by Kitty Merrill | Dec 1, 2016 | Finance Committee
Our annual budget and our most recent monthly financial statements are posted in the glass display case across the hall from the copy machine and mail boxes.
• You can direct your questions about church finances to any of the members of the finance committee, whose contact information is also posted in the glass display case.
• Change your future pledge amount at any time by notifying Becky Burnham, UUCV Office Manager, by phone, mail, or email.
• You can make one time donations or set up automatic pledge payments at www.uuventura.org. Click “Give” at the top right of the home page, then follow the instructions for single or scheduled payments, or contact David Smith at 805/216-9331 or davidpaseo@verizon.net.
by Kitty Merrill | Dec 1, 2016 | Justice Actions
It was midweek and the church building was occupied by several groups meeting simultaneously, when Beverly Jordan, Membership Manager, staged a most enthusiastic, informative and enjoyable Pathway to Membership Orientation Workshop for eight newcomers in Berg Hall! All in attendance were given the opportunity to share how they first heard about our church, what drew them to check us out, and what past faith/church experiences they had. Beverly highlighted benefits gained by membership in a UU church. Several church leaders, committee chairs, and committee members spoke: Harold Dale Cartlidge reviewed the focus of the Social Action Committee; Erica Duffy shared RE program highlights and curricula, including the reading of the Seven Principles from a child’s viewpoint; Anne Escobedo explained how support groups are established and maintained; Kathy Swift led the group in a song revealing the rewards of participating in church choir; David Smith related the meaning of pledging and other aspects of stewardship; Rev Dana offered a spirited overview of UU history, and Gudrun Eastham invited attendees to experience Buddhist meditation practice. A video was shown about the meaning of membership and all learned a new song, …”everyone is welcome at the table…”. In addition to a Newcomer Packet, pledge cards were circulated and attendees came away informed, delighted, nourished, and challenged! The second Pathway to Membership will occur in January, 2017. In the meantime, speak to someone you don’t know, ask a newcomer to a specific event and review our Seven Principles. — by Gudrun Eastham
by Kitty Merrill | Dec 1, 2016 | Support Group News
“One of the things that so impressed me with this church was the many small groups offered. From men’s and women’s groups, book clubs, adult religious education, exercise and even hobby groups. So how do Covenant Groups differ from all the other small groups? Covenant Groups are led by trained co-facilitators. Working from a monthly theme and within a structured format, they will bring in related readings and offer thought provoking questions. By allowing space for contemplation, participants are able to articulate their thoughts as well as listen clearly to others. Being deeply heard is something that rarely happens, but is beautiful when it does.” Gina Norstedt
If you are interested in articulating your thoughts, being heard, deeply listening to others and engaging in quality conversation, consider signing up for a Covenant Group. New groups start in October 2018 and conclude in May 2019. Register by attending the Orientation Registration September 23, 2018 from 11:30 – 12:30. For more information contact: Pam Waldron @pimandjamwaldron@roadrunner.com, (805) 256-0756. Groups are open to Members, Pledging Friends and those currently attending UUCV.
Click here to view the 2018/2019 Covenant Group brochure:
UUCV Cov Grp Brochure
by Kitty Merrill | Dec 1, 2016 | Building and Grounds
I have written about how much more we could get done if more people came out for the monthly B & G Work Parties. This month extra people came out and we got fourteen out of sixteen jobs completed! I figured out the secret to get more people to come out for the Work Parties. All the church needs to do is to have activities each 3rd Saturday morning that involves a lot of participants, but that only one member of the couple needs to be actively involved in after the set-up, like say…a Craft Fair.
With the extra help, we hung several items on the wall in Rev. Dana’s office, disposed of a broken card table that had been dumped on the property, removed volunteer pine trees, watered the olive tree by the front door, emptied outdoor trash cans, picked up trash, weeded the butterfly and covenant gardens and sorted and dated items in the lost and found (Do you know where this is located?), removed dead shrubbery, adjusted the timer for the lights in the parking lot, swept up the never-ending pine needles and as a special treat, visited the Craft Fair. The workers in November were Merle Oberg, Bill Peltola, Joyce Sattler, Linda Pietrzak, Mike Sixbey, Kitty Merrill, Joe Hutchins, Cindy Camillucci, Jim Merrill, and Peter Mortensen. Can you recognize our guest workers? You are welcome to be a guest worker any third Saturday. In fact it could be your Christmas/ Chanukah/Yule gift to the church. Wouldn’t that be a lovely tradition to start? It could even be a family tradition! –by Linda Pietrzak
by Kitty Merrill | Dec 1, 2016 | Justice Actions
Be a PSWD Chalice Lighter (CL)!
We at UUCV stand to benefit from a Chalice Lighter (CL) call. Please join that call. It’s an appeal to the generosity of people in the Pacific Southwest District (PSWD) to donate to support the UU movement. In this case, the appeal goes out to congregations in southern California, Arizona, and Nevada to support our own Membership Manager position. The PSWD CL program gives us the chance to be in community with all 49 congregations in the PSWD. To be a CL, one commits to answering up to three requests for donations of at least $20. These donations add up throughout the district to provide funding to our sister congregations to build, modify buildings, equip, and staff – all in support of advancing our values in ways that could not be done with a congregation’s own funding alone. UUCV has benefited from Chalice Lighters twice in recent times. Funding was instrumental in getting a new sound system when we moved to our Ralston campus. And, a CL grant made it possible for us to hire an Assistant Minister, a ministry that had transformative effects on our church community. UUCV is in the closing days of a call to raise funds for the first year of our Membership Manager position. If you are already a CL, give generously. If not, this is an especially appropriate time to sign on and give. For more info: www.pswduua. org. Look under “Programs and Resources” for the link to the PSWD Chalice Lighters program or contact Jim Merrill, current President of the PSWD Board of Trustees.
