Domelight August 2006

Domelight

Newsletter of the Unitarian Universalist Church of Tampa - August 2006

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

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

Universalist Church of Tampa

One Place. All Faiths

PLEDGE STATEMENTS

Early in June pledge statements were sent to everyone who had pledge for 2006. If you did not receive a statement or, after reviewing your statement you have found an error or omission, please contact Joyce Formica (988-1907) or bring your statement with you to the church office one Sunday and see Joyce and the error will be corrected.

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.

“We are each other's angels - we meet when it is time
We keep each other going - and we show each other signs”

The Care Committee invites you to explore ways that you can be of assistance to others in need in the church community. There are lots of ways to make a difference. You may not feel that you have time to join one more committee or to attend CARE meetings, but perhaps you would be willing to make a phone call or send a card? We would like to hear from you if you feel that you might be able to provide one of the following services listed below. We’ll add your name to the resource list, and if you are available when a need arises, you’ll get to be someone’s angel for a moment or afternoon. The CARE Committee is a small group trying to assist members and their families under stress. We cannot be all things to all members, but we would like to be able to provide assistance to the ill, elderly, isolated, or bereaved. CARE Committee contacts are 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).

Please check what you would be willing to do and leave this sheet in the CARE Committee mailbox.

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!

We have a host home for the August Friendship dinner! Judy and Ralph Lehman have come forward and offered another pool and dinner party. The date is August 12^th at 5pm and the sign up sheet is posted in the foyer of the church. They can accommodate 14 guests so sign up early!

To those of you new to the church family a little background info. Each month someone hosts a dinner in his or her home. The host sets the number of guests they can accommodate, and everyone is welcome to sign up…until the list is full. It is a great way to get to know folks you only see on Sundays in a more intimate setting and on a more personal level. The host usually prepares the entrée (but I’ll have to admit I have not yet seen a host turn down a guest’s offer to bring the entrée), and the guests bring all the rest of the dinner items, each according to their resources and talents. Sometimes there is a theme, and you will be directed toward a dish that follows the theme. After you sign up, the host will call you and find out what you would like to bring and give you directions if you need them.

Looking forward to seeing you at the August dinner. If you need more information, please call Martha Robinson at 813/985-4777 or email: mrobins7@tampabay.rr.com.

Our 2007 Pledge Drive Kick-off Dinner will be held on Saturday, October 14, 2006 at 6:30 pm at the UUCT.

As you might know from church announcements or from various emails. there is a twice monthly meeting of folks who want to discuss Humanism and associated issues. We started off calling ourselves SHAG (Secular Humanist Agnostic Group), moved to SHAAG (Secularists Humanists Atheists Agnostics Group) and may be moving toward SHAAFT (Secularists Humanists Atheists Agnostics & Free Thinkers). In general the discussion members are united in their belief that there are no supernatural forces (god, spirits, etc.) at work in the world and that explanations other than faith or belief are necessary to explain events and occurrences. This does not mean that individuals with a different spiritual bent are not welcome – the conversation can sometimes be quite stimulating.

For the past year we have been meeting (now regularly on alternate Wednesday nights at 7:00 pm) and have wrestled with issues like: What is the source of values for Atheists? What does it mean to be a Humanist? What are the implications of the Humanist Manifesto? How do the UU Principles fit in with Humanism? What is the correct response to the call for a “language of reverence” in UU services?

Though the two hour sessions seldom solve or answer any of the questions, many of us go home with a new appreciation of some perspective on the issue different from the one we had when we went in.

I guess the real reason for the SHAAG/SHAAFT assembly is to provide a space where we can talk about the issues of life without god(s) and discover for ourselves what the implications are for us within our society, our country, our denomination, and our church. We emphasize during the meetings that everyone is respected as a human being and accepted without challenge or qualm. The ideas a person brings to the meeting, however, are open to discussion and debate.

A recent topic of conversation brought up a definition of tolerance that expresses the group’s personality pretty well. Being tolerant of someone does not mean that you don’t question or criticize their opinions or beliefs, it means that you don’t persecute them for their opinions or beliefs. We don’t persecute, but we do question.

If you are interested, check the announcements at church for dates or email me at bill@blymiller.com.

TURNING OVER THE REINS!!!

You know how it is in a volunteer organization….you say you’d be willing to HELP with something and the next thing you know you are IT! Well that’s sort of how it was back in 1999 when the previous newsletter editor Pam was relinquishing her position and someone was needed to fill her shoes…I said I’d help until they found a “real” editor, and here it is 7 years later.

I knew absolutely nothing about newsletters or computers except the basics…cut and paste etc., but was assured that that was all that was needed…there were templates (I didn’t have a clue those were) and all I had to do was put the articles in to them and fill up the spaces. That sounded completely doable, and after a short course from Pam I launched on my first edition. The deadline Sunday of that first issue, right after church, I sat down with the hand written articles that had been submitted (no one had sent anything by email back in those days) and started to type. By midnight I still had a few to go but figured enough was enough and went to bed with a feeling of accomplishment and looking forward the next stage…filling up those templates. The next evening directly after work (didn’t even stop for dinner) I sat down and finished the articles and then started the “cut and paste” part that was supposed to be so easy. Well, I had never seen anything that was formatted with columns and cutting and pasting wasn’t all it was “cut” out to be. I would cut something that was in the proper type face and font (let’s say Ariel - 10), and when it was pasted into the newsletter it would suddenly become possessed by demons and change into Tahoma 50-Bold or some other exotic combination ). Articles put at the head of one column would go half way down the page and then suddenly finish at the top of the next column, and I could not make anything print below the first half of the article. I would forget to save what I had put in, and the next thing I knew it was gone, causing me to have to retype the whole thing from the handwritten notes…these were just a few of the frustrations that found me convulsed in tears at 3am that Monday night and the following night and the night after that, wondering just what had I gotten myself into! Finally sanity kicked in and I called Pam who came to my rescue…pounded into my head to SAVE, SAVE, SAVE and showed me some tricks that I had not been privy to before. That first issue made it to the printer on the Monday of the next week…about 4 days later than it should have.

Those were the good old days. Now with 7 years under my belt I put in maybe 2 hours on Sunday and Monday night I am up until maybe 10pm finishing it (you have to wait for those procrastinators…I won’t name any names!). It goes to the proof -reader (a big thanks to you Carol Partington and Beverly Bethune for their keen eye and good grasp of the English language) by email Monday night, corrections are made Tuesday night and then it is off to the printer on my way to work on Wednesday morning. No more tears, a little frustration now and then, but it has been fun and I have learned a whole lot about my computer that I would never, ever have learned otherwise. (Also thanks to Joyce Formica who types the mailing labels and Cyn Tickell who picks the newsletter up from the printer, puts it together and gets it to the post-office in record time… you all do a marvelous job! Thank-you)

But a new age dawns! Chris Hendrickx, who is many years my junior and grew up with a computer attached to his fingertips and can do some awesome things with that computer and has eagerly agreed to take over the job. I have looked over his shoulder while he worked on the newsletter for CUUPS, which he edits and he has some really great ideas and knows how to make the computer do them! I am looking forward to a really neat, up to date looking newsletter in the very near future…so have fun Chris, I have.

We did!! Come celebrate our 2nd Annual Spaghetti Dinner and Family Game Night on Saturday, August 26, 2006 at 6 pm at the UUCT. Suggested donations are $8.00 for adults and $5.00 per child age five and older, with a maximum donation of $20.00 per family. Children age four and younger are our guests! Proceeds from this fun filled evening will benefit the UUCT. For more information or to help with the event, contact Pat Benedict at 813-9681418 or email pntb3781@aol.com.

WE’RE COUNTING ON YOU!

The Annual Pledge Drive (for 2007 pledges) will start in mid-October. As Members and Pledging Friends of this beloved community, we have an obligation to keep the church doors open. But can we stop there? How do we fund our Programs and our values? What passion are you willing to support? Is it: Child, Youth, and Adult Religious Education; Social Justice work; Anti-Racism/Racial Equality; Community Outreach; Music; Campus Ministry; or _ _ _ _ _ (you fill in the blank)?

If we are to sustain and promote our UU Values, then we need to fund those values. The 2007 Pledges will fund operating expenses plus our values-oriented programs. As always, our expenses continue to rise. The coming year will include the additional costs of the search for a settled minister plus the added expenses associated with the ministerial contract.

Our pledge goal for 2007 is 23% higher than 2006’s pledge total -- that means we need a healthy increase from each of us. We’re counting on you!

Thanks to all the Florida District UUs who journeyed to St. Louis for the 2006 General Assembly (GA). I enjoyed meeting and talking with you. It seems that there is much to write about following GA. A five-page report on my observations/doings while there should be on the District web site now (or soon) and of course there is “all you ever wanted to know” on the UUA website. Of importance now: 1) how you could serve our Association, and 2) “Congregations Come First” (CCF) Initiative.

1) Our UUA Nominating Committee is seeking candidates who offer a balance of skills, life experiences, cultural competencies, abilities, and geographic representation for the Committees, Commissions, and Positions elected by the delegates at GA. The Nominating Committee is eager to draw volunteers from the rich diversity of our movement. Consistent with resolutions of GA, our Association is intentional about becoming an anti-racist/anti-oppression/multicultural institution, and we want our UUA groups to embody that intention. If you are interested in helping carry out the mission of the Association contact me at jlund@uua.org. I will direct you accordingly. Applications (can be found on line) must be received by August 15, 2006. We need you!

2) CCF is an initiative of our UUA Moderator, Gini Courter. The purpose of CCF is to find ways to remove organizational obstacles to congregational health and vitality and the goal is to recommend actions that will ensure equitable allocation of resources for service and support of our congregations and their missions. A team of elected and appointed lay leaders, religious professionals, our Moderator, and several UUA staff will consult with congregational, district, and national leaders, both lay and professional. This team wishes to take a comprehensive systems approach to address the inequities, inefficiencies, and bureaucracies that impede service and support of congregations and has been asked to report their findings and recommendations to the January, 2008 UUA Board of Trustees meeting.

How it is…and how it should be: Although our UU covenant calls us to be equitable, open, and in right relationship, staff support for congregations is inequitable and insufficient. Geography, access, and design vary enormously among districts. The way we fund our faith is cumbersome, commercial, and divisive. Now is the time to remember, refresh, and revitalize our UU covenant and strengthen the connections within our UU community.

What you can do: Visit www.uua.org/administration/committees/ccf/, which will be updated as materials are received and/or developed, and review the materials. Send the CCF Team your best thinking at ccf@uua.org. Answer surveys that are posted on this site. Respond to invitations to conversations. Talk with me if you wish. Happy August everyone.

MISSION ACCOMPLISHED, VISION CLEAR. NOW WHAT?

After lots of “appreciative” discussion over the past year, new mission and vision statements for UUCT were approved at our May congregational meeting.

You may recall that Appreciative Inquiry gatherings were held July through November of 2005, both in members’ homes and at the church; that a small committee of us (Bill Blymiller, Ed Cole, Mary Francis, Joan Lund, Jonathan Roudabush, Ara Rogers and Marjorie Bowens-Wheatley) spent several months analyzing the data from those gatherings—which formed the basis for the draft statements.

Our current goal is to infuse both statements into the life of our community, to put them on the tip of the tongue of every member. So you’ll be seeing lots more of both our mission statement, which is:

* a community of caring and committed individuals diverse in identity and theology;

This was the culmination, but by no means the end, of the effort of better defining ourselves so that we can better define ourselves to others – ministerial candidates, our friends, neighbors, the greater Tampa community. At the request of the Board of Trustees, our group has agreed to continue to work together to take this process to the next step – the development of an "identity" plan for our community--sort of a self discovery process to determine who we really think we are. There are more steps to this process, like workshops, presentations, and talk-backs, and we will keep you informed of and involved in our progress and will be asking you to take a stand on the future decisions that will need to be made. Our timeframe is short, and you will be hearing more from us very soon.

Circles in the Woods CUUPS (Convenent 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!

Upcoming Rituals:
August 12th: Circles in the Woods CUUPs welcomes Between Worlds Coven as they present a "Season of Sacrifice" ritual. All participants are asked to bring gently used clothing and/or non perishable food items to be donated to a worthy cause (TBD)

September 9th: Presented by As Always Coven
October 7th: Presented by Circle of One
November 4th: Bardic Circle led by Sunfire of Sacred Woods Coven
December 2nd: Yule Celebration by Sacred Oaks Circle
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Circles in the Woods CUUPs holds a monthly business meeting the first Monday of each month at 7:00 PM at UUCT. The meeting typically lasts 30 minutes to an hour and is followed by a class. Donations for class materials and use of the building are appreciated.
Class Schedule:

August 7th: Oil Blending
October 2nd: Candles & Spells
November 6th: Wands & Staffs
December 4th: Kitchen Witchery

PRESIDENT’S CORNER

If you attended the Sunday service on July 23^rd, you heard several of us talk about our experiences at General Assembly in June. The challenge for that service was to decide which topics to include. I will use this article to touch upon one of the things we did not cover on the 23^rd.

This year GA included a new and exciting first-time event called “UU University,” which was designed for church leaders. During this pre-GA workshop there were three tracks: Leadership, Membership, and Finance. Of course, I attended the Leadership presentations and Jay Hall, our Finance Chairman, attended the Finance meetings.

The keynote speaker was Peter Steinke, a minister, psychologist, and consultant. He wrote Healthy Congregations: A Systems Approach (which I have) and he has a new publication, Congregational Leadership in Anxious Times (which I plan to purchase.) During his presentation, Rev. Steinke listed ten principles of health and illness in congregations. He stated that health is a dynamic equilibrium of all the forces and elements surrounding a human being, organism, or organization. He elaborated that it is all right to be sick, that the body or organization has innate healing abilities and that healing is self-regeneration.

I hope I have tweaked your interest in systems theory as it pertains to churches. Should you want to know more, I’ll be happy to share my notes and books with you. Or you can go on line and www.uua.org/ga to watch streaming video of Rev. Steinke’s presentations.

The UUA website includes lots of information about GA, including pictures, video, study/action issues and statements of conscience. I hope you will visit the website. You might just get enthused and decide to attend GA next year. This was the 6^th year that Jay and I have gone to GA, and each time we have come home renewed and excited about Unitarian Universalism and our church. Next year promises to be terrific because it will be held in Portland, Oregon. Now is a great time to start planning for an exciting trip to GA in Portland next June!

"EACH ONE REACH ONE" - UUCT HOPE CAMPAIGN 2006

We are just over 2/3 of the way to our goal of $3000 in our HOPE Support Drive.
I am asking you as an investor to reach out to one or two other people who have NOT invested. Tell them about HOPE and why you invest. Ask them to join at your level or whatever level is comfortable to them. We need your help to reach or exceed our goal! I have included the list below so you'd know who has already invested.

Investors do not have to be UUCT members, they can be neighbors, small store owners, friends. HOPE brochures are available in the church entryway or from me.

Investments (checks made out to HOPE) can be turned in to me at church or mailed to me at:
Carol Partington
7305 N. Center Dr.
Tampa, FL 33604

Stamped envelopes addressed to HOPE are available in the HOPE mail box in the church office.

Thank you for your help in reaching our goal and keeping HOPE alive!

Peace and love,
Carol Partington

Interweave is the UUA associated organization of UU's who are dedicated to the resolution of issues facing the Differently Gendered members of the UU Community.

The mission statement of the Interweave Continental, Inc.: Interweave Continental is a membership organization actively working to end oppression based on sexual orientation and gender identity, recognizing that we will not be free until all oppression is a thing of the past. We are an affiliate organization of the Unitarian Universalist Association, and our work is guided by Unitarian Universalist principles. We value and affirm the lives and experience of Queer people of faith of all ages, races, ethnicities, income levels, and abilities. By providing and supporting leadership, and working in collaboration with other organizations of similar vision, we strive to connect and nurture all Queer individuals, communities, groups, and their allies.

The local UUCT Chapter of Interweave meets every 2nd Sunday after Church in the Sanctuary or the small dome please see the Order of Service for details or questions can be directed to Jonathan Roudabush through the Church Office.

Twelfth Annual B&B Weekend offered by the UU Church of Rutland, VT. Enjoy the beauty of Vermont, UU hospitality, and a choice of guided activities: hiking, canoeing, visiting the studios of local artists, touring historic sites and quaint towns, and much more. Registration by August 1, $225 (single) and $425 (double). After August 1, $275 (single) and $475 (double). For more information contact uufoliagevermont@yahoo.com or (802)438-2095.

UUCT’S 2006 HOPE SUPPORT DRIVE INVESTORS

Pat and Ed Benedict, Bill Blymiller, Robert Boileau, Don Daughtry, Joyce and Richard Formica, Chalmers Frazer, Gloria Holloway, John Jeter, Susan Lee, Ralph and Judy Lehman,
Al Lucas, Joan Lund, Dan Miller, Carol Partington,
Russell Patterson, Jack and Bobbie Robinson, Martha Robinson, Diana Stevens, Grant Wilson,Tempie Taudte, and
Connie Tuisku.

You don't stop laughing because you grow old;

you grow old because you stopped laughing.

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, we can include any changes.

(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).

* a community of caring and committed individuals diverse in identity and theology;

PLEDGE STATEMENTS

TURNING OVER THE REINS!!!

WE’RE COUNTING ON YOU!

MISSION ACCOMPLISHED, VISION CLEAR. NOW WHAT?

PRESIDENT’S CORNER

THURSDAY

August 5 ……………………….….…..……….RE Clean-up

August 7 (6-11pm)……….CUUPS Meeting and Workshop

August 12 (9am-Noon)……….…...….Building and Grounds

August 12 (9am-Noon)…………….……………RE Clean-up

August 12 (5-12 Midnight)……..…. Full Moon Celebration

August 13……….….September DOMELIGHT DEADLINE

Remember new email address for articles: domelight@chrisandjamie.net

August 17 (7pm)………………………………Board Meeting