by Admin | Nov 27, 2019 | News (home), Notes from President's Desk
The Holiday Season is upon us and with it the many feelings and emotions that usually accompany this season of hope. This is a time to be reflective as individuals and as a faith community. It is a time to cherish family and friends. A time to remember the blessings of the year now passing and to consider the possibilities for the year ahead. Here are some things that we can say about where we are now.
We are moving along with creating our next 5-Year Plan thanks to the work of the 545 Task Force following the speed visioning event held last month. Committees and teams have begun working on writing specific goals based on the information gathered over the past year. It looks like our new Plan is shaping up to be a road map to boldness in the coming years.
Some other highlights from this year include:
- Adding Jimmy Vasquez to our staff as Membership Coordinator.
- Beloved Conversations began last year, and this year will be hosted by our congregation.
- The Auction was a great success with lots of fun for everyone.
- Our parking lot is scheduled to be re-coated the end of January.
- The Art Gallery in the Green Room is a constant source of inspiration.
- A Capital Campaign started to fund a sound system for the sanctuary.
- We have expanded our circle of relationships.
Most importantly the UUCV has changed lives for the better. We do that every day of the year with our Lift Up Your Voice advocacy, with our Safe Sleep overnight parking, and with our Inreach/Outreach program of giving away the Sunday Plate to other non-profits and folks in need. We make a difference by donating food each Sunday to Project Understanding; by supporting River Haven; and by providing support to numerous organizations that use our facility for meetings. And those are only some of the things that we do at the UUCV!
Please take a moment to read the letters of thanks and appreciation from those receiving our gifts. They can be found on the bulletin board by the copy machine. This then is the work of Unitarian Universalism where our first principal states : “We affirm and promote the inherent worth and dignity of every person.” That’s a message for every season! Finally, on behalf of the Board of Trustees,
Happy Holidays to Everyone! Thank you especially to our Staff, to Rev. Dana Worsnop, Congregational Administrator Jennifer Luce, Music Director Carolyn Bjerke, A/V Technician Brian Fortune, DRE Emily Carroll, Membership Coordinator Jimmy Vasquez, and to all of the RE Aides for all that you do in support of the UUCV. We have much for which to be grateful.
May peace and joy be yours this season.
Bryan Buck, President
by Admin | Sep 29, 2019 | Notes from President's Desk
Living in Paradise
In September the UUCV Board hosted a joint Retreat with the Board of the Universal Unitarian Church of Santa Paula (UUCSP). This was a collaboration that brought our two congregations closer together. We were led in a workshop on Multicultural Transformation presented by Rev. Johnipher Kwong from the Pacific Western Region (PWR) office. In preparation we were assigned some videos to watch and had optional reading of the book “White Fragility” by Robin DiAngelo.
This material complements the “Beloved Conversations” program that members of our church participated in last year and which will be offered again in 2019-2020. I encourage you to learn about this work and expand your understanding of what it means to be inclusive. As a congregation it impacts how we welcome the stranger to our community. We also explored what “Open Questions” to hold as a Board for the year. These are questions that are on the Agenda for every Board meeting as a reminder of the larger view needed when we do our work as members of the Board.
The use of open questions comes from “Governance and Ministry” by Dan Hotchkiss and is a resource that the Board has been using for many years. The first time the Board developed any open questions was in 2017-2018. Open questions create space for “balcony work,” where the Board and its conversation partners reflect together about the future. Often, the most important open questions facing a congregation are versions of: Who are we? What are we called to do and to be? Who is our neighbor?
Choosing a short list of questions – up to three, is important. With three years of this process completed you can see how the questions have changed over time. This year we let go of “What is our Mission?” because that is well in hand by the 545 Task Force as part of our 5-Year Planning process. We added a question based on the workshop on Multicultural Transformation. Two others were revised reflecting a deeper inquiry. You can see that the questions have all moved from asking “What” to asking “How” which implies a forward-looking view for the congregation.
2017-18
What is our Mission? What are the ways we want to grow?
2018-19
What is our Mission? How shall we achieve financial stability?
How do we “right size” our professional and volunteer staffing?
2019-20
How do we begin to create a community more racially and culturally inclusive?
How do we develop financial and spiritual resources to support our vision?
How do we support our professional and volunteer staff?
The Board will hold a Congregational Conversation in November. The new questions will be part of that event. what comes up for you as you reflect upon them and our future together.
Living in Paradise,
Bryan Buck, President
by Admin | Aug 27, 2019 | News (home), Notes from President's Desk
Notes from the President’s Desk – July, 2019
This month’s column is selected quotes I have used over the last two years. I hope that you will enjoy them, reflect upon them, and be moved to action by those that are most meaningful to you.
“This is no time for a casual faith.”
– Susan Frederick-Grey, UUA President
“If you would not be forgotten as soon as you are dead and rotten, either write things worth reading, or do things worth the writing.”
– Benjamin Franklin
“I slept, and I dreamed that life is all joy. I woke, and I saw that life is all service. I served and saw that service is joy.”
– Kahlil Gibran
“Good endings make for good beginnings.”
– A phrase that I first heard at the UUCV.
“Want what you have.
Be who you are.
Do what you love.”
– Rev. Dr. F. Forrest Church
“You all are on the front lines – providing ministry and leadership to people of all ages, helping us all not to lose our humanity in this very inhumane time, helping us all not to lose hope. Today, as I awoke, the words of Adrienne Rich were on my heart:
“My heart is moved by all I cannot save:
so much has been destroyed
I have to cast my lot with those
who age after age, perversely,
with no extraordinary power
reconstitute the world.”
“My fellow leaders, I cast my lot with you. We will not give up hope.”
– Susan Frederick-Gray
“Our Deepest Fear
Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won’t feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It’s not just in some of us; it’s in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.”
– Marianne Williamson
Living in Paradise,
Bryan Buck, UUCV Board President
by Admin | Aug 7, 2018 | Notes from President's Desk
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 Admin | Jul 3, 2018 | Notes from President's Desk
Last month one of the quotes in my column came directly from UUA President Rev. Susan Frederick-Gray who stated: “This is no time for a casual commitment to our faith.” That is a thought provoking statement worth discussing.
She was speaking about the many ways that Unitarian Universalists make a difference in the world. About how our efforts help change lives for the better, all while understanding we live in troubled times politically and economically. These are times when justice and compassion are hard to find for the disenfranchised, those who have somehow missed out or been cast aside as unworthy. For UUs who may feel discouraged about the current direction of our country, her words are a call to action.
There is a need for the prophetic voice of liberal religion that is Unitarian Universalism. It is a voice that speaks of inclusivity and building loving community. That message begins with affirming the inherent worth and dignity of everyone and concludes with the understanding that we are all connected.
When you look around you can see that there are big problems to be solved. You can also see you don’t have to do very much to make a meaningful difference in someone’s life. As troubling and perplexing as the world is today, it is never time to give up or give in on what you believe and value.
It seems if you are going to do a thing, a job, raise a family, learn a skill, that you should try to do it well. That is even more true depending upon how important something is to you. How worthwhile is it?
I love that UUs are a justice seeking people and we are engaged with our neighbors. I love that UUs show up to witness and speak truth to power. I love that I am responsible for my own faith journey.
So, in my case I hear the words of our UUA President as a reminder that the practice of one’s faith is not to be taken lightly. I would like to know what you think. Please send me an email at bryanabuck@hotmail.com and let me know how the above quote speaks to you.
Living in Paradise,
Bryan Buck, UUCV Board President
by Admin | May 3, 2018 | Notes from President's Desk
“FLAWS”
The word was in all caps at the center of a collage that a Coming of Age youth and her mentor were creating. All youth and mentors were focusing on collages representing Unitarian Universalism, and I was happily circulating among them all watching and listening to the collaborations. The word piqued my curiosity.
“Why FLAWS?” I asked.
“Because we don’t have to be perfect in this church,” came the response. “We get to be who we are.”
I could not have said it better. One of the things I loved about our faith from the first was that I felt accepted in my full humanity. I wasn’t a sinner in need of saving, but a complex human being seeking meaning, trying to live with purpose and compassion. I was appreciated for my gifts and blessings and encouraged to deepen them. I was fully accepted with my failings and foibles and encouraged to learn and grow.
I have loved working with Emily, our Coming of Age crew of facilitators and mentors, and eight of our magnificent youth. Our UU youth always delight me. They often surprise me with their wit, insight and sensitivity. We grow great kids in our faith and in our church. I can’t wait till the Coming of Age service on June 10 when they will read their Credo Statements to the congregation.
These kids are just one more reason I am falling more and more in love with the church and all our people. It’s hard to believe we are coming to the end of our second year together. In some ways it feels like I just started yesterday, in other ways I feel I’ve been here forever. I’ve told anyone and everyone who asks that I am happy as a clam, here in Ventura, serving this congregation. It’s still true.
And by now we are coming to know each other’s gifts, quirks and a few flaws. Folks now know that I don’t always reply to emails right away. And I’m an external processor, meaning that I don’t always know what I think until I hear myself say it, meaning I sometimes blurt out wild and impractical ideas.
I realized that I was even more a goner for y’all recently when I had encounters with a number of folks with their particular quirks and idiosyncrasies, and all I felt was an upwelling of affection. I realized that I love them not in spite of quirks and foibles but because of them.
We don’t have to be perfect in this church. I prove that on a daily basis. We simply get to be who we are.
And what a wonderful group of folks we are.
With love,
Rev. Dana
