| 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 11 - 11:00 am
"That’ll Do, Pig, That’ll Do"
Join us in person or watch on YouTube.
On life post-COVID, doing one’s best, and embracing good enough.
Participants: Rev. Diana Davies (service leader); Coba and Dirk Neitzel (Time for All Ages); Sarah Gray (vocals) Steven Elkins Kennedy (accompanist)
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| It's not too late to make or increase your pledge for our next church year! |
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Upcoming Sunday Morning Services - 11:00 am
June
June 18 - "What Is Sikhism" (Guest: Saurabh Singh)
June 25 - NO SERVICE! All are invited to participate in the Pride parade and watch the Unitarian Universalist General Assembly worship streamed from Pittsburgh.
July
July 2 - "The 'Us' of A" (Suzanne Broadbent and Deborah Shinn)
July 9 - "Love Your Enemies" (Rebecca Schaller)
July 16 - "On Friendship" (Joan Chambers and Celeste Flemming)
July 23 - "What Is Baháʼí" (Guest: Terri Angier)
July 30 - "What is Rissho Kosei-Kai Buddhism" (Guest: Rev. Kris Ladusau)
August
August 6 - "On Overthinking" (Lori Jervis and Paul Spicer)
August 13 - "Humor: What a Laugh" (Clare Auwarter and Susan Bishop)
August 20 - Interfaith Guest
August 27 - Seeker Series Part I (Rev. Diana)
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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 11 - 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 11 - 10:00 am
Adult Ed
Each week there are two options for 10:00 am Adult Ed:
- Our meditation group that meets downstairs in the Corley Commons - Meditation Room
- Our main Forum like programming will take place in the Eddy Room every Sunday at 10:00am (except the 3rd Sunday of the month it will be in Daniel Hall) and the topic will change each week.
This Sunday -
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| Congregational Member 2023 |
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This year First Unitarian awarded Susan Bishop with the "Congregational Member" award for dedicated and outstanding service.
"Thank you so much for your congratulations to me regarding “Member of the Year” award. I was so surprised and speechless and yes, that’s a rare event! I am so humbled by this and by your support. Thank you all very much." - Susan
(pictured l to r: Larry Little, Susan Bishop, Rev. Diana and Marliee Peryam)
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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 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!
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| Adult Education Classes & Courses |
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June Change for Change
For the month of June our Change for Change recipient is the The Exodus House.
The Exodus House is a key part of Criminal Justice and Mercy Ministries. Its mission is to offer opportunities for ex-offenders to have a healthy, nurturing, and accountable environment where they may begin their life again. Individuals are accepted into our program while still incarcerated through an application process. We have individualized treatment plans and upon completion of our 6 month program they can take all furniture and household goods to their new residence. While living at Exodus House, residents are responsible for paying their utilities. Rent is not charged but monies are collected each month and deposited into a savings account and returned to them upon leaving or graduating. Exodus Houses currently have a 1.7% recidivism rate over the past 4 years.
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Social Justice News!
JUNE IS PRIDE MONTH!.
- June 14th – Flag Day
- June 19th - Juneteenth @ Scissortail Park.
- June 25th – Scissortail Park Pride Parade @ 11a.
WHAT IS JUNETEENTH? Not everyone in Confederate territory would immediately be free at the close of the Civil War. Even though the Emancipation Proclamation was made effective in 1863, it could not be implemented in places still under Confederate control. As a result, in the westernmost Confederate state of Texas, enslaved people would not be free until much later. Freedom finally came on June 19, 1865, when some 2,000 Union troops arrived in Galveston Bay, Texas. The army announced that the more than 250,000 enslaved black people in the state, were free by executive decree. This day came to be known as "Juneteenth," by the newly freed people in Texas. Juneteenth is the newest federal holiday in the United States, and one that is celebrated differently across the states. It is not a federal holiday celebrated in Oklahoma.
NEWS FROM OK POLICY INSTITUTE - Editorial: ‘Killers of the Flower Moon’ is our chance to learn from white supremacy: White supremacists targeted Oklahoma communities 169 times in 2022. The Anti-Defamation League’s annual assessment of propaganda activity said that’s an increase of 164% from the previous year. Twenty-nine of those incidents of white supremacist propaganda distribution and events happened in Tulsa. Oklahoma City saw 21. While we all want a great movie to spring from all the filming in our state, let us also take an opportunity to learn from the words of author David Grann and the direction of Martin Scorsese. Allow “Killers of the Flower Moon” to spark a movement to evolve past a deadly history. [Editorial / Tulsa World]
49% Share of Oklahoma children living in low-income households where more than 30 percent of the monthly income was spent on rent, mortgage payments, taxes, insurance, and/or related expenses. [KIDS COUNT]
If you are interested in becoming involved in social justice programs and activities, please contact Susan Bishop at (405) 623-4017 or sdbishop50@gmail.com
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| News from the Radical Welcoming Team |
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June 2023
Pride Events in June!
UUs at Pride 2023 Celebrating 2SLGBTQIA+ Folx!
First Unitarian Church is co-sponsoring the PRIDE Community Worship Service at Mayflower Congregational UCC Church on Wednesday, June 14 at 7:00 pm. First Unitarian choir members will be singing with co-sponsoring congregations' choirs during this service. RSVP here: https://fb.me/e/TncQbAm3
The OKC Pride Alliance Parade will be held on Sunday, June 25th 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. from Robert S. Kerr. Look for our banner or familiar faces in the lineup. First Unitarian youth will be decorating our trailer for the parade, please meet at 9:00 am. Contact Ellisya Ravencroft on the day of the parade at 405-208-0746 if you have a hard time finding us.
Pride Alliance Pridefest runs from Friday, June 23rd through Sunday, June 25th at Scissorstail 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 in the participating folx watching and cheering along the parade routes! All are welcome! All are loved!
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Welcome new Committee on Ministry members!
Members of the Committee on Ministry are nominated by the CoM and selected by the Board of Trustees. Our newest members (joining as of July 2023) are Rebecca Daniels, Liz Pillar-Little, and Derrick Wagner. They join Lori Jervis, Tom Peryam, and James Vaughn. Dex Marble is rotating off at the end of this church year. Thank you for your service on this important committee, Dex!
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.
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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)
- Adult RE – Every Sunday, 10:00 am in Daniel Hall (contact Tim Atkins for information - see article above)
- Qigong - Every Monday and Friday, 12:15 pm (contact Janice Martin for information)
- Tuesday Discussion Group – Every Tuesday, 11:00 am (contact Ron Wasson for information - see article above)
- Anne Marie Grassmann Memorial Service – Saturday, June 10, 11:00 am, Sanctuary
- Fiber Connections – Sunday, June 11, 12:00 pm, Eddy Room (contact Paula Geisinger for information)
- HRWG – Tuesday, June 13, 6:30 pm (contact Scot Harvey for information)
- Racial Justice – Wednesday, June 14, 11:00 am (contact Rebecca Schaller for information)
- Radical Welcoming Team – Thursday, June 15, 6:30 pm (contact Lynn Ann Wagner for information)
- Exploring Spirituality – Friday, June 16, 6:00 pm (contact Lu Ann Faulkner-Schneider for information)
- Family Potluck/Game Night – Saturday, June 17, 5:00 pm, Daniel Hall (contact Keith Daniels for information
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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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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
Lead Minister - Rev. Diana K. Davies
Director of Lifespan Religious Exploration - Tim Atkins
Choir Director - Chukwuebuka ('Ebuka) G. Ezeakacha
Accompanist - Steven Elkins Kennedy
Congregational Life Coordinator - Nathan Boone
Office Administrator - Marlies Grogg
BOARD OF TRUSTEES 2022-2023
President of the Congregation - Marshal Gimpel
President-Elect - Marcia Woodward
Immediate Past President - Lynn Ann Wagner
Clerk - Deborah Shinn
Treasurer - Ron Wasson
Clare Auwarter Lorriana Lee-Knapp Larry Little Laura Lochner Ann Meeks Becky Tallent
Committee on Ministry
Lori Jervis Dex Marble Tom Peryam James Vaughn
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