Friday News – March 6, 2026

•
This Sunday we will engage in a time honored clergy practice: a pulpit exchange! I’m so thrilled that Rev. Dr. Susan Ritchie will be with you to share her experiences in participating in the Minneapolis call to protest. Many of you remember her from her time as both an intern and an Assistant Minister here at First UU. Here is her bio:

The Rev. Dr. Susan Ritchie has been minister of the North Unitarian Universalist Congregation in Lewis Center OH since 1995. She is also Professor and Director of the UU House of Studies at the MTSO seminary in Delaware OH, and author of the book Children of the Same God: Unitarianism in Historical Relationship to Judaism and Islam. She was ordained by First UU Columbus in 1995. Favorite recreations include family time with Donna (spouse since 1991), anthropomorphizing the pets, hiking, and ridiculously ambitious do-it-yourself projects.

I’m sure you will gain much from hearing from her. I will be preaching at North. I look forward to watching the YouTube video, and I’ll see you next Sunday, the 15th!

Rev. Dr. Terasa Cooley

Lead Minister

Upcoming Events

This Sunday, March 1st

9:15
Nouurish

Service

Join us for this interactive and inherently multigenerational community worship experience!

Our featured story this week:

When You Find the Right Rock.

Written by Mary Lyn Ray

and illustrated by Felicita Sala

Presented by Alternative Worship Team & Members of this Community

11:00

“Every Person a Divine Spark: Witnessing in Minneapolis”

Rev. Susan Ritchie shares reflections based on her trip to Minneapolis as a response to a call for clergy to protest the harms of ICE. Through the lens of imago dei—the sacred spark in every person—we explore how Unitarian Universalists show up, bear witness, and act for justice.

Presented by Rev. Dr. Susan Ritchie, minister of the North UU Congregation in Lewis Center

TONIGHT! First Friday Dinner & Wizard Night!

Friday, March 6th, 6:30-9pm
We’ll have salad, pasta, sauce, meatballs, garlic bread, and dessert (including veg, gluten free, dairy free, and vegan options for different dietary opportunities). The millennial covenant group will be cooking this month. All ages are welcome!
After dinner, Wizard Night activities abound – wear your robes, bring your wands, and get ready to make the magic of community! Activities for all ages include:

  • Sorting into Houses by the Sorting Boot
  • Potion Mixing Class
  • Tarot Readings
  • Runes Class
  • Indoor Quidditch
  • Scavenger Hunt to find Magical Creatures Around the Building
  • Millennial Music Trivia with Millennial Era Prizes
  • And More!

To get involved, contact Patricia Boughton, Erin Reilly-Sanders, or Anne Chunko!

Making Waves First UU Auction

A huge thank you to everyone who has made this event a great success.

Many events and Items are still available online, and bid sheets will be available after services on March 8 and 15.

Get your statement, pay your bill, or bid either online or at the auction table on Sunday!

“Sometimes in the waves of change we find our true direction.” -Unknown

Democracy Action Hour – This Sunday!

& Every Sunday in March, 1-3pm in room 301

In response to rising political extremism, attacks on civil rights, voter suppression efforts, and the growing intimidation of marginalized communities, we are coming together in this critical election year as a multicultural, supportive, and loving community committed to democratic participation.

🗳 March 1 – Voter Outreach & Letter Writing to Voters

📣 March 8 – Making Whistle Kits & Know Your Rights Cards

📞 March 15 – Call Your Representatives (Scripts Provided)

🎨 March 22 – Sign-Making for No Kings Protests

We welcome donations of supplies (stamps, whistles, markers, cardboard, glitter, colorful paper) or financial contributions to help cover printing and materials for Know Your Rights cards and whistle kits.

Register Now for Pathways to Membership!

Sunday, March 8th, 8:30am-2pm

Interested in becoming a member of First UU? You are invited to participate in Pathways to Membership! This workshop is designed for newcomers, and will better acquaint you with our congregation and faith as you consider membership.

Senior Gathering!

10:30-Noon Thursday, March 12th, 2026

Attention Seniors! Jane E. Acri, LSW, from the Central Ohio Area Agency on Aging will join us to discuss Fall Prevention. Coffee, tea and refreshments will be available. Click RSVP link in your email invite, or email us by March 9th to join!

Planning ahead? Check our online calendar for additional events!

From First UU Leadership

Schedule Change: March Board Meeting

The March Board of Trustees meeting has been moved to Monday, March 23, from 7-9 PM. Interested congregants can RSVP to join in person or online.

Upcoming Governance Meetings

  • 3/18 Finance Committee (RSVP)
  • 3/23 Board of Trustees (RSVP)
  • 6/7 Congregational Annual Meeting
Want to nominate someone to be on the Board of Trustees or Nominating Committee (NomCom)? Fill out our Nomination Form or email NomCom!

Justice & Volunteering

Attention BREAD Network Members!

BREAD Organizing Meeting

Saturday, March 14, 11:00 am

Rooms 201 and 202
Help Columbus to preserve its mature tree canopy when private property is developed! Help address a livable wage for low-income groups by working with BREAD!

Please come to First UU’s BREAD Network Organizing Meeting in on Saturday, March 14. BREAD network members will select their assignments at this meeting, and we welcome all interested individuals who may consider becoming network members. Learn all about it at this meeting!

Feed and Read Reaches over 1,000 Families!

As of February 24th, we have provided food to 1391 families (since December 22nd, when concentrated I.C.E. activity started in Columbus)!

Food staples needed for the month of March:

  • bags of rice, pinto, and black beans
  • cooking oil
  • canned meats: tuna, sardines, or salmon
  • peanut butter

Special items needed include:

  • feminine pads
  • socks
  • deodorant

Gift cards for Aldi, Walmart, or VISA and monetary donations are always welcome and needed. Please see Jacques at the table in Beach Hall to make a direct donation! Thank you for your help providing this assistance to vulnerable families!

Pride March Coordinators Needed

Stonewall Pride Festival & March, June 19 & 20

First UU has a long tradition of participating in Pride! We march and set up a booth where we distribute water, give glitter blessings, and connect. Coordinating this important outreach has fallen on very few volunteers, who are ready to pass the baton. We need YOU (and 2-3 friends) to join a planning / coordination team!Please reach out to Becca with the subject “Pride Party Planner” in your email.

Dates with Justice

  • 3/28: 4pm No Kings protest
  • 4/25: 9am-5pm Unitarian Universalist Justice Ohio (UUJO) Spring Gathering here at First UU
  • 5/12: BREAD Nehemiah Action (Email to help)

Join the First UU Columbus Protesters chat on Signal App

or email our Justice Team for more information.

Classes & Groups

Dinner and Conversation

2nd Quarter Sign Ups

Sign up by March 21 at noon

to join a monthly potluck group

in April, May & June
Dinner & Conversation is a quarterly pot luck group that meets in participant’s homes. Commitment is only for one quarter at a time with one meeting per month as agreed upon by the entire group. The group size is between 6-8. The host organizes the dinner and picks a topic for conversation. To sign up, email Marcia Canter by March 21 at noon.

New! RE Class for Older Adults: Aging Well Intentionally

Mondays, 1:00-2:30 PM

March 30 through June 1

A 10-week course for older adults (ages 55) who want to age well and intentionally begins on Monday, March 30. Meetings will happen weekly on Monday afternoons from 1:00 to 2:30 in Slowter Lounge. The course will consider wellness issues such as fall prevention, healthy lifestyles in movement and nutrition, overcoming social isolation, dealing with losses and end-of-life challenges, and addressing life’s meaning for aging adults. Aging is not a one-size-fits-all experience. This course will be an opportunity to explore a variety of avenues to increase our health span, the length of time we can be vital, growing adults. Enrollment is limited to 15 persons. Each class is 90 minutes and will provide a brief presentation through videos or speakers, followed by a facilitated discussion among participants. The course will be facilitated by Guy Smalley, a retired public health educator, and Betsy Smalley, a retired social worker. If interested, email Becca to enroll.

Additional Groups & Classes

  • Keep On Keeping On chronic pain support: 3pm 3/16 Zoom (RSVP)
  • Sacred Song Circle: 6pm Wednesdays
  • Biblical Literacy for UUs: 6:30-8pm Zoom, 1st/3rd Mon. (Register)
  • Crafting in Creative Community: 7-9pm, 2nd/4th Mondays, rm 301

On the Journey
This section showcases information about anti-racist actions and programs. Read more about the 8th Principle and First UU’s anti-racism journey on our website.

Anti-Racist Allies Lunch at Dosa Kitchen

Saturday, March 15 at 12:45 pm
All are welcome to join for a south Indian buffet at Dosa Kitchen, serving both vegetarian and non-vegetarian items, chai, and desserts. Meet us at the restaurant at 1 pm or come to the auction table in Beach Hall at 12:45 pm for you are interested in car pooling. The address is 1307 Stoneridge Drive, Gahanna, OH 43230.

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.

To highlight an inspiring Black innovator, creator, or change-maker, email a brief description with 2-3 links. We publish one selection per week.

Upcoming Anti-Racist Allies Events

More details on ARA’s Feb/March Flyer!

Community News

Ohio Roller Derby Home Games!

2026 home games will be played Saturdays at the Ohio Expo Center; join us March 14, April 4, May 9, and May 23.

Arrive around 6:30 to get seats to see Amber (“Peach”) skate in the 7pm B game!

Family Activities

Happening This Sunday, March 1st!

9:15-10am Nouurish Multigenerational Worship Service (sanctuary)

10:00-10:45am Hot Breakfast and Coffee, Tea (kitchen, A/B, Beach Hall)

10:30am-12:30pm Infant and Toddler Care 3mos-3yrs (101)

10:30am-12:15pm 13-15year Our Whole Lives (302)

10:55am-12:15pm 10-11year Our Whole Lives (404)

10:45am-12:15pm Neighboring Faiths Classroom Session (301)

11:00am-12:15pm Roots and Wings 13+yrs: HS Spirituality and Big Q’s (401)

11:00am-12:00pm Worship Service (sanctuary)

11:15ish-12:15 Spirit Play 3-7yrs: Start in Service Until After Story (102)

11:15ish-12:15 Spirit Play 7-12yrs: Start in Service Until After Story (201)

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

12noon-12:30pm Snack, Coffee, and Tea (Gallery, Beach, A/B)

1:00-3:00pm Democracy Hour Voter Outreach & Letter Writing (301)

3:00-5:00pm Carpe Diem Concert! (sanctuary)

6:00-9:00pm Bridge Group (Beach Hall)

Register Here! 🙂 firstuucolumbus.org/learning/sunday-school/

Check Out Peace Camp This Summer!

At Peace Camp 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. Cost: $100 suggested. Invite your friends! bit.ly/peacecamp2026

  • Session A for 5-8 years, Monday-Friday 7/27-7/31 from 9am-12noon
  • Session B for 8-12 years, Monday-Friday 8/3-8/7 from 9am-12noon