June 18 - Neighborhood Unitarian Universalist Church

Neighborhood News
N e i g h b o r h o o d U n i t a r i a n U n i v e r s a l i s t C h u r c h o f P a s a d e n a
June 18, 2009 Volume 61, Number 22
Connecting with the Sacred
I
just got back from a trip to
New York City and a visit
with our daughters. It was
a wonderful visit for our family,
and exciting for me as this was my
first real trip to New York. I had
been there for about a day in 1964,
spending a couple of hours in Manhattan,
where I learned to drive a
stick shift [!] but spent more time
in Flushing Meadows at the World
Fair. Michelangelo’s Pieta was on
display and it was my introduction
to eternity.
This time, we spent much more
time in the city and made a pilgrimage
to Melville’s grave in Woodlawn
Cemetery. He is buried not
too far from Duke Ellington and
Miles Davis. Melville’s grave is
not grand, and he is buried in a plot
with his wife and three children,
one of whom died in infancy and
another by suicide as a young man.
Melville’s grave has a scroll carved
on it, but no words are on the scroll.
It is thought he designed the marker
himself. Rather than flowers, people
Sunday Worship Services—10 a.m. services only
June 21: “Father’s Day”—Rev. Hannah Petrie
9:30 a.m. and 11:30 a.m.
10 a.m. serives only June 28 through September 6
June 28: “Missing Persons”—Rev. Dr. Jim Nelson
July 5: “The Patriotism of Cornel West”—Rev. Hannah Petrie
July 12: UU Service Committee Sunday—Rev. Hannah Petrie
July 19—Rev. Lex Crane
have left pens and pencils on the
marker.
We all leave traces behind us.
Some are writ large and some
small, but no one of us goes
through life unknown or without
leaving notice of who we are, and
were, behind us. Michelangelo left
a legacy of beauty and power and
grace; Melville left markers of
struggle and anger and power.
What will you leave? The root
of the word “religion” has to
do with connection; actually,
with re-connecting. We are not singular
beings, as much as we wish
to be individuals, but are individuals
only as we are connected with
something beyond ourselves. We
gather in community just for that
purpose. Artists create just for that
purpose—connection.
Soon, summer will here, and
we will go to a single worship
service at 10 a.m. each Sunday.
Hannah will preach some and I will
too, and we will have a few guests.
Rev. Dr. Jim Nelson
But we will stay connected, reconnecting
with each other and with
the Sacred.
See you in church
Jim
Please Don’t Take Your
Pledge on Vacation
Summers are always a financial
struggle for the church due to no
school income and very reduced
pledge income. So even if you are
away on vacation this summer,
please don’t let your pledge payments
go on vacation. Please remember
the church and pay your
new 2009-10 pledge.
The deadline to pay outstanding
2008-09 pledge balances has been
extended through June 30. If at all
possible, please pay off your remaining
balance. Please note “2008-09
pledge” on your payment. Thank you.
If you have any questions about
your pledge, please contact Alyssa
Bellew at 626-449-3470 X 11 or
abellew@uueighborhood.org.
Neighborhood News

Curriculum Overview
In light of our recent Rites
of Passage service honoring
our 8th graders, I have
spent some time contemplating
how we continue to strengthen our
program to help our youth create
a deep and abiding connection
to our UU faith. This is no small
task. Roughly 80% of UU youth
leave the church—an astonishing
number—many of whom grew up
as UUs. This year, we have been
lucky to have a dedicated and active
Senior High Group led by
twp wonderful co-chairs, Madi
Hall and Naomi Anderson—both
of whom will be graduating and
going off to college in the fall.
Together with youth council members,
they have created a strong
sense of community and a safe
space for the youth to open up and
share who they truly are.
The youth council created a Facebook
group for Neighborhood youth,
which has been indispensible for
communicating about upcoming
events and keeping the youth connected
to each other. They have successfully
fundraised to send every
youth to San Francisco for the Faithfull
Fools street retreat and homeless
ministry—a social justice trip that has
become an annual tradition, and three
of them will be attending General
Assembly for the first time. And, of
course, they delivered and incredible
youth worship service.
I am so proud of the commitment
they have made and the work they
have done. This is the most visible
and active the youth group has been
during my tenure. Madi, Naomi,
and their fellow council members
have set the bar
high about what it
means to lead this
group, about the
value of showing
up on a consistent
basis and about
what committing
to this group can
make a meaningful difference in
your life.
To our graduating seniors, Naomi
Anderson, Madi Hall, and Maxine
Hillman, we wish you great
success in college. May you enjoy
this next chapter of your lives and
always know this church is your
home, we will remember all that
Sara LaWall, DRE
YRE Calendar – June
14 One Service – 10 a.m. (all youth activity)
Annual Meeting following service & Juneteenth BBQ
21 Final Classroom Sunday
28 First Summer Sunday – service & classes at 10 a.m.
you have accomplished here and
the legacy of change you leave
behind. We thank you and we love
you (and look forward to your visits
on break). And, of course, we hope
you will keep your UU faith alive
by seeking out campus groups, area
churches and other UU’s. Doing so
will not only feed your spirit but
surely feed to lifeblood of our faith!
With admiration,
Sara (and your advisors)
Join the YRE Team. Become a Teacher!
2009-2010 Teacher Commitment
Consider deepening your faith by making a difference in the lives of our children!
Yes! I’d love to teach (please choose grade level & service time
Pre-K K/1 2/3 4/5 6/7 8 Sr. High
9:30 service 11:30 service
No thank you, but I’ll gladly help with events (please circle event(s)
Tree Planting Yule Logs Holiday pageant Earth Day Youth Worship Sundays
Name __________________________________________________________________________________
Address _________________________________________________________________________________
Email _________________________________________ Phone ____________________________________
Send in this postcard by mail or return it to the Lifelong learning table on Sundays.
For more information, contact Sara LaWall at 626.449.3470 ext. 19 or slawall@uuneighnorhood.org
Page 2
June 18, 2009

Wow, What a Year!
Every year at this time,
besides feeling a bit exhausted
and eager for some
summer respite, I reflect back on
all that has been accomplished
and feel such a sense of reward.
I also feel so much gratitude to
be a part of this wonderful staff
team where I get to work for an
organization whose members are
so generous with their talents and
resources. Our congregation is
well served by a dedicated, intelligent,
generous, and enthusiastic
staff team that is also truly reflective
of the attributes of our
members.
I am particularly grateful for
those staffers who report directly
to me. What a joy and honor it
is to lead each of them. They deserve
much credit for the smooth
running of the church operations:
Stanley Brooks, J. Brooks-Washington,
Anna Cremarosa, Kim
Hayden, Rick Jimenez, Miguel
Mendoza, and Venny Rodriguez.
I also want to express my gratitude
for our two weekly office
volunteers, Judy Wallace and
Michelle Shechtman. This year,
due to economic factors, we did
Summer Sunday Fun for Children & Youth
Summer Sundays begin June 28
Although we pare down in the summer months,
with only one service at 10 a.m., we still offer exciting
activates for children and youth! If you plan
to be here a good part of the summer, please sign
your child up at the Lifelong Learning table. We
have two wonderful leaders for our lower elementary
group, former childcare staff members, Brittany
O’Dell and Doreen Ng!
We also want to offer a program specifically for
our older youth in grades 6-8, based on The Simpsons,
but it requires that they come to church!
Please consider attending this summer when your
family is in town. Sign up for our summer program
at the lifelong learning table.
not fill the empty administrative
assistant position. When
staff became stretched too thin,
I called on the congregation for
volunteers to help in the office.
The response was overwhelming!
Thanks to the dozen-plus members
who responded and offered
to help, from one-time projects
to longer, weekly commitments.
From that plea, came Judy and
Michelle. They are amazing.
They both do general office work
and Judy is particularly helpful
with weekly accounting processes
and Michelle is particularly
helpful with graphic and publications
projects.
My life was full this past year
both as a church member and
employee. My marriage last June
was a highlight of the year and
of my life. And I am so proud,
both as a member and staffer, of
the work our congregation did to
defeat Proposition 8.
While I had several professional
goals last year, my priority goals
were to finish my Nonprofit
Management Certificate program,
oversee the completion of
the Neighborhood House renovation,
and support our
first Neighborhood
Green Fair. As always,
a few unexpected
things crept in too.
As of this writing,
the Annual Meeting
is still a week away.
I predict that we will
successfully elect new
Board of Trustees officers
and trustees and
Nominating Committee
and Committee on
Ministry members. I
predict that the congregation
will approve
the balanced budget
presented by the
Alyssa Bellew, Administrator
Board—with, no doubt, a healthy
dose of brouhaha beforehand—
we are UU’s after all. And while
each contingency hopes for no
budget cuts to their beloved programs,
I feel very satisfied that
the budget reflects our mission
and vision and is fair across the
board, allowing us to successfully
run all our programs next year
with no layoffs and no deficit.
There aren’t many churches that
can make that claim. Considering
the economy, we are doing very
well. This is mostly due to the
generosity and financial commitment
of our members.
Each year at this time, in honor
of our congregation’s good
work and lively spirit demonstrated
at the annual meeting, I publish
this writing by Molly Ivins—
“It’s not the symphony of voices
in sweet concert I enjoy, but the
cacophony of democracy, the brouhahas
and the donnybrooks, the
full-throated roar of a free people
busy using their right to freedom of
speech. Democracy requires rather
a large tolerance for confusion and
a secret relish for dissent.”
I wish you all a restorative summer.
Still smiling,
Alyssa
Neighborhood News Page 3

Neighborhood Summer
Camp-Out
Save the Date! Dust off your tents
and sleeping bags for the First Annual
Neighborhood Church Summer
Camp-Out. This one night camp-out
will take place Saturday, July 25,
right here at “Camp Cole House”
located on our pristine church
grounds. Families, singles, young,
old, city slickers…all are welcome!
We’ll pitch tents, roast marshmallows,
sing camp fire songs, and
much more. More info to follow.
Camping Tips:
• Lint from your navel makes a
handy fire starter. Warning: Remove
lint from navel before applying the
match.
• A two-man pup tent does not
include two men or a pup.
• The guitar of the noisy teenager
in the next tent makes excellent
kindling.
• A great deal of hostility can be
released by using newspaper photos
of politicians for toilet paper.
“Mathematical Aspects
of the Music of Bach”
A lecture-recital by Victor Hill,
Ph.D. (Thomas T. Read Professor
of Mathematics, Emeritus; Williams
College; Archivist and Recordings
Real Church Bulletin Bloopers:
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Church Humor
Stay Connected Through Technology
There are two electronic mailing groups, or list servs, that our church members
may find useful.
NC-NUUS listserv: The purpose if this list is to facilitate the posting
of announcements of Neighborhood Unitarian Universalist Church events
and activities. This group is restricted to members and pledging friends of
Neighborhood Church and functions similarly to the newsletter or Order of
Service announcements. All postings are reviewed and approved by staff.
Subscribe: NC-NUUS-subscribe@yahoogroups.com or
Shortcut URL to this page: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/NC-NUUS
(Please include your name in the message when joining so your church
membership may be verified).
NBRHD listserv: This is an independent group and is open to anyone
interested in a free discussion of religion, philosophy and social issues of the
day. While it was established in the summer of 2000 by a group of Unitarian
Universalists there is no affiliation with any organized church or denomination.
Announcements of non-church events, professional service referrals, items for
sale, and discussion oriented messages should be sent to this listserv.
Subscribe: NBRHD-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
Shortcut URL to this page: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/NBRHD
If you have questions, please email Alyssa Bellew at abellew@uuneighborhood.org
Reviewer for the Association of Anglican
Musicians).
Friday, 26 June, 7 p.m., Sanctuary
Many people think that mathematics
and music have some vague
sort of affinity, but most often the
supposed relation¬ship between
the two fields turns out to be in
details that are not central to either.
In contrast, Victor Hill explores
in this lecture his own experience,
as a professional in both fields, of
how the mathematical concept of a
four dimensional cube relates to the
structure of Bach’s fugues.
“Ladies, don’t forget the rummage sale. It’s a chance to get rid of those things
not worth keeping around the house. Don’t forget your husbands.”
“Please place your donation in the envelope along with the deceased person you
want remembered.”
The peacemaking meeting scheduled for today has been canceled due to conflict.
Next Thursday there will be tryouts for the choir. They need all the help they
can get.
Don’t let worry kill you. Let the Church help.
Thursday night will be a potluck supper. Prayer and medication to follow
For those of you who have children and don’t know it, we have a nursery
downstairs.
These ideas lead him to a characterization
of “elegance” in mathematical
proofs and in Bach’s music.
The talk includes a nine minute
computer generated film, a painting
by Salvador Dali, and musical examples.
No technical background in
either mathematics or music is assumed.
Sponsored by the Neighborhood
Church Music Committee.
Free of charge.
NC Book Group
Studying Lincoln
The Neighborhood Church Book
Group will devote the rest of its
spring schedule to reviewing several
recent books on Abraham Lincoln
as a president, political leader, and
wartime commander in chief. The
Book Group meets Mondays from
7 to 8:30 p.m. at the home of Joy
Alaidarous, 1218 North Holliston
Avenue, Pasadena, 91104, (626)
529.5888 or Alaidarous@charter.
net. For more info and books being
considered for the summer, contact
John Hunnewell (626) 359.5825 or
ahwell@aol.com.
Page 4
June 18, 2009

SUN MON TUE WED THU FRI SAT
01
Newsletter
Folding, 9am/
Dining Rm
Neighborhood Church Calendar
June 2009
02 03 04 05 06
07
New Sunday Forum,
10:30am/Chapel
Budget Meeting, 10:30am/
Sanctuary
08
Support Team
Meeting, 7pm/
Living Room
09
Service Team,
12 pm/Living
Room
10
11 12 13
14
Annual Meeting, 11am/
Sanctuary
Juneteenth BBQ, noon/
Garden
15
Newsletter
Folding, 9am/
Dining Rm
16 17 18 19
Finance Comm,
7pm/ Rm 24
Board Retreat,
5pm/House
20
New to
Neighborhood,
9am/Sanctuary
Board Retreat,
9 am/House
21 22 23
Board
Meeting, 7pm/
Music Rm
24
SJ Knitting,
7pm, Lvg Room
25 26 27
28
Single services at 10 a.m.
begin
Young Family Picnic, 11am/
Preschool
29
Newsletter
Folding, 9am/
Dining Rm
30
Ongoing
Sundays: Spiritual Writing/
11:15am Rm 22
Sr High Youth/ 11:30am Rm 23
28 29
Saturdays: Neighborhood
Walking Group/ 7am Parking Lot
Yoga at Neighbhorhood/9am
Mondays:Bell Choir, 7-9 pm,
Music Room
Thursdays: Yoga 8:45 am
The Flowers on the Altar...
For 50 fantistic years, Frank!
With my love,
Marianne
For all the men, women, and children
who have suffered in war.
In loving memory of Francis Turnery,
1918-2008
The Turney Family
Altar Flower Arranging
Got a floral thumb? Always wanted to try your hand at arranging
flowers on the altar? Jo Kehoe wants a vacation starting in June so
if you’d like to volunteer for a Sunday or two (or more) contact me
for scheduling.
Irene Burkner
626.791.8618 -- iwoodsburkner@earthlink.net
Older and Wiser
These young people recently celebrated birthdays: Saku
Yoshioka, Andrea Wilson, Cullen Irvine, Max English,
Oliver Barr, Mackenzie Izzard, Baxter Popplewell-
Melisso, Hannah Conley
Neighborhood News Page 5

Neighborhood Church
Founded 1885
A Liberal Religious Community
Affiliated with the Unitarian Universalist Association
Telephone: 626 449-3470 Fax: 626.449.3472
information@uuneighborhood.org
www.uuneighborhood.org
Web diva: Julie Hiroto.
Inreach
Do you need help?
Your church community stands
ready to try to help.
If you need financial assistance, you
can seek help by contacting one of
our ministers by mail or by phone.
Newsletter Schedules
Deadlines Covers Events
Fridays at 5 p.m. From To
June 19 June 25 July 8
July 3 July 9 July 29
Editors: Dick Price & Sharon Kyle
newsletter@uuneighborhood.org
Photographers: Ned Racine & Lee Brainerd,
Sam Palahnuk
Senior Minister........................................Rev. Dr. Jim Nelson
Associate Minister.................................. Rev. Hannah Petrie
Director of Administration..............................Alyssa Bellew
Music Director............................................... Stephen Grimm
Director of Religious Education......................... Sara LaWall
Membership Coordinator................................... Kim Hayden
Pastoral Care Coordinator.................................. Lyn Munro
Pastoral Care Team Co-coordinator............................ Sue Iri
Pastoral Care Team Co-Coordinator................ Libby Meyer
Social Justice Coordinator................................. Beth Colcord
Office Coordinator............................................ Rick Jimenez
RE Program Assistant...................................... Erika Stallings
Facility Coordinator..................................Anna Cremarosa
Bookkeeper..........................................J. Brooks Washington
Bell Choir Director.......................................Audrey Vaughan
President...................................................... Christine Bender
Minister Emeritus..................... Rev. Dr. Brandoch L. Lovely
Music Director Emeritus.....................................Edward Low
The Neighborhood Church
301 North Orange Grove
Pasadena, California 91103-3599
Address Service Requested
NON-PROFIT ORG.
U.S. POSTAGE
PAID
Pasadena, Calif.
Permit No. 1514
Time Value—Dated Material