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Newsletter for August, 2022

Month: 
Aug 2022
News & Announcements: 

August 2022 Theme: Ambiguity 

 
This month our theme is Ambiguity, which may feel like the opposite of certainty. The words we use and the way we gather them into sentences can clarify our meaning or create communication problems; cultural context or nonverbal cues might have a role in making things better or worse. Anxiety, confusion, distrust, or anger may arise in someone faced with not having enough information but needing to take action or make a decision. It takes practice to learn to deal with ambiguity: considering options, learning to act without knowing all the details, taking some risks, communicating, and embracing change. Kazuya Akagi writes, “With risk, a decision has clear-cut goals and the outcomes are left to chance. With ambiguity, the problem to be solved is not even known.” That sounds like life during a worldwide pandemic. So let’s lean into our community and explore Ambiguity in worship, small group discussion, and personal reflection this month.
 

August Generous Congregation Recipient: Didi Hirsch Mental Health Services

 
Our practice here at UUSM is to dedicate half of our non-pledge Sunday Offering 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. This month, half of our Sunday Offering will go to Didi Hirsch Mental Health Services. This local nonprofit has been serving those most in need and least able to pay for more than 75 years. They provide high-quality mental health, substance use, and suicide prevention services to children, teens, and adults throughout Los Angeles. The new Dial 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline just went nationwide; Didi Hirsch is part of this national program and offers bilingual (English/Spanish) counseling 24/7 and 365 days a year.
 
Thank you for your generous support of our beloved community and Didi Hirsch Mental Health Services. To give $10 right now, text “$10 GCC” (or another amount) to 844-982-0209. (One-time-only credit card registration required.) Or visit uusm.org/make-a-donation.
 

Register for Our Sept. 16-18 Camp de Benneville Pines Weekend
THE MOUNTAINS ARE CALLING

 
 
 
Registration is still open!
 
UU Santa Monica Church Camp Weekend at de Benneville Pines
 
Friday to Sunday, September 16 to 18
 
The annual weekend retreat is coming up really soon, when we venture to the beautiful Angeles National Forest and refresh our spirits and nurture our community at our rustic retreat in the mountains.
 
Camp de Benneville Pines is shared by the UU congregations in Southern California and Arizona where weekends for art, music, yoga, and ideas happen, as well as programs for elementary, middle school, and high school kids take place. It’s just 100 miles from the corner of 18th and Arizona, and we’re gathering there the weekend of September 16th to 18th, beginning with dinner on Friday.
 
Families and adults of all ages will get together to enjoy a weekend of music, hiking, worship, puzzles, games, art, workshops, and UU conversation and community. All while just being in the spaciousness of the trees and sky.
 
If you have not been to Camp, ask around; probably the first person you ask will share a story. And take a look at the article and photos of our weekend last Fall.
 
Look for the de Benneville Pines poster on Sundays in the Courtyard and talk to planning committee members in person. You can sign up then and there, or you can register online here. And we hope you will. Note the “Comments” section at the end of the registration form: please tell us about any special circumstances. We want to hear from you! 
 
We’ll certainly accept checks mailed to the office (Memo: de Benneville). But if you’re paying for your camp registration with a credit card, please make sure to add 3.5% to your payment; otherwise, the church ends up paying your credit card fee.
 
Proof of COVID vaccination will still be required for all participants.  
 
We collaborate to create the weekend’s activities ourselves — and encourage carpooling. We can also help people financially, so everybody who wants to go to Camp can go to Camp; if you need help, please talk to us.
 
Questions, concerns, program ideas and offers: email us at debenneville@uusm.org. 
 
The mountains are calling. Let’s go together!
 
— Amy, Karl, Sunni, Judith, Chela, Larry, Greg, Linda, Joyce
 
 
 
Building News: 

August Update on the Arizona Lobby Repair Project
WORK HAS BEGUN BEHIND THE GREEN FENCE

 
A new foundation, new flooring, new doors, and new energy-efficient windows are planned for the Arizona Avenue Lobby, which serves as an entryway to Forbes Hall as well as to our classrooms upstairs. It’s been a complicated process to get from a list of the needed repairs to having the architect, the design, the contractor, the building permit, and the actual materials to allow this work to begin.
 
Demolition and removal of old materials has begun. The 1961 walls and windows were removed first. Then, demolition and jackhammering out the concrete. The demolition will followed soon by digging the footings. Once complete, the soil engineer will verify the work prior to city inspection. Then the contractor can set begin creating our new entryway.
 
Throughout this construction project, the Lobby area, including the bathrooms on the 1st and 2nd floors, will be blocked and inaccessible. The only bathrooms available are two in the Cottage and one in the Sanctuary Lobby. We are sorry for the temporary inconvenience caused by the construction and we appreciate everyone’s understanding.
 
Interested in how the project got this far? The Forbes Hall entrance on Arizona Avenue has been in need of repair for a long time. Problems started back in 2007 when Forbes Hall was renovated. The ground had been shifting and as a result — cracks developed in the floor; eventually, the Arizona entrance doors did not work properly.
 
A group began to work on how to proceed, reporting regularly to to Board of Directors. They invited us to participate in an important Town Hall meeting in May 2021; at the next month’s Annual Congregational Meeting, we voted to authorize this project and to fund it. And the working group continued its Herculean task. This June, Abby Arnold refreshed our memories of why this project is necessary and showed us two of the blueprints; take a look here.
 
The new photos below, taken the first week of August, show that, at last, this project is really happening, friends!
 
 
 
 
 
Faith in Action News: 

UUSM the Vote 2022 August Update – Meeting Aug 7 @ 9:30 am
JOIN US AUGUST 7 AT 9:30 AM

It is SO exciting to see us banding together to make a difference in the FL primaries! I want to share a numbers update and a note. But first…
 
Will we see you Sunday, 8/7 at 9:30? We’ll be celebrating our work together and scheming our next actions as the UU the Vote Team! Lemme know so I can ply you with bagels! Send an email to uuthevote@uusm.org
 
Have You Completed Your Cards? Read on!
 
  • If you’ve already sent your postcards, that’s great. If you haven’t, you can mail anytime between now and Monday!
  • Please make sure you mail no later than 8/8/22 so they land in time
  • Did you mark your addresses complete? Scan the QR code on your sheet of names to let Reclaim Our Vote know you’ve sent postcards to those people.
  • If you want to help CRUSH our goal of 1,500 postcards mailed, we have just a few pages of 20 names unassigned.
  • Take a look the PDF below to see the difference that postcarding makes, from our friends at the Center for Common Ground’s Reclaim Our Vote project!
 
Together we have already committed to 1,380 postcards to St. Lucie County, FL voters. THAT IS SO RAD!!! With our UU friends and others, we will have actually reached out to over half of the infrequent voter electorate in that county. YOU ARE MAKING A DIFFERENCE!
 
Upcoming National Action Huddle: Join the UU the Vote “Power to the People Volunteer Action Huddle” on Sunday, August 28, 4pm ET/3pm CT/2pm MT/1pm PT. This is a national multi-issue volunteer event where you will have the opportunity to find a volunteer role or join a team to help bring our values to the 2022 elections and beyond.
 
 
 
About UUSM UU the Vote:
We are the UUSM contingent of the “UU the Vote” – an initiative of the Unitarian Universalist Association (info at www.uuthevote.org) We are working together to address participation in our democracy in a values-driven nonpartisan way.
 
We are working to pass pro-democracy bills, take action to support voting and combat voter suppression, and work towards the elimination of barriers to building political power in marginalized communities.
 
This is a plug-and-play program. We’re providing the organizing muscle: the opportunities, the lists, the materials, even the stamps for postcard writing!
 
Overall Priorities:
Generally speaking, we are mobilizing to promote democratic participation. Especially in Arizona, Georgia, Pennsylvania, Michigan, Texas, Wisconsin, and Florida. We are also responding to specific requests to support the For the People Act, John Lewis Voting Rights Act, and DC Statehood.
 
Dollars and Cents:
There is no cost to participate in this program! We are accepting donations to cover postage, materials, and organizing efforts. Make checks payable to Unitarian Universalist Community Church of Santa Monica and put UU the Vote in the memo line. You can also drop cash in a donation box at our Sunday table, and you can go online to uusm.org/make-a-donation, click on the Make A Donation Now button, and enter an amount in the OTHER line, noting UU the Vote.
 
Save the Date:
 
  • UUSM UU the Vote Team Planning Meeting: August 7 – 9:30 am
  • UUSM UU the Vote Team Planning Meeting: September 4 – 9:30 am
  • National Voter Registration Day: September 20
  • UUSM UU the Vote Team Update Meeting: October 2 – 9:30 am
  • UUSM UU the Vote Team Update Meeting: November 6 – 9:30 am
  • National UU the Vote Day of Action: November 7
  • Post Election Day Huddle: Wednesday, November 9
  • UUSM UU the Vote Team Celebration: November 13 – 9:30 am
 
For More Info:
 
  • Join the UU the Vote Organizing Team or get letter writing materials – Jacki Weber (uuthevote@uusm.org)
  • Host a Postcard Party – Judith Martin-Straw
  • Pick up materials in your area:
    • Santa Monica – JackI Weber
    • Culver City – Judith Martin-Straw

 

What Are Beloved Conversations?
INTERSECTIONAL ANTI-RACISM AND ANTI-OPPRESSION

 
 
Hello UUSM Folks,
 
Would you consider prioritizing your schedule to partake in Beloved Conversations, the excellent anti-racism classes offered by the UU seminary Meadville Lombard for congregations around the country? The next class starts September 12th (register by August 26th), and another class is offered in the Spring of 2023. For those who haven’t yet taken any classes in this series, we want to encourage as many people as possible to make it a crucial priority so that we can grow and diversify our faith and our own congregation. 
 
Culturally, Unitarian Universalism has traditionally been very white and has struggled to diversify. If we believe in our 7 Principles and liberal values as a faith tradition, we have to train ourselves into diverse ways of thinking and operating. Nothing will change if we don’t do the work to extract ourselves from the way we think and behave. If we imagine ourselves as fish, we don’t see the water we’re swimming in. We have to make our faith relevant to the many people who would find refuge and comfort here. This is critical work for Racial Justice. 
 
From the Beloved Conversations website about this first phase of the program, labeled Within: 
 
Within, our program’s first phase, focuses on the internal work that each of us needs to do as we engage in deeper personal understanding, explorations of race and racism, extracting our souls and spirits from white supremacy culture, and work for racial justice. This work is different for white folks and for Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC+) and is done entirely in different courses: Gathering Our Selves for BIPOC+ and Un/Learning for Liberation for white people.
 
The Within program includes individual Lessons, using videos, music, and readings, accompanied by personal reflection prompts and suggested conversations with a Critical Friend chosen by the participant; bi-weekly small group conversations in a Learning Pod; and larger, monthly, facilitated Meaning Making Sessions on Zoom.    
 
One of the objections we’ve heard relates to the amount of time required to take part in Beloved Conversations. Having taken two semesters of Within, I’d like to quell any reservations or fears.
 
  • Beloved Conversations classes are geared towards a multitude of learning styles. It’s one of its strengths as a program. We are offered readings, poems, music, art ideas, journaling prompts, and YouTube videos — as well as participation with a small group of people (called a pod) who meet biweekly to go over the lessons.
  • This class also provides an outline for the pods, including chalice-lighting and reflection questions. It is very organized.
  • There will be some teachings that appeal to you and some that won’t. You don’t have to do them all. I didn’t do the parts that didn’t speak to me. However, any lessons I participated in made a difference in how I expanded my thinking to extract myself from white supremacy culture.
  • The lessons are accessible online for 9 months after completion of the class, so there is time to go back and pick up what you missed. 
 
Looking ahead: After enough of our congregation participates in Within, the next step for UUSM is to hire a coach (perhaps in 2023-24) to help us come together as a congregation and do the “work” as a community to diversify our congregation. Over the last two years, more than 30 people from our congregation have participated in at least one of the sessions with UUs from across the country! I hope you’ll join us.
 
Right now: We want you to participate! Register by August 26th. There are scholarships available; for inquires, please contact our church office. For more information about joining in this important program and how to register, please click here.
 
Lastly, for those who have already taken the program “Un/Learning For Liberation for white people” for at least one semester, we invite you to join a monthly pod to further our understanding and to support one another on this truly human journey. Currently, we meet on Zoom the first Tuesday of the month from 10:00 to 11:30 am. Please contact me for details.
 
Amy Brunell
 
RE News: 

Personal and Spiritual Exploration for Adults, August 2022

 
 
 
Come, come, whoever you are!
 
Welcome to an exciting journey of questioning, challenging, and celebrating life’s mysteries and wonders. For generations, Adult Programs at UU Santa Monica has welcomed seekers, exiles, and interfaith families along with those who have grown up in our own Unitarian Universalist tradition. We are a congregation made up of people who believe in God or a higher power, people who do not, those who are content to live with the mystery, and those who are ever searching for answers to the big questions. Most of all, we are enriched by one another’s life journeys, diverse beliefs, shared progressive values and uniting UU Principles as we learn and explore together.
 
Our Purpose and Our Guide
 
At its core, the purpose of our educational ministry is to provide opportunities for people of all ages and backgrounds to deepen their spiritual lives, and to live with compassion, integrity, and joy as we nurture beloved community and work together for peace and justice in this world. Adult Programs offers classes, discussion groups, and special events on an array of topics relevant to the Six Sources and our congregation’s spiritual life. Some of these include in-depth study of theology and spirituality, discussion of science writing or Humanist ideas, opportunities to explore music, arts and crafts, or chances to connect socially for fellowship and fun. Many programs are made possible through the time and talent of our members and friends.
 
An Invitation
 
Do you have an idea for a program or event? We want to hear it. Email the Adult RE Committee (AdultRE@UUSM.org) and we can work with you on presenting your ideas.
 
 
Community Building Activities:
 
 

Soul CollageSoulCollage® is a collage art endeavor founded by art therapist Seena B. Frost, MA, MDiv, in which the participants create a personal deck of cards. The method of creating cards develops one’s creativity, encourages self-discovery, and provides personal guidance. Using the cards can help access those inner and outer resources in difficult times, access the sacred, strengthen our awareness of our dynamic lives, make decisions mindfully, and help resolve personal or interpersonal conflicts. Community is also very important to the process as we explore our group’s imagery together. People who have done this program before claim that the creation and usage of these self-crafted cards is transformative. This process is being shared across the world, in many languages, and enjoyed by people of all ages, genders, and cultures. Bring your curiosity, your wonder, your wisdom, your imagination and a beginner’s mind to this introductory workshop. This workshop is led by Adrienne Sumpter, who is a trained facilitator for SoulCollage®. We will meet in person in the cottage from 1:00 – 3:00 pm on the second Saturday of the month. If you are new to the process, we ask that you come 15 minutes ahead of schedule. Please note that there is a 10-person maximum for groups held in the cottage, so please sign up asap. All participants need to send proof of vaccination to the office, and people need to stay masked at all times. Please contact: AdultRE@uusm.org
 
Nature Journaling – Leaves  Sunday, August 28

We will devote this session of nature journaling to leaves. Participants are requested to come to the on-line session with a variety of leaves to observe and journal on. Having colored pencils and a magnifying glass may enhance the experience but are not required. We’ll take the time to take a close look and record our observations by writing and drawing. Do have a pencil and eraser ready! No level of drawing ability required. A lifelong lover of the outdoors, Dorothy Steinicke has spent years encouraging people to experience the natural world. She leads hikes for children and for adults in Topanga Canyon, Ballona Wetlands, and Dockweiller State Beach. We will meet from 2:30 – 4:00 pm. To reach Dorothy for the Zoom link, contact AdultRE@uusm.org.
 
 
Exploration of Ideas:
 
 
Science Non-Fiction Book Group Tuesday, August 16
 
 
We will discuss “Artificial Intelligence: A Guide for Thinking Humans,” by Melanie Mitchell. A computer scientist looks at how intelligent AI is – or isn’t. what goes into successful AI and when is it likely to surpass humans? To receive the link, you will want to be on the group email list. Contact Rebecca Crawford for this month’s book read, sci-nonfiction@uusm.org. We meet from 7:30 – 9:00 pm. All are welcome.
 
 
 
UU Men’s Group Thursday August 4, Saturday August 20
 
The Men’s Discussion Group provides a special opportunity to the men of the congregation and other like-minded men to join in thoughtful and stimulating discussion and meet others with UU perspectives. We will hold the first meeting of August via Zoom on Thursday the 4th at 7:30 pm and our second meeting of August on Saturday the 20th at 1:30 pm under the outdoor pavilion on the grounds of UUSM. The discussion topics will be:
 
  • 8/4/22 (Thursday evening via Zoom): Most of us are old enough to remember that playing card games with friends was a common social activity of our parents. Did your parents or did you play any card games socially? With whom did you play and what was especially enjoyable about the experience? What element of the game is most interesting to you?
  • 8/20/22 (Saturday afternoon in person): What makes/made you most successful at your work? What about your nature impedes/impeded you most? Did you develop a strategy to help you overcome it?

To request more information or to join us, please ask the church office for information about how to contact Jim Rheinwald or Richard Mathias through the Adult RE Committee email, AdultRE@UUSM.org.

 
Meditations:
 
 
Open Meditation  Mondays, August 8, 22, 29
 
Meditating on waterWe gather and listen to brief readings, sit together quietly for twenty minutes, journal, and share with each other what’s on our hearts. We explore the integration of meditation with ordinary life through reading and sharing. This is a non-guided, quiet meditation that may be deeply nourishing. A time to simply “be” amidst all the “doing,” calling off the struggle to become other than we are. We meet every 2nd, 4th, and, if possible, 5th Monday evening, from 7:30 – 9:00 pm. Contact Bev Shoenberger through meditation@uusm.org
 
Open Meditation: Wellsprings  All Wednesdays and Fridays
 
Taking time for quiet meditation and sharing the intimacy of sitting 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 through meditation@uusm.org.