Thirty View Peace Film

In an event at our church sponsored by our Peace andSocial Justice Committee, 30 people saw a film January 23 about the bias of U.S. media coverage of theIsraeli-Palestinian conflict. Produced in 2003, the movie,"Peace, Propaganda and the Promised Land"remains relevant. Activist and scholar ShernaBerger Gluck led a discussion that broughtthe story up to date. During the reception,talk continued and people signed the petition to put an initiative on the Californiaballot to require CalPERS and STRS to divest their funds from corporations doing business in Israel. Because not enough signatures wereobtained by the deadline, the campaign has shifted gearsand is directly petitioning the two huge pension funds."We reached and educated many California voters overthe past five months who were not aware that their taxdollars supported Israel's human rights and internationallaw violations," said Caroline Kittrell, an Israel DivestmentCampaign coordinator in Butte County.

Peace Sunday

Perhaps inspired by events in Tunisia and Egypt,over 200 people turned out for Peace SundayJanuary 30, filling our Sanctuary from wall towall and choir loft to vestibule. In pews and on foldingchairs, they enthusiastically participated in the 2-hourprogram on "The Cost of War; the Price of Peace." Manythen adjourned to Forbes Hall to dine on food generouslyprovided by the Brahma Kumaris and Co-Opportunity,converse, and check out exhibits sponsored by 30 peacerelated groups.

Peace Sunday has been an annual event. Based on theresponse and the needs of the times, the three co-sponsorshave decided to present "Peace Sunday 2011-Spring." Itwill take place in our church June 5, with the theme to bedecided.

In addition to co-sponsoring Peace Sunday with Interfaith Communities United for Justice and Peace (ICUJP)and the Unity-and-Diversity World Council (UDC),UUCCSM played a key role in the event's content. TheRev. Rebecca Benefiel Bijur opened the program with aninvocation and closed it with a benediction. Olivia Leganand Jessica Clay represented Unitarian Universalism in anInterfaith Candle Lighting Ceremony in which 11 faiths,plus an "other," participated. Faith in Action Chair RickRhoads delivered the concluding speech, which was a callto action. Emily Meyers, principal of Eyes of the WorldMedia Group and a frequent visitor to our church, created a slide show and collection of peace and social justicesongs that ran in Forbes Hall during the exhibition hours.

Olivia, a high school student, wrote her own description of our faith's relationship to peace, which she read as Jessica lit the candle: "All human beings deserve to livewithout wars, bombs, violence, and pain. While world peaceseems unattainable, as Unitarian Universalists we strive tomake this a safer place for all humanity. We light this candlefor the future, where we can make a difference."Rick said "I'm sure all of us feel frustrated at the lack ofmassive fight-back in the United States." He alsoasked "what kind of movement are we trying to build?" Rick went on to draw onlessons from the movements againstthe U.S. wars in Vietnam, Iraq, andAfghanistan to show that, from LBJto Barack Obama, a peace movementcannot be built by relying on presidentsor candidates who talk of peace but makewar. (The entire speech, including shout-outs from the audience, is at ).

Major figures in L.A.'s progressive religious community spoke at Peace Sunday, including Rev. George Regas,founder of Interfaith Communities United for Justice andPeace; Rev. Leland Stuart, founder of the Unity-and-Diversity World Council (UDC); Rabbi Leonard Beerman, founding rabbi of the Leo Baeck Temple, an Inclusive ReformJewish community; Shakeel Sayed, Executive Director ofthe Islamic Shura Council and Chair of Clergy and LaityUnited for Economic Justice (CLUE), and Marci Winograd,former congressional candidate and co-founder of LA Jewsfor Peace. Stephen Longfellow Fiske, founder and producerof the annual Venice Eco-Fest, was master of ceremonies,played guitar, and sang, as did fellow musicians Mitra Rahbar and Fidel Sanchez.

Thanks for the Undies!

In these difficult economic times, youstill were generous to the homeless. DuringUndie Sundays this winter, we received 13pair of mens' shorts, 12 undershirts, and 21pair of socks. Men's underwear Items weredelivered to StepUp on Second.For women we received 19 pair of panties, six bras, four t-shirts, and five pair ofsocks. These were delivered to Daybreak.

- Gerrie Lambson