Weekly E-News February 8, 2018
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Sunday Services in February 10:30 am
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Prayer/Spiritual Practice
Spiritual practice is a way to deepen the inner life while making love real in the world. This month offers different approaches to cultivating the inner landscape (or weedy lawn/overgrown garden/ happy wilderness!).
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Community Sharing Partner
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ACT
Abuse Counseling and Treatment, Inc
. has been serving victims of domestic violence and their children, and survivors of sexual assault and human trafficking, for more than 38 years. They have three emergency shelters, a 24-hour hotline, individual and group counseling and more. ACT's mission is to protect, support and educate victims of domestic violence and their children and survivors of sexual assault and human trafficking in Lee, Hendry and Glades Counties.
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The Humanist Forum regularly meets every Sunday at 9:15 am in Hobart Hall. All are welcome to attend
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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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Music News
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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From the Board
Nominations for Board of Trustees
The Nominating Committee is beginning the task of considering candidates for the Board of Trustees to present to the membership at our March Annual Meeting. This year, nearly all of the Board positions
are to be filled as existing Board members’ terms are expiring.
President: Matt Hoffman (present President-Elect) will take the President’s Office, as stipulated
by the ByLaws.
President-Elect: (open) “shall act for the President in his or her absence and shall perform such
duties as may be designated by the President.” Serves as member of the Personnel Committee.
Desirable skills: previous Board experience, work with volunteers, leadership experience, and
rules for presiding at meetings.
Vice President-Finance: (open) “shall serve as the Executive Chair of the Finance Council.”
Oversees the annual budget process, provides a monthly report to the Board re church incomes
and expenses, and collaborates with the Treasurer in managing financial activities. Desirable
skills: accounting, communicating, financial experience.
Vice President-Ministerial Services: (open) “shall serve as the Executive Chair of the Ministerial
Council.” Serves as liaison between the Board and the Chairs of all church ministerial services
committees, collaborates with the VP of Programs on Ministerial and Program activities, and
greets visitors at the Welcome Table and during coffee hour. Desirable skills: team
management, scheduling, communicating, personnel management, and group dynamics.
Vice President-Operations: (open) “shall serve as the Executive Chair of the Operations Council.”
Provides leadership and support to buildings & grounds, décor & flowers, hurricane
preparedness, kitchen, library and Eco-Preserve committees. Advises the Office Administrator
in matters pertaining to the Operations Council budget and church facilities rentals. Desirable
skills: facility management, budgeting, leadership experience.
Vice President-Programs: (open) “shall serve as the Executive Chair of the Programs Council.” Is
liaison between Board and Chairs of church program committees, is responsible for all church
dinners, holiday events and annual dinner, collaborates with VP of Ministerial Services on
Ministerial and Program activities, and works closely with church members who plan special
church activities such as movie nights and parties. Desirable skills: team management,
scheduling, and communicating.
Secretary of the Board: (open) is responsible for documenting Board proceedings, annual
meetings and special meetings of the congregation. Desirable skills: written and verbal
communications, computer-based applications.
Treasurer: (open) monitors church’s financial institutions accounts, oversees dispersing and
collecting of money, has custody of all church funds and financial records, serves as Vice-Chair of
the Finance Council, and reports the state of finances to the Board and the congregation.
Desirable skills: accounting, communicating, financial experience.
Member-at- Large: (open) serves as liaison to Membership. Coordinates volunteer recognition,
assists other officers as needed.
Note that the Vice President positions have a two-year term. Please give some thought to how you might best serve the congregation as a Board member and let Russ Rosenthal, Nominating Committee Chair, know of your interests. His email is
[email protected]
. For further information about any of the Board positions, please contact any of the existing Board
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Proposed List of Community Sharing Recipients for 2018-2019
Recommended by the Social Justice Committee to the congregation & the Board.
The Community Sharing Committee:
Helen Dixon, Cathy Snow, Alison Carville
April 2018 Minister’s Discretionary Fund
May 2018 Planned Parenthood
June 2018 SalusCare
July 2018 Pachamama Alliance, Inc.
August 2018 Literacy Council Gulf Coast
September 2018 LIFE (Lee Interfaith for Empowerment)
October 2018 Visuality, Inc
November 2018 Alliance for Fair Food
December 2018 The Quality Life Center
January 2019 GRACE Project – GT Rural Adult & Children’s Education
February 2019 ACT (Abuse Counseling and Treatment Center)
March 2019 South Fort Myers Food Coalition, Inc
These 3 will be rotated into the list in following years:
Lee County Homeless Coalition
Our Mothers’ Home
Early Learning Coalition
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Cell Tower Lease Purchase
Last summer I reported on an effort that the Board was pursuing regarding the sale of our cell tower lease to a third party. This is an update on the proceedings since then.
We were fortunate to have several members who offered their guidance in pursuing the sale of our cell tower lease. Based on their recommendations, the Board engaged the local legal counsel of Freidin & Inglis, P.A., to advise the church in this transaction.
Over the last 6 months we solicited additional bids for the sale. We ended-up with 3 companies bidding for the cell tower lease. This month we signed an agreement for the sale of the cell tower lease for an amount of $301,000. Closing of the transaction will likely happen around mid-April, at which time the church will receive the funds from the sale.
The Board is instituting procedures to restrict the use of these funds to only capital reserve applications— the replacement of existing fixed assets. About $100,000 will go immediately to pay for the new air conditioning equipment for the Sanctuary. (An additional $80,000 is coming from our existing reserves.)
Future uses would be air conditioning equipment for other buildings, gutter and facia replacement for the courtyard walkway, building painting, floor coverings for Hobart, kitchen and Narthex, and similar projects.
Although the proceeds form this sale come at an opportune time for us to pay for the large capital expenditure for the Sanctuary air conditioners (without a major capital campaign), we will continually be faced with the difficult task of reserving additional funds each year so that future congregations will have the reserves to apply to capital improvements several years out. From our analysis, we need to be able to reserve about $75,000 each year. Our current budget is not likely to be able to accommodate that level of reserves. We will need to work toward that goal over the next few years through increased membership and other creative efforts.
I personally want to thank the current and past Boards for their vision and diligence in dealing with one of our largest long-term financial problems of reserving for capital improvements. Each Sunday many of us walk onto our beautiful campus with a great deal of pride and enjoyment. Maintaining these church grounds is a critical ongoing effort for UUCFM to be able to carry-out its Mission. Through the loving generosity of all of our members, the hard work of many volunteers and the commitment of church
leadership to find creative ways and means to meet the demands of our operations, our congregation can be all that we can be.
Bill Petrarca
VP, Operations
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Pachamama-Project Drawdown
Join the Pachamama Alliance of SW Florida for four consecutive Saturday mornings of in depth conversation about Project Drawdown, the most comprehensive plan ever proposed to reverse global warming.
This pilot course is a study group that will take place
Saturday mornings from 9:30am-12:00pm.
Feb. 10, Feb. 17, Feb. 24, and Mar. 3
at the Unitarian Universalist Church of Ft. Myers
Because this interactive four-session pilot course is research-oriented, your insight and passion are greatly needed. And because the solutions to issues related to climate change are in place, we will not be inventing what must be done; rather, we will be working to accelerate the knowledge and growth of solutions that are already possible!
By the end of the fourth session, you’ll select one or two solutions that you are drawn to, then begin to engage with others in your community to research how to create and implement a project that moves the solution forward at a local, national and/or policy level.
Individuals and groups working on solutions in different places around the world will be able to build on one another’s work by sharing results, solution by solution, through Pachamama Alliance’s online Global Commons Community Network.
Participating in this pilot program will definitely motivate you to be fully engaged by collaborating with others in cutting edge work to help reverse global warming!
Watch this video to find out more about what we can do together!
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Photo Directory
Don't miss your chance to be pictured in the new UUCFM Photo Directory!
We have photos of two thirds of our members but we are missing over 50 member photos. Those of you whose photos are missing were contacted by email and given a date to have your photo taken after church. If you missed the photo session you were assigned to, you are welcome to join the final photo taking session on February 11th after church in back of Hobart Hall (in case of inclement weather, photos will be taken on the screened porch). This will be your last chance to have your photo taken for the new UUCFM Photo Directory
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Denis Jensen
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Service Auction February 17th!
The Adventures in Wonderland service auction is right around the corner, Saturday, February 17th at 5:00 pm.. Donations can be made online at
togetherauction.com/uucfm
or via our paper form available in the Narthex and church office. Do you have a interesting hobby you would love to share? Donate a hour or two of your time to lead a class.
Tickets for the auction this year are $25 and will include complimentary drink tickets as well as themed catering provided by our own Joy Purcell. Contacts us at
[email protected]
or buy your tickets before or after service on Sundays.
Let’s have an adventure. -Stephanie and Matt Hoffman, auction co-chairs
[email protected]
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Catching the Sun- Solar Energy for Southwest Florida
March 1st, 2018
10:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
Location: Unitarian Universalist Church of Fort Myers
FILM – DISCUSSION – LUNCH
Following a screening of the film
Catching the Sun
, Clifford Mitchem, Calusa Sierra Club Executive Board member and Independent Energy Adviser for CREW, will lead a discussion on how to accelerate the growth of solar energy use in Southwest Florida and answer questions regarding what is involved in going solar.A light Lunch will be provided. Suggested donation $5.00
Event Sponsors:
All Faiths Unitarian Congregation - Climate Action Team
Calusa Sierra Club
Calusa Nature Center
Pachamama Alliance of SW Florida
Unitarian Universalist Church of Fort Myers - Social Justice Committee
League of Women Voters of Lee County
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Save the Date; Come into the Calm...
Monday, March 5th
, 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Meditation Gathering with Bhante Jayasara, a Buddhist monk from Bhavana Society, hosted by our Mindfulness group.
Free
(donation-based) and no experience is needed. We’ll have silent sitting, a Dhamma talk, and personal time for stretching/ mindful walking indoors or out. Bhante is also leading 2 other local events while in town:
Saturday, March 3,
RETREAT: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Come for all or part of the day; vegetarian lunch provided. At Unitarian Church in Naples,
6340 Napa Woods Way
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Ready to Become a Member of UUCFM?
If this is your community and if you feel at home here, join us! A new member ceremony is scheduled for Sunday, March 11th. We ask for your participation in our Pathways Class prior to signing the
Membership Book. The next Pathways Class meets Sunday, February 11th at noon in the Library/Conference Room. For further information contact Christine Rosa,
239-245-8147
,
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Women's Circle and Potluck
The next Women's Circle potluck meeting is Monday, February 12th. Lunch will be served at Noon, with the meeting following at 1:00 pm. We will be celebrating Valentine's Day by sharing stories about how we celebrate. Is it a ritual like dinner and a movie, watching videos, or something more formal? I have heard that this lovely holiday is really about consumerism and making money. What do you think? Is there a history behind it? Let's have a fun discussion about this event while listening to some old fashion music! May we be filled with love and peace, Rose Klein
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Connection Circle Starts February 11th
Come one, come all to the next Connection Circle beginning Sunday, February 11th! Visitors, new and long-time members are welcome. In each of six sessions we'll discuss meaningful, spiritual topics through the sharing of stories and experiences from our lives. Participation in a Connection Circle is a great way for new and old members to get to know each other on a deep level and to feel more connected to our church community. This facilitated 6-session group will meet from 12:15 to 1:45 pm twice a month on the following Sundays: February 11th and 25th; March 11th and 25th; and April 8th and 22nd. To facilitate bonding, participants are expected to attend all 6 sessions. For more information and to
register,
please contact Nancy Letts at
[email protected]
or call at
401-741-2712
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Our North American UU Roots
Three Sunday afternoons February 18th, February 25th and March 4th with Reverend Margaret L. Beard
Join us as we explore some of our North American UU 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 1:30 pm in the Narthex (the space before you enter the Sanctuary) Adults as well as youth age 10 and older are welcome to attend. If you need childcare for this class please let Rev. Beard know the name and age of the child. Please bring your lunch or a snack. We will eat while we watch a DVD and then have discussion.
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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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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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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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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. 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 February:
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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eBingo!
Get your eBingo cards this Sunday! Cards are $10 each and available from Bill Petrarca in the Narthex. or Hobart Hall.
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South Fort Myers Food Pantry
To all our SFMFP supporters: I have not been very good at keeping you up to date with news from the Pantry. You all deserve a big thank-you for the generous donations of food over the summer months and around the holidays. There is an increased need around these times. I estimate that in November & December we have averaged donations that amount from fifty to eighty dollars a week. Great job, Pantry supporters! I will post the fourth quarter newsletter this Sunday. That has the total number of people we fed for the fourth quarter as well as for all of 2017. Save the date; March 10,2018. Food Pantry Annual meeting at 11:30, followed by volunteer luncheon. All volunteers, past & present, are welcome. Any questions about the pantry, email
[email protected]
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LIFE News
The Children and Families Committee of the Interfaith Justice Ministry (LIFE) will be tackling the frightening issue of children who are not able to get basic medical care in our community.
We have heard from parents involved in LIFE that their children have gone without needed medications for asthma because the cost was too high, parents who have waited for over a month to get their child in to see a primary care physician because wait times are too long, and parents who have had to drive close to an hour to get their child to an Emergency Room supported by their insurance.
So, in 2018 we take on the unique challenges of childhood access to healthcare. Mark your calendar for the Rally when we'll announce a solution
(Monday, February 26th 7:00 PM at Iona Hope)
and the Nehemiah Action where we'll have our public officials commit to that solution
(Tuesday, March 20th at St. Collumbkille)
and the Celebration where we'll lift up our victories
(Tuesday, May 1st St. Collumbkille).
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Rummage Sale Results!
We couldn't have done it without your help. Approximately $1830 was raised and a good time was had by all. ~Deb Lewis
Thank you to our crew:
Rose and Don Klein
Fran Rose
Mary Alice Pierce
Margie Kolde
Dorothy Van Howe
Mary and Bob Nies
Suzanne Ziemer
Bruce Marble
Jen Smith
Bill Petrarca
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Help Watering Plants
I'm looking for someone to help me with the care and watering of the plants in the Sanctuary, as there may be times when I am away and need assistance. Thank you,
Kimberly Littleton, Decor Committee
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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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Do you have something to offer, trade, or sell? Are you looking for something? Free ad space here for personal items only. Email
[email protected]
MFR #LCY-112X5. For
Canon EF-Mount Lens/Full-Frame Format. Contact: Joy F. Sokeitous --
[email protected]
.
Hello,
I'm a life long UUer, currently a member of First Church I'm Cincinnati. My family and I are considering a relocation from Cincinnati to Ft. Myers for work. Honestly, I'm uneasy about making such a big leap, and I'm hoping to establish a few connections to ease the transition. I was hoping that I could be connected with a few people who would be willing to talk to me about life in Fort Myers, the school districts, what neighborhoods to look at, how to avoid being eaten by unnecessarily large reptiles, etc...Also, If any of your congregants is a realtor, I'd be super excited to connect with them. We'll need to buy a modest house. Finally, the role I'm evaluating is with Gartner Research, so if anyone is/was employed by Gartner, that would be another connection! I can't wait to visit your church when we make our first trip down there! Thanks so much,
Jamie
Condo Sharing:
2 bed, 2 bath, no pets, no smoking. $600.00 a month.
[email protected]
. South Ft. Myers. Linda Johnson
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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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Lee OFA Indivisible Invites You
There will be panel discussions on the following dates:
FEBRUARY 8th- "TAX POLICY or TAX HEIST - HOW IT IMPACTS YOU"
MARCH 8th - "IMMIGRATION REFORM and HELPING the DREAMERS"
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.
The February 8th meeting will have
three participants who will speak about the impact on three different areas of importance. Betsy Vaughn is a career educator, community volunteer and candidate for lee County School Board. She will address the impact of the new Tax law on Public Education
The second member is Cyndy Nayer. She has dedicated her life's work to improving and delivering quality Health Care to the American population. She is a co-founder of Center for Health Value Innovation and serves as Member of International Advisory Board of U.S. Preventive Medicine, Inc.Under her direction, the Center has grown into the nation's premierur organization dedicated to sharing the evidence of improved health and economic outcomes through value-based designs. She is widely recognized as a formidable Health Care expert and advocate for improving health care management with a value based insurance design. She will speak to the impact of the new tax law on our Health Care.
And finally, Steve Greenstein is he executive Vice President of the Sanibel Captiva Trust Company. he is a lawyer as well as a Certified Trust and Financial Advisor. Steve also plays an important role in his community and he has been recognized with lifetime achievement awards from Sanibel and Lee County organizations for his contributions to the community. He will be talking about some of the new tax law provisions on pass-through business income, as well as other inequities in the new tax bill which operate to the benefit of wealthier Americans and to the detriment of low and middle income families and the working-class poor.
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Order a Singing Valentine
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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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Vietnamese New Year-All Invited
St. John's Catholic Church sponsors a Vietnamese New Year Celebration here at UUCFM. Details below.
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Shalom Life Center Good Vibrations Concert
The Shalom Life Center, which meets at UUCFM, is performing a concert on February 24th in the Sanctuary at 7:30 pm. The concert will feature the music of The Beach Boys and The Bee Gees. Tickets are $22. If you mention UUCFM when you call for reservations at
239.218.3433
, a portion of your ticket will be shared by UUCFM. Ticket price includes a dessert reception after the show.
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February 9 Bill Klein
February 9 Katie Ireland is 11!
February 9 Don Maron
February 12 Jan Beemer
February 16 Carolyn Maron
February 17 Angela Melton
February 17 Tom Sizemore
February 20 Annie Scott
February 24 Mary Alice Pierce
February 26 Don Ehat
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Newsletter Editor: Jill Carville
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