Domelight July 2006

Domelight

Newsletter of the Unitarian Universalist Church of Tampa - July 2006

Rev. Marjorie Bowens-Wheatley, Minister Katie Culbert, RE Director

The Reverend Elizabeth (Liz) Brown has accepted the Interim Search Committee’s offer to be our Minister beginning in September through June of 2007.

We are very excited to have Liz join us. As we looked at candidates we looked for an interest and gifts in special areas: preaching and membership growth. Liz has a great track record in both these areas and is passionate about Unitarian Universalism (a UU Evangelist). As a former DRE she is also eager to support the professional and lay religious educators.

Prior to entering the seminary Liz worked in the fields of English Literature, Health Counseling and Philosophy. During her third year of seminary, Liz served as an Intern Parish Minister at the UU Church of Palo Alto, CA.

After graduating from Starr King Seminary in May, 2000 Liz accepted an Extension Ministry position at the UU Fellowship of the Peninsular in Newport News, VA. During her three years there the adult membership grew by 50% and the religious education program doubled in size.

In May of 2003, Liz accepted a call from the UU Fellowship of College Station, TX. Once again she was recognized for both membership and religious education growth.

In the fall of 2005 Liz accepted a position as an Interim Minister at our cluster church, Unitarian Universalist Church of St. Petersburg. After many years with consulting ministers and one year of Interim Ministry the St. Pete church has now called a settled minister.

Liz will remain in her St. Pete home and will commute to our church. Last year, Liz’s husband Al Brilliant remained in Texas with her daughter Mariah. Mariah has Down’s syndrome and just graduated from High School and will be moving here with her mother. Liz’s son Michael is 32 and an independent adult. Al will be in North Carolina and the family intends to be living together when Liz finds a permanent settled ministry.

Everyone we spoke to says that Liz gives excellent sermons. Liz describes herself as “low maintenance” and all of her past congregations remarked on her high energy level.

We are delighted to have found such a strong Interim Minister to work with us and help us prepare for a successful search and transition to our next settled minister.

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 Richards

CARE COMMITTEE

Members of the CARE committee are available to lend a helping hand to all in our congregation. If you have been ill and could use some help with preparing meals, going grocery shopping, a ride to the doctor, or would just like to talk to someone, give one of us a call. Gwen Anderson (971-6369), Beverly Bethune (907-6730), Denise Carrera (985-0695), Linda Chappell (977-2053), Denise Dorsey (972-7728), Joyce Formica (988-1907), Willow LaMont (643-7285), Robin Leigh (571-1366),and Suzie Siegel (866-5109). We will try our best to provide you with the help you need. Our next committee meeting is July 9^th at 12:30 and all are welcome, especially if you would like to join the committee as a member.

HOPE SUPPORT DRIVE NEEDS YOU!

The Unitarian Universalist Church of Tampa is currently engaged in our 2006 Support Drive for HOPE (Hillsborough Organization for Progress and Equality). This is a chance to invest in a local, multi-racial, interfaith organization that embodies our UU principles of Justice and Equality.

If you have questions about HOPE, there are brochures in the entryway of the church. If you have further questions, feel free to contact Carol Partington, 985-9109 or Sharon Streater, Lead Organizer of HOPE, at 221-4673.

Investments from UUCT HOPE supporters in the past have ranged from $5 to $400. Please choose whatever level feels right to you, make your check out to HOPE and give or mail it to Carol Partington. If you’d like to volunteer in the HOPE office or serve on one of the committees, that type of support is also welcome!

Let’s keep HOPE alive in Tampa!

CONCERTS IN THE DOME

Sunday 7/9: AMY CAROL WEBB ($12) CONCERT at 2pm. Amy is a crowd-pleasing Contemporary Singer-Songwriter-Songweaver from Miami. CHURCH SERVICE: In addition to the 2pm concert, Amy will also be doing special music during the regular church service that day. LUNCH: To make it convenient for church members to attend both the church service and the concert, a light lunch will be served (donations appreciated) after church. POST-CONCERT JAM: After the concert is over & we take a few minutes to switch gears, we will have a circle acoustic jam. Jammers/listeners are welcome. I expect the jam to start around 4:30. The jam will be dedicated to faithful audience member/concert supporter JUDITH ROSE in honor of her birthday. www.amycarolwebb.com

Friday 7/21: (8 pm $10) VERONIKA JACKSON. Opening Act TBA. Veronika now lives in Atlanta. But she's originally from St Pete. Veronika, in her soulful, loving style just reaches out & pulls folks in. Her music is described as folk, blues & gospel. With Veronika you get to sing along. There's call & response. I challenge you to walk away from a Veronika Jackson concert without having a big smile on your face. From her website: born and raised in St. Petersburg, Florida, from a family of musical talents, Miss Jackson is the youngest of seven children. Being influenced by gospel, rhythm and blues to folk music, she has combined these styles and brings a flavor that is rarely heard or seen. www.veronikajackson.info www.veronikajackson.info

JOYS & SORROWS

Here is a way you can keep in touch with our church community: by reading the joys & sorrows shared during a Sunday service you may have missed. The loose-leaf book of joys and sorrows can be found on the table beneath the CARE committee bulletin board in the hallway. Please read at your convenience, but do not remove the book from the building.

UUA TRUSTEE TIDBITS
Joan Lund

General Assembly, 2006 is history as you read this column but I will wait until the August column to write of the highlights. The summer months are often a time when congregation life slows a bit, hopefully a time to think about the upcoming church year, perhaps strategies for improving services for members and how to achieve growth in numbers and vitality. Recently, I received a wonderful email from a friend I have not been in communication with for many years. This friend found my name when researching a web site called beliefnet.com. From there the friend must have gone to the UUA website and found me as the Florida Trustee. To quote the email, “…I want to tell you that they have a series of questions regarding religion and philosophy which when summed up puts you in the church where you belong. Guess what? I am a Unitarian Universalist at heart. My sister and my daughter took the test and came out the same as I did. I suspect that there are many people who have the same orientation that Unitarians have but don’t have the courage of their convictions”.

Haven’t all of us voiced the last sentence in that quote? What can/should we do to attract and hold these valuable folks? I came across something called, “Simple Ways You Can Help Your Congregation Grow”, developed by Art Brewer, which states that research shows the single, most effective way for a congregation to grow is to practice an OUTWARD ORIENTATION. What follows is an abbreviated list of some personal ways you, as an individual, can practice an outward orientation:

Bring someone to a Sunday service…wear your name tag at every Sunday service…tell a visitor that you’re glad they came or came back if this is a return visit…put a UU decal on your car or home window…wear UU jewelry…be a Sunday morning greeter…tell people about your congregation’s web site…participate in a community event that reflects UU principles…link your favorite social justice cause to the congregation…host a party and invite members and non-members of your congregation…wear a UU t-shirt…if you are a member of a small group, invite a non-member to one of your meetings…give a copy of a sermon or presentation you liked to a non-member…talk to non-members about your congregation…display our “Seven Principles” at home or work…carry “Seven Principles” cards to give to people when they ask…give a copy of World magazine and/or your congregation newsletter to someone you think would like to learn more about us…include UU content on your personal and/or business web site…attend a District meeting…attend General Assembly…tell someone about a provocative thought you heard at church, then ask for their opinion…put a chalice in some place of honor in your home.

Cannot fit in all of the ideas but I am certain you can create your own. UU evangelism is a good thing when done in keeping with our values. Thanks to all of you who write to comment about Trustee Tidbits and my periodic reports. You help to motivate me to do, and be the best I am able. I can be reached at jlund@uua.org for further thoughts.

You can pick up your copy of the updated Membership Directory in the church office anytime after July 1. If, by chance, we have made some error in your information, could you please send a correction in to the office, so that when we produce this again in January, any changes can be included. (Please note there is an addendum page in this one already - address and phone # changes for D. Stevens / G. Wilson and new listings for our six new members .)

RELIGIOUS EDUCATION FOR CHILDREN AND YOUTH

August 13^th is the first day of Religious Education (RE) classes for children and youth. Children aged 5 – 12 meet in the small dome from 11:00 to 12:00 each Sunday. Middle and High School youth are invited to attend YRUU (Young Religious Unitarian Universalists), our UU youth group, which meets from 11:00 to 12:00 in the small dome youth room.

This year’s theme in RE is justice and service. We will be exploring important issues including peace and non-violence, environmental justice, racial equality, and animal rights. Through hands on activities and service projects we will learn how each one of us can make a difference in the world. If you are interested in teaching during one of our issue units please let Katie Culbert, Director of Religious Education, know. She can be reached at DRE@uutampa.org or 813-988-888.

Parents - Please join Katie and the RE Committee in the small dome for an RE open house on Sunday, August 13, 2006 from 10:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m. Registration for the new RE year will take place and parents will receive information about the program. Don’t miss this opportunity to ask questions, meet teachers and families, and learn about what your children will be doing this year. Food will be provided.

PLEDGES

Remember to include keeping up your 2006 pledge when planning for summer vacation.

Recent inventories of the Church's hymnals show that our supply is slowly diminishing. The suspected reason for this diminishing effect is that there are those among us who are borrowing hymnals with the possible intention of returning the borrowed copy but are not following through. Please, if you have borrowed a hymnal, return it. Unlike public libraries, we will not charge a late fee or mark your permanent record. If you would like to borrow a hymnal, please drop by the office and sign one out from our Office Administrator. Feeling generous? Would you like to add to the Church's hymnal collection? Just drop a check, $30.00 per hymnal and marked "For Hymnal Purchase," by the office or put the check into the Sunday collection plate. It is a greatly appreciated tax-deductible donation.

Universalist Church of Tampa

One Place. All Faiths

If you're interested in participating in the development of adult education through the use of classes, films, or books, you may want to consider joining the Adult Religious Education Committee.

We are currently in the process of scheduling classes for the fall. Several people have already expressed interest in teaching or facilitating ethical discussions on some of the following topics:

We're still looking for more instructors/facilitators. Please contact Denise Dorsey at ddorsey3@gmail.com if interested.

The information below has not been finalized. Please check the Sunday bulletin for the confirmation of date & location, or email ddorsey3@gmail.com.

(Some of the events below may be happening inconsistently during the summer months. Be sure to check with the facilitator for details.)

1. 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.

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

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

4. 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.

5. 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.

6. 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.

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.

Universalist Church of Tampa

One Place. All Faiths

SUMMERTIME LIVE MUSIC

The worship committee hopes to have live music for all summer Sunday services. Do you have either a hidden, or a bubbling-over, musical talent to offer? If so, please contact Mall Giles at Mallgiles4@msn.com , Harriett Blymiller, or John Jeter.

WORSHIP COMMITTEE OPPORTUNITY

The worship committee could use two volunteers for the church service year beginning in September. The committee works with the minister and other committees to make sure speakers are available on the minister's monthly off-Sunday.

We also see to it that conveners are assigned for each Sunday. In the past year we also worked with the minister in some re-arranging to the order of service, initiated guidelines for `Pulpit Editorials', and listed limits to the nature of Joys and Concerns.

The committee meets once a month--we try to meet on the second Thursday of each month at 7:00 P.M. This may change when the new interim minister begins her service to the UUCT community in September.

If you'd like to volunteer for, and/or learn more about, this needed service contact John Jeter fabjet@verizon.net or 813 914 - 8534.

A group of UU’s meet at Lettuce Lake Park Thursday mornings at 8:30 am for a brisk walk on the paved path and good conversation. To find the parking area and meeting place, take the Lettuce Lake Parkway to the end. Turn left and then immediately turn right into the parking lot. We will gather there and begin the walk at 8:30. You are welcome to join us. For more information, contact Patricia McCracken at 988-6453

Tom Hagner has served on the UUCT Worship Committee for five years as a member and as the Chairman in the past.

Tom feels that now can be, "...a good transition for me to step down from the Worship Committee." He feels that he would like to serve the church in another capacity.

He did tell the worship committee members that this, "...doesn't mean that I won't drop by sometime as a "friend"." He will always be welcome.

A big THANKS to Tom for his many contributions and wise counsel. Best wishes, Tom in any and all of your future undertakings.

PLEDGE INFO: When making a cash contribution toward your 2006 pledge, place the money in an envelope and please print your name on the envelope.

PRESIDENT’S CORNER

On Sunday, June 18, 2006 we held a special Congregational Meeting to elect our Ministerial Search Committee. We were fortunate to have ten outstanding candidates for the committee. Each candidate had unique talents and skills, and it was quite difficult to vote for only seven. The following were elected to serve on the committee: Pat Benedict, Fran Davin, Ollis Hughes, John Jeter, Mike Lloyd, Barbara Nelson, and Suzie Siegel.

Our new Search Committee will start to work this summer, and they will be quite busy. Fortunately the Settlement Office of the UUA provides plenty of guidance in the Settlement Handbook. During the initial phase of the search process, the committee will probably survey the congregation. It is important for us to know who we are and what we want to become as a congregation so we can look for the minister whose skills and gifts fit our mission and vision.

During the search, the committee will keep us posted on their progress. It is only when they begin to talk to specific ministers who may be interested to coming to Tampa that the committee must keep their deliberations confidential.

With our new committee in place, I’m confident that we will have a successful search and will be ready to select a new settled minister next spring. Please give the committee your support.

GETTING TO KNOW NEW MEMBERS

In case you haven’t had a chance to meet these new members who joined in early June, here’s your introduction. You’ll likely find some common interest or connection to talk about the next time you see them in church!

Tony Jimenez came to UUCT to explore and learn more about different religious beliefs in a positive environment. While he didn’t grow up with a religious or church background, he says UU’s atmosphere of freedom fits with his existing ideas of religion. He was a longtime Tampa resident before moving to Tallahassee for 12 years. He just moved back to Tampa, settling in the New Tampa area, last year.

A production manager at a sign company, Tony has a 23-year-old daughter. He likes fishing, nature and being outdoors. Tony also enjoys carpentry and working with his hands. He’s already begun a project for the church, as he is building a new cabinet to hold the hymnals. He looks forward to helping with other projects at UUCT.

Wayne Taylor is a longtime UU who recently moved to the USF area from Naples. Although his first UU membership came in Seattle in 1979, he started attending a UU church in Atlanta while in high school.

Wayne served in the Marines in Vietnam for a short time, an experience that had a major impact on his life. When he returned to the U.S. he became very active in the anti-war movement and remains committed to that cause today. He jokingly says he developed a special disorder associated with his Vietnam experience, which he calls “Anti-Authoritarian Personality Disorder,” or AAPD for short. With a degree in Sociology, he is looking for work in Tampa. He is also an avid writer of poetry, fiction and non-fiction.

The Committee on Minisry (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 COM committee 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.

Yes, it’s time to get started planning the Witches Masquerade! So put the date on your calendar and start working on your costume. If you are ready to volunteer to help maybe you know someone who would like to help, contact Mary – gldnpuma@earthlink.net or just leave a message in the CUUPS mailbox. Watch for more to come!

CALENDAR OF WEEKLY EVENTS

WEDNESDAY Choir to resume in fall

THURSDAY

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

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

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

July 8 (5-12 Midnight)…………..…. Full Moon Celebration

July 9 (12:30pm)………Care Committee (Minister’s Office)

July 9 (2pm)………………...…...Concert: Amy Carol Webb

July 14-16 (10-4pm)……………....Frances Falk Art Exhibit

July 16……….……...….August DOMELIGHT DEADLINE

July 20 (7pm)…………………………………Board Meeting

July 21 (8pm)…………………..Concert: Veronika Jackson

There are two dinners scheduled for July. July 8^th at Diana Stevens and Grant Wilson’s home and July 29^th at Suzie Siegel’s. Suzie’s dinner is a vegetarian dinner and at this printing there was sill room for more guests. Unfortunately Grant and Diana’s list is full. Sign up sheet for Suzie’s dinner is in the foyer of the church. We are also looking for a host for August. Contact: Martha Robinson at 813-985-4777.

is looking for a few new players.....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!