by Admin | Oct 29, 2020 | Between Sundays
Dear Ones,
I am hearing from so many people both within and beyond the church that they are feeling Election Anxiety and/or Covid Fatigue and/or Simply Overwhelmed at so many things so amiss in the world.
Of course, you are!
It’s anxiety producing, exhausting, and overwhelming to have so many Big Things happening that are largely out of our control or influence. Anxiety, fatigue, and overwhelm are perfectly rational responses to irrational times. I’d be worried for anyone who didn’t feel that way at least some of the time.
So what to do?
- First, acknowledge those feelings and any of the other less-than-pleasant emotions that often acco
mpany them – irritation, despair, rage, or ____________. Fill in your own blank here. It’s not exactly comfortable to sit with any of it, though it is ultimately better than denying or (worse) sublimating it. That’ll come back to bite you eventually.
- Second, take small steps. A friend told me he was obsessively logging onto FiveThirtyEight.com – Nate Silver’s geeky election statistics website. He was checking it at least once an hour. I gently suggested that maybe he could check it every other hour…
- Next, do the healthy things that work – exercise, sleep, eating well and not too much, seeking belly laughs.
- And hang on. Time will pass and we will be on the other side of this election – soon. The other side of the pandemic – eventually, the other side of systemic racism – with dedicated effort, the other side of the Climate Crisis – maybe not in our lifetimes, though we can still be the ancestors who made a difference.
Here are a few things you can do as Unitarian Universalists.
** Come to the Dia de los Muertos, Day of Remembrance service on Sunday, Nov. 1. Honor the ancestors who helped you get this far, and those you have lost more recently. May it remind us all of love and connection, which we cannot survive without.
** On Tuesday, Nov. 3, drop in at Spiritual Grounding for Election Day, led by UU ministers from around the country. Here’s the link for it on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/events/728150507736666. A place to share with our comrades in faith.
** On the day after the election, Wednesday Nov. 4, whatever the result, join the vigil and demonstration being planned by several community groups. More info still to come.
** Come to church on Sunday, Nov. 8 for Beginnings and Endings: a Healing Service. No matter the outcome of the election – even if we see the end of an awful era – our work will just be beginning.
Alas, we are in for more of the same for an unknown length of time. Yet the anxiety, fatigue, and overwhelm are reaching a particular crescendo as Election Day is finally upon us. We can get through this next week together. Which means we can get through it all, together.
With love, Rev. Dana
by Admin | Oct 22, 2020 | Between Sundays
Going Once… Going Twice…
Yup, it’s auction season again, and it’s sure going to be different this year. Why would our Annual Auction be exempt from the effects of Covid Time? The auction – which is still our biggest fund-raising and community-building event of the year – will be all on-line from Oct. 23 through Nov. 8.
The intrepid Auction Team is grateful for all the donations people have already made. Even though we won’t be bidding on in-person events this year, we’re still focusing on service and community connections. The deadline to submit items is today! (as in Wednesday).
New Things to Pay Attention To:
Everyone needs to register in order to bid on items. The link to register is: https://bit.ly/30qYvRx Once you have registered, watch This Video which gives step-by-step instructions on how to place a bid. As in our usual silent auction, you will want to check in from time to time to Protect Your Bid!
The catalog is on-line. Here is the link to view all the amazing items: https://bit.ly/34ga5RH
Hot Tip – All items in the Bookstore will be Sold At Cost!
The whole shebang kicks off with an Auction Happy Hour on Oct. 23 from 7-8:30pm. Bring a beverage of your choice and join on Zoom: https://zoom.us/j/6231913668.
Cool Things we’ll be doing at Happy Hour are: Answers to all your (auction) questions, a tutorial on the whole auction process – including how to bid, and ‘musical’ breakout rooms so you’ll have a chance to connect with many different folks.
Trick-or-Treating is still curtailed this year, though everyone is invited to dress up in your most telegenic Halloween Costume for a party on 10/30 at 6:30pm. Zoom link here: https://zoom.us/j/6231913668. No costume? No worries. Come as you are.
Questions? Ask Jen Luce – administrator@uuventura.org or Katie Turner – hutchins.kate@gmail.com
As it does every year, our auction becomes a wonderful way to bring us together and a fun way to raise money for the congregation that is important in many lives. Covid Times are changing so – much making the familiar feel out of joint as well as opening new possibilities. These times put into stark relief the importance of staying connected.
Bid well and strong, my friends,
Rev. Dana
by Admin | Oct 12, 2020 | Stewardship Report
Generosity Team looks out for UUCVs funding, which primarily comes from the church’s members and friends These donations are the way to ensure that UUCV can act on our values in the wider world, whether through supporting social action, providing care and kindness to members or giving our children a place where they can grow up learning messages of acceptance and inclusion.
The Generosity Team’s Annual “Giving” campaign reaches out to members and attendees to ask for a financial commitment to the church for the coming year. This is really useful, so the rest of the church can know how much money to expect will be coming in. In addition, Team members investigate grants and other sources of funding.
Any member interested in joining the Generosity Team should contact Board President, Jim Merrill, or another member of the Board of Trustees.
The Generosity Team!
by Admin | Oct 8, 2020 | Between Sundays
Good People,
Our families need you.
I think the Covid Shutdown may be hardest of all on families with school-aged children. They are balancing most everything they did pre-covid, and adding in what amounts to homeschooling.
Our new Religious Education Coordinator is planning and leading 4-5 on-line RE programs each week. She’s finding curricula and keeping it as lively and engaging as possible. She has a lovely spirit and presence that ids and families are already connecting with. Yet she can’t do it alone.
The UUA has released safety protocols for on-line RE classes – which align well with our own safety policies. This means that we still need two adults present for groups – in person or on-line. In the past, we had a lot of parents serving as teachers and volunteers to ensure enough adults are safely with our kids. All those parents are now spending plenty of time with their kids and on-line learning. Kids and parents need a break.
Helping with RE is easier than ever now that we’re on-line because RE isn’t on Sundays, so you can help out and still come to Sunday services.
Fidelity is looking for six or more volunteers who are willing to help facilitate Zoom meetings with our elementary and youth groups. We need two adults present in each Zoom room. The UUA guidelines also suggest having a volunteer on stand-by in case a facilitator loses internet access or must leave.
Here are the programs:
CartUUns Zoom for 2nd to 6th-graders, Wednesdays @ 6:30 – 7:30 pm.
The kids will watch Disney and Pixar short films together, then move out age-grouped Zoom rooms to discuss, play games, art projects, etc. The volunteers would lead break-out room discussions, games, and activities. There will also be 30-minute planning meeting each week to discuss the curriculum Fidelity prepares for the session.
Youth Group Zoom for 7th grade and up, 2nd and 4th Tuesday @ 7:30 – 8:30 pm
Activities, reflection, games, discussion. The second adult assists with moderating discussion, making sure youth aren’t talking over one another, monitoring the Zoom chat, etc. I can attest that it is all great fun!
Because it’s no longer on Sundays when I’m usually leading worship, I have been able to help out with all these age groups. It is such a treat to get to know our kids mostly by hanging out and having fun with them!
Last week, the Youth Group gathered for a safely-distanced, in-person Movie Night in the driveway of Janice and David Frank. We watched the movie ‘Up’ and all brought our own popcorn and snacks. Parents dropped kids off and had a kid-less evening. Some even reported having a lovely dinner out. The Youth Group facilitators are hoping to continue such safe gatherings every month or six weeks.
Living through this pandemic is so challenging. We help each other as best we can, and there are only so many ways to help in the midst of a shutdown.
Volunteering with our RE program is a way for those of us who don’t have children at home to support our children and youth – and their parents through times that are piling particular stress on families. A small(ish) way to help that can have a big impact. We are such a Grand Community (a technical term for the fun part of being a Beloved Community.
With love and gratitude,
Rev. Dana
by Admin | Sep 30, 2020 | Between Sundays
Good People of UU Ventura,
In October, we will be sharing worship with fellow UUs from three other local congregations.
Though I hesitate to call anything a silver lining in the midst of so much upheaval, holding worship completely on-line has opened opportunities for new connections within and among our communities.
Our theme is The Spirit of Democracy. The ministers from Live Oak UU Congregation in Goleta, the Unitarian Society of Santa Barbara, UU Ventura, and UU San Luis Obispo will each preach on democracy. This theme reflects an urgency in our time and helps us address the sacred and participatory ritual of voting and the power and fragility of our democratic institutions.
This is a kind of collaboration and support across congregations that we can’t do when meeting at the same time and in separate buildings miles apart.
Perhaps we will pick up some ideas – and share some of our own – in addressing the conundrum of creating a meaningful worship experience on-line.
The collaboration will also give four hard-working Worship Teams and Ministers a bit of a respite.
And we get to live more deeply into our relationships within this association of congregations.
I’ve told y’all before that we are technically not a ‘denomination’ but an association of religious communities that freely enter a covenant, ‘promising to one another our mutual trust and support.’ We all help create the UUA, which is short for the Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations.
Each Minister and Worship Team will be responsible for a service in October. The ministers will have a roll in two other.
Each church will also do separate Offerings, Joys and Sorrows, and Coffee Hours.
Leave Worship Zoom after each service, then join everyone ‘back at UUCV’ for our usual virtual Coffee Hour where we will also do Joys and Sorrows.
Also note that we still be giving our collection away each Sunday. The link will be shown each Sunday, though you can give any time through the week.
Here is the lineup:
- Oct. 4 – Democracy as our Spiritual Practice, Rev. Tamara Casanova Suzuki, Live Oak UU Congregation
- Oct. 11 – Expanding the Franchise, Rev. Julia Hamilton, Santa Barbara. This service will also have music Emma’s Revolution, activist folk/rock singers from Oakland.
- Oct. 18 – The Best-Worst Form of Government, Rev. Dana Worsnop, Ventura
- Oct. 25 – American Pie: The Day Democracy Died (Again), Rev. Rod Richards, San Luis Obispo
I am so looking forward to worshiping with 400-500 UUs from the Central Coast, and still getting to see y’all in community afterward.
With anticipation,
Rev. Dana
