Weekly Communicator

Weekly Communicator

October 6, 2022

Sunday Service

Join us this Sunday at 10:30am via Zoom

https://zoom.us/j/5264858673

Campus closed until further notice

Due to Hurricane Ian, the campus will remain closed until further notice. No programs will be held.

If you do need to come to campus, please call first, to ensure that someone will be here.

We will be hosting a clean up party. Information is listed below.

Clean Up Party

Due to Hurricane Ian, we need help raking and trimming. We will be hosting 2 clean up parties on Friday, October 7 and Saturday, October 8 from 9am-12pm both days.

Please bring your own water, lunch, sunscreen, gloves, and hats.

For more information, please contact Dorothy Van Howe.

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**

NEWS FOR OUR ZOOM AUDIENCE

Each Sunday there will be a conversation with fellow Zoomers following service. When Rev Sue is appearing via Zoom, she will be there. Each week we plan to offer this Zoom fellowship opportunity. Unfortunately, it is not possible to incorporate the live and virtual audiences together.

Also, please remember to turn the Zoom video feed of yourself off when carrying your device or engaging in activities which are inappropriate for our congregation to view. This will not affect your ability to watch the service. Thank you.

Board of Trustees meeting

The Board of Trustees monthly meeting is at 5 PM October 11. If you'd like to attend, please click on this link.

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.

A THANK YOU NOTE FROM THE STEWARDSHIP TEAM

APPRECIATION FOR YOUR ANNUAL PLEDGE OR GIFT

We are at the half-way point in our budget year, and we THANK YOU for your GENEROSITY and your faithful support of UUCFM. You can expect a report on the status of your pledge around mid October. Because of the nature of our software, it can only reaffirm what your pledge for FYE 2022-23 is and will let you know what remains to be donated by March 31, 2023. If you have any questions about the report or about any donations you may have made, please contact Denise at the UUCFM office 239-561-2700.

AND HOORAY FOR YOUR REACH CAMPAIGN DONATIONS!

Committed members of this congregation made 41 pledges or made additional gifts to the REACH Campaign totaling $51,840 last fall. We cannot thank you enough! These funds have

enabled us to search for a minister this year. We are so pleased that Rev. Sue and UUCFM have found each other. Most of the REACH donations have already been received—91%. We

hope for 100% by the end of this calendar year. Again, if you have any questions about the status of your REACH gift or donation, please contact the UUCFM office.

In gratitude, Your Stewardship team

CUUPS New Moon Thursdays

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 at 5:30pm on the following dates:

Wednesday, October 12th

Wednesday, October 19th

And then on Sunday, 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 at music@uucfm.org.

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 gatto.leslie@gmail.com to sign up.

CUUPS Annual Meeting

The CUUPs Annual Meeting will take place on Thursday, October 20 at 5:00PM in Hobart Hall at the UUCFM. 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."

November trip to Guatemala

SAVE THE DATE! Saturday Nov 26, 10:00am-3:00pm

Save your seeds and starts too!

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.

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 at UUCFMPresident@UUCFM.org

Namaste,

Mary Studer

President, UUCFM Board of Trustees