The Unitarian Universalist Community Church of Santa Monica

Featured Articles - November, 2011

Ernie Pipes' 85th Birthday Celebration

We celebrated Ernie Pipe’s 85th birthday on October 16 with cake and greetings from Minister Emerita Judith Meyer. Shown here are Beth Rendeiro, organizer of the celebration, with Ernie and our president, Bronwen Jones. Kate Schlesinger also helped with the program.

The Friendly Beasts Are Coming

Once again, our preschoolthrough elementary-aged children will sing “The Friendly Beasts” song at our holiday pageant on Sunday, December 18, at both services. As in years past, all involved children will sing the first and last verses of the song. Small groups of children will sing the middle five verses, dressed in a costume appropriate to the animal speaking in that verse (brown donkey, red and white cow, dog, dove, and mouse). The children pick which animal they want to be, but traditionally, the preschoolers sing the mice verse.

We have costumes for our Beasts from previous years. Older kids who don’t want to dress as an animal but do want to sing are welcome to be shepherds.

Religious Exploration teachers, please note: I will lead Sunday rehearsals (about 10 minutes long) that occur in the RE classrooms during both services. Below is the rehearsal schedule, including a dress rehearsal Saturday morning, December 17:

November 6 Preschoolers–grade 5: 10 minutes each classroom

November 13 Preschoolers–grade 5: 10 minutes each classroom

November 20 No rehearsal because of intergenerational service

November 27 Group rehearsal for all at the beginning of RE

December 4 Preschoolers–grade 5: 10 minutes each classroom

December 11 Group rehearsal for all at the beginning of RE

December 17 Saturday dress rehearsal in Sanctuary from 9:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m.

December 18 PAGEANT (both services)

Call or email me with questions at (310) 396-5905 or klangabeer@gmail.com. I look forward to working with your friendly beasts once again this year.

— Kris Langabeer

We Revisit Restored Great Wall

About 20 of us spent a beautiful morning viewing the Great Wall of Los Angeles, near L.A. Valley College in North Hollywood, the longest mural in the world (about a half-mile long). Initiated by artist Judy Baca in 1974 and recently restored, it portrays in brilliant colors the multicultural and working-class history of California from pre-history to the 1990s. Vilma Ortiz led us along the Tujunga Flood Control Channel where the mural is located, narrating the amazing stories that the mural documents. We had a fantastic pizza lunch at Pitfire Pizza after the walk. It was a wonderful Dining for Dollars outing, sponsored by the Multi-Racial Development Committee.

— Roberta Frye

Project Dazzle Team Previews New Website

Project Dazzle team members provided us a preview of the church’s new website on October 23. They plan to roll out the official version in December. Team members are shown in this photo (left to right): Bob Dietz, Pam Teplitz, Beth Rendeiro, Rhonda Peacock, and Liz Fuller.

Generating Generosity:
The UUCCSM 2012 Commitment Campaign

The Commitment Campaign is now on our plate,
“Generating Generosity” we hope to create.
All members and friends with your faith and your love
Will pledge just like last year — or even above!

We kicked off 2012 with a party for all
On October 9th, on the patio, in the fall.
We served up mimosas, wine, hot dogs, and crepes,
The treats were so yummy, all sizes and shapes.

From what we have heard, all enjoyed our big bash,
And we’ve already started to raise plenty of cash.
So thank you to donors who’ve filled out a card,
Now we look to the rest of you. C’mon it’s not hard.

And November 12th, this month, we all recommend,
Save the evening for more fun and partying, my friend.
Filled with wine, cheese, and chocolate, an evening enchanted,
More generous seeds will be lovingly planted.

The Stewardship Committee has gone over the edge
By collectively saying we’ll increase this year’s pledge.
How much YOU should give is all up to you,
Make it meaningful, generous, and do what you can do.

Don’t have a pledge card? Just ask one of us,
Or go to the office, it’s really no fuss.
Be kind and be giving to the church that we share
Come back and come often. We’ll see you all there!

— Your UUCCSM Stewardship Committee:
Cynthia Hallinan, Natalie Kahn, Robert Kory, Amy Lacombe, Patrick Meighan, and Beth Rendeiro

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