Peggy Long 

 Finding a Place to Connect -The UUC gives me hope - it is a good place to be when you look at the news and all the things going on seem overwhelming.

Share your story so we can connect to what is important to you! We have set up a page on our website: Share, where you can write your story. 

The service and luncheon on Sunday March 3rd was such an inspiring community event.
Abhi's service was inspiring as he expanded the meaning of stewardship beyond what we normally view as stewardship. The covenant between the stewards and the congregation set the stage for what can be some rewarding opportunities to get to know other members by sharing our stories about what is important to us.

Many thanks to Mary Thornton and Jacquie Gibbs for co-chairing the luncheon event and to Laura Gervasi and her team from Catering by Laura for the terrific meal. And thanks to all of the 212 members of our community who attended - showing us what it truly is to have a community ignited!

And appreciation is not complete without recognizing all of the UUC staff members that were there that contributed not only to that event - but to all of our activities throughout the year. We have a terrific group of people who serve as staff at the UUC and are the bedrock for everything we do. If you haven't met the people pictured here, I hope you will introduce yourself and say "Thank you" to them when you see them:

9:30 in the Patio Room

Falling Into the Sky, the 2013 UUA Meditation Manual, is full of open spaces and possibility. Edited by Abhi Janamanchi and his son Abhimanyu, it compiles forty remarkable writings from Unitarian Universalist ministers, leaders, and lay people. These meditations are full of vivid vistas of imagination and reflection.

UUA Book store

On Friday, March 8th, we continue discussing the book Undaunted Courage: Meriwether Lewis, Thomas Jefferson, and the Opening of the American West  by Stephen Ambrose.

"Undaunted Courage" is the definitive book on the most momentous expedition in American history and one of the great adventure stories of all time.  We'll finish the book on March 22.

Reader's Forum is led by Catherine & John Conover and meets every Friday at 10 a.m. It is free, with only a suggested $5 donation per month for coffee. All are welcome. For more information, go to Readers Forum.

Saturday, March 16(8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.)  

The UULMF  encourages Unitarian Universalists from all over Florida to join them for the 2013 UULMF Legislative Day in Tallahassee March 18-19.  Twenty UUs from seven different congregations attended UULMF Legislative Day in 2012.

We would love to double that this year!

The more who visit our State Capitol, the more we know how to empower the voice of Unitarian Universalist values in the public arena.

Print the registration form.

The Coalition of Immokolee Workers have begun 

marching. To see an inspiring video of the first 

day go to

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=p

layer_embedded&v=1GrJ6UHyEIg

 And for more information on the march:

 http://www.ciw-online.org/ 

UUC will be providing lunch for the 300 marchers on the next to last day of their march (Saturday, March 15thin Plant City). Things are coming along nicely with a lot of help from our friends: Tarpon Springs UU has contributed $150, Don Pancho Villa is providing burritos at half price, and some of you have been generous with your cookies, money, and most importantly, time. Thanks!

However, we still need help with: Cookies (We still need a couple dozen more) We are getting 

closer to covering the costs but still need a little 

more. We will be collecting names of cookie bakers (or buyers) and money in our lunch pail on Sunday at the Social Justice table. For more information contact Donna.

Many of you took a survey on the principles of 

immigration that were formulated by the

Congressional Hispanic Caucus. The results of 

the 590 surveys collected can be seen at

http://www.facebook.com/photo.phpf

bid=547523045279672&set=

a.210605745638072.57630.209403222424991

&type=1&theater.

Several of us living in District 13, Rep. Bill Young's district, are working to persuade Rep. Young to take a stand on this important civil rights issue. If you would like to work on this issue with people from a variety of groups, there are meetings at 8 PM on Monday evenings at 449 Central Avenue, Rm 104, in St. Petersburg.

For more information contact Donna.

Visit the Clearwater Green Market on Saturday mornings from 9 to 2. The market provides residents of Clearwater with better access to healthy, high-quality, affordable, and culturally-diverse food.  The market takes place in the 1200 Block of Cleveland Street at Missouri Avenue and is sponsored by our friends at the Hispanic Outreach Center.

Donna Polhamus

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