OUUC Weekly Update 3-28-23
News from the Olympia Unitarian Universalist Congregation
Worship Service April 2 at 10:00 am - online and in-person
“When You’re Going Through Hell, Keep Going ” with Dr. Mary Ellen Johnson.
Dr. Mary Ellen Johnson (she/her) holds a Doctor of Ministry degree from the Wisdom School of Graduate Studies. She is also a Religious Science Practitioner and a Certified Labyrinth Facilitator. Mary Ellen has been known to go hours and miles out of her way to seek out a labyrinth someone told her about. She’s also a voracious reader and is deeply inspired by stories of human triumph over adversity. As an avid pilgrim, Mary Ellen has completed the Spanish Camino and journeys on foot to Assisi in Italy to Chartres Cathedral in France. Mary Ellen’s personal credo is “Life is easy when you share what you love and teach what you know.”
OUUC Sunday Morning Service
https://zoom.us/j/873210124?pwd=U21qdmwxcTNyaE1LQ0xlU0MwM3VMQT09
Meeting ID: 873 210 124
Password: 995142
Dial +1 253 215 8782
See recordings of online services here.
After Service Forum at 11:30 am: OUUC After Covid with Rev. Mary. How has Covid affected OUUC and what can we say about what lies ahead? Come explore these topics with Rev. Mary after the service onsite and online.
Happening This Week
Thursday Community Dinner is for everyone!
Every Thursday 5:30-6:30 pm
The Thursday Night Dinner this week is a gift from guest cooks Bill Arensmeyer and Penny Chatfield, with Curry. Come 5:30-6:30 pm for the dinner.
Volunteers wanted! Sign up to volunteer for dinners here.
After dinner:
6:30 pm Kids Making Sense Class
6:30 pm 7th-9th grade Our Whole Lives Class
7:00pm Spiritual Practices
Thursday Night Spiritual Practice
Spiritual Practices Thursday, March 30 at 7:00 pm will be led by Rev Carol McKinley.
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87438786949?pwd=ZFd4MFJiUGY4eS9KNVpmOVNnMm9BUT09
Meeting ID: 874 3878 6949
Passcode: 297714
Labyrinth Comes to OUUC!
As we move into the season of Spring, Easter, and Passover, Mary Ellen Johnson, long-time labyrinth facilitator, will bring her labyrinth to the OUUC sanctuary to help us mark these holy days. All ages are welcome to an open labyrinth walk on Friday, March 31 from 4:00-7:00 pm. Everyone is invited to a workshop titled “Labyrinth 202 – Further Along the Journey” on Saturday, April 1 from 9:30 am to Noon. No experience with a labyrinth is required, everyone is welcome. Register for the workshop here.
Survey About Sundays and Thursdays!
Please take a bit of time to fill out our new survey about the offerings on Sundays and Thursdays. We want to hear from you!
Ministry Programs
Upcoming Class: Building Multicultural Competency
A 2 session class focused on the call and the practice of multicultural competency in our personal and congregational lives. Facilitated by Rev Sara Lewis and Tiffany Felch.
This class will be offered in person and then again online. Choose ONE option that is right for you.
Thursdays 6:30-8:30 pm, In person April 13 and 20
On Zoom April 27 and May 4 (separate registrations)
Pilot Testers for a new Program Wanted: Newcomer Buddies!
The Member Engagement Team is working to create a Newcomer Buddy Program at OUUC, matching interested newcomers with long-time congregants who can help them navigate OUUC, answer questions, and be a friendly face at events. We will be trying a short-term experiment to help us craft the specifics, and we need You to be a tester!
For the month of May, we will have OUUC Buddies matched and connect newer(ish) folks with long(er/ish) timer folks. If you would like to participate, contact Rev Sara.
Auction Procurement is Open!
The auction website is live! Donations of social events, outings, get-togethers, handmade items, and unique opportunities are welcome! Did you know that the verb “procure” was around the pre-1300s and comes from the Latin word prōcūrāre, meaning “to take care of” or “to look after?” Now is the time to come together, build community, and raise dollars for OUUC! Do you have a passion or hobby? Share it! Do you have a special getaway cottage or cabin? Offer it! Do you love to play games or prepare dinners? Host it! Submit your donation by April 28. The online auction opens on April 30 and closes on May 7. You can now also buy your ticket to attend the community event and live auction on May 6, from 5:00 to 8:00 pm at OUUC. Tickets are $10 to $100 per person—pay what you can, and everyone is welcome. Check out the 2023 OUUC auction website here.
OUUC HVAC Update-Construction Zone Coming!
Parts of OUUC are a bit chilly now as we have three of four gas furnaces out of commission. If you have kept up with the story, you know that three of the 25-year gas furnaces in the original part of the OUUC building failed last year after working for 30 years. For the past few months, we have been in the process of getting bids and designing the installation of new heat pumps that will heat AND cool the Sanctuary and building core (offices, kitchen, Youth Room, and Spirit Play Room.) It will be wonderful when it is done!
Our contractor is on board and the work has begun. We know now that the heat pumps will require new ductwork to the Sanctuary, and that will require that we not use the Sanctuary for 2-3 weeks, including Sundays. We haven’t confirmed the dates yet, but we know this will happen in April. We are working on plans to offer worship and other events in the classrooms when the Sanctuary is under construction.
Stay tuned for more information. Thanks for your flexibility. The end result will be a big improvement! In the meantime, we continue to monitor airflow and carbon dioxide levels in the sanctuary to ensure the air is as clean as possible.
If you have any questions, please reach out to Rev. Mary or Darlene Sarkela.
Support Hunger Walk
OUUC is once again supporting Thurston's Hunger Walk, an annual fundraiser to help two local agencies: The Community Kitchen & The Thurston County Food Bank. At the end of February, millions of Americans lost the pandemic boost to their food stamps (now known as SNAP.) That translates to dramatically less access to groceries - exactly when inflation and food costs reach near 40-year highs. Your donations to support our neighbors experiencing hunger - are now more important than ever! This year’s walk will take place at Huntamer Park on Sunday, May 7 beginning sharply at 3:00 pm. Enjoy camaraderie and live music while you walk as little or as much as you like. You can donate through our "team" site. If you prefer, you could make out a check to Thurston's Hunger Walk and mail it to: Thurston County Food Bank, P.O. Box 11549, Olympia, WA 98508 with "OUUC" in the memo line. Remember, give what you can and walk if you want!
For more info and to see what other teams are participating check here. And check out our video. Finally, please consider posting the walk on your Facebook page and forwarding this email on to your friends. Thanks for stepping up to help lessen food insecurity in Thurston County!!!
Chalice Camp
Registration is open now for Summer Chalice Camp! July 10-14, 9:00 am-3:00 pm, ages 5-10. Suggested donation up to $175, pay what you can.
We will be exploring right relationship: with self, with others, with all beings, and with the earth itself. Lots of fun, open to all!
Messy Holiday Fun!
Messy Holiday fun! All ages are invited to join us to dye Easter Eggs at OUUC. Come make the mess here and take home the pretty eggs! Important: bring your own 1 dozen hardboiled eggs ready to dye. Saturday, April 8, 10:00 am-noon. OUUC classrooms. Questions, contact Anissa.
Donations wanted for Easter Egg prizes! Small items, but they don’t need to fit in an egg: edible treats/candies, art supplies, flower seeds, books, and small toys. Donations can be dropped off with Sara or Anissa from now until Easter (April 9).
Sunday is Recycle Day
Happy Spring! Change those smoke detector batteries and bring them in with any other dead batteries and fluorescent bulbs you have this Sunday.
The OUUC Environmental Action Team will see that they are properly recycled or taken to to the HazoHouse.!
Quick Notes
The OUUC Anti Racism Team asks us all who live in the Olympia School District to submit comments on the OSD Equity Survey (open until March 31st)
Equity Policy Development - Olympia School District (wednet.edu)
If you have at your home gray or teal hymnals that belong to OUUC and you are no longer using them there, please return them to OUUC. You can drop them off during office hours on Tuesday-Thursday between 10:00 am-2:00 pm, on Thursday evenings, or you can bring them on Sunday morning for our 10:00 am service. Plus, you can receive a book exchange for your hymnals! Once you've returned your hymnal(s), see Rev. Sara for a book from her UU book cart.
Safety Reminder: Please lock and remove valuables from your vehicles.
In the Larger Community
Learn more about the following events and others here.
Seattle Convergence – Nourishment for Anti-Racism and Collective Liberation. PRAXIS: a workshop for religious/spiritual leaders to generate lessons, culture, and power for collective liberation with Ayoka Turner and Chris Crass. Saturday, April 15, 1:00-5:00 pm. Anti-racist Parenting for Collective Liberation - Sunday, April 16, 4:30-7:00 pm. Online or at University Unitarian Church.
CONVERGENCE: Heart and Soul Nourishment for Anti-racism and Collective Liberation with Rev. Sekou and Chris Crass. Saturday, April 22, 1:00-4:00 pm. This gathering will be live-streamed as well as in-person at University Congregational UCC.
Chalice Lighters Spring Call: The Spring 2023 Cascadia Chalice Lighters Call will go to the UU Fellowship of Fairbanks (AK) which applied for funds to replace the worn-out boiler in their building.
You are invited to this year’s UU@UN Intergenerational Spring Seminar, with the theme of “Demilitarization & Abolition: Resist Policing and Empire.” The is April 1-3, both online and in-person in Minneapolis, MN. You can find more information about registration options and rates on our website.
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About Us
Sara Lewis, Director of Community and Faith Development
Darlene Sarkela, Congregational Administrator
Teresa Madsen, Communications Specialist
Marie Arensmeyer, Facilities Manager
Anissa Bentlemsani, Religious Education Assistant
Carbon Marshall, Tech Specialist
Office Hours
Tuesday - Thursday, 10:00 am - 2:00 pm
Email: liberalfaith@ouuc.org
Website: http://ouuc.org
Location: 2315 Division Street Northwest, Olympia, WA, United States
Phone: 360-634-2005
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/OlympiaUUC/
Twitter: @OlyUUC