| First Unitarian Connection |
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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
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| Sundays at First Unitarian Church |
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Sunday, June 16, 11:00 am, Sanctuary
Join us in person or watch on YouTube.
For my final sermon here at First Unitarian, I’d like to share some thoughts about change and how we deal with it. I’ll concentrate on change in the church, especially the changing religious landscape in the United States, and corresponding changes within Unitarian Universalism. Will we meet these changes with hope and creativity? Or will be stuck in nostalgia for the “good old days?”
Participating in today’s service:
Service Leaders: Rev. Sue Redfern-Campbell, Transitional Minister; Worship Associate: Scot Harvey; Chalice Lighter: Marcia Woodward; Call to Offering: Fenton Rood; Accompanist: Steven Elkins Kennedy; Ushers: Members of the Racial Justice Team; Technical Support: Caleb Pinson
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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.
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Sunday, June 16, 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.
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Sunday, June 16 (immediately after the service) Daniel Hall
Coffee, Lemonade and Conversation
Join us after the service in Daniel Hall for coffee, lemonade and conversation.
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From Rev. Sue
James Luther Adams, the primary UU theologian of the 20th century, always insisted that authentic religious life and social justice were inseparable. He lived by that principle throughout his long career as minister, professor, and mentor to generations of students.
An experience during his first ministry, in Salem, Massachusetts, was formative. There was a labor strike at the local textile mill, and almost all the actors in this, on all sides of the dispute, were members of his congregation. After investigating the situation, he came out on the side of the workers, who were eventually successful.
In his later writings, Dr. Adams named "the power of organization and the organization of power" as one of the "five smooth stones" of religious liberalism - that is, one of the guiding principles of our faith:
"The community of justice and love is not an ethereal fellowship that is above the conflicts and turmoils of the world. It is one that takes shape in nature and history, one that requires the achievement of freedom with respect to material resources as well as with respect to spiritual resources. Indeed, the one kind of freedom is not fully authentic without the other. Freedom, justice, and love require a body as well as a spirit. We do not live by spirit alone."
Sunday afternoon's VOICE Accountability Session was a stellar example of the power of organization and the organization of power. First Unitarian's sanctuary was full of a high-energy crowd from 13 congregations and organizations, including 56 members of First Unitarian. We listened to powerful stories, and heard primary election legislative candidates' positions on immigration, the court system, mental health in schools, housing, and the effective use of power. The whole event was carefully and thoughtfully organized, with the active participation of many church members.
Jim Adams would have been proud. I certainly am! Thanks to everyone who helped make this event a success.
Love and blessings,
Rev. Sue
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| Adult Education Classes & Courses |
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2nd and 4th Wednesdays of the month - 6:00 pm
Wednesday Night Meditation
Interested in meditation but can't quite make it on Sunday mornings? Or maybe you just want more meditation? We are adding a Wednesday night session to our schedule (6:00 pm - 7:00 pm) in the meditation room in the lower level (Corley Commons).
For more information contact Larry Little.
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Saturday, June 29, 9:30 am Daniel Hall
Into the Silence
You are cordially invited to join the 1UC Scissortail Sangha for a day
of meditation practice, Saturday, June 29 – 9:30am - 3:30 pm.
We will enjoy
alternating 30 minute periods of sitting and walking meditation… plus lunch
(please bring your own), and a
video/dharma talk by the beloved Thich Nhat Hanh, who passed away in January,
2022.
Questions, curiosities? Dara - 405 556-0665 or Larry – 405 510-1705 are
happy to receive your inquiries.
This event is free of charge and open to
all!
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Saturday, June 16, 10:30 am
Juneteenth On The East on NE 23rd
THIS SATURDAY, June 16, your Racial Justice Team will be providing transportation to Juneteenth On The East on NE 23rd between Hood and Kelham. At 10:30 am we will meet at the church, where you will be shuttled to the Festival. We'll all hang out a couple hours, enjoy lunch at the assembled food trucks, then return you to the church at 1 pm. Please comment here to let us know if you are coming. It's a delightful festival with vendors and non profits and food and music. Last year the Oklahoma County DA was there. We are sponsors via Change for Change and it would be great for us to spend a couple hours on NE 23rd. Please join us!
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| Radical Welcoming Team (RWT) |
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Friday, June 21, 7:00 pm, Daniel Hall
Pride Without Prejudice - A Safe Space All-Ages Party
Join us for a joyous celebration of queer pride in a welcoming and safe space! We understand that many 2SLGBTQIA+ folx may not feel comfortable celebrating Pride at larger community events. So, the First Unitarian Radical Welcoming Team is offering a safe space to express your Pride and celebrate queer joy this Pride Month!
This inclusive event is open to all 2SLGBTQIA+ attendees of First Unitarian Church, their safe and supportive friends and family, and 1UC attendees who are allies of the 2SLGBTQIA+ community. Come dance the night away to our vibrant Pride playlist! We are featuring a special family-friendly drag performance by Kronie Khalil Raine at 8:30 PM. Our lovely performer has agreed to waive their usual fee for our event, so please feel free to tip generously as you enjoy the show. There will be a delightful selection of hors d’oeuvres, desserts, and non-alcoholic beverages to enjoy!
While fancy dress is encouraged, the most important thing is that you come in attire that makes you feel comfortable and true to yourself.
For safety, members of the 1UC security team will be present.
Important Notes:
To ensure a safe space, please refrain from advertising this event outside the First Unitarian community. Minors must be accompanied by a responsible adult. Please enter through the back door with the stairs that lead to Daniel Hall, the door will remain locked and we will greet folx there. If you come late, please ring the doorbell. If you need to enter with the accessible z as ramp, please call or text 1UC security team member, Todd Hildebrandt at 970-210-2238.
We look forward to celebrating Pride together in our community!
Questions? Contact Lynn Ann Wagner at flowerdancer@hotmail.com
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| Wednesday, June 26, 7:00 pm |
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| Community Pride Worship Service |
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First Unitarian Church is co-sponsoring the interfaith Community Pride Worship Service at Mosaic Community Church on Wednesday, June 26th at 7:00 pm. Click for more information: https://www.facebook.com/share/aBcuWRM66WAN1wSD/
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Sunday, June 20, 11:00 am
UUs at Pride 2024 Celebrating 2SLGBTQIA+ Folx!
The OKC Pride Alliance Parade will be held on Sunday, June 30th starting at 11:00 am (no worship service at First Unitarian this day). To join us in walking the parade or riding in the First Unitarian trailer, we will be lining up at 10:00 am. We will meet at the parade lineup on Walker Ave., more information to come. Look for our banner or familiar faces in the lineup. First Unitarian youth will be decorating our trailer for the parade, please meet at 9:45 am (please note the time change).
Pride Alliance Pridefest runs from Friday, June 28th through Sunday, June 30th at Scissortail Park, click here to learn more about Pridefest and the parade: https://www.okcpridealliance.org/
If you want to join in celebrations and don’t want to walk/ride in the trailer, bring out your favorite chair and join the folx watching and cheering along the parade routes! All are welcome! All are loved!
Need further information? Contact Lynn Ann Wagner for details at flowerdancer@hotmail.com.
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Memorial Garden
Are you familiar with our Memorial Garden? Established in 1987, our tranquil garden, located on each side of the entrance to the church from the Allen Courtyard, holds cremated remains and provides a place for congregants to honor and memorialize the lives and memories of their loved ones.
Beautiful slabs of granite with bronze plaques identify the deceased. The east side of the garden will be in use soon.
You can prepay for a portion of your ashes to be interred in the garden. There is a one-time fee of $275, BUT the price will rise to $300 on July 1. If you think this is something you might be interested in, send your money to the church office.
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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 and visitations.
Even though the work of our church relaxes during the summer while a minister is taking time for reflection and study, the work of Befrienders continues. We may not meet in person, but we continue to offer cards of well wishes, meals, transportation and visitations. Remember that Befrienders offers short term care to our congregants and friends of First Unitarian Church.
Our Befrienders team consists of:
Lana Henson and her team of well-wishers with cards
Kathy Nighswonger and her team of visitors
Patti Kate and her team of drivers ready to help with transportation
Ginny Boykin and her team ready to provide receptions for memorial services
At First UU, we are all Befrienders to and with each other because we care about you!
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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 contact Susan Bishop (Chair of Befrienders).
Please contact Marcia Woodward (President of the Board) or Cathy Webster (President Elect) 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!
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June Change for Change
For the month of June our Change for Change partner is OKC Beautiful. (Garden at Esperanza Elementary)
Their Mission: is to lead Oklahoma City’s beautification and environmental stewardship through collaboration, education, and advocacy.
Their Vision: Oklahoma City is a vibrant community where citizens practice environmentally sustainable lifestyles and nurture economic growth through our programs.
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Commentary: While summer is quickly approaching and yes, our church allows our minister to have the summer off for study, reflection and rest, the work of justice seeking and justice making continues for all our teams. The teams may not meet as often during summer months, but the work of justice continues.
We hope that you will take this summer to think and reflect on the various justice issues happening in all our lives, from voting restrictions to bans on drag queens and books, losing our bodily autonomy to injustices in our communities based on ethnicity and culture. If you are concerned, there is a way to help. Join one of our Justice Teams when our church in-gathers in September. If you don’t particularly care for sitting in meetings, that’s okay because the work of justice doesn’t happen in meetings. There are projects for everyone.
Join the struggle for “justice for all” as it says in our Pledge of Allegiance.
CHANGE FOR CHANGE: Our April Change for Change partner, Juneteenth on the East, received $1,041.00 from our offering plates. Thank you for your generosity. Our Change for Change Partner for June is Oklahoma City Beautiful for Esperanza School. This program advocates and teaches children about sustainable gardening and environmental issues. We hope you will give generously.
NEWS FROM RACIAL JUSTICE: Juneteenth is the celebration begun in Texas, when slaves learned they had been freed two years earlier. This year’s Juneteenth celebration will be on NE 23rd St, June 15th, where there will be live music, food vendors and lots of celebrations. Plan to attend with a group of Unitarians. Let Becky Tallent know if you’re interested.
NEWS FROM V.O.I.C.E.: The June 9th Accountability Session with the prospective candidates running for office in the church’s precinct was very successful. This Saturday (June 15th @ 10:30 am) there will be a follow-up session at St. Charles Boromeo Church on NW 50th.
NEWS FROM UU MINISTRY FOR EARTH: September 28-29, 2024: UU Ministry for Earth is happy to be one of the primary organizers of the Climate Justice Revival. The Revival events will be held in your congregational setting. Gather your justice teams, problem solvers, and dreamers. The Revival planning team will provide everything needed: facilitation toolkits, training, music, projects, coordinated justice action focused on the election and climate justice, and more. No matter your congregation’s size or resources, you can join and together we will enter a new era of climate action. Let's go—appoint two volunteer facilitators who will be trained to participate. Registration fee goes from $50 to $100 on July 1, 2024. (Scholarships available.) Register: https://www.uuclimatejustice.org
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First Unitarian Covenant of Healthy Communication
“We need not think alike to love alike.” One of our Unitarian Universalist ancestors, Francis David, spoke those words more than 400 years ago to describe the foundation of our unity as a religious community. To this end, we, the people of the First Unitarian Church of Oklahoma City, agree to the following:
* I tell my own story and let others tell theirs.
* I use “I” statements when expressing my own views, always mindful that my thoughts, opinions, and experiences may not be shared by others
* I check the accuracy of my perceptions and assumptions.
* I avoid “awfulizing” negative experiences.
* I say what needs to be said to the one who needs to hear it.
Communicate directly with the person or group involved, instead of gossiping or speaking negatively about others in the wider community
* I devote at least as much energy to careful listening as to careful speaking.
Listen actively and seek to understand the perspectives and opinions of others
Be curious, appreciative, and informed about perspectives that differ from my own.
Recognize and honor the diversity of beliefs and spiritual paths within our community, including the words and ways people choose to express their spirituality
Honor the contributions and needs of those who have been historically marginalized in the larger world and in our congregation and seek growth in our ability to be welcoming.
* If something prompts anger in me, I report it honestly in a way that invites positive solutions.
Be forgiving and loving when I or others make mistakes
Apologize, when warranted, and seek to make amends
Call on congregational resources when help is needed
* I refrain from blaming and shaming.
Assume that others act with good intentions
Be respectful and kind in our words, tone, and body language
Use email, social media and other forms of electronic communication with respect, kindness, and special care.
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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)
- Wednesday Night Meditation - 2nd and 4th Wednesday of every month, 6:00 pm, Meditation Room - Corley Commons (contact Larry Little for information)
- Adult Ed Class: "Family Systems Theory" - 6:30 pm, Eddy Room/Daniel Hall (contact Rev. Sue for information)
- Game Night/Potluck - Saturday, June 15, 6:00 pm, Daniel Hall (contact Keith Daniels for information)
- Healthy Lifestyles – Monday, June 17, 7:00 pm (contact Lu Ann Faulkner-Schneider for information)
- Finance Working Group – Tuesday, June 18, 6:30 pm (contact Ron Wasson for information)
- Radical Welcoming Team - Tuesday, June 18, 6:30 pm (contact Lynn Ann Wagner for information)
- Gardening Covenant Group – Tuesday, June 18, 7:00 pm, Eddy Room (contact Helen Wolford for information)
- BRUU
– Wednesday, June 19, 7:00 pm (contact Jon Schneider for information)
- Exploring Spirituality - Friday, June 21, 7:00 pm (contact Lu Ann Faulkner-Schneider for information)
- Pride Without Prejudice - A Safe Space All-Ages Party - Friday, June 21, 7:00 pm, Daniel Hall (contact Lynn Ann Wagner for information or see article above)
- Fiber Connections - Saturday, June 22, 10:00 am, Eddy Room (contact Paula Geisinger for information)
- VOICE Meeting - Sunday, June 23, 9:00 am, Eddy Room (contact Maureen Harvey for information)
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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.
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**********************************************************************************
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.
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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.
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CHURCH STAFF
Transitional Minister - Rev. Sue Redfern-Campbell
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 Emily Hildebrandt Lorriana Lee-Knapp Larry Little Ann Meeks Doug Vincent
Committee on Ministry
Suzanne Broadbent Lori Jervis Liz Pillar-Little John Schneider Tom Peryam Derrick Wagner
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