*~*~* UUC HAPPENINGS *~*~*
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Important Sunday Service Information
As we are adhering to guidelines of avoiding gatherings of 10 or more people (and proving how flexible we are!), we have decided to offer Sunday services via Zoom. We would love it if you would watch it. We appreciate everyone's support, kindness and patience, and invite you to sit back and enjoy the service from the comfort of your home.
The Zoom link is below, but it won't be active until just before the service on Sunday (July 5 @ 10:30 AM).
Meeting ID: 727 531 7704
You can also join from your landline or cell phone by calling
301 715 8592
and entering
727 531 7704
when prompted to enter the meeting ID.
Speakers:
Mike Kahn and Bill Norsworthy
Message
:
"
A Celebration of Liberty and Acceptance of Authority"
Bill Norsworthy and Mike Kahn will offer reflections on the themes of this weekend’s Independence Day Holiday. UUs have always had a struggle in balancing our desire for freedom and our need for order. They will explore the reasons why this same struggle exists for all Americans and for all human beings. We may not be as unique as you might think.
Worship Associate
: Sue Boone
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Message from Susan Gore, Board President
"When you reach a fork in the road, take it" – Yogi Berra
July 4 will be different this year, just as pretty much everything has been since mid-March. My calendar went from driving between appointments, painting houses and a March 18 board meeting to zoom, zoom, zoom, zoom, zoom. Early on, it felt like a Miata ad (zoom, zoom). Now, I’m more aware of the face of my mother looking back at me on a computer screen as I shelter-in-place.
It’s not like there is only one version of Independence Day. Our friends to the north call it Canada Day and celebrate on July 1. Juneteenth, June 19, marks the date slaves in Texas learned of emancipation – two years after Lee surrendered to Grant at Appomattox. Not everyone eats fried chicken, potato salad and watermelon while sitting on a red-checked picnic blanket, watching the “rockets’ red glare” of fireworks bursting overhead.
For many UUCers, their daily routine during the pandemic isn’t really that different. Staying home due to physical limitations isn’t new among many in our beloved community. Having good health and economic resources doesn’t necessarily mean we want to fight crowds and noise to shop. How many of us really need more “stuff”?
Slowing down can have benefits. Time to cook or read or explore new talents is a gift old schedules may have subverted. It’s cheaper, too. I don’t know about you, but I calculate I have saved hundreds of dollars while sheltering-in-place instead of going out to lunch/dinner/drinks. I have dinner “in” with friends virtually now – and have discovered deepening relationships that I didn’t expect, because it’s easy to meet every Monday on zoom rather than arranging to drive 45 minutes once a month or so to meet up in person. I have no doubt our virtual dinners will continue long after the pandemic ends, too.
Constancy and change always coexist.
Things are the same and different at UUC. It’s easier to “go to church” on Zoom. You can get that cup of coffee (or eat a banana) while listening to the service. It’s good to see our friends on screen and in the virtual social hall after services. We have proven ourselves to be adaptable.
Summer is typically a reset period at UUC, and this year is no different. Building maintenance continues, with roof repairs completed and new doors scheduled for installation before we return to the Octagon. The generosity of an anonymous donor means UUC will have modern - though stately - signage along Nursery Road with LED inserts that facilitate changing messages and high contrast readability.
We are moving forward congregationally, as well. Next week’s called meeting has two items of business – the election of Bob Hedlund as UUC’s Treasurer and confirmation of Rev. David Franks to become UUC’s half-time “pulpit minister.” Rev. Franks has served as UUC’s Minister for Pastoral Care for several months now, earning the appreciation of our Pastoral Associates and a growing number of members who seek out his calming presence. Assuming congregational approval, Rev. Franks will continue as UUC’s pastoral minister, adding twice-monthly messages from UUC’s pulpit for the coming year. UUC’s Worship Associates have done an extraordinary job of filling the pulpit since Rev. Patrice left last December. And they, too, look forward to having a familiar face and voice bringing the message every other Sunday beginning in mid-August.
Constancy and change, independence and interdependence. The old and new normal contain both as we celebrate July 4. Have a great holiday - “see you” at UUC on Sunday!
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UUA General Assembly Challenges, Inspires UUC Attendees
as shared by Margie Manning
Our Unitarian Universalist Association made several bold statements on racism and equity during General Assembly last week.
General Assembly is a five-day gathering of Unitarian Universalists who come together to learn, to worship and to enact the business of our association. This year’s GA was the first-ever virtual meeting, held entirely online. It was the third-largest on record, with 4,933 registrants and 2,399 delegates representing 635 congregations .
Nine members of Unitarian Universalists of Clearwater attended GA, including five delegates: Susan Gore, Sally Otto, Sue Hand, Susie Safford and Sue Boone. Other attendees from UUC were Bob and Phyllis Barnett and Mike and Margie Manning.
During business sessions at GA, delegates overwhelmingly approved two Actions of Immediate Witness, calling on member congregations to find alternatives to policing and to actively name and repair the harm caused by 400 years of colonization in the United States. Delegates approved a business resolution that calls for the UUA to embody human rights in investment decisions and encourages congregations and individual UUs to examine their own investments to ensure support of human rights.
New co-moderators, with shared leadership responsibilities for our UUA’s Board of Trustees, were installed. They are Rev. Meg Riley, who recently retired as senior minister of the Church of the Larger Fellowship, and Charles Du Mond, who has served in many leadership positions within our UUA.
The UUA Board also accepted the final report of the Commission on Institutional Change, a group charged with analyzing structural and systemic racism and white supremacy culture within our UUA. Their report makes recommendations to advance long-term change.
There were about 40 workshops on a wide variety of topics, ranging from congregational to spiritual practices to stewardship, and much more.
Traditional elements of General Assembly, including the Service of the Living Tradition that honors incoming and retiring religious professionals, and the Synergy Youth Bridging Service, were adapted for an online experience. The Ware Lecture, with a long history of presenting thought leaders, featured journalist Naomi Klein, the Gloria Steinem Endowed Chair in Media, Culture and Feminist Studies at Rutgers University. Klein discussed climate change, the COVID-19 pandemic and economic equity.
Each morning of GA began with a dynamic worship service, centered around the theme of GA, which was
“Rooted, Inspired and Ready.”
The Sunday morning Worship service, which was open to all, offered a spiritually rich experience that challenged participants to do their part to live into a world in which everyone is valued.
These are just some of the highlights of the 2020 General Assembly. Many of our UUC members who attended look forward to sharing what we learned and what inspired us with our congregation at a future event. Please be on the lookout for an announcement with additional details.
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ZOOM
!
Since we stopped hosting in-person Sunday worship services on our campus, we have been working diligently to deliver consistent messages to our beloved community. Although we do miss the comfort and camaraderie of being in person, we are very fortunate that we have a virtual mechanism to gather together:
Zoom.
If you're new to Zoom, we have developed some helpful hints for you! Please click on the link and let us know if you have any questions:
https://www.uuc.org/zoom-intro
**For those interested in using the UUC Zoom account to host your own (UUC-related) virtual meet-ups, please contact the office for more information (727-531-7704;
admin@uuc.org
).
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We are in need of
Worship Associates
. As you can imagine, doing Zoom services has put a particular strain on this group. If you are interested in volunteering as a Worship Associate, please contact Sue Boone
suebooneuu@juno.com
or Margie Manning
margiem821@tampabay.rr.com
to learn more about what it means to help with our worship services.
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Digital Coffee Hour resumes on Sunday, July 5, 2020. If you wish to join, just stay in the same Zoom meeting as the Sunday service. Hope you can "join" us!
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IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT ONLINE GIVING and PLEDGING
In lieu of our traditional collection baskets that you see during the Offertory on Sundays, we are trying out some different ways to make online donating easier. You may also try:
Text Giving
(727) 500-2410
If you prefer to donate online, feel free to click the button below.
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You are also welcome to download, print and mail in a Pledge form
here.
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PASTORAL CARE
Please remember that
Pastoral Care
is still available if you need it. To connect with one of our dedicated
Pastoral Associates
, please call the office (727-531-7704, Ext. 5).
Rev. David Franks
is also on hand to provide assistance to those who need him (contact a Pastoral Associate, who will help you get in touch with him).
Susan Hegner: June 29 - July 5
Drinda Lombardi: July 6 - 12
Sally Otto: July 13 - 19
Kathy Krohn: July 20 - 26
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Open Issues:
July 5, 2020
This Sunday, Eliseo Santana will talk with us about the work
LULAC Pinellas and Puerto Rico Connect are doing with food distribution in Pinellas County - reducing the stress on families during this pandemic.
Join us via Zoom at 9:30 (you can join a few minutes early):
Meeting ID: 859 3688 9025
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In honor of the Independence Day holiday, Spiritual Potpourri will not be held on July 3, 2020. Please join us next week!
Spiritual Potpourri
is a new group of people gathering together at 1pm on Fridays to share different practices that are feeding our souls right now. Chair yoga ... new "tiny" habits... meditation ... we look forward to learning from each other and trying new things.
--> Contact Kathy Krohn if you have questions or trouble logging in! Hope you can join us!
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This is a beautiful piece of artwork from a member of UUC's youth group, Catie. It is headed for the Morean for display, and we're proud to share it with you.
Thank you, Catie!
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UUC Care Circle Team
We hope you are all keeping healthy in body and spirit.
Like the rest of us, I’m sure you’re getting tired of (or perhaps used to?) the masks and social distancing. New ways of doing things (Zooming, perhaps having groceries delivered…), being more mindful of your mental and physical well-being and that of your fellow beings during this period of extra strife (pandemic, hurricane season, hot weather, yet another unwarranted death, protests, some riots and looting, some beautiful bonding, caring and humanity, as well. It’s a lot. An awful lot. We need each other more than ever.
You may very well already be doing this, but as a reminder, please reach out to your fellow congregants, friends, relatives, neighbors. Pick up the phone and check in and see how they are doing, drop them a quick note, text, email. Let them know you are thinking of them, maybe share some good recipes/joke to lighten the day, or commiserate your thoughts if you need to talk it out. Communication is the key. It’s what keeps us moving forward.
As always, if you’re ill/injured and need any short-term assistance from the Care Circle Team, please contact Susan Hegner or Eloise Hardman; you can look us up in the UUC Membership Directory or leave a message at the Front Office, (727) 531-7704.
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Black Lives Matter Banner
Those of you who are driving by the church these days may notice a change on our wall facing the street. With the permission of the UUC Refugee Committee, the
We Welcome Refugees
sign is now covered, being preserved for future use, by a
Black Lives Matter
sign.
The
Black Lives Matter
sign was approved by the Board of Trustees in light of the current political climate. The
Black Lives Matter
Committee of the Social Justice Council thanks an anonymous member of UUC for paying for the sign. It was made by Speedpro, St. Petersburg, which we recommend for future business. Any questions about the sign can be directed to Susan Allen.
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JOIN the UUC Social Justice
Immediate Response
Facebook Page
The UUC Social Justice Council invites you to become a member of the
UUC Social Justice Immediate Response Facebook Page
. Although we are stuck at home, there are still
Social Justice
issues we can work on. The page is the place we post such opportunities.
An administrator will accept your request to join. Once you are a member you can post on the page but an administrator must approve the post before it appears. Criteria for posts are at the top of the page.
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A Closer Look at Solar Energy
"The Green Sanctuary Program provides structure, leadership and support, in broad collaboration, for the UU faith community to engage in an ambitious Environmental Justice and Climate Justice movement that seeks to live fully our 7th principle and achieve our vision of a viable and just world for all."
--UUA Mission Statement for Environmental Justice
As a green sanctuary in process, we at UUC are committed to pursuing viable alternatives to conventional energy sources. One of these alternatives are solar panels. The big question is, is it right for us at UUC? I think it is worth taking a closer look, have a conversation about it and doing more research.
Florida, of course, is a great place to take advantage of solar panels. Florida produces more solar energy compared to systems in other states. In recent years, solar panel costs have fallen significantly that enable better access to solar panels to Florida's residents and businesses. The average cost of solar energy installation companies in Florida is the lowest in the nation at $2.70 per Watt for cash purchased systems and $3.01 per Watt for systems purchased through solar-specific loans, arranged through the installer. The state of Florida offers a 26% Investment Tax Credit (ITC) of the "qualified system cost" but religious organizations do not qualify, although solar loans and Power Purchase Agreements (PPA) are offered. Also, systems can be leased but leases are not eligible for the ITC.
Pros of Installing Solar Panels in Florida
1. High solar production
2. 26% tax credit for homeowners and businesses
3. Has the carbon-reducing impact of a small mature forest
4. Saves $$ on electric Bill's
5. Panels repay their cost in a little over a decade
6. Insures against rising costs of conventional power companies
7. Adds value to your home
Cons to installing Solar Panels in Florida
1. High upfront cost
2. Intermittent energy source (but energy can be stored in batteries eg. Tesla)
3. Manufacturing of solar panels may use non eco substances such as sulfur hexa flouride, but that is not near as bad as carbon dioxide.
4. Requires space
5. You can't take it with you (if you sell)
6. Churches can't take advantage of tax breaks
7. May need pre-construction prior to installation.
Incentives for churches:
1.Solar Loans
2.Power Purchase Agreements (allowed in Florida)
3. Churches can form an LLC which is a 30% savings of installation costs.
Ground Mount Solar Panels (rather than roof top)
Best option?
1. Cost a bit more than roof top
2. Standard ground mounts: fixed, but some may be adjusted for seasonal changes
3. Pole mounted solar systems: higher, incorporate tracking systems, can increase energy production by 25%, easy installation and maintenance
I have not included roof top info but easily gotten through local solar installers. I was looking mainly at the advantages of ground installation due to our roof issues.
The following solar companies in Pinellas County have a rating between 4.5 and 4.9. They are:
1.Solar Bear
2. Energy Monster
3. Solar Source
4. Florida Power Services, inc.
5. Sun pro Solar
6. Solar Tech Electric, LLC
7. Energy Solutions Direct
8. Solar Energy Specialists
There are more but they rate lower.
As we move through a new era here at UUC, let's envision a future where we can lower our carbon footprint and live our 7th Principle to the fullest.
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