Connections: Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Miami
Connections: Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Miami
Connections: Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Miami
JUNE 2011
CONNECTIONS
Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Miami
Some of our guest speakers will need overnight accommodations. WOULD YOU LIKE TO BE A
HOST? If you can be a one night Bed & Breakfast, please contact Raquel Reyes, Worship
Committee Chair, via phone 305-754-6095.
PG. 5
NOTE FROM June 26: Change Thrivers Women Circle with Afsaneh Noori
THE BOARD
Change Thrivers Circles are conversations using Change Thrivers concepts,
PG. 6 where participants share personal stories. The circles discuss life changes and ask
BOARD CONT. & questions, and lead to powerful transformations about change. The group
SOCIAL JUSTICE
COMMITTEE discusses change with Afsaneh, an expert with 20 years experience in managing
organizational and personal change. Although every person’s circumstances are
PG. 7 unique, everyone learns from the discussion and can apply the techniques to
CALENDAR their situation as well as having the opportunity to find solutions involving their
particular change. 2-4pm, Emerson Room
For more information about Change Thrivers : www.ChangeThrivers.com
Exiting is important, too, and also not easy. I was laughing the other day about the number of people
who “were gonna” do one thing or another; take me to coffee, have lunch together, or a whole list of
intentions. Who knows, there's a little time left, maybe I'll be going out to many lunches.
But I've also recently learned of grudges and judgments that a few people hold and, in some cases,
have held for months without bothering to address me directly. These things are more important than
going to lunch. These are the things that leave gaping wounds in your community and lead to hostile
stories, the kind of blaming that comes across only as cowardly and discursive when it is done after the
fact. I'm not interested in hunting down every person who holds secret judgments, that would be
putting the responsibility in the wrong place. But I do remain available for those who have had
something to say and haven’t gotten around to it yet. It is not trivial, in fact it is one of the healthiest
choices people can make - to speak honestly and in a timely manner. The time for me is almost
passed!
My last day of work here is June 15th. Between then and August first, I can be called back in the event
of an emergency. The office and leadership will have a list of nearby colleagues who can be called
upon as well (basically to do triage and determine the scope of what might be needed).
I leave here with many fond memories, and you probably know if you are part of those memories. Of
course there is that small group of people for which you are well known, the ones who do not involve
themselves in fond memories. Your interim ministers keep mentioning this, and it is not a quality with
much appeal. If there is one more thing I want to leave you with, it is the observation that there is
about a 20 to 1 ratio of warm and open people to those who fracture community. Simple math will
tell you that your warm and open behaviors can prevail. The most useful thing you can do to tend to
your congregation is to recognize that you deserve the best behavior, that divisive behavior need not be
tolerated, and that you are worth the effort it will take to show up and make sure that little group does
not continue to act with impunity.
The same high standards that burden my life also led me to high hopes about your future. Many
blessings on the beginning of a time of settled ministry! I think you’ll find that good behavior and
accountability will serve you well.
Love - Reverend Drew
GROUPS AND PROGRAMS
JUNE 2011
Summer Joke:
Teacher: Henry, what is the chemical formula for water?
Henry: H I J K L M N O.
Teacher: What are you talking about?
Henry: Yesterday you said it's H to O.
From Martha Harrison:
Carol Klopfer has been involved and supportive of this work, both in
For me, the thing I especially appreciate putting helping with the workshop as well as her willingness to sit with me on some
time and energy and care into during my time Sundays after service to practice NVC. Carol and I do hope and intend to
serving on the Board was the 2 day NonViolent have opportunities to practice NVC in our congregation in a supportive
Communication Workshop we had last October small group environment in the future. This important work continues…
at the congregation. I had become interested in
Marshall Rosenberg’s NonViolent I have served on the Board for three years and am finishing my time this
Communication (NVC) work for professional month. I deeply thank the congregation for the honor of electing me to serve
and personal reasons and then in my work on the on the Board, David Traupman and Irv Loibman for their continued,
Board concerning right relations and creating prodigious, sustaining efforts as Presidents, my fellow Board members who I
covenants, realized how important and useful it now know very well and appreciate and love, the two caring and
would be for our congregation to learn skills to contributing ministers, Rev Kathy Schmitz and Rev Drew Johnston, and for
navigate our way through the inevitable conflicts the many many lessons the experience has pushed me toward. Along with
that arise in any community or relationship. some other projects that I feel motivated to pursue in the congregation, I
intend to be as supportive and respectful and grateful and compassionate as
We had at least 75 people come to the workshop I can be to our new Board. I salute and thank them for their grace and
(half of whom were not members of the generosity and willingness to serve.
congregation including many young people) many
thank you emails and expressions of appreciation
and hope that we will do other similar
workshops. I am still meeting people who tell me
that they were there. It showed me that there is a
genuine need and interest in this important work.
I had hoped to get an NVC practice group started
at our congregation after the workshop, but was
unable to do it at that time because of previous
commitments and then energy taken by strenuous
Board concerns.
5 6 7 8 9 10 11
9:30am- Spiritual 5pm- Finance 12pm- Lunch 12pm- PFLAG, ER
Reality, ER Meeting, ER Bunch, ER 6:30pm- Lavender
11am- Service, S 6:30pm- Buddhist 7:30pm- Board of Salon, ER
12:45pm- Reading Reflections, ER Trustees, ER
Group for All Ages,
R4
1pm- Welcoming
Congregation, R3
1:15pm- Grief
Support, ER
12 13 14 15 16 17 18
*Reverend 12pm- Caring Flag Day 12pm- Lunch 7:30pm- Choir
Drew’s Last Committee, ER 6:30pm- Buddhist Bunch, ER Practice, S
Service at Reflections, S
UUCM 8pm- Humanist
Group, ER
9:30am- Spiritual
Reality, ER
11am- Service, S
4pm- Lotz
Concert, S
26 27 28 29 30
General 1pm- Worship 6:30pm- Buddhist 12:30pm- Lunch 7:30pm- Choir
Assembly, NC Committee, R6 Reflections, ER Bunch, ER Practice, S
9:30am- Spiritual
Reality, ER
11am- Service, S
2pm- Change
Thrivers Women’s
Workshop, ER
Legend:
ER= Emerson Room TBD= To Be Determined, See Calendar Online
S= Sanctuary for most recent information
R= Room G= Grounds
UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST CONGREGATION OF MIAMI
NOVEMBER
JUNE 2011
2010
CONNECTIONS
Staff Schedule & Contact Info
Rev. Drew Johnston, Transitional Minister- 305- 667-3697, email:
[email protected]
The newsletter’s distribution is made possible by the Dr. Tim Buchholtz, Choir Director- [email protected]
help of John Asgeirson, Marc Green & Paul
McCabe. Thank you gentlemen for proofing, Zoltan Bakos, Custodian, Summer Hours Available upon request.
folding, labeling, stamping and distributing
Connections to our community!
Unitarian Universalist
Congregation of Miami
7701 SW 76 Ave
Miami, Fl 33143
May 2011
Deadline for July Newsletter Articles: 6/15/11
Suggested donation for annual subscriptions: $25