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Domelight Newsletter
of the Unitarian Universalist Church of Tampa -
June 2005 Rev. Marjorie Bowens-Wheatley, Minister  
Katie Culbert, RE Director |
If youve
heard a rumor that our church is closing down for the summer, may I offer a
correction. The Unitarian Universalist
Church of Tampa operates year-round, so we will not be closing (unless there is an
impending hurricane or some other emergency). What
is different during this summer season is that I
will be on vacation during the month of July, and there will be more services planned and
conducted by the membership and guest speakers. These
lay-led services will begin on June 19, the day my partner Clyde and I will be leaving for
Fort Worth, Texas to attend the annual General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist
Association (UUA). I have attended every
General Assembly since 1987, and sometimes yearn to do something different during the
third week of June. But this year I am
excited because as of this writing, in addition to myself, eight members of our church are planning to attend
the General Assembly. I will return to the
pulpit the first Sunday in August, and shortly thereafter, will begin planning for our
Homecoming Service scheduled for September 11th. This September
will mark beginning of my third year of service as your minister. It is an exciting time. In September, we hope to announce the results of
the first phase of our Mission/Vision/Recovenanting process, a project being led by Ara
Rogers. Thanks to the leadership of Joan
Lund. By the fall, small group ministry
(covenant groups) should be well on their way. Beginning
in July, we will mark our 50th Anniversary with a series of celebratory events
that will be scheduled throughout the year, until June of 2006. This will include a major activity on February 18
and 19 when UUA President, Bill Sinkford will be our special guest. It is, indeed, an exciting time for the Unitarian
Universalist Church of Tampa. With all of
these activities, it would not surprise me if there was some confusion. Small group ministry, for example, is a covenant
group; and the Mission/Vision process includes recovenanting process. Whats the difference between the two? The
Mission/Vision/Recovenanting process is exactly Covenant groups are
entirely different. Comprised of eight to ten
people, these groups covenant to meet regularly. As of this writing, four to five groups
are in formation, organized around an affinity or theme.
Covenant groups are ongoing (long-term)
and also agree to engage in a service project for the church or the community. These groups and their facilitators will be
announced soon. (See announcement inside
this issue). We are on the movegrowing
in vitality and in numbers. Growing in
strength, capacity, and commitment. Have a good summer. This column will resume in August. GETTING TO KNOW NEW MEMBERS In case you havent
had a chance to meet these new members, heres your introduction. Youll likely find some common interest or
connection to talk about the next time you see them in church! Toni Brindley joined UUCT in February, drawn by
the mission statement and the focus on life and how we live our lives, rather than
on death and what happens afterwards. She lives in Davis Islands with her husband,
Roger, and 14-year-old daughter, Kathleen.
Active in the YRUU, Kathleen is a freshman at Plant High with many interests, including
art, theater, singing, writing and science. With an MBA in Marketing and IT, Toni is
Director of E-Marketing for WCI Communities, developer of Sun City Center and many
communities in the Northeast. Although her busy job allows little free time, Toni enjoys
cooking, pottery and sculpting when she has the chance. The family moved to Tampa about
nine years ago when Roger, a native of England, joined the USF faculty in the Early
Childhood Education department. Jen Roudebush became a UUCT member in February
after looking us up in the yellow pages. However, she first learned about UU from her best
friend at age 13 and feels she was always a UU at heart. Jen lives in East
Tampa with her fiancé, Denton Crawford. Theyre planning an October wedding. Jen
began teaching art at McDonald Elementary in Seffner after earning her Bachelor of Arts at
University of Florida in Art Education in 2003. She hopes to find ways to become involved
at UUCT using her artistic creativity, and is already putting that into practice as a
member of the Aesthetics Committee. Jen is also interested in exploring the potential for
forming a womens issues group. Beverly Bethune joined UUCT in September, 2004,
continuing the path she began in 1995 as a member of the First UU Church of Portland,
Oregon. She was out of town helping with a family illness most of the fall, so she is glad
to be getting back to church these days. With a PhD in Mass Communications from University
of Minnesota, Beverly taught at University of Georgia in Athens, Ga., for 27 years. She
taught journalism as well as photojournalism, and edited the Southeast Region 6 Newsletter
for the National Press Photographers Association for about 10 years. Now, she is already
assisting Martha Robinson with editing the Domelight! After retiring, Beverly moved to
Portland for several years before moving to New Tampa in 2002. A Florida native, Beverly
grew up in Miami. She is blessed with three children and four grandchildren, including a
daughter and two grandchildren in Tampa. Fionna McGillivray joined UUCT in February. She
loves the music, the sermons and the weekly reminder that life should include
thoughtful pause. Fionna lives in Carrollwood Village with her husband, Howie, and
two children, Zoe, 16, and Eli, 14. The family moved to Tampa nearly four years ago from
Vermont, where they attended the UU church in Burlington. A Canadian, Fionna had the
opportunity to grow up in England and travel extensively because her father was a foreign
correspondent. The family also lived in Montreal, where Fionna met her husband, an
American attending McGill University there. With an undergraduate degree in
English Literature and an MFA in Creative Writing, Fionna works as an Educational Adviser
for Educational Talent Search. The federally-funded program, offered through HCC, is aimed
at expanding the horizons of low income, first generation college-bound students and
helping them in the entire process of accessing a post-secondary education. She spends
time with students in both middle schools and high schools. Unfortunately, it's one of the
programs targeted by President Bush to be eliminated in his budget cuts. Fionna also
teaches at HCC as an adjunct professor. BOARD OF TRUSTEES President- Tempie Taudte YOUR PLEDGE
Mid-year
pledge statements will be in the mail early in June.
Your planned support of the ministry at UUCT is greatly appreciated. To
inquire about the status of your pledge or correct an error on your statement, contact
pledge secretary Joyce Formica (813-988-1907). Universalist Church of Tampa One
Place. All Faiths A TIME OF RENEWAL AND COMMITMENT With the
recent end of the Churchs program year, it is time to plan for our future. The new
program year appears particularly bright since it will include events celebrating the 50th
anniversary of our church. Never has our annual pledge drive been more important. If you are a
new member and unfamiliar with the pledge drive (formerly known as the canvass), here is a
brief overview. Prior to the actual
2-week pledge drive, we have an Advanced Gifts Reception for those members who contribute
the top 60% of our pledge income (about 20-25 members).
This event celebrates and thanks those who were so generous with their
annual pledge. Approximately 2 weeks later we
hold our annual kick off dinner. All members are invited to the church for a free
dinner and entertainment. (This year the dinner will be held on Saturday, October 1 at 6
pm. More information and invitations will follow). The
next day, the pledge drive officially begins. During the next two weeks, members of the
pledge drive team meet with each pledging unit individually, and discuss the church and
their financial commitment for the coming year.
As with our upcoming anniversary, the pledge drive
is a time for reflection, renewal and recommitment. It is a time to reflect on what
brought you to this church, what keeps you coming and what you see for our future. Before that
time, we would like you to consider what the church and the church family mean to you. What programs do you participate in and enjoy?
Perhaps the choir, Music Sunday, Glorias concerts, the Sunday discussion group, or
the adult RE classes. Has the Care committee
reached out to you? Do you enjoy keeping up with the UUCT news through the monthly
Domelight? Do you come to the Wednesday
night potluck for food and fellowship? Have you attended the Valentines Day dance,
participated in the silent auction, danced at the Sock Hop, or helped with building and
grounds? Did you help plan or act as convener for a Sunday service? Have you taught RE
classes, supported the YRUU or helped with childcare?
How would your life be different of any these events were eliminated? All the programs, activities and committees rely
on your generous pledge in order to continue. You
are what keeps this church alive. If you would like to participate in a very
worthwhile effort and help with our pledge drive this year, please contact me or any of
the following members of the pledge drive committee: Bill
Blymiller, Robert Boileau, Fran Davin, Joyce Formica, Gene Pizzo and Felice Richardson. Members
of the Care Committee are available to lend a hand in times of need. We can help with
grocery shopping, transportation to the doctors or church, preparing a meal or a friendly
phone call. Help is just a phone call away by
contacting one of our volunteers, Gwen Anderson, Beverly Bethune, Linda Chappell, Denise
Carrera, Denise Dorsey, Willow LaMonte, Cheryl Phillips, Joe Weinstein. The Care Committee
meets quarterly, the next meeting will be in August. If you are interested in volunteering
please give Joyce Formica (813-988-1907) a call. A
Board-approved fund raising luncheon is planned for June, if you can help please call
Linda Chappell (813-977-2053). Unitarian Universalist Church of
Tampa One
Place. All Faiths SUMMER BOOK
DISCUSSION GROUP The Adult
Religious Education Committee has started a book discussion series. Participants will meet on Sundays following the
service to have lunch and discuss the assigned books.
The current program is: The Gods of
Science Fiction Series - - focusing on religion and gods as seen in three different novels
from three generations of Science Fiction writers. 6/19 Cats Cradle (Kurt Vonnegut) led by Bill Blymiller Contact the leader for information. If you would like to lead a discussion contact
Denise Dorsey, Chairperson of the Adult Religious Education Committee (813 972-7728). Your
Board of Trustees has been busy during the past month. On Saturday, May 7, we held a
retreat at Tom Hagner's office. After we admired the marvelous view from the
conference room, which overlooks Harbor Island, we went to work. SUNDAY July 24MUSE FOR MANY SOULS: A
MULTICULTURAL CELEBRATION OF POETRY AND MUSIC This is our second year for this
popular summer service! We need Lovers of Poetry and
Music to participate in the service on July 24, 2005, a celebration of poetry and
music from different cultures that reflect the following part of the UU living tradition: Direct experience of that transcending mystery and
wonder, affirmed in all cultures, which moves us to a renewal of the spirit and an
openness to the forces which create and uphold life. There
will be a selection of works from many poets of different cultures with many themes
including love of nature and the earth. Musicians
who would like to share their gifts are most welcome and wanted! Share your songs of
spirit, nature and mother earth. After the
service, we will share an Indoor Picnic, so please bring a cold dish to share! Please join us and find food for the soul and the
body. Please contact Rena Bird at
813-413-0126 or email: serenasdream@earthlink.net
Hello, everyone. We are the
youth of your church the Young Religious Unitarian Universalists. We inhabit the
small dome during most services. Well be trying to put something in the Domelight
every month, and this is our debut! Yay! First off, wed like to
thank yall so much for coming to the Mothers Day picnic. It was a lot
of fun, and we raised a lot of money that will be greatly appreciated for youth funding.
You all rock a lot, and I hope you enjoyed the food and the company. Next off, we figured we might
tell everyone what it is that we do over in that mysterious youth room. We generally start
off with check-in where we talk about the stuff thats happened to us since our last
meeting, and then proceed to discuss whatever matter needs discussing. Sometimes its
an upcoming youth gathering, sometimes its a political issue, sometimes its a
major current event
the topic varies with the need. As I cant take up too much
room here, Ill close with some words about our intents for the future. We hope to
include ourselves in more activities at the church in the near future, and we intend on
doing a community service project soon. This coming year will be an interesting and busy
one for our youth group, and we look forward to keeping you posted. Have a
wonderful month, The YRUU
Youth Interweave is an organization affiliated
with the UUA of Gay, Lesbian, Transgender, Bisexual, Intersexual UUs and their Allies. The mission statement
of the Interweave Continental, Inc.: Interweave is a membership organization affiliated with the Unitarian
Universalist Association, dedicated to the spiritual, political, and social well-being of
Unitarian Universalists who are confronting oppression as lesbians, gay men, bisexuals,
transgender persons, and their heterosexual allies; and facilitates the celebration of the
culture and lives of its members. Interweave at UUCT will
hold its next monthly meeting on June 5th after the service. HOPE REPORT FOR JUNE 2005 DOMELIGHT By the time
you read this the initial meeting of the Secular Humanist Agnostic Group (SHAG) will have
occurred. The group comes together to focus
on the needs and activities of the members of UUCT who subscribe to the various forms of
skeptical thought such as Humanism, Atheism, Agnosticism, Skepticism, and others that
remain uncategorized. It will be an
educational support group and will try to use its resources to enrich the activities of
the church and its members. The
group will serve as a support and resource group for its members, and combine activities
for our own education and entertainment with broader outreach activities that share our
viewpoints with the broader congregation. Though
the task of defining the wide range of beliefs represented within our group is daunting,
the group is centered around the belief that humans and human agency are what generate the
moral structure of our world. Eschewing
supernatural explanations of origin or purpose, the central tenet is that humans make
their own gods or goddesses, develop their own systems of value, and must bear the
ultimate accountability for all the good and evil we do in this world. With such a broad definition, there is
much to discuss concerning how we work together and why, how the world can be a better
place, what is the basic nature of humans, how do we deal with things which cannot be
explained, etc. The group
will, we expect, meet quasi regularly and offer opportunities for speakers, book
discussions, and special topic presentations. If you are interested in participating
(regardless of your own philosophical inclinations or lack thereof) you will be welcome at
our gatherings in the spirit of tolerance which is central to both our humanist and UU
traditions. For more information contact Bill
Blymiller (813/988-6551), Tito Basu (813/991-1540), or Tom Hagner (813/672-7719) or leave
a message for SHAG in the office. RECORDINGS OF SERVICES. Have
a particular sermon you want to hear again? Really liked that choir anthem and would
like a copy? Your favorite son/daughter/friend was featured in the service and you
would like a keepsake? All the services are recorded and available on CD. Just
stop by the sound room and ask. Copies are $5 and are generally available the week
following the request.
.thats
what it is all about in our beloved church. In order to grow both in richness of personal
experience, commitment, and numbers, UUCT will be starting small/covenant groups. These
will be groups of 8 to 10 people who covenant to meet regularly in order to build
relationships and grow spiritually. They will provide a safe space for listening and
sharing. Some small groups have specific themes or membership characteristics and others
are simply about building relationships. Are you interested in learning more and/or being
a member of such a group? Please sign up on the Small Group Ministry sheet in the church
hall or telephone Joan Lund, (813-931-9727). The Committee on Ministry (COM) may be the most misunderstood
committee that a congregation has. Is it an
advocate for the minister--a kind of ministerial cheerleading squad? Or does it represent the congregation's interests?
Beyond that, does it just respond to crises or is it supposed to meet regularly? Is it responsible only for the ministry provided
by the called ministers or for the whole ministry of the congregation? "Moving beyond the Ministerial Relations
model (which only focused on the professional minister) to a COM has expanded our vision
of shared ministry," says the Rev. Amy Freedman.
"Where the governing board oversees the operations of the church, the
COM oversees the quality of our relationships. We
have been able to create new ways to enhance our communication and ways of working
together from ideas born in this committee." Smaller congregations usually have a three-member committee COM
and as a congregation grows so does the size of the committee. Large congregations may have five or six members.
Finding the right people is important: people with vision, who have the confidence of the
congregation, who can leave personal biases at the door and who can work in a confidential
but not secretive manner. We have a three-member committee and meet with Rev Marjorie once
a month. These meetings last approximately
two hours and include check-in, pastoral concerns, congregation concerns/issues, and a
summary from meetings attended. Members serve a three year term. Currently our senior member is Joan Lund; serving
a second year, Judy Lehman; and our newest member, Grant Wilson. It is our responsibility to be the process
observers of the church. We keep our fingers
on the pulse of the congregation. All are
welcome to join our Full Moon Celebration on the Saturday closest to the Full Moon. Join us on June 25 at 7:30 pm to celebrate
Midsummer. It seems those mischievous, Midsummer faeires have a special celebration
and will be calling in the chocolate Goddess! All are welcome! Our monthly
CUUPS meeting on June 6th at 7:00 pm, will be followed by a class on Besoms. There will only be enough supplies for the
first 8 people who sign up, but others are welcome to observe. The first
UUCT/CUUPS DRUMMING CIRCLE will be on June 27th at 7pm - 9:30 pm. DRUMMING CIRCLES have been scheduled for the 4th Monday of every
month in the large dome. This will not be a group of "expert
drummers" so you do not need any previous experience to join in. If you do not
have a drum, that's okay because there will most likely be some drums to share.
There will be no charge to join in, but we will provide some drinks and snacks, so
bring a few coins in your pocket! Also
remember, CUUPS provides rites of passage rituals of Handfastings (marriage)
Wiccanings, House Blessings, Womanings, and other life and
spiritual celebrations. Just drop
off a message in the CUUPS mailbox at UUCT, or email gldnpuma@earthlink.net
and we will get back to you. Tampa
UU church was established in July of 1955. This
will be a year of Reverence, Revelry and Remembrance (3 Rs). We are collecting history, photos
and memorabilia along with recollections of social justice work but the deadline
is fast approaching. Contact: Grant
Wilson as soon as possible @ 813-948-4630 or e-mailmail Grant.Wilson11@Verizon.net.
Lots
of neat events are already planned, and several others are still under construction. June 8 (7:30pm): A Sordid Affair Join with Joan Lund
and crew to help sort, and identify pictures of past UUCT events July: Gloria Holloway is
investigating holding a 50th Concert Festival September 10: Welcome Home Dinner and Game
Night October: Harvest/Halloween event sponsored by CUPPS November: Youth TBA event December: (Just in time for Christmas giving) Craft Show January: Social Action event (Martin Luther King Day) January 21: (This date may change) Cabaret February 18 & 19: The Reverend Bill
Sinkford, UUA President. will join us for our Anniversary Dinner on the 18th (a delicious
gourmet catered dinner to celebrate our 50th year) And Rev. Sinkford will be
the featured speaker at the Sunday Service on the 19th.
Want
to help or have any suggestions: the next meeting will be July 17 after church at 12:15 (Contact: Judy
Lehman@ 813-866-0591 or e-mail
jr.lehman@verizon.net.
UUA
TRUSTEE TIDBITS The warm weather has
arrived, and soon it will be time to journey to Ft. Worth for the 2005 General Assembly
where I hope to see and talk with many Florida UUs. It is not too late to register and
become part of this exciting, learning-filled, and fun event. I especially encourage the
presidents of our Florida congregations to be in attendance. Your registration will be
paid for, and there will be many leadership workshops and a special time scheduled with
the Moderator, President, and Trustees. This month I want to talk
briefly about the UU Partner Church Council (PCC) and why our international engagement and
partnership are so important. At the UUA Trustees October, 2004 meeting the Board
declared: The work of the UUA is to serve member congregations and support UU
institutions bearing witness to our liberal religious faith and bringing our principles to
life. Mindful of both the brokenness and the potential for reconciliation in the world,
the Board of the UUA commits to strengthen and energize UUA member congregations by
facilitating their connection to the transforming power of international engagement and
partnership. The UU PCC was founded in
1993 to focus/coordinate grassroots energy of many UU churches which had formed
partnerships with Unitarian churches in Europe following the collapse of Communism in
December, 1989. Today the PCC supports the partnerships of almost 200 North American UU
churches partnered with Unitarian Universalists in many parts of the world. The PCC is an
affiliate organization of the UUA which can be reached at www.uupcc.org. The PCC has stated the
international commitment of North American UUs has often been weak and lacked staying
power. Sometimes resources have been lacking to see global commitments through, or our
self-interest/centeredness has caused UUs to shrink from global calling. The need for
international understanding and encouragement of global citizenship have never been more
important. We are in an era of instantaneous communication, with increasing awareness of
the interdependency of people and their struggles for social justice. The PCC and the PC
movement intend to establish global citizenship as a common commitment of liberal religion
and integral to the core identity of all UUs and every UU congregation. A number of steps
will be taken to accomplish these goals. Two interesting programs
will be offered at GA by the PCC: (1) Strengthening Congregations through International
Partnership, and (2) Goal: World Community---A Broader Vision of Partnership. Hopefully
they will be well attended. Contact me at jlund@uua.org or 813-931-9727 for further information,
concerns, and questions. Last years
hurricanes demonstrated our need for a disaster plan for our congregation. The Board of Trustees has started to develop a
plan, which will focus on potential hurricanes as well as other types of disasters. Soon you
will be asked to complete the Personal Emergencies Information form, which
will be filed at the church. This form will
provide emergency information to assist the minister and Care Committee in the event of an
emergency or disaster. If you wish to
assist in developing the disaster plan or have questions about it, please contact Ralph
Lehman, Tempie Taudte,or Rev. Marjorie Bowens-Wheatley. 9:45-10:30am
..Youth
Religious Education (Small Dome 8:30am
Nature
Walk in the Park (info: 813/986-4186) June 2(7pm-???)
..1st Friday Potluck @ Jerrys Unitarian Universalist Church of
Tampa One
Place. All Faiths
Rev.
Marjorie Bowens-Wheatley
By
Liz Taylor
Vice President- Felice Richardson
Treasurer- Ed Benedict
Secretary- Jerry Elsenrath (term
ending in August)
Member - Tito Basu
Member - Bill Blymiller
Member - Tom Hagner
Member - Mark Henneberry (term beginning in September)
Member - Ralph Lehman
Member - Martha Robinson (term ending in August)
Member Diana Stevens (term beginning in September)
Pat Benedict,
Pledge Drive Chair
CARE COMMITTEE
LUNCHEON
JUNE 5th at 12:30
(A Board approved Fundraiser)
Mark your calendars!
HELPING HANDS
7/3 Small Gods (Terry Pratchett) led by Bill Blymiller
7/17 A Canticle for Leibowitz (Walter Miller)
led by Bill Blymiller
11/13 The
Bluest Eye (Toni Morrison) led by Marjorie Bowens-WheatleyPRESIDENT'S CORNER
Tempie
Taudte, President
We reviewed and updated the board covenant, the board's covenant with the minister, and
the minister's covenant with the board. It is essential that the board work as a
team with the minister and staff, with clear communication and involvement with the
congregation. Covenants help us to achieve that goal.
The board develops policy and has general charge and control of the program, funds, and
property of the church. We operate with advice and assistance from the minister and
staff, and from the membership at congregational meetings, such as the one we held in May.
I want to thank the members of the board for their participation at the retreat. It
was a great success! General Assembly will be
held in Ft. Worth, Texas, this year. At the May board meeting we elected three
delegates, in addition to Rev. Marjorie, to represent UUCT. While three members will
serve as delegates, six of us plan to attend. If you want to know more about GA or
think you may want to attend, please ask us for more information, or go www.uua.org/ga.
A NOTE FROM YRUU
INTERWEAVE
If
you are a new member of UUCT or a visitor, you may be wondering about HOPE. Meetings
are announced. Support Drives are mentioned. What
is this mysterious organization? HOPE stands
for the Hillsborough Organization for Progress and Equality, Inc.
HOPE
- was founded in 1988 as a private, non-partisan organization in Hillsborough enable us to
achieve justice.
- is a multi-issue community organization consisting of multi-racial and interfaith
congregations representing the cultural diversity of Hillsborough County. (Our church has
been a member of HOPE since the beginning.)
- is a vehicle to unite the voices of hundreds of people to successfully encourage
officials to act on our proposals for long-term solutions to community problems.
In the past, HOPE has worked on education reform, health care, neighborhood improvement,
employment issues, crime prevention and leadership development.
HOPE is funded in three ways:
1. Dues from member congregations.
2. Individual and business investments.
3. Non-governmental grants.
HOPE is a private, non-profit, 501(c)3 federally tax-exempt organization. You can
deduct your investment on your income tax. When you are invited to invest, please
help us reach our goal of $3000 for UUCT's 2005 HOPE Support Drive.
Next month I will describe HOPE's organizational structure.
Carol Partington SECULAR HUMANIST
AGNOSTIC GROUP FORMS
RELATIONSHIP,
CONNECTION, FELLOWSHIP
COMMITTEE ON MINISTRY
CIRCLES
IN THE WOODS CUUPS
THE GOLDEN
ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION OF UUCT
DISASTER
PLAN
CALENDAR OF WEEKLY EVENTS
SUNDAY
10am
Meditation
in the Meadow (follow Signs)
10am
Current
Affairs (Large Dome)
11am
Sunday
Service
11am
Child
Care (Small Dome)WEDNESDAY
6pm
Wonderful
Wednesday Potluck
THURSDAY
CALENDAR OF JUNE EVENTS
June 6 (7-9pm)
.
..
.
.CUUPS
Meeting
June 8 (7:30pm)
.
A Sordid Affair (See article)
June 9 (7pm)
..
..
Voluntary
Simplicity
June 11 (9am-1pm)
.
...
..
Building and Grounds
June 12
Last
day of Religious Education
June 12 (12:45pm)
..Church
Council
June 13 *7pm)
.
..Finance
Committee
June 16 (7pm)
....
Board
Meeting
June 19
July
DOMELIGHT DEADLINE
June 25
(7:30-10:30pm)
.
.Full Moon Celebration(Open)
June 27 (7-9:30pm)
..
Drum
Circle