WHAT AN AWESOME START!

At the end of this week, we will be sending the San Fernando Valley Rescue Mission the first of our 3 2^nd Sunday collections - $808.00! Thanks to everyone who pitched in. How about topping that on May 13? Here’s what we have planned:

As a part of our 3-month commitment to the SFValley Rescue Mission, a local shelter and comprehensive program that serves the homeless, we will take up our second 2^nd Sunday collection on Sunday, May 13. On that day, and for the following couple of Sundays, we will have our Mission table set up after church in the Fellowship Hall – and a big box for our May project donations. So please come visit and learn more about the Rescue Mission, our May project, and our plans for hosting a dinner for the residents in June. We will welcome volunteers to help out with that one, so think about signing up! It’s gonna be a blast!

Our project for May is to help the Mission provide hygiene articles for their residents – it’s one of the categories on their wish list. To that end, can you bring in a couple of things on the list below anytime during May, but particularly on May 13, 20 and/or 27? Here’s the list, and we will have a bite-size version of it at the Mission table that you can take with you.

Socks, men’s and women’s; Deodorant; Bottled Body Wash (travel size preferred); New men’s underwear (36, 36, 40); New women’s undies (5 and 6, XS and Small) and bras (34B, 34C, 36B); Baby wipes; and Umbrellas.

 Thanks from Social Action.

We are looking for a few good folks to help us with setting up, cleaning up, and selling raffle tickets at our awesome Cabaret this year. If you want to help decorate our lovely church in a more "Occupied" fashion, and you are available on May 19th from 1-4pm, please let us know. In addition, if you can stay and help us undecorate after the show, also let us know. If you are willing and able to help but don't know how yet, let us know and we'll find the best job for you. It takes all the 99% working together to make the movement-I mean, Cabaret- successful. Please contact Leslie Schipa at la.schipa@gmail.com.

We used to  have a wonderful Caring Committee in our church which made sure anyone in our church who had a need was taken care of.  It involved giving a ride to folks who needed to go to the doctor; taking food to ones who were shut in or recovering from surgery or an accident; sending cards from the church for birthdays, anniversaries, or illness; and all sorts of other needs.

Lately we have heard many people talking about missing these services, but so far nobody has stepped up to the plate.  Would you be willing to serve on this committee in some way?  The more volunteers we have, the easier it will be to make this an ongoing thing like it used to be.

If you will join us, please let Jeannie Mills know.  (818) 508-4363 RVJmills@sbcglobal.net.

NOTE:  We can always use cards to send for birthdays, anniversaries, and get-wells.  Please put them in the slot in the office marked Caring Committee.  They will definitely be appreciated.

Another thing we need is for every member or friend to send your birthday and anniversary date to Vivian so she can bring her records up to date.  This does not involve the year, only the month and day.  This will help us to send you a card for these occasions.

Thank you all for helping in this endeavor.  It will be wonderful to have this committee revived in our church.

http://www.pswduua.org/media/docs2/GA2012ScholarshipsRevA.pdf

In congratulating those who said Yes to the opportunity to serve on one of the church’s many working groups going into 2012-13, we thought it might be useful to not only acknowledge them but name all those in each group who will take us through the year. They will take over the reins at the beginning of our fiscal year, July 1.

The Board of Trustees: Reid Swanson (President), Clay Steakley (VP), Laurel Ross (Sec’y), Gene Balas (Treasurer), Jenny Ashe (Prog. Council chair), Alexis Rodriguez (Admin. Council chair), Bonnie Pierone (Trustee-at-Large).

On the Nominating Committee (the group that finds people to serve on the Board, the Endowment Committee and their own committee):  Luis Harbottle, Kim Labinger, Shannon Corder and Carla Poole.

On the Endowment Committee (the group that shepherds our endowment fund): Russ Balisok, Stan Pitluck, Luis Harbottle, Jane Swanson + Gene Balas (ex officio).

   On April 22nd the Sunday bulletin will be a thing of the past. What?! Why would we do such a thing? How can you possibly follow along with the service?
   Relax. What most people around here call the “Order of Service” is actually two parts: the second and third pages of this booklet are the actual Order of Service. That part is not going anywhere. The second part is the bulletin. It is the 6 to 8 pages of announcements that is really a mini-newsletter. That is the part that is undergoing a transformation. We are turning it into a weekly e-newsletter that will not only replace this bulletin, but the monthly newsletter as well.
   This change is a good thing, I assure you. The benefits are many. We will save the church money (paper, toner, wear and tear on the copier). I will be able to focus my time and attention on the website, which is a far more useful tool that paper. And of course, many, many trees will be saved. (I use almost 10,000 pieces of paper per month!)
   I promise that I will do everything I can to make sure that you will continue to get all the information you need to stay connected with the church. Here’s how we will do that:

—> CONGRATULATIONS YOU ARE HERE at our very own website. Isn't it cool? It has the most current and accurate information all the time. And in the near future there will be more ways you can interact with it.
—> The weekly e-newsletter: it will contain links to articles on the website so you can more easily get to the latest information. Please make sure I have your current e-mail address!!!
—> Posters and hand-outs in the Narthex (to remind you).

   If you do not have a computer or do not have access to one, please let me know. Call me at the office or drop me a note and I will print out a newsletter and mail it to you.
~Vivian Steindal, Office Administrator

   While watching the Purim play, were you thinking "I want to be part of that fun"? If so come join the UU Players!

1.     What exactly is a UU Player?
    Anyone who would like to participate in any shows that will be performed at church.

2.     Why are we forming this group?
    We are forming this group so we can have a pool/mix of creative people to shoot out an email to if we have a need for... creative people. (It will be easier than chasing people in the parking lot.)

3.     If I agree to be a UU player, will I have to participate in all the shows? (we only have 2 so far)
    Of course not, we all have busy schedules; again, it's just a group of creative folks who are open to being asked to share their talents for possible shows.

   All ages are welcome, one just has to want to have fun  and be willing to help out with the shows or any creative adventure!
   Speaking of putting on a show... Thursday, April 12 is the Second Annual Passover/Seder Fred!.  If you were there last year, you know how fun it was: flying frogs, hail balls, boils, all the plagues were happening!  This year we will do the play again, but also plan to have adult UU Players (sounds good doesn't it?) participate too. Moses anyone???
   If you are interested, talk to Stacie Foster or contact her at stacieafoster@sbcglobal.net.

Thank you for your service!

   A new ACAC (Adopt a Child Abuse Caseworker) birthday poster (for April, May and June) has been posted on the bulletin board in the narthex.  Please choose a child for whom you wish to provide a gift.  Don't forget to pencil in your name on the child's cupcake so that we can be sure that each child will receive a gift.  Please include with your gift (unwrapped in a gift bag) a cake mix, frosting and candles.  Bring the gift to church before the birth date and leave it with Donna Mae Pitluck or in the office. The Social Action Committee thanks you all for your generosity.

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

   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

   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