ACAC Birthday Presents

Please notice that there is a new birthday poster on the bulletin board in the Narthex. Please pick a name of a child to receive a birthday gift.  Some of the birthdays have passed.  That's OK.  Karla will make sure the gift is delivered.  Please bring the gift to Donna Mae Pitluck or the church office.

FIND OUT MORE ABOUT CHALICE LIGHTERS

Chalice Lighters is a program of the UUA’s Pacific Southwest District (PSWD – California, Nevada and Arizona) that exists to help fund the growth of the member congregations of this District.
   Our church is a member congregation in good standing, so that when we sign up the required number of Chalice Lighters, we will not only be helping other congregations to realize their dreams, we will also be eligible ourselves to apply for a Chalice Lighters grant and perhaps realize one of the many dreams that we have and are itching to get started on.
   What Chalice Lighters funds: Facility improvements, such as buying land, building, rebuilding, furnishing or enlarging facilities; and one-time professional leadership expenses, such as the costs of hiring a Minister, Religious Educator, or Music Director.
   The funds for these grants come from UUs like us, people who pledge to contribute $20 or more three times a year. Please come by the Chalice Lighters table in the Fellowship Hall after the service and find out more about how this works.
~Gil Shorr, for Chalice Lighters

ANNOUNCING: Congregational Meeting Sunday, February 26, 2012—11:30am

Items on the agenda:
1.    Election of Officers. Positions to be filled at the meeting:
a)    Vice-President
b)    Treasurer
c)    Administration Council Chair
d)    Two members of the Nominating Committee
e)    Two members of the Endowment Committee
The Nominating Committee will present a slate of candidates for these elected positions (see the separate report of the Nominating Committee). Nominations may also be made by members from the floor on the day of elections, provided the nominee has consented to serve.

2.    Announcement of second round of Program Council Special Project Funding
An update on the status of projects funded in November and an opportunity to ask questions and get information about the process for funding the second round of projects.

3.    Congregational Decision regarding Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning (HVAC)Proposal
As per discussion at the November 2011 meeting, the heating system is currently not working in the back of the building and the heating system in the rest of the building is also in questionable condition.  The Building and Grounds Committee has solicited bids for upgrading the system to not only heat but also air-condition the building. The goal is to accomplish this using "green" technology. The cost will be approximately $40,000. See page 4 for detailed information. At the meeting we will consider this in two steps:

Step One: Do we want to upgrade the system to not only heat but also air-condition the building?

Step Two: Assuming the answer to Step One is yes, how will we fund this? This would entail discussion and agreement on how to proceed.

Possible options include:
1.    Taking out a loan from a financial institution. Interest rates are low, we owe nothing on the church property and could repay over time.
2.    We could borrow the money from the Endowment Fund and repay with interest.
3.    We could ask for the $40,000 from the Endowment Fund. It could be argued that this use is in compliance with the mission of the Endowment Fund, which the by-laws state as follows: " The Endowment Fund shall be used to support the mission of this Church and of Unitarian Universalism.”
4.    We could ask each member and friend when they make their pledge for the funding of the church for the next fiscal year to make a second pledge for the HVAC system. The Board and Finance Committee would determine how to fund the balance.
5.    We could conduct a special fund-raising campaign for the HVAC system, soliciting pledges and payments until we reach the $40,000 target.
6.    We could work to raise $20,000 and apply for a Spirit Level Foundation grant for matching funds.
7.    If we can get a minimum number of members to become Chalice Lighters, we would be eligible to apply for funding from the PSWD program.
8.    There may be an entirely different funding option we have not realized yet.
 

Pledge Drive Coming Soon!

   Everything you love about this church is possible because members and friends of the church are willing to contribute some of their resources to make it happen. All the services, programs, and events are only possible if we can keep the lights on, the heat working, the staff paid, the building maintained, the supplies ordered, and the myriad of other expenses covered.
   We will be conducting canvassing this spring for our pledge drive. Canvassing is where we talk with each other about what is important to us about our church and how we can each make an ongoing commitment to contribute to the financial needs of the church. We will be recruiting people to assist us in canvassing the members and friends of the church.
   The future we envision for our church is only possible when people say, "Yes!" —-"yes" to canvassing, "yes" to making a pledge, and "yes" to giving of your time and resources to serve your church. Just say "Yes!"

Second Sunday Revisited

   After 10 years of donating our “2nd Sunday collection” to a local organization or group, Social Action is suggesting something new for 2012. We would like to designate one organization or group to receive our 2nd Sunday collections for three months in a row (4 a year), thereby making a greater impact for the chosen groups. And this is where we’d like your help – to choose our first recipient. Ideally, it should be related to a food pantry or meal program, a homeless shelter or youth drop-in center, or it should advocate for the underprivileged or environmental issues, etc., and preferably be active in the Los Angeles area. And our relationship with these organizations could potentially go beyond the Sunday collections: We have also thought of choosing an organization with whom the church could have hands-on projects, such as providing a meal for the homeless or for teens in a shelter, or helping out at a food pantry – the possibilities are only limited by our imaginations and abilities to pull them off. We would like to have the congregation’s input on this, so please look for an insert on the subject in next week’s bulletin/order of service.
Thanks from Social Action

The UUCSC Youth Choir

The Choir has been going strong for about a month now, and we’re hoping more young people will come join us!
We sing on a four-week cycle of three rehearsals and a performance. Our strong preference is that each child attends at least one of the three rehearsals leading up to the performance day. At minimum, every young person performing a song with us must attend the SAME-DAY 9:30AM rehearsal on the performance day of that song. Of course, mp3s and lyrics sheets for each song are provided to families so that kids (and parents) can listen to them throughout the weeks and soak up the sounds and words.
All young people are welcome! Toddlers too – just bring your moms and dads with you to sing along.
We will meet after services on Sunday at 11:20am in the Rainbow Room (aka Tami’s Room) and sing for about 20 minutes. We will NOT rehearse after the service on Sundays that we perform.

Upcoming performance dates are: November 20th and December 18th.

Please see Liz Owen (liz.owen@owenville.net) or Nanci Armstrong-Temple for more information!

Interim Ministry Transition Team

Gene, Dorothy and Erica have been appointed to help me – and the congregation – stay focused on the tasks we need to get done to prepare the congregation for the coming of a Settled Minister. I want to know where attention is needed in that preparation. If you become aware of issues that I need to know about, please call me or one of these team members. We want to present your new minister with an even more alive and dynamic congregation than you already are:

Gene Herd geneherd@roadrunner.com
Dorothy Balisok dbalisok@pacbell.net
Erica Steakley erica.steakley@gmail.com
and me
Rev. Mike Young revmike@uustudiocity.org

~Rev. Mike Young

Calling all Singers!

   Choir rehearsal is every Monday night, 7 - 9 pm, and if you enjoy singing, please come! We have a wonderful group of people who are ready to welcome you to our musical group.
   Are you interested in joining the choir but need child care to make the Monday night rehearsals? Are you a confident musician who can only make it to the 8:45am Sunday morning practice? Are these the things that are keeping you from joining our Mighty Choir (which gets Mightier with each passing week)? If so, please contact Leslie Schipa, la.schipa@gmail.com, or other Music Committee members to see how we can better serve you so you can better serve us all.
   Studies show that choir singers live longer, happier lives.  Here's your chance!
Nancy Holland, Choir Director