Nov-06
From Our Minister:
Over the last few years,our congregation hasdevoted considerable time and energy toplanning our building program. Now that we'vebroken ground (and work has begun), we're onour way at long last. The project will take timeand leadership and additional financial support,but now we can also turn our attention tothe future of our church life and programs.
We have embarked on a planning process.The Long Range Planning Committee (PatriciaWright, chair; Rebecca Crawford, John Raiford,Jacki Weber) and the church staff have beenstudying what our church will look like in threeto five years. Planning for the future is an excitingtask - both visionary and practical.
We want to have strong administrative supportin the office - a goal we are well on ourway to accomplishing. But we also want tostrengthen our programs. We've discussed campusministry, youth and young adult ministry,pastoral care, and parish nurse. We've studied afully staffed lifespan religious exploration program;a full-time sexton; a director of congregationallife: someone to attend to volunteercoordination, community-building activitiessuch as social and adult programs, and outreach;babysitter services for parents attendingchurch activities; a ministerial intern everyyear; additional section leaders for our choir;and a children's musical specialist.
These are some of the ideas we've discussedin the Long Range Planning Committee. Withproper planning and budgeting, we can affordthem, too. It just takes a long view and a commitmentto our future.
The Long Range Planning Committee hopesto have a report to present to the congregationby January, in time to plan the budget for thenext fiscal year. We'll keep you informed andinvite you to a Town Hall Meeting for yourfeedback as the time gets closer. If you'd like tolearn more about our work or add your inputand ideas now, please speak to a member ofthe committee, or to any of our church staff.
- Judith Meyer
From Our President:
November is pledgemonth. This columnhighlights some additional issuesand events in November that I considernoteworthy.
November is Faith in Action month for theArt Wall in Forbes Hall. This tradition wasstarted by the Social Action Committee andhas continued under the auspices of theFaith in Action Commission. This year theFaith in Action Art Wall is organized aroundthe Seven Principles of Unitarian Universalism.We hope you will find the exhibitioninteresting and informative.
November is the publication month forour new photo directory of church membersand friends. We hope you will find this usefuland that it will foster wider recognitionof each other during and after Sunday services.Suggestions for improving the photodirectory would be appreciated.
November is election month. Please begood citizens and vote November 7.
November is the month for Veterans Dayand for sober reflection on our continuedinvolvement in the wars in Afghanistan andIraq. I encourage you to join our minister,the Rev. Judith Meyer, and others at ArlingtonWest, on the beach near the Santa Monicapier, on November 12 at 4 p.m. to participatein a sober remembrance of our veteransand these wars.
November is the month of Thanksgiving.Whether you and your family celebrateThanksgiving at home, you celebrate at ourchurch as part of our Pilgrims Feast, or both,please remember to take some time toreflect on our blessings, including the factthat we are fortunate to live in this libertylovingcountry.
- Charles Haskell
Featured Articles:
If you are looking for aholiday present for someonewho has everything,consider giving a copy ofRev. Judith Meyer's bookof sermons, "LeavingRoom for Hope: Sermonsfor Uncertain Times." Ifyou don't know anyonewho has everything, the collection wouldalso soothe a friend going through difficult times,or make pleasant reading for a hospital patient, orserve as a happy answer to that persistent question,"What is it that Unitarian Universalistsbelieve, anyway?" When you give the book tosomeone, you will have managed to do two gooddeeds at once in sharing Judith's wisdom with afriend, and contributing to the future of the UUchurch. "Leaving Room for Hope," with a forewordby the Rev. Ernie Pipes, is a real bargain at$15. It is available from the bookstore on Sundaysin Forbes Hall, or here.
The entire amount of the proceeds from thebook's sale goes to the building fund. As an addedincentive, Judith has offered to sign copies forchurch members. The books are selling quickly, sobuy your copy, and a copy for a friend, today,before the supply is gone.
- Felicity Nussbaum
Recycling at Church
According to Santa Monica Solid Waste Collection,these are the things that should go intothe recycling bins and those that should not:
Yes - Glass and plastic bottles and tin cans
Yes - Hard Plastic labeled #1, 2, 3, 4 and 5
No - Plastic film or cellophane
Yes - Dry paper and cardboard with notraces of food or grease such as onpizza and cake boxes
Yes - Aluminum cans and foil with no foodresidue.
No - Plastic grocery sacks or vegetable bags;these need to be put in the specialreceptacles at the markets
We can reduce the volume of recycling bybuying items in bulk and larger sizes. Onetwo-liter bottle goes in the recycling bininstead of 12 cans or eight small plastic bottles.
Thank you for using the recycling containersin Forbes Hall and in the kitchen. Look for the"Battery Recycling" jugs on the Faith In Actiontable during coffee hour. Together we canmake a difference.
- Sandra Trutt and Leslie Reuter,Green Living Group
Holly Nguyen
We are happy toWelcome HollyNguyen to our staff.She has accepted theposition of OfficeAssistant.Holly graduatedfrom UCLA this June,having majored inSociology and Statistics.She is good withcomputers and math.Holly spent part ofthe spring and summer traveling throughoutEurope. Ask her which countries she visited. Shelikes to hike, shop, and watch CSI on TV. Holly isworking full time, so stop by the office to sayhello.
News & Announcements:
A live recording of the Sunday, July 23, sermongiven by church member Michael Eselun, "MyTrip to the Holy Land," is available for purchaseon compact disc (rather than cassette) at $2.Michael told the story of traveling with his dearfriend Jackie to Jerusalem after she was diagnosedwith an inoperable brain aneurysm.Together, they embarked on a trip to the birthplaceof Christianity.
What was Michael's reaction, as a lapsedCatholic, to religious theory versus reality? Whatadvance arrangements did Jackie make, and didshe survive the trip? What did they both think oftheir local guide, Moishe? Was an unexpectedmitzvah fulfilled? What is the future of Jerusalem?How precious is life, and did Moishe ever stopreading from his script to engage in real dialogue?For answers to all of these questions andmore, see Rob Briner to purchase the CD or borrowa copy if one is available.
Faith in Action News:
Shakeel Syed Will Speak on Islam in America and Mid-East
The Faith in Action Peace and CivilLiberties Committee Speaker Serieswill present Shakeel Syed, ExecutiveDirector of the Islamic Shura Council ofSouthern California, to speak to the norms,values and conflicts of Islam in America andthe Middle East on Friday, December 1, at7:00 p.m., in the church sanctuary. A Q&Aperiod and reception will follow.
He will provide insights into the Shiitedenominational view and respond to questionssuch as the following:
Splinters from the Board:
The board heard reports from a number ofcommittees. John Fels reported for the PersonnelCommittee that they are reviewing andrevising the personnel handbook to reflectrecent changes in the structure of the staff andresponsibilities of staff members, and to assurecompliance with current laws and regulations.
Jacki Weber reported on the activities of theStewardship Committee. This year they areencouraging members to make five percent ofincome their goal for church contributions.
The Building Committeereported thatthe first step in plansto move and remodelthe blue house isunder way with identificationand removalof hazardous materialssuch as lead paint andasbestos. The upstairsclassrooms in ForbesHall are included inthis effort. This is anecessary step to get abuilding permit.
Melinda Ewen, Church Administrator,reported that with the addition of ShermanNeusom, Tasha Nienow, and Kyle Ludowitz,church membership is now 463. Despite a smalldeficit in pledge payments and reduced incomefrom investments, the operating budget wasover projections at the end of September.
Warren Mathews, Treasurer, pointed out thatCarol Agate and Sandra Trutt have reduced thebook cart deficit from almost $900 to around$300.
The UU Church of Mobile, AL, sent a letter toall UU churches in the U.S. asking for contributionsto support expansion of their churchbuilding in this outpost of liberal thinking. Theboard passed a basket and collected $165 forthe church in Mobile.
The Rev. Judith Meyer pointed out that theCommittee on Ministry needs members. Theboard will approve appointments for a threeyearterm. Preparation for the Arlington Westservice continues.
Catherine Farmer, Director of ReligiousExploration (DRE), reported that she is planninga congregational conversation on ways toserve children and youth in our congregation.She is also providing an RE Updates Bulletinthat is available by e-mail for parents and interestedchurch members.
Steve Wight, Music Director, reported thatnew members and new section leaders havecontributed to the great performance of thechoir this year. The choir will participate in theArlington West service this month. The MusicCommittee is working to replace our sound system.Since the amplifier died last season, thereis no way to amplify voices or instrumentsexcept though the PA system.
- Geralyn Lambson
Other UU News & Events:
Join us for the First Regional Unitarian-Universalist Service at the Arlington West Memorial in Santa Monica, Sunday,November 12th, Veterans Day Weekend, 4:00 PM. On the beach just north of the Santa Monica Pier.
Choirs ~ READINGS/REFLECTIONS ~ Intertribal Drum.
For information about theservice, contact Rev. Judith Meyer or Rev. Anne Felton Hines. For directionsand parking, ask your Social Justice/Faith-in-Action Chair. PLEASE BRING YOUROWN SEATING – COME EARLY TO ACCESS MOST CONVIENIENTPARKING. For information about the memorial, visit: arlingtonwestsantamonica.org
Unitarian's Ninth Planet Demoted
It's been a disappointing year for fans of Pluto,which was officially demoted to a dwarf planet.The decision was perhaps more disappointing forUUs who knew that Clyde Tombaugh, the manwho discovered Pluto in 1930, was a Unitarian.The Pluto demotion has sparked debate and outrage,both feigned and sincere, across the internet,including the comment pointed out by UUAPublic Information Assistant Erika Nonken onMSNBC's Cosmic Log, which read: "Pluto, whichpeople question whether it is a planet, was discoveredby a Unitarian, which people questionwhether it is a religion." (Newsweek 9/4/06)
- Carol Agate
RE News:
From Our DRE
On the afternoon ofDecember 10 (time TBD)in Forbes Hall we'll be holding a conversationwith our whole church community onassessing our congregation's ministry to and withyouth. I hope that you will all join us.
Earlier this year, the UU Association completeda large-scale survey of youth, undertaken todetermine how they regard their church communities.An article about the survey published atUUWorld.org notes that "91 percent said they feelwelcome at worship services, 89 percent said theywere treated respectfully, and 87 percent saidtheir opinions were valued. But only 53 percentfelt that the congregation was their spiritualhome." Jesse Jaeger, UUA Youth Programs director,noted, "The fact they feel welcome does notnecessarily mean they are being fed."
It's time for us here at UUCCSM to take a lookat how we're serving our own youth, time to talkwith one another about what we're doing well,and what we could be doing better. With a youthpopulation that has increased nearly tenfold inthe last four years, it is time for us to articulate astrong vision for the future of our youth programs.Is our church providing a spiritual homefor our youth?
Embedded in this conversation is an evenlarger question, though, one that I'd like to inviteeach of you to consider over the next month:What is a spiritual home? Is our church your spiritualhome, and if not, what would make it so?What is it that connects you to our church community,and what would make that connectionstronger?
I think that this is a worthy exercise for all ofus, this search for the center of our faith, for anarticulation of where home is. A church communitythat is home for its members is a communitythat fully serves the needs of and celebrates thegifts of every person who walks through thedoors. What would that look like, here atUUCCSM? For you? For our youth? For all of us?
- Catherine Farmer
RE Shining Star - Jacki Paddock
This month we honor Jacki Paddock as our REShining Star. Jacki has been teaching our 9 a.m.preschool class for many years, and her experienceas well as her enthusiasm for spending timewith our younglings couldn't be more evident ormore appreciated. She has also served as a mentorfor new teachers joining theranks, mostrecently supportingher son Jordanas he hasmoved from servingas classroomassistant tobecoming a fullfledgedteacher.
Jacki has alsobeen a strong advocatefor our youthprograms, servingon our Youth ActivitiesCommittee,engaging youth insocial justice projects, and even donating some ofher lovely jewelry creations for our youth to sell infundraisers. Jacki's commitment to our faith hasalso inspired her to attend the UU Association'sannual General Assembly for the last several yearsand she always returns brimming with new ideasand energy for what we could be doing here atUUCCSM. For all of these things and more, Jackiis a natural choice for RE Shining Star. Threecheers for Jacki.
Friendly Beasts are Coming
Once again, our preschool through elementary-aged children will sing "The FriendlyBeasts" song at our holiday pageant onSunday, December 17, at both services.
As in years past, all involved children will singthe first and last verses of the song. Small groupsof children will sing the middle five versesdressed in a costume appropriate to the animalspeaking in that verse (brown donkey, red andwhite cow, dog, dove, and mouse).
We have a few costumes from previouspageants, but parents are encouraged to createtheir child's costume (don't panic-we have easysuggestions). Older kids who don't want to dressas an animal but do want to sing are welcome tobe shepherds.
The children pick which animal they want tobe, but generally, the preschoolers sing the miceverse.
Religious Exploration teachers, please note: Iwill lead Sunday rehearsals (about 10 minuteslong) that occur in the RE classrooms during bothservices. Below is the rehearsal schedule:
Nov. 12 - Preschoolers: at start of class
Nov. 19 - Preschoolers: at start of classK-5: 10 minutes each classroom
Nov. 26 - Preschoolers: 10 minutes during classK-5: 10 minutes during class
Dec. 3 - Preschoolers: 10 minutes during classK-5: 10 minutes during class
Dec. 10 - Group rehearsal in mural room forall at start of RE
Dec. 16 - Morning dress rehearsal insanctuary from 9:30 to 10:15 a.m.
Dec. 17 - Pageant (both services)
Call or e-mail me with questions. I look forward to workingwith your friendly beasts once again this year.
- Kris Langabeer