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Special News- This Sunday, August 6th is our Annual Pet Blessing Service in Hobart Hall at 10:30a. This is our Sunday Service for the week. There will be animals, treats, and lots of music. Well behaved pets on leashes and in carriers are welcome!
All members and friends are invited to share their summer photos of themselves and their pets from now until Labor Day! Send a jpg or two to
uuchurch@uucfm.org
and your picture will be shared each Sunday morning in a slideshow before the service begins.
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Worship in August: Commitment
The theme of commitment this month calls to mind the important relationships of our lives- how we relate to loved ones as well as to our highest values. This month we acknowledge different levels of commitment in our lives. On August 6th, come and join us for a multi-generational, annual Blessing of the Animals service, which will be held in Hobart Hall on account of the fur, feather, scales etc. Feel free to bring animals (which are people and other-pet friendly), and if they are not "sociable" bring a picture of your pet to share.
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No Humanist Forum this Sunday
There will be no Humanist Forum this Sunday, August 6th because of the Pet Blessing service in Hobart Hall. The Humanist Forum regularly meets every Sunday at 9:15a in Hobart Hall. All are welcome to attend.
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Community Sharing in August: LIFE
Lee Interfaith for Empowerment Inc. is a group of Lee County Florida congregations coming together based upon our shared value of social justice.
More than 1,000 people of faith will look into an issue impacting Lee County, seek information and work to make improvements for everyone. Past issues include implementing and increasing the use of juvenile civil citations, improving children's mental health services, anti-bullying in public schools and changing protocol for alternative learning centers and behavioral conduct issues.
LIFE for Justice, Justice for LIFE!
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Sunday Coffee Hour
Sunday's Coffee Hour is provided by volunteers from the Women's Circle on the first Sunday, CUUPS on the second Sunday, Humanist Forum on the third Sunday, Men's Group on the fourth Sunday and if there is a fifth Sunday, it is All Church.
Any donations of food, snacks or cash are welcome.
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Board Thank Yous
The board thanks
Dorothy Van Howe, Mary Alice Pierce, Helen Dixon, Lucy Wistreich, Simone Ittenbach, Judy Burget, Carol Barclay, John Worster, Laura Snow and her partner, Doug, for kitchen clean up efforts. Thanks to the entire worship team and chair,
Elise Sexton, for all their work. Thank you to
Neil Yesu for his work as caring network coordinator and for serving as a contact for triage whilst our minister is bonding with her soon-to-be-here bundle. Thanks to
Bill Petrarca for serving as the contact and advocate for staff while the minister is away, to
Helen Dixon for volunteering with the deposit,
Emmie Spiller for volunteering in the office, and the website team for all their efforts on the amazing new website. Thanks to the membership committee for a continued excellent job.
At this time, our board is also remembering
Judie Marble in a spirit of gratitude for her servant's heart, her love and her generosity. May the spirit of her kindness and love for UUCFM continue to be a light and an example.
Volunteer(s) of the month are
Lesley and Walter Peterson. We are grateful for all their work on our new website that captures the emotion, joy and spirit of UUCFM just right. It is certain that many will take the path from the website straight to the church doorstep. The board is grateful.
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Unitarian Universalist Musicians Network (UUMN) Conference 2017
Thank you so much for your generosity in sending me to Arlington, VA for this year's UUMN conference. We met from July 26-30 for five immersive days of worship services, plenary sessions, workshops, and networking activities that ran from 7am to 10pm. This year, the conference culminated in a powerful interfaith singing demonstration with a 300-person choir in front of the Lincoln Memorial.
Aside from being personally and professionally enriching for me, this conference benefits our choir and congregation. Every year it provides 3 sessions consisting entirely of reading new music, and provides vocal pedagogy, conducting classes, and worship ideas from internationally acclaimed music professors and composers. The lunchtime roundtables are a useful opportunity for me to discuss successes and challenges with other Directors of Music in mid-sized congregations like ours. This year the conference also included cutting-edge education about music's role in dismantling racism. I'm excited to incorporate what I've learned in the upcoming year here at UUCFM!
Amy Laursen, Director of Music
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Music Notes
August 6:
Blessing of the Animals in Hobart Hall. Join us for this guitar-based service as the Choir does an encore performance of the country song,
A Place in the Choir.
August 13: Alexandra Carlson, classical pianist!
August 20: The Choir sings the UU ballad
Let This Be a House of Peace, and singer/guitarist Angela Melton shares her gifts.
August 27: Viola day! Come hear Amy Laursen play selections from Bach's
Cello Suites on her principal instrument, the viola.
The next
Music Committee
is
Wednesday, August 16th at 3:00p
in Room 7.
The UUCFM Choir rehearses most Wednesday nights from 6:45-8:15p, and on Sunday mornings from 9-10a in the Sanctuary. It's free and there are no auditions. Please email me in advance so that a music folder can be prepared for you. Come join us in singing!
The UUCFM Band rehearses most Wednesday nights from 6:00-6:45p, and on Sunday mornings from 9:00-10:00a in the Sanctuary. If you would like to play your instrument during a Sunday service, please email me to coordinate the details. Come join us in making music together!
Amy Laursen, Director of Music directorofmusic@uucfm.org
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Covenant of UU Pagans
We welcome all to our Lughnasadh ritual on Saturday, August 5th. We'll gather at 6:30p either at the amphitheater or lanai depending on weather. We celebrate the first harvest. Bring a dish to share for our community feast after.
August 6th is the blessing of our animals in Hobart Hall at 10:30a. This is a time to recognize our flying, running, slithering ones. Bring a picture of departed ones if you wish. This is a Sunday service.
Our August 20th meeting looks at
Inclusivity. How we can work together and be diverse. This starts at 12:00 after the Sunday service in Room 1. All are welcome. Lily Nieves and Gordon Woodworth III lead.
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A Poetry Duet
Please join us on Sunday, August 6th at 1:00p in Hobart Hall for a pleasant afternoon of poetry reading by UUCFM's resident poet, educator, facilitator, and sage, Donald Ehat, Ed.D. Don will be joined by fellow poet, world traveler, and friend, Don Kahrmann.
Both poets will have signed copies of their works available, and both will share their life experiences and invite responses and questions from the audience. All welcome to attend!
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UUCFM MOVE Group
Be the Light will be presenting their Empowering YOUth human trafficking awareness program on August 9th at the 7:00p MOVE meeting in Room 4. MOVE (Making Our Voices Effective) is a social justice group for ages 10+. All youth ages 10+ are invited to join in this one night program to learn the how to best empower and protect themselves against human trafficking, a crime that has an average age of between 11 and 12 for those affected. For more information about
Be the Light, check out their website at
www.BetheLightOutreach.com
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The Women's Circle
The Women's Circle luncheons are taking a break in the Summer. But we don't want to lose touch with each other, so for those who are still around, we are meeting for lunch at restaurants in Lee County each month.
For August we will gather at The Shrimp Shack in Ft Myers on Metro just North of Daniels at noon, Monday, August 14th. For more information, contact Susan Forsyth
239-424-8442 or
thecaperabbit@gmail.com.
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UU Dance
Calling everyone interested in joining in a UU Dance experience! UU Dance is about joy, celebration and expression through movement. Come and have fun with us. Debra Leigh leads us through an enjoyable creative movement activity and a few short and simple movement sequences. You do not need to be athletic and the movement is not technically challenging.
We'll meet Wednesday, August 16, at 6:45p in the Narthex (lobby of sanctuary). Students ages 11+ may participate with parental permission slip.
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FUUn BUUnch
Join the FUUn BUUnch Dinner Gang Friday, August 18th at 7:00p for an exotic or traditional dinner at the world famous Islamorada Fish Company Restaurant in the Bass Pro Shops at Gulf Coast Town Center.
Please RSVP John or Bob by Tuesday, August 15, 2017.
(The restaurant requires firm numbers by this date.)
John E. Fischer 267 992 6566 or silverfischstudios@gmail.com or
Bob Nies 239 466 7933 or niesrobert@hotmail.com
DIRECTIONS:
Take Rte 75 to Exit 128, Alico Rd.
Turn EAST onto Alico Rd. to THE GULF COAST TOWN CENTER.
Turn RIGHT onto ROYAL QUEEN BVD.
Turn RIGHT onto GULF CENTER DRIVE.
Keep RIGHT on GULF CENTER DRIVE to the
BASS PRO SHOPS.
The ISLAMORADA FISH COMPANY RESTAURANT is to your left
IN THE BASS PRO SHOPS.
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New UU Book Study
The next UU book group will reconvene Wednesday, August 9th at 1:00p in the Library. The book is Joseph Campbell's
The Power of Myth. Come having read the Introduction and Chapter One. Here is the remaining schedule: August 16, chapters 2,3; August 23, chapters 4,5; Aug. 30, chapters 6,7; September 6th, chapter 8 plus wrap-up and planning.
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Optimal Living Group
The Optimal Living Group is open to all and does not require attending every session. We meet in the Sanctuary on the first and third Wednesdays of each month from 4:00-5:30p. We discuss how to live optimally, including practical ways to cope with life's challenges and issues. Helping others and developing maturity in ourselves is part of our quest. We explore many paths and techniques for enriching our lives and making a difference for others. For more information, fill out a blue card found in the pews or email Neil Yesu:
dbny79@aol.com.
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Mindfulness Meditation
Join us on Monday evenings to explore the very simple and satisfying practices of mindfulness and meditation. You don’t need experience with meditation, nor do you have to be a Buddhist. Do please bring an intention to quiet the mind and the 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. If you have any questions, please contact Gary Robbins at
ggleasonr@live.com
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The Rissho Kosei-kai Buddhist group meets Sundays at 1:45p in Room 1.
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Community Wednesday
Community Wednesday is held in Hobart Hall. Bring friends and neighbors, too. Join us each Wednesday for a delicious meal prepared by Chef Joy for a small donation. After the fellowship and fine fare from 6:00- 6:45p, join your favorite programming event, committee meeting, or social activity. Child care is provided until 8:30p.
Regular Activitie
s for August:
4:00-5:30 Optimal Living Group (1st & 3rd Wed)
6:00-6:45 Community Meal
6:00-6:45 Band Rehearsal in Sanctuary
6:45-8:00 Choir Rehearsal in Sanctuary
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UUCFM Historical Martial Arts Club
The UUCFM Historical Martial Arts Club is dedicated to preserving and practicing a variety of historical martial arts for entertainment and fitness purposes. We meet at various times (determined by interest) most often at 12:30p after service on Sundays to practice Archery and Tomahawk/Axe throwing. Other activities and times can be found on our Facebook page of the same name. All are welcome to join us!
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South Fort Myers Food Pantry
The Food Pantry Newsletter for the second quarter of 2017 (April through June) is posted in Hobart Hall, next to the kitchen. I will summarize for those who may not have time to stop by and read it. During the second quarter of 2017 our pantry served 1670 clients, totaling 5,466 family members actually fed. The pantry volunteers distributed over 172,226 pounds of food.
The annual meeting of the food pantry coalition was held on June 17, 2017. The directors of the current board were elected to serve another year. The names of the directors are available in the food pantry flyer which you can get either at the social justice table or from the rack of brochures near the water fountains in Hobart Hall. The meeting was followed by a luncheon to honor the volunteers, a time to enjoy fellowship with each other.
There is an appeal for more food donations during the summer months, which you are already doing and is appreciated. There are also instructions for anyone wanting to volunteer this summer.
If you have questions or are interested in volunteering, email Fran Rose at francrose@centurylink.net. Put "Food Pantry" on the subject line of your email.
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My UU Story
Arlee: My UU Principles
My name is Arlee with two ee’s. My Mum and Dad are Glenn and Paloma Siebert. They love me lots and lots. I take advantage of that fact anytime I want a little milk.
Too shy to attend the Blessing of the Animals, I opted to stay home last year but my name was mentioned (and my sister’s too), to ensure that we’d be blessed. My loving family is my blessing!
Back in 2009, I became aware that I am a PUURR (Playful Unitarian Universalist Remarkable Romantic). I am very playful. Sometimes when frogs sneak into the house I want to play with them, but my Mum takes them outside because of the 7th principle (my personal favorite): Respect for the interdependent web of all existence of which we are a part.
As the 1st principle tells us I am remarkable: I am inherently worthy. My Deh-Dee tells me all the time how special I am. I also know because my parents have little beds for me around the house, and a special water fountain. They also grow grass for me to eat, they brush me every day and I have an automatic Crunchies dispenser which goes off at 5 am every day. Meow, I love the 1st principle!
I’m also a romantic as I dream constantly of the 2nd principle: justice, equity and compassion in all relationships.
I end this essay with the truth, as I have freely and responsibly searched for (our 4th principle): It’s a great gift to be a PUURR!
Arlee Siebert
About My UU Story
Each month, the Membership Committee would like to publish your UU story- either converted or born UUs. How did you become a UU, or how did our religion affect your life? Alternatively, do you have a one paragraph remembrance of your first reaction to being in a UU church and/or learning about the religion? To share your story, please contact Joy Sokeitous at
memberservices@uucfm.org
Joy will help you edit and she will provide questions to help you develop your story.
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New UUCFM Website Goes Live
After literally years of planning and hard work, mostly through the special website skills of church-member Lesley Peterson (and technical support from her husband Walter) and collaboration with Joe Sexton, past VP of Ministerial Services, this week the Church raises the curtain on its new website, the window through which others see what we stand for and how they might join us. You are invited to share in our excitement by enjoying all the new material and pictures at
www.UUCFM.org.
Because this was a complete re-make of our website, connecting to the previous member database was required. You will need to re-register with the website using your current username and password. Please make sure that you enter your email address as your username. If your email address has changed recently, use your old email address and then change it after you have completed the registration process; you can edit it in the Member Services section. If there's any issue with getting registered with an old email address, you may contact Lesley Peterson at
unicorn@cyberstreet.com to help you get registered.
A HUGE Thank You! to Lesley, Walter and Joe and all who helped launch our new website. This is truly a landmark effort for our growing congregation.
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2018 Women's Retreat
It's time to start planning to attend the 2018 Florida UU Women's Retreat. Flyers will be available in the Narthex. This year, we are again sending this information to all the Florida UU congregations at the same time that this mailing is going out to you allowing more UU women to learn about the retreat.
DaySpring has raised the room rates for 2018, but we are not changing the rates for attendance at the Retreat. We are also again offering a $5 discount to all those who register before
September 15, 2017.
So, secure your place for the April gala and remind others that there's a special deal for signing up early. It's going to be another grand weekend.
We are looking for volunteers to participate in the program planning. If you are interested and we hope you are, please contact us. Program planning can take place from anywhere in the state, so don't be reluctant to sign up to help.
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If you are a UUCFM Community Sharing Partner, a regular Facility User, or have UU related news to share, you are welcome to submit announcements for publication in our Greater Community section of the newsletter. Please send announcements in by each Wednesday for publication in the Thursday E-news.
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Aug 1 Jennifer Grant
Aug 2 Barbara Boynton
Aug 3 Dan Laliberte
Aug 3 Ian Ireland
Aug 3 Carla Webb
Aug 4 Margot White
Aug 5 Susan Schmitt
Aug 9 Hilary Matheson
Aug 12 Peg Lancioni
Aug 12 Carole Latino
Aug 13 Shirley Blumenfeld
Aug 14 Paula Copestick
Aug 21 Suzanne Fast
Aug 22 Carol Barclay
Aug 22 Marge Gonzalez
Aug 24 Patricia Vivier-Naidl
Aug 25 John Swank
Aug 28 Ellen Kelly
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Newsletter Editor: Jill Carville
(239) 561-2700
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