I've been on a hiatus of writing here for a while but my spirit is calling me back. As a 3rd year Seminary student I have much to celebrate and many blessings and challenges to lift up. I hope to spend the next couple of days getting back in the swing of things with my new identity and perspective. Blessings, Katie

APRIL 2012 - Lots for UU to do!

April 2012  

Sunday, April 1: Bring a Friend Sunday 11:00 – 1:00 p.m. Children and youth are encouraged to invite a friend to attend RE with them! Adults are encouraged to invited friends to attend worship service.

Friday, April 6: UU Interfaith Intergenerational Seder 6:30 – 8:00 p.m. Join us in a Seder service at 6:30 p.m. and then enjoy a delicious and bountiful traditional Passover meal. Vegetarian entrees will be available. This is not a fundraiser, but we do ask a donation of $10 per adult, $5 per child (or $20 per family) to cover expenses. Everyone is welcome to join us regardless of ability to pay. However, to make sure we do have enough food, we encourage everyone to please RSVP by contacting Judy Lehman at 813-866-0591 or jr.lehman@verizon.net or Felice Richardson at 813-786-3351 or Felice.Richardson@gmail.com. This is a wonderful intergenerational event where everyone is welcome and participates. Please feel free to invite friends to share this celebration of freedom and renewal.

Sunday, April 8: Flower Communion Multigenerational Worship followed by Easter Egg Hunt 11:00 – 1:00 p.m. Please bring stemmed flowers to exchange during the flower communion. Parents with children participating in the Easter Egg Hunt: Bring one dozen filled plastic eggs and a basket for each child.

Friday, April 13: GAME NIGHT 6:30 – 9:00 p.m. This fun evening of games and fellowship occurs on the 2nd Friday of each month in the Multi-Purpose Building. Play our games or bring your own. Snacks are provided.

Saturday, April 14: BLUES and BBQ 3:00 – 8:00 p.m. We'll provide the main dish (BBQ, burgers, hot dogs, etc) for $5 per person, $2 for children), and you bring a side dish (salad, casserole, dessert) to share. We'll have tables for dining and games, and anyone who'd like to perform or provide some music should feel free to bring their instruments. For more information, or to volunteer, contact Jay Kirchheimer jay.kirchheimer@yahoo.com or Russ Kirby rkirby@health.usf.edu

Sunday, April 15^th Parents Potluck Picnic (PPP) 12:15 – 1:15.  This gathering is for families with children in the UUCT RE program and takes place on the 3^rd Sunday of each month. Come fellowship with other UU families and celebrate the birthdays of folks born in April! Hooray Birthday Cake!

Monday, April 23rd Hillsborough Organization for Progress and Equality Community ACTION 6:30 p.m. Plan to attend and bring friends! Mt. Calvary Seventh Day Adventist Church, 4902 N 40th St, Tampa 33610. Topic: Local Unemployment

January 2012

When I joined the UUCT congregation eleven years ago my first volunteer role was as middle school RE teacher. Now, as the Director, I rarely get the opportunity to teach in the classroom. Last month two of our 3^rd – 5^th grade RE teachers were unable to teach at the last minute so I filled in and co-taught with RE Committee member Erin Powers. (Thanks Erin!) What a meaningful, wonderful, soul sparkling experience. We did yoga and talked about stretching our bodies and minds. We did a mirror dance with partners to slow, contemplative music and learned that we feel more connected to ourselves when we are connecting with others. We sat in silence and created personal Zen gardens with sand, shoe boxes, a few rocks, and plastic forks. One student commented on how he never knew doing something so simple could center his mind like that. He is 9. Hooray UU RE!  

I share this with you for two reasons. One, because I am hoping you will consider teaching RE. We always need more volunteers. I am looking to recruit two more teachers for this semester and am signing teachers up for next fall. Come see me if you’d like to volunteer. Or say “Yes!” when you are asked to teach. The second reason I share this with you is that I am thrilled to have the opportunity to teach the upcoming Coming of Age class.  

Our first UU Tampa Coming of Age program for 11 - 14 year olds begins on Monday, January 23rd. Workshops take place on the 2nd and 4th Mondays of each month from 6:30 - 8:00. From the UUA Coming of Age curriculum: "As youth prepare to leave childhood, they are maturing physically, cognitively, emotionally, and spiritually. This maturation opens the door for greater understanding of their faith and Coming of Age programs address changes in youth's spiritual and faith development. The COA program will offer new ways for the youth to experience Unitarian Universalism. It will ask youth to reflect upon what it means to be a UU and provide a safe environment for questioning. Through activities, relationship building, and involvement in the broader community, it will accompany youth on their journeys of spiritual self-awareness."

If you would like to register your child in the class please send me an email. KatieCulbert@verizon.net. If transportation is an issue let me know – maybe we can organize a carpool! A tween/teen parent’s small group ministry will take place while the COA class meets. 

Coming Up in UUCT Family Ministry:

January 1: New Year’s Day Children’s Chapel lead by Katie during RE, followed by New Year’s Day party. 

January 13 – 15: Youth Group Conference in Jacksonville

January 15: Multigenerational worship lead by Roger Grugel, intern; Guest at Your Table collection; monthly PPP (Parents Potluck Picnic). 

February 18: Bring a Friend Sunday! Begin inviting your friends and family now to join us on Sunday, February 18.  

Happy Chalica!

Chalica was originally conceived by Daylene Marshall of Vancouver, BC as a way to celebrate and put into intentional practice the Seven Principles of the Unitarian Universalist tradition - one a night, for seven nights. The celebration begins on the first Monday of December, and is marked by the lighting of a chalice each day (or evening). Gifts that reflect the particular day's Principle may be given, but the focus tends to be more on mindfulness and action. (www.chalica.blogspot.com)

Please use this suggested outline to celebrate Chalica with your family this year. (Outline contributed by Daylene Marshall.)

Monday, December 5: We light our chalice for the inherent worth and dignity of every person.
Give gift(s) to honor those you do not understand / agree with / like. Example: Words of forgiveness / apology or a peace offering such as inviting someone to dinner.

Tuesday, December 6: We light our chalice for justice, equity and compassion in human relations.
Give gift(s) to honor those in your local community that are less fortunate. Example: Donate clothes or toys to a worthy organization or display kindness and care to those around you.

Wednesday, December 7: We light our chalice for acceptance of one another and encouragement to spiritual growth in our congregations.
Give gift(s) to honor fellow Unitarians and their spiritual journey. Example: A chalice / book / hymnal or offer / take part in a UUCT event. 

Thursday, December 8: We light our chalice for a free and responsible search for truth and meaning.
Give gift(s) to honor another tradition, to honor education. Example: Offer to/ take part in an event that celebrates another religion / tradition or teach someone something you know and love.

Friday, December 9: We light our chalice for the right of conscious and the use of the democratic process within our congregations and in society at large.
Give gift(s) to honor democracy. Example:  Write your government or help a committee at church.

Saturday, December 10: We light our chalice for the goal of world peace, liberty and justice for all.
Give gift(s) to honor our global community. Example: Write a letter for Amnesty International, donate to a cause such as UNICEF, Doctors without Borders, etc.

Sunday, December 11: We light our chalice for respect for the interdependent web of all existence of which we are a part.

Give gift(s) to our earth and/or its creatures. Example: Start composting or recycle bottles and cans and donate the money to an animal aid society.

On Sunday, December 11^th we will hold a Chalica worship for all ages at 11:00 a.m.

Please note there will be no RE classes held on Sunday, December 25^th. Children and youth are invited to join their families in worship. 

New Sign In Procedure

Parents & Guardians:

Coffee, juice, and refreshments will be served in the new building each Sunday from 10:40 - 10:55.

Please sign the clipboard in your child(ren)'s classrooms to let the teacher know they will be attending.

Walk with your child(ren) to the sanctuary at 10:55 and sit with them during the first part of worship.

Children will be sung out to class and teachers will walk them over.

Pick child(ren) up at 12:15. Sign them out from same clipboard you signed them in.

Children are not allowed to leave their classrooms or the playground without an adult. RE does not end when worship ends. It ends at 12:15 to give teachers enough time with the students and to give parents the opportunity to enjoy fellowship time in the sanctuary. Please do not pick them up later than 12:15 - the teachers cannot leave until all children are picked up.

We acknowledge that this change will take time to adjust to. We ask you to please arrive between 10:40 and 10:50 to allow enough time to sign your child in and then get situated into the sanctuary for worship at 11:00.

Thanks! It's gonna be a great year!!!

Growing Hearts, Minds, Spirits..and BUILDINGS!!!

I stood in the small dome and thanked it for it's contribution to our religious community over the years. I thanked it for providing space to so many bright, compassionate children, youth and adults who shared transformative moments there. In my ten years teaching RE, eight of those directing the RE program, I have watched such growth, such connection, such love. The small dome, the original UU church building on Morris Bride Road, is a geodesic dome. It is one large room/ two small rooms/one dark spider loving bathroom stall. Each summer I stood in that interestingly funky space and wondered, "Ok, how are we going to make the small dome work this year?"

It has always been a joyful challenge...creating a learning/reflecting/sharing space for two lively age groups of children...cramming a dozen energetic preschoolers into a tiny little room...and smooshing many hormone changing oderific teen-agers into a barely air conditioned hobbit hole. But on this 8th summer of my career as the Director of Religious Exploration for Children and Youth - I am not thinking about how to fit a gallon of water into a thimble. I am thinking about new opportunity. We are a strong and vibrant UU family community and that has not changed. What has changed is that now we have space to grow. Because that is what we are here for. We are here to grow hearts, minds, and spirits. We are here to grow Unitarian Universalism. And we are here to plant seeds of change and grow justice.

In two weeks we will dedicate our new building. In three weeks we will be holding classes in our new building! Our new buidling that has classrooms! Four of them! And a youth lounge!!! This. Is. Amazing.

Don't miss our Water Communion Multigeneratioanl Worship and Building Dedication Ceremony on Sunday, September 18th.

And, holy moly, you certainly don't wanna miss the first day of RE and our RE OPEN HOUSE on Sunday, September 25th. Register for RE, eat some food, learn about the program, and get to know one another.

We are still raising $$$ to equip the new building with furniture...please donate to the "A Place to Sit" campaign! Credit card donations are accepted on the church website: http://www.uutampa.org/

Leaving on a jet plane...

I leave on Sunday for my Reality Ministry with Youth course being taught during the Jr./Sr. High Camp at Camp de Benneville Pines in California. Eeeek! I am so excited! For the past several weeks I have closed my eyes at night thinking about youth ministry and I have opened them in the morning thinking about youth ministry. I am so happy and inspired just from the books I have read - I truly think I may explode with inspiration after a week immersed in UU youth culture, talking with UU youth and my fellow M.Div. students about creating vibrant sustainable youth ministries!

I felt my call to professional UU ministry over 15 years ago as a counselor at Camp Anytown, a residential camp for high school students that explored issues of justice and equality. It is very fitting that my first course as a student pursuing my Master of Divinity degree is a Youth Ministry course.

I am so looking forward to the journey I am blessed to be going on next week and I look forward to returning and continuing that journey with you.   

I will be away from Sunday, July 17 - Sunday, July 24. The RE Committee will be leading RE in my absence. Please see Rev. Sara or RE Committee Chair Sasha Drelles if you need assistance.

Mark Your Calendars:

Sunday, July 31 - Chalice Fire Day! We will celebrate fire and talk about safety during RE!

Sunday, August 7 - RE Volunteer Info Party in the Gazebo! Come find out more about being an RE volunteer.

Sunday, August 14 - Youth Ministry Worship. I am preaching on how we can all work together to create super fabulous authentic youth ministry at UU Tampa.

Friday, August 26 - Sunday, August 28 Youth Advisor Training in Gainesville

Sunday, August 28 - RE Teacher Orientation 12:30 - 3:00 Food & Childcare Provided