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May 2017 Volume 34 Issue 5
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Flower Communion this Sunday!
As we have experienced the White Supremacy Teach-In last Sunday, I am reminded that we are in a process- a journey towards healing and wholeness through naming, conversation and hard work around problems of white supremacy and being inclusive as a congregation. Every Sunday we can touch on this healing journey! This Sunday is Flower Communion Sunday, a tradition many Unitarian Universalist congregations enjoy around the end of the school year. It is a ceremony that celebrates the worth and dignity of every person as well as the understanding that each person is beautiful. As written on the Unitarian Universalist Association's website: "Flower Communion was originally created in 1923 by Unitarian minister Norbert Capek of Prague, Czechoslovakia. The Flower Ceremony was introduced to the United States by Rev. Maya Capek, Norbert's widow. In this ceremony, everyone in the congregation brings a flower. Each person places a flower on the altar or in a shared vase. The congregation and minister bless the flowers, and they're redistributed. Each person brings home a different flower than the one they brought." As such, the Flower ritual is also a celebration of the blessings of community. Just as we must name and work on challenges like white supremacy, we must name and celebrate the beauty of our humanity and our potential to bring that beauty to others in community! So bring a flower from home or roadside to offer this Sunday as a symbol of the beauty you bring and the beauty you might receive in community.
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Worship in May: Transcendence
After the list of our 7 principles, we list 6 sources,the first of which is the:” Direct experience of that transcending mystery and wonder, affirmed in all cultures, which moves us to a renewal of the spirit and an openness to the forces that create and uphold life.” This month we focus on transcendence as a movement of the human spirit, and an openness to transcend parts of our social and human constructs that harm forces that create and uphold life.
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Humanist Forum
The Humanist Forum regularly meets every Sunday at 9:15a in Hobart Hall. The Humanist Forum this week looks at the plight of refugees and victims of war in two moving and informative TED talks. All are welcome!
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Community Sharing in May
Planned Parenthood was founded in 1916, on the revolutionary idea that women should have the information and care they need to live strong, healthy lives and fulfill their dreams. Today, Planned Parenthood is a trusted health care provider, an informed educator, a passionate advocate, and a global partner helping similar organizations around the world. Planned Parenthood delivers vital reproductive health care, sex education, and information to millions of women, men, and young people worldwide.
Locally, the SWFL Chapter of Lee & Collier County started a Professional Action Network, which is an activist community that supports Planned Parenthood and its mission. UUCFM member, Allie Carville, is the Community Outreach Liaison, which coordinates volunteer activities and connects the group to community involvement opportunities.
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Sunday Coffee Hour
This Sunday's Coffee Hour is provided by volunteers from the
Women's Circle.
Any donations of food, snacks or cash are welcome.
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Want to Light the Chalice?
Do you want to light the Chalice?
All I need is a bio.
Not needed to be very long,
Just a paragraph,
Or maybe even two.
Just send to me an email,
I'll send one back.
That's all you need to do.
Do you want to light the Chalice?
I'll help you light the Chalice.
Krista Hutson
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Emergency Preparedness
The Church needs one or two volunteers who could help develop our emergency preparedness plans. If you have any experience in this area and are willing to work with the Operations Council a few hours a week, please let VP-Operations know, [email protected] .
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Music Notes
Musical Calendar
May 7: Flower Communion. Lesley Peterson honors Beltane with
The Blooming of the Lady, and the Choir debuts an exciting new setting of
For the Beauty of the Earth.
May 14: Mother's Day. Peter Golbitz leads the Band in
Forever Young, and the Choir shares the beautifully mysterious
Lady of the Seasons' Laughter.
May 21: Deepening Community. The Choir pays homage to Sweet Honey in the Rock's
We Are the Ones, and the Band covers Diana Ross'
Reach Out and Touch (Somebody's Hand.)
May 28: Transcendentalism. Dr. Noel Engebretson, World Piano Competition Winner and Steinway Artist!
The UUCFM Choir rehearses most Wednesday nights from 6:45-8:15p, and on Suday 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 9-10a 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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Treasurer's Corner
Did you know that if you qualify you can get a bigger tax savings when paying your pledge? If you are over 70-1/2 years old, the IRS allows direct transfers from an IRA to a qualified charity. The withdrawal is not subject to any tax, ever, and counts towards your Required Minimum Distribution. Additionally, your taxable income is reduced by the full amount of your donation. This results in larger tax savings than itemized contributions. It can be easily set up with a phone call your broker or financial manager
and all you need is the mailing address for UUCFM for them to send a check to the church.
Community Sharing Kudos
We finished our fiscal year strong by collecting over $2,900 for the SFM Food Pantry, our largest monthly sharing collection
ever! Our total Community Sharing for FYE 3/31/17 was $24,102, a 13% increase over last fiscal year. We have increased our Community Sharing 412% since December of 2013 when we decided to donate all undesignated offerings and collected over $65,000.
FYE 2017 **EVERY YEAR PARTNERS**
ACT $ 1,255
Alliance for Fair Food $ 1,291
Grace Project $ 2,580
LIFE $ 2,087
Planned Parenthood of SW & Central FL $ 2,050
Quality Life Center $ 1,586
South Ft Myers Food Pantry Coalition Inc $ 3,317
Visuality $ 1,147
UUCFM Minister's Discretionary Fund $ 3,507
** ALTERNATING PARTNERS **
Early Learning Coalition of SW Florida $ 582
Lee County Homeless Coalition $ 852
Literacy Council Gulf Coast $ 582
Our Mothers Home of Southwest Florida Inc $ 1,255
PACE Center for Girls, Lee County $ 851
PAWS Animal Rescue $ 203
SalusCare $ 958
Total UUCFM Community Sharing $ 24,102
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From Membership
One of the things that makes our community so special is our connection to members and guests. It can be hard to reach out if you don't know where to start.
Following are two strategies you may wish to practice to help you connect:
1. Rule of three: during the first three minutes after service, speak to people you don't know well.
2. Circle of ten: say hello to people within ten feet of you before and after service.
Connecting is as easy as remembering and implementing the rule of 3 and the circle of 10. Good luck!
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CIW Protest
Join the
Coalition of Immokalee Workers and their Southwest Florida allies in Naples for a spirited and lively protest outside of the recently inaugurated
Publix on Immokalee Road, right in the CIW's backyard. Let us call on the Florida-based grocer to finally make a true commitment to supporting human rights for the farmworkers that make their profits possible, by joining the Fair Food Program!
WHEN: Sunday, May 7 at 2:00 PM
WHERE: Publix at Orangetree
13550 Immokalee Road, Naples, FL 34120
Will you join the fight for Fair Food?
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Spring Fling Festival 2017
A Family Day of Fun and Learning About Our SW Florida Environment
Saturday, May 13th
Bring your family to celebrate our Annual Butterfly Release at the Holton Eco-Preserve. Come and share in learning about all plants bright and beautiful in our SW Florida environment. Good fun. Good food. Good exhibitors. Good day with the family. Good day for the environment. Our Annual Spring Fling Festival will be on Saturday, May 13th this year from 9:00a to 1:00p. The festival includes guest speakers, children’s activities, exciting vendors, delicious food with demonstrations, and our 2nd Annual Butterfly Release! Volunteers needed; contact VP of Operations, [email protected] .
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New Connection Circle
A new connection Circle will be held on six consecutive Sundays- from May 14 through June 18. There are six places still open in the circle. If you would like to participate please call or send a text message to Patricia Vivier-Naidl at 239-826-8701 and leave your name and telephone number so I can get back to you. Namaste!
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Citizen's Climate Lobby
SWFL Citizen's Climate Lobby first meeting is
Saturday, May 6th at 10:00 am.
Members of our UU Social Justice have joined with All Faiths Climate Action Group. We will be part of this together! We will meet at
Lamb of God Church (19691 Cypress View Drive, Fort Myers, FL 33967)in the
Arbor conference room. A current introduction to CCL will be presented and we will spend time getting to know each other and identifying how we can best support CCL. If time permits we will share one – three “laser blasts”. We will finish our meeting no later than
noon. I look forward to seeing each of you there. Others are welcome to join, so please share the invitation. Feel free to call or text Connie at
239-340-1668 if you have questions.
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Florida’s Broken Criminal Justice System:
Let’s Fix It!
THURSDAY, MAY 18 at 7:00p at UUCFM
America’s criminal justice system is broken. With only five percent of the world’s population but 25% of its prisoners, we are at a crisis point. Join the ACLU of Florida’s Collier County Chapter for a panel discussion on Florida’s criminal justice system.
For the last four decades, this country has relentlessly expanded the size of our criminal justice system, needlessly throwing away too many lives, tearing families apart, failing to make communities safer, and wasting over trillions of taxpayer dollars a year.
Currently, Florida has over 100,000 inmates in state prisons, and approximately 82,000 of them are non-violent offenders. Guest speakers will address criminal justice reform on a local, state, and national level and its impact on public safety, recidivism for offenders, ending the war on drugs, and other solutions to a system that is unproductive, wasteful, and dominated by racial disparities.
PANELISTS INCLUDE:
Deborrah Brodsky, Director, Project on Accountable Justice, Florida State University, Donald Day, J.D., Criminal Defense Attorney Ft. Myers and Naples, FL, Raymer Maguire, Florida Campaign for Criminal Justice Reform Manager, ACLU of Florida
The conversation will be moderated by Casey Wolff, Legal Panel Chair of the Collier County Chapter
The event is co-sponsored by the ACLU of Florida Collier County Chapter and the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Fort Myers, FL
This event is free and open to the public.
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CONTEST TO WIN THE BEST DRESSED HORSE AT THE
BOOTS & BLING FUNDRAISER
UUCFM has sponsored a horse to enter in the BOOTS & BLING Horse Races. Will you or your team be the one to decorate our horse and win best dressed? Call Rose Klein at 810-358-8312 for details!
BOOTS & BLING is a Fundraiser To Benefit Healthy Start Babies of Southwest Florida. It
will be held on Saturday, May 6, 2017 from 5:30 pm. to 8:30 pm at the Florida Southwest State
College, 8099 College Parkway in Fort Myers. (FSW Parkway & Buccaneer Blvd. Bldg U; Lot 6).
The event will feature Horse Races, 50/50 Raffle, Bingo, Best-Dressed Horse, Silent Auction, Music, Dancing, Barbecue Dinner and complimentary Beer & Wine. Tickets are $40 and can be reserved at
www.HealthyStartBaby.Org
Healthy Start of Southwest Florida is a not-for-profit 501(c)(3) organization serving Collier, Glades, Hendry and Lee Counties since 1992. Their mission is to reduce infant deaths and increase healthy births. Last year, services were provided to approximately 14,000 pregnant women and infants here in Southwest Florida. Healthy Start of Southwest Florida works in partnership with United Way and Florida Health.
Healthy Start of Southwest Florida is located on Jefferson Avenue, Fort Myers. Their number is 239-425-6920.
IF YOU GO:
What: Boots & Bling Annual Fundraiser
Who: Healthy Start Babies of SWFL
When: May 6 from 5:30 to 8:30p $40/includes all events
Where: Florida Southwest State College, 8099 College Prkwy, BldgU: Lot 6
Why: To benefit the Healthy Start Babies of SWFL
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Katie Romano Griffin Ordination
You are cordially invited to attend the ordination of Katie Romano Griffin on Sunday, June 4th . Follow this link to the invitation and details about the event :
http://event.pingg.com/OrdinationOfKRG .
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Wizard Camp
Future wizards and soothsayers can partake in a Sorting Hat Ceremony, become Quiddich players, make cloaks and wands, send out Wishes for the World, take classes on Incantations, Defense Against the Dark Arts, Muggle Studies, and more! Alchemy, potions, and divination await them at the School of Wizardry Summer Camp, June 12 through June 16th from 9:00-4:00p (with optional before and after care). Prices range from $175-200. Also, there will be a feast on Friday at 6:00p as a culmination of our week of wizardry!
To register and to got more info:
http://uucfmwizardcamp.webs.com/
Be sure to register soon! Once a certain number of campers is reached, registration will be closed. Feel free to contact us with any questions you might have!
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Women's Circle
It's T-shirt Day for the potluck on Monday, May 8, at 11:30a in Hobart Hall. Wear your favorite T-shirt--one that depicts a special place you will travel to or have visited or a special event (like Race for the Cure). We'll all welcome the story that accompanies it. Be sure to attend and join in the fun. Peg Fischer will moderate. We had a great time at the last meeting when Rose and Don Klein provided fiesta décor, and Rose, with Don as deejay, taught us steps to the Cumbia and Macarena. Note: this may be our final formal meeting in Hobart until we resume again in September. However, if you wish to meet for lunch at a restaurant on the second Monday of any summer month, contact Susan Forsyth at
239.424-8442. Ladies, please note that the Women's Circle is open to all women at the church. Please contact Linda Jensen at
[email protected] for more information and to be added to the email list. In addition we are looking for suggestions for the group--alternative workable dates, places, time? and program ideas, plus any other suggestions. These can be sent to Linda Jensen as well.
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Rissho Kosei-kai Buddhist Group
The Rissho Kosei-kai Buddhist Group meets every Sunday in Room 1 from 1:45-3:45p. All are welcome to attend! Join Mary Tracy Sigman and others for this well loved and well attended group.
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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 4:00-5:30p. 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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New Book Study with Rev. Allison
Join us for the next round of Book Study focusing on
The Pagan Christ: Recovering the Lost Light. From the author's website: This is "Harpur's most radical and groundbreaking work to date, in which he digs deep into the origins of Christianity and how the early Christian church covered up all attempts to reveal the Bible as myth. What began as a universal belief system has become a ritualistic institution headed by ultraconservative literalists. As he reconsiders a lifetime of worship and study, Harpur reveals a cosmic faith built on these truths that the modern church has renounced. His message is clear: our blind faith in literalism is killing Christianity. Only with a return to an inclusive religion where Christ lives within each of us will we gain a true understanding of who we are and who we are intended to become."
Book study will meet four sessions in the Library/ Conference Room with the following schedule:
May 17 Chapters 1-3;
May 24 Chapters 4-6;
May 31 Chapters 7-9 and
June 7th Chapter 10 and vote on next book selection
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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 May:
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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Archery
The UUCFM Archery Club meets after church at noon in the back lot near the gardens. We are a new club and we are still gathering equipment and resources. Make sure you check out our Facebook group "UUCFM Archery."
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Yoga
Yoga is finished for the season! Join us next fall!
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Gaming
The UUCFM Game Group is the club for you. We do our best to meet in Room 7 on Sundays after church from 1:00-4:00p. 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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L.A.R.P.
Looking to LARP? Wondering what LARP is? UUCFM is home to the "Little LARP" group - a Live Action Role Play (LARP) group that games with a system that focuses on character development and plot instead of combat. We always welcome new players! Please email Jenn Blosser at
[email protected] for more information.
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South Fort Myers Food Pantry
The Community Sharing Month for the pantry proved to be very successful. The donation from UUCFM is greatly appreciated and will be put to good use to help feed our neighbors in need who can not afford to buy food for their families every week. In addition I have estimated the cash value of the food that we donate every week and am happy to say that it is around three thousand dollars for the year. This is remarkable and is truly a group effort. Kudos to those of you who remember to drop something off in the donation baskets as often as possible. Baskets can be found in the Narthex and Hobart Hall by the water coolers. Want to know more about the pantry? Stop by the Social Justice table in Hobart Hall after church and pick up a flyer or email Fran Rose at [email protected]. Be sure to put Food Pantry in the memo line of your email.
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Your Calls Needed! LIFE and Statewide Juvenile Civil Citation Bill
Last week the third and final House committee passed an amended HB205. It was amended to provide law enforcement officers the discretion to offer civil citations for adult misdemeanor offenses. While we support that, we are unsure what impact that will have on what the final bill will look like that is passed by the House and how it will impact the effort to find common wording for a bill to pass both chambers. We were disappointed that HB205 never got the original wording mandating civil citations restored to the bill.
So, as best as anyone can explain, here's where we are: The Senate bill with our wording for mandatory civil citations passed all three Senate committees with very strong support. Sen. Flores is still confident that the House language will move to be closer to the Senate language.
Here's what we need you to do in the meantime...we need to have another strong phone blitz on our 4 House reps. Here is what you say:
My name is ___________________ and I live in Lee County. I am calling to express my support for the original version of HB 205 which more closely mirrored SB 196. Juvenile Civil Citations have been proven the more effective way to respond to children who commit first-time, non-violent misdemeanors. I support expansion of this worthwhile program. The current HB 205 is a poor substitute and our group has discovered that even after records are expunged they can still be seen by various entities and can still cause a major problem for children trying to enter the military. The session is quickly coming to an end and this is crucial. I am urging Representative Fitzenhagen, Rodrigues, Eagle, Caldwell to convince Representatives Ahern and Sprowls to add language back to HB 205 to ensure that children throughout our state receive equal access to the successful civil citation program or similar diversion programs. Thank you!
Here is a reminder of their phone #'s:
Rep. Matt Caldwell -
(850) 717-5079 (chief of staff - Charlotte Codie)
Rep. Heather Fitzenhagen
(850) 717-5078 (chief of staff - Eddie Metzger)
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Service Auction Thank You
In appreciation for all you did to make this auction such a success, please accept this tremendous Thank You! We made $14,258. Thank you for your donations of:
Artwork, Handmade Items, Baked Goods, Dinner parties, Lunches, Baskets, Food for the Buffet, Decorations, Vacations and jobs monitoring the bid sheets. A special thanks to our AUUctioneer, Jennifer Grant. Another special thanks to all of you who placed those winning bids. All who participated are:
Carol Barclay; Jan Beemer; Jenn, Lee and Jersey Blosser; Shirley Blumenfeld; Tony Borras and Toni Latino; Barbara & Richard Boynton; Phyllis Brewer; Ted and Audrey Brown; Judy and Don Burget; Alison, Jill and Mike Carville; Carla Clason; Teri & Mel Cooper; Andy Crossen and Allison Farnum; Julia Davis; Doug Deininger and Laura Snow; Virginia Duffy; Teresa Eland; Ellen & Andy Erickson; John Fischer; Mary Pat FitzGibbons & Paul Brown; Kathy Ford; Alice & Susan Forsyth; Donna Foy & Haris Blackwood; Randal Gann; Leslie & Doc Gatto; Elinor & Rick Gentilman; Mary & Peter Golbitz; Dolores Gozzi; Genelle Grant & Richard Shine; Nancy & Roy Green; Sean Griffin and Katie Romano Griffin; Arlene Gundlach; Cindy Gustafson; Mathew and Shellie Halstead; Anne & Harvey Heckes; Kathy Heckler; Joan Hickok; Stephanie & Matt Hoffman; Krista Hutson; Julie Ireland; Walt & Simone Ittenbach; Priscilla Jeffcoat; Linda & Denis Jensen; John & Janine Johns; Albie Johnson and Carole Latino; Linda Johnson; Ruth King-Fotovat; Rose & Don Klein; Keith Klinele; John Kron; Dan Laliberte and Steve Jorgensen; Judith Lancaster; Peg Lancioni; Bruce Leddy; Nancy & Jeff Letts; Deb Lewis; Dawn Lienhardt; Barbara Mannix; Bruce & Judie Marble; Debbie & Bill Marquardt; Barbara May & David McGrath; Bob McCarron; Angela Melton & Kimberly Littleton; Pam & Rod Miller; James Morgan; Mary Murray; Bob & Mary Nies; Lily Nieves & Peter; Tina Noel; Emily Palmer; Bill & Jane Petrarca; John Pittman & Margot White; Joy Purcell; Holley Rauen & Liz Taggart; Don Richards; Gary & Sima Robbins; Chris Rosa; Fran Rose; Russ & Annie Rosenthal; Glenn & Paloma Siebert; Mary Tracy Sigman; Tom Sizemore; Jen Smith; Cathy Snow; Judy & Keith Songer; Rachel Spiller; Sydney Stewart; Jack Ulman; Carol Ann Ungerleider; Dorothy Van Howe; Kim Watson; Carla Webb; Lucy Wistreich; Diane Buckley and Neil Yesu; Suzanne & Bill Ziemer.
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My UU Story
Benjamin Franklin: Was I a Unitarian?
Franklin's own words, in the last year of his life:
I believe in one God, creator of the Universe. That he governs it in his providence. That he ought to be worshipped. That the most acceptable service we can render to Him is doing good to his other Children. That the soul of Man is immortal, and will be treated with Justice in another Life respecting its conduct in this. These I take to be the fundamental Principles of all sound Religion, and I regard them as you do in whatever Sect I meet with them.
As to Jesus of Nazareth, I think the System of Morals and his Religion, as he left them to us, the best the World ever saw or is likely to see; but I apprehend that it has received various corrupting changes, and I have, with most of the present Dissenters in England, some Doubts as to his Divinity; tho' it is a question I do not dogmatize upon, having never studied it, and think it needless to busy myself with it now, when expect soon an Opportunity of knowing the Truth with less Trouble.
I shall only add, respecting myself, that, having experienced the Goodness of that Being in conducting me prosperously thro' a long life, I have no doubt of its Continuance in the next, though without the smallest Conceit of meriting such Goodness.
The American Unitarian Association and the British Unitarian Association were both founded well after Franklin's death, so membership in a congregation associated with either Association cannot be the measure of whether he "belongs" or not.
Instead, as with other pre-1820s figures, we have to look at his theology and at which congregations he attended regularly during his lifetime. Such congregations included those led by Joseph Priestley and by Theophilus Lindsey.
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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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Resist and Rejoice!
UUA General Assembly 2017
General Assembly Update: Greetings Southern Region UU Congregations. Check out the
uua.org/ga website for everything you need to know for GA 2017.
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May 1 Judith Lancaster
May 3 Hugh Barclay
May 3 Alayna Calkins is 12!
May 3 Matt Hoffman
May 6 Arlene Goldberg
May 7 Cecilia Bridge
May 8 Peg Clayton Fischer
May 9 Alison Carville
May 9 Helen Dixon
May 9 Walter Peterson
May 12 Fran Rose
May 14 Jim Stout
May 17 Priscilla Jeffcoat
May 17 Elaine Swank
May 21 Mary Golbitz
May 23 Cathy Snow
May 24 Nancy Beecher
May 24 Elise Sexton is 16!
May 29 Stephanie Moreland
May 30 Diane Buckley
May 31 Kelly Johnson
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Newsletter Editor: Jill Carville
(239) 561-2700
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