Our Theme for March: Letting Go
Service at 10:30 am Sundays in the Miller Sanctuary
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How can we let go of the things we carry? Is carrying something around so bad? How can we lighten the loads of others? Experiential exploration through movement, song, story, reflection and meditation.
Please save the date of Sunday, March 25th. Following the service, we will have our Annual Congregational Meeting in the Sanctuary, and a lunch will follow in Hobart Hall. This Sunday, March 18th, there will be a Budget Informational meeting in the Sanctuary at noon.
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Community Sharing in March
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Our Community Sharing partner this month is the South Fort Myers Food Pantry Coalition. The South Fort Myers Food Pantry works in partnership with the Harry Chapin Food Bank and Midwest Food Bank. The organization is also supported by local religious organizations in South Fort Myers who offer many volunteer hours and generous financial donations. In 2017, the pantry fed more than 22,000 individuals. They are hosting a volunteer appreciation luncheon on March 10th, following their annual meeting which begins at 11:30 am at the Cypress Lake Presbyterian Church, which is the home of the South Fort Myers Food Pantry, and is located at 8260 Cypress Lake Drive in Fort Myers. UUCFM has been a long-time supporting organization and a member of the Pantry Coalition.
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The Humanist Forum
The Humanist Forum regularly meets every Sunday at 9:15 am in Hobart Hall.
All are welcome to attend.
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Youth Group
Burn! Youth Group-
Youth age 14-18 are invited to join us in Room 4 on Sundays from noon to 1:00 pm each week for an inclusive and kick-butt-awesome good time.
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Coffee Hour
Sunday's Coffee Hour happens after church every week and is provided by volunteers from the Women's Circle on the first Sunday, CUUPS on the second Sunday, Humanist Forum on the third Sunday, Men's Group on the fourth Sunday and if there is a fifth Sunday, it is All Church. Any donations of food, snacks or cash are welcome.
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UUCFM Budget 2018-2019 Meetings
- Thursday, March 15 10-12 am Conference Room Questions from Members
- Sunday, March 18 12:00 noon Sanctuary Meeting on the 18-19 Operating Budget
- Sunday March 25 12:00 noon Sanctuary Annual Congregational Meeting
Deb Lewis, VP Finance
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From the Minister
There will be a childcare attendant for when you need a break from kids, and this is a kid friendly event. Police chiefs from Cape Coral and Fort Myers will be attending to address the continued need for civil citation for juveniles in both cities. And the pressure is on for the County Commissioners to show up for the Action and show up for children of Lee County. We need numbers showing up at the action, so that if the Commissioners choose to not attend, our great numbers of people of faith and conscious will bear witness to their lack of concern and their unwillingness to listen to the cries of the people for Lee County's children.
So often we only read or hear about the things that are going wring and never hear about solutions. LIFE participation offers a sense of uplift-- come be shoulder to shoulder with new LIFE friends who care about justice and a better future for our children! See you there.
Rev. Allison Farnum
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Religious Education News
This year, our Mystery Friends theme will be Florida Waters! Sign-up for this exciting pen pal program which will begin on Sunday, March 18th after the service in Hobart Hall. Parents, stop by to sign your kids up to be pen pals with a mystery congregant. Adults, come register to be one of those mystery congregants! Letters will be exchanged in a special mailbox on Sundays and over the course of the month of April, you'll get to learn a lot about each other. At the end of the program, we'll throw a Mystery Friend party and reveal who everyone's pen pals were. Last year, we had amazing participation in this program and I look forward to seeing the same this year.
Have you heard about UUCFM Burn? It's our newly formed youth group and happens to be filled with some pretty passionate people. This Sunday, the Burn youth will be leading a memorial for victims of gun violence, a call to action, and a demonstration following service. The memorial and call to action will take place in the Sanctuary from 12-1 pm with a demonstration along Daniels Parkway to follow. You are invited to attend and support our youth as they speak their truth. Please be aware that there will be content unsuitable for young children as this event does directly address gun violence.
Jenn Blosser, Director of Religious Education
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From Our Youth
Hello. I am Alicia. As a person of planet Earth, I know we like to imagine that we live in a perfect world. However that fantasy we imagine it's not what is reality. In the world we live in today there is hatred. This hatred can become so intense that it can lead to violence.
On February, 14th, there was an act of violence committed at Parkland High School. During this act an expelled teenager walked into the school with a gun, shot, and killed 17 people.
When I heard about this, the first thought that came into my head was, “How did he get this gun?” A lot of people think we need guns to fight guns, and we need to give teachers guns to protect the school. But what if those teachers try to shoot at the school. What do we do about this?
Guns and other weapons are what caused this. Then why do we think that those weapons that caused the violence will stop the violence.
Our method of stopping violence will only make it worse. How about we try new methods. How about we help people with a problem before they resort to violence as a method that they think will stop their problems.
How about we be kinder to others than say words to discourage them. Let's say words that will make them happy. That would help geer us toward a peaceful world.
How about we speak out against violence. Join a rally. A protest. A group of friends can put on a march.
If we do this then we will be closer to the peaceful world we imagine. A world of people. A world of creatures. A world with peace.
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Music Notes
December-March:
Please welcome Suellen Kipp as Director of Music during Amy Laursen's maternity leave.
The UUCFM Choir
rehearses most Wednesday nights from 6:45-8:15 pm, and on Sunday mornings from 9-10 am in the Sanctuary. It's free and there are no auditions. Please email me in advance so that a music folder can be prepared for you. Come join us in singing!
The UUCFM Band
rehearses most Wednesday nights from 6:00-6:45 pm, and on Sunday mornings from 9:00-10:00a in the Sanctuary. If you would like to play your instrument during a Sunday service, please email me to coordinate the details. Come join us in making music together!
Suellen Kipp
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Special Events
Purely Social Potluck and Games
All are invited to Suzanne Ziemer's Clubhouse on Ft. Myers Beach for a Purely Social Celebration of Life Potluck with Table Games. Friday, March 23rd, 5:30-9:00 pm,
Where: Suzanne Ziemer's Condo Clubhouse on Fort Myers Beach.
What: Bring your own Beverage and a Dish to Share and if you have one,
a favorite table game.
RSVP to Suzanne for directions, parking, entry gate code, and food choice.
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Book Study
A renowned expert on the subject of dreams, Jeremy Taylor studied dreams and worked with thousands of people both individually and in dream groups for more than forty years. His discoveries show us how dreams can be the keys to gaining insight into our past and our conflicts, as well as excursions into the fantastic realm of creative inspiration. Jeremy Taylor, the late Unitarian Universalist minister, blends the values of spirituality with an active social conscience and a Jungian perspective.
March 21, Chapters 9 &10
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Dreamwork Group
Mondays, March 19 - April 23
3:00 - 5:15 pm
Room 7
Debra Leigh, certified Projective Dreamwork facilitator will lead this session of six weekly meetings. Please plan to attend the entire series when you sign up. No prior experience necessary. You will learn tips for how to remember and record your dreams, and how to interpret your own dream symbols and dream language in the safety of a supportive and caring group. Group size limited to eight participants. To register, email Debra at
[email protected]
or call
(831) 818-1418
. No fee.
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Our North American UU Roots
Our North American UU Roots
with Reverend Margaret L. Beard is rescheduled for
one Sunday afternoon: April 8th.
Please join us as we explore some of our North American Unitarian Universalist Roots. Our focus will be from the Pilgrims to the Second American Revolution. Lets look at what is recorded in that history and also what might be missing. How does our history inform our theology today? If you are new, this is a great class to learn more about us as a faith tradition. If you have been around for awhile, there is more to discover.
We will meet from noon until 4:00 pm in the Narthex (the space before you enter the Sanctuary) Please bring your lunch or a snack. We will eat while we watch a DVD and then have questions and discussion.
Please RSVP for the class
to
[email protected]
.
See you then!—
Margaret
(Rev. Margaret L. Beard)
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Mindfulness Meditation
Join us on Monday evenings to explore the very simple and satisfying practices of mindfulness and meditation. You don’t need experience with meditation, nor do you have to be a Buddhist. Do please bring an intention to quiet the mind and the body in a supportive group of UU members and friends with a similar intention - people who want to carry mindfulness into their daily lives. We meet Mondays from 6:30-8:00p in the Sanctuary. If you have any questions, please contact Gary Robbins at
[email protected]
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Optimal Living Group
The Optimal Living Group is open to all and does not require attending every session. We meet in the Sanctuary on the first and third Wednesdays of each month from 4:00-5:30 pm. We discuss how to live optimally, including practical ways to cope with life's challenges and issues. Helping others and developing maturity in ourselves is part of our quest. We explore many paths and techniques for enriching our lives and making a difference for others. For more information, fill out a blue card found in the pews or email Neil Yesu:
[email protected]
.
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UUCFM Historical Martial Arts Club
The UUCFM Historical Martial Arts Club is dedicated to preserving and practicing a variety of historical martial arts for entertainment and fitness purposes. We meet at various times (determined by interest) most often at 12:00 pm after the service on Sunday to practice archery and tomahawk/axe throwing. Other activities and times can be found on our facebook page of the same name. All are welcome to join us.
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UUCFM Gaming Group
The UUCFM Game Group is the club for you. We do our best to meet in Room 7 on Sundays after church from 1:00-4:00 pm. Those of us with children can't always make it so please check the Facebook group page (UUCFM Gaming Group) to see if games are scheduled.
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Rissho Kosei-kai Buddhist Group
The Rissho Kosei-kai Buddhist group meets Sundays at 1:45p in Room 1. All are welcome to join us.
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Community Wednesday
Community Wednesday is held in Hobart Hall. All are invited. Bring friends and neighbors, too. Join us each Wednesday for a delicious meal prepared by Chef Joy for a small donation. After the fellowship and fine fare from 6:00- 6:45p, join your favorite programming event, committee meeting, or social activity. Child care is provided until 8:30p.
Community Wednesday Activities for March:
4:00-5:30
Optimal Living Group (1st & 3rd Wed)
6:00-6:45
Community Meal
6:00-6:45
Band Rehearsal in Sanctuary
6:45-8:00
Choir Rehearsal in Sanctuary
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South Fort Myers Food Pantry
The response for food donations has been consistently good over the last year. The need is still there and UUCFM has been a strong supporter of the pantry. I have not been able to post the pantry newsletter but there is one at the Social Justice table listing the number of people fed by the pantry for the last year. Easter is early this year which means many people will be heading north earlier too. Consequently, many people will lose seasonal jobs and the need for food donations and volunteers will be just as great as it is now. Keep that in mind. Remember to bring at least one can each week and consider volunteering during the summer months. Questions? Email Fran Rose:
[email protected]
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How to Access the New Photo Directory
A number of members have asked me how to access the new UUCFM Photo Directory. In order to access the Photo Directory, you have to be registered as a UUCFM member on the UUCFM website. Go to the website and click on the green
Register
at top right. You will be taken to a registration page where you will register and create a member password. When you finish, click the
Register
button at the bottom. Your registration will go to Jill for approval and within a day or two, you'll be able to access the member section of the website by clicking on the green
Login
at upper right of the website and entering your new password. When you enter the member section of the website, you'll find the Photo Directory at upper left. Hope this answers the questions.
Denis Jensen
PS- If you'd like a black and white printed copy of the photo directory you can pick one up in the office!
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Bed & Breakfast Volunteer Opportunity
We are preparing for another year of UUCFM’s Bed and Breakfast program. Through the generosity of host families within our congregation, we have raised $3000 to $5000 a year for the church operating budget for many years. We provide this service to UUs and/or their friends from around the country. This
program cannot happen without volunteers and we need your help!
What’s needed to be a host?
The host provides one bedroom and bathroom and a basic breakfast each morning of the guests’ stay. The guests are usually one or two people. The breakfast can even be a “do it yourself” if your guests are early risers or you have to go to work and they want to sleep.
Do I have to entertain the guests or take them places?
No!
They will have their own transportation. If you have favorite restaurants to recommend, or other local travel tips, they are always appreciated. You are not expected to provide entertainment, transportation or extra food. For the most part, guests are off
doing their own thing most of the day and evening.
When and for how long?
Guests stay from one to seven nights during the months of January through April. (Most stay only two or three nights.) You choose when and for how long you can host and then your requirements are matched with those of the guests. Even if you can only host for two nights in March, for example, that is a big help. February and March tend to have the biggest demand.
All money received from the guests as they stay in your home goes directly to the UUCFM operating budget. I haven’t even mentioned how interesting and fun this experience can be for the hosts. We have met so many great UUs through this experience! Please consider being a host! Before you say no, talk to me. Just try it once…
Mary Nies, Program Coordinator
Sydney Stewart
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Unitarian Universalist Church of Fort Myers.
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Do you have something to offer, trade, or sell? Are you looking for something? Free ad space here for personal items only. Will run ad for 4 weeks. Email
[email protected]
Recorder:
Enjoy the beautiful sound of this wooden tenor recorder: Rottenburgh Nr. 449 in rosewood. New ones cost $900-$1200. This one is yours for only $399, or better yet, donate $100 to UUCFM and you can have it for only $299 cash. See Frances Pake. Call
330.329.1129
, or email her at
[email protected]
.
Items for sale
:
•IKEA Poang Chair w/ footstool, black leather. $20 OBO.
•Futon w/ 6.5“ deep, double-size mattress, removable red cover, 2 drawers. $50 OBO.
•Indoor/outdoor wicker-look, glass-topped dining table w/ 4 chairs, 49“ diameter. Dark brown. $50 OBO.
•Two outdoor mesh chairs, light brown. $10 OBO.
•Storage piece, 6 cube-shaped spaces, w/4 fabric-lined storage baskets, dark brown. $15 OBO.
•Entertainment center, 8 shelves, 6 drawers, dark brown $40 OBO.
Pictures upon request.
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If you are a UUCFM Community Sharing Partner, a regular Facility User, or have UU related news to share, you are welcome to submit announcements for publication in our Greater Community section of the newsletter. Please send announcements in by Wednesday for publication in the Thursday E-news.
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Love Resists
Webinar
Dear UUCFM,
While the Trump Administration surveils and detains families across the country, we continue to resist and defend our communities. Love Resists, our partners, and allies have seen that when individuals targeted for deportation are accompanied by community members, we can have a real impact on minimizing harm. Now is the time to leverage this success through the spiritually-grounded practice of accompaniment. Learn how you and your congregation can get involved in this work in our upcoming webinar:
Love Resists Through Radical Presence: ICE & Court Accompaniment Programs
Accompaniment programs can make a real difference in our immigration and criminal justice systems. Learn about established accompaniment programs and how accompaniment helps stop deportations, reduce bond fees, and keep families together. Join this movement.
At General Assembly last year, lawyer, social justice activist, and author Bryan Stevenson told Unitarian Universalists that to make a difference, we must "get proximate" to the suffering. Congregations are looking for ways to do this effectively and this webinar aims to empower them with the information they need in this struggle. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and court accompaniment programs enable immigrant rights supporters to journey alongside people fighting for their own freedom and dignity and hold the system accountable.
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Lee OFA Indivisible Invites You
There will be a panel discussion on the following date:
April 12th - "MAINTAINING a FREE and UNBIASED PRESS"
Meetings will be held at the Sanctuary at 7 pm. Come early at 6:15 to socialize with like-minded friends.
Email:
[email protected]
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From Member Glenn Siebert
I am the assistant musical director of the Naples/Ft. Myers Paradise Coastmen barbershop chorus. We are presenting our annual spring concert. The theme is
"From Ireland to Nashville and Broadway"
and will include some of your favorite songs from each. In addition to the chorus, our principal guest artist is
"Signature",
the 2nd place International Silver Medalist Quartet. If you choose to attend, you will enjoy the best of barbershop harmony. Contact me for tickets, $18.00. I have negotiated a $6.00 group discount as tickets are $25 at the door. Let me know which performance you prefer and how many tickets you need. I look forward to seeing your smiling faces in the audience.
· Fri. March 16 at 7:00 pm
· Sat. March 17 at 2:00 pm
· Sat. March 17 at 7:00 pm
Yours in Harmony,
Glenn Siebert
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Concert at All Faiths
Roy Zimmerman
will be live at All Faiths on Friday, March 16, 7:30 pm. Tickets are $20 or whatever you can pay at the door.
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MCC Anniversary Barbecue
St. John the Apostle MCC located at 3049 McGregor Blvd will be celebrating its 30th anniversary! We would like to invite you to a public BBQ on Saturday, March 17th from 11 to 3, outside on the church grounds. The price for the BBQ is $10.00
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The Southwest Florida Gay and Lesbian Chorus 2018 Comedy Show & Fundraiser:
Join us and Laugh Out Loud with Comedian Vickie Shaw-the funniest comedian ever, she said so herself!!! Food, Fun and Laughter...Tickets are available online
www.gaychorus.org
, and Sundays in Holbart Hall after service.
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2018 GRACE Project Work-Study Trip
La Antigua and Lago Atitlán, Panajachel, Guatemala.
April 29 to May 9, 2018
11 days for $1,250
Women’s Health Workshops in Univ. of San Carlos Medical School, Belén Teachers’ College for Indigenous Women, Mixco High School, and in Santiago Atitlán.
Deliver and teach about Days For Girls menstrual
management Kits and the Fertility Bracelets,
Land transportation in private vans,
Breakfast provided daily,
Shopping in La Antigua and Panajachel.
Transportation includes: travel to and from airport, hotels,
academic and workshop sites in private vehicles and boats.
Airfares from USA to Guatemala City and El Petén are not included.
$150 additional fee for single room.
To save your space, please send $100 deposit in a check, by March 15 2018, to: The GRACE Project,
UUCFM, 13411 Shire Lane, Ft. Myers, FL 33912
Dec. 1 – 9, 2018 GRACE will go to El Petén and Tikal and deliver workshops for
Maya womens’ cooperatives and the Guatemalan Ministry of Education.
9 days for $1,000. Reservations being accepted now! Limited to 8 participants.
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March 15 Mike Carville
March 22 Mary Gayle Skinner
March 25 Lily Hoffman is 10!
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Newsletter Editor: Jill Carville
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