Between Sundays 11-10-23

by | Nov 10, 2023 | News (home)

Winter is coming:  How can we help our unhoused neighbors?
 Each night there are over 1600 people on the streets of Ventura County looking for shelter.  The Point-in-Time count earlier this year showed at least 2,441 people were homeless in Ventura County.  Of this number, only 808 were sheltered.  There simply are not enough shelter beds.
 
The end of daylight savings signals that nights will come earlier and become colder.  You may recall the severe rains and cold weather this past winter.  More of this weather is again forecast this winter.
 
Think about the suffering that severe rain and cold bring to our homeless neighbors.  Some of us may get caught in the rain for a few moments, but none of us endures hours of pouring rain.  Let us remember that at least 158 unhoused people died in Ventura County in 2022.
 
For the first time, the cities of Ventura and Oxnard will each be opening separate Foul Weather Shelter (FWS) programs during the coming winter.  In addition to the 24/7 shelters both cities currently operate, the FWS programs will provide motel rooms for unhoused people when the weather becomes severe.  Between December 1st of this year to the end of March, 2024, the FWS programs will be triggered when predicted temperatures fall below 40 degrees or over 
½ inch of rain is anticipated.
 
The Foul Weather Shelter programs in Ventura and Oxnard will protect about 40 of the most vulnerable homeless folks.  Priority for FWS beds will be people over 65 and/or those with serious health conditions. Remaining rooms will be on a first come/first served basis.  For those who cannot get a room, “stay warm packs” will be provided.
 
How can you help?
 The FWS programs in both Ventura and Oxnard will rely on the generosity of faith communities.  River Community Church in Ventura and All Saints Episcopal Church in Oxnard will serve as program centers.  You can help in the following ways:
 
1. For the Ventura program, offer to provide meals.  Each FWS participant will receive a warm dinner and breakfast for the following day.  UUCV will be on standby to provide meals for specific weeks.  If you would like to help provide meals, please contact Sue Brinkmeyer at suebrinkmeyer@earthlink.net.
2. Donate items for the “stay warm packs.”  Unhoused folks who do not meet the criteria for motel rooms will receive supplies to assist them during the weather event.  The packs will include rain ponchos, tarps, blankets, jackets, hand-warmers, socks, toiletries, snacks, and bags for the materials.  
– If you would like to donate items for Ventura, please contact Kappy Paulson at kmp160@sbcglobal.net.  The River Community Church also has an Amazon “wish list” for donations.  
– If you would like to donate items for Oxnard, please contact Yukio Okano at yukio.okano@yahoo.com
 
3. Monetary donations.  This coming week’s UUCV plate collection will go to the Ventura and Oxnard FWS programs.  You can also mail checks as follows:
– For Ventura, send checks made out to River Community Church to 859 E. Santa Clara Street, Ventura 93001.  Put “Foul Weather” in the memo line.
– For Oxnard, send checks made out to All Saints Episcopal Church to 144 South “C” Street, Oxnard 93030.  Put “Foul Weather” in the memo line.
 
4. Volunteer when the FWS is triggered.  Volunteers are needed to help support the FWS programs by hosting participants at gathering centers and distributing “stay warm packs.”   If you would like to volunteer, please contact the following:

For Ventura, contact Kappy Paulson.
For Oxnard, contact Yukio Okano.  

Foul weather shelters will not solve the problem of homelessness.  But they will help protect the most vulnerable members of our community.  Please do what you can to help.

A Message from Yukio Okano
Member… Lift Up Your Voice to End Homelessness

MORE BETWEEN SUNDAYS…

Mardi Gras Auction Party

by | Sep 29, 2023 | News (home)

Come celebrate Mardi Gras in October at our 2023 Annual Auction Kickoff. The party is being held on Saturday, October 7th from 4 pm – 7:30 pm. We want everyone to feel welcome, so we are selling tickets on a sliding scale from $1 to whatever you feel comfortable donating. Our suggested price is $13 per adult for advanced purchase to cover the dinner costs. Tickets will be available for advance purchase during Sunday’s coffee hour. You can also contact Ruth Owens to buy your tickets online. Be sure to let us know how many tickets you would like and the amount you feel comfortable donating. (View all available items at https://auctria.events/uucv)

This year we are encouraging you to invite family and friends to join us at the party. We are hoping folks will wear their finest Mardi Gras outfits. We will provide masks and beads! 

Some of the amazing events that we have planned include:

  • Live jazz music by the award-winning Ventura High School Jazz Quintet.
  • A catered Cajun dinner of fried chicken, Po’ Boy chicken sandwiches, red beans & rice (vegan), black-eyed peas (vegan), jalapeno hush puppies and corn bread muffins from The Cajun Country Café in Oxnard with hot sauce available on the side. We will also include a green salad (vegan) and homemade cupcakes for dessert.
  • An indoor and outdoor dining table will be reserved for those more comfortable wearing a mask.
  • Wine and sodas available.
  • Please be green and remember to bring your dinnerware.

Bring the whole family! Lily Rapaport has planned a number of fun events for the kids including a bouncy house, snow cones, and pizza.

Since the auction is our biggest fundraiser of the year, we will also be offering:

  • The famous New Orleans Hurricane drink (with or without rum) for a suggested donation of $5.
  • There will be a Raffle with at least 10 raffle prizes available including $50 cash – you pick what items you want to try to win! Tickets will be available for $1 each or $5 for 6 tickets.
  • We will be doing a fun Flip-A-Coin fundraiser. Tickets are $5 or 3 tries for $10. For each ticket bought, you guess if the coin will be heads (hand on your head) or tails (hand on your bum). If correct, you stay in. If wrong, you lose a ticket. The last person standing will win $50 cash. 
  • Another way to participate is through an amazingly generous offer by Dennis Charles, to match all cash donations up to a total of $1000! 
  • Some of the 185+ auction items will be available for viewing during the party.
  • And of course, we will also be doing a live auction of 6-8 items throughout the evening!

Come and kick off our annual auction with a great party! The online auction will begin on October 7th and continue until 8 pm on Sunday, October 22nd. You can view all available items at https://auctria.events/uucv.  Once in the site, select “Auction” then “Online Auction Items.” Contact Jen Luce if you would like help accessing the site or setting up your account.
 

Looking forward to seeing everyone on October 7th!

Between Sundays 8-24-23

by | Aug 24, 2023 | News (home)

Good People, I invite you to an Introduction to Wellspring after church on Sunday, August 27 in the Sanctuary around 11:30am.

Wellspring is a specifically UU spiritual practice small group, that helps people to explore what it means to be a UU and how to practice and live by our values. They call it Spiritual Deepening for the UU Soul.

On Sunday, you will get a taste of how the program sessions unfold, and all the components of the meetings. Participants explore spiritual practice(s) over the course of the program, and are asked to work with a spiritual coach (for which many options are offered). There is also some reading about UU history, heritage, and theology.

This program provides a possible answer to folks who – at some point in their lives as UUs – have asked their minister or each other, “What now? How do I deepen my faith? Is there a particular UU spiritual practice? How do I learn more about our Living Tradition?”

I facilitated this program in its early stages about 15 years ago. Our Music Director Carolyn Bjerke has been so inspired by it that she has actually served as president of the national board of Wellspring.

We have both found it as powerful as it is simple.

UUCV has run two groups online. This year I hope to have an in-person group, possibly hybrid. We’ll see what works for those interested.

Come, find out more on Sunday!

Looking Forward,
Rev. Dana

Between Sundays 8/16/23

by | Aug 16, 2023 | Between Sundays

A MESSAGE FROM LILY RAPPAPORT, ACTING DIRECTOR OF FAMILY MINISTRY  

For many of us the new school year starts soon! The new year represents growth and change; moving to a new classroom, school, or town; more responsibility and maturity. Some of us are excited about new beginnings and some may feel anxious or worried about making the transition. Either way, it is a good opportunity for our congregation to mark a safe and successful year ahead and to embrace our call to learning. 

This Sunday, August 20th, we will celebrate and commemorate a new year of learning. The backpack blessing will offer encouragement and support for all who are embarking on a year of spiritual growth. It is a valuable ritual within a faith family and one that many Unitarian Universalist congregations hold at the beginning of the school year. It is a wonderful way to bless part of our everyday lives, to connect Sunday and the rest of the week, and to lift up learning and growth and to encourage and support learners, no matter the age.

Whether you’re a student in school or a student of life, learning is a part of life no matter your age. All are invited to bring the bag they will carry on their journeys ahead to be blessed and filled with love by our UUCV community. This includes any and all the tools we use, throughout life, to help us learn. So bring your backpack, bookbag, briefcase, purse, laptop bag, lunch bag or anything that represents your return to school, whatever form school might take.

Let’s begin the journey into a new school year surrounded by the loving care and support of our wonderful UUCV community.  See you on Sunday!

Lily Rappaport
Acting Director of Family Ministry

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