| 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, March 31 - 11:00 am
"To Live Under the Authority of the Future” (Easter Sunday)
Join us in person or watch on YouTube.
How are we UUs to understand Resurrection? One interpretation that rings true for me comes from Martin Smith, an Episcopal priest and spiritual teacher. Fr. Martin suggests resurrection means “choosing to live under the authority of the future, not the past.” What might that mean for life in these times?
Participating in today’s service:
Service Leaders: Rev. Sue Redfern-Campbell; TFAA: Tim Atkins, DLRE; Worship Associate: Hazel Tate; Chalice Lighters: Clare Auwarter and Amy Auwarter-Diaz; Call to Offering: Liz Pillar-Little; Choir Director: Chukwuebuka "Ebuka” Ezeakacha; Accompanist: Steven Elkins Kennedy; Music: 1UC Choir; Technical Support: Tammy Epperson and Ellisya Ravencroft; Ushers: Members of the HR Working Group
HRWG: The purpose of the HRWG is to act as a check and balance within the church. The HRWG ensures that a balance is struck between the rights and interests of the Church as an employer with the rights and interests of its employees.
The work of the HRWG falls into four broad areas: recruitment and hiring, employee relations, staff appreciation, and volunteer job descriptions. The HRWG is also responsible for developing and updating the Personnel Policies Manual.
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Egg Hunt and Bunny Visit!
Right after the service comes.... our Easter Egg Hunt!
Our High Schoolers will set up for the Egg Hunt during worship and run the Egg Hunt for the younger kids after the service.
Children will hunt eggs and turn them in for an Easter "goodie" bag.
And there may be a visit from a certain floppy eared animal as well! Join the fun!
And remember to take pictures!
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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, March 31, 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, March 31 - 10:00 am
Sunday Morning Coffee Hour (in-person)
Join us for “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 donut and a cup of coffee, and chat with your fellow congregants about whatever’s on your mind. Come back after the service for more social time.
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Upcoming Sunday Morning Services - 11:00 am
April
April 7, 2024 - "What I Learned from the Sisters"
April 14, 2024 - "Ordinary Courage"
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Hello from Rev. Sue
On Monday night, I was getting ready for bed and finishing my evening chores, when something caught my eye through the window. It was about the same size as the streetlights with their constant glare, but something about it was different. I got my glasses to get a better look, and then I had to laugh at myself. Sure enough, it was the full moon, catching me unawares - and all the more beautiful because it was unexpected.
I shouldn't have been surprised. As a minister, I know full well that Easter is coming, and that its herald is Spring's first full moon. But after our recent spate of rainy weather and cloudy nights, I'd given up looking for it. Howard Thurman wrote about "the glad surprise," and this was one of those. Sometimes it’s good to be shaken out of one’s complacency.
Easter Sunday comes early this year, on March 31, one of several lunar spring festivals. As Unitarian Universalists, we may wrestle with the question "What meaning does Easter hold for us?" - and our answers will reflect our religious diversity. Some UUs joyfully celebrate the mystery of Resurrection, though they may take it "seriously, but not literally." Others look to the Christian stories from a humanist point of view, looking for insights about the human condition. Still others are happy to celebrate Easter as an Earth-centered festival, while some choose not to celebrate it at all.
On Sunday here at First Unitarian, our multigenerational service celebrates Easter through story, reflection, and selected music from Handel's Messiah, Part II. 'Ebuka conducts our Choir, joined by Steve Elkins at the organ, soprano Amanda Kosi, and a chamber orchestra. An Easter Egg Hunt for the children follows the service. I, for one, am looking forward to it! Hope to see you there.
- Rev. Sue
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Supporting What We Love
If you’ve already made your pledge – Thank you!
So that the congregation’s leaders can draft the 2024-25 budget in time for the spring congregational meeting, we need to receive all pledges for the next church year (July 1, 2024 - June 30, 2025) as soon as possible.
As a reminder, membership requires making a pledge or having a waiver on file. Pledges can be paid by check, credit card, or automatic withdrawal (contact Marlies to get this set up).
You can pledge online by using the QR code above or go directly to: https://1ucokc.breezechms.com/...
Alternatively, you may mail in the paper pledge form that you received in the mail, place it in the collection plate during a service, or contact our Office Administrator, Marlies Grogg (405-232-9224; mgrogg@1uc.org).
Thank you for all you do for our beloved First Unitarian Church of Oklahoma City!
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WE NEED YOU!
Your Auction Committee is looking for a few more volunteers!
It is a big task to accomplish in a short period of time. Any help would be appreciated. It will all be over by May 4, so it is only going to be a few weeks of commitment. Please let Marlies know if you can give a few hours of your time to make this major fundraiser a big success.
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Please do not bring items to church and leave them to be discovered by someone.
If you have an item(s) you want to donate to the church, please contact Marlies Grogg, our office administrator, first. She will then give the information to the appropriate area personnel (ex. RE, Alliance, kitchen, grounds, etc.) to determine if there is a need for the item{s).
It is important that we keep track of all donated merchandise in order to properly maintain rooms in the building and the church as a whole. It is very easy to "clutter" up the building but not so easy to "unclutter" it.
So before you donate items, please make sure the church actually needs them. Thank you.
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Saturday, March 30, 9:00 am
Garden Covenant Group Work Day!
Come work on the church grounds with the Gardening Covenant Group this Saturday morning, March 30 at 9:00 am. We will be replacing dead shrubs in the raised, east-side beds, weeding where needed and doing some pruning. We would love to have you join us. For more information contact Barbara Gallivan.
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Online Auction begins Sunday, April 21!
Auction Time
Do you have a special skill that others are envious of? Are you a master chef or culinary wizard who loves hosting guests?
If you answered yes - then we invite you to donate your talents to the annual 1UOKC auction! We are counting on YOU to offer an event, host a dinner, provide a service, offer tickets to a local performance or game, donate a vacation rental, host a workshop ... or whatever you can do! Historically, donations of dinners and/or experiences raise the MOST dollars during the auction. It is an excellent way to give back to your beloved spiritual community. There have been many great and memorable donations from you in the past so we'd love for you to participate again this year.
Please submit your donation to Joan Cain, Joancain48@gmail.com. Make sure to include your name, phone #, email address, proposed date, a description of the event or experience (including any conditions, limitations or restrictions). In addition, please give a value of the donation and a minimum bid.
We also are looking for an auctioneer for our short live auction the evening of Saturday, May 4. Please let us know if this is a secret talent of yours and you are willing to call out the bids!
If you have a question, contact one of the members of the auction committee: Joan Cain, Deb Cretsinger, Emily Dunagin, Barbara Gallivan, Carmen McBride, Becky Tallent and Mairead Todd.
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Go see Outward Bound!
1UC member Lana Henson will be performing in "Outward Bound" at the 3rd Act Theatre Company located in North Park Mall ( 12040 N May Ave. OKC)
Outward Bound by Sutton Vane, adapted by Caprice Sorg
Performances now through April 7, 2024
Get Tickets here.
In Outward Bound, an odd assortment of characters are passengers on an ocean liner, but no one can remember where they're headed. The lovers have a secret that no one can know; the society lady can't accept that there is only one class on board and she has to share a table with a low-brow charwoman; a young man drinks too much but sees through everything; and the mysterious ship steward seems to be the only crewmember. When it's revealed that the ocean liner is headed for Judgment Day, each person plots to ensure a heavenly afterlife. But the Examiner who decides their fate is not willing to bargain.
Content Advisory: This production deals with adult themes including loss, grief, self-harm, death, and love.
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News from Befrienders
Befrienders relies upon donations. Those donations are used to provide cards, stamps, 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.
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 have teams assigned for specific roles.
- Lana Henson leads our Cards of Well Wishes team and can always use extra hands to write cards to our members who are ill or who are recovering from surgeries.
- Ginny Boykin leads our Memorial Receptions team. She calls on folks to bring food for the receptions.
- Patti Kate leads our Transportation team and is looking for folks to be added to her list of people willing to be drivers for anyone needing a ride to a doctor’s appointment, therapy appointment, etc. She is actively recruiting for folks to be on her team.
- Kathy Nyswonger leads our Visitation team. She, along with others, actively go out and visit with members who are unable to get to church or some of the social events. She is actively recruiting for folks to be on her team.
- Meal Trains – we don’t have a team leader yet for this team of people willing to step up and provide a meal to an individual or family. Much of the work of the leader is organizing the Meal Train on line. If you are interested, please contact Susan Bishop for more info,
If you are interested in joining any of these teams, please let Susan Bishop know at sdbishop50@gmail.com.
The next meeting of Befrienders is Thursday, March 14 at noon in the Eddy Room.
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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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| Adult Education Classes & Courses |
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Every Wednesday - 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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Adult Ed: Tuesday Discussion Group
The Tuesday Adult Ed Discussion Group will be taking a break for the next two Tuesdays. They will resume their normal schedule on Tuesday, April 9th.
Watch for details in the newsletter.
If you have something you want to present, reach out to Ron Wasson at (wassonr@sbcglobal.net).
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Wednesday April 3, 6:00 pm, Daniel Hall and Zoom
UU the Vote for LGBTQ+ Equity - Facilitated by our Radical Welcoming Team
In recent years, we are witnessing a severe roll back of many LGBTQ+ protections, that so many of us worked so hard to achieve. We are calling all Unitarian Universalists everywhere to #UUtheVote for LGBTQ+ Equity because our values of interdependence, equity, democracy, and the inherent worth and dignity of all people are direct antidotes to the fear, bigotry, and inequity that define our world.
The UUA Welcoming Congregation Renewal Program requires 10% of the membership of the congregation, 24 people, attend our yearly welcoming RE programs for First Unitarian to continue to qualify for Welcoming Congregation renewal each year.
Childcare will be provided in the nursery.
Contact Lynn Ann Wagner for more information, flowerdancer@hotmail.com
Join Zoom Meeting:
https://zoom.us/j/96100858600?pwd=T2czbXlqVEhLeHI1bDlnZE4xQkVTZz09
Meeting ID: 961 0085 8600
Passcode: 512215
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Tuesday, April 2, 11:30 am, Daniel Hall
Alliance Brown Bag Lunch and Program
Greetings Alliance Members! Tuesday, April 2nd, is our monthly Alliance meeting and it will be a “brown-bag affair!”
We will have a speaker from “Free to Live” and our business meeting at noon. Be thinking about summer field trips as we will be taking suggestions. Visitors are always welcome.
I hope to see you there! For more information contact Maureen Harvey at mharvey5@cox.net
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March Change for Change
For the month of March our Change for Change partner is Pivot.
PIVOT works with young people (12-24) who are homeless, disconnected, or otherwise at-risk.
Programs include a shelter with clean beds and nutritious meals; a Community Intervention Center, which connects youth in need with food, clothing, housing, mentoring, and medical care; trauma counseling; a teen resource center; Tiny Homes independent living; and much more.
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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 be found in Breeze.
WE APPRECIATE IT WHEN CONGREGANTS NOMINATE WORTHY COMMUNITY PARTNERS. THANK YOU!
RAMADAN CELEBRATED AT FIRST UNITARIAN! If you signed up with Susan Bishop, plan to be at church no later than 7:00 pm. It’s recommended that you eat a very light snack before attending as we will not be eating dinner until sundown.
NEWS FROM UUSC (UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST SERVICE COMMITTEE): This from UUSC President Mary Katherine Morn
“So, this month, I am attending the annual session of the U.N. Commission on the Status of Women, alongside three women leaders from UUSC’s staff. UUSC and other nongovernmental organizations have been invited to participate in high-level discussions on a global scale.“
UUSC has a particularly valuable perspective on financing groups with a gender lens and deep experience strengthening feminist institutions that are developing sustainable solutions to our world’s biggest problems.
NEWS FROM UUMFE (Unitarian Universalist Ministry for Earth)
Dear Friends:
The climate crisis is a crisis of disconnection. Humans are disconnected from the natural world and have forgotten that we are nature. Restoring a reciprocal relationship with Earth (and all life) addresses a range of human-caused problems that have led to climate disruption. It also benefits us and restores us for the work of justice. This is UUMFE’s role in the climate justice movement. We help you reconnect with Earth and the natural world - psychologically, emotionally, physically and spiritually - so you can deepen your commitment to Earth care, metabolize eco-anxiety and grief, and work for justice for all life including people most impacted by climate disruption.
This month, our Monthly Musings help you and your congregations connect to Spring Equinox and the rhythm of the year. They help you deepen your relationship with water. And they tap into courage as a spiritual practice and eco-virtue so that you can act boldly for climate justice. Our event focused on World Water Day helps you gather in community to learn and share.
As always, we are grateful for our partners in the work, and you’ll see their good work reflected here, too.
May the newness of Spring remind us of what is possible.
With care and love,
Rev. Kelly Dignan
NEWS FROM ACEEE (American Council for an Energy Efficient Economy) - Packaging and Marketing Comprehensive Home Energy Upgrades: Results of a Nationwide Study
Monday, April 1, 2:00 PM - 3:00 PM ET
Comprehensive home energy upgrades can be expensive for most homeowners, but a new report finds that targeting the right audience, with the right messages, and offering attractive upgrade packages with appealing financing can significantly shift behavior. State energy offices putting energy efficiency programs into place can use this information with their marketing partners and contractor networks to maximize uptake and increase efficiency and comfort for homeowners.
Join us for a webinar to learn about the results of this nationwide survey asking 1,500 homeowners to reflect on scenarios in which they would invest (or not invest) in comprehensive energy efficiency upgrades. Attendees will hear insights from experts in both the marketing and residential energy efficiency fields who will discuss the potential impacts of the research.
Our Commitment to the Long Haul: UU the Vote in 2024 - For more than a decade, Side With Love has brought together Unitarian Universalists and those who share our values as we work together to build a world in which all people are free and thriving. In 2024, Side With Love serves as the hub for the public justice work of the Unitarian Universalist Association.
We invite Unitarian Universalist individuals, congregations, and organizations to grow their skills, ground spiritually and politically, and work to achieve justice in solidarity with movements led by the most impacted people. Side With Love’s campaigns are rooted in four intersectional priorities:
- UU the Vote (democracy, voting rights, & electoral justice)
- Create Climate Justice (climate & environmental justice, inclusive of Indigenous sovereignty and climate resilience)
- Love Resists (decriminalization, inclusive of racial justice, immigration & abolition - joint campaign with UUSC: UU Service Committee)
- UPLIFT Action (bodily autonomy, including LGBTQIA+, gender and reproductive justice, disability justice)
If anyone is interested in promoting UU the VOTE with our church, please contact Susan Bishop at sdbishop50@gmail.com
NEWS FROM OK POLICY INSTITUTE:
DAY OF ACTION AT THE CAPITOL
Join advocates and community activists from all across the state on Thursday, April 25, for our 2024 Day of Action at the State Capitol, hosted by OK Policy and Together Oklahoma. Tap into your political power and work toward changes that make our communities safer, healthier, and more equitable. [Learn More] [Register]
Day of Action at the Capitol: Second Floor Rotunda | Oklahoma State Capitol - Check-in begins at 9:00 am | Event starts at 10:00 am
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Help Us Keep Our Building Safe
Please, if you exit the building through a door that is locked, make sure that the door is completely closed and locked behind you. If you are one of the last people out of the building, please help us make sure that all doors are fully closed and locked. And if you are holding an event at the church, please do not prop exterior doors open or unlock them and leave them unattended. And when you are done, don't forget to lock the door!
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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!
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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 - Every Wednesday, 6:00 pm, Meditation Room - Corley Commons (contact Larry Little for information)
- Choir Rehearsal – Every Wednesday, 7:00 pm, Sanctuary (contact 'Ebuka Ezeakacha for information)
- Membership Meeting - Thursday, March 28, 6:00 pm (contact Lorriana Lee-Knapp for information)
- 1UC VOICE Bingo Fundraiser - Friday, March 29, 6:30 pm, Daniel Hall (contact Maureen Harvey for information)
- Gardening Group Work Day - Saturday, March 30, 9:00 am (contact Barbara Gallivan for information)
- Egg Dyeing Party - Saturday, March 30, 11:00 am, Daniel Hall (contact Tim Atkins for information)
- Ramadan Dinner - Saturday, March 30, 7:00 pm, Daniel Hall (contact Susan Bishop for information)
- 1UC VOICE Meeting - Sunday, March 31, 9:00 am, Eddy Room (contact Maureen Harvey for information)
- Easter Egg Hunt and Bunny Visits! - Sunday, March 31, 12:00 pm, church yard (contact Tim Atkins for information)
- 1UC Alliance Brown Bag Lunch/Program - Tuesday, April 2, 11:30 am, Daniel Hall (contact Maureen Harvey for information)
- HRWG - Tuesday, April 2, 6:30 pm (contact Cortney Custer for information)
- UU the Vote for LGBTQ+ Equity - Facilitated by our Radical Welcoming Team - Wednesday, April 3, 6:00 pm, Daniel Hall (contact Lynn Ann Wagner for information) above)
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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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