Domelight November 2011

My years of training in the humanities-all of those poems and metaphors-dominate my thinking when I am trying to make sense of the present. So when I first heard about the Occupy Wallstreet Movement, I found myself thinking about two poems, not of this century.

The first that came to mind is by the 19^th century German poet Heinrich Heine. It describes the struggles of the working class. Heine was not afraid to state his opinions of the rich or speak up for the poor:

The shuttle flies, the loom creaks loud,

Night and day we weave your shroud-

Old Germany, at your shroud we sit,

We're weaving a threefold curse in it,

We're weaving, we're weaving!

The second poem that Occupy Wallstreet brings to mind is by the 20^th century African-American Langston Hughes. His 1938 poem "Let America Be America Again"offers a perspective on the present. Here are a few of the verses:

Let America be America again.

Let it be the dream it used to be.

Let it be the pioneer on the plain

Seeking a home where he himself is free.

(America never was America to me.)

O, let my land be a land where Liberty

Is crowned with no false patriotic wreath,

But opportunity is real, and life is free,

Equality is in the air we breathe.

I am the poor white, fooled and pushed apart,

I am the Negro bearing slavery's scars,

I am the red man driven from the land,

I am the immigrant clutching the hope I seek-

And finding only the same old stupid plan.

Of dog eat dog, of mighty crush the weak.

Others see Occupy through a more analytic lens than I do. Our UU District Executive, the Rev. Ken Hurto explains that there is something basically, morally wrong with the increasing concentration of wealth and income to ever fewer people:

"Our faith, Unitarian Universalism, long has been concerned that many suffer miserably while a few prosper. Social justice always gets around to economic justice. How can anyone defend a few having far too much and many having far too little? This is anathema to the social implications of Universalism, where every person matters ultimately.

"Our UUA has not had an opportunity to discuss how our faith might address the Occupy Movement. No doubt, it will be among our conversations at Justice GA in Phoenix next June."

Our UUA President Peter Morales also recently issued a statement about Occupy: (see: http://www.uua.org/news/pressroom/pressreleases/188405.shtml) in which he notes:

"Unitarian Universalism embodies a long tradition of working for economic justice and workers' rights. Today is another opportunity for us to live our faith, and the Occupy protests are a first step on the road to repairing our country.

"I reach out to Unitarian Universalists everywhere to consider how you might be of service to any among us who are struggling to provide for their families, those who have been cheated and abused by financial institutions, and all those whose backs ache under a burden of debt, unemployment, and fading hope. Let the world see the power of our faith in action."

See you at church!

Rev. Sara

revsaraz@aol.com

President's Desk

The new church year started off so fast, it's been a blur. Fast on the heels of starting the year with our traditional Water Communion Service and beginning the children and youth Religious Education Programs, we dedicated the new Multi-Purpose Building and have already started to put it to good use. Then we started the annual Stewardship Campaign, along with a host of other activities.

The Board of Trustees has been hard at work as well, with a retreat in October, and we're making plans to finalize the annual budget once the Stewardship Campaign is completed. The BoT continues to welcome your input and will host "Conversations with the Board," usually on the last Sunday of each month. The BoT is also developing expanded policies for building use and rentals, to assure that our wonderful facilities are put to appropriate and best use.

Please feel free to contact me with any questions, comments, concerns, or praise--and join in the journey!

In the spirit,

Russell Kirby, BoT President

rkirby@health.usf.edu or 813-373-9660

R.E.flections

By Katie Culbert, Director of Religious Exploration

It is with a joyful heart that I write this newsletter article! RE is going great in our new space. It is so heartwarming to peek into classrooms on Sunday morning and see children and teachers singing songs, telling stories, and being with one another in a space that allows them to learn...that allows them to hear one another...that allows them to truly embrace their lessons and their time together.

Having a classroom allows the teachers to close their lessons with final thoughts, a closing ritual, and clean up--whereas before parents would enter into the Small Dome and classes would close quickly, often without time for wrap-up. Parents now arrive after service and hang out in the lobby of the building, waiting for classes to end at 12:15. This new space gives parents a place to connect with one another, share details of their lives, and become closer friends. And having a place for parents to offer one another support is so important!

Life for today's families can be overwhelming. Parents are stretched more than ever before and are juggling many tasks, trying to keep all the balls in the air: being a single parent, helping children with schoolwork, getting your own schoolwork done, volunteering, getting the bills paid, scheduling doctors' appointments, connecting with friends, family, or partners when time is short...MY GOODNESS...THERE JUST ISN'T ENOUGH TIME!

But we do find the time. We must find the time. We come to church so our children and teens (and ourselves!) will connect with a loving UU community. Here we are supported, encouraged, educated, inspired, and made whole. Our church provides opportunities for families to become involved in a larger purpose...a larger movement committed to healing and changing the world and ourselves. I am grateful that we have space to pursue our larger purpose and that we have so many dedicated families bringing their children to church.

This month's BIG THANKS goes to John Powers for installing wires in the classrooms that will be used to hang children's artwork without using tape or push pins.

Concerts in the UU Dome

Delightful Dulcimers and Sublime Singing

Featuring: Madeline (Maddie) MacNeil

www.madelinemacneil.com

Thursday November 17th

Doors open: 7:30

Concert begins: 8:00

Ticket Purchase:

$10 advance

$15 door.
Advance tickets can be purchased via the church web site at http://www.uutampa.org/concerts.htm.

Mention the name "Maddie MacNeil" to a hammer or mountain dulcimer player, and the reaction is that of awe and reverence. She's their beloved Dulcimer Queen Maddie.

Maddie is also a wonderful singer and is known as the "Songbird of the Shenandoah." When she leads an audience in a sing-a-long, she has the amazing ability to turn that audience into a chorus of singers who could rival the Mormon Tabernacle Choir. Maddie first appeared at the Dome in the late 90s. She packed the place and wowed us all.

It's great to welcome her back!

UUA TRUSTEE TIDBITS

by Joan Lund

jlund@uua.org or 813-931-9727

Much is written and spoken about multiculturalism in UUism and American society. Multiculturalism is of the utmost importance to our UUA President Rev. Peter Morales who continues to encourage us to become a multicultural, diverse community. But defining multiculturalism depends on the context in which it is discussed, and multiculturalism itself is constantly changing as more people speak out to a continually growing audience. Multiculturalism values the diverse perspectives people develop and maintain through varieties of experience and background stemming from racial, ethnic, gender, sexual orientation and/or class differences.

To UUs multiculturalism means nurturing a religious community where people of all races, ethnicities, and cultures see their identities reflected and affirmed in every aspect of congregational life--worship, fellowship, leadership, governance, religious education, and social justice. It also means that one cultural identity does not dominate all other identities; that people are able to participate in their faith community without denying or hiding their cultural identities; that the role of cultural identity is part of ministry; and that leaders are competent to understand how their socialization and multiple identities influence their values, attitudes, beliefs, behaviors, and interactions with others.

UUs welcome each other into shared community in the many ways that people define, express, and experience their spiritual paths. We understand and participate in public witness and social justice work as ministry in partnership with communities to make the world more compassionate, equitable, safe, nurturing, supportive, fair, and just. Individuals and communities are supported in their search for truth and meaning in their desire to make a positive difference in the world. And hopefully we recognize the many cultural languages in the words, symbols, and acts that manifest in worship, fellowship, and pastoral care.

Multicultural work in congregations is central to who we are as a faith community. It is not just about changing numbers--it is about changing cultures. We must ground ourselves in a commitment to welcome all persons-not as unfamiliar guests but as sisters and brothers embraced with openness. This is the vision of Beloved Community toward which we strive.

As we continue our work preparing for Justice GA 2012, and involve ourselves in multiculturalism, many resources are available at www.uua.org. Please know I am available for conversation and general good will; it is always a pleasure to hear from Florida UUs, and all UUs, as a matter of fact. Blessed and happy Thanksgiving to each one of you.

ciw_cuups

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.

If you have never attended a Full Moon, this would be a fun time to join us:

November 12 @ 6:30 p.m. Silent Auction

November 12 @ 7:30 p.m. Full Moon Bardic Circle

The evening will start with shopping for items in the silent auction. This is a good time to pick up something gently used for Yule gifts or just treat yourself!

At 7:30, the circle will be cast for the Bardic Circle. What's a bardic circle? In times of old, before electricial entertainment, bards would travel from village to village with their music and stories. Bards were highly respected and welcomed, especially when the days were short and there was little work to be done in the fields during the colder weather. So in honor of the ancient bard, bring your story, song, or poem - this is 'open mic'. This is also a family event so keep it clean.

For more information go to Circles in the Woods CUUPS

The UU Fellowship of North Bay

Wine Country Holiday

The UUs of Napa, California, proudly annouce the sixth season of our Wine Country Excursions.

There much to see and do in the Napa and Sonoma Valleys: e.g., wine tasting at renowned and boutique wineries; visits to art galleries and museums; exploring the natural beauty of our hills and valleys on miles of hiking and bike trails or by car on our highways and back country roads. Napa is an hour from San Francisco by car or ferry.

We offer two choices:

Both start with comfortable lodging in members' homes with full breakfast (up to 3 nights). You can choose a 2-day "Wine Country Excursion," a guided, personalized tour conducted by one of our members--some with wine industry experience--or lodging and self-guided touring. If desired, we provide guidance, maps, etc. UU ministers will be personally guided by our minister, Rev. Bonnie Dlott.

The program runs from April through October. Our fees are below market rate for comparable services and proceeds go to our small fellowship.

For complete details contact: Tom Wilson (707-254-7443) or 2wilsons1dog@comcast.net We look forward to sharing our lovely "home" with you!

letters to the editor

Many thanks for letting us know about missing information, mistakes, and corrections to the Domelight. All comments are passed along to our editorial team, as we routinely do a follow-up review of each issue.

If errors are caught by the article's contributor or by our team before the Domelight issue is published on the Web, we can sometimes make changes. Otherwise, new or corrected information must get to the congregation via the Yahoo group or some other channel of communication.

Ron

hUUmor

spotlight

Spotlight - Linda Turnipseed

She Keeps Our Wheels Rolling

Have you ever wondered who first answers your calls to church, your emails to info@uutampa.org, prepares the Order Of Service each Sunday and helps Sara and members of the Board keep our organizational wheels rolling? Now you know: She's Linda Turnipseed.

While Linda first became our Office Assistant in January, she actually has a very long association with our congregation, dating back to 1974. "I rode my bike to come to the church's LRY (Liberal Religious Youth) group when I was in junior high school. Later, I went to Oxford, England, for an LRY conference, then toured northern Europe staying with Unitarians along the way."

Having joined the church at an early age, Linda moved out of Temple Terrace and periodically came back for weddings and funerals until she was recruited to staff the office last year.

A graphic artist by training, Linda previously worked for a number of other businesses, including several marketing companies, a printer and Winn-Dixie Advertising. She is married to Mark Scott, who is the third-generation owner of a general contracting firm in Tampa. She has two daughters. Her younger daughter is 19 and in her freshman year at the University of Florida. Her older daughter is 23. She and Linda play as teammates on a local kickball team.

In addition to balancing all of those interests and obligations, Linda recently joined a book club and is currently fascinated with a book called Moon Walking With Einstein. Intrigued? So were we. It's about the history of memory, the U.S. Memory Championships, and memory techniques--a learnable skill that Linda says is really all about training. With nearly two hundred names and faces to recognize within the congregation alone, how many can you remember?

"Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has"

Submitted by John Jeter, former longtime UUCT member

News report from Bruno, Nebraska - In 1981, Herman Ostry and his wife, Donna, bought a farm a half mile outside of Bruno, Nebraska, a small community sixty miles west of Omaha. The property had a creek and came with a barn built in the 1920s. The barn floor was always wet and muddy. When the creek flooded in 1988, the barn ended up with 29 inches of water covering the floor. That was the last straw. Ostry needed to move it to higher ground.

He contacted a building moving company and was discouraged by the high cost of the bid. One night around the table, Ostry commented that if they had enough people, they could pick the barn up and move it to higher ground. Everyone laughed.

A few days later, Ostry's son Mike showed his father some calculations. He had counted the individual boards and timbers in the barn and estimated that the barn weighed approximately 16,640 pounds. He also estimated that a steel grid needed to move the barn would add another 3,150 pounds, bringing the total weight to just under 10 tons. He figured it would take around 350 people with each person lifting 56 pounds to move the barn.

The town of Bruno, Nebraska was planning its centennial celebration in late July of 1988. Herman and Mike presented their barn moving idea to the centennial committee. The committee decided to make it part of their celebration.

So, on July 30, 1988, shortly before 11 a.m., a quick test lift was successfully made. Then, as local television cameras and 4,000 people from eleven states watched, 350 people moved the barn 115 feet south and 6 feet higher up a gentle slope and set it on its new foundation.

The reason most people think that something cannot be done is because they know that they can't do it by themselves. But impossible things can be done if we join together in the task. Working together, we can not only move barns but also change the world.

Click here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o83W0gj_CRE

SWIM (Southeast Winter Institute in Miami)

is an intergenerational gathering that takes place from December 26th through January 1st each year at Camp Owiassa Bauer, a Nature park in Homestead, Florida.

From around the USA and Canada, 125 to 250 UUs gather for workshops, worship, campfires, and Everglades adventures for all ages.

You may download a full brochure and decide on your program choices. Later when registration opens, register at

http://www.swimuu.org

Going Once ... Going Twice ... Sold!

Our annual auction returns Sunday, November 13, after church services.

Once again, we will have delicious dinners to suit different tastes, whether you're a vegan or you like to watch lobsters boil. Bid on breakfast in bed, play pool, and drink beer, or sing your heart out at a St. Patrick's Day Party. If you're not a ham, you can still buy one--plus cookies and pies galore. Get a massage or a tarot reading. Buy a quilted purse or a leather belt, both handmade.

It's not too late to donate an item or a service. All proceeds go to the general fund.

But the auction is about more than money. Dinners and parties are a great way to get to know people better or spend quality time with old friends. Services highlight the skills of our congregation and its friends.

The format will be the same as last year: The Young Adult Group will provide a salad bar for bidders. The entertaining Cay Cahalin will be the auctioneer. The efficient Pat Benedict will run the checkout system. Judy Lehman will be running around, helping everyone. And I'll gather up information and items. If you'd like to volunteer to help, please contact one of us.

--Suzie Siegel, suziesiegel@tampabay.rr.com, 813-558-9675

Poinsettias for December Beauty

Donate a beautiful red poinsettia, to be placed at the pulpit, in honor or memory of someone during the month of December. Please order by Sunday, November 14.

Joyce Formica is taking orders for quality potted 6-inch, foil-wrapped poinsettia plants for just $8.00 per plant. Christmas cacti are available for $8.50. The plants are being purchased from the Temple Terrace Garden Club. The church receives a small income from the sale and the pleasure of seeing the pulpit decorated with fresh flowers.

All orders must be prepaid by cash or check. Contact Joyce for more information: keyspouse2@aol.com or 988-1907.

Order deadline: Sunday, November 14

It's Time to Welcome a Guest at Your Table! By Katie Culbert, DRE

On Sunday, November 20, we'll open our Guest at Your Table program with a special worship for all ages. When we bring home our Guest at Your Table boxes and place them prominently where we regularly gather, our families and friends have the chance to learn about real people who are succeeding in their struggles for justice, with the help of UUSC, through the book Stories of Hope.

Stories of Hope will help children, youth, and adults learn more about how UUSC partners with human-rights leaders in the United States and around the world to advance our common goals for justice. The stories introduce youth and young-adult leaders such as Dalia Ziada, who started speaking out by winning an essay contest and now helps others in Egypt find their voices and advocate for their rights. One story highlights Patrick Lafontant, who survived on his own in Haiti but then thrived when he found a purpose helping others through art therapy. His leadership grew with a new purpose after the earthquake by working with a UUSC partner, the Association for the Promotion of Integral Family Healthcare.

Consider making it part of a weekly practice, perhaps while gathered at the dinner table, to read through one of the stories and discuss its meaning and how we each can help. When we share our blessings with our "guests," we ensure that UUSC and people like Dalia and Patrick can continue their important work.

And, thanks to the Unitarian Universalist Congregation at Shelter Rock in Manhasset, N.Y., gifts of $100 or more are eligible to be matched, dollar for dollar, doubling the impact of your support!

If you miss receiving a Guest at Your Table donation box (or envelope) and the Stories of Hope book, you can pick them up from the display in the lobby.

Coming in January

The Good Book (According to UUs)

by Ron Hammerle

Christmas is a comin', and UUs love to read: new books, old books, e-books, magazines, blogs, newsletters, bumper stickers, tombstones, graffiti. "But how are Christmas and reading connected?" you might ask. You name the book, tell us the title ... that's what we'd like to know, and Santa may just add some books to your stack of gift options for 2012.

Each month, beginning in January, we'll publish a "Top 5" list of what you, our readers, tell us you are reading.

In order not to overwhelm our book column editor (TBA), we will invite you to send us the name of one book you are reading per month (or that you may have read since our last monthly issue).

We will invite you to include the book title (no journals or non-books at this stage), the author, and your name. Please, only one submission per person, per month.

Once each quarter, our book editor will decide "what's hot" and publish the findings in "The Congregational Quarterly" appearing exclusively in The Domelight. (No subscription required. Not printed at government expense. It's just a quarterly feature.)

Toward the end of 2012, in time for Christmas, our editor will select a "Reader of the Year" and give "ROY" a $30 gift certificate, redeemable via Amazon on the church Web site.

How will "ROY" be chosen? We have no idea yet, but editors of the Domelight will not be eligible for the award--although they will be encouraged to contribute. Attempted bribes of any kind (including pizzas and chocolate and wine), will disqualify the briber, be that person a reader, author, publisher, or candidate for President!

Look for more information in next month's Domelight and via our Yahoo group.

Month of Sundays at the Unitarian Universalist Church of Tampa

Services begin at 11 a.m.

November 6: Oh What Tangled Webs We Weave!

Question: What do Martha Stewart, Bernie Madoff, Barry Bonds, and "Scooter" Libby have in common? Answer: Perjury and false statements. We have a judicial system based on people under oath telling the truth. And yet, as author James Stewart in his recent book Tangled Webs argues, perjury has become commonplace. And it's being committed by people at the highest levels of business, politics, media, and culture. Rev. Dr. Sara Zimmerman will explore Stewart's book and will also dig into ethical wisdom from the world's religions to find inspiration for a Unitarian Universalist approach to the ethical question: What's wrong with lying under oath?

November 13: Welcoming a Guest at Your Table, Our Annual Multigenerational UU Service Committee Service

Each year on a Sunday in November, friends and families in our congregation participate in Guest at Your Table--a UU tradition. In today's service, you will receive a beautiful Guest at Your Table box. In this way, families and individuals learn about how the Unitarian Universalist Service Committee (UUSC) puts our shared principles into action in the United States and around the world. Through a potent combination of advocacy, education, and partnerships with grassroots organizations, UUSC promotes economic rights, advances environmental justice, defends civil liberties, and preserves the rights of people in times of humanitarian crisis. Rev. Dr. Sara Zimmerman and Katie Culbert, Director of Religious Education for Children and Youth, will lead the service.

November 20: Credo Sunday

As Unitarian Universalists, each one of us is encouraged to build our own theology. A "Building Your Own Theology" course will have its final session on November 16. This class encourages participants to look deeply at important moments and people in their lives for a source of understanding of how their past experiences in their timelines influence their present spiritual convictions. Our minister Rev. Zimmerman and intern Roger Grugel will lead this service, and several students from the Building Your Own Theology class will share their "Credos"--their personal belief statements.

November 20th will be a New Member Sunday. If you would like to join the church during this service, please contact Rev. Sara in person or at revsaraz@aol.com.

November 27: Perspectives on Forgiveness

There are times in our lives that we may feel anger, disappointment, or sorrow in response to life's circumstances or the actions of another. We may struggle with our capacity to forgive. In this sermon Harriet Blymiller, a member of our UUCT, will reflect on her own experiences with forgiveness and explore a few interesting perspectives from various sources on this topic. She will help us consider what it might take to forgive our fellow human beings.

Following this service: Conversations With The Board - Members of the Board of Trustees will be present for conversation after church on the 4th Sunday of the month from 12:15 to 12:45 p.m. The purpose is to open communication and share ideas. Come with questions and ideas but always with an open mind.

"As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them." John Fitzgerald Kennedy

Contact Info
UU Church of Tampa

email: info@uutampa.org

11400 Morris Bridge Road, Tampa, FL 33637

813-988-8188