Newsletter for March, 2014
From Our Minister:
Dear congregation,
When I saw one of you on the street last month, during our month exploring prayer, you said you thought I was brave. I asked why, and you said, “Well, because our congregation doesn’t like talking about things like that.”
As Batman said to Robin, Holy Tomato! And… Why did it take us 30 months to reach a theme that has evoked (or provoked) as much as this one? I began the count more than three years ago, when Catherine and I started this experiment in theme-based ministry. Pioneered by All Souls in Tulsa, Oklahoma, theme-based ministry is now a part of congregations all over the country, including Santa Clarita , First Church Los Angeles, and Pacific Unitarian Church in Palos Verdes.
As in the Tulsa model, we chose a three-year cycle of themes, thirty-six in all. Themes were chosen for their
richness in shared human experience (Love, Hope, Letting Go), as well as their religious depth (Forgiveness,
Evil, Covenant). Then we placed each theme within our church year, moving us from Ingathering to Day of the
Dead to Christmas Eve, and from MLK Sunday to Coming of Age to our annual meeting. When I could, I linked the themes to secular, seasonal, Jewish, and Christian calendars, so that our exploration might be deepened by an alignment with holidays such as Yom Kippur, Thanksgiving, spring equinox, and Easter. From time to time, I even managed to link the monthly Generous Congregation community offering to the themes, as when we explored Loss and sent our gifts to Our House Grief Support Center.
All this I share as grounding for where we are headed next: this month’s theme is Sacrifice, and in April, we are
tackling Salvation. I told one of you a few weeks ago about this particular lineup, and you said, point blank: “Well, can you change it?”
Can I change it? Well yes, I can change it. After all, there are many worthy themes, many more than 30, many more than 36.
But before I could change it, I would want to understand why we don’t like talking about things like that. I would wonder what is coming up for you (and for me) that is telling us to put caution tape all over these particular themes, or try to avoid them entirely.
Is it the things we carry from our religious past (or present)? Does it find its origin in the sources of our living tradition, particularly Jewish and Christian teachings or Humanist teachings? Do these themes seem irrelevant to our lives, or not worthy of religious exploration?
Is it semantics, word choice, or a language barrier? Or maybe these themes, just as they are, call forth a big YES, FINALLY in you, and you can’t wait to dive in. I don’t know yet. Maybe you don’t either. That’s okay. Because I am betting that we can figure it out together, without a change in plans. I take heart from the words of the Spanish poet Antonio Machado:
Caminante, no hay camino. Se hace el camino al andar.
Searcher, there is no road. We make the road by walking.
With you,
Rev. Rebecca
From Our President:
When I first became president, almost two years ago, I thought that perhaps the main job of my presidency would be to replace the roof. That seems so long ago. Strangely, there has been hardly a drop of water falling onto that new roof — no chance to be so happy that it doesn’t leak. If I have anything to do with that, I apologize. I can’t wait to see what will happen when we finish our current project. Maybe locusts will carry off the office staff.
We will just have to risk it, because very soon, the offices will be complete. There will be no lead paint. The sanctuary wall and the south wall will both be insulated with non-toxic material made out of old denim. The offices will be warmer in the winter, and cooler in the summer, and hopefully the sanctuary will be also.
There will be beautiful new windows, historically correct, but modern and energy efficient. There will be plywood on the outer walls and a subfloor. These are both new to our building. You won’t see them, but they provide increased structural integrity. The structural integrity of the sanctuary wall has also been improved with a series of special bolts. There will be new drywall, plaster, and paint on both office walls, since the old wall coverings had to be removed because of the damage encountered during construction. The sanctuary wall has been patched and repainted. There will be a new hardwood floor in the office, also necessitated by unexpected damage to the old.
There will be new lighting and new electrical wiring, including the wiring and connections necessary for an office in the age of the internet. New furniture will be installed, making more efficient use of space and the opportunity
for more ergonomic work stations for our staff.
By the time you read this, work will have begun on the pergola, the structure that will take the place of our ivy fence and form the southern perimeter of our property. Eventually, the pergola will enclose our memory garden.
This work has gone on behind closed curtains for the most part, but soon there will be change that you can see. Bryan Oakes and Beth Brownlie have done incredible work bringing this project forward. Beth has actually been on site almost every day. There are more details to attend to than you can even imagine. We will all benefit for years to come from their incredible generosity.
In gratitude and anticipation,
— Cynthia Cottam
Featured Articles:
Dining for Dollars 2014 Roster of Events
This is the list of the events offered for the annual fund-raising silent auction. Bidding will take place on March 16th and 23rd after the early service from 10am to 11am, and after the second service, from noon to 1pm.
Please note the money donated (paid) for the winning bids is non-refundable. Email and mailed in bids are not part of this year’s D4$ silent auction.
No. Day Date Time Event Description Host(s)
1 Sat Mar 29 7p “Duetti” A Presentation of Beloved Duets - DeReau Farrar & Choir Section
Leaders
2 Sat Apr 5 6:30p Mama Mia Singalong with Hot Dogs & Theatre Food - Patrick Meighan & Amy
Thiel
3 Sun Apr 6 7p Dinner with a Persian Accent - Faz & Lucy Elahi
4 Sat Apr 12 5:30p Hollywood Whenever- An Outdoor Barbeque at the Movies - Marsha Smith &
Laurel Bleak
5 Sun Apr 12 2p A Wee Bit o’Scotland - Katie Malich & Helen Brown
6 Sat Apr 26 6-8p Cocktail Party/Professional Bartender - Delicious Hors d’oeuvres & Canapes -
Abby Arnold
7 Sat May 3 7p Dinner at Sake House Restaurant - Sushi & other Japanese Specialities - Resa
Foreman
8 Sat May 10 6:30p Enjoying the Beatles with Gourmet Pizza - Janet Goodwin & Karl Lisovsky
9 Sat May 10 1-3p Science at the Playground for Children & their Parents - w/ STEAM educator
Jonathan Bijur. Light snacks provided.
10 Sat May 17 1p Beads & Bon Bons - Bettye Barclay
11 Sat May 17 1p 3-hour Day Sail & Light Snacks - Kenn Mengert
12 Sat May 31 10a Dean & Bob’s Fabulous Pancake Breakfast & Pancake Games - Bob Deitz &
Ellen Levy
13 Sun Jun 1 tbd Ladies Night at the Heated Pool - Julie Nyquist
14 Sat Jun 7 7p “Wandering and Wondering” Music of Faith and Life - Reception Following -
DeReau Farrar & Choir
15 Fri Jun 13 7p Mexican & Margaritas - David & Gretchen Goetz
16 Sun Jun 22 1p Bridge Buffet with a few rounds of Party Bridge, switching partners - Karl Lisovsky
& Janet Goodwin
17 Sun Jul 13 Afternoon Movie at Arclight Hollywood followed by Arclight Restaurant Dinner -
Bonnie Brae
18 Fri Jul 18 tbd Scrabble & Snacks Joanne Brownlie & Alex Michaelson
19 Sat Jul 19 6:30p Mediterranean Dinner with Food Chemistry Explanations - Rebecca Crawford
20 Sun Jul 27 11a Country Club Sunday Buffet Brunch - Mark Huberman
21 Sat Aug 2 6:30p Summer in Spain - Cynthia Cottam &Tom Early
22 Sat Sept 13 11a Brunch in the Garden with Hats - Cynthia Cottam & Farrokh Allen
23 Sun Sept 14 5p 10th Annual UUCCSM Scrabble Tournament & Alphabet Soup Dinner - Elizabeth
Fuller & Dan Kegel
24 Sat Oct 4 6p Provencal Evening (dinner) - Ken & Crystal Alexander
25 Sat Oct 11 6p Fall Harvest Celebration - Ned & Patricia Wright
26 Sat Oct 18 2p Sugar Skull Decorating - Katie Malich
27 Sat Oct 18 6:30p Epicureans Unite: 6-Course Food & Wine Pairing Dinner - Rhonda Peacock
28 Sat Oct 25 7-10p Dinner with our Unitarian Founding Fathers and Mothers - Beth Brownlie & Bryan
Oakes, Spencer, Alex & Ian
29 Sat Nov 1 7p Dia de los Muertos Celebration - Beverly Alison
30 Sun Nov 2 3-5p Snaps & Snacks - Charles & Christine Haskell
31 Sat Nov 15 12p Mexican American Lunch & Museum - Katie Malich & Peggy Kharraz
32 Sat Dec 13 4p Dinner and Marina del Rey Boat Parade - Haygo Salibian & Bill Blake
33 Sat Dec 13 6:30p Feast of the Seven Fishes - Barbara Kernochan
34 tbd tbd 6:30p Music, Dinner, Jazz at Hollywood’s Catalina Bar & Grill - Rick & Peggy Rhoads
35 tbd tbd 12-3p A “Balanced” Lunch - Barbara Gibbs
36 Sat tbd 6-9p Family Dance Party with DJ Teri Bond - Amy & Alan Brunell
37 tbd tbd 5p Famous Louisiana Crawfish Boil - Jacki Weber & Lorenzo Pelayo
38 Baked Goods - Mike Monte
39 2 deliveries of Banana Bread - Sylvia Young
40 Hand Knit item of choice with Box of Candy - Karen Patch
41 Basket of Goodies for Movie Night at Home - Wendi Gladstone
42 Exercise Program & Personal Training (2) - Kirk Attebury
43 Gift Certificate for Sunday Brunch for two at the Casablanca Restaurant - Analee Haro-Simon
44 $100 Discount on Weekend at deBenneville Pines UU Camp (2) deBenneville Pines - Janet James
45 Jam & Marmalade Basket - Katie Malich
46 2 Cream Scones & 1 jar Homemade Jam
More events are being added each day – the full and complete event roster will be available March 16.
Updates on Welcoming
The Membership Committee has been brainstorming ideas for becoming an even more welcoming community than we already are. To that end, we want to share some of the initiatives recently implemented and ask for your help with bringing them to life.
First, the ushers have graciously stepped up their excellent welcoming work by making sure every person is helped to a seat. You may have noticed the note in recent Order of Services stating that “latecomers will be seated” after the chalice lighting. This allows for the service to get underway without too much seating disruption and also allows the ushers to survey the sanctuary to determine open seats. Please join us by helping visitors find seating.
Second, an Interest and Skills survey has now become part of the Membership packet. When new members let us know how they’d like to become involved with our community, Peggy Kharraz will be contacting those of you who can help facilitate that involvement. Please be responsive to Peggy’s calls or emails, and reach out to any new members who have expressed an interest in any group you chair or organize.
Third, please WEAR YOUR NAME TAGS! We are making a concerted effort to become a community where it is easy to start a conversation with someone new. Name tags help tremendously.
Thank you for the warm welcome so many of you offer to our newest members, friends, and visitors. Please let anyone on the Membership Committee* know if you’d like to join us in our efforts to make UUCCSM a place where all who enter feel welcomed.
— Beth Rendeiro, co-chair
--- Barbara Gibbs, co-chair
*Committee members: Amy Brunell, Leonard Cachola, Liza Cranis, Wendi Gladstone, Margot Page, Rhonda Peacock, Carol Ring, Linda van Ligten
News & Announcements:
Small Group Ministry
The second year of Small Group Ministry started in February with eight different groups and a total of 77 people registered. Those of us who participated last year are looking forward to another year of sharing and listening in the special way that is possible in the small group ministry program. The groups this year are a mixture of returning
and new participants. We look forward to another good year!
— Bettye Barclay
The Small Group Ministry facilitators for 2014: Rev. Rebecca, Bettye Barclay, Pat Gomez, Laura Matthews, and Wendi Gladstone. Not present for the photo: Rhonda Peacock. Photo by Charles Haskell.
Rev. Rebecca with Ben Youcef, Muezzin, on Sunday, February 2. Ben Youcef taught our congregation about Muslim prayer practices, including a Call to Worship and an Abrahamic Blessing. Photo by Charles Haskell.
Our settled ministers #7 (Rev. Ernie Pipes, Jr., minister emeritus), #8 (Rev. Judith Meyer, minister emerita), and #9 (Rev. Rebecca Benefiel Bijur), reunited on our pulpit on January 26. Photo by Charles Haskell.
Faith in Action News:
We Shall Overcome, Today!
On Monday, January 20, members of the Peace & Social Justice Committee attended the 29th Anniversary Martin Luther King, Jr. Celebration presented by the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Westside Coalition. Afterwards we shared news and information about the activities of the Peace & Social Justice Committee from a table at the Community Involvement Fair at the SGI Culture of Peace Resource Center. The morning’s program included presentation of awards and scholarships to local students.
Gerald Rivers then took us back to the steps of the Lincoln Memorial on August 27, 1963, with a stunning rendition of Dr. King’s “I Have A Dream” speech. As the main screen projected images from that day, Mr. Rivers’ performance marked Dr. King’s cadence, voice and rhythm with eerie precision, imparting a “You Are There” experience to that momentous event.
Mr. Wilson had said that his repertoire includes 30 of Dr. King’s speeches, and in a co-performance with Charles Holt we heard samples by which the live experience, before an engaged audience, brought the intimacy of Dr. King home to us all.
Later in the program, the Westside Coalition presented its Community Light Award to Tim Robbins and The Actors’ Gang, an organization Mr. Robbins founded more than 20 years ago to engage local communities with the power and connection of live theater. By 2006 they had realized a profound need within California’s expanding prison population for the experiences of their workshops, and they shared personal stories of the effects of their work.
The program concluded with the audience crossing arms to join hands while singing “We Shall Overcome.” Mr. Rivers asked us to sing “We Shall Overcome, Today!” and the audience responded enthusiastically. The morning’s presentation was an inspiring commemoration of Dr. King’s life and activism.
Following the Benediction, many in the audience crossed the street for refreshments and information at the Community Involvement Fair. It was a chance to learn about a range of local groups active in achieving social justice. There were tables representing local Juneteenth celebrations, the Brady Bill, clean water, and various other efforts. The Peace & Social Justice Committee sponsored a table with our colorful rainbow banner backdrop.
We described our activities throughout the year, concentrating on the Clean Carwash Campaign and the visit on February 2 of immigration scholar Dr. Tanya Golash-Boza. We had conversations with perhaps 30 individuals, several of whom asked to be put on our Peace and Social Justice email list.
— Peggy Rhoads
St. Valentine sends cards to Immigration Detainees!
Fifty letters “Standing on the Side of Love” were sent February 11 to immigration detainees. Our congregation came to the Faith in Action table after the Sunday service February 9 to sign Valentine cards for those men and women who have been detained by Immigration and Custom Enforcement (ICE) at several detention centers in Orange County.
Rev. Rebecca and Catherine Loya inspired us with their program on the meaning of Love and made that meaning real in this outreach to our brothers and sisters facing an indeterminate future and likely deportation for the civil offense of entering the U.S. without papers or staying beyond the terms of their visas. Several UUCCSM members have joined the group Friends of Orange County Detainees (FOCD) in their expanding program of visitation, and several more signed up to do so at the February 9 service.
The messages were simple but direct: “You are in my thoughts,” “Please know that you are loved,” “We hope for a positive resolution in your fight for justice.” Thank you to all of you who joined us in this expression of solidarity.
— Peggy Rhoads
WANTED:
Responsible, caring and committed individual to coordinate the afternoon meal at Step Up on 2nd, 2-3 times a year. Duties include wrangling the food items, delivering them to Step Up and coordinating volunteers to serve the meal. Salary & Benefits: intangible gratitude, heart enlargement, warm fuzzies Contact: Rhonda Peacock, hunger@uusm.org
From the Archives:
From Our Historian
Ten years ago, on February 28, 2004, UUCCSM purchased the lot next door, 1248 18th Street, after it was unexpectedly listed by a local real estate agent. The church had been inquiring about the property since the 1960s as a logical site for future expansion. On Sunday, March 21, 2004, the congregation was invited to walk through the 1914 (est.) cottage that had been a rental property for decades.
— Rob Briner
Green Living Committee:
Splinters from the Board:
The meeting began with a chalice lighting from our minister and a reading of the Board Covenant by Pat Gomez. For check-in the Rev. Rebecca Benefiel Bijur invited us to reflect on the theme of the month — Prayer — and Valentine’s Day.
This was followed by a report from the president, Cynthia Cottam, who shared that an independent contractor has been chosen to continue the website development work for Project Dazzle.
The board then unanimously ratified the appointment of Abby Arnold and Jacki Weber to the Finance Committee, replacing Ron Crane and Stephen DePaul. Thanks to Abby and Jacki for stepping up to the plate, and to Ron and Stephen for years of hard work.
As of this February’s meeting the church has 367 members. Vicky Foxsworth, Jeff Pressman, and Jeffrey H. Ellis have joined us. During the month of January the UUCCSM Generous Congregation Contribution gave $887 to the UU Service Committee.
Rev. Rebecca reported that approximately 80 folks signed up for eight Small Group Ministry groups. More than a third are returning participants. During her report, discussion naturally emerged about the upcoming Visioning Town Hall Meeting. In particular the word “growth” was discussed both in terms of the size of the church membership and the fostering of connection and deep community.
Director of Religious Education Catherine Farmer Loya highlighted that the new K- to- 2nd and 3rd-to- 5th grade classes have had a successful launch with full teaching teams during both services. And the YRUU “Big Trip” for summer of 2014 will be a house-building service trip to Mexico with Esperanza International. YRUU will be making lunch for everyone before the Visioning Town Hall meeting in order to raise money toward the trip.
Director of Music DeReau Farrar welcomed James Hayden to our staff as Bass Section Leader. He reported that the second Annual MLK Choral Festival was another great success this year. He also encouraged members with musical gifts to fill out a survey that would begin a database of musicians within our community who would be interested in serving through music.
Treasurer Kit Shaw reported that overall we are doing better than expected in terms of the projected deficit ($18,600) and our current deficit ($4,200). However, she added that we are $45,000 short in actual income for 2013/14 where our budget was based on a $410,000 income from pledges.
Administrator Nurit Gordon reported that our temporary Order of Service Assistant, Robin Wohlman, is doing well. Regarding the facility, all permits from the City of Santa Monica are now approved and so the office staff is hoping to move back into their offices soon. As of January 31, we have received $401,429 in pledges for 2014/15
from 202 members and friends out of 283 households.
The board approved the change orders presented by Beth Brownlie, co-chair of the Building Project.
The next board meeting will be on March 11. The meeting was adjourned at 9 p.m.
— Bronwen Jones
Other UU News & Events:
General Assembly 2014 Theme Is “Love Reaches Out”
On June 25 to 29 a few thousand UUs of all ages will gather in Providence, RI, to worship, learn, celebrate, witness, connect, sing, and take care of denominational business. General Assembly (GA) is the annual meeting of our Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA), and it’s really exciting.
Religious life in America is changing dramatically and rapidly. Fewer people are identifying with specific denominations and most mainline religions are losing members in droves. People now find many other outlets and places of engagement for their spiritual lives. Current studies of faith in America show that there is a movement toward a liberal, fluid kind of faith that doesn’t fit with traditional denominational identity and structure.
We already know that for every adult member of Unitarian Universalist congregations, there are at least three non-members who also consider themselves to be Unitarian Universalist. A core purpose of our faith is to help people grow in spirit and in service. We believe that our faith provides a path for each of us to unlock our transformational capacity to serve the world with love. We want to expand our faith not just to grow Unitarian Universalism, but also to better achieve this transformational purpose.
Therefore, the General Assembly Planning Committee, the UUA Board of Trustees, and the Administration want
the General Assembly in 2014 to help our association live into a future where our “Love Reaches Out” to share our faith both within and beyond our congregations’ walls.
GA 2014 information and registration are available now at: http://www.uua.org/ga/ Discount applications are due in March. Anyone may attend; our voting delegates are appointed by the UUCCSM Board.
RE News:
From Our DRE:
This month’s ministry theme is SACRIFICE, perhaps the most challenging yet in our rotation. We religious liberals don’t tend to be much for martyrdom…these days, anyway. If you look into our history, you’ll find quite a few people who were so deeply committed to their Unitarian and Universalist beliefs that they risked — and sometimes lost — their lives. Michael Servetus and Francis David in the sixteenth century, Norbert Capek during World War II, Viola Liuzzo and Rev. James Reeb in 1965. They certainly made sacrifices for their faith.
But what of the rest of us, going about our daily lives? Perhaps we can find value in the concept of sacrifice if we pull back some and consider it not only in extreme acts of selflessness but in smaller ways, too. How might we do things differently if we each spent time this month thinking about the ways in which we are willing to give up some of our comfort or convenience or excess in order to take a stand for our most deeply held values, or to give aid and comfort to someone else who is in need of our help? Could this milder kind of “sacrifice” be understood as a UU spiritual discipline?
I don’t think this is a new concept, though I haven’t thought to frame it in quite this way before. Maybe you’ve been asked to consider giving up one dinner out a month in order to contribute to a campaign that provides food for people who are hungry. Maybe you’ve decided to take the extra time and effort to walk or bike as much as you can, rather than driving a car, to reduce your carbon footprint. Or perhaps you’ve become a caregiver for an elderly parent or a new child, giving up much of your time or sleep or income to meet that person’s needs rather than your own. Whether sacrifice is the term we’d ordinarily use to describe it, I’m willing to bet that each of us can think of a time in our lives when we have chosen to set our own best interest aside for a while, in service of other people or causes we hold dear.
Maybe you’ve heard the old joke about the UU who dies and on the way to the afterlife finds himself at a fork in the road with signs pointing in two directions. The sign to the left says, “This way to Heaven,” and the sign to the right says, “This way to a discussion of Heaven.” And without pausing, the UU turns and walks down the path to the right.
This is really the heart of it for me: how do I walk my talk? Or am I like the UU in the joke, who’d rather just stick with the discussion? Do I give only what is easy for me to give, or am I generous even when it means I will have to give up something that I’ll really miss? This month, I invite you to join me in reflection about how the choices you make every day about your time and resources align with your most deeply held convictions.
— Catherine Farmer Loya
Children:
This month in the children’s RE program, preschoolers will continue “Celebrating Me and My World” by learning about fish and birds, and then will move into celebrating the elements with lessons about water and air. Kindergarten to 2nd graders in the new “Love Surrounds Us” class will explore the second and third UU principles this month, while 3rd to 5th graders will experience and explore ways they can use their power as agents for positive change in the world in the “Sing to the Power” program, with lessons on the “earth power” of Growth, and the “air powers” of Stillness and Presence. The 5th-to-6th grade Our Whole Lives human sexuality class will conclude at the end of the month, and the K-to-1st grade class will begin with the parent/child orientation to be held on March 9, and the class launching on March 16.
Youth:
Middle school youth in 6th to 7th grades will continue to explore spirituality through the arts and creativity, this month with lessons considering religion as one’s own spiritual approach to life, the spirituality of music, and the purposes and value of church community. This month in Coming of Age, youth will wrap up their exploration of some of the “big questions” of faith, and will move into crafting their credo statements and the Coming of Age service coming up in May. Our YRUU youth will be planning this Youth Sunday service, which they will present to the congregation at both services on Sunday, March 30. Don’t miss it! Be on the lookout, too, for lots of information coming this month about the YRUU house-building service trip with Esperanza International in Mexico this June!
— Liza Cranis
Adult RE:
Wednesday Night Writers: A welcoming space for all writers, regardless of prior writing experience or expertise. Come and join us March 12, March 26 (second and fourth Wednesdays) at 7 p.m. in Forbes Hall for writing, helpful critiques, and moral support. Unlock your creativity! No sign-ups required — just show up!
Long, Strange Trip: A UU History: We continue our six-part video and discussion series about the history of Unitarian and Universalist thought from the beginning of the Christian era to what we know today as Unitarian Universalism.
Join us March 19 (third Wednesday), at 7 p.m. in Forbes Hall for “Part II: The Birth of Unitarianism.” Learn about the formation of the first coherent Unitarian theology in Transylvania, and track that theology as it spreads to Poland and then westward across Europe, finally forming an organized English Unitarianism. Featuring discussion of the work of David Ferene, Theophilus Lindsey, and Joseph Priestley.
You are welcome to bring your own brown-bag supper for pre-workshop socializing at 6 p.m. before we get started. Childcare available on request. Sign up in Forbes Hall at the LRE table after Sunday services.
BYOT Ethics, Part II: Again led by Leon Henderson-MacLennan, the second half of the Building Your Own Theology (BYOT) Ethics series of workshops kicks off on Thursday, March 20, at 7 to 9 p.m. in the Cottage, and runs for four consecutive Thursday evenings, including March 27, April 3, and April 10. Topics to be reviewed include: intention, relationships, values, and character. Join us for lively, thought-provoking discussion. Don’t worry if you missed BYOT Part I — you’ll catch up quickly!
Positive Parenting Continues: Kerry Thorne’s popular workshop continues every Sunday through March 30 from 1 to 3 p.m. upstairs in Forbes 2. Childcare is available upon request. Sign up at the Lifespan Table in Forbes Hall.
The Power of Myth: Join Natalie Kahn for the final session of Joseph Campbell’s series on Sunday, March 2, at 1 p.m., in the Cottage. We’ll screen an episode of the series, followed by discussion afterward.
Patio Chat: Monthly UUCCSM Theme Discussion with Leon Henderson-MacLennan. Sunday, March 23, at 10:10 a.m. on the Patio. March’s topic is Salvation.
Thank God for Evolution
Michael Dowd, author of “Thank God for Evolution,” returns to the UUCCSM Sanctuary on Monday, March 10, 7 to 9 p.m., with his latest talk, “The Future Is Calling Us to Greatness.” Here’s how Michael describes it: “Science and religion are not enemies; indeed, they must work together if humanity is to survive the 21st century. Given our impact on Earth’s climate, the seas, and other species, humanity is about to experience what could be called 'The Great Reckoning.' The good news is that this may also come to be known as 'The Great Homecoming.' A worldwide movement has been emerging for decades, largely unnoticed, at the nexus of science, inspiration, and sustainability. Beliefs are secondary. What unites us are a pool of common values, priorities, and commitments regarding the importance of living in right relationship to reality and working together in service of a just and thriving future for humanity and the larger body of life.”
The Adult RE Committee and AAHS: Agnostics, Atheists, Humanists & Secularists, along with our partners at Sunday Assembly-Los Angeles, are pleased to invite you to what will be an impassioned, enthusiastic and inspiring presentation about transforming humanity's relationship to reality. For more information about Michael, go to his website at http://michaeldowd.org. Donations will be encouraged and parking at the 16th and Arizona structure will be available.
Ministry Theme for March – Sacrifice
Bettye Barclay has provided us this list of weekly thoughts about our ministerial theme for March. Daily thoughts are published in the weekly email announcements.
Week 1. It is not enough to say we must not wage war. It is necessary to love peace and sacrifice for it. - Martin Luther King, Jr.
Week 2. The important thing is this: to be able, at any moment, to sacrifice what we are for what we could become. - Maharishi Mahesh Yogi
Week 3. Parenting is not for sissies. You have to sacrifice and grow up. - Julian Michaels
Week 4. The Roots of Violence: Wealth without work; Pleasure without conscience; Knowledge without character; Commerce without morality; Science without humanity; Worship without sacrifice; Politics without principles. - Mahatma Gandhi
Week 5. How much easier is self-sacrifice than selfrealization! - Eric Hoffer