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E-Octagram December 6, 2019

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

This Sunday Upcoming All-Music Sunday! Rev. Patrice Curtis and Music Director, Dr. David Katz December 8, 2019 10:30-11:45 am (Sanctuary) Message: The Coming of a New World             Request pastoral care: 727-531-7704, ext. 5 Rev. Patrice appointment: http://www.calendly.com/revpatrice

We look forward  to  seeing you!

Holiday Hours The UUC office will have limited hours December 23 - January 3. If you have content for any upcoming E-Octogram or Order of Service, please e-mail it to the UUC Administrator (churchadmin@uuc.org) as soon as you are able.

Open Issues for December 8 Susan Gore “American Assumptions and African Realities" **There will be childcare for all ages available in the nursery this week for parents who wish to attend.

All-Music Sunday! An AWE-some Celebration Please join us this coming All-Music Sunday, December 8 as we bask in December’s theme of “ Awe .” We have a wonderful program of singing and instruments to ring in the season. In order to support our beloved music ministry, a love offering will be taken. You will be able to place your love offering in an envelope provided in your Order of Service and place it In a basket following the service. Come enjoy the beautiful sounds of the season.

HOLIDAY HOME FESTIVAL Sunday, December 15, 2019 (immediately following services, in the Community Center) Enjoy the holiday season by indulging in goodies at the BAKE SALE (including GF and Vegan options). Get EQUAL EXCHANGE nuts and mini chocolates for great stocking stuffers. Visit the CRAFT TABLES presented by RE and the women from the Hispanic Outreach Center. There will be a casual LUNCH available, HOLIDAY MUSIC and a GIFT WRAP station. Come for fellowship, fun and great Christmas shopping! 

CELEBRATE WITH US This Sunday, December 8 is a special day at UUC for two reasons, First, UUC's fantastic Chorale will be putting on their annual All-Music Sunday service...something not to miss. Second: Following the service, Ann and Mark Kanuck will be celebrating the renewal of their daughter's (Brittany and Caroline Kanuck) marriage vows by hosting a Sunday Buffet Brunch in the Community Center that is open to all UUC members and friends. Farm Fresh Catering, the company that rents our kitchen on a daily Monday-Friday basis, will handle the event, which will run until 1:00 pm. Although tired from dancing at their reception the night before, Brittany and Caroline will be there along with other family members. Come celebrate!

Going Away Party for Rev. Patrice As many of you are aware, we are planning on having a going-away party for Rev. Patrice on December 22. Peggy Tanney ( pahunttanney1225@aol.com ) is organizing the potluck portion of the festivities, and is asking for our help. Please visit the https://perfectpotluck.com/ZMVR1476 link to sign up to bring a tasty dish to share. Thank you for your contribution!

We Need Your Help! Each year, UUC collects new blankets to take to Plant City for the migrant farm workers. We need your help! Can you donate a blanket (or two)... or, can you come with us to help deliver the blankets on December 14th? Please let Harriet Ha-Sidi know if you would like to volunteer to help distribute blankets: hhasidi@aol.com. The youth will be helping to lead some games and provide pizza. Any youth who would like to attend should see Al Swinyard or Julie (dfm@uuc.org) for a permission slip. See photos below from last year's distribution!

BELOVED CONVERSATIONS Sign-up for Beloved Conversations by contacting Susan Allen (sallen915@aol.com) This course was designed by the Meadville-Lombard Theological School out of a need for an effective UU curriculum that would help adult UU members individually and congregations as a whole increase awareness of and confront their part in the white supremacy culture and to build more unified and mutually-nurturing multicultural congregations. Participants will attend a weekend workshop on January 10 -11 and eight subsequent sessions on Sundays after church or on Wednesday mornings. Let Susan know if you would prefer Sundays or Wednesdays when you contact her. Spots are filling up fast, so act now! MAKING PEACE TEAM The Making Peace Team is here to help you! If you are in conflict with another UUC member and are unable to come to a resolution, the Making Peace team is here to help you! Team Members: Lore Eargle, Randy Munroe, Sally Otto, Irene Ratner and Ray Williamson are available to make impartial, "confidential" mediation to help you deal successfully with the conflict and to practice forgiveness. The Making Peace box and forms are in the Narthex near the doors to the office. Resources for Members This is a list of contacts to help you when you are feeling frustrated by happenings at UUC, or if you simply have a question. It is best to deal directly with the person whom you have an issue. However, if that doesn't work, you can take it to the next level. Here's how: Disagreement with another member : Making Peace Committee - Sally Otto (oan3@outlook.com) Issues with the Minister : Either talk directly to the Minister, or contact the UUC Board Issues with physical plant : Contact Property Chair (Roger Young roger@danada.net or Robyn Burton robynburton@kw.com) Issues with staff : Contact the Minister or the Personnel Committee (Susan Gore; susanphd@gmail.com) Contacts: Religious Education : Julie Daysa (dfm@uuc.org) Music : David Katz ( katzmusicstudio@aol.com ) For general questions, or if you are uncertain how to proceed, contact Anne Gilbert (Administrator): admin@uuc.org (or 727-531-7704) **Compiled by the Committee on Ministry (CoM): Irene Ratner, Bruce Gotts, Carol Heichel, Sharon LaPlume, Kyle Pierson

Share the Plate – December 8, 2019 FairVote is a non-partisan, non-profit organization that seeks to make democracy fair, functional, and more representative. They research and propose common sense changes to strengthen our democracy and ensure all voices are heard and every vote counts in every election. Operating since 1992, they work with scholars, civic leaders, policymakers, journalists and national, state, and local reform partners to advance fairer elections. FairVote has a proven record as a nonpartisan trailblazer that advances and wins electoral reforms at the local, state, and national level. They are the driving force behind advancing ranked choice voting and fair representation in multi-winner legislative districts that will open up our elections to better choices, fairer representation and more civil campaigns. For more information go to www.fairvote.org . ‌

New Website for Events Rentals at UUC After many months, we now have a live website for events rentals at UUC. For the events side of UUC life, we will be called 2470 Events Center . Our new website is www.2470eventscenter.com and it's the perfect way to show your friends all that UUC has to offer as a marvelous venue for weddings, conferences, birthday parties, family reunions, etc... We also have a dedicated phone number for inquiries: 727-776-2472. Please share with everyone you know! We want UUC To become everyone's favorite Events Center!

The Serenity Garden Thanks to our kind and humble friends Carl Hansen and Patricia Coyle , the Serenity Garden has been brought back to life and is ready for anyone to use. Please note that it is also a Memorial Garden , as there are 30 pavers with names and remembrances of people who have died, including names like Molly and Jim Stevens, Bob and Evelyn Winchester, Mary Flanagan, Abhi's grandfather, and Dorothy Wylie. Any member is welcome to order a paver for someone. The fee for pavers is $ 50 . Please contact the UUC office for additional information.

InterSections Meeting Sunday, December 8, 2019 12:15 pm - 2:00 pm (Classroom 3) InterSections is comprised of LGBTQI and Allies UUC community members where we come together to socialize and address social justice issues particularly affecting Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans, Queer, etc.. people. We believe in our UU 7 Principles and upholding Our Covenant while setting a positive example for others in this community! JOINING UUC Ready to join UUC? New Member Sunday is December 15. To participate, please come to Joining UUC this Sunday, December 8 from 12:30 - 12:45 in Maxwell Library.

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UPCOMING FAMILY MINISTRY EVENTS: This Sunday, Dec. 8th: We will continue learning about this month's theme of AWE. We'll be talking about the "goosebumps" that arise from slowing down and noticing what's around us. We'll learn about Snowflake Bently, the first man to ever photograph a snowflake. NEXT WEEK IN RE we will learn about the "goosebumps" that arise when we stare at the stars and notice the vastness of the night sky. The Winter Solstice is December 21st, so we'll be contemplating the biggest things we can think of - the universe - as we make Galaxy Slime. December 22nd in RE we will learn about the "goosebumps" that arise when we notice new life. We'll explore the amazement when a baby or new life is born, including learning about the story of the birth of Jesus with the interesting, modern take on the story, called Refuge (check it out on Amazon!). Lastly, on December 29th in RE we'll learn about the "goosebumps" that arise when we look into each other's eyes and feel connected. Knowing that we're not alone is a wonderful, awesome thing. We'll learn about Hanukkah (Dec. 22-30) as we play Dreidel together. Friday, Dec. 13th: Family Movie Night, 5:30pm in the Community Center. We'll provide the pizza and popcorn, feel free to bring a salad or sweet to share. Suggested donation of $4/person or $10/family to cover food costs, but please come whether you have cash on you or not - all are welcome! Wednesday, Dec. 18th : Waffles + Worship, 5:30pm. Join us for a short, family friendly worship experience, and then a make-your-own waffles bar! We have gluten free waffles available. Friday, Jan. 10th : Next Family Movie Night, 5:30pm. Mark your calendars for the new year! Coming this Winter: Our Whole Lives (OWL) for High School students . UU Clearwater will be partnering with UU Tampa and UU St. Pete to offer this wonderful program. If you are a parent/guardian of an interested student, please fill out this survery (HERE) as soon as possible, as we are beginning to schedule dates and welcome your input. OWL will begin at the end of January or early February. Our plan is to be done by late April or very early May. This is to give our older high school students a chance to focus on finals, graduation, prom and all the other important end of year activities.   OWL Classes will cost $50. Scholarship and Sponsorship opportunities will be available. The fee will cover food and supplies for the youth during class.   Questions or concerns about any Family Ministries events? Contact Julie Daysa at dfm@uuc.org.

Mitten Tree Project 2019 Our annual UUC Mitten Tree is decorated by our UUC children. On Sunday, December 1, the tree is going up in the Narthex! We partner again this year with the Shepherd Center of Tarpon Springs. The Center serves both Tarpon Springs and Clearwater, providing compassion and support to those who need it most. The focus is on families, the elderly, the homeless and others in need. They offer a food pantry, a thrift store, and case management services. This year, we are sponsoring 35 children whose names will appear on the mittens that you will see on the tree. Stop at the tree and select a mitten (or two...or even a whole family if you wish). Sign your wish number on the forms near the tree, along with your name and phone number. Bring your unwrapped presents in a bag (with your mitten attached) and place under the tree by no later than Sunday, December 15 . Donations of wrapping paper, ribbon and tape are also welcome. The Compass Rose Covenant Group in pink aprons will be assisting with sign-ups on the next two Sundays. There will also be written instructions that come with your mittens. UUC has been participating in the Mitten Tree for more than 21 years! Last year, we helped the Shepherd Center with over 274 children!

UUC Needs You! Have you ever been interested in assisting on Sunday? We are looking for Chalice Lighters, please contact Mary Thornon ( tmarykate@gmail.com)

Exhale!! Weekly on Wednesday 6:00-6:45pm In the Maxwell Library.   Come sit or walk with us in a simple format that focuses on breath. Our large sanctuary has room for both sitting and walking meditation. We meditate for 20 minutes or so, stretch, then meditate again. Late-comers welcome enter softly. Stay for hearty appetizers (we love your offerings too!) and conversation afterward. Contact Kathy Krohn at:  uuc.kathykrohn@gmail.com .

FRIDAY BOOK CLUB Friday morning Book Club meets at UUC from 10:30 - 11:30 in the Chorale Room. Join us on December 6 as we discuss "Water Dancer" by Ta Nehisi Coates. For December 13 and 20 , we will be reading "Talking to Strangers" by Malcolm Gladwell. New members are welcome!

WE CARE From time to time, we all need some help - maybe a ride to the doctor's office, a warm meal or an extra helping hand with household tasks. This is a call for about 10+ UU volunteers to be available to extend these kindnesses. We need a large group of people so that we can spread the joy of giving, and not lean too hard on any one person. If you are able to be one of the  WE CARE  volunteers, please call Fran Owens (727-253-2455) or Susan Hegner (Pastoral Care at 727-447-7721).  Thank you!! IRA REQUIRED MINIMUM DISTRIBUTION It's that time of year!! To all of our IRA owners who are 70 1/2 and older, would you consider a contribution to UUC if you are in the position of needing to make a required distribution? This is an opportunity to continue your generosity in support of your spiritual community. As you know, it will be tax deductible. There is no better time than now.

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