The Communicator
July 2019
Volume 36 Issue 7
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Sunday Services in July - Cycles of Life
July 7
Cycles of Life Part 1: Youth
July 14
Cycles of Life Part 2: Adulthood
July 21
Cycles of Life Part 3: Midlife
July 28
Cycles of Life Part 4: Elder
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Community Sharing in July
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The mission of the
Lee County Homeless Coalition
is “to advocate, educate, and promote awareness of issues and obstacles facing homeless individuals in Lee County through community collaboration, planning, and implementing solutions.”
We are a non-profit advocacy group made up of community and faith-based service providers, local businesses, people who are currently experiencing or who have experienced homelessness, and other advocates committed to ending homelessness.
The
Lee County Homeless Coalition
was reorganized in 2004 under the umbrella of the Lee County Department of Human Services with the intent to develop a broader base of support and at some time operate again as an independent agency. Thanks to support from the community, that goal was achieved in 2009, and the Coalition was recognized as an independent 501(c)3 non-profit organization.
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The Humanist Forum
meets every Sunday at 9:15 am in Hobart Hall. All are welcome to attend. Join us as we engage in a new topic each week.
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Sunday's Social Hour
happens after the service every week. It is volunteer run- by the Women's Circle on the first Sunday, Humanist Forum on the second, CUUPs on the third, Men's Group on the fourth, and if there is a fifth Sunday, it is All Church. Any donations of food, snacks or cash are welcome.
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Our Interim Minister
Reverend Carlos R. Martinez
Biography
Rev. Carlos R. Martinez comes to UUCFM from the Community Church of New York UU in midtown Manhattan where he served as the Interim Minister following a 38 year settled ministry. Previously, he served the 804 member First Unitarian Church of Rochester (NY) as the Interim Assistant Minister. He has also served Beacon (Unitarian Universalist Congregation in Summit, NJ), the Unitarian Society of Ridgewood and the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Central Nassau in Long Island (NY) in other capacities.
Rev. Carlos possesses a M.Div. from Union Theological Seminary in NYC, an M.B.A. from the University of California at Berkeley, and a B.A. in Government and English Literature from Cornell University. Rev. Carlos is a second career minister after a career in high-tech sales and marketing. He is also served in the U.S. Navy and was honorably discharged.
As an accredited UU Interim Minister, he is a member of the Interim Ministry Network and is a trained hospital chaplain.
Rev Carlos came to Unitarian Universalism as a teenager, He was first called to ministry through his experiences attending the First Unitarian Church of Los Angeles. He draws his ministerial inspiration from the 19th century Transcendentalists, particularly Ralph Waldo Emerson, and the example of the late Rev. Dr. Forrest Church of the Unitarian Church of All Souls (where Carlos was a member) and his many mentors.
Born in Los Angeles, California, he identifies strongly with his Mexican American heritage. He speaks Spanish, Portuguese, Italian, French and has dabbled in Russian, Chinese, Japanese, Arabic and Hebrew.
He is a divorced father of three children. His oldest son is a graduate of Colgate University and lives and works in Tokyo, Japan. One daughter recently graduated from Amherst College and now works in Manhattan as an assistant digital brand manager and the other is a rising Junior at Mount Holyoke College in Western Massachusetts.
The Interim Minister will begin at UUCFM in August.
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Music Notes
The UUCFM Choir rehearses most Wednesday nights from 6:45-8:15 pm, and on Sunday mornings from 9-10 am in the sanctuary. It's free and there are no auditions. Come join us in singing!
The UUCFM Band rehearses most Wednesday nights from 6:00-6:45 pm, and on Sunday mornings from 9-10 am in the Sanctuary. If you would like to play your instrument during a Sunday service, please email me to coordinate the details. Come join us in making music together!
Suellen Kipp, Director of Music
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From the Office
The office will be closed on Thursday & Friday, July 4th & 5th for the Independence Day holiday.
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Membership
Would You Like to Become a Member of UUCFM?
If you are interested in becoming a new member, please contact
MemberServices@UUCFM.org
to receive your membership enrollment kit.
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Volunteer of the Month
Honoring Elise Sexton
Congratulations to Elise Sexton, UUCFM Volunteer of the Month. Elise is 18-years old and recently graduated from Ft Myers High School. She will be attending Macalester College in St Paul, MN in the Fall and is interested in an International Studies major and a Music minor.
Elise’s family has been attending UUCFM for about 7 years, and she has been a member for four years having come to the church first as a participant in the Harry Potter summer camp. Over the years, she became a Worship Associate at age 13, a church member when she was 14, having requested a change in the bylaws to allow youth over 14 to become members, a youth representative to the BOT, and Chair of the Worship Associate committee.
When asked what encouragement she would give to the youth regarding the church, she
responded, “I’d encourage them to explore all the activities we have available at UUCFM and try to find something that they’re interested in. Our church is a wonderful place to grow up, and it’s even better when you can do it with people who help you deepen your spirituality.” She hopes that “all congregants will be kind to the youth and remember that they are individuals with thoughts, feelings, and opinions. Youth are incredibly valuable to our community and, while they are certainly our future, they are also here now and need our support now.”
Over the summer, Elise will serve as the full-time Worship Associate and lay-leader. She will be exploring the theme of Aging with the congregation, and would welcome anyone who is interested in offering a reflection or words of any kind on the topic. Please see her, if you are interested.
Elise, we appreciate your volunteer service to this congregation. You have earned this recognition
~UUCFM Board of Trustees
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2019 GRACE Project Work-Study Trip
November 3 - 9, 2019 $750 Land only
Assist in the Reproductive Health Workshops with women and youth (Spanish
not essential)
Support the workshops with public school teachers, in collaboration with the
Guatemala Ministry of Education and with community leaders,
Visit the Casa Aurora Women’s Shelter in San Lucas Tolimán,
Deliver menstrual management Kits and Fertility Bracelets,
Travel in safe, private vans,
Private room with bath,
Enjoy the Breakfast or dinner provided daily,
Shop in La Antigua and Panajachel.
Safe land Transportation, breakfast, and hotel rooms are included.
Volunteer pays own airfares from USA to Guatemala City.
To save your space, please send $100 deposit on the Donate button, through PayPal, on
The GRACE Project, UUCFM, 13411 Shire Lane, Ft. Myers, FL, 33912.
Please contact Helen Dixon at helendixon9@gmail.com or 239.543.2959.
Muchísimas gracias.
The Guatemala Rural Adult and Children’s Education (GRACE) Project represents the
Social Justice Outreach Ministry of the Unitarian Universalist Church of Fort Myers.
All workshops are non-sectarian and free of charge to participants.
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South Fort Myers Food Pantry
The support that UUCFM has shown to our pantry over the years is appreciated. Along with other coalition members, the combined effort fed 26,646 people from the South Fort Myers area in 2018. There is still a tremendous need in Southwest Florida and consequently the Harry Chapin Food Bank sometimes runs low on food. When this happens, your donations of food each Sunday become so important, even if it’s just one item. Remember “Fran’s plan, just one can”? Look around church this Sunday and just imagine the amount of food, if everyone brought just one can. Protein items are always a good choice, canned ham, chicken , tuna or hearty prepared meals or soups.
Prefer to donate money? You can make out checks and send to the South Fort Myers Food Pantry. 8260 Cypress Lake Drive, Fort Myers, FL. 33919. Be sure to write Food Pantry in the memo line. Looking for a satisfying volunteer experience?
Our Pantry needs summer help. The South Fort Myers Food Pantry thanks our winter residents for donating what was left in their cupboards before leaving for the summer. For those of you who live here year round, please, consider volunteering on Mondays during the summer months. They are desperate for volunteers who can tolerate working in the summer heat. At least go for one day to see if you can do it, even if you can only do a couple of hours. The people who need to use the pantry don’t get to take vacations during the summer months. Many have lost their seasonal jobs and only turn to us at this time of year. If you know the pantry then just go there around 10 AM for the day shift or at 4:15, 4:30 for the afternoon/evening shift. Pantry open only on Mondays. Contact Fran Rose 617-750-0470or email
francrose@centurylink.ne
t
.
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UUCFM Classes & Small Groups
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Women's Circle this Summer
Join the Women's Circle at
MIMI’S CAFÉ
Bell Tower Mall
5070 Bell Tower Shop Ave
Fort Myers, FL 33907
Located at the northeast corner of Daniels Pkwy and Rte 41
12:00 PM Monday, July 22nd
267-467-1622 by Thursday, July 18th. The restaurant needs exact numbers.
If you need transportation, please let us know with your full name, address and phone number when making your reservation with Peg. We will make every effort to provide transportation.
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Summer Connection Circle!
Wednesday Connection Circle!
Lilibeth Grimes,
libeala@gmail.com
will be facilitating a Wednesay evening Circle titled
Principles of Joy
. The goal for this connection circle is to serve as a bridge between UUCFM and the broader community. This is open each month to all. Please email Lilibeth by the Monday before each circle to let her know you will be there that month. We'll meet the second Wednesday of each month at 6:00 PM starting in July. Here is the schedule:
July 10:
1
ST
Principle: The Inherent
Worth
and Dignity of Every Person
August 14
th:
2
nd
Principle: Justice, Equity, and
Compassion
in Human Relations
September 11
th:
3
RD
Principle: Acceptance of One Another and Encouragement to
Spiritual Growth
in our Congregations
October 9
th:
4
TH
Principle: A Free and Responsible Search for
Truth
and Meaning
November 13
th:
5
TH
Principle: The Right of
Conscience
and the Use of the Democratic Process within our Congregations and in Society at Large
December 11
th:
6
TH
Principle: The Goal of World
Community
with Peace, Liberty, and Justice for All
January 8
th:
7
TH
Principle: Respect for the Interdependent Web of all
Existence
of Which we are a Part
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Covenant of UU Pagans
Join us for our CUUPs monthly meeting on Sunday, July 14th at noon in Room 7. Our drum circle will be held the second Saturday of July on the screen porch at around 6:30 PM. We will be having a Lughnasa celebration on August 5th at 7 in the evening in Room 7 and the Screen Porch.
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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 6:30-8:00p in the Sanctuary. Info: contact Gary Robbins at 302-540-5899.
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Book Study
meets Wednesdays from 1-2:30 PM in the Library of our Administration Building.
All are welcome to join in facilitated discussion and group bonding. We will be reading Gary Zukav's
The Seat of the Soul.
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Our UU Story
P.T. Barnum:The Greatest Faith on Earth
Circus promoter Phineas Taylor Barnum (1810–1891) created ‘the greatest show on earth,’ founding the Barnum & Bailey Circus. But, he was equally devoted to championing his religion, Universalism.
Barnum had grown up hearing frightening sermons in a Calvinist church. “I would return to my home and with the utmost sincerity ask God to take me out of the world if He would only save me from hell,” he later recalled.
As a teenager, he embraced Universalism with great relief, and although he did not join a church until later in life, he always advocated Universalism. His 1890 tract,
Why I Am a Universalist
, sold 100,000 copies in its first three years, and continued circulating well into the twentieth century. Some comments:
- “No Christian prays for endless sin and punishment. If God permits it, it must be good and right. Why not pray for it? All Christians pray for the salvation of sinners, and yet Orthodox Christians profess to believe it will never be. The first essential of prayer is that it be in faith. The Universalist Church is the only one that believes in success.”
- Against my hope is quoted the Bible word "hell." The Universalist is characterized as one who does not believe in hell. We believe the Bible doctrine of hell. Sin in a soul is fitly symbolized by the words Gehenna, Hades, Sheol, and Tartarus. Not one of these words primarily means a place of torment after death. The word “hell" in its old English sense of “to cover" was a passable translation of these original words, but in its present orthodox sense is not a translation of one of them, but an unwarranted substitution.
Compiled by Joy F. Sokeitous
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10th Annual Florida Unitarian Universalist Women’s Retreat
April 3-5, 2020
DaySpring Episcopal Conference Center
A Weekend Gathering of UU Women
• Friday evening we will get to know one another and create community
• Saturday one-hour workshops offer choices
• Sunday we share a UU Service bringing it all together
DaySpring Conference Center is conveniently located off I-75 just north of Sarasota on Florida’s West Coast. The beautiful campus nestled under ancient oaks and located on a cove of the Manatee River offers a serene setting for our annual retreat. Take a look.
http://Dayspring.dioswfl.org
.
$220 per person covers expenses for a semi-private room and meals. 8 women share a cozy cottage with 4 bedrooms and 4 baths, a screened porch and common area. A limited number of single rooms are available at $292 each.
A
non-refundable deposit
of $15 for a semi-private room or $25 for a private room will reserve your place. Final payment is due January 15, 2020.
Scholarships are available.
Come join us for an enriching and memorable weekend.
To register or for more information contact Helen Leddy
helen.leddy@gmail.com
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Shop at Amazon and Help UUCFM
Did you know your purchases can make a difference? AmazonSmile donates to the Unitarian Universalist Church of Fort Myers when you do your online shopping. Follow this link:
smile.amazon.com/ch/59-1160337
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Rissho Kosei-kai Buddhist Group
The Rissho Kosei-kai group meets Sundays at 2:00 PM in Room 1. This Sunday we do not meet as we feed the homeless on 5th Sundays! Contact Mary Tracy Sigman for info
marytracysigman115@gmail.com
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July 4
Helen Leddy
July 5
Teri Cooper
July 8
Penny Hutchinson is 4!
July 10
Barbara Mannix
July 10
Diane Sweeney
July 14
Bill Petrarca
July 16
Rose Klein
July 28
Deborah Lewis
July 30
Don Klein
July 31
Kevin Carr
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Board of Trustees
President
Theresa Bahre
President Elect
Lesley Peterson
Secretary
Alison Carville
Treasurer
Eddie Grimes
VP Finance
Alanis Garcia
VP Programming
Cathy Snow
VP Ministerial Services
Karen J. Brown
VP Operations
Dorothy Van Howe
Member at Large
Helen Leddy
Staff
Interim Minister
Coming Soon!
Director of Music
Director of RE
Office Manager
Building Supervisor
Nursery Supervisor
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