OUUC Weekly Update 3-18-20
News from the Olympia Unitarian Universalist Congregation
Worship Service March 22, one online service at 10:00 am
“Sabbath Wisdom” - Rev. Mary Gear
Description: In the midst of this pandemic, we are being invited to slow down and pay attention to what is most important. Can this be a time of sabbath when we welcome the invitation of the holy?
Join us for Online Worship.
Listen to recent sermons here.
From Rev. Mary - Resilience, Generosity and Gratitude
Moments from recent days:
On Sunday morning during the worship services, lots of beautiful faces smiling at each other online in recognition and welcome. Lots of chatter in the chatbox and connecting during the virtual coffee hour. And song lyrics! (Thank you, Tiffany and Erik!) Lots of care and love all around.
A new member left a beautiful card in my mailbox with a generous donation for the Minister’s Benevolence Fund. The note said that the weeks ahead would be challenging for many and they wanted to help in some way.
Yesterday Darlene asked for volunteers to help others with Zoom questions. Ten people volunteered. TEN! They are hard at work today helping get everyone connected. Read more....
Online Worship
Join us this Sunday for online worship.
On Sunday morning you will find Online Worship on OUUC's home page. To see the Online Worship page at any time just put "Online Worship" in the search box. You will be able to view the service via Zoom, view the order of service, and make donations online. Stay for virtual coffee hour!
Not sure how to connect to Zoom? We have volunteers who are willing to help! Contact the church office.
Pen Pals?
Let's go all Jane Austen on this self-isolation! Sure, there's lots of 21st-century ways to connect now, but who wants to bring back an old fashioned one and send each other notes in the mail?
If you would like to receive or send a note, card, or letter right now, please get in touch with our Director of Religious Education, Sara Lewis. We especially encourage people of all ages!
A Few Words from OUUC’s Parish Nurse
Our Parish Nurse, Ann Yeo, is experiencing the unprecedented drama of COVID-19 (also known as Corona virus) along with all of you. What we know, and the reality of our lives, is changing day to day.
The essential practices that reduce our chance of acquiring, or spreading, the infection, include:
· Frequent, meticulous hand-washing, or use of an alcohol-based hand sanitizer;
· Covering our coughs and sneezes; Read more....
The Board Line
I am so very thankful for Rev. Mary (She has truly become our Reverend Mary) and each member of the OUUC staff team! Their quick decisions and clear communication have made the initial response to the corona virus crisis work for most all of us. I also very much appreciate the power of our communication channels and the responsiveness of the congregation when messages are sent out. The board has demonstrated great flexibility and discernment in reviewing policies and longer-range planning over the most recent month. I really appreciate their efforts! We want to assure that the congregation is in a safe sustainable position over the coming year. At our last meeting, we added a statement to the governing policy requiring that staff safety be assured within the church. We are all facing a time of significant change that will likely reverberate through our lives for years to come. It is critical that we keep communicating and strengthen our community in every safe way that we can. Groups are reviewing and rethinking all sorts of plans and programs. Please stay in touch in any way that feels comfortable as we go forward! - Fritz Wrede, Board of Trustees President
Share the Plate
In March and April, our Share the Plate recipient is The Sharing Teens & Elder Project (STEP). STEP’s mission is to change the social norm of aging by inspiring and empowering the generations through conversation. STEP provides a sense of purpose, decreases social isolation, improves mental health, and teaches skills of listening, public speaking and most importantly, a sense of belonging.
See the video below. Do you recognize any OUUC members?
Community Kitchen Adapting and Still Serving Meals
For server and guest safety, the Community Kitchen closed their dine-in room. Lunch and dinner are served in to-go containers and passed outside to guests one meal at a time. OUUC has assembled a team to cook its regular 3rd Friday dinner this week and will monitor how we can best continue to support feeding the hungry. The Kitchen operation is stretched as some volunteers are not coming at this time. They are hiring additional help and purchasing take out containers.
What Can OUUC Do?
1. Young and healthy people are needed to volunteer Monday through Sunday with Lunch (9:00 am – 12:30 pm) and Dinner (2:30 - 6:30 pm.). You can choose to prep the meal but not serve. Contact the Kitchen Coordinator Turtle 360-628-3726 or volunteer coordinator, Peter Epperson PeterE@ccsww.org
2. Drop off donations for sack lunches like cases of small bags of chips or cookies, packages of ham, or big containers of mayo. (Before 10:00 am at Salvation Army 5th & Plum) Call FIRST – 360-352-8596 x 1108
3. Send money to buy supplies. Checks can be made out to The Community Kitchen and mailed to PO Box 1104, Olympia, WA 98507.
More Than Ever the Blue Team Needs Your Help
Like all of us, our homeless neighbors are facing the uncertainties of the threat of the Coronavirus and will need healthy food to help them remain well. This Wednesday, March 18, is the first Wednesday in March that our congregation will again have the opportunity to provide the evening meal for the 42 Shelter guests and those waiting in the First Christian Church parking lot at the Interfaith Emergency Shelter. Still needed this week are three side dishes (examples vegetables (raw and cooked), rice, potatoes, pasta, hard-boiled or deviled eggs, fruit, dessert, milk or?). On the 25, main and side dishes for 10 to 12 will be needed. Until further notice, all dishes should be delivered between 5:15 and 5:45 to the silver Prius waiting in the parking lot of the Olympia Copy Center on Franklin Street (and across from the Shelter). If you can help please contact Jo Ann Young.
Quick Notes
Read This Week in Religious Education here.
Ways to Give - Did you know you can donate to OUUC by text message? Just text "OUUC" and "amount" to 73256. You can also donate online by visiting our secure online giving page.
In the Larger Community
Community Foundation of South Puget Sound and United Way of Thurston County (UWTC) have partnered to establish the Thurston County COVID-19 Response Fund. The Fund assists vulnerable people impacted by the pandemic as well as provides essential funding to certain local nonprofits at the forefront of responding. The Thurston County COVID-19 Response Fund will also assist individuals and families who are most severely affected, such as hourly wage earners, those without health insurance or access to sick days, households with children, seniors, people with disabilities, and other vulnerable groups. The Thurston County COVID-19 Response Fund will also support local nonprofit organizations working in areas identified as having high numbers of affected individuals and those who are working with the most vulnerable populations in these areas. Donations to the United Way can be made at: DONATE NOW
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