OUUC Weekly Update

Our theology claims that we are part of an interdependent web of existence, and we humans are just one part. How do we live and work for justice in a culture that worships rugged individualism?

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

After Service Event:

Communicate to Connect: A Workshop of Skills and Approaches for Productive Conversations to Preserve and Develop Connections.

The Healthy Congregations Team will host speakers from the Dispute Resolution Center for a training on how to communicate to connect, a skill building workshop to help build bridges across differences. A light lunch will be provided between service and workshop. Come join us for growth and fellowship!

Onsite and Online

Light lunch from 11 am-12 pm

Workshop from 12-2 pm

Thank you to all who have pledged so far. We are at 194 pledges committed to $444,136.50!

In the coming week, you will receive your quarterly statement about the status of your pledge commitments to OUUC. Please read it.

Though our Stewardship Drive is coming to an end, and I hope it bodes well for our fiscal year 2024-25 budget, as treasurer, I also worry about our current, fiscal year 2023-24, budget.

As of last week, as we head into the last quarter of the fiscal year, there are still $125,915 pledges outstanding. We built our current budget based on pledges, and if pledge payments fall short . . . well, we could have to make some potentially unpleasant adjustments in our spending. So, please, check your statement to see where you are on fulfilling your pledge obligations for this year. Payment of those pledges will obviate the need for me to make a bunch of reminder phone calls in the next few weeks. (And making such calls is not something that I enjoy.)

And while you are reviewing your quarterly statement, please also check out the status of your pledge to the capital campaign. That was a highly successful effort, resulting in income sufficient to pay off our debt, fund some needed capital projects, and create a reserve for future capital needs. Of the total pledges received of $256,818, there are $79,972 in outstanding pledges. We do have some capital needs coming up (have you looked at the crumbling front steps recently?), so we hope you attend to those pledge obligations as well.

So please review your quarterly statements!

Of course, situations change, and sometimes people cannot meet their pledges. We anticipate that reality. If you find that you cannot make your total pledge, or need more time, please let me, Isaac or Rev. Mary know.

Thank you for all your efforts to further the health of our congregation.

Jeff Goltz

email me HERE.

AUCTION 2024: REACH THE SKY!

LIVE Auction & Dinner: Saturday, May 4, 5 - 8 PM at ASHHO Cultural Community Center
ONLINE Auction: April 7- MAY 5

The Auction website is open for donations and ticket purchases! Donations of social events, outings, get-togethers, handmade items, and unique opportunities are welcome! Do you have a passion or hobby? Share it! Do you have a unique getaway cottage or cabin? Offer it! Do you love to play games or prepare dinners? Host it!

Visit the auction website HERE and click on “Donate an Auction Item.”

Submit your donations before April 21, 2024.

Saturdays April 6, 13, 20, 11am-12:30pm (3 sessions)
Facilitated by Rev. Sara Lewis

Grounded in the book Rooted: Life at the Crossroads of Science, Nature, and Spirit by Lyanda Lynn Haupt, this class will explore how we can live with the earth and nature in simple and profound ways, and how our spirituality can be deeply rooted in our belonging to the natural world around us.

REGISTER HERE.

In this week's Tiny Little News, a UU joke, a special invitation from Rev Mary to this week's Sunday learning opportunity, and this week's upcoming events.

Thursdays 6:30-7:30, April 11th to May 30th
One of our Unitarian Universalist values and principles is Interdependence, and we know that we humans are part of the web of life, not separate from it.

In this 8 week class children will explore different aspects of the web of life, learning about the water cycle, photosynthesis, and more amazing examples of nature and interdependence. Science meets spirituality in this celebration and appreciation of the natural world.

REGISTER HERE.

All are invited to visit Equity Library which is open anytime OUUC is open. There you will find books for preschoolers, elementary, pre-teens and teens, and parents. This month’s featured books are…

•Antiracist Baby…a board book story to read about equity (Level: preschoolers and elementary and, discuss with parents))

•Those Shoes…a story about Economic Injustice (Level: elementary kids, and discuss with parents)

•A Log’s Life…a story about Environmental Justice (Level: elementary and middle school, and discuss with parents).

•Freedom Over Me…11 Slaves tell their stories (Level: elementary a middle and discuss with parents, high school)

Dear Oly Unitarian Universalist Congregation,

Thank you for choosing us and the recipient of $6,380 from your 2023 fundraisers!

Your generous contribution allowed the construction of a new 60-step staircase at Cooper Crest Forest, providing public access to the newly-conserved site. This is a significant step toward our vision of a thriving community in a sustainable urban ecosystem, one that enables Olympia to prosper while caring for South Puget Sound.
Thank you again for your invaluable support and partnership!

Sincerely,

OlyEcosystems—Olympia Coalition for Ecosystems Preservation

Last month we sent long-time OUUC administrator, Darlene Sarkela, off to a happy (we hope) retirement. Before she left, Darlene helped bring on board two people to handle much of the administrative and office work of the congregation. In December, we welcomed Isaac Jennings as the new Business Manager. In February, we welcomed Rosie Koppelman as the new Office Assistant.

Isaac works 30 hours per week. Originally this position was to be half-time at 20 hours per week, but Isaac is assuming the bookkeeping job now since our bookkeeper will be moving to a different job.

Isaac works five days per week, Monday through Friday, from 8:30am-2:30pm, and the last Sunday of each month, from 8:00am-1:00pm. You can find him in the church office, sometimes with the door closed as he is pouring over financial or other detailed work.

Isaac is responsible for the financial and human resources management of OUUC, doing bookkeeping and payroll, monitoring budgets and accounts, paying bills, tending to insurance coverage, managing rentals, keeping records for personnel and other administrative matters, tending to office equipment, and developing operational policies for these areas. He is also the supervisor for the Office Assistant (Rosie) and Facilities Manager (Marie Arensmeyer). Isaac is a member of the Association of Unitarian Universalist Administrators.

Please feel free to contact Isaac if you have financial questions, need reimbursement for anything, or have questions about the work of the people he supervises.

Rosie works 18 hours per week. She will be available in the church office each Tuesday from 10-12 and 1:30-3, Wednesday and Thursday from 10-2, and Sunday from 8:30-12:30. You can find Rosie in the Workroom/Office window to the Commons.

Please allow 3-5 days for a response to all messages and plan time-sensitive requests with this timeframe in mind.

Rosie is the first point of contact for general phone calls and emails to the church. She also maintains the church calendar, schedules space in the building, and publishes the Tuesday update. Rosie will also receive and troubleshoot requests for support with Realm and will assist with the copy machine as time allows. Rosie is the backup for other communications, like The Spark and Sunday orders of service. Rosie is also a member of the Association of UU Administrators.

Feel free to contact Rosie if you want to get something on the OUUC calendar, if you want to reserve space, if you need a Zoom meeting set up in an OUUC Zoom Room, if you have questions about using Realm, or if you want to put something in the Weekly Update.

Some people have joked that it takes two people to replace Darlene. While both positions are newly created, they are made up of the work that Darlene did plus some financial work that I have been doing. Financially, the two new positions are funded by the budget used for the administrator position (Darlene) plus some funding used for the former communications position. The money used to pay our external bookkeeper was moved to the personnel budget to fund the extra hours for Isaac as he assumes the bookkeeping and payroll duties. There was no added cost for these positions.

These charts show OUUC’s latest organization for governance and ministry leads. If you have questions about these new positions or how OUUC is organized, please feel free to contact me.

Rev. Mary

Join UU Ministry for Earth to celebrate Earth Day!

Tuesday April 23, 4-5 pm

We protect what we love, so come explore how we can do that as UUs! There will be time for reflection and small group sharing.

REGISTER HERE.

Watch Party for Public Worship of Diverse Revolutionary UU Multicultural Ministries (DRUUMM)

Wednesday May 8, 5pm

Rev. Sara will host this watch party of the annual public worship offered by DRUUMM. Description of the service: Our worship is grounded in the theme of Choosing Joy! Living with Intentionality and Purpose. Be with us as we explore sustaining joy amidst adversity, inspired by Proverbs 17:2. A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones. Discover how a joyful heart can be your sanctuary, even when spirits are tested. A celebration of resilience, purpose, and the healing power of joy.

General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association

June 20th to 23rd, ALL Virtual this year!

General Assembly is many things: powerful worship, opportunities to learn together in workshops, and business meetings where delegates vote on important decisions for our association. This year General Assembly will have an important vote about Article II (we’ve explored Article II for a few years now, learn more HERE).

Visit the General Assembly webpage HERE.

If you are interested in being one of OUUC’s voting delegates talk to Rev. Sara.

Registration Now Open for Kids Summer Camps:

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!

All Church Picnic!

Mark your calendars now for our fun annual picnic. This year at a more accessible location!

Sunday September 8th, noon-2pm

Squaxin Park Rose Garden Shelter

We know, we know! We will be a full seven days into April. How could this coming Sunday be the first Sunday of the Month? It is! So bring in your dead batteries and fluorescent bulbs to the Commons and your friendly OUUC Environmental Action Team will see that they are recycled or properly disposed. Thank you for your efforts to conserve resources and protect the environment!

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

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

Learn more about the following events and others here.

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

Support the Mayday Foundation

Order flowers by April 10th, Volunteer on April 30th

Learn more HERE.

The Thurston County Board of County Commissioners (BoCC) is encouraging interested members of the public to apply for one of the 25 citizen advisory boards, commissions, and committees.

Pacific Western Region Assembly - A multi-day conference centered on connecting across individuals, congregations, and regions. Friday, April 19 - Saturday, April 20. More info here.

Join Washington Indivisible Network and Indivisible leaders and members across Washington and Oregon for a series of virtual Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion workshops led by DEI consultants Lillian Hawkins and LaTricia Kinlow.

Understanding & Mitigating the Impact of Implicit Bias and Stereotype Threat
Saturday, April 20 - 10:30am-12:00pm

Intersections of Identity & Racial Privilege
Saturday, April 27 - 10:30am-12:00pm

Racial Microaggressions: What Are They & Why Are They Harmful?
Saturday, May 4 - 10:30am-12:00pm

Read more about the workshops HERE and REGISTER 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