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E-Octagram July 24, 2020

*~*~* 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 (July 26 @ 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: Robert Keim Message :   "The Paradox of Generosity"                Worship Associate : Sue Hand

...A Few Words About Our Returning Speaker, Bob Keim "I am a third generation native Floridian who grew up in the small town of Mulberry (in Polk County), majored in Religion at Florida State University way back in the late 1960’s. I spent thirty years working with Hillsborough County government, where I served as their Director of Geographic Information Systems (automated mapping systems). I retired in 2006 and have worked with the Unitarian Universalist Service Committee and Unitarian Universalist Ministry for Earth these last fourteen years. I have also served as Lay Chaplain for Unitarian Universalist Church in the Pines, up here in the Weeki Wachee area."

Open Issues: July 26, 2020 This Sunday at Open Issues Karen Owen from the North Pinellas League of Women Voters will talk with us about "Access to Voting in Florida". Catch all the latest on the upcoming election in the midst of this pandemic. 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

President’s Message July 24, 2020 Who Are We, Anyway? In religious circles, anyone who is Unitarian Universalist is used to being an anomaly. Even our name is weird. Methodism represents a method for achieving salvation. Baptists hold baptism as their central tenet. But Unitarian Universalism? Too many syllables! When I as in divinity school, my classmate Ernest had an easy definition. He came from an Evangelical background (as in evangelizing, spreading God’s “good news” of salvation through Christ). “You’re from that church where anything goes.” Ernest didn’t say that in a judgmental tone. For him, it was simply a statement of fact. Reframe his statement slightly, layer it with a mindset that centers individual rationality, and it may sound like a small step from “anything goes” to UUism’s fourth principle, “A free and responsible search for truth and meaning.” Many UUs embrace this principle as support for an individualistic approach to beliefs and behavior, akin to academic freedom or a minister’s right to say whatever she/he/they choose based on “the power of the pulpit.” Is that who we are? I have my own definition of Unitarian Universalism that centers on rather literal references to our name. Unitarian – one source or essential core, not three, as Trinitarians believe; no need for a savior or holy spirit. Universalism – all means all, starting from a belief in “original innocence or goodness” rather than “original sin.” It’s a longer conversation, of course, but that’s the gist of it. The UUA’s statement of our values makes the case simply and eloquently: We covenant to affirm and promote : 1st Principle : The inherent worth and dignity of every person; 2nd Principle : Justice, equity and compassion in human relations; 3rd Principle : Acceptance of one another and encouragement to spiritual growth in our congregations; 4th Principle : A free and responsible search for truth and meaning; 5th Principle : The right of conscience and the use of the democratic process within our congregations and in society at large; 6th Principle : The goal of world community with peace, liberty, and justice for all; 7th Principle : Respect for the interdependent web of all existence of which we are a part. These are not static ideals. We are works in progress, as our statement of foundations affirms. The living tradition we share draws from many sources: Direct experience of that transcending mystery and wonder, affirmed in all cultures, which moves us to a renewal of the spirit and an openness to the forces which create and uphold life; Words and deeds of prophetic people which challenge us to confront powers and structures of evil with justice, compassion, and the transforming power of love; Wisdom from the world's religions which inspires us in our ethical and spiritual life; Jewish and Christian teachings which call us to respond to God's love by loving our neighbors as ourselves; Humanist teachings which counsel us to heed the guidance of reason and the results of science, and warn us against idolatries of the mind and spirit; Spiritual teachings of Earth-centered traditions which celebrate the sacred circle of life and instruct us to live in harmony with the rhythms of nature. Each of us mixes these sources into our individual statements of belief with different priorities and interpretations. That’s the joy of a non-creedal faith.  So who are we as Unitarian Universalists? While naming is one key to understanding UUism, the linchpin, for me, is not our name but the promise we make to uphold shared values. “We covenant to affirm and promote….” If that makes us an anomaly, I’m in!

ZOOM ! Since we stopped hosting in-person Sunday worship services on our campus, we have been working diligently to deliver consistent messages to our beloved community. Although we do miss the comfort and camaraderie of being in person, we are very fortunate that we have a virtual mechanism to gather together: Zoom. If you're new to Zoom, we have developed some helpful hints for you! Please click on the link and let us know if you have any questions: https://www.uuc.org/zoom-intro **For those interested in using the UUC Zoom account to host your own (UUC-related) virtual meet-ups, please contact the office for more information (727-531-7704; [email protected] ).

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  [email protected]  or Margie Manning  [email protected]  to learn more about what it means to help with our worship services.

Join us for Digital Coffee Hour this Sunday (July 26, 2020) immediately following the service. Stay in the same Zoom meeting if you wish to participate.

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). Kathy Krohn: July 20 - 26 Susan Hegner: July 27 - August 2  Drinda Lombardi: August 3 - August 9 Sally Otto: August 10 - August 16 

Family Ministries Offerings Susie Safford, the Board Liaison to RE with the support of the Board of Trustees is reviving the Religious Education Advisory Committee, which will consist of two members with children, two members without children, and one youth representative. If you are interested in participating, call the UUC office at 727-531-7704 and leave a message for Susie. Sunday Morning Children’s Program is remote for the rest of the summer. If your child is registered in our RE program, you will be sent a lesson each week you and your family can choose to use at any time during that week. Materials, if needed, will be provided. If your child is not registered in our RE program, please contact our UUC office at 727-531-7704 and leave a message. Mondays @1:00...TORCH Youth Group (ages 12-20) Zoom ID: 970 0554 3034 Our UUC youth group, Teen Organization Reaching for Community Harmony, is for students aged 12-20. The youth group is self-led by teens and supervised by Al Swinyard. This will include a check-in time and a chance for deeper conversation about what is going on in both personal lives and in the greater community/world, from a UU perspective. Please have a candle/chalice to light (even if it’s just on your phone). All are welcome, so if you have high school friends/cousins/neighbors who are lonely, send them the Zoom meeting ID and we look forward to getting to know them. If you have a question, or are interested in Religious Education at UUC, E-mail [email protected] .

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. Join us this Friday (July 24) when we discuss: Conflict Resolution Skills discussion with Christina Bellamy and Aryna Ryan. Everyone welcome, always. --> Contact Kathy Krohn if you have questions or trouble logging in! Hope you can join us!  --> Zoom ID: 977 7424 9139, or Join:  https://zoom.us/j/97774249139

Joyful Connections Eloise Hardman Last week, I wrote about my joyful experience in having a young Pen Pal. I hope you’ve tried it. It’s a calming practice for me. Almost a meditation. There’s another great way to connect with others, of course…the telephone. We are fortunate in this time of Pandemic to have the resources and technology to be able to call our friends, congregants and family to keep in contact. To know there’s someone else out there you can share tips with, talk to about what books you’re reading, discuss current events, reminisce…it’s a healthy, human thing. It’s community.  And we adapt. So if we can’t get out and be together, grab your coffee and your phone, call a friend. Or make a new one from our UUC Directory! Let them know you just want to say “Hello” and that you are thinking of them and are ready to chat when they are. As always, if you’re ill/injured and need any short-term assistance from the Care Circle Team, please contact Susan Hegner or Eloise Hardman; you can look us up in the UUC Membership Directory or leave a message at the Front Office, (727) 531-7704.

UUC PSI Symposium and the UUC Buddhist Fellowship Meeting via Zoom Our next meeting of the UUC PSI Symposium and the UUC Buddhist Fellowship will be held via Zoom, on Saturday, August 8, 2020, at 3 p.m . Please enjoy the comfort of your homes, family, and friends in your home salons when participating with us. We will discuss the afterlife and/or previous lives and future lives and ESP experiences of all kinds. We will focus on the important resource book:   WHAT HAPPENS WHEN WE DIE? A Lawyer Presents the Evidence for the Afterlife  (2013) by Victor and Wendy Zammit   This book is a compilation of academic research and reports of firsthand experiences, written from the perspective of a criminal trial lawyer who analyzes the evidence for the existence of an afterlife, and communications with the dead.   The Zoom contact information is as follows:   UU Clearwater is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting. Topic: UUC PSI Symposium and the UUC Buddhist Fellowship Time: Aug 8, 2020 08:00 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada) Join Zoom Meeting https://zoom.us/j/98066966456 Meeting ID: 980 6696 6456 One tap mobile +13126266799,,98066966456# US (Chicago) +19292056099,,98066966456# US (New York)   Please prepare for our meeting by familiarizing yourself with the book, and/or with the website  www.victorzammit.com , and/or with the author’s newsletter  Friday Afterlife Reports  and associated YouTube links.  See, for example,  http://www.victorzammit.com/July17th2020 .   Fee free to call or e-mail Bobbie Watson (813-251-2991; [email protected] ); or Dr. Frank Tedesco (727-512-4805; [email protected] ) with any questions.

JOIN the UUC Social Justice Immediate Response Facebook Page The UUC Social Justice Council invites you to become a member of the UUC Social Justice Immediate Response Facebook Page . Although we are stuck at home, there are still Social Justice issues we can work on. The page is the place we post such opportunities. Go to the page and click on JOIN to become a member: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1783433061776824/    An administrator will accept your request to join. Once you are a member you can post on the page but an administrator must approve the post before it appears. Criteria for posts are at the top of the page.

As you know, Social Justice is extremely important here at UUC. This dedicated team is always working hard to promote awareness and offer opportunities for action. Please click on the button below to read a wonderful article written by our very own Trude Diamond, which provides some historical context for anti-literacy laws here in the U.S. Also below is some information on the upcoming FAST Rally for Mental Health . Stay tuned next week for the next topic we have for you. We will give you a week to think about it as we did with Anti-Literacy Laws, and then provide information the following week.  -Racial Justice Awareness Team

Anti-Literacy Laws by Trude Diamond

FAST Rally for Mental Health

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