november 2013...come do your holiday shopping at the annual uufsd art fair on sunday, november 17!...
TRANSCRIPT
Annual UUFSD Art Fair Sunday November 17 Come do your Holiday shopping at the annual UUFSD Art Fair on Sunday, November 17!
This exhibit/sale will take place between services and for one hour following the second service. Typically, we have artists, photographers, jewelry makers, ceramicists, textile/stitchery artists and others. We may also have a few tables devoted to a silent auction if we can gather a dozen or so really tempting items, such as gift baskets with gift certificates. Betsy Gilpin plans to make a grandmothers’ kit to spoil a grandchild. Can you put together one? If so, contact Betsy [email protected].
Artists and Crafts persons! Exhibit and sell your work at the Art Fair! Application deadline: Thursday November 7!
Exhibit and sell your work (with 35% of your proceeds to UUFSD)! For an application, contact Greg Brown at [email protected]. The application fee is $20, and will be rebated from the % shared with UUFSD. Hanging art will be put up in Founders’ Hall on Saturday, November 16. Artists should arrive by 8:00 am on November 17 to set up. There will be monitors during the services to watch over the exhibits.
Focus The Monthly Newsletter of UUFSD,
A Unitarian Universalist Congregation in Solana Beach, CA
November 2013
Inspired by our Unitarian Universalist principles, we are a vibrant, intentionally diverse
congregation that models and promotes both locally and globally:
love, spiritual growth, service, right relations
— UUFSD.ORG — and sustainable living.
Services are at 9:00 and 11:00 a.m. Childcare is offered throughout, and visitors are always welcome.
Save the Dates …..…………………………..….... 2
David’s Dialogue ………………….....……..….... 3
Winter Worship …………………………………. 3
Religious Education ………………..………….. 4
From Your Board …………………....………..... 5
Creating a Covenant …………………..………. 6
Generosity Update……………………........ 6 & 7
Publication Guidelines ……….………………. 7
Committee & Group contacts ……………... 8
SAVE THE DATES! Camp de Benneville Pines!
Winter Kids’ Camps at Camp de Benneville Pines: Did your child have a great time at summer camp? Well, it’s even more fun in the winter with all the snow-play activities: Nov 15-17 PWSD Jr. High Youth Camp – Camp MUUggle Dec 27-Jan 1 PWSD Sr. High Youth Camp – Camp SeUUss Feb 15-17 PWSD Family and Elementary Winter Camp – Choose your own adventure. For more information and to register, visit uucamp.org.
Thanksgiving Potluck Dinner: Thursday November 28, 1:30 – 4:00 p.m.
Chanukah falls on Thanksgiving this year, and not again for over 700 years, so join us and make history! We plan to have food and decorations for each of these Holidays. Turkeys will be provided, bring a side dish to serve 8-10. There will be a sign up form in the core area after each service. Not sure what to bring? Email Bev Conner [email protected].
Mindfulness Meditation
There is good news from the UUFSD Mindfulness Meditation Group: a newMonday evening session from 7:00-8:30 p.m. for those members who cannot participate in our Tuesday morning session. The session will take place off campus, at the home of Livia Walsh. For information and directions email Livia at: [email protected] or call 760-274-6041.
San Diego Food Bank: Thursday November 7, 6:00 – 8:00 p.m.
San Diego Food Bank in the Miramar area; just 20 minutes from UUFSD! Anyone over 7 can help! Mostly we just put food in boxes on an assembly line – really easy, no lifting, no bending, great camaraderie. This is a wonderful way of helping locally those in need and strengthening our UUFSD community as well. The San Diego Food Bank distributes over 20 million pounds of food annually to individuals, families and a network of nonprofit organizations that work to alleviate hunger throughout San Diego County. They need our help! Email Sarah at: [email protected] if you're interested in joining us. Generosity Sunday
Monthly Generosity Sundays – Easy Application /Significant Impact
One of the ways we participate in outreach and social justice work is by designating one Sunday a month as a Generosity Sunday. On these Sundays, we donate the offering to an organization or project that serves the community or the cause of social justice. Generosity Sunday is one of UUFSD’s Social Action Committee (SAC) projects and our goal is to serve a variety of needs and organizations. Members, Committees or staff may encourage organizations to apply. Consideration begins with the organization’s submission of an application form. Forms are available at uufsd.org. The form serves the following purposes: 1. Confirms an organization’s 501 (c) (3) status. 2. Provides an overview of the organization’s mission, financial status and intended use of
funds. 3. Provides a point of contact. 4. Provides information for use in UUFSD communications related to Generosity Sunday
beneficiaries. Completed applications should be emailed to [email protected]. Applications may also be mailed to UUFSD Generosity Sunday, P.O. Box 201, Solana Beach, CA 92075. For more information contact Wenda Alvarez at: [email protected].
David’s Dialogue
Breathe with me
Take a moment to just take in a deep breath and slowly let it out.
Maybe take a walk in the morning, noticing the chill in the air and how the change of season comes to your neighborhood.
Perhaps you drive by the ocean and stop instead of driving past in order to get out of your car and quietly gaze into the waves.
Or take out a piece of paper and write down a few things that you have experienced this year that has brought you joy and gratitude.
Every Sunday we start our service talking about how here we consider things of meaning, and that is true, but here is not the only place for that to happen. Sometimes, in the busyness of our lives we forget to consider things of deep meaning during the week too. There are a lot of rituals associated with the holidays. Family (of origin or choice) gatherings, shopping, eating, favorite television specials, flash mob caroling and many others, all have become our rituals in November and December. There are also rituals that can deepen the meaning of this time of year.
What if every November right around Thanksgiving, as part of our UU practice, we made a list of 5 people who have fed our spirits or nurtured our lives in some way over the past year. And then as the holiday approached, we didn’t buy them something but we told them, face-to-face if possible, of our gratitude for their presence in our lives. Gratitude for the energy that is sent our way, and for the presence that we are given in times of need. We spend so much time on the run, or accomplishing, or distracted, maybe we can make one of our rituals at this time of year be to note our gratitude for those who bring meaning to our lives, and to take a moment to let them know.
We pause in the stillness to rest for a moment, to quiet ourselves so that we can feel what stirs within us. Each breath draws us closer to the pulse of life and with each exhalation we make room for something new. May we find in this gathering the comfort of those who care. May we encounter patience along our growing edges and compassion in our most tender spots. Here may we find the inspiration and encouragement we need to face our challenges and nurture ourselves. And in the presence of suffering across the globe may we redouble our efforts to practice kindness where we are, with the hope that the light of our actions travels like the light of faraway stars. May our gestures of compassion and generosity seed possibility. May we walk humbly with one another, choosing reconciliation over resentment as we try to live right-sized. When life presses in and shifts us off balance, when pain assails us, when frustration mounts, may the rhythm of our breath steady us and bring us back to a place of gratitude.
“Each Breath” - Leaf Seligman Happy Autumn and Happy Thanksgiving,
Much Love, Rev. David [email protected]
Winter Worship
Services are at 9:00 & 11:00 a.m.
Childcare provided
11/3 Day of the Dead DRE Alison A.L.G.M. Crotty Susan Hahm 11/10 Something Bubbling Up UUFSD Band Rev. David A. Miller 11/17 A Rabbi, Minister and Priest walk into a bar - Seasonal Lessons for Religious Life UUFSD Choir Rev. David A. Miller 12/01 50 Yrs Later: Idealism, Reality, Our Deepest Dreams Rev. David A. Miller 12/08 The Joy Service Rev. David A. Miller 12/15 Music Sunday UUFSD Choir & Children’s Choir Rev. David A. Miller 12/22 Winter Solstice Rev. David A. Miller
Religious Education
The full autumn moon glows in the night sky, illuminating the Fellowship’s paths. As a group we snake up the hill, Manzanita branches reach out to us as we climb. No one speaks as we reach our destination. The sky is a startling black, the stars eclipsed by the brilliant moon. The sea out in the distance is an inky void and we watch the lights of the cars wind around the coast. Standing on top of the plateau behind the Fellowship, we feel like we are standing on top of the world.
UUFSD hosted the Pacific Southwest District YRUU Conference. Many of these youth have not seen each other since camp in July, their only contact virtual. Now, they sit close, basking in togetherness. Opening the worship, in a tight cluster, they listen to the meditation. Feeling the group let go of some of their stress, I hear the breathing around me slow and become intentional. The powerful words echo through us and for this moment in time, I am so thankful to be worshipping with these youth. We end with the words,
I accept myself. I am perfectly alright just the way I am.
I accept myself. I am a valuable human being.
I accept myself. I feel confident. I accept myself.
As the meditation flows into the night, I realize I need to absorb the words as much as the youth do. “I am perfectly alright just the way I am.” Expelling a deep breath, my shoulders fall into a relaxed state. I didn’t realize that I was holding societal expectations so close to me, on my shoulders, in the tight neck muscles that begin to loosen once I give them permission. Permission to lay down the worlds (and my unattainable expectations of self), it is an overwhelming recognition. Closing our eyes and listening to our heartbeats and the sound of community nearby, I feel more at peace surrounded by 60 people than I have alone, in a long time.
If there is a time to acknowledge feeling grateful, it is now. I love November and the changing of seasons, but specifically Dia de los Muertos and Thanksgiving. Dia de los Muertos gives me time to honor, celebrate and remember the people who are gone from my life. There are tears and laughter, memories and bonds with the living forged as we remember together. The perfect amount of days pass, as I return to the land of the living and Thanksgiving is upon us. A holiday dedicated to breaking bread with those I love, respect and have helped me, those I call family. As I write, gratitude wells within me and I am overwhelmed; my cup runneth over.
I must thank everyone who has worked in Religious Education to make the transition to two services a success. My RE Committee has been invaluable, and my chair the perfect blend of task and love. Thank you to the people on the Worship Committee who recognized the panic within me and the woman who stepped forward and took on the task of teaching the combined class of the second service. Giving me that gift allowed me to have peace of mind, total confidence that because she was in charge, that class was going to be successful. What a blessing. Thank you to all who have signed up to teach and assist! The program is a cooperative experience, and I hope everyone is finding moments of clarity and insight when they teach our amazing children.
The words “thank you” are inadequate to describe what I hold in my heart at this moment but they are all I have. Thank You. In Love and Fellowship,
Alison [email protected]
From Your Board: With UUFSD in transition, the September meeting tackled difficult issues.
Stewardship: First was how to address the void left when the entire Stewardship Committee resigned. Each of the members had served for a period of 5 years or more, and reluctantly stepped down when they were unable to get any volunteers to replace them.
Lisa Shaffer stepped into the void, and spearheaded a Task Force to reinvent how we raise funds. She briefed the Board on the status of that effort: Three teams, one directing the pledge campaign, one in charge of the fall art/dining event, and the YAC (Young Adult Committee) will coordinate the spring event. Roger Doebke, Scott Thatcher and Dave Masser-Frye have been working to set up the pledge campaign. While these efforts should be helpful, UUFSD is still without a standing committee designed to raise the funds needed to run the Fellowship.
Increasing and Improving Member Involvement in the Fellowship: The Board was appreciative of these efforts, but are concerned that there has been increasing difficulty in getting members to volunteer their time and talents to make UUFSD function. There was discussion of an effort that the Nominating Committee and the Membership Committee – working with key committees in the Fellowship have been exploring.
Creating a comprehensive, collaborative and communicative membership experience, incorporating strategic leadership development through workshops, training, mentoring and invitation, and through a membership engagement/ leadership development process that integrates committees and nurtures involvement from the first visit. The suggestions have been to streamline committee structures and combine some key functions in order to better integrate members in to all aspects of congregational life. A key part of the effort is to be sure the Fellowship responds to people’s needs and passions with regard to their spiritual and ethical lives, while also preparing people to become effective volunteers and leaders in making the Fellowship vibrant and viable. Stay tuned. Calls are being made to every member to get their input into this process.
Routine Actions: Steve Rosen reported the transfer of Vanguard investments has been accomplished for the Fellowship to get better rates on investments and stock transfers.
The financial statements from June indicated that the year ended with 98.8% of anticipated income with some pledges coming late. Expenses came in under budget, which resulted in a net gain of $14,876; this was primarily due to some personnel changes that resulted in the reduction of expenses. Operating reserves are at $31,335, which is 8.8% of budget. There was discussion about the difficulty of using the current finance software and the need for a better system. ACTION: Caroline will write a letter/article for the next Newsletter.
Administrator’s Report: Elizabeth reported that the Fellowship had 248 members, 4 members emeritus, 35 pledging friends and 40 friends. One wedding is booked for next year.
RE Report: Alison reported that RE2.0 has started with all RE activities online including YRUU news, volunteer sign up Genius, a Pinterest page, and class info. We have new RE greeter tables, which have contributed to a 80-90% sign-up rate for classes. The Jr. high group will do a Casa de Luz home-build in the near future.
Minister’s Report: Rev. David mentioned there have been numerous initiatives in the Fellowship in the past several months, with the Strategic Planning committee in final planning stages, the new RE program implemented, the Capital Campaign committee moving forward, the beginning of the two service experiment, and a very active young adults group. He has become a member of the district-wide Transitions Team and continues to work with community leaders on the issue of gun control. As always, the Board welcomes your comments, suggestions and participation.
Creating a Covenant:
According to the UU Association of Congregations, “Covenant” is translated as “come together” in Latin and means a “solemn agreement” or “promise from the heart.” We read the Fellowship Covenant at every service. Many congregations have their own covenant of right relations that articulate expectations of how to be together as a community and aim to create a safe environment.
The Committee on Ministry (COM) is leading an effort to create a covenant that is unique to UUFSD and describes the nature of our Fellowship and our commitments to each other as a spiritually bonded congregation. We will decide what are our most important shared beliefs and loyalties, how we want to be together as a community, how we want to explore and deepen our spirituality together and how we want to promise to work together toward our common goals. As Reverend David wrote in the last newsletter, creating a covenant together will be a powerful spiritual experience and living that covenant in every meeting, service and casual conversation, as well as bringing it into the world can be a powerful and intentional spiritual practice for us.
The process of creating a covenant will begin with conversations about these issues. We will listen to each other and begin to identify the words and phrases that are spiritually meaningful to us and reflect our common goals, shared ideas and commitments to each other.
The COM will offer the following workshop meetings: Sunday, November 10, at 10am and 12pm, immediately following each service. Monday, November 18, at 6pm Sunday, November 24, at 10am and 12pm, immediately following each service.
We strongly encourage everyone to attend these meetings. Refreshments will be served! If most of us participate, there is a much greater chance that our covenant will represent us and empower us to move forward together. Everyone’s voice is important. In December, the COM will create a few possible covenants from the language emerging from the workshops. These will be hung in the hall with space for comments. This feedback will help to create a covenant that best resonates with UUFSD. On January 12 the final covenant will be put to a vote.
Generosity Update:
“The wise man does not lay up his own treasures. The more he gives to others, the more he has for his own.” ― Lao Tzu
In case you haven’t noticed, UUFSD is alive and thriving and evolving as a place for spiritual growth, social action, and supportive community, enhanced by religious education, music and art, and connection to our natural environment. We need your commitment to keep growing and serving. We’ve all heard the adage “it’s better to give than to receive.” And it’s true. There is enormous satisfaction that comes from giving, whether it’s giving time to listen to a friend in need, giving effort to help build a home for a family or maintain the property at the Fellowship, or giving money to buy needed food or equipment and to pay for personnel and facilities to support the work we value. There may come a time for each of us when we need the help of others, and when that happens, we will be enormously grateful that others are there to give to us. In the meantime, what a blessing to be able to give now, while we can. After several years of serving on our UUFSD Stewardship Committee, its chair and most of its members decided they needed a break and wanted to engage in other aspects of the Fellowship. We also recognized that, while our past fundraising efforts have been very successful, they have also gotten a bit
stale, and some of our fundraising activities were not connecting with all segments of our congregation. So we are reconstructing our Generosity practice and inviting everyone in the congregation to become more involved. We are grateful that people have stepped up to this challenge. You have seen information about the Art Fair and our Fall “Dining, Dancing, Doing … for Dollars” campaign. This is your first chance to get involved. Whether or not you were able to offer your work or your hospitality, you can invest in our beloved community by purchasing the works sold at the Art Fair and the social events offered through D4$ on November 17. Get to know others better while having fun and supporting the Fellowship. Early next year you’ll be hearing about our annual pledge program. Most of the operating budget comes from annual payments from members and friends. In what may be a confusing process, in the early spring of each year we ask for a “pledge” or promise of a financial contribution for the following church year, which runs from July 1 – June 30. Knowing how much money we can expect from pledges enables us to create a budget for the year to come. The new Pledge Team is working on the plans for the 2014-2015 pledge, and you will be hearing more in the coming months. Our Generosity program also includes an event in the spring. This year, the Young Adult group has offered to organize the Spring Auction, though it will not be like past auctions. We don't yet know the details, but knowing our vibrant Young Adult group, you can be sure it will be fun-raising and fund-raising! If you have questions or would like to get more involved in UUFSD’s generosity efforts, please contact Board President John Atcheson ([email protected]) or Lisa Shaffer ([email protected]).
Submit Your News! Newsletter Deadline is the 15th of the month ahead
If your event will be held at UUFSD, and before you request to publicize it, reserve the room by contacting [email protected]. Anytime you would like anything published anywhere at UUFSD, please use http://uufsd.org/events-information/submission/ Suggestions for a Successful Article For best results, keep your article pithy and of an appropriate length: • under 100 words for the Order of Service, Calendar, Save The Date!, and Weekly Bulletin • under 250 words for the Monthly Newsletter and uufsd.org/News • under 500 for the Quarterly Magazine For announcements, begin with the most important information and work down to the least. Answer the questions who, what, where, what time, why, and how early in the article. For example, start out with something like: “The Book Club meets the third Monday of each month at 7:00 p.m. in the UUFSD library.” Thank you!
COMMITTEES
Building & Grounds: Ken Schultz [email protected]
Committee on Ministry: Richard Macdonald
Communications: [email protected]
Design Review: Greg Brown & Elizabeth Michel
Finance: Steve Rosen [email protected]
Joy: Bev Conner [email protected]
Kitchen Management:
Alejandra Hoffman-Chan & Pamela Parker [email protected]
Library: Sharilyn Parr
Membership: Betsy Gilpin [email protected]
Memorial Walkway: Barbara Blomgren
Music Committee: Marylou Gibson [email protected]
Nominations: Caroline DeMar
Pastoral Care: [email protected]
Personnel: Alisa Guralnick
& Heather Stroud [email protected]
Religious Education: Susan Miller & Alison Crotty
Social Action: [email protected]
Stewardship:
Ushers: Alice Brzovic & Glen Bowden [email protected]
GROUPS
Adult & Youth Choirs:
Book Club: Sharilyn Parr [email protected]
Garden: Karen Eckhart
Men’s Groups 1 & 2: Clint Stoddard & Steve Bartram
Senior Exercise: Judith Barney [email protected]
Smart Recovery: [email protected]
Film Nights: John Gilles
Sunday Discussion: Michael Parr [email protected]
Wednesday Discussion: Steve Rosen
Women’s Group: Dianne Graham [email protected]
Young Adults: Leslie Uke [email protected]
UUFSD SPIRITUAL LIFE
Spiritual Growth Circles: Linda Pratt
Mindfulness Meditation: Livia Walsh [email protected]
Buddhist Groups: Christie Turner & Robin Mitchell
Buddhist Sangha: Bob Isaacson [email protected]
ANNUAL EVENTS
De Benneville Pines: Betsy Gilpin & Christie Turner
Memorial Day & July 4th Campouts: Betsy Gilpin [email protected]
NOVEMBER ACTIVITIES By Irv Himelblau WEEKLY Mondays & Wednesdays: Nov. 4/6/11/13/18/20/25/27 – Senior Exercise, 8-9 a.m., FH Judith Barney [email protected] Mondays: Nov. 4/11/18/25 – Mindfulness Meditation, 7:00-8:30 p.m., OC Tuesdays: Nov. 5/12/19/26 – Mindfulness Meditation, 9:00-10:30 a.m., FH Livia Walsh [email protected] Tuesdays: Nov. 5/12/19/26: YRUU PM Session with Alison – 7p.m., YRUU [email protected] Wednesdays: Nov. 6/13/20/27: UUFSD Band – 6:00 p.m., YRUU [email protected] Thursdays: Nov. 7/14/21/28 – Meditation, 6-7:15 p.m., PL [email protected] Fridays: Nov.1/8/15/22/29- Meditation, 10:30 - 11:45 a.m., PL [email protected] Sundays: Nov. 3/10/17/24 – Sunday Discussion Group, 11:00 a.m., CA Michael Parr [email protected] BI-WEEKLY *1st & 3rd Mondays: Nov. 18 – Movies, 7 p.m., PL John Gilles [email protected] * Film Nights meets once in November. 1st & 3rd Thursdays: Nov.7 & 21 – Buddhist Sangha, 7:30-9:00 p.m., PL Robert Isaacson [email protected] 2nd & 4th Wednesday: Nov. 13 & 27 – Women of the World, 12:30-2:00 p.m., OC Dianne Graham [email protected] MONTHLY & ONE OF A KIND ACTIVITIES
Friday, Saturday & Sunday, Nov. 1, 2, 3: Ven Khenpo Karthar Rinpoche, “Entering the Path of a Bodhisattva.” For schedule and fees contact [email protected] Saturday, Nov. 2: UUFSD Work Party, 9-Noon, UUFSD Ken Schultz [email protected] Sunday, Nov. 3: Young Adults, 12:30 p.m., PL Leslie Uke [email protected] Monday, November 4: UU History – 7:00 p.m. PL Rev. David [email protected] Wednesday, Nov. 6: Discussion Group, Noon, OC Steve Rosen [email protected] Thursday Nov. 7 ART FAIR DEADLINE Wednesday, Nov. 6: We Agnostics Open recovery meeting 6:00 p.m., PL Michael Lawrence [email protected] Monday, Nov, 11: Book Club Title: “Caleb’s Crossing” Sharilyn Parr [email protected] Saturday, November 16: New Member Circle – 10:00 – Noon, PL Betsy Gilpin [email protected] Friday, Nov. 15 Newsletter Deadline Wednesday, November 20: Wonderful Wednesday, 6:30 pm, Watch your email for an update from Rev. D! Rev. David [email protected] Thursday, November 28: Thanksgiving/Chanukah Potluck, 1:30 p.m. –Reservations required. Sign up in Core area between services. Bev Conner [email protected]
Published monthly by the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of San Dieguito, P.O. Box 201, 1036 Solana Drive, Solana Beach, 92075 POSTMASTER: Send address changes to UUFSD, P.O. Box 201, Solana Beach, CA 92075
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p: 858.755.9225 f: 858.755.9017 Office: 8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. M-F P.O. Box 201, Solana Beach 92075
Contact UUFSD
Rev. David A. Miller, Minister Alison A.L.G.M. Crotty, Director of Religious Education Andrea Newall, Choir Director Elizabeth Lindsay, Administrator
Unitarian Universalist
Fellowship of San Dieguito
P.O. Box 201 1036 Solana Drive,
Solana Beach, CA 92075
The Annual UUFSD Art Fair Is Sunday November 17
Come do your Holiday shopping!