SOUTH BAY UNITARIAN FELLOWSHIP

MEETINGS: 11:00 a.m. SUNDAYS at 2603 Mathews Avenue, Redondo Beach, CA

http://sbuf.org   sbuf@yahoo.com

SBUF  Telephone Information:  (310) 374-1451

President:  Penny Hendricks     Newsletter:  Penny Hendricks      Programs:  Penny Hendricks

 

December  2008  Newsletter

“When we got into office, the thing that surprised me the most was that things were as bad as we’d been saying they were.”       John F. Kennedy                              

                                              SUNDAY PROGRAMS

 

December 7 -  LOST IN THE LAST FRONTIER OR INNOCENTS IN ALASKA  (Gloria, Davis, and Claire).   What can happen when you visit “Sarah country” on a Grand Land & Sea Tour of the state where you can “look over at Russia” for international edification!  Join us for fun, a few facts and some fantasy.  Davis Miller will moderate.

 

December 14 -  HOLIDAYS/HOLYDAYS   How cultures think about time, and why we mark out some days as different from all other days.   Our speaker will be Reverend Jim Conn http://www.linkedin.com/pub/7/100/492.  Jim is one of our favorite speakers.  At one time he was Mayor of Santa Monica.  He was minister of the Methodist Church of Ocean Park.  In 2004 he was Theme speaker of PSWIRL.  Currently he is involved with outreach for the Methodist Church.  Penny will moderate.  

 

December 21 - SHARING HOLIDAY MEMORIES---SOLSTICE CELEBRATION    Come together and think about your experience of Christmas or Hanukkah past.  We will sing some holiday songs and talk about our feelings about these special days.  Penny will moderate.

 

December 28 - HOLIDAY DINNER AND “WHITE ELEPHANT” EXCHANGE   Please come to the home of Peter Landecker and Lenore Snodey in Manhattan Beach, for a Potluck Dinner, at 4:00 p.m.   SBUF is providing the main course of chicken and ham, but the appetizers, side dishes, desserts, and beverages will be up to us!     Please let Lenore know what you plan to bring.   The “white elephant”  can be anything you have, that you don’t want.  (Not something that you go out and purchase).  Please wrap the item.  No gift tag is required.

 

January 4 -  WHAT DOES THE FUTURE BRING?  The economic and political events of the past several months have had a major effect on all of us.  Regardless of where we stand on the various issues, our interest is captured.  What kind of solution is possible?  How do you feel about the  year  ahead?  This will be your discussion.  Penny will moderate.

 

January 11 - DARWIN VERSUS WORLD HUMAN POPULATION   Peter Landecker will introduce a controversial idea that the world has many significant environmental and hunger problems in part due to enormous human population level influenced by humanitarian groups and governments which provide welfare, medical and food assistance.  Click here for some reading material about this program. Peter will moderate.

 

January 18 - Fleecy Locks and Black Complexion UU Service Committee President Charlie Clementswill share the pulpit with Rev. John at the 11:00 service at Pacific Unitarian Church. Those of us with a history with UUA, and those of us who are new, must not miss this opportunity to learn about the humanitarian cornerstones upon which our 7 Principles are based. There will be a reception to follow in the Sanctuary with food, wine, and soft drinks.  Stay for a while and visit with Charlie. Dr. Clements, Executive Director of the Unitarian Universalist Service Committee (UUSC), will be our preacher. You won’t want to miss this special Service. Of his topic, Dr. Clements says, “These are words from a famous 1788 antislavery poem, but they found their way into Martin Luther King, Jr’s first civil rights speech. That address to the Montgomery Improvement Association on December 5, 1955 was unscripted, but we have it due to a recording by a local radio station. I will reflect upon that speech and its relevance to the election and inauguration of Barack Obama.” Charlie Clements is a public health physician and human rights activist currently serving as president and CEO of UUSC. He says the trajectory of his life has been largely shaped by three moral decisions: (1) His refusal as an Air Force pilot in Vietnam to fly further missions in support of the invasion of Cambodia; (2) His choice to bear witness as a physician in a “free-fire'” zone in rural El Salvador during their civil war; (3) His participation in an emergency human rights mission to Iraq a few weeks before the current war began. His wife, Gigi, and his children — Eric, 12 and Jesse, 10 — are his most important undertaking in life. [Previously Scheduled and postponed for SBUF to February 1: WHAT'S AHEAD  What's ahead with the new administration?  A discussion of what we hope Barack Obama will accomplish and what it will mean for the United States.] Click here if you want to see a video of Charlie talking in California on January 17 about the Universal Declaration of Human Rights on its 60th anniversary. 

 

January 25 - STRUGGLING FOR SOCIAL PROGRESS  FROM KING TO OBAMA   Minister Emeritus Ernie Pipes returns with a presentation that touches on the remarkable changes in American society that have undermined racism.  A sub-title for the sermon is:  REFLECTIONS FROM VETERANS OF THE LONG MARCH.  Les Berg will moderate.

 

 

                                                VOLUNTEER SCHEDULE

Opener

Date             

Refreshments

 

Closer

Les B./Beth

 December 21

Chuck Hendricks

 

Thom K.

--------

 December 28

-------------

 

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John S.

 January 4

Bob Johnson

 

Beth P.

Bob J.

 January 11

Eric LaScala

 

John S.

At PUC

 January 18

At PUC

 

At PUC

Miles T.

 January 25

Linda Klein

 

Penny H.

John S.

 February 1

Peter Landecker

 

Beth P.

       *****ATTENTION: For Openers and Refreshment persons:  ***** 

OPENERS arrive at 10:30 a.m., unlock doors, cabinet, put out sign, start water, put on tablecloth, set up cups, coffee, etc. for the refreshments.  Please display the fellowship candle on the circular table.

REFRESHMENTS need to arrive by 11:00 a.m.  Please arrange a trade if you cannot attend or clean up on the day assigned.  When you bring refreshments, it is your turn to be responsible for the clean up of the entire refreshment table including the coffee water and supplies.  If you need help, just ask.  By the way, thank you very much!!! 

 

***************CALENDAR OF UPCOMING EVENTS*************

 

January 11 - The SBUF Board will meet at 12:30 p.m. after fellowship at Mathews Cottage.  

 

January 18 - Unitarian Universalist Service Committee http://uusc.org President Charlie Clements will be giving sermons at Pacific Unitarian Church on this Sunday. See above. SBUF will have a combined service with PUC this Sunday.

 

January 23 - The Beach Cities Symphony Orchestra http://BeachCitiesSymphony.org will be giving a free concert at Marsee Auditorium, El Camino College. See the website or contact Peter for more details.

   ***************Communications Corner***************************

From Peter Landecker:

         According to the Unitarian Universalist Service Committee (UUSC) Annual Report, SBUF is a Beacon of Justice Banner Society with 75 to 99 percent of our members as UUSC members. SBUF also received the James Luther Adams Award due to our line item budget allocation to UUSC. In my opinion, we are to be commended for our support of this very worthwhile organization. See http://uusc.org/congregation_awards  for more information about these awards.  (Thanks, Peter.)

Marian Holmen passed away in November 2008.  Marian and Milt were married 66 years.  In earlier years Marian was very active in Unitarian Social Concerns.  She organized and directed the Sunday School department at the Santa Monica Unitarian Church for many years. 

Milt Holmen has moved to be closer to his children. He will be missed.    

Eric La Scala also has moved.

WE ARE GLAD YOU ASKED!!!

How do I become a member of the South Bay Unitarian Fellowship??  Membership is open to all persons 15 years of age or older who sign a membership card expressing agreement with the purpose of the Fellowship.  Members become eligible to vote and hold office three months after signing membership cards.  Members are expected to participate in SBUF activities and to provide a helping hand and financial support when needed.  

 

SBUF PROGRAMS   If there is a particular topic you would like to see presented on a Sunday morning, or an organization you want to know more about, or a good book you would like to share, or any other ideas for Sunday morning programs, please call Penny Hendricks. Your input is valuable!  Thank you for your help.

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This page was last updated on January 15, 2009.

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