Minister's Musings

Hello Everyone,

I turned on my TV that morning in Greenville, SC, and saw the tower burning in New York City. What seemed at first like an accident proved to be a terrorist attack. I called my daughter, then in Chicago. "Did you see...?" I asked. "Did you hear about Pennsylvania?" she asked me.   We cried together, overwhelmed.

Later that day, the Greenville UU Fellowship, where I was serving as Interim Minister of Religious Education, hosted a community-wide service. The minister and I had no idea how many people would show up. It was in pre-social media days, except for e-mail.   But somehow the word was out, and over 200 people came to be in worship together, to read poems of peace, to pray together, to mourn, to sing, to cry together, to speak of hope.

Ten years later our UUCT and larger Tampa community of faith will mark the 9/11 anniversary in two ways. Tempie Taudte, Chair of our Social Justice Committee at UUCT, met with other leaders to plan these activities.   Thank you, Tempie.

On 9/10, in a gathering of Voices United for Peace, our congregation will join with the interfaith community at the Islamic Community at 5901 E. 130th Ave., 4 to 7 p.m. This event is for families and children. We invite children to bring a two-foot ribbon that will be used to write a message of hope and then tied together with other ribbons as a sign of unity.

On 9/11, in a second gathering of Voices United for Peace, the wider, tri-county community will gather at the JAEB Theatre, 1010 North W.C. MacInnes Place, Tampa, 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. Bring two things with you: a three-foot piece of colored ribbon that we will weave together in a "Tapestry for Peace" and a candle for the walking ceremony along the riverbank following the end of the theatre event.

On this 10th anniversary of 9/11/01, may we remember Emerson's words on hope:

"War is on its last legs; and a universal peace is as sure as is the prevalence of civilization over barbarism, of liberal governments over feudal forms.  The question for us is only, 'How soon?'"    Ralph Waldo Emerson, "Essay on War," c. 1841.

Rev. Sara

"Dear God ... please bring me a pony.  Amen."

Developing a Family Prayer Practice

 by Katie Culbert, Director of Religious Education

As parents and caregivers, we are the main source of spiritual guidance for our children. We teach them religious rituals, and we model for them how to live spiritual lives.  Praying with children at mealtime and bedtime is a simple way to incorporate spirituality into your family's life.  Here are two suggestions: 

 Mealtime prayer -

Thank you for the wind and rain, the sun, and pleasant weather.

Thank you for this our food and that we are together.

 - Mennonite blessing

Nighttime prayer -

Now I lay me down to sleep, I'll close my eyes and have sweet dreams.

I am special, loved, and blessed.  I pray for peace and happiness.

God bless (or "We love") __________.  

(Name friends and family - including yourself!)

 - Katie Culbert

Special attention should also be given to developing your individual adult prayer practice. When you pray, you model for your children one way they can feel connected, grateful, and whole while you are becoming more connected, grateful, and whole.  

My prayer practice is modeled after one described in Simply Pray by Eric Walker Wikstrom.  This prayer has four parts: Naming, Knowing, Loving, and Listening.  You can "address" your prayer or not; I begin mine with "Spirit of Life and Love," but you can begin yours with however you name God/the sacred/the great mystery.

1. Naming: Name the ways in which the sacred is moving in your life and remind yourself of all you have to be thankful for.

2. Knowing: Acknowledge your flaws and weaknesses and contemplate how you can grow and change.

3. Loving: Think about those who are suffering and in need of healing, envisioning their faces in your mind. 

4. Listening: Turn down the volume of your life, silence your thoughts, listen, and simply be.

The UUA bookstore (www.uua.org) has some great books that will help strengthen your family's prayer life, for example:  

A Child's Book of Blessings and Prayers by Eliza Blanchard

A Grateful Heart by M.J. Ryan

Beginner's Grace: Bringing Prayer to Life by Kate Braestrup.

Religious Exploration for Children and Youth

The 2011/2012 RE program year kicks off on September 25^th!  Register for programming, meet the RE volunteers, and get details about this year's exciting RE opportunities at the Open House from 12 to 1.  Food will be served.

 Creating a Vision for Youth Ministry

Great ideas came out of our Youth Ministry stakeholders' meeting on August 14.  Over the next several months, we will continue to work on our vision, our mission, and our goals for youth ministry. 

From our initial brainstorm, Youth Ministry should be connected ... inventive ... challenging ... unlike school ... intellectually stimulating ... inspiring ... fun!  Activities should include ... interfaith youth activities ... fundraising ... travel ... organizing district gatherings ... leading worship ... social action!  Youth Ministry should ... satisfy the needs of youth, not adults ... bring to life inner beliefs ... create strong multigenerational relationships ... inspire youth to come regularly ... bring out commonalities between youth and adults ... build leaders ... use social media ... be like Cons!

I look forward to this journey with you as we work together to build a strong, sustainable Youth Ministry.

CONCERTS IN THE DOME
Presents

CHARLIE MORRIS & FRIENDS

After the dedication of our wonderful new building, please make a celebratory afternoon of it with Charlie Morris, a sweetheart of a guy whose music reflects his personality--a caring individual with a great sense of humor--a perfect follow-up for our "Dedication Sunday"! 

http://bluespages.com/ 

Sunday, September 18

3:00 p.m.  Doors open at 2:30

$8.00 in advance; $12.00 at the door

Tickets may be purchased by credit card through the church Web site or from Gloria Holloway (gsholloway@tampabay.rr.com or 813-837-6572).

Charlie, who makes his home in St. Pete, is a touring musician, in the States and abroad. When he's not on tour, he performs locally--much to the delight of his local fans. He's a very talented songwriter, singer, and instrumentalist.  Since is latest CD, The Forest, is being released in September, his Dome Concert will also be a CD Release Concert.     

Charlie's friends for this concert are Tom Bell and Mike Chavers, both popular local professional musicians who will do a fine job of accompanying Charlie.   

Per Bonds at Big Leather Couch: "Mr. Morris has the sound that I love. He knows how to pick a guitar and make it sing. There is that down-home blues/rock and roll quality about his songs that makes my feet begin tapping as soon as he hits the first note.  In concert, he and the band have that funky tightness that might remind you of bands like Little Feat."

Per Derral, KCHO, Reading CA: "This is a lot of fun!"

For sure!  A LOT OF FUN and great music is in store for us when Charlie Morris & Friends take the stage at the UU Dome.

P.S.  Plan ahead.   Joe Craven & Jon Shain will be in concert at our Dome on Friday, October 21.    www.joecraven.com and www.jonshain.com.

Pretty Crafty, Those UUs 

by Liz Bleau

by Ruth Davis

Circles in the Woods CUUPS (Covenant of Unitarian Universalist Pagans) is a committee and Earth-centered spirituality group within the Unitarian Universalist Church of Tampa.  All are welcome!
Join us on:

September 10 @ 7:30 p.m. for our Full Moon Celebration -Welcome as always to celebrate the 2nd Harvest and Fall  Equinox.  All are welcome.

For more information go to Circles in the Woods CUUPS 

"Great Courses" Group Forming

 Eat, Play, Laugh

by Liz Bleau

Economy got you down?  Feel like you need a good laugh?  Then mark Friday, September 30 on the calendar and come to the Laughing Out Loud Family Game Night and supper, 5:30-8:30 p.m. in the new Multi-Purpose Building.   

Rev. Sara Zimmerman and Liz Bleau are sponsoring the monthly family game night.  The first of the season will have the added attractions of a laughter-as-therapy session and a light supper.

Today more than ever before, people are turning to humor for therapy and healing.  Medical journals have acknowledged that laughter therapy can help improve quality of life for patients with chronic illnesses.  Many hospitals now offer laughter therapy programs as a complementary treatment to illness.

Just to get things rolling, we'll tell some jokes, UU jokes, good jokes, bad jokes, kids' jokes.  Then we will gather and do some laughter-therapy exercises.

Laughter therapy requires no jokes.  All you need to do is fake some laughter.  Whether your laugh becomes real or not does not really matter.  The body does not distinguish between simulated laughter (as long as you are willing to laugh) and real laughter; they both produce the same "happy" body chemistry.  The laughter exercises are open to all ages.

In addition to the laughter, a light vegetarian dinner of chili, cornbread, salad, and dessert will be available on a first-come, first-served basis.  A donation to help cover the cost of the food will be collected from those who wish to contribute; a donation is not required.

Following dinner will be time for games.  Please bring your favorite games.

For more information or to ask questions, contact Liz Bleau at lizzblue@yahoo.com

Next month, on October 2, 2011, we will begin our annual Stewardship Campaign with a luncheon immediately following Sunday services.  We hope that all members and friends of the Church will attend, ready to recommit to our church community by pledging financial support to our church's 2012 budget year.

Because we want to make this Stewardship Campaign as short and painless as possible for all of us, we ask you to prepare for pledging by thinking over such questions as:

·         How important is the Stewardship Campaign to the welfare of my church?

·         How significant is the church community to my life?

·         If my church were to disappear, could any other source fulfill its Vision Statement?

·         Is there anywhere else I could join such a diverse community and fit in?

As you answer these questions, it should become apparent that, while we may not come to our church for the same reason(s), without our church community and the dream we have for it, we would have a huge hole in our existence.  Please help us continue "Growing Our Dream" by taking an active part in our Stewardship Campaign.

HOPE puts no band-aids on immediate problems. It provides no direct service to those in need. Rather, HOPE's goal is to get long-term, positive changes in unjust, unfair systems. That is why I volunteer with HOPE. I have seen the progress we make by joining with other congregations to change our community by meeting with local decision-makers on solutions that help thousands of families at once. HOPE Web site.

As UU's, we are moved to justice work primarily by our second principle: justice, equity and compassion for all. This is why our congregation joined the Hillsborough Organization for Progress and Equality in 1993, 18 years ago.

As I write this (mid-August), our congregation has contributed $5,420 from 36 "investor units." I anticipate reaching our $6,000 goal. The Investment Drive will soon officially close, but investments are always welcome at HOPE. Thank you, UUCT investors in community justice!

Certainly investments are necessary, yet even if HOPE had all the money in the world, it could accomplish little without the individuals involved. Besides the Investment Drive, these include:

• Listening Process--Identifying community problems through stories
• Justice Ministry Network-Increasing our power to be effective
• Research to Action Process--Prioritizing a specific problem and developing a long-term, systemic solution
• Nehemiah Action-Culminating meeting; HOPE asks community leaders to change a system by implementing the proposed solution

Since our power to succeed at the Nehemiah Action depends on how many people turn out, we work toward turning out at least the average number who attend Sunday services. This does not happen magically! And so these processes mesh, we need to contribute our unique skills to build a Justice Network at UUCT. Yes, you've invested. Thank you. -Now please consider how, through the Listening Process /House Meetings, your talents can help reveal pressing community concerns.

Please mark your calendars now for the 2011 Listening Process (Locations TBA).

• Listening Team Training: Monday, September 19, 6:30 p.m.

• Team Assembly: Monday, October 24, 6:30 p.m.

(Final reporting on listening process; approval of convention reports on prioritized community concerns; voting process; nominations for executive officers)

• Annual Convention: Monday, November 14, 6:30 p.m.

To learn what you can do, please contact Justice Team Members Carol Partington (813-985 9109) or Judy Lane (813-901-9157).

Social Justice In Our Community 

Gathering Voices United For Peace

by Tempie Taudte

Saturday and Sunday, September 10 and 11. Gathering is sponsored by a coalition of regional interfaith communities and social justice organizations as part of an effort to promote messages of peace, diversity, and hope. The community is invited to hear special speakers and attend activities. Please watch for other publicity beginning September 1st.

Saturday, September 10, 4:00 - 7:30 p.m.

An event for families and children will include food, activities for adults, and a special "Ribbons for Peace" project for children. Each child is asked to bring a 2-foot length of ribbon; children will write messages of hope, tie them together as a sign of unity, and present them as part of the ceremonies. Speakers and readers will address the need to move forward in the spirit of hope and peaceful understanding.

Location:  Islamic Community of Tampa

5901 East 130th Avenue, Tampa

Sunday, September 11, 5:30 - 8:30 p.m.

Open to the tri-county area, this event will begin in the theatre with speakers, poetry readings, dramatic presentations, and music. It will end outdoors by the river with a candlelight ceremony. Participants are asked to bring two items: a 3-foot length of ribbon for weaving a Tapestry for Peace; a candle for the walking ceremony along the riverbank.

Location:  Straz Center for the Performing Arts -- The JAEB Theatre

1010 North W.C. MacInnes Place, Tampa

For more information, contact Tempie Taudte, Social Justice Chairperson: ttaudte@gmail.com

by Marla Frazer

THANK YOU to EVERYONE who is helping spruce up the church this summer.

Last Saturday, August 13, we had about 20 people, all working hard on completing much-needed tasks-cleaning the Memorial Garden path, repairing the children's playground, putting "feet" back on chairs, pressure-washing sidewalks, trimming bushes, hauling trash, installing a new door on the shed, staining and sealing the gazebo-and many other tasks, large and small.

But there's still more to do, so if you couldn't make it last Saturday or have a few hours to help, let me know and I can supply you with tools and a task. Marla Frazer (777-9931)

I hope you are noticing the sound and lighting improvements under way as well. It's so nice to be able to see and hear our speakers clearly.

What a great community we have!