Friday News – December 20, 2024

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December 20th, 2024

Please note: the church office will be closed December 23rd–January 1st.

We will resume regular business hours starting January 2nd.

There will be no Friday News on December 27th.

Announcement Requests submitted thru Wednesday, January 1st

will be published on January 3rd, 2025. Happy holidays!

Happy Friday!

Dear Friends,

As a celebration of the Winter Solstice, First UU’s CUUPS group will be leading a service that celebrates both the “presence” of winter and how we as a community can stay warm (physically and spiritually) as the cold gathers outside and the light slowly returns.

Much like Samhain, this service will contain a ritual to help us focus on our inner selves and our aspirations for the coming year.

We look forward to seeing you there!

Blessed be,

Kristen Hartmann

Member of First UU Church of Columbus’ Chapter of CUUPS

Upcoming Events

This Sunday, December 22

Due to the holidays, there will be only one service at 11am, in the style of our Nouurish Services. There will be no RE Classes or breakfast.

11am Service: “Welcoming Back the Light”

Join us to celebrate the Winter Solstice and the return of the light after the shortest day of the year! Featuring Winter Candle, written by Jeron Ashford and illustrated by Stacey Schuett.

Presented by First UU’s Chapter of the Covenant of Unitarian Universalist Pagans (CUUPS). December offerings benefit the Ministerial Discretionary Fund.

Christmas Eve Services! Tuesday, 12/24
5pm Family Service

Families with children of all ages, and those young at heart, are invited to join us for an interactive Christmas story! Come at 4:30 to enjoy some hot cocoa, and pick out a costume to participate in our no-rehearsal pageant!

Presented by Amber Scott, Director of Religious Exploration.
8pm Candlelight Service

“A Complicated Joy”

It’s hard to talk about joy at a time when fear and anxiety abound. How to find joy in the midst of these challenges?

Presented by Rev. Kelli McNeal and Rev Dr. Terasa Cooley.

Solstice Concert: Bill Cohen

“Our Hopes for a Brighter New Year”

December 21 at 7 pm
On the darkest day of the year when daylight will be at its lowest ebb, join Columbus musician Bill Cohen for an uplifting concert that looks ahead to the new year, its emerging sunlight, and its potential for joy and progress. Bill will sing popular songs from the 40s-70s and beyond that represent our hopes, dreams, and prayers for 2025. Fellow musicians Joanne Blum, Joe Lambert, and Ann Fisher will join.

Donations will be accepted during the concert, with proceeds being split between the musicians and Food Rescue of Columbus.

Candlelit Labyrinth

December 26–28:

December 29:

December 31:

January 1:
2:00–6:00pm

11:00–1:00pm, 4:30–6pm

2:00–6:00pm

12:00–2:00pm
First UU will be hosting a labyrinth experience between Christmas and New Year’s in the Worship Center. We invite you to mindfully walk this over 800 year old pattern from beginning to end, in candlelight and contemplation.

We also invite you to Sign up for a 2–hour shift facilitating this experience for your community! Come host the labyrinth, provide music, to enhance the experience, or both!. See Kristen Hartmann for more details.

Magpie Consort in Concert

Saturday, January 11, 2025 at 7pm

The Magpie Consort (Artistic Director Sheena Phillips), known for their delightful and wide-ranging repertoire, will perform “Music for the Turn of the Year” here at First UU on January 11.

The Roman god Janus looked both backwards and forwards, and this concert will include echoes of Christmas as well as traditional new year songs. The program also has a special focus on the crisis in the Middle East. You’ll hear the piano suite Sleeping Angels by Egyptian composer Ramz Sabry Samy, and poetry about Gaza. In Magpie tradition, there will also be songs for everyone to join in. The Magpies will be joined by Phil Brown Dupont (piano), and Sarah Compton and Jessa Ehle (violin).
Suggested donation at the door: $0–$20 for the Magpies and as much as you can for the international charity Doctors Without Borders. If you can’t come to the concert, you can still contribute directly to the Magpies’ collection for Doctors Without Borders.

Around the Corner

  • Fri 1/3 First Friday Spaghetti Dinner (Hosted by Coming of Age)
  • Wed 1/8 Vespers at Westerwood (3pm)
  • Sat 1/11 First UU Concert Series: Magpie Consort
  • Sun 1/12 Pathways to Membership Class (Register to Attend)
  • Sun 1/12 Church Finances 101 (Email to attend)
  • Wed 1/15 Finance Committee (RSVP)
  • Sat 1/18 All Soles Contra & Square Dance (more)
  • Sun 1/19 Anti-Racist Allies Monthly Lunch at Hoyo’s Kitchen
  • Mon 1/20 First UU Offices Closed: Martin Luther King Jr. Day
  • Wed 1/22 Board of Trustees Meeting (RSVP)
  • Sun 1/26 History Workshop
  • Tue 1/28 Expressive Worship
  • Tue 1/28 Atheists Skeptics Humanists (ASH)

Community-wide events in the coming weeks – All are welcome!

There is no Board Meeting in December. RSVP to attend January’s Meeting or email our Board of Trustees with any concerns.

From First UU Leadership

Come Sing in Our First UU Choirs!

First UU’s Choirs will resume in early January 2025, and now is a great time to join (or re-join!). Peace Pals will resume after the service on Sunday January 5 at 12:30 pm; Spirit of Life Choir will have its first rehearsal on Tuesday January 7 at 6:30 pm; and Chalice Choir will start back up on Thursday January 9 at 7:30 pm. Please contact Director of Music Brandon Moss to inquire.

NomCom’s “InSight” of the Week
Each Year, the Nominating Committee (NomCom) selects church leadership candidates for members to elect at our Annual meeting. Please send your recommendations for Board, Moderator, or NomCom members. Self-Nominations encouraged!

Questions? Email NomComor talk to our members: Billy Davidson, Eddy Fried, Jack Holdford, Joan Matyskella, Karla Rinto, Judy Vazquez and Glenn Waring.
“A leader’s role is to raise people’s aspirations for what they can become and to release their energies so they will try to get there.”

– David Gergen

from “A Conscience with a Bite,”

U.S. News & World Report

Justice & Volunteering

Ohio Feed and Read – Food & Holiday Gift Collection

We are again taking up collections for the Feed and Read program — Pantry staples, proteins, and Holiday gifts.

Please return food and gift donations by This Sunday, December 22.

Rummage Sale Drop-Off

Next Drop-off Date: January 11

Rummage Sale June 7

The Spring rummage sale is fast-approaching! Save the date of June 7 to come to this fabuulous First UU Fundraiser. We will not have a drop-off date in December, but bring your donations to 4735 Evanswood Drive on January 11.

Want to volunteer? On January 25 the rummage sale team will have a “Pricing and Organizing” party in the storage unit. Need to schedule a drop-off at a different time? Email Myra!

Classes & Groups

Learn more about groups in our current

Engagement Catalog and reach out to group leaders to join!

Dinner & Conversation

Signups open!

Sign up by December 22 at Noon

for the First Quarter of 2025
Sign up to enjoy Dinner & Conversation with fellow First UUers! Quarterly potluck groups of 6–8 members meet in participants’ homes once per month to have a good time and get to know each other. Attendees commit for one quarter at a time and negotiate the meeting dates and times among themselves. The host organizes the dinner and picks a topic for conversation!

Sign-ups for the first quarter of 2025 (January, February, and March) are open until December 22 at noon – Email Marcia Canter to participate!

Community News & Events

Be the Spark –

First UU Service Auction

Live Auction: March 1, 2025 at 6–9pm
It takes just a spark to light a fire. During the darkest days of winter, let us spark joy, creativity, generosity, and community. We need help:

  • Don’t dream of sugar plums– Dream up experiences, skills, and interests to share with our UU community during the auction! You can donate your services beginning January 5 – watch for links!
  • Please consider setting aside shiny dĂ©cor, battery candles, and white lights to help us decorate our sparkling (but “green”) celebration.

We are looking forward to all of the fun, friendship, and fundraising – the First UU Service Auction is back with a new sparkle!

Sacred Song Circle

Sacred Song Circle will not be singing on Christmas or New Year’s Day. We’ll resume singing on January 8th at 6pm. Please have a happy holidays and join us in the new year.

Build the Bridge Update
Great News! The Build the Bridge campaign has reached and exceeded its $500,000 goal. A huge “Thank You” to everyone who has responded to our church’s need. Through your gifts and increased pledges, we now have resources to overcome the threatening budgetary gap. Your response is witness to your dedication to the work of our church family.
If you haven’t made a promise or contribution, there is still important work to be done! We are asking that future contributions to this campaign be in the form of ongoing increases to your pledge. Pledges are the largest and most reliable source of funding for the ongoing ministries of our congregation. Visit the Build the Bridge table after church or access information sheets and pledge formonline. Your pledge will ensure that we haven’t built a bridge to no-where, but instead have constructed a continuing road to a bright future.

To everyone who has made a promise or contribution to our Build the Bridge campaign, again THANK YOU! And, to everyone else, please consider how you might join this powerful movement towards our shared vision, mission, and future together.

Thank you for your support as we restore a secure financial foundation for the good work of our church.

Sincerely, the Build The Bridge Team

Going Wild

now until January 5, 2025

Enjoy this exhibit in its’ final weeks. While you view these pieces from the Art Quilt Alliance, you may be inspired to ponder these questions: How do we help keep out natural world alive and well? How do we help keep our air and water clean? How do we help make safe spaces for all living animals, bugs, birds, plants, seaweeds and more?

Family Activities

This Sunday, December 22nd

No Early Service or Breakfast Today

10:30am-12:30pm Infant and Toddler Care (room 101)

No Sunday School Classes Today: Crafts & Games Available! (A/B)

11am-12noon Solstice Service, Nouurish Style! (sanctuary)

12noon-1pm Coffee & Conversation (Beach Hall, A/B)

12:15-1pm Caregivers of Young Children (101)

1-2:30pm Navigators Scouting meeting (201, playground)

Help wanted! Volunteer Youth Group advisors & scout troop leaders! Paid dishwashers, sound techs, & sitters! Register here for classes/activities!