Weekly Communicator

June 2, 2022

Sunday Service

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

https://zoom.us/j/5264858673

or listen to audio only at UUCFM.org

Please join us this Sunday June 5th at 10:30 am as we celebrate our annual Flower Ritual. Our traditional flower ritual is a celebration of the blessings of diversity, and community. It reminds us of how beautiful and important each of us is to the whole. We invite you to join us. If you can–please bring a flower to share with others and if you can’t bring one-we have many to share. If you are joining us via Zoom we invite you to have a flower with you. Looking forward to celebrating beauty and blessings with you.

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**

Denise is out of the office Friday, June 3, 2022.

CONGREGATIONAL MUSIC COMMITTEE SURVEY

The Music Committee of UUCFM would like to hear from singers, former choir members, players and others who would like to contribute their talents and time to the UUCFM music program!

The UUCFM music program is looking to expand its offerings to the congregation for Sunday services and other events by bringing the choir back together and adding experienced musicians to the “band”. We have put a short survey together, which can be found by using this link, which asks about specific areas of interest and has room for suggestions for the music program in general.

Please take a few minutes to respond to the survey and let us know how we can continue to make our music program great! You can also reach out to me directly if you prefer - Peter Golbitz, Music Committee Chair, at peter.golbitz@gmail.com.

We would like to hear from everyone. Please answer all of the questions in the survey.

Covid Protocol Update

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 will continue to be required in the sanctuary during worship services.
Masks are optional for coffee and other functions in Hobart Hall.
In the library, classrooms, and other small spaces, masks are required UNLESS everyone present agrees otherwise. We’ll continue to be respectful and protective of those of us whose immunity is impaired.
Worship services and UU Dialogues will continue to be available on 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 at UUCFMPresident@UUCFM.org.

Namaste,

Mary Studer

President, Board of Trustees

Community Sharing for June

The SWFL RESET Center was founded in 2020 by UUCFM members and committed community activists seeking to be a positive force for change in SWFL. The RESET office is located on the UUCFM Campus. RESET contributes to the Community Gardens and will continue to partner with other organizations seeking to teach and practice regenerative agriculture, permaculture, and community leadership.

SWFL RESET Center offers ongoing free programs and online RESET Conversations educating the public about real solutions for Clean Water, and Environmental Justice in our bioregion. Check out our positive daily messaging called Earth Moments and help us spread the word by sharing, reflecting, and commenting on social media. Stay tuned for our upcoming programming called Being a Good Relative, a UUSC, UUFJ, RESET partnership about working with our Indigenous neighbors in the Everglades on Climate Justice.

Yolanda Renee King: My generation has to stand up against gun violence

By Yolanda Renee King

May 30, 2022 at 3:07 p.m. EDT – Washington Post

Yolanda Renee King, the granddaughter of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., is an activist and eighth-grader.

I never met my grandfather the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. because he was taken from my family by gun violence. But I know the mark that he and my grandmother Coretta Scott King left on American history. I know that the challenges my generation faces resemble those that led my grandparents to march on Washington and other cities to demand change.

I am 14 years old, and once again I am afraid. Two major mass shootings in 10 days. In Buffalo, our elders, many of whom share the same complexion as me, were gunned down while simply shopping for groceries. In Uvalde, Tex., 19 children not too much younger than me were murdered in their school.

Enough is enough.

UU Dialogues volunteers needed

UU Dialogues needs volunteers to help out with moderating.

We need two people every Sunday, one from home and the other person zooming from the library. Right now we have a handful of people who are working almost every other Sunday. We need two or three or more people to help carry the load! If you come to church every week please consider spending a half hour after service to join our online friends. If you are unable to attend service please consider zooming from home. We need all the help we can get! Thank you for considering helping out. If you can help please let either myself or Mary Studer know.

Warmly,

Carole Latino

Coffee Hour volunteers needed

Two volunteers are needed to help with our coffee hour on Sunday morning. Please contact Dorothy VanHowe in Hobart Hall on Sunday or call 239-560-7238.

Monday Book Group

The group won’t meet until June 6 due to Memorial Day. For more info, click here to contact Mary Studer.

Mindfulness Opportunities

We have two online sitting practices each week for you. 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 Beyond Mindfulness by Stephan Bodian. Contact Mary Studer 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.

Social Issues Book Group

Meeting every other Friday from 3-4:30pm. Contact Helen Leddy helen.leddy@gmail.com or Helen Dixon helendixon9@gmail.com for more information.

Poetry Circle

This is an ongoing Zoom group. New members can join at any time, and we really hope you will. Contact Judi Dettorre judidet84@gmail.com or Cat Pivetti joypivet@aol.com for more information.

We meet every other Tuesday from 1-3pm.

UPDATE

The gardens have lost two of our younger volunteers, who were assisting with weed eating, mowing etc. One bed holder tried the push mower and couldn’t start it. We need someone with knowledge of small engines to determine if the engine needs repair. Please contact Bonnie Jean at familygardens@uucfm.org if you can help.

We are now planting beds with summer vegetables, perennial herbs and cover crops. The picture shows a method known as Intercropping, planting a new crop between the existing plants that are nearing the end of their productivity. This is Blue Kale, intercropped with cowpea. This method keeps the beds filled with plant life that feed the soil life, enhances nutrition and water retention and also insulates the soil from summer’s heat.