Newsletter of Summit Unitarian Universalist Fellowship
8778 Cottonwood Ave., Santee, CA 92071
admin.summit1@netzero.net
Our last service at the East San Diego Masonic Temple, 7849 Tommy Drive, will be 6/4/06. Other programs will be at our office, at the address above, phone number is 619-562-0833. Our website is www.summitarian.org., where the Newsletter & Sermons can also be read. Mail should be sent to office at the above address.
Sunday Services - 10:00 a.m
.
June 4:
"Holding Tight and Letting Go" Rev. Bets Wienecke
Rev. Bets Wienecke will describe the process which has proven to result in a successful search for a settled minister. She will serve as coach, consultant and cheerleader to Summit’s elected search committee throughout the process.
June 11: "Home Sweet Home!" Rev. Tom Owen-Towle
Congrats to all Summitarians for procuring your very first home in 18 years! We will bless our new Cottonwood site with ritual, choral music, and a sermon that emphasizes the sacredness of soil. Bring the entire family (friends as well) for our first Sunday in Santee!
June 18: "Making Peace With Our Fathers!" Rev. Tom Owen-Towle
Most men and women in our culture need to make sufficient peace with their fathers before their life is complete. I will share ways in which we can do this with grace and honor.
June 25: "What I Brought With Me" Cindy Camberg, John McQuaide and Sandy Bernstein
Most Summitarians have come from other religious backgrounds. We often know what was "wrong" with these past affiliations. But what positive religious attitudes, concepts and rituals have you brought with you to Summit? Elaine Harper and Richard Wilke will provide our music.
July 2: "Being Lazy in All Good Conscience" Rev. Tom Owen-Towle
As we move into Summer, our bodies and souls hanker for a more restful pace. I will underscore the spiritual benefits of a lifestyle of "laziness." Summit’s former minister, Rev. Ned Wight, will be with us that day, before he leaves for his new post in New York. A potluck will follow.
Ministerial Musings Rev. Tom Owen-Towle
"I dwell in the house of possibility…"
- Emily Dickinson
Unitarian Universalism is religiously liberal in the fullest sense of that noble term: expansive of mind, generous of spirit, and magnanimous of heart. But we’re also conservative, for we consciously preserve the best of the past, as evidenced in our "Thanks for the Memories" worship service on May 21st, when we recalled the dearest epiphanies of Summit’s 18 years in the Masonic Lodge.
We’re also radicals, literally daring to travel to the root of issues rather than merely addressing surface symptoms. We’re even, may I confess, fundamentalist in the original sense of that concept: namely, those who pay homage to the proven fundamentals of a mature spirituality–like beauty, truth, and goodness–rather than being lured by set dogmas or passing fancies.
So Unitarian Universalism is an all-encompassing religion; for we’re simultaneously liberal, conservative, radical and fundamentalist; realizing, of course, that such labels must be carefully and creatively employed in inter-faith dialogue, once we arrive in Santee.
But perhaps my favorite term for Unitarian Universalism is progressive, because it reminds us that we’re unyieldingly committed to making progress on our intertwined purposes of joy-sharing and justice-building. As Bernice Johnson Reagon, of Sweet Honey in the Rock singing fame as well as a long-time Unitarian Universalist fellow-traveler, puts it: "I’m stubbornly insistent on forward motion". Yes, our religion urges us to keep on keeping on, to trek relentlessly toward our mission of growing a Beloved Community with a civic circumference…wherever we’re planted.
We’re not interested in perfection, but we remain insistent on progress. Even when we falter, and fall backward or slump sideways, ours is a life-affirming, upbeat faith that picks us up and sets us back on a forward-moving path.
As progressives, Unitarian Universalists are challenged to make decisions and take actions that advance civilization as a whole rather than negotiate moves that feather private nests. As progressives we take a fearless moral inventory of our every step: Am I making the same choice I would advise my child to make? Can I be both tough-minded and soft-hearted? Am I being supportive of the weakest among us? Does my decision do something to wipe the tears of the lonely? Do my spiritual practices result in deeds of mercy? Am I a gambler for love or a guardian of the status quo? Do my current beliefs and behaviors take into account future generations?
All our progressive talk, however, becomes reality, starting June 11th when Summitarians conduct
worship in our very first home…opening wide our doors to those in East County who might hunger for a reasonable faith with a merciful soul. Soon we will make our house a home, aspiring to infuse our every structure and space with the Spirit.
And being a progressive religion will surely require our banding together in fresh coalitions of compassion to create a more just and joyful East County. That’s the core of our Cottonwood Avenue mission, be we enmeshed in business or worship, education or outreach.
And herewith is my simple prayer: may we all be well-spent, as the days proceed, in fulfilling our dual mission of joyously savoring our communal residence while boldly serving our surrounding neighborhood. If we dare to abundantly savor and serve, while dwelling in Santee, I assure you…Summit will remain true to its progressive religious heritage.
We’re about to dwell in the house of possibility!
WHAT WE’RE UP TO IN CHILDREN’S R.E.:
We’ve been exploring Native American beliefs and traditions through stories from the Pawnee, Lakota and Cherokee people. High schoolers also learned about Vision Quest and the younger and middle groups created a Medicine Wheel in the lodge dining hall.
We are wildly excited about our move from "Sunday school in a box" to our own home (!) on June 11. The R.E. wing includes a nursery, a classroom for each of our four groups, an indoor play area and two restrooms. We have hopes of working toward an outdoor play area. Be sure to come through during the open house following the service that day.
LOOKING AHEAD: From July 2 through September 3, our summer program will offer ten weeks of "Culture Camp" based on a curriculum that aims to foster peace through play. Each week, a different country will be visited, and the sessions will include insights into cultural practices as well as stories, music, crafts, games and food. Summit’s adult world travelers (as well as armchair travelers) are invited to check with me about what country’s visit you might enjoy lending us a hand.
AND SERVICE BE OUR PRAYER:
UU Kids Can: Thanks to Jordan Graham and Ryan Beauchamp, who contributed another $13 to the capital campaign with their recycling proceeds.
Gala assistance: Daniel Bernstein did a fine job of helping to set up the activities and dinner for the children’s celebration that ran parallel to the adults’ on April 29. He was joined by Alissa Davis, Julia Shu and Marissa Henry in serving the younger children and in cleanup afterward.
Setup help: Thanks to our high schoolers for helping out again with lodge setup on April 30.
WHAT YOU CAN DO:
Invite young friends and relatives to Summit!
Consider working with one of our groups one Sunday. Our classes are currently divided into five to seven year olds, eight to nine year olds, ten to thirteen year olds, and youth (fourteen to sixteen). You would be provided a lesson plan ahead of time. Summit has interesting and fun children!
MANY THANKS to our R.E. volunteers in May: Kathy Radinovsky, Stacey Scott, Ed Henry, Juli Graham, Sandy Bernstein, Leslie Robard, Susan Goodrich, Harriet Wright, Mary Ellen Shu, Judi Bonilla, Teresa Palombo and Neal Biggart.
Connie Henry
, Acting D.R.E.
(619) 460-4794 / conniehenry@cox.net
Sunday Morning Meditation Offered at 8:00 a.m.
The Rev. Frank Placone-Willey continues to lead a meditation session from 8:00 – 9:00 a.m. each Sunday morning before the service begins. The group focuses on mindfulness practices and receives training on topics related to these practices. Those who choose to may also assist in setting up for our 10 a.m. worship. If you have questions about this new group, please contact Frank at work at (619) 889-0312.
Social Action Corner
Service Is Our Prayer
After a month’s hiatus, your Social Action Committee will be meeting in our new home for the first time on June 18. Like all of us, we are excited about the opportunities to expand our program being in our own home will provide.
Canned Goods Collection - Many thanks to all those who donated dry and canned goods for our Crisis House food drive on May 14. And thanks to Vivienne Jacobsen for her donation of toiletries.
Santee Grounds Clean Up - Thanks to the following steadfast Summitarians who gave up parts of their Saturday mornings to do the hard but rewarding work of sprucing up our grounds in anticipation of our move. (Apologies to anyone’s name missed!)
Janet Dixon / Leslie Robard / Andrea Newall and Kurt / Pilar Placone-Willey
Lisa and Jeff Garvey / Hal and Pat Summers / Bob Dryden / Susan Goodrich
Barbara Orth / Suzanne and Jai Ghorpade / Gwen and Gary Baldwin
Teresa and Michael Palumbo / David Schmitz / Tom and Carolyn Owen-Towle
A special thanks to Jeff Garvey and his brother in law, David Schmitz, for picking up and spreading the wood chips.
How can you help Summit’s efforts in social action?
Financial – Sunday, June 4 - Don’t forget to put an extra dollar in the plate for the student we sponsor at the Esperanza School in Tijuana.
Goods – Our next collection for Crisis House will be for baby goods and food later this summer. Stay tuned.
People Power - June 10 will be our final opportunity to help prepare the grounds before the opening sermon the following day, June 11. (See article in this newsletter.)
Please join us for the next Social Action Committee meeting in our new home on Sunday, June 18, at 8:30 am in the conference room. Everyone is welcome.
Summit Notices
The Greeters at our Sunday Services are requesting Members to wear their name tags to church so they can tell you from the visitors.
Chalice Lighters is an organization dedicated to supporting and encouraging growth of Unitarian Universalism in the Pacific Southwest District by providing resources to congregations through the distribution of grants. Congregations with 15% of their members participating in Chalice Lighters can be eligible to receive such grants. If you are interested in joining in the support of UU’ism, applications to Chalice Lighters are available at the church and the office. For those unable to get to either destination please contact Linda Peck at 619-463-4676 and she can mail or email an application to you. Keep yoUUr fires burning!
The Honoring/Memorial Fund
This Fund has been established to accept contributions to celebrate moments in our lives such as weddings and to commemorate deaths of loved ones
Within the Congregation
? Send thoughts and healing prayers for Jacquie Dowdy, who is in a hospital in France, as she has broken her leg while on vacation. Her husband, Jim, is with her. They may return home early and may need a helping hand.
? Kudos to Irv Metzgar, a new Summitarian, who was recently honored for his many years of service as president of Heartland Human Relations Association. Jack Shu, a long-time Summit member, is the organization's new president. Thank you, Irv, and congratulations, Jack. Heartland has a new name - The Center for Social Advocacy. Watch for information under the new name.
? Cindy Wead wants to share with her Summit family that her older daughter, Joanna, is graduating from San Francisco State University this weekend and that her younger daughter, Jessamyn, has been chosen for Phi Beta Kappa from UC Santa Barbara. Needless to say Cindy is very proud of both daughters.
Freethinkers
Since we are meeting in a new place, it seems only fitting that we should have a new format. As usual we will meet at 7 p.m. the 1st and 3rd Tuesday of the month at the Summit Office but, of course, the office is in Santee now. The format of the meetings for this month will be to have each person bring a newspaper clipping or short magazine article to discuss at the meeting. Hopefully, there will be time for several articles at each meeting. So, bring an article on any subject you think worthy of discussion and we will provide at least as many opinions about it as there are people in the room.
Lunch Bunch
Do you feel starved after Sunday Service and Circle Discussion? Whether it's for food or more fellowship, you'll find both with the Lunch Bunch, which will be meeting about noon on these dates and places:
June 4 - Family Chef, 6155 Lake Murray Boulevard, La Mesa, phone 466-6676
June 11 - Panda Country, Trolley Square, Santee, phone 449-7061
June 18 - Jimmy's, Von's Square on Mission Gorge Rd., Santee, phone 448-8994
June 25 - La Salsa (Mexican, of course) Trolley Square, Santee, phone 562-16 53
You-all come!
Widening Our Circle
News from Summit UU Fellowship’s
Combined Campaign Committee
It Takes a Village….
In addition to all the wonderful Summitarians who gave of their time and talent to make our Campaign Kick-off Dinner truly an "Evening of Celebration", we’d like to acknowledge our Community Partners for their contributions and encourage you to consider them when you’re in need of the services they offer.
Community Partners
"Paella Valenciana: The Flavour of Spain" – Juan & Elisa Pomares
858-672-2243 or www.paellavalenciana.com
They provided our hors d’oeuvres, dinner, dessert, sangria and waitpeople.
"California Cuisine" – Fine Dining and Catering - Kelly Gajer
619-543-0790 or californiacuisine.cc
1027 University Avenue, San Diego 92103
They donated our china, glassware and utensils.
Spectrum Sounds Mobile Music – our very own Mark Weedman.
619 334-5300 or markatspectrum@hotmail.com
Website: Spectrumsounds.com
Mark was our DJ extraordinaire.
Kindred Spirits
First Unitarian Universalist Church of San Diego – Rev. Arvid Straube for his generosity in donating the use Bard Hall and the childrens’ rooms at no cost to us and to Abby Koch and Ralph Dobson for their help with a myriad of details and coordination and to Linda Sola for sharing "her" kitchen.
Larry Wheeler – our UU Campaign Consultant for coaxing us to have an "Evening of Celebration.
Summitarians
Rev. Tom Owen-Towle for his guidance and direction
Debbie Wingard for her wise and gentle leadership.
Linda Peck for always coming through with whatever we needed.
Honorary Hosts – Dolores and Bob Moore for lighting the way.
Events Committee – Toni Rogers (Chair), Suzanne McQuaide, Connie Henry, Joan Chan, Patti Robison-Heyer, Barbara Orth and Gwen Curry for coordinating the event.
Man Friday – LaMar Rogers who tied up the loose ends.
Emcee – Frank Placone-Willey for his classy style and easy humor.
DJ – Mark Weedman who "Let It Be a Dance".
Entertainment – Gwen Baldwin for coordinating the entertainment (Amen Sister Gwen).
Close Enough Band and The Summettes – Laurel and Sandy Bernstein, Lisa and Jeff Garvey, Gwen and Gary Baldwin for their rollicking good music.
Rappers – Deena Tuttle, Diane Slagle, Katy Orr, Ed Davis, John McQuaide, Gary and Gwen Baldwin for their "outrageous" performances.
Drummers – Mark Bryning and Mark Wheeler for beating the music of our tribe.
Duets – Elly Dotseth and Stacey Scott for singing our journey and Elaine Harper and Richard Wilke for our new theme song.
Testimonials – Ed Davis and Sylvia, Gary Baldwin and Mark Wheeler for their lively "testifying".
Side Show/Projector – Rex Graham and Elly Dotseth for showing our picture-perfect clan.
Publicity – Wendell Rawlins, Deena Tuttle and Linda Peck for getting the word out.
Campaign Barometer – Diane and Jack Slagle for charting our course.
Graphics, Logo — Diane and Jack Slagle, Deena Tuttle, Pierre Vaughn, Mary Ellen Shu, and Teresa Palombo for widening our circle theme.
Invitations – Suzanne McQuaide and Toni Rogers for text and distribution.
Children’s Program/Dinner
– Connie Henry, Diane Slagle, Laurel Bernstein, Mary Ellen Shu, Ed Henry, Daniel Bernstein, Alissa Davis, Julia Shu and Marissa Henry for planning, coordination, cooking, serving and clean-up.
Childcare
– Lee Simpson, Bridgette Peel and Dani Jimenez for tending our flock.
With Gratitude and Appreciation
Together Hand in Hand…
Potluck!
July 2
The next potluck will be July 2. This will be our first big meal in our new home. We won’t have ovens to keep things warm in so make sure you bring foods that can be kept warm in a crock pot or hold their heat well. We do have a refrigerator for foods that need to be kept cold.
Contact Janet Dixon (619-465-1160) for more info.
Calendar
—ATTENTION—
Editor’s Corner
Wednesday Morning
Prayer/ Meditation
Please note we will start our Wed. morning prayer/meditation group at 8:30 am from now on. This will give us more driving time to get to our new home as we are scattered far and wide.
All are welcome to join us. On May 24, the group performed sage smudging, blessing each room of this building. The painter was blessed as well.
From the Board of
Directors
June 18, 2006:
Agenda:
Adoption of Budget
The Scene at Summit’s June edition deadline will be:
June 19 Deadline/ June 22 Mailing
Linda Peck, the editor
Office Moving Day
It is no longer tentative! The move happened as planned and the office is set up and mostly functional. It is all here… somewhere. So when you come to pick up things or do regular business, please come with a pocket full of patience. I have been juggling regular work and unpacking at the same time.
I want to thank everyone who helped with this adventure. Everyone that could pitched in to prepare their area/committee materials for the move. In particular, Wendell Rawlins has been "Johnny-on-the-spot" through this whole thing. His wide knowledge of all things mechanical and electrical has been a god-send! (Remember UU’s, this is a figure of speech!)
I can’t wait to have all of us under one roof, and it will be our own!
Sincerely yoUUrs,
Linda Peck
Congrats to all Summitarians for procuring your very first home! We will bless our new Cottonwood site with ritual, choral music, and a sermon that emphasizes the sacredness of soil. Bring the entire family (friends as well) for our first Sunday in Santee!
Congregational
Meeting
May 21, 2006
The congregational meeting was called to order by President Jeff Garvey. The purpose of the meeting was to elect members for officers of the board, board of directors, settled minister search committee and nominating committee. There were no additional nominations from the floor to the slate of candidates.
Eighty two (82) ballots were distributed, including 11 absentee ballots. There are 118 members.
All candidates received overwhelming support from the congregation.
OFFICERS OF THE BOARD:
President: Rex Graham Vice-President: LaMar Rogers Secretary: Ellen Gifford Treasurer: John McQuaide
BOARD OF DIRECTORS:
Gary Baldwin Laurel Bernstein Suzanne Ghorpade Alix Hart Debbie Wingard
SETTLED MINISTER SEARCH COMMITTEE:
Gwen Baldwin Pat Bryning Ferne Gaarder Wendell Rawlins Toni Rogers Pierre Vaughn Mark Wheeler
NOMINATING
COMMITTEE:
Jack Shu
Diane Slagle
Charles Jacobson
Respectfully submitted,
Patricia Summers, Secretary
The Giving Tree
Social Action Beyond Our Borders
The Giving Tree which stood on the piano in Summit's old office yielded $52 before the move to Santee. That amount will be sent to Save the Children, Indonesia, to help victims of the recent earthquake . 4,600 died from the 6.2 quake, with thousands more injured, and the totals are likely to rise further. Tens of thousands of homeless survivors in the disaster area are now living on streets, in rice fields and even in graveyards as they fear additional aftershocks. Save the Children staff members in Bantul, the worst affected region, estimate that as many as 80 percent of homes may be damaged. Families are in immediate need of shelter, blankets, cooking utensils and hygiene items, they reported. Save the Children already is working to deliver hygiene kits to 1,000 affected families. The kits contain soap, detergents, towels and toothbrushes. In addition, 30 boxes of games and toys, including sports equipment, are heading to Yogyakarta, another city hard hit by the quake, to provide children with some relief. The agency also plans to distribute family kits with household supplies including a stove, cooking utensils, tools, plastic sheeting for shelter, and jerry cans for carrying water.
As always, thanks to you who pin money to the tree with the tiny clothes pins provided. The tree will be back in action again as soon as a new home is found for it as the new office is settled. Keep that money coming.
The Grateful Gardener
THE CLOCK IS
TICKING!
The last day for yard work before our first service at our new church in Santee will be Saturday, June 10. Please join us from 8:30 to 11:30 am. We need many hands as the weeds and spreading grasses are many and powerful! Bring your weeders, rakes, hoes, shovels, clippers and brooms. We will be getting more wood chips to spread.
Let's make the place look great for its debut! Questions? Contact Gwen or Gary Baldwin. (New home address: 8778 Cottonwood Ave.)
Rebate
Fundraising
It’s easy to earn merchant contributions for Summit through our Rebate Fundraising Program. Call Fran Spevak (469-9836) for information, or look for a flyer on the information table at church.
Share a Moment...
Whenever you do something nice for another, or find something good to say and say it, you inoculate the recipient with kindness. Not only does this help build up his or her immunity to life's difficulties, it strengthens yours, as well. Kindness really is a miracle drug.
Kate Nowak
Women Together Retreat
September 23, 24, 25, 2006
Camp Stevens in Julian
The San Diego UU Church will celebrate the 25th anniversary of Women Together at Camp Stevens in Julian on September 23, 24, 25, 2006. This silver jubilee celebration will include Rev. Carolyn Owen-Towle, one of the founding women of this traditional annual event.
San Diego UU Church extends an invitation to the women of Summit UU Fellowship to participate in this retreat. This will allow our Summit sisters to meet other UU women while engaging in a three-day retreat that has a 25 year history of events, ceremonies, and comradeship for women, by women.
Application forms for the retreat will be sent to interested women in late May. Registration will be on a first-come, first-served basis. Please contact Pat Summers at plsummers@cox.net or phone (619) 589-0755 if you are interested.
From Rev. Ned…
Dear Summitarians:
First of all, congratulations on your move into new quarters! I rejoice exceedingly that you are moving forward boldly as a congregation, with both the building and with the search for a new minister. This brings to mind the desk-plaque on former DRE Karen Hagberg’s desk:
"Leap and the net will appear."
It’s happened for you. And it’s happened for me, too. The net has appeared.
I have accepted an offer to become the next Executive Director of the Veatch Program of the UU Congregation at Shelter Rock in Manhasset, Long Island, New York, effective July 17, 2006. This program makes grants to service and advocacy organizations in 13 different areas, including civil rights, economic equality, workplace and community organizing, making democracy work, and fostering Unitarian Universalist growth and social justice efforts. I am excited about the prospect of working directly in the arena of progressive social justice advocacy, which has been a consistent theme in my life and ministry. And I look forward to the challenges of creating a new life in a new congregation and a new part of the country.
It’s impossible without mixed feelings to contemplate leaving this paradise I’ve been fortunate enough to call home for the past 14 years. Since Veatch funds programs in San Diego, including the Center on Policy Initiative, which founded the Interfaith Committee on Worker Justice that I’ve actively supported over the past eight years, my travels may very well bring me back to San Diego.
I will be resigning from the UUA and PSWD Boards, effective after GA 2006 in June. I expect the next two months to be a whirlwind of throwing things out and packing—with emphasis on the former. Wish me luck.
My thirteen years at Summit were significant years of growth and maturation for me. I thank you for being such good teachers and mentors. And I wish you every success in your new home.
Cheers and blessings, Ned
Save These Important Dates
Sunday, June 4, 10:00 a.m. - Rev. Bets Wienecke, UUA Settled Ministry Consultant
Sunday, June 11, 10:00 a.m. - Celebration Sunday at our New Home
Sunday, June 18, after morning service - Congregational Meeting
Hello Enthusiastic
Summit Members and Friends!
Alix Hart and I have been charged with the task of being the "Aesthetics Committee" co-chairs. We will do our best to solicit ideas from you when we begin to design the balance of our new facility. While we would like to see Summit’s facilities evolve into stunning and spiritually uplifting areas , we cannot accept everything that the congregation might wish to donate. We ask you to please call either Alix or me to find out if we can use what you would like to donate. Please do not bring items to our new home to store without checking with us first.
Thank you, Elly Dotseth
