| First Unitarian Connection |
|
|
|
| September 14 - September 20 |
|
|
|
|
Note: When the newsletter is sent via email, the text may be truncated. To be sure you are seeing the entire newsletter, please click on the "view in browser" link near the top of the message or scroll to the bottom where it says [Message clipped] and click on: View entire message
|
|
|
|
| Sundays at First Unitarian Church |
|
|
|
Sunday, September 17 - 11:00 am
"To Learn Is to Change: Launching a New Year of Learning"
Join us in person or watch on YouTube.
Learning isn’t just about knowing more. It can also be a process of unlearning, releasing, experimenting, and knowing differently. Today we celebrate learning as we kick off a new year of Religious Exploration for all ages.
Participating in Sunday's service:
Service Leaders: Rev. Diana Davies, Lead Minister and Tim Atkins, DLRE; Worship Associate: Jeanne Parkhurst; Choir Director: Chukwuebuka "Ebuka" Ezeakacha; Accompanist: Steven Elkins Kennedy; Music: 1UC Choir and 1UC Bell Choir; Chalice Lighting: Carmen McBride; Technical Support: Tammy Epperson and Ellisya Ravencroft
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Upcoming Sunday Morning Services - 11:00 am
September
September 24 - "All the Broken Pieces: On Imperfection and Yom Kippur"
October
October 1 - Animal Blessing
October 8 - "Your Life" (National Coming Out Day)
October 15 - "Heretics and Holy Troublemakers"
October 22 - "Quiet Leaders: In Praise of Introverts"
October 29 - Halloween
|
|
|
|
|
Child Care and Nursery
The Childcare Rooms are open from 10:00 am to 12:30 pm each Sunday morning. (10:00 am to 11:00 am for childcare for any adult programming happening and 11:00 am to 12:30 pm for worship.)
Childcare will be taking place in the nursery and attached preschool room.
|
|
|
|
Sunday, September 17 - 10:00 am
Sunday Morning Meditation (In-Person)
Please join us for meditation practice in the Buddhist tradition (lower level, next to Corley Commons).
All are welcome; no meditation experience necessary!
For more information contact Lori Jervis.
|
|
|
|
Sunday, September 17, 10:00 am
Sunday Morning Coffee Hour
We’re making a slight tweak to our Sunday morning pre-service programming. Instead of the “Forum”, we’re thinking of it as “Morning Coffee Hour.” In addition to our wonderful Meditation Sunday mornings before service, you’re now also welcome to hang out in Daniel Hall from 10:00 am - 11:00 am, grab a cup of coffee, and chat with your fellow congregants about whatever’s on your mind.
|
|
|
|
Fellowship Dinners are Back!
Coming soon!
Fellowship Dinners Sign-Up!
Some 25 years ago our church began a popular fellowship program called “Dinners for Eight” or “Fellowship Dinners.” People who sign up are grouped in units of 4, whether 4 couples or some singles. Once a month they get together for dinner in homes on a rotating basis.
More details will follow soon, but just know that this great opportunity to get to know some church members or friends is coming!
|
|
|
|
Tuesday, September 19, 7:00 pm
Gardening Covenant Group
The Gardening Covenant Group will be meeting next Tuesday, September 19, at 7:00 pm at the home of Emily Dunagin.
The group is always open for new members to join in and for whoever is ready to get their hands dirty.
For more information contact Barbara Gallivan!
|
|
|
|
| Lifespan Religious Exploration |
|
|
|
Playground Update!
We finally have a playground update! After having playground companies start working with us then ghost us, having them take months longer than they promised, we finally have a playground proposal! But, we think it could use some work. Come this Sunday after the service (feel free to grab a cup of coffee on the way), and head upstairs to the Chapel. From 12:05 pmish to 12:30 pmish (RE Pickup Time), we’ll show you the first plan and get your feedback on what should change. And we’ll keep accepting feedback in the Chapel until 1:00 pm, in case any of your RE Kids want to come and give their feedback too! The designers are wanting and expecting our feedback and promise a quick turnaround time.
|
|
|
|
Sunday, September 17
First Week of Classes
It’s the First Week of our RE Classes! Everyone begins in the worship service this week, teacher and student alike, for our special first week ceremony!
This year our class locations will be:
- PreK-1st
Grade in Incredible Edible Lab
- 2nd-4th Grade in Kaleidoscope
- 5th-7th Grade in the Game Room (formerly known as the Rhythm and Roll room)
- 8-12th Grade downstairs in the Youth Room
Classes end at 12:30 pm – parents have half an hour after service but before pickup time for coffee and chat!
We’re happy that most of our families have registered! We ask for folks to fill out registration forms annually, just to make sure no important info has changed. You can register on our website at 1uc.org or see article below.
|
|
|
|
RE Begins September 17!
If you haven't registered your students for the upcoming RE Program Year! We ask for these annually to make sure no medical info has changed. Please fill it out online (just click on the "register here picture")
Read all about this year's program, including our curriculum, in our family guide below!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
News from Befrienders
Befrienders is ready to assist members of our church who are recovering from surgeries or illnesses by offering cards of well-wishes, meal trains, transportation to church or medical appointments as well as arranging for visitations, and we provide the receptions following memorial services.
Befrienders relies upon donations. Those donations are used to provide cards, stamps, occasional meals, and items for memorial receptions. If you wish to make a donation, please send a check and put Befrienders on the purpose line of your check. Thank you.
|
|
|
|
|
First Unitarian Cares!
If you (or someone you care about in our community) would like a caring card, a ride, a meal delivered to your home, a prayer, or a pastoral visit, please fill out a pastoral care request form on our website: https://1uc.org/connect/pastor... or contact Rev. Diana or Susan Bishop (chair of the Befrienders).
Please contact Rev. Diana directly if you need financial assistance. The Minister's Discretionary Fund is available for anyone who needs emergency financial support. In the past, the fund has been used to help cover rent, groceries, fuel, home repairs, medical costs and other needs. Allocations from this fund are completely confidential.
Requests for support from this fund have risen significantly. If you have financial capacity, please consider making a gift to the Minister's Discretionary Fund. Thank you!
|
|
|
|
| Adult Education Classes & Courses |
|
|
|
September Change for Change
For the month of September our Change for Change partner is First Parish Malden – Gender Affirming Health Care Programs.
Their Mission: To advocate for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer people. Promoting justice, freedom and equality in the larger society. They speak out when the rights and dignity of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer people are at stake.
|
|
|
|
|
CHANGE FOR CHANGE needs your help. Did you know that anyone can suggest a worthy local non-profit in our community? Do you know how?
- Check out the 1uc.org website and click on the justice tab
- Then click on Community Partnerships and click on the application in green in the middle of the page.
- Submit the application to Deborah Shinn or Anne Murray, or leave it in the office Social Justice mailbox. Or you can email the completed application to them. They can be found in Breeze.
NEWS FROM UUSC/S IDE WITH LOVE: - Two Unitarian Universalist ministers, Rev. Dave Dunn and Rev. Jeff Jones joined a non-violent direct action to protest the escalating anti-democratic actions of the Georgia Attorney General and the Atlanta City Council. Over the past year, these two tax-funded institutions have waged an ongoing campaign of disinformation, intimidation, and criminalization to repress the grassroots movement to Stop Cop City. Revs. Dunn and Jones along with three additional community leaders were arrested yesterday after halting construction on the site.
Side With Love and the Unitarian Universalist Service Committee honor the courageous moral witness of these leaders and remain committed to showing up in solidarity with them and the movement to Stop Cop City.
REPRODUCTIVE JUSTICE NEWS: - Extreme politicians in the House are holding funding for the FDA hostage to force through a federal ban on medication abortion pills. We need to demand our elected officials not restrict access to reproductive health care. That’s why we ask you to contact your member of Congress today. Call 1-866-581-7519 to be connected to your Member of Congress; tell them that medication abortion bans have no place in the budget. Then share that number with your friends and family; make a goal for yourself to get two (or more!) other people to call as well. We must let every member of the House know that anti-abortion policies have no place in our country's budget, so make a call.
NEWS FROM SUSTAINABLE LIVING ORGANIZATION: - SLO has, for years, sold free trade organic coffees, teas, and chocolates and with generous donations from congregants, have enough funds to enter into a contract with local co-op Fertile Grounds. Join Fenton Rood Sept 17th as he explains the new recycling program for our church. (see article below)
|
|
|
|
|
RACIAL JUSTICE NEWS: (Cited from CAIR’s weekly email newsletter) Friday, September 15th is National Muslim Voter Registration Day! We are looking for volunteers for the day to serve at our local mosques and help Muslims get registered to vote! More information can be found below.
Join us for CAIR Oklahoma's first-ever Women's Day Out event on Friday, September 15th! This women-only event is a great opportunity to connect with our Okie Muslim sisters and Afghan neighbors. This event is free and open to the public, however, RSVP is required. Register here.
|
|
|
|
Sunday, September 17 - 10:00 am
Sustainable Living Organization
Sustainable Living Organization announces a new agreement with Fertile Grounds, a local worker-owned cooperative that provides residential and commercial recycling and composting services in the OKC Metro area. For almost 20 years, the church has received recycling as part of our regular garbage services, due to an unwritten agreement between friends. Those friends are no longer “in high places”, and OKC no longer picks up our recycling! So, it’s time to put our money where our values are, and pay for this service.
SLO has been raising money for years from the sales of organic coffee, chocolate & teas, as well as generous donations from church members, to fund things like our pre-pandemic conversion to LED lighting throughout the church. We now have funds to pay for the recycling and composting services for the rest of this church year, and hopefully beyond! We ask that you consider making purchases from SLO regularly as we move forward.
On Sunday, September 17 at 10:00 am, Fenton Rood, our resident Garbage Guru, will provide instructions on how we will recycle (plastics #1,2, & 5, aluminum, steel & tin cans, cardboard, paperboard, and paper, all empty & clean. These items will be placed in bins inside & outside in the trash enclosure, “commingled” and in plastic bags so that FG can see if there are unacceptable materials. Container Glass will be held in separate bins, without plastic liners, both inside and outside in the trash enclosure.
We are also able to start composting in the 5 gallon buckets that will be placed in the kitchen. Acceptable materials are all food waste, including meat & dairy, plant waste, coffee grounds, wax paper, soiled paper towels & napkins. No compostable serving ware will be accepted at this time.
Contact Tempie Rood (tempieinok@gmail.com or 405-641-1160) for further questions or comments!
|
|
|
|
|
Welcome new Committee!
The function of the Committee on Ministry is to monitor on a regular and continuing basis the effectiveness of the church’s ministry, acknowledging and praising areas of strength, and assessing the reasons behind areas of perceived weakness or dissatisfaction, so that we, as a congregation, can grow into our full potential and fulfill our mission. If you have any questions about the role of the Committee on Ministry or have concerns, praise, or ideas about the ministries of this church, you are welcome to reach out to a member of the CoM: Rebecca Daniels, Lori Jervis, Tom Peryam, Liz Pillar-Little, James Vaughn, Derrick Wagner
|
|
|
|
|
Note: Most meetings continue to meet via Zoom but some groups may elect to meet in the building. Please contact the meeting organizer directly if you are uncertain of the location.
- Sunday Morning Meditation – Every Sunday at 10:00 am, Meditation Room - Corley Commons (contact Lori Jervis for information - see article above)
- Tuesday Discussion Group – Every Tuesday, 11:00 am (contact Ron Wasson for information - see article above)
- Bell Choir Rehearsal – Every Wednesday, 5:45 pm, Sanctuary (contact LaDonna Hunt for information)
- Choir Rehearsal – Every Wednesday, 7:00 pm, Sanctuary (contact 'Ebuka Ezeakacha for information)
- Befrienders - Thursday, September 14, 12:30 pm (contact Susan Bishop for information)
- Exploring Spirituality - Friday, September 15, 6:00 pm (contact Lu Ann Faulkner-Schneider for information)
- Teacher Training - Saturday, September 16, 10:00 am (contact Tim Atkins for information)
- Family Game Night/Potluck - Saturday, September 16, 5:00 pm, Daniel Hall (contact Keith Daniels for information)
- SLO Meeting - Sunday, September 17, 10:00 am, Eddy Room (contact Tempie Nichols Rood for information)
- Healthy Lifestyles – Monday, September 18, 7:00 pm (contact Lu Ann Faulkner-Schneider for information)
- Gardening Covenant Group – Tuesday, September 19, 7:00 pm, at Emily Dunagin's house (contact Barbara Gallivan for information)
- BRUU – Wednesday, September 20, 7:00 pm (contact John Schneider for information)
- Radical Welcoming Team – Thursday, September 21, 6:30 pm (contact Lynn Ann Wagner for information)
|
|
|
|
| It's not too late to make or increase your pledge for our next church year! |
|
|
|
|
Current Safety Level: Masks Are Encouraged
Masks are optional at all church events but are always welcome and encouraged.
- If you choose not to wear a mask, it is especially important that you do not attend services or events if you have any symptoms typical of COVID, flu, or RSV. Please stay home and join us online.
- Please continue to wash your hands frequently. And please be sure to throw away used tissues. Don't leave them in the pews.
- No one should ever be pressured into removing their mask. Please honor everyone's choice.
- If you haven't yet had your latest COVID booster please get it now!
|
|
|
|
|
If you have a newsletter article you would like to submit please email your article to mgrogg@1uc.org no later than Tuesday (the day before the newsletter goes out) by 5:00 pm.
|
|
|
|
|
|
**********************************************************************************
In order to save printing and mailing costs and to conserve natural resources, the Annual Report will not be mailed by default to all congregants. Instead, it is available online. Please contact Marlies Grogg (mgrogg@1uc.org) if you would like to receive a hard copy of the Annual Report.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Did you know that you can access all church policies and procedures as well as Board meeting minutes on our new website? Just go to 1uc.org, and click on the "members" link in the upper right-hand corner (just to the left of the Facebook and other social media icons). This will open a page that says "Protected: Members." The password is @600NW13thSt [Note: the password is case-sensitive; do not put in additional punctuation or spaces.]
From here, click on "church documents." All official policies and procedures can be found in the "policies" folder. The bylaws and Board of Trustees meeting minutes are in the "governance" folder. Please disregard the "website SOPs" folder, which is for administrative use only.
|
|
|
|
|
CHURCH STAFF
Lead Minister - Rev. Diana K. Davies
Director of Lifespan Religious Exploration - Tim Atkins
Choir Director - Chukwuebuka ('Ebuka) G. Ezeakacha
Accompanist - Steven Elkins Kennedy
Office Administrator - Marlies Grogg
BOARD OF TRUSTEES 2023-2024
President of the Congregation – Marcia Woodward
President Elect – Cathy Webster
Immediate Past President – Marshal Gimpel
Clerk – Deborah Shinn
Treasurer – Ron Wasson
Clare Auwarter Lorriana Lee-Knapp Larry Little
Ann Meeks Coba Neitzel Doug Vincent
Committee on Ministry
Rebecca Daniels Lori Jervis Liz Pillar-Little Tom Peryam James Vaughn Derrick Wagner
|
|
|
|
|
