MARCH 2020
Connections
Monthly Newsletter
for UU Miami Members & Friends
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Social Justice Joins
UU the Vote
Campaign
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Your Social Justice Committee has decided to join in with the UU the Vote campaign. You can find out more about this initiative at
https://www.uua.org/justice/vote2020
. In discussions on how we might work this initiative, many ideas came to the surface from helping register people to vote, to working with groups that are already making efforts in getting aiding people to vote, like SAVE
http://www.save.lgbt/
and the League of Women Voters
http://www.lwvmiamidade.org/
. SAVE is working on getting the LGBTQ community and college students get registered and to the polls. The LWV has a variety of initiatives from registering voters to helping people vote by mail to reaching out to communities like immigrants to help them understand their voting rights.
Your Social Justice Committee decided to work on two initiatives as part of UU the Vote: helping felons have their voting rights returned and helping people vote by mail. Both SAVE and LWV need volunteers to help them with various initiatives.
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If you are interested and willing to help out with the Social Justice Committee in their initiatives or with SAVE or LWV, please come to our Social Justice meeting on the first Sunday of March (and every first Sunday of the month) in the Emerson Room at 12:30 PM. We are getting organized and finding ways for anyone who wants to help to get involved.
You can make a difference.
Blessings, Reverend Tom
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UPCOMING SUNDAY SERVICES in
MARCH
11:00 a.m
. in our Sanctuary
Theme:
WISDOM
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A Recipe for a Cake
by Reverend Tom Capo
Most people in the world have access to the world’s knowledge. There were people who believed that once humans had access to much of the world’s knowledge, there would be an increase in how humans use that knowledge wisely. However, it hasn’t turned out that way.
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Religious Exploration (RE): Children & Families
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On
March 1st,
Dan & Roxane will introduce the youth to the theme of music meditation and the 4th principle of truth & meaning. Guest teacher, Martha, will focus on drumming.
REC meeting at 9:30 in Room 3
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Thanks to Joyce Anderson for lunch on March 1.
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Social Justice Meeting
Discussing UU the Vote
March 1, 12:30 p.m., Emerson Room
Our religious community must speak with moral courage and act with prophetic clarity and determination in the 2020 electoral cycle." from
UU the Vote
Website
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MARCH 8
Wisdom that Cries, Laughs,
and Bows before Children
by Reverend Tom Capo
Lebanese-American writer, poet and visual artist, Kahlil Gibran, wrote: “Keep me away from the wisdom which does not cry, the philosophy which does not laugh, and the greatness which does not bow before children.” How do wisdom and empathy add to one another?
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Medical Cannabis: A Life’s Journey
12:30 p.m. , Emerson Room
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Alice O’Leary Randall has been a part of the medical marijuana (cannabis) movement since its very beginning. Her late husband,a glaucoma patient, was the first legal medical marijuana patient in the country in 1976. At a time when medical marijuana didn’t exist in the U.S., Robert and Alice started a movement that today has become a billion dollar industry. Join us on
March 8
for a fascinating talk that will take you through the decades of the medical marijuana story.
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A Day of Service
by Director of Religious Exploration, Barbara Jimenez
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Let’s work together to help our local homeless community on
March 15th
during the Service hour in the Sanctuary. We will make bags out of used t-shirts and fill them with toiletries.
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Without Conscious Reasoning
by Reverend Tom Capo
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Researcher and story teller Brené Brown wrote: “Intuition is not a single way of knowing - it's our ability to hold space for uncertainty and our willingness to trust the many ways we've developed knowledge and insight, including instinct, experience, faith and reason.” Is intuition something that Unitarian Universalists can believe in, make time for, use to enrich their lives?
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UUCM Drum Circle
, March 22
12:30 p.m. , Room 3
and
monthly
every 4th Sunday after Service
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No drum? No problem; plenty will be available. No experience needed; all you need to bring is your joyful heart, happy hands, and dancing feet.
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Whose Question Might Be Your Gift?
by Reverend Tom Capo
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Sometimes wisdom only comes when we open ourselves to the needs and concerns of other people. Sometimes placing their questions and struggles at the center of our focus, is the answer to our questions about what makes life worth living. American Poet Priscilla Denise Levertov asks us all: "Whose question might be your gift?"
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Delving Deeper into Unitarian Universalism
by Reverend Tom Capo
March 29,
12:30 p.m., Emerson Room
Bring questions, thoughts, and interest in the history of Unitarian Universalism.
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The next Alliance meeting is on
Saturday March 7th at
noon
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Selva Joseph will focus on being a New Yorker of Puerto Rican Ancestry and her travels and life in South America, Mexico and Puerto Rico. Selva's contribution to the Potluck will be Arroz con Gandules. This is a dish that accompanies many dining events on the island of Puerto Rico. Monetary donations will be accepted for the island earthquake relief fund.
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Come join us for a Bonfire Potluck & Drumming on
March 7th at
6 pm
!
Beef & veggie dogs,
lemonade & s'mores provided.
Bring a nut free dish to share!
You can also bring a blanket or chair
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Blood Drive in our
East Parking Lot
Sunday, March 15
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Our Sanctuary will be
a Polling Place for the 2020 Presidential Preference Primary
Tuesday, March 17
Information:
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WEDNESDAY, MARCH 18
Emerson Room,
6:30 p.m
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Dr. Aleksandra Hernandez
Reflecting on Humans' Relationship to
Other Species in Literature
In this talk, Aleksandra will discuss J.M. Coetzee’s
Elizabeth Costello
where humanistic values are extended to include the members of other species. In particular, she will analyze the novel’s message concerning the current state of our relationship to animals and how we might move forward.
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The UU Miami Humanist group & the Miami Secular Humanists co-host a
Monthly Wine & Cheese Humanist Talk leading up to the World Humanist conference taking place in Miami in August 2020.
A different Humanist speaker each month will loosely address the following question:
How has Humanism helped you shed light on your area of expertise?
We will start off with wine and cheese at 6:30 p.m. Speakers will begin their talk at 7:00 p.m.
Monthly Wednesdays in the Emerson Room
at 6:30 p.m.
upcoming:
April 15: Dr. Oscar Valverde-Barrantes on Biology & Evolution
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SPIRITUAL ENRICHMENT
Practice
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Nada Yoga Sitar Meditation,March 4
monthly
first
Wednesday,
Sanctuary 6:00-7:00 p.m.
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Listen to Stephan Mikes on Sitar and Bonnie Pedicord on Tambura. Find the inner silence within you and discover the beauty of quiet. Join us and regain your center. Breathe. Every first Wednesday of the month. Voluntary donation.
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monthly
New Meditation Group
March 22 , 9:45 a.m., Room 3
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Before the service is a new Meditation Group by Adriana Moreno Zarate, teacher of yoga and mindfulness. This group will continue on the
fourth Sunday
of the month before the service.
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TaiChi in the Memorial Garden with Cam
weekly
Sundays 8:30 - 9:30 am.
Cam has taught and studied taichi and qigong since 1994. Join her to explore the ancient practice of fining stillness within movement and harmony among the trees.Mornings are the best time to plant the seed of your spirit for the rest of the day. By donation.
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thrice weekly
Gentle, Hatha, & Prana Yoga
plus brief Meditations with
our in-house Yoga Instructor, Luz
in the
Sanctuary
Luz has been a yoga instructor for 7 years & specializes in yoga for children & families.
Monday (
10-11 a.m.);
Wednesday, Saturday
(10-11:30 a.m.)
Class fees:
Mondays
: Drop-in $12; more than 2 classes paid in advance $10 each;
Wed/Sat
: Drop- in $15; more than 2 classes paid in advance $12 each
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The Leadership Development Committee (LDC) is seeking engaged and thoughtful congregants to consider for a position on Board of Trustees. This is a three (3) year term of service in the organizational governance of the UU Congregation of Miami.
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Our 2019-2020 Board of Trustees (Desiree, Terry, Elizabeth, Janice, Christine, Kristin, Selva not in photo)
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Kindly submit candidate names by April 5, 2020.
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Congregational Leadership Announcement
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Potential nominees should be a member in good standing for no less than one year, and will have a demonstrated commitment to the life of this congregation and Unitarian Universalist principles.
If you or someone you know would like to be considered for a Board position, please contact an LDC committee member - Zoltan Bakos, Stephen Maxwell, Andrea Mustelier, or Maria Poviones-Bishop. You may also submit potential candidates online at
https://forms.gle/jGvTPuZkqahwPvcm7
Please use the same form if you or someone you know would like to be considered for nomination to the Leadership Development Committee (LDC). This is also a 3 year term.
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Do You Love to Sing?
Our Choir Has a Spot for You!
Thursday Evening rehearsals and Sunday worship performances. If interested, contact our Director of Music
:
f.ragsdale@umiami.edu
You will get the chance to work with both
Dr. Frank Ragsdale, University of Miami's Vocal Performance Chair and with consummate pianist, Dr. Joseph Talleda.
Join our choral dream team!
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Join a Lunch Team!
We are asking for folks who would be willing to join a team to provide lunch for the congregation. We are working on getting 6 teams together so each team will provide lunch once every 6 or 7 weeks. The church will pay for the food from the $5 Sunday morning lunch donations. We ask each team to plan for 35 people for lunch.
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REVEREND TOM'S BLOG
To view Rev. Tom's latest sermons, visit :
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UU Miami is committed to promoting a culture of inclusivity & anti-discrimination as noted in our bylaws: “The Congregation declares & affirms its special responsibility to promote the full participation of persons of any race, ethnicity, gender, gender identity, ability, affectional or sexual orientation, age, language, citizenship status, economic status, or national origin in all of its activities, without requiring adherence to any particular interpretation of religion or to any particular religious belief or creed. As a Welcoming Congregation, we dedicate ourselves to intentional practices of Right Relationship- in language and in action- that promote equity, diversity, and inclusion for all.”
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Submissions for both the
WEEKLY UPDATE
and for the
ORDER OF SERVICE
Submissions for the
MONTHLY CONNECTIONS
are due on the
15th
of the prior month. Edits may be necessary for concision, clarity, or style.
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Minister's Office Hours
Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday: 10:30 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.
If you need to speak to Reverend Tom in the evenings outside of his office hours, please contact him
.
Office phone: (305) 667-3697
Administrator's Office Hours
Most Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays: noon - 7:00 p.m.;
Most Sundays: 9:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.
Sexton's Office Hours
Monday, Thursday-Saturday: 8:00 a.m. till 1:00 p.m.;
Sunday: 8:00 a.m - 2:00 p.m.
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7701 SW 76th Avenue, Miami, FL 33143
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UU Miami: A Spiritual Hub for Progressive
Thinkers & Doers in Greater Miami!
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