Emerson Unitarian Universalist Church

Author: Adam Nisenholz

  • FROM THE BOARD: An Open Letter from the Board Secretary

    By Bettina Salas, Board Secretary

    Bettina33@earthlink.net

     

    Dear Emersonians,

    Today, on Mother’s Day, I attended a wonderful service that included several child dedications and a flower communion. The highlights for me were the families who introduced their children to our community in a personal, meaningful, and often humorous way. Judging by the responses I observed in the congregation, I know that I was not the only one feeling touched. Being introduced to the children through their parents created a connection between us that made me think that we need to offer more opportunities for multi-generational worship at Emerson. Sharing ourselves with others opens doors and is a great way to establish connections between people. Thank you to all of you who made this experience possible. What a delight!

    Child Dedications

    Flower Communion

    As you know, we finished our annual pledge drive, and the Managers and Board have been busy creating and tweaking the budget for the upcoming fiscal year 2017/2018. We are not quite where we would like to be and are inviting you to an informational budget meeting to introduce some choices and hear your questions and opinions about our financial future. Please plan to attend this meeting on May 21 after the service so you can be prepared for a budget vote during our upcoming congregational meeting on June 11, 2017.

    Attend the Congregational Meeting, June 11, 2017

    Also coming up at the congregational meeting will be a vote on the change of bylaws. A couple of weeks ago, we held an informational meeting about this change, which was well attended. Your Board appreciates the opportunity to discuss issues before you get to vote on them as it gives us the opportunity to hear your questions and concerns. Please also feel free to attend any Board meetings, which are scheduled for the second Monday of each month at 7:30 p.m. in the Pavilion.

    Last but not least, I would like to put out a call for volunteers in all areas of church leadership. We need you more than ever, and serving in any capacity is a great way to socialize with other Emersonians and understand what it takes to run our beautiful church. We welcome you with open arms.

  • SUMMER FUN 2017 — SILENT AUCTION, June 11, 2017

    HOSTS AND HOSTESSES NEEDED!

    Can you help by offering an event for our SUMMER FUN SILENT AUCTION?

    You could offer….a dinner at your house, a pool party, an art activity, an outing for kids, an ice cream party, a game night, a blanket party at one of the summer concerts in the park, a beer brew tasting party, a movie night in the back yard, a concert on the patio, Beach Party Bingo in your backyard, share a hobby you love, or anything that would be a fun event.

    PLEASE SUBMIT YOUR SPONSOR FORM BY JUNE 8, 2017.

    See or Email Jacqui Tolin for the link to the Online form

    (For more information, contact jtolin@gmail.com   (747-220-8040)  or see Renee Lancon or Barbara Moore.)

  • RE MATTERS: Get Rich Slow: The Treasures of Community

    By Emmalinda MacLean

    Director, Religious Education

    emmalindaDRE@gmail.com

    Treasure shows up in our lives in many ways; it’s just a matter of knowing where—and how—to look. The riches I find here at church remind me of the old Hasidic folktale about the poor man, who dreams that he will find a treasure buried under the bridge in the capital city; he travels for days and days to get there, and when he does, a guard at the bridge tells him he is foolish to have journeyed so far for advice he received in a dream. The guard tells the poor man that he, too, had a dream that he would find treasure buried under the hearth of a poor man—we know who that is—and indeed, our traveler returns home to find riches beyond his dreams buried underneath his very own fireplace.

     

    To me, this story means that the riches we seek are so close—we just have to be willing to make the journey. Or, in modern terms, “to show up.” Our religious community has a wealth of relationships, opportunities, and experiences to offer; the pool is deep and varied, so you might not catch anything that speaks to you on your first dive. But it’s worth coming back.

     

    Relationships are at the heart of our Unitarian Universalist faith, more central to our religion than any dogma or creed, and the slow process of building relationships cannot be shortchanged. It’s amazing how hard it can be, in our fast-paced and ever-busier world, to just show up someplace and BE there. But every time you and your family arrive, to spend some of your valuable time here at Emerson, you make all of us richer. Here are some of the priceless memories and upcoming opportunities that continue to add to the fabulous wealth of our beloved community:

     

     

    The families who showed up to help us plant the garden a few weeks ago have blessed this church for months to come, and I treasure the excitement and wonder of the children I got to work beside!

    Emerson’s annual philanthropic “Easter Egg” hunt was once again a raucous and joyful good time, that enriched the West Valley Food Pantry while welcoming several first-time visitors to the kind of enthusiastic, controlled-chaos that our Religious Education program does best.

     

     

    Celebrating Earth Day with an all-ages, family-friendly worship service is another beloved Emerson tradition, and this year’s theatrical presentation of Dr. Seuss’s The Lorax playfully lifted up our 7th Unitarian Universalist principle: respecting the interdependent web of all existence, of which we are a part.

    Lastly, as summer vacation approaches, I want to remind everyone that your church has very real treasures to offer your family as well: a week at our beautiful UU retreat center, Camp de Benneville Pines, is an unforgettable, transformative experience for a child—and Emerson as plenty of scholarship funds available for the children of church members. Explore de Benneville’s website at uucamp.org and message me for more information about how to send your child to camp!

    There is always more magic to come and more treasure to be found, if you are willing to make the journey. Check the church calendar for upcoming events, email me if you’d like to get involved, and keep coming back!

  • SOUL MATTERS, May 2017

    May 2017

    What Does It Mean To Be 
A Community of Embodiment?

     

    “I spend most time wondering if I should be somewhere else.  Instead, I’m learning to shape the words “thank you” with my first breath each morning.  My last breath each night.  So when the very last breath comes, at least I will know I was grateful for all the places I was so sure I was not supposed to be. ”

    –Sarah Kay, Poet, from The Paradox

    We spend so much time in disappointment. We worry we’re missing out. We long for something better. Focused on how imperfect or incomplete our current situation is, we hunger for elsewhere.

     

    And if not embodied in disappointment, we at least try our best to live in that place called “on our way.” We tell ourselves that the current situation is only temporary; we’re really better than this and meant for something bigger. This current embodiment is only a steppingstone.

    And, of course, any good psychologist, smart life coach, or savvy talk show host will tell us that, by doing this, we’re missing out on peace. Striving for that “perfect life,” we miss out on the solace of the present moment. It’s a good message to pay attention to.

     

    But religion wants to push us a bit harder. It wants us to see how we are out of touch, not only with the present moment, but also gratitude itself. The way back into real embodiment, it says, is not just through the skill of attention but also Sarah Kay’s skill of “shaping the words ‘thank you’ with our first and last breath.”

     

    And not just the skill of “thank you,” but the skill of listening, as well. Every religion worth its salt will tell you that the reason to pay attention to the present moment is so that we can better hear what life and our hearts are trying to tell us! Embodied living is not simply about being grateful for the unnoticed gifts in front of us; it’s also about noticing that every moment and every context – no matter how imperfect, messed up and incomplete – is trying to talk to us! The reason we are called to sink into and care for our bodies is not just to relieve stress; it’s so that our body’s voice no longer gets drowned out by all the other noise. The reason we are called to allow nature to embody us is not simply so that we can feel our interconnectedness; it’s so that we can allow that interconnectedness to tell us its wisdom. The reason to stop trying so hard to change our current circumstances is not simply to “be here now;” it’s so that our current circumstances will finally be able to get a word in edgewise about where it thinks we should go!

     

    And if we do this friends — if we shape our “thank you’s” and take listening seriously – then that elusive gift of embodiment will be ours: that sacred sense of being exactly where we are supposed to be!

    May this month’s work help all of us stumble back to and better embody that wonderful space!

     

  • WhATSON MY MIND: Emerson UU Church Members “Represent” at District Assembly

    By Tracy Watson

    Vice President, Board of Trustees

    This year’s annual Unitarian Universalist District Assembly was unique. At a time when immigration is front-page news, the assembly’s setting—near the border wall with Mexico, in and around Tucson, Arizona—underscored its special mission. Four congregations joined together to sponsor this district assembly and utilized the latest technology to join different locations together for shared services, business meetings, and votes—a remarkable feat in itself. But what was truly inspirational was the way they organized a variety of informative field trip opportunities for delegates and others.

     

    Representing Emerson along with Reverend Matthew, his wife Anna and daughter River were five additional Emersonians—Leslie Reuter, Phil Davis, Gail Ringer, Marjorie Stark, and Tracy Watson. We each had opportunities to participate in separate trips, immersing us in the realities of the wall and its many negative effects.

    Leslie and Phil met with the leader of “People Helping People,” a local nonprofit in Arivaca, AZ, that supports humanitarian aid to help migrants survive. Then, their second trip brought home the importance of this work, as they hiked to several sites, now marked with crosses, where the human remains of migrants had been located. Leslie and Phil even got a small taste of the migrant experience when they were left behind by their group while dealing with a painful cholla cactus encounter, and then lost a water bottle while struggling to find their way back without a guide. Gail and Marjorie met with another local group that provides aid to members of the LGBTQ community seeking political asylum. Tracy took a hike to a private ranch dissected by miles of tall metal posts, so closely spaced that only small animals could cross, barring many endangered and other animals from their traditional migration routes and desperately needed mates. The Sierra Club also presented a lecture on the harm done to the habitat and water by this very expensive and ineffective wall.

    The Sunday church service was truly moving. All the separate UU groups were brought together after a long bus ride to the wall at Nogales. There, it brutally divides people, heedless of connections like family ties or bonds of friendship. We sang hymns as we walked along the wall, touching it, looking across it, and bearing witness to the injustice and the pain caused by its existence. Back at the churches hung the banners that Arizona UUs have prepared for each year of the wall, giving a name and a symbol to every migrant who has lost her or his life in attempting the treacherous crossing. The connection made between UUs from Arizona, Nevada, and California with this powerful message was truly memorable.

  • SOUL MATTERS: What Does It Mean To Be A Community of Transformation?

     

    APRIL 2017, What Does It Mean To Be A Community of Transformation?

    Let mystery have its place in you; do not be always turning up your whole soil with the plowshare of self-examination, but leave a little fallow corner in your heart ready for any seed the winds may bring, and reserve a nook of shadow for the passing bird; keep a place in your heart for the unexpected guests, an altar for an unknown God.  

    –Henri-Frederic Ariel

     

    Make a bit of room. Leave a little space. That may not sound like anything radical or revolutionary. But it turns out that it is one of Life’s favorite ways to make us into something new.

     

    Be cautious with those cultural messages about aggressively tilling and turning up your whole soil. Watch out for all the heroic talk about striving and perfecting, struggle and control. Much of the time, transformation is a much subtler art. It’s about stillness, listening and waiting to be led, not fighting with yourself and others to make sure you are in the lead.

     

    In short, when it comes to transformation, the message of spirituality is “Be careful with what you’ve been taught and told because much of it takes us in exactly the wrong direction.” Our challenge as a community of transformation is to remind each other to take a different tack. More often than not, it’s about breathing rather than becoming better; patience not perfection; depth not dominance; attention not improvement.

     

    That part about attention instead of improvement is especially important. It’s so easy to get transformation mixed up with fixing. And fixing is transformation’s biggest foe. Trying to purify or prove ourselves is the surest way to stay stuck. The pursuit of purity focuses us on our inadequacy and inferiority, causing us to overlook those unexpected guests that Henri-Frederic speaks of.

     

    And, friends, we don’t want to miss those unexpected guests! Those seeds brought by the wind and those passing birds are the partners that make transformation possible. They help us notice new paths. They invite us to walk with a new step. They awaken in us new songs. They remind us that transformation is not something we do alone. They assure us that transformation doesn’t have to be a long and lonely struggle, but instead can be more like learning a new dance with a new friend. All we have to do is trust, take the hand of that “unknown God” and follow its lead.

     

    So, friends, this month, leave some room on that dance floor of yours. Keep your eyes peeled. And when that unexpected guest reaches out its hand, don’t be afraid.

     

  • From the Board: Volunteerism at Emerson

     

    By Lynne Masuhara

    Emerson Board President

    lmasu@earthlink.net

     

    There are so many things that I could write about, but my mind keeps returning to the long-standing problem of finding people to volunteer for various tasks that need doing around the church. What has become apparent is that everyone is incredibly busy. If you are a parent you have to juggle kid activities, family needs, and usually work commitments, how do you fit in time for yourself? A question that’s even harder to answer: How do you find time for church–and volunteering?

     

    Churches are a bit of an oddity in today’s world. We are dependent on the devotion and generosity of our friends and members. When I first joined Emerson UU Church in 1988, we only had one paid employee—the minister. The office and finances were run pretty much by hardworking church ladies (and men.) Repairs and maintenance of our physical building and site were handled by handful of talented men. Occasionally, the whole church turned out to paint or garden. These folks were the bedrock that kept the church going.

     

    But times have changed, and many of those wonderful people are no longer with us. So we have realized that if we don’t have volunteers, then we need to hire (and pay) someone to carry out needed tasks.

     

    And so, we hired an office administrator. Later, we hired a religious education director, a choir director and a paid piano accompanist. We feel so blessed to have such an incredible staff.

     

    Now, in 2017, we are still really a volunteer entity with a wonderful paid staff. But there are still many roles that must be filled by volunteers.

     

    The Board of Trustees and the Managers are volunteers. The members and chairpersons of our committees are volunteers. Our ushers, greeters, and coffee hosts are volunteers. Many of our religious education teachers are volunteers. Our Worship Associates are volunteers. Every Sunday morning, we present a thoughtful and usually seamless production. The gates and doors are opened, the Sanctuary, Pavilion, and RE rooms are prepared. There is lighting and sound and now video screens. There are greeters and ushers and coffee hour preparations. The heat or cooling is adjusted.

    The music is prepared and practiced. The Worship Associates are prepared to lead us. The choir has rehearsed. Whew…it is a lot. Yet, week after week we manage to pull it off. Additionally there is a large finance team that processes and oversees our financial obligations.

     

    Emerson Activities Run Mostly by Volunteers

     

     

     

     

    And our website, newsletter, and social media spread the church news. Volunteers handle most of these communications.

    As you read this, I hope you will see a bit of the overall picture of life at Emerson. I hope, too, that you will see the many opportunities that are available to you. Many of these volunteer jobs do not demand a great deal of time. They can often be done on a Sunday morning in about 30 minutes. Yes, it means coming to church a little early, but we try to have enough folks so that you only need to do your “job” once a month. And we provide training and support.

     

    A real plus in taking on a small job at Emerson is that you’ll get better acquainted with both members and visitors. Even committee membership may not be a huge commitment of time. Most committees meet once a month and occasionally more often

    for special events. What are your interests? Do you prefer to work solo or with others? Do you know how to make coffee? Can you smile and say, “Welcome”? Are you comfortable with technology? Do you like to write? Do you have a penchant for numbers and finance? Do you like creating parties?

     

    More of Our Emerson Volunteers

    The opportunities to connect abound. If you would like to become involved or volunteer for anything we—or may not—have mentioned, please speak to me or another Board member or to a committee chairperson.

     

    So the next time someone asks you if you could help with one of these tasks, I hope that you will consider saying YES! I guarantee that you’ll gain more than you give. And as my grandmother used to say, “Many hands make light work.”

     

  • RE Matters: Stay Connected

    By Emmalinda MacLean

    Director of Religious Education

    emmalindadre@gmail.com

    Spring always seems to offer a wealth of opportunities for children and families to connect and grow relationships at Emerson—in the next two months we have Easter Sunday, Earth Day, a garden to be planted, and a Children’s Naming and Dedication ceremony on Mother’s Day! And that’s not even counting our Coming of Age youth’s adventures, or the weekly crafts, games, discussion, and exploration in our Religious Education program. We are truly a community of abundance.

    I hope you will join us for as many of these activities as you are able; mark your calendars, stay tuned to the Emerson weekly email and the “Emersonians” Facebook group for more details, and feel free to contact me with any questions. (EmmalindaDRE@gmail.com, or Emmalinda MacLean on Facebook. If you’re not in the Emersonians Facebook group, ask me how to join!)

    RE ACTIVITIES IN APRIL, MAY, and JUNE

     

    Saturday, April 8, Planting Party!

    Join us to bring Emerson’s garden back to life! On March 12th, children and youth planted seeds—some of which have already begun to sprout—and on April 8th we’ll transplant these seedlings into the planter boxes outside the church kitchen. I’ve never seen the magic of gardening fail to get children excited: look how much fun they had planting in class!

     

     

     

     

    Planting Day at Emerson

     

    DONATIONS NEEDED BY APRIL 16

    Can you help by donating recyclables?

    We’ll be making truffula trees for the set from recycled materials. If you have any of the items below, please bring them in by Easter Sunday, April 16:

    • Cardboard tubes (wrapping paper, toilet paper, or paper towels)
    • Plastic bottles (12 oz through 2 liters)

     

     

     

     

     

     

    Sunday, April 16, Easter!

    Let’s celebrate the Earth’s re-awakening from winter with our cherished annual “Easter Egg” hunt—a fun and festive occasion built around generosity, teamwork, and service. Rather than hunting for plastic eggs filled with candy, teams of children collect non-perishable food items to be donated to the West Valley Food Pantry. Everyone’s a winner!Sunday, April 23, Multigenerational Earth Day Service!

     

    Emerson has a long tradition of celebrating Earth Day as a joyful, uplifting, participatory worship service that includes all ages, reminding us that we do not inherit the earth from our ancestors—we borrow it from our children. This years’ service will feature a pageant based on Dr. Seuss’s beloved classic,The Lorax, with lots of opportunities for involvement by attendees both young and old!

     

    Mother’s Day, May 14, Children’s Naming and Dedication

    Rev. Matthew and I are planning a special ritual to honor the journey of motherhood by inviting all mothers who wish to participate to tell the story of their children’s names in the service. Our names are the first in a lifetime of gifts we receive from our parents, and on Mother’s Day we will celebrate them all. Please contact me if you would like to be a part of this ceremony by telling the congregation how you chose your child’s name.

     

    Sunday, June 11, Coming of Age

    From celebrating the gift of life and a name, to embracing the transformation from childhood to adulthood, Emerson nurtures our children and youth in a multitude of ways. Our Coming of Age class continues to go boldly in the direction of their unfolding futures, exploring their beliefs about the world, their goals for the future, and their connections to Unitarian Universalism.

     

    On Sunday, June 11th they will present an entire worship service that they have planned and organized themselves, featuring their own personal belief (or credo) statements. Many congregants consider the Coming of Age service to be one of the highlights of the church year, and so I encourage you to mark your calendars now and plan on being there to support and affirm these youth on their journey.

     

    Recently, COA youth adventured outside their comfort zones and tested their physical limits by learning to fly with the circus arts educational organization, FocusFish.com. Sore muscles recover, but empowering experiences last a lifetime!

     

    Activities at FocusFish

     

  • WEST VALLEY FOOD PANTRY OFFERING SHOWERS; SUPPLIES NEEDED

    The West Valley Food Pantry, to which we donate food and other necessities each week, will soon offer showers to its clients. So, the pantry needs travel size tubes of body wash and shampoo. Please consider buying these items when you shop for necessities for the folks at the West Valley Food Pantry.

    Male volunteers are needed to assist in giving out the items for the shower on Monday morning shift (9:00 a.m. – 12:00 noon). For more information about this, contact Debbie Decker, Executive Director, West Valley Food Pantry, 818-346-6968.

  • MUSICAL MUSINGS: What’s Your Swap Meet?

    By Scott Rieker

    Choir Director, Emerson Choir

    scott@scottrieker.com

     

    Growing up, we called them “flea markets.” Out here, I hear people speak of “swap meets.” Either way, the concept is the same. People bring things that have become commonplace to them, and—amongst those items—others find unexpected value and interpersonal connection. These two components are what separate a swap meet from a trip to Wal-Mart. A visitor to a swap meet can find value in that item that’s “just perfect for…” or unexpected inspiration in the creations of others: “Hey, we could do the same thing to that old…” Or, the visitor may find neither item nor inspiration, but create real connections with a garrulous woodworker, a taciturn metal artist, a glib picker, or fellow swap-meet-goers. Those connections can make an otherwise “failed” (i.e., nothing was purchased or sold) trip to the swap meet a legitimate success.

     

    Each of us has a number of gifts, talents, and skills. However, to most of us, these often seem unremarkable, since they’re merely another component of who we are. It is only when we encounter an opportunity to “swap” our talents that others can find unexpected value in our gifts and we can find the same in others. In those interpersonal connections, it is often the unexpected that is the most valuable—something we didn’t even know we needed.

     

    By the time you’re reading this, the Emerson choir will be in the midst of our second annual Choir Swap with the Unitarian Universalist Church of Studio City, as well as our first collaboration with First Unitarian Church of Los Angeles. It will be fascinating to see what treasures we gain from our collaboration. It could be technique. It could be repertoire. It could be interpersonal relationships built or strengthened. It will probably be something that we cannot even conceive of until we experience it, or even something we don’t recognize until a long time afterward.

     

     

    The important part is that we participate in the sharing. The “swap” is integral in our growth as musicians and as human persons. As we step outside our normal circle and expand our sphere of experience, we build those connections that will help us in this challenging climate. The social media of today is modeled on this model of discovering unexpected value and valuable interpersonal connections. In our choir swap—our traditional, analog way to find value and build connections through actual interaction—we all become stronger, richer, and more empowered. For the choir, music is the vehicle of that exchange. How about you? What’s your “swap meet”?