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Sunday,
April 28, 2013 at
10:30 am
Belonging
Rev. Abhi Janamanchi
Worship Associate
What is it that attracts people to a UU church? Why do people join? What keeps them here? What is the meaning of membership? The service will investigate. We will welcome new members during the service.
Editor's 2 ¢:
In thinking about religion and society in the 21st century, we should broaden the conversation about faith from doctrinal debates to the larger question of how it might inspire us to strengthen the bonds of belonging that redeem us from our solitude, helping us to construct together a gracious and generous social order.
--Jonathan Sacks
Music:
Linda Jones
Van Fenstermaker
Debbie Langrock
Don Ekberg
Ed Kraemer
PRELUDE:
What Do the Stars Do?..........S. Porterfield (UUC Women's Chorale) INTERLUDE:
Madrigal from "Picnic Suite".........C. Bolling * OFFERTORY:
Baroque and Blue from "Suite for Flute and Jazz Piano".....C. Bolling POSTLUDE:
Irlandaise from "Suite for Flute and Jazz Piano".............C. Bolling
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| Coming Soon | |
UUC Women's Spirit
May 15-19
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Interim Minister Search Progressing |
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Susan Hegner
Board Pres. |
The search process for our Interim Minister is moving forward nicely. T he board appointed committee has convened and is working diligently reviewing many excellent applications. They soon will be conducting preliminary phone interviews as their next step toward making a recommendation. |
Open Issues: Sunday, April 28
"What makes us happy?" A 20 minute TED talk by Dan Gilbert, author of "Stumbling on Happiness" challenges the idea that we'll be miserable if we don't get what we want. Our "psychological immune system" lets us feel truly happy even when things don't go as planned.
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Children's Religious Enrichment
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 Please join our Religious Enrichment Program this Sunday as we develop friendships, learn more about Unitarian Universalism and have fun!
Our Pre-K and Kindergarten class will revisit the importance of creating a covenant and living harmoniously with the Earth.
Our 1st-2nd class will consider how to create a peaceful world. What can one person do to bring more peace to their lives and the people around them?
Our 3rd-5th grade class will explore the many spiritual paths all around us. What is your spiritual path? Who are your guides?
Our Middle School group will have time for open discussion and reflection.
High School youth group are continuing to sell Mother's Day Hershey's Chocolate Bouquets to benefit the UUC youth group and Khasi Hills School in India. See the Religious Enrichment Table in the Social Hall for more details.
Our Nursery will keep our littlest UUs (ages 0-3) happy and busy with free play, music, and art.
I hope to see you on Sunday with a smile!
Are you looking for a way to give back to your spiritual home? The Religious Enrichment program has many volunteer opportunities available.
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 The Justice Council has selected the Religious Community Services (RCS) Food Bank as the April 28th recipient of our Share the Plate. The RCS Food Bank is a modern food distribution center providing life saving food and staples at no cost to the client. It provides nutritious groceries to tens of thousands of individuals and families living throughout Pinellas County. The RCS Food Bank distributes food to people at their Clearwater warehouse and delivers food to local food pantries, homeless shelters, domestic violence safe houses, soup kitchens and housing programs for the disabled and elderly to ensure access to food in the neighborhoods that need it most. Please consider a generous contribution. For more info go to www.rcspinellas.org/food. |
Completing Our Annual Pledging |
 Annual pledging is a promise to contribute to the operating expenses of our beloved UUC community. It is not a contract but an intention to provide support. And, if you are to participate as a voting member of the congregation, you are required to submit a pledge annually. We have had 191 pledges submitted with an average increase of 7%. Thank you from all of this community for your commitment to support the operation of our community spaces, activities and events. Right now we have 36 members who have not yet pledged - and we are in the midst of planning our annual budget allocations for the initiatives that are important to us - like religious education, social justice, music, services, community outreach, care for our own members, and of course things like the roof over our sanctuary, the lights and cooling, and social environment. If you are among the 36 who have not yet pledged, please look into your heart and choose how much you will commit to supporting our beloved community. Linked here is a pledge card which you can download and mail to the UUC. Please don't let doubt and uncertainty stop you. If circumstances change for you, all you have to do is to call the treasurer and modify your pledge to accommodate those changes. Imagine what we can all do together as community! Thank you. You can print the pledge card, fill it out, and bring or send it to UUC. Pegotty Cooper and Bob Buesing 2013-14 Stewardship Committee Co-Chairs |
Rev. Dick Norsworthy Emeritus Acceptance Speech |
 Forty-five years ago, 1966, I was called to be minister of the Unitarian Universalist Church of Clearwater, Florida. It is important for you to know, I think, that I arrived here in Clearwater, only recently having been in Selma, Alabama; witnessing to my religious faith along with hundreds of other clergy, under the leadership of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Let me tell you just a little about that.Prior to my arrival here, while watching TV news on a lazy, comfortable Sunday afternoon, in my comfortable church in Weymouth, Mass, suddenly I was looking at a brutal attack upon black marchers on the Edmond Pettus bridge in Selma, Alabama, an event which came to be known as Bloody Sunday in the annals of the Civil Rights Movement. Shocked, I turned to my late wife, Glenna, who was also watching, and said: "I have to go to Selma." She replied: "I know." |
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On Friday, April 26th,we continue discussing the book "A Land Remembered" by Patrick D. Smith. The sweeping story is a rich, rugged Florida history featuring a memorable cast of crusty, indomitable Crackers battling wild animals, rustlers, Confederate deserters, mosquitoes, starvation, hurricanes, and freezes to carve a kingdom out of a swamp. They survive and prosper, but at a high cost. No wonder this novel is such a hit!
A Land Remembered was winner of the Florida Historical Society Tebeau Prize as the Most Outstanding Florida Historical Novel.
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. |
Art Class for UUC Members | |
Saturday April 27 from 1:30 to 3:30 in the Patio Room of the Social Hall
All art materials are provided. This is a fun and easy art class. And you will leave with a finished painting. There will be instruction and guidance and then we will go with the flow of the watercolors.
$5 donation for UUC. Usually this class with supplies is $30. Size is limited to 12.
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South of the Border Garden Party |
 Saturday April 27, 2-8PM at Terry Stapleton's Home, 580 S. Florida Ave., Tarpon Springs Come meet, eat, and have fun. Please RSVP to Terry. Car Pool if Possible. Rain Delay: Sunday April 28. See the flyer |
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 April 28 is another red letter day for our congregation! New members will join UUC, and once again, we'll exchange our pledges of covenant. Plan to show our traditional radical hospitality as we welcome our newest UUs into the fold. Join the fun afterwards in the Social Hall as we continue the celebration with our traditional enthusiastic consumption of cake.
Joining UUC, April 28, 2013
Thomas Frederiksen
Robert Lang
Joining UUC, April 24, 2013
All are welcome - Let's celebrate!
For anyone interested in becoming a new member on April 28, contact Ann Kanuck of our Welcoming Team. |
Plan Ahead for These Coming Events
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Regenerative Film Series: "Bag It: Is Your Life Too Plastic?" |
May 1 at 7:00pm in the Patio Room of the Social Hall. For more information, email Jay. |
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 7 pm-9:30 pm Saturday, May 4th
FUN(D) RAISER DANCE PARTY in the social hall. $10 No partner necessary.
Corrine Rungo will demonstrate and teach steps to ballroom and Latin dances Wine, beer and soft drinks available for a donation. Fun for experienced and beginner dancers. Join us and have some fun. Contact Susan Hegner for more information. |
Habitat For Humanity Project
Saturday, May 4 |
 Habitat for Humanity (H4H) is a non-profit ministry that believes that every man, woman and child should have a decent, safe and affordable place to live. Partner families invest hundreds of hours of their own labor into building their Habitat house and purchase these houses through no-profit, no-interest mortgage loans or innovative financing methods. It works through volunteer labor and donations. In Pinellas County, H4H creates homeownership opportunities for people and families with the help of the community. The UUC Social Justice council is still looking for about a half dozen more volunteers on Saturday morning May 4th for our participation in building a house in our backyard, Safety Harbor. The location is 1301 Spruce St. No special skills are necessary. H4H's Site Managers will be on the scene and will provide all the training and tools. There will be a sign up sheet at the Social Justice table Sunday. Enjoy fellowship while giving the precious gift of a roof over a family's head. For more information, contact Mark Kanuck . Directions to the Safety Harbor Project House. |
Drumming Circle Fundraiser |
 On Wednesday, May 8, at 8 pm at Ann Scott's house, have fun while you join master drummer Barry Skeete for a drumming lesson while you enjoy some wine. The cost of $10 goes to UUC. Please RSVP by May 1 |
Building Your Own Theology |
 Led by Rev. Abhi Janamanchi (Your final chance to take a class with Rev. Abhi at UUC)
Thursdays, May 9, 16, 23, 30
7 - 9 PM
Based on the assumption that everyone is their own theologian, this classic UU adult enrichment program invites participants to develop their own personal belief statements (credos). Each session will focus on various theological questions to help participants grow in their ability to understand and articulate their own belief systems.
15-20 participants
$10 for members; $15 for non-members
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On May 15th at 2 PM the Environmental Justice Team of UUC will host Mr. Bob Lasher, representative of PSTA's Community Relations Ride the Bus Program.
Mr. Lasher will present a hands-on instruction and provide a full set of bus schedules along with a system map and other informational brochures. We will learn how to use these materials to get around on PSTA. This service is provided free of charge. This is a great opportunity for many of us to learn how to decrease our dependence on gas, lower our carbon footprint and help change our views of mass transit.
For questions, please email Barbara Shimer . |
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 The Members Art Show is art of UUC members and regularly attending friends of UUC. Art may be of any type as long as we can hang it on our hanging system or rest on a pedestal or the floor. Artists do not need to be professionals. UUC receives 30% of art that is sold but you may display it "Not for Sale." Art for the Members Art Show is to be delivered May 15 and hung May 16 and will remain all summer until Labor Day weekend. A reception will be Friday night, May 17, 7:00 - 9:00 pm. Contact Charlene Carnes, Chair of the Art Committee, to obtain guidelines about number of pieces you may enter, dates and hours of delivery, etc. |
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 Online registration opened last week! Check it out here.
Workshops and Nature trips have participant limits so sign up for the best and most affordable vacation week in your life! Mark your calendars for 7/21-7/27 (the 4th full week of July). The Southeast Unitarian Universalist Summer Institute is the 2nd largest gathering of UUs in the world! SUUSI theme for 2013: Let It Be A Dance!!! UU Heaven awaits you! Questions? email Paul Langrock |
"Immigration is the civil rights issue of our time."
Several people, including Bob Menendez (D-N.J.), have stated this, and as legislation goes to Congress, we want to keep informed on this vital issue. On Tuesday, April 30th at 7 PM, the UUC Social Justice Council will sponsor a panel discussion on compassionate comprehensive immigration reform. Rev. Jamanachi will moderate a panel including Nuyet Duong, Senior Advisor from the White House Initiative on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders, Rev. Russell Meyer, Executive Director, Florida Council of Churches, and Edwin Enciso, organizer with CIR NOW. For more information on this event, visit the Social Justice table this Sunday.
Jennifer Troth of the UUA sent this link to a video about immigration. A four and ½ minute must watch:
http://www.notonemoredeportation.com/?key=0
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The Coalition of Imokolee Workers has received recognition from the White House. CIW's early anti-slavery efforts were called the "spark that ignited a movement" at a White House ceremony. To see more about the report that initiated the comments go to: http://www.ciw-online.org/ .
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Now is the time to call your state representative or senator on issues that concern you. May 3rd is the last day for regular sessions and much will be done in a flurry from now until the end of the session. Keep your eye on issues that concern you as a UU. The web site for the House is http://www.myfloridahouse.gov
and for the Senate:
http://www.flsenate.gov/
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If you would like to receive action alerts from the UU Legislative Ministry of Florida, just email Kindra Muntz. To join, just email her your name, phone number, email address, congregation, and she will add you to their growing list. Remember to put "UULMF Action alerts" on the subject line, so Kindra doesn't miss the email. As Kindra says, "The more people who take action, the likelier we can stop some of these bad bills."
--Donna Polhamus |
PUBLICATION DEADLINES OCTAGRAM - WEEKLY EVERY THURSDAY The Octagram is intended to focus on activities taking place at UUC or those of interest to UUC members and friends. Send items in brief with a link to more information to Octagram. PLEASE DO NOT SEND INFORMATION FORMATTED, OR IN A FLIER. Provide text in an email, or as an attached Word file with any pictures/graphics attached to the email. Deadline is 10 a.m. every Wednesday. Prepared by Barbara Bird. ORDER OF SERVICE/ANNOUNCEMENTS - WEEKLY EVERY SUNDAY SERVICE: Deadline is 6 p.m. every Wednesday. Send appropriate items to Order of Service/Announcements. Prepared by Pat St. Clair. ITEMS RECEIVED AFTER THE DEADLINES WILL BE INCLUDED IN THE FOLLOWING PUBLICATION, IF APPLICABLE. |
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Unitarian Universalists of Clearwater | 2470 Nursery Road, Clearwater, FL 33764
727-531-7704 | Fax 727-531-4188
Copyright © 2013 Unitarian Universalists of Clearwater. All Rights Reserved..
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