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Each year, our church renews itself through our Annual Stewardship Drive. This year our theme is “Charting a New Course Together”.
Due to the disruption in the scheduled services during our pledge drive and the disruptions in our personal lives, we will be extending the drive into November.
We’ve weathered some turbulent times in 2024, no pun intended, including the recent hurricanes Helene and Milton, but our UUCT community remains vital, engaged, and excited about the future. Despite challenges, we have grown our membership, shared stimulating and meaningful services, and worked together to communicate effectively. We are looking forward to welcoming a new UU Minister, Rev. Doak Mansfield, beginning in January 2025. In short, we are charting a new course as we learn to listen and respond to each other as individuals and as a congregation.
As we return from our summer respite, embrace the business of cleanup following the hurricanes, we at UUCT are asking each member and potential member to reflect on the place of this faith community and consider your financial contribution. Our yearly pledge enables us to plan effectively and move forward as a congregation together. Please consider renewing your pledge and if, possible increasing your contribution.
To date, more than $76,800 has been raised toward our $130,000 goal.
Questions about the Stewardship Drive or your pledge, please contact us at: pledge11400@gmail.com
Join us and invest in a place where we come together with a shared purpose of helping others. Please use this link that The Stewardship Committee has opened for on-line pledging “Charting a New Course Together”.
Your 2025 Stewardship Team,
Lynn Parrish and Pat Benedict Co-Chairs
Ed Benedict, Fran Davin and Kim Robe, and Candy Gale
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Sunday Services for November.
Our Theme will be The Practice of Repair.
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Sunday, November 3, 2024
Service at 10:30 am
Third Annual Poetry Sunday Service.
Poetry holds immense value as it captures the complexity of human emotions, thoughts, and experiences in a condensed and evocative form. It allows for a deeper exploration of language, where words are used to evoke emotions, provoke thought, and inspire reflection. Through its rhythm, imagery, and metaphor, poetry transcends the literal, offering insights into the human condition. It encourages us to slow down, to feel, and to see the world from new perspectives.
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Sunday, November 10, 2024
Service at 10:30 am
Guest Speaker - Rev. Charles McKenzie
"There is no time but now; the eternal moment of now"
Time is a relative construction within the framework of a space-time continuum. It is a matter of micro or macro cognition.
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Saturday, November 16, 2024
7:30pm - 10:30pm
CUUPS Full Moon Celebration
Our November Full Moon with be an Egyptian Theme entitled “Bastet: Cat-Phoria” presented by Exordium.
Come in your Best Cat, Egyptian, Casual or Ritual Wear for a Purrfectly Wonderful time! Ritual begins at 7:30pm in the large dome with refreshments and conversation to follow in the multi-purpose building. Additionally, prior to Ritual, you are invited to a 6pm class conducted by Rachel on the topic of “Sigils”. Join us in the multi-purpose building from 6pm – 7pm for this very interesting class, then attend our Egyptian Ritual in the Dome.
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Sunday, November 17, 2024
Service at 10:30 am
Guest Speaker - Rev. Bob Murphy
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Sunday, November 24, 2024
Service at 10:30 am
Guest Speaker - Rev Charles McKenzie
"Tomorrow’s God"
Tomorrow’s God is not the God of our mythologies, but, the pure and essential , cause of every effect, the stem cell of all things existent.
On the last Sunday of the month, following this service: Conversations with The Board. Members of the Board of Trustees will be present for conversation after church today from 11:45 to 12 p.m. The purpose is to open communication and share ideas. Come with questions and ideas but always with an open mind.
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Board News
Message from the Board of Trustees
Buddhists love numbers. There are Five Precepts, Four Noble Truths, Seven Principles and my personal favorite, the Four Heavenly Abodes. The Four Heavenly Abodes are: Lovingkindness, Compassion, Sympathetic Joy and Equanimity. Lately I’ve been thinking a lot about equanimity, the ability to maintain calm through all kinds of circumstances. Buddhist practitioners recite prayers for equanimity in meditation, such as “may I greet life’s comings and goings with peace and equanimity.” I don’t believe I can remember a time when our collective ability to maintain equanimity has been tested as it has been these past few weeks, with the arrival of two hurricanes: Helene, followed by the devastating Milton.
The Buddists also say “no mud, no lotus.” We’ve had lots of rain and mud, but I also see a beautiful lotus starting to take shape. Our electricity has been restored to our property and as I type these words, our Board of Trustees has met and is working to quickly engage a team to clear our property. We will be back inside our beloved Dome soon and we anticipate Doak Mansfield will be joining us as our minister in January 2025. I am humbled to be part of the UUCT Board of Trustees as I witness the dedication and determination shown by my fellow members in the face of difficulty and chaos. Of course, it is the work of the entire congregation that has allowed us to address the mess left by Milton, particularly those involved with the grounds, Trevor Chin, Marla Frazer, and Tom Krumreich.
Equanimity is not the same thing as avoidance or withdrawal. Equanimity gives us the peace of mind and balance to address our challenges. I hope each member of our community will consider how they wish to respond to the needs of the whole. Can you volunteer to clean up, or repair? Perhaps you would be more effective as a greeter or helping with coffee hour. Do you want to consider increasing your pledge during this Stewardship season to help offset our expenses? None of us is a superhero, but together we can be effective. If you’re not sure how you’d like to help, please consider talking to a Board Member or Committee Chair about what our areas of greatest need are.
I am wishing us all the blessings of equanimity. May we be balanced and at peace. May we learn to see the arising and passing of all nature with equanimity.
Kim Robe
Secretary, UUCT Board of Trustees
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CUUPS Yule Winter Ball
Since the 2024 Witches Masquerade Ball had been CANCELLED.
CUUPS has decided that this Solstice, on December 21, 2024, CUUPS will have a Yule Winter Ball in place of the Witches Masquerade Ball! (The YULE Ball) will be an all day event with Vendors, Music and Children's Activities outside from Noon to 5pm and then the Big Party Begins inside 5pm to 11pm with food and entertainment included! If you have already per-purchased your tickets for the Masquerade Ball, then You are Good to Go! As they are Transferable to our Exciting Yule Event. Adjust your calendars as we repair and prepare for this Wonderful Winter Yule Ball Celebration on Saturday, December the 21, 2024! You are going to the Ball!!!
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Meeting randomly
Random Acts of Kindness Group
The group members each donate $10 per month, and then one lucky member gets to give it away to a worthy cause or an unsuspecting individual.
Text Kim McDonald 813.380.2628
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2nd Monday of the Month!
Monday Night mUUsic
November 11; 7:30 pm
Grab your instrument, or just bring your voice and get ready.
Once a month we will gather for song and music. Join Us for a fun sing-a-long.
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Tuesday
Mindfulness Meditation Group
6:30 pm -7:30 pm
- weekly - In the large dome or on zoom
Zoom Link (new 2024 link)
Meeting ID: 811 3060 4729; Passcode: 632102
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Wednesday
Choir Rehearsals
6:30 pm - 7:45 pm
Contact person: James Hemphill,
choir@uutampa.org
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3rd Thursday of this month
(due to Thanksgiving we will meet a week early)
A Women’s Drum Circle
November 21; 12:30 pm
Our UUCT drum circle will also promote community by starting at 12:30pm with a bring-your-own brown bag luncheon and, of course, checking in with our sisters for fun and support.
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First Friday of the month
Vegan Potluck & Karaoke!
Friday, November 1
6:30 pm - 9:00 pm
New to our monthly calendar. give this new event a try. Bring a vegan dish to share and your best singing voice!
The Chins 941.822.2947
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3rd Friday of the month
November 15
Potluck Dinner @ 6:30 pm
and
Game Night @ 7:30 pm
Come and enjoy good conversations, good food, and games.
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Email the Care Team to keep us informed at: CareTeam@uutampa.org
The Care Team celebrates birthdays, anniversaries, births, graduations, and other milestones. We provide members with support during or after:
· a challenge or hardship
· an illness or injury,
· a death in the family, or other loss, or
· a need for conversation.
With your permission, support from team members may be provided by text, email, phone call, visits or cards.
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2nd Saturday of the month
Buildings and Grounds
Clean-Up Day
Saturday, November 9; 9:00 am - noon
Help us once a month with the small jobs that keep the UUCT buildings and ground looking good.Still picking up after Hurricane Milton.
Trevor Chin uuctgrounds@uutampa.org
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4th Saturday of the month
UUCT Women's Book Club
Saturday, November 23 @ 3:00 pm
click here: Zoom meeting link
Meeting ID: 865 9887 3568 - Passcode: bookclub
For more information please contact Evelyn Cape at handlady@gmail.com happy reading.
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Religious Exploration
We will be exploring November's theme of Living Love through the Practice of Repair this month. The committee is exploring how RE can be most enriching, and best meet the needs of our children and families. You can enhance our program by volunteering to help out. Talk to Aileen (pronounced I-leen), Judy, or email re@uutampa.org . If you do not receive a response within 72 hours, please reach out to one of us directly.
RE for Children and Youth RE is excited to provide weekly sessions for children aged 5 to 12 years of age, in the multi-purpose building starting at 10:30 am.
Families who have not yet registered and would like to participate are asked to complete the attached form.
RE Registration Form - Once completed you can scan it in an email to re@uutampa.org or bring it to Church and give it to Aileen.
RE Teen Group meets next on November 11th. RE Teen group is a safe place for individuals ages 13-19 to be educated and empowered in the Unitarian Universalist traditions of inclusiveness and compassion. Michelle Stover, a high school teacher, and Beth Brownell, a clinical therapist, will be leading the program.
Wiggle Room (Right next to the Minister’s Office)
Families with children up to 4 years old are welcome to visit the Wiggle Room. It is stocked with toys, rocking chairs, and a changing table. It is a welcoming space to quiet a restless child during worship and still be able to hear the service. As our collection of volunteers increases, it may be possible to staff the Wiggle Room once again.
Soulful Home: If you can't make it to a live RE session (or even if you can) you may want to engage with the monthly theme by accessing a packet of materials at home. The packets include stories, games, discussion topics, action invitations, craft ideas, and links for further family exploration.
For more information, contact the RE Committee: re@uutampa.org
Note: If you do not receive a response within 72 hours, please reach out to Karen Zindell directly.
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**If you see this message at the bottom of the document -- 'view entire message' -- you must click on the link to view the clipped content.**
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Healthy Relations Team
Next Sharing Reflections Session November 17
The Healthy Relations Team (HRT) will hold its next Sharing Reflections session after the church service on Sunday, November 17 at 11:45 in Room 5 of the Multipurpose Building. The topic is “What is your ministry?” Please join us to practice reflective listening skills, communicate your ministry, and learn the ministries of others in our church community.
The Healthy Relations Team (HRT) provides education about conflict resolution and helps congregants solve conflicts themselves. If you think you might need assistance from HRT, please contact one of our team members: Ed Benedict, Lindi Budd, Nancy Wileden, Mary Wolgemuth (chair) or Karen Zindell.
To read past Domelight articles about actions that block empathy, click here.
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Hillsborough Organization for Progress and Equality (HOPE) News
HOPE's first major annual event, our Annual HOPE Convention was held October 28th, which was past UUCT's deadline for our November Domelight, so for more information on our participation at the Convention, please read my latest Weekly Blast article. Thank you.
We currently have a total of 14 JMN members for this church and HOPE year, including Jay Cortright, Irene Bembry, Grace Hancock, Kathy Reddy, Tom Krumreich, Sue Mitchel, Cap Capellini, Coletta Kiliany Chin, Barbara Burghardt, Virginia Tooker, {new UUCT member} Willy Vargas, Russell Patterson, Candy Gale and me. Plus a few more of you who expressed interest in our HOPE JM are encouraged to join us.
Upcoming HOPE events:
DART Research-to-Action Advanced Leader Training: Wed. 11/6 (1 pm) thru Fri. 11/8 (noon) in Orlando (Registration closed Oct. 14th).
HOPE local Research-to-Action Kick-Off: Monday, Nov. 25, 6:30 pm - 8:30 pm, Location TBD/TBA (please see my upcoming November Weekly Blast articles for Location).
For more information, please contact Robert Boileau or Candy Gale, or kaitlyn@hillsboroughhope.org or jasmine@hillsboroughhope.org
In Community and Justice,
Robert Boileau, UUCT-HOPE Team Co-Lead with Candy Gale
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Hi UU Florida Congregations,
The Sunshine Cluster [formerly the UU SE Florida Cluster] now covers all of Florida.
Peter Bowden will be live. (See below) The webinar will be longer than his prerecorded webinars. With material specifically for Florida Congregations!
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