Weekly Communicator

October 26, 2023

Sunday Service

Join us this Sunday at 10:30am in the Sanctuary or via Zoom

https://zoom.us/j/5264858673

Minister's Musings

"The thing with October is, I think, it somehow gets in your very blood. Unapologetically. Almost ruthlessly." ~ Anne Sexton

Thanks to ALL who participated in the MANY activities of this past week! Neil's Memorial Service, Masquerade at the MACC, Our Being Mortal service and programming and the LIFE Annual meeting. It was so nice to see so much energy on our campus.

This Sunday we mark the New Year in the Wheel of the year. Please join CUUPS and I as we celebrate Samhain and honor those important people who we have lost in our life. Feel free to bring a picture or artifact to add to our morning's altar.

Upcoming Themes for Sunday Services:

October 29: Samhein/Day of the Dead (Rev. Sue, Lesley Peterson and CUUPS)

November 5: Turning Back Time Leslie

November 12: Talking Trash Sue

November 19: With Gratitude Sue

November 26: Reluctant Ministers and Messiahs Sue

revsue@uucfm.org

WhatsApp call or message: +506 8891 2847

US phone number: 603-395-7559

Facebook Messenger: Sue Gabrielson

Skype: suegabes

Joys and Concerns

Suzanne Ziemer, a beloved member of our Congregation, has had a fall and broke her pelvis. She will be in a rehabilitation center near her home.

Please send all newsletter articles by

12pm Wednesday for publication in Thursday's newsletter.

Send articles to newsletter@uucfm.org

Newsletter articles should be limited to 250 words. Send artwork or photos in jpg format. If multiple posting dates are desired, please include that in your request.

**Please do not send requests to the office manager email**

THANK YOU, GENEROUS SUPPORTERS OF UUCFM

From Nancy Hutchins for your Stewardship Team

We are halfway through our year together (April 2023 – March 2024), and we are so grateful for the steadfast support of our members and friends who pledge. You can expect to receive an email soon, which will report the current status of your pledge.

As you know, the records are kept by our Office Administrator for confidentiality.

Please call her if you have questions about the report ( 239-561-2700). Again, thank you for

your generosity.

Being Mortal

Classroom 2 at 9:15 am Oct.15

Honoring Our Ancestors

This Sunday’s program in the continuing series, Being Mortal, will discuss our spiritual connection with family members who have preceded us in death. Many of us are familiar with Western Civilization rituals, such as All Saints Day, but Beatrice Muhlenbruch of CUUPs will introduce us to the beautiful Pre-Columbian Mexican tradition of Dia de los Muertos.

The meeting is at 9:15 am Oct. 29 in Classroom 2.

Volunteer of the Month

Barbara Shearer is Volunteer of the Month. We are so fortunate that a librarian should walk through our door just as we are enriching our book collection with banned books and books promoting social justice. Barbara was our Grand Marshall for the procession of books from the sanctuary to the library and is working on creating a database for the collection.

Social Justice Book Group

Understanding Experience of Transgender People

Understanding Living with Disability

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;

These are the first three Principles that ground our love and work as UU's. That love, that work includes learning to understand all members of our congregation and working toward empathy for all those both in and outside our congregation who live with oppression. Many of us might be surprised to know, that rather feeling heard, understood, and valued, some Queer, Trans, BIPOC, and/or people with disabilities, experience the opposite of empathy and understanding in UU spaces throughout the domination.

Eli Clare writes with clarity, compassion, and knowledge about his own experience and that of others. His commitment to environmental protections is also clear. We hope you'll read this book with us with us! We will read the first chapter ("the mountain") and the first chapter in Part i, "place," this week, November 1. Exile and Pride is available in our UUCFM DEI Library. For information and links, contact Cat Pivetti (equalrightscommittee@uucfm.com).

Marsha P. Johnson

We Want to Be a Welcoming Congregation!

October Is LGBTQIA+

History Month!

Our Welcoming Congregation /Equal Rights Committee has a lot of activities to recommend this week, the last week of LGBTQIA+ History Month. Our congregation is committed both to renewing our Welcoming status, and also to implementing the 8th Principle, "by our actions that accountably

dismantle racism and other oppressions." Of course heterosexism, cissexism, and ableism are some of the "other oppressions," but they are also inextricably linked to racism, and they are used in support of racist violence.

The Stonewall Uprising is an important part of Queer and Trans history, and Marsha P. Johnson, pictured above, played an important role at Stonewall and in the ongoing struggle for Q/T rights and equality. That she was a Black woman is significant. She and Sylvia Rivera, a Latina Trans activist, are lauded for their groundbreaking work on behalf of Queer and Trans youth. They became the first Trans Women of Color to lead an organization in the United States.

Several events this week, also individually discussed in the Communicator, have relationship to LGBTQIA+ History Month:

1. The Social Justice Book Group is reading Exile and Pride by Eli Clare, a Trans man with Disabilities, who is well-known as a climate activist. This group meets at 2 on Wednesdays on

Zoom.

2. Marge Gonzalez and I (Cat) are leading a discussion of Reverend Cecilia Kingman's essay on fascism, "My Little Pony Was Right," on Zoom on October 30th.

3. This week our Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Library, is highlighting books that focus on Queer and/or Trans (Q/T) protagonists, that discuss Queer and/or Trans theories, that recount LGBTQIA+ history, and that are books in a variety of genres, including poetry, written by Q/T authors.

For more information, contact Cat Pivetti (equalrightscommittee@uucfm.org).

Saving Democracy

with Dave Aronberg

Nov 14, 2023

11 am – 1:15 pm

UU Congregation of Fort Myers, Hobart Hall, 13411 Shire Lane, Fort Myers 33912

Floridians for Democracy is honored to host Florida State Attorney Dave Aronberg for a meet and greet to discuss about the importance of protecting and preserving democracy in Florida, America and beyond.

Dave will share his perspectives on the legalities of removing elected state attorneys and the banning of books. Most importantly, he will offer thoughts of what each of us can do to support democracy over authoritarian rule. Let's not let American democracy be stolen from us!

Tickets are $50

Get Tickets Here

Rev. Cecilia Kingman's Lecture on Fascism

"My Little Pony Was Right"

October 30 at 6:30 pm on Zoom

Rev. Kingman's Berry St. Lecture/Essay is a clear and concise introduction to the ways that fascist strategies are being used to undermine democratic processes to empower would-be authoritarians.

She explains how conspiracy rhetoric is used to make racist and transphobic commentary both credible and useful.

Those who have read the the essay and/or watched the lecture have praised them.

Here's a link to both:

https://uuma.org/berry-street-essay/2023-berry-street-essay-the-reverend-cecilia-kingman/

You can read the essay or watch the lecture or both any time before the discussion.

Please join us for a facilitated discussion of these concepts of urgent importance to all of us. For information and to register for links for the discussion, please contact Marge Gonzalez, margaretgonzalez@me.com, or Cat Pivetti (equalrightscommittee@uucfm.org).

CUUPS News

From the CUUPs team, we want to thank all of you that have supported our coffee service and soup with sides, it is our service to the community.

Now mark your calendars for upcoming events:

Oct 28th - Samhain ritual. Gather at 5:00 at the amphitheater to begin promptly at 6:00. Bring a chair to place at the fire pit and something to share for our community feast. Samhain is honoring our ancestors of land and blood, it is a solemn and joyful time. This ritual is open to all but we do advise younger children must be with a parent as some of the ritual is of adult nature.

All this bring us to November. We will let you all know as time gets a bit closer, but a heads-up, there is a community gathering in the works for Solstice gathering in December.

October, the Month for

Increasing Understanding of

Queer and Trans History!

Right here in our own DEI Library!

Poetry and novels and theory, OH MY! So much to learn! So many Books! So much Queer and Trans brilliance! No wonder there's a whole Month for LGBTQIA+ history! The stories are informative, fascinating, funny, heartbreaking... Better start reading as soon as you can so that you can fit them all in. And the Poetry! Wow! Check it out!

And there's a serious point as well: Trans and Queer people are under attack, especially in the South, especially if they're Queer and Trans People of Color. We're a Welcoming Congregation, so WE DON'T LIKE THIS strategy of attacking people for their gender identities or sexual orientations.

One way to combat oppression is to learn as much as you can about the experiences of the people who are oppressed. We have books to help you do this. Check them out!

For information, or to volunteer, contact Cat Pivetti (equalrightscommittee@uucfm.org).

Former Florida Congressman David Jolly will share his observations and concerns about how democracy is at risk in Florida, the US, and beyond and discuss opportunities for engagement of pro-democracy organizations and individuals.

Thursday, Oct. 26

7:00 - 8:15 PM EST

Pro-Democracy Summit with David Jolly

Pro-Democracy groups throughout Florida are invited to participate and discuss plans for Florida Democracy Day, January 13, 2024. Encourage others to participate in the Summit.

David Jolly is a lot like you! He’s passionate about the things you care about. Watch this:

David Jolly on MSNBC with Mehdi Hasan talks 2024 Primary Election

David is a fifth-generation Floridian, son of a minister, and resides in Belleair Bluffs, FL, with his wife Laura and two young children. He has a BA from Emory University and a JD law degree (Cum Laude) from George Mason. Besides his services as a US Congressman, David is an attorney, political consultant, and political analyst … often seen on MSNBC and CNN. He is known for his fierce independent streak and bipartisan approach.

Zoom Link for Pro-Democracy Summit. Please join us.

Questions: info@floridiansfordemocracy.org

Community Sharing for October

Our Community Sharing partner in October is Planned Parenthood of Southwest and Central Florida. The mission of Planned Parenthood of Southwest and Central Florida, an affiliate of the Planned Parenthood Federation of America, Inc., is to provide affordable access to comprehensive sexual and reproductive health care and accurate health information through patient care, education and advocacy. This affiliate began operations in 1966 and presently provides vital sexual and reproductive health services, as well as comprehensive sexuality education to women, men and teens throughout southwest and central Florida.