October News

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MG at Pagan Pride 2017 300 wideThanks to those who came out for for the  October 1, 2017 monthly meeting!  Highlights?

PAGAN PRIDE

We had a great time meeting a lot of you at Pagan Pride on September 30, 2017.  We hope you enjoyed the event also!

Annual Member Dinner in October

The date has been chosen! The annual member dinner will be at the Willow Tree on October 21st.  Please RSVP on the member Yahoo! list.

Are you interested in learning about the pathway to membership? 

Gore Hall OPEN! Open House is Nov 11th.

While the “official” Open House and unveiling is not until Nov 11th,  this past saturday church volunteers helped move all the furniture stored in the pods into Gore Hall.  So much work got done that the the first “coffee hour” after the service was able to happen the following day in the bright new space. First Unitarian church members and guests were able to enjoy coffee and snacks while exploring all the new rooms!

Fall Term Classes Begin

Our Fall and Spring Term offerings are now posted!

Tarot 2: Minor Arcana begins this week on Oct 5th.  If you aren’t sure if this is the class level for you? You can come attend the first class to find out.

Requiem Class on 2nd Fridays might be the class for you if you need help getting your personal affairs in order. It starts Oct 13th.

Circle of Song is a new “drop in” friendly class on 2nd Saturdays from 1 PM – 3 PM if you would like to learn to sing in a family friendly environment.  This is “easy choir” for the non-singers and experienced singers wanting to play!  Childcare is provided on the coop model.  If you are bringing a child or grandchild, please RSVP over email with your name and ages of children so we can have enough supplies in the Kid’s Club.

3rd Sunday Movie Nite

Our 3rd Sunday movie nite will come back in the Spring Term now that we are settling into the newly remodeled spaces.  We are taking suggestions for the Spring Term movie list.  If you have ideas? Email us! 

MONTHLY CALENDAR

Here’s what is coming up this month. If you like it “fridge style printable” you can grab it off the calendar page.

Oct 5
7 PM – 9 PM
Room 1		 Thursday Class Tarot 2: Principles of Interpretation (Class 1)
Oct 6
7 PM – 9 PM
Assembly Room		 Craft Circle & Fellowship  1st Friday BYO Craft Circle
Oct 12
7 PM – 9 PM
Assembly Room		  Thursday Class

Tarot 2: Major and Minor Arcana Cards
(Class 2)
Oct 13
7 PM – 9 PM
TBA		  2nd Friday Class Requiem Class 1
Oct 14
1 PM – 3 PM
Assembly Room		 2nd Saturday
Family Friendly
Fellowship		 Circle of Song. 
Oct 19
7 PM – 9 PM
Room 1		 Thursday Class  Tarot 2: Aces (Class 3)
Oct 20
7 PM – 9 PM
Assembly Room		 Craft Circle & Fellowship

3rd Friday Teaching Craft Circle: Simple Pagan Prayer Beads
Oct 26
7 PM – 9 PM
Room 1		 Thursday Class

Tarot 2: Court Cards (Class 4)
Nov 2
7 PM – 9 PM
Room 1		 Thursday Class
Tarot 2: Card Pairs (Class 5)
Nov 3
7 PM – 9 PM
TBA		 Craft Circle

1st Friday BYO Craft Circle  + Possible Samhain Ritual Decorating

NEXT RITUAL

Samhain approaches.  We will be celebrating on Nov 4, 2017 at 7 PM with a potluck to follow.  The theme is “Many Faces of the Goddess. ” Join Mystic Grove as we honor “The Many Faces of the Goddess,” honor our ancestors, and walk the new labyrinth for the first time in ritual!

Come as you are or dressed in colors of the season: (grey, black, white, blues). “Pagan formal” is encouraged. This is your chance to break out the fancy clothes!
Please bring a photo of your ancestor(s) for the community altar if you would like.
Ritual begins at 7 PM. Potluck to follow at 8 PM. As a kindness to others, please be sure your dish is labeled with name of dish, name of cook, and any allergenic ingredients.

(If you forget a label, find the star basket on the table with Sharpies and blank index cards and make one.)

You may bring photos of your ancestors for the community altar.

This is our second largest ritual of the year! There are volunteer opportunities for this event — help decorate, put out chairs, be a greeter, call a corner,  help clean up etc.  Please email if you are interested.

NEXT MONTHLY MEETING

The next 1st Sunday Monthly Meeting is Nov 5, 2017 at 12:30 PM in Room 1. This is a great way to get to know us and how we work. Guests welcome to attend.

Here we discuss how the past ritual went, plan for next ritual, classes, craft circles, and more. Lunch at a nearby restaurant follows for those wanting to enjoy fellowship after the meeting.

Questions or more info?  Please email us at mysticgrove@orlandouu.org

September News

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celestial flagThanks to those who came out for for the Sept 3, 2017 monthly meeting!  Highlights?

START OF NEW CHURCH YEAR

New Officers

We welcome our brand new new historian and welcome back the officers who are reprising the roles in 2017-2018!

New Membership & “Steering Committee”

The annual Aug – Sept membership month  is over.  New roster will be distributed soon to members on file.  We have 12 voting members and 2 regular volunteer members this year on the “steering committee.”

While Mystic Grove events are all open to the general public, this core group of volunteers are the ones who choose to do the “heavy lifting” and represent the greatest level of commitment and participation. They all sign up to serve for one year doing this programming work so Mystic Grove can offer a variety of of programs to the general public.

Anyone is free to participate in Mystic Grove at the level they feel best and new members are accepted year round. You can best keep up with us and our events on Facebook.

Annual Member Dinner in October

Most years we end the summer and welcome fall by cleaning up our classroom in late August and then celebrating with the annual member dinner.  This year with the church remodel, there was nothing to clean up!

We’re still going to have our annual celebration dinner at the Willow Tree Cafe though. Watch for the Doodle link to go out so we can set a field trip date in October.

Annual Water Service  & “Sneak Peek” Tours — CANCELED DUE TO HURRICANE IRMA

Sept 11, 2017  is the Annual Water Service at 11 AM.  It marks the last service of the summer schedule before First Unitarian goes back to the usual 9 AM and 11 AM fall worship schedule.  After the service, there will be “sneak preview” tours of Gore Hall!

Main remodeling is over and we are down to the “punch lists” on both the fellowship hall and the education building.  These last touches will be completed and the Open House will be held on Oct 7, 2017 for the community at large to check out our new spaces.   If you have never attended a Unitarian Universalist service, this is a good one to visit on!

New Classes Posted

Our Fall and Spring Term offerings are now posted!

Registration for Tarot 2: Minor Arcana is OPEN!  Please email mysticgrove@orlandouu.org to register.

Registration will open in Mid September for Requiem Class if you need help getting your personal affairs in order and for Circle of Song if you would like to learn to sing in a family friendly environment.

MONTHLY CALENDAR

Here’s what is coming up this month.

 Sept 10, 2017

11 AM in Sanctuary

  Worship & Sneak Peek Tours  Annual Water Communion Service and “sneak peek” tours of Gore Hall afterward
Sept 15, 2017

7 – 9 PM in Assembly Room

  Craft  Teaching Craft Circle: Monster Bookmarks
Sept 23, 2017
Education Courtyard		 Worship Mabon Ritual
Register NOW. Education Tarot 2: Minor Arcana registration is now open!
Mid September Registration Education Requiem Class starts Oct 13th. Save the dates!
Mid September Registration Education Circle of Song Class starts Oct 14th. Save the dates!
Sept 30, 2017

11 AM – 5 PM
Westmonte Civic Center

 Special Event Mystic Grove goes to…
Orlando Pagan Pride 2017! 
Oct 6, 2017

7 – 9 PM in Assembly Room

 Craft BYO Craft Circle

NEXT MONTHLY MEETING

The next 1st Sunday Monthly Meeting is October 8, 2017 at 12:30 PM. This is a great way to get to know us and how we work. Guests welcome to attend. Due to remodel work, exact room is TBA. Look for the door signs in the education building or the celestial lawn flag!

Here we discuss how the past ritual went, plan for next ritual, classes, craft circles, and more. Lunch at a nearby restaurant follows for those wanting to enjoy fellowship after the meeting.

Questions or more info?  Please email us at mysticgrove@orlandouu.org

Decoding the Secrets of Egyptian Hieroglyphs

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egypt class

When learning to read and write Egyptian hieroglyphs, where does one start? Like any language, it’s critical to begin at the most fundamental level: the alphabet.
Decoding the Secrets of Egyptian Hieroglyphs is a primer on the ins and outs of the ancient Egyptian language. By approaching the topic in a straightforward manner, you’ll be surprised at just how quickly translating these curious symbols becomes second nature. You will…

  • Build an Egyptian vocabulary.
  • Write Egyptian sentences
  • Count Egyptian numbers

Come join us for this 8 session DVD film course!

WHEN AND WHERE

Thursdays 7 PM – 9 PM starting Jan 4, 2018 at

Room 1
First Unitarian Church of Orlando
1901 E. Robinson St
Orlando FL 32803

REGISTRATION AND COST

This class is FREE and is considered “Drop-in” friendly – come for all or just your favorites in this 8 week series! Donations welcome to help support our work.

Full description at
http://www.thegreatcourses.com/courses/decoding-the-secrets-of-egyptian-hieroglyphs.html

You can register starting Dec 1, 2017 to be put in the email reminder list and to help us plan for classroom space needs.

SYLLABUS

Jan 4, 2018

Egyptian Hieroglyphs: Class 1
  • Why Egypt Needed Hieroglyphs
  • The Ancient Egyptian Alphabet
  • How Language Becomes Lost
Jan 11, 2018

Egyptian Hieroglyphs: Class 2
  • Napoleon in Egypt
  • Early Attempts to Decipher the Rosetta Stone
  • Willian Bankes and the Keys to Decipherment
Jan 18, 2018

Egyptian Hieroglyphs: Class 3
  • Jean-Francois Champollion Cracks the Code
  • Suffix Pronouns and the Hieroglyphs of Ptah
  • The Immortal Scribe
Jan 25, 2018 and Feb 1, 2018

Egyptian Hieroglyphs: Class 4
  • Hieroglyphs and the Bible
  • Dependent Pronouns and the Passive Voice
  • Past Tense and Adjectives
Feb 8, 2018

Egyptian Hieroglyphs: Class 5
  • New Ideograms Related to the Gods
  • Names of the Pharaohs
  • Ancient Egyptian Numbers
Feb 15, 2018

Egyptian Hieroglyphs: Class 6
  • The Egyptian Calendar
  • Names of the Gods
  • Negation in Ancient Egyptian Sentences
Mar 1, 2018

Egyptian Hieroglyphs: Class 7
  • Reading Hieroglyphic Jewelry
  • Palimpsests: When Scribes Make Mistakes
  • An Ancient Egyptian Prayer for the Dead
Mar 8 2018

Egyptian Hieroglyphs: Class 8
  • Translating the Tomb of Perneb
  • Translating Tutankhamen’s Tomb
  • King Tut’s Magic Mirror and Sarcohphagus

CONTACT
Email mysticgrove@orlandouu.org for more info or to be put on  the reminder list for this class.

Learning Tarot 2: Principles of Interpretation

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learntarotThis 10 session Thursday series will include content presented by class leaders, discussion, exercises, tarot spreads, and homework. The class will be creating their personal flashcard decks for tarot study.

PLEASE NOTE:

We are off for Thanksgiving.

WHO IS THIS CLASS FOR

Beginning students interested in learning how to work with a Rider deck.

Experienced students wanting to get back in touch with their deck after a break or starting to work with a new deck.

WHEN AND WHERE

Thursdays 7 PM – 9 PM starting Oct 5, 2017

Assembly Room
First Unitarian Church of Orlando
1901 E. Robinson St
Orlando FL 32803

ONLINE STUDY GROUP (FREE)

Class students use Facebook as a study group to talk in between sessions.

Distance learners who cannot attend in person, but want the “lite” experience via Facebook are welcome to do some of the lessons and join others in the online study group.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/1655329628118127/

MATERIALS USED

Bring a thumb drive to class on your first day to grab class PDF files.

SYLLABUS

Oct 5 Orientation + Lesson 11 – Interpreting a Single Card
Oct 12 Lesson 12 – Major and Minor Arcana Cards
Oct 19 Lesson 13 – Aces
Oct 26 Lesson 14 – Court Cards
Nov 2  Lesson 15 – Card Pairs
Nov 9 Lesson 16 – Position Pairs in the Celtic Cross Spread
Nov 16 Lesson 17 – Reversed Cards
Nov 30 Lesson 18 – Creating the Story
Dec 7 Lesson 19 – Some Final Thoughts
Dec 14  Final Project Presentations and Celebration!

REGISTRATION AND COST

Regular registration begins Sept 4 until all spots are filled. Email mysticgrove@orlandouu.org to sign up.

Class begins Oct 5. “Ultimate” Book will be provided on second class. Please have your tuition in exact change on the first day of class if you want to be part of the book order.

  • $30 for singles and you need a book
  • $15 if you already own the “Ultimate” book
  • $45 for a couple sharing the book
  • $15 – on ½ scholarship (2 available)
  • $0 on full scholarship (2 available)
  • optional $5-$10 extra to contribute to ongoing scholarship fund

There are 2 half scholarships and 2 full scholarships available for this class. If you need tuition help, please include that in the email.

BINDER SET UP

If you want the files to set up your study binder, they are on Google Drive here:

https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/0B6OuuXfTNb5ndUdFWlNZUlRURzQ?usp=sharing

You can also bring a thumb drive to class.

CONTACT

To register or for more info, email mysticgrove@orlandouu.org

Circle of Song

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circleofsongJoin us for family friendly “easy choir” on second Saturdays each month from 1 PM – 3 PM as we gather to chant, sing, laugh, and share in the Assembly Room at

First Unitarian Church of Orlando
1901 E. Robinson St.
Orlando, FL 32803

DATES

This monthly class is a family friendly event. You do not have to be Pagan to participate. Some songs will come from other traditions.

Non-singers, singers, and musicians of ANY ability are welcome. No experience needed. The only goal is to have a good time and make some joyful noise!

OBJECTIVES

  • Main: To make some “joyful noise” and have a good time in fellowship 
  • If time allows: For those willing,  to make little videos of sample songs, dances, or activities to help inspire
    • other “easy choirs” to form and teach themselves
    • the “at home players” learn from their computers

CHILDCARE 

Childcare will be provided in a co-op model. Children are in the same room(s) with us, but parents/grandparents sign up to take a 30 min shift playing with the children in the “Kid’s Corner” before coming back to the singing area.  That means during the 2 hour session, you sign up to work 30 min, and get to sing the rest of the time.

“Kid’s Corner” is for children ages 2 – 10.  Younger children welcome, but must stay with parents.  Older children welcome, but are expected to either sing or work in the Kid’s Corner and not cause disruptions.

COST AND REQUIRED TEXT

Class is FREE. Our main paper text will be “Circle of Song” compiled by Kate Marks. Please BYO copy.

You can also choose to bring a smartphone or tablet for digital access to lyrics if you prefer.  Other useful items are headphones and Y-splitters so two people can listen to the same device with their headphones.

SYLLABUS

The play lists are archived at Spiral Wound. They are posted as they come up.

Date and Facebook RSVP Lesson Playlist (Appear as they happen)
Oct 14, 2017 Lesson 1
Nov 18, 2017 Lesson 2
Dec 9, 2017 Yule Lesson
Jan 13, 2018 Lesson 3
Feb 10, 2018 Lesson 4
Mar 10, 2018 Lesson 5
Apr 14, 2018 Lesson 6

RSVP

This is a family friendly event. It is basically “drop in” friendly for adults and email RSVP to mysticgrove@orlandouu.org if you are bringing your kids or grandkids so we can have enough kid supplies on hand.  In your email tell us

  • your name
  • what date you are coming
  • names and ages of kids in your party
 Facebook Group
For those wanting to take the class as an “at home player” you can join the Facebook group to get notices of when the latest lesson is posted and share other music with other students.

Requiem Class

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Irequiem class plannersn case of severe illness or death, being prepared ahead of time can help you and your loved ones face challenging times with more graces and less stress. But it is not always fun to think about and sometimes it is hard to do on your own.

WHO

Thismonthly class is for adults 21 years old and over who wish to have some guidance in organizing their affairs.

Common times for updating your planner are

  • Reaching the age of majority (no longer a dependent)
  • Living with a significant other
  • Newly arried
  • Birth of new child/grandchild
  • Divorced, or contemplating divorce
  • Separated, Widowed, Single again
  • Wanting to designate one person from the proxy category where there are several people.

COST

Class is FREE but you must buy and bring one of the required planners:

They are about $12 on amazon.com.  You can also find them at other book stores.

WHERE AND WHEN

Second Fridays from 7 – 9 PM in Room 1. 

First Unitarian Church of Orlando
1901 E. Robinson St
Orlando, FL 32803

SYLLABUS

Class Topics
1 TOPICS

  • Dia de Los Muertos Video (Intro to Memento Mori practices)
  • What’s in the Planner Book? (workbook intro)

WORK FOR THE MONTH

  • Personal Tab
  • Memorial Order of Service

SUPPORT FILES

BONUS READING (Optional)
2
  • Medical Tab
  • Advance Directives
3
  • Key Contacts Tab
  • At the Time of My Passing Tab
  • My Dependents Tab
  • Catch Up Previous Work
4
  • Important Documents Tab
  • Financial Tab
  • Business Tab
  • Draft Your Will (The Big Stuff)
5
  • Beneficiaries
  • Personal Property
  • Personal Letters and Wishes (Small and/or Sentimental Stuff)
6
  • Insurance
  • My Pets
  • Catch up Previous Stuff
7
  • What to Pay, Close, Cancel Tab
  • Email/Social Media Tab
  • Miscellaneous
  • My Wishes
  • Notarize
  • Celebrate End of Class

REGISTRATION 

Class is offered as a “study group” model and it is “drop in” friendly.  You can join in at any time and just pick up on the tabs we are working on that month, but please email so we know how many to Xerox for. To sign up, email mysticgrove@orlandouu.org

Church Remodel Update

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We’re still doing activities amidst all the flurry!  The education building is about done and the new labyrinth is in place and ready for your visit.

Gore Hall is still being worked on, so for latest updates, like us on Facebook.  It is the best place to keep up.  All the groups housed at 1U are still doing their activities amid the joyful chaos… just that sometimes what room we end up in might switch around.

We look forward to the whole campus being done in October.  So keep hanging in there with us.  We appreciate your goodwill and patience!

https://www.orlandouu.org/news/campus-renovation/

New Labyrinth

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New Labyrinth at First Unitarian Available to the Community

A beautiful new labyrinth has been installed at First Unitarian Church of Orlando and is available as a community resource. The labyrinths is the center piece of the campus as it is renovated to best equip the congregation to best serve the community. Labyrinth are an ancient spiritual tool that engages one in a slow walking meditation inviting deep reflection. The labyrinth is particularly special as some of its cost was covered by donations to the congregation after the Pulse tragedy and by community groups that use campus space. It is truly of and for the community.

19260650_10155208286830609_3949540114681604752_n-1

“Upon entering a labyrinth one embarks on a journey, a journey to the inner regions of one’s being. There is no other place to go, only the center, and yet, the journey is not a straight line. The journey has twists and turns. If we are to get to the heart of things, we must take the journey.”