The Unitarian Universalist Community Church of Santa Monica

Featured Articles - May, 2004

Annual Meeting Scheduled for May 16 After Second Service

The annual meeting is scheduled for May 16 after the second service Coming soon to a sanctuary near you is the annual meeting of our congregation. On May 16 at 12:30 p.m. we will all assemble and make some critical decisions for the life of the church.

This year there will be quite a few new board members and the first contested election in a long time. The nominees for officers, each serving a one-year term, are Carol Kerr, president; Pat Wright, first vice-president; Charles Haskell, second vice-president; Carol Agate, treasurer; and Ron Crane, secretary. Candidates for member- at-large for a two-year term are Rebecca Crawford, Warren Mathews, Julie Nyquist, and Daniel Teplitz. Three of those four are to be elected. There are two unfinished member-at-large terms, so those elected to the positions will serve for one year. Candidates are Melinda Ewen and Peter Van den Beemt, with two to be elected. Candidates for the nominating committee are Linda Van Ligten and John Fels for three-year terms and Audrey Lyness for a two-year term.

In addition to elections, there will be written reports from all the church’s committees and oral ones from the minister, the president, and the treasurer. The finance chair will present and seek approval of the annual operating budget, and the congregation will be asked to ratify the purchase of 1248 18th Street.

There will be more discussion of the bylaws than usual on the agenda. One proposed change addresses the problem we had when escrow was closing in less than 30 days. The board was empowered to act on behalf of the congregation in buying the 1248 18th Street property, but would have preferred a congregational vote. The board now proposes that the 30-day notice requirement to call a congregational meeting be shortened to two weeks. Other proposals concern the composition and duties of the board and the nominating committee. The board proposes that appointments to fill mid-term board vacancies be made by the nominating committee and not the board, and that people appointed to vacancies be eligible for three elected terms. Graduates of the Coming of Age program would be eligible for church membership regardless of grade level. The nominating committee would have six members, instead of seven, eliminating the board appointee. There are further proposed bylaw changes, some of which would make technical corrections.

As always, there will be an opportunity for new business. Lunch will be available.

Check Your Congregational Meeting Packet for Candidate Statements

Candidates for board and nominating committee positions have been asked the following questions. Look for their answers in the packet sent with the annual meeting materials.

1) How long have you been a member of this church?

2) With what areas of church operation or organization are you personally familiar (current and past committees, chairpersonships, groups, activities, etc.)?

3) Are there pertinent areas of interest or expertise that you bring from other parts of your life or from experience in other churches?

4) How do you view the mission of the church?

5) What are the goals of this church and how do you see them being achieved?

Covenant Group Task Force Formed

For four consecutive weeks in March, ministerial intern The Rev. Stefanie Etzbach-Dale led the Covenant Group learning group in exploring the theory behind Covenant Groups, how they are different from other kinds of groups, what the benefits are, and how to make them actually sustainable. Enough enthusiasm was generated to result in the formation of a Covenant Group task force, which will be determining how to bring the actual Covenant Group experience to UUCCSM. Stay tuned.

(Photo from top, left to right: Carol-Jean Teuffel, Lloyd Drum, Ilse Kleinman, Ren Renshaw, Katie Malich, Sanna Egan, Geralyn Lambson,Marv Pulliam, Kathy Cook, Patricia Gomez, Susan Jain, Jean Allgeyer. Bottom row: Melinda Ewen, Pat Wright, Linda Van Ligten, Stefanie Etzbach-Dale, and the “empty chair acknowledging those we don’t yet know and affirming the commitment to being welcoming.”)

Here is a Legal Way You Can Avoid Your Heirs Paying Double Taxes

Did you know that your retirement plan assets are facing double taxation?

If you leave these assets to your heirs, you’ll generate “income in respect of a decedent,” which is subject to tax as part of your estate — and taxed again as income to your heirs. This can seriously diminish an inheritance.

Undoubtedly, your decision of who gets the remainder of your retirement plan depends on your family members’ circumstance; their needs come first. But if you can make other provisions for them, there’s a better option for your retirement plan assets: a charitable gift.

Individual account plans — such as an IRA, Keogh or a 401(k) account — resemble tax-sheltered savings accounts. If a participant dies before the entire account has been distributed, the remaining balance can be transferred to an heir or to religious and charitable organizations.

The principal advantage of donating retirement plan assets to the church is that you avoid all income and estate taxes, whereas giving the assets to individual heirs may trigger taxes at incredibly steep rates — exceeding 75 percent in some cases.

For more information on planned giving, contact Ron Crane or the church office.

— Ron Crane

The Measure of Wealth

There has been a great deal of buzz about money lately . . . about money bequeathed and received, money pledged and money collected, about money needed, calculated, and allocated, as well as money spent.

It has been interesting learning about this aspect of church life these past few months and I’ve seen in it an opportunity for reflection. Certainly, I’ve learned to appreciate the actual amounts needed to support our property and to compensate skilled and dedicated staff. (It’s a lot more than I’d imagined.)

I’ve also come to recognize the tremendous practical value of active volunteerism and lay leadership. Without these gifts of time and energy, so much of our programming would falter, or draw on financial resources required elsewhere.

It is said that the real measure of wealth is how much you’d be worth if you lost your money. I’ve come to see that, even with the ongoing need for solid financial planning and generosity, this is already an incredibly wealthy congregation. It is wealthy in spirit and vision, in hope and commitment, fellowship, flexibility, creativity, and responsibility. It is wealthy in ways that have nothing to do with dollars.

This month we bear witness to a new generation of Unitarian Universalists through the May 23 Coming of Age ceremony. While it may be possible to calculate the cumulative dollar value of this event, it is impossible to determine its true value. It is impossible to tally up the meaning it holds for all those who have participated in or otherwise been touched by the life of this church and the lives of these young people. It is impossible to know what meaning their own lives will hold and the ways in which they will contribute to the wider world.

This is a wealth beyond comparison and one to be affirmed through ongoing appreciation and practical support. May it be so.

—Stefanie Etzbach-Dale, Intern Minister, on behalf of the Stewardship Committee

Our First Open House was a Huge Success!

After waiting for more than 35 years to see the building next door, church members had to wait another 20 minutes on March 21 for the key to arrive.

— Jim Cadwell, photographer

What would you like to do with our new property? Post your opinion in the alcove in Forbes Hall.

Thank You

Rob Briner has followed in the path of Milt Holmen in organizing the church archives, creating an inventory, and sharing what he has learned through articles in the newsletter, displaying old photographs, and providing historical insight into current events. Thank you for preserving our history.

The Clubhouse, a program of the Didi Hirsch Community Mental Health Center presented UUCCSM a plaque in appreciation of our generous support of the Clubhouse, a day center for people living with chronic mental illness.

The “Ask Me” volunteers who appear in Forbes Hall greet newcomers, answer questions, and give directions, but more importantly they represent our church and our faith. Thank you Kathy Cook, Melinda Ewen, Carol Agate, Pat Parkerton, and S. J. Guidotti for faithful service.

Adult advisors Chris Brown, Liza Cranis, and Stephanie DuPont, show dedication, good judgment and guidance to our high school group, Young Religious Unitarian Universalists (YRUU). Together they produced a fun and enlightening YRUU Sunday Service. Thanks to all of you.

— Judith Meyer

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