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Weekly E-News July 27, 2017
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Special News- August 6th is our Annual Pet Blessing Service in Hobart Hall at 10:30a. This is our Sunday Service for the week. There will be animals, treats, and lots of music. It's coming up fast-next week! Well behaved pets on leashes and in carriers are welcome!
All members and friends are invited to share their summer photos of themselves and their pets from now until Labor Day! Send a jpg or two to
[email protected]
and your picture will be shared each Sunday morning in a slideshow before the service begins.
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Worship in July: Awakening
Looking for enlightenment and awakening? This Sunday gives you invitations for just that. Explorations of dreams, wisdom from within and from new teachings come to you this month.
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No Humanist Forum this Sunday
There will be no Humanist Forum this Sunday, July 30th. The Humanist Forum regularly meets every Sunday at 9:15a in Hobart Hall. All are welcome to attend.
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Community Sharing in July: SWFL Pachamama
The Pachamama Alliance of Southwest Florida serves Collier, Lee and Charlotte Counties. It is a part of a global network of Pachamama Alliance Communities.
Our Mission as the Pachamama Alliance of Southwest Florida is to catalyze a community of conscious pro-activists who will work together for an environmentally sustainable, spiritually fulfilling, and socially just human presence on earth.
We will be hosting Pachamama Community Gatherings the first Thursdays of every month in Hobart Hall. Local speakers from environmental and justice groups will be invited to speak.
Check out our FaceBook Page here https://www.facebook.com/groups/PachamamaSWFL/
and our Community web page here: https://www.pachamama.org/community/155/pachamama-alliance-community-of-sw-fl--
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Sunday Coffee Hour
Sunday's Coffee Hour 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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From the Minister
A few years ago, our congregation benefited from a personal loan from a member of the congregation who wished to remain anonymous. Combined with your generosity , that generous loan of $50,000 helped make it possible for us to reach our Capital campaign goal to put new roofs on all of the buildings on our campus.
Our congregation's leadership made a point to be fiscally responsible, and to date, we have paid back $18,000 of that loan.
The anonymous person was Judie Marble , a woman we now mourn. Her generosity continues past her death, as I just received word that Judie, in her final wishes, has forgiven the loan. Her wishes also were to see that the money we paid back would be returned to us after her death. This generous gift is one of her parting wishes, fulfilled.
On Tuesday night, the Board of Trustees received this news in a moving, stunning silence before the room burst into an Applause of gratitude for her generosity that extends and lives far beyond any death date. Her Legacy of dedication and service to our congregation can continue to inspire all of us towards a life of generosity that only we can understand how to live into individually. There are no adequate words to express my gratitude:
Thank you, Judie.
Rev. Allison Farnum
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Religious Education News
UUCFM's Youth Lock-In is
this Friday
at
6:00p
! If your child is entering 6th - 12th grade this year, make sure they are registered for this fantastic experience! Register your youth by
Friday
morning at
10:00a
by using this link:
https://goo.gl/forms/4hSxuFLZa9pLKlhs1
The RE Summit was held last weekend to discuss the future of UUCFM's Religious Education program. It was decided by attending congregants to transition from the outdated
Sunday School model of RE towards the Family Ministry model which is being adopted by many breakthrough congregations nationwide. This will be certainly be a culture shift at UUCFM, but one that supports our goals of being a multicultural and multigenerational congregation. There will be a meeting about this transition on
Sunday, August 13th at noon in Room 1 after service and all interested parties are invited to attend.
If you're keen to support, grow, and influence our School of Wizardry summer camp program, you're invited to join camp director, Krista Hutson, and camp volunteers on
Wednesday, 8/2 at 7:00p in
Room 7. Our camp has been steadily growing and becoming more complex and we are keen to have the input of those interested in this valuable outreach to make it even better in the coming years!
Jenn Blosser, Director of Religious Education
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Music Notes
July 30: New Eyes, Awakened Heart. Robin Shuford Frank, pianist with Opera Naples and the Naples Philharmonic!
The next
Music Committee
is
Wednesday, August 16th at 3:00p
in Room 7.
The UUCFM Choir rehearses most Wednesday nights from 6:45-8:15p, and on Sunday mornings from 9-10a 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 6:00-6:45p, 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!
Amy Laursen, Director of Music [email protected]
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Judie Marble Memorial Service
A Celebration of Life for Judie Marble will be held Friday, July 28th at 2:00p in the Sanctuary. All are welcome to attend the Memorial Service. Refreshments will follow in Hobart Hall.
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FUUn BUUnch
Friday, July 28th at 7:00p
THE SUNFLOWER CAFÉ
11370 SUMMERLIN SQUARE DRIVE
FT. MYERS BEACH, FL 33931
239 415 4262
Follow Summerlin Road South to Pine Ridge Road. (Pine Ridge Road is just before San Carlos Parkway). Turn left onto Pine Ridge Road and right onto Summerlin Square Drive. The SUNFLOWER CAFÉ will be on the right just past the bank.
PLEASE RSVP BY WEDNESDAY, JULY 26, 2017, TO RESERVE YOUR PLACE.
Call: John E. Fischer at 267 992 6566 or text [email protected] or Robert Nies at 239 466 7933 or text [email protected]
HELP! FUUn BUUnch needs restaurant suggestions for dining you have experienced.
Restaurant must:
Be within 30 miles of Shire and Daniels.
Be quiet.
Be capable of serving 15 to 40 people in close proximity of each other.
Provide separate checks.
Provide selections from their regular menu.
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Covenant of UU Pagans
We welcome all to our Lughnasadh ritual on Saturday, August 5th. We'll gather at 6:30p either at the amphitheater or lanai depending on weather. We celebrate the first harvest. Bring a dish to share for our community feast after.
August 6th is the blessing of our animals in Hobart hall at 10:30a. This is a time to recognize our flying, running, slithering ones. Bring a picture of departed ones if you wish. This is a Sunday service.
Our August 20th meeting looks at
Inclusivity. How we can work together and be diverse. This starts at 12:00 after the Sunday service in Room 1. All are welcome. Lily Nieves and Gordon Wodsworth lead.
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A Poetry Duet
Please join us on Sunday, August 6th at 1:00p in Hobart Hall for a pleasant afternoon of poetry reading by UUCFM's resident poet, educator, facilitator, and sage, Donald Ehat, Ed.D. Don will be joined by fellow poet, world traveler, and friend, Don Kahrmann.
Both poets will have signed copies of their works available, and both will share their life experiences and invite responses and questions from the audience. All welcome to attend!
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UUCFM MOVE Group
Be the Light will be presenting their Empowering YOUth human trafficking awareness program on August 9th at the 7:00p MOVE meeting in Room 4. MOVE (Making Our Voices Effective) is a social justice group for ages 10+. All youth ages 10+ are invited to join in this one night program to learn the how to best empower and protect themselves against human trafficking, a crime that has an average age of between 11 and 12 for those affected. For more information about
Be the Light, check out their website at
www.BetheLightOutreach.com
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The Women's Circle
The Women's Circle luncheons are taking a break in the Summer. But we don't want to lose touch with each other, so for those who are still around, we are meeting for lunch at restaurants in Lee County each month.
For August we will gather at The Shrimp Shack in Ft Myers on Metro just North of Daniels at noon, Monday, August 14th. For more information, contact Susan Forsyth
239-424-8442 or
[email protected].
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UU Dance
Calling everyone interested in joining in a UU Dance experience! UU Dance is about joy, celebration and expression through movement. Come and have fun with us. Debra Leigh leads us through an enjoyable creative movement activity and a few short and simple movement sequences. You do not need to be athletic and the movement is not technically challenging.
We'll meet Wednesday, August 16, at 6:45p in the Narthex (lobby of sanctuary). Students ages 11+ may participate with parental permission slip.
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New UU Book Study
The next UU book group will reconvene Wednesday, August 9th at 1:00p in the Library. The book is Joseph Campbell's
The Power of Myth. Come having read the Introduction and Chapter One. Here is the remaining schedule: August 16, chapters 2,3; August 23, chapters 4,5; Aug. 30, chapters 6,7; September 6th, chapter 8 plus wrap-up and planning.
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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 4:00-5:30p. 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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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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The Rissho Kosei-kai Buddhist group meets Sundays at 1:45p in Room 1.
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Community Wednesday
Community Wednesday is held in Hobart Hall. 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.
Regular Activitie
s for July:
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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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 12:30p after service on Sundays 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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South Fort Myers Food Pantry
Many members of our congregation have gone north for the summer. We had some very generous food donations during April and early May as people cleaned out their cabinets before leaving. If we could just keep up with extra donations during the summer, it would be a big help. Summer is a busier time at the pantry as our recipients lose their seasonal jobs. The Harry Chapin Food Bank selection is often limited during July, August and September, so donations of protein items such as canned tuna, chicken, and ham are very important. Peanut butter is also a good choice. The pantry depends on donations from year round residents at this time of year. So my UU friends, try to donate a little extra while our seasonal members are away. Our neighbors in need are here year round and most appreciate whatever we can share with them. If you have questions or are interested in volunteering, email Fran Rose at [email protected]. Put "Food Pantry" on the subject line of your email.
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Poverty Experiment Volunteers Wanted
Hi! It's Maggie Stevens, formerly of Womynfolke. I am running a poverty simulation for staff of two elementary schools. This simulation puts teachers in the roles of families living in poverty and having to navigate through all the agencies, obstacles and daily challenges that families in poverty experience. It is very powerful! I need about 20 volunteers to act in the roles of the agency staff. There is a short training but it is eye opening for them as well to watch as the staff try and make their way. Do you know of anyone who might be willing to participate and volunteer for us? It will take place on Aug 1st 8 to 3:30 at James Stephens International Academy in Fort Myers. Please let me know.
Thank you,
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New UUCFM Website Goes Live
After literally years of planning and hard work, mostly through the special website skills of church-member Lesley Peterson (and technical support from her husband Walter) and collaboration with Joe Sexton, past VP of Ministerial Services, this week the Church raises the curtain on its new website, the window through which others see what we stand for and how they might join us. You are invited to share in our excitement by enjoying all the new material and pictures at
www.UUCFM.org.
Because this was a complete re-make of our website, connecting to the previous member database was required. You will need to re-register with the website using your current username and password. Please make sure that you enter your email address as your username. If your email address has changed recently, use your old email address and then change it after you have completed the registration process; you can edit it in the Member Services section. If there's any issue with getting registered with an old email address, you may contact Lesley Peterson at
[email protected] to help you get registered.
A HUGE Thank You! to Lesley, Walter and Joe and all who helped launch our new website. This is truly a landmark effort for our growing congregation.
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2018 Women's Retreat
It's time to start planning to attend the 2018 Florida UU Women's Retreat. Flyers will be available in the Narthex. This year, we are again sending this information to all the Florida UU congregations at the same time that this mailing is going out to you allowing more UU women to learn about the retreat.
DaySpring has raised the room rates for 2018, but we are not changing the rates for attendance at the Retreat. We are also again offering a $5 discount to all those who register before
September 15, 2017.
So, secure your place for the April gala and remind others that there's a special deal for signing up early. It's going to be another grand weekend.
We are looking for volunteers to participate in the program planning. If you are interested and we hope you are, please contact us. Program planning can take place from anywhere in the state, so don't be reluctant to sign up to help.
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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 each Wednesday for publication in the Thursday E-news.
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Join Coalition of Immokalee Workers as They End the Fast
Throughout July, clergy, faith leaders, and communities from around Florida — the state with the most Wendy's restaurants in the United States — are embarking upon on a month-long rolling Interfaith Fast for Farmworker Justice to heighten the call to Wendy’s to respect farmworker human rights by joining the Coalition of Immokalee Workers’ Fair Food Program. The Florida interfaith fast follows the monumental month of rolling fasts by hundreds of students at over a dozen universities across the country in April and lifts up the moral call condemning Wendy’s refusal to acknowledge the widespread human rights abuses in the Mexican industry from which they purchase tomatoes.
Here in Southwest Florida on Sunday, July 30, participating clergy and congregations will come together – in ritual and in action – to reflect upon this month-long effort and strengthen our commitment to support farmworkers in their struggle to build an agricultural industry that respects their fundamental rights and dignity.
On July 30, join the CIW and interfaith allies to prayerfully enjoin Wendy’s to stand with farmworkers in bringing about justice in the fields!
Interfaith Service for Farmworker Justice
Sunday, July 30 at 3:00pm
Naples UCC (5200 Crayton Rd, Naples, FL 34103)
Facebook Event
Public Witness at Wendy's
Sunday, July 30 at 5:00pm
Wendy's (4114 Tamiami Trail N, Naples, FL 34103)
Facebook Event
(Please do not park in the Wendy’s parking lot)
The month of action will conclude with a celebratory dinner at the CIW’s community center in Immokalee in early August. Stay tuned for more details!
To support the faith leaders currently fasting for farmworker justice, sign and share the petition! And if you’d like to participate in the July fast, email [email protected] to sign up.
Finally, to fuel the Fair Food Nation’s ongoing efforts to bring Wendy’s into the Fair Food Program, donate to the Wendy’s Boycott Fund today!
See you on the 30th,
The Immokalee Crew
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July 28 Deborah Lewis
July 30 Don Klein
July 31 Kevin Carr
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Newsletter Editor: Jill Carville
(239) 561-2700
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