Newsletter for April 2021
From Our Minister:
From Our Minister: Becoming
And the day came when the risk to remain tight in a bud
was more painful than the risk it took to blossom.
-Anais Nin
Easter, Passover, Ramazan, and Earth Day all grace April along with our annual stewardship campaign to raise the funds to support our beloved community and our service to the larger world. In a conversation with an elder of the church the other day, they remarked, “I am so impressed by how the church leaders invented an entirely new way of being a church together online while also weathering the stress and life changes brought on by the pandemic.” I am paraphrasing their remarks but I appreciated the recognition and affirmation of the extraordinary achievements of this church over the past year. I am sometimes overwhelmed with gratitude and amazement when I consider how our Board of Directors, staff members, congregational leaders, and the devoted members of this community stepped up to meet incredible challenges and forever changed how we minister together. Our stewardship campaign is a time to reflect upon and celebrate the accomplishments of this year as we also prepare for the future.
Reflecting upon how we became a church that successfully navigated the past year of this pandemic, I am reminded of how we strengthened the bonds of our beloved community by creating our new Chalice Circle small group ministries, responded to our soul’s longings for injustices to be righted by forming our Intersectional Anti-Racism and Anti-Oppression Commission, and launched the popular Beloved Conversations program. I am reminded of how we continued the work of developmental ministry by providing for financial stability, expanding how we offer pastoral care, supporting visitors and newcomers through our Faith Forward program, and began the process of refreshing our bylaws to affirm transparency, interdependence, and trust. We moved our worship services online and now regularly include more than 500 people in our congregation’s dynamic worship life! Though the past year sometimes feels like a year lost to many of us, our congregation blossomed in the midst of so many challenges. I hope that you will continue to support our flourishing with your generous giving. If all of this was possible in the pandemic, what wonders does the future hold for our beloved community?
Our spiritual theme for community exploration this month is Becoming. Theme-based ministry invites the entire congregation to reflect upon universal themes of religious life in creative ways each month. Becoming can be broadly defined as a “process of change” or as a change in which potentialities are actualized to ever greater degrees. Becoming invites us to shed what no longer serves our highest aspirations for ourselves and to embrace a future that is new and sometimes fraught with anxieties and fears. Strengthening our capacities for self-transcendence through spiritual practices like meditation, prayer, and practicing vulnerability in small group ministries can enhance our abilities to change and grow in new circumstances. I hope you will reflect upon this theme in greater depth in group meetings and activities this month. Some of the questions that our theme-based ministry partner Soul Matters provides for us to consider this month include: When was the day you first welcomed in the person you would become? Is it possible that you have actually become what your 6-year-old self imagined you be, perhaps in a totally unexpected form? What if becoming first requires us to unbecome who we are not? Is it possible that you need to unravel before you can unfold?
Pastoral Care is available if you are lonely, questioning, or struggling and would like a non-judgmental and compassionate spiritual companion. You can confidentially request pastoral support — or submit any joys, sorrows, or milestones for inclusion in community news and our Sunday worship services — by emailing our pastoral team leaders at pastoralcare@uusm.org.
With love and faith,
Jeremiah
Rev. Jeremiah Lal Shahbaz Kalendae
Developmental Minister
Featured Articles:
2021 Pledge Drive Kicks Off: Emerging Resilient in Faith and Love
YOU FUEL THIS BELOVED COMMUNITY
Dear UUSM Family and Friends,
If you are someone who has supported the Unitarian Universalist Community Church of Santa Monica, you will be receiving a mailing that mimics this post.
A year after we began to shelter in place, we appear to be emerging from the coronavirus pandemic. It’s truly been an odyssey. We have learned to worship together at home. We have connected and cared for each other in ways we hadn’t dreamed of just 18 months ago.
We are aware, more acutely than ever, that the world is hungry for love and justice. We know we cannot manifest it outside if we don’t feel it inside. And understand more fully that we need each other to undertake this sacred work.
UUSM’s pledge drive is now in full swing and that means we’re asking you to help fuel this beloved community.
Respond today at archive.uusm.org/2021pledgedrive.
Here’s the good news: generous donors to a UUSM Stimulus Fund are matching your 2021 pledge increase dollar-for-dollar between now and April 27th!
Our Unitarian Universalist Community Church of Santa Monica, with its liberal religious values, was born for this moment. We are a come-as-you-are congregation that nourishes spiritual growth and challenges us to work for a more just society. We offer balm for those who are weary and action for those who are ready.
If you care for this community, please take a moment to make your pledge to support it for the coming year:
- Your pledge is your commitment to a community that has helped you through an unprecedented time.
- It is a statement that you feel aligned with the values of the Unitarian Universalist movement: love, dignity, justice, equity, compassion, curiosity, democracy, interdependence, and more.
- When you pledge today, your commitment could be matched dollar-for-dollar, thanks to generous donors in the community.
At this time when rentals and fundraisers have evaporated, your pledge is more important than ever. And our spring pledge drive is the time we evaluate our funding so we can pass a wise budget for the coming year. Help us “emerge resilient in faith and love.”
Your pledge fuels Sunday worship. It facilitates dozens of programs each week to deepen your spiritual grounding and build a more just world. And it supports pastoral care so that your UUSM family can be there for you through celebration and struggle.
This is a covenantal congregation and we are self supporting. Our fiscal year budget is built on the promises you make to support UUSM.
Not everyone can increase their pledge this year. But if you are in a position to give more generously, please make a commitment to do so. And if you are struggling financially, just let us know so we can adjust accordingly.
I cannot wait until we enjoy each other’s physical company again at Dining 4 Dollars events, “Lunches for Bunches” on the patio, and all-ages egg hunts and celebrations. Until then, we will continue to virtually co-create the community we aspire to be: beloved to each other, uplifting and encouraging, and caring for a world that hurts.
Thank you for taking the time to make your commitment to our congregation through our 2021 pledge drive. You are truly helping us to emerge resilient in faith and love.
Sincerely,
Beth Brownlie, President
Beth Brownlie, President
News & Announcements:
April Generous Congregation Supports UU Ministry For Earth (UUMFE)
TEXT NOW TO SUPPORT UUMFE
Climate change is happening and it’s human-caused. This will affect almost every area of life including the economy and our health. Whether it’s the cost of damage from extreme weather or the number of hospitalizations from asthma, issues arising from climate change are only getting worse.
The Unitarian Universalist Ministry For Earth (UUMFE) aims to be a wellspring of spiritual and educational grounding and practical support for bold, accountable action for environmental justice, climate justice, and the flourishing of all life. They have a variety of programs, tools, and actions for everyone from youth through elders to help avert climate chaos while following the core spiritual practice of Unitarian Universalism.
Generous Congregation
Our practice here at UUSM is to dedicate half of our non-pledge Sunday offerings to organizations doing work in the world that advances our Unitarian Universalist principles; the other 50% of the offering is used to support the life of our church.
UUSM’s Generous Congregation supports our church community. And together, we uplift the reach and impact of vital organizations doing work we could not do on our own. This month, half of our Sunday offerings will go to UUMFE. With your support, we can help to empower bold action, partnership, and connections to promote environmental and climate justice through UUMFE’s campaigns.
Please consider supporting the mission of our church, and UUFME. To give $10 right now, text “$10 GCC” (or another amount) to 844-982-0209. (One-time-only credit card registration required.)
Dining for Dollars is BACK!
Hello UUs at UUSM! Remember this poster?
Dining for Dollars is BACK!
Our congregation is mostly surviving the pandemic, and though we are not quite ready to return to in-person events, we can get together online to have some fun!
In May 2021, we will have the UUSM Spring Auction, which is our way of doing Dining for Dollars online. In the first auction, held over the holidays, several people hosted events that involved food and drink: there was a pizza-making class, a beer-tasting as well as a wine-tasting get-together, even a Beatles trivia event. Also, many items were sold: textiles, jewelry, and antiques.
- Bidding for the Spring Auction will take place Sunday May 16th through Sunday May 23rd.
- Events will be held between end of May and Ingathering.
Can you think of a Zoom-friendly event that YOU might host? Something that would bring people together, that could make money for the Church AND bring people together?
Offer an event soon! Contact us at auction@uusm.org
Thanks!
Beth, Pat , Greg, Karl
Please Save the Date: A Celebration of the Life of Rev. Ernest D. Pipes, Jr. -
October 6, 1926 – February 10, 2021
Saturday, May 1, 2021, 1 PM
Rev. Jeremiah Kalendae & Rev. Judith Meyer Officiating
An invitation with a Zoom link will be emailed prior to the service
Save the Date! UUSM Camp at de Benneville Pines
We are planning for Friday, Saturday, Sunday – September 17, 18 and 19, 2021.
“May it be so.”
Stay tuned…
2021 Women’s Virtual Spring Retreat at Camp de Benneville Pines, April 30-May 2
FOCUSING ON WORK THAT RECONNECTS
Friday, April 30 to Sunday, May 2, 2021
Presented by Dean Kathleen Moscato, Rev. Dr. Beth Johnson,
and members of Palomar UU Fellowship, Vista CA
“The Spiral of Resilience & Renewal”
Keynote: Rev. Dr. Beth Johnson
Join Palomar UU Fellowship of Vista, CA as we celebrate the 60th anniversary of Camp de Benneville Pines and explore “The Spiral of Resilience & Renewal”!
These challenging times have taught us the importance of being present to and honoring all of our experiences, our feelings and bodies. This experiential keynote will create a space to ground together and process whatever is present through our bodies so that we can effectively channel our energy into what is needed and what is ours to do.
Participants will engage in a four-part spiral design of experiential processes and practices from the Work that Reconnects, developed by Joanna Macy, now including an equity lens, that will: ground us in Gratitude, while Honoring our Pain for the World, exploring what is possible in this moment by Seeing with New/Ancient Eyes, and Going Forth with resilience and love.
Organizers are still working on the final schedule for this weekend virtual retreat. There will be a wide range of online workshops throughout the weekend, including performances by Emma’s Revolution and Karen Hart. And…as we did at our in-camp retreats, join us on Thursday evening for a pre-retreat get-together hosted by Lonna Leghart. Come connect with friends (old and new), play some games and have some laughs! Click here to see the “work in progress” schedule. Final schedule will be email to all registrants by no later than Tuesday, April 27th.
This retreat is for women 18 years of age and older. Young women, 17 and younger, are invited but must have parent/legal guardian consent.
In the spirit of welcoming all, we are offering a sliding scale registration fee based on your assessment of your ability to pay. We have established a base cost of $60 per person as our registration fee and attendees determine what amount they can comfortably contribute. Those who pay at the highest levels are making a donation to help those in financial need for this event. Please remember that for a sliding scale to work, we need the same number of people with means to generously pay more to balance the needs of those who can afford less. (This is one way we try to build the Beloved Community!) See below for details.
This retreat would be a terrific Mother’s Day gift to an important woman in your life or just a way of saying “I support you being the best you can be.” So, grab a friend, family member, or sister-in-spirit and register for this retreat. It’s going to be an awesome weekend!
Previous joyful Women’s Retreat at Camp de Benneville Pines.
RE News:
A Skateboarding Ministry for UUSM Youth
NEWS FROM CHILDREN & YOUTH RE
Children and Youth RE has exciting news to share. Our DRE, Cleo Anderson, has secured a grant from UUA to provide an innovative skateboard ministry.
Last year, the pandemic completely restricted the usual in-person events and occasions we cherish that bring our community together. C&Y RE has worked hard to offer our children and families creative and educational alternatives through Zoom and other platforms.
An exciting new Skateboard Project will bring together the long history of our area (Venice Beach and Santa Monica) as the birthplace of extreme skateboarding and our beliefs as Unitarian Universalists. Still known as “Dogtown” to locals, the West LA beach area become the focal point of West Coast Skateboard Culture beginning in the 1970s. “In this place”, it has been said, “a ragtag group of young surfers overcame all odds and rose to stardom, changing skateboarding culture forever.” We are proud of this history and see it as a pathway for opening discussion with our youth.
Using skateboarding as our “vehicle”, we will learn about how the cultures of skateboarding and religion compare, contrast, and intersect. We will also discuss how to discover and express individuality, and how to “make a culture your own” through the creation of actual skateboards and the choosing of the decoration of the deck or board.
We expect that this project will stimulate discussion with our youth about how people grow and change and how that can be reflected in both the decoration of our skateboards and our religious practice as Unitarian Universalists.
More details will be coming soon.
Personal and Spiritual Exploration for Adults, April 2021
Learning and exploration are about the transformation of the individual, our community, and the larger society. Participation helps us grow in wisdom, compassion, and ethical living. See below for our April activities, programs, and workshops for adults.
To contact the facilitator in regard to any offering, you may email AdultRE@UUSM.org with the title of the group in the subject line. Your email will be forwarded. Please note that currently, all offerings are facilitated through Zoom. Contact Teri Lucas for more information and the link to the Zoom meeting.
Do you have a passion or an expertise? Are you a chef or a gardener, a historian or an actor? Would you like to offer some help, support, or some frivolity to our UU community via Zoom? We’re seeking programming that is fun, informative, and engaging. Please let us know if there’s something you’d like to offer and the Adult RE Committee will help you to do it. Email the Adult RE Committee (AdultRE@UUSM.org) or Teri Lucas (uusmREassist@uusm.org) and we can work with you on presenting your ideas.
Special Offering for April:
Parenting your Challenging Child/Teen: Building Resilience Wednesdays April 7, 14, 21
Parenting can be a challenging experience for all of us. It requires us to be patient, empathetic, and resilient, especially when conflicts arise. Join us in a discussion about these challenges in a safe and supportive space. We will share tools and strategies for dealing with the inevitable conflicts that arise in parenting. The group will be carefully facilitated and guided by a highly experienced clinical social worker who, herself, has dealt with many of these challenges. Resa has been a psychotherapist with Kaiser Permanente for 40 years. This group will meet from 6:00 – 7:30 pm. Contact Resa Foreman.
Community Building Through Personal Development:
Nature Journaling – Sunday, April 18
Come and join us in observing, learning about, and enjoying nature. Whether you are spending some time outdoors or not stepping out your front door at all, you can still enjoy and appreciate nature. You are welcome to join even if you have no knowledge of nature, botany, drawing, or writing. Spring has arrived and flowers are everywhere. We will spend this session learning about, thinking about, and observing flowers. Flowers have tremendous diversity and are fascinating to look at closely. We will do a little botany, some drawing, and some writing. You are very welcome to join even if you have no knowledge of flowers, drawing, or writing. The nature journaling group has been meeting monthly to contemplate, write about, and draw various aspects of nature. It is a way to slow down and come to a deeper appreciation of the world around us. No knowledge, skill, or experience is necessary and new participants are always welcome. People who attend these groups remark that they are reminded of times in childhood when they had the time to get lost in wonder at the natural world. As adults, we rarely give ourselves that permission. We will meet from 2:30 – 4:00 pm. Contact: Dorothy Steinicke.
Ukulele Strum and Sing Along Saturday, April 24
Come and play ukulele with us or join with another strumming instrument. We recommend a familiarity with the ukulele for this online format but all levels are welcome (beginner to advanced). Bring a ukulele to our Zoom meeting and chords and lyrics will be provided in advance with a few folks prepared to lead some songs. We will share tips and support each other, pulling from a wide range of music. We will need your email contact information by April 23rd, so that we can send you the music ahead of time. This event is for ages 15 and up, or 10 and up if accompanied by a guardian. We will gather from 9:30 – 10:45 am. Contact: Kim Kalmanson.
Exploration of Ideas:
Science Non-Fiction Book Discussion Tuesday, April 20
We will discuss “Why We Sleep: Unlocking the Power of Sleep and Dreams,” by Matthew Walker. The important role of sleep is increasingly seen to ward off Alzheimer’s and COVID-19. What happens when we sleep? That is becoming more possible to determine as technology advances. All are welcome. We meet from 7:30 – 9:00 pm. Contact: Rebecca Crawford, sci-nonfiction@uusm.org.
UU Men’s Group Thursdays, April 1 and 15
The Men’s Group offers a special opportunity to the men of the congregation and other like-minded men to join our welcoming group in provocative and stimulating discussion and to get to know others with UU perspectives in a more meaningful way. The topic for Thursday, April 1 is: “Try to sum up in a few sentences what it was like for you growing up as a boy (i.e., the years preceding high school). What is one fond and one negative memory that especially stands out in your mind? In what ways has your recollection of your boyhood shaped your adult life?” The topic for Thursday, April 15 is: “An old philosophy of education was summed up by the phrase ‘a sound mind in a sound body.’ Did anything you learned about physical education in high school or college lead you to an exercise regimen and goals for your physical conditioning as an adult?” We meet the first and third Thursdays of the month at 7:30 pm via Zoom. For more information, contact Jim Rheinwald.
Meditations:
Open Meditation Mondays, April 12, 26
We gather twice a month to sit together quietly for 20 minutes, to walk with gentle awareness for seven minutes, and to explore the integration of meditation with ordinary life through reading and sharing. Anyone who senses they would benefit from 20 minutes of silent, non-guided sitting is welcome to join us. We have found that this time of quiet meditation and shared exploration can be deeply nourishing – a time of simply “being” amidst all the “doing” of our lives. We meet from 7:30 – 9:00 pm. Contacts: Bev Shoenberger or Carol Ring.
Open Meditation: Wellsprings All Wednesdays and Fridays
These are exceptional times. Taking this time for quiet meditation and sharing in the intimacy of having sat in silence together can help sustain and ground us during these difficult days. We trust each of you will use this group in the way that fits your needs. We listen to brief readings, sit together quietly for twenty minutes, journal, and share with each other what’s on our hearts. We simply sit together in our shared humanity. We call off the struggle to become other than we are. These are drop-in groups. You are welcome to join us when it feels right to you. If you come in late or need to leave early, just do so quietly. We meet every Wednesday and Friday afternoon from 12:00 noon – 1:00 pm online. Contact: Bev Shoenberger.
UU Santa Monica Youth RE Family Movie Night (Middle School Edition)
Holding online activities can be a bit of a challenge, but the RE Movie night on Saturday, February 27, was a blast! Between delicious pizza, a great movie, and talking to friends, the event was a complete mood lifter and a great time.
A big thanks to the RE parents for hosting and to UU Santa Monica for providing food for the event, as well as creating a fun and positive environment! This is the second movie night RE has done for the Middle Schoolers! The first one was in January.
One of the best parts would probably be talking to friends because everyone is so nice and enjoying the movie along with you. The live group watch has a chat feature that allows you to make fun comments or reactions. This makes things so much more fun because it makes it feel like a group thing and you can make jokes and socialize. It was so awesome too because when I joined it seemed like everyone was so happy to see me. I loved spending time with everyone.
Another great part of it was the food because, well, for one thing, it made it feel more normal, like I went to the movies with my friends or that I was in a real-life movie night, and for another, food just makes everything better! It was a great addition to the event and a very delicious addition as well!
Lastly, watching the movie was definitely one of the best parts. ParaNorman is a very exciting, somewhat spooky, lighthearted film. It was one of the best choices for a family movie night. It was funny, which kept the reactions in chat alive and had a good storyline, which kept me pretty interested.
I am very grateful to have been able to participate in this awesome and entertaining event, and I am super excited for the next one!!
— Delaney Hutchinson
Leadership Training with Kikanza Nuri-Robins
APRIL 28, MAY 4, AND/OR MAY 12
We cordially invite you to cultivate and refine what you already naturally have – the qualities of leadership.
The jazz ensemble takes the stage, acknowledging each other as talented equals in their musical endeavor. With a sequenced finger snap, they burst into the theme together, working from a book of famous standards. Riding along with the collective energy, each soloist then takes turns leading with their improvised interpretation of the melody, all with respect to the dance of set chord changes in a carefully measured number of bars. It’s a part of the plan to have no artistic planning. Everyone supports each other’s fresh interpretation, keeping the pulsing rhythm. Improvisation is both a risk and a thrill, as each musician hopes to inspire and delight both their band mates and their audience. Finally they all flow back into the melodic theme together for a rousing and impressive finish. There isn’t just one star of the show in jazz. It’s a star team.
What is true of jazz, is often true for the leadership of a modern organization. We do not desire or require a top down hierarchy. We cannot abide by imposed rules, micromanagement, and the tragic crimp on creativity that had masqueraded as leadership. Today’s leaders are masters of trusting collaboration, brilliant improvisation, shared leadership, and personal humility.
It’s about relationships.
We joyously announce that Kikanza Nuri-Robins will be offering “Leadership Training,” a set of three classes starting on Wednesday, April 28 that will help the participants develop their natural innate skills at leadership. The three classes will be stand-alone, so you may attend all groups or just a couple. Even if you feel inadequate, remember that many great leaders had their quirky and awkward starts. This will be far more than just an academic learning experience. Rather, it will be a self-discovery and understanding of one’s own qualities and perspectives when working with teams.
If no one is following, you are not leading.
There are many qualities we can cultivate to become brilliant leaders. But we are not alone in any leadership endeavor. We become stronger leaders when we work together, knowing that the outcome of our collective efforts far outweighs the sum of what we can do alone. And most important, we need one another, sharing special insights, talents, and unique gifts. A leadership role is an enriching invitation to collaborate with others who will teach, inspire, and delight.
Communicate your vision in language that people will understand.
Our world is full of surprises and challenges, many of which are pressing. Sometimes we feel compelled to take a stand and address them, and sometimes we are thrown headlong into a leadership role, ready or not. Leadership training helps us to get in touch with who we are in relationship with others whom we work with, in order to affect positive changes. Together we can make a more impactful difference, changing our world according to the group’s agreed upon and shared vision.
If you feel ready to meet the lively challenge, contact Teri Lucas at UUSMREAssist@gmail.com, and she will add you to the participant list. The Zoom link will be forwarded to you a few days before the meeting.
Details:
Three unique, stand-alone Zoom classes from 7-8:30 pm:
- Wednesday: April 28
- Tuesday: May 4
- Wednesday: May 12
Facilitator: Kikanza Nuri-Robins
Music News:
Celebrate Earth Day 2021 with UUSM
TAKE ACTION ON CLIMATE CHANGE
Happy Earth Day! We’re all on this spinning blue planet together, and it will take all of us to make a difference. Take part in UUSM’s Earth Day celebrations and learn how you can help.
On Friday, April 23, 2021, from 7:30 to 8:30 pm, join the UUSM choir for an evening of music, readings, and reflections about the Earth in a free concert, “Rising Green.” The concert will stream live on our Facebook page and YouTube Channel. Want to support our wonderful choir? Any donations will be appreciated. There are three ways to give: text, website, or mail a check and use the code OTR. Using your smartphone, text 844-982-0209 with the donation amount and the code OTR for where the funds will be posted; for example, “$20 OTR.”
On Sunday, April 25, the Rev. Jeremiah Kalendae , along with Worship Associate Alison Kendall, will discuss how we face the future and the challenges of addressing the Climate Crisis during our Sunday service. “Earth Sunday: A Spring for Change” will stream at 10:00 am on Facebook and YouTube.
Climate change didn’t start overnight, and it won’t end overnight. If you want to learn more about how you can reduce greenhouse gas emissions, build community resilience, and promote climate justice, sign up for the Drawdown Ecochallenge. UUs across the country are taking actions to protect our shared future. Use this link to start your path to greener future and join UUs across North America in a collective commitment. The results will be reported at General Assembly in June.
Want to do more? Refresh your commitment to a greener future throughout the year by checking in with the UUSM Green Committee. The next meeting is Sunday, May 2, 2021. RSVP to greenchair@uusm.org for the Zoom link.