The Unitarian Universalist Community Church of Santa Monica

Featured Articles - April, 2006

Ernie and Maggie are Honored on Ministry's 50th Anniversary

Sunday, March 12, was a “cup runneth over” day at both services, where the Rev. Ernie and Maggie Pipes were honored for 50 years of service. Little else was spoken of all morning and well into the afternoon, from the Rev. Judith Meyer’s opening remarks to the chalice lightings — Lu Ann Darling at the 9 a.m. service and Joyce Holmen at 11 — to music at both services by the choir and Louis Durra, to the children’s story by Catherine Farmer. The choir’s lyrics were written by Steve Wight from members’ memories of the past 50 years. Each service culminated in Ernie’s sermon, which he called “Thanks for the Memories.”

The sermon was a mini-history of changing times, choices made, and all that binds us. Ernie paid homage to Maggie and the congregation that has led as well as followed, and unabashedly waved the flag of liberal religion.

“When Maggie and I walked through those doors in February 1956 we were each 29 years old,” Ernie began, “and it never entered our minds that we would be here 50 years later.” He said, “We just wanted a job in a nice, warm climate. But as the years began to roll by we found ourselves increasingly embraced by the flow of people who, like yourselves, occupied these pews. Abiding and vital friendships evolved and eventually it dawned upon us that this was our home, the place to rear our family and make a life for ourselves. So if you ask what it is we are celebrating this morning, 50 years after we came among you to do the work of ministry, it is the peculiar and questionable virtue of our stubbornly refusing to go away.”

Ernie spoke of the issues and struggles, and what we revere. “But actually none of this is foremost in my mind this morning. For Maggie and me what the years have brought are the enduring friendships, a few 50 years across, and a heartwarming host of memories of so many people, many long gone,” Ernie said.

“This building, as lively as it is, is also peopled with ghosts — a beloved community, so many no longer present; these rooms are a repository of memories — all tucked away in our hearts.”

Ernie concluded by speaking his own lyrics to the song that was his sermon’s title: “Thanks for the memories; of Sunday morning greetings, new member meetings; coffee in Forbes Hall and conversations large and small; how lovely it was. Thanks for the memories; of board meetings into the night, budgets that were tight; of newsletter deadlines and sermons to write; how busy it was. How often we sang and laughed together; too often we grieved and cried together; oh well, we celebrated life together; and we had some fun, and no harm done. So thanks for the memories; of ideas to explore, for friendships forevermore; sometimes you were a headache but you never were a bore; so thank you so . . . much.”

A catered brunch in Forbes Hall followed each service, along with much conversation, a few tears, photos, and sunshine on a day that had been threatened by rain. Rarely has there been a better example of what makes UUCCSM a lasting community.

—Rob Briner

Membership and Leadership Committee is Founded; Your Participation is Invited

Recognizing that membership is the foundation to a healthy church, the Long Range Planning Committee, under the guidance of chair Patricia Wright, launched the Membership and Leadership (M&L) Committee. Approved by the board in February, the M&L Committee met as a new group in March to develop its mission and scope of responsibility. Patricia and Rebecca Crawford, another founding member, will return to the important work of long range planning, while the spinoff group takes a more focused and immediate look at supporting, enhancing, and developing those church systems that support people in all their many roles — as guests, as volunteers, as members, and as leaders in the church.

Expanding upon the work of Lu Ann Darling, Ofelia Lachtman, and the Bienvenidos group, the M&L committee has begun by looking at the church’s welcoming system, asking how we can make our visitors feel more welcomed and ultimately keep them as valued guests, friends, and future members. At the same time the committee is interested in supporting or developing new member programs and is about to launch the New Members’ Desserts program. This program builds upon the former UU and U program that engaged new and older members in hosted discussions of “sharing the journey.”

With the support of Judith Meyer and Melinda Ewen, the new committee includes Laurel Bleak, Edna and Phil Bonacich, Ron Crane, Charles Haskell, Audrey Lyness, and Marsha Smith. Also regularly attending and supporting the group is Catherine Farmer, the director of religious education. There is much to do, and the most immediate goals are to increase the committee membership and/or match volunteers to well-defined and timebound tasks. If you are interested in working with this dynamic group, please contact committee co-chair Laurel Bleak.

—Marsha Smith and Laurel Bleak, Co-Chairs,Membership and Leadership Committee

Chalice Lighters Recount Church's History with Ernie

Lu Ann Darling lit the chalice at the early service and spoke directly to the Rev. Ernie Pipes, sitting on the chancel:

“Ernie, I first met Rev. Pipes, as I called you then, when I became a new member in 1957. I remember the setting and the circumstance. You and Maggie were standing over there by the fireplace in the section of the social hall that is now part of the sanctuary. Maggie was holding ninemonth- old Heather.

“We were a smaller church then by far. Not long after I joined, Norton Breiseth, Mitch Marcus, and other church stalwarts guided the financing and construction of Forbes Hall to hold our growing crop of children and their families.

“While week after week we were exposed to your thoughtful, philosophically grounded, finely crafted sermons. I admired you from afar. Unfailingly courteous and courtly — you were our philosopher-king.

“Early on I became active in the church school, at that time directed by Shirley Hood. Joyce Breiseth and I volunteered to teach the high school group, a group that had been long neglected. We were not satisfied with the Beacon Hill curriculum and set out to make our own under your guidance. Thus began my religious education with you as my mentor. It was a period of tremendous personal religious growth for me.

“I remained in awe of you over those years, not realizing that this dignified, courtly gentleman also watered the plants, tidied the sanctuary, and regularly joined the sewing group ladies for lunch — it was, you said, one of the most intellectually stimulating groups in the church. 6 APRIL

“We all know of your courage to stand up for what is right and, with Maggie, to take action. You stood up and were counted. You did draft counseling during the Vietnam War, joined in the march on Selma, helped the farm workers negotiate settlements with growers, and helped guide our church in the sanctuary movement for Guatemalans needing a safe haven.

“Ernie, from all those years and your work with the church, the marvelous and the mundane, you never lost connection with your flock. I associate the way you answer the telephone with who you are — very simply, ‘Ernie, here.’

“Ernie, you will always be here. You are the soul of this church.”

Joyce Holmen lit the chalice at the second service. She spoke of her family first attending the (then) Unitarian Community Church of Santa Monica on the very first Sunday, in 1956, when Ernie Pipes began his ministry. In the 50 years since then every member of the Holmen family has been involved in the community, including Joyce as office administrator for nine years from 1978 to 1987, Marion as Director of Religious Education in the early 1960s and board President from 1973 to 1976, and Milt as historian for almost 20 years and as member and chair of committees too numerous to mention. The Holmen family grew with Joyce’s marriage to Mort Postel. With Joyce speaking and father Milt, husband Mort, and son Ian in the audience, she lit the chalice “for our ministers and for the wisdom this congregation has about ministry.”

—Rob Briner

"Thanks for the Memories"

Thanks for the memories
Of sermons that inspire,
Lifting spirits higher,
Moving words of wisdom
From a friend we so admire.
How lucky we are.

Thanks for the memories
Of laughter and of tears,
Of families and careers,
Of those both here and gone
Who’ve been your friends these fifty years.
How lucky they are.

Each time you gave a sermon,
We always thanked our lucky stars.
But for your dread of German
You’d now be a Prof.,
“Proff-ing” some dummkopf, so…

Thanks for the memories
Of wisdom that you share,
The ways you show you care,
Your gentleness,
The comfort of just knowing you were there.
How lucky we were.

Thanks for the memories
Of potlucks full of chow,
We can see you now;
You’d go back for fourths
But never gain a pound somehow.
How lucky you were.

You gave a talk on Dr. King and Selma;
Three hours later you were headed there and gone.
Maggie remembers how you turned to tell her,
“Thank God I didn’t preach on Viet Nam!”

“Anchovies on the pillow.”
Oh, those intriguing titles that you plied.
“Healing with Marijuana and Lysergic Acid Diethylamide.”

Thanks for the memories
Of always seeking more,
Of scholarship and lore,
You always were a teacher,
But you never were a bore.
How lucky we were.

Thanks for the memories
Of sermons that inspire,
Lifting spirits higher,
And if that weren’t already lots,
We now have Judith Meyer.
How lucky we are.
How lucky we are.

—Lyrics by Steve Wight

Covenant Group Members Talk About Small Group Ministry

Covenant Groups have become an important part of the life of the UU religious community. Members have established new and deeper connections with one another, and found a safe place for spiritual growth and to explore what the church has to offer by way of opportunities to serve, grow, and learn, creating new friendships at the same time.

Through worship and community, a healthy group strengthens each of us in a different way, each at a different level. It offers support through life’s transitions, an opportunity to open one’s heart to diverse others with whom we share potlucks, pews, songs, and services.

Respectful listening is the tie that binds. Notes from members follow.

What does being a part of a CG mean to you?

Being part of a Covenant Group means I am taking the time to get to know new people and to open up to new experiences. Also, it means I am challenging the norm of doing only what is comfortable.

Would you tell a little about your experience as a member?

The covenant group validated my interest in the UU church because I experienced the UU principles being lived by those in the group; especially the principles of the inherent dignity and worth of every person, acceptance of one another, and the goal of world community. For example, even though the members of my group are from very diverse backgrounds, culturally, religiously and philosophically, we all strive to understand the other person’s point of view. And even if we cannot understand, we do respect that this person has a different point of view and does have every right to have it. Some folks are coming from opposite poles politically and still communicate warmly. I noticed right off, from the first, that people in the group seemed very interested in getting to know me and created a real non-judgmental climate, which made for connection.

How and why did you join a Covenant Group?

I was expanding out of Buddhism, studied UU philosophy, and wanted to find a place where I would not be in conflict with others, where there was no dogma. On a Sunday, the first or second time I came to the church, I talked with a CG facilitator, who was warm and encouraging.

—Carol-jean Teuffel

Henrickson Presents Spiritual Context for Church Financial Management

At our annual congregational meeting in May church members will likely approve the budget for the coming fiscal year without much fuss. We’re undergoing no financial crises at the moment. We’re not making any drastic changes. So, we can move on from “money talk” and get back to work, right?

In his book, “Financial Management of the Church,” Peter Henrickson challenges us to think again. The annual meeting where we approve the budget should not be the sole forum for thinking about how we allocate our resources. Indeed, he suggests that we give careful thought to what makes our church vibrant — about what it means to be in a right relationship with our congregants — and then adopt financial practices that support that relationship.

Underpinnings to a healthy and whole congregation include:

• The importance of knowing what individual members are seeking;
• A vision of what we want to be; . An awareness by staff and leadership of where we are financially;
• A call to support our staff and volunteers in full livelihood;
• The need to underscore the meaning of membership;
• The call for generosity of spirit.

All of these issues play into sound financial management. Henrickson believes the only way to have healthy, supportive communities is to “start today, and then to practice, practice, practice every day henceforth. As we master our practice, the community becomes more peaceful, more manageable, more integrated spiritually and emotionally, and more energetic in its impact on the rest of the world. Such a community becomes attractive to new members as well as old, inspires commitment to right relationship and stewardship. This is the entire reason for our effort. It is a noble purpose.” I’m pleased that Peter Henrickson will join our church leadership the second weekend in April to help us with this noble purpose. We’ll spend Saturday afternoon, April 8, in conference with him. On Sunday, April 9, he will give the sermon and be available afterward for a question-and-answer session. I encourage you to attend and look forward to sharing in the May newsletter what happens.

—Jacki K.Weber, Stewardship Committee

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