| 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, April 7 - 11:00 am
"What I Learned from the Sisters"
Join us in person or watch on YouTube.
You might call this my “icebreaker sermon.” Looking back on my life, I realize that much of it has been experimental. One of those experiments involved leaving UU ministry for two years, and going to live in a women’s monastic community. Why did I do this, what did I learn – and what led me back to parish ministry? The answers may surprise you.
Participating in today’s service:
Service Leaders: Rev. Sue Redfern-Campbell; Worship Associate: Chalice Lighters: Call to Offering: Choir Director: Chukwuebuka "Ebuka” Ezeakacha; Accompanist: Steven Elkins Kennedy; Music: 1UC Choir; Technical Support: Tammy Epperson and Ellisya Ravencroft; Ushers: Members of the BRUU Group
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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, April 7, 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, April 7 - 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 14, 2024 - "Ordinary Courage"
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Hello from Rev. Sue
Has it really been two-and-a-half weeks since I arrived here at First Unitarian? For me, the time has flown by. It's been a joy to become immersed in the life of this active, talented, fun-loving, justice-seeking congregation, and equally a joy to meet so many of you. I'm looking forward to meeting many more of you in the weeks to come!
When they hired me as your Transitional Minister, the Board asked me to publish the days and times you can find me at the church. I'm eager to meet with you - and scheduling office hours is more complicated than it used to be. This is true both because coming to church during the week is difficult for many people, and because Zoom meetings, which expand opportunities for connection, are often easier to conduct from home.
Despite these challenges, my general aim is to have office hours on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 10 to 2, and on Wednesdays from 1 to 4. I'm also delighted to schedule Zoom meetings by appointment outside those hours. To request an appointment, either in-person or virtual, please email me at sredfern-campbell@1uc.org. Good words to put in the subject line are "Would like to meet with you" or "Would like an appointment." I'll try to respond as soon as possible.
Of course, you're always welcome to come by just to say Hi. If the door is open, or the green "Please Knock" sign is showing, it means "The Minister is In" and would be glad to see you!
Love and blessings,
Rev. Sue
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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.
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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| Mark Your Calendars! |
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More details to come in upcoming newsletters for this event! Keep watching!
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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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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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Friday, April 12, 11:00 am
Remembering Mary Jo Bragdon
The family of former long time member, Mary Jo Bragdon, will be here on Friday, April 12, at 11:00 am to have her ashes interred in the memorial garden.
Those who remember her are welcome to come and visit with her family. There will be coffee and cookies and conversation.
If you have a fond memory of Mary Jo, I am sure her loved ones would love to hear it.
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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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March Change for Change
For the month of April our Change for Change partner is The Third Space Foundation for Juneteenth on the East Festival.
Mission Statement: The Third Space Foundation grew out of The Third Space, a co-working and community-building environment in Norman, Oklahoma. Dr. Suzette Grillot founded The Third Space in the summer of 2019. Our mission was to create an empowering and supportive third place where all individuals would feel welcomed and safe.
They are committed to being honest and trustworthy.
They are committed to promoting a spirit of openness in all that we do.
They are passionate about creating and cultivating an inclusive community.
They are committed to serving all of humanity in a respectful and equitable manner.
They believe in learning, growing and developing throughout life, which involves engaging in open discussions and listening to others.
They are committed to collaborative work that facilitates the collective good and the joint promotion of our common interests.
They are passionate about maintaining positive and hopeful perspectives as a basis for bold and energetic action in our community.
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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!
Because of your generosity, the following non-profits received our change for change monies:
- December ’23 – UUSC (Unitarian Universalist Service Committee) $2,433.83
- January ’24 – Not Your Average Joe $1244.00
- February ’24 – Exodus House $1,433.00
NEWS FROM TOGETHER OKLAHOMA: - Join hundreds of 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.
Thursday, April 25, 2024 - Second Floor Rotunda | Oklahoma State Capitol; 2300 N Lincoln Blvd. | Oklahoma City
Check-in begins at 9:00 a.m. | Event starts at 10:00 a.m.
Connect and engage with legislators and get the information, tools, and resources you need to advocate for the changes that you would like to see in your community.
During the FREE event, we will share tools and resources, as well as arrange meetings with lawmakers. Lunch will be provided, and transportation to the capitol may be available from various locations statewide.
OK Policy is a non-partisan independent policy think-tank. Together OK is a program of OK Policy that serves as a grassroots education and advocacy group connecting Oklahoma values to state budget priorities.
NEWS FROM ACEEE (American Council for an Energy Efficient Economy) - The Department of Energy’s announcement last week of $6 billion in funding for transformational industrial decarbonization projects has a backstory—one we’re rather proud of.
Rewind to late summer 2021, when ACEEE published a policy brief warning that “a gap remains between pilot-scale demonstration projects and full-scale implementation of innovative industrial technologies.” It called for federal co-funding to help industrial companies invest in commercializing new clean technologies. We worked closely with lawmakers introducing legislation for similar funding in the U.S. House and Senate.
In the summer of 2022, the Inflation Reduction Act built on these ideas, dedicating nearly $6 billion in funding for decarbonization grants—the lion's share of the funding announced recently. The winning companies can soon invest in innovative decarbonization measures that haven’t been deployed yet in U.S. industry. True success lies a step further, when those once-new technologies are used widely. It will be an exciting few years ahead.
Our Commitment to the Long Haul: UU the Vote in 2024 We did it! Florida UUs have worked tirelessly to bring us to this day. Yesterday, the Florida Supreme Court declared that Yes on 4, the abortion protection ballot measure, is officially on the November ballot!
While we celebrate our wins, our work is not over. Susan, in 30 days, Florida’s six-week abortion ban goes into effect. At the UU the Vote launch on March 14, Yes on 4 Interim Organizing Director, Taylor Aguilera, reminded us that the fight for abortion access in Florida is a critical fight for abortion access for thousands of people across the region.
If anyone is interested in promoting UU the VOTE with our church, please contact Susan Bishop at sdbishop50@gmail.com
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| Radical Welcoming Team (RWT) |
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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)
- Big Event Workday - Saturday, April 6, 10:00 am (contact Ron Wasson to help or for more information)
- Family Game Night and Potluck - Saturday, April 6, 6:00 pm, Daniel Hall (contact Keith Daniels for information)
- Racial Justice Committee – Wednesday, April 10, 11:00 am (contact Becky Tallent for information)
- Befrienders – Thursday, April 11, 12:00 pm, Eddy Room (contact Susan Bishop for information)
- UU Book Club – Thursday, April 11, 7:00 pm (contact Steve Gryglewicz for information)
- Fiber Connections – Sunday, April 14, Eddy Room (contact Paula Geisinger for information)
- Healthy Lifestyles – Monday, April 15, 7:00 pm (contact Lu Ann Faulkner-Schneider for information)
- Finance Working Group – Tuesday, April 16, 6:30 pm (contact Ron Wasson 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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