OUUC Weekly Update
October 3, 2023
Thursday Dinner: Fannie Farmer Night
Fannie Farmer was a Unitarian and the creator of one of the first cookbooks! This Thursday we will celebrate this aspect of our UU heritage with food inspired by Fannie Farmer.
All are invited to join us for a fun and healthy dinner this week 5:30-6:30 pm.
This week Rev Sara is still nursing an injured shoulder and could really use help with the dinner! Volunteers are needed to help with dinners, you can sign up here.
This week the dinner will be followed by the children’s class “Lessons of Loss”, the Buddhist group, and the Family Ministry Team meeting.
Saturday: Interested in Membership at OUUC?
This year we are trying something new in place of our New Member Classes and offering a gathering twice a month for those interested in knowing more about Unitarian Universalism, OUUC, and membership at OUUC. The gatherings are all on Saturdays, 10:00-11:30 am. For more information, reach out to Rev Sara Lewis.
Schedule of Gatherings:
October 7: UU History, Principles, and Sources
October 21: Campus Tour and congregational history
Register here.
Sunday: Environmental Action Team Sponsored Presentation
Find out what concerns motivated the creation of public ports in Washington State and how many of those concerns resonate today with citizens in Thurston County about the Port of Olympia. Through a timeline of historic photographs, witness how dramatically the Port of Olympia has changed over the past 100 years. Hear a non-partisan presentation of the Port candidates who, if elected, could guide our Port to a sustainable future. 35 minutes with slides presented by Jon Ceazan and Carla Wulfsberg, Co-Leads of the Port of Olympia Action Team, Olympia Indivisible. Sunday at 11:30 am.
Coming of Age for Adults
Coming of Age is offered to UU youth to explore who they are, what they believe, and what their deepest callings and commitments are. Now, adults of all ages can also engage with these big questions and ideas in this 8 week course that explores your life journey so far, community and covenant, theology, spiritual practice, ethics, and more. By the end of the course everyone will craft a personal credo statement that reflects who they are now and what their personal theology is. Those who wish to will share their credos in a worship service with the congregation. Wednesday evenings 6:30-8:30 pm, October 11 -November 29, worship service December 10.
Register today.
Life Without Notes: A Storytelling Workshop
Have you ever been to an open mic storytelling event? Have you ever wished that it was you up there telling? Here is your chance to learn how. You’ll learn the fundamentals for telling a personal story in the style of “The Moth” (themoth.org.)The rules are simple, it has to be a true story that happened to you and be told in 8 minutes minutes or less. You’ll learn to choose the best topics for personal storytelling, and how to develop character, plot and add texture. Our course will culminate in a storytelling event presented for the OUUC community. Classes on Saturdays, October 14 and October 21 from 1:00 – 4:00 at OUUC and storytelling event on Saturday November 4 in the afternoon. Leader: Zoe Myers. Register Here.
Music Appreciation Class with Larry Huntley
Thursdays, 1:00-3:00 pm, October 5-26
The twentieth century in music witnessed the birth of an authentic American manner of expression. Three musical masters - Charles Ives, Aaron Copland, and Leonard Bernstein - captured this new, nationalistic spirit in compositions reflecting the cultural, social and political events that shaped life in 20th century America. This course will provide participants an opportunity to experience our musical heritage through audio/video material, culminating in a documentary film on the life and music of Leonard Bernstein, The Gift of Music. Register Here
Share the Plate Applications Now Being Accepted
With 2024 approaching, the Share the Plate Committee has been busy updating the application for next year and planning for the application process. Applications will be accepted through October 31, 2023, with decisions by December 1, 2023. If you are involved with an organization that would like to apply, or know one, please visit the Share the Plate tab in the Justice - Faith in Action section of the OUUC website. There are more details on the application, but Share the Plate (STP) chooses six recipient organizations each year to receive 50% of the offerings for the first 7 Sundays of a two month period. Typically, the two-month gift is in the $2,500-3,000 range thanks to your generous contributions. Consistent with our OUUC focus, organizations involved with Racial Justice, Economic Justice, and Climate Justice are prioritized, along with their alignment with UU principles. We also prioritize organizations serving the South Sound counties, and ones with budgets under $750,000. To help spread out OUUC's benevolences, organizations that have received over $2,500 (from STP, BBB, Raise the Paddle or the Ministers Benevolence Fund) in the last three years are not eligible for STP funding in 2024. If you know of any deserving organizations that fit the above criteria, please encourage them to visit our website and apply.
Young Adults
New Young Adult (roughly ages 18-40) group being offered at OUUC, facilitated by Kedo Baye, on the 3rd Sunday of each month. Young adults will gather for lunch and fellowship with each other at 11:30 am after the worship service. The first gathering will be October 15.
If you have questions or to RSVP you can contact Rev Sara and your information will be passed on to Kedo.
Soul Matters Groups
There are two more Soul Matters Groups starting in October! Register now!
Woody Moore will facilitate a group on zoom on the 1st and 3rd Tuesday evening of each month, 7:00-8:30 pm.
Register here.
And Nancy Curtiss and Linden Bentley will co-facilitate a group meeting at OUUC on the 3rd Thursdays 3:00-4:30 pm
Register here.
OUUC Sangha Meets Thursdays at 6:30
No matter if you are an experienced meditator, just beginning, or re-starting your practice (again!), you are welcome to join the OUUC Sangha. This is a lay led group that gathers for quiet, inspiration, learning, and community. We’ll be together every Thursday at 6:30 in the sanctuary after the Community Dinner. Join us each Thursday to nourish your body and spirit.
New Faith in Action (FIA) Books Available at Equity Library!
Those Shoes by Maribeth Belts: All Jeremy wants is a pair of the shoes like everyone in his class is wearing. His grandma tells him they don’t have room for “want”, just for “need”. In this very real story Jeremy realizes that the things he has, a loving grandma and a real friend. are worth more than the things he wants. FIA Topic: Economic Justice. Ages 5 to 10
Still a Family by Brenda Reves Sturgis: Beautifully narrated by a child who tells how living in a shelter with her family experiencing homelessness does’t mean her family will not still be a family. FIA: Economic Justice Ages: 5 to 10
Free Water by Amit Loqman-Dawson: This Newberry Book Award winner, is based on the history of maroon communities, is the story of 12-year-old Homer and his younger sister who flee Southerland Plantation in an arduous journey to a secret maroon community called Freewater. FIA: Antiracism Ages: Middle & High School
Help Wanted: Website Support
Are you someone who likes the creativity of making websites? Who is familiar with WordPress? Who wants OUUC’s website to be attractive and welcoming? If you answered yes to these questions, we’d love to talk! We’re looking for someone who can help us clean up and update OUUC’s website. This could be volunteer work or on a stipend. If you are interested, please contact Rev. Mary.
Newcomer Buddies
Members and long-time OUUC friends sought to be “Newcomer Buddies” this year and help newcomers navigate and find themselves welcome and engaged here at OUUC. Buddies will be matched with a newcomer and meet with them about 3 times, help find answers to questions, introduce newcomers to others, and generally help ease new people in to our community. Interested? Reach out to Rev Sara for more information.
Trunk and Treat
Save the Date! Trunk and Treat at OUUC on Sunday October 29, 3:00-4:30 pm.
Youth Pumpkin Carving time 2:00-3:00 pm.
If you are able to bring your decorated car, wear a costume, and hand out candy, we need YOU to make this event successful! You can win a cool prize! RSVP to Rev Sara.
Celebration of Life for Chuck Ricketts
On Friday, October 20, the family and friends of Chuck Ricketts will be welcomed for a Celebration of Life service at 3:30 pm, both onsite in the OUUC Sanctuary or on Zoom (link below). A reception will follow for those onsite.
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89730422225?pwd=Q29LYjdLaUZTUXBhbzFPMDJOZEZNUT09
Meeting ID: 897 3042 2225
Passcode: 155243
WE LOVE BOOKS and VOLUNTEERS!
Make sure you and your friends, family, neighbors, and coworkers don’t miss out on all the love surrounding our Books, Brownies and Beans event! Remember it’s on October 28 but we need volunteers from now until then. SIGN UP.
1. Announce the event to all. Post to your social media platforms; Next Door, Facebook including Buy Nothing, Twitter, etc. Pick up flyers at OUUC or use this FLYER to print your our own.
2. Tell everyone 100% of the proceeds from this event provides support to ASHHO Cultural Community Center, Interfaith Works and OlyEcosystems.
3. Use the opportunity to mention all the wonderful things you love about OUUC.
4. Invite everyone to experience the joy of giving their BOOKS and TIME. You can pick up flyers and empty boxes from OUUC to collect books. Share SignUp Genius link and don’t forget to get there to get your favorite spots.
5. Invite everyone to join us for a cozy day on October 28 to enjoy coffee and brownies while listening to live music and getting a head start on holiday gift shopping for BOOKS, BOOKS, BOOKS.
A loving, just, and healthy world.