January Social Justice Report
Responding to the UU Principles
Linda Stoller |
 In spirit of the season, the Social Justice Council of the Unitarian Universalists of Clearwater distributed a record number of blankets to the farm workers in Plant City.
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Open Issues
Sunday, Jan 15 2012 |
 Michael Pollan's youtube clip Don't Buy Any Food You've Ever Seen Advertised
Michael Pollan is a leading writer on the issue of food. He has written several books about food, including The Botany of Desire, The Omnivores Dilemma and his latest, In Defense of Food: An Eaters Manifesto. In light of what he calls the processed food industry's co-option of sustainability and its vast spending on marketing, Pollan advises to be wary of any food that's advertised. The Clip Part I The Clip Part II |
Religious Education Happenings |
 This Sunday is the perfect opportunity to get involved. Our Pre-k & Kindergarten class will be learning about Buddhism, while our 1st-2nd grade class will have the opportunity to make some music with our music director Dr. Katz. Our 3rd-5th grade class will discuss the importance of Martin Luther King, Jr., while our middle school class will begin planning their next field trip. Our high school youth group will meet after the worship service from 12-1 to continue their discussion on the World Peace Game.
Please join us for our next Festival Ruah: LIVING THE DREAM: A Multicultural, Interfaith Program to Celebrate Dr. Martin Luther King's Birthday on Sunday at 5 p.m. Childcare for infants and toddlers will be provided. Children are encouraged to attend this lively service.
We can't wait for Sunday! |
Consecration Sunday is Coming | |
Sunday, Feb 5th
The Unitarian Universalists of Clearwater (UUC) approaches financial stewardship from a heart- and spirit-centered perspective. This means we do not view the money given to UUC merely as a way to pay our bills. Rather, we see financial contributions as a way to nurture spirits and help heal our world by supporting our congregation's mission and ministry with a percentage of the givers' incomes.
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 On Friday, January 13, we continue The Devil in the White City, by Erik Larson, in the Chorale Room at 10 am. Before attending the January 13th session, please read to page 255 of The Devil In The White City. For information on how to reserve the book at the library or purchase one from Amazon, click on Readers Forum. |
The Versatile Colored Pencil Art Show Opening Reception
UUC Octagram |
 Friday January 13, 7pm - 9pm Featured artists are members of the Colored Pencil Society of America, District 113, which includes Pinellas County, Orlando and Gainesville. Also showing will be members of the Colored Pencil class at Dunedin Fine Art Center. The show ends February 22. Colored Pencil Society of America |
Festival Ruah (A Live Streaming Event)
Sunday, Jan 15, 2012, 5 p.m., UUC Octagon
Living the Dream: A Multicultural, Interfaith Program to Celebrate Dr. Martin Luther King's Birthday | |
Join us to celebrate Dr. Martin Luther King's birthday. The program will feature a multicultural musical ensemble, excerpts from the writings of Dr. Martin Luther King and Mahatma Gandhi, and dances from Africa and India.
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MORE CELEBRATING THE BIRTHDAY OF DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR.
Sunday, January 15, 2012, 2:00 PM
Join an interfaith service at OCCUPY Tampa's New Location, Voices of Freedom Park located at the corner of W. Main Street and N. Albany Street in Tampa. Rev. Abhi, and others, will be carpooling from the UUC parking lot after the service and will be stopping for lunch on the way there. For those who are driving on their own: Take I-275 to the Howard-Armenia Exit, turn north on Howard then right on W. Main. The park is two short blocks ahead. Wear your UUC tee shirts. We hope to have a large UUC contingent.
Monday, January 16, 2012
Attend the annual MLK breakfast and march.
Both events take place at the North Greenwood Recreation Center, 900 N. MLK Jr. Ave. The phone number is: 562-4554. The breakfast begins at 7:30. Cost $4 adults, $2 children 10 & under. The march begins at 10 a.m., but if you plan to march, please arrive at 9:30 to line up. The march ends at Coachman Park, about 1 ½ miles total. Wear your UUC tee shirt and feel free to bring marching instruments. |
UU Humanist Inaugural Meeting
Sunday, Jan 15 12:30 pm, Patio Room | |
The speaker will be Ed Ericson, retired UU Minister and Ethical Culture leader, whose roots in Humanism go very deep. He has authored four books: Freedom and the Religious Right, The Free Mind Through the Ages, The Humanist Way and The American Dream Renewed. He also edited Emerson on Transcendentalism. We look forward to a very inspirational meeting. Please join us. |
New Member Pot Luck Dinner | |
Cancelled for Friday, January 20. To be rescheduled soon.
For more information phone Cindi Nohe at (727) 943-9661 or e-mail Cindi. |
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Hats Off to Katherine Gomez, tech team member working in the sound booth for a couple of years.
Katherine has purchased several items and donated them for the sound booth. She brings her own video camera in to videotape the social justice minute and makes the video available to the webmaster for the UUClearwater website. She has written and typed information for the sound booth instructional manual. She purchased and installed the software for live streaming Sunday services.
The tech team and the entire congregation greatly appreciate her contributions. Thank you Katherine. |
Animal Liberation Movement Overview |
 Wednesday January 18, 25, and February 1, 8;
7-9 PM at UUC; Free Tom Bird, Ph.D. leads a dialogue on social, ethical and scientific movements promoting the legal rights of animals, and by extension, animal liberation. Dr. Bird has been actively involved in the animal liberation movement for the past two decades. Early in his career he was an Assistant Professor of Humanities at Mercer University-Atlanta; some years later he was a Personnel Trainer for the Georgia Dept. of Transportation; before retiring three years ago, he was a librarian for twenty years with the Hillsborough County Public Library system. To Register |
Benefit Luncheon for Khasi HIlls School
Sunday, January 22 |
 Pizza luncheon for the benefit of our "adopted" school in India, the Khasi Hills School.
$5 donation for pizza, salad and cookie. Soda $1.
There will also be a chance to "adopt" a student and/or to set up a pen pal relationship.
UUC has been an important part of this school's mission for many years. Please consider making a donation above the lunch cost. Any kindness will make a significant difference in the lives of the students.
(hosted by RE and Social Justice Committees) |
Rice and Beans Collection |
Maralyn Toman Rice and Beans Collection for the farmworkers in Plant City is now collecting. Drop off bags of rice and dry beans in the Lobby of the Octagon until January 30th. Cash donations are also gratefully accepted at the Social Justice table. |
An Evening with the Author
Dr. Roy Kaplan
Wed., Feb 1, 7 p.m.
in the Patio Room |
 | | Dr. Roy Kaplan |
H. Roy Kaplan received his Doctor of Philosophy degree in Sociology from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst in 1971. He was on the faculty of the Dept. of Africana Studies at USF and is the author of five books, most recently, The Myth of Post-Racial America: The Search for Equality in the Age of Materialism (Rowman and Littlefield, Education, 2011).
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 Life long learning just got closer to home in Odessa. The brand new Community Learning Center at Spirit of Life UU, at 18412 Burrell Road in Odessa, will kick off January 21 with a diverse offering of programs ranging from digital photography to meditation and healing, paper making, gardening, birding, yoga and more.
Classes will run January through June 2012. The current Winter 2012 CLC Catalog is available online here, at the Austin Davis Public Library, or by calling 813-792-1622. Link for more information |
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Travel with Unitarians to experience our historic roots and explore this fascinating part of Europe - Transylvania and Hungary, June 4-18, 2012
Click here for more informatinon.
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PUBLICATION DEADLINES OCTAGRAM - WEEKLY EVERY THURSDAY The Octagram is intended to focus on activities taking place at UUC or those of interest to UUC members and friends. Send items in brief with a link to more information to Octagram. PLEASE DO NOT SEND INFORMATION FORMATTED OR IN A FLIER. Provide text in an email or as an attached Word file with any pictures/graphics attached to the email. Deadline is 10 a.m. every Wednesday. Prepared by Jeff Anderson, assisted by Leslie Conrad. Sitting in my den looking at the faux fire provided by a DVD, flickering electronic candles that turn off and on when you blow on the wick area, a Lava Lamp, and reading an electronic book on my Nook. Ain't Technology grand? Is there anything it cannot do? Speaking of tech, I see my beloved girlfriend, Katherine, got a "hats off" this week. She is very dedicated to all things tech team. Hurrah! Friday the Thirteenth is upon us and it is my birhday. Going to be 49 tomorrow. Woo hoo. Peace out. ORDER OF SERVICE/ANNOUNCEMENTS - WEEKLY EVERY SUNDAY SERVICE: Deadline is 6 p.m. every Wednesday. Send appropriate items to Order of Service/Announcements. Prepared by Pat St. Clair. ITEMS RECEIVED AFTER THE DEADLINES WILL BE INCLUDED IN THE FOLLOWING PUBLICATION, IF APPLICABLE.
Octagram headline artwork of the UUC courtyard pond by Lynette Wood. |
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Sunday, Jan 15 2012
10:30 a.m.
Rev. Abhi Janamanchi
A Drum Major For Justice |
 | | Rev. Abhi Janamanchi |
Worship Associate | | Megan Szcepanik |
Music | | Dr. Katz and the UUC Chorale |
 | | Linda Jones |
 | | Fred Johnson |
About Sunday's Service
Many people tend to think of Dr. King in the narrow sense as a "civil rights" leader losing sight of the broad alliances and social causes he built and promoted throughout his life as a human rights leader. The service will honor Dr. King's legacy of working for economic justice and workers rights.
Linda Jones on piano, and the UUC Chorale led by Dr. David Katz, will be performing They Had a Dream by John Shea, a piece that celebrates African American's Civil Rights and was written in 2011. Linda will also be playing Hero's Dream by Jim Brickman. Fred Johnson will be singing during the Interlude. | |
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Women's Night Out
Thursday, Jan. 12, 7:00 pm
Applebee's
Tri-City Plaza (U.S.19 & East Bay Drive) Contact: Alicia Addeo.
New Member Pot Luck Dinner
Cancelled for Jan 20 - to be rescheduled soon.
Contact: Cindi Nohe, 727-943-9661 or Cindi. RE Khasi Hills School LuncheonSunday, Jan 22, 12:30 p.m. Contact: Christine Pensa, 442-3028 or 644-1313 or Christine.
God & Mankind: Comparitive Religions
Monday, Jan 30, 7 p.m.
Contact: Sharon Laplume, 727-674-5126 or Sharon.
Consecration Sunday
Sunday, Feb 5
Contact: Mark Kanuck, 727-796-4585 or Mark.
Parents Night Out
Friday, Feb 10, 6 p.m.
Contact: Christine Pensa, 442-3028 or 644-1313 or Christine.
Pancake Breakfast - Bring A Friend Sunday & New Member Recognition Sunday, Feb 12, 9 a.m.
Festival Ruah - February Standing On the Side of Love Friday, Feb 17, 7 p.m. RE Chili Cook Off Sunday, Feb 18, 12:30 p.m. Contact: Christine Pensa, 442-3028 or 644-1313 or Christine. Congregational Retreat April 20-22 Contact: Sheila Knaust, 727-735-8460 or Sheila.
Clearwater Zen Center Open House Saturday, February 4 10:00 am - 12:00 pm |
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