The Unitarian Universalist Community Church of Santa Monica

Featured Articles - February, 2008

“Secret Pals” is coming

How many people at UUCCSM do you know? How many people at UUCCSM who are not of your generation do you know? Here’s an opportunity to spend a month making a new friend (or getting to know an old one better) — you’re invited to take part in our annual Secret Pals program.

On Sundays during the month between Valentine’s Day and St. Patrick’s Day, everyone who signs up to be a Secret Pal will leave hints and clues to their identity such as, “I’m wearing red shoes to church today,” or “My favorite food in the whole world is mint chip ice cream,” in the bag that belongs to the Pals they’ve been assigned. And that’s not where the fun ends — someone else will be leaving small gifts for them in their bags, too. With our super-secret high-tech latticework assignment process, every adult will be given a child or youth as a pal, and all children will have an adult assigned to them, so every participant will, in the end, have two Pals.

Sign-ups will begin on February 3 after each service, when you will fill out an info sheet to be given to your Pal, and will have an opportunity to decorate your goodie bag. Sign-ups will continue on February 10 and then from February 17 to March 9, make sure to leave clues, or letters, or photo hints (baby photo? extreme close-up of your eye? Be creative!) in your Pal’s bag each week. And mark your calendars now for March 15, 5 to 7 p.m., for our St. Patrick’s Day–themed Secret Pals party, when all will be revealed. So, whether you’re a kid or a grown-up, don’t miss out on this great opportunity to get to know more about someone new at UUCCSM — or maybe someone you already know. For more information, contact Catherine Farmer at the church office.

— Ian Dodd

UUCCSM Committees Support Bonding Out Project

UUCCSM Committees Support Bonding Out Project Diana S. is a transgender immigrant who was detained by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) last year. Diana is seeking asylum in the United States because of persecution in her country of origin on the basis of gender identity.

Along with many others, Diana was held in the San Pedro detention center, one of four centers cited by the U.S. Government Accountability Office for overcrowding, inadequate medical care, and other systemic problems. At the San Pedro center, a detainee who had AIDS died when she was refused medical treatment, despite the efforts of other detainees, including Diana, to alert authorities to her deteriorating condition.

Diana, who was a close friend of the detainee and was traumatized by her death, spoke out against conditions at the center. She was transferred to a detention center in Texas, but with the help of her attorney she was brought back to San Pedro, where she has reportedly been a mentor and an inspiration to other detainees, helping them gather evidence for their legal cases and caring for others with HIV and AIDS. In November of last year, however, she was sent back to Texas when the San Pedro center was closed down and the detainees moved to different centers, many in other states, without advance notice to their families, attorneys, or the detainees themselves. Although the move is allegedly temporary, it has meant a serious setback for the legal cases of the detained immigrants, in addition to the personal hardship for them and their families.

The Long Beach branch of the Los Angeles Legal Aid Foundation has been providing social services to the detainees at San Pedro. The Unitarian Universalist Service Committee (Southern California Unit) is working with the Foundation and is currently attempting to raise funds for bail for Diana and other detainees. The Multiracial Development Committee and the Faith-in-Action Commission of the Santa Monica Church are supporting this effort. Diana’s lawyer is hopeful that she can be released under the minimum bond, estimated at $1,500. This would allow her to return to California where she can work with her lawyer on her asylum case. If she wins her case, she hopes to become a nurse for children with HIV and to help other HIV immigrants who have been detained by immigration authorities.

For anyone wishing to contribute, checks should be made out to the First Unitarian Church, marked for Bond Fund, and sent to the Church at 2936 West 8th Street, Los Angeles, CA 90005, attention Sonia. Funds beyond the amount needed for Diana will go toward bonding out other detainees whose cases are pending. If there are any questions, please contact Nora Hamilton Rochelle McAdam.

Dining for Dollars Bidding is in February

This is a preliminary list of the events offered for the biggest fund-raising effort of the year. Bidding will take place on February 17 and 24 after the early service, from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m., and after the second service, from noon to 1:15 p.m. There will be a final list in the order of service on the days of bidding. Look at your calendars now, so you can bid on as many events as possible.

Letter to the Editor

 After hearing the discussion about changing our church name on January 20, I realized that whether or not we actually do change our name, I am still free to call my “church” by any name I want. From now on I will tell my friends and family that I belong to the UU Congregation in Santa Monica or that I am going to an activity with the Unitarian Universalists (Thanks, Katie) of Santa Monica. Oh joy, oh rapture, I’m free.

— Sandra Trutt

Back to Features Index