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

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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 words

Submit via email to: domelight@uutampa.org

DL Editorial Board:

Pat Busbice

Mary Francis

Christine Smith

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We now have a "shop and share" elist -- a little less formal.

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uuctshareandswap-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com

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Visit our website at

www.uutampa.org

Join Our Newsletter Mailing List

Our congregation is affiliated with the

Unitarian Universalist Association

an organization of more than 1,000 congregations in the U.S. and Canada.

Our national headquarters is in Boston, Massachusetts.

Other UU Links:

Southern Region website

Florida District UUA

My Little Corner of the World

We find ourselves poised to usher in another year. I don't know about you, but I'm excited to get 2016 under way at UUCT. I think we have some fantastic days ahead.
We will kick the year off with "Justice January." Our theme for January is Journeys, and beginning to discern our social justice directions seems to be a wonderful journey for us to take together.

When you imagine doing the work of social action in our community, what does that work like in your mind?
Is it hands-on work? The work of helping those in need?
Is it education? Informing people about the aspects of an issue and interpreting the issue through the lens of Unitarian Universalism?
Is it community organizing? This is participating in the process by which decisions are made in places of power. The focus is on institutional power and how power is used.
Is it witness? Making public by word or deed the congregation's convictions?
If is advocacy? Working through the legislative process to impact public policy?

I invite you to think about these means by which we as a covenantal community may make the journey towards peace match our convictions, our beliefs and our principles. What path will we commit to walk together in 2016? I look forward to discovering this with you.

Please plan to attend a Social Justice Workshop designed to help our community define and focus on our passions in social justice work. Mark your calendars for January 23rd, from 9-3. (Please plan to bring your lunch.) We will also be asking some questions by way of surveys in your Order of Services leading up to the 23rd, so thanks in advance for sharing your voices.

And from our home to yours - a wonderful New Year!

Peace y'all,

Rev. Patricia

Desk of the President . . . and the beat goes on . . .

Greetings! I am Kim McDonald, recently elected President of the Board of Trustees following the recent resignation of Randy Gainforth.

The old year is quickly coming to a close, and the new year and its prospects are just around the corner. Today at the congregational meeting, the 2016 budget was approved. This budget is the largest that UUCT has ever had, and it is an indicator of our continuing growth.

Growth brings about change, and change brings anxiety. Questions and ideas about how to handle our church's growing attendance are starting to pop up, and that topic will continue to be an ongoing discussion in 2016. Some people will be uncomfortable if our services or physical arrangements change. Comments about changes are always welcome when they are made with loving concern, but please keep in mind that stagnation is unhealthy, and change is a normal part of life. Take comfort in the fact that many things will stay the same under our dome, including those special relationships we have made with our fellow seekers of truth.

So let's boldly march into 2016 and embrace any changes the new year brings. There will be some sorrows, but also much joy, and by loving and respecting each other, we will make great things happen at UUCT.

Have a wonderful holiday season, my friends.

Peace be to you and yours, now and in the upcoming year, Kim

Religious Exploration Opportunities for Adults!

The year 2016 is fast approaching! Let's learn some stuff!
Rev. Patricia will be offering adult learning opportunities beginning in January 2016. Her first class will be Right Relations, Covenant 101 - January 13, 20 and 27 and Feb 3. 6:30-8:30PM. We will use Practicing Right Relationship, Skills for Deepening Purpose, Finding Fulfillment, and Increasing Effectiveness in Your Congregation, by Mary K. Sellon and Daniel P. Smith for this class. Book is required, and available on Amazon. (Use UUCT's link to purchase!)
**Minimum participation - 6, Maximum - 12. Suggested donation for class - $10.00. This will cover materials and books for anyone who may need help, and it helps save money for future adult education opportunities. This class will be offered again in May, 2016.

Classes are also being planned for March - Spiritual Practices, March 2, 9, 16
April - UU History, 6, 13. Stay tuned for details on these!

REGISTRATION FOR ADULT RE

CLASS______________________________________________________ NAME____________________________________________________________
TELEPHONE_____________________________
EMAIL/BEST WAY TO CONTACT YOU_______________________________________________________
You will be reminded prior to the beginning of the class that you have registered. If you need financial assistance or help with purchasing the book, please contact revp@uutampa.org.

A National Epidemic...Gun Violence!

Gun violence is uniquely an American problem compared to other industrialized countries. According to a 2002 report from the Harvard Injury Control Research Center, before a child in the U.S reaches 15, when compared to a child in the rest of the industrialized world, she or he is: five times more likely to be murdered, twice as likely to commit suicide, and 12 times more likely to die a gun-related death. These statistics are from 13 years ago...how have statistics changed in today's American society?

Gun violence is generally discussed in terms of urban homicides and mass killings, but statistics tell another story. The gun violence problems focus needs to shift from Second Amendment rights to public health prevention. The question is not can we change the status-quo on gun violence, but will we?

Is it time our congregation became involved in learning about the statistics, and doing something about this national epidemic? Mark your calendars and come join members of our congregation's UUCT Social Justice Committee to view "Changing the Conversation: America's Gun Violence," a film that frames gun violence as a public health issue. It will be shown on Sunday, January 10th, at 12:30 p.m. following a light lunch for folks who plan to attend the event. During and following the film viewing, there will be questions and discussion.

SPONSORING A MEMBER

Many members try to be good stewards here at UUCT; unfortunately there are times when an individual within our church family, for one reason or another, needs financial assistance to maintain their membership. Over the years church members have come forward anonymously, to sponsor a membership. That sponsorship covers the cost of UUA, Florida district, cluster and H.O.P.E. dues. If you would like to become a sponsoring angel, please contact Joyce Formica at, keyspouse2@aol.com, for information.

If you could not renew your UUCT membership for 2016, and would like to be sponsored, please contact Rev. Patricia at RevP@uutampa.org. or call her at the church office 988-8188.
Joyce Formica, Pledge Secretary

I'd Like to Teach the World to Sing

Choir rehearsals are on Wednesdays from 7:30 to 8:45. 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 in the Small Dome

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

Circles in the Woods CUUPS

On January 23rd, for our annual baby blessing from Bridget's well so bring the wee ones! In addition to the baby blessing, everyone will drink from Her healing well.

All are welcome to celebrate with us! 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.

Six session classes will be on the 1st and 3rd Sunday afternoon beginning on January 3 through March 20. A love donation of $25 is suggested. Class attendees who are interested will write and perform the April 23rd Full Moon Celebration.

Class One - January 3, 1pm - 3pm - Herstory
Religion in Paleolithic Times
Cultural Influences around the Globe
Medieval Europe and Burning Times
Reemergence of the Craft
Activities:
Introductions, meditation, discussion, begin your Book of Shadows

Class Two - January 17, 1pm -3pm - The Goddess and the God
Define Sacred
The Divine Personified
The Great God/dess Archetypes
Activities:
Creating altars and share your image of God/dess

Class Three - February 7, 1pm -3pm - The Wheel of the Year
Class Four - February 21, 1pm -3pm - Magick and Ethics
Class Five - March 6, 1pm -3pm - Ritual Basics
Class Six - March 20, 1pm - 3pm - The Working Circle

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

The Tampa/Hillsborough County Human Rights Council was held for the 42nd annual Human Rights Awards Breakfast on Friday, December 11, 2015, at the Doubletree Hotel in the West Shore business district.

It was exciting to welcome Desmond Meade, statewide coordinator for Faith in Florida, who is organizing the effort to place the Restoration Rights Amendment on the 2016 statewide ballot.

Desmond Meade is the State Director (Florida) for the Live Free Campaign and is coordinating the efforts to bring the Felons Rights Restoration amendment to Florida Voters in 2016. Desmond has been a tireless advocate for this amendment and shared his story with the audience and WHY this issue matters to all Floridians. This is one of the most important Civil Rights issues for our state, and is about basic human fairness.

The HRC also recognized those outstanding individuals and organizations whose work is making a difference in our community. HOPE, Hillsborough Organization for Progress and Equality was given the Eddie Mitchell Memorial Award. In total, 17 awards were given to outstanding people and organizations in Tampa and Hillsborough County for their dedication to the contuning work for Human Rights for ALL people in the area.

This year markd the 67th Anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights by the United Nations ... UUCT again had a table of 9 attend this event. Attending were: Robert Boileu, Randy Gainforth, Russell Kirby, Gene Pizzo, Ron Phillips, Diana Stevens, David Stickell and Grant Wilson.

Diana Stevens

UUCT DAY TRIPPERS
Announcing a new UUCT adult group, UUCT Day Trippers. Have fun visiting nearby local events/sites with UUCT friends. Destinations will be within one hour of the church and a different event will be scheduled each month. Individuals may carpool from the church or meet at predetermined locations.

Our first excursion is Ybor City on Wednesday, January 13. Grant Wilson, our own local historian, will lead the group on a walking tour including Ybor City Museum. We will conclude the tour with lunch at La Tropicana Cafe. Carpool will leave the church promptly at 9:30am. If you choose, you may meet us at the museum 1818 E 9th Ave at 10:00am. Cost includes $4.00 museum admission, lunch at Tropicana, and nominal gratuity to driver if carpooling. Please RSVP with one of the co-organizers, Ron Phillips at 813-997-0920 or Mary Wolgemuth at 720-252-3443 or mary.wolgemuth@gmail.com. Include your telephone number and whether you plan to participate in carpooling (indicating passenger or driver if needed).

Leadership Group

The Conversations on Leadership group meets at 7:00 the first Thursday of each month in the MPB. The group will be discussing the book Serving With Grace by Erik Walker Wikstrom beginning October 1. Copies of the book are available from Rev. P. Come join the group for thoughtful discussion on leadership topics. Contact Kim McDonald (813-380-2628) with any questions.

Membership

A warm welcome to our eleven new members: Christina Arnold, Jay Butler, Morgan Burgess, Ryan Callahan, Rachael Ebner, Tracy Holley, Lisa Maddocks-Baisley, Patricia Owen, Ron Phillips, Ken Suarez and Jackie Valenzuela. There will be short paragraphs of introduction in the next Domelight.

A HUGE thank you to all our membership volunteers who serve on our membership committee, greet, usher, coordinate, create visitor gift bags, provide name tags and do other things that make our worship so wonderful. I'm not going to list them because they are too numerous and I don't want to leave anyone off the list.

A greeting to Chris Arnold and Kim Robe who are joining the Membership Committee. Others are welcome to join as well. We meet on the 1st Tuesday each month at 7 pm. Email me at membership@uutampa.org so that I can send you an agenda for our January 5th meeting.

Marta Pearson

Concerts
Mark your calendars for January 17th, on Sunday afternoon.

We are still working on the details with Florida Folk but I promise you won't be disappointed! Watch the website www.uutampa.org/concerts/ for details.

And on March 13th, at 3pm join us for Searson!
Searson is Colleen and Erin Searson, two sisters from the Ottawa Valley, Ontario, Canada. On tour, they are joined by top notch Canadian musicians Fraser Gauthier on bass and Danno O'Shea on drums. Together, this talented quartet performs sets that feature their original style of "Canadian Celtic Pop" which includes traditional and original pieces, interspersed with high energy fiddling, passionate vocals and step dancing.

Searson has toured throughout Canada, the United States, Ireland, Germany, Denmark, Spain, Portugal, Switzerland and the Caribbean. In June, 2015, the sisters released their eighth original studio album, Stars Above the Farm. Tickets are $15 in advance or $20 at the door.

Website: http://www.searsonband.com
Video: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCtUwfa3W8-lwP6fKRbuwqkg
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/searsonmusic

REflections

in Religious Exploration

As the year draws to a close, and to a peak of holiday excitement, it's easy to get caught up in the hustle and bustle. I hope each and every one of you gets a chance to enjoy the wonder and awe of the season; even better if you can view it through a child's eyes. We can learn so much from our children at the holidays. I hope that it is full of joy, peace and wonder. And I look forward to a wonderful and awesome 2016!

Beacon Youth Group - meets Sundays at 12:30-2:30 in the Youth Room. Youth ages 12-20 are welcome!

Children and Youth Religious Exploration

IT'S NOT TOO LATE TO REGISTER FOR SWIM (unless the year is 21016 already) Call Candy at 813-317-7660 or go to swimuu.org for more information .

As the theme suggests, we'll be traveling in mind, heart, and spirit...discovering many paths to explore ourselves and the world to see how movement in this world is, itself, home. It's an adventure that we'll share through music, art, movement, poetry, meditation, and play.

The retreat begins Friday at 5:00pm and ends Sunday at Noon.

DaySpring Conference Center is conveniently located off I-75 just north of Sarasota on Florida's West Coast. The beautiful campus nestled under ancient oaks and located on a cove of the Manatee River offers a serene setting for our annual retreat. Take a look. http://Dayspring.dioswfl.org.

$220 per person covers expenses for a semi-private room and six meals. 8 women share a cozy cottage with 4 bedrooms and 4 baths, a screened porch and common area. A non-refundable deposit of $20 will reserve your place. Final payment is due January 15, 2016.

Come join us for a memorable weekend.

To register contact Helen Leddy helen.leddy@gmail.com

The Mountain

Things are slowing down here on The Mountain and we have just said goodbye to our final group of 2015! This year has been incredible and we couldn't have done it without each of YOU! I have a few items for your newsletters - please share and pass on to anyone that may want to know about our upcoming programs and employment opportunities. Happy holidays and happy New Year!

Now Hiring:
Development Director - We are looking for a creative and resourceful person with strong communication skills to lead the planning, organizing, and facilitation of fund development for The Mountain. Experience in grant writing is preferred. To apply, send your resume to Miriam Witzl (miriam.witzl@TheMountainRLC.org).

2016 Summer Camp Staff - Are you interested in changing the life of a young person by being a positive Unitarian Universalist role model? Do you want to motivate and inspire a camper to be the best that they can be? If you are, then you may be a good fit for a Summer Staff position for MountainCamp 2016. This is a paid position, go to our website to apply. Application must be received by February 15, 2016.

Farm Internship - We are accepting applications for our Fall Sustainable Agriculture and Experiential Education internship. Lean about farming techniques, group facilitation, and more! For details and to learn how to apply, visit TheMountainRLC.org/garden-internship/

2016 Programs:
Work Weekend: March 25 - 27
Spring Youth CONferences - Elementary: March 11 - 13; Intermediate: March 18 - 20; Senior High: April 1 - 3
SEUUMA Spring: April 4 - 7
UUWomenspirit: May 11 - 15
Appalachian Spring: May 22 - 27
Homecoming Weekend: May 27 - 29
Annual Meeting: May 28th
MountainCamp: June 12 - July 23 *see our website for camp session dates*
Family Camp: July 24 - 31
Southern UU Fall Institute (SUUFI): October 2 - 7
UUWomenspirit: October 19 - 23
Thanksgiving: November 23 - 27

A Month of Sundays at the Unitarian Universalist Church of Tampa

Services start at 11:00 am

January 3, 2016 "Turning of the Year " Rev. Patricia A. Owen
On our first Sunday of 2016 we gather to remember those we lost and those we welcomed in the year gone by.

January 10, 2016 "This Journey is Not Ours Alone"    Rev. Patricia A. Owen
The recent negotiations on climate change in Paris remind us that the ways we choose to live have tremendous impacts on our peers and on future generations. What does this mean for us as Unitarian Universalists, as stewards of of this uniquely liberating faith tradition?

January 17, 2016 The Labyrinth Chalice Group will share their inspiration for the new labyrinth on our grounds.

January 24, 2016 "A Journey Towards Justice "   Rev. Patricia A. Owen
What are the tenets of a community whose call to justice is realized in the world? After committing to narrow our focus, what are our next steps?

January 31, 2016 "Life's Piano " Rev. Patricia A. Owen
Martin Luther King, Jr. asked, "Where do we go from here? Chaos or community?" As we dedicate our babies today we ask ourselves what the world we are shaping for them may look like?

Following this service after coffee time: Conversations With The Board

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

"Not all those who wander are lost." ~J.R.R. Tolkien

Contact Info
UU Church of Tampa

email: info@uutampa.org

11400 Morris Bridge Road, Tampa, FL 33637

813-988-8188