Newsletter for July, 2018
Featured Articles:
Summer at UUSM
Like many churches, UUSM scales down its program during the summer months. Our minister, the Reverend Greg Ward, is away until September.
- There will be one worship service each Sunday morning at 10 am, led by our Worship Associates team members. To contact them, please write to worshipassociates@uusm.org.
- Religious exploration classes for children will be held during each Sunday service all summer. The theme is “You Can Do It Too!” and will feature adult congregants sharing their skills and hobbies with the children each week.
- Heart and Soul worship services will be held the second Sunday of each month at 5 pm in the sanctuary.
- The choir will be on vacation through the summer, with Director of Music Zanaida Robles leading most services, with accompanist Ryan Humphrey. We will feature guest musicians from among our members and friends.
- We will continue to hold Second Sunday Suppers in July and August. Please join us for fellowship at these communal meals.
- If you are in need of pastoral care, please contact (pastoralcare@uusm.org). This will go to a team of people who work with the Pastoral Associates, the Care Ring Team, and the Board. They will arrange for a minister if a for rite of passage is needed.
- To reach the church community, contact our Church Administrator, Nurit Gordon (admin@uusm.org). She will consult with our Communications Team as appropriate. She will also determine how, when, where, and if an announcement can be made on one of UUSM’s communication vehicles (newsletter, website, e-blast, flyer, bulletin board, or worship announcement).The church office will be closed on Mondays, and it closes each Friday at 1 pm.
For many years, UUSM’s pledge commitments were made for a calendar year, from January to December. Meanwhile, our budget was prepared for a fiscal year, July to through June of the following year. As a result, our pledge income for six months of each year was an estimate, as we did not have actual pledge commitments for that time period. This resulted in involved and inexact budget planning.
At the May Board meeting (in consultation with Rev. Greg, the Treasurer, and Stewardship Team), the Board voted in favor of making the shift and aligning our pledging with the fiscal year of July to through June of the following year, like most UU churches.
How does this affect us all and our pledging?
• Any increases made to your 2018 calendar pledge year to 2018-2019 fiscal year pledge will start on July 2018 and last until through June 2019. We thank everyone who made increases or paid their 2018-19 pledge in full.
• If you pay your pledge on a monthly, weekly, or quarterly schedule (and you pay by check or with automatic credit card or checking account deduction) your increase will take effect July 2018. If you already scheduled the change to start earlier, many thanks for that!
• If you pay your pledge annually, once a year, you will need to fulfill your pledge by June 2019. When we used the calendar year basis, you could pay your pledge by the end of December each year. With this change, you will need to pay it by June of each year.
Happy new fiscal year and thank you for helping make UUSM’s financial planning more dependable and successful for us all! If you have any questions about the payment of your pledge, please contact Nurit Gordon at admin@uusm.org 310-829-5436 (310) 829-5436 ext. 100. For questions regarding the change in pledging, please contact Kit Shaw
Can you help our church prosper and grow?
The Stewardship Team is looking for new members! Join us to create upcoming pledge campaigns – and work to help members become more connected and committed to UUSM.
We would love to talk to anyone who is interested or has questions.
Thank you,
The Stewardship Team
Kit Shaw
Gretchen Goetz
Cindy Kelly
Kim Miller
Katie Malich
John Sussman, new Stewardship Team member
and Rev. Greg
Deep gratitude to members and friends who have made contributions to the recent (and ongoing) “Take a Step in the Right Direction” Sustainability Drive (as of June 12, 2018)
Thank you for increasing your 2018-19 pledge:
Tom Ahern
Marjorie Anderson
Barbara and Kim Andres
Bettye Barclay
Deidre Beckett
Sandra Beebe
Harvey and Sheila Bjornlie
Cedar Boschan
Ed Brand and Leslie Beauvais
Helen Brown
Joanne Brownlie
Beth Brownlie and Bryan Oakes
Bryan and Lisa Cahill
Melissa Campbell
Judy Carr and Max Epstein
Jennifer and Peter Chen
Cassandra Christensen
Cynthia Cottam and Tom Early
Rebecca Crawford
Lois D’Asaro
Jason and Jessica De Vita
Janine Venable deZarn
Deidre Dietel
Ian Dodd and Margot Page
Elizabeth and Soren Eilerston
Michael Eselun
Melinda Ewen
Olga Felton
Dwight Flowers
Resa Foreman
Liz Fuller and Dan Kegel
Stephen Gabroski
Wendi Gladstone
Pat Gomez
Elaine Gordon
Alice Hall
Christine and Joseph Hardin
Denise Helton
Leon Henderson and Nicole MacLennan
Emily Hero
Lois and Brad Hutchinson
Tom Kafka and Anne Hanson
Kim Kalmanson
Cindy Kelly
Carl and Ann Levken
Ellen Levy and Bob Dietz
Katie Malich
Richard and Patricia Mathias
Sabina Mayo-Smith
Kim Miller
Diane Monteith
Francine and Stu Moore
Sherman Neusom
Susana Nierlich
Kikanza Nuri-Robins
Colleen O’Mara Diamond
Christine Ong
Vilma Ortiz
Hayley Paddock
Karen Patch and Allee Harati
Rev. Ernie Pipes
John and Deanna Rengstorff
Norm Richey and Beverly Shoenberger
Carol Ring
Sarah Robson
Scott Roewe
Gerald Saldo
Robbert Schalenkamp and Jay Roberts
Jodi and Jim Shannahan
Cheryl Sims and Mark Berlin
Rima Snyder and Norb Gallery
Diana Spears
Dorothy Steinicke
Pam and Rick Teplitz
Francis Tibbits
Rev. Greg Ward
Jacki Weber and Lorenzo Pelayo
Steve White and Sue Stoyanoff
Cassandra Winters
Joanna Woods-Marsden
Patricia and Ned Wright
Michael Young
Stephen and Sylvia Young
With appreciation for your commitment to contributions to the new Sustainability Fund:
Farrokh and Garland Allen
Bettye Barclay
Steven DePaul and Beth Rendeiro
Nina Emerson
Barbara Gibbs
Gretchen and David Goetz
Robert and Cynthia Kelly
Robert and Phyllis Kory
Eileen and Michael McCormack
Kim Miller
Kit Shaw
John Sussman
Kay Ward
Rev. Greg Ward
Jacki Weber
James Witker
John Zinner
If you have not increased your pledge or contributed to the Sustainability Fund and would like to, please visit: https://archive.uusm.org/make-a-donation.
Gratefully,
The UUSM Board and the Stewardship Team
News & Announcements:
UUSM members marched at the Los Angeles Pride Parade on June 10 in West Hollywood. Photo by Janet Goodwin.
The August 2018 issue of the UUSM Newsletter will be published on July 30. Deadline for that issue is Sunday, July 15 at noon. Please submit announcements to office@uusm.org. Submit articles to newsletter@uusm.org.
UUSM Church Camp September 14-16
Come for a Summer September Weekend in the Mountains and share in church community. Enjoy fellowship and food, games and music, hiking, meditation, yoga, workshops and relaxed conversation amidst the great pines, firs, and oaks– all while breathing clean air at 7000 feet. Church camp is located just beyond Angeles Oaks on Highway 38. Arrive Friday afternoon or evening, locate your cabin, relax and check out the schedule of weekend activities. On Saturday, attend workshops, hike, play cards or games, swim, or just hang out with friends. Sing-along during the cocktail hour or at the talent show after supper. On Sunday morning, join worship service under the trees. There will be good food all weekend long and children get to play together. It’s an easy-going time for the whole family!
Sign up after services in Forbes Hall or online here.
Email Camp Registrars Karl Lisovsky or Chela Metzger for more information.
Second Sunday Supper (SSS) Hosting Schedule
“Good food, great community, and lots of conversation. It doesn’t get much better than that!” said one member about Second Sunday Supper. Since this is an important community event that many of us consider a highlight of the month, we are asking each church committee or group to participate by hosting one or more supper. The draft schedule for the next six months is in the right column.
Start talking with your chairpersons and group members about the supper you will be hosting. Think about whether you will have a theme, and who will take on which job. Ideally, at least 10 people would be involved in putting the supper together, as many hands make light work.
Host groups take care of set-up, clean-up, and bringing entrees. Typically, guests bring side dishes, salads, desserts, and drinks, and to make the event low-waste guests are encouraged to bring their own reusable tableware and cutlery.
Members of the organizing team – Alan Brunell, Beth Rendeiro, Karl Lisovsky, Kim Miller, and Linda van Ligten – are here to support you in all ways, including publicity, on the night itself, or in any other way. The draft schedule for the rest of 2018 is below. Please contact us if you have questions or need help.
Thank you all so much for bringing this gift to our beloved UU community.
If you are interested in joining the hiking group, please contact Steve Young.. UU hikers Greg Wood, Roberta Frye, Sylvia Young, Haygo Salibian, and Bill Blake next to Franklin Canyon Lake on June hike. (photo by Steve Young)
Faith in Action News:
Homeless Street Care Project
On Sunday, June 3, church members and friends (including children) came together and assembled 100 care packages for homeless people in our area. Each care package (drawstring bag) was filled with more than 25 useful and essential items, such as blankets, socks, towels, underwear, and an assortment of toiletries. To assemble the bags, people formed an assembly line and moved seamlessly to efficiently fill the bags. Afterward, a truck was loaded, and on the following Monday, the supplies were delivered to two homeless centers.
Our appreciations go to Didi Hirsch Mental Health Services and church member Cassie Winters, and to The People Concern (formerly OPCC) for accepting and distributing the bags. We also thank members, friends, and children who volunteered their time to assemble the bags. Finally, our heartfelt gratitude goes to people who contributed a monetary gift and/or who took the time to collect and bring care items for this project.
Adults and children assemble bags for our neighbors who are homeless. We are grateful that the weather was kind while we assembled them!
Church members Roberta Frye, Cathie Gentile, and Audrey Lyness traveled to Sacramento to participate as “moral witnesses” in conjunction with members of Clergy and Laity United for Economic Justice (CLUE) as part of California’s Poor People’s Campaign (PPC). The PPC is a national call for moral revival in response to the new and unsettling force distorting the narrative in our current society. Several hundred people from northern to southern California, including UUs from Orange County, San Diego and Davis, marched and sang with organizers. The Reverend Eddie Anderson from McCarty Memorial Church in Los Angeles is co-chair of California’s PPC. The National PPC is led by the Revs. Dr. William Barber and Liz Theoharis. This year marks the 50th anniversary of the original Poor People’s March on Washington, D.C. This year’s campaign began on Monday, May 14 in over 20 states and will conclude Monday, June 18. A national gathering will take place in Washington D.C. on June 23.
July 1 Craft Fair to Benefit Faith In Action
UUSM’s annual Faith in Action Benefit Craft Fair will be held on Sunday, July 1 at 11 am, after the 10 am service. Come and purchase craft items made by church members, including artwork, knitted goods, and food items to support our work for peace, liberty, and justice for all in the world community.
UU Santa Monica’s “Black Lives Matter” Banner Defaced
The banner on the outside wall facing south on Arizona Avenue was vandalized on May 30. The top portion containing the words “Black Lives Matter” had been cut off and was missing. We note that this act of vandalism occurred the night after two high-profile events:
• Starbucks closed its stores for anti-racism training, and
• Roseanne Barr’s TV show was cancelled by ABC Network after the titular star’s racist online tirade.
Although we don’t know the motive for the destructive act that brought down our banner, we do know that a great many of our sibling UU congregations have had similar banners defaced or destroyed in a shorter span of time. While we have probably fared better than the national average, we are reminded why our congregation voted overwhelmingly two years ago to make this outward display of our values permanent. We will restore the banner as soon as possible.
– James Witker
RE News:
FROM THE DIRECTOR OF RELIGIOUS EXPLORATION
Religious Education for People of All Ages
Did you know that I do not just work with children here at UUSM? I am the Director of Lifespan Religious Exploration which means that I work with adults as well.
What is it?
Exploration is a vital part of our adult lives as Unitarian Universalists. Adult Religious Exploration is about transformation – of the individual, our UUSM community, and the larger society. By learning, discovering new perspectives, and working towards deeper understanding of ourselves, one another, and our world we become part of a greater whole working for peace and justice.
Who does it?
The Director of Religious Exploration works with the Adult RE Committee. We meet every month and communicate through email. We also have facilitators that we work with and support. Meetings are held in Forbes Hall each first Friday of the month at 7 pm.
What do we do?
We seek to offer programs which demonstrate a compassionate, respectful, and insightful environment where each of us can openly and honestly explore what is true for us; where each of us is respected; where spiritual emotional and intellectual growth are stimulated and encouraged; where the process is open and democratic; where our interdependence with all life on earth is recognized and honored; and where the transforming power of love and respect is acknowledged.
Our programs and offerings represent one or more of our seven core exploration areas:
• Unitarian Universalism
• Jewish and Christian Heritage
• World Religions
• Personal and Spiritual Growth
• Spiritual Practice
• Peace and Justice
• The Interdependent Web
If you are interested in facilitating your own class or discussion group related to one or more of these core areas, please email uusmdre@gmail.com to get an application. Once filled out, the Adult Programs Subcommittee will review it and, if approved, work with you to schedule and promote your program.
Wherever your interest leads you, we welcome you and encourage you to join us in another exciting year of personal and spiritual exploration at UU Santa Monica.
– Kathleen Hogue
Summer Adult RE Offering, One-Time Workshop:
Finding Right Relationship with Your Inner Critic
Saturday, August 11, 1 pm to 4 pm. Location: to be determined. Contacts: Beverly Shoenberger and Norman Richey,
We often blame and shame ourselves in ways that we would never openly do to someone else. We can be so used to self-doubt and self-criticism that it seems like the truth, or that we deserve it. Maybe we believe that the inner critic is what keeps us “in line” and safe from being shamed by others. Maybe we think we need the critical voice to stay motivated. Maybe negativity has become familiar and “is just the way it is.”
In this introduction, we will be looking directly at our Inner Critic and learning to discriminate it from our deepest inner truth. Taking this workshop could be a first step in turning these judgmental voices into allies.
Imagine the light that could come into our community and the world, if we could live more fully, without being held back by self-criticism or self-doubt.
Summer Adult RE Offering, One-Time Workshop: Emergence, a Creative Universe, and You
Tuesday, July 24, 7 pm to 9 pm. Location: to be determined.
Contact: James Witker
(Please note: this presentation and discussion is adapted from an AAHS Freethinker Forum held in April, and offered again by request.)
(Please note: this presentation and discussion is adapted from an AAHS Freethinker Forum held in April, and offered again by request.)
EMERGENCE (Emergent Properties) is a cross-disciplinary idea in science, philosophy, and art dealing with complex systems arising from -- and having properties not merely defined by -- their simpler component parts. Some examples include snowflakes, fractals, galaxies, and life itself.
Whether by blind chance, the whims of quantum spacetime, the Multiverse, or something more deeply mysterious about the nature of Reality, we live in a universe whose internal dynamics are geared toward the development of complex structures -- otherwise we wouldn’t be here at all! Mathematical Cosmologist Brian Swimme says: “This is the greatest discovery of the scientific enterprise: You take hydrogen gas, and you leave it alone, and it turns into rosebushes, giraffes, and humans.” (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emergence)
Where does God fit in? For most of human history, people have seen a divine hand or some kind of animating intelligence behind the workings of our world and its creative properties. But the steady march of science has revealed a universe obedient to fixed natural laws and chaotically governed by chance. These days, most atheists will say that there is no reliable evidence for anything in or beyond the cosmos that can be called “God.” Meanwhile, newer movements in religion and spirituality, such as Pantheism, Panentheism and some Religious Naturalists, have sought to re-define God as something akin to nature itself, or the inherent creativity within it.
Join us for an exploration of Emergence in a humanistic frame. We will try to understand this concept better, ask some questions to get at what is still mysterious, and appreciate the awesomeness of Nature’s self-organizing dynamics.