OUUC Weekly Update
January 14, 2025
You are cordially invited to attend a Gather, Grow & Guide Session in support of OUUC
We will gather in the homes of fellow congregation members for light refreshments and meaningful conversations about what OUUC means to each of us. During these small group sessions, we’ll share stories, build connections, and deepen our sense of community. There will be several gatherings to choose from, with different dates, times and locations. Each will last approximately 1.5 hours and will be framed by three focal points:
Gather: Gather stories on ways we nurture and are nurtured by the OUUC.
Grow: Explore our path towards growth and the five ways to grow. Rev. Mary will offer a short, supporting video on this topic.
Guide: Collect guidance and advice on how OUUC can achieve the goals it set for 2025.
Please join us for meaningful conversation, fellowship, and the joy of being in community. Sign-up for a time and date that works best for you here, or contact Wendy Tanner and she will help you get signed up. Thank you so much for contributing to this important exercise to nurture our community and move toward the future with hope and success.
The Neighborhood UU Church of Pasadena is accepting donations to their minister's benevolence fund for those affected by the LA wildfires. Donate here.
Community Dinner: All the Grains
Thursday, January 16, 5:30 pm
This week the Thursday Dinner menu is "All the Grains". Come celebrate the diverse array of foods defined as grains. All are welcome for food and fellowship at 5:30pm. If you can help cook, set up, or clean up let Rev. Sara know.
Youth Events after Thursday Dinner
All Ages Game Night, 6:30 pm: All Ages are invited to enjoy board and card games together. Bring a game you'd like to share.
Youth Group, 6:30 pm: All Youth in Middle and High School are welcome at Youth Group on Jan 16th and January 30th. This month we are exploring the theme of Story.
Winter/Spring Racial Justice Learning Circles offered by First Unitarian of Portland
Housing Instability Forum
Wednesday, January 15, 6:30 pm
Capitol Convention Center, 6005 Tyee Drive SW, Tumwater
Housing Instability & Solutions Forum. Moderated by Larry Jefferson, President NAACP. More info and Zoom link here.
Social Justice Book Group
In January the social justice book group will be reading and discussing Bridges to Heal US: Stories and Strategies for Racial Healing by local author and educator Erin Jones. We’ll be meeting for the second time to discuss this book on Jan 16th after the Thursday night dinner.
If you are interested in joining the discussion, please register here or reach out to Whitney Godby or Kirsten Hill for more information.
Childrens Class: World Blessings
Starting January 16!
Registration is open now for our next 8 week childrens class series offered on Thursdays 6:30-7:30.
An important tenet of Unitarian Universalism is an appreciation of our world and its many blessings. This curriculum seeks to introduce our world’s diverse countries, religions, and holidays through the shared activity of cooking. Register here.
Celebrate a Day of Service on MLK Day at Quixote Village in Olympia
Monday, January 20, 2 pm
Volunteers and help needed! We will provide and share a late lunch for 25 residents of the Village. We’ll make meat and vegetarian spaghetti, with side dishes, salads, drinks and desserts. Opportunities for light housekeeping in the Village’s community building may be available. Contact Rev. Sara or Tim Ransom to RSVP or with questions.
Dances of Universal Peace
Thursday, January 16, 6:30 pm
Dances of Universal Peace is an embodied, transformative spiritual practice touching the essence of all traditions around the world. They include simple movements to live music.
All are welcome, no experience necessary, dances are taught to the whole group each time. We hope you will come and lift your voice, your hands, and your spirit as we allow a variety of dances to work in our hearts as yeast works a loaf of bread.
A cash donation will be collected for musicians.
Prayer Group
Saturday, January 18, 10:30 am
“The urge to pray is universal. We know of no cultures, past or present, in which prayer does not occur. People pray when they are happy and sad, during celebrations and tragedies, at births and deaths, during peace and war, in cathedrals and cars, in poverty and plenty. Prayer, it seems, is in our blood.” (Larry Dossey)
Prayer can be a powerful tool in your own, individual spiritual life and the power of that practice is multiplied when shared with others. Join us on the third Saturday of every month for a group prayer time. In the UU fashion, prayer may be spoken or silent and belief in god or any creed is not a requirement!
Creating with Grief
Tuesday, January 21, 10 am
Creating With Grief is a peaceful gathering space for us to be in community and externalize our grief through “creating” our own independent projects. Whether it’s through sewing, painting, sketching, stitching, coloring, or sculpting, the process is yours to explore. Bring your grief and your art/craft/sewing supplies with you. If you don’t have a current project to bring along, you’re welcome to use the supplies and prompts provided.
Hosted by Jenée Jenkins-Wolfram, Certified End of Life Doula
Let It Be Quietus - End of Life Doula Services & Consulting
No registration necessary. This is a drop in, no cost program.
12 Movements of Resiliency Class with Rev. Sara Lewis
Wednesdays 1/8-2/12, 6:30 pm on Zoom
This class explores different aspects of life and how we can all live more resiliently and sustainably. Read more and register here.
Food Collection at OUUC
Food Collection for Days of Service: on January, 12,19, and 26, you can bring shelf stable foods to OUUC for the Food Bank’s “For the Kid’s” Weekend Backpacks. Please call Jo Ann Young if you need more information.
OUUC Book Group
Tuesday, January 28, 6:30 pm - online
The Feather Thief: Beauty, Obsession, and the Natural History Heist of the Century by Kirk Johnson (2018) (308 pages) – Nonficton A true story of Edwin Rist, a musician with the London Royal Academy, who leaves a concert one night, heads to a London museum, and steals rare bird feathers. Over a period of many years he con nues to successfully do this. The story tells how he did it, why, and if and when he got caught. What became of the feathers and Edwin?!
Transcendentalism and the Cultivation of the Soul
4 sessions on third Tuedays--Jan 21, Feb 18, Mar 18 & Apr 15, 2 - 3:30 PM
led by Frank Winters
Book discussion based on retired UU Minister Barry M. Andrews’ book. We’ll read the book over 4 weeks and discover why Andrews quotes historian David Robinson in his introduction as his jumping off point. "American Unitarians lament their vague religious identity, standing upon the richest theological legacy of any American denomination." Let’s explore that legacy together. Register here.
We Need Help with Coffee and Treats on Sundays!
With the move to 2 services we need help to make the coffee hours a success.
If you can help serve or clean the kitchen or bring treats to share, please sign up here or talk to Rev. Sara.
Thank you!
Return Your Guest at Your Table Box
Did you take home a Guest at Your Table box over the holidays? You can return those now to Rev. Sara and we will send the collection in to the Unitarian Universalist Service Committee.
Didn't collect any money? Still bring the box back, we can use it again next year!
January Thursdays Schedule is Different
Please note the Thursday evening schedule overall in January will be a bit different this month. Most activities have been moved forward by one week (so a first week group is actually meeting on the 2nd week, etc.) Please check the dates of your normal activities to see if they have changed.
Facilities Manager, Marie Arensmeyer, is out this week and working remotely for several weeks following. During this period, please take extra care to leave church spaces better than you found them after use. Please direct any questions related to the Building and Grounds to Business Manager, Isaac Jennings.
