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Weekly Communicator
October 20, 2022
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Minister's Musings
This Sunday will continue with the theme of courage as we explore loss and grief and our new paths forward. Mary Cline and I will be leading worship. We will have a pot luck lunch afterward. ALL are welcome.
Thursday night (today 10/20/22) there will be a pasta dinner available at 6:00. Please join us for food and fellowship in Hobart Hall. If possible, please let Denise know if you are coming so we can have a count (or just show up). Bring your friends, family, neighbors, anyone is welcome.
Saturday (10/22/22), Ulises and I will be cooking a typical Costa Rican breakfast for anyone who wants to come by Hobart Hall. Between 8:30-10:30 Bring your friends, family, neighbors, anyone is welcome. Drop by for some delicious food and fellowship. If you can, let Denise know you will be coming (or just show up).
If you are need of financial help as a result of Hurricane Ian, please be in touch with Sue. Help is available and your requests are confidential!
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Please send all newsletter articles by
12pm Wednesday for publication in Thursday's newsletter.
Send articles to newsletter@uucfm.org
**Please do not send requests to the office manager email**
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Did you know?
To keep the newsletter looking neater, I try to include links to email addresses and websites in bold. For example, if you would like to email me, Denise Greenwood, just click on my name in bold here.
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Hurricane Ian donations
All of us have been affected by Ian in many different degrees of loss and trauma. If you are able, I ask you to donate to the Minister Discretionary Fund to aid Rev. Sue in helping others recover from their losses. You can mail a check or use the Donate button on the lower right side on our website. You'll be able to designate your donation to the Fund by clicking on the + sign next to "Please let us know about this donation".
Thanks for your generosity in helping us all get through this.
Mary Studer
President, Board of Trustees
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Housing Needed
If you or anyone you know has an apartment or house to rent, please contact the Pastoral Care Associates via Mary Cline Golbitz by phone/text 207 479-4082 or email.
We have members and friends who need a new home after theirs were destroyed and we appreciate any help you can give.
Thank you so much.
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Board of Trustees Update
The Board had a somber and somewhat abbreviated meeting on October 11th. The business we did address included the status of repairs to our campus and the campus closure/timeline for reopening, as well as our Pastoral Care successes and lessons learned from the storm. We talked more about the potential replacement for VP for Programming, and any interim youth programming and RE. We also selected the Volunteer(s) of the month - the Pastoral Care Team!
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Notes from the Tech Team - Hurricane Ian Resources
We would like to share some of the resources that were shared during this past Sunday's worship service, as well as resources found on uucfm.org.
If you would like to speak with Rev. Sue Gabrielson about the UU Disaster Relief Fund, here is her contact information:
revsue@uucfm.org
call, WhatsApp call or message: +506 8891 2847
Facebook Messenger: Sue Gabrielson
Skype: suegabes
Requests can be for just about any need you have as a result of Hurricane Ian and the aftermath: food, health care, clean up, housing costs, clothing, car repairs, “get back on your feet money”, loss of income. We will hold your requests in confidence and do our best to help.
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Caring Network:
Please call or text Lay Minister, Mary Cline Golbitz, at 207-479-4082 or email or additional email.
We are holding you all in our hearts, prayers and thoughts. Your Pastoral Care Team wants you to know that we are here for you. If you need some help that our volunteers can help with (such as running errands) or just want to talk or be connected we are here for you with open arms and open hearts.
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Physical Labor/Repairs:
If you need help with physical labor, John Jaecques mentioned he could help. He also has connections with HVAC professionals that could survey flooded AC units. Email him if you would like to connect with him.
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Community Sharing
Our Community Sharing partner this month 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.
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CUUPS Annual Meeting
The CUUPs Annual Meeting will take place on Thursday, October 20 at 5:00PM in Classroom 3 at the UUCFM. Please note the change of location. This Meeting will take place before the Potluck dinner and the New Moon Ritual scheduled for that evening.
According to the CUUPs Bylaws:
"Members will be notified of the meeting at least thirty days in advance by Chapter Coordinators.
The right to vote shall be reserved to those CUUPS members who have been involved more than 60 days and paid annual dues for current membership no later than thirty (30) days prior to the date of voting."
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CONNECTION CIRCLE
Would you like to connect with others at UUCFM? Connection Circles are a great way for new UUs and guests as well as long term members to get to know others. These circles have a long standing history in our congregation and have been well received by those who participate.
Each session begins with a chalice lighting and reading, followed by a check-in and guided discussion. The topic is sent out several days in advance of each session with quotes and possible questions for discussion. Mary Cline Golbitz and Leslie Gatto co-facilitate.
The next six session circle will be held on the first and third Thursdays at 1:30 via Zoom beginning in October. The dates are 10/6, 10/20, 11/3, 11/17, 12/1, and 12/15. We ask that you make a commitment to attend all sessions, but exceptions can be made.
Please contact Leslie Gatto at 239.850.9664 or email to sign up.
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UUCFM Choir
We will be rehearsing in preparation for singing on Sunday, October 23 when Rev. Sue will be in-person with us for Sunday worship service.
We will meet October 23 at 9:30am in the Sanctuary prior to the service.
When arriving for Rehearsals, please use the CENTER Sanctuary Doors.
If you have questions, please reach out to Suellen.
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RESET Conversations
Join the SWFL RESET Center on October 25 from 6-7pm for a RESET Zoom Conversation with Gene McAvoy, associate director at the Southwest Florida Research & Education Center, on what regenerative agriculture practices work well in Southwest Florida and how this Climate Crisis can be addressed.
We can improve bad soil with regenerative farming, which uses organic agricultural practices that focus on the health of the soil. Healthy organic soil holds more water, prevents soil erosion and runoff into waterways, keeps toxins out of the environment, away from workers, and uses fewer fossil fuels.
Gene will share Regen Ag best practices and also update us on the state of SWFL Crops in the wake of Hurricane Ian.
About Gene McAvoy:
Gene McAvoy is an agronomic and horticultural production and marketing specialist with over fifty years of experience in temperate and tropical environments.
Use this Link or QR Code to register and get the Zoom link. Anyone interested in gardening will learn much!
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COME SHARE TOGETHER AT A THANKFUL PARTY
WHEN: Thanksgiving Day, Nov. 24th
WHERE: Hobart Hall
Dinner at 1pm. Food provided. (Donation for cost)
Afternoon of sharing, music, singing, dancing and other activities.
Contact Dorothy Van Howe by Tuesday, Nov. 22nd to RSVP.
We need to know how many dinners to prepare.
COME AND ENJOY!
Email or call 239-560-7238
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SAVE THE DATE! Saturday Nov 26, 10:00am-3:00pm
Save your seeds and starts too!
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Hurricane Ian Multi-Faith Prayer, Song, and Ceremony Saturday, Nov 29, 9am
Riverside Community Center Park Playground, Fort Myers
Join Holley Rauen, Mary Cline- Golbitz, Maya Marta Sicajan, Rev. Dr. Neddy Astudillo, Latinx and Latin America Coordinator for Greenfaith Florida, and clergy from a number of faiths and cultures for a gathering of Healing Prayers and Intentions, and a Sacred Water Ceremony.
There will be music and offerings Bring a chair or a mat to sit on, sun hat, and clean water to drink and offer in the ceremony if you are so moved. Bring your open hearts. We will gather in the park by the Community Center near the playground.
If you have questions to want to help clean up the park to prepare (it needs it after the Hurricane) please contact Holley.
Sponsored by SWFL Pachamama Alliance, SWFL RESET Center and Greenfaith Florida.
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Hurricane Update
We have had remarkably little damage to our garden beds. We did have a tool cupboard and a chest broken apart. Sweet potato plants look fine. The irrigation system is not currently working, so we don’t know if our season will start on October 15 or not. We did harvest three Seminole pumpkins.
We will start seeding flats for our food bank beds in partnership with Hope Clubhouse and Community Cooperative. We may also have some starts available for our bed renters. Please be patient.
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Revised Covid Protocol
The efficacy of vaccines and treatments has significantly reduced Covid’s danger for most of us. As a result, the protocols for campus events have been revised:
- MASKS ARE OPTIONAL BUT ENCOURAGED in the sanctuary during worship services.
- Masks are optional for coffee and other functions in Hobart Hall.
- In classrooms, the library and other small spaces, masks are still required UNLESS everyone present agrees otherwise. We’ll continue to be respectful and protective of those of us whose immunity is impaired.
- Worship services will continue to be available via Zoom.
Although the Covid risk level will continue to fluctuate, I’m sure all of us hope the worst of the pandemic is behind us. We’ll continue to monitor the risk and change the guidelines as needed to protect our congregation.
Please reach out to me with any questions
Namaste,
Mary Studer
President, UUCFM Board of Trustees
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