Unity was a key message at this past week's Democratic National Convention. Photo courtesy of Wanda Harris.

DENVER – On Friday, after spending the week in Denver for the Democratic National Convention, we were congratulating ourselves for deciding to wait until Saturday to fly home.

We all managed to get volunteer assignments at Invesco Center for Sen. Barack Obama’s acceptance speech on Thursday night, which gave us great seats for the evening activities. It also meant we had to file out of the arena along with 86,000 other supporters, walk a mile to the light rail station, catch the free mall bus, remember where we parked our rental van, locate it and drive to our condo 20 minutes away in Arvada. After sharing our experiences for the day and having a midnight snack our heads hit the pillows about 2 a.m.

We all agreed that the evening was awesome and that we definitely have a winning team for November.

By now you have all watched the speeches or seen snippets of them on the news so we will just say that being in the Pepsi Center when they were delivered and feeling the passion and enthusiasm of each of the speakers and the crowd was awe inspiring and history making and we were grateful and honored to be here.

Hillary Clinton’s speech reconfirmed to her 18 million diehard supporters the reason we were on her team to the bitter end and helped to woo over many of those who were not yet on the Obama bandwagon.

Michelle Obama – as she related the values, dedication and passion her husband feels about America and the American people, particularly those without a voice – helped us to renew our desire to work harder in our own Lake County to help elect like-minded candidates.

President Bill Clinton’s address reminded us of a better time in America when we could afford to fill our tanks and buy groceries without the need to use monies from our savings to do so. His five-minute standing ovation was a testament to his ongoing popularity with Democrats.

Sen. Dennis Kucinich whipped the crowd into a frenzy as he spoke of the need for social change in our country.

Sen. Ted Kennedy, giving perhaps his last address to a Democratic National Convention, stated that nothing could keep him away from this one. Speaking with a clear voice he assured the crowd, which honored him with numerous outbursts of applause, that he would be back in the capitol and ready to get back to work in January.

Vice Presidential Candidate Joe Biden helped all understand why Obama chose him as a running mate and wife Jill surprised us all when she mentioned a special guest and Barack Obama appeared. People who were trying to make a quick getaway came running back to their seats.

California was well represented with our share of speakers taking the podium and chair of the party, Art Torres, stating during the roll call vote, “California Passes.”

Pros of this convention included great speeches, terrific music and musicians, fun people watching, nice weather most of the time and friendly Denverites.

Cons were transportation, the worst we have every seen and had to endure every day; credentials were picked up at the Denver Center every morning followed by an eight-block walk to the shuttle buses that dropped everyone off a mile from the security check point. After arriving there bags were checked by security followed by another long walk into the Pepsi Center. We have all started the exercise program scheduled for next Monday a week early. The organization of volunteers left much to be desired but it can’t be easy to coordinate 10,000 volunteers.

Overall, it was an experience to remember and treasure for a lifetime.

Wanda Harris – along with other fellow Lake County Democrats Becky Curry, Sunol Westergren and Wendy White – attended the Democratic National Convention in Denver this week.

President Bill Clinton looks on during a speech at the convention. Photo courtesy of Wanda Harris.

Sen. Ted Kennedy addresses the convention. Photo courtesy of Wanda Harris.

Mile High Stadium, where Sen. Barack Obama gave his acceptance speech. Photo courtesy of Wanda Harris.

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Wanda Harris (center) and fellow delegates at the Democratic National Convention. Courtesy photo.

DENVER – With the arrival of Becky Curry and Wendy White (who came by motorcycle from her home In Glenhaven) on Monday the Lake County contingent is present and accounted for at the Democratic National Convention.

Those of us who arrived earlier checked into the volunteer headquarters to try and secure positions at the Pepsi Center where all the action would be taking place.

Sunol Westergren landed a spot on the Green Team and Wanda Harris was accepted on Access Control/Security at the Pepsi Center and worked on level three seating honorary cuests, coming full circle from the prior conventions when she “was” one.

The good news is the position comes with a center stage view of all the speeches. All the Lake County attendees have a chance to work at Invesco Center on Thursday night when Barack Obama delivers his acceptance speech.

The excitement here is unlike anything any of us has experienced before … there was not an empty seat in the Pepsi Monday night when Howard Dean gaveled the delegates to order, which if not mistaken is a record for Democratic conventions.

The opening night speakers were received with thunderous applause and none more enthusiastically then Sen. Edward Kennedy whose remarks brought everyone to their feet several times.

Michelle Obama’s remarks brought tears to the eyes of many of the young volunteers, both male and female, who have been attracted to the political arena for the first time by the excitement of the promise of CHANGE that Barack and Michelle Obama bring.

The people watching is unprecedented … seen so far up close and personal … Anderson Cooper, Ted Koppel, New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson, former California Gov. Gray Davis, Gloria Allred and Caroline Kennedy.

On Wednesday we gathered to join the women’s march in honor of Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, and the 88^th anniversary of women’s right to vote, attending Emily’s List event where Michelle Obama, Nancy Pelosi and Hillary Clinton. It was another full but very exciting day.

Wanda Harris, Becky Curry, Sunol Westergren and Wendy White are Lake County delegates to the Democratic National Convention, held in Denver this week.

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The following facts relate to the falsehoods and defamatory statements published in Mr. Watkins’ guest commentary in the Lake County Record-Bee.

The commentary alleges:

1. That Alan Siegel and I are “imposters” defrauding the public.

Alan Siegel was elected to the board July 2004. He completed his term in June 2006 and left the board. Due to resignations by board members, Alan was asked to return to the board. He agreed and was appointed to the board in October 2006. In June 2007, the association had no nominations or volunteers to run for the vacant board positions. At the November 2007 board meeting, the board appointed Daniel Bridges, who had volunteered to participate on the board. The board reappointed Alan Siegel and me to fill the vacant positions resulting from lack of participation in the June 2007 annual election.

I had been volunteering as a member of the Architectural Control and Planning Committee, and was appointed to the board January 2006 to fill a vacancy created by another resignation. Clear Lake Riviera Community Association Bylaws state that “Any vacancy on the Board of Directors may be filled by a majority vote of the directors then in office.” They further state: “Directors shall be elected for terms of two years and shall serve until their successors are elected and qualified (emphasis added), and not be eligible for re-election (emphasis added) after serving a two year term until they shall have not been a director for at least one year.”

California Corporations Code Section 7527 states, “An action challenging the validity of any election, appointment or removal of a director or directors must be commenced within nine months after the election, appointment or removal. If no such action is commenced, in the absence of fraud, any election, appointment or removal of a director is conclusively presumed valid nine months thereafter.”

2. “They have broken nearly every law on the books.”

This charge is without details or factual basis and is totally unsubstantiated. No current board member has received any personal gain or consideration in conjunction with their service on the board, nor have they knowingly violated any laws or regulations relating to Association business. This board has always sought legal advice when questions arose regarding proper conduct of association business.

3. “They have defrauded the public by signing important contracts when they weren’t eligible.”

The eligibility of the board members has already been addressed. In order to have defrauded anyone the board would have to have obtained something of value under false pretenses relating to any contracts they signed. Nothing was so obtained and no losses to anyone have been sustained based on any contractual obligations signed by the board’s directors.

4. The board “elected to employ a secretary as an independent contractor to avoid taxes.”

A consultant with homeowner association management experience was hired by the board to assist a newly hired office manager who filled a salaried position. The consultant was contracted to assist the office manager as needed. She was not given any scheduled hours nor was she given any association equipment with which to perform her consulting services. She was correctly classified at that time as an independent contractor reportable on IRS Form 10-99. When the then current office manager left, the consultant was hired as a salaried employee and reported to the payroll processing company as such.

This board has not attempted to avoid paying any taxes on behalf of the association. The board would have absolutely nothing to gain by erroneously classifying its employees.

5. The board “has abused the elderly both verbally and financially.”

The board hasn’t abused anyone. This is another specious charge without details or factual basis. Collection of dues and imposition of fines for failure to correct violations of the Covenants, Conditions and Restrictions (CC&Rs) does not constitute abuse. These actions are in fact part of the fiduciary responsibility of the board. The board could be held liable for failing to perform its fiduciary responsibilities if it neglected to perform those duties.

6. “People are being forced to cut natural chaparral ridiculous distances (100 feet) from their homes.”

Given the hazardous fire conditions in California, amply demonstrated by this years fires, the Association has made an effort to reduce the fire danger in our community. The association’s weed abatement guidelines are distributed to members of the association and are sent out with notices of violation relating to the association’s fire hazard abatement program. Nowhere in the governing documents or in the guidelines is there any mention of a distance requirement. Homeowners cannot be compelled to do anything outside their property boundaries.

7. The “association’s own laws say 30 feet, and the board of directors is breaking the county ordinance and their own law.”

As noted above, the association has no distance requirement. The board of directors cannot be breaking the county law (Kelseyville Fire Protection District Ordinance 12) since the board does not enforce county ordinances and the ordinance applies to property owners not association boards.

8. “Some widows and single mothers are being fined $250 a month because they can’t afford to cut brush 100 feet every year. Some don’t even know they are being fined because the Association is breaking the due process laws of the association.”

The distance issue has already been addressed above. No individual is fined without first being notified by a courtesy letter advising them of the alleged violation and requesting that they correct the problem or contact the Association office regarding their intentions to correct the problem. If no response is received and the violation is not corrected, both certified and first class letters are sent advising the individual that formal violation proceedings are starting and advising them of when the board will consider the matter and inviting them to appear at the hearing. A letter is sent within 15 days after every hearing reporting the hearing results. Each month individuals in violation are notified that a board hearing has been scheduled and that they have the right to appear before the board and present evidence and mitigating circumstances.

The individual Mr. Watkins identifies as an abused property owner hasn’t paid dues for a number of years and has been continually notified that she was in violation. She has elected to ignore notices relating to both her failure to pay dues and failure to correct the violation on her property.

9. We are “fining the elderly outside judicial rights.”

The elderly aren’t selected out for any special treatment. In fact, in most cases we have no knowledge of the age or status of any property owner on the association roles. Fines for violation of the CC&Rs are imposed in accordance with legal requirements outlined in the California Civil Code, Davis-Stirling Act, and the governing documents of the association.

10. Attempting to “destroy the CC&Rs through illegal amendments.”

The board attempted to legally amend the CC&Rs. The meeting was publicized and attended by many property owners. An attorney representative, Beth Grimm, was hired to manage the amendment process. The procedure was done in accordance with the Civil Code and the association’s governing documents. The attempted changes were never enacted due to questions relating to the mailing of a corrected copy of the entire CC&Rs. The vast majority of the votes received approved of the proposed amendments. The current board neither enacted nor enforced the proposed 2006 amendments to the CC&Rs.

A group of volunteers have attempted to oversee the fair and impartial application of the laws and rules governing this common interest development. They have attempted to provide oversight of the daily operations of an organization with many competing constituencies. Their reward has been an unrelenting attack by a small group of individuals, individuals with personal agendas, intent on destroying the organization because it serves their purpose to have the association dissolved.

Unfortunately, the majority of property owners are unaware of the efforts and benefits that their Association provides. They won’t become aware of its value until they lose it. Once the association is destroyed there will be no getting it back. There will be no covenants regarding property use and appearance that all property owners agreed to when they purchased their property. Property owners will then have no recourse to resolve problems other than cumbersome and expensive civil legal procedures and no organization to represent them when the county approves actions that are detrimental to their ownership rights, such as approving the building of a 35-foot tall building that totally obstructs their view.

Nobody is forced to buy into a common interest development. Once you do, you are expected to abide by the rules. If you disagree with certain rules, there are legitimate means of changing those rules. If the majority of the property owners want to abide by the rules, no individual has the right to exempt themselves from the rules they don’t like. Attacking the volunteer board members doesn’t change anything. Many individuals buy into a common interest development precisely because they want certain rules that protect their environment, neighborhood and property values.

Below are some examples of Mr. Watkins’ (aka Kruk Ed Strait) responses to his “Exposing the aked emperor” diatribe of Aug. 5. Is this really the type of individual you want speaking for your community?

Kruk Ed Strait - Probably True

..buuuuuut, fastleft and jmadison don't like Kruk! Even if what he says is probaly true. Amazing! Perhaps they don't know it but they are saying they prefer liars. They're also saying they don't like Kruk's opinions against bloody abortion clinics, homosexual sins, and unruly kids in families and public schools. Of course, they hate Kruk's campaign for creationism and the Ten Commandments. Perhaps they don't know every human must make these kinds of choices before the great and terrible Judgement Day that's rapicly approaching.

Kruk Ed Strait - Foot- in-mouth Judy E

..can't seem to get it out. First, she quotes amended CC&R's that haven't been amended. Then, she gets the judicial process mixed up with star-chamber fining policies. Finally, she has upset her entire boat and fallen into waters infested with the sharks of bloody abotion clinic purveyers and militant homosexual activists. She'll soon be chanting down with the Ten Commandments and long live Darwin to fit in. When the evil predators circle closer and closer, she'll probably think she's more and more popular. Like the rabbit, she doesn't know she's on the menu.

In my opinion, Mr John Stoddard’s (aka Johnny Dangerous) comments in the online forums are generally even less intelligible and more incoherent. Such as this comment under “Commentary shed light on HOA operations.”

johnny d

Novato, CA

#7

Sunday Jul 13

et da rope // get da rope // i got da tree //lets got da boms //da jim spero poopy pants// oliverly dave peepeeboy //wendall bedweter//allind seglynot. i am a real boy//alan @ i dont know da law so i make it up .com // call alan at 1 800 my pants are full //or call 1 800 i cant spell bad boy johnny d .com

I would urge everyone to think twice before you buy into the self-serving appeals of a few people to destroy your association. You may not see the benefits that your $86 a year provide because many of those benefits aren’t readily apparent.

Some observable benefits are the repair and maintenance of the unique street signs in the Riviera. Yes, there are some that you can point to that need repair. This is an ongoing project that requires continual attention. The community hall is used by many different groups and is available to any property owner for special events. The upkeep and maintenance of this facility is also an ongoing expense. The inspections of new building projects and the enforcement of requirements to complete construction in a timely manner as well as cleanup of those construction sites is another ongoing function. The existence of an organization representing 2,800+ property owners in Lake County provides a strong voice when dealing with other governmental organizations. Having an uninvolved party to turn to when people create hazards and nuisances adjacent to your property is another benefit. Unlike a legal proceeding, there is no cost to you in attempting to resolve the problem.

My tenure on the board is over. I am thankful that a number of concerned individuals, who do not want to see the association destroyed, have elected to run for office in the current election despite the continuing attacks and poisonous atmosphere that Mr. Watkins and Mr. Stoddard have helped create. Those volunteering to run for board positions are also aware that these attacks will not stop because Alan Siegel and I have left the board. The attacks have already expanded to include the office staff and certain individuals running for the board.

I would urge you not to join in the ongoing attacks against volunteers attempting to do the right thing for their community. If you have an issue, bring it to the attention of the board at the monthly meeting or in a letter. If you do not have the time or inclination to help resolve the issues facing our community, at least give those who are attempting this challenge the benefit of the doubt.

Sid Donnell lives in the Clear Lake Riviera and served on the association board.

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They really believe it is "God's will" that a marriage contract can only be between one man and one woman and that this has been "the definition of marriage since the dawn of time," as it's poetically put by Frank Schubert, who is co-managing the Yes on 8 campaign.

That must create an uncomfortable disconnect for Yes on 8 leader Michael Bumgarner, a retired insurance executive and devout member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, or Mormons, with a long history of marriages involving one man and several women.

Schubert heads the Sacramento political consulting firm Schubert Flint Public Affairs. One of the partners is Richard Wiebe, a former California deputy insurance commissioner.

Oh wait – insurance again? Isn't that the industry that was so prominent in opposing the Equal Rights Amendment in the 1970s?

Ellie Smeal, founder of the Fund for a Feminist Majority and former president of the National Organization for Women (NOW), reported this to the 1995 National NOW Conference: "The real opposition to the ERA was silent and stayed in the background." For example, during the Illinois campaign for passage of the ERA, Smeal was shown an internal General Electric memo outlining their reasons for opposing the ERA. She says, "It talked about wages, benefits, health insurance and money. At the time women were making 59 cents for every man's dollar. Someone was pocketing 41 cents. If you think the ERA was a debate about the draft or single-sex toilets, you're wrong; it was and is about money.

"Insurance companies were also major players behind the defeat of the ERA. They wanted to continue their discriminatory practices. In Florida, the 'dean' of the Senate was a partner in a law firm that represented 14 insurance companies. Guess which way the Florida Senate voted? The same was true in many other states; the number one ERA opponent in Louisiana was a state legislator who was an insurance defense attorney."

A major contributor to the Yes on 8 campaign is the Knights of Columbus, which kicked in a million dollars recently. Easy to understand, right? The K of C is a Catholic men's organization, very active in charity work, very family-oriented. And did you know the Knights' 1.7 million members include "over 1,200 full-time life insurance professionals"? They do far more than sell insurance, but it is a major function of the organization and a major reason to join. See www.kofc.org/un/insurance/index.cfm.

The ERA says this: "Equality of rights under the law shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of sex."

The campaign against it relied on some pretty twisted arguments, including drafting women into military service. And today we have no draft. Unisex toilets were a prominent threat, although they don't seem to have caused the downfall of some European countries which have them, or of the many families which share a bathroom.

The current arguments seem equally silly. Massachusetts legalized same-sex marriage in May of 2004, and California in May this year. Canada approved it in 2005,the Netherlands in 2000,Spain in 2005 – you can read more about other countries' laws at www.ilga-europe.org/europe/issues/marriage_and_partnership/marriage_and_partnership_rights_for_same_sex_partners_country_by_country.

If those laws have caused problems for heterosexuals in any of those places, the stories are not showing up on Internet searches.

For insurance companies, the ERA would have meant equalizing pay for many women employees, and extending benefits to women that, in some cases, were reserved for men. Today, some companies offer a broader range of benefits to spouses than to domestic partners. At a minimum, insurance companies will have considerable expense for revising and rewriting their policies.

This isn't about California. It's about precedent for a nationwide spread.

Here's the good news: Equality can be good for business. The Boston Globe reports Provincetown's tourist business has been revitalized since Massachusetts repealed a 1913 law which banned same-sex marriages for out-of-staters.

Full disclosure: Sophie Annan Jensen has no dog in this fight. She's a straight woman who intends to stay happily unmarried. She doesn't know of any gay relatives and has no interest in her friends' sex lives. She has always supported the ERA.

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Is this really the message we want to give our youth and our community? That they need to escape Lake County, any way they can, even if it means exposing them to the casualties of war to do so? Or is there a better answer? Could it be that we are at the point where we are lacking personal responsibility, creativity, knowledge and wisdom to the detriment of our community and our children?

I do not believe it is a mistake that the Chinese word for “crisis” is written with two simple but opposing characters, one symbolizing “danger” and the other symbolizing “opportunity.” As terrible as the unemployment crisis, the economic crisis, the oil crisis and the mortgage crisis is, each crisis has given us the chance to begin exploring new avenues of awareness and opportunities.

The question we need to be asking ourselves is whether we will choose awareness and opportunity over ignorance and abandonment. Will we jump ship and encourage others to jump ship just because the storm is approaching and the seas are getting a bit rough or will we take command of the wheel and navigate our ship into a vast sea of opportunity? The opportunity is out there, if we just take a moment to look for it. I took a few moments, myself, to look for the opportunity within the crisis and I found some opportunities I would like to share.

First, we can all begin by buying and selling local. One of the best ways to stimulate a local economy and local jobs is to support local business owned and operated by local people who will in turn do the same.

Here’s an idea, instead of going to a corporate-owned chain where fat corporations get paid and very few local people ever see the money, allow your purchasing power to strengthen the local economy by supporting locally owned businesses so the jobs produced are long-lasting. You may be surprised that the new Starbucks has hired and fired more people since it has opened than any of the locally owned coffee shops. So, why not invest in a neighbor who actually cares about keeping their employees and customers happy? It definitely couldn’t hurt.

Shopping local not only makes good economic sense, it also makes good green sense, especially when you are buying local products from local people. That is because when you support local people, such as artisans, farmers, winemakers, etc., you are also creating less pollution and saving more oil because neither you nor the items have to travel very far for the transaction to be made. With all the talk of the oil crisis at hand, it just makes sense to begin to support and maintain our local resources.

We can also use one of our greatest technological resources to find new sources of income. Did you know the fastest-growing job market is right in your own home? Home businesses are surging, due to gas prices, traffic and the accessibility of the Internet. Your computer is probably one of the best job resources you have, when considering a home business. There are boundless opportunities, just waiting for you, over the Internet. Places like Elance (www.elance.com/p/landing/buyer.html?rid=1121E) and Worldwide Work At Home (www.worldwideworkathome.com/freelance.html) reveal a vast amount of leads for freelance work which can be done entirely at home.

As well, the technology of the Internet takes us one more step into the future. Social networking is no longer social but professional, thanks to places like Wowzza (www.wowzzapower.com/index2.php?siteID=227262) and DirectMatches (www.directmatches.com/default2.asp?site=shamancola) which list a multitude of online business opportunities.

In addition, blogging has gone professional, as well, having the potential to earn hundreds of thousands a year (www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2007/10/21/BUVJSNSTC.DTL), especially, if you are a blogger who takes advantage of affiliate marketing programs like Clickbank (www.clickbank.com/index.html) and Commission Junction (www.cj.com/) for affiliate leads.

Amazingly enough, the newest craze is surrounding resurgence of network marketing and MLM businesses. They are popping up everywhere and they are popping up for a reason. The old network marketing and mlm businesses have a new and improved twist on them these days, and are definitely worth looking into. This is because, due to the latest technologies, network and mlm marketers no longer need to turn to friends, family and neighbors in order to succeed. In fact, there is even an e-report and book (http://mss.the7greatliesofnetworkmarketing.com/) about how network marketing has evolved and what you can do to take advantage of the evolution. There is an entire world out there to generate leads from, today.

In addition, some of them have little to no startup costs and don’t require any needless buying or selling. Solutions like The Spiderweb System (http://myspideysense.com/) offer e-products and e-tools both you and your network actually need when conducting network marketing, professional networking, affiliate marketing, mlm marketing, blogging or any other online business which allows while you to earn money through affiliate commissions rather than sales. The best part, all of these opportunities and solutions are as close as the nearest computer.

In addition, there are now a multitude of “green” opportunities just waiting to be discovered and implemented. Urbanhabitat.org (http://www.urbanhabitat.org/node/528) has listed a few. Before looking for a job or a business opportunity, why not take some time to focus on “green” jobs and “green” businesses within Lake County which would offer you and others something unique?

I visited Hopland’s Solar Living Institute this weekend for their Solfest which was a tremendous success. People came from all over the world to come to this “green” event. Now, there is a plan in the works for a “green” motel, right across the street. Where are our green motels, our green gift shops, our green businesses and green jobs? These things would not be too difficult to create, considering Lake County is actually one of the last few places in California that has some “green” left in it and already attracts a decent amount of tourists.

We could use the example of San Mateo County (www.recycleworks.org/green_business/index.html) to learn from and we could even create a green guide (www.greensantabarbara.com/) as Santa Barbara has to promote green businesses within the community. With eco-tourism on the rise, we could boost our economy and help our preserve and protect our precious natural surroundings simply by going green and creating a buzz about it through places like Green Vacation Hub (www.greenvacationhub.com/) and GreenBiz (www.greenbiz.com) which would not only attract eco-tourists but ecologically minded residents and businesses. We could we create a multitude of green businesses and green jobs, we could possibly a green community and a green economy, which could serve as a model for others and a terrific green eco-tourist destination, all at the same time.

Throughout history, some of the most successful people are the ones who see opportunity where others do not. Perhaps, we need to simply open our eyes more to the possibilities rather than opening our mouths about the impossibilities.

If we truly begin to see the “opportunity” in our crisis, we would realize that we don’t need to leave Lake County (or encourage anyone else to do so) just to find work. In fact, I would encourage people to stay in Lake County and utilize the incredible resources we have which allow us the opportunity to build a better place for future generations.

Andrea Anderson lives in Lakeport.

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Furthermore, the stuff I heard preached in church was not the behavior I saw modeled for me by many who sat in the pews – so being there felt like a major waste of time. I thought, why should we sit and listen to this stuff when no one actually lives it? I went on my merry way still determined to be a "good" person, but not quite sure about the particulars of how this related to God.

As an adult, however, I felt a deep need to join a faith community because it seemed like the easiest and fastest way to join together with others to make a difference in helping a hurting world. My husband and I tried several churches in different communities before settling on our current church, United Christian Parish. What follows are the reasons we chose this amazing congregation that in every way defies the “churchy” and judgmental Christian upbringing both of us had experienced as youth.

United Christian Parish (UCP) is a Lakeport church made up of Disciples, Methodists, and Presbyterians who worship together under this common umbrella: “In essentials, unity. In non-essentials, liberty. In all things, charity.”

The essential faith that binds us together is a common belief that Jesus Christ walked the Earth some 2,000 years ago. Every member of this welcoming congregation is given the liberty to interpret the particulars surrounding Jesus in his or her own way, however.

For example, there are many who believe that Jesus is the one and only Son of God. Other ideas are equally welcomed and respected, however, such as these: Jesus is but one of many children of God; Jesus is the only God; Jesus was one of several highly-enlightened teachers who had accessed the Divine within him and who tried to teach others that everyone is capable of this too; Jesus is coming again someday; Jesus already lives among us in the hearts of every human; Jesus’ Divine energy is alive within every atom of everything in the Universe; Heaven is something to look forward to; Heaven is already here – we just need to have the eyes to see it; Jesus died for our sins; Jesus was executed because he was a religious troublemaker; Jesus rose from the grave; Jesus’ resurrection is a metaphor for enlightenment through suffering; Jesus was married to Mary Magdalene; Jesus never married; the Bible is the Word of God to be interpreted literally; the Bible is the word of many ancient believers who recorded their fears and hopes in a formal way; the Bible is a semi-historical chronicle of persecuted people filled with wonderful exciting stories; the Bible is a wealth of important messages for living that we can follow by using contemporary interpretations; and on and on.

The range of beliefs is far-reaching, but the common factor is simply belief in Jesus Christ.

Regardless of the non-essentials (many of which are listed above), we all believe that Jesus was here to teach the message of love, compassion and gratitude. He died trying to spread this Word to all to help heal a hurting world. While many other “Christian” churches get so hung up on 2,000 year-old non-essentials that they end up alienating those who would otherwise join them in their quest to bring love and compassion to our world, UCP relegates those non-essentials to the back row and instead welcomes ALL who wish to follow Jesus’ example.

Jesus taught the world that judging others was a means of separating ourselves from one another. Rather, he told his disciples to actively seek out those who might be different from us, welcome them, show compassion, kindness and an open heart. Members of UCP, though their individual Jesus-specific details might differ, are united in this idea of charity. Who cares how anyone wants to interpret something, as long as you are showing charity to all of God’s creation? Does Truth need any defense anyway? As one great teacher, Byron Katie, puts it, "Who needs God when we have your opinion?"

Our pastor is a woman, Shannon Kimball-Auth, who is both praised and sometimes maligned for her “liberal” thinking. I’ve never understood how a minister who actually practices what she preaches could be criticized but it happens nonetheless. There are “Christians” out there who forget that the root meaning of “liberal” is liberty (freedom) – something that Jesus wanted for all of humankind.

Pastor Shannon has been a tremendous spiritual guide for me in my quest to understand how my personal beliefs actually match beautifully with the truths of the Bible and other works that were intentionally left out of the Canon.

While some pastors try hard to keep their flock “in line” with particular creeds and/or beliefs, Pastor Shannon actively encourages hers to delve into their hearts to find out how the Word fits for them. She is funny, open-minded, compassionate, fiercely determined to work in a positive way for social justice and planetary salvation, and beloved by her congregation – even those who may differ with her politics or her personal non-essentials.

In many ways, I think she defines a true teacher in the spirit that Jesus was; people choose to follow and learn from the one who does not judge and condemn them, but who welcomes and lifts them to new and greater possibilities.

In this age of quantum physics starting to prove the theory of a “unified field” that ties everything in the universe together via tiny “strings,” we are living in an exciting time indeed for watching the merger of science and spirit: The truths that Jesus taught 2,000 years ago are now showing up in the laboratory.

UCP is a place that enables me to join together with many others to utilize these truths to create hope for a hurting world. We are far more interested in helping the homeless and the hungry, the persecuted and the oppressed, the abandoned and the abused, and in working to be good stewards of God’s beautiful planet than arguing about non-essentials with those who might otherwise agree with our common mission: Charity.

I am grateful to be part of a truly “Christian” community at United Christian Parish, one that loves and embraces the Divine light within every person, as Jesus taught us to do.

Gale Tompkins-Bischel lives in Kelseyville.

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