by Kitty Merrill | Feb 27, 2017 | Justice Actions
“Wherever there is a human being, there is an opportunity for a kindness.” Seneca
by Lety Ball
SACC Meetings
The Social Action Coordinating Committee (SACC) is dedicated to hosting and promoting events to inform and help our members engage in the pursuit of social justice. At our last SACC meeting, we helped a dozen members connect with others who share their interests. It is our hope these small get-togethers may become action groups and/or lead our members to join organizations already formed. All are invited to our meetings on the fourth Monday of the month. Upcoming meeting dates are February 27, 2017, and March 27th at 6:30pm. Come at 6pm if you would like to join our pre-meeting potluck.
Move To Amend
On January 29 Bill Haff of the Ojai group Move to Amend gave a presentation about the Move to Amend (MTA) work on a constitutional amendment to establish money is not speech and corporations are not people. The bill provided historical background about the growing influence of corporations in politics, shared a progression of MTA’s work, and offered several ways our members, individually and as a congregation, can help MTA get money out of politics. Visit MTA online and sign the Motion to Amend for the 28th Amendment at https://movetoamend. org/motion.
Action Groups
To be part of our current action groups, email:
Will Rogers Action Group: Dorothy Fasthorse Dfasthorse@aol.com.
Environmental Action Group – 7PEAT: Kitty Merrill Kitty_merrill@hotmail.com
Thank you Sue Brinkmeyer
by Haroldale Cartlidge 805/701-9672
Sue is taking a much-deserved break. She has stepped down as Interim Director of Lift Up Your Voice. Until a permanent replacement is decided upon, I will fill that position.
Her dedication, compassion, and organizational skills will be sorely missed. However Sue has organized LUYV in such a fashion, that by pulling together, we will continue and hopefully expand our important mission of advocating for and working with our homeless and marginalized neighbors
by Kitty Merrill | Feb 27, 2017 | Justice Actions
The end of the Church year is approaching and soon our Committees will
begin thinking about who will be their Chair for the coming year. They will be
planning, determining budgetary needs and wondering if there are enough helping
hands on their committee. These volunteer opportunities call out for folks who are
willing to give of their time and talent. We have heard from Rev. Dana on how just
about anything that we do can be called a ministry. To me, that is a mindset shift
in one’s approach to serving on a committee.
Service is a spiritual undertaking and not just a job. Ask yourself: Which is more
fulfilling, work or ministry? Worship, Finance, Buildings & Grounds, Membership,
Social Action, Religious Education, Board, Kitchen Cabinet, Leadership, Programming,
Pastoral Care, Stewardship and more, are known as committees but they are really
ministries. As you can see, there are lots of ways to get involved at the UUCV.
The things we want to accomplish are much easier to do when these positions are
filled with folks of good heart and intentions for the wellbeing of our church and
Mission. Each one of the many ways available to serve, are really opportunities to
deepen one’s commitment to Unitarian Universalism and to UUCV. This is the
practice of sweat equity.
Reflections on some meaningful events of the last few months include:
The evening Vigil at church following the Election brought many of us together
in mutual support and concern for the future of our country. This was a uniquely
moving spiritual experience for those who participated.
The 11th Annual Homeless Memorial at Plaza Park was like the ones before it,
a somber gathering to bear witness. There have been hundreds who have died on
our streets since this program began. Without the work of LUYV, these lives would
never have been recognized.
The Candlelight Christmas Eve Service with Rev. Dana is a tradition not to be
missed. A universal message of Peace on Earth and goodwill to all. It doesn’t get
any simpler than that.
The Ventura Justice for All March and our participation was the largest march I
have ever been part of in Ventura. It was companion to the Million Women March
in Washington D.C. In a week filled with rain the sun came out and shone on this
historic event. The day was truly inspirational.
The Chicken Little actors: Talk about a fun time during the Children’s Story
last month. There is always something that one can come away with from going
to church on Sunday. In this case, it was a great lesson about fear, presented with
amazing humor.
Taco Night, put on by the Edgar-Beltran family is their Auction item and gift
to the congregation. This event is a wonderful example of how we build up our
community.
Rev. Dana’s Installation is a special occasion for a minister and a congregation.
We chose each other. This event highlighted and reaffirmed that bond, celebrating
the journey that has begun
Living in Paradise,
Bryan Buck, President
by Kitty Merrill | Feb 27, 2017 | Notes from President's Desk
The end of the Church year is approaching and soon our Committees will
begin thinking about who will be their Chair for the coming year. They will be
planning, determining budgetary needs and wondering if there are enough helping
hands on their committee. These volunteer opportunities call out for folks who are
willing to give of their time and talent. We have heard from Rev. Dana on how just
about anything that we do can be called a ministry. To me, that is a mindset shift
in one’s approach to serving on a committee.
Service is a spiritual undertaking and not just a job. Ask yourself: Which is more
fulfilling, work or ministry? Worship, Finance, Buildings & Grounds, Membership,
Social Action, Religious Education, Board, Kitchen Cabinet, Leadership, Programming,
Pastoral Care, Stewardship and more, are known as committees but they are really
ministries. As you can see, there are lots of ways to get involved at the UUCV.
The things we want to accomplish are much easier to do when these positions are
filled with folks of good heart and intentions for the wellbeing of our church and
Mission. Each one of the many ways available to serve, are really opportunities to
deepen one’s commitment to Unitarian Universalism and to UUCV. This is the
practice of sweat equity.
Reflections on some meaningful events of the last few months include:
The evening Vigil at church following the Election brought many of us together
in mutual support and concern for the future of our country. This was a uniquely
moving spiritual experience for those who participated.
The 11th Annual Homeless Memorial at Plaza Park was like the ones before it,
a somber gathering to bear witness. There have been hundreds who have died on
our streets since this program began. Without the work of LUYV, these lives would
never have been recognized.
The Candlelight Christmas Eve Service with Rev. Dana is a tradition not to be
missed. A universal message of Peace on Earth and goodwill to all. It doesn’t get
any simpler than that.
The Ventura Justice for All March and our participation was the largest march I
have ever been part of in Ventura. It was companion to the Million Women March
in Washington D.C. In a week filled with rain the sun came out and shone on this
historic event. The day was truly inspirational.
The Chicken Little actors: Talk about a fun time during the Children’s Story
last month. There is always something that one can come away with from going
to church on Sunday. In this case, it was a great lesson about fear, presented with
amazing humor.
Taco Night, put on by the Edgar-Beltran family is their Auction item and gift
to the congregation. This event is a wonderful example of how we build up our
community.
Rev. Dana’s Installation is a special occasion for a minister and a congregation.
We chose each other. This event highlighted and reaffirmed that bond, celebrating
the journey that has begun
Living in Paradise,
Bryan Buck, President
by Kitty Merrill | Feb 27, 2017 | Justice Actions
I am so very pleased to introduce to you the newly formed Pastoral Associates Team at UUCV. They are eight church members who will be sharing the pastoral ministry of the church community with me.
I introduce them to you as a new team, though I suspect they are already familiar to many. They are: Anne Escobedo, Steve Jacobsen, Darryl Marquez, Madelaine and Yukio Okano, Neal Ortenberg, Stephanie Tiffany, and Pam Waldron
Together we will be holding the whole congregation, attentive to the times of need, sorrow, illness or transition in your lives. UUCV is such a vibrant congregation of people with diverse and full lives; we need just such a team to take on the caring ministry. I am so grateful to each of these good people for sharing this ministry with me.
Please feel free to reach out to me or any Pastoral Associate if you need support of some kind – be it physical or spiritual. You may well find that one of our team will also reach out to you. If you know of someone in the church who is struggling in some way, please let us know.
In the past, Rev. Jan Christian had a similar team, and Beverly Jordan initially came on the staff as a Spiritual Care Coordinator. Beverly transitioned to our Membership Manager when I arrived this fall. It was an early priority to create a lay pastoral ministry. I wanted such a team not only because a congregation as large as UUCV needs one, but because this can be a powerful shared ministry.
Our Pastoral Associates (akin to Worship Associates who share our worship ministry) began forming this fall. I invited people who have a compassionate, calm and strong presence. (And since, I don’t yet know everyone in our church well, I sought recommendations.) We first gathered to talk about what this ministry might look like, and I asked them to take some time considering it.
In January we had a start-up workshop, and we will meet monthly. We are already becoming a team who will support each other as we support the congregation. I have full confidence in their integrity and compassion. We hold any personal information we learn about folks in the church with confidentiality.
It is such a joy to be serving this community and I am joyfully grateful for all those who share it with me.
With love,
Rev. Dana
by Kitty Merrill | Feb 27, 2017 | Minister
I am so very pleased to introduce to you the newly formed Pastoral Associates Team at UUCV. They are eight church members who will be sharing the pastoral ministry of the church community with me.
I introduce them to you as a new team, though I suspect they are already familiar to many. They are: Anne Escobedo, Steve Jacobsen, Darryl Marquez, Madelaine and Yukio Okano, Neal Ortenberg, Stephanie Tiffany, and Pam Waldron
Together we will be holding the whole congregation, attentive to the times of need, sorrow, illness or transition in your lives. UUCV is such a vibrant congregation of people with diverse and full lives; we need just such a team to take on the caring ministry. I am so grateful to each of these good people for sharing this ministry with me.
Please feel free to reach out to me or any Pastoral Associate if you need support of some kind – be it physical or spiritual. You may well find that one of our team will also reach out to you. If you know of someone in the church who is struggling in some way, please let us know.
In the past, Rev. Jan Christian had a similar team, and Beverly Jordan initially came on the staff as a Spiritual Care Coordinator. Beverly transitioned to our Membership Manager when I arrived this fall. It was an early priority to create a lay pastoral ministry. I wanted such a team not only because a congregation as large as UUCV needs one, but because this can be a powerful shared ministry.
Our Pastoral Associates (akin to Worship Associates who share our worship ministry) began forming this fall. I invited people who have a compassionate, calm and strong presence. (And since, I don’t yet know everyone in our church well, I sought recommendations.) We first gathered to talk about what this ministry might look like, and I asked them to take some time considering it.
In January we had a start-up workshop, and we will meet monthly. We are already becoming a team who will support each other as we support the congregation. I have full confidence in their integrity and compassion. We hold any personal information we learn about folks in the church with confidentiality.
It is such a joy to be serving this community and I am joyfully grateful for all those who share it with me.
With love,
Rev. Dana
