September 2015

Rev. Patricia A. Owen, Settled Minister 

Erin Powers, DRE 

 A heartfelt thanks for the wonderful 'Happy Trails' party on August 9th and the thoughtful and most generous gift. Our time here has been wonderful. I so much appreciate and will remember always the great support and kind goodwill extended during my tenure as UUCT Interim Minister.
I will observe the professional practice for former interim ministers that precludes for a two year period contact with the congregation just served. Know though that a dear hope of mine is for your future health, happiness, and significance as a strong and vital UU community.
Our abiding love and warmest regards ~ Doak & Peggy.
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kids_welcome.jpg Rev. Patricia is leaving Annapolis after the Sunday service on August 16, and expects to arrive in Tampa sometime Friday the 21st. She and Chris will be busy moving and setting up house, but her email will be active beginning Tuesday, August 18th. You can reach her at RevP@uutampa.org. She begins officially on September 1 and is excited to be with us!

Our Care Committee stands ready to respond to pastoral care needs that may arise before September 1, including reaching out to Rev. Patricia in the event of emergency. Contact our Care team anytime by emailing care@uutampa.org or by calling either Tempie Taudte, (813) 598-6740 or Jae Polcyn, (813) 368-2661.
In This Issue
My Little Corner of the World
Desk of the President
R.E.flections
UUCT Covenant
60th Anniversary Celebration
Volunteer Opportunities
Choir Rehearsal
Monday mUUsic
Concerts in the UU Dome
Circles in the Woods
Labyrinth
UU Principles
Friendship Dinners
Parking
Drive Electric Day on the Bay
Grounds
Richard Dawkins
Mountain Programs
Human Birth
A Month of Sundays
   

Come and join  

buildings & grounds work September 12    

9-11 a.m.  

  

Click for
The Church Calendar

Click here to see
at UUCT
 
Care Committee
circle_of_people
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: 

17th 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  
(effective September 1st) 

    

Or contact us at:
bot@uutampa.org
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 My Little Corner of the World
"Sound when stretched is music. Movement when stretched is dance. Mind when stretched is meditation. Life when stretched is celebration." ~ Ravi Shankar

And so our time together begins! September will be a month filled with celebration. Our first Sunday together is Water Communion: our Unitarian Universalist celebration that honors our shared faith that comes from many sources. There is beauty in our mingled differences. Later in the month the congregation will celebrate 60 years of caring, of seeking a more just world, and of welcoming and affirming people of good will without creeds and dogma.

During this month of celebration we will also begin the journey of getting to know one another better and imagining where our future may take us. My calendar is full already with committee meetings, one-on-one meetings and lots more.  You will likely find that I'll ask a lot of questions. I want to know your stories, your proud UUCT moments, (yes, even the not so proud moments) and where you envision this community in years to come! If you have yet to make an appointment to meet with me, I'll make sure there are opportunities.

And while we are getting to know one another we will also continue the work of UUCT. Fall is busy in our communities - Religious Exploration gets into full swing, Stewardship is gearing up for its kick-off, and together we will continue the work of building a world that is equitable and anchored in love. A busy season lies ahead!

As I write this, my first Domelight article, I am still in Annapolis, Maryland. My final service as summer minister is Sunday, August 16. I am anxious to get to our new home and begin to settle. I can't thank Chris enough for journeying ahead to unpack and organize! Not surprisingly, my leaving here is bittersweet. I have to, once again, enter into the professional agreement of no communication with the folks here in Annapolis for whom I have great affection.

I know that Rev. Doak will enter into this time with you as he leaves to be the Interim Minister in Pasco, WA. The affection you have grown to feel for Rev. Doak and Peggy is evident, and it may be difficult to enter into that time that allows no communication. As Rev. Doak noted in his July '15 Domelight, the time of absence is anchored in our UUMA professional practices. I thank you all in advance for honoring this practice.

I'll see you soon!

In Joy,
Rev. Patricia
Desk of the President
You are reading this either a few days before Rev. Owen's arrival or in September sometime. In either case you are experiencing the excitement/anxiety of a change in our community. I suspect all of us are feeling it in one form or another.  It's gonna be all right, I promise.

You also have a new Board who will have a new President.  

So, this is my farewell column. <<insert the standard list of thank you's and such here>>

I don't know when I turned from the UUCT newcomer into the old fogey, but things happen.  And as an old fogey (what the #%^* is a fogey anyway?) I have the privilege of giving advice. So here is some:

Treasure what you have here in this community. It is rare. Guard it. Nurture it. The fruit is very, very sweet.

Peace,
Bill

UUCT
One Place.  All Faiths.  No Problem.
REflections
in Religious Exploration    
 
Erin Powers, DRE
dre@uutampa.orge
In church work, the fruits of our labor are often far off into the future.  Since becoming your Director of Religious Exploration, I have strived to grow our youth program.  It has steadily kept its numbers, but this fall it will bloom! I'd like to offer a special thanks to John LeRoy for offering a fantastic youth movie project this summer.   We plan to show the movie after Water Communion.  Please plan to stay for it!  Our youth group starts back August 23rd.   Meetings will be each Sunday from 12:30-2:30 in the youth room.   Interested?  Come to a meeting!  Youth advisors are always needed.  Working with our youth is rewarding, but does require many open minds and helping hands!  Our youth class will be exploring world religions using the Building Bridges curriculum.  The highlight of this class are the field trips to visit places of worship in our community.  This is a great time to be a youth at UUCT! 

I'm happy to say that we have almost ALL our teachers for this year's classes!  We do still need one more teacher in our Spirit Play (PreK - 1st) class and 1 more in our Spirit of Adventure (2nd-5th) class.   Please contact me for more information or to sign up. 

All classes will start on September 13th, the Sunday after Water Communion.  Water Communion is a multigenerational service and a wonderful service for the whole family.  I hope to see you there!

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 
  
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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.
UUCT is 60!
Make sure you mark your calendar!
UUCT will be celebrating  our 60th Anniversary on Sunday September 27th with a special worship service, with special guests, special music and a special catered lunch to follow for all you special people who help to  make this a special place to belong.
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Social Justice: Volunteer Opportunities at Temple Terrace Elementary School

Congratulations to UUCT members and friends!  We collected more than 10 boxes of school supplies for Temple Terrace Elementary.  There's still time to volunteer at the school. You can be a tutor, mentor or office helper.  See Jae Polcyn or Tempie Taudte for volunteer applications.

Remember our Standing on the Side of Love banner?  It was sevestanding_on_the_side_of_loverely damaged during a storm a year or two ago.  We have ordered a replacement banner, which will arrive in plenty of time for the Martin Luther King Parade in January! 

Our next Social Justice Committee meeting will be on September 10 at 7:00 PM in the Multipurpose Building.  Everyone is welcome.

Jae Polcyn & Tempie Taudte, Co-chairs
Social Justice Committee
I'd Like to Teach the World to Sing
Choir rehearsals will start back on Wednesday August 26 from 7:30 to 8:45 with the first performance on Sunday September 6th.
 If you love to sing, desire more music in your life, and want to make truly beautiful music with friends old and new,  come join the UUCT Choir and share your dulcet tones with all of us!
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
Concerts in the UU Dome

PRESENTS:
"Joyful Noise With A Side of Jerky" and "The St Pete Shanties"  (Double Bill)
 
WHEN:   Sunday Sept 13th,  3:00 pm
 
WHERE:   Unitarian Universalist Church of Tampa, 11400 Morris Bridge Rd, Tampa   33637
 
INFO:   www.uutampa.org/concerts/         813-988-8188
 
COST:   FREE  (Donations Gratefully Appreciated)
 
JOYFUL NOISE WITH A SIDE OF JERKY is  a recently formed  group from St Pete.  Their debut performance was a few months ago at Skipper's Smokehouse during a benefit concert for Crescendo (The Tampa Bay Women's Chorus).  Suffice it to say that they were very well received.  They  brought the house down!    
 
Joyful Noise with a Side of Jerky  members, all of whom have great voices,  are Carla Eastridge /ukulele, René Carroll/djembe,  Denise Reinas/guitar, and Gina Poole/multi-instrumentalist, including  mini steel drum.   Their musical selections  include covers from the  60s-90s from the genres of  Folk/Pop/Rock/Whimsy/Island/Reggae.    Eclectic, (mostly) familiar songs with an island flair, PLUS  sweet harmonies PLUS exquisite instrumentation EQUALS  a  unique, entertaining, crowd-pleasing performance.

https://www.reverbnation.com/joyfulnoisewithasideofjerky 
 https://www.facebook.com/JoyfulNoiseWithASideOfJerky?fref=ts
 
NOTE:    Joyful Noise with a Side of Jerky will be live for a few minutes  on WMNF 88.5 FM radio the Saturday before the concert.  They will be special guests at some point (exact time unknown) on Jeannie Holton's Acoustic Peace Club on Sept 12.  The program airs from  10 a.m. - noon.   It's always an outstanding program.   Jeannie is a great DJ.  Please tune in. 
 
THE ST PETE SHANTIES are Capt. Rick Correa, Laurie Clement, Dennis Devine, Kate Kroupa, Fred Seidl and Bruce Witten (plus an occasional special guest).  To say that these singers are a lively and enthusiastic bunch is putting it mildly!  They sing  Maritime Music; ie, Shanties,  Fo'c'le songs, Tavern Ballads and Broadside Ballads. Their special mission is to bring to light the shanties sung in the mid 1800s by sailors reaching Florida ports, by the stevedores who loaded and unloaded ships, and by the fishermen who fished the Atlantic or the Gulf of Mexico from Florida ports.   A wee background:   In the mid 1800s, Florida was a major participant in the international trade of cotton on a route called the Cotton Triangle. Sailing ships from New York and Liverpool delivered Florida cotton to the U.S. North and to Europe. Sailors' songs, shanties and songs sung in crews' quarters were mixed with songs of dockworkers and riverboat deckhands  which, in turn, had their origins in spirituals and African-American work songs.
 
The St Pete Shanties have appeared at Eckerd College, The 100th Anniversary Celebration of the St. Petersburg Parks, Pinellas Folk Festival, Sarasota Folk Club, and elsewhere. .
 
https://www.facebook.com/St.PeteShanties 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CVP0iHJJppw 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f_9WpLpLQ48
 
WHAT THE AUDIENCE CAN EXPECT:    An enjoyable afternoon of  enthusiastic, eclectic, entertaining,  enticing  music.  Audience interaction is anticipated.   A fine time will be had by all!

Contact Info for Gloria Holloway,  Concert Committee Chair:   gshello@tampbay.rr.com  or  813-837-6572.
ciw_cuups
Circles in the Woods CUUPS
Welcome Serenity Circle on August 29th for a very special Full Moon Celebration.  We will celebrate an ancient Hindu festival,  Ganesh Chaturthi, the Hindu festival celebrated in honor of the god Ganesh, the elephant-headed, remover of obstacles and the god of beginnings and wisdom.  Come and join us to honor Ganesh and receive his blessings.

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/
Labyrinth Donations Opportunity by Marla Frazer
 WHAT'S HAPPENING? Our Chalice Circle is creating a contemplative labyrinth made of re-used concrete pavers, granite, and marble south of the Sanctuary.  Its final form will follow the classic pattern at left as a place of peace and meditation for all. The labyrinth will be a feature of our campus that our beloved community can truly be proud of and use for personal growth. Please come watch its progress toward completion.
 
HOW CAN I GET INVOLVED? Around the perimeter of the labyrinth, we will have 50 or more granite plaques on the ground, approximately 10 x 15 inches, engraved with inspirational words or phrases and the names of living people (as the memorial garden commemorates the departed). You have the opportunity to select a plaque and have it engraved with the wording of your choice.

HOW DOES THAT WORK? In exchange for your selected plaque and designated inscription, we request a donation of $100 as a check made out to the UUCT, with "Labyrinth" on the Notation line. Of course, any contribution of time or treasure is welcome. It is our pleasure to offer acknowledgment in other forms if you desire, and anonymous donations of any size will receive a grateful hug and full confidentiality.
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
Friendship Dinner
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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
Parking considerations 
Good news! We are growing and our parking area is getting crowded even though we have over a 100 marked spaces. Please be considerate and use a parking block (not two).  Don't park in pathways set aside for people to walk or block an area that leads to other parking spaces.  Also, if you are able-bodied, consider parking a little further from the sanctuary and  enjoy your opportunity to stroll our beautiful grounds. 
'St. Pete Drive Electric Day on the Bay' Set for Sept. 12
 A diverse array of new plug-in vehicles from national auto manufacturers like Chevrolet, BMW, General Motors and Tesla will join a rally of custom-made, prototype and conversion cars on September 12 for St. Pete Drive Electric Day on the Bay. The event combines an electric vehicle car show and rally  with  test drives and rides and a Green Tech Expo from 10 am to 4 pm at Spa Beach Park in downtown St. Petersburg adjacent to the Pier.

On display will be EVs including Chevy Volt, Nissan Leaf, Tesla, Cadillac and BMW i3 among others. Local dealers will provide test drives and rides on a 2-mile "Electric Tour de St. Pete" along the downtown waterfront. The event is part of National Drive Electric Week and is co-sponsored by Sierra Club Florida Healthy Air Campaign and the City of St. Petersburg. The campaign's goal is to heighten awareness of today's widespread availability of plug-in vehicles and highlight the benefits of all-electric and plug-in hybrid-electric cars, trucks, motorcycles, and more.

 All Tampa Bay-area electric vehicle owners are invited to display their vehicles as part of an EV Rally.  Food trucks will be on hand as well as exhibits and displays promoting EVs, clean energy, and sustainable products and services. Admission is free.  Spa Beach Park is located at 615 2nd Avenue NE in downtown St. Petersburg. Parking and charge stations are  available in the city's Pelican parking lot for $3; the city's Downtown Looper will also provide convenient drop-off and pickup.  For more information or to register your vehicle for the EV Rally, contact Phil Compton, Sierra Club Florida Healthy Air Campaign at 727-824-8813, ext. 303  or phil.compton@florida.sierraclub.org.  Also contact Tom Krumreich, Planning Team at tomontheriver@yahoo.com or 813-770-5845. 

Tom encourages members of UUCT to attend; especially those who have battery operated electric vehicles (BEVs) and plug in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) to bring their EVs to our EV Rally at the EVent to display and talk to potential EV owners about their experience driving an electric vehicle.
Garden Angel
Rodolfo has officially been in the USA for 12 months and is proud to have submitted his paperwork to begin the process to get his permanent residency leading to citizenship.  

He is very grateful for all the love and assistance our family has given to him.  Because of our love offerings, he has been able to rent a one bedroom apartment and no longer sleeps on couches or cots.  He is always willing to assist anyone with any large or small task.  If you need help with translating, ask him to call Marla and she can help at almost any time.  

His latest news is that his son, Alexis, along with his wife and daughter have just arrived from Cuba.  They made their way in a small open boat, leaving at 4 am to avoid detection.  In the middle of the night, they were hit with a storm and were very happy to arrive on American soil. They arrived with only the clothes on their backs, as everything they brought with them was confiscated because of US laws prohibiting the import of anything made in Cuba.  Next week they will have their official refugee papers and be living with Rodolfo while they look for work and begin their new lives here.
Submitted by Marla
Richard Dawkins is Coming to Clearwater UU! 
Richard Dawkins, Emeritus Fellow of Evolutionary Biology at Oxford University in England, author of numerous books, including The Selfish Gene and The God Delusion, and worldwide freethought leader, is coming to Clearwater.  In his only appearance this fall in the Southeast U.S., Dr. Dawkins will discuss his just-published autobiography, Brief Candle in the Dark, My Life in Science.

This event is sponsored by the Tampa Bay Coalition of Reason and the Unitarian Universalists of Clearwater Humanist Group and will be held at:

The Unitarian Universalists of Clearwater, 2470 Nursery Road, on Saturday, October 10, 2015 at 7:00 p.m.

For tickets go to: http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/2094102
For more information go to:   www.evolvetampa.com
Mountain Programs
Youth CONs: A Youth CON is a gathering of youth from congregations all over the southeast (and sometimes beyond!) for a weekend program filled with a variety of workshops, activities, good food, a safe environment and warm, cozy cabins. Youth participate in all activities, share with new friends in small get-to-know-you groups, bond during free time and contribute to times of fun and reflection.  

Elementary (3rd - 5th graders): November 13 - 15
Intermediate (6th - 8th graders): November 20 - 22
Senior High (9th - 12th graders): December 4 -6
What is SuuFi...?    = So. UU Fall Institute @ The Mountain    October 4-9, 2015

An award-winning storyteller and a UU minister together inspire us to a destination of "A Renewed Sense of Self & Potential," a state of fresh thinking, new approaches, new understanding, aligned purpose and meaningful action. Balancing cerebral with sensual, SuuFi offers plenty of hands-on and heart-engaging activities.
 
In the fall coolness of western NC mountains, in Highlands, at 4200 feet elevation and with a 40 mile vista, join this "boomer week" to explore new concepts, hike new trails, meet old and new friends, find serenity and avoid traffic, and relax at our UU Retreat and Learning Center, The Mountain.

Register at http://mountaincenters.org/pages/calendar.php by August 25 to get $25 discount.  
Program Details, Flyer, Schedule & "Remembrances", 2014 photo essay on website.
4, 5 and 6 day packages priced at $370, $465, & $560, respectively.
 
 

 
Looking for a great place to host a retreat? Why not hold your next retreat, conference, yoga class, wellness event, leadership training, or board meeting at The Mountain? To learn more about what we offer, visit www.mountaincenters.org or contact Nancy at nancy.plate@mountaincenters.org. We hope to see you soon!    
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Precious Human Birth
There is a Buddist precept that asks us to be mindful of how rare it is to find ourselves in human form on Earth.  It is really a beautiful view of life that offers us the chance to feel enormous appreciation for the fact that we are here as individual spirits filled with consciousness, drinking water and chopping wood.

It asks us to look about at the ant and antelope, at the worm and butterfly, at the dog and the castrated bull, at the hawk and the wild lonely tiger, at the hundred-year-old oak and the thousand-year-old patch of ocean.  It asks us to understand that no other life form has the consciousness of being that we are privilege to.  It asks us to recognize that of all endless species of plants and animals and minerals that make up the earth, a very small portion of life has the wakefulness of spirit that we call "being human."

All of this to say, this precious human birth is unrepeatable.  So what will you do today, knowing that you are one of the rarest forms of life to ever walk Earth?  How will you carry yourself?  What will you do with your hands?  What will you ask and of whom?

Source:  "The Book of Awakening," Mark Nepo

A Month of Sundays at the Unitarian Universalist Church of Tampa
Services start at 11:00 am
   
September 6, 2015 - "From Many Wells" - Rev. Patricia A. Owen
The water we share is symbolic of our shared faith that comes from many sources. Join us as we celebrate the diversity of our beliefs and the beginning of a new year!

September 13, 2015 - "A Good and Sweet Well" - Rev. Patricia A. Owen
Sundown marks the beginning of Rosh Hashanah. What lessons does this ancient celebration teach us about celebration, repentance and starting anew?    Shanah Tovah Umetukah!

September 20, 2015 - "Social Justice Then and Now" - Social Justice Committee
Social Justice Then and Now:  We will celebrate the past and plan for the future.

September 27, 2015 - "60th Anniversary Celebration" - Rev. Patricia A. Owen
Come celebrate our 60th Anniversary!  We have a special service planned with a big celebration after. it's been a great 60 years with many more to come.
 
 
There are far, far better things ahead than any we leave behind. ~ C.S. Lewis
 
 

Contact Info
UU Church of Tampa 

email: info@uutampa.org 

11400 Morris Bridge Road, Tampa, FL 33637
813-988-8188