Weekly E-News
November 25, 2020
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Sunday, November 29th
Please join us on Zoom this Sunday, November 29th at 10:30 AM for our service titled, Inverting the Question.
Join Zoom Meeting Sunday at 10:30am
Meeting ID: 891 5048 2747
Password: chalice
Or, follow the link on our webpage for audio only: uucfm.org
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Thank you to Sunday's Participants:
Suellen Kipp, Director of Music
Allie Carville, Worship Associate
Helen Leddy, Worship Associate
Peter Golbitz, Musician
Walter Peterson, Lead Tech
Lesley Peterson, Tech Team Member & Musician
Mark Brandon, Tech Team Member
Jill Carville, Tech Team Coordinator
Bill Petrarca, UU Dialogues Host
Karen Brown, UU Dialogue Host
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Community Sharing Partner this Week: Minister's Discretionary Fund
This is a month with five Sundays so our Community Sharing donations this week go to our Minister's Discretionary Fund. In times without a Minister, our Board President uses her discretion in distributing funds to members who may need a little help. Please give generously, as this fund benefits our own church family. Thank you!
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UU Dialogues this Sunday
To participate in UU Dialogues, stay in the main zoom meeting after the service ends and do not accept the breakout room invitation that pops up.
We will greet newcomers, obtain contact information from guests and visitors, have a general Q&A session with guest speakers and musicians from the service, and most importantly, participate in intentional dialogue. All are welcome to attend this session.
If you'd rather join a breakout room for casual conversation, please accept the pop up invitation after the service. Thank you!
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Office Closed
The UUCFM Office will be closed Thursday, November 26th and Friday, November 27th for the Thanksgiving holiday.
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From the Board
The Volunteer of the Month goes to Dorothy Van Howe, VP of Operations. Dorothy has worked on campus cleaning, moving, sorting and even painting to prepare the facilities for the new partners. She is indefatigable, and we appreciate her dedication and excellent oversight of the many contractors and changes. THANK YOU DOROTHY!!!
Staff Thanksgiving- Because of not being on campus and the difficulty of collecting donations online and during COVID, the Personnel Committee and the Board of Trustees have voted to provide Holiday Bonuses to all five UUCFM employees from the operating funds. We are so grateful to Jill, Mickey, Suellen, Liza and Albie for maintaining operations in challenging times. Giving Thanks to you.
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UUCFM's Online Activities |
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The UUCFM Book Group
The Book Group now meets on Mondays. We’ll begin meeting via Zoom at the usual time, 1:00 PM until 2:30 PM. We’ll continue our discussion of Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge and the Teachings of Plants by Robin Wall Kimmerer. Our discussion will cover the section, Braiding Sweetgrass. If you’re joining for the first time, please email Mary Studer. She will send you the link to zoom. mstuder929@gmail.com
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UUCFM, Caloosahatchee Book Study
The title of our current book is Real Change: Mindfulness to Heal Ourselves and the World.
"A guidebook for how to use mindfulness to build our inner strength, find balance, and help create a better world."
We are now meeting on Wednesday from 10-11:30 AM on Zoom. For more information and to join, contact Helen Leddy helen.leddy@gmail.com.
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Social Issues Book Study
The Social Issues Study group meets via Zoom on Wednesdays from 1-2:30 PM. The group has completed the reading of Caste. On December 2, we will be starting "How To Be An Antiracist" by Ibram X. Kendi. Contact helen.leddy@gmail.com.
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Caring Network Workshop on Coping Strategies
Do you have Coronavirus anxiety? Build resilience during these times! Let's talk.
Join your Caring Team for a choice of two Zoom Workshop dates, Monday, December 14 or Monday, December 21, both at 1-2:30 pm. We will discuss ways to cope with enforced solitude, challenge your anxious thoughts, and feel better during this Covid-19 time. We'll share ideas and concerns about being isolated. UUCFM Caring Facilitators are Mary Cline Golbitz, Holley Rauen, Mary Tracy Sigman and Suzanne Ziemer.
The Workshop is open to anyone. To register and get the Zoom link, contact Mary Tracy Sigman, 239-313-5993, email, marytracysigman115@gmail.com.
Also, If you or another member of the Congregation needs some extra attention during this time, your Pastoral Care Committee is here to help as much as we can while keeping us all safe and protected. We can connect with you individually by phone if you are feeling isolated and offer other assistance. Please contact Mary Golbitz marygcline@gmail.com 207-479-4082 (phone or text) or Holley Rauen holleyrauen@gmail.com 239-464-6556.
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Thanksgiving Day with the Caring Committee
The Caring Committee invites you to drop in to a zoom call on Thanksgiving Day at 11 AM-noon.
Since many of us will not be having our “typical” Thanksgiving this is a time for you to drop in and greet your friends, share your gratitude and/or what you are missing this Thanksgiving. If there is a quote or poem that is meaningful to you please bring to share if you wish. You may drop in for a short time or stay for the hour. We are looking forward to sharing a part of Thanksgiving Day with you.
Please contact Mary Cline Golbitz at 207 479-4082 (phone or text) with any questions. Please join by zoom or, if you prefer to call in use the numbers on the bottom.
Join Zoom Meeting
Meeting ID: 663 030 1437
One tap mobile
+13017158592,,6630301437# US (Washington D.C)
+13126266799,,6630301437# US (Chicago)
Dial by your location
+1 301 715 8592 US (Washington D.C)
+1 312 626 6799 US (Chicago)
+1 929 205 6099 US (New York)
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UU Holiday Parade of Gift Giving
Join our UU Holiday Parade of Gift Giving! Bring a gift or two to our UU campus between 1 and 3pm on Sunday, December 6th. The Quality Life Center has students from infancy to teenagers.
If you cannot attend our Drive By Parade, please drop off gifts at the bench in front of the Administrative Office between 8:30 and noon Tuesdays through Fridays.
When gift shopping please remember that we prefer no battery-operated toys, no Barbie dolls, no combat figures and no weapons.
You could shop at Amazon and have the gifts delivered to our church
address. The deadline for bringing toys to our campus is Tuesday, December 15
as volunteers will deliver the gifts to The Q on Wednesday, December 16.
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Member to Member Fundraiser
Let's buy and sell from Church Members! Nothing is too large to list- house, car, or boat; and nothing is too small- household item or piece of art. Because of Covid and not being able to meet for a large fundraiser- this is one of the only ways we can raise money for the church this year.
How it works:
In the newsletter you'll see listed items offered by Donor/Seller with total price, percentage of sale to UUCFM, and contact information. Donors/Sellers determine their own percentage of the sale to UUCFM. Delivery/pickup of item is between Buyer & Seller. Buyers write two checks, one to the seller and the other to UUCFM for the percentage of sale going to the church, with fundraiser in the memo line.
Example:
How to Participate:
Send email to newsletter@uucfm.org with item description, photo (if possible), price, percentage going to UUCFM, and contact information. Your offer will run for a month or until sold.
We hope to have creative fun with this Fundraiser. You could offer services, vacation homes, restaurant coupons...
Questions?
Contact Ways & Means Chair, Suzanne Ziemer, 239-463-9020,
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What’s up with LIFE?
Lee Interfaith For Empowerment - Doing Justice in Lee County
Remember KOKO?! Keep on Keepin' On?
UUCFM has been part of the county-wide coalition of churches that, through LIFE, every year since 2012 seeks to hold elected officials accountable on a vast variety of social issues. Where are our LIFE members? We are missing from the table this year and our voice is not being heard!
Current Issues
Housing for All
LIFE is currently working to have the city of Fort Myers adopt an Affordable Housing Trust Fund to create $3 million of revenue to use each year for housing for those making less than 60% of Area Median Income.
Affordable Housing Trust Funds are used in thousands of cities and counties across the country and leverage between $6-8 for every dollar invested.
We are working to get the city to adopt this reasonable request with some urgency.
A few weeks ago the homeless encampment at Centennial Park was unceremoniously removed to make way for improvements. Chain link fences went up, the homeless and their belongings went out. This issue is front and center this year.
The LIFE meetings are being held via Zoom for now, but we have been noticeably missed. Please contact Chelsea Baker, chelsea@thedartcenter.org for information on to be put in the loop and get our LIFE Team up and visible again.
Remember:
Life for Justice, Justice for Life
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South Fort Myers Food Pantry
The board and volunteers at the Food Pantry say thank you for the food that you have dropped off during these very difficult months.
The best times to drop off food are 9 AM or 4 PM on Monday at the pantry itself, located at 8260 Cypress Lake Drive, Fort Myers in the back of the Cypress Lake Presbyterian Church. Any size donation will be accepted. Most needed foods are peanut butter & jelly, cereal, breakfast bars, canned fruits and vegetables, pasta and tomato sauce, protein-rich soups and beans. Please, no glass containers.
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November Birthdays
Nov 1 Barbara Moreland
Nov 2 Miriam Jones
Nov 6 Carolyn Thompson
Nov 11 Nancy Hutchins
Nov 21 Mary Murray
Nov 23 Mary Dryden
Nov 28 Bob Krieger
Nov 28 Jennifer McFadden
Nov 29 Liz Taggart
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The SWFL Reset Center is delighted to announce we have signed a facility sharing agreement with the UUCFM Board that includes office rental on the campus, use of other facilities (when safe and available), and installing and maintaining a food forest and other permaculture projects on the eco-preserve. We will invite all UUCFM members to zoom presentations about the SWFL RESET Center mission, vision, initiatives, and people. We welcome any questions you may have. Informational ZOOMS next week TBA. |
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Gulf Coast Symphony
Here are some upcoming GCS shows! The Screen Pavilion is our own Screen Porch! The other shows are at Barbara B. Mann. Please call 239-481-4849 for tickets. UUCFM Members receive a discount.
Upcoming performances:
December 5th at 7pm Barbara B Mann Highlights from The Nutcracker
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Board of Trustees
President Lesley Peterson
President Elect Lane Cook
Secretary Ruth King Fotovat
Treasurer Pati Maier
VP Ministerial Services Keith Hamlin
VP Operations Dorothy Van Howe
VP Programming Toni Latino
Member at Large Genelle Grant
Staff
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Please send all newsletter articles by Wednesday at noon for publication in Thursday's newsletter. Send articles to newsletter@uucfm.org.
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UUCFM
13411 Shire Lane
Fort Myers, FL 33912
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Office Hours:
Tues-Fri 9-2
Please wear a mask and call
or email for appointment so
we can social distance.
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