Friday News – Oct 16, 2026

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Happy Friday First UU!

I recently read a blogpost from Rabbi Danya Ruttenberg reflecting on wisdom gained from participating in an organizer’s collective. She boils down the lessons learned to:

  • We don’t need a handful of perfect leaders – we need many more people willing to take responsibility for the work.
  • Strong movements are built through relationships, trust, and consistent practice, not moments of individual heroism.
  • Sustainable organizing requires community care, curiosity, humility, and a willingness to keep learning and growing.
  • None of us can do everything, but each of us has a role to play.
  • Solidarity is the only way home.

It strikes me that these are excellent words of advice about how to be in religious community, and very in tune with Unitarian Universalist values. As we go into a process of thinking about what the future will demand of us, I think holding these as key underpinnings will serve us well.

I hope to see you on Saturday morning for our strategic planning workshop! It promises to be a fruitful time together!

Please register here if you plan to come: Strategic Planning Registration.

Rev. Dr. Terasa G. Cooley

Lead Minister

Upcoming Events

9:15 am

Nouurish Service

Featuring: “Vasilisa the Beautiful”

Russian Folk Tale

Presented by the

Alternative Worship Team

Hot Breakfast for donation at 10am!

(Enjoy coffee or tea after both services)

11:00 am “At the Beginning of the World”
Whether they come as a surprise or not, endings are always challenging. They bring with them feelings of sorrow, anger, and fear. But the wisdom of the ages reminds us that with an ending comes a new beginning. The world, as we once knew it, has perished, and a new one is forming. Who will we be in this new world? What stuff will we create with? And how will we minister in the new world?

It’s not too late to join!

Strategic Planning: “What Might the Future Entail?”

Register Saturday, October 17, 9AM-Noon
You are invited to participate in a weekend of faithful visioning led by by Cassandra Montenegro and Rev. Byron Tyler Coles, staff members of the Unitarian Universalist Association’s Central East Region. In continuation of our ongoing developmental ministry, the weekend will support us in discerning the congregation’s ministry and goals to meet the needs of the future world, identifying the needed skills for shared ministry partnership, and empowering all members of the community to take on their respective roles in shared ministry.

All Soles Dance

Saturday, October 17

Beginners’ Session 1:30 to 2:00 PM

Dancing 2:00 to 4:30 PM

$10 adults, $5 ages 12-26

You are invited to join us for dinner at Olive and Lime (in the church’s back parking lot) after the dance.
Join us for dancing! Tiffany Okerman and Donna Hetrick from the Pittsburgh Callers Collective will be calling the dances, with music by ContraDiction. Featuring dance music from the Portland Collection of dance tunes, including tunes from New England, Ireland and Scotland, Cape Breton, and Appalachia. ContraDiction is composed of Karen Mortland and Sandy Jones (on fiddle), Bethany Schellin (on piano), Jody Dorrell (on octave fiddle and bass), and Frank Phillips (on guitar).

We hope you’ll come dance with us! New to dancing? The beginners’ session will get you started. Learn some basic figures that will be repeated in the afternoon’s dances. All dances will be taught and no partner is needed. Please bring your own refillable water bottle.

Upcoming dance dates: November 21, December 19th, January 16th. (More info)

Final BREAD Listening Session

Sunday, October 18

12:30- 2:30 pm

Register Here to join the listening sessions or Sign up at the Jam Table!
Get to know each other on a deeper level while providing B.R.E.A.D. with First UU’s input on injustice in your own life or that you see around you. We especially need stories about the negative effects of Columbus’s alarmingly low tree canopy, e.g., respiratory illnesses, flooding, heat stroke, etc. and about teenagers who have little interest in their education. Please come whether or not you have an injustice to share. Light refreshments provided.

First UU Concert Series Event:

Virgil Barthe, Guitar Concert

Sunday, October 18 at 3:00 pm
Join us for guitarist Virgil Barthe, winner of the Guitar Foundation of America’s 2025 International Concert Artist Competition, sponsored by the Columbus Guitar Society. Purchase Tickets purchased online or at the door. Tickets are $11-$22, with discounts for seniors and students, so don’t miss out!

Costume Parade!

Sunday, October 25

Let’s have a parade! Young and old(er!) wear your Halloween costume to show off at church! All are welcome!

Last week to view “Freedom!”

Through October 25

Check out these varied views on Freedom by First UU Artists. Take time to see and read our friends’ statements on Freedom!

 

Thank you to the 32 artists who contributed to this eye-opening exhibit.

School for Young Children (SYC)

Scholarship Auction

November 14, 6:30 pm Live Auction

School for Young Children is an outreach program of First UU. For more than 55 years, SYC has devoted the largest amount of class time to free play in alignment with the SYC Philosophy: to be responsive to each child’s needs, to encourage expression of feelings, and to foster self-discovery and self-worth.
SYC takes pride in our ability to help families overcome financial barriers to attendance at our school. Enjoy good food and drinks, while bidding on silent auction items, with connections old and new. As a community planned, funded, and executed event, 100% of the proceeds go directly to the SYC Scholarship Fund!

From First UU Leadership

Help shape our congregation’s future!

Join the Ministerial Search Committee!

Apply to join by October 18!

New Deadline! October 25!

The Board of Trustees is forming a Ministerial Search Committee to identify our new minister. If you’re passionate about our community & wish to serve, or wish to provide feedback about what our congregation needs in a new minister, please visit our Ministerial Search page to learn about the process and volunteer!
Thanks to a generous donor all New Pledges or Increased Pledgesreceived during the month of October are matched, up to $10,000! Please consider pledging or increasing your commitment to take advantage of this generosity.

First UU is the recipient of a

2026 GreenSpot Award

The City of Columbus recently recognized First UU’s environmental accomplishments with a GreenSpot Award! We show our care for the Earth with solar energy, rain gardens, wildlife habitat, eco-justice, education, partnerships and more.

Stay tuned for upcoming events, including a movie night, our special Environmental service and coffee hour Green Community mixer on November 15 where we Celebrate America Recycles Day!

Justice and Volunteering

Dates with Justice

  • 10/17, 4:30pm: No Kings Day of Action at the Ohio Statehouse
  • 10/24, 1pm: Unshackle Springfield Rally supporing the Haitian community
  • Now! Monday through Friday 8am-5pm Early Voting at your county Board of Elections

Join the First UU Columbus Protesters chat on Signal App

or email our Justice Team for more information.

Youth Reps Needed to Join

the Board of Trustees!

Does your high schooler age 14+ have volunteer service requirements for school, or need governance experience for their academic resume? Teens are invited to serve as representatives to our congregation’s Board of Trustees and attend monthly meetings in pairs, with adult staff support. Get involved all year long, or do a flight of several months if that better fits your schedule. Email Amber to join us!

Seeking Cool Adults to Work w/ Children & Teens!

Our family programs need some extra support! In particular, we are in need of helpers (classroom assistants and subs 1-2 Sundays a month) and teen and tween friendly teachers and advisors (folks comfortable working with middle or high schoolers). Volunteers who can act as a special needs aides are also very helpful! Email Amber to get involved! Background check required.

update

Democracy Action Hour

Sunday, October 18, 12:30 PM

Each week after the service we take action in community to protect our democracy. This week we’ll be writing postcards to voters to encourage them to make a plan to vote. Learn more about other ways you can get involved with First UU Democracy Team and the national UU the Vote campaign. .

Eco-tip “Leave the Leaves!”
Seeing leaves pile up in your yard? Consider leaving some where they fall! Fallen leaves provide important habitat for overwintering pollinators, insects and microorganisms while insulating your soil from cold temperatures.
As leaves break down, they return nutrients to the soil, creating a natural fertilizer and reducing the need for mulch and fertilizer in the spring. It’s an easy way to support wildlife and create a healthier landscape right at home.

Leave the Leaves

Upcoming Classes / Small Groups

Rising Young Adults (RYA)

2nd & 4th Sundays 12:30 – 2:30 pm

Next Meeting October 25

Are you a Young Adult aged 18-24? RYA are a welcoming group of people that can help you through this transitional period of your life while we’re all just trying to figure out how to be adults in this world. Meetings this year will include self care, fundraising plans, and presentations from community members on “How to Adult.”

PS: If you’re NOT Age 18-24, but have specialized knowledge in How to do Taxes, How to change a tire, or Job Hunting tips, please Email us and consider doing a presentation to our group!

Facilitators Needed! Take the Free Training

First UU is making moves to become a more anti-racist community, and we need you to become a trained curriculum facilitator for these programs for all ages! Email Amber to be added to our study cohort for future facilitators (to teach adults, teens, or children). Access the training for free with code mosaic!

Community News

Clintonville Spotlight Covers

Feed & Read Ohio Backpack Event

The October Clintonville Spotlight featured First UU’s August backpack-filling event with Feed & Read Ohio, see page 9. Thank you to everyone who helped prepare backpacks and school supplies for local children and families. Read the Clintonville Spotlight story.

Kind Meetings Conference

Saturday, October 24th 10:00am – 5:00pm

Kindness Conference Looking for More Kind Community? This gathering is for people seeking more community, wanting to make a meaningful difference in our own lives and in the lives of each other, or just hoping to help create something better together.

Let’s Make It! Rather than a traditional conference with speakers and PowerPoint presentations, the Kindness Conference is designed for actually building kind community through guided discussions, shared activities, creative projects, and experiences that help people connect together.

We’ll practice kind skills, make community art, share food, and develop community-based ways to meet needs where existing systems fall short. We hope you can join us and help us spread the word by sharing the conference flyer with anyone who might be interested in building more kind community!

Kehilat Sukkat Shalom Offerings

Jewish Writers’ Circle

Wednesday,
October 21 7-8:30pm

Back by popular demand, we’re relaunching the Jewish Writers’ Circle with support from the folks at Ritualwell. Participants will explore Jewish wisdom texts, meet new people and deepen relationships, while growing in their writing practice.

Contact Joanie to RSVP

Judaica 101:

Challah Baking + Batik

Sunday, October 25th 3-5pm

If you’ve been to a Shabbat dinner or B Mitzvah (or just out for brunch!) chances are you’ve tasted challah. This brioche style, braided bread is a staple of the traditional Jewish diet. Come learn more about why and when we eat it, how to make it, and design your own cover to use to enhance your own Shabbat practice. (RSVP)

Family Activities

update

13-15year OWL Begins! This Sunday, 10/11
Register Now: https://firstuucolumbus.org/learning/sunday-school/

9:15am Nouurish Service (sanctuary)

10:00-10:45am Breakfast! 1st come, 1st serve (A/B) Email Robin to help cook!

10:30am-12:30pm Infant/Toddler Care 3mos-3yrs (101) Now Hiring More Sitters!

10:30-12:00pm 13-15yr OWL – First Class! Mandatory Caregiver / Parent Orientation will be after class next week, Sunday, October 18th, at 12:30pm (302)

10:45am-12:15pm 5-7year OWL – closed cohort (402)

10:45am-12:15pm Coming of Age 14yrs-HS senior *cohort closing (301)

11am-12:15pm Justice Seekers 11-14yrs (401)

High Schoolers are invited to attend service, play board / card games in Beach Hall or A/B, work tech team / sitters (age 14+), or volunteer in RE.

11am-12noon Worship Service (sanctuary)

11:15ish-12:15 Spirit Play 3-6yrs: Start in Service Until After Story (102)

11:15ish-12:15 Spirit Play 7-10yrs: Start in Service Until After Story (201)

12:30 Snack! Coffee and Tea (A/B, Beach) Email Robin to help brew and serve!

12:30-2:30 Youth Group! meeting 12yrs-HS senior (401)

12:30-1:00pm Peace Pals Children’s Choir rehearsal 5-12yrs (sanctuary)

1:00-2:30 Navigators Scouting fun and games meeting 5-12yrs (201)