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| | Florida District Connections
May 10, 2010 |
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PLEASE FORWARD THIS EMAIL
TO OTHER MEMBERS OF YOUR CONGREGATION! |
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 | Notes from our District Executive
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Conversion: from Latin conversio, conversion-, a turning around.
 Frequently, congregational leaders say to me, "We have many newer members who don't have a good background in Unitarian Universalism. At times, they can be extremely negative when we try to be a 'church.'"
Unitarian Universalism long has been a sanctuary for the religiously abandoned and disillusioned, many of whom are better at rejecting than affirming. We even have a phrase, "come-outers," that captures the sense in which some remain more attached to what they have left than to what they have found. Candidly, we do a poor job of converting them, turning our people from what did not work toward something that could. Most of our member orientations are theologically and historically shallow, our expectations of members notoriously lax. We should not wonder that the religiously ignorant either define us in a series of "we don't believe..." or declare "Unitarian Universalists can believe anything you want!" - surely the most nonsensical thing anyone could utter.
It's not new. Even Unitarian Nathaniel Hawthorne complained of it in The Blithedale Romance, his 1856 fictional recollection of the doomed-to-fail utopian community Brook Farm. Hawthorne parodied his fellow Unitarians -- Emerson, Bronson Alcott, Margaret Fuller -- noting:
On the whole, it was a society such as has seldom met together; nor, perhaps, could it reasonably be expected to hold together long. Persons of marked individuality - crooked sticks, as some of us might be called - are not exactly the easiest to bind up into a fagot. Our bond, it seems to me, was not affirmative, but negative. We had individually found one thing or another to quarrel with in our past life, and were pretty well agreed as to the inexpediency of lumbering along with the old system any further. As to what should be substituted, there was much less unanimity.
Integrating changing life convictions is a a task of on-going faith development. Regrettably, too many of our good people fail to complete their conversions. They remain stuck in their "don't believe." They just don't turn. When that happens, they remain vulnerable to their woundedness. This then is expressed angrily in our midst whenever something we do echoes that old hurt. Too often, our halls resound with rude and aggressive disapproval and disdain - mostly of traditional faith expressions, Christianity in particular. We polarize over words. Our atheists cannot abide our theists; our secularists despise the language of spirituality. Our former Jews and Christians squirm if the Bible is mentioned.
This is bad enough. Sadly and worse, when you define yourself negatively, you readily slip into insisting others must agree with you - or else you must reject them as well. As I work with our congregations, I hear one painful report after another in which a congregation is at war with itself as some insist the whole congregation conform to the words and practices they condone. For a non-creedal faith, we have our own orthodox fundamentalists. As elsewhere, fundamentalism leads to division and brokenness. As ever, it makes faith expression an idolatry.
What to do? Spiritually, we all need to grow up, or at least keep growing. The Free Church needs ever to guard against a relapse into any of us insisting there is only one path to holiness, or goodness, or justice. Our Universalists are better at this, being less caught up in the right-belief arguing of the Unitarians. The Universalists affirmed we are all children of one divine grace, all are worthy, able to be and to give love. As David Ferenz (16th ct.) put it, "We need not to think alike to love alike!"
This is our essence: To teach the fragile art of love. We are less a belief-driven faith than a love-acting one. Let's stay there and lay aside all these divisions. With faith in you and us, I wish you all blessings and much love.
Rev. Kenn |
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Notes from our Lifespan Program Consultant |
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Upcoming Events -Mark your calendars
This is the district calendar link:
http://www.floridadistrict.org/?page_id=87
Please pay close attention to the wonderful programs that are being offered by your Florida District UUA.
Webinars
This is a reminder, watch your email for invitations to the webinars that both Kenn and I are doing. This is an easy way to get information and get your questions answered. There is no travel involved and you can pull a group together that takes part in the webinar and then has a rich discussion afterwards. We both hope to see more and more people on line. Everyone is welcome.
Plan now to join us for next year's Southland Unitarian Universalist Leadership Experience - August 8-13, 2010, at The Mountain
I hope that your congregation has budgeted for Southland Unitarian Universalist Leadership Experience. This is an opportunity for current and future leaders to deepen their understanding of congregational leadership and to develop their abilities with other Unitarian Universalist leaders. This five-day program will be held August 8-13, 2010, at The Mountain Retreat and Learning Centers. The Thomas Jefferson, Mid-South and Florida Districts and Southwestern Conference organize this experience.
In deference to these difficult economic times and to encourage greater participation, we have discounted the tuition $55 from last year. This year's tuition is $695.
By now each congregation has received an invitation to nominate leaders to attend SUULE. Please consider carefully the team you wish to send. Ministers, DREs, Board Members, Youth leaders are all welcome.
SUULE offers participants an opportunity to combine practical leadership tools with spiritual and theological grounding to maximize their congregational leadership potential. We are asking that congregations send teams of leaders who will learn and develop together. If your congregation is small, please develop a relationship with other Unitarian Universalist congregations in your cluster so that you can still send a team. This team approach helps individuals to deepen their experience, get support and advice from other leaders who have the same knowledge and helps them to keep their focus on the reality that this is congregational leadership. For more information visit http://www.uusouthland.org/.
Our Whole Lives Regional Training Lifespan Comprehensive Sex Education Facilitator Training
August 20-22 2010, Hampton, GA
District Wide Teacher Training August 21, 2010 - 10:00 to 4:00, UU Congregation of Lakeland
This is an opportunity for the volunteers who work in our Faith Development Programs to gain true insight into the ministry that they are part of and to see the importance of their role. Register online Connie Goodbread Lifespan Program Consultant
Florida District UUA cgoodbread@uua.org Nurture your spirit. Help heal our world. |
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Trustee News | | |
 UUA TRUSTEE TIDBITS
Joan Lund, May 2010
It was a pleasure to meet and visit with many of you at the District Annual meeting in April. By the time you are greeting the month of May I will have been to both that meeting and the UUA Board of Trustees meeting in Boston. Gini Courter, our UUA Moderator, was with us for the District Assembly weekend inspiring us, teaching us, and being our valued friend. I am reminded of the importance of how we "do" membership. Although it is very important how we greet and treat our visitors this month's column will be about keeping the guests who become members. We get many visitors, some join, and those who do must be totally welcomed and integrated into the congregation or they will leave. It is well known that if all the persons who joined stayed for more than a short period of time our membership rolls would increase significantly.
Everyone in the congregation must be a part of the membership committee/team. In Tampa one of the initiatives within membership is a group called the Be-frienders (some might call them mentors). Each new member "receives" a congregation friend for approximately six months. This friend answers questions and learns what the new member is looking for from the congregation and finds ways to help her/him become involved. Friends are consistent in giving personalized information and attention, through frequent contact. New members are introduced to other members who might share the same interests.
Specific suggestions for the friending/mentoring role include: telephoning the new member to welcome them and/or send a note; personally inviting the "newbie" to congregational events and social activities; sitting with her/him during Sunday service if it seems like the comfortable thing to do; being available to explain finances, the board of trustees, and other important information about the culture of the congregation; introducing her/him to elected leaders, the choir and RE directors, as well as to other members who share the same personal concerns and interests.
I know in your congregation there may be other important roles for the friend/mentor. Although a "friending" program must be tailored to your congregation it is an important, if not necessary, part of the responsibilities of the membership committee's "umbrella". If you would like more information on how to initiate a program similar to this in your congregation, or wish to "talk" with me about other UU business do not hesitate to contact me at jlund@uua.org or telephone me at 813-931-9727. Happy "approaching" summer to all. |
| The Smart Church #39 |
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Association of Congregations
By Connie Goodbread
 What does it mean to be an association of congregations?
We are covenantal, not creedal, faith communities. How does that reality effect our association? We are all in relationship. How much?
How do we differ from business?
We are not in the business of making money but rather in the business of making a difference. Of course it takes money to fund our vision. But we are not in it for the profit.
Never believe that a few caring people can't change the world. For, indeed that's all who ever have. - Margaret Mead
We love to use business terms to describe who and what we are. One of the business descriptions we use is that the UUA is a services developer/warehouse and District Staff are service delivery people. If this is true then the congregations are merely consumers. This should not be how we see our association of congregations. It belittles what the reality is. Of course services and programs are developed but developed in many places as needs arise by all of us in association. If we are truly to be an association of congregations then we are in this together. Co-creators of what will be. Practicing shared ministry.
Kenn and I are here to help in that creation. We bring certain experience and expertise into this relationship. We will, of course, provide services. Some of the services were developed at our UUA, some are Kenn's, some are mine and some come from others in our Association. We will provide coaching. But then in the end it is up to you, the leaders of the congregations, to take the services, coaching and tools and apply them. You are the creators of the beloved community, we are here to support that creation. There will be times when District Staff should call you to the larger picture. There will be times when our counsel is invaluable. There will be times when we have services to offer. There will be times when we help you to build relationship with each other that will make everyone stronger and creation a joy. There will be times when you will lose your way and you will be in need. There will be times when you wish to share your great joy. There will be times...
We are the people of the promise and the struggle. We promise that we will live and work together in beloved community as we struggle for human wholeness and a better world. The struggle is to become all that we could be. We are called by the highest purpose -to build a world filled with promise, love, justice, responsibility and joy.
Often congregations will ask what Kenn or I will develop for them because of some special need or circumstance. While the situation may be new to the congregation, it is not new. Others have been there before - the struggle is something we all have in common. Kenn and I are creating and talking and teaching as fast as we can. How will you, the leaders of our congregations, be in relationship? How will we be in relationship with each other and with our Association? How will you participate in the creation of what is to be? None of us can do creation alone. We are an Association of congregations. We are co-creators. We practice shared ministry. |
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Florida District Chalice Lighters Show Generosity & Leadership |
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 The FLD thanks all our Chalice Lighters for their response to our latest call. Chalice Lighters is a program that connects congregations and Unitarian Universalists with occasional requests for gifts to help a congregation employ professional staff for the first time and/or give that little extra to help a congregation into its first meeting house. Our call this winter went to Unitarian Universalist Church of Tampa and the Friendship Fellowship at Pineda. In both instances, the call was to help them with new building projects. Here are their thanks:
From Rev. Dr. Sara Zimmerman and the Congregation of the Unitarian Universalist Church of Tampa:
It is with sincere gratitude that we thank you for the generosity you have shown in supporting our efforts to build a new building. We appreciate that you have moved us almost $3,000.00 closer to our goal of creating new space for our blossoming life-span religious education programs, space that may alternatively serve as gathering space for committee meetings. Considering the economy and the expenses of your home congregations, this is a remarkable amount.
From Barbara Kurtz, Chair, Congregational Leadership Committee and Rev. John Higgins, Consulting Minister :
On behalf of the Friendship Fellowship at Pineda, we wish to thank the Florida District Chalice Lighters for the gift of $2,712.50. This will enable us to place adequate signage to our facility and possibly handle some of the cost of elevating the pulpit. Without this gift, (these) would have been put off for some time. We have been touched by the generosity of our fellow Florida Unitarian Universalists. A suitable plaque will be put on the sign noting the source of the gift.
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| Florida District UUs March with Coalition of Immolakee Workers |
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On April 18 a group from First Unitarian Church of Orlando marched with the Coalition of Immokalee Workers in Lakeland. We were supporting their effort to convince Publix to pay an extra penny per pound of tomatoes, and to purchase only from growers who provide acceptable wages and working conditions. We met other UU's from the University/Orlando, Lakeland and Ft. Myers congregations. Over twice as many people participated in the Sunday event as in the march and rally we attended in Lakeland last fall.
It was a drizzly day, but spirits were high and the energy that moved through the crowd was palpable as we chanted in English and Spanish, and danced to the music booming from the speakers on the truck that led the march. Many folks waved from their cars and trucks and honked their horns in support as we picketed in a double line in front of a large Publix shopping center, then marched two miles to a park in the center of Lakeland.
For more details about and photos, please visit our website at
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| May District Packet & UUA Congregational Bulletin |
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 The May 2010 UUA Congregational Bulletinis now available. Click here to view bulletin.
The Monthly Bulletin for Congregations is a collection of announcements and updates from the staff groups and committees of the Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA) of Congregations, and from the Church of the Larger Fellowship (CLF). |
| Around the Florida District - News and Events to Note |
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Upcoming Florida District Events - Save these Dates
 May 18, Sexually Healthy Religious Professionals, Sexually Healthy Congregations Workshop with Reverend Debra Haffner, UUs of Clearwater
May 18, Third Tuesday Webinar - Youth Ministry, On-line
May 21-22, Florida District Board Retreat, Oviedo
August 21, Teacher Training, UU Congregation of Lakeland
Cluster, Congregation & Affiliated Organization Events
May 8, Northeast Cluster Workshop on Volunteering, with Reverend David Miller, First UU Church of W. Volusia
May 15, West Central Cluster Spring Conference and Annual Meeting, UU Church of Tarpon Springs
Hymnals Available
The UU Congregation of Lakeland has about 30 copies of the 1964 edition of the Hymns for the Celebration of Life that they would like to give away. If your congregation is interested contact the District Office and we will put you in contact with the individual handling this.
New Music CD Available
 The UU Church of Brevard has a new CD, UU Choir Practice Music.
When all your musicians have the flu and there is no music - have no fear! You can still enjoy and sing the old hymns we all love - just piano accompaniment, no voices. A CD with the recorded music of 26 UU hymns from Singing the Living Tradition will be available at the UUA Bookstore online.
Congratulations to Rev. Mary Louise DeWolf
At a congregational meeting of the Nature Coast Unitarian Universalists, the recently retired minister, Reverend Mary Louise DeWolf, was honored by being awarded Minister Emerita status. Reverend DeWolf was the first minister to serve the fellowship. The Emerita status was granted with heartfelt appreciation for the outstanding spiritual leadership she gave to the congregation during her seven year tenure. She's pictured here with President Rodney Cole.
Career Opportunity
Lifespan and Social Justice Learning Director, Unitarian Universalist Church of Sarasota seeks a high-energy professional to support religious education programming for children/youth integrated with social justice; expand programs for parents and other young adults; support programs in adult intellectual and spiritual exploration, expand opportunities for social justice engagement. Read more
Florida District joins the Social Media Age
We're now on Facebook! Find us using search "UUA Florida District" or click here. Many thanks to Rev. Naomi King for getting this up and running.
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Things to Know in Our Extended Unitarian Universalist World | | | |
Unitarian Universalists Affected by Recent Floods
Right now, Unitarian Universalists (UU) in Nashville, TN and Kentucky are currently facing a devastating crisis and need your support.
Dan Rosemergy, minister of Greater Nashville UU Church, and Gail Seavey, minister of the First UU Church of Nashville, are reporting that a number of their congregants' homes and life possessions have been washed away in the recent flood. Many of them do not have flood insurance to replace and repair their lives. They are living with family and friends, in hotels, or in other accommodations while the extent of the damage is being assessed. Learn more
UUA Response to Arizona's Anti-Immigrant Law
The recent anti-immigrant legislation enacted in Arizona has drawn criticism from secular human rights organizations and a broad range of religious groups, including the Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA). UUA President Peter Morales denounced the legislation in a statement on April 23, 2010. Morales' statement was included in a press release issued by Faith in Public Life (http://tinyurl.com/SB1070Release) and was noted in the media (http://tinyurl.com/SB1070inStatesman).
Despite passage of this legislation, the situation in Arizona remains volatile. The law will be subjected to constitutional scrutiny and may well prove to be unconstitutional; the Justice Department is reviewing the law to see if it violates civil rights; and proposed national immigration reform legislation might supersede the Arizona legislation.
Representatives from the UUA Board of Trustees, the General Assembly Planning Committee, and the UUA staff are monitoring the situation in Arizona and have been in contact with local Unitarian Universalist congregations and coalition partners. Because the 2012 General Assembly is scheduled to be held in Phoenix, the UUA will consider how best to bear witness against this reprehensible legislation and to support both those groups marginalized by the law and Arizona Unitarian Universalists who are speaking out against it.
More information about Unitarian Universalist protests against the Arizona law and the Association's long history of support for immigrants is included in this article on UUA.org:http://tinyurl.com/SB1070Protest
If you have questions about this message or if you would like more information on the UUA's work for immigration justice, please write to socialjustice@uua.org
UUA Video Series - "A Religion for Our Time"
The Unitarian Universalist Association and President Peter Morales are pleased to present a new video series, "A Religion for Our Time." These short videos highlight inspiring work in Unitarian Universalist (UU) congregations, including innovative projects relating to worship, religious education, social justice, membership, and fellowship.
Please share the news about this exciting series and watch for new installments to be released every couple of weeks between March 2010 and General Assembly 2010. Join in recognizing and celebrating Unitarian Universalist congregations as they build "A Religion for Our Time."
View and/or download video series
Giving and Generosity Update
Receiving the monthly Giving and Generosity e-newsletter is a great way for you to keep up-to-date on the latest news from the UUA including:
- Stories of generosity from fellow Unitarian Universalists and local congregations
- Announcements of accomplishments that you and like-minded individuals helped to achieve
- Vital resources available to you and your congregation
The most recent issue includes information on a new video documentary of UUA/UUSC work to rebuild the Gulf Coast. Read more
And be sure to check out archived issues of the Giving and Generosity e-newsletter!
Unitarian Sunday School Society 2010 Annual Meeting
The 2010 Annual Meeting of the Unitarian Sunday School Society will be held on May 17, 2010 at 10:00 am in the Rice Room of the Eliot & Pickett House, 6 Mt. Vernon Place, Boston, MA.
The primary purpose of the USSS is to provide funds for the development, testing, publication and distribution of religious education materials that can be used by churches, fellowships and individuals throughout the UUA. If you are or know someone who is working on a new curriculum in need of grant money, visit the USSS home page at http://www25.uua.org/USSS/.
Grant application deadlines are: May 1, November 1, and February 1
Southeast Unitarian Universalist Summer Institute
SUUSI, theSoutheast Unitarian Universalist Summer Institute, meets annually during the third week in July. Daily Theme Talks and Worship Services allow participants to gather and listen to the thoughts and ideas of leaders in our Unitarian Universalist movement. SUUSI offers participants the opportunity to stretch their minds and talents in workshops ranging from exploring spiritual practices, to empowering their voice to sing. It also offers a wide range of Nature Trips in the mountains and rivers surrounding Radford.
There is programming for all age groups to allow families and singles to design their own week. Parents can be at programs for adults while children participate in their own programs. There are also workshops and trips for all ages so that parents and children can take a class together or explore nature on trips specially designed for families. In addition to day time programming there is always a wide variety of nightlife available to meet the needs of people of all ages.
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Quick Links
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Calendars:
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The May 2010 Florida District (FLD) Monthly Packet has been posted to the District website and may be viewed at the following link:
