2011 SUMMER SERVICES

Winds of Change Dramatic changes are taking place both near and far: earthquake, tsunami and nuclear crisis in Japan, political unrest in the Mideast, political change in Washington and Tallahassee, change of ministers in this church. Some of us are going through dramatic changes in our personal lives. Change brings uncertainty, feelings of disorientation, anger, anxiety, insecurity etc. How do we cope? Some of our speakers have chosen to speak on this suggested theme. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- June 26 --------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Whistling Winds of Grace

In a society that seems to have forgotten the commitment to the common good, an act of unusual courage stirs a breath of fresh air and speaks of the possibility of change.

A native of Pennsylvania, Rev. Bill Morgan spent over thirty years as minister of a number of Presbyterian Churches around the United States. For the past ten years, he has taught courses in Ethics and in Religion, with a special focus on the development of the Hebrew Bible, at Georgia College and State University and at the University of South Florida., and has received much recognition for his work in national and international peacemaking and racial justice. He and his wife, Dr. Jane Rose, have been in Sarasota for four years, following her appointment as Dean of Arts and Sciences at USF Sarasota-Manatee.

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Haiti: A Mission of Hope Our UU Partner Church Program has existed for many years, particularly in Eastern European countries. As we entered the 21st century, however, we UU's have gone 'Global' , getting involved with more Partner churches around the world. This past May Rev. Dr. Bonnie Devlin -- who has a very long history with Haitian people, religions and culture -- led the first team to Leogane, Haiti, the epicenter of the earthquake, to befriend a Pastor and congregation with the hope of becoming Partners in our mutual hope for more freedom of religious expression. Rev. Devlin will share with us her reflections from this historic trip. Discussion in the Jefferson Room after service Rev. Bonnie Devlin has been a UU Parish Minister for a little over 20 years, currently serving part-time as minister of the Manatee UU Fellowship in Bradenton.

Piano and vocals by Amy Menard

Music:“Singing Tree” Ray Belanger on Hammered

Dulcimer and Lloyd Goldstein on Double Bass

Bonnie holds two master degrees in education from Rutgers, her Ph.D. from New York University, and the Master of Divinity degree from Harvard Divinity School. She is also a music therapist, educator and noted world percussionist who recently completed a major CD project called “The Drum and The Chalice” which was highlighted at our 2008 General Assembly. Her life and work is devoted to promoting multicultural awareness and social justice through the arts. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- July 10 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------

Is the Iceberg Melting? How do we grow a church? What do we mean by church growth, anyway? How do we measure that? What is the religious community, what makes it tick, what makes it work? The service will investigate. Rev. Abhi Janamanchi has served as senior minister at the Unitarian Universalists of Clearwater congregation since 1999. (www.uuclearwater.org) He is a native of India and a third-generation member of the Brahmo Samaj, a Unitarian-Hindu religion with close ties to Unitarian Universalism. Music by Sarasota Music Academy students, violinists Natasha Snyder and Joy Chatzistamatis. Natasha and Joy will be

playing in the courtyard after the service for donations. Any money they raise will be used to help finance their summer camp in France later this month. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- July 17 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------

Same River Twice They say you can’t swim in the same river twice. Either you are different, or the river is, or both. It’s about change and our perception of change. I’ve been trying to jump back into the same intellectual river for some time now. Insights came thick and fast. It was a time of excitement and realization. It involved a lot of books, all of which I dreamed of reading one day when I had time. I have time now. But what’s their role now? Can we harness the power of change, rather than fight it? Rev. Francesca Hughes has been a chaplain at Tidewell Hospice for five years. She graduated from New College of Florida and Pacific School of Religion in Berkeley. Identifying as a “Jewish Buddhist with Christian Leanings,” Francesca has a strong interest in the religions of the world, and has had experience of several. She was raised in Reform Judaism, and was in the American Sufi group for eight years.She has led classes in world religions, feminist theology, meditation and Tibetan yoga. Her interests include jewelry making and collecting, cooking, flea markets and cats.

Music by John Stinespring bassoon,

and Jan Dorsett, piano

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Quakes, Shakes and High Stakes As much as we might want things to stay the same, change is a constant. Sometimes the roll of the dice demands a complete change of perspective. Rev. Marni Harmony received her Bachelor of Arts degree from Tufts University; a Master of Theology degree from Boston University School of Theology; a Master of Social Work degree from the University of Wisconsin and a Doctor of Ministry degree from Columbia Seminary. Ordained in 1974, she served churches in State College, Pennsylvania and Brookfield, Wisconsin, before being called to Orlando, where she was minister of the First Unitarian Church for twenty years. She has worked as a hospital chaplain, a college chaplain, and a psychotherapist as well as being a VISTA volunteer. From 2008-2010, she served as Interim Minister with the Emerson UU Congregation in Marietta, GA; 2010-11 she is

serving as Consulting Minister with the UU congregation of Lakeland, FL as well as working as a chaplain at Orlando Regional Medical Center and MDAnderson Cancer Center in Orlando. In September she will begin serving as Interim Minister in Tarpon Springs. Marni makes her home in Orlando with her partner Nancy Bauer, their feline Zeke, and their dog Gus. She has a grown son Kyle, and is "Nina" to his two children Asia and Ethan. She likes to begin the day with a walk (while listening to talks on her iPod--thus known to some as "iRev"), eats lots of vegetables, is trying to learn to play the guitar, and is known to have a penchant for pie and chocolate. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- July 31 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------

Keeping the Change

I recently saw a bumper sticker that said ―"Give me my guns, my freedom and my money. You can keep the change." There are many ways of coping with the increasing pace of change we experience all around us. We can resist it, hunker down and protect our own, or we can find a way to accept change, evolve with it, even lead it. We're embroiled in a cultural debate about which approach is better, and our faith has much to say in answer. But what it has to say is some-times uncomfortable, even for us. Rev. Brock Leach is vice president of Mission, Strategy and Innovation at the

Unitarian Universalist Service Committee (UUSC) and was recently ordained by this church as a Unitarian Universalist minister. The UUSC’s mission is to advance human rights around the world by transcending the boundaries that separate people and becoming allies with those who are the most marginalized. Brock’s ministry is centered around strengthening the agency’s impact and launching the UUSC’s

Brock Leach and his wife, Julie, at his recent ordination

Music: Tahja, folk music from

around the world

Music: Joan Waite, soloist

College of Social Justice, a program designed to build the capacity of Unitarian Universalists to catalyze justice. Brock is a member of the UU Church of Sarasota and a trustee of the Florida District of the Unitarian Universalist Association. He serves on the boards of Children First, Sarasota County’s Head Start agency, the Preventive Medicine Research Institute and the Pastoral Care Advisory Board at Tampa General Hospital.

Prior to seminary, Brock spent 24 years with PepsiCo, having served as President and CEO of its Frito-Lay and Tropicana divisions and as Chief Innovation Officer for the corporation. He received his Bachelor’s degree in economics from the University of Colorado, Boulder, his Master in Business Administration degree from the University of Chicago, and his Master of Divinity degree from Meadville Lombard Theological School. Brock’s wife, Julie, is social justice co-chair at the UU Church of Sarasota and active community volunteer. They have two children, a daughter, Beth, who is a high school science teacher in Massachusetts and a son, Josh, who is an undergraduate at the University of Chicago.

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Religious Differences -

More Important than their Commonalities?

In an era when so many are quick to say, "I'm spiritual but not religious," what role does religion play in our complex world? Has it become more focused on fighting than fixing? What do we need to know about significant differences in the parade of religions? Rev. Dr. Pam Allen-Thompson is Minister of the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Charlotte County. She has served UU congregations in Berkeley, Palo Alto, and San Rafael, California,

and in Norfolk, Virginia. Active in denominational affairs, Rev. Pam has also served on the Board of Trustees of the Unitarian Universalist Association. In her previous career as a German Studies professor, Dr. Allen-Thompson focused on the ethical questions of resistance and compliance in her study of the Nazi era, as well as post-World-War-II reconciliation efforts in East-West relations. Honors include

• publication of two books

• two sermon awards from the Pacific Central District • a teaching award from Ohio State University

• the MacArthur Peace Studies Fellowship at the Indiana University Center on Global Change and World Peace

• more than 100 scholarly presentations, nationally and internationally

• and 13 years in Unitarian Universalist pulpits, preaching in 57 congregations in 16 states.

Rev. Pam and her partner Di Allen-Thompson live in Punta Gorda.

Music: Palm Strings Duet, violin and viola