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Weekly Communicator
August 10, 2023
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Minister's Musings
"I figure when you come to a crossroads, you have a choice: right turn, left turn, straight ahead. Or you can just pull over to the side of the road and call it quits. But if you've got a good stretch of road up ahead and someone fun to travel it with, why stay stuck in the galdern ditch?" - Author: Chris Grabenstein
I am so glad to be back with you this week in Florida (although it is amazingly hot!!!). Our service this week is entitled "No Left Turns". Jennifer Grant and I will reflect on a delightful story about life, choices and more. Please join us for worship and for a social hour afterward, sponsored by CUUPS.
We are sad to let you know that Denise will be leaving her position as Congregational Administrator. She has been able to secure a new job that is close to her home and full-time (for that, we are very happy for her). Her last day will be this Sunday, the 13th. If you know of anyone who might be interested in this job, please have them send their resume to careers@uucfm.org or be in touch with Bill Petraca.
revsue@uucfm.org
WhatsApp call or message: +506 8891 2847
Facebook Messenger: Sue Gabrielson
Skype: suegabes
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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**
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Farewell from Denise
As Rev. Sue mentioned above, this Sunday is my last day of work here at the congregation. I want you all to know that this wasn't an easy decision for me.
Please be patient while a new Administrator is found and trained. It will take some time for the new Administrator to get up to speed.
I wish everyone here the best.
With love,
Denise
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Community Sharing for August
ACT offers a 24-hour helpline, 3 safe shelters, children's program, counseling (both individual and group), an economic empowerment program which includes financial and health literacy, Injunction for Protection legal service, life skills education, job skills evaluation and training along with GED assistance and ESOL. In the non-residential outreach program, they provide long-term counseling, therapy and support, economic empowerment services, a rape crisis center where they do the forensic examinations, advocacy department that provides advocacy through the judicial system, and a legal program for Injunctions for Protection. They also provide community education, professional trainings, and prevention education. All services provided to victims of domestic violence and their children, and survivors of sexual assault, dating violence, stalking and human trafficking are available free of charge.
If you cannot attend in person, you can still donate by mailing a check to the office with "community sharing" in the subject line, or by using the "donate" button on the website and marking it "community sharing".
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Guardians of the Garden
Join us this Saturday, August 12, from 8am-10am in the Memorial Garden. All are welcome. Dress for the weather, and bring your own water. Contact Dorothy for more details.
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Board of Trustees Meeting
The Board of Trustees meet on the 2nd Tuesday of every month at 5pm. For August only, the meeting with be the 3rd Tuesday of the month.
Join Zoom Meeting:
https://zoom.us/j/91338742461
No password required.
There will be time for questions and concerns at the beginning of the meeting.
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Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, Libraries,
and
The Looting of Language
Many of Nobel-prize-winning author Toni Morrison's beautiful books are being banned in Florida and Texas. Here's a quote from her Nobel speech 30 years ago... Was she a fortune teller?
Oppressive language is dead language:
"The systematic looting of language can be recognized by the tendency of its users to forgo its nuanced, complex, midwifery properties for menace and subjugation. Oppressive language does more than represent violence; it is violence; does more than represent the limits of knowledge; it limits knowledge. Whether it is obscuring state language or the faux-language of mindless media; whether it is the proud but calcified language of the academy or the commodity driven language of science; whether it is the malign language of law-without-ethics, or language designed for the estrangement of minorities, hiding its racist plunder in its literary cheek—it must be rejected, altered and exposed. It is the language that drinks blood, laps vulnerabilities, tucks its fascist boots under crinolines of respectability and patriotism as it moves relentlessly toward the bottom line and the bottomed-out mind. Sexist language, racist language, theistic language—all are typical of the policing languages of mastery, and cannot, do not permit new knowledge or encourage the mutual exchange of ideas. . .
Be it grand or slender, burrowing, blasting, or refusing to sanctify; whether it laughs out loud or is a cry without an alphabet, the choice word, the chosen silence, unmolested language surges toward knowledge, not its destruction. But who does not know of literature banned because it is interrogative; discredited because it is critical; erased because alternate?"
--from Toni Morrison's 1993 Nobel lecture
As we see some of the loveliest writing of our lifetimes being hidden away, we RESIST. I think that this response, to being told that we and our children need to be protected from thought, from ideas, and from people who are different from us, comes naturally to Unitarian Universalists. I am so glad to belong to a community that links its arms in solidarity to PROTECT THE BOOKS!
Join us as we read the poetry, history, and novels that others want to keep away from us. Our DEI Library has more of these books every day, and we have many of them on display in Hobart Hall after services. Check it out!
For more information or to find out what you can do to help,
contact Cat Pivetti.
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The Trans Agenda:
Normal Life Expectancy
This week, Queer and Trans people across the country are holding Voguing Vigils for O'Shea Sibley, who was killed for "dancing while Queer and Black". Week after week, too many lives are lost to fear, bigotry, and targeted hate.
Welcoming Congregations speak out against the targeting of LGBTQIA+ people, whether that targeting takes the form of repressive legislation, school bullying, cyber bullying, or murder. We respond to hate by affirming love, and that love is needed now.
Soon we will be inviting all of you to join us in workshops and conversations focusing on effective activism and on strategies for speaking out in ways that will be heard, including how to write Letters-to-the-Editor that will be published and read. However, there is no need to wait for a workshop or facilitated conversation; although speaking up can be difficult and can alienate the friend who never was really a friend, Queer and Trans people need our voices now, and sometimes, someone will listen. We can teach our children and grandchildren better ways to be in relationship, and we can educate ourselves.
We hope that everyone in our congregation will read Trans Allyship Workbook by Davey Shlasko, and will then go onto read Exile and Pride by Eli Clare.
For more information, contact Cat Pivetti.
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LIFE for Justice
Justice for LIFE
Lee Interfaith for Empowerment House Meetings are coming up in September. These are the meetings where we begin the process of choosing our cause for this year. These meetings will be going on in congregations all over the Fort Myers area.
This year we are partnering with the Quakers in our House Meetings and Carolyn Stanley of the Religious Society of Friends will hold a zoom meeting for those who need or prefer this option. Please let Marge Gonzalez know if you are interested
holding a House Meeting or if you would like to participate in zooming. There will be a training session for leading a House
Meeting on August 22.
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Legal Education Forum
Thursday, August 17th
5:30 - 7:00 pm
Collaboratory, downtown Fort Myers
Progressive Women of SWFL is excited to present a Legal Education Forum on August 17, 2023. Bring your friends - this event is open to the public. The event will be moderated by fellow attorney and PW Vice-Chair Danielle N. Clark. We have a great panel who will cover the following topics:
Personal Injury/Negligent Security - Joe North
Family Law - Judge Lee Ann Schreiber
Bankruptcy/Litigation - Brian Zinn
Networking begins at 5:30, program begins at 6:00. Light refreshments will be offered. Join us!
RSVP Here
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The Focus on Abortion Traveling Exhibit
The Unitarian Universalist Sarasota's newly formed Reproductive Justice Action Team is hosting The Focus on Abortion Traveling Exhibit. We are hoping the featured stories of individuals who have had abortions, their partners & professionals who provide abortion care, will widen public understanding & encourage civil discourse around the subject.
Please join us between Aug, 20th-Sept. 8th for the exhibit (opening reception Aug, 20th 11:30 am-12:30pm & evening reception Aug. 25th 5-7 pm).
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