The Unitarian Universalist Community Church of Santa Monica

Featured Articles - September, 2005

Introducing Jim Grant and Wife Betty, Who Will Be with Us for Four Months

Eight years ago, after much thought and many conversations, The Rev. Jim Grant, longtime American Baptist minister, became a Unitarian Universalist.

"This journey was more like a sideways step for me," explains Jim, our weekend minister until the Rev. Judith Meyer returns from her sabbatical January 1. "I grew up in an openminded Baptist church. I was educated at one of the most free (some said 'liberal') Baptist seminaries. I always worked for open-minded (some said 'liberal') congregations.

"The key is that not all Baptists are alike," he adds. "As a district executive, I worked with Baptist congregations in Massachusetts which have openly gay and/or lesbian ministers. I also worked with Baptist congregations who thought homosexuality was sinful."

To Jim, Baptists and UUs are similar in many ways. "Both are congregational in polity, with no hierarchy such as district superintendents or bishops. Each congregation determines its own style, life, emphases, and structure.

"Baptists accept what they call 'soul freedom' (well, real Baptists do!). We UUs call it 'inherent worth and dignity.' I was minister in a Baptist congregation in New York, which has written into its constitution, 'Each member of this church may interpret the Bible as he [sic] believes correct.' In other words, what we UUs call 'free and responsible search for truth and meaning.'"

Jim was an American Baptist, the denomination called "Northern Baptist" until 1960 and always regarded as more liberal than Southern Baptists. For example, Northern Baptists belonged to the National Council of Churches; Southern Baptists still do not. While growing up in Asheville, NC, Jim attended First Baptist Church, which was even then more "openminded" than most Baptist churches, he says. He spent his college years at the University of Richmond, earning a B.A. and M.A. degree. Next, he earned a master's degree in divinity from Southeastern Seminary in Wake Forest, NC. He began his ministerial career as an associate minister for youth and campus ministry at First Baptist Church and Furman University in Greenville, SC. Then he went to Durham, NC, where he was associate minister for religious education in a church known as the "most liberal" Baptist church in the area. "In fact," Jim recalls, "we were 'dis-fellowshipped' (ie., thrown out) of the local Baptist association."

In the next few years, he became senior minister of First Baptist Church of Elmira, NY and Emmanuel Baptist Church of Ridgewood, NJ, then associate executive minister of American Baptist Churches of Massachusetts. "While I was doing district work in Massachusetts, I became more aware of UUs. I went to UU services and congregations as often as possible. I read UU material. I became acquainted with and talked with UU ministers. I talked with people in the UUA office in Boston. The result was that I found that while I could remain a free Baptist, I felt more in my theological home with UUs."

Meanwhile, Jim’s wife of 40 years, Betty, was making the journey with him. "Betty’s background is similar to mine: open-minded Baptist congregation, engaging in open-minded interpretation of the Bible, concern for social witness, etc. So we became UUs at the same time."

That was 1996, when they retired from Baptist district work and moved to San Diego. After UU friends urged him to become a UU minister, in 1996 Jim received "preliminary fellowship" from the UUA to become a UU minister, based on his previous Baptist ministerial experience. He received "final fellowship" as a UU minister in 2001. Since then, he has served Chalice UU Congregation in Rancho Bernardo, the Unitarian Society of Santa Barbara, the Laguna Beach UU Fellowship, and Pacific Unitarian Church in Rancho Palos Verdes. He has been a consultant to about 15 UU congregations in the Pacific Southwest District and to non-UU congregations and non-profits. His consulting specialty is planning/envisioning, conflict resolution, and board retreats. He was a consultant for our UUCCSM board retreat in August 2004.

Betty grew up in South Boston, VA, and met Jim when they both sang in the college choir. She holds both B.A. and M.A. degrees in early childhood education and has been director of preschool programs. Our RE Star: Joanie Wilk Recently, she has developed her own business in curriculum enrichment through multicultural music and storytelling.

Betty and Jim are the parents of Martha, a pediatric nurse practitioner at UCSD, and James, executive director of media relations for USC. They have two "almost grown" grandchildren, and a step-granddaughter. While Jim serves as our weekend minister, they’ll drive up from San Diego on Saturdays and will be houseguests of a church member.

What does Jim hope to accomplish during his four months with us? "Unlike interim or consulting ministry— both of which I have done—my primary responsibilities as weekend substitute minister will be pastoral care and worship. I will also do at least one six-week session of adult religious education. I will do whatever seems to need doing, primarily continuing Judith’s marvelous ministry of loving and caring for congregants."

— Paula Bernstein

A Message to the Congregation About the Capital Campaign

The 2005 capital campaign has raised pledges of $720,000.

Our goal is $1,000,000.

As of now, 130 pledges have been received; 188 member units have not yet pledged in our expanded capital campaign to build on the 18th Street property.

A number of you have: (1) Waited to pledge until the city permits are issued, (2) Waited to pledge until we begin building, or (3) Not yet responded to our invitation to pledge.

Beginning in September it is time to give our attention to our annual operating pledge campaign. An adequate operating budget for physical expansion and current programs is essential.

We ask you to give your full and enthusiastic support to the Stewardship Committee during our annual operating fund pledge drive.

What of the capital campaign?

We’ll follow up on those who have postponed their pledging or not responded, but we will remove ourselves from our highly visible presence of the past months.

When the congregation approves building phases and building begins, we’ll be back to ask for your help in completion of the funds needed for our building.

“Once in a Lifetime” was not intended to be “Lasting for a Lifetime.”

Your completion of a pledge for the 2005 campaign is still needed and requested. See Carol Agate, Ron Crane, Carol Kerr or Ofelia Lachtman to make your pledge.

At the least, consider giving “a dollar a day” to build our church.

With great appreciation for your enormous effort and generous contribution to the building of our church—we thank you.

“I’m a Builder” and so, too, are many of you.

— Ron Crane
Chair, 2005 Capital Campaign

A Long Night with the Planners Ends with a Unanimous "Yes"

As part of a larger group, six members of the Wednesday night covenant group attended the Santa Monica Planning Commission meeting on July 20 to show our support for the church’s building plans. The commission would now decide whether or not we would receive approval to move forward.

We met for an enjoyable dinner at California Wok in West LA, allowing us to get to know each other better. But the best was yet to come.

The proposal was second on the agenda, so we caravanned to City Hall for 7:15 p.m. The large group of supporters was proudly wearing bright iridescent yellow tags, identifying us as friends of the church.

The first part of the meeting went very quickly. But suddenly, time seemed to stop. The item preceding us, approval of a cellular telephone tower (we thought this item would take a reasonable amount of time), began at 7:30 p.m., lasting until 10 p.m. By then, some of our group had to leave, understandably so. Carol Kerr, church president; Catherine Farmer, director of religious education; Carol Agate, treasurer; Alison Kendall, Building Committee chair; our architect; three of our youth, and 10 to 15 church members hung in there until close to midnight. All of us at UUCCSM can be proud of the presentation made by our representatives.

There were quite a few people who live on either 18th Street or Arizona, who addressed the body, even at the late hour, regarding their parking difficulties. (Please see article about parking relief on page 7.)

When all was said and done, the commission unanimously approved our petition, allowing us to build our dream church. Thank you to all who have worked so hard to bring our plans that much closer to a reality.

— Paulette Katz and Carol-jean Teuffel,
Wednesday night covenant group

Wanted: Fire in the Belly to Spark a Spiritual Need

Is the climate right for the message of Unitarian Universalism to be heartily embraced by our communities? Are people searching for a faith that teaches tolerance rather than self-righteousness? For one that understands that giving man dominion over the earth doesn’t mean “humans” can simply dominate the earth? Do people want a faith that works for social justice instead of promising pie in the sky? Absolutely.

Why do we show up at church on Sundays, but to be challenged to go out and make the world a better place in which to live? And to create a culture for our children where they feel a responsibility and, indeed receive pleasure, from doing the same?

I think of the amazing sermon my dear friend Daniel Sokatch gave this summer on the work of the Progressive Jewish Alliance (PJA). The congregation was rapt as he continued far beyond the typical endof- service time. Daniel was talking about the transformative work the PJA does: how it’s not doing just service, but working for justice; and it’s filling a deep spiritual need, especially with young people. He talked about the Jewish moral imperative to work for justice in your own community: literally, faith in action. A dozen people approached him afterward and asked, “Is this really what Judaism is about? If it is, maybe I should consider revisiting it.”

Do we have a fire in our belly that drives us to transform our own lives and the lives of those around us for the better like Daniel and the PJA? I think many of us feel it, and that’s what draws us here. We hope to find in this church a group of like-minded people searching for transformation. And we do.

I believe what happens, however, is that we fall short of realizing our potential because we don’t have the infrastructure to support this transformation.

I love our minister, Judith Meyer. I love Marie Kashmer- Stiebing, our church administrator. I love the work that Catherine Farmer, our director of religious education, is doing, along with Steve Wight, Louis Durra and our other music staff. But ask any one of them: They will tell you there is so much more they could be doing, and the church could be doing, if they had more support.

Imagine an addition to this great team: someone who focuses on lifelong religious transformation among our members; someone who embraces new members and seeks to bring out their gifts; someone who can see the desire of people within our community for self-transformation and transformation of others and connect those dots; someone who can help integrate the 50-plus new members we sign up each year, to help them incorporate our UU values into their lives and spread the good word to others who might join us.

Imagine having a point person on staff who could work with our Faith in Action and Small Group Ministry to make our presence in the community a formidable one. We only need look to our friends at Neighborhood Church in Pasadena to see their impact on the community. A few years back they added an Outreach Coordinator to their staff. They now have more than a dozen outreach programs, most of which offer effective hands-on volunteer opportunities that have daily impact on Angelinos (particularly at-risk children) for the better.

Imagine adding support for Judith and Catherine: someone who can focus on the spiritual development of the young adults in the church, or the older adults in the church for that matter. Imagine a full-time member of our community who could oversee programs from Circle Suppers to a Caring Committee . . . and really give them the energy and time they need to be nurtured.

These are a few of our needs. I'm sure there are others, and maybe more important ones. But since I joined the church a few years back, it seems to me that our budgeting process (i.e., how can we keep our expenses as limited as possible) has limited our vision (i.e., how can we transform as many lives as possible, both within our church and in the larger community)

Our UU faith has the right message for this time in history. But committed volunteers alone cannot grow our church. We must all ask ourselves, how many lives do we want to transform? What do we want our legacy to be? And what will it take to fulfill that legacy?

Our fall pledge drive begins in just a few weeks. We’ll once again be asking your support for the coming year. You’ve been asked to fund our new building project. Now, consider increasing your pledge for our operating budget. This church is a vibrant community —one that has much potential and can truly change the world. But it’s going to take some resources from each one of us. Won’t you make that commitment?

In faith,
Jacki Weber,
Chair, Stewardship Committee

One more thought . . .

Please consider making this congregation your primary charitable beneficiary and pledge a percentage of your income to support the church's work. A pledge of 5% or more of your after-tax income says in clear terms that your church, the values it helps you live by, and this community of friends have a significant place in your heart or life. That 5% number may be scary to you. I’m at 3% (combined capital and operating pledges) and it’s a real commitment. But this year, my husband got a raise. We’ll give the church 10% of his raise and yearby- year, we’ll inch up toward that 5%. When we finish paying our capital campaign pledge, we’ll increase our operating pledge by the amount we’re currently sending to the new building project. Join me in increasing your commitment and become part of the transformation.

Living Green: More Good Ideas

The Seventh Principle of our Unitarian Universalist faith is “Respect for the interdependent web of all existence of which we are a part.” With that in mind, here are some more ideas about living green.

1. Use an environmentally safe dry cleaner. They advertise, so look at storefronts or use the phone book to find one near you.

2. Buy things that last. Ignore ads prompting you to get a new one.

3. Use cloth napkins. Families can reuse these all week by folding and putting them in napkin rings for the next meal. If you are handy with sewing, you can make your own from fabric scraps.

— Sandra Trutt

Pres. Bush to Our Dr. Goodman: "Your Actions are Part of Change"

President Bush has written a letter of commendation to our past president and longtime active member Dr. Ray Goodman, sending congratulations to him on receiving the President’s Volunteer Service Award from the President’s Council on Service and Civic Participation. “Through service to others, you demonstrate the outstanding character of America and help strengthen our country,” the President writes.

Ray is Medical Director of the Los Angeles Medical Reserve Corps, serving 11 million people, all of Los Angeles County, the largest community in the U.S. Over 500 volunteers are prepared to provide health care services in mass vaccination clinics, aid in the distribution of pharmaceutical centers, and participate in the presentation of public health education programs to prepare and respond to any major disaster. Ray and all his health care professionals serve without any compensation. More information is available at www.cphd.ucla.edu/mrc.

The President’s letter to Ray added: “In January 2002, I called on all Americans to dedicate at least two years—or 4,000 hours—over the course of their lives to serve others at home or abroad. I congratulate you and all Americans who have answered this call and have earned a Silver Award from the President’s Council. Americans of all ages can serve others in countless ways, such as mentoring a child, caring for an elderly neighbor, teaching someone to read, cleaning parks, and creating safer neighborhoods.

“My Administration encourages every American to help their communities and our country. Through the USA Freedom Corps and the President’s Council, we are building a culture of service, citizenship, and responsibility in America that will last for decades to come. Americans continue to serve and are part of the growing momentum of millions of acts of kindness and decency that are changing America, one heart and soul at a time. Your actions are part of this change. I urge you to continue serving your neighbors and earn a Gold Award. I also hope that you will ask your friends, family, and colleagues to join you in serving your community and our Nation.

“May God bless you, and may God continue to bless America.

“Sincerely, George Bush.”

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