THIS SUNDAY, July 28: First UU member, Rev. Alison Wohler, will present What’s Up with Free Will? Determinism, agency, and moral responsibility will all be discussed in this sermon, one that will have you shaking your head in uncertainty and wonder, but hopefully leaving with some satisfaction that all is well with your personal illusion that you possess free will. It’s a really interesting subject to learn and think about. At play are science, philosophy, psychology, religion, evolution, and our entire criminal justice system.

This Sunday:

10:00 am Worship Service (Sanctuary)
11:15 am Getting to Know UU (Slowter)

A Pastoral Team member will be near the Caring Table in Beach Hall after the service as a compassionate listener, to arrange a hospital/home visit, or to facilitate a meeting with a minister.

NEXT SUNDAY, August 4: First UU’s Atheist, Skeptic, and Humanist Group, known as ASH, will present “7 by ASH.” The service will explore the Seven UU Principles as seen by ASH members, including addressing how we can “be good without God.”

Tomorrow:

All Soles Contra and Square Dance & Potluck:  Saturday, July 27, 6pm at First UU
We can’t wait to see you tomorrow night for an evening of contra dances. Columbus caller and long-time dancer, Richard Ades, with wit and charm, will lead us through a varied repertoire of dances. We will dance to the lilting Celtic tunes of the Animusiacs, the quartet of Sarah Perry (on fiddle), Mary Bertke (on banjo), Karl Wohlwend (on guitar), and Jim Lindroth (on bodhran).

It’s Summer, so it’s potluck time! We will gather starting at 6pm to share a meal together. The dancing will start with a beginners’ session from 7:30 to 8pm, with the dance itself from 8 to 10:30pm. Free childcare is available in a nearby classroom.

Cost is $8 for adults; $4 ages 12-25; and free for those under 12. Join us in Beach Hall.

Upcoming Events and Opportunities:

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 Worship Service. The Toddler Room will also be open.

It’s time to register for Sunday School! Help us plan for the coming year; register by July 31. Registration forms are available at firstuucolumbus.org/re-registration/. If you have questions or would like to help out in the program, contactchristine@firstuucolumbus.org.

Volunteers needed for light yard work! 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 and Dave Richter, drichter@sciotangy.com

Final Summer Choir Sunday, August 11. Everyone who would like to sing may show up at 9am, learn a song and a closing, and then sing at the 10am service. It is great fun and a chance for people who may not be choir members to sing on a Sunday morning. Brandon Moss will direct.

Water Communion and Ingathering Service Sunday, September 8, 9am and 11am, 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.

ICO Solidarity with Immigrants table Second and fourth Wednesdays of the month. We need volunteers to staff the table, as well as volunteers to bake cookies or make trail mix. To sign up, visit Signup Genius or contact Jan Phillips, 614-261-3234, jephillips4444@sbcglobal.net.

Columbus Immigrant Transit Assistance (CBus ITA) Volunteers are organizing to greet immigrant families traveling through Columbus via Greyhound bus, without food, money or clothing.

• Supply donations: Put supplies (tuna and chicken snacks with crackers (from the dollar store), individual packages of nuts, individual hand wipes, diapers, baby wipes, non-refrigerated foods) in the boxes in the cloakroom. If you bring supplies, please sign the sheet on the clipboard in the cloakroom, so we can thank you for your donation.
• Cash donations: UU Justice Ohio’s fund for Cbus ITA supplies, https://uujo.wufoo.com.
• Volunteer Greeters: Please join the “Cbus ITA – Depot Volunteers” Facebook page and sign up to go to the bus depot.
• Bagging Party: You can join the “Cbus ITA” Facebook page and then sign up to help bag donated supplies.

For more information, call Karen Thimmes, 614-457-0409.

Ohio Fair Food/CIW Events August 9 & 10. Anti-Human Trafficking Training at Veritas Community Church. On August 10, the Coalition of Immokalee Workers (CIW) and Ohio Fair Food invite allies to join them in a fire pit gathering at the home of Wendy Ake, Ohio Fair Food leader. Sue Carter, 614-459-0017

First UU is first in our denomination to become a Fair Food congregation! Thanks to your many years of generous financial support for the Coalition of Immokalee Workers and the Alliance for Fair Food and your committed participation in the Fair Food Campaign, You and other Fair Food allies around the nation are helping to end the suffering — modern day slavery, sexual assault and other abuses. Let’s “Make All Food Fair Food” by joining the Fair Food Sustainer Program for less than a quarter a day. Become a Fair Food Sustainer at https://makeallfoodfairfood.funraise.org/.

First Friday August 2, 6:30-8pm. At Whetstone Park, by the lower playground. Bring a blanket or lawn chair and food for yourself, and we’ll bring outdoor games. In case of rain, we’ll move to Beach Hall, and a notice will be posted on the First UU Facebook page. Christine Davidson, christine@firstuucolumbus.org

Documentary: Paris to Pittsburgh A free showing at First UU Thursday, August 8, 7pm. The film was made by National Geographic and the showing is sponsored by First UU’s Justice Action Ministry (JAM) and Interfaith Power and Light. It highlights efforts across the U.S. by local, private sector, and community leaders to transition to a clean energy economy, regardless of federal inaction. Michael Greenman, mgreenmanoh@gmail.com

Preparing for the Inevitable Sunday, August 11, 11:30am, at First UU. What happens when you die? Join Funeral Consumers Alliance of Central Ohio for presentations and discussion about end-of-life planning. Learn about documents you will need to ensure that your wishes will be followed. Cathy Elkins, 614-267-5884

Feed My Sheep food pantry It’s time 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). Please bring school supplies on Sunday mornings by August 12. Also, July is Dandy Diapers month. We need both child and adult diapers. Jacques Angelino, 614-439-0245

Monday, July 29
9:00am Peace Camp
3:00pm Women’s Creative Circle

Tuesday, July 30
9:00am Peace Camp
9:30am Archives Team
7:00pm Zen Meditation

Wednesday, July 31
9:00am Peace Camp
6:00pm Francophones Bavard(e)s (French Language Group); Sacred Song Circle

Thursday, August 1
9:00am Peace Camp
9:30am Improvisational Dance
6:30pm Housing in Retirement

Friday, August 2
9:00am Peace Camp
11:00am Nia Class
12:00pm Cooking for Faith Mission
6:30pm First Friday (at Whetstone Park)
7:30pm Little Minyan Kabbalat Shabbat

Saturday, August 3
8:30am Zen Meditation
10:45am Hispanohablantes
3:30pm Drum Circle

Sunday, August 4
10:00am Worship Celebration
11:15am Getting to Know UU
6:30pm Young Adult Covenant Group