volunteers needed for children and youth programs

The Church is need of members to volunteer for a limited time in the following areas:

1. Volunteer Grandparents and Volunteer Teens: The church has hired a Childcare attendant to care for infants and toddlers during the Sunday Service and during the programs offered as part of Wholly Wednesdays. We need to provide one other adult or mature teen volunteer to be present with the Childcare Attendant during those times.

2. RE Assistants: We already have volunteers in place who will lead discussions and/or activities with the children and youth each Sunday during the Fall, Winter & Spring. However, we also need an adult each Sunday to assist the group leaders, especially when we have discussion groups. This will enable the children and youth to subdivide into small discussion or activity groups according to age, so that each group will have an adult present. This requires no advance preparation on your part. All you need to do is be present on the Sunday you have selected with a willing ness to help.

Please sign-up on the Volunteer sign-up sheet on the RE Bulletin Board in Hobart Hall (near the kitchen). If you have any questions, please call Madeline Ebelini, RE Chair at 590-9294 or e-mail: Madeline@qualitylifecenter.org. Thank you!

Recycle for youth group

Youth group is collecting empty inkjet cartridges to have them recycled. When we turn them in we will receive a small amount of money for each cartridge and the money we get will help us fund our activities. Youth Group at UUCFM is self-supporting, so we could really use help by way of donations of your empty inkjet cartridges. Don’t throw them away; recycle them. Please bring them to church and place them in the Youth Group Mailbox in the church office. It is the ecologically right thing to do. Thanks very much from the Youth Group!

humanistS of southwest florida

Sunday, August 18, 2002 Speaker, Ken Marsalek, "Values of Humanism"

Ken Marsalek is the founder and past president of the Washington Area

Secular Humanists (WASH). He is also on the Board of Directors of the

Council for Secular Humanism. He is a personal friend of Edye Fisher and she has found his remarks an important addition to her knowledge and

understanding of Humanism.

In addition Mr. Marsalek will speak to the Humanists of Southwest Florida on Saturday, August 17, at 2 PM. The title is "Humanism in the Renaissance". This meeting is open to the public, but the place has not been chosen. Call Edye for further information, 432-9968, or Ruth Ravitz, 481-0174.

UU Humanist Forum

The Humanist Group has decided on an interim schedule for the summer. We shall continue to meet at 9:15 in Room 7, but only on the second and fourth Sunday of each month.

Programs planned are either a presentation by a member, or an informal discussion about topics of interest.

August 11: (2^nd Sunday) Drew Ellis will review the book The Moral Animal: Why We Are the Way We Are: The New Science of Evolutionary Psychology, by Robert Wright. This book was published in 1994 and received high praise in the New York Times Book Review. The topic is complex and very current.

August 25: (4th Sunday) This Sunday we will finalize our plans for the upcoming year. We will deal with topics, frequency of meetings, affiliation, format, etc. Please help us with this session devoted to nitty-gritty.

Wholly wednesday summer happenings

All members, friends, children and visitors are welcome.

Wholly Wednesday Summer Schedule:

6:00 – 6:45 pm Potluck Dinner

6:45 – 7:00 pm Joys & Concerns

7:00 – 8:30 pm Program, Questions & Answers

Aug 7 “UUCFM’s Funniest Family Videos”

Have a funny video of Gram falling in the lake? Or, that first birthday where you ended up wearing the birthday cake? Bring your funniest home video (in VHS format and cued up to the beginning of the funny scene) and share these moments with the rest of our fun-loving family.

Aug 14 “Old Tyme Game Night”

Want to know how Mom (or even Grandad) had fun after school in the “olden days?” Bring your hula hoops, jumping ropes, jacks, agates – even old board games – and share in the fun of yesteryear. (no video games, please)

Aug 21 “UUCFM Water World”

The campus of UUCFM will be transformed into a wondrous Water World! Bring your squirt guns, water slides, water balloons, bubbles – if it has anything to do with water, bring it! Wear your swimsuit and plan on getting drenched!

Young Adults needed

As the fall season approaches, we are gearing up for another exciting and stimulating year at our church. This year we are adding a new feature to our already wide array of programming. A new young adult group has been formed and we are looking for a few good women and men between the ages of 18-35 to fill in the gap at our church. If you have a friend or relative or even happen to be sitting next to a stranger who might be interested in a young adult group with a UU twist, please have them contact Lee Leblanc (229-3954) or Millisa Bell (277-5109, 561-2700) for more information or bring Lee and/or Millisa their information and they

will gladly contact them.

Building your own theology for kids

The RE Committee would like to thank those members who have agreed to be discussion group leaders for this program in the fall. Please submit your outline to Madeline Ebelini by August 1 for review by the RE committee at their August meeting.

It’s registration time

Tie a string around your finger! Put a magnet note on your refrigerator! Mark your calendar! Remember September 8! This is designated as registration Sunday—the time to register children and youth for our classes and programs for the 2002-03 year. We believe the Sunday morning experience will prove to be exciting and challenging for our young people.

During the fall various group leaders will be focusing on “Building Your Own Theology” (children’s level) and will remind the kids of the UU heritage and principles. This “heady” topic will be supplemented with innovative fun activities, aimed at sustaining the interest of the students.

During the spring the curriculum will turn to “Dream Time”—a consideration of myths and stories from various cultures and religions throughout the world. A special emphasis will be placed upon those stories emerging from the Judeo-Christian tradition.

IN ADDITION, September 8 will be the time to register for our many adult programs. Classes will be held on Sunday mornings, Wednesday evenings and Thursday mornings. A separate brochure, announcing the topics, will be forthcoming. So . . . DON’T FORGET. It is VERY IMPORTANT to register.

REMEMBER

SEPTEMBER 8!!!

Yoga returns

Beginning August 14, our own Lynne Davis will begin another round of Yoga classes. This will be a six-week session as part of Wholly Wednesday. The classes will run from 7:30 – 9:00 pm in the Narthex. There is no charge for these classes. Bring a mat or towel and wear loose, comfortable clothing. If you have any questions call Lynne Davis at 657-3442.

the call for immediate witness

Five out of six proposals for “immediate witness” were given final approval by the delegates at this year’s General Assembly in Quebec City. These proposals center on issues that are critical and timely. They represent the social sensitivity and responsibility of the liberal faith community to speak out against injustice and to seek for ways by which all humans, no matter what their religion, gender, language or ethnic heritage, may live together. The first of these “Actions for Immediate Witness” calls upon all of us to move “toward peace and justice in the Middle East.” The specific proposal endorses 1) an end to illegal settlements, 2) an end to house detentions in violation of international law, and 3) the establishment of two separate states, Israel and Palestine, as the only way to lasting peace. Each congregation is asked to consider this proposal, to hold forums, debating pros and cons and to express its decisions to the UUA in Boston.

remembering september 11

The tragedy of last year will be forever burned into our memories. We are still trying to sort out the meaning of this event for our lives. We plan to have an interfaith, intercultural memorial/meditation service on Wednesday, September 11 to honor those whose lives were lost and to renew our resolve to build bridges of peace and understanding among all peoples. The service will consist of music and readings. We hope that you will join with us on this solemn occasion.

STATEMENT OF CONSCIENCE

At the 41^st General Assembly of the UUA, held in Quebec City, the delegates passed a “statement of conscience” entitled “Alternatives to the War on Drugs.” These statements are presented to the delegates after long and considered study by the local congregations and are recognized as outgrowths from the “Seven Principles.” In this particular case the denomination is committed to advancing a “more just and compassionate” drug policy among our governments and to advocating that drug use should be classified as a health issue, not a criminal one. Included in the statement are the following points:

· “Establish a legal, regulated, and taxed market for marijuana. Treat marijuana as we treat alcohol.”

· “Remove criminal penalties for possession and use of currently illegal drugs, with drug abusers subject to arrest and imprisonment only if they commit an actual crime (e.g., assault, burglary, impaired driving, vandalism).”

· “Drug use, drug abuse, and drug addiction are distinct from one another. Using a drug does not necessarily mean abusing the drug, much less addiction to it. Drug abuse issues are essentially matters for medical attention. We do not believe that drug use should be considered criminal behavior.”

· “Make all drugs legally available with a prescription by a licensed physician, subject to professional oversight. End the practice of punishing an individual for obtaining, possessing, or using an otherwise illegal substance to treat a medical condition,” and allow “medically administered drug maintenance” as a treatment option for drug addiction.

If you desire further information about this issue, you may consult www.uua.org or http://uudpr.org.

a glance at The week ahead

Sunday, August 4

10:30 AM Worship Service Sanctuary

11:30 AM Social Hour Hobart Hall

12:00 PM Potluck Picnic Screen Room

7:00 PM AA Wellness Group Room 7

Monday, August 5

6:00 PM Sunday Service Planning Committee Conference Room

7:00 PM Meta Enlightenment Room 7

7:30 PM Ministerial Services Council Conference Room

Tuesday, August 6

10:00 AM Federation Workshop Hobart Hall

7:00 PM Buddhist Study Group Room 4

Wednesday, August 7

WHOLLY WEDNESDAY

6:00 PM Potluck Hobart Hall

6:45 PM Joys & Concerns Hobart Hall

7:00 PM Program Hobart Hall

Thursday, August 8

12:00 PM Weekly Bulletin Submission Deadline

Saturday, August 10

12:30 PM Church of God Sanctuary

Sunday, August 11

9:15 AM Humanist Group Room 7

10:30 AM Worship Service & RE Sanctuary

11:30 AM Social Hour Hobart Hall

11:45 AM RE Committee Sanctuary

12:00 PM Church Picnic Hobart Hall

7:00 PM AA Get Well Group Room 7

Our covenant

Committee on Shared Ministry

Today’s Flowers

don’t forget the picnic