From the Heart of the Minister
Rev. Jay Wolin A Culture of Inclusion Dear Congregants, First and foremost, I encourage every congregant to attend the free workshop led by Paula Cole Jones entitled “A Culture of Inclusion.” Here is a link for more information about the workshop including a short video by Paula herself. I have taken multiple trainings with Paula Cole Jones over the years. I have found she has the ability to make new and challenging ideas accessible in an open and non judgmental environment. When I first met with the Board in August, they shared their three Goals for the Congregation for this year. These goals were created after discernment during the Board Retreat. One of the goals was to “Create an educational program around diversity, equity, and inclusions around UUA’s curriculum and process; with measurable goals and timelines.” Read More |
From the President
What Do We Call Ourselves? The WDWCO team of Ava Whaley, Margie Henry, and I, with the invaluable assistance of Roberta Druif and Catherine Bonner, thank all of you who have responded to the survey. If you have not done so yet, YOU HAVE UNTIL 5PM, FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 3RD to express your choices. Our goals this year, among others, include “Widening our Community” and “Widening the Welcome.” Click on this link to vote on which name best represents our message of welcome. If you have already voted, please do not vote again, as we must eliminate duplicate votes manually. Thank you, Bill Payton President - Board of Trustees |
Highlighted Events
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Celie Says:
Bring Your “A-is-for-Auction” Game! Celebrate! 2023 is THIS SATURDAY at Noon Let Loose and Indulge. Eat, drink and be merry. Bid high and bid early. Have fun all year! Mardi Gras attire is welcomed and appreciated. |
Embracing our Differences: I have some sad news to report. Our Banner at the “Embracing Our Differences” (EOD) Exhibit has been vandalized. EOD has ensured us that that they will re-create it at their cost by next week. The police are investigating the incident and believe they know the potential offender.
EOD believes the banner has been vandalized due to the fact that it was based on a banned book. EOD executive director Sarah Wertheimer wrote, “This will not deter us…we know that our work is needed more now than ever before.” I would echo this same message. This act shows that our message of love and inclusion is reaching more people. We cannot let this act deter us from sharing our message. With Grateful Heart, Rev. Jay Wolin |
All Faiths Food Bank Backpack Program: Our monthly volunteer opportunity packing food for schoolchildren to take home on the weekend will be held on Tuesday, February 14th at 1pm at All Faiths Food Bank. People interested in participating should sign up at the Social Justice table on Sunday or by contacting Louise McGrath at lcmcgr@yahoo.com.
If you vote in FL by mail thanks to Gov. DeSantis and the FL Senate Bill 90 we must all now request new mail-in ballots for every election cycle, which means if you want to vote by mail this year and beyond you must make a new request for mail-in ballots.
Here is what to do: Send a simple one-line email to dmineo@sarasotavotes.gov
You simply say you are already a registered Florida voter receiving mail-in ballots, and you would like to continue to receive mail-in ballots for all upcoming elections.
Here is what to do: Send a simple one-line email to dmineo@sarasotavotes.gov
You simply say you are already a registered Florida voter receiving mail-in ballots, and you would like to continue to receive mail-in ballots for all upcoming elections.
UU Service Committee
Membership Drive
We usually have a membership drive during January, but this year we hope to do that in early April and also behind the scenes. If you are used to renewing your membership in January and wish to continue that tradition, you can do so now by going HERE. $40 will enroll you as a member and $150 or more will be matched. Make sure you include UU Sarasota as your congregation so that we can keep up with our membership statistics that we track. If you do not find a way to designate that, please contact your UUSC/UUCS liaison, Linda Bodycomb, at lbodycomb@gmail.com or by calling 410-610-9118.
Membership Drive
We usually have a membership drive during January, but this year we hope to do that in early April and also behind the scenes. If you are used to renewing your membership in January and wish to continue that tradition, you can do so now by going HERE. $40 will enroll you as a member and $150 or more will be matched. Make sure you include UU Sarasota as your congregation so that we can keep up with our membership statistics that we track. If you do not find a way to designate that, please contact your UUSC/UUCS liaison, Linda Bodycomb, at lbodycomb@gmail.com or by calling 410-610-9118.
UU Bikers' February ride will be along Casey Key, leaving Wednesday February 8th at 10am from Blackburn Point Park (Blackburn Point Rd across from Casey Key Fish House) down to a brief stop at North Jetty Beach and back, with lunch at Casey Key Fish House. Please contact Chris Sloane (sloaneclans@aol.com) if you intend to join in.
GET TOGETHER DINNERS
You can sign up for a get together dinner in February and March if you didn’t fill out the January form. Come to the sign-up table on Sundays or go to the website. Hosts needed so please volunteer.
You can sign up for a get together dinner in February and March if you didn’t fill out the January form. Come to the sign-up table on Sundays or go to the website. Hosts needed so please volunteer.
Did you know that our Arts Council plans and executes ten shows a year in the Lexow Gallery, thanks to your support? It provides educational and exhibit opportunities to members of UUCS and to other artists, reaching out to diverse and often under-represented artists in our community. Artists of color and artists from the LBGTQ+ community will be a special focus in the coming year. The Arts Council strives to support artists and to inspire and educate ourselves, our members and the community. We can do more!
VIRTUAL HAPPY HOUR: Friday, 5:00 – 6:00
Happy Hour is a time when members get together on Zoom to have fun chatting. Join us. No sign up necessary. You will receive the Zoom invitation with the link and meeting ID the day before.
Happy Hour is a time when members get together on Zoom to have fun chatting. Join us. No sign up necessary. You will receive the Zoom invitation with the link and meeting ID the day before.
CARING AND PASTORAL CARE
The next Caring Team's monthly meeting will be held on Tuesday February 7th at 10:00AM in the Lexow Wing.
Caring and Pastoral Care Team members are available to help in a variety of ways. Look for Caring Team on their name tag. Please be in touch if you or someone you know in the UUCS community has a need, such as going in for surgery, or just to talk. Contact Bob Arevalo at robertarevalo55@gmail.com or 815-332-3343
The next Caring Team's monthly meeting will be held on Tuesday February 7th at 10:00AM in the Lexow Wing.
Caring and Pastoral Care Team members are available to help in a variety of ways. Look for Caring Team on their name tag. Please be in touch if you or someone you know in the UUCS community has a need, such as going in for surgery, or just to talk. Contact Bob Arevalo at robertarevalo55@gmail.com or 815-332-3343
TRIBUTE FUND
Consider making a Tribute Fund donation in honor of a member, friend, family member, or pet to acknowledge a good deed or a birthday or a sorrow. The donations will support our Endowment Fund. It will be announced in the Contact. Send your check, marked Tribute, to UUCS 3975 Fruitville Road, Sarasota 34232.
Consider making a Tribute Fund donation in honor of a member, friend, family member, or pet to acknowledge a good deed or a birthday or a sorrow. The donations will support our Endowment Fund. It will be announced in the Contact. Send your check, marked Tribute, to UUCS 3975 Fruitville Road, Sarasota 34232.
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Upcoming Events (click here to see full church calendar)
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TECHNOLOGY LUNCH AND LEARN: FEB 5th
Our next session of help with all your technology questions will be on Sunday, February 5 at 12:45 (after the second service). Come with your device and questions. If possible, email Catherinebuucs@gmail.com with your questions in advance so we can look for answers. |
Odyssey Night- Sunday, Feb 5th 6-8pm
Would you savor an opportunity to have a tasty dinner and quality conversation with Rev. Jay, fellow UU families and young adults? Then bring a favorite dish to share (BYOB if fancied) and join us this Sunday evening in the Lexow Wing. We will have food, fellowship and play a get to know you game. ALL AGES are Welcome. |
At Church and Online
February 10, 2023 6:30-8:30pm and February 11, 2023 10am to 3:30pm lunch provided to those in person on Saturday. With Paula Cole Jones at the UU Church of Sarasota This workshop is for all members and friends to introduce strategies for working towards long-term cultural change in our church and how to engage the congregation in the process. WATCH THIS SHORT INTRODUCTION FROM PAULA. Sign-up to Participate HERE. Learn more about the workshop and Dr. Jones HERE |
The Reproductive Rights Workgroup will have its first meeting on February 15 at 6:30 in the Lexow Room and by zoom with Rev. Jay. We will commence a very special 7-week study program of reproductive health, rights and justice being studied by progressive congregations across the country which are forming a network of SACReD congregations (Spiritual Alliance of Communities for Reproductive Dignity) to speak out for reproductive dignity. Rev. Jay, Sharron Howard and Kate Lannamann will lead the study of the SACReD curriculum.
Learn more about SACReD here and here. 
Learning About UU:
February 18th 9am-Noon Join us as Reverend Jay and Church leaders lead us in an informal but very educational program on what Unitarian Universalism is all about and to learn more about our vibrant church and the programs we offer. A light lunch is provided so please RSVP here. Childcare is provided by request (include on the RSVP). |
STEWARDSHIP CAMPAIGN KICK-OFF WINE AND CHEESE
FEBRUARY 18TH 4-6PM Join us for a Wine and Cheese Kick-off for our upcoming Stewardship campaign--- We Can Do More! This is a great way for fellowship with your UU friends and hear about all the wonderful things that we do. |
GREEN TEAM FIELD TRIP- Tuesday, February 21 @ 10am
Join us on a field trip to Operation Eco Vets on Tuesday, February 21st. Carpools will originate at the church leaving at 10 AM from the east parking lot and returning sometime in the afternoon. The site is about 45 minutes away. We'll be hosted with a farm to table light lunch; cost is $15 each. RESERVE YOUR SPOT and LUNCH HERE. Products for your home and garden will be available for sale (such as bags of worm castings, homegrown people tea and plants.) There is no internet service for credit cards so please plan on bringing actual dollars. All sales benefit Operation EcoVets. More information at https://OperationEcoVets.org |
Photo by Ardian Lumi on Unsplash
SAVE THE DATE- SATURDAY, MARCH 4TH 5-9PM
DINNER, DANCE AND KARAOKE NIGHT
We'll have a pasta bar and salads for dinner. More details to follow!
DINNER, DANCE AND KARAOKE NIGHT
We'll have a pasta bar and salads for dinner. More details to follow!
From the Minister (cont'd from page 1)
So why Diversity Equity and Inclusion? Our religious principles and values call us to follow this path. There are many people in the community who need a religion whose values include love, justice and pluralistic theology. I often say that we are a liked valued people, not a like minded people. Each of us likes different genres of music, different styles of worship, different types of religious and spiritual programming. Some people like coffee and others like tea. I believe many people in our greater community are looking for a religion with our values. As an example, when I first walked into a Unitarian Universalist Congregation, I entered with a Jewish background. I felt included because the Congregation I attended had a Passover Seder and a Hannukah service and party. Over time, I was invited to participate in the decisions that impacted the Congregation. All of these reasons and more made me feel welcomed as part of the woven fabric of the Congregation. My positive experience ultimately led me to the question, are we being welcoming towards other people’s cultures and backgrounds? We follow this pattern in some ways already. We have Buddhist programs, Children and Family programs, Humanist programs, Arts and Cultural programs, and this year we held an Earth Based Service. How can we become comfortable or uncomfortable for the sake of our inclusive values? What type of worship, programs, music, and structures will be needed to allow others with our values, who are not here, feel they belong to the woven fabric of our Church, when they walk in our doors?
Come to this workshop to start or continue your education on this topic. Hopefully over time, participants will move to engagement, and then we will be able to more fully implement the dream of becoming more multicultural, where people from all backgrounds feel welcomed. Below is a link to a lecture Paula Cole Jones gave at General Assembly in 2019 that I think will be a good introduction to her work.
https://www.uua.org/ga/past/2019/workshops/sophia-fahs-lecture
I look forward to seeing you Friday Night February 10th from 6:30-8:30pm and Saturday February 11th from 10:00am – 3:30pm.
With a grateful heart,
Rev. Jay
So why Diversity Equity and Inclusion? Our religious principles and values call us to follow this path. There are many people in the community who need a religion whose values include love, justice and pluralistic theology. I often say that we are a liked valued people, not a like minded people. Each of us likes different genres of music, different styles of worship, different types of religious and spiritual programming. Some people like coffee and others like tea. I believe many people in our greater community are looking for a religion with our values. As an example, when I first walked into a Unitarian Universalist Congregation, I entered with a Jewish background. I felt included because the Congregation I attended had a Passover Seder and a Hannukah service and party. Over time, I was invited to participate in the decisions that impacted the Congregation. All of these reasons and more made me feel welcomed as part of the woven fabric of the Congregation. My positive experience ultimately led me to the question, are we being welcoming towards other people’s cultures and backgrounds? We follow this pattern in some ways already. We have Buddhist programs, Children and Family programs, Humanist programs, Arts and Cultural programs, and this year we held an Earth Based Service. How can we become comfortable or uncomfortable for the sake of our inclusive values? What type of worship, programs, music, and structures will be needed to allow others with our values, who are not here, feel they belong to the woven fabric of our Church, when they walk in our doors?
Come to this workshop to start or continue your education on this topic. Hopefully over time, participants will move to engagement, and then we will be able to more fully implement the dream of becoming more multicultural, where people from all backgrounds feel welcomed. Below is a link to a lecture Paula Cole Jones gave at General Assembly in 2019 that I think will be a good introduction to her work.
https://www.uua.org/ga/past/2019/workshops/sophia-fahs-lecture
I look forward to seeing you Friday Night February 10th from 6:30-8:30pm and Saturday February 11th from 10:00am – 3:30pm.
With a grateful heart,
Rev. Jay