Valley of the Flowers UCC

In January our church awarded the VOTF Peace Prize to Yasmin Dawson. Since then she has utilized that recognition to make a real difference in Lompoc. She has brought people together and supported new programs like CAHOOTS, helping explain and promote it to our city. It is truly amazing to see what she has been able to accomplish. With the support of others, Yasmin started a group called "C4" which stands for Collective Cultures Creating Change. C4 will be sponsoring an even...t this Thursday evening, one that is truly a gift to our community. Please consider attending. Here is the information: C4 PRESENTS AN EVENING WITH DR. DAVID MOORE A CONVERSATION ABOUT THE HISTORY OF OPPRESSION & MOVING FORWARD October 29, 2020 6:30-7:30 PM Join Zoom Meeting https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88527657674 Meeting ID: 885 2765 7674 Passcode: 675436 Send questions to: [email protected] or [email protected] The Rev. Dr. David N. Moore, Jr. is a resident of Santa Barbara, a pastor, educator and activist. He studied Communication as an undergraduate major at the University of California, Santa Barbara with the aspiration of working in television news, but after transferring to UC San Diego, he responded to another calling, that of biblical scholarship and teaching. David leads 2 congregations, one in Santa Barbara and the other in Oxnard. He earned his Master’s degree from St. Stephen’s University in New Brunswick, Canada, and currently holds an appointment to adjunct faculty there, teaching Ancient Mediterranean History. He also holds a Theology Doctorate from the University of South Africa. Dr. Moore’s book, titled, Making America Great Again: Fairy Tale? Horror Story? Dream Come True? was written in December 2016, has been seen as a passionate call for solidarity and unity at a time of political and social uncertainty.

Here's a link to Reverend Quandt's sermon from last Sunday: https://ucclompoc.org/2020/10/13/the-peace-of-prayer/

Dear Friends, As some of you know I love sports. This year I found the US Tennis Open absolutely thrilling and the NBA finals also have me hooked. (FYI JT, the Lakers are a professional basketball team in Los Angeles. LOL.) Competition in sports is exhilarating to me. I sense I'm not the only one! However, as much as we might (or might not) enjoy sports, a spirit of competition is problematic if we carry that into how we view one another's value in God's eyes....if we start ...trying to decide who wins the "Best Christian Award of the Year." Unfortunately Christians seem to constantly be assessing one another. This Sunday we are faced with the story of the Workers in the Vineyard. Barbara Brown Taylor describes it as a "cod liver oil parable... It's hard to swallow but you know it's good for you." Jesus told a lot of cod liver oil parables, didn't he? You can check this one out below. Reverend Quandt A Story About Workers (Matthew 20:1-16 20 1-2 God’s kingdom is like an estate manager who went out early in the morning to hire workers for his vineyard. They agreed on a wage of a dollar a day, and went to work. 3-5 Later, about nine o’clock, the manager saw some other men hanging around the town square unemployed. He told them to go to work in his vineyard and he would pay them a fair wage. They went. 5-6 He did the same thing at noon, and again at three o’clock. At five o’clock he went back and found still others standing around. He said, ‘Why are you standing around all day doing nothing?’ 7 They said, ‘Because no one hired us.’ He told them to go to work in his vineyard. 8 When the day’s work was over, the owner of the vineyard instructed his foreman, ‘Call the workers in and pay them their wages. Start with the last hired and go on to the first.’ 9-12 Those hired at five o’clock came up and were each given a dollar. When those who were hired first saw that, they assumed they would get far more. But they got the same, each of them one dollar. Taking the dollar, they groused angrily to the manager, ‘These last workers put in only one easy hour, and you just made them equal to us, who slaved all day under a scorching sun.’ 13-15 He replied to the one speaking for the rest, ‘Friend, I haven’t been unfair. We agreed on the wage of a dollar, didn’t we? So take it and go. I decided to give to the one who came last the same as you. Can’t I do what I want with my own money? Are you going to get stingy because I am generous?’ 16 Here it is again, the Great Reversal: many of the first ending up last, and the last first.

A LETTER FROM A UU PASTOR TO THE PEOPLE OF KENOSHA WISCONSIN AND BEYOND Your pastor was very moved by this letter written by the Unitarian Universalist Pastor in Kenosha, WI to the community (and beyond) in face of the shooting of Jacob Blake and the subsequent expressions of rage. Thanks be to God for this powerful witness. ... "We, the members and clergy of Bradford Community Church Unitarian Universalist, are outraged at the violence perpetuated in the name of law enforcement on our people of color throughout our nation’s history and yesterday in Kenosha in the case of Jacob Blake for whose life we now pray. Despite the fact that we cannot condone violent response to injustice, we understand and appreciate the anger and frustration that fueled the events of last night. While we are relieved that our church home mostly survived the inferno in the lot next door, we affirm that we would rather lose 100 buildings than one more life to police violence. Some folks have already commented that our decision to display Black Lives Matter on our road sign in some way contributed to the fire or that our support of the BLM movement is hypocritical or un-Christian. Indeed, all lives do matter to us (that’s what Universalist means), but given the overwhelming and disproportionate injustice suffered by Americans of color we are compelled by our faith to speak up and affirm that Black Lives Matter too. If this is not your faith, so be it, but it is most certainly ours and we ask that all folks be respectful in honoring our sacred calling to speak truth to power, protect the innocent, empower the disenfranchised and promote equity and compassion in human relations. In the name of Love, Rev. Erik David Carlson On Behalf of Bradford Community Church Unitarian Universalist, Kenosha

August 25, 2020 Dear Friends, I confess I chuckled when I saw this lectionary reading for Sunday. (See below.) It's the story of the call of Moses to go take on Pharaoh. It got me thinking about two different leadership styles...that of Pharaoh and that of Moses. If you want to build a pyramid Pharaoh is your guy. If you want to build a community, Moses might be a better choice. (I assume you "get" why I chuckled.)...Continue reading

A TIME TO PRAY - THIS FRIDAY - AUGUST 28 @ 5:30 CHURCH COURTYARD VIOLIN ACCOMPANIMENT BY KAITLYN GREENWOOD... Having been postponed TWICE now....barring a fire or an earthquake or some other "act of God" this Friday we're on for gathering in person to pray! MASKS ARE REQUIRED AND BRING YOUR OWN CHAIR

The pastor of the Unitarian Universalist Church in Kenosha wrote this letter to his community in face of the shooting of Jacob Blake and the resulting rage. Amo...ng other things he says, "We affirm that we would rather lose 100 buildings than one more life to police violence." AMEN. AMEN. AMEN. "To the community of Kenosha and beyond: We, the members and clergy of Bradford Community Church Unitarian Universalist, are outraged at the violence perpetuated in the name of law enforcement on our people of color throughout our nation’s history and yesterday in Kenosha in the case of Jacob Blake for whose life we now pray. Despite the fact that we cannot condone violent response to injustice, we understand and appreciate the anger and frustration that fueled the events of last night. While we are relieved that our church home mostly survived the inferno in the lot next door, we affirm that we would rather lose 100 buildings than one more life to police violence. Some folks have already commented that our decision to display Black Lives Matter on our road sign in some way contributed to the fire or that our support of the BLM movement is hypocritical or un-Christian. Indeed, all lives do matter to us (that’s what Universalist means), but given the overwhelming and disproportionate injustice suffered by Americans of color we are compelled by our faith to speak up and affirm that Black Lives Matter too. If this is not your faith, so be it, but it is most certainly ours and we ask that all folks be respectful in honoring our sacred calling to speak truth to power, protect the innocent, empower the disenfranchised and promote equity and compassion in human relations. In the name of Love, Rev. Erik David Carlson On Behalf of Bradford Community Church Unitarian Universalist, Kenosha

August 6, 2020 Dear Friends, I don't know who you might identify with in the Bible, but Peter's my guy. One minute the teacher is giving him and A+ and the next he's being sent back to kindergarten. I think what I respect about him (and identify with) is his freedom to fail. Peter is out there and to my mind that takes a lot of trust.... In the story for this Sunday Peter comes up short. It wasn't the first time and it wouldn't be the last. But aren't those some of the most important learning experiences of our lives? Check out the story below and email me at [email protected] if you want the link to our Sunday morning 10 am Zoom Worship Service. Reverend Jane Quandt Matthew 14:22-33 Immediately he made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead to the other side, while he dismissed the crowds. And after he had dismissed the crowds, he went up the mountain by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone, but by this time the boat, battered by the waves, was far from the land, for the wind was against them. And early in the morning he came walking toward them on the sea. But when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were terrified, saying, It is a ghost! And they cried out in fear. But immediately Jesus spoke to them and said, Take heart, it is I; do not be afraid. Peter answered him, Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water. He said, Come. So Peter got out of the boat, started walking on the water, and came toward Jesus. But when he noticed the strong wind, he became frightened, and beginning to sink, he cried out, Lord, save me! Jesus immediately reached out his hand and caught him, saying to him, You of little faith, why did you doubt? When they got into the boat, the wind ceased. And those in the boat worshiped him, saying, Truly you are the Son of God.

Interesting article from the National Setting of the UCC. https://carducc.wordpress.com//after-400-years-have-we-be/

A SIGNIFICANT WIN For those following the situation at the Lompoc Prison, we have received this update from the ACLU: In the Lompoc action, the Court issued a preliminary injunction and ordered the Bureau of Prisons to institute a process by which it must consider for home confinement prisoners who are over the age of 50 or who have at least one health condition that puts them at risk of serious illness from COVID-19 complications. This is a great victory for many at Lompoc, but the fight is not yet over.

A TIME TO PRAY August 14 at 5:30 While we are not gathering in the sanctuary for worship, we are gathering for prayer once a month out in the courtyard between the Sanctuary and the Community Room. Our next Prayer Gathering will be August 14 at 5:30. Masks are required and please bring a chair.

Dear Friends, In his letter to the church in Rome Paul writes, "In hope we are saved." Other translations says "By hope...." I don't know about you but some days I feel a lot more hopeful than others. Something really is happening in America these days...maybe in spite of the pandemic or maybe because of it. But it really is hard to say whether real and much needed changes are coming or if in the long run this will just be a blip in the history books.... There are moments when I feel like I have no right to hope...that hope is a reflection of my privilege. I mean how is the family that just lost their income supposed to have hope these days? How is the spouse of a loved one who died of COVID supposed to feel hopeful?. How are those out on the front lines of this thing who are completely exhausted and overwhelmed supposed to be hopeful? But maybe that means it is especially my/our responsibility to be the bearers of hope in this world right now.. Maybe that's all that can save us. See you in Zoom Church. Jane IF YOU WOULD LIKE THE LINK FOR OUR 10 AM ZOOM WORSHIP SERVICE THIS SUNDAY EMAIL US AT [email protected] Romans 8:18-24 I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory about to be revealed to us. For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the children of God; for the creation was subjected to futility, not of its own will but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to decay and will obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God. We know that the whole creation has been groaning in labor pains until now; and not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the first fruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly while we wait for adoption, the redemption of our bodies. For in hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what is seen?

A TIME TO PRAY - TOMORROW Recently a group of us brought out lawn chairs and gathered in the Outside Courtyard of our sanctuary to pray. While we can not yet worship in our sanctuary, an outside face-to-face prayer time felt meaningful and important. We therefore decided to gather there for prayer once a month. Our next Prayer Gathering will be tomorrow July 10 at 5:30. Masks are required and please bring a chair.

IMPORTANT: PRISON PROTEST CANCELED - https://mailchi.mp/bdae898d5d14/this-week-at-votf-1330292