January 2018 Number 1 Unitarian Universalist Church of Ventura 5654 Ralston Street Ventura, CA 805/644-3898 www.uuventura.org Day of Mindfulness with Kusala Saturday Jan 13 10AM - 4PM Church Sanctuary Join us for a special full day of mindfulness practice. More information and registration at www.friendshipsangha.org/ com or in Berg Hall at the Adult Programs table. Registering will help us plan. Bring a ready to serve vegetarian dish for the potluck lunch. A gratitude offering gratefully accepted at the door, but not required ($35 suggested). Find out more about Kusala at urbandharma.org/kusalainfo. Sponsored by the Friendship Sangha of the Heart, an Adult Program of the UUCV. Sunday Services Music: 9:45am Service: 10am Our January Theme is INTENTION We ask how do we live our lives with intention? How do we live thought, awareness, concern, and an understanding of the greater context of our lives? How do we live so our lives are rich and fulfilled not at another s cost but so all live with possibility and fulfillment? The New Year is a great time to set new intention. This can mean making resolutions. It can also be a subtle shift in perspective, a willingness to see newly, to live a more deeply connected life. January 7 An Ordinary Epiphany Rev. Dana Worsnop and Worship Associate Joe Hutchins January 14 The Human Issue Rev. Dana Worsnop and Worship Associate Celia Ortenberg January 21 All Through the Rev. Carolyn Price and Worship Associates Maura Raffensperger and Chris Chalquest How is it that some seem to go through life with an inborn gift that allows them to dwell in hope, not fear; that makes it possible for them despite loss not only to love, but to persist in love? Today's sermon explores the theme of trust. It asks: what does it mean to trust? And how might we learn it, even now? January 28 Why I Cannot Give UP on God, Even Though I've Tried Rev. Dana Worsnop and Worship Associate Sue Brinkmeyer Powerful Speakers Set for Regional Assembly in Portland The four districts of the UUA s Pacific Western Region will gather April 27-29 in Portland, OR for the 2018 Regional Assembly. Speakers include civil rights activist, the Rev. Dr. William Barber; Washington Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal, advocate for women s, immigrant, civil, and human rights; and the Rev. Susan Frederick-Gray, newly elected UUA president. Programming includes workshops, worship, district meetings, and an optional social justice activity. Discount lodging is available at the Portland DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel, site of the Regional Assembly. Childcare and youth programming will be available. Registration will open by January 4. Watch the PWR website (www.uua.org/pwr) for full details to be posted soon. Inside Ministry News... 2 Notes from President's Desk... 3 Social Action... 4 Religious Education News... 5 UU Things to Do...6-7 Committee News... 8 January Calendar... 9 UU Principles... 10 Like the Unitarian Universalist Church of Ventura on Facebook. It s one more way to stay connected. We, the members of the Unitarian Universalist Church of Ventura, united by our liberal religious tradition, seek truths, and meaning, and commit to right action. We will nurture our congregation and carry our principles forth to better ourselves, our community, and our planet. To these purposes, we pledge our hearts and hands, our minds and means.
Minister s Column Happy New Year. And can I just say that 2017 is a year that I m happy to see in the rearview mirror? As I write this column, the fires have been burning for two full weeks. I fervently hope that by the time you are reading these words another two weeks on that the fire is fully contained, if not completely extinguished. I am not one to dwell in doom and gloom. Life offers so much richness and possibility. Yet I suspect memories of 2017 will be dominated by the Thomas Fire. Still, a new year opens its vistas before us. Let us step into it newly, with hope of all that can be rebuilt, and with the wisdom that living through a natural disaster can bring. Our theme for the month of January is Intention fitting for the New Year. Now, I am no fan of New Year s Resolutions. That is not the kind of intention I recommend (though if resolutions work for you, go forth and resolve!). The kind of intention that arises for me now is affected by my experience of the fire. As one of the thousands who evacuated, I had to go through the process of deciding what I would take with me and what I would leave behind. Some among us actually lived that experience, having lost everything in their homes they couldn t bring out, sometimes with very little little time to consider the question. Yet I know the fire occasioned such reflection even for those who didn t evacuate. At such times, the question naturally arises, What would I bring with me? Answering that question is one way to figure out what is most important to you. What is irreplaceable? What is necessary? What can I easily let go? What is truly precious to me? And all this can lead to further reflection on how to live intentionally, thoughtfully, with awareness. So let us enter the new year thinking intentionally about our lives about our material possessions, about our values, about our actions. Let us be more intentional about how we move through the world as Unitarian Universalists and simply as human beings who want to be good. Happy New Year to All with love, Rev. Dana Do You Want to Know More About This Church and Unitarian Universalism? Check out these upcoming opportunities! *Registration information below Getting to Know UU Workshop Sunday, January 7, 11:30AM-1PM Topics include Heritage Highlights of Unitarian Universalism and UUCV, UUCV Mission and Programs and more! Journey to Belonging Workshop Saturday, January 20, 10AM to 2PM For those contemplating Membership at UUCV. Topics include: Expectations and Benefits of Membership, What are Your Hopes? Funding the Mission, Steps to Membership and more! Includes a light lunch. These workshops are a pre-requisite to UUCV Membership. *Register for any of these workshops at the Adult Programs Table in Berg Hall or email: Beverly@uuventura. org. Childcare provided with pre-registration Programs are facilitated by Beverly Jordan, Community Life Coordinator, Dana Worsnop, Senior Minister and the Membership Committee. Connect with the Connecting Committee We have a new Connecting Committee whose aim it is to foster engagement of members, friends, newcomers, and visitors into our church life. Stop by our table, near the Welcome and Adult Program's tables after church starting January 14, and talk with someone you may not know. We ll have lots of information about the goings on in our church and a chance to go beyond questions to conversations. For more information contact Beverly Jordan at beverly@ uuventura.org. Annual Homeless Person s Memorial Service The rescheduled Homeless Persons Memorial will be Saturday, January 27, at 3PM in Ventura s Plaza Park. A silent procession through downtown will follow. The Winter Warming Shelter The Winter Warming Shelter opened in late December and should be open at the Ventura Armory through the end of March. Our church is helping to facilitate the transfer of breakfast items from Food Share to the shelter on Thursdays. Contact Kathy Powell Kathypurpleprincess@gmail.com if you d like to help. The Warming Shelter needs volunteers. You ll need a current TB test before you can work. Contact Steven Karnazes at Rescue1@roadrunner.com to make arrangements. January 2018 2 On Common Ground UU Church of Ventura
Newsletter Submittals We value your contributions and very much appreciate email submittals. Send email submissions for On Common Ground to newsletter@uuventura.org Next Newsletter Deadline January 21 at Noon Next issue is February 2018 On Common Ground is a monthly publication of the Unitarian Universalist Church of Ventura, 5654 Ralston Street, Ventura, CA 93003 http://www.uuventura.org Minister - Rev. Dana Worsnop Office Hours: by Appointment 503/312-0401 Email: rev.dana.worsnop@uuventura.org Affiliate Minister - Rev. Carolyn Price Email: uurevclprice@gmail.com Community Life Coordinator- Beverly Jordan 805/644-3898, ext 102 Email: beverly@uuventura.org Director of Religious Education - Emily Carroll 805/644-3898, ext 103 Email: emily@uuventura.org Office Administrator - Jennifer Luce Monday - Thusday: 9AM - 3PM, Friday 9AM - 12PM Phone: 805/644-3898, ext 100 administrator@uuventura.org Call first to ensure Jennifer is onsite. Church Office Phone: 805/644-3898 FAX: 805/644-3926 Email: administrator@uuventura.org Music Director - Carolyn Bjerke Email: carolyn@@uuventura.org On Common Ground Editors: Shelah Wilgus... 805/658-7245 preblest@mac.com Tessa Weeks...805/647-4247 tessaweeks@mac.com Notes from the President s Desk Out of the Fire Together What is arguably the most expensive fire in Ventura county history began on December 4, 2017. Just like many others, Gretchen and I were under mandatory evacuation orders. Early in the morning we packed up some of our belongings and headed for the church. We went to the church because unlike the emergency shelter at the Fairgrounds or Nordhoff High School, the UUCV is our spiritual home. We wanted our known community to be our place of refuge. Although we had talked about the possibility of one day needing to evacuate quickly, we were not as prepared as we might have thought. That was also true of our church when it came to an emergency the size of the Thomas Fire. And yet, as a congregation we showed up and stepped up, making a difference in people s lives. As the day unfolded Reverend Dana, Beverly Jordan, Emily Carroll, Gary Zinik and myself made phone calls to everyone that we thought might be affected by the fire. Information trickled into us via phone calls, email, texting and Facebook. We received offers of shelter, food, mattresses, and help. We made plans for the church to be able to house people overnight. Rob March, Kitty Merrill, Dennis Charles and Linda Pietrzak, Kent and Sue Brinkmeyer, and others, made contributions that made it possible for our church to be able to be a welcoming place during a major crisis. The rest of the week we opened our facility for childcare and made hours available for families to spend time together in comfort. We provided emergency meeting space for an AA meeting and for some community college students to receive extra tutoring for an upcoming calculus exam. We suspended the rules for the Safe Sleep program allowing more space to be available for those who sleep in their cars and in need of a place to park for the night. We instructed our security service to leave anyone found sheltering on our property undisturbed. We are so fortunate to have a culture of dedication and commitment. We are blessed with an amazing staff. What we have participated in and accomplished during this latest emergency is the place where vision is lived. We can talk at length about our vision and our mission. To me the difficult task is to articulate statements about each. But if you were fortunate to spend any time at the UUCV during the fire and its aftermath, then you would have seen the beauty of people in community together, doing what they could to help people in need. That s a Mission fulfilled, and it was amazing to watch. Thank you everyone for all that you did, and continue to do each day for our church and faith. On behalf of the Board of Trustees, we wish each one of you a Happy New Year in 2018! May the year bring you Hope, Peace, and the Joy of knowing a loving community. Living in Paradise, Bryan Buck, President January 2018 3 On Common Ground UU Church of Ventura
Social Action Wherever there is a human being, there is an opportunity for a kindness. Seneca r Lift Up Your Voice (LUYV) Needs You by Sue Brinkmeyer Lift Up Your Voice is this church s ministry to do what we can to end homelessness and to ease the suffering of those still struggling to survive it. Our work and over 50 volunteers are organized into teams, and each team has a leader or two. Currently Kathy Powell leads our Park Outreach Team and our Events Team, Neal Ortenberg and Darryl Marquez lead the Safe Sleep Team, Kappy Paulson and Sally Shampine lead our One Stop Team, Pam Waldron leads our RiverHaven Team, Bill Wakelee and Sue Brinkmeyer lead our Family to Family Team, and Ruth Owens leads our efforts to launch Family Promise VC (a program to shelter families with children at churches). Quite a few people lead separate advocacy efforts: Rob March works on Ventura, Yukio Okano on Oxnard, and Kappy Paul- son represents us on a coalition advocating for Homes for All and on the Faith Subcommittee of the Ventura Social Services Task Force. Now Comes The Big Ask: Sue Brinkmeyer is leaving Lift Up Your Voice and is ready to help someone new take over two tasks: (1) convening meetings of the Lift Up Your Voice Steering Committee and (2) being the liaison between the church and the Lift Up Your Voice Team leaders. If you are interested in helping the work of Lift Up Your Voice by taking on either or both of these tasks, please contact Sue at 818/281-6249 or suebrinkmeyer@earthlink.net. Inreach/Outreach News Love only grows by sharing. Brian Tracy Your generosity toward those who ask for our help continues to be amazing. Nov. 5: UU Church of Ventura Inreach/Outreach fund - $726 Nov. 12: Southern Poverty Law Center - $813.97 Nov. 19: LUYV: Safe Sleep program - $840.60 Nov. 26: Turning Point Foundation - $813.95 Dec. 3: UUSC: Guest at Your Table - $709 Dec. 10: Park Outreach Team - $913 January Inreach/Outreach Recipients Jan. 7: No More Deaths is a humanitarian effort of the UU of Tucson Arizona dedicated to stepping up efforts to stop the deaths of migrants in the desert and to achieving the enactment of immigration reform. Jan. 14: UUCV Inreach/Outreach Fund to help those in our own congregation or someone in the wider community who is in need of assistance. Jan. 21: Habitat for Humanity uses volunteer labor to help lowincome families build their own homes on land secured by this non-profit through grants and donations. Jan. 28: Dig Deep Water works to ensure that every American has clean running water. They empower American communities to build and manage low-cost systems that bring safe, hot and cold water into homes, schools and community centers and to measurably improve human rights standards like health, gender equity and economic development. Thanks for all your donations Coffee Cups: Time to Make Room It is wonderful to see new members join our church, and we want to be sure there is room for them to bring in their own coffee cups and make themselves at home and part of our Green Sanctuary. At present, there are more cups than we have room. Before we add more shelves, we will take steps in January and February to ensure all current cups have an owner and a name. On Sunday, January 21, you ll see writing supplies by the cups. Please add your name to your cup using our supplies, and return it to the shelf. Cups not used on January 21 will be moved to an adjacent table, where their owners will be able to claim them, add a name, and return them to a shelf. After coffee hour on February 18, we ll move unclaimed cups to a storage room. If no one requests them by April 15, we will find them a new home. Contact Sue Brinkmeyer (818/281-6249, suebrinkmeyer@earthlink.net) for questions or concerns. Thanks for your help. January 2018 4 On Common Ground UU Church of Ventura
Religious Education January 2018 January 7 January 14 January 21 January 28 Babies & Toddlers Loving, engaging and safe childcare with projects from professional nursery caregivers! Pre-K- 2nd Free to Believe Grades 3-5 Harry and UU Social Action Grades 6-12 We search for what is true and right NEWS from Religious Education Emily Carroll, DRE Dear UUCV Community, Soon after the Thomas fire began and throughout the long week to follow, a phrase I heard often was that UUCV was a second home. We had play dates for the children all day or half days every day for the next week, and many people told me the sounds of laughter and play warmed their hearts. Times like these make us remember what matters most. According to Holstee, a company whose mission is to bring more meaning and inspiration to people s lives, an intention is a deeper purpose that could guide our actions. Love is my intention. To me, love means to offer belonging and welcoming to everyone I encounter and to give everyone a sense that they are seen and worthy of kindness. January is the start of the Coming of Age program, which is a huge undertaking for the religious education program and our congregation as a whole from now until summertime. It s an effort that touches many in our community, from the youth, their siblings, parents, and grandparents, the facilitators, mentors, and beyond. We are blessed to have Rev. Dana playing a key role in the program as well. We hope to offer an empowering space to guide and nurture our 12-14 year olds as they evolve into their adolescence. Please keep us in your heart! I Hope You had a lovely Holiday Season and May You Enjoy the Blessings of Purpose, Inspiration and Meaning in 2018 Emily Carroll, Director of Religious Education emily@uuventura.org We work for peace We work for freedom Double herbology Double potions Defense against the dark arts January Birthdays Jan 6- Emera Jan 23 - Zoe Jan 27 - Claire & Leif We share Earth wth all living things Fighting the poverty horcrux This group offers its members a safe place to share their lives, find support and friendship among open minded and loving peers and discusses issues relevant to youth s lives and communities. For information, latest news, and dates, contact Emily with questions and to be added to the weekly, family newsletter list! January Events Saturday, Jan 13 5PM UU Parenting Support Tuesday, Jan 23 6:15PM RE Committee Meeting Sunday, January 28 Baby Dedication Quidditch Match Field Trip to Project Understanding 11/21/17 Playing Dreidel 12/15/17 January 2018 5 On Common Ground UU Church of Ventura
UU Things To Do Adult Programs Adult Programs is bursting with opportunities for connection, reflection and growth. Check the newsletter and Adult Programs Board for info about additional classes. For information on ongoing programs, pick up an Adult Programs brochure at the AP Bulletin Board in Berg Hall. Programs are open to all unless otherwise indicated. Meditation and Buddhist Practice with Friendship Sangha of the Heart Monday 7pm Church Sanctuary Evening of Mindfulness Every Monday, 7pm. In the church sanctuary includes sitting and walking meditation, a dharma reading and dharma sharing. All are welcome. http://friendshipsangha.org/ meditation Intro to Meditation Monday, January 8 at 6:30pm in Sanctuary. Information: FriendshipSangha@gmail.com All are welcome. http://friendshipsangha. org/meditation/intro Contact: Neal Ortenberg 85/368-9835 or FriendshipSangha@gmail.com. Website FriendshipSangha.org Sponsored by the Friendship Sangha of the Heart, a UUCV Adult Program UU Thursday Bookgroup Thursday 10-11:15am Green Room We read non-fiction and meet weekly. Books with wide-ranging topics are recommended by members and are chosen by consensus. Discussions are similarly wide-ranging and tend to be lively... never boring, never contentious. Both congregation members and non-members are invited. Check us out. You will be warmly welcomed. Contact: Marcy Burns, mburns4430@roadrunner.com. T ai Chi Chih classes Monday 5:30-6:30PM Sanctuary gentle, moving meditation A practice that promotes balance, physical fitness, and inner calm. The 19 movements and one pose are easy to learn and fun to practice. Beginners are welcome. The 1st & 5th Monday are silent, group practice (no instruction). Donation: $10 per class (cash or check made out to UUCV) More info at the Adult Programs table in Berg Hall or contact: Lisa Otero 805/766-1342 Men s Discussion Tuesday 9:30AM Conference Room. We discusses political and social issues and current events. All men welcome. Contact Bill Peltola 805/320-6175 or 805/486-1348. Fun Book Club January 21 Sunday 11:30am Conference Room This fiction book group meets for 60-90 minutes after services. All are welcome. Jan: Pachinko by Min Jin Lee; Feb: Coyote Blue by Christopher Moore and March: 1984 by George Orwell. Contact: Kappy Paulson 805/647-1600 kmp160@ sbcglobal.net. UUniques 50+ Thursday January 25 6:30pm Berg Hall Please join us for an evening of conversation and good food. Bring your own table service and a dish to share. We are planning on a speaker for the evening. Details will be provided soon. We will be scheduling a tour for Thursday January 18. Details for the tour will be provided after the New Year. Contact Merle or Pat at 642-6316 or email at 1637wpso@gmail.com or 3723emlo@gmail.com. Charlas Contemporaneas Jan 28 12:30pm Rubio's on Victoria Ave, Ventura Durante la hora y media de la junta tendremos bastante tiempo para explorar varias ideas y temas contemporaneas. Aunque los temas serán interesantes, el propósito de la junta es siempre él de hablar en español. Para informacion, vea a Janette Daniel-Whitney janettedw@charter.net y Silvia Garcia Hutchins silviahutchins190@gmail.com Like the Unitarian Universalist Church of Ventura on Facebook. It s one more way to stay connected. Men s Breakfast Bunch Saturday January 6 9am Marie Callenders in Ventura Join us for food and conversation. We are better together. All men welcome. Contact: Ray Escobedo, 805/658-8543 ray.escobedo@sbcglobal.net. Women's Voices: Discussion and Support A1st & 3rd Tues 11-1pm Green Room drop-in women s group explores women s roles and issues. Open to all women. Contacts: Suzanne Olsen, 805/701-1024, suzth2@ charter.net. The Watercolor Wednesday 12:30-2:30pm C Berg Hall ome and play with us. Good conversation, inspiration, camaraderie, and occasional instruction. Bring your own supplies. Beginners are welcome. Contact Veronica Bear 805/444-0876 or veronicabear2000@yahoo.com. Bridge Wednesday 1-3pm West Alcove The UU Bridge plays friendly games of contract bridge, and tries to accommodate different experience levels. Currently we meet each Wednesday but will consider schedule change to meet players needs. If there is sufficient interest, we may again provide lessons for beginners utilizing teaching materials from Audrey Grant. Join us for fun and stretch your mind. Contact Ray Escobedo, 805/658-8543 ray.escobedo@ sbcglobal.net. January 2018 6 On Common Ground UU Church of Ventura
UU Things To Do Adult Programs Do you enjoy and value books? Do you enjoy chatting about our wonderful church? You are the perfect person to work in our UUCV Bookstore. Our store is full of interesting books that reflect our UU values and beliefs, so it is fun to point out, especially to visitors, the wide selection of topics on our shelves. Contact Silvia Hutchins (silviahutchins190@gmail.com) to learn more about this once-a-month opportunity. UU Hikers January 6 (1st Sat) 8am January s Hike will be a 5 mile loop exploration of the beautiful Dos Vientos Open Space in Newbury Park. Trek through chaparral and coastal sage with stunning views of the Oxnard Plain, Santa Monica Mountains, Boney Ridge and the ocean. Elevation gain is 800 through rolling terrain. We leave the church parking lot 8am sharp. Contact: Mike Sixbey, 805/205-4032. Coffee House/Open Mic Saturday, Jan 20 6pm Berg Hall supportive, nonjudgemental A place to try out your performing skills. In addition to music, story telling, poetry, and comedy there will be pizza, salad, snacks, and drinks. So come and eat, drink, and have a great evening of entertainment, fellowship, and fun! Contact: Kent Brinkmeyer, kentbrinkmeyer@gmail.com. We will collect the boxes and envelopes through the first 3 Sundays in January. Either bring in your box with the change, or write a check. You can mail your check directly (address is on the box bottom & envelope) or you can donate online at GAYT Donations. Donations of $125 or more are matched by Shelter Rock UU Church. Be sure to note you are from UU Church of Ventura. Guest at Your Table is an annual UUSC drive to bring our UU values of inclusion and justice to relief and development efforts throughout the world. To all the wonderful volunteers who helped to make Christmas special for the Riverhaven residents. Thanks to you, we we were able to provide a wonderful dinner and gift bags for all the residents. The dogs who reside at Riverhaven with their owners also received a gift bag just for them. To Silvia Hutchins and all the volunteers who knitted over 150 scarves and woolen hats which were distributed at Family to Family on December 4. FRIDAY MOVIE NIGHT 7pm Enter at back door January 5 Little Girl (La Pivellina,) 2012, Not Rated. Italian with English subtitles. In this Italian film, a 2-year-old girl is found abandoned in a park in a low income neighborhood by a family of circus performers. The toddler actress is a heart-stealer. Directed by Tizza Covi and Rainer Frimmel. Nominated for best foreign film Oscar. January 12 The Edukators, 2005, R. German with English subtitles. A trio of young political activists rankle Germany s elite by breaking into mansions and rearranging the possessions, while stealing nothing, and leaving strange messages about the immorality of possessing so much. Then one rich estate owner forms a relationship with the intruders he meets in his house. Stars Daniel Brühl (Good Bye, Lenin). January 19 The Sapphires, 2012, PG-13. The spirit of 1960s soul music are at the core of this film about the bumpy start and unlikely ascent of a real-life Australian aborigine singing group, who perform for soldiers in Vietnam. Three sisters and a cousin are brought together as the Sapphires take on a talent scout with a plan. Director Wayne Blair. Closed captioned. January 26 Departures (Okuribito), PG-13, 2008. Japanese with English subtitles. When his orchestra goes bankrupt, a young cellist returns to his hometown, looking for a new occupation. He sees a newspaper notice concerning work in departures, which he takes to mean travel. Instead he finds himself in the abstruse occupation of casketing, which turns out to be a lovely ceremony performed at memorial services. Despite the peculiar subject matter, this is a warm uplifting film, which won a Foreign Film Oscar in 2007. Director Yojiro Takita. Contact: Julie Moore, werfamilyvideos@aol.com January 2018 7 On Common Ground UU Church of Ventura
Committee News B&G Buildings and Grounds by Linda Pietrzak The December Work Party occurred on the 16th after most of the fire danger for Ventura had passed. What remained was the ash and smoke in the air. There were still piles of pine needles around the parking lot. Would anyone come out to rake and bag the pine needles? Twelve members of the congregation came out! Be sure and thank Geoff Dann, George and Ruth Owens, Rob March, Bryan Buck, Mike Sixbey, Haibiba Peterson, Sherry Anderson, Joyce Sattler, Bill Peltola, Merle Oberg, and Linda Pietrzak. They donned their masks and manned their rakes and got the parking lot looking great. They also found time to complete other chores. Bill Peltola checked emergency lights and fluorescent lights replacing any that needed it, George blew pine needles into piles, Mike Sixbey and Ruth pruned bushes in the raised beds, Sherry weeded along Ralston, Ruth also sorted the Lost and Found, Bill emptied the trash cans out back, Merle worked on the sprinklers, and Joyce picked up trash outside the church building and checked restrooms for sufficient paper products, Geoff worked on the light fixture in the RE women s restroom, and Linda finally watered the olive tree. Remember the last time it almost rained? Merle Oberg noticed drops of water falling on him from under the eaves of the church. John Puccetti checked on a drizzly day and found that ALL the seams in the gutter were leaking. When the gutters leak, the water soaks through on to the wood soffit around the building. Not good! We finally found someone who would patch the seams and clean all the pine needles and debris out of the gutters. That work was completed last month. Just like your home, you fix one thing and something else pops up! From the Stewardship Team Another Form of Stewardship Stewardship is often described as the donation of time, talent and treasure to support an organization. With the recent fires, we saw another form of stewardship. The church opened up and became a sanctuary for some evacuees. Emails went out updating us on the situation and offering resources. Childcare was provided when schools were closed. Congregation members brought food for an impromptu potluck and opened their homes. We took care of each other. This is also stewardship, a stewardship that can exist because we have all worked at maintaining and building this UUCV community. Thank you for being in this community and being such generous stewards to our community and to each other. Finance Facts from the Finance Committee January 2018 For some of our members and friends the harmful effects of the fire have financial consequences. If you need to suspend or reduce your pledged amount or your pledge payments, please notify Jennifer Luce, Office Administrator, at 805/644-3898, ext. 100, or email administrator@uuventura.org. UUCV maintains three months of reserves for its own expenses to help maintain our community s ability to deal with unknown financial changes. You can change your future pledge amount at any time by notifying Jennifer Luce, UUCV Office Administrator, at 805/644-3898, ext. 100 or administrator@ uuventura.org. You can make one time donations or set up automatic pledge payments at www.uucv.org, by clicking on Give on the right side of the masthead area, click on the picture of the mouse and follow the instructions; or contact David Smith at 805/216-9331 or davidpaseo@verizon.net. Membership Committee Gudrun Eastham, Chair unique volunteer opportunity is coming this A month! The Membership Committee's Welcome Team is expanding in light of the many visitors and guests that are coming to our Worship Services and other events. I enthusiastically invite you to join the Welcome Team... you've seen those church members on Sundays in the entryroom welcoming visitors and guests and offering Visitor Packets and nametags; you've seen them guiding Greeters with their tasks; you've seen them sitting at the Visitor Information Table in Berg Hall chatting with newcomers about our faith, our church, our activities; you've seen them occasionally sitting in on a Newcomer Chat hosted by Beverly Jordan and the Membership Committee. If you have read this far and would like to be part of the Welcome Team, contact me at 805/479-4852 or druzel@msn.com. You would be scheduled for Sunday welcoming tasks every six weeks or so, you wouldn't need to attend Membership Committee meetings (unless you chose to!), and you'll have a chance to participate in a brief, rewarding and fun training meeting near the end of January after a Sunday Worship Service. Look for an announcement! January 2018 8 On Common Ground UU Church of Ventura
January 7 Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday 2 3 4 5 6 9:30am - Men s Discussion 12:30pm - Watercolor 10am - Book Club 7pm - Movie 8am - UU Hikers 12pm - Coming of Age Overnighter 10am - Worship Service 11:30am - 7PEAT Environmental Actio 11:30am - Getting to Know UU 11:45am - Women s 12:15pm - Coming of Age 14 10am - Worship Service 11:30am - Humanism Seminar 12pm - RE Teacher Meeting 12:15pm-Coming of Age 21 10am - Worship Service 11:30am - Fun Book Club 11:45am - Women s NOON NEWSLETTER DEADLINE 12:15pm - Coming of Age 28 10am - Worship Service 11:30am - Humanism Seminar 11:30am - Connecting Committee 12:15pm - Coming of Age 12:30pm - Charlas Contemporaneas 1 New Years Day Office Closed 5:30pm - T ai Chi Chih 7pm - Meditation 8 5:30pm - T ai Chi Chih 6:30pm - Intro to Meditation 7pm - Meditation 15 Martin Luther King Jr. Day Office Closed 1pm - Women s 5:30pm - T ai Chi Chih 7pm - Meditation 22 5:30pm - T ai Chi Chih 6pm - Social Action Meeting 7pm - Meditation 29 5:30pm - T ai Chi Chih 7pm - Meditation 11am - Staff Meeting 11am - Women s Voices 6:30pm - Women s 6:30pm - Mens II 9 9:30am - Men s Discussion 11am - Staff Meeting 2pm - Connecting Committee 4pm - Women s s 6pm - Covenant 6:30pm - Finance Comm. Mtg. 6:30pm - VC Climate Hub 16 9:30am - Men s Discussion 10am - Staff Meeting 11am - Women s Voices 6:30pm - Leadership Committee 6:30pm - Men s V 6:30pm - Men s II 23 9:30am - Men s Discussion 11am - Staff Meeting 4pm - Women s s 6pm - Covenant Grp. Mtg. 6:15pm - RE Committee Meeting 30 9:30am - Men s Discussion 11am - Staff Meeting 6:30pm - Pastoral Associates 7:30pm - Choir Rehearsal 10 10am - Stewardship Comm. Meeting 12:30pm - Watercolor 2pm - Women s 6pm - Leadership Comm. Mtg 6:30pm - B&G Meeting 7:30pm - hoir Rehearsal 17 12:30pm-Watercolor 03:30 PM-Coffee House Office Hours 4pm - VHP Board 6pm - Women s 7:30 PM-Choir Rehearsal 24 11am - Newsletter Folding 12:30pm - Watercolor 2pm - Women s 7:30pm - Choir Rehearsal 31 12:30pm - -Watercolor 7:30pm - Choir Rehearsal 2pm - Covenant 5pm - Worship Associates 7pm - Men s III 9am - Men s Breakfast Bunch 12pm - Coming of Age Overnighter January 2018 9 On Common Ground UU Church of Ventura 11 10am - Book Club 2:30pm - Handicraft 4pm - Caregiver Support 6pm - LUYV 18 10am - Book Club 2pm - Covenant Mtg. 6pm - Board of Trustees 6:30pm - Membership Committee 7pm - Men s III 25 10am - Book Club 2:30pm - Handicraft 6:15pm - Cov. Grp. Training 6:30pm - UUniques+50 Potluck 12 2pm - Scrapbooking 5pm - Day of Mindfulness Setup 6:30pm - Game 7pm - Movie 19 7pm - Movie 26 7pm - Movie 13 8am - Day of Mindfulness 5pm - Parenting 20 9am - All Church B&G Work Party 10am - Journey to Belonging 6pm - Open Mic 27
Unitarian Universalist Church of Ventura 5654 Ralston Street, Ventura, CA 9303 2017-18 Board of Trustees President Bryan Buck Vice President Janice Frank Secretary Vel Linden-Akseven Treasurer Jim Waldron Trustees at Large Ron Dallas Mark Gale Katherine (Kassy) Erickson Unitarian Universalist Principles We, the member congregations of the Unitarian Universalist Association, covenant to affirm and promote The inherent worth and dignity of every person; Justice, equity and compassion in human relations; Acceptance of one another and encouragement to spiritual growth in our congregations; A free and responsible search for truth and meaning; The right of conscience and the use of the democratic process within our congregations and in society at large; The goal of world community with peace, liberty, and justice for all; Respect for the interdependent web of all existence of which we are a part.