Friday News – July 31, 2026

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Many people are struggling these days, but especially our immigrant neighbors and their children, who live under threat of deportation, poverty, and hunger. Each month First UU works to make a difference by donating food and necessities that Jacques Angelino distributes to hundreds of local families via Feed and Read Ohio. Join us this Sunday to learn more, and help complete a whole-church justice project filling more than 200 backpacks with school supplies for local children in need. We can’t wait to see the smiles on these children’s faces as a result!

Rev. Dr. Terasa Cooley

Lead Minister

Upcoming Events

Sunday Services

This Sunday, August 2nd

10am “Backpack Blessing”
First UU celebrates the 23nd Feed and Read backpack drive! Join us to consider how direct service ties into our values, and take action by helping to fill our goal of 200 backpacks for local children in need!

Presented by

Amber Scott

Director of Religious Exploration

with Jacques Angelino,

Feed and Read Ohio

All Ages Service: there are no children’s classes this week – so that families can participate in our shared justice project!

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

Feed & Read Ohio 23rd Backpack Drive is happening now!

It’s not too late!

Drop off donations by August 1

After the service this Sunday, August 2nd, everyone is invited to help fill backpacks in Beach Hall! Hear Jacques describe this annual event on our website.

We need your help to fill over 200 backpacks! Items needed for each one:
  • 1 backpack
  • 10 #2 pencils
  • 1 large pink eraser
  • 1 glue stick
  • 1 package Crayola colored
  • 1 Pencil Sharpener
  • 1 wide ruled 70 page spiral notebook
  • 1 ruler with inches and centimeters
  • 1 16 or 24 count Crayola crayons
  • 1 pencil case

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

Also accepting Walmart, Aldi, Visa gift cards. Questions? Call Jacques

Last Call: Peace Camp Materials!

  • Tin cans, yogurt cups, small plastic containers and lids (clean and dry)
  • Yarn, string, and ribbon
  • Fake flowers, wine corks, empty spools
  • Crafting materials
  • Boxes of all sizes and packaging shapes
  • Any materials to build villages and art creations (no styrofoam, please)

Leave materials in the copy room by Sun. 8/2.

*NEW*! Community Music Night

Join us on the first Wednesday of each month starting August 5 for an evening of music, connection, and joy. Bring an instrument, your voice, your dancing feet, or simply come to listen. This is not an open mic, nor is it a concert. It’s a shared musical experience where everyone belongs. Participants are welcome to lead a favorite song, teach something new, join in on familiar tunes, improvise, sing, dance, or simply enjoy the music by listening. Piano will be available, along with a few percussion instruments; please bring any other instruments you’d like to play. All instruments, musical styles, and skill levels are welcome. No experience is necessary. Come and go as you wish.

7:00PM –10:00 PM • Worship Center

Contact Leo Taylor

New! Neurogivergent Adults Support Group

Thursday, August 6, 6-7:30 pm

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.

1st and 3rd Thursdays • 6:00–7:30 PM • Room 301

Email Dr. Leo Taylor with questions

Fun in the Summer First Friday!

August 7 at 6:30 pm in the Breezeway

Relax and Enjoy the Outdoors!

Bring your own meal and beverages

Build Community Right Here at First UU!

Discover Yoga: Strength, Stillness, and Joy

Saturday Mornings at 10:00 AM

beginning Saturday, August 8

Explore time-tested yogic techniques that build core strength, flexibility, and balance while cultivating focus and breath control — all in a warm, non-judgmental space. This class blends physical postures (Asana), breathwork (Pranayama), laughter yoga, guided relaxation, and mindfulness to help you reconnect with your body and calm the mind.
No prior yoga experience is needed — just an open mind and a willingness to move, breathe, play, and laugh your way toward inner calm. Classes are led by certified and experienced yoga instructors Prasant Joshii and Melissa Sullivan, with gentle instrumental music setting the tone for relaxation.

What to bring: a yoga mat, your favorite props, and comfortable clothing you can move freely in. These classes are donation-based, there is no set fee and no one will be turned away for non-payment. Any donations will be shared between the instructors and First UU.

Here Comes the Suun Solar Ceremony & Reception

Sunday August 9 at 11 am

Join us for “Here Comes the Suun” a short ceremony to celebrate our solar power system coming online. There will be cake and coffee, plus details about the system and how it’s working to offset over half of our electric usage. Referrals for putting solar power on your home roof are available. A hearty thanks to Billy Davidson and Alex Baillieul for taking excellent aerial photographs of First UU!

Labor Day Weekend Retreat

Saturday, Sept. 5 – Monday, Sept. 7

Camp Oty’Okwa in beautiful Hocking Hills

New this year! Day Pass: $15 per meal

Register by 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 contact Patricia 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

Parking Lot Resurfacing

Week of August 10-14

The parking lots here at First UU will be resurfaced. 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

Each week after the service we do something together in community to respond to the attacks on our democracy. This Sunday we’re making whistle kits, focusing on versions in Haitian-Creole. If you are able to come this Sunday, please bring small ziplock bags, as we finally ran out! To date we have made about 1400 whistle kits.

On the Journey

Read about the 8th Principle and First UU’s anti-racism efforts on our websiteand email Becca to learn more about submitting articles for this section.

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

originally published March 6. Please consider submitting a mini-bio about an inspiring black author, artist, change-maker, or innovator.

Toni Morrison

Author & Nobel Prize Winner

This week, we want to celebrate Ohio novelist, editor, and Pulitzer and Nobel prize winner Toni Morrison. Ohio Humanities is hosting a statewide celebration of Morrison from February 2026 – February 2027.

“Toni Morrison was a Nobel Prize– and Pulitzer Prize–winning novelist, editor, and professor. Her novels are known for their epic themes, exquisite language, and richly detailed Black characters. The most famous and well-regarded are Beloved, The Bluest Eye, Sula, and Song of Solomon. In 1993, Morrison became the first Black woman to receive the Nobel Prize in Literature. Despite her worldwide acclaim, the Ohio native was rarely writing full-time. She balanced working on her books with editing for Random House as well as teaching at Princeton and Howard Universities. Through her own novels and the books she edited, she was instrumental in developing the canon of Black American literature. Morrison died in 2019 at age 88.” (from biography.com)

Read more about this prolific author at biography.com, watch this New York Times Tribute video or Clint Smith’s Crash Course Black American History video to learn more.

Submitted by Susan O’Donnell

Happening in Columbus

The August/September ARA Calendar

Community News

Calling All UU Artists

This is a reminder/invitation/nudge-

Our annual Members and Friends show “Freedom!” is approaching.

Drop off is Sunday, August 16 after church or Tuesday, August 18 before noon. (We hang at 1:00PM)

Register or email Deb Baillieul for more info.

Banned Books: What Are They Afraid OfQuilt by Deb Baillieul

Family Activities

Happening This Sunday, August 2nd!
9:15am Coffee/Tea (A/B, Beach Hall) *Volunteers Needed! – Email Robin!

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

No Classes Today Due to Whole-Church Justice Project / All Ages Service

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

10:00-11:00am All Ages Backpack Blessing Service, Feed & Read (sanctuary)

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

11:00-11:30am Stuffing Backpacks with School Supplies! (Beach Hall)

Coming Soon: Fall Class Registration and Volunteer Teacher Recruitment!

Peace Camp B Starts Monday!

Just a few spots left! 7-12 yrs! M-F 8/3-8/7, 9-noon ($100) bit.ly/peacecamp2026