Jan-11
From Our Minister:
Dear friends and neighbors,
When should I call the minister? Perhaps thisis a question you have asked yourself before. Youshould call the minister if you...
...are planning a rite of passage, such as a wedding,memorial service, or child dedication.
...need to talk about an important decision youare making in your life.
...are worried about a medical diagnosis facingyou or your loved ones.
...could use some help and don't know where toturn.
...want to talk about theology, religious and spirituallife, and liberal religion.
...love what is going on in this congregation andwould like someone to celebrate with.
... aren't feeling connected to what is going on inthis congregation and would like to feel moreplugged in.
...are new to the church and would like to learnmore about our faith.
...have been in the church for years and yearsand would like to learn more about our faith.
...are thinking deeply about your vocation, especiallya call to ministry.
...would like to meet the new minister (and checkout the new rug in her office).
Don't try to talk yourself out of it - just pickup the phone. This is what I'm here for!
(310) 829-5436 x104.
Gratefully,
Rev. Rebecca Benefiel Bijur, Minister
From Our President:
January 2011! Already! Wo rriesabout Y2K computerglitches are now more thana decade behind us. We are firmly entrenched inthe 21st century. Here at UUCCSM we are firmlyentrenched in our own fast moving world. The bignews for us is the departure of our longtimemember and Director of Administration, MelindaEwen. Fulfilling a dream to move further north,she will be taking a position with the First UnitarianUniversalist Society of San Francisco. Wewill miss her. She has served our church conscientiouslyand attentively through four ministers, abuilding program, and leaks in our roof. Whilewe have been in transition, she has been the stability. She attended her last board meeting inDecember and will be with us on a part-timebasis through January. After that she is cutting usloose to build a future here without her. On January9 we will have a reception for her after eachservice to give the congregation a chance to say aformal goodbye. Please join us in wishingMelinda and SJ well on their move.
The plan is to have a temporary office managerthrough May or June. In these next few months acommittee will be examining the office functionswith an eye on how to configure the office tomeet congregational needs even better. The decisionsthat come out of that investigation willdetermine what the staffing will look like whenwe hire a permanent replacement. Keep listening.
Next month, on February 13, the Rev. RebeccaBenefiel Bijur will be installed as our settledminister. An installation is one of the few trulyformal ceremonies in a UU congregation's life.
It is an event that will seal our covenant withher and hers with us. There will be music andguests and family and (yes) food. The day wevoted to call her to be our settled minister, thesanctuary was full of happy congregants. We wereproud of the search we had conducted and happywith the person we had found. I certainly haven'tseen any sign of buyer's remorse, so put February13 on your calendar to extend that spirit andjoin in the formal installing of our new settledminister.
See what I mean? January and the entire 2011calendar are already filling up. May this year beprosperous both spiritually and economically forour congregation. The past couple of years havebeen challenging on a lot of levels. May 2011r e c h a rge us so that we can be generous with ourselvesand with the world around us. I look forwardto moving through the year with all of you.
- Sue Bickford
Featured Articles:
Knitters and Friends donated their $1,300 proceedsfrom last month’s bazaar to the church. The donationtotal will increase asBazaar specialorders arecompleted forcaps, shawls,and sweaters. . . even adogsweater.
Project Dazzle Update
Project Dazzle (our initiative to update the church'swebsite) is underway. We have raised $5,460 from thecongregation and the Spirit Level Foundation hasmatched $5,000 as part of a $10,000 matching grant. Ifyou wish to contribute to the second $5,000 we need toraise, make out a check to the church, writing "ProjectDazzle" as a memo, and turn it in to the office.
For the first phase of the project, the CommUUnicationsCommittee has interviewed several other committees,the board, and the church staff to find out whothey see as the primary users of the church's site, whatshould be on the opening page, how they use the sitethemselves, what they like and don't like about it, andwhat they wish it could be. You can join others whohave expressed their concerns and hopes by sendingyour suggestions about the website todazzle@uusm.org.
In early January, Liz Fuller (our webmaster and ProjectDazzle's Project Manager/Designer) will pull theinformation together and make a first pass at the featuresand layout of the website. Pam Teplitz (ProjectDazzle's Graphic Artist/Designer) will then be able tomock up some screen shots of what the site could looklike so we can seek feedback from the congregation, asthe design and look of the site evolve.
Our goals include taking advantage of some of thenewer web technologies - allowing committees andstaff to update individual web pages, accepting donationsonline, encouraging the use of blogs and RSS(really simple syndication) feeds, putting rentals ofchurch space online, and perhaps including onlinesignups, course descriptions, and an online store. Sincemany of us need to learn more about some of thesetechnologies and how to use them, Project Dazzle willinclude an educational component.
We plan to start building the new website in Februarywith a goal of releasing it this summer. We see it asan ongoing venture that will be tweaked and added toas time goes on. Thanks for your support.
- Bob Dietz for theCommUUnications Committee
Faith in Action News:
"Peace, Propaganda & the Promised Land: U.S. Media & the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict" analyzes howU.S. media coverage has reinforced false perceptions ofIsrael's four-decade occupation of the West Bank andGaza, and compares it to international media coverageof the occupation and resistance to it. The Peace &Social Justice Committee will show this film Sunday,January 23, from 12:30 to 2:15 p.m. The screening willbe followed by a discussion led by a member of theIsrael Divestment Campaign, the first effort in the U.S.to appeal to voters to hold Israel accountable for violationsof international law and human rights. Please joinus in the cottage for this importantevent. Light refreshments will beserved. For more information, contact Roberta Frye.
Put Your Faith in Action! will be the Theme of January's Art Wall
Sponsored by the UUCCSM Faith in Action Commission(FIA), the exhibit consists of prints, photos,and posters related to the work of the committees underthe FIA umbrella, including Peace & Social Justice,Multi-Racial Development, Hunger Task Force, Green,and Interweave.
FIA will host a reception in Forbes Hall Sunday, January9, at 12:30 p.m. The exhibit will be up and readyfor viewing Sunday, January 2 through Sunday, January30, when FIA will be co-hosting "Peace Sunday" from3 to 5 p.m. in the Sanctuary. Exhibitors at Peace Sundaywill have their tables set up by 2 p.m. in ForbesHall, where the art will form a fitting backdrop.
The "Put your faith in action!" exhibit includes aprint by Josh MacPhee that dramatically documents the23 countries the US has bombed since WWII.MacPhee, whose art is shown around the world,founded a distribution center - now a 25-artist cooperative- called JUSTSEEDS to get radical art out to thepublic. He has also written books, including "ArtAgainst Authority" and "Paper Politics."
Photographs of FIA activities include our participationin this year's May 1 march for immigrant rightsand in the May 29 march in Phoenix against Arizona'santi-immigrant legislation, SB1070.
Splinters from the Board:
YRUU member Elizabeth Saldo updated the boardon plans for our teens' trip to San Francisco to participatein the Faithful Fools Street Ministry Retreat.This group, founded by two ministers - one a Unitarian- says in its mission statement, "It becomespossible to discover on the streets our commonhumanity. Myths are shattered and visitors begin tosee the light, courage, strength, and creativity in thepeople they encounter." To finance the trip, theYRUU group will be selling bagels and lunches afterservices on Sundays.
Stella Saldo described YRUU plans to develop avegetable garden in the area behind the cottage. Plansare to plant in the spring and to involve younger REstudents once a month. They have spoken with ourlandscape designer, Steve Ludowitz. The boardapproved the plan and Steve's guidance role. On thesame principle they are exploring developing a compostingprogram.
Personnel Committee member Barbara Kernochandiscussed a job description for the Acting ChurchAdministrator position. Given the short amount oftime available the board recommended sending outMelinda's current job description with minor revisions,as some items have changed since the descriptionwas written. The revision was to be discussed atthe personnel meeting the next day. The form to beissued is to be approved by e-mail vote.
In staff reports, Rev. Rebecca Benefiel Bijurreported that Tom Ahern's new responsibilities in theoffice include managing cleaning supplies andrentals.
Catherine Farmer Loya reported that the RECovenant Process workshop was successful and therewas commitment to a Lifetime Religious Explorationprogram broader in scope than the past program.
Director of Administration Melinda Ewen reportedthat it is necessary to recruit volunteers to countmoney each week. New volunteers are needed byJanuary 1.
Music Director Steve Wight reported ongoingmusic events. Louis Durra is once again integratingthe organ into Sunday services after maintenance bythe usual technician.
Melinda reported that Louise Rothman and FrankGannon resigned from membership, Teresa Castellireinstated her membership, and Chuck and Wendy Garrett and Lucy Hahn joined. Membership nowstands at 385. Attendance at Sunday services hasbeen 95% compared to last year.
Treasurer Alan Brunell reported the pledge paymentsare ahead of schedule, a seasonal variation,and expenses are as expected. The expected deficitremains about $32,000.
Bryan Cahill, speaking for the Nominating Committee,announced the appointment of BrunoLacombe to fill the board position vacated by VictorPaddock. He presented the names of people to serveon the Financial Review Committee.
Speaking for the Finance Committee, Alan Brunellpresented motions to:
Other UU News & Events:
Ten years ago a few visionary California UUs sawthat our state would benefit from a dose of UU values.We began with borrowed offices, one part-time staff
person, and a deeply committed team of volunteers.Over these years we have focused on issues that matterto our congregations, expanded the staff, and developedthe ability to offer new ways for congregations to participatein social justice movements across the state. Wehave sent valentines to support Marriage Equality,mailed faucet postcards to support the Human Right toWater, and made phone calls in support of Health Carereform. Our mission is to involve California UUs insharing our values in the public square. Thank you forthese ten years. We’ll be celebrating this milestone inmany ways during 2011. The first is a gala in OrangeCounty on January 22.
For more information go to www.uulmca.org, or findus on Facebook.
RE News:
From Our DRE
Personal and spiritualgrowth are among the primaryreasons people of allages join religious communities, and I am very excitedabout the future of our congregation's educations ministryto people of all ages. In my seven years as Directorof Religious Education here at UUCCSM, I havenever seen a more passionate and visionary group ofpeople than those who emerged during the course of theRE Covenanting process undertaken on December 4.The members of the RE Committee, along with representativesfrom the board, the Adult Programs Committee,and the RE teachers, as well as the Rev. RebeccaBenefiel Bijur and me, spent a full day together discussingour hopes and dreams for Lifespan RE atUUCCSM. We began the process of crafting a covenantbetween me and the congregation about how we willwork together to achieve our common vision for thefuture. Out of that process emerged a strong commitmentto the goal of Lifespan RE as well as the seeds ofa deep assessment of our current program's structurewith regard to developmental goals for all participants.
My own goal for Lifespan RE at UUCCSM is toprovide programs for people of all ages that inspireeach person to develop a firm ground of belief, rootedin our Unitarian Universalist principles, from whichthey can stretch and grow, question and explore.Together as one religious community of all ages, wecan learn love of one another and ourselves, search fortruth with an open mind, and work to make the world abetter place. This, to me, is what UU faith developmentis really all about.
"Faith" is another of those tricky words, I know.Here's what I mean when I use it: our faith is that inwhich we place our trust. Thus, "having faith" meanstrusting that who we are and what we choose to do matters.A person of faith is one who makes a commitmentto living in a way that reflects that trust. There is nospecific belief or dogma that one must hold in order tobe a person of faith; rather, faith is an act of living withintegrity and purpose. More narrowly, in Unitarian Universalism"faith development" is the development of away of life informed by our UU principles and valuesand committed to living them out in the world.
What could we be offering to better support you indeepening your own UU faith? What would a trulyLifespan RE program look like? We'll continue askingthese questions as we begin the important work of planningfor the future of religious exploration atUUCCSM. Change - another word for development- is in the air, and I can't wait to see where we will gofrom here.
- Catherine Farmer Loya
Neighboring Faiths Field Trip
Teachers Tom Kafka and Laura Carlson-Weiner tookthe Neighboring Faiths class on a field trip to St.Anne’s Catholic Church on Colorado Avenue. The classSis studying Catholicism as part of their study of variousChristian faiths. The class attended the First Sunday ofAdvent Mass celebration with the St. Anne’s congregation.Father Arturo and the whole congregation werevery welcoming. Teri Bond, our trip coordinator, tookthe photo.
Winter Pageant
Kris Langabeer wrangled cows, doves, dogs, donkeyss, mice, grown-ups and other friendly beasts for another joyful winter pageant.
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Music News:
Singers Needed
A Celebration Choir will perform at Rev. Bijur’s installationservice on Sunday, February 13, at 3 p.m. Singersare invited to join members of the UUCCSM choir andthe choir of the Unitarian Universalist Church of LongBeach. Learn wonderful music and make a joyful noisecelebrating the installation of our ninth settled minister.Contact the church office to RSVP: e-mailoffice@uusm.org or speak to an office volunteer onSunday morning.