OUUC Weekly Update 12-4-19
News from the Olympia Unitarian Universalist Congregation
Worship Services December 8, services at 9:15 and 11:00 am
From Rev. Mary - The Work of the Congregation
On Sunday at 1:15 pm - after the worship services and the all-church potluck - we will gather for the ritual of a congregational meeting. At OUUC this ritual happens twice each year; once in the Spring to elect Board and Leadership Development Team members, and once in the Winter to adopt an annual budget. On Sunday, the congregation will vote on the annual budget for 2020. (The proposed budget is on the website here.)
A congregational meeting is another place where we practice our covenant and live our principles. On Sunday we will use a democratic process (from our 5th principle) to decide how we will allocate our resources in 2020. In line with our covenant with each other to enhance the health of our community with our resources, many of us made a financial pledge to OUUC. It is from those pledges that the Board, Financial Consulting Team and I created a proposed budget to direct our resources toward supporting our values and principles. Read more....
Congregational Meeting - December 8
Sunday, December 8, 2019 - 1:15 pm (following potluck) - OUUC Sanctuary
Items to be considered: Ministerial Report, Report on OUUC Organizational Structure, and Approval of Annual Budget.
Join us for the Second Sunday Potluck after the 2nd service.
Notes on the Proposed 2020 Budget
The priorities for the 2020 Stewardship Drive were:
- Increase the Community Life Coordinator position to half-time with benefits
- Add more paid hours for teachers in the Religious Education program
- Give salaried staff a 3% cost of living increase (consistent with Social Security in 2019)
-Increase some program support, such as paying for the lunches that Sara Lewis provides almost every Sunday.
These requests, plus maintaining spending from 2019, would have required a 6.5% increase in pledges over last year. Read more....
Greening of the Sanctuary
Many hands make light work! Please join us for this beloved transformation of our Sanctuary and Commons. This year we will be doing two separate work parties for the greening- one for making cedar garlands and sprays, and another for hanging them and decorating the sanctuary and commons. The garland party will be on the night of Friday, December 6 at 6:00 pm. Pizza will be provided. The greening of the sanctuary will be at 11:30 am Saturday, December 7. Seasonal refreshments will be available. Contact Tiffany Felch.
Blue Aprons
Big thanks to our loyal Blue Apron team cooks, who have provided meals to over 1000 shelter guests this year! For December 18, we are looking for volunteers to bring the usual 4 main dishes, 4 sides, and 2 servers. The 4th Wednesday this year is December 25, and we are planning a festive celebration but with store-bought or take-out--pizza or a similar shelter favorite so that no cooks spend Christmas in the kitchen. Please consider donating a few dollars to the Faith in Action Fund. You can put cash or check donations in the box at the shelter table in the Commons on December 8, 15, and 22 - or drop off a check in the church office. Make your check out to OUUC, with the notation: Faith in Action Fund. For more information, call Billie Williams about food and Jo Ann Young for serving.
OUUC Assists the Family Support Center
This week the Faith in Action Team voted to offer a $3,000 grant from its homeless funds to the Family Support Center. The FSC provides supportive, coordinated services to families and survivors of violence in our community, and operates Pear Blossom Place, the region’s largest 24/7 family shelter. The grant is earmarked to pay for motel rooms for vulnerable families when the winter shelter at Pear Blossom is at capacity. This need was discovered by members of the Faith in Action Team interested in the issue of homelessness among families in our community.
Second Sunday Potluck - Sunday, December 8, 12:30 pm.
Congregational Meeting - Sunday, December 8, 1:15 pm.*
Youth Climate Strike - Friday, December 6, 12:30 pm.*
Garland Party - Friday, December 6, 6:00 pm.*
Greening the Sanctuary - Saturday, December 7, 11:30 am.*
Support Group - for parents with an adult son or daughter who is diagnosed with a mental health condition. The group is for those who wish to share their experiences and offer support to one another as a beloved community. Monday, December 9, 7:00 pm. Contact Maureen Wells for information.
*More information available in this Weekly Update.
The Giving Tree
This year OUUC will help some children and their families at Olympia Regional Learning Academy (ORLA) who might otherwise have a bleak holiday, celebrate this season of sharing! The Giving Tree in the Commons has tags with the ages and suggested gifts for these families; please take one and add the child to your list, then bring the WRAPPED AND LABELED gift to the box in the Commons before December 19. Not a shopper? You may donate any amount in the office; please specify it is for the Faith in Action Ministry. May those families, and yours be blessed with the holiday spirit of generosity and hope!
Care Packages
The OUUC Teen Faith in Action Leadership Council will be collecting necessities for our local unhoused community. These items will then be used to create care packages that will be delivered this winter. Following is a list of suggested items we will be needing for this project. Look for the donation box in the Religious Education entryway all of the month of December to drop off items. Requested Donation Items: socks, hats, gloves, scarves, hand warmers, AA or AAA batteries, granola bars or other individually packaged snacks, wet wipes, tissues, napkins, bandaids, foot care items, and chapstick.
What’s NEW?
OUUC is now selling some of the items donated to our book sale online, to raise money for organizations serving the homeless. We’ve already raised over $2,100 this year. Check out our eBay store. Most mass media books and bestsellers aren’t worth much online. Non-fiction generally sells better than fiction. These sell best (if in good condition): • Complete DVD sets (full series of a TV show or film franchise) • Complete sets of books in a series • Fairly new or ‘classic original’ textbooks/technical reference books • Vintage signed books • Limited edition books, DVDs, and CDs • Weird, esoteric, quirky out of print books • Antiquarian books in good condition. To donate potentially valuable books, DVDs, or CDs – or if you’d like to help sell the donated items online – please contact Susan Dodson.
Quick Notes
Save the Date for the OUUC Choir annual holiday concert. Saturday, December 21 at 2:00 pm and Sunday, December 22 at 7:00 pm.
Collection Date Extended for Guest At Your Table to December 22. Please plan to return your donation boxes and envelopes to OUUC on December 22. Contact Sara Lewis with any questions.
December's Theme is "Awe", which we will explore in worship, small groups, and religious education classes. Date Change: The drop-in Soul Matters group will meet at 12:30 pm on December 15 (Not the usual 2nd Sunday), with substitute facilitator Marcia Killum Nunn. All are welcome to join for reflection and sharing on the theme.
Read This Week in Religious Education here.
Our Whole Lives for 4th and 5th grades will begin in January. There will be a mandatory parent/guardian orientation on January 12 at 12:45 pm. Space is limited, and registration is open now.
Meaningful Movies is recruiting new leaders. Our mission is to educate, empower, and activate through social and environmental justice documentary film screenings and discussion. Join us at our 2020 Vision Quest and Planning Session Saturday, December 7 at OUUC. To explore more or sign up, please contact Linden Bentley.
Holiday Shopping? Support OUUC - Please buy local products whenever possible. However, if you do shop at Amazon.com, please start your purchase by clicking on the Amazon button here (and check out within 24 hours), so OUUC can receive a commission on your purchase.
Great news for UUs and OUUC
Just in time for your holiday shopping, locally-owned “Browsers Bookshop” at 107 Capital Way N has made a huge order of hundreds of titles from Skinner House and Beacon Press, the two UUA publishing lines and will set up a special shelf/display for these books in the store. Even better, Browsers is further supporting OUUC in two ways: First, with a few authors excepted, whenever any of these Beacon/Skinner House books sell at the store (to anyone), Browsers will donate 30% of the cover price to OUUC. Second, whenever an OUUC member or friend asks at checkout, 10% of that person’s entire purchase (of anything from the store except gift cards) will be donated to OUUC (including the Beacon authors excluded from the 30% donation).
Social Groups
PUGs (Powerful Unitarian Universalist Gals) - All women are welcome to join us for fellowship and conversation. Wednesdays 10:30 - Noon, PUGs at OUUC meets in the Youth Room. You may bring a beverage in your own container. - Contact Pat Sonnenstuhl.
Ladies Unitarian Social – All who identify as women and who are affiliated with OUUC, and their guests, are welcome at Lady Unitarian Social Hour. We meet weekly on Tuesday afternoons from 4:30 to 6:00 pm to share conversation and refreshments. Please feel free to drop in at any of our weekly gatherings. December 10 - home of Bernadette Farrell. Please bring an appetizer and/or beverage to share. Those who wish can participate in a White Elephant exchange. . - Contact Meliz Maatta or Emily Ray.
Guy’s TGIT meets on Thursdays at 4:30 pm. December 5 - Matchless Brewing, 8036 River Dr SE #208. - Contact Bernie Brady.
MUGs (Mighty Unitarian Guys) meets for eclectic discussions every Thursday morning from 10:00 to 11:00 am at Traditions Cafe in downtown Olympia. Men of all ages are welcome. - Contact Otto Buls.
In the Larger Community
Youth Climate Strike - Friday, December 6
Join Washington State youth and their partners, Protectors of the Salish Sea, at noon at the Capitol steps for brief speeches by youth leaders. At 12:30 pm a march begins to Heritage Park, where there will be information tables, music, and activities until 2:00 pm.
About Us
Email: liberalfaith@ouuc.org
Website: http://ouuc.org
Location: 2315 Division Street Northwest, Olympia, WA, United States
Phone: 3607866383
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/OlympiaUUC/
Twitter: @OlyUUC