OUUC Weekly Update

“…dismiss whatever insults your own soul; and your very flesh shall be a great poem, and have the richest fluency…”

— Walt Whitman, preface to Leaves of Grass

Reclaiming and reconnecting with the Divine nature within us through theopoetics and an embodied theology.

Speaker bio:

Rev. Liz Ullery Swenson (she/her) lives at the intersection of spirituality and creativity. As the planting-pastor with WildWood Gathering, she is cultivating and reimagining faith community. WildWood has been queering church since 2016, creating safe space to explore spirituality grounded in liberation and queer theology. Encountering the Holy through poetry, art, gardening, prayer, glitter, and storytelling. She has a Bachelor in Theater Arts, a Masters of Library Science, and Masters of Divinity. She’s a Midwest girl who has lived in the PNW for more than 20 years, is an overly ambitious gardener, mama to her five-year-old daughter, and spends too much time on social media.

@wildwood_gathering

@elizabeth_ullery_swenson

The worship service starts at 10 am.

OUUC Sunday Morning Service

https://zoom.us/j/873210124?pwd=U21qdmwxcTNyaE1LQ0xlU0MwM3VMQT09

Meeting ID: 873 210 124

Password: 995142

Dial +1 253 215 8782

No After-Service Forum this week in honor of Memorial Day.

Worship Service:

“Learning from Marine Mammals” with Rev. Sara Lewis

Watch the Service here and view the Order of Service here.

After Service Forum:

Volunteer Appreciation Game Show! Watch the recording here.

More than a year and a half ago, we began the process of revisiting OUUC’s covenant, making some revisions to the current covenant and adding a behavioral covenant. Based on your feedback during congregational forums last Spring, the writing team made some revisions, and the Board of Trustees has made some decisions.

We’ve done a lot of talking and listening, now it’s time to vote. At the June 9 congregational meeting, members will be asked to vote on the proposed changes to the current covenant and the addition of a behavioral covenant.

On June 9, I will first ask you if you are ready to vote on the proposed changes. Your vote may be yes or no, but the first question is if you have the information that you need to vote. If the majority answer is yes, I will turn it over the Board President Arlene Colerick, to ask for the vote. If the answer is no, you are not ready to vote, I will ask you what you need to be ready to vote. We’ll have paper & pencils available for feedback.

You can find the proposed covenant changes and more history here.

One of the concerns expressed last Spring was about what would happen if someone didn’t follow the behavioral covenant. This is a concern about how we, as a community, handle accountability. The Board adopted a policy about addressing non-covenantal behavior, which you can find here. This is one of the ways we help maintain safety for everyone and stay in relationship even when we disagree. You will see that the first step, whenever possible, is to have a direct conversation.

If you have any questions about this proposal or the process, please contact me.

I hope you will lend your voice and vote to this project.

Rev. Mary

Rev. Mary’s sabbatical starts on June 16. On that day, we will send her off with a box full of blessings, well wishes and love from our beloved community. The Sabbatical Committee will collect cards for Rev. Mary over the next 4 weeks. Please look for the colorful box and blank cards in the Commons (shown here). We have a selection of lovely cards or you can bring one of your choice and drop it in the box. All are invited to participate. If you have questions, ask a Sabbatical Committee member or email us.

For detailed information about Rev. Mary's sabbatical, a contact list, FAQ's and more, check out this site or the kiosk next to the commons side doors in the church.

Saturday, May 25, 10am

Come help the Building and grounds team wash windows! Supplies provided.

Saturday, May 25, 9 am at Tolmie State Park

The OUUC Nature Group meets once a month to explore a different nature trail. This month we will meet and walk at Tolmie State Park, with forest and beach explorations on mostly flat and moderate trails. Contact Rev. Sara for questions or RSVP.

In this week's Tiny Little News: this week's events, some clips from the volunteer appreciation game show and a save the date for congregational meeting.

OUUC Chalice Camp “Building a New Way” for ages 5-10 will be July 15th to 19th.

Register here.

Our Whole Lives (OWL) Camp for Ages 5-7, July 8th to 12th, 9am-noon each day.

OWL is a developmentally appropriate and much praised sexuality education program.

Register here.

Camp is open to all, with a pay what you can sliding scale, feel free to spread the word!

Sunday, June 9, 1 pm

Garden Raised Bounty (GRuB) has begun conversations with the Faith in Action team about possible collaborative projects. The first phase of the collaboration is getting to know each other’s mission better.

Join us just down the road at GRuB (2016 Elliott Ave NW) to learn about their important work increasing food access and opportunities in our community.

We'll experience a GRuB-style check-in, then walk the 3-acre farm to learn about GRuB programs with young adults, Veterans, tribes, and more! We'll close with an opportunity to discuss potential collaboration for the future. Wear clothes suitable to walk the farm (closed toe shoes, sun or rain protection) and to be outside for an hour. Parking is on Bing Court, or you can walk or carpool from the church. All ages are welcome. Please RSVP to Gail Wrede.

The family and friends of Ken Yeo will be welcomed for a Celebration of Life service at 2:30 PM, both onsite in the OUUC Sanctuary and on Zoom (link below). A reception will follow for those onsite.

View Ken’s Obituary here.

Please check this site for updates – we’ll post the Order of Service before, and a link to the YouTube video after, the service.

Join Zoom Meeting

Meeting ID: 812 9967 5858
Passcode: 046136

Calling all OUUC members! In June, we’ll hold the annual congregational meeting when members vote to elect new members of the Board and Leadership Development Committee and vote on a budget for the next program year.

After the service on June 2, join the Board and Rev. Mary for a detailed explanation of the proposed budget for July 2024-June 2025. If you would like to know all the details about the proposed budget, this meeting is for you! Bring your questions and concerns to the meeting so they can be addressed before the annual meeting on June 9.

After the service on June 9, please plan to attend the OUUC annual congregational meeting. This is when members will be asked to vote. The Board will provide finger food after the service so everyone can be fully present for the annual meeting. While only members can vote, everyone is welcome to attend the meeting. If you are not sure if you are a voting member of OUUC, please contact Rosie in the office.

OUUC will have a booth on Saturday June 29th and will march in the Pride Parade on Sunday June 30th. Rev Sara will need help staffing the booth and all are welcome to walk/roll together in the parade. A sign up form will be coming soon, for now mark your calendars!

Safety Reminder: Please lock and remove valuables from your vehicles.

Download the flyer below if you would like a list of OUUC events for May. Great for posting on your refrigerator!

Learn more about the following events and others here.

ASHHO Cultural Community Center has been working for several years to help build racial justice in Olympia. Erin Jones has been leading monthly walks for three years toward this effort. On Saturday, May 11, her walk was disrupted by someone shouting hate speech. A racially motivated verbal attack happened in Tumwater just a few days ago. All who were walking with her were impacted. You can see her Erin’s account of this disruption in her 6-minute recording on Tik Tok here.

So, for her June walk, Erin is inviting community members to show up for inclusion. She’s looking for 100 community members to show up in support of racial justice in Olympia. The walk will begin at 11 am on Saturday, June 8 at ASHHO. I’ll be there. Please join me!

For those who attended the recent OUUC auction, you know that ASHHO is a beautiful and spirit-filed place. Let’s show up to support their efforts in yet another way.

Erin’s wisdom: We’re all human. Be kind to everyone.

See you on June 8.

Rev. Mary

The Rachel Corrie Foundation for Peace and Justice invites you to show your support for Palestine each Friday from 4:30-6:00 p.m. at the Fellowship of Reconciliation Vigil for Peace
Percival Landing in Downtown Olympia, 4th & Water Street.

Healing Code of Forgiveness: Freedom from Shame and Trauma with Ester Nicholson

Sunday, June 9, 1-3:30 pm at Center For Spiritual Living Olympia, 3437 Libby Rd NE Olympia WA 98506

In this workshop, Ester Nicholson, Trauma Healer, Agape International Licensed Practitioner and author of Soul Recovery — 12 Keys to Healing Dependence, will guide you through a powerful process of healing unconscious core wounds that have blocked you from your highest and authentic self.

JUNETEENTH CELEBRATION AT GRUB

Saturday, June 22, 2024 4:00-7:00 pm

GRUB farmhouse 2016 Elliott Avenue NW

157th Anniversary of Black liberation

An Evening With Lifelong Climate Activist Bill McKibben,

Tuesday, July 2 at 7 pm, Hosted by United First Methodist Church in Seattle

Join Third Act Washington members and friends, climate justice activists, faith-based creation caregroups, and concerned citizens for a talk followed by Q & A with the renowned climate activist, author, and founder of Third Act. Read more here.

Staff Contacts

Rev. Mary Gear, Minister

Rev. Sara Lewis, Director of Community and Faith Development

Troy Fisher, Music Director

Isaac Ezra Jennings, Business Manager

Rosie Koppelman, Office Assistant

Teresa Madsen, Communications and Tech Coordinator

Marie Arensmeyer, Facilities Manager

Anissa Bentlemsani, Religious Education Assistant

Carbon Marshall, Tech Specialist

Office Hours

Tuesday - Thursday, 10:00 am - 2:00 pm

360-634-2005