E-Octagram for October 30, 2020

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E-Octagram

October 30, 2020

DAYLIGHT SAVINGS ENDS!

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 1, 2020 @ 2:00 am

REMEMBER TO TURN YOUR CLOCKS BACK ONE HOUR!

*~*~* UUC HAPPENINGS *~*~*

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 (November 1 @ 10:30 AM).

Click here for this Sunday's Order of Service. Feel free to print it out so that you can follow along! We have also included the hymns to make singing along a bit easier!

Join Zoom Meeting:

https://zoom.us/j/96711901492

Meeting ID: 967 1190 1492

You can also join from your landline or cell phone by calling 301 715 8592 and entering 967 1190 1492 when prompted to enter the meeting ID.

Speaker: Rev. Susan Frederick Gray (UUA President)

Worship Associate: Rev. Roberta

Service Technical Support: Jeremy Dillow

In these midst of global pandemic, rising authoritarianism, and uprising, lives hang in the balance and the future of democracy is on the line. In response, Unitarian Universalists are answering the call of our faith, building powerful partnerships to mobilize our communities to #VoteLove and #DefeatHate in the 2020 elections. Join UUA President Susan Frederick-Gray, the UU the Vote team, and a lineup of powerful, prophetic UU voices as we explore the intersections of faith, justice, and democracy in this collective virtual service.

Open Issues: November 1, 2020

This Sunday we will use SEFT (Simplified Emotional Freedom Techniques; AKA 'tapping') to reduce our stress around the upcoming election. Bring your 'hot buttons' and prepare to release some stress.

Remember the time change! Fall back Saturday night.

Join us via Zoom at 9:30 (you can join a few minutes early):

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85936889025

Meeting ID: 859 3688 9025

Friends,

On Sunday November 1, our worship service will be mostly composed of elements created by the Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA) and UU the Vote. We will be taking a special collection for UU the Vote. (Want to know more about UU the Vote? Check them out here: https://www.uuthevote.org/) This inspiring service will get us ready to face Election Day!

On Wednesday November 4th, Rev. Dave will have a Zoom Room open from 11 am - 1 pm. This is a space for you slow down, breathe deeply, take a meditative break from the frenzy. Feel free to drop in any time, stay for as long as you wish. The link to enter is: https://zoom.us/j/97980556052?pwd=UjBwQnZiWWRoZDJ3YU1EN0tCRkgyQT09.

Wednesday November 4that 7 pm, Rev. Roberta will be leading a Zoom Vespers service. Using readings, prayer or meditation, and silent contemplation we will mark the end of the day and welcome the comfort of darkness and rest. The link for Vespers is: https://zoom.us/j/97999978663?pwd=Z3VCenA2RzJvWUk3elRMbG5sd0lHdz09.

On Thursday November 5th, the UUA, UU the Vote and Side With Love are co-hosting a post-election vigil and community gathering. Starting at 8 pm you can join UU’s from around the nation. To be together with fellow UU’s from across the continent is healing and empowering. The gathering will be on Zoom, Facebook Live, and YouTube. You can find more information here: https://upload.facebook.com/events/3713971198666868/.

In Faith and Hope,

Rev. Roberta Finkelstein

Transition Minister

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.

Join us for Digital Coffee Hour this Sunday (November 1, 2020) right after Sunday's Service. It's located in the same Zoom meeting as the service.

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.

DONATE HERE!

You are also welcome to download, print and mail in a Pledge form here.

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: October 26 - November 1

Sally Otto: November 2 - November 8

Kathy Krohn: November 9 - November 15

Susan Hegner: November 16 - November 22

COVENANT GROUPS – A SPIRITUAL JOURNEY

Please reach out to either Lauren Logan (llogan565@gmail.com) or Jan Means (j_means1@hotmail.com) if you would like more information on Covenant Groups.

Also, check out our section on the website, as it was recently updated:

https://www.uuc.org/classes

Namaste

Covenant Group Registration/Interest Form

A Message from the Care Circle

"This is the month of nuts and nutty thoughts—that November whose name sounds so bleak and cheerless. Perhaps its harvest of thought is worth more than all the other crops of the year."

-- Henry David Thoreau

When I read the quote above, it struck me on a number of levels. The election and pandemic, of course, but also the seasons of life and our reactions to them. Our resilience, humor, sadness, fortitude, hope, strengths, gifts.

Perhaps this year we’ve had more of an opportunity than ever to harvest our thoughts. Or celebrate our inner nuttiness!

--Eloise

As a reminder, should you need short-term assistance from the Care Circle for your injury or illness, please contact Susan Hegner or Eloise Hardman, Co-Chairs, or contact the UUC Office at (727) 531-7704.

Religious Enrichment Resources & Opportunities

Video Suggestions from Soul Matters

As we move into November, with the theme of healing, Soul Matters Sharing Circle has provided these videos for us to share with you:

Grandad's Prayers of the Earth, by Douglas Wood and illustrated by P.J. Lynch

"I Can Heal" song

Meet Mindy!

Did you have a hard time hearing the video last week, when we met Rev. Dave and his dog Mindy? Here is the video again, with increased volume.

TORCH

Torch will meet on Zoom at 1:00 pm Sunday. Here is the link: https://zoom.us/j/94342091323

RE Registration

The RE registration form for the 2020-2021 year is now available as an online form. Complete the online form or download, print, and return the PDF form to UUC. Once we receive your registration, you will be on our list to receive future event notifications and other resources.

Parents/guardians, please check your email to make sure you received your registration form. If you did not, please e-mail re@uuc.org.

If you have a question or are interested in Religious Enrichment at UUC,

e-mail Meredith at re@uuc.org.

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.

A bit of fun for Halloween might lighten the Moment we all find ourselves in these days. We welcome remembrances of past "best costumes" you might have had ...or wished you had!

Please also come with any jokes/cartoons you might want to share to allow us to laugh a bit ( or a lot). together. Of course the best of Halloween is often political, so bring it on!

If you have trouble logging in please let Kathy Krohn know.

Everyone is welcome, always.

--> Contact Kathy Krohn if you have questions or trouble logging in! Hope you can join us!

Join Zoom Meeting (every Friday, at 1:00 PM)

https://zoom.us/j/98442090304

Meeting ID: 984 4209 0304

OUR ANNUAL RICE & BEANS COLLECTION

About ten years ago, UUC began our annual Rice and Beans collection in honor of Dr. Marilyn Toman, a long-time advocate for farmworker rights and a member of UUC for about 30 years.

To coincide with the return of the migrant workers to Plant City, several years ago, we moved the collection to October. We are once again continuing this collection this month in a socially distant manner. They have no income until late December when the strawberries begin to ripen so there is a tremendous need to provide supplemental assistance to help meet their nutritional needs. Please donate generously so we can distribute as much as possible to take care of our farmworkers who take care of our needs with their labor.

If you wish to donate, you may do so in one of the following ways:

Mail a check (made out to the Unitarian Universalists of Clearwater - using "Rice and Beans" in the Memo line)
Using the credit/debit card features of Breeze (you must select "Rice and Beans" from the drop down menu if you wish for your donation to go to this purpose:
Website: https://uuc.breezechms.com/give/online
Text Giving: (727) 500-2410

If you have any questions, please reach out to the office by phone (727-531-7704) or e-mail (admin@uuc.org)

FAST Chooses Issues for 2020-2021

Thirty-five UUC FAST network members joined almost 600 people from 40 other congregations Monday night at FAST’s Annual Assembly. The event began with an inspiring slide show presented by the new Justice and the Arts Committee. Then the three existing issue committees gave reports. All 35 members voted in favor of the two FAST recommendations: to continue FAST's work for additional Affordable Housing, and to separate the Criminal Justice Committee into two committees, Criminal Justice Concerns and Behavioral Health. Criminal Justice Concerns will continue its statewide work on civil citations for youth misdemeanor arrests, work on a statewide project to reduce adult misdemeanor arrests and on local racial profiling issues. Behavioral Health will work on mental health and addictions, including FAST's present focus on a central pathway for mental health.

Both proposals passed overwhelmingly by all those attending and voting at the Assembly. If you are interested in working to one of these issues or on the Justice and the Arts Committee please contact Linda Stoller (lstol10403@aol.com).

RACIAL JUSTICE GROUP

Also, please check out the Social Justice section of UUC's website (https://www.uuc.org/social-justice). All of our recent articles have been posted there, so that you can continue to reference them.

If you have any interest in authoring any other articles under the Social Justice umbrella, please reach out to Chris Mueller (cem.hmm14@gmail.com) or Susan Allen (sallen915@aol.com).

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