Universalist Unitarian Church of Santa Paula

Transcription

1 Universalist Unitarian Church of Santa Paula 740 E. Main Street Santa Paula, CA (805) Church Secretary: Christine Mount Church Web Site: Minister: Rev. Kristen Rohm (805) , President: Jason Johnson (805) The mission of the Universalist Unitarian Church of Santa Paula is to practice inclusiveness, seek justice, and foster spirituality. Volume 47, No.9 May 2014 Editor: Christine Mount SUNDAY MORNING SERVICES 10:30am The Theme for the Month of May is Wholeness May 4 Guts Enough; A Question of Moral Courage Rev. Melitta L. Haslund What is it that moves an individual or group of people to reach beyond themselves to speak or act up, especially if it is risky? What does moral courage look like? We will examine the many components involved in doing the right thing. Rev. Haslund is a Unitarian Universalist parish minister of 21 years. She served our Universalist Unitarian Church of Santa Paula for close to 7 years in the 1990s. More recently, she served the Unitarian Society of Santa Barbara. She is as an On-Call Chaplain at Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital and professor at Santa Barbara City College of Comparative World Religions. She is researching and writing an historical novel about the extraordinary life of her Danish grandmother. She lives in Santa Barbara with her husband, Bill Gourley and children, Benjamin (18) and Alexandra (14.) May 11 The Blessings of Mothering Kate and Pat English This week we hear from one another about what mothering has meant to us in several different ways. Come hear what our members have to share about the gifts and blessings of mothering. May 18 Wholehearted Rev. Kristen Rohm What does it mean to be whole? This week we explore the idea of wholeness and spiritual health. How can we be whole hearted, vibrant and exuberant in this crazy world? What does it take, what helps us in this quest for health and vitality? May 25 E Pluribus Unum Rev. Kristen Rohm Out of the Many, One. Let us explore why the whole sometimes needs to take precedence over the one. On this Memorial Day weekend, we will endeavor to recognize our veterans along with our need for peaceful wholeness. 1

2 SCHEDULE OF EVENTS DISCUSSION GROUP Tuesday, May 6, 2:00 pm AIB Santa Paula Churches Dinner Thursday, May 8, 6:00pm SANTA PAULA CINEMA SOCIETY FILM Friday, May 9, 7:00 pm NEWSLETTER DEADLINE Tuesday, May 15 SOCIAL CONCERNS ACTION COMMITTEE Friday, May 16, 3:00 pm WORSHIP TEAM MEETING Sunday, May 18, 12:00 pm RELIGIOUS EDUCATION OPEN HOUSE Sunday, May 18, 12:00 pm BOARD OF TRUSTEES Wednesday, May 21, 6:30 pm CARING COMMITTEE Wednesday, May 21, 2:30pm MARY A. LIVERMORE SOCIETY Thursday, May 22, 11:30 am DINNER AND A MOVIE Friday, May 23 Potluck 6:00 pm, Movie 7:00 pm CASP FOOD DRIVE Sunday, May 25 LUNCH WITH THE MINISTER Wednesday, May 28, 12:00pm 2:00pm The Discussion Group meets the first Tuesday of the month at Church. Please park in the back parking lot behind the Church. Discussion topic is decided that day by the group. For information, call Judith Beay at The Ministerial Association will be hosting a dinner for the national America In Bloom judges at the Church. Hosted by Audrey Vincent and Al Guilin. Judy Triem will give guests a tour of the building and grounds. To donate time, money or food/drink, please contact Laura Phillips. The Santa Paula Cinema Society s presents: Séance on a Wet Afternoon. Please see additional information in the People and Doings Section of the newsletter. Send your newsletter items to the church office or articles to uucspoffice@gmail.com. The Committee will meet at the church. Worship Associates will meet in the Church Office following the service. RE children would like to invite you downstairs after the church service to see what has been happening in our classrooms. Coffee and refreshments will be served. See additional information in the People and Doings section of the newsletter. The Board of Trustees will meet at the church. All members of the congregation are welcome to attend. Contact Board President Jason Johnson if you have any questions. The Committee will meet in the Church Office. The Mary A. Livermore Society will hold their luncheon meeting at the Mupu Grill, 930 E. Main St. in Santa Paula. Rev. Kristen Rohm will present her life story. For information call Audrey Vincent at All women of the church are invited. The Social Concerns Action Committee is sponsoring Harvest of Empire, a documentary that examines the direct connection between the long history of U.S. intervention in Latin America and the immigration crisis we face today. Discussion follows screening. The children will collect the non-perishable food items for CASP during the service. Please bring your food items with you into the sanctuary for collection. Bring your lunch and stop by the Church for this opportunity for conversation and to begin to say goodbye. 2

3 SCHEDULE OF EVENTS SPRING CLEAN FLING Saturday, May 31, 8:00am - 1:00pm FIVE WISHES WORKSHOP FOLLOW-UP Sunday, June 1, 12:00pm Hate clutter? Then you are just what the doctor ordered. The Religious Education Spring Clean Fling could sure use your help sorting out all of the stuff we have accumulated over the years. Help us create a clean and safe environment for our kids. Lunch is on us! Downstairs in the RE Rooms. RSVP: Ruth Ricards, RE Coordinator, ricards@sbcglboal.net A follow-up meeting will be held to assess our progress from the March 2 nd workshop. Please bring any questions or feedback for discussion. Information on the Five Wishes program will also be provided to those interested, but were not able to attend the March meeting. 3

4 PEOPLE AND DOINGS Board Update Submitted by Judy Triem Our new UUCSP website will be available soon, so be sure and check it out. If you have any suggestions about the website, please contact Reverend Kristen. We wish to thank Ruth Ricards for all her hard work in orchestrating the layout and putting the information together. It continues to be a work in progress as new information is added. The Board is supporting our Search Committee as they continue their efforts to recruit a new minister in the second round of candidates. They will also be applying for an Interim minister as a second back up plan. Cruise Night has started in Santa Paula. Last year we opened the church on the first Friday of each month to attract visitors from this event. If you are interested in being involved, please contact Ken Stock or any other board member. The church will host the America in Bloom judges on May 8th for a dinner, tour of the church and a presentation on historic preservation in Santa Paula. This is a great way to show off our beautiful historic building. If anyone is interested in helping with this, please let Laura Phillips know. America in Bloom Dinner Submitted by Laura Phillips The Ministerial Association will be hosting a dinner at the Church for the national America In Bloom judges on Thursday, May 8 th at 6:00pm. Santa Paula church leaders are being invited and we expect the group to be people. The hosts will be Audrey Vincent and Al Guilin. Judy Triem will be attending and will give guests a tour of our wonderful building and grounds. Laura Phillips is organizing the event - let her know if you'd like to help with the dinner (probably Mexican food), either by making a contribution towards the cost, providing some food or drink, or helping with set-up, serving, and/or cleanup. Religious Education Open House! Submitted by Ruth Ricards RE Coordinator As the church year comes to an end, the RE children would like to invite you downstairs after the church service on Sunday, May 18 th to see what has been happening in our classrooms. Coffee and refreshments will be served in the RE rooms. If you are physically challenged and cannot make it downstairs, please let one of us know and we will be happy to bring you up a plate. The children look forward to your visit! Dinner and a Movie We are all Americans of the New World, and our most dangerous enemies are not each other, but the great wall of ignorance between us. - Juan González On Friday, May 23 rd, the Social Concerns Action Committee is sponsoring Harvest of Empire: The Untold Story of Latinos in America. Based on the ground-breaking book by award-winning journalist Juan González, Harvest of Empire takes an unflinching look at the role that U.S. economic and military interests played in triggering an unprecedented wave of migration that is transforming our nation s cultural and economic landscape. 4

5 First5 Recipient of This Quarter s Sunday Plate Donations Submitted by Delicia Niami The first 5 years impact a lifetime. In fact, 85% of a child's brain growth occurs by age five, laying an essential foundation for future learning. First5 offers high quality, affordable resources that help expectant parents, young children and families thrive. Some of the programs and classes they offer to the Santa Paula community are: Childbirth Preparation Parent & Infant/Toddler Classes Preschool Programs Developmental Check-ups Early Dental Care & Education Health Insurance Access Parenting Support & Education Resource & Referral Services PEOPLE AND DOINGS 5

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7 MESSAGE FROM THE BOARD PRESIDENT As will make many chuckle those who have held the position of Board President in our church, the job is not easy nor ever finished. For 125 years we have kept the doors open to all who would like to participate and experience what many of us take for granted a caring community built of amazing people who take genuine pleasure in each other s company and the benefits of that support. I am humbled to all who give of their time, energy and resources to make our church such a wonderful place to be a part. I have been a personal recipient of your support as my family has gone through recent transition, and I thank you one and all for the outpouring of care and compassion through what has been a most trying situation. My family is now smaller but no less strong, bonds tighter than ever. The Ministerial Search Committee is again in full throes of finding a settled minister for our church, and I remain confident that our minister is out there waiting for their new home in Santa Paula. I can t wait to meet them! Love & Light, Jason Johnson Board President MESSAGE FROM THE RE COORDINATOR I would like to thank Patricia English, Jason Johnson, Laura Phillips and Cheryl Wilson for volunteering to assist the teachers downstairs in RE. We are very grateful for your time and support. We couldn't do it without you! 4-ever Learning, Ruth Ricards RE Coordinator 7

8 MESSAGE FROM THE MINISTER The theme for our month is Wholeness. Your Worship team especially liked this theme. What do we mean by wholeness? The capacity to be whole, spiritually and emotionally, is one obvious definition. Most of us have gone through periods in our lives when we have felt broken or shattered, bruised and tattered mentally, emotionally or physically. I ve been considering many questions such as: What nurtures and supports wholeness? How can we feel whole around significant injury or illness? Can we be whole in isolation or do we need relationship and community? Can we be whole if our lives are lived on the surface of things and we rarely delve deep? Can we be whole if we do not share our gifts or our treasure with another? What comes up for you around this theme? I want to say to you that you are whole as a congregation whether or not you have a minister lined up to guide you. Certainly things feel more certain and steady with a loving hand on the tiller. And I want you to feel confident of yourselves as a whole community regardless of the success of the Search process. Know that this year, 16 congregations did not find their ideal minister in the first round of Search. In a typical year, that number has been 5 or 6. This year is different for reasons they are still trying to figure out. I am confident that you will find a good match, I m just not certain when. You are currently engaged in the second round of the Search process which may result in a match. And your Board is filling out the paperwork for another Interim Minister if that is needed, so that you have a secondary backup plan. Please thank the members of your Search committee who have worked so diligently on your behalf. Please thank your Board members for their calm presence during all this transition. Please come and see me as we all live with the heightened emotions of transition and leave taking. You may feel anxious with the not knowing who will be with you after I leave. I know that I feel sad knowing that I am saying good bye to you. Let us care for one another and let us remember that we are all whole and worthy. Know that you are loved, Rev. Kristen 8

9 May 2014 SUNDAY MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY SATURDAY st Sunday Offering 5 6 Discussion Group 2pm 7 8 AIB Dinner 6pm Newsletter Deadline 18 RE Open House After Services Worship Team Mtg 12pm 25 CASP Collection Caring Committee 2:30pm Board of Trustees 6:30pm Lunch w/the Minister 12pm 2pm 22 Mary A s 11:30am 9 Classic Movie Night 7pm 16 Social Concerns 3pm 23 Dinner & a Movie Potluck 6pm Movie 7pm Spring Clean Fling 8am 1pm Universalist Unitarian Church 740 E. Main Street Santa Paula, CA Change Service Requested Dated Material Time Value