Friday News – July 10, 2026

•
Happy Friday!

One of the questions I received in last Sunday’s question box service was about our seeming unwillingness here to celebrate the 4th of July. In my response I admitted to some real ambivalence about how to do that in these times when it often feels our democracy is failing. But I came across this definition of patriotism from the theologian, Liz Bucar recently that spoke to me: “I think that’s the version of patriotism I might actually be able to get behind. Not pride in what America was, but seeing clearly what’s happening right now. Refusing to look away from it. Being sad about it and even mad. And then using those emotions to imagine a version of this country that I want for my daughter.”

Nothing is ever perfect, especially the grand experiment in democracy that is our country. So what do you see when you try to look clearly, and what version of this country do you imagine?

Rev. Dr. Terasa Cooley

Lead Minister

Upcoming Events

Sunday Services

This Sunday, July 12th

10am “In Sickness and in Health”
We tend to see sickness and health as opposites, but I think they are two ends of a long and complicated spectrum. What does that mean for us?

Presented by Rev. Dr. Terasa Cooley

Lead Minister

Infant/Toddler Care 9:30am-11:30pm

Early-Childhood/Elementary Class

for 3-11yrs after the story (start in worship)

Teen/Tween Board Games for rising 6th grade and up Before and during service

Monthly ARA Lunch

Flare Restaruarant

Sunday, July 12 at noon

All are welcome! We will be visiting Flare Restaurant, formerly Nile Vegan, for our July Anti-Racist Allies monthly lunch. This Ethiopian restaurant is located at 1223 Goodale Blvd., Grandview Heights, 43212. It now offers meat and vegan dishes. Meet at the restaurant at noon, or to carpool, meet at the JAM table in Beach Hall around 11:30 am.

Auction Planning Kickoff Meeting

Wednesday, July 15, 7-9 pm

Are you interested in helping make this dynamic event a success? We hope you will join the auction team. Or maybe you just have some ideas about the auction, but don’t want to join. Either way, please attend our meeting in Beach Hall. We want to know what you think! We will discuss next year’s auction theme and learn how everyone would like to contribute.

We have heard some exciting ideas so far about how we might focus on what we do best, and we are ready to hear more and refine our plans. All are welcome!

If you can’t participate in person, but do want to join in, please reply to Danya Furda for a google meet link and to share how you’d like to contribute.

Guided Meditation Class

~ be where your feet are ~

Tuesdays From 6-7:15 pm through July 28

Free and Open to All

(RSVP encouraged but not required)
Join us Tuesday, July 14! This meditation class is designed to calm the mind, improve focus, and support overall well-being through simple guided practices and breath awareness. The class also invites participants to connect with a greater sense of purpose, presence, and connection beyond the distractions of everyday life. Instructor: Patricia O’Toole, Ph.D

Neurodivergent Adults Group:

Community, Connection, and Support

1st and 3rd Thursdays, 6:00–7:30 pm

Beginning July 16th

Are you an adult who is autistic, ADHD, AuDHD, or otherwise neurodivergent? This peer-led group is for anyone 21+ who identifies as neurodivergent or is exploring the possibility.

Join us for community, conversation, learning, and mutual support in a judgment-free environment. Together, we’ll explore what it means to be neurodivergent, share experiences, discuss challenges and coping strategies, celebrate strengths, and build meaningful connections with people who know what it’s like to be different, not less.

We especially welcome adults who are discovering their neurodivergence later in life, though ND adults in all stages of self-discovery are invited.

  • All sharing will be voluntary, and no one will be required to speak if they prefer not to.
  • We will have name tags available and ask that you wear one to help those who have difficulty remembering names.
  • We will begin with a fun, introvert-friendly icebreaker activity so people do not have to sit awkwardly, unsure of what to do.
  • You are welcome to bring a neurodivergent adult friend.
  • You are also welcome to bring a fidget toy or quiet activity (e.g., knitting or doodling), as long as it is not noisy (no spinning or ratcheting fidgets, please).

Contact: Dr. Leo Taylor for more information

Reception Honoring

Paisha Thomas

Sunday, July 19, 11 am- 12 pm

Please join us for a reception to honor Paisha Thomas, our Justice and Equity Student Minister, on her last Sunday to officially be with us. Please bring a snack item to share. Cake will be served!

Expressive Worship

Thursday, July 23 at new time 7 pm

Expressive Worship grew out of a challenge at GA—to imagine worship in a whole new way. The result was this relaxed, art centered gathering where participants engage with a theme through personal creative exploration. Each service follows a structured flow—opening words, a song, a reading, time to create art while themed music plays, a closing and an optional sharing time at the end.

All ages and artistic inclinations welcome! Bring your own materials or use those provided. This month we will contemplate the theme of “Flourishing Together” as we make paper bouquets together.

Feed & Read Ohio 23rd Backpack Drive is Beginning Now!

Please donate by August 1 for

the 3rd Annual Blessing of the Backpacks at church on August 2

Our goal for 2026 is 200 backpacks filled with the supplies children will need to start the year prepared to learn. $50 will buy one backpack and all the required supplies for one child. Please sponsor as many children as you are able.

If you prefer to partner with friends and family to purchase and fill your own backpacks, the items needed to fill each one include:
  • 1 backpack
  • 10 #2 pencils
  • 1 large pink eraser
  • 1 glue stick
  • 1 package Crayola colored pencils
  • 1 wide ruled 70 page spiral notebook
  • 1 ruler with inces and centimeters
  • 1 16 or 24 count Craylola crayons
  • 1 pencil case

Please follow this list so we have consistency across all backpacks.

We are also accepting gift cards for Walmart, Aldi and Visa.

For questions please Reach Jacques

Thank you to the Partners for Good: Dr. Stuart Smith, Jordyn Cohen, Amy & Chris, Karen Howard, Alisa McMahon, Vicki Lawson and Kari Hicks.

With Gratitude, Jacques Angelino

Labor Day Weekend Retreat

Saturday, Sept. 5 – Monday, Sept. 7

Camp Oty’Okwa in beautiful Hocking Hills

Registration Open Now

 

Wonderful for families, couples, singles. Everyone! Scholarships available.

Adults (26+): $135

Teen / Early YA (13–25): $110

Children (5–12): $95

Toddlers (2–4): $25

Children Under 2: Free

New this year! Day Pass: $15 per meal
Register Now – or no later than August 27th. Join us for our traditional Peek, Talent show, hike, hammock hang, and more. You can even host a workshop or activity: contribute your own ‘flavor’ to the retreat! Please contactPatricia Boughton for more information on hosting activities or about scholarship funding.
Register Now

Planning ahead? Check our online calendar for additional events!

From First UU Leadership

Upcoming Parking Lot Resurfacing

The parking lots here at First UU will be resurfaced during the Week of

August 10-14. During that week, there will be limited parking, and visitors may need to walk around the sidewalks to enter the building. We will provide more information as it is available to us closer to that date.

Justice & Volunteering

Join the First UU Columbus Protesters chat on Signal App

or email our Justice Team for more information.

Democracy Action Hour

Sunday, July 12, 11:30 AM

For this week’s Democracy Action Hour, we’ll be writing letters to at-risk voters for Voteriders Voteriders

This is a great way to inform voters about voter ID requirements and direct them to resources that can help them with any ID issues. Feel free to bring stamps and envelopes if you’d like!

On the Journey

Read about the 8th Principle and First UU’s anti-racism efforts on our website.

Stamped from the Beginning

ARA Congregational Read

Next Discussion July 21st, 7pm

Discussion Registration Open

The Anti-Racist Allies invite you to read Stamped from the Beginning by Ibram X. Kendi to participate in the congregational group read this Summer and fall. This important work has several versions appropriate for a variety of ages and reading levels. Monthly Zoom book discussions will begin in June, (7pm on July 21, August 25, Sept 29) and more activities connected with the book will be announced for the Fall. We hope you will be able to join us!

We hope you enjoy this “replay” of our first On the Journey Celebration,

originally published February 13. Please consider submitting a mini-bio about an inspiring black author, artist, change-maker, or innovator. Email Becca for submission guidelines or a name.

Elizabeth Jennings:

Church Organist and Civil Rights Activist

This week, we want to celebrate Elizabeth Jennings, an early pioneer of desegregation. In 1854, Elizabeth boarded a streetcar labeled “whites only” when she was headed to work at First Colored Congregational Church in Manhattan. She was ordered off and, when she refused to disembark, was forcibly removed by the conductor and a police officer. Her family and church formed a legal rights association and hired young attorney (and future President) Chester A. Arthur to represent Elizabeth in a legal battle that led to the desegregation of New York City’s public transportation, a century before the Montgomery bus boycott in Alabama.

Read about Elizabeth at nyhistory.org, the Zinn Education Project, or the New York Transit Museum or watch this YouTube Video by GooseGooseDuck to learn more about this first recorded legal victory for equal rights on public transportation in the United States.

Happening in Columbus

Check out the June/July ARA Calendar for details!

Community News

Playground Celebration Thanks & Campus Updates from SYC

Our affiliated preschool, School for Young Children (SYC), recently hosted a successful celebration for the new playgrounds, and they want to share a heartfelt thank you with our community! Here is a quick summary of their update and how we can continue to offer support.

Celebration Success: SYC loved seeing so many new, current, and alumni families come together to check out the new outdoor spaces.

Ongoing Fundraising: If you missed the event, you can still contribute. Donations support SYC’s Continuous Improvement Fund and help fund a new playground at the Columbus Early Learning Center’s Southside location.

How to Give: You can make a direct donation online SYC Enrichment Fund

Save the Date: Keep an eye out this fall for details regarding the upcoming Scholarship Auction once the new school year begins.

Thank you for your continued generosity and for being such a vital part of our community!

Keeping Cool

Our friends at Columbus.gov and IACO shared this message about resources for keeping cool in the extreme heat, and we want to pass it along.

With extreme heat impacting our region this week, we want to ensure all residents are aware of the available cooling resources across the city:

Art In the Gallery:

Todd Loe’s “Far Rider”

On display until August 16

View Todd’s art– Beautiful moody pastel landscapes, your favorite rock stars of the 60’s, 70’s and 80’s and fun, abstract compositions.

And don’t forget to Register for the UU Artists and Friends Show “Freedom”! Drop-off August 7 – 9.

“Peace” Todd Loe

Family Activities

Happening This Sunday, July 12th!
9:15am Coffee/Tea (A/B, Beach Hall) *Volunteers Needed! – Email Robin!

9:30am-11:30pm Infant and Toddler Care 3mos-3yrs (101)

*Per safety policy, children/youth need to be supervised while on church grounds.

9:15am-12:15pm Teen/Tween Board Games! Rising 6th Grade & Above (A/B)

10:00-11:00am Worship Service (sanctuary)

10:15-11:15am (After Story) Early-Ed/Elementary Summer Class for 3-11yrs (201)

Kiddos w/fam in service: use Busy Bags or quiet toys in Wee Worship/Slowter!

11:00-11:30am Coffee/Tea – Pending Volunteers!* (A/B, Beach Hall)

Coming Soon: Fall Class Registration and Volunteer Teacher Recruitment!

Seeking More Campers for Peace Camp B!

Week B now open to 7-12yrs! Invite your friends! bit.ly/peacecamp2026

  • Nearly Full! Session A: 5-8 years, Monday-Friday 7/27-7/31, 9am-12noon
  • <10 Spots Left! Session B: 7-12 yrs, M-F 8/3-8/7, 9-noon ($100 suggested)

We invite children to be their true selves, and make space for all to be welcomed and valued. We explore what peace means, looks like, and how it connects us.