From the email announcements sent Thursday, May 28.
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, May 31. 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 or at uusm.org. The services will remain available on our UU Santa Monica Facebook page and on our YouTube channel. They are also archived on the uusm.org website and here on the newsletter site. If you need help getting online, please contact board member Eileen McCormack for assistance.
“What Do We Need to Live?”
(Online Worship Service)
Rev. Judith Meyer, UUSM Minister Emerita, preaching
Aubrey Sassoon, Worship Associate
While it may be too soon to draw durable lessons from the pandemic, it still prompts us to ask ourselves what we need to live. Our awareness of suffering and uncertainty, combined with the challenge and sameness of our days, may offer some new answers.
Please read and view Worship Associate Aubrey Sassoon’s preface to today’s service.
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.
Children, Youth, and 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). 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.
Click here for instructions for scheduling and attending Zoom meetings at UUSM.
<!–Expanded descriptions of groups and programs for adults are in the monthly Personal and Spiritual Exploration for Adults article.
<!–Expanded descriptions for youth religious exploration can be found in the Children and Youth Religious Exploration article.–>
Check out the information and links below for UUSM online programs. We look forward to connecting with you!
Upcoming Online Events
ONLINE>> Adult RE Committee Meeting, Monday, June 1, 2020, 7:00 pm – 9:00 pm, Zoom Meeting. Please email AdultRE@UUSM.org for the Zoom link. All are welcome.
ONLINE>> Adult Programs – An Enjoyable Dive into Who and What We Are, Monday, June 1, 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 RE>> Pre-School Check-In, Tuesday, June 2, 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.
ONLINE>> Open Meditation Wellsprings, Tuesday, June 2, 2020, 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm, Zoom Meeting. Please email Meditation@uusm.org for the Zoom link and directions.
ONLINE RE>> Middle School Logic Puzzles, Wednesday, June 3, 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.
ONLINE>> Online Coffee & Teahouse Conversation with the Minister, Wednesday, June 3, 2020, 2:00 pm – 3:00 pm, Zoom Meeting. Email minister@uusm.org for the Zoom link.
ONLINE>> CommUUnity Connection Meeting, Wednesday, June 3, 2020, 7:00 pm – 8:00 pm, Zoom Meeting. Email at CommUUnity@uusm.org to register for the Zoom link. A time to connect with others and share experiences during this time of isolation. Margot Page and Wendi Gladstone will facilitate.
ONLINE RE>> Elementary Check-In, Thursday, June 4, 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.
ONLINE>> Open Meditation Wellsprings, Thursday, June 4, 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, June 4, 2020, 3:00 pm – 4:00 pm, Zoom Meeting. Email at CommUUnity@uusm.org to register for the Thursday Zoom meeting. A time to connect with others and share experiences during this time of isolation. Bettye Barclay and Denise Helton will be conducting the meeting.
ONLINE>> UU Men’s Group, Thursday, June 4, 2020, 7:30 pm – 9:00 pm, Zoom Meeting. Please email AdultRE@UUSM.org for information. The Men’s Group offers a special opportunity to the men of the congregation and other like-minded men to join our welcoming group in provocative and stimulating discussion and to get to know others with UU perspectives in a more meaningful way. The topic for June 4 is: “There are in fact no masses, but only ways of seeing people as masses.” (Raymond Williams (1961) in Resources of Hope: Culture, Democracy, Socialism.) It seems that it is human nature to label and categorize people we do not know well personally. What is an example of people you realize that you tend to regard mainly by a group label? How is this bad for them and for you?
ONLINE RE>> Parent’s Meeting Group, Sunday, June 7, 2020 – 12:00 pm – 1:30 pm, Zoom Meeting. Please contact Teri Lucas at uusmREassist@gmail.com for the Zoom link information.
ONLINE>> Open Meditation Wellsprings, Monday, June 8, 2020, 7:30 pm – 9:00 pm, Zoom Meeting. Please email Meditation@uusm.org for the Zoom link and directions for using Zoom.
ONLINE RE>> Pre-School Check-In,Tuesday, June 9, 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.
ONLINE>> Open Meditation Wellsprings, Tuesday, June 9, 2020, 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm, Zoom Meeting. Please email Meditation@uusm.org for the Zoom link and directions for using Zoom.
ONLINE>> Board Meeting,Tuesday, June 9, 2020, 6:45 pm – 9:30 pm, Zoom Meeting. Please contact president@uusm.org for the Zoom link. All are welcome.
ONLINE RE>> Middle School Logic Puzzles, Wednesday, June 10, 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.
ONLINE>> Online Coffee & Teahouse Conversation with the Minister, Wednesday, June 10, 2020, 2:00 pm – 3:00 pm, Zoom Meeting. Email minister@uusm.org for the Zoom link.
ONLINE RE>> Elementary Check-In, Thursday, June 11, 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.
ONLINE>> Open Meditation Wellsprings, Thursday, June 11, 2020, 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm, Zoom Meeting. Please email Meditation@uusm.org for the Zoom link and directions for using Zoom.
ONLINE>> Meet and Greet the Candidates, Thursday, June 11, 2020, 7:00 pm – 8:00 pm, Zoom Meeting. Contact president@uusm.org or admin@uusm.org for Zoom information. Join a Zoom meeting with candidates for the Board and the Nominating Committee. Candidates will also be available on June 12. Since this is a large group, we are having two meetings to accommodate everyone. Please join us on one or both dates and engage with them.
ONLINE>> Meet and Greet the Candidates, Friday, June 12, 2020, 6:00 pm – 7:00 pm, Zoom Meeting. Contact president@uusm.org or admin@uusm.org for Zoom information.
Canceled Events
CANCELED>> Green Committee Meeting, Sunday, June 7, 2020, 11:30 am – 1:00 pm, Cottage SE. To inform others of the simple changes that can be made to decrease their carbon footprint, and to implement social action to green our community.
CANCELED>> Collage Group with Stan Bemis, Saturday, June 13, 2020, 10:00 am – 12:00 pm, Cottage NE. The goal of this group is to help foster personal worth and empowerment, entering into that holy place within and having sacred fun. The objectives are to create works of art and to create cards for events or celebrations.
