Orange Coast UnitarianUniversalist Church, 1259 Victoria St., Costa Mesa. He will recount the greatesttrials of Darrow's career.
Advance tickets are $15 and tickets purchased the day of the event are $20.Proceeds will support the UU Legislative Ministry of California. For more informationvisit www.ocuuc.org
RE News:
RE Shining Star: Stanley Johnson
StanleyJohnston, this month's RE star, has taught a variety of ages in the RE programat 9 a.m., including an innovative seventh grade class which captured the kids'interest by exploring spiritual messages from a popular TV show, "The Simpsons."Stanley is also a longtime member of the Our Whole Lives (OWL) sexuality educationteam and was one of the teachers in our first OWL class for eighth and ninthgraders. The kids continued to meet for many months after the curriculum wasfinished, simply because they felt the group experience was so valuable. Stanleyis one of those people who genuinely loves our kids and seems to find and nurturetheir best selves. For the gentle, kind, and warm man he is, we honor him thismonth.