Sep-08
From Our Minister:
In the Betweentime
We live
In between winter cold and summer heat
In between birth and death
In these perpetual betweentimes,
Let us celebrate life.
—Rev. Jean Rickard
I am so glad we'll have this "betweentime" together as yousearch for a settled minister. We will be sharing joys andsorrows, challenges and achievements. Last year I was theInterim Minister at the Unitarian Universalist Congregation ofPhoenix. Before that, I served as an Interim for the UU Congregationof Las Vegas, the First Unitarian Congregation of Waterloo,Ontario, theEvergreen UUFellowship inMarysville, Washingtonand for theJames Reeb UUCongregation inMadison, Wisconsin.I am eager tomove to Santa Monica. I have lived in the desert for the past twoyears and now am ready to live by the ocean. As my permanenthome is in Minneapolis, I have never lived by the ocean. I amready for this new adventure we are about to take.
This coming year, I am excited to respond to your needsfrom the wisdom I have gained from a wide range of experience.Early in my career, I was a professional religious educator forevery age along the life span of learning. I especially love thesmall group model for deepening spiritual growth. Later in mycareer, I was a chaplain, certified by the Association of ProfessionalChaplains. I have worked in just about every unit of threedifferent large city hospitals for six years, while also serving severalsmall family-size UU congregations.
In my monthly column, I will write about time and space.Time and space are spiritual concepts. Time is, on one hand, ahuman construct from which to speak and act and, on the otherhand, a mystery so much larger than human experience cangrasp. Time will be in control of our relationship because I willbe with you for a set time, an interim time. From time to time, Iwill tell some stories and I will listen to yours. I want to hearabout you and your congregational life. I want to know whatyour traditions are, what accomplishments make you proud,and what you would rather roast than toast. I plan to do morethan take a trip down memory lane with you. Neither you nor Ilive in the past. However, memory of the past is one componentof time of great import during an interim. Your future and ourfuture are full of possibilities.
I look forward to meeting all of you when I begin workingon September 1.
Blessings on our betweentime,
- Roberta Haskin
From Our President:
With Ingathering Sunday we begin a newchurch year that will be filled with activity.
The Rev. Roberta Haskin joins us as ourinterim minister to shepherd us through anextensive process of self-evaluation andfuture direction.
We will undergo this extensive institutionalself-evaluation under the leadership ofRev. Haskin and the Search Committee for anew settled minister. During this approximately18-month period we need the intelligence,talent, and compassion that so profoundlyreflects the essence of ourcommunity.
We face many challenges:
How do we utilize our physical plantwhile remodeling Forbes Hall?
How do we provide for the increasingneeds of the greater community whileexpanding our own intellectual and spiritualgrowth?
How do we educate ourselves about theenvironmental and geopolitical changes thatseem to change daily?
Rather than asking for more it's appropriatethat we now ask for better.
Deeper thought, extensive discussion,broader perspective, and precision in theapplication of our energy is required of us.Our goal is a strong identity and a profoundstrategy.
During our recent wedding festivities I'vehad the interesting experience of seeing mynon-UU friends have contact with my UUfriends-- the consistent response from thenon-UUs is about how: "intelligent, thoughtful,caring and real 'those UU people are.'"External validation of what we know to betrue is delightful. It supports my earnest beliefthat we have something very special in theUUCCSM community. The near future willcertainly test the validity of my assumption.
Let us grow together in what we are andwhat we will become.
- Ron Crane
Featured Articles:
An Invitation from the Membership & Leadership Chair
As we begin a new church year together we are lettinggo and looking forward. We have said ourreluctant "'So long for now'" to the Rev. JudithMeyer and we welcome our interim minister, the Rev.Roberta Haskin.
We will come together at Ingathering Sunday onSeptember 7, perhaps with fond sadness, but anticipatingnewness and change. We will look forward to enjoyingour new outdoor spaces, and are eager to participatein the programs that enrich our lives and connectus to one another.
Watch for Friendship Dinner sign-ups and informationon Small Group Ministry and Covenant Groups.Mark your calendars and save the date for the firstCourtyard Connection on Sunday, September 21. A continentalbreakfast will beserved following the 9 a.m.service and Julie Nyquistwill cook up Tacos on theTerrace following the 11a.m. service.
I look forward to meetingthose of you I have notyet had the pleasure ofmeeting and of workingwith all of you. And I inviteyou to join us on the Membership& Leadership Committee. We want to hear yourideas, concerns and suggestions.
Greeters, ushers, Ask Me and bookstore volunteers,coffee hosts, Friendship Dinner coordinators, NewMember Committee leaders are among the members ofM&L. Each of these groups is eager to welcome additionalvolunteers.
Call, e-mail me, or leave a note in the Membership& Leadership box in the church office to talk about howyou can enhance your UU experience by participatingin the life of the UUCCSM community.
- Pat GomezChair,Membership & Leadership Committee
Dining for Dollars (D4$) is Ready for Action
Have you heard of our Dining for Dollarssilent auction fundraiser? It's the mostimportant fundraising event our churchdoes because it consistently raises over $20,000every year. The board just appointed me as thechair of the incredible group that works hard tomake this event so successful. Besides me, thereare two additional people who joined the teamthis year, Rebecca Crawford and Beverly Alison,with continuing members Sue Moore, NatalieKahn, and Gerrie Lambson.
Helen Burns was the chair of Dining for Dollarsfor a long time, but sadly, she died earlierthis year. We will miss her dedication. Last year'sevent was the most successful of all, and I hopewe can do as well.
On the last two Sundays in February immediatelyfollowing each church service, we'll havethe Dining for Dollars silent auction. Featuresoccurring throughout the year include dinners,brunches, hikes, subway tours,and even a choir concert,hosted by members andfriends of the churchwho donate theirtime and money toprovide activitiesfor us allto enjoy. It'svery exciting.Will you get to go tothe events you select?I hope so.
The team has lots ofwork to prepare for that Februaryauction. We're getting readyto make phone calls to all the people who participatedin last year's event, and others. We want toinclude you in the fun, and you can volunteereven before we call you. If you're interested,please contact us at one of the numbers below.I'm looking forward to all the fun and the hardwork these next months will bring.
To volunteer to do a Dining for Dollarsevent, contact:Melanie Sharp,Sue Moore,Natalie Kahn,Beverly Alison,Gerrie Lambson orRebecca Crawford.
- Melanie Sharp
Marriage Equality Team Fights to Defeat Proposition 8
Labor Day weekend kicks off the big campaign todefeat Proposition 8, which would ban same-sexmarriage in California. Same-sex marriages havebeen authorized by the State of California since June 17of this year. Many couples in our beloved communityhave been married this summer. As Judith Meyer said,"It is truly a summer of love."
If Proposition 8 wins, the right to marry for lesbianand gay couples will evaporate. It is an extremely seriousand close race. UUs are on the forefront of thisfight. It is time for all of us to be passionate and strong,standing on the side of love.
We are working with Equality for All, a coalition ofmany groups, including the Unitarian Universalist LegislativeMinistry Action Network, the Human RightsCampaign, theACLU in California,California NAACP,and PFLAG. Animportant memberof Equality for All isEQCA, EqualityCalifornia. EqualityCalifornia wasfounded in 1998and is a respected advocate for the rights of BGLT people.Let California Ring is a campaign by EQCA to supportmarriage equality. Perhaps you have seen theiradvertisements on television. Money donated to Equalityfor All will be well spent. Supporting the campaignthrough the UULM Action Network will reinforce UUs'reputation as core activists on this issue.
Our church is mobilized and ready for action. Manyof our members are already recruiting volunteers on thestreets and phone banking to recruit volunteers andidentify voters. On September 3 we will begin phonebanking at the church. We are looking for people tomake the calls, donate their cell phones for three hourson Wednesday nights, and feed the eight to ten folksmaking the calls.
We are also reaching out to other people in thecommunity who want to defeat Proposition 8.
Individual endorsement forms and other informationcan be found at our table at church on Sundays.Websites to check out areequalityforall.com anduulmcaaction.org.To join the team contactlBronwenJones.
- Bronwen Jones andKris Langabeer
Speaking from the Heart for Equality
One of the most important things we can do istalk to people we know who are undecidedabout marriage for gay and lesbian couples.On Sunday, September 7 (12:45 p.m. to 3:45 p.m.in the Cottage), you can learn how to personalizeyour message and use your words to change heartsand minds to help defeat Proposition 8, the anti-gaymarriage initiative that will be on the November 4ballot.
Join UUs and other people of faith in this threehourfaith-centered messaging development trainingon marriage equality. Learn how to speak about andlive your faith. You'll not only be empowered to talkto your friends, colleagues, and neighbors, but you'llalso learn key media strategies to move your entirecommunity.
Vivien Hao, director of Communications andCommunity Resources at the UU Legislative Ministry,California (UULM-CA), will facilitate the training.Vivien has many years of work experience in the publicrelations field and will be utilizing a training modeldeveloped by GLAAD, the Gay & Lesbian AllianceAgainst Defamation.
Please confirm your participation in this trainingby contacting Kris Langabeer by September5 (but come even if you don't RSVP).
Lunch will be provided at noon in Forbes Hall for asmall donation. Proceeds will be sent to the UULM-CAfor their work in support of marriage equality.
Please note that this training is separate and distinctfrom the phone-bank training provided to volunteersby Equality for All (equalityforall.com), theumbrella organization fighting Proposition 8. If youwould like to volunteer for the phone bank, please contactBronwen Jones.
Visiting Calvary Baptist
Edna Bonacich, John Raiford, and Sandra Trutt, fromour Multi-Racial Development Committee, attended a Sundayservice at Calvary Baptist Church of Santa Monica, on20th Street, in July. We were delighted with their service, ledby Pastor Herman Kemp, and want to share with you someof what we experienced. We came away with the feelingthat there are things we can learn from this congregation.
The music was glorious, and we couldn't keep still inour seats (very soft cushy pews for the two-hour service).During the praise and adoration part of the service thepianist played the entire song through once before webegan singing and the deacon spoke the words into themike of some songs just before we sang them. The choir wasaccompanied by an organ and a piano. The choir had hangingmicrophones to pump up the volume.
In the communion and dedication part of the service,visitors were asked to rise to say their names and the congregationthey attended. An usher came around with ahand-held mike as visitors stood and introduced themselves.The three of us said we were visiting from the nearbyUnitarian Church, and people seemed really pleased that wehad come. Then the deacon said, "Let's show our visitorsthat they are someone special." The congregants rose andwalked towards the visitors, shook hands and welcomedthem to the church.
After announcements, which were read from the pulpit,came the children's period. They asked all the young people,mainly teenagers, to come to the front row and steps of thechancel. Sister May Kemp, the pastor's wife, welcomed thechildren and gave a mini lesson about how they are caterpillarswaiting to change into butterflies and do wonderfulthings at church and in the world. The five high schoolseniors were reminded that there were scholarships availablefor college and they would help them get the information.
Some of the students were ushers, showing people totheir seats and helping with the collection. The deacon gavea short sermon about giving and blessed those who couldgive and those who could not. An altar prayer was said withmembers coming forward and holding hands together. A45-minute sermon followed on Christian beliefs andactions.
On our way out after the service, people shook ourhands and hoped that we could come back again. Someexpressed interest in visiting our church. It was a good experienceand the welcome seemed genuine and heartfelt.
The idea behind our going was to try to develop relationshipswith nearby churches, especially with AfricanAmerican congregations, so that we can start breaking downthe barriers of class and race that make us such a segregatedsociety. We made some contacts during this visit and hopeto build upon this first experience.
- Sandra TruttMulti-Racial Development Committee
All Church Picnic
Photos courtesy of Bryan Cahill and Charles Haskell
News & Announcements:
New Settled Minister Search Committe Update
To apply for the opportunity to shape UUCCSM'sfuture, go to uusm.org, click on the application linkin the "What's New" box and fill out the simple form.You can also pick up and submit an application atthe church office. More information about the searchprocess can be found at the UUA website:http://uua.org/leaders/leaderslibrary/transitions/20679.shtml. You can also email questions and comments tothe nominating committee at NomCom@uusm.org or leave a message in the office.
-Your Nominating Committee:Rob Briner, Liza Cranis, Cathie Gentile,Dayla McDonald, Karen Patch, Pam Teplitz
Friendship Dinners are Back
We are looking forward to your joining us foranother round. These dinners are a way to make newconnections and get to know other members of ourcommunity. They are also great fun. We meet once amonth over a four-month period and share a cooperativedinner at each other's homes. The dinnergroups will be a mix of approximately eight adult singlesand couples. Families with children will begrouped together. If you cannot commit to all four ofthe dates, you can sign up as a substitute in casesomeone has to miss a dinner. The dates this seasonare: October 18, November 15, December 13 andJanuary 17.
There will be a sign-up table on Sunday, September7, in Forbes Hall after the services. You can alsosign up e-mailing Marjorie Annapav..
- Farrokh Allen and Marjorie Annapav
Welcome Katie Carnahan
Katie has joined our office staff, taking over responsibilityfor many of the duties that church member Rima Snyder didon a temporary basis. Rima will continue with her responsibilitiesas music librarian and Music Committee co-chair. Katiewill work in the office Thursdays and Fridays and will workevery other Sunday.
Katie lives in the North Hollywood area of Los Angeles andhas started her sophomore year at Woodbury University inBurbank. Her major is psychology, and hergoal is to work in criminal psychology. Oneof the reasons she decided to go to Woodburywas its excellent reputation for placingits students in graduate programs.Katie is from the Pine Bluff area ofArkansas, just south of Little Rock. She grewup in a Southern Baptist church and had afriend who attended a UU church. WhenKatie was growing up her family often visitedSouth Chicago to see her dad's family,so she had no fear of big cities when shemoved to L.A. She is grateful though that as a child she did nothave to confront many of the problems of a big city.
Katie has Arkansas friends also living in L.A., which hasmade settling here easier. She spends free time being withfriends in Griffith Park, at the beach, and at movies at UniversalCity. She is also an avid reader, plowing through literature,including mysteries and science fiction, sometimes threebooks at a time. That may slow down now that school hasstarted and she has to replace one or two of them with textbooks.After a year in Los Angeles, Katie says she still missesthe rain in Arkansas, but she does not miss the ever changingweather that comes with it. And she is glad that she can gettake-out at any time, day or night.
Give Katie a warm welcome when you see her.
Another UUSM Wedding in the "Summer of Love"
The Rev. Judith Meyer (center) officiated at the August 16marriage of Ron Crane and John Fels (flanking Judith), whowere attended by friends Richard, Sherri, and John's son, Theo.
How to Submit Your Articles and Photos to the Newsletter
The newsletter welcomes your articles andphotos about UUCCSM. Please e-mail them tonewsletter@uusm.org or leave them in thenewsletter mailbox in the church office. The newsletterdeadline is noon on the 15th of every month. Articlesshould generally be fewer than 450 words. Photocaptions are appreciated. The newsletter staff mayedit articles.
Building News:
Landscaping News
As of August 15 most of the hard landscaping in front of the cottageand between the cottage and the sanctuary has been completed.The plants will come in soon, although the eight tabebuiatrees between the sanctuary and cottage have already beeninstalled. Tabebuia is a flowering tree native to the Americas. Thetrees will grow to meet and form a pathway of pink and white flowersoverhead.
Our current contract with Terra Form calls for the completion ofthe front and side landscaping and placing permeable pavers overthe area immediately behind the cottage. In a few weeks a door willreplace the sanctuary window closest to Forbes Hall, allowing easyaccess from the sanctuary to the cottage.
The next and final steps in landscaping the cottage area are thebuilding ofa play area,the constructionofa shadestructure inthe northwestcornerof the backyard,andbuilding aconnectionbetween theForbes glassdoors andthe cottage. The building committee hopes and expects this can allhappen in the next two months or so.
The first task is the play area. We had a congregational discussionon August 10 at which many people commented on the currentplans. Most people supported a playground built around smallclimbing boulders as an alternative to a traditional play set. Smallclimbing boulders support use by a wide range of ages. Theyoungest can use them to practice walking and climbing. For teensand adults they are simply benches. The area around the boulderswill probably have a permeable rubber surface. This surfacing,which is common at California playgrounds, is made mostly fromshredded old tires. The top layer is made of new material so thatimpurities in the tires will not threaten the children. The rubber canbe any color we want; certainly we will prefer lighter colors to avoidpossible overheating in sunlight.
For the northwest corner we asked the congregation to choosebetween two approaches to a shade structure. Church memberGreg Wood prepared renderings showing both a wooden trellis withvines and a fabric shade structure. The feedback was strongly infavor of the fabric. People definitely want shade. (Of course, thismay be a result of asking the question in August!) At this point itlooks like we will have a 600 square foot permanent shade structure.
The board has not made final decisions on these matters as ofthis writing. But things are happening rapidly. If you miss church fora month, prepare to be surprised!
- Tom HamiltonCo-Chair, New Building Committee
Faith in Action News:
Please planto attendthe AnnualFaith in ActionIssues Electionon Sunday, September21 at12:45 p.m., in thesanctuary. There will be reports from the currentcommittees and guest speakers. We are interested inhearing from members of the congregation regardingany new issues for action this coming church year.A light lunch will be served before the meeting.
— Cathie Gentile
Volunteer Opportunities for the Westside Winter Shelter
Meals
1.Prepare, deliver and serve a hot meal for 150 people at the Culver City Armory.
o 1 time o 1 time a month o 2 times a month
Dates needed: Saturdays & Sundays December 1 to March 15, Christmas Day, NewYears Eve, New Years Day,Valentine's Day
2. All other food donations can be scheduled for anytime of the week.
Prepare, pack and deliver a sack lunch for 150 people at the Culver City Armory.
o 1 time o 1 time a month o 2 times a month o 1 time a week
3.Bake/purchase and deliver dessert for 150 people at the Culver City Armory.
o 1 time o 1 time a month o 2 times a month o 1 time a week
4. Donate and deliver fresh fruit for 150 people at the Culver City Armory.
o 1 time o 1 time a month o 2 times a month o 1 time a week
Supplies
1.Collect and donate toiletry supplies including; shampoo, lotion, deodorant,toothpaste, toothbrushes, soap, feminine hygiene products, hairbrushes, etc.Items can be donated in bulk or assembled in bags with all of the above items.
2.Collect and donate socks for men and women.
3.Collect and donate underwear for men and women.
4.Collect and donate blankets.
o We can commit to providing ____number of ___________________________.
Financial Support
Adopt a family - Donate money to place a family in temporary shelter duringthe Winter Shelter winter shelter period. $100 provides shelter and a mealvoucher for a family for one day during the winter shelter period.
o We can commit to providing________number of days of shelter for a family.
Volunteer
Participate in Project Homeless Connect 6 to 9 p.m. on a weeknight in lateFebruary. This is an event to do outreach at the winter shelter, and severalWSHC member agencies will set up a table and inform shelter residents aboutthe services available at their agency and make a referral. We have also hadhaircuts available, as well as toiletry bags, socks, fresh fruit, snack and dessert.Volunteers are needed for the day of the event as well as the donation of theitems available above, and hairdressers to provide haircuts at the event.
o We are interested in volunteering/providing resources for Project HomelessConnect.
Contact Name_____________________________________
Organization ______________________________________
Contact #/E-Mail____________________________________
To return your volunteer form and for more information on how you can help,please contact Lorene Gingerich of the Westside Shelter & Hunger Coalition at(310) 314-0071 or loreneg@westsideshelter.org
Green Living Committee:
UCLA Collects Hazardous Waste
West Los Angeles' firsthazardous waste collectioncenter is nowopen for business at UCLA. It isoperated by the City of L.A. andthe university and may be usedby all individuals, regardless ofwhere they live. Business wastewill not be accepted.
The center is located at 550Charles E. Young Drive West atStrathmore Drive. You can justdrive up and drop your stuff off.They are open Thursdays, Fridays,and Saturdays from 8 a.m.to 2 p.m.
Some of the items theyaccept include paint, solvents,used automotive fluids, cleaningproducts, pool and gardenchemicals, aerosol cans, medicine,used motor oil and filters,and used car and householdbatteries.
On Saturdays only the centeraccepts electronic waste,including computers, monitors,printers, cables, telephones,TVs, microwaves, video games,and cell phones.
There is another location onthe Westside that collects electronicwaste. It is called CaliforniaRecycles. It is located at 1932Cotner Ave., L.A. 90025, nearPico Blvd. They are open Mondaythrough Friday 8:30 a.m. to5 p.m. You can drop off TVs,monitors, VCR and CD players,fax machines, phones and systems,printers, stereos, modems,and PDAs. They refurbish andresell items if possible and recyclethe rest. Call them at (310)478-3001 for more information.
- Sandra Trutt,Green Committee
Other UU News & Events:
Sponsorted by the Unitarian Universalist Service Committee - Southern California Unit and the Interfaith Communities United for Justice and Peace (ICUJP).
Speakers:
- Wayne Cornelius, Center for Comparative Immigrant Studies, University of San Diego
- Paula Cruz Takas, Mayor's Ofice of Immigrant Affairs, Los Angeles
- Raul Hinojosa-Ojeda, Latino Studies, UCLA
- Blase Bonpane, Office of the Americas, "The New Wave in Latin America"
Saturday, October 18, 2008
10:00 am. to 4:00 p.m.
Throop Church
300 S. Los Robles Ave.
Pasadena, CA 91101
(626) 795-8625
Registration starts at 9:30 a.m. Suggested donation: $20/pre-registration; $25 at the door. Vegetarian lunch for the first 100 registrants. Students with ID free. No one will be turned away for lack of funds.
For more information, Call Ruth Shapin at (714) 567-0188.
Please bring your old eyeglasses for Nicaragua.
RE News:
From Our DRE
The first day of RE for the 2008