Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of the Emerald Coast

Since the last newsletter, we had what many probably assumed would be a bored retreat. In spite of this, there was 75% attendance of the board, and, I am happy to say, it was anything but boring. Jane Park did a masterful job of breaking the board up into smaller groups and providing common activities on which to work.

These activities started with abstract idealization and culminated with transforming these idealizations into tangible items that a board could address. In addition to board members, the co-DREs helped Jane (the RE Chair) as facilitators. Not many would have believed that being on the board could be a lesson in religious education, but that is exactly what happened. It took the very structured, procedural task of being a board member, and made it something with a more realized purpose.

Hopefully, this invigorated board will continue to make progress in making UUFEC a wonderful place to be (I am confident it will). I have been told that board retreats used to happen regularly many years ago. I am going to do my best to help them continue to happen, and Jane wants this as well. Of course, each year means another board and more opportunities for other UUFEC members to be able to participate on the board and to take part in future retreats. Who knows, these retreats could become great recruiting tools for finding board members . Several board members came up to me and thanked me for doing this. While I loved getting credit, the true credit goes to Jane Park, I just made sure it actually happened. So, ask a board member about their experience, and if their bored retreat was a board retreat instead.

It is literally true that you can succeed best and quickest by helping others to succeed. - Napoleon Hill

One of the special things that I love about UUism is the manner in which we are able to cooperate. Inherent in our Principles, including our covenant “to affirm and promote the inherent worth and dignity of every person,” and to treat others with “justice, equity and compassion in human relations,” we endeavor to practice those principles in our own lives. I see this cooperation at work in the church quite often.

Unfortunately, we are all just “folks”, and occasionally we all stray from one principle or another. It seems to be inherent in our human nature. But more often than not, a person or persons who do not act in accordance with our principles realizes this and takes steps to correct it and make it right. We should not be too critical, given our own human tendency, for we all want to be loved and accepted for ourselves, in spite of our occasional failures to live up to the principles that we hold so near and dear.

UU has myriad groups, committees and individuals acting in cooperation with each other. We should be very proud that we have this kind of teamwork. But we all need to remind ourselves from time to time that “compassion” and “cooperation” work hand in hand. As we to continue grow and move forward, both as individuals and members of UU, let us keep in mind how essential it is to continue to show compassion and cooperate with each other.

The key elements in the art of working together are how to deal with change, how to deal with conflict and how to reach our potential…the needs of the team are best met when we meet the needs of individual persons. - Max DePree

It is that time of year again; the Canvassing Committee is ramping up. So if anyone has any boat biminis that need work or some old canvas tents in the garage, get ready to bring them in for some repair by this fabulous, needle wielding committee. Oh, wait, I am being told that I am mistaken as to the type of canvassing that is going to occur, we are doing the type that is even more useful and WAY more fun. This is the type of canvassing that will enable all of us to continue to come to a fellowship with a plethora of enrichment options. This is the type of canvassing where we ask everyone to renew the pledges for the next year, and put in any extra that they can. This is the type of canvassing that controls what programs and services make it into the budget for the next year, and which ones have to be omitted. This is a wonderful task that gives hope and expectations to new and existing programs for the coming year. This can also be a time when people being contacted about pledges for the next fiscal year can feel anxious or nervous. There are ways to prevent these feelings from occurring. One can plan ahead by checking their finances and reviewing their pledge from the previous year. They can also carefully peruse all material that is provided to them by the friendly Canvassing Committee. Additionally, they can ask questions of the Canvassing Committee; they are an amicable bunch. Finally, remember that a well-educated canvassing recipient, is a happy canvassing recipient, and, even though I got the type of canvassing confused at the beginning of the article, this committee still has a needle and they aren’t afraid to use it .

The UUFEC is very much, a family, and as with any family, there is cooperation, but there can also be disagreement.  A famous quote on disagreement and conflict says, “If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault, between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained your brother. But if he does not listen, take one or two others along with you, that every charge may be established by the evidence of two or three witnesses. If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church”.  For UUFEC, the church is our CMC (Congregational Ministry Committee).  The CMC “is charged with the support and advocacy for the Minister and for the ministry of the congregation as a whole”.  The CMC is a wonderful and confidential last resort in the UUFEC, but it is important to remember, that it is just that…a last resort.  First, you should talk to your brother “between you and him alone”.  Both should do this with an open mind and an open heart.  Both should listen with respect for the other, and the UU Principles, specifically the first three, in this case, “The inherent worth and dignity of every person;  Justice, equity and compassion in human relations;  Acceptance of one another and encouragement to spiritual growth in our congregations”.  Diversity and disagreement is what makes UUFEC an enlightening place, and we don’t want to lose that.  We need to foster healthy and respectful discussion during and after any disagreement.  We need to remember that the CMC is there, but is not always necessary if all parties can resolve the conflict like “brothers”.  Our fellowship’s bond is strong, maybe we should be the Unitarian Universalist FAMILY of the Emerald Coast. 

Here we are, at the start of a new year.  Watching media coverage of depressing “memorable” 2011 events, I am grateful for many things at UUFEC.  We are the antithesis of misery.  Despite all of the 2011 hate and violence, we have love and pacifism. Our congregation fills me with pride as I witness intergenerational signs of our commitments as a Green congregation.  The new playground is a great example of both Green and Intergenerational efforts.  The fence and arbor are being built to be climbed on and crashed into by kids on a regular basis.  No poisonous pressure treated lumber was used.  Natural pest and rot resistant cypress timber was the choice. An aesthetically pleasing wood, it was milled locally reducing our carbon footprint.  Rather than oil or creosote [BP has already left enough oil in our waters] fence posts were treated with age old methods:  burning the bottoms to prevent moisture from wicking up and installed in French drains of gravel.  To keep the finished product beautiful and reduce construction chemicals, stainless steel screws are being used. Nonpoisonous construction materials  have allowed for nine children to be active in constructing the fence.  The children range from teens all the way down to a two-year-old (handing out screws when needed, and even when not).  The project is progressing quickly now despite  only nine adults actively involved.  The new playground will enhance our Fellowship all the more and give the kids a sense of church ownership.  Projects like this teach our kids the importance of being environmental stewards and give them a sense of UUFEC belonging, hopefully to keep them involved in our religious community for many years to come. 

As we approach this Season of special celebration – all connected with some aspect of Light, and Giving and Sacrifice – many of us celebrate the fullness of our lives, recognizing the help we have received in reaching this comfortable life many of us live. As we celebrate our good fortune, we can also reach out to help and assist others by assisting our Fellowship is preparing to be a Cold Night Shelter. We will open our doors to those needing shelter on assigned cold nights, providing a good meal and a warm, safe place to sleep. But it will also be a chance to meet, talk and socialize with people who may be in need, but people who can teach us in ways we may not be aware of. We can come in that night and talk, play games and just be there. We can assist as volunteers, and with the providing goods and funds needed to support this effort. There are many ways of helping, and as most know, when you do step out of your comfort zone, you gain more than what you feel you are giving. So please, think about ways you can help, not just in this specific endeavor, but in the many ways our Fellowship is reaching out. Come join in the Celebrations of this Season and help extend this season of giving of ourselves. If you are interested, please contact Rev Debs, myself or our Cold Shelter coordinator, Felicia Barr.

We have just finished our Annual Meeting and elected a new UUFEC Board of Directors. The new Board will take over in January 2012. Here is the new Board: 

Executive Board (Serves 1 Year): 

President ————— Micah Krider 
Vice President —–— Kathy Roniger 
Secretary —————  Sandra Topp 
Treasurer —————  Ed Farley 
Past President ——– Denny Lauer 
Ex Officio ————— Rev Rod Debs  

At Large Board Members (Term Expires) 

Millie Williams —————— 12/12 
Scotty Zilinsky —————— 12/12 
Brenda Fleming —————– 12/13 
Derek Reading —————— 12/13 
Josh Ashley ——————–- 12/14 
Diane Gibson ——————  12/14 

If you have any questions or have any ideas or issues that our Board should be aware of, please contact one of your Board Members, and remember, the Board Meetings are normally held on the 3rd Monday of each month at 6:30pm at the Fellowship and the Board Meetings are open to members.  

In Fellowhship. 

Well, it’s that time of year and we have our Annual Business Meeting coming up on Sunday, 23 Oct, immediately after the Service and should take about half an hour. So Please attend! You will be exercising the democratic process, one of our 7 Principles, electing a new Executive Board (Vice President, Treasurer and Secretary) and at least two new Board Members. Our current Vice President, Micah Krider will take over as President, as stipulated in our By-Laws, and I remain as part of your Executive Board as Past President. If you wish to serve, please contact one of the Board Search Committee members, Micah Krider, Chris Larson or Karen Lauer. Serving on the Board is interesting and fun. We meet once a month, usually a max of an hour and a half, and you are asked to coordinate with one of our committees. Ask one of our current Board Members and see if you’d like to join in. I know…..everybody hates meetings, but we do get efficient business done and enjoy the fellowship while serving our religious community. The Business meeting will also consist of making a few changes to our By-Laws. Those are also in work and will be distributed, but the main focus will be giving the Board more authority over the Budget process, and administrative changes to the current By-Laws to reflect how we are currently doing business. There will also be a few reports from some committees and then we finish up. So please join in. 

We have a number of special welcomes this month, we have our Minister, Rod Debs returning from his Sabbatical along with Jeannette. They traveled to the birthplace of Unitarianism in Transylvania and have some very interesting stories so share. And we have our new Directors of Religious Exploration, Debbie and Darrell Bruning. They are taking the reins of our youth RE programs after such a successful time with Sandy Urbanczyk as our DRE. Just look at how many youth and young families we now have active in our Fellowship! Each Sunday, our Story For All Ages is full of kids coming forward and filling our Fellowship with laughter and fun. It is so invigorating, and yes, Sandy played a big role in our RE growth, but so did so many others, including our RE Chairs, Jennifer Jordan and Don Harrison, along with so many teachers and volunteers, and our RE Staff. They all make up the core program, but our success is because of the commitment of our members who step forward to assist and finance these programs. We all understand their importance and our commitment is reflected in the number of kids, but also in our expansion of our adult programs. Our 2nd Hour programs continue to grow and many new, exciting subjects are added. So, yes, thank our RE people and our Minister, but thank yourselves for supporting these programs in so many ways.  

Since there have been some questions and discussions on what can be posted in the Fellowship and what are our Fellowship guidelines, I thought it good to list out our current guidelines: 

- Anything posted on the bulletin boards should come down and be put in scrap books after 30 days. Bulletin Boards are provided to share UU information. To keep our Fellowship a safe place, opinions may be expressed verbally rather than posted on the Boards. 

- Any displays put up in the Sanctuary for the purpose of a Sunday message, are to be approved by the Service Leader and taken down after second hour.  

- Ongoing displays specific to groups should be put in meeting rooms where such groups gather. 

- Any permanent displays must be reviewed by the Aesthetics and Facilities committees.

- No structural changes of any kind may be done to the building or its contents without the approval of the Aesthetics committee prior to other committees. 

Our Posting Policy also states that  postings are to be within the UU Seven Principles.