First UU Bible course.  Have you ever thought about how little you know about the history of the Bible, or why the Bible is so foundational to our western culture? Would you like to discuss the Bible with our evangelical friends? Would you like to examine the great stories of the Bible in a UU context? Does the Bible help us live in the world today? Does it argue against the existence of God? Who wrote it, anyway? Does it teach our UU principles and values? We’ll explore these and many other questions as we wind our way through the Old and New Testaments. The course starts on September 10. The class will meet in Room 7 on the second Tuesday of each month through next June, 7:30-9pm. Please join us. All are welcome. Contact facilitators:
Chas Williams, cwilli6711@gmail.com
Ron Payne, ronaldgenepayne@gmail.com
Tom Baillieul, tbaillieul@gmail.com

Labor Day Retreat at Camp Oty’Okwa in the stunning Hocking Hills. Great for everyone – families, singles, couples! Saturday, August 31 – Monday, September 2. Hikes, workshops, nature, group worship, music! Meals included. https://firstuucolumbus.org/labor-day-retreat/
Beth McCreary, beth3ms@gmail.com

Summer Sunday School   Children ages 5 to 12 are invited to join Jen Bojanowski, Summer Sunday School teacher, for a series of activities and cooperative games that highlight our interconnection. Classes take place at 10am, during the service. The Toddler Room will also be open.

Volunteers needed for light yard work!   This Thursday, August 15, at First UU. Two sessions: 9-11am, or 5:30pm-dusk. We have tools available, but if you have favorites, and garden gloves, bring them along. Tasty, healthy snacks and drinks provided!
Patricia Boughton, patriciaboughton@gmail.com
Dave Richter, drichter@sciotangy.com

Kehilat Sukkat Shalom hosts Kirtan Rabbi for a weekend of vibrant music and learning, September 13 and 14, at First UU. Sukkat Shalom is affiliated with Jewish Renewal and Reconstructionist movements. This will be the community’s second annual event to open the gates to the Days of Awe (the Jewish holy days). Rabbi Jessica Shimberg serves as spiritual leader for the kehilah (community), which meets at First UU and other locations throughout Columbus. Information about Kirtan Rabbi can be found at kirtanrabbi.comand about Sukkat Shalom at sukkatshalomcolumbus.org.
Jodi Kushins, jodiekushins@gmail.com, 614-499-6176

Men’s Spirituality   Meetings on themes tied to the lived experience of the men in the group. A talking stick gives each man the floor to express his experience without interruption on the topic or question chosen by each facilitator. The objective is the spiritual growth of each person. This is not a support group. Ten men are the maximum for each group formed.
– The Monday group meets every two weeks. Meetings are currently from 7-9pm at the church. One or two vacancies exist. If interested, please contact Brian Lohiser, 614-264-3276, lohiserb@gmail.com.
– The Wednesday group meets every week. Two vacancies exist. Meetings are currently held from 7-8:30pm at the church. If interested, please contact Dick Dawson, 614-563-4855, dickdawson@hotmail.com

First UU Bookstore Volunteers needed   Book lovers, if you can help sell books in Beach Hall one Sunday morning a month, please contact Will Whicker, swwhicker@gmail.com, 614-560-9975. Bookstore proceeds help the church, and volunteers get a 10% discount.

Water Communion and Ingathering Service   Sunday, September 8, at the 9am and 11am services, in the Sanctuary. (We start having two Sunday services on this date.) Please bring water – a little bit will do. Be prepared to say what water represents in your life as we pour our waters into a common bowl. The water can be from your travels or from the kitchen tap.

Fall UU members’ art exhibit, Telling Our Stories. Email Deb with your interest, titles, and medium, by August 25. Two works allowed. Take-in date: August 25, 11am-12pm. Leave work in the Lobby. Poets, email Deb your poems and she will print and post them. A reception will be held on Sunday, September 8, at 12:30pm.
Deb Baillieul, debbsyc@yahoo.com

Immigration Assistance
– Solidarity with Immigrants table   Second and fourth Wednesdays of the month. We need volunteers to staff the table, and to bake cookies or make trail mix. Sign up at Signup Genius or contact Jan Phillips, jephillips4444@sbcglobal.net, 614-261-3234.
– We need gift cards from Kroger to support Edith Espinal. Lately, contributions of gift cards have decreased. Please bring cards to Jan Phillips at church on Sunday. Your help is very much appreciated.
– Racial Justice & Immigration (RJI) JAM Focus Group Meeting   The next meeting is Monday, August 12, 7-9pm, Room 7. Please join us as we review our current work and make plans for upcoming actions and events. New faces are always welcome, as there is much to do.
Jan Phillips, jephillips4444@sbcglobal.net

First UU hosts a natural foods buying club. The club places an order with United Natural Foods, Inc. once every four weeks and meets at First UU for delivery. Deliveries are on every fourth Wednesday; the times may vary. Communication and coordination happens online.
Mary Klain, clovis70@hotmail.com
Jennifer Baryluk, jbaryluk@gmail.com

Feed My Sheep food pantry   This Sunday is the deadline for our school supplies drive. We need: backpacks containing 20 #2 pencils, large pink erasers, 2 glue sticks, box of 16-24 count Crayola crayons, box of colored Crayola pencils, 2 wide-ruled 70-page spiral notebooks, and a ruler (with centimeters and inches). Also, August is Sundries Sunday month. Bring toothpaste, toothbrushes, deodorant, bar soap, and shampoo. Since donations are not needed at this time for CBus ITA, we would appreciate them. We need children’s books, diapers (child and adult), dog and cat food, feminine hygiene products, and peanut butter. Bring items to Beach Hall on Sunday mornings.
Jacques Angelino, 614-439-0245

THIS WEEK’S EVENTS:

Monday, August 12
3:00pm Women’s Creative Circle
7:00pm Racial Justice & Immigration JAM Focus Group

Tuesday, August 13
9:30am Archives Team
1:30pm Library Team
6:30pm Caring Team Pizza Party; RE Team
7:00pm This Month in Science; Zen Meditation

Wednesday, August 14
6:00pm Francophones Bavard(e)s
6:00pm Sacred Song Circle
6:30pm Covenant Group Facilitators
7:00pm Justice Action Ministry; Memoir Group

Thursday, August 15
9:00am Summer Work Day
9:30am Improvisational Dance
5:30pm Summer Work Day
6:00pm BREAD Team
6:30pm Housing in Retirement

Friday, August 16
11:00am Nia Class
12:00pm Cooking for Faith Mission
6:00pm Rainbow Connexion

Saturday, August 17
8:30am Zen Meditation
10:00am Scriptures Class
10:45am Hispanohablantes
12:00pm Move to Amend
7:30pm All Soles Contra & Square Dance

Sunday, August 18
10:00am Worship Celebration
11:15am Getting to Know UU
6:30pm Care and Share Time Bank Potluck
6:30pm Young Adult Covenant Group