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UUCFM History Timeline
UUCFM ODYSSEY- 1961-2022, Blending Voices from the Past and Present
Compiled and Written by Suzanne Saalsaa Ziemer
The purpose of this chronological writing is to outline our rich history of people and events that took place to make UUCFM what it is today. It is about people, not bricks and mortar. Information was gleaned from many sources found in our library, put there over these past 60 years by former members. Individuals have shared their thoughts for this overview. We can be very proud of who we are today. With the consequences of Hurricane IAN that pounded our area this September 28, 2022, we can say this UU quote, with grateful voices. “I put my hand in yours so that together we might do what we cannot do alone.”
We start in the 1950’s when a small group of Unitarians in Fort Myers gathered in their homes and who placed ads in the Fort Myers News Press which read, ”Are You A Unitarian, and Don’t Know it?”, “Do you long for a religion that makes sense?”, and “Have you given up Church because you do not accept certain religious dogma?” Each ad gave a time and place to meet.
In 1955, Monroe Husband, a Representative from the Boston based AUA, (American Unitarian Association), visited and helped our group apply for a AUA Fellowship. On the 2nd try in early 1961, their application was accepted and they achieved their critical mass of needed membership to be sustainable. Thirty one members signed the Charter Application. We salute these determined early members and are grateful for their founding efforts. It took them 5 years to complete their initial goals of getting a minister, a place to meet, and other necessities such a tax exempt status. There is a list of the 31 Charter Member names at the end of this document. They are all deceased. We truly can be in awe of what they began to establish for our present campus and congregation.
Our Charter was finalized on June 20, 1961, when just 10 days before, the merger of Unitarians and Universalists had been completed to be the UUA, (Unitarian Universalist Association). Thus, we were the very first charter accepted by this new UUA union.
A brief history: “The Unitarian Universalist Association is a combination of two long-standing religious faiths. The Unitarian Church was founded in 1638 in Transylvania. In the United States, the first Unitarian Church began in Philadelphia in 1796. The first Universalist Church was founded in Massachusetts in 1799. These 2 religious faiths merged to form the present UUA .”
“When we Meet, we Eat.” has been a continuing theme throughout our history. There are handwritten black & white composition books detailing meetings from the early 1960’s that record not only the attendees, invited speakers, where they met, but also always the refreshment provided! Our program, Dinners Go Round, was established in 1976 and then interrupted by the Covid Pandemic in 2020.
Dear Readers, before I begin recounting the original 1961 goals of our first Fellowship, I want to account to what UUCFM is doing today, December , 2022. We survived the horrendous Hurricane IAN on September 28th. We received $30,000 from the UUA Disaster Relief Fund. Many trees were lost; however, no major damage was done to our buildings.
Dorothy Van Howe, Operations Chair, has announced we will have a monthly potluck after the Sunday service in Hobart Hall. This Potluck lunch Sunday each month will coincide with our newly appointed part-time minister, Rev. Sue Gabrielson, when she will be with us on campus. Yes, eating together, and cleaning up afterwards offers many opportunities to get needed business done or started. With our fully equipped large kitchen, spacious Hobart Hall and its adjacent Screen Room, we can have the needed space for potlucks together. Eating together since the early days of UUCFM has proven to be a winner in helping people get acquainted, making friends, and sharing common interests.
Our Building Supervisor, Mickey Kellam, is always at the ready for table and chair set ups for these monthly potlucks. Mickey has been serving us extremely well for over 20 years from when he was first hired. UUCFM promotes lasting relationships with our 12.5 acres of land and our quadrangle of buildings as staying features for members over these years. Mickey Kellam has been one of our “Keepers of the Flame” whom we have come to count on to preserve and protect our campus.
Mickey recently painted doors in the Narthex a welcoming purple. He was on the grounds for preparation of and then clean up from our disastrous 2022 September 28th Hurricane IAN. We can all feel a greater strength of purpose from this storm’s adversity and our helping each other recover from its effects.
Now, we return reading about our intrepid founding members.
In 1961, our Charter Members, immediately set these three goals.
Goal #1. to hire a settled minister
Goal #2. to get a building of our own
Goal #3. to obtain a corporate charter from the State of Florida, such as for a tax exemption status.
Bertha Westover and husband Jack, worked on getting the #3 goal corporate charter, completed on March 27, 1966 for officially being exempt from local, state, and federal taxes. When asked how being a UUCFM member impacted her life, Bertha answered. “Well, is there any other way?”
For Goal #2, George Bail, one of the Charter members, looked for 2 years at possible buildings to purchase. George wrote, “ We needed a home. We couldn’t keep wandering around in rented places; we lose authority and people can’t find us. Our members miss meetings. So when we found the old Church of Christ building, 2335 Clifford St. at the intersection of Edison, we purchased it for $30,000. We felt its inner city location was best for attracting new members.” That purchase of a building happened also in 1966.
Goal #1, hiring a settled minister also became a reality, again in the pivotal year of 1966 when our esteemed Rev. Alfred Hobart became our first settled minister.
Let’s return for a moment to those years between 1961 and 1966. Charter member, retired minister, Rev. Helene Ulrich gave the first sermon. She was an outstanding advocate for human rights and fought for social programs. She tangled and overcame the Ft. Myers Symphony Board’s ruling that black people could not attend or buy tickets to their concerts. Rev. Ulrich’s work with Dunbar High School’s administrator and other black leaders went a long way to break down segregation and smooth local integration. Helene was the first woman ordained in New York City. She died here in Fort Myers on September 7,1965 having served for many years as our lay leader and community spokesperson.
The climate of racism in the early 1960’s at Ft. Myers was outlined as follows by Michelle Prettyman. “We African Americans lived mostly in Dunbar. We had our own schools. Most of them were run down with old fashioned desks, leaky roofs, and cracked blackboards. We made do with books the white schools threw away. In some restaurants, hotels and bars we were not allowed to be admitted. We sat in the back or balcony of the movie theaters. In the courthouse we had our own colored drinking fountains and colored bathrooms. We were pretty much shut out of the economy.”
Our UUCFM founders were ahead of the curve for civil rights here in Fort Myers and pulpits were exchanged with churches of black members.
Goal #1, the first settled minister was hired. Again, it was accomplished in the year of 1966.
Rev. Alfred Hobart and his wife, Mary Aymar Hobart came as a team, as it turned out to be. Rev. Hobart was hired as a part-time, semi-retired minister but was our only paid employee, so naturally he and Mary Aymar took on what was needed as their way of life had always been. Rev. Hobart had semi-retired for the previous 2 years as our UUA District Representative so he knew our Ft. Myers situation. Previous to that, he and his wife had founded the Birmingham, Alabama UU and had 11 tumultuous years there during the early strife years of civil rights. Rev. Hobart had worked and participated with the Selma March group. On June 6, 1967, Meadville Lombard UU Seminary, Rev. Hobart’s alma mater, awards Rev. Hobart an honorary doctorate for his Civil Rights work. Rev. Hobart was paid $1,000 @ year. It was later raised to $1,700 @ year until his resignation, due to ill health on Feb. 28, 1974. This salary was supplemented by an anonymous giver of $5,000 @ year. Rev. Hobart was a strong activist for justice, speaking out for civil rights and women’s reproductive rights. Before the Supreme Court’s Roe VS Wade’s decision, he was a part of a network of ministers helping women obtain a safe abortion when it was illegal to get information on it in Florida. Sadly, we are now, in 2022, closely getting back to that situation.
The Clifford Street Church’s social/fellowship hall was named for Rev. Hobart and when we moved to our Shire Lane location, that first social/fellowhship hall’s name was carried over. His honored name and his portrait graces our Hobart Hall today.
Betty Tobin is our longest, living current member since she and her late husband, John, joined on January 1, 1967. John was Vice President in 1968 and President, 1969-70. Betty recalls, “ My fondest memories were carrying our baby daughter, Jeannie, up the Clifford Street stairs and holding her during the services—Jeannie is now 53 years old! We saw the transformation of our Clifford Street Church as it first got a new kitchen, then a new roof, a new ceiling, new carpet, and air conditioning. The children’s playground was fenced and we had a big debate as to whether to buy adjacent land for extra parking. We did it. Flower beds were added among the mango and banyon trees. All these additions were mainly done by volunteer members. When we could afford it, we hired masons, carpenters, and tilemen. It took commitment, and we were there for each other and our Church. Retired UU minister Elena Rigg and husband David helped us in so many ways from the pulpit to Buddhism class with Ruth Ravitz. Lynn Davis taught yoga. Don Ehat would gather good things about town on junk days to sell at our yard sales. We were proud of each accomplishment and enjoyed working together. One of my fondest memories were the times we ate together with potlucks. We’d troop through the corridor kitchen for the food and then sit at tables set up right thru to the altar. We called it Betty Nary’s kitchen since she was there and cooking all the time. We published 2 cook books.”
Betty Tobin lives right down Shire Lane at 13000, and adds, “My granddaughter and friends love to explore our whole campus and visit her Grandfather John’s plaque in the Memorial Garden. They always tell me they find flowers to put there. We cherish that.”
Betty closed her remembrances with “ We women helped Virginia Seaman start a lending library off the kitchen that was important for us all to use and share.”
Our lending library has evolved now to its own room with Virginia’s name plaque and her photo hanging there. Virginia Seaman is one of the many volunteers in those 1960’s and 1970’s that Betty so well remembered and whose work we have built on and are continuing on today.
In the 1960’s it was customary to provide a parsonage for the minister. So, June 18, 1966, a home for the Hobarts was purchased at 1435 Terra Palm Drive for $18,300. This house was rented to the Hobarts upon his retirement in 1974 and then sold upon his death, January 16, 1985. It was sold for $60,000. in September, 1985 to give Mary Aymar Hobart the time to make other living arrangements. The profit from this sale was put into needed upgrades for the Clifford Street building.
ENTER, OUR SECOND SETTLED MINISTER, Rev. Richard Eldon Benner, September 1974 to June,1979.
Rev. Benner was a young man, with a young family, a former English teacher who had a newly won degree from Bangor, Maine’s Non-denominational Theological Seminary. Among his goals for UUCFM were living up to our principles of freedom, reason, and tolerance. He planned to act on and grow our noble heritage of humanitarian concern from the Hobart years. He felt, we as a church, must become a potent force for religious liberalism in Fort Myers and Lee County. Rev. Brenner began more programs for both adults and children.
He instituted the “Children’s Service” or “Time for All Ages” at the beginning of each Sunday service where he would have the children come up and he’d play his guitar and tell a short story and then send them off to their age-related classes. This continued at UUCFM until we ran out of children!
Hopefully, we can again attract more parents with children as we continue forward. Member Marge Gonzalez-Routh has developed a curriculum for teaching children how to make connections with nature entitled “ Earth Wonders”. All it needs is children and teachers! In the recent past, summer camps were offered with Harry Potter themes called Wizard Camps. These were offered to the public and were very successful.
Rev. Benner immediately became involved in community organizations and became President of the Lee County Mission Board of Harlem Heights and the SW Florida Memorial Society. He taught at Edison College and often made radio and TV appearances which made UUCFM more known. He recruited more than 60 new members, including members still with us today, Nancy and Roy Green, Andy and Ellen Erickson and Margie Kolbe with their young families. The Greens, Ericksons, and Margie Kolbe, are still very active and contributing members you’ll see them as Greeters on our Sunday mornings or on working committees.
Rev. Benner was instrumental in starting the Naples UU, which now has over 400 members and 2 Sunday services. This dynamic , influential minister was recruited away by the New York Garden City UU after only 5 years with us. Rev. Brenner’s farewell address was full of thank yous to the congregation instead of the usual goodbye references.
THREE SHORT-TERM MINISTRIES from 1979 to 1984.
From the fall of 1979 until the fall of 1984, when Rev. William Burnside Miller began his ministry, the pulpit was filled by two Interim Ministers and one Settled Minister. May 17, 1979, Rev. Dr. Donald T. Marshall reportedly served us well with excellent sermons until our 3rd Settled Minister was hired on March 12, 1980. Our 3rd Settled Minister, Rev. Maryell Cleary served from 1980 to 1982. Her ministry became embroiled in a controversy with a UU retired minister member, Rev. J, Raymond Cope, which caused a split in the congregation. Rev. Cleary won the support of a Congregational vote but chose to resign.
She worked with Dr. Eleanor Goldblum to form the new Fellowship, on Sanibel Island, called, UU of the Islands. This Sanibel group was active through our Rev. Bill Miller’s ministry. This Fellowship dissolved with Rev. Miller’s death in 1994 and unfortunately, has not continued.
Many UUCFM women admired Rev. Cleary as a strong advocate for women’s rights. Membership dropped during these years to 115 members. Her short term as minister is well chronicled, pps. 33-40 in Leonard P. Adams booklet of the years 1955-1994, which can be found in our library.
Leonard Adams reports on the following 2 years, 1982 to 1984 when we had an Interim Minister, Jack Zoerheide with his wife, Marie, who was also involved with UUCFM activities.
Ruth Collier, Board President noted, “Rev. Zoeheide was an instant ‘hit’ with everyone. He came, he saw. he conquered. Rev. Zoeheide saw the needs of our disrupted group. He had the required ability to discern and understand the needs to become a more united congregation and helped rethinking our goals to look to the future with renewed optimism.”
Let’s now back up in time to 1967 when the Women’s and Men’s groups combined to be THE FEDERATION. It has been said, “the test of a religion is the kind of people it produces”. Such is the case of the loyal and self-effacing members of this Federation organization which was active until 2005. This Federation group had thirty eight years of service and support for UUCFM and Fort Myers community needs. It did caring efforts like memorial services, and many domestic tasks for the church. A day in the Federation’s TUUsday meetings is included at the end of this writing. I found a Federation Treasurer’s record from 1983 through 1991 which reported $43,162. disbursements to UUCFM and community organizations. These were the formative years that our present Shire Lane campus was being purchased and groundbreaking had begun in 1992. Thus, this Federation was still giving away to the community as our own UUCFM needs were paramount. It contributed funds for the present courtyard pond, kitchen equipment and many other needs. It became inactive in 2005 and eventually the Women’s Circle and the Mens Group evolved. Today, neither of those groups are currently active. However, we can hope to revive the spirit of The Federation of women and men working together each week and enjoying lunch and forging friendships while serving needs of our congregation and helping community organizations.
Current member, Ruth Graham, at 91, recalls when she came to UUCFM in 1979 as a single parent from Missouri and only knew one couple at UUCFM. She felt it was a very welcoming place and it quickly became her second home. Ruth remembers,”On Tuesdays, we worked together on the grounds, repairing, woodworking, sewing and quilting, and eating lunch together. It was a very special time, especially when Rev. Bill Miller came to us. Every Thursday I volunteered in the office. After the Clifford Street Church was sold and before we moved into Hobart Hall, our office was a construction trailer on Shire Lane. We met on Sunday mornings at the Cypress Lake Middle School. Rev. Bill kept us all working together. I have a record of 22 handmade quilts we sewed from 1985 to 2006. They were raffled off or sold for a total profit of $19,132. Somewhere we have photos of all of them. Most of the men painted walls , worked on the grounds or did woodworking. I stored my family’s 1920 quilting frame and materials in my garage and we worked from there from 1993-1996 on one quilt that took 3 years to complete before Hobart Hall was finished. That Queen Anne Star design sold for $2,130. Those Federation years were such a good blend of people working together and making friendships. Our Church has been an important part of my life.”
At the end of this writing, you readers will find Ruth’s accounting of each of the 22 quilts and the proceeds from their sale. And, yes, Ruth, there are photos of all those quilts in the library along with hundreds of other photos from over the years. It will be a treasure trove to someday assimilate them and add them to our many smart phone photos. We can do this! Ruth wanted me to add that the 6 foot wreath we use at holiday time was built by her father and she is happy to see we value handmade durable things from the past. It was during her volunteer office time that we entered the computer age with her urging and resources. Ruth was secretary for the Search Committee that brought Rev. Miller to UUCFM.
Who is this Jules B. Chapman, whose name plate is on our grand piano? Ellen Erickson, current member, says, ”I remember Jules well. He and his wife, Lou, joined a year after our family did, in 1974, almost 50 years ago now. Jules was a dance band leader and had an extensive record collection. For 15 years, before we obtained the present piano and organ, he sat in the back corner amid his equipment and provided the music for our services. It was very peaceful and beautiful. Jules picked up the financial difference from the piano & organ Service Auction Fund drives by John and Jean Pittman to fully fund both the piano and organ. You’ll find plaques to them on the left side of our front Sanctuary wall. The Chapmans underwrote the cost of landscaping at Clifford Street and chaired the Search committee that brought Bill Miller here in 1984. Rev. Miller was a dynamic speaker and very visible in the community.”
THE TEN YEARS OF 1984 -1994 , with our 4th Settled Minister, Rev. William Burnside Miller.
The Search Committee presented their choice for a Settled Minister on May 6, 1984, and after hearing Rev. Miller preach, the membership voted unanimously on its first and only vote to call the Rev. Miller to be its new minister effective September 1, 1984. This confidence and admiration continued to his untimely death of a massive stroke on Saturday, May, 14, 1994 at only 46 years of age.
Our Sanctuary is named in his honor. His portrait and accompanying words on plaques are located in the Narthex.
Rev. Bill, as he wished to be called, was responsible for our large growth in membership to over 400 members. During his ten years with us, we went from one of the smallest UU Fellowships in the UUA District of Florida to the largest membership in 1994. Also, during his tenure and leadership, we acquired the Shire Lane location which we enjoy today. Who was this cherished minister that had such an ardent following and was held in such esteem that their financial gifts propelled us forward to our present facility of buildings and property? I will attempt to outline his gifts of larger than life works and his heartfelt love for UUCFM and the people of Lee County.
Before arriving in Fort Myers, Rev. Miller graduated from Tufts University with a philosophy degree in 1970. He went on to receive his professional graduate degree from the Divinity School of Harvard University in 1973. For the next eleven years he served as minister for congregations in Massachusetts and Maine. He came from a family birthright of UU involvement since his father, Rev. Dr. Wilburn Miller was a UU minister and his grandfather, Rev. Chester Gore Miller was a Universalist minister. He is the 6th generation of Universalist ministry.
In February of 1977 Bill married the love of his life, Shirley May Sturtevant, an elementary teacher who continued to teach and oversee curriculum developments in Lee County. Shirley brought two daughters, Evie Lynn and Lee Ann from a previous marriage to the new Miller family. Upon Bill’s death, in his memory, the family planted a Live Oak in the west parking lot to shade the minister’s office. You can see its majestic growth today as you walk from the west parking lot into the courtyard area. This over 40 year old Live Oak does indeed continue to give luminous shade to that area of our Administration wing and it welcomes us into our courtyard’s ever growing beauty.
Rev. Miller’s activities in local and UU organizations are almost too numerous to mention here. A sample are: Taught a course at Edison College, sermons were rebroadcast over radio station WKII, President of the Ft. Myers Ministerial Association, and the Lee County Coalition for Peace, Habitat for Humanity Board member, Board of Directors for the SW Florida ACLU, Lee County Jewish Federation, Lee Adolescent Mothers Program, AIDA task Force, Board of Trustees elected Vice-President of the UUA Service Committee and was a mentor for new UUA ministers.
One illustration of his numerous community involvements was the posthumous recognition by the Jewish community for his leading support against the anti-semiticism in the area when he was awarded a 1995 Righteous Gentile Award. He was selected to give the prayer at the rededication of the Lee County Courthouse.
Rev. Miller was recognized as a defender of minority social activism groups. He performed marriages of Gays and Lesbians, and was active in establishing a Planned Parenthood clinic in Lee County. Rev. Miller with the assistance of members Phyllis Brewer and Barbara Boynton arranged for a planning group to meet at UUCFM to start the quest for a needed clinic in Ft. Myers to combat the unfulfilled need of women’s reproductive health issues. After 2 years, the clinic opened in 1992, mainly due to our member efforts and Rev. Miller’s support. Phyllis Brewer wrote, ”Our UU Congregation is truly my sanctuary and inspiration. Working to establish Planned Parenthood in Lee County was one way we lived our personal beliefs and commitments to our UU principles. Rev. Miller was always there, helping and inspiring us to find the best within ourselves and to empower us to reach our greatest potential. Thus, the Planned Parenthood Clinic became a reality.”
Making UUCFM better known in our community has always been a goal for increasing membership. Rev. Miller promoted small group fellowship activities as well as large community associations. Among his first remarks to the membership were,”We must perfect ourselves as we perfect our religious institution. We must stand up for our liberal religious views…and we can joyfully respond to its pleasing resonance.” He was an orator that members came to hear. For example, Easter Sunday before we could use the new Hobart Hall facility and had to meet at the Cypress Lake Middle School, 283 members attended.
Rev. Miller not only took care of his “flock” but records show he gave memorial services to non-members.
Rev. Miller believed in member participation and urged small group gatherings, such as the Singles Group for mutual support, a Friday night entertainment gathering, the weekly Sunday morning Forum for Adult Education which continued until recently when the Covid Pandemic hit us two years ago. He instituted a Wholly Wednesday meeting where members and their friends met for dinner with discussion topics or a program presentation. This Wholly Wednesday fellowship gathering continued with good success until 2015. Linda and Denis Jenson, who were chairing it, moved to California to be with their families. The Forum on Sunday mornings and Wholly Wednesday surely could be revived again as our Covid pandemic separation issues keep abating. Life-span religious education and social activities expand our friendships and commonalities to make us strong in other areas of outreach such as Social Justice needs where we work together for the common good.
Rev. Miller with Board of Trustees set up our Endowment Fund in 1992. This Fund will be described in detail by current Endowment Chair, Bruce Leddy, at the end of this document.
Rev. Miller’s inspirational leadership resulted in such a growth in membership that a larger facility was evident. He was giving two Sunday services and a 3rd early service was being tried.
Margie Kolbe, current member since 1978, (who you will find as Sunday Greeter and Kitchen volunteer today), remembers, “We had clearly outgrown our Clifford Street site and facility. As beautiful and homey as it was, as much as we loved its flowers and traditions, there was never enough room for parking, for a greater expansion of the sanctuary and social facilities. There were just too many people and children! That was a very good reason to move. Even my Jim joined later because of how our daughters loved the playground and their friends there. Betty Nary’s food presentations also had something to do with it.”
TRANSITION YEARS WHEN BUILDING OUR PRESENT SHIRE LANE CAMPUS
The name George Gauch continually is found in records during these transition years of 1987 to 1994 when we were acquiring the Shire Lane property and funds to build upon it.
George wrote, “Ten acres of open pasture land was purchased for $180,000. which is covered with non-native plants such as malelucas, swamp cabbage and palmetto. We set about clearing the land and planting trees. We started a nursery on the grounds with shrubs and trees for transplanting. We are lucky to acquire this Shire Lane property. It will take us several years both to acquire the funds for the buildings and to prepare the site for construction.” The Shire Lane land was purchased Feb. 23, 1988. The land had to be contoured with the excavation of a lake and distributing the lake’s fill to provide higher ground for our quadrangle of buildings. The local architect firm of Barany, Schmitt, and Weaver won a national award in 1991 for their design of our campus buildings. We seemed to have been doing things right as George Gauch, Chair of the Forward Planning and Growth Committee led the way for getting the first Sunday service in Hobart Hall on September 12, 1993.
The ongoing George Gauch Annual Award recognizes extraordinary service by an individual which George exemplified. It was in large part George’s dedication to our move from Clifford Street to Shire Lane that made it all happen in a timely fashion. George’s death, at 85, of a heart attack came a week before he could enjoy his creation of our move to our present campus.
How did this all get funded? Roy Green, member since 1976, offers some explanation. “ We had a Growth Fund pledge drive to purchase the land and start the first building phase. By 1991 over $500,000 had been pledged. By 1996, with the completion of our Shire Lane buildings, there had been 3 separate Capital Campaigns totaling over 1.3 million dollars. All campaigns were led by Bud and Carol Lewis. Bud Lewis said he just retired to Florida to play golf; but Carol had other plans. They have a special honor plaque in our Memorial Garden. The Memorial Garden was the special project of Bud Lewis.“ Nancy Green adds, “ I was rather amazed at the generosity of our members. We feel ours is one of the most beautiful churches that we have attended. We feel honored to have been a part of this church family over the years and participated in its growth.” You will find Nancy and Roy Green ever present as Greeters on Sunday and continuing to volunteer their services over these past 46 years of their membership.
Rev. Miller inspired members to give of their time and treasure. For example I found the 1986-87 Operating Budget was for $75,210. of which 92% were completed pledges. The remaining 8 % came from rentals and gifts from the Federation and other sources. The next year, the congregation voted to expand and purchased the Shire Lane property which was said to be in the direction Fort Myers was growing. Daniels Parkway was being 4-laned to the regional airport. It was fortunate those members of 1987 took the chance and followed Rev. Miller’s and their Board of Trustees leads to plan for the future of what we enjoy today.
The first year of Rev. Miller’s tenure, 1985, John and Jean Pittman began the Annual Service Auction to raise funds for a needed new piano and organ. It took 8 years of Auctions to finally raise enough for each of the fine instruments we have today. We hope to restart this Service Auction since it is our largest fund-raiser and just a fun time of fellowship. Hopefully, after the past 2 years of the COVID shutdown, we can again restart many of our past congregation’s organizations and activities.
Rev. Miller was very aware of the need to further Rev. Hobart’s integration ideals and began our annual participation in 1986 for the Martin Luther King, Jr. Parade through downtown Ft. Myers ending up at Riverside Park with booths, music, and food. We have often been cited as the largest marching group and we have been consistent marchers every year.
In 1992, the beloved, but outgrown Clifford St. Church is sold to the Lee County Memorial Hospital to use as a Day Care Center for their employees. It had been appraised at $500,000. However, the offer was less than half that and it was the only offer that was made. It was a disappointment but members in general approved since the building would serve an appreciative population and the money would help build our dream campus at Shire Lane. Packing and moving things to storage was mainly done by the membership.
On December 13, 1992, there was a Groundbreaking Ceremony on the newly purchased Shire Lane site. It was recorded that a Time Capsule was ceremoniously buried that day on the west of where the Hobart Hall social building was to be built. It is a phantom Time Capsule today since its exact location is not known.
Sunday evening, April 11, 1993, a liturgical service was held to formally close the door on their much loved facility. Rev. Miller’s closing words that night were, “ The words we have heard tonight have little to do with a building, but with each of us. I know this is only cinder block and mortar and aluminum, but I say, Farewell Dear Friend. You have served us well. You have been a wonderful home for us. Let us give thanks for that which is past and let us give thanks for that which is to come.” Thus, we moved our services that spring and summer to the Cypress Lake Middle School until Hobart Hall was completed in 1993.
Rev. Bill Miller’s 1994 death gave those grieving members the enthusiasm and impetus to build our quite magnificent Sanctuary in his remembrance. His charismatic leadership is well remembered by all whose lives he touched in this Church and throughout Fort Myers.
We were indeed blessed by the team of Rev. Josiah and Laile Bartlett who arrived to continue the vision and momentum of Rev. Miller for the completion of our Sanctuary.
1994- 1996 was the 2 year Interim Minister time of Josiah R. and his wife, Laile E. Bartlett. They arrived from California just as Rev. Bartlett had retired from the Dean of Religion at Star King Seminary in Berkeley. He was founder of the Interim Ministry UUA Program. Thus, he anticipated the urgent need for a critical time of a healing transition to fill the void of Rev. Miller’s sudden death and to go forward with the completing of our Shire Lane Sanctuary. Together with the able Board President, Ed Porteus, they moved ahead to strengthen the lay-leadership and committee structures of the Church. Rev. Bartlett’s sermons were often directed to discussion of the history and meaning of Unitarian-Universalism. It is recorded that Rev. Bartlett’s optimistic future-oriented attitude provided clear direction for the continuing goals of the congregation. Members steadily increased in number.
Rev, Bartlett and Laile had written and illustrated a 59 page paperback book, “A RELIGION FOR THE ‘NON-RELIGIOUS, An Overview of Unitarian Universalism” , published in 1990. We have multiple copies for check out in our library. It is especially helpful for our new members and visitors. Member Bill Roy has just completed reading it and very much admires its content. He suggests, “We all could benefit from reading it today.”
Rev. Bartlett is fondly remembered by Barbara Boynton, a current member since 1985.
“Rev. Joe, as we called him, was a powerful speaker and people kept coming and joining to hear his sermons until we had over 400 members. He compared UUism to ice cream, a nourishing, uniform product that comes in many flavors.” Barbara and husband Dick, have been enthusiastic and loyal members for these past 37 years. She says, “Here my UU beliefs are not challenged or criticized. Reason, love and service to others are essential parts of my religion and all 3 fit here.”
February 25, 1994 was the establishment of the Annual George Gauch Recognition Award to honor individuals who demonstrate prolonged, extraordinary service for UUCFM. George Gauch was the example of this until his untimely death in 1993. The Recognition Award Recipients each year are named on plaques hung, usually in Hobart Hall. The Board of Trustees awards the annual honor. A listing of recipients from 1994 to the present 2022 award to Bill Petrarca can be found at the end of this document. UUCFM has been built on these shoulders and many more than we can name here.
March 8, 1994, Don Maron, current member and then 1994 Treasurer, reported income exceeded expenses by $18,960.01 for the year, 1993-1994. In all our 60+ years this is our only surplus budget year. The surplus went into a Contingency Fund. Don and his late wife, Carolyn, joined in 1994 and weeks later ,Don found himself on the Board as Treasurer. Don relates, “We lived very near Shire Lane and I was on call for first on the scene for so-called emergencies. It was always my pleasure. This congregation has been a refuge from the conservative community where we lived and worked. Being able to listen and speak with people with the same values has been an important need in my life.” Don cared for Carolyn in her decline until her death in 2018.
July 18, 1994, was the first official meeting of UUCFM’s Covenant of UU Pagans chapter. (CUUPS) It has By-Laws and elected leadership roles. They developed a Medicine Wheel meditation circle of 36 stones reflecting the cosmology of the world with stones in the middle in memory of CUUPS members who have passed. It is located behind the lake. CUUPS members are active volunteers and at one time were the largest group in the UUA. They were instrumental in developing our Labyrinth in 1998 with Ellen Peterson’s direction. Ancient holidays are celebrated which focus on basic facts of the earth. UUCFM joins their celebration of Lammas or Lughnassa, the time of harvest and the blessing of the animals. It is recognizing the interconnected web of life. CUUPS goals are living more lightly on our planet and maintaining its natural beauty. Among its celebrations are the Spring & Fall Equinoxes, the Summer & Winter Solstices, and Samhain, honoring our ancestors. They have given the UUA courses, “Cakes for the Queen of Heaven” and “Rise Up and Call Her Name”. Current members are holding ceremonies they have performed for decades around the grounds and in Hobart Hall. Look for announcements of where and when in the Newsletter.
AT LAST, THE SERVICE OF DEDICATION FOR THE MILLER SANCTUARY
January 19, 1997, at 10:30 a.m., people gathered to celebrate the place “Where Religion and Reason meet.” This sentence was printed on the cover of the program. It was a 10 page program handout that illustrated how inspirational Rev. Miller was as a leader. On the opening page, under his portrait, these words were printed from his last sermon, May 1, 1994.
“There is one thing I know, and I know it with all my heart…we cannot return to yesterday…rather we must meet the challenges of today with as much compassion and humanity and wisdom as we possibly can.”
The 3rd page focused on the building’s beauty with photos and these words, “Creating Multi-Use Facility for a Multi-Faceted People”
The Service featured special music by our choir joined by the SW Florida Gay & Lesbian Chorus. Words by Rev. Miller were read from his “Salted With Fire” essay and from his charge to the congregation from 1984. A Meditation and Sermon were given by Rev. Dr. John Buehrens, President, UUA, who traveled from Boston to attend.
Dr. Buehrens was so impressed with our striking centerpiece on the front wall that he ordered one to be made for the UUA Office in Boston. Members Mark Dehus and Mark Preston “designed this wooden heroic scale version of the familiar bold chalice on a slender stem which hangs today on our front wall. It is a 4 foot circle of birch behind a chalice of white ash stained to a light oak finish. Its interlocking rings of walnut, 40 inches in diameter, reflect our union of the two UU faiths. The flame is created from a wood native to Northeast Africa, reddish orange padauk.” We also honor these woodcrafter members for their 12 different chalices on the sanctuary’s rear wall. Perhaps take some time to stand and admire these 12 different chalices. “Each wood crafted piece has an origin of its own and together an ecumenical family tree of sorts, linking us silently with our fellow beings around the world”. Mark Dehus was a retired industrial engineer and Mark Preston was an investment broker and were just woodcrafters by avocation. Today, many of their tools are hanging on the wall of our storage shed, silently hoping to be visited and used again.
Allen Richardson designed, built and donated the 2 podiums, the table and the chalice lighting stand in beautiful walnut to grace the look of our front dias area. These donations complement the needs of our Sunday services and are long lasting into the future.
The Service Dedication handout stated we had a membership of 430. It detailed with 2 photos the previous three decades of growth at our first building at the corner of Edison and Clifford Streets. “By 1991, the facility had a new kitchen, ceiling and roof, as well as a social hall named in honor of the Rev. Dr. Alfred Hobart.” As we have learned, Rev. Miller’s leadership made us outgrow this much beloved house of worship.
To further appreciate what we have today of all the buildings surrounding the courtyard, here is a final quote from that Dedication handout. “The sprawling complex that today nestles among pines and palms off Daniels Parkway is a legacy from those who dared to dream and do…creating spaces of tranquility and high energy from within; bold statements of unity and strength from without…Together all five units face inward, creating a courtyard for quiet contemplation and for social gatherings before and after services. The 8,300 square foot sanctuary seats a total of more than 400. There are 10 rows of pews in a fan-shaped arrangement, and an additional 50-plus chairs can be added when needed. The flat area between pews and dais can be cleared to provide additional space for music, dance and drama productions. A generous narthex area allows for possible expansion in the future.”
In Spring of 1997, two and a half acres of open pasture land adjacent and east of UUCFM extending over to Shetland Lane came up for sale. Paul Elroy Holton, member since 1988, wanted to expand the pastoral church grounds and to protect the grounds from nearby incompatible development. So, he bought the 2.5 acres and donated them to UUCFM. This acreage has become the Holton Eco-Preserve we have today.
David Holton, Paul’s son and member recalls, “Like Thomas Jefferson, who envisioned a nation from sea-to-sea, my Dad wanted to expand the UUCFM campus from road-to-road. Following acquisition of the 2.5 acres, Dad asked that we look at the land between the church and Daniels Parkway for possible acquisition. Unfortunately, at the time, the owner was asking an unrealistically high price and we had to pass on it. Nevertheless, I am certain my Dad would be very happy with the evolution of the Eco-Preserve.”
Upon Paul’s death in 2007, three royal palms were given in his memory, two from his family, and one from his friends from the Sunday morning Humanist Forum. At the time, our Grounds Manager only wanted native trees so he planted these 3 palms back near the NW corner of our storage shed so as not to be readily seen. Paul’s plaque is there among the lovely palms. Next time you are strolling the campus you might pay them a visit and tell them they are welcomed and cherished. The 3 palms survived our Hurricane IAN just fine.
1998-2008, This decade was a time of clearing of our land of invasive, non-native plants and trees, making it more true to our Green Sanctuary designation. Inroads were made for the present Nature Trail. Drainage systems were dug to prevent flooding which was a hot, dirty, messy labor-intensive feat. These efforts were led over the years by Charles Meyers, Hartley Martin, David Parton, Bill Brewer, Melissa Bell, Michael Lienhardt and countless others. Our campus today didn’t just happen by itself and will not continue to be so inviting without our volunteering and vigilance. To all our volunteers, we can never thank you enough for all the work that has been done and is ongoing.
Holley Rauen and Liz Taggert have established The Garden Guardians, a volunteer workforce that comes together many Saturdays to keep our courtyard and gardens on each side of the Sanctuary in good condition. The Boy Scouts volunteer to mow grass and upkeep the Nature Trail. When you see a job that needs to be done, find someone who knows what the best way to do it is and then, get the job done. Volunteers working with our paid staff make our UUCFM world go round and keep it beautiful to enjoy for now and the future years. Thank you in advance for your hours and energy to keep UUCFM being a proud place for us to be coming together, living the UUA Eight Principles.
1998 saw the beginning of the Symphony Chamber Concert Series held Sunday afternoons from 3-5 pm. It brought many people to UUCFM and ran for eleven years under the direction Ed Stone who coordinated ticket sales, publicity and the social hour in Hobart Hall where people could meet the performers. Of course there were the refreshments added. The set ups, clean ups, ticket takers, all done with volunteers. Then, sadly, in 2009, it was ended for the lack of volunteers and necessary ticket sales. Concert music has now returned to UUCFM with the addition of the Musical Arts Center and the Gulf Coast Symphony concerts in 2020.
During 1998, UUCFM wins a major lawsuit, as part of a Lee County coalition, Citizens For Quality Education. The Lee County School Board lost its case to introduce an unconstitutional Christian Bible class into the curriculum. One of the plaintiffs was our RE Director, Mark Ehman. the UUA gave us a $12,000 grant to help get out the vote in the primary election. The election was successful and we returned the unused portion of the grant to the UUA. This return of unused grant money was reported to be unprecedented at the UUA Headquarters.
Two important additions to our extended outdoor campus were added in 1999.
The Open Air Amphitheater was constructed at the entrance to the Holton Eco-Preserve, funded by Joann Orr and implemented by David Parton. Recently, the Boy Scouts have refurbished it with new composite board seating and a handicapped accessible wooden walkway from the parking lot.
The 1999 outdoor 2nd addition was the meditation Labyrinth located at the far end of Holton Eco-Preserve. It was conceived and plotted out by Ellen Peterson using dowsing rods to locate the place of most power. It was also based on the ancient 7 circle pattern along earth’s ley line. Members of the CUUPS group worked to complete the pattern with stones and brick edging. In 2019 the Labyrinth’s surface path was made more permanent by the laying of colored bricks where the stones were and an ADA (American Disabilities Act) brick path was added from the Family Gardens. Toni Latino led the renovations with grants from our Endowment Fund, the Happehatchee Trust, and individual donations. Our Labyrinth’s location is listed with a National Labyrinth organization. There are future plans to make a seating grotto area where the large oak tree still graces the site.
Dear Reader, you have now come to our recorded history at the year, 1999. Shouldn’t UUCFM be over flowing with pride in the property and the goodness which comes from being together in service?
However, events and conflicts plunged our Congregation into dissension and setbacks beginning with the arrival in 1966 of our 5th Settled Minister, Rev. Wayne Robinson.
Difficulties in his working with lay-leadership and committees began to emerge which could not be resolved. Frances Klein, member since 1994, Board member at the time and then Board President, 2001-02, recalls,” Rev. Robinson acted like a CEO, not an employee of our Board of Trustees. He took over the church credit card and made many self-serving purchases without authorization. The office staff & equipment was used for his personal interests. When asked to visit sick members, he said there was a committee for that.”
The question of Rev. Robinson’s tenure went to a Congregational vote which resulted in his ministry being upheld by 6 votes, which was 49% to dismiss him and 51% to retain him. The UUA strongly recommends that if there is a 30% vote for dismissal, the minister should resign. Ultimately, Rev. Robinson resigned and left in 2000. He was reassigned to be a UU Interim Minister in East Lansing, Michigan.
Admirers of Rev. Robinson asked him to return to Fort Myers and form a new church. Rev. Robinson left East Lansing without notifying that congregation, the Dept. of UUA Ministry, the Florida District UUA Representative, or our UUCFM Interim Minister, Rev. Janet Newman. He then used our UUCFM mailing list to solicit our active members for financial contributions and to join him in membership for his new congregation here in Fort Myers.
Phyllis Brewer, Board member from 1993-2001, and as President 1997-1999, writes, “It is important to clarify that UUCFM never filed a complaint with the UUA against Rev. Robinson. According to the Code of Professional Practice of the UUMA (Unitarian Universalist Minister’s Association), Rev. Robinson’s actions were considered unethical and he was suspended from membership. Following two appeals by Rev. Robinson, he was suspended by a unanimous vote of the full UUMA membership at their national meeting in June, 2002. This turmoil caused tremendous damage to relationships and good will among many of our members. It resulted in the loss of a significant number of UUCFM members, some who joined Rev. Robinson’s new congregation and others resigned because of the stress that occurred.”
Rev. Robinson’s followers eventually were granted a charter by the UUA , June, 2011. They are known as the All Faiths Congregation located at 2756 McGregor Blvd, Fort Myers.
A WHO’S WHO OF MINISTERS, INTERIM MINISTERS & LAY MINISTERS, 2000-2022
UUCFM went forward with the 2000-2002 Interim Minister, Rev. Janet Newman. It has been written that Rev. Newman put us on a new course of recovery and promise and prodded us to remember our great heritage and history. Her interest crossed all generational lines.
December 10, 2000, Dr. Mark Ehman was voted to be ordained as the Assistant Minister. Rev. Ehman gave fine sermons and promoted a democratic leadership. He served us well up to his leaving for another position in 2003.
We were ready to welcome our 6th Settled Minister, Rev. Ken Hurto.
Rev. Ken Hurto, 2004-2006, was a fine minister with challenging and engaging Sunday sermons. However, he resigned earlier than he had promised to stay with us in order to take an administrative position with the UUA. This left UUCFM to again search for a new minister.
Two Interim Ministers, Rev. Arline Sutherland , from 2005-2007, and Rev. Angie Theisen, from 2007-2008 served us until we hired Rev. Allison Farnum, our 7th Settled Minister in 2008.
Rev. Allison was a new graduate from seminary school and remained with us until she resigned after t1 years of service on June 30, 2019. Her guiding influence is chronicled chronologically later in this writing.
Soon after Rev Farnum’s resignation, UUCFM hired Rev. Carlos Martinez as an Interim Minister. who arrived, August, 2019. There were problems from the beginning. Rev. Carlos’s contract was terminated by a unanimous vote of the Board of Trustees, December, 2019. Rev. Carlos’s contract was finalized May 15, 2020, after necessary contract negotiations.
Our Board of Trustees hired Rev. Margaret Beard as helping minister, Spring, 2020, until her resignation, June 15, 2020. Leslie Peterson, President of the Board, kept the loyal Board members holding UUCFM together until the two Lay Leaders mentioned next were hired.
January, 1, 2021, our lauded Lay Leadership Board was fortunate to hire two Lay leaders, members of our congregation, who were in training and study to become Commissioned Lay Ministers. As we close the 2022 year, we have greatly benefitted from the services of Mary Cline Golbitz and Alberita Johnson, who had been hired to assist UUCFM in essential matters for up to two years or when we were able to hire a minister. We are ever grateful for their care, service and guidance these past transition months.
And Finally,
August 1, 2022, Rev. Sue Gabrielson is hired as a Part-time Minister.
MOST MAJOR EVENTS CHRONICLED FROM 2002-2022
UUCFM is officially certified in 2002, as a Backyard Habitat site by the National Wlidlife Federation. A plaque stating this can be found in the Memorial Garden. This certification is largely due to the efforts of Karolyn Griffen. The Memorial Garden area is often referred to as the Butterfly Garden since many plants have been added there for a butterfly habitat and the butterflies have found us. Sitting there among the fluttering feeding butterflies is indeed one of our treasures to experience.
During 2002, we created a Sculpture Garden on the south east side of the sanctuary. It was established with the gift of 4 large sculptures from Peggy Fuller who moved away to be closer to family. It is one of the many quiet areas for meditation on our campus.
February 22, 2002, a lively, 26 page play, “Voices from our Past, Presented in Celebration of the First Forty Years of the Unitarian Universalist Church of Fort Myers, An Original Pageant” was written, produced and directed by members, Bill and Dee West. Its cast of 25 congregation members, had a delightful time enacting UUCFM’s early years as it depicted events over the previous four decades. It was one of the healing and uniting factors from the events leading up to Rev. Robinson’s departure. The closing lines, spoken as a chorus were,”And so we find ourselves, once again, united by love, and strengthened in purpose and resolve—Ready to stand tall as a beacon of liberal religious thought and symbol of hope for a growing community of people of ever increasing diversities and faiths.”
2005, UUCFM becomes a Welcoming Congregation for all LGBTQ Plus people.
February 26, 2005, our members performed Eve Ensler’s “The Vagina Monogues” to support ending violence against women and girls.
2006, March. Carillon Bells are installed to chime the hour and half hour and provide recorded music. It is a gift from Frances and Bill Klein. Our Carillon Tower is a welcoming sight as we come off Daniels Parkway and travel down Shire Lane.
2006, June, UUCFM received a Green Sanctuary status at the UUA General Assembly in Portland, Oregon. David Parton was mainly responsible for receiving this designation which included the planting of over 220 shrubs and trees to enhance the native habitat of our entire UUCFM campus.
2006 was the year the GRACE Project (Guatemalan Rural Adult and Children’s Education Project) was established by Genelle Grant, who had joined with her family in 1993. It was adopted as part of our Social Justice Committee to work toward preventing human trafficking in Guatemala and here in SW Florida. UUCFM members teach classes in Spanish-speaking neighborhoods on reproductive rights, domestic violence, family planning, and reading instruction. Genelle takes a group of UUCFM members to Guatemala each year to assist with leaders there. Needed supplies are sent periodically. It is one of our outreach groups we support each year with individual donations from the Sunday offerings.
May 25, 2007, was the dedication of our International Peace Pole located in our courtyard. It reads, “May Peace Prevail on Earth” in different languages. It was given in memory of former UUCFM President Ed Porteus by Phyllis and Bill Brewer. Ed was a Board member from 1991-1997 and President, 1993-1994. Here are Ed’s words from 1994, “When our dynamic Bill Miller’s untimely death hit us, I had to rally the congregation to finish what Bill Miller had started, to complete the sanctuary, the final building in our planned quadrangle. Leading this effort helped me focus on my faith in Unitarian Universalism, on what is important in this world and it renewed my energy to pursue it. I am sustained by our community and what we have accomplished together over these past ten years since Bill Miller first came to be with us. I’m proud to be a part of this remarkable spirit of this congregation, united to construct a sanctuary in Bill Miller’s honor.”
July, 2008, UUCFM joined 8 other founding churches to form the South Fort Myers Food Pantry located at Cypress Lake Presbyterian Church. Fran Rose has been our active coordinator and representative all these years.
2009, UUCFM was the first faith based organization in Lee County to be an official sponsor of the “Ten Year Plan to End Homelessness. This continues to be a subject for the Social Justice Committee.
On our homefront in 2009, WiFi was installed and we became more accessible to our membership with electronic pledging and our Newsletter becoming online.
September, 2010, was the first Sunday afternoon service of the Buddhist Group, Rissho Kosei-kai. It is affiliated with the Mahayana tradition from Japan and is lay-led through a Zoom connection in New York. Facilitator is Dharma teacher, Mary Tracy Sigman. They have been meeting together ever since this initial time in 2010. You will find them in Room 3 at 1 pm every Sunday where a Sutra recitation begins the study session. There is a wooden cabinet that opens up to an altar. Last winter, when clearing out debris from around the courtyard pond, a laughing Buddha statue was unearthed and no one knows from where or when he arrived. Mary Tracy Sigman says,”That Buddha figure represents abundance of compassion, wisdom, joy, and watches over children. It’s good we have him on our campus grounds.” Everyone is welcome to this multi-faith diversity offering at UUCFM.
2011, June 20th. This is our 50th year celebration., 1961-2011. It was marked by the community when Lee County declared “UUCFM DAY” in recognition of our services to the area over the past fifty years. Lee County Commissioner Brian Bigelow attended the Sunday service to present the proclamation to our membership.
To commemorate the 50th year, a Time Capsule was buried in the NE corner of the Courtyard by the Campen Chalice where a plaque is attached for its location. Its burial was accompanied by the shooting off of a rocket as well remembered by those attending. As previously noted, the first Time Capsule buried at our Groundbreaking ceremony in December, 1992, has been lost in its location. Take a moment sometime to admire the Campen Chalice there in the corner of the courtyard across from the library entrance. Helen & Richard Campen commissioned the elegant Chalice sculpture and financed the initial planting and design of our courtyard.
2011 is our first year of our continuing membership in LIFE (Lee Interfaith For
Empowerment), a consortium of local faith organizations to work together for social justice goals. Rev. Allison Farnum was a founding leader and long-time LIFE Board member and Co-President, 2013-2015. She led the first LIFE interfaith Thanksgiving service at Temple Judea on November 23, 2016. Marge Gonzalez-Routh is our current LIFE representative.
2012 saw the establishment of The 15+ Advisory Council by the Board of Trustees. It was formed for mutual support and historical friendship by Mary Murray and Phyllis Brewer.
All members who have been present for 15 or more years are eligible and urged to attend meetings. It mainly keeps elder members up-to-date on current UUCFM needs and activities. Ellen Erickson has been coordinator for many years and calls periodic meetings.
In 2013, during Patricia Vivier-Nadl’s Board Presidency, she advocated that we establish that 100% of the Sunday service non-designated contributions during the offering were to be given away to selected community organizations. These organizations were to be voted on each year at the General Meeting. This passed with an affirmative vote. She writes, “It was such a privilege to serve at a time of such great creativity and innovations with us working together.”
2013 began our association with the Coalition of Immakolee Farm Workers and the Fair Food Alliance with Rev. Allison Farnum’s leadership. We participated in rallies and have an ongoing Social Justice commitment.
2014 had the addition of the Boy and Girl Scouts having a home on our campus. Troop 3300 continues to add valuable assistance in caring for our grounds. The Scouts have contributed many Eagle Scout Projects such as remodeling of our classrooms, working to maintain the Nature Trail and building its trailhead sign, building birdhouses, a tree house, and a large fire pit. This well used fire pit was built in a North Star pattern with an eight point star of multi-colored stones. It is found to the right on the path through the Holton Eco-Preserve. Scouts have given their services for our fund raising Casino Nights and have offered lunches for the congregation on designated Scout Sundays. We have mutual admiration with Scout leaders and have enjoyed their cooperation to maintain our 12.5 acre campus.
Andy Erickson, current member since 1974, was instrumental in establishing the Scouts with us when they were asked to leave their previous church because of the National Scout organization’s ruling on opening scout membership and leadership to an all gender acceptance. Andy comments, “Back in 1995 when our son, Chad, did his Eagle Scout project for UUCFM, we have had a continuing relationship with scouting. It is a joy to see scouts running free among our trees and they make good use of our facilities to teach how to protect the environment and gardening for sustainability. Troop 3300 offers scouting from kindergarten thru high school for both girls and boys and is one of the largest scout organizations in Lee County.”
During 2014, the “Shelter For A Day” building was built and designed by member Frank Schooley. It was purchased for UUCFM by Barbara Mannix. The structure is a prototype for temporary emergency housing for disaster relief and we are using it for storage next to Hobart Hall. Frank has built and donated cabinetry for our classrooms and is an ongoing volunteer who just repaired a hole in the floor of our Sanctuary.
January 11, 2015 began a busy year of changes and additions. It was the Sunday that celebrated Florida’s new Marriage Equality Act. We offered a day of free marriages to SW Florida same sex couples. Rev. Allison Farnum and Rev. Suzanne Fast performed eleven marriages with receptions for friends and families afterwards in Hobart Hall.
In 2015, Rev. Allison Farnum led the vote to establish a new Mission Statement for UUCFM with 3 words, LOVE, GROW, SERVE and the accompanying sentence, “Inspired by Love, we transform ourselves and serve others.”
2015, a Five Year Plan for Self-Sustaining Wildlife Sanctuary is developed by Walter Ittenbach and is funded from the UUCFM Endowment Fund.
New roofs were installed on all buildings after a successful Capital Campaign.
A video screen was installed at the front right side of Miller Sanctuary to aid in enjoying Sunday services.
Our Hobart Hall kitchen was refurbished with upgraded energy efficient refrigeration and stove and a commercial ice maker was installed.
April, 2015 saw the completion of a Cell Tower at the NW corner of the property with lease payments for our Capital Reserve Fund. This carried forward until November, 2018 when the Cell Tower was sold. $25,000 of the proceeds was donated to fund the Youth Violence Prevention Project to provide grants for student-driven programs in partnership with United Way.
Closing out 2015 was the September 12th Dedication of the Bill Brewer Family Gardens in the Holton Eco-Preserve. Many working hands developed this project, primarily led by Bill Petraca, Walter & Simone Ittenbach, and Gary Robbins. Open to public use, there are 100 beds designed to represent a medicine wheel with the four corners landscaped to represent the four elements of Earth, Air, Fire and Water. Initially funded from a grant from the UUCFM Endowment Fund, the Gardens are now self-sustaining from annual rentals of the Garden’s raised and irrigated beds. Many beds have been allocated to furnish fresh produce for the local Food Bank. You can take a rest there under the open air shade shelter constructed under the leadership of Tyler Bollmas, for his Eagle Scout Project. The Gardens, with the adjacent Labyrinth, form a “book-end” to our southern acreage boundary.
Many improvements and fund raisers kept UUCFM moving forward. They are all too numerous to mention here. Noteworthy are the Bed & Breakfast years where more than a dozen members offered their homes for visitors for a designated donation. Now with the abatement of the Covid Pandemic, we can again welcome visitors into our homes as a fundraiser for the general budget.
We established that 100% of the Sunday service non-designated contributions during the offering were to be given away to selected community organizations. These organizations are voted upon each year at the General Meeting.
Continued maintenance needs were contracted, such a $180,000 for needed air conditioners in the Sanctuary.
The Annual Service Auction continued with high profits of up to $17,000 from the generous donations and purchases of our members.
There is an ongoing fund raiser for the general budget called “Pave The Way” which produces personalized commemorative bricks for a donation of $100 @ brick. These bricks line the walkways leading into our sanctuary. The 50th anniversary commemorative bricks were moved from the Holton Eco-Preserve to the walkway. A member commented, “They do tell a lot of stories.”
March 10, 2020, our campus is closed due to the worldwide Covid-19 Pandemic. Health safeguards are passed by the Board of Trustees to wear masks at all times, no shared food, and social distancing of 6 feet to be observed. Sunday services and committee meetings were conducted by Internet Zooms.
We all are in debt and need to give thanks and credit to members of our “Tech Team” who are still keeping us informed and giving their expert services today. A sincere thank you to Lesley & Walter Peterson, Mark Brandon, Alison Carville and others who keep us up to date and online with Zoom Sunday services and internet activities they provide of which we don’t even know about. Much appreciation goes to our “techies” for helping us through these past COVID years. They are continuing to keep us updated and providing Zoom Sunday services.
April 24, 2020, we hosted a nation-wide traveling quilt exhibit to create awareness of immigrants at and within our borders. Holley Rauen and Cathy Ford were coordinators of the event held along the walls of our courtyard.
August 11, 2020, A “Black Lives Matter” sign was installed by our sign on Daniels Parkway at the entrance to Shire Lane. It was vandalized beyond repair and not replaced.
October 1, 2020, The Music & Arts Center (MACC), began their rental home on our campus. The Gulf Coast Symphony is a part of MACC and its needs required improvements to the sanctuary for its concerts. A facilities agreement was signed and the costs of additional lighting, sound equipment, etc. were negotiated with a five year contract.
November 10, 2020, RESET, an acronym for Restorative, Ecological, Social Economic, Transformation, a non-profit consortium of organizations in SW Florida began its residence on our campus. This RESET Center acts as a hub for environmental organizations and provides demonstrations and programs to combat effects of climate change. Founding UUCFM members were Ted Brown, Bill Petraca, Holley Rauen, and Gary Robbins. Holley reports, “RESET will help with the long term upkeep and ecological use of our Holton Eco-Preserve. We can promote producing more food with less water usage. Bio-diversity in all aspects is our future. We are making our own soil, and may need a new well since we are now using water from our lake for the gardens.”
January 1, 2021, Two members, Mary Cline Golbitz and Alberita Johnson are hired to assist UUCFM in essential matters and Sunday services until a minister can be hired. They are in training to be Commissioned Lay Ministers. We are indeed blessed to have them with us during this transition time of the Covid closing and the beginning part-time ministry of Rev. Sue Gabielson.
March 28, 2021, Members vote online to change UUCFM’s name from Church to Congregation. It was thought to be a more community sounding name. This name change had been a long standing issue for many members.
March 28, 2021, at this same online voting meeting, members voted to adopt an 8th Principle to add to UUCFM’s 7 Principles adopted from our Unitarian Universalist Association. This 8th Principle intends to be adopted by the UUA in the future. Our members felt we needed to embrace it now to support the need for action.
This UUCFM 8th Principle reads, “We affirm and promote wholeness by building a diverse, multi-cultural beloved community. By our actions, we dismantle racism and other oppressions in ourselves and our institutions.”
December 15, 2021, It became apparent that we needed to raise money to begin the process of hiring a minister. A Capital Fund Campaign called REACH was formed and a goal of $50,000 was set with a one month end point. We raised $52,000 in less than a month since our members realized the need to have a leading minister. Recall, UUCFM was still closed for In-person Sunday services and on campus committee meetings because of the lingering COVID Pandemic. Our members responded with their gifts so that the search for a minister could begin.
December, 2021, Bruce Leddy, long time Chair of our Endowment Fund and current member since 2007, wrote this comprehensive report on our Endowment Fund. “ Back in 1992, Rev. Miller and the UUCFM Members recognized not only the future financial needs of improving the buildings and grounds but also, and as importantly, encouraging program enhancement and community outreach. To this end, an Endowment Fund and the Endowment Fund Committee were created pursuant to the UUCFM Bylaws. The Committee administers the Fund and solicits, promotes, and encourages gifts. It makes distributions subject to the concurrence of the Board of Trustees. Dorothy Webb and Bill Brewer were among the early Chairs. In 1998 they created the Fund’s Investment Policy Statement outlining and describing a prudent and acceptable investment philosophy and defining investment procedures and long-term goals. As of December, 2021, the Fund was valued at a little over half a million dollars. As stated in its Bylaws, the purpose of the Fund is to ‘enhance the mission of UUCFM apart from the general operation of the congregation.’ Distributions from the Fund for general operating expenses may only be made upon an affirmative vote by the congregation where particular, temporary, extraordinary circumstances exist. A distribution for general operating expenses has occurred only once, in December, 2021, for the search and salary of a new or part-time minister. The grant was in the amount of up to $130,000 to be distributed as needed through March 31, 2027.”
January 6, 2022, UUCFM was a designated SW Florida site for the nationwide “Vigil For Democracy”. The candlelight remembrance commemorated the unsuccessful rioters attack on the US Capitol seeking to overturn the electoral presidential vote on January 6, 2021, which resulted in deaths and injuries. Our event coordinator was Alberita Johnson.
March 13, 2022, UUCFM reopened for In-Person Sunday services and on campus meetings from being closed to only online Zoom gatherings for the past 2 years due to the COVID Pandemic.
Mary Studer, our current President of the Board, wrote “In 2022 being without a minister presented its own set of challenges for us. As the threat of COVID receded , the sense of community needed to be rebuilt. We needed to reconnect with one another after 2 long years of separation. Rev. Sue Gabrielson has joined us in a unique part-time arrangement. We welcome her with great rejoicing.”
August 1, 2022, Rev. Sue Gabrielson is hired as a part-time minister for one year. She will be on campus one week @ month. Otherwise, Rev. Sue will communicate online from her home in Costa Rica for Sunday services and special meetings. We are very grateful to Rev. Sue for her acceptance and look forward to many more years together.
Closing this narrative, I hope you, the reader, realize we are as kind and generous as a congregation as we ever were since 1961’s initial charter year. We will always be working for the common good and will be a welcoming and a safe place for religious liberal seekers in SW Florida.
A remembrance for Rev. Bill Miller, here are the meaningful lyrics of his favorite hymn, sung to the tune of FINANDIA.
What is this church? A place of perfect freedom,
to follow truth wherever it may lead.
To celebrate the best there is within us,
and find the best in every faith and creed.
What is this church? A place to see the light
that shines forever through the darkest night.
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