July 25, 2019
Weekly E-News
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Sunday Services in July:
Cycles of Life
July 28th
Cycles of Life Part 4: Elders
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Coming Up! Join us Sunday,
August 4th in Hobart Hall at 10:30 AM for our Annual
Blessing of the Animals Service
. All well-behaved pets are welcome. If you have a shy or aggressive pet, a photo may be brought in and placed on our altar. This is our weekly Sunday service- there will be no other service in the Sanctuary on August 4th at 10:30 AM.
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The
Humanist Forum
meets every Sunday at 9:15 am in Hobart Hall. All are welcome to attend. Join us as we engage in a new topic each week.
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Sunday's
Social Hour
happens after the service every week. It is volunteer run- by the Women's Circle on the first Sunday, Humanist Forum on the second, CUUPs on the third, Men's Group on the fourth, and if there is a fifth Sunday, it is All Church. Any donations of food, snacks or cash are welcome.
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Community Sharing in July
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The mission of the
Lee County Homeless Coalition
is “to advocate, educate, and promote awareness of issues and obstacles facing homeless individuals in Lee County through community collaboration, planning, and implementing solutions.”
We are a non-profit advocacy group made up of community and faith-based service providers, local businesses, people who are currently experiencing or who have experienced homelessness, and other advocates committed to ending homelessness.
The
Lee County Homeless Coalition
was reorganized in 2004 under the umbrella of the Lee County Department of Human Services with the intent to develop a broader base of support and at some time operate again as an independent agency. Thanks to support from the community, that goal was achieved in 2009, and the Coalition was recognized as an independent 501(c)3 non-profit organization.
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A Letter from the Senior Interim Minister
Dear Members and Friends of UUCFM:
It is an honor and a privilege to be selected to serve as your Senior Interim Minister at this moment in the history of UUCFM. I thank the Interim Search Committee and the Board of Trustees for the affirmation of the ministry I bring and the possibilities that lay before us to rekindle life and vitality into this proud and storied congregation.
In my visit to the area in July I had the opportunity to meet with a number of you. It was undeniable the enthusiasm, excitement and hope you expressed for what
we
can and will do
together
during the interim ministry.
For those of you new to the concept of interim ministry, our goal is to prepare the congregation for the future by drawing on its rich heritage and making UUCFM the best possible place it can be.
As we enter into this period of Interim Ministry, I invite you to gather up your hopes and aspirations of the church you long and wish for and join in building the church and community of your dreams. Come along. Join us.
In hope and faith,
Rev. Carlos
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The UUCFM Choir
rehearses most Wednesday nights from 6:30-8:00 pm, and on Sunday mornings at 9:30 in the sanctuary. It's free and there are no auditions. Come join us in singing!
The UUCFM Band
rehearses most Wednesday nights from 5:45-6:15 pm, and on Sunday mornings at 9:10 in the Sanctuary. Do you play an instrument? Are you interested in playing with the UUCFM band for worship? If so, please schedule an audition time with me by email.
Come join us in making music together!
Suellen Kipp, Director of Music
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Would You Like to Become a Member of UUCFM?
If you are interested in becoming a new member, please pick up a Membership Kit on Sunday mornings in the Narthex or in the office during the week. Thanks!
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Did you know your purchases can make a difference? AmazonSmile donates to the Unitarian Universalist Church of Fort Myers when you do your online shopping. Follow this link:
smile.amazon.com/ch/59-1160337
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From Jenn Blosser, DRE
I am overjoyed to announce that our trip to the Homestead human detention camp is fully booked! Thanks to the eagerness of members of our congregation and the larger community, as well as some generous donations, we are prepared to take 15 folks down to join the Witness Homestead movement on Tuesday, July 30th. We will be bringing an account of our trip on Sunday, August 11th. Please join us for this service to learn about what we witnessed and experienced.
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2019 GRACE Project Work-Study Trip
November 3 - 9, 2019 $750 Land only
Assist in the Reproductive Health Workshops with women and youth (Spanish
not essential)
Support the workshops with public school teachers, in collaboration with the
Guatemala Ministry of Education and with community leaders,
Visit the Casa Aurora Women’s Shelter in San Lucas Tolimán,
Deliver menstrual management Kits and Fertility Bracelets,
Travel in safe, private vans,
Private room with bath,
Enjoy the Breakfast or dinner provided daily,
Shop in La Antigua and Panajachel.
Safe land Transportation, breakfast, and hotel rooms are included.
Volunteer pays own airfares from USA to Guatemala City.
To save your space, please send $100 deposit on the Donate button, through PayPal, on
Muchísimas gracias.
The Guatemala Rural Adult and Children’s Education (GRACE) Project represents the Social Justice Outreach Ministry of the Unitarian Universalist Church of Fort Myers. All workshops are non-sectarian and free of charge to participants.
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South Fort Myers Food Pantry
The support that UUCFM has shown to our pantry over the years is appreciated. Along with other coalition members, the combined effort fed 26,646 people from the South Fort Myers area in 2018. There is still a tremendous need in Southwest Florida and consequently the Harry Chapin Food Bank sometimes runs low on food. When this happens, your donations of food each Sunday become so important, even if it’s just one item. Remember “Fran’s plan, just one can”? Look around church this Sunday and just imagine the amount of food, if everyone brought just one can. Protein items are always a good choice, canned ham, chicken , tuna or hearty prepared meals or soups.
Prefer to donate money? You can make out checks and send to the South Fort Myers Food Pantry.
8260 Cypress Lake Drive, Fort Myers, FL. 33919
. Be sure to write Food Pantry in the memo line. Looking for a satisfying volunteer experience?
Our Pantry needs summer help. For those of you who live here year round, please, consider volunteering on Mondays during the summer months. They are desperate for volunteers who can tolerate working in the summer heat. At least go for one day to see if you can do it, even if you can only do a couple of hours. If you know the pantry then just go there around 10 AM for the day shift or at 4:15, 4:30 for the afternoon/evening shift. Pantry open only on Mondays.
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Covenant of UU Pagans
We will be having a Lughnasa celebration on Saturday, August 3rd at 7 in the evening in Hobart Hall and the Screen Porch.
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Come explore the simple and satisfying practices of
Mindfulness Meditation.
You don’t need experience with meditation, nor do you have to be a Buddhist. Please bring intention to quiet the mind and body in a supportive group of UU members and friends with a similar intention - people who want to carry mindfulness into their daily lives. We meet Mondays from 6:30-8:00p in the Sanctuary. Contact Gary Robbins at 302-540-5899.
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The UUCFM Book Club
meets Wednesdays from 1-2:30 PM in the Library of our Administration Building.
All are welcome to join in facilitated discussion and group bonding.
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Wednesday Connection Circle
LilibethGrimes will be facilitating a once monthly Wednesay evening circle called
Principles of Joy
. The goal for this connection circle is to serve as a bridge between UUCFM and the broader community. This is open each month to all member, family, and friends. Please email Lilibeth by the Monday before each circle to let her know you will be there that month. We'll meet the second Wednesday of each month at 6:00 PM. Here is the schedule:
September 11:
Third Principle: Acceptance of One Another and Encouragement to
Spiritual Growth
in our Congregations
October 9:
Fourth Principle: A Free and Responsible Search for
Truth
and Meaning
November 13:
Fifth
Principle: The Right of
Conscience
and the Use of the Democratic Process within our Congregations and in Society at Large
December 11:
Sixth
Principle: The Goal of World
Community
with Peace, Liberty, and Justice for All
January 8:
Seventh Principle: Respect for the Interdependent Web of all
Existence
of Which we are a Part.
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UUCFM-Caloosahatchee Mindfulness
UUCFM and Caloosahatchee Mindfulness invite participants to join our weekly meditation book group. The group meets weekly on Wednesdays from 10:00 to 11:30 AM at UUCFM in Room 3. This is a continuing group with a new home.
Our first meeting will be held on Wednesday, August 7th. We will be reading:
Aging as a Spiritual Practice: A Contemplative Guide to Growing Older and Wise
r by Lewis Richmond.
"Everything changes. For Zen Buddhist priest and meditation teacher Lewis Richmond, this fundamental Buddhist tenet is the basis for a new inner road map that emerges in the later years, charting an understanding that can bring new possibilities and a wealth of appreciation and gratitude for the life journey itself."
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Pachamama Alliance of SWFL
This is your chance to participate in a World Cafe!
Our Game Changer Gathering will be the second Thursday evening in August—the8th—and it promises to be an entirely new kind of experience for those of us who are passionate about creating a more environmentally sustainable community. Just imagine having the unique opportunity to connect with many other game changers in a new way--a way that will reflect your priorities for addressing the most critical environmental issues we face in Lee County.
PASWFL and the Lee County Democratic Environmental Caucus are partnering to bring this special highly interactive program to us, and it promises to be an enlightening experience for every one. We’ll be gathering at UUCFM 6:30 to 8:30 PM on Thursday, August 8th, and we hope to see you there! For questions, email Gary Robbins:
uuchurch@uucfm.org
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10th Annual Florida Unitarian Universalist Women’s Retreat
April 3-5, 2020
DaySpring Episcopal Conference Center
A Weekend Gathering of UU Women
• Friday evening we will get to know one another and create community
• Saturday one-hour workshops offer choices
• Sunday we share a UU Service bringing it all together
DaySpring Conference Center is conveniently located off I-75 just north of Sarasota on Florida’s West Coast. The beautiful campus nestled under ancient oaks and located on a cove of the Manatee River offers a serene setting for our annual retreat. Take a look.
http://Dayspring.dioswfl.org
.
$220 per person covers expenses for a semi-private room and meals. 8 women share a cozy cottage with 4 bedrooms and 4 baths, a screened porch and common area. A limited number of single rooms are available at $292 each.
A non-refundable deposit of $15 for a semi-private room or $25 for a private room will reserve your place. Final payment is due January 15, 2020. Scholarships are available.
Come join us for an enriching and memorable weekend.
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Our Building Supervisor, Mickey Kellam, has been hospitalized and is having surgery on Friday. Dorothy Van Howe, VP Operations, will be holding a cleaning party at 9:30 AM on Saturday, July 27th. Please meet at Hobart Hall if you are willing and able to help. If you have any questions, please contact Dorothy Van Howe, VP Operations.
uuchurch@uucfm.org
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Hoyt S. Grant, Jr.
, Genelle Grant's father, died in his assisted-living studio on July 8th at age 96. We conducted the burial at the Wapping Cemetery in the South Windsor area in Connecticut this past Tuesday. His Grant family had settled the area in the mid-to-late 1600s. There are many generations of Grant family members there, dating back to that time. Hoyt was a ninth cousin of Ulysses S. Grant. Thank you so much to all of you for your kindness, support, compassion, empathy, and understanding during this very difficult period for Hoyt and all the caregivers, and for your thoughtful messages.
Richard Shine
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As Rev. Carlos prepares to head to Fort Myers, he would like to find a home for Stripe, his 14 1/2 year male (neutered) tabby. He has had him since 2005 so the Rev. is an excellent character reference.
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Stripe is an independent athletic cat who exhibits a strong attachment to people. He can sometimes be observed regressing into kitten-hood particularly when stroking his head as his mother might have. He is also known to allow the rubbing of his fleecy golden belly.
He is a good mouser. He has long resigned his membership to the Audubon Society and wears a bell around his neck to remind him of his friendly brand of bird-o-philia. Call the church at 239-561-2700 if you can give Stripe a home.
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A Scene from the 90s. Recognize Anyone?
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Watch Out for Scammers' Emails!
Last week, an email was sent out purporting to be our incoming minister, Rev. Carlos Martinez, asking for requests for Amazon Gift Cards and other forms of money. The Board has recently found out that more people are receiving these emails in the names of other UUCFM leaders and members.
We will never ask for this.
If there is any question about the legitimacy of an email you receive, please contact the person directly by another form of communication, such as a phone call.
We will be removing leaders' email addresses from our website, orders of worship and other public information in an effort to make it harder for scammers to get this information.
The only emails that will be public are the UUChurch at
uucfm.org
address for anything directly related to church, and Board at
uucfm.org
for anything related to Board issues. Jill Carville, office manager, will oversee the "UUChurch" address, and Allie Carville will monitor the "Board" address. There, if needed, we will privately distribute contact information for someone you may need to be in contact with, if we gather it is a legitimate and safe request from a person.
When sending the address, type board, then the @ symbol and then the website,
uucfm.org
, without any spaces.
The same emails as before will be used for submissions to the weekly and monthly newsletters. Please contact us if you need these addresses.
If you have any questions, please contact Allie Carville by phone, her email, or the Board email address.
Allie Carville
Secretary, Board of Trustees
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Rissho Kosei-kai Buddhist Group
The Rissho Kosei-kai group meets Sundays at 2:00 PM in Room Number 1. Contact Mary Tracy Sigman for info
uuchurch@uucfm.org
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July 28
Deborah Lewis
July 30
Don Klein
July 31
Kevin Carr
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Board of Trustees
President
Theresa Bahre
President Elect
Lesley Peterson
Secretary
Alison Carville
Treasurer
Eddie Grimes
VP Finance
Alanis Garcia
VP Programming
Karen J. Brown
VP Ministerial Services
Vacant
VP Operations
Dorothy Van Howe
Member at Large
Vacant
Staff
Director of Music
Suellen Kipp
Director of RE
Jenn Blosser
Office Manager
Jill Carville
Building Supervisor
Mickey Kellam
Nursery Supervisor
Liza Kellam
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