OUUC Weekly Update 3-21-23
News from the Olympia Unitarian Universalist Congregation
Worship Service March 26 at 10:00 am - online and in-person
“Love Will Guide Us” with Rev. Mary Gear
We wrap up our month of reflection on commitment, generosity, and stewardship with a leaf communion and celebration of love at the center.
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.
Happening This Week
Thursday Community Dinner is for everyone!
Every Thursday 5:30-6:30 pm
The Thursday Night Dinner this week is a joyous welcome of Spring! The theme for the food is “Spring has Sprung”, and will feature eggs, spring veggies, and other goodness. Come 5:30-6:30 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
7:00 pm Spiritual Practices
Thursday Night Spiritual Practice
Spiritual Practices Thursday, March 23 at 7:00 pm will be a Spring Equinox/Ostara practice led by Rev Sara. Join us for this pagan welcome of the turning of the wheel and the new season of Spring. Online or in-person in the OUUC Sanctuary.
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87438786949?pwd=ZFd4MFJiUGY4eS9KNVpmOVNnMm9BUT09
Meeting ID: 874 3878 6949
Passcode: 297714
Membership Class on Saturday
Are you interested in membership at OUUC, or just looking to learn more about UUism and how the congregation works?
The next Membership Class will be offered on Saturday, March 25, 10:00 am-2:00 pm. All are welcome, including those who are just curious and those who are already members but want a refresher!
Name Tag Project Work Party this Sunday at Noon
Help us finish the name tag project!
A simple one-time volunteer commitment: come in and help with the sort and re-print of the nametags. Skills needed are just very basic computer/printing, scissors, and a bit of alphabetizing. Work with Rev Sara this Sunday starting at noon, with lunch provided. RSVP to Rev Sara.
Sunday Talk Show Guest is Marie Arensmeyer
The “After Church with Melanie Ransom” Sunday talk show will take place in-person in the sanctuary, and broadcast online. Marie Arensmeyer, our Facilities Manager, is the special guest. Did you know that Marie loves opera and is a Trekkie? Come to the show and help Marie celebrate 10 years of working with OUUC. The show starts at 11:30 am in the sanctuary, and on Zoom, using the same link we use for Sunday services. If you missed some of the previous shows, you can find them on the website. Many of us come to OUUC for the theology or the minister, but we stay because of our life-long connections to the people. – Melanie Ransom
Volunteer to Provide Dinner
The Blue Apron Team is a group of dedicated OUUC volunteers who twice a month provide main and side dishes for the evening meal at Interfaith Works’ Unity Commons Adult Shelter, and food for the Food Bank’s “Just for Kids” Weekend Backpacks. Join us on Wednesday, March 22 New volunteers are always welcome!
If you would like to join the team, please contact Jo Ann Young.
Communications Staff Update
Some of you have worked with Andrea Capere, who served as OUUC’s first Communications Specialist. Andrea resigned her position last week, effective immediately. We all wish Andrea the very best and thank them for their service to OUUC. OUUC member and Tech wizard, Teresa Madsen, has agreed to step into the Communications Specialist role in addition to her Tech Coordinator job. We are grateful for Teresa’s willingness to serve, her skills, and her ability to learn. If you have ongoing projects with or requests made of Andrea that you are awaiting follow-up on, please reach out to Teresa at CommunicationsSpecialist@ouuc.org. A new email will help Teresa know what needs attention. Thank you for welcoming Teresa to this new role and for your understanding during the transition. - Rev. Mary
Spring Clean-Up on Saturday
Join the Building and Grounds Team for SPRING CLEANUP on Saturday, March 25 from 10:00 am-noon. A variety of gardening tasks need our attention. Bring your favorite gardening tools (shovels, rakes, hand pruners, weeding tools, etc.) and we will get to work. No tools, no problem! Do you think you have a black thumb? We can find a task for you as well. For more information contact Lynne MacDonald.
Stewardship Pledge Drive is Coming to an End
A big thank you to all those who have made this stewardship drive a rewarding experience. Many thanks to our Stewardship Crew, our Stewardship Ambassadors, and everyone who helped build stronger connections with social events. A special thanks for the testimonial videos, produced by Riley, and the folks who volunteered to tell their stories.
We are still striving to meet the financial needs of our congregation. The Board of Trustees needs to hear from everyone about their financial support to OUUC. The Board will be developing a new budget for the fiscal year 23-24 in early May. In April, Your Stewardship crew will continue to reach out to those who we have not heard from.
Time running out! You have until March 31 to make your pledge 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
Save the Date - 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.
Unity Library Open
Please visit OUUC’s new Unity Library of books about Antiracism, Environmental Justice, and Economic Justice. There you will find books for kids of all ages and for adults who wish to learn more. Unity Library is located in the Religious Education wing and across from Reverend Mary’s office. It is open whenever OUUC is open. Checking out and returning books is a simple and well-posted process. In celebration of Women’s History month, books about girls and women will be featured.
Save the date for the OUUC auction!
“Come Together” for the annual OUUC auction! The auction is how Oly UUs and friends come together to be in community, support our congregation’s good work, and donate and bid on activities that allow for social events, experiences, and learning throughout the year.
Gathering and live auction at OUUC: Saturday, May 6, 5:00-8:00 pm. Live auction at 6:30 pm.
Online auction: Opens April 30 and closes May 7. Start planning what social event, outing, get-together, handmade item, or unique opportunity you’d like to donate. Procure opens soon!
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.
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.
Partner Church History Part 1
After World War II the UUA began facilitating Partner Church relationship with the Unitarian churches in the Transylvanian area of Romania. There are now also partnerships in the Philippines and India. Since 1984 the OUUC Partner Church committee has helped our congregation share an active partnership with the Unitarian Church in the farming village of Kissolymos (Transylvania), Romania. We been in communication with the ministers and congregation, assisted the church financially and been hosted in the homes of members of the Kissolymos congregation during several trips by members of our congregation, including a 2004 trip by the OUUC choir, OUUC musical director Troy Fisher and then minister Arther Vaeni. In 2018 our congregation hosted for 12 days the current Kissolymos minister Levente Lörenzi and his wife Orsi.
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).
OUUC Member's Art in Olympia
Olympia is becoming more beautiful, one geometric mural at a time. OUUC member John Tafejian has been donating his time and talent to add color to our city. Check out his murals by going on the "official" driving tour (download below). John has murals at 9 sites and may be adding more in the future, so stay tuned. Finally, for a little background from past local coverage, see the 2021 interview with John in The Olympian.
Thank you, John, for your art and generosity, inspiring all of us to create and give.
Planning Ahead for End-of-Life Decisions
It’s a topic that can be hard to think about, let alone discuss with others. And yet it’s an important one – planning for a time when we might not have the energy to think about or communicate our wishes. OUUC has put together a document - Personal Care and Support Record – to help our members and friends think about a time when they might become ill or incapacitated, as well as what they want for a memorial or funeral. You can find this form on the website. We encourage you to look at this document. You may be ready to fill it out, or you may want to think about it for a while. If you have questions about the document, or if you would like to talk with someone about it or want help in filling it out, you can contact our minister, the Rev. Mary Gear, or a member of the Pastoral Care Team. We would all be glad to help. PCT members: Polly Taylor, Chris Parke, Pam Turner, Susan Southwick Joy, Beth Johnson, Woody Moore.
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.
JUUstice Washington 2023 Refugee, Immigration, and Migrant Solidarity Summit!! March 25-26. All are welcome, pass this on to members, friends, allies, and partners.
Olympia SURJ General Meeting on Monday, March 27 from 6:00-8:00 pm. REGISTER HERE: bit.ly/3FbfBHh. You must register to get a link to join the meeting. We will be hearing from folks with the Washington Coalition for Police Accountability, Leslie Cushman, and community members directly impacted by police terror.
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