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 | 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 | Jan 27, 2017 | Justice Actions
Pathway to Membership Orientation Workshop #2 was
staged on a Saturday in January by Beverly Jordan,
Membership Manager, Rev. Dana Worsnop and Membership
Committee along with expert assistance from Bryan
Buck, Board of Trustees President, Erica Duffy, RE Committee
Chair, and David Smith, Stewardship Committee
Co-Chair.
A half dozen potential new members attended and were
treated to a more detailed description of how our church
operates… to include the benefits of membership, learning
how pledging works, telling their personal stories, listening
to others’ personal stories, viewing a DVD, “Voices of A
Liberal Faith,” experiencing an expanded view of Unitarian
Universalism, Chalice Lighting, an overview of where
this church has come from “up on the hill” to our current location, “On Common Ground,” and a lunch where all could make their own sandwiches!
Everyone learned about the next events in the Pathway
to Membership: a celebration with cake and coffee on
January 19 with Board Members and other church
leaders, and a New Member Sunday ritual on January
22 where all new members will be officially welcomed
into our congregation during the Worship Service.
In the meantime, I encourage you to seek out visitors…
those wearing red/white name tags at church and invite
them to a UU event, read the Berg Hall bulletin boards
to acquaint yourselves with our church’s extensive list
of activities, and continue to be the welcoming and
green congregation you have been designated to be.
by Gudrun Eastham
by Kitty Merrill | Jan 27, 2017 | Justice Actions
From now until February 28, I will be helping our RE Committee, volunteer teaching teams, Child Care staff and Rev Dana plan for my leave-taking. I have taken on the many responsibilities of DRE since April 1, 2016. It has been a rapid learning curve, giving me amazing insight into the caring and work so many volunteers and staff do for the inspiration and moral foundation our religion offers for our children and youth. Thank you for the opportunity to serve our church and all of you through our RE program.
Thanks to the Religious Education Committee, Erica Duffy, Rena Pezzuto, Vel Akseven, Mina Nichols, Douglas Tate and Gina Norstedt, for their help and support.
Also to Becky Burnham who keeps our boat from going adrift so many times, to Rev Dana who brings a knowledgeable and steady hand to the tiller, and to those who work in the “trenches” in rain and sun, our teaching team who carry our message of love to our children with courage and passion. It has been a wonderful 10 months, you are in my heart always. Thank you.
by Kitty Merrill | Jan 27, 2017 | Justice Actions
Exciting Learning In RE Classes
Pre K-1st: In February we will be continuing with our “Treasure Hunting” theme as we explore the treasures of our church and our religion. Lesson titles include, “Ideas of God,” “What is Religion?” and “Seeing With Our Hearts.”
Teaching Team: Laurie Lemson, Cheryl Gilbert, Katie Hutchins, Irma Sixby, Gerri Woodson
2nd-5th: Bibleodeon Themes: “Courage”, “Wisdom”, “Obedience.” We will explore the Hebrew Bible stories of David and Solomon and also look at the women of the Hebrew Bible and also revisit and revise our class covenant to reflect the covenant between teachers and children – what we promise to each other.
Teaching Team: Lauren Copus, David Smith, MaryKay Lambert, Jeff Steves, Phoebe Higgins
6th-8th: This month we delve into Islam, one of the ‘Big 3’ with over 1.6 billion followers worldwide. We will discuss important aspects and concepts of the religion to deepen students understanding of the Islamic faith and learn about the prophet Muhammad, founder of Islam.
Children will also begin to think more deeply about how their own faith could be expressed in small and great ways, in every part of their lives, and throughout life.
February goals:
- Introduce core aspects of Islam
- Acquaint us with the life of Muhammad, founder of Islam
ª Encourage thought about how their own religion is manifest in their lives.
Teaching Team: Chris C De Baca, Michael Pezzuto, Marge Lorraine, Gina Norstedt, Mina Nichols, Ray Vargas
by Kitty Merrill | Jan 27, 2017 | Justice Actions
Hello friends and thanks again for participating in our Social Action priorities’ setting meeting last November.
The Social Action Coordinating Committee invites you to attend meetings on the fourth Monday in order to get better connected and begin planning actions and activities around the issues you are most passionate about. We normally have a simple potluck at 6pm and then our meeting at 6:30pm.
Other meetings you are invited to are the Lift Up Your Voice Steering committee on the fourth Wednesday at 12:30pm in the conference room. We plan things like the Homeless Persons Memorial Service, Take a Hungry Person to Lunch, and advocating for local government to set policies that make it easier for our service providers to get people out of homelessness.
Our environmental action group, 7PEAT (7th Principle Environmental Action Team), meets on the first Sunday 11:45 pm in the conference room.
I saw lots of UUCV members at the Ventura County Reproductive Rights Network’s annual Roe V. Wade program at Temple Beth Torah.
I know many of you voted for Women’s Rights and Women’s issues as an area you would like to work on. SACC has been supportive of this group and Planned Parenthood, but certainly an Action Group in this area could do much more. Along with women’s rights, many of you also mentioned human rights in general, immigrant rights in particular, and racial justice as areas of interest for you.
With only a half dozen or fewer active SACC members we really need more direct participation just to keep up with what we are already doing, much less adding more areas to our work.
Please consider adding your voice by joining SACC. If you are unavailable to come to SACC meetings but would like to take the lead on a particular issue, contact the chair Lety Ball (ball.edith@ gmail) or another SACC member.
by Kent Brinkmeyer
