Weekly E-News

October 7, 2021

Sunday Service

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

Please join us as we honor National Coming Out Day and Indigenous People’s Day.

Our guest speaker will be Beverly Little Thunder. And we will also hear from our beloved Worship Associate Gordon Woodworth III. The title of Beverly’s sermon is:

“Coming out in a world that renders you invisible “

Cultural norms are different in the LBGTQIA communities. Indigenous Two Spirit individuals are doubly hampered in their journey to live life as authentic as possible. What is Two Spirit ? Who can use that term ? Why do Indigenous individuals feel on the edge of the LBGTQIA movement? Hear some of these questions answered.

Here is a little about Beverly Little Thunder:

Being Two Spirit comes with a lot of responsibility. Beverly Little Thunder , a Lakota Two Spirit woman has embraced her role since 1980. Trying to be “normal” she married several times and gave birth to five beautiful children. An activist who does not know what it is to be bored, she has continued to educate and inspire other Indigenous people to honor their place in this world.

She recently returned from Montana where the 25th gathering for Two Spirit people and their families was held. Spiritual practices, caring for the elderly and children, and education of community, are among the responsibilities of a Two Spirit person. She is also a writer and has published a book “ One Bead at a Time “ which can be found on Amazon.

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

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.

UUCFM Reopening Considerations

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 monitor the following "risk level" for Lee County. We are currently at "High Risk," and will consider in-person worship when we reach "Medium Risk."

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.

Please note that the next board meeting will be held on October 12th at 5:00 PM via Zoom. Here is the Zoom link:

Join Zoom Meeting

https://zoom.us/j/92925862711

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.

If you send your write-up to Board member Karen J. Brown at uudrek@gmail.com, she will have them printed 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. Thanks in advance.

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.

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.

Save the Date Nov 14th

Homecoming Party

After Sunday Service Party 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.

The Bill Brewer Family Gardens is readying for a start of a new and fruitful year.

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

We are keeping prices the same, $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 would be interested in renting a bed.

Welcome Home!

That's what the Membership and Stewardship Committees hope to say to you at an outdoor event Sunday, November 14th at about 1 PM at our wonderful campus. Let's have lunch together! For safety, we ask that you bring your own lunch and we will provide bottled water and individual ice cream treats for dessert. This is a great time to see improvements to our campus, meet and greet friends, and enjoy each other's company. We are still in the planning stages, but the main thing is we want to see you in person. Mark your calendar and look for future updates.

Social Issues Book Group

NEW BOOK; NEW TIME; NEW DATE

We will read POST TRAUMATIC SLAVE SYNDROME; AMERICA'S LEGACY OF ENDURING INJURY AND HEALING by Dr. Joy DeGruy. We will begin on Wednesday, October 6th at 1pm-2:30. Questions, contact helendixon9@gmail.com.

Monday Book Group

The UUCFM Monday Book Club will meet at 1 pm via Zoom on October 11 to discuss the beginning of Part 4, as well as Ch. 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’s 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

For Sale

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

60th Anniversary Pave the Way Fundraiser

UPDATE

We are now over halfway to our goal of 100 bricks @ $100 each brick for our General Budget with 60 commemorative bricks having been purchased. They are now placed at the entrances to the Sanctuary. You will be pleased to see them in remembrance when you visit the campus. Our ongoing goal is to have all 3 entrances graced with these engraved bricks.

How to order your brick:

Contact either Helen Dixon, helendixon9@gmail.con, 239-633-4989 or Suzanne Ziemer, suzanneziemer@gmail.com, 812-332-3450 for a form to fill out with your message of 3 lines, 13 characters each line and your check to UUCFM with Brick fundraiser in the memo line.

Ideas for engraving: Remembrances with birth-death dates, UU sayings/messages, your name with personal wishes or identity. 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 Pandemic doesn't allow us to be together. Grateful thanks to all who have contributed bricks.

To donate a brick: Contact suzanneziemer@gmail.com, 812-332-3450 or

helendixon9@gmail.com, 239-633-4989.

Opening Night at the MACC

This year the Gulf Coast Chamber Orchestra opens its 2021-2022 season here at the MACC Center at UUCFM with the works of award winning female composers Joan Tower, Vivian Fung, Libby Larson and Florence Beatrice Price. Come listen to historic works by celebrated female composers.

OCTOBER 9 | 7:30 PM

Joan Tower Sixth Fanfare for the Uncommon Woman

Libby Larsen Solo Symphony No. 5

Vivian Fung Dust Devils

Florence Price Symphony No. 1

For more info and for tickets, visit https://gulfcoastsymphony.org/concert/gcco-opening-night/