UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST CONGREGATION OF MIAMI

FEBRUARY 2011

Connections
Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Miami

11am- Sunday Services & Children’s Programs

INSIDE February 6: Spiritual Reality- Spiritual Reality Circle

Is all reality spiritual and who is "OM-ing" in the Emerson Room
every Sunday? Members will share some of the readings that have
PG. 1 stirred and helped re-examine our lives and find significance in our
SCHEDULE day to day lives. Join us as we awaken and reflect.

Reverend Drew describes February as "the month of love," never having

PG. 2 felt that Valentines Day was sufficient.
DREW’S NEWS

PG. 3
CONGREGATIONAL February 13: Loving Courageously; Rev. Drew Johnston
LIFE

PG. 4
CHILDREN’S
RELIGIOUS
EDUCATION February 20: Returning to Love; Rev. Drew Johnston

PG. 5
GROUPS AND
PROGRAMS
February 27: Loving Wildly; Rev. Drew Johnston

PG. 6
BOARD OF
TRUSTEES NEWS It would be redundant to describe these services separately, although
each is distinctly different than the others. We will be exploring love
and the prerequisites, purposes, and outcomes of finding and living in
love. No other theme is ever more appropriate for a Sunday message,
PG. 7
CALENDAR and this month different and deeper definitions enter in to the
purpose of religion, congregations, and relationships between
individuals and society.
[Link] 1
 DREW’S NEWS
FEBRUARY 2011

Reverend Drew Johnston- Transitional Minister

February

Sometimes you have to look at an entire year in

order for seasons to make any sense.  I notice that
some people around here refer to this as “the dry
season” and I thought of that today when stepping
outside was like stepping into a steam bath.  Doesn’t
seem very dry until thinking about the monsoon
season of a few months ago.  Looking at the bigger
picture is useful!
We already addressed the other end of the
In our time together here there are seasons that spectrum when the board approved a
make more sense when viewed as part of the whole disruptive behavior policy to define
year, and I think this is one such time.  At the behaviors that are obviously harmful.  It is a
midway point in a transitional year a lot should have great step forward to recognize that such
been stirred up, and that is true for us.  But it is a parameters are best defined when they are
midpoint, and most of what has been stirred up is not needed so they will be clear if they are
not yet settled in a new place.  As a reminder, we needed.
planned to be working on three major things this
year - cultural competencies, right relationships, and Our organizational realm is poised for
organizational adjustments that clarify the roles of change!  A new committee structure was
various leaders within a congregation of this size.  defined after some intense work.  Both
Some areas have moved a lot, some a little, and some committee structure and individual
seem stuck, but that makes some sense in the middle responsibilities are in flux as a bylaws
of things, doesn’t it? revision team works to make our bylaws
reflect reality and be a model that will
By the time you read this, we will have experienced support your future decisions.  When these
an all day workshop aimed at Welcoming Diversity.  pieces are further developed, decision
We are using a model from the National Coalition making, budgeting, communication, and
Building Institute that will set the stage for a great planning will all be simpler and more
future!  The plan is to have several such workshops sensible than before.
every year, allowing for smaller groups and easier
inclusion of people newly involved in the When I step out the door into a steamy day,
congregation as well as those who are absent for it’s hard to think of this as a dry season, but
portions of the year.  Feel free to explore the I know it is in contrast to summer.  At some
concepts at [Link] moments when I look at the state of the
congregation it isn’t clear what is happening,
“Right relationship” is a phrase that is sometimes but when I look at the larger picture, I see
used in way that belies its actual meaning.  There is we are where we need to be right now.  That
no single “right” way to be in relationship, but we do means we do need to keep moving if we are
have many examples of times we are on our best to get where we want to be, and I’m
behavior.  As we move closer to a covenant of right counting on us all to do our part.
relations, we will be considering what these examples
have in common, and how we can increase the times See you in church -
we feel are healthiest.  Reverend Drew

[Link] 2
 CONGREGATIONAL LIFE
FEBRUARY 2011

Tom Edwards- Green Sanctuary

Green Cleaning
Did you know that many of the cleaning supplies you use to "clean" your home may contain “We
chemicals hazardous to your health?  All of those amazing commercials on TV show a gleaming
clean home, but don't own up to the fact that unnatural agents are tricking into making you think cannot do
your house is cleaner.  Does cleaner equal healthier?  Or does clean trump healthier?  Here are
some easy and affordable tips and tricks to a cleaner, greener home.
great
  things on
*White distilled vinegar is a great cleaner for killing mold, bacteria and germs.  Did you know you
can use it to clean your grill, baby toys and your microwave among other things?  Check out this Earth,
[Link] for more cleaning ideas. only small
 
*Baking soda is another great cleaning tool.  We know it helps keep away odors in the refrigerator, things
but it also can help with odors in the garbage can and litter box as well.  Baking soda can also be
used to loosen grease from the bottom of a pan, it can pre-treat camping or other gear you are with great
going to store for the season or it can be used in a cloth diaper hamper in between washes.  For love.”
more tips on cleaning with baking soda go to [Link]
 
*Lemon as a cleaning agent?  Yes, lemon can be used to help naturally clean your home.  Lemon -Mother
juice can be used to dissolve soap scum, to shine brass and copper and also the peels are very
effective in cleaning the garbage disposal as well and giving them a fresh scent.  Check this website Theresa
for more tips:  [Link] put "lemon cleaning" in the search bar.
 
A wonderful book to help research more ways to not only clean green but also to de-clutter your
home, create low maintenance cleaning areas, prevent hazardous waste and tons of green gardening
ideas is "Green Housekeeping" by Ellen Sandbeck.  It is a comprehensive, no fuss, easy read to help
your home become a green and clean haven.

Joan Lund on our earth within a religious set one or more of their own goals
UUA Trustee Tidbits community and it’s a way for all UUs which reflect their particular specific
Recently I received an email from the to join our efforts in becoming interest or issue. Participating in the
Program manager of our UUA stewards of our earth. Once a GSP can be an exciting and
Congregational Stewardship Services congregation has received rewarding process for a congregation
Program alerting me to the Green recognition for completing the GSP it and a well-thought-out
Sanctuary blog posting which continues its commitment by creating environmental program can
featured our Odessa, Florida Spirit of sustainable lifestyles for its members strengthen and bring the
Life Unitarian Universalists, who as individuals and as a faith congregation together is various ways
rather than adding on to their community. The congregation including attracting new members a
building or embarking on new continues to be committed towards congregation, As the congregation
construction, are repairing and creating their religious community’s the impact of the collective imprint
finding ways to better maintain their dedication to harmony with the on our earth will be lessened.
existing structure . The Green earth. As of last December there
Sanctuary Program (GSP) was were 148 accredited Green Information about the GSP can be
originally nurtured and managed by Sanctuary congregations, which found on our UUA website ([Link])
the UU Ministry for Earth and included eight Florida congregations. and linking to Green Sanctuary,
designed to envision and create a where you will also be able to look at
world in which all humans care with The GSP provides a path for the Green Sanctuary Manual. In the
gratitude our Earth. Originally the congregational study, reflection, and Manual many success stories can be
GSP was an outgrowth of the action in response to environmental found as well as the steps to getting
Seventh Principle Project, a UUA challenges. The building blocks and started, conducting an environmental
affiliate environmental organization focus area of the GSP include assessment, creating an action plan,
created in 1989. worship and celebration, religious becoming a candidate, and achieving
education, environmental justice, and and maintaining accreditation.
The GSP provides framework for sustainable living. When a
congregations to begin specific congregation decides to become a As always I look forward to hearing
projects and activities that lead to participant in GSP and has from you and wish all Florida UUs a
recognition as a GS through completed the initial self-assessment, happy ♥ day. Contact me if you
candidacy and then accreditation. they examine their current practices wish: jlund@[Link] or by phone at
The GSP asks congregations to in each of the focus areas. In 813-931-9727. Happy New Year one
explore what it means to live today addition to these areas of focus or and all.
goals congregations may choose to
[Link] 3
 CHILDREN’S RELIGIOUS EDUCATION
FEBRUARY 2011

"The only reward of virtue is virtue; the only way to have a friend
is to be one."
-Ralph Waldo Emerson

Monica Rizzo- Director of RE   about Dale speaking at other

Hello, February! RE Meeting Unitarian Universalist
In the Religious Education The Religious Education congregations all over the
department, all classes will be committee meeting will be country and we look forward
meeting individually for three Sunday, February 6 at 12:45 in to welcoming him down in
of the four weeks.  On Sunday, the Religious Education South Florida.  Please save the
February 13 we will have an Office.  All parents, teachers date as this will be a very
Intergenerational service for and anyone else in the special event for all parents,
the wrap up of our InterGen congregation are invited to educators and anyone
Friends program.  This means help plan and let your voice be interested in the notion of
there are no classes that day.  heard for Religious Education.  "raising freethinkers."  Please
For more details on the class On the agenda for this month take a flyer from the back of
curriculum or the schedule, will be planning the InterGen the sanctuary and spread the
please contact Monica Rizzo Friends wrap up and thinking word to your friends and
at mrizzodre@[Link]. of planning for the Chili anyone you think might be
  Cook Off in March. interested.
Also, each Sunday the nursery    
is open at 10:45 for infants-2 Save the Date! New to the Program?
years old.  Children ages 3 and On Saturday, February 19 at 9 If you are new to the program
up will stay in the sanctuary AM the Religious Education and would like more
with their responsible adults department will be hosting a information about Religious
until after the Story for All guest speaker, Dale McGowan, Education, please feel free to
Ages as noted in the Order of author/editor of Parenting contact Monica Rizzo, the
Service.  Classes, when Beyond Belief and Raising Director of Religious
prompted, will meet their Freethinkers.  The program is Education (DRE), at
teachers in the breezeway and FREE and will be held in the mrizzodre@[Link] to chat
then go to their individual Sanctuary with FREE by email, set up a phone call or
classrooms for a lesson.  Please childcare included.  We have schedule a face-to-face
pick your child up promptly received many rave reviews meeting.
after service.

“Lunch-Raiser” for Habitat for Humanity

RE group “We Believe”,  6-9 yr olds, will be
providing your lunch on February 27. All donations
will go towards building a Habitat for Humanity
home in Haiti for one of the 1.3 million misplaced
families.  Please come and eat. Help build a home
in Haiti!

[Link] 4
 GROUPS AND PROGRAMS
FEBRUARY 2011

NEWS & UPCOMING EVENTS

Iris Massey Alice Lingswiler
Spiritual Reality Grief Support Group
Spiritual Reality offers an opportunity for spiritual The Grief support group meets on the 1st and 3rd Sunday
exploration and growth through selected readings and of each month in the Emerson Room at 1:15pm. You are
commentary by the group. Those who attend are welcome to join us whether your loss is recent or long ago.
encouraged to comment on the readings and/or share their See Connie Bartels or Alice Lingswiler.
personal concerns. We are not a therapy group, but a group
of caring friends who come together to listen and to learn. John Bost
Please join us on Sunday mornings at 9:30AM in the Humanist Group
Emerson Room.
Meeting February 8, 2010, 7:30pm in the Emerson Room.
Featuring  "An Introduction to Humanism" A DVD by
Barbara Woshinsky Jennifer Hancock: A short introduction to one of the most
Social Justice Committee influential philosophies of all time. Join the discussion.
A Christmas Party was held for the Vietnam Veterans
group and their children.  Take a look at the pictures on the Margaret McAlister & Sandy Howard
Social Justice bulletin board at the back of the sanctuary. PFLAG
Don’t miss the “Come as You REALLY Are” Party that
PFLAG Kendall meets at 12pm on the 2nd Saturday of each
we’re planning. "Come as You Really Are" /Valentines
month at the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Miami.
party will be hosted on Friday,  February 11, to have fun
PFLAG Homestead meets at 12pm the fourth Saturday of
and bring us closer together.  Please help us out with
each month at St. John’s Episcopal Church, 145 NE 10
planning.
Street in Homestead. Thank you U.U. Miami, for your
Also in February, the Haitian film and benefit Thursday,
support! For more info contact pflagkendall@[Link] or
February 17: Do you remember the Haiti forum we
pflaghomestead@[Link]
sponsored last year?  The same groups are organizing a  
joint benefit in support of Haiti's Patrimonial Libraries and
Archives.  It will take place Thursday February 17, starting Marilyn Rutgers
at 6 pm, at the Little Haiti Cultural Center, 260 NE 59 Welcoming Cong regation
Terrace, Miami.  This is a collaboration among the FIU The Welcoming Congregation Committee meets on the first
Libraries, the UM Libraries, the FIU Latin American and Sunday of each month. The February meeting will be held
Caribbean Center (LACC), and UM's Center for Latin on Sunday, the 6th at 1:00PM in Room 3. Please come share
American Studies (CLAS), and will be organized around a your ideas with us.
screening of the film "Égalité for All: Toussaint Louverture Our Lavender Salon, which is sponsored by The Welcoming
and the Haitian Revolution" in the LHCC's beautiful Congregation Committee, is an Intergenerational Event for
theater. Help preserve Haiti's cultural heritage after the Miami's LGBT Community. The Lavender Salon is held on
earthquake.  Light refreshments will be served; suggested the second Saturday of the month at 6:30 PM, in the
donation $25.00.  Please help us spread the word and hope Emerson Room. We start with a delicious Potluck, followed
to see you there! by an evening of assorted fun and educational events. For
more information please contact Marilyn Rutgers or Dave
Carol Reiter Roelant.
Lotz Committee
After two wonderful January concerts (Nicole Henry and Susan Hangge
her trio on Jan 9th and Ira Sullivan on Jan 30th (with The Alliance
Glenn Basham on violin - concert master of the Naples Meets on the first saturday of each month in the Emerson
Symphony and Bergonzi Quartet member, Brian Murphy Room from 11am-2pm.
on piano and Jamie Ousley on bass) we invite you all to not
miss our Feb 27th concert. Janice Hynes
Award winning vocalist Wendy Pedersen and piano
virtuoso Jim Gasior (acting Dean of Music at New World Buddhist Group
School of the Arts) will hold forth in our sanctuary this Meeting every Tuesday at 6:30pm in the Emerson Room.
month. Don't miss the music. There's nothing quite like the Second Tuesdays in the Sanctuary. Come join us.
real thing.
We want to give you a heads up about a wonderful article Connie Bartels
linking jazz and Unitarian Universalist Theology about Lunch Bunch
which Andrea Mustelier made us aware. The article was Bring a bag lunch and join us as we enjoy a friendly lunch
written by Tom Stites and the link to the article is http:// and discuss a reading from an inspirational book each
[Link]/2003/05/[Link]  Wednesdays from 12pm-2pm in the Emerson Room. Every
3rd Wednesday is Poetry Day so bring your favorite poems to
share. Hope to see you there.

[Link] 5
 GOVERNANCE & DENOMINATIONAL NEWS
FEBRUARY 2011

REVITALIZE
-ized, -iz·ing, -iz·es.
Verb
David Traupman- Board Chair -To impart new life or vigor to
From the Board -To restore vitality or animate to

Ten Easy Ways You Can Make Our Congregation A More Vital & Engaging Community

1) Learn more about the wider UU world online. Go to [Link] for a wealth of articles and tools to
broaden your perspective.

2) Learn more about the wider UU world in person. Be a delegate at our FL District Assembly in
Orlando from April 8-10, or at this year's 50th Anniversary General Assembly in Charleston, SC from
June 22-26.

3) Experience something new by volunteering for a committee or task unrelated to anything you have
ever participated in before.

4) Overpay your 2010-2011 stewardship pledge. Better yet, increase your 2011-2012 membership
renewal amount!

5) Write a blog or post updates to your Facebook page about your spiritual journey and experiences
with our congregation.

6) Sign up to serve a fun-themed lunch some Sunday.

7) Compliment a staff member without asking for something in return!

8) Thank a choir member for sharing their talent (and Music Director Tim Buchholz for helping to
make that talent shine!)

9) Ask a child what they learned in their RE class that day.

10) Attend our ongoing congregational meetings and be an active participant in the transformative
initiatives we have underway!
Parenting Beyond Belief
On Saturday, February 19th, 2011 Author and Educator Dale McGowan will
be providing encouragement and practical solutions for secular parenting in a
religious world. Topics include:

Encourage religious literacy without indoctrination; Help kids interact productively with a
religious world; Help kids develop active moral reasoning; Weigh church-state issues in the
public sphere; Address sensitive issues with religious relatives using the principles of nonviolent
communication; Help children develop a healthy understanding of death and a joyful love of
life; Build a family atmosphere of fearless questioning and boundless wonder...and much more.

Join us in the Sanctuary from 9am-12:30pm. RSVP Required for Childcare.

For more info please contact- Monica Rizzo Director of Religious Education: [Link] 6
Mrizzodre@[Link]
 CONGREGATION CALENDAR
FEBRUARY 2011

Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat

1 2 3 4 5
5pm- Finance 12pm- Lunch 7:30pm- Choir 7pm- Young Adult 11am- Alliance,
Meeting, ER Bunch, ER Practice, ER Group, ER ER
6:30pm- Buddhist 7:30pm-
Reflection, ER Membership
Committee, ER

6 7 8 9 10 11 12
9:30am- Spiritual 12pm- Caring 12pm- Lunch 7:30pm- Choir Lincoln’s
Reality, ER Committee, ER Bunch, ER Practice, ER Birthday
11am Worship 6:30pm- Buddhist 7pm- Board of 12pm- PFLAG, ER
Service, S 1pm- Reflections, S Trustees, ER 6:30pm- Lavender
Welcoming 7:30pm- Humanist Salon, ER
Congregation, R3 Group, ER
1pm- Grief
Support, ER

13 14 15 16 17 18 19
9:30am- Spiritual Valentines 6:30pm- Buddhist 12pm- Lunch 7:30pm- Choir 8am- Parenting
Reality, ER Day Reflections, S Bunch, ER Practice, ER Beyond Belief
11am Worship Workshop, S
Service, S
12pm- Caring
Committee, ER

20 21 22 23 24 25 26
9:30am- Spiritual Presidents Washington’s 12pm- Lunch 7:30pm- Choir
Reality, ER Day Birthday Bunch, ER Practice, ER
11am Worship 6:30pm- Buddhist
Service, S Reflections, ER
12:45- Worship
Committee, R6
1:15pm- Grief
Support, ER

27 28
9:30am- Spiritual
Reality, ER
11am Worship
Service, S
4pm- Lotz Concert
Series, S

Legend:
ER= Emerson Room TBD= To Be Determined, See Calendar Online
S= Sanctuary for most recent information
R= Room
[Link] 7
 UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST CONGREGATION OF MIAMI
FEBRUARY 2011

Staff Schedule & Contact Info

Rev. Drew Johnston, Transitional Minister- 305- 667-3697, email:

miamirevdrew@[Link]

Susie Green, Office Administrator- M-F 10am-3pm & Sun

10:30am-12:30pm,
Ph: 305-6673697, Fx: 305-667-9585, Email: uucongmia@[Link]

Monica Rizzo, Director of Religious Education- mrizzodre@[Link]

This newsletter’s distribution is made possible by the Dr. Tim Buchholtz, Choir Director- timbuch@[Link]
help of John Asgeirson & Paul McCabe. Thank
you gentlemen for proofing, folding, labeling, Zoltan Bakos, Custodian- M- 1pm-6pm, Tues- 8am-3pm,
stamping and distributing Connections to our Thurs- 10am-5pm, Fri- 1pm-6pm, Sat- 9am-2pm, Sun- 8am-2pm
community!

Unitarian Universalist
Congregation of Miami
7701 SW 76 Ave
Miami, Fl 33143

February 2011
Deadline for the March Newsletter Articles: 2/15
Suggested donation for annual subscriptions: $25

Sunday Service- 11am