Grace DiTommaso
Director of Social Justice
What a September we have had and are having! I mean that in terms of CVUUF and the ongoing political debacles. It is challenging to turn from the TV screen to pay attention to “real life.”
If I tried to cover all the actions that our three Social Justice Ministries AND Community Forum AND the young people and family groups AND Nica have accomplished, it would take up too much space. THANK YOU for walking your talk. I am awed by you ALL!
I will only mention one extraordinary “past” event… the PRIDE FESTIVAL! Look what we can do when we join together! That festival was a dream of Narissa Petchumrus, a friend of CVUUF, a year ago. Did she make it happen,or what?!?!?! Of course, we honor the members of CVUUF who supported the Festival with all their energy!
Let’s look toward the future. The elections are coming up! If you are interested in getting involved in the elections and getting people out to vote, please contact me for more information.
Family matters! We have had one family-friendly community forum and it was a success! Our aim is to use that pathway to involve kids from 4 to 18 in Forums in the future. The aim: let the kids experience the Principles of our faith, whether by education or action. Secondary aim: learn how/why we run forums and services (advertising, tech, lighting, sound, public speaking, music, art and drama as ways to communicate those Principles). Oh, wait-also, to have fun!
This links in perfectly with the growing involvement of families with each other in the fellowship. In the coming months, we welcome your involvement in forming lines of communication (possibly a Facebook page?), service, and fun for families. Please contact Samantha Dickenson, our Religious Education Director, if you would like to participate!
We have upcoming Social Justice Community Forums on reaching out to help the hungry right in the Conejo Valley and on Gun Control. Our LGBTQ youth group is coming together. Beloved Conversations is coming up in February 2019, as is Reverend Nica’s latest class “Cultivating Joy and Resilience in Challenging Times.”
Willie Lubka is keeping us tied in to the Martin Luther King celebration in Oxnard, and I hope that we all select some service to do in that great man’s honor.
There is so much more. Keep reading News and Notes and ask me to put your email address on our various mailing lists!
Remember, love is a verb!