As a go through my days right now, from time to time I find myself holding my breath.

Waiting.

I have no idea what for, or maybe I do.

Waiting for the next crisis to hit. The next war, the next political nightmare, the next shock.

It feels like the shocks have just kept coming lately, and so I remind myself to breathe.

And breathe again.

We cannot change the world right now, in this instant. In this breath. We cannot change the world, but we can continue to breathe.

We can continue to exist in a world where some people would prefer that we disappear like snow in the Florida sun.

This minute the pain and dismay are too recent, too freshly bleeding, too ongoing, for us to rise and walk toward the new day that will come as surely as the heat comes in August. We aren’t ready to rise and walk just yet.

But we can heal.

We can enter the fabulous season of winter, and we can enjoy one another and plan for the future.

We can be together.

And we can breathe.

Rev. Amy

Immediately before the final vote on Article II at the 2024 General Assembly, Victoria Safford wrote,
“However we vote, we put love at the center, unflinching, insistent: this free faith we so cherish
reveres the past and trusts the dawning future more. We believe in evolution—unfolding always, not
unraveling—and revelation is not sealed.”
Article II of the UUAs Bylaws, the section of the Bylaws defining the principles and purposes of the
UUA, is “the foundation for all of the work of our UUA and its member congregations and covenanted
communities” according to the UUA.
This year the delegates at GA voted to approve a new statement of values and beliefs, replacing the
seven principles which had comprised Article II since 1985. The Principles and language of 1985
were a radical shift from those adopted in 1961, removing language about God and replacing “man”
and “men” and “brotherhood” with more inclusive language. In was in 1985 that the earth-based
religions were added for the first time.
In 1985 the language shifted because of the Women’s Movement. In 2024 the changes were called
for from multiple directions. It was a response to the Black Lives Matter Movement, the Trump
presidency, LGBTQ+ activists, the immigration movement, and more.
At the end of June, 2024, “the faith’s new expression of shared values was adopted by a vote of
2,025 (80.2 percent) to 499 (19.8 percent) with 21 abstaining” (from UU World, “Love at the Center:
New UU Statement of Values Passes after Momentous General Assembly Delegate Vote” by Elaine
McArdle).
The new shared values are Equity, Generosity, Interdependence, Justice, Pluralism, and
Transformation, centered around Love, each with it’s own description. This article has links to the
actual language: https://www.uuworld.org/articles/uua-article-ii-passes-general-assembly-unitarianuniversalism-bylaws-vote-values-statement
Here at UUCOV, I’ll be preaching about the change to Article II on January 5th, and after that service
there will be time for people to discuss this change.
Because it brings us to an issue that congregations across the country are each approaching in their
own way- given that we have no creed as a denomination, what will we as a congregation do with the
Seven Principles?
How will we stand, or not stand, in relation to them, now that they are no longer a part of the
principles and purposes of the UUA?
This is a good time for you to begin thinking about how you feel about the Seven Principles, and how
you want UUCOV to go forward.
I look forward to talking with you throughout the next few months as you consider where you stand.
Warmly,
Rev. Amy

Who knew when Nancy and I reached Venice in August of 2022,
that we would still be here in August of 2024 and ready to begin a
third interim year.  I am excited by the possibilities which await us this year as we
explore religious education ideas, build our staff team, and
develop a marketing strategy for UUCOV.

You have spent the last two years looking at UUCOV’s identity, and dreaming about what could be.

You have helped
to begin to create our newest long-term plans and to develop the Wish List.

You held the
Banned Books Festival, and helped to found the Social Justice Association of the Florida
Suncoast

There is still so much to come.

While we did not find your perfect minister in our last search cycle, we have used our time
together well.

This year we are going to go deep- to develop deeper community, to explore greater
meaning. And we need you.

What calls to you this year? How will you deepen your relationship to UUCOV? What do you
need from your congregation, and what do you feel you need to give to your congregation?

How will you celebrate being part of this wonderful community?

We need social butterflies to organize Halloween and Holiday parties, techies to help out
with the Audio-Visual Team, and more. If you want to do it, we will find a way for you to do it
here (within reason Gang!).

I can’t wait to see you all as you return from all points of the compass.

May this be an amazing year!

Rev. Amy

Who knew when Nancy and I reached Venice in August of 2022, that we would still be here in August of 2024 and ready to begin a third interim year.

I am excited by the possibilities which await us this year as we explore religious education ideas, build our staff team, and develop a marketing strategy for UUCOV. You have spent the last two years looking at UUCOV’s identity, and dreaming about what could be. You have helped to begin to create our newest long-term plans and to develop the Wish List. You held the Banned Books Festival, and helped to found the Social Justice Association of the Florida Suncoast

There is still so much to come.

While we did not find your perfect minister in our last search cycle, we have used our time together well.

This year we are going to go deep- to develop deeper community, to explore greater meaning. And we need you.

What calls to you this year? How will you deepen your relationship to UUCOV? What do you need from your congregation, and what do you feel you need to give to your congregation?

How will you celebrate being part of this wonderful community?

We need social butterflies to organize Halloween and Holiday parties, techies to help out with the Audio-Visual Team, and more. If you want to do it, we will find a way for you to do it here (within reason Gang!).

I can’t wait to see you all as you return from all points of the compass.

May this be an amazing year!

Rev. Amy

It is a joy to be able to take a deep breath and say that the contract is signed, my lease has been approved by the Board and Finance Committee, and I am here to stay for another year!
And what a year it’s going to be. In June and July, I will finish out the terms of my old contract, and take those two months to finish unpacking, plan for the new church year, and maybe go see my folks. I will be back in the pulpit on July 28th!
Starting in August I plan to be hard at work. Over this next year, you and I are going to recreate Adult RE, find exciting ways to tell Venice, Florida, and the UUA all about UUCOV, and work together to grow our membership. Your Board is preparing to set UUCOV’s goals for the next year too, and I will be working with each Team to discover how they can help reach those goals.
Over at VOTI my ministry will be expanding this year, and I’m already enjoying working with our UUCOV VOTI residents to figure out all of the things that we can do together to support them and to bring our UUCOV message to a wider audience.
As many of you know, Nancy and I will be moving into Asta Linder on May 15th. We are excited about being on campus, and we are both looking forward to being where the action is! I’m sure it will take a little time to adjust to having us there, but I have faith in all of us. If we are outside, please feel free to come and say hi! My office will be relocating to Asta Linder in mid-May, so if we have a private meeting scheduled after May 15th, come on over there. Larger meetings will remain at Waters Hall or the Sanctuary. I’m hoping to hold an open house sometime in October so that people can see all of the wonderful work that UUCOV folks have done on the Asta Linder building.
I can’t tell you how happy I am to be writing this, rather than a goodbye letter. I say instead, “Hello again. I’m overjoyed to be with you on this journey for another year. Where shall we go this time?”
Warmly,
Rev. Amy

When I am home in the frozen tundra of the Midwest, September is a season of preparation and change. As I begin to get ready for fall, my thoughts always turn to the deeper questions in my life.

Why am I here?

What does it all mean?

Am I doing well?

I usually put away the patio furniture, and I give the house a going over, and I ready my cooler weather recipes- it only seems natural that I should also trade out my lighter summer concerns for things which require time, and slower, more thoughtful consideration.

Things that I can mull over during a brisk walk in the leaves, or while wrapped in a warm blanket.

Here at UUCOV, life is a little different. I just painted the patio furniture and put it back out, warm blankets at 90 degrees sound nightmarish, and the leaves are filled with jumping lizards I don’t want to step on.

But the season is turning nevertheless, and the lovely grey skies and cooler nights remind me that it is still a perfect time to slow my thoughts and examine the big questions as we swing ever closer to the busy final months of Search.

Your Cottage meetings are about to begin, and these are questions to ponder:

• Who are we, and who will we be in the world?
• Are we doing well, and how can we fulfill our mission and vision?
• Who can we be?
• Who do we want our minister to be?

It is hard to believe that this is already my second fall here, the time seems to have flown so quickly, but these questions are pressing as we enter the last months before ministers will be able to examine your information packet and consider moving to Florida.

It’s all up to you now; it’s up to you to share your thoughts, and to participate in this exciting process. The more that the Search Committee knows, the better the chance of a good fit.

Enjoy the cooler nights and lovely days as our snowbirds fly home here to Venice. Take the time to examine the big questions. Help to move your congregation forward into an exciting 25th Anniversary Year.

See you in church!

Warmly,
Rev. Amy

It will be about six months until the first ministers have a chance to look at our search packet, and to decide if UUCOV is the congregation of their dreams.
 
Six months to know who you are and what you want. Six months for Friends to decide if they want a voice and a vote in the ministerial call.
 
It’s going to be an amazing six months, as we continue to explore social justice, build on the information you’ve provided in all of the surveys, attend cottage meetings, and think about where you want your new minister to lead you. But your Board and Coordinating Council need you to speak out and step up.
 
If you want something to change, come to a Board meeting, or speak up at a committee meeting. If you love something UUCOV is doing, tell a Board Member or someone on the Coordinating Council. Go to the sources and speak your truth.
 
Whether you are near or far for the summer, take some time to think: if the new minister were to ask me today what was good and bad about UUCOV, what would I say?
 
And once you have your answer?
 
Tell someone. Tell Rev. Amy or the Board or the Coordinating Council. Bring up the great and the not-so-great in committee meetings.
 
Help UUCOV to truly be YOUR congregation.
 
Please remember, as you are thinking, that I will be on vacation from July 17- August 28, 2023. If there is a pastoral care emergency during that time, please call or text me on my cell phone- I will not be checking work email for those six weeks.
 
Enjoy your summer!
 
Warmly,
Rev. Amy

Minister’s mUUsings June 2023

It has been a fruitful 10 months here at UUCOV. You created an amazing Search Team, and they began their work with enthusiasm and devotion. The Strategic Plan Team worked hard, talking with group after group, and you have a final report and summary of strategic priorities ready to be released and used.

We were hit with a Category 5 hurricane, and came away with minimal catastrophic damage, a new digital sign, and a quickly cleaned yard.

Nothing seems to be able to sink this marvelous congregation.

And there is more in front of us.

We are entering the busiest time of the search cycle- the seven months leading up to the release of our information packet for ministers to see.
In this time, you are going to be asked for all kinds of information, in multiple ways, so that the Search Team can create that packet.

The intent is simple; to find out who we are and who we want to be, so that potential ministers can decide if we might be the place for them.

There will be cottage meetings, and a survey or two. Whole church meetings to explain things, others to ask questions.

The Search Team, and the entirety of the congregation, need you to participate in this process. Understanding who you want to be your minister is essential for a new ministry to succeed.

If you have questions or concerns about the process, please talk to me or to a member of the Search Team. We want you to be heard, and your thoughts matter.

Warmly,
Rev. Amy

It has been an amazing month at UUCOV.

The Search Committee is up and running, beginning the powerful work of making it possible for UUCOV to find a new minister.

Social Justice work has swung into prominence, and members of UUCOV have been attending Sarasota School Board meetings in an effort to disrupt anti-LGBTQ hatred. More social justice efforts are coming, so keep a lookout, especially as we partner with VICA.

VICA (Venice Interfaith Community Association) has recently welcomed two more UUCOV folks onto their Board, Pam Palmer and me, to join the already active John VanCamp! Now, as you are in Search, is the perfect time to explore what community connections like VICA can do for this congregation, especially as social justice efforts and partnerships become increasingly essential here in Florida.

I am also excited because UUCOV is sending five delegates to General Assembly. Being a delegate is an honor, and a bit of work. They will be attending the meetings where the business of our Association occurs, and voting the way we ask them to vote. Kathy Avery and I have two additional votes, as professional staff. Please take the time this month to understand the issues being voted on this year:

1. The proposed language revision of Article II in the UUA By-laws (the part that currently has the principles and the sources). Here are some frequently asked questions about Article II https://www.uua.org/uuagovernance/committees/article-ii-study-commission/blog/faq and more information here at https://www.uua.org/uuagovernance/committees/article-ii-study-commission
2. Voting for UUA President. This year, of the two candidates asked by the UUA Nominating Committee to run, only Rev. Dr. Sofia Betancourt said yes. Sophia is Assistant Professor of Theology and Ethics at Starr King School for the Ministry and has served as temporary Co-President of our UUA after Peter Morales unfortunate resignation. You can find out more about her here: https://sofiabetancourt.com/ . It is possible to run without being chosen by the Nominating committee, as our current president Rev. Susan Frederick Grey did, but no one chose to run this way this time to oppose Sophia. (Disclosure- I am a member of Sophia’s election support team, and I’m excited to support her).

3. The 8^th Principle Discussion. You can find out more about the issue here: https://www.8thprincipleuu.org/ . It is unknown at this time if there will be any voting on any aspect of this issue at the denominational level this year, but it is important that the delegates know how you feel about the idea of this Principle being added to the other seven at the UUA level. Note that this does not directly impact UUCOV, or UUCOV’s decision to adopt or not adopt the 8^th

This is your time to shine as you work to discover who you are as a congregation, where you see yourselves in the future, and what you want from your minister. Though many of you are preparing to leave for the summer, the work will go on and you will stay in touch through emails, ZOOM, and YouTube. Please, take the time to complete the Search Committee Survey when it arrives in your email box. Give your opinions, speak your thoughts, share your dreams. Talk to your delegates and talk to your Search Committee and have a lovely time away if you are off to more northern climes for a few weeks or a few months!

Warmly,

Amy

With spring right around the corner, the busy season here at UUCOV is beginning to slow but search years are unlike all others in many ways.

Your Search Committee is just getting started, and they will do a little more each week until we reach the flurry of activity that hopefully comes with a Candidating Week somewhere around this time in 2024. Over the next few months they will be asking questions, and searching for the stories and the history of UUCOV. Please take time to speak with your Search Committee as they reach out to you for information, hold listening sessions and small group meetings, and do all of the things needed to create a UUCOV Search Packet that accurately represents your congregation, it’s wants, and it’s needs.

Life is also pretty exciting throughout our UUA right now. General Assembly is open for registration and the calendar is available online. Go to the website and check it out: https://www.uua.org/ga. This year’s Ware Lecture will feature guest speaker Imani Perry (https://www.uua.org/ga/program/highlights/ware-lecture) and she is not to be missed. You can attend GA on-line or in person, and this year we are lucky enough to have three delegates attending in person and one virtually! Keep your ears and eyes open because our delegates, Marcia Smith, Jan and Steve Simon, and Pat Wellington, are going to be asking you how you feel about the issues they will be voting on at GA! They will also be proudly representing UUCOV in the GA Banner Parade, holding our new banner.

Whether you are a snowbird or a year-round resident, as spring begins, it’s time to ask ourselves, are we ready to wake and feel ourselves growing with new life? Just as we prepare our gardens for the summer, we are called to prepare ourselves. To give ourselves the tools and nutrients we need to burst into bloom. UUCOV is ready to keep growing and blooming, so what will you do this year to help your congregation live into all of its many possibilities?

It’s all here, waiting to be taken.

Happy blooming!

Warmly,
Rev. Amy