| Good morning!
We have talked a lot this past year about all of the things that we have had to change – all the traditions we’ve had to adjust, all the activities we’ve had to adapt to an online platform, all the family and friend connections we’ve had to find safe ways to meet our needs. A lot of change which has brought along with it a lot of frustration and sadness.
And, while we have experienced so many difficult feelings surrounding those changes, this past year has also shown us how resilient we are. How open we actually are to change and making adaptations to our daily lives in order to protect our friends, neighbors, and loved ones. I have been so moved by the way this community has shown its commitment to this congregation and to one another. You all have been my inspiration and my drive when I find myself getting really down.
One thing that has been so inspirational has been watching our Auction team adapt their always exciting and fun event each year to a new online only event. Thank you to each of the members of the Auction team for working so hard and being so open to changes when issues have risen up. And thank you to everyone who has submitted their auction items and events. You have three days remaining to submit your offerings! The auction is a major part of helping us meet our budget every year and this year we are considerably lower than our normal auction donations, so please consider submitting something before 11:59 pm on Sunday! See below for more information. Thank you all!
Just a reminder, if you would like an announcement in the Friday News, please email me no later than Wednesday at 8:00 pm with FRIDAY NEWS in the subject line.
Virtual hugs,
Kelli McNeal
Director of Congregational Life
kelli@firstuucolumbus.org
(614) 706-3282 |
|
| Announcements at a Glance
(Scroll down for more details on these announcements)
CLASSES
- Children and Youth RE – 1/31
- Spiritual Practices – 2/1
- Bible Class – 2/2
EVENTS
- People’s Justice Project & Black Abolitionist Collective of Ohio Action – 1/30
- Caring Team Workshops – 1/31
- Auction Donation Deadline – 1/31
- First UU Auction – Feb 1-20
- Mystics Group Presentation – 2/9
GROUPS
|
|
|
UPCOMING SERVICES &
BOARD ANNOUNCEMENTS
|
|
|
Sunday Service – Imagining a Politics Worthy of the Human Spirit
|
|
| Join us Sunday, January 31st as Alison Wohler invites us into Parker Palmer’s book Healing the Heart of Democracy. The courage to create a politics worthy of the human spirit provides a jumping off point for this reflective sermon on imagining what that kind of a politics would look and feel like. After all, if we can’t imagine it how will we ever be able to get there. Our country needs us all to help heal the rifts, divisions, cracks, canyons between people who all love this country. But how to begin? How can we come together to work for the common good? |
|
|
Board Town Hall – Let us know how you feel!
|
|
| If you missed our January 10th Board Town Hall, no worries; you can still let us know your thoughts! Just fill out this form, and the board will receive your valuable thoughts on your vision for the future of our community. Thank you! |
|
|
February Soul Matters Packets are Here!
|
|
| Our February Soul Matters Packets on Beloved Community have all been mailed. We know that the post office is pretty backed up, so it may take longer than usual for you to receive your packet. You can find the digital versions here: General Packet (for all ages); Soulful Home (UU activities to do as a family); Chalice Home (tips for creating sacred space at home). |
|
|
Spiritual Practices Class
|
|
 We are so excited to introduce Faith Forward, an adult RE curriculum developed by the First Unitarian Church of Dallas. We will begin this curriculum with Spiritual Practices – a 12 session series that helps us to develop regular disciplines of the spirit – practices that help us connect with the sacred. You do not need to attend all of the sessions, so if you can’t attend one or a couple, don’t let that stop you from participating!
Session four is Monday, February 1st at 7:00 pm. The topic is Prayer and the course objective is to be introduced to prayer and its fruits
Visit our website to learn more about Faith Forward, register for the Spiritual Practices class, and see the other incredible courses that are being offered next! |
|
| Join us for our next Bible Class, Tuesday February 2nd, at 7:30 pm. The theme for this year’s class is “Great Bible Stories.” For Zoom information, please email Ron Payne. Zoom details are sent in advance of each session. |
|
Have you put in your auction donations yet? If not, don’t be late! The deadline for putting in your donations is only 2 days away – Sunday January 31 by 11:59 pm. Visit our auction website by clicking here.
Remember that a successful auction depends upon you, especially in this topsy-turvy world!
For videos showing how to donate an item on the auction website, scroll down to “Learn More” on the auction page. Â If you have any questions or just need feedback on what you would like to donate, please email us at auction@firstuucolumbus.org. Note that we have some donation suggestions on our auction webpage.
Check out the Auction flyer here for week one information, and here for week two and three information. |
|
|
People’s Justice Project & Black Abolitionist Collective of Ohio Action
|
|
| This Saturday, January 30th, People’s Justice Project (PJP) and Black Abolitionist Collective of Ohio (BACO) are planning an action in honor of the birthday of #CaseyGoodsonJr, a Black man who was bringing home sandwiches to his family when he was killed by law enforcement here in Columbus. The action starts at noon at Goodale Park (120 Goodale St), and is planned to last until 4pm. If you’d like to support but are unable to attend physically, you can share the event with people you know on facebook, or make a sign and drop it off by the church entrance before 11 am on Saturday.
If you’d like to come, we recommend you email or text our Justice Coordinator Amanda Hays (616-350-1409) so our group knows to look for you, and fill out this emergency contact form, just in case. We plan to use a group text to communicate with each other during the event.
You can also find recordings of our January Justice Update on Defund Fear, a webinar with author Zach Norris and discussion with First UUers, on our website. |
|
The Caring Team is excited to invite you to the second of two workshops for end of life preparations. You do not need to have attended the first workshop to attend this one.January 31st at 2:00 pm – Essential Tools for End of Life Decisions
Join Attorney Logan Philipps of Resch, Root, Philipps & Graham, LLC for answers to your most pressing end-of-life legal questions. Session details and registration can be found here. |
|
|
Mystics Group Virtual Presentation
|
|
| The Mystics group at First UU is offering a virtual presentation and discussion with Prof. Christopher Bache entitled “The Birth of the Diamond Soul: Where is Reincarnation taking Humanity?” on Tuesday, February 9, 2021 from 7:30 pm to 9 pm. Chris’ passion has been the study of philosophical implications of nonordinary states of consciousness, especially psychedelic states. There is no fee to attend, and a free will donation is appreciated to recognize this speaker. Information is forthcoming on registration. For further information, please contact Sylvia Howe or Kathleen Fowler (614-264-8364). |
|
| Please join us Tuesday, February 2nd, on Zoom at 1:00 pm for our next Caregivers Support Group. This meeting is open to everyone who is currently a caregiver, or who was a caregiver (the widows among us). Please email Sylvia Howe for Zoom information. |
|
We would like to include more of our wonderful First UU community in our worship services! We are looking for three minute videos where you either:
- tell us a personal story related to the monthly theme (listed below),
- share how you became a part of First UU and what the church means to you,
- or what brought you to Unitarian Universalism.
We will use these videos throughout the year in our services. If you would like to contribute a video, please send them to Kelli McNeal.
Monthly themes: February (Beloved Community), March (Commitment), April (Becoming), May (Story), June (Play) |
|
|
|
