The church staff was asked the following Safer-at-Home questions. See their responses below. If you would like to participate, you may send your response by mail to the church office (Attn: CHIT CHAT) or email Shalimar s.carducci@santamonicaumc.org by June 15. We’ll share them in the July Sentinel. One entry per person.
1. My favorite Safer-at-Home song / book / scripture / hymn…
- Rev. Patricia Farris: “Great Is Thy Faithfulness” and “Turn, Turn, Turn” (The Byrds or Pete Seeger) based on Ecclesiastes
- Shalimar Carducci: “Outside” by George Michael & “Only the Strong” by Laura Marling
- Tricia Guerrero: My Grandfather’s Blessings: Stories of Strength, Refuge, and Belonging by Rachel Naomi Remem M.D.
- Christina Eddy: Louis Armstrong’s “What a Wonderful World.” It still is!
- Sarah Rold: My favorite hymn ever since I was in high school singing in my church choir, is #593 Here I Am, Lord. It was even one of the hymns sung at both of my sons’ baptisms.
- Anne Premer: “A God Like You” by Kirk Franklin. It’s a fun hip-hop hymn with a beat you can work out to!
- Tina Gage: While working from home I pull up music on YouTube. Favorites have been any Tiny Desk Concert, Ray LaMontagne’s We’ll Make it Through, and for a more somber piece “Max Richter Reimagining Vivaldi.”
- David Penson: Numbers 6: 24-26. The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face to shine upon you, and be gracious to you; the Lord lift up his countenance upon you, and give you peace.
2. One sentence I would tell my past-self back in January…
- PF: Slow down, look up, and take not one moment or person for granted.
- SC: Don’t buy Dodgers season tickets this year!
- TLG: A quote from the book I named above, “Most of us lead far more meaningful lives than we know. Often finding meaning is not about doing things differently; it is about seeing familiar things in new ways.” This quote is what I would send to my past self, encouraging me to keep my eyes, my heart and my attention open to my life and the world around me.
- CE: You’re always so prepared! Get ready!
- SR: Invest in zoom, and have the kids spend more time at Aunt Claudia and Uncle Phil’s.
- AP: These are the good old days…and don’t forget to buy some toilet paper.
- TG: Take yourself and your kids to get a haircut by the end of February!
- DP: Wash your hands more often and stop touching your face so much.
3. Two famous people (living or not) I would have over for dinner tonight in my very large formal dining room (so they would sit at least 6 feet away) are…
- PF: My grandmothers: Rhomayne Rawlins and Mabel Farris. Not famous, but full of wisdom and strength.
- SC: Lucille Ball because June just discovered “I Love Lucy” and Michelle Obama.
- TLG: Jacinda Ardern, Prime Minister of New Zealand, and Bishop Desmund Tutu.
- CE: Tom Petty, Dalai Lama – “An open heart is an open mind.”
- SR: I’ve always wanted to talk to Alan Rickman, his acting style and movie choices have always fascinated me. I think also getting to talk to Queen Elizabeth would be incredibly interesting.
- AP: Jesus would be an amazing guest. And my husband, Dallas – ok, not famous, but, I’d love to have dinner with him again!
- TG: This is always hard for me to narrow down: today I would say artist J.M.W. Turner, and Julia Child.
- DP: Barack Obama and Bill Gates