From the News-Press coverage of SWFL PRIDE. More pics below.
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Sunday Worship Service
All Welcome to our Service at 10:30 am Sundays in the Miller Sanctuary
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Community Sharing in October: Visuality, Inc
The mission of Visuality is to enhance and sustain the health and well-being of the LGBTQ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer/questioning people and allies. They provide activities, programs, educational events, and services that create community, empower community members, provide essential resources, advocate for civil and human rights; and embrace, promote and support our cultural diversity. We strive to end violence, harassment and discrimination based on real or perceived sexual orientation, gender identity or sexual expression.
Visuality Website
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Humanist Forum
The Humanist Forum meets every Sunday at 9:15 am in Hobart Hall. All are welcome to attend.
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Social Hour
Sunday's Social Hour happens after the service every week and 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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BURN, our High School Youth Group meets on Sundays at noon in Room 4. All youth, ages 14-18, are welcome! This Sunday we have a Theatrical Group Meet n Greet at 12:30. Contact Director of Religious Education, Jenn Blosser:
dre@uucfm.org
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IGNITE
, our junior youth group for ages 10-13, meets weekly from 12-1 pm in Room 3. Come join us for community, conversation, and finding your call to action! Questions about the group? Reach out to Stephanie Hoffman:
stephgator7@yahoo.com
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SPARK
is our newest youth group. Exclusively for children ages five to nine, Spark will meet weekly from 12-1 in Room 2 to explore Unitarian Universalism and learn more about our church and each other.
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From the Minister
Grrl Power
With recent faith witness at SWFL Pride, I am reminded of the power of community, warts and all, to show up on the side of Love. We as a church don’t need to be perfect to still do the work of loving, growing, and serving. We can try for excellence in our mission. We can embrace our failures and roll on. For those who are re-traumatized by the appointment of Kavanaugh after Blasey-Ford’s testimony, imagine the Spirit of Love charging your power to heal: To convert suffering into affirmation of your inherent worth and dignity. And join up here at the church where people on all points of the gender spectrum #believewomen and support the #metoo movement. Come to church to heal, to love, and to tap into our power as a people to, as our UUA Southern Region staffer the Rev. Dawn S Cooley preaches, love the hell out of this world. Photo by Shellie Halstead.
Rev. Allison Farnum
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Music Notes
The UUCFM Choir
rehearses most Wednesday nights from 6:45-8:15 pm, and on Sunday mornings from 9-10 am in the sanctuary. It's free and there are no auditions. Come join us in singing!
The UUCFM Band
rehearses most Wednesday nights from 6:00-6:45 pm, and on Sunday mornings from 9-10 am 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!
Suellen Kipp, Director of Music
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Religious Education News
BUU Fest
is coming on Friday, October 19th from 5-9 pm and we need volunteers and donations!
BUU Fest
is our annual Halloween party which offers fun for
everyone
in the congregation with stories, games, prizes, and performances - not to mention costumes and treats.
We need volunteers for...
- running games
- selling sweet & savory treats
- managing the prize table
- reading ghost stories
- AND MORE!
We are also collecting Halloween prizes!
Bring bags of NUT FREE treats and party favors to the Narthex and drop them off in the big pumpkin so we can hand them out to our little monsters at
BUU Fest.
Thank you!
Jenn Blosser
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From the Office
Do you have an idea for an adult education class? Please contact board member, Alison Carville
alisoncarville@gmail.com, to get approval and schedule your class. She will help you through the process.
Would you like to hold a meeting or have a guest speaker come on a Wednesday evening? Please contact Cathy Snow
vpprogramming@uucfm.org, board member for programming, and she will help you get started. Thanks!
Jill Carville, Office Manager
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Worship & Music Ministry
Our meetings are held in the Sanctuary on the third Sunday of each month from 12:15 - 1:45 pm. Our next meeting is October 21st. Join us if you are already or wish to be involved in this ministry that includes all things service related including the following:
-Choir and Music Team
-Worship Associates
-Audio Visual
-Décor
All are welcome and we hope to see you there! Contact Board Co-Liaisons Theresa L. Bahre
strawbahre_fields@yahoo.com
and Lesley Peterson
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From the Village
If you would like to volunteer for the Halloween party, contact us at
Village@uucfm.org
to sign up. We would love your help!
Attention Knowledge Seekers
: We are looking for people interested in leading classes during our Sunday second hour (12:00-1:00 pm). There are hundreds of prepared curricula available from the UUA. Contact us at
Village@uucfm.org
if you would like more information about offering a class. We are here to support you.
Stephanie Hoffman
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FUUn BUUnch!
Come Join The FUUn BUUnch for Dinner at
Perkins on the Southeast corner of Route 41 and Six Mile Cypress on Saturday, October 27th at 6:00 pm. Please call or text John E. Fischer, 1-267-992-6566 or email
SilverFischStudios@gmail.com to reserve your place.
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Dreamwork Group
We will meet each of the Sundays in November at 12:00 noon. November 4 (Sanctuary), 11 (Sanctuary), 18 (Room 7), 25 (Conference Room). In general, we follow a Jungian philosophy. Debra trained with Jeremy Taylor and others in California and has a Jungian background in psychology. For reading, I suggest reading Jeremy Taylor's website:
jeremytaylor.com
. Please RSVP to:
dreamrookery7@gmail.com
or call Debra at (831) 818-1418.
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Arts and Crafts Fair Returning
Sundays, December 2nd and 9th, from 11:30-1:30, we will be hosting Members & Friends for Arts & Crafts Booths and the All-Church Bake Sale. Mark your calendars to enjoy Christmas shopping, Christmas cookies to freeze, Next-to-New items, Joy's Chili lunch, and to see what our people create.
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UU Women's Retreat
Celebrating Sacred Places
9th Annual Florida Unitarian Universalist Women’s Retreat
April 5-7, 2019
DaySpring Episcopal Conference Center Ellenton, FL.
The retreat begins Friday at 5:00pm and ends Sunday. DaySpring Conference Center is conveniently located off I-75 just north of Sarasota on Florida’s West Coast. The beautiful campus nestled under ancient oaks and located on a cove of the Manatee River offers a serene setting for our annual retreat. Take a look.
$220 per person covers expenses for a semi-private room and meals. 8 women share a cozy cottage with 4 bedrooms and 4 baths, a screened porch and common area. A limited number of single rooms are available at $292 each.
A non-refundable deposit of $15 for a semi-private room or $25 for a private room will reserve your place. Final payment is due January 15, 2019. Come join us for an enriching and memorable weekend. Any questions? Contact Helen Leddy
helen.leddy@gmail.com
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New Spirituality Discussion Group
Starting Wednesday, November 28th, at 6:45 pm in Room 7, there will be an open enrollment, no requirements, discussion group on spirituality. UU Poet Mary Oliver says, "What I mean by spirituality is not man-made theology but one's attitude for the known and unknown."
How to best live our lives with universal truths is the goal. Contact Suzanne Ziemer
suzanneziemer@gmail.com if you are interested in joining us.
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Book Study
Join us at Book Study on Wednesdays at 1:00 pm. We are reading the book
Sapiens
by Yuval Noah Harari. Come having read the first few chapters. We meet in the Church Library.
From Amazon.com:
"One hundred thousand years ago, at least six different species of humans inhabited Earth. Yet today there is only one—homo sapiens. What happened to the others? And what may happen to us?
Most books about the history of humanity pursue either a historical or a biological approach, but Dr. Yuval Noah Harari breaks the mold with this highly original book that begins about 70,000 years ago with the appearance of modern cognition. From examining the role evolving humans have played in the global ecosystem to charting the rise of empires, Sapiens integrates history and science to reconsider accepted narratives, connect past developments with contemporary concerns, and examine specific events within the context of larger ideas.
Dr. Harari also compels us to look ahead, because over the last few decades humans have begun to bend laws of natural selection that have governed life for the past four billion years. We are acquiring the ability to design not only the world around us, but also ourselves. Where is this leading us, and what do we want to become?"
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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
pachamamaelder@gmail.com
.
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Rissho Kosei-kai Buddhist Group
The Rissho Kosei-kai Buddhist group meets Sundays in Room 1. All are welcome to join us. We have a new meeting time- 2:00-4:00 pm.
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It's Time to Think "Connection Circle"
Come one, come all to the next 6 sessions of the Connection Circle beginning after church on Sunday, November 11th! New members, potential members, visitors and long-time members all are welcome. As we discuss meaningful spiritual topics by sharing our own life experiences as guided by a trained church-member facilitator, we get to know each other (and sometimes ourselves!) on a rich and deep level. We will meet every other Sunday, ending on January 20th. Participation in all six sessions is expected. For more information and to register, please contact Nancy Letts at
njletts@gmail.com
or call at 401-741-2712.
Thank you.
My best,
Nancy Letts
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Community Wednesday
Community Wednesday Dinners are back! Please join us for Chef Joy's Dinners at 6:00 pm. We will be serving salad, soup and entree. The price is $5.00. The meal is vegetarian, but every other week will feature a meat item alternate.
Community Activities for October:
6:00-6:45
Band Rehearsal in Sanctuary
6:45-8:00
Choir Rehearsal in Sanctuary
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Changes to the Food Pantry re: Donations
The support that UUCFM has shown to our pantry over the years is greatly appreciated and along with other coalition members' support it has helped the South Fort Myers Food Pantry (FMFP) to feed 23,000 people in need during 2017. The Harry Chapin Food Bank is vital to our mission, to feed the needy of South Fort Myers, at a very modest cost. They are however, making some changes at Harry Chapin.
In the past, members of our congregation have financially supported the pantry by donating directly to the pantry or by sending checks to the Harry Chapin Food Bank with the stipulation the funds were to support the SFMFP. The Food Bank would then place the funds in a "Designated Grant" account for our use to purchase food. They are eliminating these accounts. As of August 1, 2018 any checks they receive in support of one particular pantry will be returned to the sender. Therefore, our pantry is requesting that any monetary donations be sent directly to and made out to:
The South Fort Myers Food Pantry
If you feel strongly about your donation being only for food and not for operating expenses, write "for food only" on the memo line. The pantry relies on the support of the coalition churches for the funds and the volunteers needed. There are no paid positions and it takes hundreds of volunteer hours and thousands of dollars each month to accomplish our mission. If you have questions call Fran Rose and leave a message at 617-750-0470 and Fran will return your call.
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LIFE News
Big things are happening! We asked the commission to form a children's service council and while they are still refusing to even allow it on the ballot- they have increased the budget for children's services by $1.7 million. Should this budget pass we will be able to celebrate dental care for thousands of more children as well as hundreds of children getting access to full day preschool. It is still not a victory but it is a sign that work for justice is never done in vain.
2018-2019 Dates. See below for the newly announced dates for the upcoming year.
Annual Assembly
Monday, October 29, 2018
Rally
Tuesday, March 26, 2019
Nehemiah Action
Tuesday, April 9, 2019
Celebration
Tuesday, May 14, 2019 Community Forum
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Caring News
If you have any caring concerns, please contact Neil Yesu at
dbny79@aol.com
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Art in the Narthex
Mary Richey's art work will be on display during the month of October.
Mary's exhibit " A Retrospective" is some of Mary's older favorites and one new piece...and she is still painting. Mary taught painting at the Art League of Fort Myers for years. Now she enjoys painting at her home and working at a slower pace. The art group hopes you enjoy her show.
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More Pics of our Hug Booth at PRIDE!
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Do you have something to offer, trade, or sell? Are you looking for something? Free ad space here for personal items only. Will run ad for 4 weeks. Email
uuchurch@uucfm.org.
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Free Singing Lessons!
If you have occasionally said to yourself,
“Gee, it would be fullfilling to sing with the UU choir if only I knew how.”
Well, believe me, everyone can sing. All most of us need is a little encouragement and a few lessons. Here’s your chance. Join several us UU’s and take these free lessons taught by an expert. No obligation to join the choir. None of us are “great” singers. We just love to sing and contribute to the beauty of our Sunday services. But if you do, you’ll find our director, Suellen a very supportive and inspiring director.
Glenn Siebert
, UU choir member
(440) 572-5558
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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 Wednesday for publication in the Thursday E-news.
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Dear UU Church members,
Every eligible voter deserves to have their vote counted -- that’s the cornerstone of our democracy. Our democracy suffers when eligible, registered voters are turned away from the polls, unable to find their polling place, or are otherwise blocked from exercising their rights.
That’s why every election year, Common Cause mobilizes thousands of Election Protection volunteers. These trained, nonpartisan volunteers serve as voters’ first line of defense against confusing voting rules, outdated infrastructure, rampant misinformation, and needless obstacles to the ballot box.
VOLUNTEER
Volunteers commit to taking at least one Election Day shift to stand outside of assigned polling location after receiving training. As an Election Protection Volunteer you will receive training and informational materials to prepare you for your role. You will also be responsible for distributing “Know Your Rights,” materials to voters, answer fundamental questions at the polls, and assist voters in resolving any problems that may occur, with the help of trained legal professionals.
Volunteers like you are voters’ first line of defense against voting suppression tactics, confusing laws, outdated infrastructure, and numerous other impediments to making themselves heard.
Thanks for all you do,
Anthony Paz, EP Coordinator
Common Cause Florida
P.S. If you can’t join in our nonpartisan Election Protection volunteer program, please make sure you are registered and prepared to vote! To check your voter information and voting status,
click here
. To register to vote or to update your information online,
click here
. For all other tools and resources for this year's election, visit
https://yourvoteflorida.com/
.
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Lee County Election Deadlines
The following deadlines apply for the General Election on Nov. 6, 2018:
- Request Vote-By-Mail Ballot – Wednesday, Oct. 31, 2018
Early voting will occur as follows:
- General – Oct. 22 thru Nov. 3, 2018
If you are voting by mail and you will not be at the address provided, contact Lee County Elections. Your ballot will not be forwarded to a different address. For more information call 239-533-8683 or on-line at
www.Lee.Vote
.
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Oct 11 Roady Blosser is 15!
Oct 11 Jeff Hutchinson
Oct 12 Karen Feinen
Oct 13 Deep Ford
Oct 14 Vanda Barnes
Oct 15 Ted Brown
Oct 17 Holley Rauen
Oct 18 Doc Gatto
Oct 18 Jane Petrarca
Oct 23 Ruth Fotovat
Oct 23 Gordon Woodworth III
Oct 27 Sima Robbins
Oct 30 Peter Golbitz
Oct 30 Jersey Blosser
Oct 30 Sue Magee
Oct 31 Don Burget
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Board of Trustees
President
Matt Hoffman 239-222-4836
mwaters106@yahoo.com
President Elect
Secretary
Alison Carville 239-634-0487
alisoncarville@gmail.com
Treasurer
VP Finance
VP Programming
Cathy Snow 239-896-3693 cm
snow23@gmail.com
VP Ministerial Services
Lesley Peterson 239-839-4434
unicorn@cyberstreet.com
VP Operations
Mary Alice Pierce 239-267-4429
piercemaryalice@gmail.com
Member at Large
Don Ehat 239-947-8143
don.ehat@gmail.com
Staff
Minister
Director of Music
Director of RE
Office Manager
Building Supervisor
Nursery Supervisor
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