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Unitarian-Universalism: Our Oddly Modern Spiritual Journey.
November 5
It has been said by Unitarian-Universalist’s that “we don’t stand for anything, …we move.” In this hour, we will look comprehensively at the journey of our American church tradition and examine some of the polarities and dynamics that inform how we got to being the religious tradition most tolerant and open to change.
Reverend Steven Wilson
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How I Got To Here: My Personal & Religious Journey
November 12
One of the most democratic expressions of this democratic tradition of ours is to hear our own their stories. Similar to the way we invite our teens to speak their truth each spring, today we provide the opportunity for members of our community to share with us a bit about their personal beliefs and or religious journey. Today we will hear three of our own talk their walk to this moment in their lives.
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The Loss of our Former RE Staff
One more mention of our Former RE Director Kathleen Dawson Linstedt. As I mentioned in last weeks view, and Joanie Thompson mentioned in tribute at our Ancestors/Ofreda memorial. Kathleen had been living Sebastopol, CA for the last number of years, but succumbed to pneumonia and MDS during the Sonoma County firestorm on October 11, 2017. She was 84. Memorial Services for Kathy will be in Santa Rosa on November 10th. If you knew Kathy and want to send a condolence note to the immediate family, the address is Laurel VarnBuhler, 3444 Selene Court, Santa Rosa, CA 95404 The family has requested that flowers not be sent.
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~~~
To have your joy or concern appear here, send it to @pacificunitarian.org
or call the PUC office. For information on how to do so,
scroll down to the end of The View.
~~~
You will always be directed to the right person if you email
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The Journey to a New PUC Pastoral Care Response
Last Sunday, October 29, after church nine of us gathered for a discussion and organizing meeting of potential Volunteers and leaders in Pastoral Care. The roles are beginning to take shape. However, there will always be room for more on this team. If you would like to be part of a growing group of bakers, card-writers, visitors, or one of the generally concerned, please come. We could use your help.
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Sunday Hospitality
Volunteers
It takes many hands to
make a Sunday. Special thanks
to all of our volunteers!
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Welcome Table
Lee Ann Hart & Nina Reeder
Greeters
Amy Fields & Susan Owen
Ushers
Dee Masters & Brad Shreve
Top Chef
Margo Meikle
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Lacey Gallagher
Penny Trunnell
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Security Update
As most of you know we were broken into last week. Nothing of note was stolen, but this was the fourth break in in the last six months. This is expensive, disconcerting, and a tax on our emotional and practical resources. However, it does reveal who is really there for us. Both Mike Buttitta and Gary Hart have stepped up masterfully to deal with contractors, work to put in new means of defending our property and deal with the police investigation. This is no fun for anyone, but some special thanks should go out to those two guys for jumping in.
Reverend Steve
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Short Submissions Sought
Periodically we will feature short poetry from our members. If you have short pieces, particularly those on a spiritual theme, please share them. I will begin to feature the depths and talents of our members. Here is a snapshot of one resolute moment from member Gloria Nussbaum.
My Fight
by
Gloria Nussbaum
How do I fight, this invisible foe?
I must remain calm-though in the midst of battle.
I must gather my forces, all my resources
Of which I have many.
My action plan is simple:
Be resolute, be brave, follow orders
And march on.
BEAT IT!
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Engaging the Community and Doing Some Good: Coming Soon
The Direct Service/Charity wing of our Social Justice Group are gathering steam, ideas, and beginning to clarify a vision of what “we” at PUC will do to be of service out in the world. Certainly, being new I (SW) am aware that people are already doing more than I know they are. Even more certainly, we have history of action that I am only blurry on.
I do know that, just to name a few, we have in the recent past, …
*Packed food at an airport hangar for a city-wide hunger organization,
*had or have at least some relationship with the Volunteer Center,
*have or had connections to the Toberman Center,
*Been engaged and supportive with “Harbor Interfaith”
*collected hats and or gloves for needy kids, and
*provided Holiday gifts for families that otherwise wouldn’t have them
All these actions are noble. Obviously, some combination of them seem possible, as are 100 more community river clean-ups and soup-kitchen’s. However, without some good planning, some pruning of what we won’t do, and a willingness to cooperate about what we might not do, I fear that every good deed and opportunity to engage the community might remain things we could have done, but didn’t.
There is already a good group of leaders interested in this question and in our doing, and they are soon going to put their heads together and pull together an ambitious but realistic calendar of do-gooder actions, some with the kids, and some just for adults. If you have ideas, please share your concise ideas and reasons why you think that would work for us with them with me (Steve), Tracy Lewis, Peggy Tigerman, Joanie Thompson, Susan Owen, or Amy Fields. We will soon be screening the best most realistic options for us as a community. Make us a pitch.
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November Religious Education Schedule
November 5: RE Classes
~ Voyagers (6th-9th graders) explore Humanism with Michele Bethune
~ Sojourners (3rd-5th graders) explore mirrors from their Toolbox of Faith
~ Pixies and Hobbits (Preschoolers-2nd grade) make chalice necklaces
November 12: RE Classes, and we start rehearsals for the December 17th Pageant!
November 19: RE Classes
November 26: Children’s Chapel, Thanksgiving stories and crafts
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Save the Date for December Happenings
Holiday Tree Trimming Potluck
5:00 pm to 9:00 pm
Saturday, December 9
Come decorate the Hall, make winter crafts, prepare pastoral care baskets and share a meal together.
Intergenerational Holiday Pageant Service
Sunday, December 17
We begin preparing and rehearsing November 12th!
Parent Meeting for 7th-9th Grade Our Whole Lives
November/December Date TBA
Session starting in early 2018.
Parent orientation (children preschool to high school) for grief and loss curriculum.
January Date TBA
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Share an interest or skill. We’re looking for PUC community members to visit Religious Education classes throughout the year and share a skill or interest that they have. Contact Claire Moss for more information: dre@pacificunitarian.org
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Get Involved - Teach or share about grief and loss
Early in 2018, Religious Education classes will be exploring grief and loss. We’re looking for people who might be interested in facilitating sessions, or coming in to classes to share a personal experience about loss. There will be an orientation for teachers in early December. Contact Claire Moss for more information: dre@pacificunitarian.org
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Self Hypnosis
Thursday, November 9
6:30 pm to 8:30 pm
PUC Library
PUC’s own Duncan Tooley is an Artist, Author, Mind Trainer, Medical Hypnotist. More info about Duncan
PUC’s own Duncan Tooley, a clinical hypnotherapist and instructor, will teach another of his introductory 2-hour classes in how to use self-hypnosis to relieve pain, cease cravings, defuse stress, adjust habitual behaviors, and simply be more joyful. Hypnosis is best described as meditation with a purpose. In this free class, you will learn from a professional how to use the technique for yourself.
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Honey Harvesting
New Date November 11
Witness a harvesting demonstration of our own PUC honey by our beekeeper Alden Salazar. Come and get your honey questions answered. Children of all ages welcome.
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MEN’S GROUP PRELIMINARY GATHERING
This Sunday, November 5
Noon
PUC Library
This coming Sunday we will host a gathering or perhaps a re-gathering here at PUC of a men’s group. It is said that there is no better way to heal than to share, and brother to brother much can be done. Come if you can, or talk to Gary Hart, Ben Cowan, or Godfrey Pernell about being a part of this moving forward.
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Fast Approaching. Steve is coordinating
a Blood drive at Torrance Memorial Hospital
on Wed November, 8. We will be scheduling
people this and every Sunday up to that time
for half hour blocks on that day.
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Steve here- I would love someone
to pick up this mantle, or quite literally
this clipboard and help me fill up our
allotted slots on Sunday’s. Any takers?
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Environmental Priorities Network's Fall Forum
This Week Saturday, November 4
9:00 am to 1:30 pm
St. Luke’s Presbyterian Church
Rolling Hills Estates
Our solar-powered future is here and how it can benefit YOU!
In our world of rising CO2 levels, per an article in last week's paper, there are 8% less nutrients in plants today than nutrients found in plants grown in 1850. New research demonstrated lower nutrition in greens grown in a controlled higher CO2 atmosphere. And we thought lower plant nutrients were attributable just to soil health! And we have all seen the recent hurricanes. They don’t seem to stop. This week “the” global weather organization declared 2016 the hottest year on record. It is a record broken nearly every year.
The upcoming EPN forum is the appropriate venue to deal with a changing climate gone wild. Come, and learn about the steps you can take right in the middle of your life to make a difference. The Forum will be held on Saturday. Don’t save the date any longer, Just come.
Local groups will be there: Plug In America, Adopt A Charger, Freedom Solar, Port of Los Angeles High School, and Sierra Club. Snacks, too. To RSVP visit http://tinyurl.com/ychoxx3n
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“Falling Out: Alienation and Community in Divisive Times”
The Annual Ernie Pipes Distinguished Lecture Series, Rev. Judith Meyer presenting
Sunday, November 5
2:30pm
The Ernie Pipes Distinguished Lecture Series is thrilled to announce that the Minister Emerita of the Unitarian Universalist Community Church of Santa Monica, the Rev. Judith Meyer, has agreed to be the keynote speaker at this year’s event.
This Sunday, Rev. Judith will offer reflections on life in a red state, especially during this perilous year, and suggest ways to cope with the widening and hostile differences in our country. Many of you may warmly remember Rev. Judith from her ministry at the Unitarian Universalist Church in Santa Monica from 1993 to 2008. Our Minister Emeritus, the Rev. Ernie Pipes, for whom the lecture series is endowed, is pleased to have Rev. Judith join us as speaker.
This event is free and open to the public, parking is provided.
About the Ernie Pipes Lecture Series: The Pipes Lecture Fund was established in 1991 to honor Rev. Ernest D. Pipes upon his retirement after 35 years in the Santa Monica pulpit at the Unitarian Universalist Community Church of Santa Monica. The Pipes Lecture Series is proud to continue to support the tradition of a free, wide-ranging, public lecture series including the topics of public service, government, social justice, religion and ethics, environmentalism, and the media. Contact: Diana Spears, dianaspears3@gmail.com.
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Spiritual Memoir Writing Group
Tuesday, November 7 at 7:00 pm
and/or
Wednesday, November 15 at 10:00 am
The Spiritual Memoir Writing Group returns. The assignment will as it always will be be a roughly 1-2 page and/or (2-4 minute reading time piece on a monthly theme. This second session theme is very simple but tough. Give us your best story; share your most interesting moment. Those who are willing will share, and we will check in and do a few, fun writing exercises. You need not be a good writer to participate.
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Singles Group Dinner
Saturday, November 18
6:30 pm
Kotosh Restaurant
All those who identify as single will gather in Lomita at the unique Peruvian-Japanese restaurant named “Kotosh.” Steve will make reservations for 10, as he says “just so we have a fairly large tables or set of tables reserved for us.” He is not taking RSVPs, because as he says he is “too lazy, just come, and we will figure it out.” For a preview check out their website www.kotoshrestaurant.com. Kotosh’s address is 2408 Lomita Blvd. Lomita
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We Still Need Your Photo
We would love to see your shining face on our bulletin board.
If you haven't brought in your picture yet, see the office volunteer.
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Seniors POW WOW
Third Thursday of each month
11:00 a.m. to 12:30 am
PUC Library
This on-going support group offers fellowship and friendship in hope that our meeting will develop close and helpful bonds among us. Come, participate, and get to know other seniors.
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BUDDHIST MEDITATION GROUP
Tuesdays
7:30 pm to 9:00 pm
PUC Library
Learn meditation and the purpose of meditation in the Buddhist wisdom tradition. Developing our love and compassion for all beings, we can find joy and meaning in life. Give yourself the gift of presence!
Newcomers welcome anytime, no experience required. Just bring an open mind and a kind heart - we can even help you find those! While meditation instruction is free, donations ($10-$20) to support our activity are gratefully accepted.
Dan Dempster has been authorized by Khenpo Migmar Tseten (Buddhist chaplain at Harvard University and Director of the Sakya Institute for Buddhist Study, Cambridge) and is a certified meditation instructor.
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