Weekly E-News


October 21, 2021

Sunday Service



Join us Sunday, October 24th, at 10:30AM via zoom https://zoom.us/j/98733916229 or listen to audio only at UUCFM.org.


Reverend Addae Kraba will discuss "The Impulse to Care". If we are to change the world we have to begin with changing the way we think, which in return will change the way we act and interact.


To make a difference it becomes necessary to understand that changing the world is not something that we do just for ourselves, but also for others. 

Capture12121.PNG

Rev. Addae Kraba is an ordained minister in the Unitarian Universalist Denomination, currently serving as Minister to the Unitarian Universalist New Braunfels congregation in Texas. To learn more about Rev. Addae Kraba click here

Dear Congregation and Friends,



On Sunday 10/31, we will be honoring our beloved dead, ancestors and loved ones. We invite you to send us photos of them by email for inclusion in a slide show to honor them during the service. Photos of any person or animal that is precious to you are welcome. Please submit your photos to Lesley Peterson at vpworship@uucfm.org 

jack-o-lantern.jpg

UUCFM Re-opening Consideration


The Board thanks you all for the support you have shown for our difficult decision to postpone the return of in-person worship services. While we have no particular date in mind for a future reopening, we have agreed to continuously monitor the "risk level" for Lee County and will consider re-opening with it i


Here is a link to the methodology:

https://covidactnow.org/us/florida-fl/county/lee_county/?s=21711097


Yours in Growth,


Lane Cook

President

​UUCFM Board of Trustees


UUCFMPresident@UUCFM.org, or 239-222-9406.



Volunteer of the Month


The Board of Trustees is pleased to announce that Hank Flandysz is our Volunteer of the Month.  Hank is one of our Worship Associates, but he is also a volunteer in other ways such as the Sanctuary Beds Planting Project. 


As reported by Bill Petraca, four large flower beds in front of the Sanctuary had looked unkempt for several years.  There was a draining issue that Operations and Building and Grounds were looking into.  New plantings would have been washed out because of poor rain water drainage due to clogged drain pipes.  The cost of a contractor was between $3,000 and $4,000.  Hank researched the problem before contacting the vendor.


He discovered the problem was more complex than what everyone involved thought was the case.  Hank looked to other alternatives and helped find a way to re-route the downspouts and divert the rainwater away from the landscaped beds.  Hank worked with a vendor and got the job done for only $500 - saving the congregation several thousand dollars. 


With the drainage problem fixed, Hank led the effort to acquire new plants for the beds and worked with others for several hot days to get the plantings in the ground before the Oct. 9th Orchestra’s opening concert.  The beds look GREAT. 


Thank you Hank for all your work! A ‘shout-out’ goes to the following members/friends for helping improve the look of our campus:


Michele Bellinger, Bonnie Clancy, Hank Flandysz, Genelle Grant, Carole Latino, Bill Petraca, Holley Rauen, Richard Shine, Mary Studer, Liz Taggart, Dorothy Van Howe


If we missed someone our apologies and thanks!  



pplogo.jpg

Planned Parenthood is our Community Sharing Partner for October 2021


The mission of Planned Parenthood of Southwest and Central Florida is to provide affordable access to comprehensive sexual and reproductive health care and accurate health information through patient care, education and advocacy.

Pictures of a recent Reproductive Health Workshop in El Remate, El Petén, Guatemala. The GRACE Project (Guatemala Rural Adult & Children's Education) sponsors local workshops, with teachers materials. Generous volunteers in SW Florida still provide hundreds of Menstrual Health Kits and Fertility Bracelets every year to send to Guatemala. 


The students are coloring the Fertility Bracelet drawing with the red-purple-green-purple rhythm method pattern. GRACE is a project of the Social Justice Committee of the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Fort Myers, Florida.


www.thegraceproject.org   www.uucfm.org

2CADCBA8-32AF-48AA-8CD1-B71056C9334B_1_105_c.jpeg
f7fcdc38-cde3-428a-936d-ee3cabc8ccb4.jpeg
91C6DCBE-698F-46DF-9286-755B92031729_1_105_c.jpeg
Self-Care-for-Health-Care-Professionals.jpg

Pastoral Care Associates Offering

Self-Care Workshops


Your Pastoral Care Associates will be offering a series of self-care workshops online this fall.  The exact times will be determined based on responses of those interested. The workshops may include simple healthy lifestyle practices, meditation, simple yoga and more. If you are interested in being a participant or have something you would like to offer please contact Mary Cline Golbitz at mary@uucfm.org.

To Members and Friends of UUCFM

 

We would love to find out how you are feeding your spirit and finding hope during the pandemic. We hope to hear from many of you as it's been a long time since we have been together.


Please send to Board member Karen J. Brown at uudrek@gmail.com. Submissions will be shared in the Weekly E-News. A few sentences would be perfect.  We'd love to have your name published, but you can be anonymous. These short stories of hope will also be available on the website.

Are you interested in becoming a Worship Associate?


The UUCFM Worship Team is looking for a few new Worship Associates.  Are you interested in participating in planning and leading worship and the opportunity to learn more about being a UU?


If you are interested, please contact Mary Cline Golbitz at mary@uucfm.org or Albie Johnson at albiej@uucfm.org for more information about the application and training process.

Homecoming Party

Sunday November 14, 2021

12:30pm - 3:00pm


After Sunday Service meet and greet members and stroll the campus along the newly paved Labyrinth and enjoy music and entertainment.


Bring your own sack lunch for a picnic and we'll supply bottled water and an ice cream treat. More details to follow, hope to see you there!


Presented by the Membership and Stewardship Committees.


balloons_happy_bday.jpg
balloons_happy_bday.jpg
bbf.png

The Bill Brewer Family Gardens

   


We have two Master Gardeners and a third is in training, so we will have plenty of informational classes and on site assistance. We are also anticipating some seed donations and low cost vegetable plant starts for renters.


We are working with the SWFL RESET Center and FGCU to make compost;  some beds have already been gifted with this super healthy soil.  We hope to have more students assist with our Food Bank beds that will grow greens for St. Martin de Porres Outreach on Palm Beach Blvd, and the South Fort Myers Food Bank.  Volunteers are greatly appreciated.

     

Prices are $85 for a 4 x 8 bed with automatic watering, $75 without.


Our year is from October 15th to the following September 15th. Please contact garden manager Bonnie Jean Clancy 

at familygardens@uucfm.org if you are interested in renting a bed.

Capture478.PNG

Event by SWFL RESET Center


Join five brilliant FGCU Students, the Reverend Houston Cypress, Mike Savarese, FGCU Department of Marine & Earth Sciences(SWFL Resiliency Compact) and other special guests working with high school students.


As the frequency of damaging climate events linked to climate change is increasing, there is a heightened level of uncertainty about the future amongst young people. As global warming impacts intensify over time, one thing is for certain—today’s young people and future generations will inherit the results of what we do or don’t do now to find and implement workable solutions to the root causes of pressing environmental issues.


This intergenerational conversation will give attendees an opportunity to hear from young agents of change and innovation about what they want to contribute to local and global climate action, what their expectations are for the future and how they would like to see older generations provide support.


Register Here for this online event.


https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZAkd-mgqzsrHdNoWBPMLJekNQEOUoYMWami

Social Issues Book Group


New Book - New Time - New Date!


We are reading the book Post Traumatic Slave Syndrome; America's Legacy of Enduring Injury and Healing by Dr. Joy DeGruy.  Reading will begin Wednesday, October 6th from 1:30pm to 3:00pm. Please contact Helen Dixon with any questions you may have ahelendixon9@gmail.com or (239) 633-4989.

60th Anniversary Pave the Way Fundraiser


UPDATE

IMG_0941.jpg

How to order your brick:


Contact Helen Dixon at helendixon9@gmail.com or call 239-633-4989 or contact Suzanne Ziemer, suzanneziemer@gmail.com or call 812-332-3450.


Each 4"x8" brick can be engraved with up to 3 lines of 13 characters/spaces on each line.


Your check for a $100 donation should be made to UUCFM with Brick fundraiser in the memo line.

Congratulations! You have ordered 60 commemorative bricks! We need 40 more orders to reach our goal of 100.


Ideas for engraving: Remembrances with birth-death dates, UU sayings/messages (Believe in truth, work for Justice), your name with personal wishes or identity, meditate at the Labyrinth, Honoring..., In Memory of..., etc.



Your entire Brick donation goes to the General Budget since our Endowment Fund Grant will pay for all production costs. This is our only Fundraiser since the Covid-19 Pandemic prevents us from being together. 






Grateful thanks to all who have contributed bricks!

Monday Book Group


The UUCFM Monday Book Club will meet at 1:00pm via Zoom on October 25th to discuss the beginning of chapters 13 &14 of Humankind: A Hopeful History. If you’re joining for the first time, please email Mary Studer at mstuder929@gmail.com to get the Zoom link



Mindfulness Opportunities

 

We welcome you to join either of our two online sitting practices each week. 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 Standing at the Edge by Joan Halifax. Contact mstuder929@gmail.com for details. 

 

The Wednesday sangha meets between 10:00-11:30 a.m. in coordination with Caloosahatchee Mindfulness. It is discussing Say What You Mean: A Mindful Approach to Nonviolent Communication by Oren Jay Sofer. 


Contact Helen Leddy for more information: helen.leddy@gmail.com

QLC Gala 11-5-21.JPG

PLEASE JOIN


QUALITY LIFE CENTER

OF SOUTHWEST FLORIDA, INC


Friday, November 5, 2021

at 6:30pm


A night to honor local heroes, showcase our exceptional youth, and reveal exciting new programs and partnerships.




RSVP

239-334-2797 ext 108

dmerricks@qlcswfl.org


For Sale


2003 Deck Boat, 21’ $5000. 100% goes to UUCFM. Call Hank Flandysz for fun test drive. 239-877-8339.

boat.jpg
happp.jpg

October Birthdays


Oct 12 Karen Feinen  

Oct 14 Vanda Barnes 

Oct 15 Ted Brown

Oct 16 Pati Maier

Oct 17 Holley Rauen

Oct 18 Doc Gatto 

Oct 18 Jane Petrarca

Oct 23 Ruth Fotovat   

Oct 27 Sima Robbins

Oct 30 Peter Golbitz 

Oct 30 Sue Magee

amazon-logo.png

Amazon Smile donates to UUCFM when you do your online shopping by following this special link

smile.amazon.com/ch/59-1160337

BecomeAmember-02.png

Want to Become a Member?

If you are interested in becoming a new member of UUCFM, please email 

memberservices@uucfm.org.

Board of Trustees

Email: board@uucfm.org


President Lane Cook

President Elect Mary Studer

Secretary Ruth King Fotovat

Treasurer Pati Maier

VP Worship Lesley Peterson

VP Operations Genelle Grant

VP Programming Karen J. Brown

VP Membership Toni Latino

VP Stewardship Nancy Hutchins



Staff

Lay Minister Albie Johnson albiej@uucfm.org

Lay Minister Mary Cline Golbitz mary@uucfm.org

Director of Music Suellen Kipp music@uucfm.org

Office Manager officemanager@uucfm.org

Building Supervisor  Mickey Kellam buildingsupervisor@uucfm.org

Teacher  Liza Kellam lhiz_sierra@yahoo.com

Please send all newsletter articles by 12pm Wednesday for publication in Thursday's newsletter.


Send articles to newsletter@uucfm.org

UUCFM

13411 Shire Lane

Fort Myers, FL 33912


Phone: (239) 561-2700 


Website: uucfm.org


Email: uuchurch@uucfm.org 



Office Hours

Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday 9am - 2pm

Thursday 11:30am - 4:30pm

Facebook  Instagram