Weekly E-News December 6, 2018

Weekly E-News

December 6, 2018

Sunday Worship Service

All Welcome to our Service at 10:30 am Sundays in the Miller Sanctuary

December Worship 2018 MYSTERY

This coming month our worship provides opportunity for rest, reflection and renewal, a much-needed way to close an emotionally & sociopolitically challenging calendar year. For those who seek merriment, worship will give opportunity. For those who seek solace from the bustle and the pressure to be merry, our Blue Holiday service on December 16th can offer comfort for those who feel removed from the joy of the season. Our candlelight Christmas Eve service will be at 5:00 pm on December 24th. Every Sunday we will kindle the holiday lights of the season, humbled by the Mystery of Life and open to its possibility in the coming year.

Arts and Crafts Fair This Sunday

This Sunday, December 9th, from 11:30-1:30, we will be hosting Members & Friends for Arts & Crafts Booths and the All-Church Bake Sale. Come to Hobart Hall to enjoy Christmas shopping, Christmas cookies to freeze, Next-to-New items, and to see what our people create.

email:[email protected]

Community Sharing in December: Quality Life Center

Quality Life Center has been in the Dunbar community since 1990. The center provides early learning, afterschool, teen leadership and summer camp programs. Quality Life Center’s ACE Afterschool Program was named a 2017 National Arts and Humanities Youth Program finalist by the National Endowment for the Arts, the National Endowment for the Humanities, and Institute of Museum and Library Services. This national recognition established ACE as one of the top arts and humanities-based programs in the country. Quality Life Center’s Arts, Character and Education (ACE) program provides afterschool, summer camp and teen leadership programs to help at-risk youth realize their potential and foster their abilities. Engaging educational projects help students become academically competitive, and include a STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics) initiative.

Alert! Christmas will be Here Soon!

We are now collecting Christmas gifts for the children and teens at the Quality Life Center or as it is commonly called, "the Q". We will collect gifts up until Sunday, December 16th. There are a total of 168 youths, 100 of them in the after school program and 46 being Leadership Teens; the remaining 22 are preschool and kindergarten.

We are not asking for a specific number for each age group. Buy whatever you want and as many as you want. Do not wrap the gifts. An open Holiday bag would be nice when possible and makes it easier for us to sort. The Q makes the following request. Please, NONE of the following: action figures, guns, Barbie dolls, or battery operated toys. Gifts may be left under the Sanctuary tree. Thank you!

Humanist Forum

The Humanist Forum meets every Sunday at 9:15 am in Hobart Hall. All are welcome to attend. On December 9th the Humanist Forum will meet in Room 7 because of the Craft Fair set up in Hobart Hall.

On Sunday, December 9th, the guest speaker for the Humanist Forum will be Ms. Kelli Nielson, Development Officer for St. Matthew’s House in Naples. She will be discussing the services St.Matthews House offers to it’s clientele. Many in Lee and Collier counties, including single adults, couples and single mothers, know homelessness and financial distress. Kelli will describe the challenges they face, and the programs at St. Matthews House that address their needs, as well as training that leads to long-term independence.

Social Hour

Sunday's Social Hour happens after the service 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.

BURN, our High School Youth Group meets on Sundays at noon in Room 4. All youth, ages 14-18, are welcome! Questions about the group? Contact Director of Religious Education, Jenn Blosser: [email protected]

IGNITE , our junior youth group for ages 10-13, meets weekly from 12-1 pm in Room 3. (or 7) Come join us for community, conversation, and finding your call to action! Questions about the group? Reach out to Jenn Blosser: [email protected]

SPARK is our newest youth group. Exclusively for children ages five to nine, Spark will meet weekly from 12-1 in Room 2 to explore Unitarian Universalism and learn more about our church and each other. [email protected]

Youth Theater Troupe

The UUCFM Youth Theater troupe will meet on the following Wednesdays at 6:30 pm following the community meal:

December 19

January 2

January 9

January 23

January 30

Please contact Sima Robins if you missed our information session and you are interested in participating. [email protected]

Staff and Board News

Music Notes

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. Come join us in singing!

The UUCFM Band rehearses most Wednesday nights from 6:00-6:45 pm, and on Sunday mornings from 9-10 am 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, Director of Music

[email protected]

Membership

Membership Ministry Team Plans New Member Ceremony December 16 ^th

The Membership Ministry Team is making plans for our December New Member Ceremony on the 16 ^th . Anyone interested in becoming a new member, please contact [email protected] to receive your membership enrollment kit.

For Lay Leaders

Safety Tips- Dumpster

Take safety precautions if trash is to be disposed in the dumpster – especially in the evening. Either two people should take out the trash or one person should watch while the other takes out the trash.

UUCFM Special Events

Covenant of UU Pagans Medieval Feast

Medieval Feast Update: The feast is CUUPs' big fundraiser and it falls on Winter Solstice. We now move towards Solstice with many different rejoicings that occur at this time. Entertainers have stepped up and for those that have paid or reserved space to our event we are very grateful. We have only so many tickets we can sell. The Royals do command quite an audience ... much to say it is not to be missed. We will be in the hall each Sunday to make sure entrance on December 21st is assured. Dress in all finery. Child care is provided for under age 6. If you are on the list and can not come please let us know because someone may want to attend and needs your place. Thank you,

Joy Purcell [email protected]

Christmas Eve Dinner

Origami Japanese/Korean/Sushi

Monday, December 24, 2018

directly following the Christmas Eve Service.

8911 Daniels Parkway, Ste 5

Fort Myers, FL 33912

USE OF GPS IS HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

DIRECTIONS:

(ORIGAMI IS ON THE NORTH SIDE OF DANIELS PKWY 0.7 MILES EAST OF SHIRE LANE.)

Turn left onto Shire La from the Church parking lot.

Turn right-west onto Daniels Parkway.

Get into extreme left lane and make first “U” turn onto E. Daniels Parkway.

Proceed east on Daniels 0.7 miles in left lane to Appaloosa La.

(Appaloosa La. is only on N side of Daniels. Look for Powers Ct. on south, right side of Daniels

but turn LEFT onto Appaloosa La.)

Turn left through center median onto Appaloosa La.

Turn right, east onto Jobe Rd (first right turn).

Turn first left into parking lot.

ORIGAMI is directly ahead of you. We will be in the back of the dining room.

Please call John E. Fischer, 1-267-992 -6566 or E-Mail [email protected] by Friday, December 21, 2018 to reserve your place. Management needs exact numbers to schedule staff.

Dinner Go Round 2019

Dinners-Go-Round are now forming for January through April 2019!

Denis and Linda Jensen are organizing Dinners Go Round. These monthly potluck dinners offer you a chance to get to know your fellow UUCFM Members on an informal basis. One dinner is held each month at a host UUCFM member’s home on a date determined by the host and participants. If you didn’t participate last year and would like to do so this year, please Email Denis Jensen by December 15th at [email protected] and let him know. Please include your names, telephone numbers, addresses and email addresses in your email to Denis and also let him know if you would consider being a host for one of the four monthly dinners or if there is one or more of the four months where you would not be able to participate. Also advise Denis if you will require wheelchair accessible dinner sites.

UU Women's Retreat

Celebrating Sacred Places

9th Annual Florida Unitarian Universalist Women’s Retreat

April 5-7, 2019

DaySpring Episcopal Conference Center Ellenton, FL

A weekend for Exploring, Enriching, Expressing our Spirits in a Gathering of UU Women

 Friday evening we will get to know one another and create

community

 Saturday, 4 one-hour workshops offer choices: Awakening our

Spirits, Sacred Dance, Meditation, Expressive Art, Book and Topical

Discussion Groups, Personal Time, Relaxation.

 Sunday we share a UU Service bringing it all together

DaySpring Conference Center is conveniently located off I-75 just

north of Sarasota on Florida’s West Coast. The beautiful campus

nestled under ancient oaks and located on a cove of the Manatee

River offers a serene setting for our annual retreat. Take a look.

http://Dayspring.dioswfl.org.

$220 per person covers expenses for a semi-private room and

meals. 8 women share a cozy cottage with 4 bedrooms and 4 baths,

a screened porch and common area. A limited number of single

rooms are available at $292 each.

A non-refundable deposit of $20 for a semi-private room or $30 for a

private room will reserve your place. Final payment is due January

15, 2019. Come join us for an enriching and memorable weekend.

To register or for more information contact Helen Leddy: [email protected]

UUCFM Classes & Groups

Men's Social Group

The Men's Social Group meets on Tuesday, December 11th at 11:45 am at Cross Creek Country Club (off Cross Creek Blvd)--- The second Tuesday of the month is coming up again and it’s time for UUCFM males to get together for fun, conversation and socialization at Cross Creek. Put this one on your calendar and bring a friend. Please RSVP to Denis Jensen at [email protected] to let me know that you’ll be there.

Adult OWL

Adult OWL begins Wednesdays 6:30-8:00 pm January 9, 2019 in Room 7.

Honest and accurate information about sexuality changes lives. It dismantles stereotypes and assumptions, builds self-acceptance and self-esteem, fosters healthy relationships, improves decision making, and has the potential to save lives. For these reasons and more, we are proud to offer Our Whole Lives (OWL), a comprehensive, lifespan sexuality education.

Contact [email protected] to sign up

UUCFM 15+ Group Meeting

The UUCFM 15+ Group is comprised of UUCFM members who have belonged to UUCFM for at least 15 years. Some churches call this type of group Church Elders -- but this group of "elders" chose to be called the 15+ Group! We will be meeting at noon in the Narthex on Sunday, January 13, 2019. If you would like to have an item put on the agenda, please contact Ellen Erickson [email protected] or at 239-694-6833.

Book Club

The UUCFM Book Club meets Wednesdays at 1:00 pm. Our current book title is Tribe, On Homecoming and Belonging by Sebastian Junger.

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] .

Rissho Kosei-kai Buddhist Group

The Rissho Kosei-kai Buddhist group meets Sundays in Room 1. All are welcome to join us. We have a new meeting time- 2:00-4:00 pm.

UUCFM Weekly Activities

Community Wednesday

Please join us for Chef Joy's Community Wednesday Dinners at 6:00 pm each Wednesday. We will be serving salad, soup and entree. The price is $5.00. The meal is vegetarian, but every other week will feature a meat item alternate.

Community Activities for December:

6:00-6:45 Band Rehearsal in Sanctuary

6:45-8:00 Choir Rehearsal in Sanctuary

6:45-8:00 Spiritual Discussion group thru Dec. 19th, 2018 in Room 7 and January 9th thru May 2019 in Room 2.

Social Justice

Pachamama Alliance SW Florida

FIRST THURSDAY

GAME CHANGER GATHERING

DECEMBER 6, 2018

6:30-8:00 P.M.

UUCFM

“What Can I Do?”

THAT'S THE QUESTION SO MANY OF US ASK OURSELVES. What can I do to make a difference in the health of this planet? It is a question that brings people to Pachamama’s Awakening the Dreamer symposiums, online Game Changer Intensive, and Drawdown workshops. And to our First Thursday Game Changer Gatherings...like this one!

Led by Joe Bonasia , this gathering will focus on the many things that an individual can do, emphasizing high impact actions, identifying their connections to Drawdown solutions, and, in many cases, quantifying how these steps can significantly reduce or mitigate Green House Gas emissions.

Sure...changing government and corporate culture is critical, but we must also recognize that individual action is equally important and deeply satisfying.

Consider this : “ However destructive may be the policies of the government and methods and products of the corporation ,” Wendell Berry writes (and is quoted by Paul Hawken) “the root of the problem is always to be found in private life. We must learn to see that every problem that concerns us…leads straight to the question of how we live."

Because we love the planet and because the stakes are so high, let's put our determination to work by learning more about how to take immediate and meaningful actions to reduce our carbon footprint and overall environmental impact upon the earth.

WE LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING EVERYONE

AND CONTINUING OUR PASSIONATE ACTIVISM!!

(And feel free to bring a munchie or dessert to share...we'll have coffee and tea.)

Changes to the Food Pantry re: Donations

The support that UUCFM has shown to our pantry over the years is greatly appreciated and along with other coalition members' support it has helped the South Fort Myers Food Pantry (FMFP) to feed 23,000 people in need during 2017. The Harry Chapin Food Bank is vital to our mission, to feed the needy of South Fort Myers, at a very modest cost. They are however, making some changes at Harry Chapin.

In the past, members of our congregation have financially supported the pantry by donating directly to the pantry or by sending checks to the Harry Chapin Food Bank with the stipulation the funds were to support the SFMFP. The Food Bank would then place the funds in a "Designated Grant" account for our use to purchase food. They are eliminating these accounts. As of August 1, 2018 any checks they receive in support of one particular pantry will be returned to the sender. Therefore, our pantry is requesting that any monetary donations be sent directly to and made out to:

The South Fort Myers Food Pantry

8260 Cypress Lake Drive

Fort Myers, FL. 33919

If you feel strongly about your donation being only for food and not for operating expenses, write "for food only" on the memo line. The pantry relies on the support of the coalition churches for the funds and the volunteers needed. There are no paid positions and it takes hundreds of volunteer hours and thousands of dollars each month to accomplish our mission. If you have questions call Fran Rose and leave a message at 617-750-0470 and Fran will return your call.

Caring News

If you have any caring concerns, please contact our Caring Network coordinator, Neil Yesu at [email protected]

Art in the Narthex

Attention supporters of the Family Village- the kids are showing what they have been doing at the intention table during the service. We hope you enjoy their efforts...maybe we could each connect with 1 or 2 little artists by commenting favorably about what they produced, and getting to know them at the same time.

UUCFM Announcing: Youth Violence Prevention Project

The United Way of Lee, Hendry, Glades, and Okeechobee and the Unitarian Universalist Church of Fort Myers (UUCFM) have begun a partnership designed to reduce youth violence. This initiative is a United Way Collaborative entitled the Youth Violence Prevention Project (YVPP) . The YVPP is a community funding initiative to encourage the development of programs that will reduce youth violence and the risk factors that contribute to it.

YVPP focuses on giving grants to local youth centered organizations or communities who propose youth violence prevention programs with clear and measurable objectives. The project will offer a total of $25,000 in grants to fund student-driven programs that address youth violence prevention and awareness. Grants will be awarded in increments of $500 - $2,500.

Proposals will be accepted beginning through January 18, 2019 . A student committee will then review submitted grant applications and select projects to be the recipients of the funding. Selected projects will be required to match the funding with money or in-kind donations.

YVPP will foster strategies that work in combination to prevent youth violence in a long-term way such as:

· Promoting family environments that support healthy development

· Providing quality education early in life

· Strengthening youth’s skills

· Connecting youth to caring adults and activities

· Creating protective community environments

· Intervening to lessen harms and prevent future risk.

UUCFM will have 4 seats on the Review Committee. It will entail one or two short meetings a year. If anyone is interested in serving on the Review Committee, please let me know [email protected]

We Need YOU to Keep our Bed & Breakfast Program Going

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? 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.) guests. I usually send out an email to all potential hosts when a request is received and the hosts respond as to their availability. Even if you can only host for two nights in March, for example, that is a big help. February and March tend to be in the biggest demand.

All money received from the guests as they stay in your home goes directly to UUCFM operating funds. 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

239-466-7933

[email protected]

Did you know your purchases can make a difference? AmazonSmile donates to the Unitarian Universalist Church of Fort Myers when you do your holiday shopping at smile.amazon.com/ch/59-1160337 .

Member to Member

Do you have something to offer, trade, or sell? Are you looking for something? Free ad space here for personal items only. Will run ad for 4 weeks. Email [email protected].

Laura Snow is returning to the area the week after Thanksgiving. She is looking for a short term place to stay, and can pay rent. If you can help, please call Laura at 239-244-6485. Thank you!
A set of car keys (Toyota) were lost on church property on Sunday, November 11th. Contact Mary Nies at [email protected] or 239-466-7933.
A new visitor, Sally Farina, needs a ride to church on Sundays. Can anyone be of help? She lives near Orange Grove Blvd in North Fort Myers; 239-258-1722; [email protected].

Our Greater Community

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 Wednesday for publication in the Thursday E-news.

Interfaith Holocaust Program

At our Joint Thanksgiving service Temple Beth El invited us to their Interfaith Holocaust Program, Monday, December 10, 2018 at 16225 Winkler Rd. (off Summerlin Rd), It includes a viewing of an authentic German boxcar from the Holocaust years from 6-7 pm with a 7pm Holocaust survivor speaker, Cesare Frustaci sharing his amazing story as a child from Hungary with Jewish/Catholic parents.