Weekly E-News

October 14, 2021

Sunday Service

Join us Sunday, October 17th, at 10:30AM via zoom https://zoom.us/j/98733916229 or listen to audio only at UUCFM.org.

Lay Ministers Mary Cline Golbitz and Alberita Johnson will explore what happens, "When Rough Jagged Rocks Meet Smooth Stones." We know without covenant it is impossible to love, grow and serve together. When rough and smooth stones mix we have friction that is charged and filled with energy. It is our covenants that ground us so we can stay together.

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

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

Save the Date Nov 14th

Homecoming Party

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.

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.

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.

60th Anniversary Pave the Way Fundraiser

UPDATE

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.

Checks 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 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