“Hope” by Jessica Kendall-Barr, April 2020
From the email announcements sent Thursday, April 16.
Join us online again this Sunday as we co-create beloved community together in the midst of a global pandemic. We are suspending congregational worship gatherings until further notice to protect vulnerable members of our congregation and the larger community. You can watch our special live-streamed service on the church’s Facebook page at 10 am on Sunday morning, April 19. Our services are now reaching hundreds of people and are inviting us to be interactive in worship in new ways. In addition to sharing joys, sorrows, and milestones, you may want to light a chalice and sing along with our worship leaders in your home sanctuary. You do not need a Facebook account to watch the service live. Just visit the Facebook website or watch the livestream here at news.uusm.org. The services will remain available on our UU Santa Monica Facebook page and on our YouTube channel. They are also archived here on the newsletter site. If you need help getting online, please contact board member Eileen McCormack for assistance.
“Honoring Earth:
Solidarity and Resilience” (Online Worship Service)
Rev. Jeremiah Kalendae, preaching • Alison Kendall, Worship Associate
Our Seventh Unitarian Universalist Principle affirms: “Respect for the interdependent web of all existence of which we are a part.” This Earth Day we are especially mindful of our interdependence in the midst of a global pandemic. Join us this Sunday as we meditate on this liberal religious principle and our responsibility to our beautiful planet home.
Church Facilities are Closed
Please note that church buildings and offices are now closed for business and services until further notice, and church staff members are working remotely. See above for online Sunday service information.
Scheduling Meetings
Although our current in-person meetings and events have been canceled/postponed, we are working on offering online gatherings and other ways of maintaining our community spirit. Please stay tuned as we work out the details.
In the meantime, if you need to schedule a church business group or committee meeting via Zoom, please contact Cyndee Hayes at assistant@uusm.org 310-829-5436 ext. 102.
Please provide the following details at least three days prior to the meeting. If you would like the meeting to be posted in the Weekly Email Announcements, please email Sibylla Nash at OOS@uusm.org by Wednesday evenings.
- Title of meeting
- Meeting’s host information
- Start time and end time
- Participants’ email addresses for an Invite.
Individuals can attend the meeting by phone if they do not have an email address.
Adult Programming
During this time of social distancing and uncertainty, the Adult Programs Committee is working hard to transition many of our groups and programs for personal and spiritual exploration to an online format, mainly via Zoom (but other platforms are a possibility). The plan is to get much of our regular programming up and running within the next ten days. We’ll also be providing assistance to those unfamiliar with how to use Zoom – just let us know you’d like help by emailing AdultRE@UUSM.org at least a few days before the program you’d like to take part in. Look for more information and links for programs on Zoom soon. We look forward to connecting with you!
Upcoming Online Events
ONLINE>> Adult Programs – “An Enjoyable Dive into Who and What We Are,” Monday, April 20, 2020, 7:30 pm – 9:00 pm, Zoom Meeting. Please contact: AdultRE@UUSM.org to get the Zoom link and instructions for logging on. Bill Blake will help participants master specific meditation skills. We endeavor to answer the questions Who am I? (attitudes and beliefs) and What am I? (essence or true nature). This class will include meditations that explore participants’ spiritual goals. It is expected that participants will develop and enjoy a regular meditation practice.
ONLINE>>Pre-School Check-In,Tuesday, April 21, 2020, 11:00 am – 11:30 am, Zoom Meeting. Please contact Teri Lucas at uusmreassist@uusm.org or Cleo Anderson at dre@uusm.org with any questions. Join us for a chalice lighting, story, and discussion of our favorite parts of being at home.
ONLINE>> Open Meditation Wellsprings, Tuesday, April 21, 2020, 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm, Zoom Meeting. Please email Meditation@UUSM.org for the Zoom link and directions.
ONLINE>> Science Non-Fiction Book Group, Tuesday, April 21, 7:30 pm – 9:00 pm, Zoom Meeting. Please contact Rebecca Crawford at sci-nonfiction@uusm.org for the Zoom link. We will discuss “The Rocks Don’t Lie: A Geologist Investigates Noah’s Flood,” by David Montgomery. Looking at rock formations has informed theology. Theology informed early geologists. Every culture seems to have a flood story. The author became interested in the topic when in Tibet. The local flood myth could be explained by reading the rocks. Using the lore of an indigenous people can inform science, and vice-versa. All are welcome.
ONLINE>> Online Coffee & Teahouse Conversation with the Minister,Wednesday, April 22, 2020, 2:00 pm – 3:00 pm, Zoom Meeting. Email minister@uusm.org for the Zoom link.
ONLINE>> Middle School Logic Puzzles, Wednesday, April 22, 2020, 2:00 pm – 3:00 pm, Zoom Meeting. Please contact Teri Lucas at uusmreassist@uusm.org or Cleo Anderson at dre@uusm.org with any questions. Join us to try to solve some logic puzzles as a team. Check out https://logic.puzzlebaron.com/ to see the kinds of puzzles we’ll be doing.
ONLINE>> CommUUnity Connection Meeting, Wednesday, April 22, 2020, 7:00 – 8:00 pm, Zoom Meeting. Please email Bettye Barclay for the Zoom link. Margot Page and Wendi Gladstone will facilitate.
ONLINE>> Elementary Check-In, Thursday, April 23, 2020, 11:00 am – 11:45 am, Zoom Meeting. Please contact Teri Lucas at uusmreassist@uusm.org or Cleo Anderson at dre@uusm.org with any questions. Join us for a chalice lighting, check-In, and a few fun videos and quizzes.
ONLINE>> Open Meditation Wellsprings, Thursday, April 23, 2020, 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm, Zoom Meeting. Please email Meditation@UUSM.org for the Zoom link and directions for using Zoom.
ONLINE>>CommUUnity Connection Meeting,Thursday, April 23, 2020, 7:00 – 8:00 pm, Zoom Meeting. Please email Bettye Barclay for the Zoom link. Margot Page and Wendi Gladstone will facilitate.
ONLINE>>Open Meditation Wellsprings, Monday, April 27, 2020, 7:30 p – 9:00 pm, Zoom Meeting. Please email Meditation@UUSM.org for the zoom link and directions for using Zoom.
ONLINE>>Pre-School Check-In,Tuesday, April 28, 2020, 11:00 am – 11:30 am, Zoom Meeting. Please contact Teri Lucas at uusmreassist@uusm.org or Cleo Anderson at dre@uusm.org with any questions. Join us for a chalice lighting, story, and discussion of our favorite parts of being at home.
ONLINE>>Open Meditation Wellsprings,Tuesday, April 28, 2020, 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm, Zoom Meeting. Please email Meditation@UUSM.org for the zoom link and directions for using Zoom.
ONLINE>> Online Coffee & Teahouse Conversation with the Minister,Wednesday, April 29, 2020, 2:00 pm – 3:00 pm, Zoom Meeting. Email minister@uusm.org for the Zoom link.
ONLINE>> Middle School Logic Puzzles, Wednesday, April 29, 2020, 2:00 pm – 3:00 pm, Zoom Meeting. Please contact Teri Lucas at uusmreassist@uusm.org or Cleo Anderson at dre@uusm.org with any questions. Join us to try to solve some logic puzzles as a team. Check out https://logic.puzzlebaron.com/ to see the kinds of puzzles we’ll be doing.
ONLINE>> Elementary Check-In, Thursday, April 30, 2020, 11:00 am – 11:45 am, Zoom Meeting. Please contact Teri Lucas at uusmreassist@uusm.org or Cleo Anderson at dre@uusm.org with any questions. Join us for a chalice lighting, check-In, and a few fun videos and quizzes.
ONLINE>> Open Meditation Wellsprings, Thursday, April 30, 2020, 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm, Zoom Meeting. Please email Meditation@UUSM.org for the Zoom link and directions for using Zoom
Canceled Events
CANCELED>> Ukulele Strum and Sing-Along, Saturday, April 18, 2020, 10:00 am – 12:00 pm, Forbes Hall. Please contact Kim Kalmanson for questions.
CANCELED>> Adult Programs – Body-Mind Tune-Up with Bruno. This recurring event has been canceled until further notice. Contact Bruno Lacombe.
CANCELED>> International Folk Dancing with Instructors. This monthly event has been canceled until further notice.
CANCELED>> D&D – Living in UUville. This recurring event has been canceled until further notice. Contact Cleo Anderson for more information at DRE@uusm.org.
CANCELED>> Faith Forward – Inquirers Group. This series has been canceled until further notice.
CANCELED>> OWL Meeting. This recurring event has been canceled until further notice. Please contact Beth Rendeiro for additional information.
CANCELED>> Children & Youth RE Committee Meeting, Sunday, April 19, 2020, 11:30 am – 1:30 pm, Cottage NW. The Children and Youth Religious Exploration Committee will meet for its monthly meeting. Anyone who is interested is welcome to attend.
CANCELED>> FIA: Peace & Social Justice, Sunday, April 19, 2020, 11:45 am – 1:00 pm, Warren Mathews Conference Room. The Peace & Social Justice Committee (PSJ) focuses on many activities in the areas of labor and economic issues; racism, police brutality, and mass incarceration; immigration and immigrant detention; and peace and alternatives to war.
CANCELED>> Facility Meeting,Tuesday, April 21, 2020, 8:30 am – 10:00 am, Forbes Classroom 1. For more information contact John Zinner or Brad Hutchinson.
CANCELED>> Discussion and Support Group for Persons with Disabilities, Sunday, April 26, 2020, 11:30 pm – 1:30 pm, Cottage SE. Come and join us as we share stories, inspirations, and find community with each other. This group offers a forum in which members can feel the benefit of its mutual support. Contact Michael Young for more information.
CANCELED>> AAHS Freethinker Forum,Sunday, April 26, 2020, 12:00 pm – 1:30 pm, Warren Mathews Conference Room. The Freethinker Forum is a monthly interactive meeting sponsored by AAHS: Agnostics, Atheists, Humanists & Secularists of UU Santa Monica. All are welcome to join in a lively discussion where diversity of viewpoints is encouraged and respected. Contact James Witker at aahs@uusm.org for more information.
