Friday’s News – Oct 10, 2025

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Happy Friday!
I hope you all are getting the opportunity to enjoy the beautiful fall weather, the changing leaves, and yes, even the pouring rain. We are excited for our Fall Fun Night & Homecoming Dance happening tomorrow starting at 5pm. You can stay outside and play yard games, get creative with arts and crafts and eat as many s’mores as your stomach can hold, or join us inside at 6:00 for a viewing of the Halloween classic, Hocus Pocus. The Youth Group’s Halloween Dance & Fundraiser starts at 7:00 and all are invited! We hope to see you there!

Blessings,

Rev. Kelli McNeal

Congregational Life Minister

P.S. Don’t forget to register for one of our Chalice Circle small groups – registration closes tonight!y

Upcoming Events

This Sunday, October 12

9:15 Nouurish Service

Featuring

Dozens of Doughnuts

written by Carrie Finison

illustrated by Brianne Farley

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

11:00 “Cultivating Compassion: Part 2”

In this two part series, we will be exploring how to cultivate compassion for and with ourselves and others, even when it’s hard.

Presented by Rev. Kelli McNeal

with Clare Fried

Join us for coffee, tea, and conversation after both services!

Hot breakfast is available at 10am ($3 suggested donation).

TOMORROW! Fall Fun Night & Homecoming

Saturday, October 11

5 – 6 pm food

6 – 7:30 pm movie

7 – 10 pm Halloween Dance
Join us for our Fall Fun Night & Homecoming! Starting at 5 pm we will be roasting hot dogs and s’mores over the campfire, enjoying cozy beverages from from the Community Grounds Trolley Café & Mercantile, playing yard games and getting crafty with fall themed decor. At 6, a family friendly movie will begin in the sanctuary. Then from 7-10pm, we will join our First UU Youth Group for their fall fundraiser, a Halloween Dance!

Attendees are encouraged to bring a desert or picnic dish, an outdoor/camping chair, and any yard games they would like to share. All are invited – feel free to come in costume and show off your Halloween best!
(Visit FirstUUColumbus.org/Donate and click “Youth Fundraising” to support youth programming!)

Register for the RE Jump-Start!

Building Our Multigenerational Dreams for the Future

Saturday, 10/18, 9:30am-3:30pm
Everyone is invited to join this retreat, reimagining the role of multigenerational community and family programming within our congregation! Whether you raised your kids at First UU or SYC decades ago, are a current participating family or teacher, are thinking of joining the RE Team, or are simply interested in learning more, this workshop is for you!

First UU’s Board of Trustees picked multigenerational community as one of their focus areas for this year. The program includes continental breakfast and catered lunch, and childcare is available. Please RSVP so we can plan for enough food and sitters! Featuring facilitators Cassandra Montenegro and Beth Casebolt, members of our regional UUA staff team, Rev. Dr. Terasa Cooley, and Amber Scott, Director of Religious Exploration.

Anti-Racist Allies Monthly Lunch

Sunday, October 19

We will be meeting at the kiosk in the gallery at 12:30 pm to travel to Gahanna to try Casa Hacienda Mexican Grill, at 1356 N. Hamilton Road, Gahanna, OH 43230. This restaurant has an extensive menu and has been serving delicious, authentic Mexican food since 2011.

Around The Corner

Churchwide Events & Activities:

  • 10/11 Fall Fun Night & Homecoming Dance
  • 10/18 RE Jump-Start: Our MultiGen Dreams for the Future (RSVP)
  • 10/18 All Soles Contra & Square Dance (more info)
  • 10/23 Expressive Worship
  • 10/26 Concert Series Event: Columbus Guitar Society Concert
  • 11/1 First Friday Spaghetti Dinner

Governance Meetings (Open to all):

  • 10/15 Finance Committee (RSVP)
  • 10/22 Board of Trustees (RSVP)

Small Groups:

  • 10/11&12, 10/14 BREAD Listening Session (Register)
  • 10/8 The Second Wednesday Book Club (come at 7pm ready to discuss any book about Brains)
  • 10/16 Senior Gathering (RSVP)
  • 10/19 Trans & Gender Non-Conforming Support Group
  • 10/21 (Tuesdays) “On Religion” Book Group (RSVP)
  • 10/26 Rising Young Adults!
  • 10/28 Atheists, Skeptics, and Humanists
  • 11/1 Youth Group Late Night
  • Sacred Song Circle (Wednesdays, 6pm)
  • Choir Rehearsals (Spirit of Life Tuesdays, Chalice Choir Thursdays)
  • Note: Spirit of Life Choir has been cancelled for Tuesday, October 14

Classes:

Other Stuff!

  • Co-Working Space (Fridays, 10am)
  • 11/7 See Amber in Ohio Roller Derby Home Games (offsite)

Planning ahead? Check our online calendar for additional events!

From First UU Leadership

Ohio Feed and Read

October marks the one year anniversary since First UU started offering the Green bags for members to use for monthly collections for Ohio Feed and Read. Thank you to all of you who have given so generously!

To learn more about the Ohio Feed and Read Program, talk to Jacques Angelino in Beach Hall any Sunday – And grab your green bag for this month’s collection!

Chalice Circle Registration Ends TONIGHT!

Learn More & Register Today

If you’ve been looking for a way to connect with other First UUers in a deeper way, look no further than a Chalice Circle (formerly known as Covenant Groups). Registration is open until TONIGHT (Friday October 10) at midnight. Circles will begin meeting mid-October and run through the end of May. Email Rev. Kelli or Robin Lawson with questions.

Justice & Volunteering

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

by joining the First UU Columbus Protesters (app required).

Fund for Immigration Legal Assistance (FILA)

First UU’s Fund for Immigration Legal Assistance (FILA) is in need of your help. FILA provides assistance in funding legal and/or medical expenses related to a person’s immigration case. The committee is receiving many applications, such that we are extremely low on funds. Several applications have recently come in from members of the Haitian community who have lost their Temporary Protection Status (TPS) and now must apply for asylum. Donations of any amount will help. First UU is gaining increased recognition in the community for our justice work in supporting our immigrant community. Donations may be made via check, with FILA in the memo line, or via the online Donate button and the dropdown FILA tab.

BREAD Listening Sessions

BREAD (Building Responsibility Equality and Dignity), the community organization that First UU and ten multi-faith congregations founded in 1996, now consists of over 40 Central Ohio congregations. BREAD uses the power of organized people to hold public officials accountable for addressing serious community problems.
Every fall, each BREAD congregation holds small group listening sessions in which people discuss the problems they see around them. In a listening session you’ll get to know your fellow First UUers on a deeper level and learn how BREAD works. The stories you share will also help BREAD choose the next problem we work on. Sign up for a listening session or email bread@firstuucolumbus.org to join us. We Need Your Input!

Save the Date:

NO KINGS National Day of Mobilization

Saturday October 18, 2025 at 4pm

The Unitarian Universalist Association has signed on as an official partner of the No Kings National Day of Mobilization.
The No Kings protest will be at the Statehouse. All are invited and encouraged to attend this peaceful protest. It is an opportunity to exercise our right to free speech, and now is the time to stand up. Connect with other First UU’ers via the First UU Columbus Protesters Group (Signal App required)!  See Chris Johnson at the social justice table at coffee hour for help signing up.

(If you are attending the RE Jumpstart, you can Hop on the COTA Number 2 Bus to get to the statehouse for the protest!)

Classes & Groups

Senior Gathering

October 16, 2025, 10:30am

RSVP by October 12, 2025

Attention Senior Members!!! Please plan to attend the Senior Gathering in October. Muffins, quick breads and fruit will be served in Beach Hall at 10:30am, followed by a program in Beach Hall until 12:00pm. We hope to see you there!

A-S-H (Atheists, Skeptics, and Humanists)

Upcoming Meeting Programs

Tuesday, October 28

Tuesday, November 25

October’s program will feature a YouTube presentation by Dr. Robert Hazen, Geologist, Astrobiologist, and Senior Staff Scientist at the Carnegie Institution’s Earth and Planets Laboratory. Dr. Hazen talks about what is being considered to be a new and previously unrecognized law of nature – Emergent Complexity. This law puts the final nail in the coffin of “Intelligent Design”.

For November, author Don Merrill will speak about his book, published in 2019, PLEDGE: The Public Radio Fund Drive. The book is a deep dive into the funding and function of public radio. With the defunding of public radio by the current administration, Don will touch on its origin story, historical fights, and possible future.

There will not be a meeting in December.

Community News

Spiritual Direction Program Opportunity

The Wellstreams Immersion program is seeking individuals to work with intern spiritual directors for one year beginning January 2026. This is an ideal opportunity for those who have never been in spiritual direction – or have limited experience with it – and are ready to see if this might be helpful to their spirituality and faith.

Our intern directors are in the final phase of their training and are supervised by experienced supervisors. Anyone interested in participating would need to be willing to commit to monthly sessions with an intern spiritual director beginning in January 2026, ending in February 2027. There is no charge for this service.

You can learn more about spiritual direction on our website or register for one of the information sessions:

Tuesday, 10/28, 6:30 – 8 p.m.

Thursday, 10/30, 9:30 – 11 a.m.

Wednesday, 11/5, 3 – 4:30 p.m.

Thursday, 11/6, 6:30 – 8 p.m.

(Contact Alejandro Rodriguez for further details)

Family Activities

Classes Have Begun! Please Register Now!

Sign up to participate if you haven’t yet! More info, reg links, and activity descriptions: https://firstuucolumbus.org/learning/sunday-school/

Happening This Sunday, 10/12!
9:15-10am Nouurish Multigenerational Worship Service (sanctuary)

10:00-10:45am Hot Breakfast and Coffee, Tea (kitchen, A/B, Beach Hall)

10:30am-12:30pm Infant and Toddler Care 3mos-3yrs (101)

10:30am-12:15pm 13-15year Our Whole Lives  (302)

10:45am-12:15pm Neighboring Faiths 11+yrs (301)

10:45am-12:15pm 6-7year Our Whole Lives (402/3)

11:00am-12:15pm Roots and Wings 14+yrs: HS Spirituality and Big Q’s (library)

11:00am-12:00pm Worship Service (sanctuary)

11:15ish-12:15 Spirit Play 3-7yrs: Start in Service Until After Story (102)

11:15ish-12:15 Spirit Play 7-11yrs: Start in Service Until After Story (201)

Kiddos staying w/fam during service: grab Busy Bags in the gallery, explore quiet toys in Wee Worship & Slowter Lounge, or crafts/games in cabinets by the kitchen!

12noon-1pm Snack! + Coffee, Tea, & Conversation, after the service (Beach)

12:30-1:00pm Peace Pals Choir 5-12yrs (sanctuary)

1:00-2:30pm Navigators Scouting – Fun and Games 5-12yrs (201/playground)

12:30-2:30pm Youth Group! 12yrs-HS senior (402)

12:30-2:30pm Rising Young Adults! 18-28yrs-ish (302)