Domelight April 2006

One of the books I often recommend to leaders seeking to understand congregational systems is a book by the Rev. Ann Odin Heller that she calls “Churchworks: A Well-Body Book for Congregations.” Ann is a retired district executive who, for many years, served our Pacific Northwest District, and more recently, the Southwest District. Using the body as a metaphor, a way of referring to different aspects of a congregational system, Rev. Heller’s premise is that just as the every organ and system of the body must function smoothly in order to maintain good health, each organ and system of the church must also function smoothly to be healthy. Her approach seems very clever. For example:

· The Brain refers to the congregation’s core documents—by-laws, policies and procedures, board manual, etc.

· A congregation’s structures—its governing body (board of trustees), church council, lay leaders, and staff organization—are its bones or Skeleton.

· Breath and Spirit refers to the congregation’s values, whether expressed through worship, a spiritual support group, or public witness.

· The Heart—or lifeblood of a congregation—is ministry, which means to serve. Our heart center helps us to create the capacity to nurture and care for one another, to love and minister to others with compassion and respect.

· Our Hands reach out to explore and engage the larger community—the world beyond our doors—through social action as an expression of our values.

· The Feet help us to take our message out to the larger community; they represent the church’s public relations capacity (or some would call it evangelism) to spread our good news and be recognized as a vital institution in the community.

· The Circulatory System, which helps to fight infection, includes tools of reflection and assessment as well as activities that promote and nourish a healthy congregation.

· How we sustain our members is the work of the Reproductive System. This system prepares for and supports membership development, growth, nurturing the spiritual growth of its members, and makes transitions—comings and goings—a convenient and smooth process.

· The Liver—part of the gastro-intestinal system that processes food and eliminates waste—is a metaphor for how a congregation deals with conflict: what causes it, how conflict is processed and managed, how people who promote conflict are dealt with.

· The Ears are a way of monitoring how we communicate—how congregants listen to and hear each other, whether through small groups, congregational hearings, or other means.

· The Eyes allow us to take a look at the future, to develop a clear vision, mission, and covenant based on our values.

All the organs and all the systems of the body work together in an integrated way. If one system shuts down, the body will not function properly. As we think about the future of our church, ask yourself: which organs and system are functioning well? Which need a tune-up? Which are overly dependent on one person, whether it is the minister or a lay volunteer?

See you in church,

Rev. Marjorie Bowens-Wheatley

President - Tempie Taudte
Vice President - Diana Stevens
Treasurer - Ed Benedict
Member - Tito Basu
Member - Bill Blymiller
Member - Tom Hagner
Member - Mark Henneberry
Member - Ralph Lehman
Member - Felice Richardson

The results of last year’s Adult Religious Education (ARE) survey highlighted a congregational interest in Ethical Issues.

1. This month, we’re offering our final ethical discussion group on April 4^th, following a showing of the Robert Greenwald FILM: Wal-Mart: The High Cost of Low Price. The Rev. Marjorie Bowens-Wheatley will lead the discussion following the film. (7-9 pm; Large Dome).

2. There will be a Getting to Know UU class, facilitated by Marty Pelham and the Rev. Marjorie Bowens-Wheatley, on 6-3-06 from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

3. We would like to offer additional classes and/or further discussions on ethical topics in the future, some of which could include the following:

If you are interested in teaching or facilitating any of the above topics, hosting the movie for May (see below) or leading a book discussion group, please contact Denise Dorsey at ddorsey3@gmail.com.

The 2005-2006 POPCORN & OPINIONS series continues this month with an international perspective. April's movie, Strawberry & Chocolate (Rated R) is a beautiful film that depicts the Cuban culture of the 90’s using the tenuously emerging friendship between a sweet, suave, freethinking gay man and an inhibited, naïve, party-affiliated, straight man. The dichotomies of life are humorously and sometimes painfully explored. Themes of tolerance, interspersed with forbidden art and literature, and passion and romance, play out amidst the political climate of the times. Strawberry & Chocolate (1994) was a box office sensation in Cuba that received widespread international acclaim.

April 21, 2006- Strawberry & Chocolate - hosted and facilitated by Heidi & Tom King

May 19, 2006- Chutney Popcorn - hosted by TBA; facilitated by Suzie Siegel

April's book discussion features the Pulitzer Prize winning author, Annie Proulx . Her book, Close Range: Wyoming Tales, is a collection of short stories that includes the prizewinning tale of Brokeback Mountain. Gwen Anderson will facilitate the discussion on April 9^th at 12:30 pm, following the Sunday Service. Bring a bag lunch and be ready for an amazing discussion.

From Amazon. COM: This is vintage Proulx, a combination of isolated landscapes, macabre events, and damaged people that adds up, in the end, to a near-perfect story. It's no surprise that "The Half-Skinned Steer" made it into John Updike's Best American Short Stories of the Century. Proulx achieves similar results with many of the other stories in Close Range, including another prizewinner, "Brokeback Mountain," the bittersweet story of doomed love between two cowboys who "can't hardly be decent together," yet know "if we do that in the wrong place we'll be dead." But Proulx is careful to add some leavening to the mix. In "The Blood Bay" she indulges her taste for the gruesome with a morbidly amusing retelling of an Old West shaggy-dog story, while "Pair a Spurs" is the sad-funny rendering of divorce, Wyoming style. The author is a true original in every sense of the word, and her evocation of the West is as singular and surprising as that of Cormac McCarthy or Ivan Doig. Close Range is Proulx at her best. - Alix Wilber.

Ongoing CLASSES/EVENTS

1. CUUPS sponsors a Drumming Circle that is open to all on the 4th Monday of every month at 7:30 PM. Please contact Mary Francis for more information. gldnpuma@earthlink.net

2. The Knitting Circle meets at 9:30 AM in the small dome, before the Sunday Service. Please contact Liz Bleau lizbleau@verizon.net or Emily Nelson Emily.Nelson3@verizon.net for more information.

3. The SHAG (Secular Humanist Agnostic Group) group meets periodically during the month on evenings. Check the order of service for dates.

4. The Current Events group meets at 10:00 AM in the small dome before the service.

5. The Women's Circle, Goddess Gathering, meets regularly. All women who attend the UU church are welcome. For further information contact Barbara Rogers Boardwalkbarbara@hotmail.com.

6. Small Group Ministry: Groups of six to ten people who covenant to be together to share the richness of personal experience, growth and service. For further information, contact Joan Lund at, lundjb@verizon.net or 981-9727.

7. Full Moon Celebrations: Sponsored by Circles in the Woods CUUPS, on the Saturday closest to the Full Moon, at 7:30 PM. Check the website at www.uutampa.org for the exact dates or contact Mary Francis: gldnpuma@earthlink.net.

Remember each 2nd Saturday from 9- 12 is Building and Grounds Day. Even if there is no announcement, please come. In March, Tom Hagner was the only one who came. Of course, you can work other times if Saturday is not good. Everyone knows (or should know) that Bill Blymiller mows for us several times a month during the week. (Thanks Bill !).

There is an important job that can be done at anytime. We have been clearing many new parking spaces and would like to clear more. Walk the perimeter and take any branches, logs, etc. to the compost area behind the small dome. Bring several people and make a picnic of it! Not only will it help us clear parking areas, but our woods will look better & better!

UUA TRUSTEE TIDBITS (MARCH)

It is hoped each month that the topic on which I write will be of some use to your congregation. For certain in each of your wider-world communities there are social justice issues of importance to UUs. The office for Congregational Advocacy and Witness (OCAW) assists UU congregations and organizations in developing their capacity and effectiveness for social justice work and to involve them in state, national, and international coalitions on these issues. What follows is based on information from Susan Leslie, Director of the OCAW.

The OCAW manages the Social Justice Empowerment Workshop program which held six workshops in the fall and will hold six more during this winter and spring. Unfortunately, even though the OCAW has received more applications for workshops, they will be deferred until the fall as the budget limits have been reached. These workshop/programs are very helpful for congregations in terms of mobilizing and inspiring members to engage in social justice efforts and help them develop a plan for how these efforts can be most effective. The workshop brings together at least 20% of their membership along with clergy and helps them accurately assess their capacity regarding size and other factors to identify the “passion” in their congregation. The OCAW office is also piloting a follow-up consultation to congregations that have sponsored these workshops.

Key coalition work for the current year includes representing the UUA and involving UU congregations in the broad interfaith Let Justice Roll/Living Wage Campaign. This initiative includes advocacy for raising the eight-year-old national minimum wage, and it includes several state ballot initiatives and legislation, plus protecting the minimum wage increase won in Florida. The campaign will also focus on voter registration and GOTV for the 2006 elections.

The OCAW will continue working on UUA public witness priorities and with the Washington Office on marriage equality, an end to the war in Iraq, and progressive family values including reproductive rights and reality-based comprehensive sexuality education. To this end and to help bring a holistic integrated perspective to these various efforts, Susan Leslie attended the training Spirit in Action Circles program which has worked with hundreds of grassroots organizations and congregations across the U.S. This group has developed core strategies for building an effective spirit-based, anti-oppressive movement for a new democracy that brings together leaders, activists, and concerned individuals from various faith communities and issue-based movements. They will be sponsoring a workshop at General Assembly.

Contact me for further information and UUA questions and concerns, jlund@uua.org or 813-931-9727. I look forward to hearing from you. Be of peace and stay well.

UUA TRUSTEE TIDBITS (APRIL)

Forgive me for writing about something I have previously written. But I consider the topic very important. If you haven’t already started thinking about General Assembly, hopefully you will consider attending our yearly meeting, this year to be held in St. Louis, June 21-25. In addition to the exhilarating beginning Banner Parade and Opening Ceremony, the four subsequent days will be filled with thought-provoking, excellent business meetings, workshops, lectures, sermons, services, and much more.

One of the ways to become immersed in the business of General Assembly is to be a delegate from your congregation. All certified congregations have a delegate for every 50 members (or fraction there-of), with a minimum of two delegates. There may be additional delegates from each congregation: ministers in full or associate fellowship with the Association and employed by certified congregations; and emeritus and community ministers who are active in the congregation and have received endorsement from the congregation.

Study/Action Issues (SAI’s) and the Statement of Conscience are important pieces of the GA experience. Certified congregations determine which business items are admitted to the final agenda of GA each year. Individual congregations and districts submit Study/Action issues for consideration by the Commission on Social Witness (CSW). These are reviewed and edited for the delegate voting ballot. The ballot may contain from one to ten SAI’s; this year there is only one issue to be considered. It is hoped every congregation in our Association is a part in the social witness process that gives voice to our faith as we act on our social justice values.

This year’s Ware Lecture will be delivered by poet Mary Oliver, winner of the Pulitzer Prize and National Book Award. The sermon at the Service of the Living Tradition will be delivered by Rev. Judith Meyer, minister of the UU Community Church in Santa Monica, and the Sunday morning worship will be led by Rev. Gail R. Geisenhainer, the minister in Vero Beach.

Don’t forget that President Rev. Bill Sinkford and Moderator Gini Courter have invited congregational presidents to come to GA, and are being offered up to $210 towards their registration. This reimbursement represents 75% of the cost of early full-time registration.

Once again, I encourage you to go to the UUA home page (www.uua.org) where there are a variety of links to GA information, including website registration. As you know, I’ll be in St. Louis, looking forward to meeting and talking with Florida District folks. Contact me with your UU concerns, jlund@uua.org. Be at peace and stay well.

Editor’s note: You will notice that there are two Trustee Tidbits columns in this issue. Due to circumstances beyond Joan’s control, Joan’s March column did not make it into the March issue, so in light of fairness you are blessed with two columns this month! Enjoy!

April 7^th- 8^th - District Assembly and Youth Caucus, Vero Beach
April 16^th - Flower Communion/Easter Intergenerational service

May 20^th – All-congregation dance at Compton park; YRUU Lock-In
May 21^st – R.E. Sunday Intergenerational worship service and end of the year picnic

WINE COUNTRY EXCURSIONS

UU’s of Napa, California, announce the second season of our UU Wine Country Excursions, a delightful way to tour the scenic Napa and Sonoma Valleys.

These small tours are customized to your interests, e.g. wine tasting, art, history, gourmet dining, or exploring the beauty of our hills and valleys. The tour includes private room/bath and breakfast in the homes of congregation members.

Special places include COPIA (the American Center for Food, Wine and the Arts), Jack London’s home, the Francis Ford Coppola winery and movie museum, fine restaurants, many museums and galleries, miles of bicycling and hiking trails, etc.

We offer Excursions from April through October. Plan for two days of touring and two or three overnight stays. Home hospitality without tours is available. All proceeds benefit our small fellowship. We have limited openings, so contact us now for details. Tom Wilson (707) 254-7443 or twilson9@sbcglobal.net.

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.

Here is your opportunity to get to know more UU folks and to make visitors welcome. If you can take a turn at the visitor table in the foyer (giving Jonathan a break) welcoming visitors to our Sunday service, give Fran Davin a call at 933-8285. If instead, you see yourself as a greeter at the door, passing out the orders of service and helping with the collection baskets, then call team leader Harriet Blymiller at 988-6551. For those who like the food part of UU church life, Marty Pelham can use some help with the buffet lunch he serves for the quarterly UU classes the Minister holds. We're trying to sharpen our game....come join the Team !

THE NEXT FRIENDSHIP DINNER IS SLATED FOR APRIL 8TH

The April dinner will be on April 8^th and will be hosted by Mall & Charles Giles, who live in Valrico. The Gileses have hosted dinners before, and we have heard nothing but rave reviews. The sign up sheet is posted at church in the foyer on the bulletin board, but due to the fact that the second Saturday is so early in the month, by the time this reaches you, you will not have time to get to church to sign up. So give me a call and I will get the information to Mall and Charles. They can host 8-10 people.

We are looking for a host for the May Friendship Dinner….and it is not too early to let me know if you would like to host any of the future month’s dinners. Call Martha Robinson (813/985-4777) or email mrobins7@tampabay.rr.com to become a host, to sign up for the April dinner if you can’t make it to the sign up sheet in time, or to find out more about how the dinners work.

CIRCLES IN THE WOODS CUUPS - CUUPS MEETING

Our next CUUPS meeting, on April 3rd at 7:00pm, will be followed by a class on Chants and Sacred Dance. Come on out for the meeting and learn the chants commonly known in rituals!

CUUPS also offers "rites of passage" rituals of Handfastings (marriage), Wiccanings, House Blessings, Womanings, and other life and spiritual celebrations. Just drop of a message in the CUUPS mailbox at UUCT, or email ohughes@tgh.org and we will get back to you.

ABOUT CIRCLES IN THE WOODS CUUPS

The purpose of Circles in the Woods CUUPs is to promote the understanding and practice of Pagan and Earth-centered spirituality groups within UUCT. We provide information, networking and education materials on Paganism and Earth-centered spirituality to UUCT and the general public. We encourage the development of theological and liturgical materials based on Earth and Nature-centered religious and spiritual perspectives. We encourage the sub-groups to initiate at least one ritual or workshop a year to be offered to the Unitarian Universalist Church fellowship and foster healing relationships with the Earth and all of the Earth's children.

Facilitator - Ollis Hughes
Scheduler - Candie Torres
Scribe and Herald - Chris Hendrickx
Treasurer - Jamie Hendrickx
Web-weaver and SOC Gatekeeper - Mary Francis

DRUMMING CIRCLE & DISCUSSION GROUP

Join the DRUM CIRCLE & DISCUSSION GROUP on the fourth Monday of every month - April 24th, 2006 from 7 -9pm in the large dome. This is not 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 most likely there will be some drums to share. Also, join in with rattles, shakers or other instruments. There will be no charge, but we will provide some drinks and snacks, so bring a few coins in your pocket.

FULL MOON CELEBRATION

Join members and friends of Circles in the Woods CUUPs as the CUUPS instructors and Wicca 101 students present this ritual in the large dome on April 15th at 7:30 PM. Circles in the Woods CUUPS (Covenant of Unitarian Universalist Pagans) is a committee within the Unitarian Universalist Church of Tampa. We host Full Moon Celebrations on every Saturday closest to the Full Moon.

All are welcome who come in Perfect Love and Perfect Trust!

During the last few days several people have asked me, “How are things going at church?” My response is, “We’ve come a long way in the last few years.” Church programs have grown in number and quality. In fact, it is difficult to keep up with all the activities.

Groups that have started during the last couple years include the Justice Task Force, Interweave, Rambunctious UU GalavanterS (RUUGS), Secular Humanists Agnostic Group (SHAG), the Knitting Circle, the Women’s Circle, and a number of Small Group Ministry groups. Also, in the past few years, the Adult Religious Education committee has hosted a monthly movie discussion called “Popcorn and Opinions” and a monthly book discussion group. Ongoing activities include the Full Moon Celebrations, the First Friday Potluck, and the Friendship Dinners.

This year Katie Culbert, the Director of Religious Education, and the RE committee initiated a new program in which the children are in church each Sunday, and a new rotation model for our children that involves more adults teaching. Adult RE continues to offer exciting programs.

The choir, led by talented musician and choir director, Dean Luethi, sounds more wonderful every Sunday. The concert programs bring many talented musicians to our dome. Thank you, Gloria!

The Board of Trustees has held several very successful retreats, which focused on board development and team building. Under the expert leadership of Diana Stevens, the Church Council has taken an active role in coordinating committee projects.

We renewed our participation in the Hillsborough Organization for Progress and Equality (HOPE), by attending the Action Assembly in March in support of improvements in public transportation and employment issues.

Throughout 2005 and 2006, we celebrated the 50^th anniversary of UUCT with events, fundraisers, a gourmet dinner, and a special visit from the Rev. Bill Sinkford, President of the Unitarian Universalist Association. A CD of photographs produced by Gene Pizzo and a documentary created by Ross Chandler enhanced our celebrations. Thanks to everyone, especially 50^th Anniversary coordinators, Judy Lehman and Diana Stevens.

As I write this article, I am remembering the beautiful memorial service and celebration of life we held in memory of our beloved Susan Miller. It’s times such as these that make me grateful to be a part of our caring church community. Let’s continue to be present for each other and for our community through the good times and the tough times, too. Together we are strong.

At Domelight deadline plans were afoot for some upcoming RUUGS/Concert Committee sponsored mid-week, mid-afternoon lunch/concert events. BYO Sack Lunch and socializing from noon to 1:15. Concert from 1:15 until approx 2:15. Unfortunately details were still not nailed down. So Stay tuned!

Sun/April 23, 3pm, $10: BOB PATTERSON Folk Singer-Songwriter-Storyteller who was a friend of and influenced by the late great Gamble Rogers. Bob is a Florida Treasure. www.bobandjoline.com

Sat/Apr 29th / 8pm. $15. DON WHITE w/ELLEN BUKSTEL. www.donwhite.net www.bukstel.com/ Humor/music. Don's annual stops at the Dome are always popular. This will be his third. Don's a singer-songwriter and humorist. If you are now or have ever raised a teenager, you'll love Don's hilarious take on parenting. Ellen, a fine singer-songwriter,will open the show.

Thurs/May 11th/7:30pm. $12. KEVIN SO. www.kevinso.com Dynamo Kevin was at the Dome a few years ago. His concert created a big buzz among both church members and outsiders who were in attendance. Including seniors and teens! Come out and see for yourself what the big buzz was all about. For a great preview of him and his music go to his myspace website and watch the video. It's New York and it's hip, and you'll see why everybody is wild about Kevin. www.myspace.com/kevinsoandmidnightsnack

JOYS & CONCERNS

If you feel moved to share either a joy or concern, you are encouraged to first write it on the form on the clipboard located in the reception area just outside the minister’s office hallway door. Your participation in this process will help the minister and the Care Committee to better serve our church community.

If you need a little help or know of someone who is in need of help or support, call someone on the Care Committee. Gwen Anderson, Denise Carrera, Linda Chappell, Denise Dorsey, Joyce Formica & Joe Weinstein will try to fulfill your request.

WEDNESDAY

THURSDAY

Apr. 1 (7pm)………………………………………CABERET

Apr. 3 (6-11pm)…………...CUUPS Meeting and Workshop

Apr. 5 (6:30pm)…………....Religious Education Committee

Apr. 7 (7pm-???)…….……..…1^st Friday Potluck @ Jerry’s

Apr. 8 (9am-Noon)…………….…….Building and Grounds

Apr. 9 (12:30pm)…………...……………………..Interweave

Apr. 13 (7pm)……..…….….…Worship Committee Meeting

Apr. 15 (5pm-Mid-Night)….…..…....Full Moon Celebration

Apr. 16……….……….….April DOMELIGHT DEADLINE

Apr. 20 (7pm)…………………………………Board Meeting

Apr. 23 (3pm)………………..……..Concert: Bob Patterson

Apr. 24 (6:30-11pm)………………………Drumming Circle

Have you moved? Are you are planning to move? If either of these applies to you and you would like to continue receiving the Domelight, please put your change of address on the guest register, located on the reception table in the entrance foyer, noting address change. Printing your new address & phone number clearly will help us keep our records updated.