Weekly E-News
December 19, 2019
This Sunday, December 22nd
Our Sunday Service begins at 10:30 AM in the William Miller Sanctuary. This Sunday, December 22nd, we bring you our fabulously fun No Rehearsal Christmas Pageant! Bring your friends and family for this fun, silly, yet still traditional telling of the Christmas story. All ages are invited to join our impromptu cast in the spirit of that improv tradition, "Yes, let's!" See you at the pageant!

The Humanist Forum meets every Sunday at 9:30 AM in Hobart Hall. All are welcome to attend. Join us as we engage in a new topic each week.

Our Community Sharing partner for December is the Quality Life Center. Quality Life Center’s Arts, Character and Education (ACE) program provides after school, summer camp, and teen leadership programs to help at-risk youth realize their potential and foster their abilities. Performing arts help build confidence, discipline and resilience, and visual arts provide the opportunity for self-expression. Quality Life Center’s ACE After school 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.

Sunday's Social Hour happens after the service every week at 11:45 AM. Come join us for coffee and snacks. Newcomers, visitors, friends, and members are all welcome. Sponsoring groups are the Women's Circle and CUUPs. Donations of food, snacks, or cash are welcome.
Christmas Eve Service!
Join us at 6:00 PM on Tuesday, December 24th for our Christmas Eve Service. This will be a multi-generational service featuring Christmas hymns and readings. We will end the service with our traditional candlelit singing of Silent Night. Bring a can for the food pantry collection! Our Community Sharing will be given to the Minister's Discretionary Fund.

Following the Christmas Eve Service...
Join the FUUn BUUnch with all your UUCFM friends at Origami Japanese/Korean & Sushi restaurant on Tuesday at 7:00 pm on December 24th, 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 SilverFischStudios@gmail.com by Sunday, December 22, 2018 to reserve your place. Management needs exact numbers to staff servers.

Christmas Eve, Santa, and the South Fort Myers Food Pantry
You may have noticed over the last few years that Santa has not always been able to come to our Christmas Eve service. He has just gotten too busy. So, this year he is sending some his elves to collect food for our neighbors in need. If Santa is nice enough to do that, lets show him how generous we can be by each of us bringing at least one nonperishable item!  
Upcoming Events!
The Covenant of UU Pagans: CUUPS will be honoring and celebrating Yule on Saturday, December 21st at 7:30 pm in Hobart Hall. We are going to again bring the bards with mirth and merriment. We cordially invite everyone to join us. Please bring a traditional dish of your family to our table as part of the feast. This is open to all. Bring a performance, your singing voice and your drum. Help us call in the solstice light. Dress in whatever finery you wish. We will again bring you merry measure. Join us, we cordially invite you to join our community of love and peace.

Upcoming CUUPs Imbolc Fire & Ice Gathering  January 31-February 2. Get tickets at https://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/4464735 .

There are tiers for tickets, $25 day passes, $75 weekend passes, and $88 weekend passes includes Saturday Cycle of Season's Feast. More Details are on the Brown Paper Ticket site.

Vendors: $20.00 plus weekend pass. Tent Set Up is Friday, Jan. 31, 2020 between 2PM-4PM. Gates open at 5PM, Opening Ritual 6PM.
Great Decisions
Want to learn more about China's Road into Latin America? Artificial Intelligence? Modern Slavery & Human Trafficking? Our Great Decisions group is now enrolling new participants. We meet for 8 Thursdays starting on January 23 from 7:00 to 8:30 PM in Hobart Hall. For more information, please contact Helen Leddy helen.leddy@gmail.com

Dreamwork Group
"All dreams come in the service of health and wholeness." --Jeremy Taylor 
Come discover the wisdom of your dreams. Learn to interpret your dream symbols and unique dream language as well as the universal archetypes throughout. Participate in the safety and support of a caring group where we share dreams and learn the concept of "Projection," taking responsibility for what we contribute.Reservations: Debra Leigh, Facilitator  dreamrookery7@gmail.com  or (831) 818-1418. We meet in Room 2 from noon till 1:45 PM on the following Sundays-January 19, February 2, February 16, March 1, and March 15.

A rt in the Narthex
Every month the art work of our member artists is hung in the Narthex. The paintings for December were done by Priscilla Jeffcoat. They are done in a variety of mediums and styles and represent what has inspired the artist for the past 25 years. The show is titled "The Orange Show" due to a unifying element that can be seen in all the works. Each month a member artist will be featured on our Narthex wall. If you would like to be a member of this group email Priscilla at:   jeffcoatp@comcast.net  

Caloosahatchee Mindfulness and UUCFM members invite participants to join our weekly meditation book group. The group meets weekly on Wednesdays from 10:00 to 11:30 AM in Room 3. Please contact Helen Leddy if you want to join. 

The UUCFM Choir  rehearses most Wednesday nights from 6:30-8:00 pm, and on Sunday mornings at 9:30 in the sanctuary. It's free and there are no auditions. Come join us in singing!

 The UUCFM Band   rehearses most Wednesday nights from 5:45-6:15 pm, and on Sunday mornings at 9:10 in the Sanctuary. Are you interested in playing an instrument with the UUCFM band for worship? If so, please schedule an audition time with me by email. Come join us in making music together! Suellen Kipp, Director of Music

Mindfulness Meditation
Come explore the simple and satisfying practices of Mindfulness Meditation. You don’t need experience with meditation, nor do you have to be a Buddhist. Please bring intention to quiet the mind and 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 6:30-8:00 PM in the Sanctuary. Contact Gary Robbins at 302-540-5899.
The Book Club  meets Wednesdays at 1:00 PM in the Library. All are welcome to join in facilitated discussion and group bonding. We are reading On the Brink of Everything , by Parker Palmer. Palmer explores the question age raises and the promises it holds.
News

Looking for a Few Good UUs!
Have you ever been interested in leading worship or greeting the congregation from the chancel? Have you ever been interested in providing a personal reflection, reading/writing a sermon or homily? If you are interested in getting involved with Sunday Service creation, join our Worship Associates team! Contact Jennifer Grant at 
msgrant2012@gmail.com  or Allie Carville at  alisoncarville@gmail.com !

South Fort Myers Food Pantry
The South Fort Myers Food Pantry began a fund drive in June to replace their truck. The goal was to raise $45,000 of the total estimated cost of $75,000.

Although the goal was not met in full, they were able to reduce the cost to $70,000 and they received a trade in value for the old truck of $5,000; thus reducing the cash needed. They have collected $36,000 from the 16 Coalition Members and Supporting Partners, Pantry volunteers and friends of the Pantry. To this, they added the balance from the reserves for equipment replacement to reach the needed $65,000. As the truck fundraising effort comes to an end, the South Fort Myers Food Pantry Coalition, Inc. expresses their gratitude to the UUCFM members. They hope to have our continued support in the future as they strive to fulfill their mission, to feed the needy of South Fort Myers.
From your Social Justice Team
Give the Gift of Freedom this Christmas
Write for Rights - Write a Letter - Change a Life

Amnesty International has its largest annual human rights campaign throughout the fall to mark Human Rights Day on December 10th. And it works! Letters we send out support people and help end abuses. Many people all over the world are wrongfully imprisoned for the peaceful expression of their beliefs or identity - Prisoners of Conscience. Here is how you can get started!

WRITE from now until Jan. 31, 2020
REPORT your letters by Jan. 31, 2020 at www.amnestyusa.org/w4r/report
READ the Instructions page in this guide and go online for more materials at www.amnestyusa.org/w4r
ASK questions and get help by contacting Zeke Johnson at 212-633-4256 or Maya Delany at w4r@aiusa.org.
There will also be information at the SJ Table in Hobart Hall.
For Sale
For Sale: 2005 32’ Fleetwood Terra Motor Home with one slide out in good condition. Asking price $16,500. Call Jeff Letts at 401-741 -3162.
Thank You from Arts Fair
A huge thank you to all who helped build UUCFM Community at our Arts Fair. Thank you to our volunteers, food preps, local authors, vendors, Next-to-New contributors and you buyers who made us over $500 in profit for the General Fund. See you all in December 2020 for another fair. From Patricia Linhoff and Suzanne Ziemer, co-chairs.
The UUCFM Office will be closed on the following days: Wednesday, December 25, Thursday, December 26, and Wednesday, January 1. The E-News will be sent out on Friday, December 27
Did you know your purchases can help us? AmazonSmile donates to the Unitarian Universalist Church of Fort Myers when you do your online shopping by following this special link to Amazon:  
Want to Become a Member?
If you are interested in becoming a new member, please pick up a Membership Kit Sunday mornings in the Narthex or in the office during the week. Thanks!
Our UU Story

DO UNITARIANS CELEBRATE CHRISTMAS?
 
The answer is yes. Why? It marks the birth of a religious leader of seminal importance. The birth of Jesus stands as a symbol of the divinity inherent in every human birth. It stands for the perennial rebirth of innocence and hope in every new child.

It calls to mind the values of peace and goodwill that should be with us all the year. It coincides with the winter solstice, the turning of the earth towards the light and the warmth of a new year. All these factors play a part in the Unitarian Christmas.

Unitarians do not, in the main, let it worry us that we do not know the precise date of Jesus' birth. Nor do we worry that the two quite distinct Gospel Nativity stories probably have little or no historical basis. As myth they express later beliefs about the significance of Jesus and other, more timeless, truths.

Unitarians believe that Jesus was conceived and born in the usual human manner, which in no way diminishes him -- quite the contrary. Many, though, are willing, for the season, to suspend disbelief, enter into the Christmas myth, and find at its heart a message of divine love for a world that needs it.
 
 
~Edited by Joy F. Sokeitous
Our Greater Community

Rissho Kosei-kai Buddhist Group
 The Rissho Kosei-kai group meets Sundays at 2:00 PM in Room Number 1. We do not meet on 5th Sundays.
Pachamama Alliance SWFL Presents
Waging Peace: Global Adventures of a Lifelong Activist 
a talk by David Hartsough
Tuesday, Jan 7th, 2020, 6:30pm  
Collaboratory,  2031 Jackson St, Fort Myers, FL 33901

David will share stories of his work in peacemaking and building nonviolent movements since meeting Martin Luther King at age 15. 

David Hartsough knows how to get in the way! He has used his body to block Navy ships headed for Vietnam and trains loaded with munitions on their way to El Salvador and Nicaragua. He has crossed borders to meet “the enemy” in East Berlin, Castro’s Cuba, and present-day Iran. He has marched with mothers confronting a violent regime in Guatemala and stood with refugees threatened by death squads in the Philippines. Waging Peace is a testament to the difference one person can make. Hartsough’s stories inspire, educate, and encourage readers to find ways to work for a more just and peaceful world. Inspired by the examples of Mahatma Gandhi and Martin Luther King Jr., Hartsough has spent his life experimenting with the power of active nonviolence. It is the story of one man’s effort to live as though we were all brothers and sisters.
Happy Birthday!
Dec 21 Harvey Heckes
Dec 30 Joy Sokeitous 
Dec 30 Bruce Marble 
UUCFM Staff

Director of Music   Suellen Kipp  music@uucfm.org
Director of RE   Jenn Blosser  dre@uucfm.org
Office Manager  Jill Carville  officemanager@uucfm.org
Building Supervisor   Mickey Kellam  buildingsupervisor@uucfm.org
Nursery Supervisor   Liza Kellam lhiz_sierra@yahoo.com
UUCFM  | 13411 Shire Lane Fort Myers FL 33912