|
Weekly Communicator
December 23, 2021
| |
|
Sunday, Dec. 26 is the first day of Kwanzaa, a harvest festival celebrated throughout the African Diaspora. Join us as we learn the meaning and symbols of Kwanzaa and the connection of Unitarian Universalist and Kwanzaa.
Lay Minister Alberita Johnson will be joined by Worship Associate Jennifer Grant and Karen Brown as they share "Habari gani- what's the news" about Kwanzaa.
We hope you will join us for this service in our Sanctuary or on Zoom!
| |
|
Christmas Eve Service
Join us Friday, December 24th, at 5pm
or via Zoom at
https://zoom.us/j/96291334222
or listen to audio only at UUCFM.org
Join us for Christmas Eve Candle Lighting Service at 5pm in the Sanctuary. We will enjoy Christmas Caroling and make memories together as we gather for...the most wonderful time of the year!
| |
|
We are keeping a close eye on the omicron variant, and checking the risk level regularly at: https://covidactnow.org/us/florida-fl/county/lee_county/?s=26461550.
The risk level actually went down to low for a day or two! We are now open for certain activities and best of all, our Sunday services are available either on Zoom or in person, masked, and socially distanced.
We have changed some things up to keep everyone as safe as possible and appreciate your patience and support. As always reach out to me with any questions at UUCFMPresident@UUCFM.org or 239-222-9406.
You may review the re-opening guidelines by clicking here.
Yours in Growth,
Lane Cook
President, UUCFM Board of Trustees
| |
|
From the desk of your Lay Ministers
Greetings Dear Ones,
Our Congregational Covenant reminds us that:
We dwell/exist together in Peace. It's our village. We seek truth in love for one another. It's our greatest strength. We help one another to meet our goals and be better. It will be our legacy.
We have had three beautiful multiplatform Sunday services; some may call them hybrid services.
Let us be grateful.
It has been challenging, and yet joyful, as we let go of the past and forge ahead within a new normal. We have experienced glitches during Sunday services, and went over an hour for two services, while serving under our new normal is being worked out. We are working diligently to address any issues regarding Sunday services.
Let us be encouraged.
In this new normal we are learning and growing together. Your patience and understanding is greatly appreciated. Thank you so very much.
In the Spirit of Love,
Alberita Johnson and Mary Cline Golbitz
| |
Sunday Sanctuary Safety
Greetings UUCFM Members,
We are all so happy to be returning to the Sanctuary in person. The Operations and Safety Council has decided to reinstate the safety procedures for Sundays in the Sanctuary and Hobart Hall.
-- The middle door entrance into the Sanctuary will open by 9AM.
-- When the service begins, the middle door will be locked.
-- Exiting is always possible from the inside from every door.
-- A greeter will remain in the Narthex to open the doors when new people arrive.
-- Hobart Hall will have one door unlocked from 9 until 12:30 - the southwest door.
These procedures began in 2019, and they are for the safety of the Congregation.
We appreciate your understanding and cooperation!
| |
|
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**
| |
|
Faith Exploration Program
for Children and Youth
| |
|
This past Sunday we welcomed another youth into our Youth Group circle and look forward to dialoguing with one another each week on a variety of topics that lend themselves to our principles and values as Unitarian Universalists. Our Food Drive is still going on until January 9. We have collected lots and lots of food and for this our Youth Group is very grateful. Thank you all for contributing.
We also welcomed two new elementary age children who have been attending with a parent. Liza, our much appreciated teacher in our preschool/kindergarten room, is enjoying time spent with them. Each week we discern what our program will look like in the future but being fully aware that the children and youth we do have ‘now’ is a blessing. Planning a program with many children is very different from planning for a small group. Small group planning is more challenging I’m learning but the advantage is getting to know the kids becomes so much easier and very enjoyable.
Join us for our Christmas Eve Service in the Sanctuary or worship with us on Zoom. I will be available for the Youth Group on December 26th. And Liza will also be in the Pre/K Room for any child who attends.
Hope you are having a wonderful Festival of Lights December and looking forward to spending the next year with you.
Warmly,
Karen Brown, Acting Director of Faith Exploration
| |
REACH Campaign
The special campaign for our new minister
| |
|
Exciting news from the REACH campaign!
THANK YOU, Generous members and friends of this Congregation! We are very close to our goal of raising $50,000 for this Capital Campaign to support a minister at UUCFM. Gifts from thirty-one households total over $47,000 as of December 9. What a pleasure to be part of such a generous congregation!
We understand that some of us need the time to think through what we can afford to contribute to this fund. If you do have the resources to contribute to this fund over and above your annual pledge, we hope to hear from you by the end of December. Remember, you have up to 12 months to fulfill your commitment.
If you are promising a gift to REACH, please make sure we have a record that clearly states your intention. That is easily done on-line at tinyurl.com/UUREACH. If you prefer a paper form or wish to discuss other options for making your contribution, please contact any member of the Stewardship team.
Many thanks from your Stewardship team: Nancy Hutchins StewardshipVP@uucfm.org; Len Cohen StewardshipComm@uucfm.org; Judy Burget, David Hutchins, Bill Petrarca, Suzanne Ziemer.
| |
|
Quality Life Center
is our Community Sharing Partner
for December 2021
| |
|
Quality Life Center’s mission is to strengthen and instill pride in family and community through programs and services to cultivate self-discipline, self-development, build confidence and promote cultural awareness. The center provides youth development programs designed to help at-risk youth acquire the tools for a successful life that is financially stable, socially enriching and personally fulfilling.
| |
|
Appreciation Gifts for Staff
| |
|
This holiday season, the Personnel and Finance Committees are resuming our traditional recognition of our staff’s faithful “above and beyond” service to our Congregation. Please consider a generous donation to show our love and appreciation. Envelopes will be available in the Sanctuary during in-person worship services, or you can send a check into the office or make a Paypal contribution marked “Staff Gift.” Thank you for your generosity.
| |
|
The MACC
The Music and Arts Community Center
| |
|
2021 - 2022
Season Tickets
On Sale Now
The GCS comprises the Gulf Coast Symphony, the Gulf Coast Chamber Orchestra, the Gulf Coast Jazz Collective, and the Music & Arts Community Center (MACC). This year over 100 programs will be offered that present the best in classical music, jazz, world music, dance, opera, film and musical theater.
Ticket prices range from $24 - $44
As you know, there's not a bad seat in the house!
Tickets and seat choice can be purchased online or at the door.
For more info visit
gulfcoastsymphony.org
| |
|
This month, our newly formed Youth Group decided to start a Food Drive. Our gifts of food will be given to the South Fort Myers Food Pantry. We know that the food pantry needs tuna, soup, and mac & cheese. They can also use hamburger and tuna helper.
Be sure to look at expiration dates!
After you take a right onto the campus from Shire Lane, proceed down the parking lot, round the bend, and Karen's white Ram van will be across from the Pond. There will be a white paper attached to the window of the sliding door on the passenger side. Slide open the door and place your food onto the floor or seat.
The Food Drive will end on January 9.
Thank you in advance for participating!
| |
Please Share Your UU Story | |
|
The Membership and Stewardship Committees are hoping to receive your reflections about either or both of the following:
Why I became a UU.
Why your membership in UUCFM is important to you.
We would love to be able to share these reflections with the Congregation in various ways. If you want to remain anonymous, please indicate that.
Send your stories or reflections to Nancy Hutchins at StewardshipVP@UUCFM.org.
| |
Big Opportunities for You…….. | |
|
Are you a helper?
Do you like to promote UUCFM?
Here’s your invitation to join the Membership Committee! The group is all about recognizing and encouraging new members through personal contact and planned events. There is one meeting per month, a chance to get to know other members AND to participate in activities like the November “Welcome Home” social. Contact Carole Latino, carolelatino@gmail.com
Another Opportunity…
UUDialogs is a lively discussion every Sunday after service; it’s live from Hobart Hall and simultaneously on Zoom. The talk is moderated by co-hosts. More co-hosts are needed, so check it out. Assignments are made around your availability. Talk to Carole Latino, carolelatino@gmail.com, to sign up, or get more info.
| |
New Connection Circles Forming | |
|
What? A Connection Circle is a small group meeting every other week for six sessions. Facilitators will lead discussion on a variety of subjects.
Who? Any members, friends or guests. Facilitated by trained leaders, Mary Cline Golbitz and Leslie Gatto.
Why? To get to know others and yourself on a deep and meaningful level. Confidentiality is protected to promote compassionate dialogue.
When? Either Thursdays or Sundays (Please plan to attend all six sessions of the circle you choose.)
Thursday Circle from 1:30 - 3:00 on January 13 and 27, February 10 and 24, March 10 and 24.
Sunday Circle from noon - 1:30 on January 9 and 23, February 13 and 27, March 13 and 27.
Where? Thursdays by Zoom or Sundays in person at church (location TBD).
How do I sign up? Contact Leslie by phone or text at 239.850.9664 or email at gatto.leslie@gmail.com to join or for more information.
| |
|
This month the Board voted on Richard P. Shine as our volunteer of the month. Richard has been a UUCFM Friend since 1993. In the past year he has done a ton of volunteer work, including: trucking loads of mulch, digging, and planting for the courtyard gardens, providing hundreds of native plants to include in the gardens, painting the kitchen with the new citrus theme, and, last week, Richard brought his power washer and spent eight hours cleaning off the walkways. Yay! Thank you Richard for your hearty volunteering!
Shout-Out
A shout-out goes out to the following people who volunteered as guardians of the gardens - Memorial and Sculpture. Cleanup of the Memorial Garden is already underway. Visit the Memorial Garden to see the progress. You might even decide to join us:)
Holley Rauen, Karen J. Brown, Mary Golbitz, Liz Taggart, Suzanne Zeimer, Lane Cook and Michele Bellinger.
| |
Computer Wanted
We need a computer for the library so we can zoom UU Dialogues and Membership Meetings.
| |
The Wisdom of Your Dreams | |
|
“Our dreams regularly invite us to greater self-awareness and psycho-spiritual consciousness by remembering them more fully and inquiring more deeply into their multiple meanings. By increasing our capacity to remember and explore our dreams, we come progressively closer to (our) evolutionary potential.”- Jeremy Taylor
Come discover the wisdom of your dreams!
Participate in the safety and support of a caring group.
To RSVP for a space contact
Debra Leigh
Certified Dream Work Facilitator
Phone/Text: (831) 818-1418
Email: dreamrookery7@gmail.com
(please include your contact information)
Meetings are Sundays
January 2nd, 9th, 16th, 23rd, 30th, and Feb 6th
11:55 am in Room 2
| |
|
The UUCFM Monday Book Club won’t meet again until January 3 when it begins its discussion of Defund Fear: Safety without Policing, Prisons and Punishment by Zach Norris. The book is also the current UUA Common Read. If you're planning on joining us, please read the Forward through Ch. 1.
| |
Mindfulness Opportunities | |
|
We welcome you to join either of our two online sitting practices each week. We practice mindfulness and discuss a reading. If you don’t have the books, you're still welcome to sit with us.
The Monday Sangha meets at 6:30-7:45 p.m. and is discussing Standing at the Edge by Joan Halifax. Contact mstuder929@gmail.com for details.
The Wednesday sangha meets between 10:00-11:30 a.m. in coordination with Caloosahatchee Mindfulness. It’s discussing Say What You Mean: A Mindful Approach to Nonviolent Communication by Oren Jay Sofer. Contact Helen Leddy for more information: helen.leddy@gmail.com
| |
|
UUA Ministry for Earth is the renamed Green Sanctuary to which UUCFM has a long and deep commitment. Recently the Unitarian Universalist Association has expanded the concept of Green Sanctuary into a broader category of activism and education.
Congregations are now finding partners who are committed to eco-justice in order to engage in climate change activism that includes climate justice. Here at UUCFM we are most fortunate to already partner with RESET, Pachamama, and the Bill Brewer Community Garden.
In re-energizing our Green Sanctuary program here at UUCFM, action and education are the tools our group will employ. UUCFM Ministry for Earth will strive to bring attention to many learning opportunities that motivate and activate a commitment to climate change knowledge and action.
December 22nd via Zoom at 5pm PT / 6 MT / 7 CT / 8 ET
We'd love to see you at Winterlight - A Solstice Celebration, sponsored by UU Ministry for Earth
Let us know of opportunities you become aware of so that we can share details with our larger community. Together we will push for environmental and climate justice.
Patricia Linhoff
freckles345@comcast.net
Karen Brown
uudrek@gmail.com
Michele Bellinger
shellbellinger17@gmail.com
| |
|
Judi Dettorre & Cat Pivetti are starting a poetry group on Tuesday, January 4, which will meet from noon to 2pm every two weeks.
We plan to read and discuss a variety of poems and to spend some of our time writing to prompts, as well as to have meetings in which, if they wish, members may bring in their own work for discussion. This group will meet on-line, at least for now.
We’re really looking forward to this experience and to having you join us. Please e-mail either facilitator, Cat at joypivet@aol.com or Judi at judidet84@gmail.com, for more information and for links.
| |
60th Anniversary Pave the Way Fundraiser | |
|
How to order your brick:
Contact Helen Dixon at helendixon9@gmail.com
or call 239-633-4989
or
Contact Suzanne Ziemer at
suzanneziemer@gmail.com or call 812-332-3450.
Each 4"x8" brick can be engraved with up to 3 lines of 13 characters/spaces on each line.
Your check for a $100 donation should be made to UUCFM with Brick fundraiser in the memo line..
| |  |
|
Congratulations! You have ordered 60 commemorative bricks! We need 40 more orders to reach our goal of 100.
Ideas for engraving: Remembrances with birth-death dates, UU sayings/messages (Believe in truth, work for Justice), your name with personal wishes or identity, meditate at the Labyrinth, Honoring..., In Memory of..., etc.
Your entire Brick donation goes to the General Budget since our Endowment Fund Grant will pay for all production costs. This is our only Fundraiser since the Covid-19 Pandemic prevents us from being together.
Grateful thanks to all who have contributed bricks!
| | |
The Bill Brewer Family Gardens | |
|
UPDATE
We still have garden beds for rent for anyone interested. New participants are gardening with us this year and we have a compost building project that will be adding vital nutrients and soil organisms to our beds for healthier vegetables and herbs. As the season progresses, we will be holding classes that will be open to the public. We also plan to bring some of our produce to the congregation after services on Sunday, once we have more to offer.
The Cub Scouts, who rent two of our beds, were busy planting Milkweed as a part of a learning experience, stressing helping the ecosystem. Two are by the gazebo and two in their beds.
Harvests have been made for about four weeks, which are going to food banks and an outreach café that prepares free meals. More beds have been planted and will be productive soon.
Prices are $85 for a 4 x 8 bed with automatic watering, $75 without.
Our year is from October 15th to the following September 15th.
Please contact garden manager Bonnie Jean Clancy
at familygardens@uucfm.org if you are interested in renting a bed.
| |
|
Play Reading Fun Group
The first meeting of this fun and exciting new group will take place Sunday, January 16th, 2022 at 12:00pm.
We will meet in the Screen Room to enjoy reading aloud with others. Previous theater experience is not necessary; it's purely social.
UU related plays and one acts will be furnished to start. We will have a blast writing plays, transferring favorite short stories into plays and be open to other sharing ideas. Tony Borras has done theater work and will be part of the group. Additional meeting times TBD after our first meeting.
Please bring your own bag lunch!
For further information contact Suzanne Ziemer at
239-463-9020 or via email at suzanneziemer@gmail.com
| |
|
Great Decisions 2022, a program sponsored by the Foreign Policy Association, has openings for its 21st season. The 8-week course will start on Thursday, January 20, and ends on March 10, 2022, and will be held in person at UUCFM.
The facilitator for the group is Bruce Leddy. Information about Great Decisions and the 2022 topics can be found on the FPA website at fpa.org.
For registration and information about the local group, contact Helen Leddy at helen.leddy@gmail.com.
| |
|
Holiday Toy Drive
Thank you for your generosity. Many gifts were delivered to the Q last Wednesday in time for their celebration on Friday.
| |
Welcome Denise Greenwood
Our new Office Administrator is Denise Greenwood. She is originally from Michigan and has been in Florida for 3 years. Denise lives with her husband, daughter, and fur babies.
Denise has a background in customer service, marketing, and public relations. She has also facilitated support groups for widows.
You can also find Denise working on the pirate ship at Fort Myers Beach.
We are happy to have you on board Denise.
Welcome!
Office Hours:
Tues-Wed-Fri 9:00a - 2:00p*
Thu 11:00a - 4:00p
*Denise will be out of the office December 24th and December 31st
| | | | |
