Our church photographer, Martha H., is shown above with an arrangement of lilies and greenery from our church flower garden in one of the dozen vases that were gifted to the flower team by Lorraine Surlak. Also pictured is our “flower pied piper,” Linda P. Ask Linda how you can be involved by digging, weeding, giving, delivering.
Lake Eola amphitheater was filled with central Floridians supporting constitutional freedoms and dreams. Many groups spoke, and our local congressman, Maxwell Frost, supported the many groups in attendance for coming together for the upcoming challenges.
Sharing LOVE in the face of state-sanctioned hate was the focus of this powerful rally. Giving hope to many marginalized groups – Dreamers, LGBTQ+, union organizers, resistance advocates – as we were reminded that we are working together for a better and fairer community.
As though it wasn’t enough to lead a service, Green Team continued the message in Gore Hall. The Go Green Mini-Fair shared information about solar by Mary D. and Energy Ideas (ideas and ways to apply for IRA monies) for your home by Lisa R., Zero Waste products by Debbie M. and Lisa-Marie and fresh vegetables and seeds at the Mystic Grove table. If you want any additional information about these topics, ask Mary D. to connect you.
Children and adults created art after Service in the Garden. Bev A. created the 8th Principle chalice and Lisa Marie ,a lifelong equesterian, shared her charcoal on paper titled Serenity and a digital piece titled “Wide Web.”
1U was there from beginning to end-Ready Set Solar Program on April 30, Solar Coop for Orange County Sign up, information about our liberal and energy conscious church and members, Right to Clean Water petitions at the League of Women Voters of Orange County table (350 petitions collected), and the Coalition of 100 Black Women table working with 1U on air quality as well as quality of life issues for the Parramore area, the Farmworkers of Apopka and Ten Thousand Villages.
We were able to offer free booth space because the organizer of the Earth Day Festival is Vegetarians of Central Florida who has hosted a monthly potluck at 1U for many years. As a thanks to 1U, 1U receives a free both at VegFest and Earth Day and invites us to give free booth space to a few organizations aligned with our mission.
A special thanks to our Volunteers: Mary wrote: Thank you for being an amazing team of 20+ for Earth Day 2023.We were blessed with your energy and good will as you brought the good news of 1U to hundreds at the Festival. Children and families so enjoyed the children’s activities and offer of seeds for planting and our new church brochure and our fans were a great gift for visitors.
6-9:00pm in the Enrichment Center
A call back to the Pre-Pandemic Wednesday nights with a light meal and UU Reflected Programming (now through May).
Child Care and Game Play for littlest UUs is available. All are welcome to participate!
Light dinner at 6:00 pm followed by learning or fun activity. A few of the classes offered are in April and May: Free Library discussion, Parents and Caregivers as Sexuality Educators, Table Top games, Drumming Circle, UU History, and always a favorite, Popcorn Theology.
All are invited-members and friends.
See the full April and May schedule here (check back as the May schedule may change)
Questions? Please email Judith at jsteinfarrall@orlandouu.org.
Conversation and food at 6 pm and last minute addition and Article II discussion with Rev. Margalie below.
Earth Day on April 22 at Lake Eola scheduling and the final preparation for the Green Service on the first Sunday in May as well as the GO GREEN Mini-Fair after service kept the Green Team occupied at the April meeting.
Reminder about the Ready, Set, Solar Workshop being held at First Unitarian in the Sanctuary on April 30 at 3pm-5pm which is designed to inform churches and nonprofits how the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) federal program can reduce the cost of solar. Chris Castro, an old Green friend from the city ofOrlando, will speak as the new Chief of Staff for Office of State and Community Energy Programs at the U.S. Department of Energy about federal incentives.
Gore Hall was a busy place on Sunday. There was a cake to celebrate Rev. Margalie’s invocation ceremony and her birthday as well as postcard writing concerning the bill HB 1421 titled Gender Clinical Interventions – encompassing much more.
The tables of postcard writers were busy with members and friends writing postcards to Florida lawmakers expressing our concerns about the harm that passing HB 1421 will cause. While portions of this bill — the near complete ban on doctors performing gender clinical interventions — apply only to performing those interventions on minors, the ban on insurance coverage applies to any healthcare that meets the state’s definition regardless of age. It also may block gender health long term care (medical interventions and medications).
In addition, previously enacted Department of Health policy on gender affirming care for minors and this legislation may criminalize doctors who offer care (surgical or medication) as well as risk their medical licenses. In addition, it seems to say that minors could be removed from their parents if they left the state for medical interventions.
More worrying, it could ban “birth control, hormone treatment for menopause, for breast cancer, anti-androgen treatments for prostate cancer, [and] for PCOS [polycystic ovary syndrome]” among other conditions because of the vague wording. In addition, the bill prohibits changes in birth certificates that reflect gender identity in most cases.
Thanks to all that heard the concern and organized this effort. Thanks to all who participated!
All postcards completed and sent! And, lots of spring love as evidenced by a lively Green Team meeting.
Many folks joined new members in the signing of the Membership Book at the Saturday Potluck on Saturday and more folks celebrated the occasion after the New Member Ritual during Service followed by a special gathering after Sunday service. Please welcome our new members and introduce yourself. Left to right in the group photo: Kathy H., Membership, Drew and partner Justine, and Nelson (Lori, his wife, who joined previously, and son, James), and Allison M., Membership and Board member.
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