Domelight Newsletter November 2012

This project to create a Spirituality, Science, and Healing curriculum is funded in part by the Fund for Unitarian Universalism. As part of the development of the Spirituality, Science, and Healing curriculum, UUCT is proud to participate in a special speaker series. Next in the series:

On November 11th we will welcome Earl Zimmerman, MD, on the topic "Good Medicine is Science, not Technology; A Good Time to Listen." Dr. Earl A. Zimmerman has been a medical educator for 40 years at Columbia University, Oregon Health and Sciences University and Albany Medical College. His concern is the decline of the practice of medicine and health care.

The November 25th service will be lead by Dr. Carolyn C. Wells on the subject "Spirituality, Science, and Healing" Carolyn Cressy Wells, PhD, LCSW is Professor Emeritus at the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh. She is the author of several social work texts and conducts workshops on "Spirituality, Science, and Healing."

From the Desk of the President
by Mary Francis
Thanksgiving time is approaching. Time does go by quickly! I think of this time of year as a time for reflection and gratitude. A time to have an "attitude of gratitude."

At the Unitarian Universalist Church of Tampa we have the opportunity for so much "attitude." This time of year we always have our pledge drive and do our budget planning for 2013. Members and friends are filling out cards promising to support the work of the church. Committee Chairs are sending in their budget requests for next year. The Finance Committee is busy crun

ching numbers - not my favorite snack! The Board of Trustees will meet and crunch numbers too, in preparation for our Congregational Meeting on December 9th when everyone will have the opportunity to share in the effort.

We are also in the process of setting of goals with the focus on leadership development for 2012-2013. We will soon have more concise information to share in next month's article. And, of course, join us at Conversations with the BOT following services on the 4th Sunday every month. In the meantime, email me at president@uutampa.org.

R.E.flections

Peace and Love,
Erin Powers, DRE

Our church gives our kids and us a safe place to explore our spirituality, to test our ideas and see if they ring true to us. This provides true spiritual growth, the kind of spiritual growth that can transform the world. It's easy to discredit the ideas of a child, but often these are the ones we need the most. I look back to some of the great minds in our world: Albert Einstein, Thomas Edison, Issac Newton, and Walt Disney. Many of them were told their ideas were ridiculous and would never work. These people persevered and succeeded, despite what they had been told by 'more educated' minds. Imagine what our world could be like today if children who did not succeed in their visions were supported at a young age. And imagine what else these successful minds could have accomplished. Our church and the Unitarian Universalist faith gives our children a place where they can be heard and respected and gain confidence in their own ideas. It's a haven where asking questions is a good thing and wonder is cherished. It's a garden for our children to grow ideas, which pushes our families to grow, too. Our growing families inspire our communities to grow. Our growing communities can change the world...

Speaking of growing and exploring... You may have noticed many of the children sitting in the front row on Sunday recently. I'm experimenting with having them sit there each Sunday. Proximity is important for engaging our children and making them feel like an important part of our church. It has worked well so far! Please encourage your children to sit up front with their friends!

What's Happening in Religious Exploration

PreK-1st Class - Chalice Children - Exploration of UU ideas and symbols, especially the chalice!

2nd-5th Class - Love Will Guide Us - Looking to our UU sources for guidance. "How can we respond with love, when bad things happen?"

Middle and High School Youth - Popcorn Theology - Exploring theology and ethics for UUs through movies. The youth are busy planning fall activities! Monday, Nov. 5th @ 6PM is a Youth Meeting, with Parents' Fellowship.

UUA Trustee Tidbits

by Joan Lund
jlund@uua.org or 813-931-9727

During the my years as a UUA Trustee, the Florida District Chalice Lighter's Program has never been the monthly column topic. One reader suggested-thank you!-I write about Chalice Lighters (CL), a subject near and dear to my heart. I was the chair of this program for several years...years ago, and I hope this program will continue to succeed and grow in our district.

In the early 1980s, an idea was put forth that UUs might be willing to contribute the small amount of $10 (or more), up to three times per year to help a congregation in their district complete a special project linked to growth. Prairie Star was the first District to implement the program, but Florida soon followed in 1987. One of our UUA districts raises $100,000 annually from 3,500 individual CLs. This district also has a CL Sunday every other year and is known for gaining 500 to 1,000 new participants each time. For many congregations CLs help put them "over the top" in calling a minister or buying land or helping pay for a building.

Since its inception in the Florida District, countless requests and many funds have been given to assist our congregations, too many to cite. In the Florida District CL money may be sought for: obtaining, expanding or furnishing a new building, to underwrite the hiring of a first-time religious professional, to encourage the formation of a new UU congregation, and to supplement creative growth projects. A Florida District congregation who wishes to receive CL funds must fill out an application (www.floridadistrict.org). The District Executive, in consultation with the District's CL Grants Panel, reviews all applications and determines when a CL request will be granted. Individuals who wish to become CLs may contact the Florida District Office (uufld@gmail.com or 407894-2119) for information.

If you are not a Florida District CL please consider becoming a member of this worthy program. Currently during a CLs "call," the suggested contribution is $25. I look forward to hearing from you (jlund@uua.org) or 813-931-9727. May you enjoy a blessed, thankful, peaceful, Thanksgiving Holiday.

SABBATICAL COMMITTEE UPDATE

We are now entering our third month of the Sabbatical-time. While it may seem strange to some of us not to have our Minister, Rev. Doc Sara Zimmerman, among us as frequently as before this period, overall our congregation appears to be settling into this period gracefully. Our cooperative spirit remains high.

While our contact with our Minister remains minimal, as per the Sabbatical-time rules, Rev. Doc. Sara has let us know that all goes well with her, as she keeps herself busy with travel, study, and relaxation. Those who attended our Stewardship Sunday service on October 7th will recall that Lee Bonta read words from Rev. Sara encouraging the congregation to strongly support the Stewardship Drive. Further, Lee reported that Rev. Sara had signed her stewardship commitment form before leaving on sabbatical and had increased her pledge for 2013 budget year. She was obviously with us in spirit that day, but also obviously in financial support!

We hope the remaining few months of the Sabbatical-time go as smoothly as the first two. As a reminder, if you have any questions relating to Rev. Sara's sabbatical, please contact a member of the Sabbatical Committee. Its members are: Pat Benedict (Co-Chair), Bill Blymiller (Co-Chair), Ara Rogers (member), and Ed Benedict (member). Contact us at sabbatical@uutampa.org. Or catch one of us at church!

Circles in the Woods CUUPS

Full Moon Celebration on October 27th @ 7:30 PM Presenter: Earthbound assures us this will be a great Samhain.

There is no Full Moon Celebration in November; however join our
Dumb Supper on Thursday Nov. 1st @ 7PM

This is a potluck to honor those who have 'crossed over'. All food should be black, red and/or while - for example: spaghetti, black beans and rice, red velvet cake, etc. A communal plate will be served for our loved ones we wish to remember and we will eat our meal in silence and reflection. All are welcome!

And then coming on December 1st @ 7:30 Bardic Circle! This is Open Mic - a time to tell stories, sing songs, and poems . . . the time of the 'Bard'.

Coming in 2013 - WICCA 101

Six session classes will be on the 1st and 3rd Sunday afternoon beginning on January 6th through March 17th. Class attendees will write and perform the May 25th Full Moon Celebration. More details on our CIW CUUPS calendar .

CIRCLES IN THE WOODS is a CUUPS (Covenant of Unitarian Pagans) chapter affiliated with UUCT, Unitarian Universalist Church of Tampa. For more information about Circles in the Woods CUUPS email cuups@uutampa.org.

Blues and BBQ teams up with
CUUPS for "Fall Fest"

Mark your calendars for Saturday, December 1st from 1pm until 7pm (Bardic Circle starting at 7:30 - all welcome to stay). We will have Blues and BBQ but more . . .

Vendors with wares for sell, tarot reader, and face painting will add to the festive atmosphere. Join us for great food and fun with all proceeds going to UUCT general fund. If you would like to vend your crafts, contact cuups@uutampa.org.

Read a Good Book!

By Carol Baker

Hello Again. Here are this month's contributors with some fine books.

From Jeannette Manning: Anne Perry, prolific author of mysteries taking place in Victorian and Edwardian England, has recently produced a series of very short books taking place around the Christmas holiday. Each one takes a character from her earlier books, like Charlotte's maid Gracie or Monk's arch nemesis Inspector Runcorn, and places the character in situations that stretch, educate, or shock him/her out of complacency. The character comes away with an enhanced outlook on a dreary life or a more comprehensive understanding of other people. I LOVE these novellas! I may read them again in the weeks leading up to Christmas.

From Fran Davin: Chris Bohjalian's The Sandcastle Girls is the compelling story of the Armenian holocaust in early-1900's Turkey. Told in novelistic form, it is a real page-turner that will keep you up until you finish it. As always, Bohjalian does not disappoint his reader.

Reader Alert: We know the following is a second recommendation for a book we featured last month, but we thought you might like to hear from another reader about the same book:

From Fran Davin: I am delighted to offer a "good book" item for your column. It is timely too and a great read, The Presidents Club by Nancy Gibbs and Michael Duffy. No matter what your party affiliation, this is a page-turner of the first order. It's a piercing view into the little-known world of former Presidents of the U.S., where you'll be fascinated by the true tales of friendship, competition, envy, and even conspiracy among those few men who understand what it is to be president.

From Robin Leigh: The Beginner's Goodbye by Anne Tyler. Only Anne Tyler, Pulitzer Prize winner for Breathing Lessons, can pull off the balance of tender grief and funny idiosyncrasies of character found in her most recent novel The Beginner's Goodbye. The novel is the story of a young disabled man whose world is turned upside down by sudden loss. Aaron, a 24 year old, who works as an editor of vanity Beginner books (like the Dummies series) in his family's publishing business, is suddenly widowed when a tree falls on the house he shares with his wife. The story focuses on the details of marriage and family life and like all of Anne Tyler's books is bittersweet and redemptive. Aaron finds comfort in his deceased wife's visitations, which may have more to do with his own unfinished business than with a belief in the supernatural. Like any good storyteller, Tyler leaves the interpretation up to the reader. This is a good read. The feelings of grief and the responses from family and friends to the griever are all very realistic and easy to relate to.

From Ron Hammerle: Last month (October), Brock Leach offered a two-part sermon series entitled "Thinking About Compassion." At the same time, as noted elsewhere in this issue of Domelight, the Pew Foundation reported a rapidly growing American exodus from conventional religion. Thirdly, for quite some time, our own SHAAG group has gathered to discuss issues of interest to secularists, humanists, atheists and agnostics. The most recent book I read is one that would appeal to each of these groups. It is Beyond Religion by Tenzin Gyatso (the Dalai Lama). Its subtitle helps explain the connection: Ethics for a Whole World. In Part 1, "A New Vision of Secular Ethics," the author notes that compassion is the critical ingredient. He details how and why this represents a fundamental human trait, regardless of whether one is religious or not and regardless of any other element of one's background. In Part 2, he demonstrates how this ethical element can be developed and applied to society as a whole, "in a way that is independent of any specific religious or cultural perspective." Small book; big message. [Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, New York, 2011]

That's it for this month. Let me know what you've been reading and enjoying so I can pass it on to others: cbanddave@verizon.net

Your editor,
Carol Baker

Going ... going ... SOLD!

By Bill Blymiller

Our annual auction returns Sunday, November 11, after church services. This year we will get to hold it in the new building!

Once again, we will auction delicious dinners to suit different tastes, whether you're a vegan or an omnivore. Bid on services or events provided by your fellow UUs (and others). There will be a wonderful variety of things to bid on. Best of all, the auction is a fun thing to be part of. The "vibe" around the Auction is a wonderful one, and you don't want to miss it.

If you have an item or a service you would like to offer to the auction, send an email to auction@uutampa.org along with specific information. Operators are standing by...

All auction 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. Donated items find new homes, for a price far below "new."

Lunch will be provided between the service and the beginning of the auction, so mark November 11 on your calendars.

HOPE Happenings

Hillsborough Organization
for Progress and Equality

By Carol Partington, JusticeMinistryNetwork@uutampa.org

UUCT Justice Ministry Network is Growing! Be a Part of It!

Last month we conducted three Listening Process "House" Meetings. We reflected on UU principles, discussed community problems, learned more about HOPE, and made commitments to build our Justice Network at UUCT. Currently, we have at least 15 people committed to the Justice Ministry Network.

Our UUCT goal for next year's HOPE Nehemiah Action is 100, so we will need 25-35 Network Members to reach that goal.

The problems that surfaced through the House Meetings will be reported on by Team members at the HOPE "Team" Assembly on October 22nd. These problems were grouped by category to see which ones are of the greatest concern among all our congregations. Next month we will report the results.

We want to continue building our Justice Ministry Network. Members of the Network are asked to do at least the following 2 things:

Bring at least 3 people with you to HOPE's Nehemiah Action (April 8, 2013). The 3 people you bring can be family members, friends, co-workers and/or neighbors. They do not have to be members of our congregation.

Attend 3 other major organization-wide HOPE meetings that relate to our ability to achieve change:

Convention, Nov. 12,2012 - where we vote to select the problem we work on based on our Listening Process
Rally, March 18, 2013 - where proposed solutions to tackle the problem and plans for the Nehemiah Action are presented, and
Celebration, June 3, 2013 -where we celebrate and kick-off our drive to sustain this justice ministry.

This is not too much to do in order to live our principle of promoting justice, equity, and compassion in human relations, as well as the vision of our church being a positive force in the community for justice and equality. If you would like to be part of our Justice Network, it is not too late. See Carol Partington, Judy Lane, Marta Pearson, or Pat Fearns!

The next major organization-wide HOPE meeting for Team and Network Members is HOPE's Convention on Monday, November 12th. Registration starts at 6:30 pm. At the convention, we will vote to select the problem area for 2013, hear updates on our current issues, recognize 2012 investors in HOPE, and elect HOPE officers. Others who wish to see HOPE in action are welcome to attend the Convention. When we vote on which problem to research in the coming year, we will be allowed one vote for each person in attendance.

GREAT COURSES

Our Great Ideas of Philosophy discussions as follows:

Nov. 5th: Hume and the Pursuit of Happiness

Thomas Reid and the Scottish School

Nov. 19th: France and the Philosophes

"The Federalist Papers" and the Great Experiment

Everyone is welcome and snacks are provided.

(Jeannette Manning, Adult RE, 813-857-0468, manningjea@yahoo.com)

The Concerts in the UU Dome Committee is looking forward to a busy November. We are presenting two events: a concert and a play.

Remember, the profits benefit the church, so come on out, enjoy, and contribute.

DOUBLE BILL featuring: David Massengill & Rod MacDonald
WHEN: SUNDAY NOV 4 at 3 p.m.
COST: $15 Advance. $20 Door. Pay in advance via the UUCT Web site.

ABOUT DAVID MASSENGILL
By birth a Tennessean, David "emigrated" to the Greenwich Village folk scene in the mid-70's, walking the same streets and playing the same storied coffee houses as Dylan and Van Ronk. He's still walking those streets, but now he's being recognized for his pivotal role in keeping the American folk music tradition alive.

Called "a master of vivid lyrical imagery" by the Boston Globe, David continues to create beautiful and poignant "story songs" that are intimate and relevant and tug at your emotions. Songs like "Rider On An Orphan Train" is "a narrative ballad ringing with truth and anguish" (Washington Post); Number One In America, "a riveting and ironic civil rights anthem" (Boston Globe); and the biting political statement, "The Gambler" is "a thing of beauty about all things ugly" (Barry Crimmins).

He has released six albums, nine bootlegs and nine books. His songs have been covered and recorded by Joan Baez, Lucy Kaplansky, Tom Russell, and others.

http://www.davidmassengill.com/bio.html

"That David made the lap dulcimer his instrument of choice tells us a lot about the soft-spoken native of eastern Tennessee. He accompanies his performance with an instrument indelibly Appalachian, yet conquers even the most urban of musical communities. He does it without losing that remarkable gift for true storytelling." - Music Boulevard

"Massengill fits into the same American tradition of ironic exaggeration and humor that gave rise to Mark Twain and Garrison Keillor." - Halifax Herald Union

"David Massengill possesses a pure brilliance that is difficult to ignore." -Boston Globe

ABOUT ROD MACDONALD
For over 4 decades, Rod has been entertaining audiences worldwide with his timeless ballads, modern folk songs, and musical versatility. Possessing the heart of a troubadour, the soul of a poet, and the voice of a virtuoso, he is as distinctive an entertainer as he is a songwriter. Rod has released multiple albums and has performed at many of the world's finest clubs and major international festivals in the U.S., Europe and Canada.

Smithsonian Folkways recognized Rod's considerable contribution to folk music by including 27 of his songs in their Fast Folk Musical Magazine collection, honoring him as one of the most heavily represented artists in the series. "MacDonald's place in the folk Hall of Fame is assured by his 'A Sailor's Prayer,' a hymn-styled tune that many people mistook for a traditional song" writes Richard Skelly of All Music Guide.

"Singer/songwriter Rod MacDonald isn't looking to start a fight - really. It's just that sometimes he gets a restless feeling inside and finds himself compelled to tackle the big topics of our day: ... the American divide between rich and poor, the partisan split between left and right, and the lives of ordinary people caught in the middle." - Press & Sun Bulletin, Binghampton, NY

"MacDonald ... is a master at musically portraying the difficult issues facing this country and the world. It's also abundantly clear that MacDonald didn't head to Florida to retire. In fact, he appears to have discovered the fountain of youth." -Folkwax

http://www.rodmacdonald.net/

I Am A Cuban Sandwich:
A Love Letter to Ybor

A 1-act, 1-character, dramatic theatrical presentation
STARRING: Richard DiPietra
WRITTEN BY: Mary Ellen and Richard DiPietra

Descriptive excerpts from Creative Loafing: The enduring and popular local play by Mary Ellen and Richard DiPietra [depicts] a nostalgic day in the life of old Ybor City. Actor/writer Richard DiPietra, a Tampa native, harks back to his Tampa upbringing ... [He takes us] on a journey through the physical and cultural life of Ybor City. Not the Ybor of today, with its bar scene and late-night revels, but what Ybor was before time and Interstate 4 cut through the heart of a very special place. DiPietra has looked back and blended his true remembrances with touches of fiction to create a ... heart-warming look into the human experience of growing up in a melting pot that simmers with the smell of Spanish bean soup and fresh baked Cuban bread - the kind that has a palm frond in it.

www.facebook.com/richard.dipietra

The concert committee is straying from its music path and venturing into the realm of theater. (Although there are music clips in the play, it is not a musical.)

On the refreshment table there will (hopefully) be an array of Ybor-type snacks available (for a donation) so as to satisfy everyone's Cuban taste buds.

WHEN: SUNDAY NOV 25 at 3 p.m.
TICKETS: $12 Advance. $15 Door. Pay in advance via the UUCT Web site.

Emerson Forum Launches First Program

The first Emerson Forum on End Of Life Care After Terri Schiavo, took place on Friday, September 22, at the Stetson Law Center, with four outstanding speakers: professor Jay Wolfson, novelist Janice Van Dyck and physicians Howard Tuch and James Orlowski. More than 60 attended, including an attorney from Chicago. Local TV news co-anchor Brendan McLaughlin covered the story and did interviews for two evening reports on ABC Action News.

Pre-program publicity included personal invitations to federal judges in the middle District of Florida, judges on the Florida Second District Court of Appeal and direct mail and email invitations to more than 1,300. Ads appeared in the Tampa Bay Times and the Tampa Business Journal. Locally, feature stories ran in the Tampa Tribune, Tampa Bay Times, on WUSF-FM radio and in community newspapers throughout the metro area.

The audience included attorneys, healthcare professionals, interested citizens, a number of UUCT members, Emerson Center of Vero Beach co-founders Don Croteau and Susan Grandpierre, and at least three people facing end of life care decisions.

Two weeks after the conference, a series of national stories on end of life care appeared on ABC World News Tonight with Diane Sawyer, on NPR's Fresh Air, with Terri Gross and in two related stories in the New York Times. Links to each can be found on the Emerson Forum web site, at www.emersonforum.org

Special thanks go to Russ Kirby for his founding leadership and help in working with USF; to program co-chairs Ron Hammerle, Christine Smith and Ralph Lehman; to Marla Frazer for her on-site management; to Lee Bonta and a team of ushers, including Diana Stevens, Grant Wilson and Carol Partington; to Barb Hammerle for preparing lunches for the speakers, to Terry Suttmiller, for capturing the conference on both film and video, and to Jay Hall for creating and maintaining the Forum's new web site.

The Forum's next program, What We Can Learn About Life From The Death Of A Pet, with feature national, veterinary hospice founder Dr. Dani McVety. The program will be held in early 2013. Co-sponsors and a venue are currently being sought.

The Emerson Forum will continue to develop programs focused on "issues at the crossroads of ethics and public life."

A UUA article about our UUCT Emerson Forum!

http://www.uua.org/interconnections/interconnections/220077.shtml

POINSETTIAS

Donate a beautiful red poinsettia, to be placed at the pulpit, in honor or memory of someone during the month of December. Joyce Formica is taking orders for quality, potted, 6-inch, foil-wrapped poinsettia plants for just $8.00 per plant. Christmas cactuses [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 congregation receives the pleasure of seeing the pulpit decorated with fresh flowers on December 16th and 23rd.

All orders must be prepaid by cash or check. Contact Joyce Formica for more information (keyspouse2@aol.com or 988-1907). Order deadline is Sunday, November 18th.

ANTI-BULLYING SYMPOSIUM FEATURED AT 23RD ANNUAL TAMPA INTERNATIONAL GAY & LESBIAN FILM FESTIVAL

By Pat Fearns, Interweave Chair interweave@uutampa.org

The 23rd Annual Tampa International Gay & Lesbian Film Festival (TIGLFF) featured an anti-bullying symposium: "Let's Get Real on Bullying." Highlights of the event included short and feature films, audience participation to understand how hurtful bullying can be, and a Q & A panel.

The panel featured, among others:
*   Alegra Kartha: This 16-year-old sophomore, who has known that she is gay since age 7, is President of Tampa Prep's Gay Straight Alliance (GSA).
*   Ryan James Yezak: Los Angeles based filmmaker who wrote, directed, edited, and produced several of the short films in this symposium. Additionally, Mr. Yezak recently left MTV to complete his first documentary film Second Class Citizen, which focuses on discrimination based on sexual orientation.

We are finding that bullying is becoming rampant in our society.

While Stopbullying.gov defines bullying as "unwanted, aggressive behavior among school-aged children that involves a real or perceived power imbalance," they also note "The behavior is repeated, or has the potential to be repeated, over time. Both kids who are bullied and who bully others may have serious, lasting problems."

Stopbullying.gov classifies 3 types of bullying:

1.   Verbal: saying or writing mean things that include: teasing, name calling, inappropriate sexual comments, taunting, and threatening to cause harm.
2.   Social or relational: hurting someone's reputation or relations that include: leaving someone out on purpose, telling others not to be friends with the one being bullied, spreading rumors, purposely embarrassing someone in public.
3.   Physical: Injury to a person's body or possessions that include: hitting, kicking, pinching, tripping, pushing, spitting; taking or breaking someone's things; rude or mean hand gestures.

Despite these definitions, we are finding that bullying is no longer limited to the school yard. Suicide among GLBTQ youth and adults is comparatively higher than among the general population, and they have higher rates of suicide attempts. Bullying of GLBTQ youth and adults has been shown to be a contributing factor in many suicides, even if not all of the attacks have specifically addressed sexuality or gender.

The films and panel agreed that the single most important thing that can be done to stop bullying is to stand up and speak up. If the bullier is confronted and told that he or she must stop, typically the situation de-escalates. More often than not, a bulliers simply projecting their own insecurites or perceived faults onto another to feel more powerful.

For more information visit: http://www.stopbullying.gov/.

Correction to the October Interweave Article:

Please note that the date of death of Lois Marrero was listed incorrectly and should be July 6, 2001.

October HOPE Happenings: A paragraph from the September Domelight article was inadvertently included in the October Domelight article. The Editorial Team apologizes for the error.

News From The Pews

[The Pew Foundation Research Center]

The number of Americans who do not identify with any religion continues to grow at a rapid pace. One-fifth of the U.S. public - and a third of adults under 30 - are religiously unaffiliated today, the highest percentages ever in Pew Research Center polling.
In the last five years alone, the unaffiliated have increased from just over 15% to just under 20% of all U.S. adults. Their ranks now include more than 13 million self-described atheists and agnostics (nearly 6% of the U.S. public), as well as nearly 33 million people who say they have no particular religious affiliation (14%).

Month of Sundays at the Unitarian Universalist Church of Tampa

Services begin at 11 a.m

November 4

10 Years at UUCT: An Atheist's Perspective Bill Blymiller

Bill reflects on his 10 year membership at UUCT. He will talk about atheism, the direction of UUism, and what the people at the Church have taught him over the last decade.

Bill is a retired telephone executive...well, more of a manager, -er, worker. He and his wife, Harriet, are active in the church. Bill has 2 children and 2 grandchildren.

November 11

Good Medicine is Science, Not Technology: A Good Time to Listen

Dr. Earl Zimmerman*

Dr. Earl A. Zimmerman has been a medical educator for 40 years at Columbia University, former Chairman of Neurology Oregon Health and Sciences University, and now Chairman of the Department of Neurology at Albany Medical College. His concern is the decline of the practice of medicine and health care.

November 18

Credo Sunday / New Member Ingathering Ara Rogers

Credo: I Believe. In this fall's Building Your Own Theology class we worked on articulating and developing our own statements of belief ... for now, at least. Come hear some Credos as we also welcome new members to our community.

Ara Rogers Ph.D. Adult Education, is director of the Osher Lifelong Institute at USF. She joined UUCT in 1991 and has served this church for most of that time.

November 25

Spirituality, Science, and Healing Dr. Carolyn Wells*

Dr. Wells observes that many people attend church as children and develop a strong religious faith, but then go off to college and encounter the materialist paradigm of modern science. Some then lose their faith and some compartmentalize religion and science, and relegate faith to Sundays. But a few courageous pioneers have chosen a different course. They use modern scientific methods to study non-material (or spiritual) phenomena. Rigorous scientific investigation demonstrates that the human mind shows properties that we think of as spiritual or involving realities and insights that transcend the material world. Dr. Wells will describe the work of several experts including Dr. Larry Dossey's scientific evidence that measures effects of nonlocal healing (spiritual healing, distant healing intention or energy healing) on cells, plants, animals and humans.

Dr. Carolyn Cressy Wells, PhD, LCSW, is a Professor Emeritus at the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh. She previously taught social work at Marquette University in Milwaukee, WI. She is author of three other social work texts and has developed workshop material on Spirituality, Science and Healing.

* The Spirituality, Science and Healing curriculum project is funded in part by the Fund for Unitarian Universalism.

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 of these conversations will be to open communication and share ideas. Come with questions and ideas, but always with an open mind.

"Gratitude is the fairest blossom which springs from the soul."

-Henry Ward Beecher

Contact Info
UU Church of Tampa

email: info@uutampa.org

11400 Morris Bridge Road, Tampa, FL 33637

813-988-8188