July 2016

Rev. Patricia A. Owen, Settled Minister 

Erin Powers, DRE 

One Place, All Faiths - Creating a Caring, Justice-seeking Community
In This Issue
My Little Corner of the World
Desk of the President
Thanks from the Board
R.E.flections
Circles in the Woods
BOT Election Results
School Supplies needed
Peace Pole
Day Trippers
Announcements on FB
Ushur Training
Monday mUUsic
Thank you friends
St Pete Pride
B&G Thanks
Feed A Bull
Finding your way
HOPE
Mindful Journeys
The Mountain 2016
A Month of Sundays
Vespers
Click for
The Church Calendar
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Come and join  

buildings & grounds work

July 9 

  9-11 am  

  

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
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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.

 

Board of Trustees   

    

Or contact us at:
bot@uutampa.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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My Little Corner of the World
I find myself in an odd space. I have an acute awareness that something dreadful happened not far from here, and my heart is heavy. Forty-five of us gathered on June 15th to mourn. I also share what all of my colleagues share: a never-ending hope that we may find a better way in this world.

I am also aware that I am ready for a little rest! This has been a busy first year, and I am ready to spend time with Chris. I am also excited. We here at the UUCT are engaging questions that are pointing us in the direction of a vibrant future.

Here are some some tidbits I want to share as we prepare to begin our second year together:

September through December of 2016 will be the "Season of Caring." As we continue to grow, we must hone our skills of caring for one another, so we will work on the following areas of our lives together:

~Care Committee - if you are interested in learning, exploring more about what a high functioning Care Committee looks like for our community, please mark your calendars for July 19th @ 7PM. We will gather in the multi-purpose building to talk about next steps.

~I am so pleased to announce that we will be hosting Lay Pastoral Care training in October (7th-8th)! Want to find out more? A good start is attending the July 19th meeting - I'll provide information. We have room for 30 registrants, so plan early!

~Beginning Wednesday, September 7th at 11:30AM, we will begin a monthly gathering called Daytimers. For those who are retired, or less than thrilled with driving at night and want a time to fellowship with one another, put this on your calendar!

This is NOT all! There will be movie nights, reading groups with the minister, chalice circle facilitator training and more.

Stay tuned and stay cool!

Peace y'all,
Rev. P.
Kim McDonald BOT President
Desk of the President . . . and the beat goes on . . .
Summertime, and the living is easy...... and HOT here in Florida.  I am not complaining; anything beats the cold temperatures and gray skies of Northern Michigan from whence I came.  However, the church air conditioners have been having some problems keeping up.  A check up by an air conditioning company did not indicate any problems except for some debris collected around the base of the A/C for the small dome.  The advice given: keep the doors shut.  So for the summer months, at least, let's try to keep all doors closed as much as possible.  We will all be more comfortable for the effort, and it will help the environment (and our budget) if we use less air conditioning.

If you are traveling this summer, my friends, please be safe.  These are difficult times, so it is not just travel accidents I am talking about.  The Orlando massacre happened just a few days ago, proving that evil lurks everywhere. Even as we mourn this senseless loss of life, we know that our normal lives must go on. The anger level in our nation continues to rise as it is fueled by negativity, fear mongering, and change, so unfortunately this will not be the last incident. Please stay vigilant, but continue on with life and have a relaxing, fun summer!

Peace,
Kim
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From the Board of Trustees 
As we are all well aware, our church is a community of people who follow the principles of Unitarian Universalism.  Often, some of our members will go above and beyond the ordinary expectations and be more than deserving of our specific and focused appreciation. 

This month, the Board would like to recognize Joan Lund for her efforts coordinating the installation ceremony of Reverend Patricia Owen.  There were many ends to tie off, and Joan managed them all to great effect, we believe! 

We would also like to thank Barb Hammerle for her talent and coordination of the amazing luncheon following the installation!  The food presentation, and taste was superb.  The Board would like to thank these two women at our next Conversations with the Board on June 26th.  All are welcome to attend and help us thank these people for their efforts that benefit everyone!
REflections
in Religious Exploration   
   

SUMMER SPIRITUAL PRACTICES 
This summer's theme is Spiritual Practices.   Each week we will explore a different spiritual practice.  My hope is to give children a taste of different ways of exploring spirituality that they can take home to their families to explore further. If you have a spiritual practice you would like to share with our children, please let me know!   
 

Beacon Youth Group will pause for the Summer and resume in August. 



  Children and Youth Religious Exploration 
  
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Circles in the Woods CUUPS 
July 16th @ 6pm - Join us early, before the Full Moon Celebration for and learn many benefits of aromatherapy in a workshop lead by Azurlee.  The @7:30pm Sherry and friends will lead the Full Moon Celebration with a ritual 'The Tree of Life." 
All are welcome to celebrate with us!  (No pets please.)  There will be a Moneta basket for love donations - ever mind the "Rule of Three, what thou givest comes back to thee." Plan to come early or stay afterward to socialize and share a bit of pot luck.

For more information about Circles in the Woods CUUPS, e-mail cuups@uutampa.org.
Board of Trustee Election Result
Congratulations to the Board members who were elected at our May
Jeff Stover
Trude Diamond
meeting. 

Effective  September 1, Trude Diamond and Jeff Stover will begin their three-year terms.  

Welcome to the Board, Trude and Jeff! 
Thank you for serving our community!
 School Supplies for Temple Terrace Elementary

Once again we are collecting supplies for Temple Terrace Elementary school.  The students need #2 pencils, pencil crayons, broad tip washable felt markers, pink erasers, glue sticks, rulers, wide ruled spiral bound notebooks, primary composition notebooks, lined notebooks, and packages of plain paper. Classrooms need boxes of tissues and bottles of hand sanitizers.

If you wish to purchase supplies, please bring them to church and place them in the box located in the foyer during the month of July.  If you prefer to donate money, please write your check to UUCT and note "school supplies" on the memo line.

Note:  Office Depot will credit 5% of your purchase to the school for the purchase of additional school supplies.  To benefit from this program, use the Temple Terrace Elementary code:  70024258.

Tempie Taudte
Peace Pole
Our peace pole was registered with the Peace Pole Project and ten trees were planted in Africa in honor of our participation.  Our peace pole was a gift from the First Monday Chalice Group that   included Carol Baker, Teresa Dowdy, Nicole Drelles, Candy Gale, Joan Lund, Dottie Mann, Mary Wolgemuth, Denise Seeber, Mary Lou Jones and Peggy  Owens-Mansfield.  Also the Gainesville Church liked our peace pole so much that they have asked for information. 
 UUCT DAY TRIPPERS
Join UUCT adult friends on our next excursion to the famous Chihuly Glass Collection in St. Petersburg on Wednesday, July 27.  Car pool will leave the church promptly at 8:45am and return mid-afternoon. Costs are $14.95 for admission that includes docent-led tour, lunch at nearby Bellabrava restaurant, and $4 cash gratuity to carpool driver.  

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 indicate passenger only or willingness to drive, if needed. Suggestions for future trips are welcome.
ANNOUNCING....
Can't come to church?  Can't remember something you read in the announcements?  The Order of Service and the enclosed announcements are not appearing on our Facebook page and in the Month of Sundays on the website.

The church's Facebook page is public and therefore open to anyone to view. You do need a Facebook account to post, to comment, and to "like," but viewing is open to all.  You can view the church's Facebook page at www.facebook.com/uutampa
 
Let us know if you find this posting of announcements and the Order of Service valuable so we can decide whether it is a worthwhile use of volunteer time.  Thanks.
 
Christine Smith  communications@uutampa.org 
Membership Committee Announcement
Have you been a member or friend of UUCT for a long time? Are you a more recent attendee or brand new? Either way, the Membership Committee has an invitation for you - to join us as a Sunday morning service Greeter or Usher.

We will hold a luncheon/training session on Sunday August 7th at 12:30 PM (post coffee hour).  Greeting and ushering are excellent ways to meet people and to provide a service to your church community.

As we grow and have multiple visitors each Sunday, the need for Greeters and Ushers becomes ever more important. It's easy. Send a confirming email with your name to membership@uutampa.org.

Please join us as we celebrate the absolutely wonderful Greeters and Ushers who have served us so well and welcome the new.
Most sincerely and welcoming yours, Marta Pearson, Membership Chair
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
Thank you!
Dear UUCT members and friends,
I am deeply grateful for the lovely ways you honored me on May 22nd for my more than 10 years of service with HOPE (Hillsborough Organization for Progress and Equality) on behalf of our church.
The flowers were beautiful! The cake was delicious! And the stone in the Labyrinth was amazing! To all who were involved in making this recognition happen, thank you! I am truly touched.
I was proud to represent UUCT at HOPE. I appreciate everyone who invested in HOPE while I was steering the HOPE Investment Drive. I also want to thank everyone who worked on committees, went to corporate visits, and attended the Nehemiah Action and other large meetings. You made my work easy!
And lastly, I am grateful to Robert Boileau for taking over representing UUCT with HOPE. I hope that more UUCT members will explore ways to be involved with HOPE. Working together with other faith groups, we can make a powerful difference in our community!
Carol Partington
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 St. Pete Pride Festival and Parade
This year the Beacon Youth  group, with state wide support, will have a float in the St. Pete Pride night parade, Saturday June 25th. The West Central Florida Cluster of UU Congregations is walking with them in support.  Sunday, June 26, the Cluster Pride Festival booth, 11am to 6:30pm in the Grand Central District,  will need volunteers.  Scheduling for volunteers, exact locations and times is underway; further information will be forthcoming.
 June Buildings and Grounds Day Thanks
       Eight very brave, dedicated members of our congregation showed up this past B&G day on Saturday, June 11, 2016, to work on the tough project of maintaining our campus.  Helping out with our task list were:
a.    Faye Turke (who cleaned our signs),
b.    Tary Peace (who cut vines out of trees and cleared underbrush),
c.    Joyce Formica (who weeded the Memorial Garden),  
d.    Bill Blymiller (who neatened up the lawn around the gazebo with a quick cut),
e.    Chuck Smith (who repaired our deteriorating sign),
f.    David Reddy (who pulled vines and edged),
g.    Robert Boileau (who weeded and removed brush the in the parking lot), and
h.    Joe Adles (who edged and leaf blew our sidewalks).

     Of course, our adopted grounds person, Rodolfo, was there to help out by racking up debris on our play areas and leaf blowing our parking lots.  Many thanks to all from giving up a couple of hours of your Saturday morning to invest some sweat equity in keeping a property looking good.  
     A special "Thank You" to Mary Francis, her sidekick, Ruth Weaver, and Bill Blymiller, who continue to put in numerous hours each week of volunteer time to keep our Small Dome well maintained and dry in side.  Their efforts make our continued use of that building possible.  (Submitted by Ed Benedict, B&G Chair)
Feed A Bull
I recently read two articles that trouble me. They concerned some USF students who did not having enough money to feed themselves after paying registration fees and purchasing books. Also, some students reported to be homeless. We can't help provide the homeless with shelter, but we can help students by supporting the USF campus pantry.

During the month of July, please join me and the Social Justice team to help feed needy USF students by donating non-perishable food for the campus pantry. A "Feed A Bull" food collection box will be available at church. 

Joyce Formica
Finding your way at church!

Visitors to UUCT will now be able to find their way on our church grounds.  Many thanks to Rev. Patricia, Ed Benedict, Bill Blymiller, Marla Frazer, Ara Rogers and Chuck Smith for helping with the project.

Christine Smith,  Communications Committee Chair
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HOPE Updates
Hillsborough Organization for Progress and Equality (HOPE)
By Robert Boileau, UUCT HOPE Team Leader
 
Thanks to all of you who continue to support our church's efforts to achieve justice through, and with, HOPE!  Since our last update, your UUCT Justice Ministry Network members:  
 
-Participated in the May 23rd HOPE 2016 Justice Ministry Celebration where we received updates on our two current Action Issues, Civil Citations and Affordable Housing Trust Fund and prepared for our 2016 HOPE Individual Investment Drive, as well as receiving updates on HOPE's 2016 Corporate Investment Drive.  As part of the Individual Investment Kick-off, most of us attending 5/23 made or pledged our own 2016 Investment in HOPE, including $1,000.00 turned in by UUCT, with another $600.00 pledged.  
 
-As of June 16th, Candy Gale, Kathy and David Reddy and I have each attended more HOPE Corporate Investment Drive visits with Hillsborough County businesses, with several more such visits scheduled in the coming weeks.  We have had mostly positive results so far, but a few disappointments too.

HOPE Dates to Remember:
July 12 - 16, 2016 - DART Justice Ministry Conference (HOPE is one of ten DART member organizations in Florida) at USF St. Petersburg Campus.  IF interested, Please contact the HOPE Office for details.
 
In progress now:  HOPE's Annual Individual and Corporate Investment Drives (Please note for the former we need help, and for the latter, we still need "support people" to accompany our HOPE Spokesperson and Staff person to these meetings; Please contact me or the HOPE office, if you are interested).
 
For more information concerning HOPE, please contact me, or one of the following: HOPE@HillsboroughHOPE.org;
Sharon Streater, Sharon@HillsboroughHOPE.org; or Jesid Acosta, Jesid@HillsboroughHOPE.org

Two Mindful Journeys in 2017, for UUs & their friends

Peru: Always wanted to experience Machu Picchu? Join us March 25-April 5, 2017. Our journey will be filled with comfortable places to stay, Shamanic conversations, lovely food, water blessings at an old Inca spring, beautiful natural vistas and reflections while sitting on a mountain top.

Portugal/ Spain, May 14-24, 2017, from Lisbon to Santiago de Compostela. Along the way, we enjoy soulful Fado music, a tile-making workshop, wine, port and culinary tastings, and a bit of a walk on the Camino. Imagine cruising down the Douro River tasting Port while reflecting on the scenic vineyard-covered hillsides.

Journeys led by UU minister, Wayne Walder, Toronto, Canada, www.nuuc.ca   To receive a detailed itinerary for either journey, please email Beverlz@me.com  to learn more about Mindful Journeys go to http://nuuc.ca/spiritual-growth/spiritual-practice/mindful-journeys/ 
    
Intergenerational Family Camp and 80's Mountain Camp Reunion: July 24 - 31  A program for families with workshops, crafts, hiking, campfires, music and singing, storytelling, time for relaxation and reflection. Calling all MountainCamp alumni from the 80s! Attend Family Camp this year and catch up with other 80s MountainCamp alumni!

SUUFI = Southern UU Fall Institute: October 2 - 7 You are invited on a creative quest to better understand how, at this stage of life, we play. Come for a colorful autumn week in October as we explore play in many forms: games, arts, conversations, stories, and life styles, expanding your comfort zone in the safe haven on the Mountain.

Thanksgiving: November 23 - 27  Let us worry about the cooking and cleaning while you enjoy friends, family, and fellowship!

A Month of Sundays at the Unitarian Universalist Church of Tampa
Services start at 11:00 am
  
July 3, 2016   "All In? or All In!!"     
This is a very simple question. Are you all in for this faith?

July 10, 2016  "Ask the Minister"   
Your minister will entertain your questions - the thoughtful ones!

July 17, 2016  "RESULTS"  Ken Schatz
RESULTS is a movement of passionate, committed everyday people. Together they use their voices to influence political decisions that will bring an end to poverty. Speaker, Ken Schatz, recognizes the UU commitment to community service. He will talk about global poverty and how individuals can make a significant difference in ending poverty, preventable disease, and lack of access to  education and financial credit. He will describe how you can get involved at whatever level you wish. Most of us don't know how we can make an important difference and save a life. According to Ken, "Some say that when peace comes poverty will end. I believe that is backwards:  when poverty ends peace will come."  
 
July 24, 2016  "State of the Congregation"  
How are we doing? Who are we? What will the next year at the UUCT bring? A tradition begins - the state of the congregation.

July 31, 2016  "Adding Worship"  
Do we need an additional service here at UUCT? How is that related to growth? The newly renamed Worship Addition Team (Formerly Worship Expansion Team) will lead us through these questions and more.

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. 
Vespers 
Wednesday at 6pm in the sanctuary there is a 30 minute, contemplative service.  Stop in for a mid-week break.
 
 
"When the power of love overcomes the love of power the world will know peace."
Jimi Hendrix
 
 

Contact Info
UU Church of Tampa 

email: info@uutampa.org 

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