I love the feeling of a full church on Sunday! Friends greeting friends, families with all generations coming together, shy visitors and new seekers — it’s the sound of people needing community, and relishing it. I can’t wait to see you all on our Ingathering Sunday when we begin our new church year. Please bring the water you have collected in your summer journeys to participate in our Water Ceremony!

The Board and I have just signed a new contract for me to be with you for the next six years as your Lead Minister. I am so excited to continue this journey with you! We will continue the developmental work we started: healing from past challenges, developing new governance structures, deepening our financial stability; and we can start looking to the future and dreaming new dreams. While this contract is with me, it is really about a partnership between all of us to strengthen this vital community and to position us to serve the larger community into the future. What a privilege it is to do this work with you!

Rev. Dr. Terasa Cooley (she/her)

Lead Minister

Upcoming Events

Fall Worship Schedule Begins This Sunday!

Beginning September 7, we will resume our Fall schedule with two worship services:

9:15 am: Nouurish worship services, an inclusive and intergenerational format presented by our Alternative Worship Team.

11:00 am: Traditional worship service, Chlidcare available 10:30–12:30. This Sunday – All Ages will participate in our Water Ceremony!

Continental Breakfast and coffee will be served from 10:00–10:45am between the services, and Coffee and Fellowship follow the second worship service.

We can’t wait to start the new church year with you! If you have any questions, please email our Worship Team.

This Sunday, September 7

Bring water to pour into our communal bowl

for this annual All Ages service kicking off the new church year!

9:15

Nouurish Service

Featuring I’m From

written by Gary R. Gray Jr

illustrated by Oge Mora

Presented by members of the Alternative Worship Team with members of our First UU Community.

11:00 Service:

“No Stranger Dwells Here”

As we welcome in this new congrgational year we want to explore what it would mean to welcome all into a community that understands itself as a work in progress.

Presented by Rev. Dr. Terasa Cooley

with Rev. Kelli McNeal and Amber Scott

Continental Breakfast available at 10am,

Coffee & tea available after both services

Please consider using the East Parking lot to help

alleviate parking congestion this Sunday.

(The entrance is off of High Street)

First Friday Picnic in the Breezeway

September 5, 6:30 pm – Bring your picnic and join the fun!

Over the summer for First Fridays each family will bring their own picnic to eat outside (weather permitting). Gather for a delightful evening filled with laughter, good works, and the beauty of the outdoors (with accessible restrooms nearby). Campfire s’mores are possible – so bring roasting sticks and firewood! 🙂

If you’d like to join the volunteer team to help make First Fridays happen during the upcoming church year, please Email Robin!

Annual RE Teacher Orientation

Sundays, 9/7 and 9/21, 12:30-2:30 PM

All Religious Exploration volunteers and staff are asked to join Amber for this year’s safety briefing, featuring food from Chipotle, and the chance to meet with your fellow teachers! Childcare is available. RSVP here!

Class registration is now open for children and teens, and we need more adult volunteers! Especially Youth Group advisors, scout troop leaders, and OWL (Our Whole Lives) sexuality education facilitators.

Intro to Somatic Movement

Pop-up Class!

Sunday, September 14th 12:30-1:15 pm

This is a free and casual opportunity to ask questions, learn more, and experience a taste of “Intro to Somatic Movement” with Whitney Dawn Pyles. This experience is regularly offered the 1st and 3rd Wednesday of the month.

Contact Whitney Dawn Pyles with questions.

Calling all Artists!

Registration Open Now

Drop-Off September 21

On Display September 24 to November 2

Above: “Clipper at Europa”

by Tom Baillieul

First UU Artists, submit your artwork to be displayed in our Connections Exhibit! What connects us? To the earth, to each other, to other cultures, to our inner selves? Is it the majesty of a mountain? The food we eat? The songs of Central America or the fabrics of Japan? The love within us, the colors of the sunset, or the vastness of the stars?

Please Submit your work using the link above, and bring it on Sunday Sept 21 ready to hang. Enter 1 or 2 pieces (at least one will get in).

High School students and older are invited to submit – See Deb Baillieul for more information.

Around The Corner

9/5 First Friday Picnic in the Breezeway
9/7 Ingathering Service – Services return to 9:15 and 11am
9/7 RE Teacher / Volunteer Orientation! (RSVP)
9/13, 11/7 See Amber in Ohio Roller Derby Home Games (offsite)
9/14 Pathways to Membership (RSVP)
9/14 Hot Breakfast Begins!
9/14 Intro to Somatic Movement Pop-Up
9/16–10/21 (Tuesdays) “On Religion” Book Group (RSVP)
9/17-10/8 (Wednesdays) Bible Class w/ Rev. Marco Belletini
9/17 Finance Committee (RSVP)
9/17 Intro to Somatic Movement (Register / Request Childcare)
9/21, 9/27, 9/28 BREAD Listening Session
9/23 Atheists, Skeptics, Humanists
9/24/2025–11/2 Connections Art Exhibit. First UU artists: submit your artwork to be displayed! (Drop-off is Sunday, Sept 21)
9/24 Board of Trustees (RSVP)
9/25 Expressive Worship
9/27 All Soles Contra & Square Dance (more info)

Weekly events:

Tai Chi for Balance (Tuesdays, 10am)
Sacred Song Circle (Wednesdays, 6pm)
Co-Working Space (Fridays, 9:30am)
Choir Rehearsals (Spirit of Life Tuesdays, Chalice Choir Thursdays)

Planning ahead? Check our online calendar for additional events!

From First UU Leadership

Come Sing at First UU!

Spirit of Life: Tuesdays, 6:30-8:00 pm

Chalice Choir: Thursdays, 7:30-9:30 pm

Peace Pals: 2nd & 4th Sundays, 12:30-1:00 pm

First UU’s Choirs have resumed rehearsals – but it’s not too late to join!

Please contact Director of Music Dr. Brandon Moss for more information.

Construction activities

If you’re wondering about all the chain link fencing and construction supplies, They are for our new roof! From now until mid-September roofers will be replacing the oldest roof on the church, over the south half of Beach Hall, Rooms A & B, the kitchen and the office wing. Afterwards contractors will begin installing solar panels on the roof, enabling First UU to get even more electricity from the sun! When all is said and done, over half of our electricity will come from solar!

Here are some other exciting projects recently completed or underway:

Lighting – we completed replacement of ALL the florescent lighting throughout the church (offices, kitchen, SYC classrooms) with high quality, dimmable LED panels.
Kitchen – new refrigerator and freezer are on order, and we are waiting on proposal for remaining appliances.
Worship Center – carpeting replacement is in progress: we have selected the carpet and are waiting on supply scheduling
Parking Lot repairs – repairs, coating, and striping will be scheduled for late September or early October
Gardens – significant maintenance & plantings in Weisheimer rain garden, courtyard garden and others.

We are extremely grateful for generous donations of both time and money that have allowed us to catch up with these much needed upgrades and repairs. If you have any questions, contact Dir. of Administration, Brian Hagemann Brian Hagemann for more information about our projects!

Justice & Volunteering

Connect with our Justice team and other First UU’ers on the Signal App

by joining the First UU Signal Group (app required).

City Council hearing for

Rental Registry

Tuesday, September 16 at 5:30 pm

As a result of BREAD’s people power, Columbus Council member Nick Bankson committed to introduce legislation to create a Rental Registry to protect renters and hold predatory landlords accountable. Councilmember Bankson informed us that he will hold the public hearing for the Rental Registry on Tuesday, September 16. Let’s come out to City Hall (90 W Broad St) in full force on September 16 to support the next steps to justice in our community! (Plan on arriving at 5:00 for the 5:30 pm event.)

Classes & Groups

Family Scouting with UU Values:

Navigators USA Chapter 147

2nd, 3rd & 4th Sunday afternoons, Sept to May

Beginning September 14

Families with kids age 5 to 12, we invite you to check out Navigators USA Chapter 147, based here are First UU. Navigators USA is family scouting with UU values! Kids play games, earn badges, and do traditional “scouting” things like camping, crafting, exploring nature, & more! Meetings are Second Sundays – Fun & Games at First UU from 1 to 2:30; Third Sundays – Hike starting at 1:30 to 3 off site, Fourth Sundays – Badge work at First UU from 1 to 2:30. Contact Anne for more info.

Pathways to Membership

Sunday, September 14, 2025

8:30 am – 2:00 pm

If you are interested in the next steps to become a member of First Unitarian Universalist Church of Columbus you are cordially invited to register and participate in the next Pathways to Membership class. It is designed for newcomers and is always recommended before deciding to become a Church member. Your participation in the class does not obligate you to join our church.

This class will acquaint you with our church and our faith before you consider a commitment of membership to First UU.

“On Religion” Book Discussion Group

Tuesdays September 16 – October 21, 7:00 pm – 8:30 pm

Join us for our next installment of the UU History Book Group: On Religion: Speeches to its Cultured Despisers, by Friedrich Schleiermacher. Translated by Richard Crouter. We will read: the Introduction to the Richard Crouter Edition, followed by Speech Two, and then Speech Five. Register for more information!

The Bible Beyond Belief and Unbelief

Wednesday Evenings

September 17 – October 8, 7:00 – 8:30pm

Taught by Rev. Dr. Marco Belletini, Minister Emeritus

First Week – Beginnings and Endings: Creations and Destructions and Redemption

Second Week – Are the stories true? Are the people real? Were they making things up?

Third Week – Prophets and Economics; Class Struggles; Parables and Promises

Fourth Week – Poetries and metaphors; Layers vs Certainties; Realities and Fictions

Community News

Northeast India Heritage Festival

September 19 – 20

Tickets available online or at the door

The first Northeast India Heritage Festival (NEIHF) will be held in here at First UU on September 19 and 20, 2025. The festival will showcase the history, culture, handloom and handicrafts, food, and musical instruments of Northeast India. Photo exhibitions, panel discussions and presentations on tourism, commerce and the sustainable development of this unique and vibrant region will serve to create new connections and opportunities in Northeast India and the United States.

Labor Day Retreat

Many thanks to all who came out to create and celebrate the Labor Day retreat. This annual retreat was a great success!

Family Activities

Ingathering / Water Communion This Sunday, 9/7!

Bring water to pour into our communal bowl,