E-Octagram
March 16, 2018
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Week at a Glance UUC Sunday Service What's Happening at UUC
Serve UUC Committees Adult Religious Enrichment UUC and Beyond
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UUC WEEK AT A GLANCE
March 18, Sunday -- Youth Will Lead the Service
Open Issues
: 9:30-10:20, Patio Room
General Discussion. “Has the ‘Me Too’ movement gone too far?”
Are there better ways to accomplish its goals? If so, what are they? Bring your opinions and comments. Ruth Samuel and Irene Ratner will lead the conversation.
Sunday Service:
10:30-11:45, Octagon
T.O.R.C.H. Youth, "The Difference between Joy and Happiness"
March 19th, Monday: Nehemiah Action
Everyone is invited to attend the Nehemiah Action on March 19th at 7 PM at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg. You are also invited to bring your friends to this amazing social justice event. This Sunday after the service we will begin sign up for the free bus that will be leaving the UUC parking lot at 5:30. Sign up is required and the bus fills quickly so sign up now.
March 24th, Saturday: March For Our Lives-St. Petersburg.
The Student lead and inspired March for Our Lives is organizing a St Pete
version to coincide with the one to be held in Washington DC on March 24.
Specific planning info is still being developed. Information will continue to be available
on Facebook and from your favorite Teens!
If you happen to be heading to DC, many UU churches are offering support. If you want to
stay in touch with those of us who may be heading to DC feel free to contact
April 3rd, First Class:
Reflections on "A Good Death" and "An Auspicious Rebirth
UUC Teaching Facilitator: Frank Tedesco, M.A. and PhD. in Buddhist Studies
We will reflect on the notion that we are "spiritual beings"
having a physical experience on earth, perhaps not for the first
or last time. Our conversations will be supplemented with videos, Youtube TED talks, etc. as inspired. Sign up online at www.uuc.org, or on a sign-up sheet in the narthex.
Meets: in the Patio Room, April 3,10,17, 4:30-6:30 pm
April 7th, Saturday - Art Show Opening
Artist and UUC member Sue Hand, along with members of her Plein Air painting group will be exhibiting their works until May 17th. The reception is from 3:00-5:00 pm in the Sanctuary
April 15th, Sunday:
Humanist Monthly Meeting, 12:30-1:30 pm, Octagon,
Monthly Meeting -
Hal Hultman
, speaker, on human/computer singularity
Readers Forum:
We will be taking 3 wks.for
Fantasyland
-March 9,16,23. Then
Frankenstein
by Mary Shelley on March 30. On April 6th, we’ll have a poetry reading, so bring your favorite poem. Then we’ll read
Beneath a Scarlet Sky
by Mark Sullivan on April 13, 20. All are welcome.
The date has been set for UUC's Silent Auction! May 19th, 2018.
This auction will be part of the celebration of 'opening' the new RE center and Social Hall. This is a silent auction and will feature services and experiences only. Click
HERE
to get more information on how you can participate.
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UUC's Annual Canvass Lights the Path
UUC's annual pledge drive has begun! Our beacon is shining brightly, lighting the path for members and friends to promote progressive values as we grow spiritually in community. Each year
your
commitment to give generously enables UUC's ministries - music, religious education, outreach, activism - as well as supporting our strong ministerial and professional staff.
Your support ensures UUC can light the path for its members, friends and the larger community. Take a moment
now
to become part of the Canvass - make your pledge today!
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Meet with Rev. Patrice Curtis
If you would like to meet with Rev. Patrice contact the office at 727-531-7704. If you wish to contact her, please call
(510) 852-9304.
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This Sunday
March 18th, 2018
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Service
Sunday, 10:30-11:45
Service Leaders:
T.O.R.C.H. Youth
"The Difference Between Joy and Happiness"
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Pastoral Care Associates
UUC has a strong team of lay Pastoral Associates who offer confidential, emotional support and spiritual companionship to fellow church members. You can access pastoral care by contacting Rev. Patrice Curtis at 727-531-7704 ext. 5 or
revpatrice@uuc.org
.
Please note that emails sent to the front office are not confidential; emails to Rev. Patrice are.
This week’s pastoral care associate is
Frank Tedesco
and he is
available at
727-531-7704 ext. 5.
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Open Issues
9:30-10:20 am
Patio Room
General Discussion. “Has the ‘Me Too’ movement gone too far?”
Are there better ways to accomplish its goals? If so, what are they? Bring your opinions and comments. Ruth Samuel and Irene Ratner will lead the conversation.
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Flowers for Sunday Services
If you would like to supply the flowers for an upcoming Sunday service in honor of a special event or person in your life, please email
Laura Daniel
at
flowers@uuc.org
. She will help you coordinate your contribution.
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'Everybody' Thinks 'Somebody' did it, when in fact, 'Nobody' did.
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Spring Into Service
The number of members who are regular and active volunteers in the 'inner workings' of their church really reflects the vitality of the church community. Ask anyone who works behind the scenes -- in the office assisting the Administrator; or passing the collection basket on Sundays, or serving snacks and coffee at Coffee Hour -- working together creates deeper bonds of friendship among the members and commitment to the church community as a whole.
UUC is hoping that many of its members are eager to enrich their experience by volunteering on a regular basis in these behind the scenes positions. We NEED you at the front desk; we NEED you to be an Usher; and we NEED you to consider helping to be on the serving end in our hospitality.
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Campus Cleanup
Come One Come All!
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Saturday, March 17th
at 8:30 am
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In preparation for the opening of our new facilities,we are calling all volunteers to join us in a campus wide clean up! Bring snacks. Coffee will be provided.
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Adult Spiritual and Religious Development Programs Winter-Spring 2018. Get signed up now!
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{Click
HERE
to sign up for any of the following classes}
Reflections on "A Good Death" and "An Auspicious Rebirth
UUC Teaching Facilitator: Frank Tedesco, M.A. and PhD. in Buddhist Studies
We will reflect on the notion that we are "spiritual beings"
having a physical experience on earth, perhaps not for the first
or last time. What is the nature of the "spirit of life" that UUs
appeal to in song? let's share your ideas,questions and experiences with
human & animal consciousness and inter-species communication. What of the bardos or intermediate states between lives? Do near-death experiences teach us anything about metempsychosis? We will discuss advance care planning, life review and reconciliation to prepare ourselves and our loved ones for the inevitable transformation we call death. Dying needn't be a surprise. Is it really the end? Or not? Our conversations will be supplemented with videos, Youtube TED talks, etc. as inspired.
Meets: in the Patio Room, April 3,10,17, 4:30-6:30 pm
This I Believe...
UUC Facilitator: Rev. Patrice Curtis
This program has been a popular way for people to write and share core values that guide their daily lives or illuminate some important aspect of living. As Unitarian Universalists, this naturally fits our religious value that we are all on “a personal search for meaning.” The class will guide participants as they focus on their values and beliefs. At “graduation” participants can choose to deliver their essay to the rest of the group. This will be a wonderful way to get to know your deeper self, and to connect at a deeper level with fellow participants. (Note: There is a bit of reflective homework to be sent between classes, and it is only fair to others that you commit to attending all sessions.) Limit: 12
Meets: April 17, 24, May 1, 15, 22, 6:30-8:30
Sign up sheets will be available in the Narthex
and the Social Hall
{Click
HERE
to sign up for any of the following classes}
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28
th
Annual UUC Men’s Retreat, which was held March 2-4, 2018. We were again at Cedarkirk Camp in Hillsborough County. These gatherings are a great way to remind ourselves what a great community we have at UUC!
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Readers Forum
Fridays, 10:30 am, Chorale Rm.
We will be taking 3 wks.for
Fantasyland
-March 9,16,23. Then
Frankenstein
by Mary Shelley on March 30. On April 6th, we’ll have a
poetry reading
, so bring your favorite poem. Then we’ll read
Beneath a Scarlet Sky
by Mark Sullivan on April 13, 20. All are welcome.
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Next Exhale
Wed., April 11th
A Gathering for Sitting and Moving Mindfulness.
From 6-6:45 in the Octagon. Hold the second Wednesday of each month open for some quiet moments of mindfulness and connection.
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March for Our Lives -- Pinellas
OFFICIAL DETAILS FOR “March for Our Lives - Pinellas”
Date: March 24, 2018 - 10 am
Location: Pinellas County Court House
6th St N & Mirror Lake Drive
Downtown St Pete
WE MUST STAY ON THE SIDEWALK! NO WALKING IN THE ROAD! THIS IS A PEACEFUL MARCH!
We are asked by the SPPD: No metal or wood sign supports, cardboard is ok. Bring water and sunscreen!
Speakers include: US representative Charlie Crist, St. Pete Mayor Rick Kriseman and students that have been working hard to make this march a success.
Join us as we demand congress and lawmakers to take action, and make real progress in keeping us students, along with every other citizen in this country, safe in our communities!
SHARE! SHARE! SHARE!
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Silent Auction
-- Services and
Experiences Only This Year
This Year's UUC Silent Auction will be a part of the Grand Opening of our new space. It will be like no other auction in our recent history. The auction will feature services and experiences ONLY and is an opportunity for us to do some community building.
What better way to get to know our fellow UUs than by engaging in some fun
activities together!
The simplest way to donate is to complete
this form online
. If you prefer, you may
Should you choose to solicit a donation (service/experience) from a business, you
We have provided some suggestions of donations below. But we are confident that you will think outside the box and come up with some fabulous ideas of your own.
Everyone can participate!! If you find that you will be away on auction day, you can
still join in the fun. Donate early – and choose a proxy to bid for you.
Complete this
decisions on your behalf. Just be sure he/she has possession of the form in order to
receive your bid number on the day of the auction.
Silent Auction Ideas - Get creative. Think outside the box.
This Silent Auction is not only a fundraiser, it is also intended to be a community builder.
We envision many opportunities for groups of people to be able to engage in fun activities.
Individuals, committees, covenant groups, families or friends can donate services and/or experiences.
Services are always popular: handyman, cleaning, windows, airport shuttles, lawn work, garage clean out, pet sitting, babysitting, proofing or editing, car detailing, gutter cleaning
Do you have a special talent? How about providing a dessert of the month, home baked bread weekly for a month, or meals on wheels for a designated length of time, organizational sessions, etc. Passes to sporting events, theater or concert tickets, amusement parks, or spas
Here are some other ideas to get your creative juices flowing. Remember, the sky is the limit! Let’s have fun.
-Host a game night – board games, bunco, poker, charades, trivia , etc. Karaoke party
-Host a movie party
-Lessons: art, music, mah jongg, bridge, knitting, crochet
-Lead a nature walk/bird walk
-Lead a meditation group
-Host High Tea, Ethnic dinners, Wine Tasting, Backyard BBQ
-Dessert Party
-Dance Party
-Computer Training
-Sailing, kayaking excursions
-Full Moon celebration
-Brewery tours
-Vegan Sampler Dinner
-Native plant consultation
-Social Media training
-Handcrafted jewelry session - made especially for you
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Just honored with a retrospective at the Dunedin Fine Arts Center:
Print artist Stephen Littlefield
This show by Stephen Littlefield entitled
“The Ecstasy of Tedium II”
displays over 40 original prints, paintings and drawings depicting surrealism, landscape, and figurative images by a native Floridian who studied Fine Art at USF and founded the Printmaking program at DFAC (Dunedin Fine Art Center) where he taught for 27 years.
Stephen's amazing prints and paintings are on display until April 5th.
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UUC Committee Meetings and Events
Please get your meeting information to
events@uuc.org
NO LATER than one week before the next E-Octagram (publishes on Thursdays). If there are
changes,
they must get to the above email NO LATER than the Wednesday before publishing. Thank you.
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April 15, 2018, Sunday, 12:30-1:30 pm, Octagon
Monthly Humanist Meeting
- Hal Hultman, speaker, on human/computer singularity
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Nehemiah Action this Monday.
March 19th
7PM Tropicana Field
1 Tropicana Drive, St.Petersburg
Bus will be leaving from the UUC parking lot
Bring at least 3 people with you
Celebration-
April 30,2018 7PM
Place to be announced at a later date.
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Environmental Justice Committee
Sunday, April 22nd, 12:30 pm showing the movie "
This Changes Everything
" in the Sanctuary.
The movie
, f
ilmed in nine countries and five continents over four years, "This Changes Everything" is an epic attempt to re-imagine the challenge of climate change.
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FOOTNOTES FROM THE LIBRARY:
BLACK LIVES MATTER AT UUC!
A new addition:
"When They Call You a Terrorist: A Black Lives Matter Memoir"
by Patrisse Khan-Cullors and asha bandele
...from the Amazon review:
Raised by a single mother in an impoverished neighborhood in Los Angeles, Patrisse Khan-Cullors experienced firsthand the prejudice and persecution Black Americans endure at the hands of law enforcement. For Patrisse, the most vulnerable people in the country are Black people. Deliberately and ruthlessly targeted by a criminal justice system serving a white privilege agenda, Black people are subjected to unjustifiable racial profiling and police brutality. In 2013, when Trayvon Martin’s killer went free, Patrisse’s outrage led her to co-found Black Lives Matter with Alicia Garza and Opal Tometi.
Condemned as terrorists and as a threat to America, these loving women founded a hashtag that birthed the movement to demand accountability from the authorities who continually turn a blind eye to the injustices inflicted upon people of Black and Brown skin.
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The Library is also expanding a shelf featuring UUC authors, but we need some help. The section is located just below the Unitarian Universalism section. Please stop by and see if your favorite UUC author is there, and more importantly, if you have copies of these UUC works, consider donating them to the Library.
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Championing human rights in the face of violent racism, Patrisse is a survivor. She transformed her personal pain into political power, giving voice to a people suffering in equality and a movement fueled by her strength and love to tell the country―and the world―that Black Lives Matter.
When They Call You a Terrorist
is Patrisse Khan-Cullors and asha bandele’s reflection on humanity. It is an empowering account of survival, strength and resilience and a call to action to change the culture that declares innocent Black life expendable.
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Let me know about Books, CD's or other material that have had an impact on your Spiritual/Intellectual Journey!
Please let us know what they are because they might also be available to others.
Contact:
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Get info about UU's first UU retirement community in the US -- this weekend in Orlando
Greetings from east Tennessee,
Common Ground Community is excited to announce the first UU retirement community in the U.S. This senior cohousing neighborhood is closely modeled on the ground-breaking work of Dene Peterson at Elderspirit (Abingdon, VA), and with land under contract and a developer ready to go, we are coming to your area to talk with interested UUs and allies. We are in the process of being considered for an "affiliate group" status with TN Valley UU Church here in Knoxville, and several of its members have been instrumental in developing this vision.
And we had the very good fortune in 2016 to have been given permission from Peg Green to include her art to support our project (one may look very familiar, I hear!).
The gathering is hosted at the Cypress Pointe Resort in Orlando. Details are found at our
Facebook page
[for the March 18th event]. We will be hosting a gathering on March 18 and 19, and we have two rooms with ensuite baths each evening for folks who might be traveling for this event.
Your consideration of how UUs in your area might be made aware of this opportunity is much appreciated and questions are invited. A one-page pdf is attached with additional information.
Cordially,
Susan Fuhr, Ph.D. [FSU grad]
Founder
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General Assembly (GA) is the annual meeting of our Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA). Attendees worship, witness, learn, connect, and make policy for the Association through democratic process. Anyone may attend; congregations must certify annually to send voting delegates.
General Assembly will be held in Kansas City, MO, June 20 – June 24. To find registration, housing, hotel information go on line to:
https://www.uua.org/ga
Theme - All Are Called
Grounded in a deep belief that we are all prophets, Unitarian Universalists ask, “How can we faithfully meet the demands of our time?” The call to witness and act for justice in our society and in the world is clear. So, too, is the call to examine our structures and practices, dismantling and transforming those which fail to recognize the full humanity of all people and to honor the interdependent web of life. Join us in Kansas City as we dive deeply into questions of mission for our Unitarian Universalist Association, for our congregations and communities, and for each of us as individuals. Together, we’ll ask:
Who and how are we called to be at this time, individually and collectively?
How are we called to act and to live?
How does our Unitarian Universalist legacy strengthen us in living out our mission? In what ways does our legacy present challenges and impediments to answering our call?
The call of our faith has a place for each of us. Join us in Kansas City to build courageous, collective leadership with tools, skills and connections.
Kansas City MO
The City of Fountains is practically overflowing with adventure. Whether it’s the scent of smoldering BBQ luring you to a plate of ribs, the sweet echo of jazz welcoming an evening of entertainment or the spray of fountains inviting you to kick off your shoes and make a splash, you’ll sense inspiration in the air – and find it along every boulevard.
As America's most centrally located major metropolitan area, Kansas City's location is a huge advantage for travelers. In fact, more than 55 million Americans can get to Kansas City in less than a day’s drive. And flying there is even easier—as Kansas City International Airport (KCI) is just a three-hour flight away from each coast. All major U.S. air carriers serve KCI, which offers more than 400 daily flights with nonstop service to 48 destinations.
Volunteering
As a volunteer your registration fee would be waived. You will work eighteen hours. There are volunteer opportunities in a variety of activities. Go to the website for lots of information:
If you’d like to work with Sue Boone as an usher please contact her for more information.
Or for any other questions feel free to contact Sue.
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2018 United Faiths Walk of Peace Postponed to April 29th
Now we can all march again with people of all faiths at the
2018 United Faiths Walk of Peace on Sunday, April 29th
. Join over 15 different faith groups (UUC is a sponsor) on the 2 mile walk around Dunedin, stopping at several venues for reflections on peace led by a variety of faith leaders. Meet at Pioneer Park ,
400 Main Street, Dunedin
at 2 PM and march behind the UUC banner. Wear your
UUC, Standing on the Side of Love, or the 2018 United Faiths
tee shirt. For more information:
UUC is represented on the Walk of Peace Tee shirt and we have several size large left.
If you would like one come to the SJ Table after services on Sunday.
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