by Kitty Merrill | Sep 4, 2018 | Justice Actions
Our theme for September is Vision, fitting for us right now as we embark on a process to create and vision for UUCV for the next five years. Yet I confess that I am struggling to find an inspiring way to express our vision in our present context. Back in my Berkeley days I remember the bumpersticker, “Think globally, act locally.” It still has power, yet now thinking globally feels harder – especially in the realms of politics and economics – and can lead easily to an unhelpful sense of despair. It feels more manageable to think locally and act locally.
Luckily, we are all responsible for creating a vision for the church. I am grateful that we have such thoughtful, committed and caring people to dream together. I can envision many possibilities, yet perhaps my most significant role is holding the spiritual questions. What are you called to bring into the world – in your life and in the church? What inspires you? What spiritual connection will sustain you in that calling?
Together, over the next weeks and months we will be asking, “What is our story at the Unitarian Universalist Church of Ventura? What is the story that we tell? What is the story we hope that others will tell about us?”
We ask those questions in the context of significant transitions.
- The irreplaceable Beverly Jordan will leave us – sometime between November and March – after nearly 5 years of service to UUCV. We are a better people, a stronger community because of her presence among us. She has helped us discover gifts we might not otherwise have seen. As sad as we are at her departure, we now have an opportunity to keep blossoming and living into what Beverly taught us we are.
- We are facing a significant budget deficit in the coming years. Deficits definitely produce their share of anxiety, yet once more we have an opportunity to evaluate what we need and want as a congregation and consider how and what we have resources for. My own anixiety is lessened by knowing that – even in the face of a deficit – the church is in strong financial shape. We have greater reserve funds than in any church I have experience with.
At least two more questions arise: What will we do with our gifts? As a generous people, what can we create in the world?
There are two opportunities to begin asking these questions.
- The board is hosting a Congregational Conversation to begin planning for addressing our deficit on Sept. 16 after church at 11:30
- The 5-for-5 Visioning (task) Force* will be holding a BIG Vision Saturday on Oct. 6 from 9-12. It’s only the beginning of a process that will need your participation and input in many formats. I hope many of you will be able to attend one or both of these events.
We’ll find our way through these transitions together.
In times like these – within the church and beyond – I have never been gladder that we share the ministry of the church.
With love, Rev. Dana
* George Owens has stepped down from our 5-For-5
by Kitty Merrill | Aug 7, 2018 | Justice Actions
My favorite metaphor for the church is a lighthouse. At our best the church is a light sent out into the darkness when seas are rough, guiding us to safe harbor, a place of rest and comfort. Yet it is also a beacon sent forth to proclaim truths the world yet needs to see and hear. The work of the church is finding the balance point(s) between reaching in – for sustenance and depth of spirit, and reaching out – speaking truth to power, learning to love the world and its people ever more expansively, widening the circle of justice, inviting all in.
Creating a vision and plan for the next five years can help us at UUCV manage this dynamic balancing act as beacon and sanctuary. The five members of our visioning task force will be considering all this as we gear up to begin creating our vision for the next five years. We have dubbed ourselves 5-For-5: the Five-Year Vision Task Force, or simply 545. I am so grateful to be working with Kim Prieto, who has agreed to chair the team, Janice Frank, George Owens, and Andy Edgar Beltran.
Not that we are going to write the plan ourselves, that’s where everyone (and we mean everyone) comes in. 545 will facilitate a congregational process to generate ideas and input from members and friends. There will be congregational gatherings, surveys, phone calls, coffee hour conversations, and more. We’ll ask committees and groups to balance dreaming boldly with being practical and strategic. And on the other side of a year or so – after conversing, discussing, wrassling, dreaming, developing the art of the possible – we will have a planning document to guide us through the next five years. We intend it to be a living document to be revisited throughout the years ahead.
The 545 team has already met twice, and you’ll be hearing from us regularly.
First, we ask some questions:
What is your metaphor for the church? My lighthouse is only one among many possibilities. How does the church make a difference in your life and the world? What metaphor captures the energy, inspiration, delight and power of this church community?
And lastly – In service to what? What is the larger purpose of all this visioning and planning? What greater good does the church serve?
We might not yet have answers. I can’t wait to discover the answers we live into.
The journey continues.
With love, Rev. Dana
by Kitty Merrill | Aug 7, 2018 | Justice Actions
Would you like to be part of connecting volunteers with tasks/jobs that will bring them joy? The Volunteer Team will assist both those seeking to volunteer and congregational leaders who are looking for volunteers. Contact Ruth Owens if you are interested in being part of this Team.
To Volunteer:
Check out the opportunities listed on the Volunteer Bulletin Board in Berg Hall.
by Kitty Merrill | Aug 7, 2018 | Justice Actions
Last June we held our Annual Meeting and exercised our 5th Principle concerning democratic process within our congregation. We voted and approved the Slate of Candidates, the 2018-19 Budget, and agreed to move forward with the creating of a permanent RE/Multi-purpose room in Berg Hall. Thank you to everyone who participated in the governance of the beloved community that is the Unitarian Universalist Church of Ventura!
By all accounts the discussion of the church budget went smoothly. Credit goes to the budget subcommittee of David Smith, David Frank and Rev. Dana Worsnop for giving us a document that supports our children, our staff and our vision for growth. That does not mean that the future is without concern. It was announced at the Annual Meeting that there will be two Congregational Conversations, September 16 and January 27, focusing on our 2019-2020 budget deficit. Those events will be about how to manage our income against expenses incurred in the running of our church. At the risk of sounding like a broken record, resolving the deficit gap is about making choices. Questions such as: “What do we value? What do we want as a community? What can we do?” represent the start of this journey. The information gathered at those meetings will give leadership direction about how to move the UUCV forward. If I have made it seem that our financial situation is dire, that would be the wrong conclusion to reach. Not only do we have time to develop solutions, but we have a history of rising to meet financial challenges. It was not that long ago that we had capital campaigns to put in a new floor in Berg Hall; for funding of the solar panels to reduce energy costs; for the creation of the Outdoor Sanctuary; and of course, for the major efforts that resulted in the buying of our current home and subsequent paying off of the mortgage. We have a history of being bold!
The RE/Multipurpose Room received approval and had a clear request for additional information from the congregation. This is a project that looks easy enough but has some complications. The revised quote came in higher than expected and the contractor did not want any responsibility for “plans and/or permits” that may or may not be needed. The result is that a review of the scope of work is taking place with a visit planned to the Building and Safety department at city hall to discuss the need for a permit. We already have funding of $10,500.00 in place for the room. Getting the project completed will just take a little longer as we work to get it done in a proper and correct manner, aka “getting it right.”
And finally, with a new year and a new Board, comes a reminder for everyone. The Board meets on the third Thursday of every month in the Conference Room at 6:00PM. Like all committee meetings, Board meetings are open to members to attend. There is an opportunity to speak to the Board on any concern you have at the beginning of the meeting. This is just one of the many ways that your voice can be heard at the UUCV.
Living in Paradise,
Bryan Buck, UUCV Board President
by Kitty Merrill | Aug 7, 2018 | Finance Committee
What you May Not Know about Pledge Statements:
- We send church members and friends pledge statements in April, July, and October. The December 30 statement is not a pledge statement comparing the pledge you made and the status of the payments towards that pledge. It is a summary of all donations made by you during the calendar year, not the church year, July 1 to June 30.
- Paying pledges on the last day of the month or the first day of the month can cause irregularities on your statement because of the timing of the posting of your payments to your account. Paying between the 5th of the month and the 20th can eliminate these timing errors.
- The most common error noted on the statements is someone forgot to make a payment for one or two months. Having your bank send electronic payments once a month is an easy way to avoid such omissions. Many banks do this for free if you set up the payments online.
- Automatic monthly payments can also be set up for you using a church vendor, and you pay no charges for this feature and it is easy to set up and manage changes.
- You can make one time donations or set up automatic pledge payments at www.uuventura.org, by clicking on “Give” on the right side of the masthead area, then, click on the picture of the mouse and following the instructions; or by contacting David Smith at 805/216-9331 or davidpaseo@verizon.net.
