Dec-06
From Our Minister:
The Unitarian Universalist Legislative Ministry ofCalifornia needs your support. This statewidejustice ministry "serves to empower the moralvoice of Unitarian Universalist values in the publicarena," according to the UULM mission statement. Itaffirms that "Unitarian Universalism is a faith with aspiritual center and a civic circumference."
Our Faith in Action program includes the UULMand actively supports it. Cathie Gentile, FIA chair,attended the Leadership Summit in Sacramento. TheRev. Silvio Nardoni, our affiliate minister, serves on theUULM Board of Trustees as treasurer. I participated ina UULM legislative lobby day for marriage equalityand regularly look to the UULM for information andguidance about California social justice issues.
UULM Executive Director, the Rev. Lindi Ramsden,works tirelessly to establish this young organizationin Sacramento and to stay connected to our localcongregations. She does a great job. But she and theUULM network need funding to continue their work.Please consider becoming a UULM member andsupporter.
To learn more about the UU Legislative Ministry ofCalifornia, go to their web site, www.uulm.org, or askme for a pamphlet. To make a donation, please send acheck to Unitarian Universalist Legislative Ministry,717 K Street Suite 514, Sacramento, CA 95814.
- Judith Meyer
We have a new Committee on Ministry: VictorPaddock, Karen Payne, and Ren Renshaw. Their roleis to serve as a communication channel betweenmembers and minister, conducting an annual performancereview of the minister, and advising andguiding the minister about issues that may arise.They are just getting started but are eager for you toknow who they are. Please feel free to speak with anyof them if you have questions or if there is anythingyou want them to know.
- JM
Featured Articles:
I am pleased to report that on Commitment Sundaywe received more than $100,000 in pledges fromnearly 100 people. Our totals (as of 11/16/06) standat $225,544 in stated pledges from 150+ people. We'rewell on our way to reaching our goal of 100% participationin the drive.
A couple of numbers for you: More than 40% ofthose making their pledges have increased their supportof the church for the coming year, with the medianincrease being 20%. It's truly a testament to the vibrancyof our community and it portends important changesin the work we can consider in the coming year.
Thanks to all of you who stepped up to the plate tostate your commitment for 2007. You make thischurch's work possible.
Now comes the challenge of confirming theremaining 190 pledges from 2006. Through the monthof November, Sanjeev Jain diligently staffed the pledgetable in the church courtyard and Forbes Hall. It'd benice to think he caught up with everyone, but I'm surehe didn't. So here's what's going to happen in December.
We'll continue to ask for 2007 pledges through themonth of December, via order of service announcements,e-mail, and any other means we can devise.We'll confirm what we can by the end of December,and then send out letters to any remaining unpledgedmembers in January. We hope this will get us to our$400,000 goal in stated pledges for the year.
With pledges in hand, our church's budgetingprocess will begin and we'll determine our priorities forthe coming fiscal year. May they express our desire toplay a more integral part in the lives of our membersand our larger community.
- Jacki K.Weber, Stewardship Committee Chair
Thanks to...
Very heartfelt thanks to those who have worked tomake this year's Commitment Sunday a success: ourstewardship committee of Phil Bonacich, Sanjeev Jain,Ofelia Lachtman, and Patricia Wright; fantastic volunteersCarol Kerr, Bronwen Jones, Dayla McDonald,Marv Pulliam, Ed Field and John Fels on brunch; andToshi Nakajima, Smitha Chandrabose and SatyavanKepper at the pledge table.
Thanks as well to those who worked behind thescenes on the drive: John Fels, Anne MacQueen,Charles and Christine Haskell, Melinda Ewen, HollyNguyen and Mark Dwyer. And finally to our ReverendJudith Meyer, who is steadfastly encouraging us to justimagine the possibilities.
- JW
Veterans Day at Arlington West
Rev. Judith Meyer and the UUCCSM choir participated in last month's Veterans Day Sunday UU memorial service at Arlington West.
New Talent Shines at Saturday Spotlight
The Loungebillies kicked off last month's SaturdaySpotlight program with their own brand of ironic Texasblues-rock, composed by church member Kyle Bergersen.Then vocalist Katie Gross, 16, who grew up inour church, demonstrated her ability to present matureand haunting emotion with her clear and powerfulsoprano voice. We look forward to watching her musicalcareer.
Greg Wood modestly informed the audience that hehasn't written many songs, then launched into his compositionabout the vicissitudes of modern love, expertlyaccompanying himself on guitar and harmonica.
Judith Martin-Straw read "Early Girl," one of hershort stories, graphically expressing the thoughts, feelingsand sensations of a young mother barefoot andalone in her garden at dawn.
Karl Lisovsky performed "The saddest song I'veever heard," his own composition about an elevenyear-old friend who lost both his parents. Tom Ahernsang "God Bless the Child" in his rich bass voice,accompanied by Jeff Greenman on guitar. Jeff, representingthe Poetry Group, then put to music an Americanclassic poem, "The Highwayman." It was a storybeautifully sung.
Comic relief was provided by husband-and-wifeteam Lauri Semarne and Lisle Leete. One hilarious skitwas based on the premise, "What if there are real peopleliving the life depicted in those story-problemsfrom high-school math class?"
DWP (Dayla McDonald, Wally Giffen, Peter van denBeemt) performed "Crying in the Rain" (Peter), "Big YellowTaxi" (Dayla), and "'Til Kingdom Come" (Wally).Intricate medieval part-songs were performed a cappellaby Music Director Steve Wight, Michael Lamb, Rima Snyder,and Kim Miller, eliciting vigorous applause.
New church attendee Daniel Nahmod closed theprogram with thanks and a love song that embracedUU philosophy.
Musicians Jeff Greenman (guitar), Wally Giffen(bass), and Steve Wight (piano), accompanied severalof the performers, while Norb Gallery provided musicaland technical expertise in running the soundboard.
Kudos to Bronwen Jones for spearheading theevent, to comedian Kathy O'Keefe, who emceed theshow, and to Melissa Parkerton for organizing thechampagne reception that followed.
- Sherman Neusom
News & Announcements:
Holiday Cookie Bake
All are invited to the Holiday Cookie Bake on Saturday,December 2, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. in Forbes Hall.Bring a brunch dish to share and an uncooked batch ofcookies and we'll bake and decorate cookies together- and sample a few. Then we'll pack up our cookies tobe sent to the Santa Monica Head Start Christmasparty. Bring cookie cutters, cookie sheets, rolling pins,aprons, and your batch of cookie dough. Bring thewhole family. To RSVP, or for more information, contactCatherine Farmer.
Toy Drive
On Sundays, December 3 and 10, we'll be collectingtoys for the Santa Monica Head Start program's holidayparty. This year we need approximately 35 unisex giftsthat are new, unopened, and unwrapped for three-tofive-year-olds. Drop them off in the "Head Start" box atthe foot of the Arizona entrance stairs. This year we'retaking signups so we know how many gifts to expect.Please sign up on November 26 or December 3 at theHead Start table in Forbes Hall during coffee hour, orcontact Catherine Farmer.
Small Group Ministry
All three fall Covenant Groups are full. One meetsMonday evenings, two on Sunday afternoons. Be aware,however, an empty chair is always part of each circle.During a group's six-month meeting span, there will beopportunities for new members to occupy this emptychair. Your name will be drawn from the waiting list.
The Rev. Judith Meyer is responsible for identifyingand training facilitators. Set up a time to speak with herif you are moved to explore being a facilitator in thefuture.
Are you interested in using your good judgment onthe Covenant Group ImplementationTeam (CGIT)?We meet monthly toplan, take on tasks,share information,and lendsupport togroup facilitatorsand oneanother. Contactone of us inthe blue booklet"Connections," orat the coffee hourCGIT table.
- Carol-jean Teuffel
Thank You...
To Rob Briner andMelanie Sharp, fortheir work on "GettingInvolved" Sunday.
To Helen Burns and the people who helped her withthe new member dinner: Peggy Kharraz, MelanieSharp, Rob Briner, Lyn Armondo, Jessamine Winston,Anne MacQueen, Natalie Kahn, and DianePhillips; and thanks to all the people who broughtfood for the dinner and gave our new members awarm welcome.
To our Music Committee, Co-Chairs Bronwen Jones and Peter van den Beemt; our volunteers; ourchoir; and our music staff, Louis Durra andSteve Wight, for "Saturday Spotlight" and the VeteransDay service at Arlington West.
Building News:
Long-Awaited Building Program Begins
Afterthe groundbreaking ceremony in September, a construction contract to move andrehabilitate the cottage at 1248 18th Street was signed onOctober 24, and construction fencing was erectedthree days later. This culminates long-term planningthat in a sense began in 1966, when the 17thStreet lot was purchased for future expansion.Then, in the early 1990s, focus group meetings reacheda consensus to significantly improve church facilities.
A capital campaign was planned in 1999, launched in2000, and extended in 2005 after building plans wereswitched from 17th Street to the lot next door. Finally,we have begun the procedures of bringing all of ourchurch facilities into the 21st century.
- Rob Briner, Historian/Archivist
(At right: a 7:30 a.m. client meeting with Turk O'Conner of theT.H. O'Conner Company; David Sellman, ProjectManager; Carol Kerr, chair of the Building Committee;and Alison Kendall, professional planner andimmediate past chair of the committee.)
Green Living Committee:
Living Green for the Holidays
As the holiday gift-giving season approaches, weoffer tips on how we can put our ecological principlesinto practice. Some of us try to minimize unnecessarytrash and packaging, others look for gifts with lesseffects on the environment.
Instead of buying gift bags, buy a canvas bag to putyour gift in.
Buy an extra canvas bag for yourself to use whileyou are shopping. You can find used/recycled bags atthrift stores and yard sales.
Stock up on wrapping paper without patterns andribbons that will work year round. Check for recycledwrapping paper or reuse the wrapping paper on giftsyou receive.
Use alternative packing materials, such as crumpledup newspaper, rather than styrofoam peanutswhen packing boxes for mailing. Reuse boxes ratherthan buying new ones.
Consider giving consumables such as soap, food,or drink as gifts since they won't take up space or endin a landfill. For fair-traded coffee, tea, and chocolate,visit equalexchange.com.
Give non-tangible gifts, such as:
Splinters from the Board:
Charles Haskell, President, reported for the BuildingCommittee that work has begun on movingand remodeling the blue cottage. There is about$1 million dollars in the bank beyond the cottageremodeling phase.
Melinda Ewen, Church Administrator, reportedthat with the death of Jackie Schwartz, the resignationof Barbara Brody, and contact lost with Vicki Dolnick,church membership now stands at 460.
Pledge income is down by $25,898 from our budgetestimate, which may be a seasonal effect; other contributionsare down $2,013, which results from lowerattendance and the increase of generous congregationgiving from 15% to 25%; program income, facility use,and investment income are also down. This is partiallyoffset by savings during the vacancy in the office assistantposition. Apparent savings in other items may notsurvive the half the fiscal year is still before us. Thetotal deficit at this time is $5,961.
The Rev. Judith Meyer reported that the VeteransDay service was successful. The contribution to the AllSaints Legal Defense Fund was $2,157. The new Committeeon Ministry members are Karen Payne, VictorPaddock, and Ren Renshaw.
In response to a directive from the General Assembly,Judith has assembled a group to address the AntiracismInitiative. Members of the group are Jacki Paddock,Linda Van Ligten, Leon and Nicole Henderson-MacLennan, Amelia Harati, and Alyssa Wood. Thegroup is too new to have a name or mission statement,but will report to the board as soon as they do.
Catherine Farmer, Director of Religious Education(DRE), reported that there will be Our Whole Lives(OWL) classes for junior and senior high school students,beginning after the first of the year. The classeswill run concurrently. Guest at Your Table boxes weredistributed on November 19 and will be collected inJanuary.
Peter van den Beemt, Co-Chair of the Music Committee,reported on the success of the first "SaturdaySpotlight," organized by Bronwen Jones and presentedin November. This and future events provide an opportunityfor members and friends to share their musical,poetic, and literary hobbies with the rest of us.
Karen Patch joined Catherine Farmer and JudithMeyer to report on the status of Religious Explorationamong youth in our congregation. There will be a congregationalconversation meeting on December 10 todiscuss RE goals for both youth and adult programs.
One of the greater successes is the monthly jointsocial events of the Coming of Age group and YoungReligious UUs (YRUU). These events have been greatfor building bonds between people in the groups andreinforcing UU identity.
This year in January there will be a true lifespanReligious Exploration of the Lessons of Loss. At all levelsof the youth program there will be discussion, andadults will have the opportunity to participate in afour-week course facilitated by Judith Meyer and LeonHenderson.
Pat Wright reported on the progress in the LongRange Planning Committee, and the board approved amotion of support for the group to move forward withspecific plans. There will be a Town Hall Meeting in thenew year to discuss proposals.
- Geralyn Lambson
Other UU News & Events:
Five Alaskan UU fellowships invite you to eco-culturalprograms in June right after the Portland GeneralAssembly or in July 2007. See the real Alaska with UUhomestays in Anchorage, Fairbanks, Seward, Juneau,and Sitka; UU-hosted parties; and UU-led tours. Wevisit Tlingit and Inupiat Native Alaskans and seewildlife from bears, moose, and caribou to whales, seaotters, and sea lions. We will also visit Denali and threeother National Parks. The tour is led for the twelfthyear by the Rev. Dick and Mary Weston-Jones. Reservationdeadline: February 28.
For more information: visit wuurld.org,e-mail alaska@wuurld.org, or call (888) 998-8753.
RE News:
From Our DRE
"Church," as Judith says fromthe pulpit every Sundaymorning, "is where we getto practice what it means to be human." And thosearen't just some pretty words that she says to make usfeel good about getting out of bed to come to church -they are a stunningly concise description of what itmeans to be part of our church community. Church iswhere we bring our fullest selves and struggle togetherto live our beliefs fully with one another, practicing howto take them back into the rest of the world with us.
Being an intentional community of people open toall who want to walk this path with us is not light work.Community is where you don't get to walk away whensomeone disagrees with you or aggravates you -you're stuck with them, no matter what. You don't getto decide who belongs and who doesn't - everyonewho's here is part of our community. And that's wherewe really get to practice being human and practicebeing our best selves.
Our faith isn't an easy one if we take it seriously. Itcalls us to treat the person we like least with the samemeasure of respect and compassion that we show ourbest friends. It asks us to stand firm on our ideas andvalues, but in a way that doesn't belittle or dehumanizeanother person for holding a different view. Not an easytask, I know, but of utmost importance - this is the giftthat our faith has to offer the world, this is our savingmessage: our Unitarian heritage that holds that we areall capable of deciding for ourselves what is true andright and our Universalist heritage that teaches that allare equally deserving of justice and compassion.
Our church community is where we practice thisfaith on a smaller scale, living it as fully as we cantogether. Our church is where we come together whenlife is at its best, and at its worst. At its best, we createtogether the world we'd like to see, and at its worst, wesupport one another through the hard times. The mosttranscendent times are those when the two arrive handin hand.
This January our entire church community will participatein our first-ever Intergenerational Winter Intensiveprogram, Lessons of Loss, a month-long UU curriculumin five levels that offers developmentallyappropriate opportunities for children, youth, andadults to develop skills, and therefore confidence, inhelping themselves and others respond to change andloss, voice fears and questions about loss, and learnhow the UU principles provide guidance in understandingloss and supporting the grieving process.Adults are invited to participate in the four-week adultRE component, facilitated by Leon Henderson andJudith Meyer, to be held on Thursday evenings in January.Sign ups begin this month at coffee hour.
- Catherine Farmer
Friendly Beasts Pageant Update
"Friendly Beasts" pageant updateThe Friendly Beasts, preschoolers through 5th graders, will continue their rehearsals of "The Friendly Beasts Song"for the holiday pageant, which occurs December 17 at both services.
Below is the rehearsal schedule:
Dec. 3 - Preschoolers to K-5 in their classrooms (10 minutes each)
Dec. 10 - Group rehearsal in mural room for all at start of RE
Dec. 16 - Saturday dress rehearsal in sanctuary (9:30 to 10:15 a.m.)
Dec. 17 - Pageant (both services; please arrive at 8:15 a.m.)
We realize that the pageant day is a long one for the children, so pleasecontact me if you can help by: