July 2015

Rev. Dr. Doak Mansfield, Interim Minister

Erin Powers, DRE

In This Issue

Wondering While Wandering

Article Headline

Desk of the President

R.E.flections

St. Pete Pride Festival

60th Anniversary Celebration

Monday mUUsic

UU Principles

Article Headline

Musicians Needed!

Friendship Dinners

Circles in the Woods

UUCT Covenant

Migrant Food Basket

The Mountain

Wu Feng

A Correction

Come and join

buildings & grounds work day

July 11

9-11 a.m.

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The Church Calendar

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Coming Up This Week/Next Week

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Who's Doing What?

at UUCT

Care Committee
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Our Care Team sends greeting cards, makes hospital visits and follows up with congregants who are experiencing joys or sorrows. Please let us know if you or someone in our congregation is in need. Contact Tempie Taudte at care@uutampa.org

Al-Anon

Al-Anon meets at UUCT on Saturdays at 10:30 am each week. For additional information in Hillsborough County, call 813-881-9372 or visit us on the web at www.tampabayalanon.org.

DOMELIGHT
Deadline for Submissions:

20th of each month

Length of Articles:

300-350 words

Submit via email to: domelight@uutampa.org

DL Editorial Board:

Pat Busbice

Mary Francis

Christine Smith

Board of Trustees

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Wondering While Wandering . . .
The Reverend Doak M. Mansfield, Interim Minister

This is my last column for the newsletter as Interim Minister. My time here has been a most gratifying experience. I am deeply thankful to all who have helped make it so. I will always have a deep love and regard for you all. We have done mighty well! Mighty well indeed.

UUCT has a great future and I am so very proud to have worked with you these last two years to understand that, embrace that, and be positive and enthused about claiming that. I'm so happy that UUCT has learned to laugh and be a joyful place.

I have great confidence in The Reverend Patricia A. Owen. She and you working together can be so very good for one another and can strengthen the UUCT community, and expand its outreach and service to the larger world. Our message of and witness to love and justice means so very much.

I finish my tenure here August 16 and on that date Reverend Owen will lead her last service in Annapolis. As she and Chris will be driving south to Tampa over the next couple days Peggy and I will be traveling west to Laurel, MS.

Congregants who have pastoral care needs between Aug. 16 and Sept .1 should contact the Care Committee, Tempie Taudte and Jae Polycn, who will discern where they might be able to help, or seek Reverend Owen's help.

I begin September 1 as half-time-plus minister (with expectations of full time over the next few years) of the Community UU Church in Pasco, WA. https://sites.google.com/site/communityuu/ Founded in 1948 CUUC has 70 members and 23 children/youth. It has wonderful potential. It is well situated in wonderful debt-free facilities to serve the tri-cities of southeast Washington state (a growing area with some 250,000 population on the Columbia River, located at the merging point of the Snake and Yakima Rivers with the Columbia).

As a part of the professional practices of immediate past ministers I will not be engaging in communication with UUCT church members for the next two years. While I will check the website and newsletter from time and forever have deep concern for the congregation and the many friends I've come to love and appreciate I must "go silent" and truly "absent" for a while. Please honor that.

Love and my best, best wishes always ~ Doak

A NOTE FROM DOAK
Peggy and I will be on vacation July 8 -22. We're on a "drive around" visiting family in Laurel, MS, Fayetteville, TN, Cincinnati, OH, and Warner Robbins, GA.
- Doak

Desk of the President
This is such a strange place. We come at certain times to get what we need or to share what we have. We meet and hold hands with people who don't believe exactly what we do about the world. And yet, it doesn't matter and anyway some of their ideas are interesting enough to make us stop and think a bit about our ideas.

When I first came here the minister at the time said, "You folks have already shown that you can tolerate difference, now we will see how good we all are at accepting difference. But that's not the end," she said, "the end is celebrating the difference."

I was horrified. I was working hard on acceptance but saw no way I was ever, ever going to celebrate these crazy religious ideas all these folks had! I remember looking down and shaking my head slowly.

Years down the road celebrating difference seems possible to me now. I'm not there yet, but I kinda feel like I might be able to make that . . . .

I'm closer, anyway. Where are you?

Bill

UUCT

One Place. All Faiths. No Problem.

Erin Powers, DRE
dre@uutampa.org

REflections

Summertime in Religious Exploration
It's summer and in the Florida heat we take life at a slower pace. It's too hot to move any quicker! RE slows down a bit, too. Our classes are one-room-schoolhouse style for the summer and we explore many different topics together. It's a time of community building through fun, friendship and popsicles! It's also a time of planning and prepping for the start of our more structured RE school year. After our water communion service RE will go back to classes designed for different age groups. And that requires many helping hands, open minds and loving hearts. This is the time of year that I am actively seeking individuals that can share their time and talents with our RE program. I am looking for those who can share a love of our faith with our budding UUs. And those who are eager to learn what our young UUs can teach! Every person who has shared time with our RE program has enjoyed their time and has grown from the experience. Every. Single. Person -- and that person could be you this fall! Your commitment could be one Sunday a month as a worship assistant for Children's Chapel or as an assistant for our nonviolent communication class, Heart Talk. Or you could commit two Sundays a month and lead a class. Whichever route you chose, you will have ample support from your DRE, RE Committee and your fellow RE teachers. RE is a place to grow in your faith!

Beacon Youth Group - meets Wednesdays at 6:30-8:30 in the Youth Room. Youth ages 12-20 are welcome!

Children and Youth Religious Exploration

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED FOR

2015 ST. PETE PRIDE PARADE & FESTIVAL

Parade: Members of each of Tampa Bay's Unitarian Universalist congregations will be marching in the 13th annual St. Pete Pride Parade on Saturday June 27 at sunset. The parade contingent will be assembling in the parking lots across from Georgie's Alibi (3100 3rd Ave N) starting at 5:30 PM.

We hope all members of our congregation will join us in this march; or help line the parade route located in the Grand Central District, Central Avenue between 22nd & 28th Streets in St. Petersburg, if you are physically unable to march.

The Saturday Night Block Party, on the parade route, will begin at 5 PM featuring DJs, food and beverages. Participants in the parade are needed to march and help carry our church's banner; as well as representing our parade entry's theme: Making History and Coming Out of the Closet.

Street Festival: Volunteers are needed to man the West Central Cluster of Unitarian Universalist congregations' booth at the 13th Annual St. Pete Pride Street Festival on Sunday June 28th from noon to 6 PM in 2-3 hour shifts: talking to people about Unitarian Universalism, selling bottled water and rainbow bandanas, and just having an overall great time.

For more information about participating in these events please contact PAT FEARNS at 813-476-3913 or PATAFEARNS@LIVE.COM. For more information about the 13th Annual St. Pete Pride Parade & Street Festival visit their website at http://www.stpetepride.com

UUCT is 60!

UUCT will be celebrating its 60th anniversary in September and our first commemorative event was a T-shirt design competition. We had great participation with many very creative submissions, so we put the choice of finalist up to a congregational vote. John Powers is our winner! This design is now the official logo for the 60th anniversary celebration and you will be seeing a lot of it. T-shirts are being manufactured as you read this. WATCH FOR ORDERING DETAILS IN YOUR SUNDAY SERVICE BULLETIN.

And don't forget to place your colored dot on the map in the back of the sanctuary, indicating from whence you came to UUCT from around these United States (or Europe, or Asia or South America maybe?). We already know two of you came from France -- what about the rest of you? We will be reporting on this at our 60th Anniversary Celebration in September.

UUCT mUUsic Group

Meets 7:30pm Mondays

Behold our muse. Not sure how musical you are? Afraid you'll be embarrassed?

Come to mUUsic Group anonymously if you like. Your secret will be safe with us. So, please join us in the Small Dome. We're there every Monday at 7:30 PM.

In the spirit of old-time hootenannys and good-time jam sessions, this is an informal gathering of musicians, vocalists, and just plain music lovers who want to make or listen to mUUsic. Sing, play an instrument, drum, or bang on an upside-down waste basket. Get creative. It's all good.

Everyone is welcome, regardless of ability or experience. So come one, come all, and let the good times roll! Questions: muusic@uutampa.org

As a member congregation of the Unitarian Universalist Association, we covenant to affirm and promote our

UU Principles:

The inherent worth and dignity of every person
Justice, equality and compassion in human relations
Acceptance of one another and encouragement of spiritual growth in our congregations
A free and responsible search for truth and meaning
The right of conscience and the use of the democratic process within our congregations and in society at large
The goal of world community with peace, liberty, and justice for all
Respect for the interdependent web of all existence of which we are a part

Summer Plans

This is the time of year the finance committee takes a close look at the church budget to see if we need to make adjustments in spending. You can help this process by reviewing your financial commitment to UUCT; and when planning your summer vacation spending to also include setting aside the sum you had pledged and mailing it to church. Attendance at church is usually lower during the summer, making it critical that each of us maintain our financial commitment to UUCT, so that we can continue to keep the bills paid. If you are not sure what you have contributed to date and would like a printout of a statement to help you see if you are on track, stop by the office on a Sunday morning or call me at home. Joyce Formica pledge secretary (988-1907).

UU 101: An Introduction
Thursday July 30, 2015 ~ 7 PM - 9 PM

Interested in becoming a member? Participation in this two hour class is a vital element in one becoming a member of our congregation. A basic overview of the history and the evolution of the UU ways in spirituality and religion will be offered on a casual dialogue format by Reverend Mansfield. There is no charge. Child care provided. Please call the office to sign up: 813 988-8188.

Epic Battle of the Dome Fought by June Weed Warriors

On Saturday, June 13, 2015 an epic battle was fought and won by dedicated UUCT Weed Warriors.

With temperatures reaching near 90 degrees and legions of weeds threatening to take over the grounds of our beloved campus, fearless soldiers of slash fought valiantly and slew the enemy into submission with no casualties reported on our side.

Robert Boileau, Bill Blymiller, Joyce Formica, Joe Adles, Sarah Longstaff , Fran Davin, Rodolfo Reimon along with myself gallantly defended our turf and were successful at helping to restore the glory of our grounds

Thanks to you all for a job well done, Tom Krumreich

Musicians

The choir is on vacation! We need musicians all year long . . . but we especially need you in August when the choir will be gone. Just one piece - if you like you can do more - but one is fine. Find a buddy and team up to make a group.

If you are willing to help out now, over the summer, or anytime, contact us at worship@uutampa.org and make sure your name is on our list. Share your talent!

~ Worship Committee

Friendship Dinner

It would be helpful to me if anyone offering to host a Friendship Dinner would contact me by phone (813 988- 7272) or email (dw_stickell13@verizon.net). If you have any questions, either mode of contact is fine; if I don't know the answer, I will find one or invent one.

David Stickell

Circles in the Woods CUUPS

Thank you for your service! Join Circles in the Woods CUUPS, on July 4 at 7:30pm, as we honor those who have served, or are currently in the service of our country. This can include a remembrance of all those who have served since our Declaration of Independence was signed. Join us in showing our gratitude and appreciation for our military. Wear your red, white and blue (or for veterans, your uniform) and bring photos for the altar!

And did you know that July has a Blue Moon?! Yes, on July 30 - but the closest Saturday to the Full Moon is August 1. So come and celebrate the Blue M

Money to capture your attention

oon with us and remember that this is a time of silliness! So, we have had Redneck Pagans, Mafia Pagans, Pirate Pagans. This time join the Po Po Pagans! Better bring cash just in case you need bond money to get out of jail.

The cost is a love donation and there will be a Moneta basket for offerings. No pets please. Plan to come early or stay afterward to socialize. Come, join us, in perfect love and perfect trust.

For more information about Circles in the Woods CUUPS, e-mail cuups@uutampa.org.

Interesting article on pagan perspective of attending Sunday services http://www.patheos.com/blogs/naturespath/2015/05/the-uu-church-and-the-secret-pagans/

Unitarian Universalist Church of Tampa

Covenant

We the members of the Unitarian Universalist Church of Tampa, covenant with one another:

To strengthen our church community while following our own spiritual paths,

To honor diversity as a source of communal strength and to be a welcoming community.

Because our acts and words weave the web that connect us to one another:

We accept responsibility for what we do and say,

We communicate with one another in kindness and support,

We promote the safety and well being of the congregation,

We practice the democratic process,

We support this church with our money and time,

We make our contributions with compassion and commitment,

We work together to build a joyful community that affirms peace, justice, and spiritual fulfillment.

We hold ourselves and each other responsible for adhering to this covenant.

Migrant Basket - No Drop Off Over the Summer

The migrant workers have moved north for the summer. Our last drop off to them will be May 31; so, please NO donations over the summer months. We will begin collecting donations again in October. Thanks so much for your generosity!

About The Mountain:

Founded in 1979 by Unitarian Universalists, The Mountain Retreat and Learning Center is a nonprofit, year round retreat center and summer camp open to all. The Mountain is located in Highlands, NC and is approximately a two hour drive from Atlanta, GA, Greenville, SC and Asheville, NC. Visit our website, mountaincenters.org, to learn more.

UPCOMING PROGRAMS:

Fun and Adventure Week: June 29-July 5. This is evolving into a great week for youngsters to bring their parents and/or grandparents to The Mountain for fun together. Many options include a Great Smokey Mountain train ride, guided rafting on local rivers, zip lines...and hiking, of course. Campfire and s'mores, constellation lessons, and evening trip to the local ice cream shoppe! Perhaps some new trails and a rock scramble? --all customized around the abilities of our participants. Some excursions have extra charges, but none are required as we build this collaborative week of family fun, fellowship and growth. Enjoy July 4th in the cool of the NC mountains! Register immediately at www.mountaincenters.org.

SUUFI 2015 @ The Mountain: October 4-9. For a "boomer week", we planned our 4th Fall Institute! SUUFI blends personal growth and fun, inspiration and relaxation, community and space! Come test your mind and gain experiential skills, yet leave with new options and commitment. Ahh, rejoice: color and coolness of fall in the NC mountains, at our unique UU place, elevated 4200' in early October!! UUs and those of diverse thinking gather for a week of "being", learning, and connecting. Board SpaceShip SUUFI with 2 talented navigators: A UU storyteller (currently performing in Poland) versed in UU Buckminister Fuller's constructs of the earth/universe and a senior UU minister to help us "soar within" ourselves, learning the "ins and outs" of our world. Remembrances, a photo retrospective by Rick Hallmark of Largo, FL, capture SUUFI 2014 so it's attached (click here). Flyer for 2015 (click here), Schedule (click here), and Program Details (click here). Get $25 Early Registration Discount by Registering now at www.mountaincenters.org.

Help us spread the word in your circles. Thanks!! See you at The Mountain!!!

Being Direct

We waste so much energy trying to cover up who we are, when beneath every attitude is the want to be loved, and beneath every sadness is the fear that there will not be enough time.

When we hesitate in being direct, we unknowingly slip something on, some added layer of protection that keeps us from feeling the world, and often that thin covering is the beginning of a loneliness which, if not put down, diminishes our changes for joy.

It's like wearing gloves every time we touch something, and then, forgetting we chose to put them one, we complain that nothing feels quite real. In this way, our challenge each day is not to get dressed to face the world, but to unglove ourselves so that the doorknob feels cold, and the car handle feels wet, and the kiss good-bye feels like the lips of another being, soft and unrepeatable.

Source: The Book of Awakening, Mark Nepo

June 28 Sunday Service Correction

At 11 a.m. we will welcome "Changing Our Culture by Honoring Those Who Stand for Peace" with Dr. Michael D. Knox.

Following the service at around 12:15-12:30, Dr. Knox will stay for discussion and answer any questions you may have.

He earned his Ph.D. in psychology from the University of Michigan in 1974 and is currently a Distinguished Professor Emeritus at the University of South Florida. In 2005, Dr. Knox founded the U.S. Peace Memorial Foundation (a tax-exempt 501(c)(3) public nonprofit). In 2007, he was awarded the Marsella Prize for the Psychology of Peace and Social Justice at the annual meeting of the American Psychological Association, recognizing him "for more than four decades of outstanding contributions to peace and humanitarian assistance." His biography is included in the 2015 edition of Who's Who in America. For more information: www.uspeacememorial.org/Knox.htm.

About the Foundation:

The US Peace Memorial Foundation directs a nationwide effort to honor Americans who stand for peace by publishing the U.S.Peace Registry, awarding an annual Peace Prize, and planning for the US Peace Memorial in Washington, DC. These educational projects help move the United States toward a culture of peace, as we honor the millions of thoughtful and courageous Americans and U.S. organizations that have taken a public stand against one or more U.S. wars or who have devoted their time, energy, and other resources to finding peaceful solutions to international conflicts. We celebrate these role models to inspire other Americans to speak out against war and for peace.

A Month of Sundays at the Unitarian Universalist Church of Tampa

Services start at 11:00 am

JULY 5 '"All Men (sic) are Created Equal"
The Reverend Doak M. Mansfield
A consideration of the idealism of the Declaration of Independence and the reality of justice for other than heterosexual persons (lesbian, gay, transgender, bi-sexual, and pan-sexual persons) in America and the world.

JULY 12 "Sing and Speak Through Music Ministry"
Guest Speaker Mindy Simmons
Mindy Simmons offers a spiritual perspective that is unique because it touches the soul of the matter regardless of one's religious observations. She takes secular music and brings it to a sacred space as well as sharing her own spiritual struggles, triumphs and love for the Divine Beloved through her original compositions.
Based in Sarasota, Florida, Mindy performs at churches and sacred functions as well as folk festivals throughout the state. At the South Florida Folk Festival, the Will McLean Festival, and the Gamble Rogers Festival Mindy has shared concert stages with Loudin Wainwright III, Cliff Eberhardt, Cosy Sheridan, Asleep At The Wheel, Vance Gilbert, and John Hammond Jr., to name just a few.

JULY 19 "I Am Religious, But Not Spiritual"
Guest Speaker Bill Blymiller
Bill will speak again of that odd mixture of sense and fantasy that is religion, but from an atheist's perspective. He will provide a rambling examination of the current state of the religious world, a quick look at the democratization of spirituality, and examine the changing role of atheists in the current conversation with conventionally religious folks. Or something like that. You may also find that you, too, are more religious than you are spiritual.
Bill Blymiller was born in Roswell, NM one month after the saucer crash. Googling and a little arithmetic will give you his age. He will talk to us about being "an atheist in church". Bill has spoken here before, but there are very few around who remember that incident so he is back again. He has served the church in many capacities and is currently completing his tenure on the Board of Trustees. Married to Harriet and father/grandfather to 5 or 6 more. Harmless, really.

JULY 25 "Thoughts on Heaven, Valhalla, Paradise, and the Possibilities of a Next World"
The Reverend Doak M. Mansfield
Our spiritual inheritance includes some interesting notions of the eternal: ideas on life after life, if you like. I'll wonder about them out loud and invite our pondering on the possibilities or improbabilities of such a thing.

Roll out those lazy, hazy, crazy days of summer
Those days of soda and pretzels and beer
Roll out those lazy, hazy, crazy days of summer
Dust off the sun and moon and sing a song of cheer
~ written by Tobias/Bradtke/Carste

Contact Info
UU Church of Tampa

email: info@uutampa.org

11400 Morris Bridge Road, Tampa, FL 33637

813-988-8188