Friday News – Oct 17, 2025

Dear friends,

Rev. Terasa and I are so looking forward to seeing all of you tomorrow – at the RE Jump-Start, “Multi-Gen Dreams for the Future!” RSVP to let us know you’re coming, or just show up! Here’s Saturday’s schedule, in broad strokes:

  • 9:30am Gathering: Continental Breakfast and Coffee
  • 10am Morning Program (Grounding, History, Mapping, and Future Visioning)
  • 12noon Lunch Break (catered spread: Lavash, Chipotle, and Bibibop)
  • 12-1pm No Kings Clintonville, at N Broadway and High St
  • 1pm Afternoon Program (Strengths, Growing Edges, and Capacity Building)
  • 3pm Closing and Farewells
  • 4-5:30pm No Kings Convergence at Ohio Statehouse, Downtown

Please plan to bring whatever you might need to be most successful, including a reusable water bottle, note taking materials if desired, layers in case of variable indoor weather, hearing aids if you use them, fidgets or your knitting, protest signs and your yellow “side with love” shirt for No Kings, and any beverages or snacks you simply can’t live without.

Our regional UUA staff facilitators, Cassandra Montenegro and Beth Casebolt, are looking forward to meeting everyone from our congregation! Cassie will also be available on Sunday to meet congregants and talk more – after the 11am service, in Beach Hall. I can’t wait to see you tomorrow! 🙂

Amber Scott

Director of Religious Exploration

Upcoming Events

This Sunday, October 19

9:15 Nouurish Service

Featuring

Don’t Touch My Hair

by Sharee Miller

Presented by members of the Alternative Worship Team with members of our First UU Community.

11:00 “This I Believe”

UUism is not a creedal religion, but we still often get asked “what do UUs believe about…?” How can we talk about belief in a way that honors the variety of viewpoints among us?

Presented by Rev. Terasa Cooley

with Cassandra Montenegro

NO KINGS National Day of Mobilization

Sign-Making Party TONIGHT at 6pm at First UU

TOMORROW Saturday October 18, 2025 at 4-5:30pm

Join other first UU’ers at the The No Kings protest tomorrow. There will be a protest at noon in Clintonville and the main protest is at the statehouse at 4pm. Let’s take this opportunity to exercise our right to free speech. Now is the time to stand up!

Need new signs? Come to First UU tonight at 6pm to join in fellowship and sign-making. Some supplies will be available to share.

Need Transportation? Meet at first UU at 3:00 carpool, (last carpooler leaves at 3:30), or park here and hop on the #2 COTA bus to get to the statehouse.

Connect with other First UU’ers via the First UU Columbus Protesters Group(Signal App required)!

BREAD Listening Session

Final Session Sunday October 19 at 12:45pm

“Be the change you wish to see in the world” (Gandhi). We can and do demonstrate for national change. But change begins at home…right here in central Ohio! And with BREAD, the interfaith community organization that First UU worked with ten other local congregations to establish in 1996, we actually DO get change made! BREAD uses the power of organized people to hold public officials accountable for addressing serious community problems.

Problems…what problems? These listening sessions in all 40 BREAD congregations begin the process of democratically selecting the next problem for BREAD to address. It all begins with you! Get to know each other better and give us your input at this final BREAD Listening Session on Sunday in Room 301 (snacks provided!)  Sign up to attend, email bread@firstuucolumbus.org, or just show up – We Need Your Input!

Anti-Racist Allies Monthly Lunch

Sunday, October 19

We will be meeting at the kiosk in the gallery at 12:30 pm to travel to Gahanna to try Casa Hacienda Mexican Grill, at 1356 N. Hamilton Road, Gahanna, OH 43230. This restaurant has an extensive menu and has been serving delicious, authentic Mexican food since 2011.

Concert Series Event:

Guitarist Leonela Alejandro

Sunday, October 26 at 3:00 pm

Come see Leonela Alejandro, winner of the 2024 Guitar Foundation of America’s International Artist Competition, in concert at First UU. This event is brought to us by the Columbus Guitar Society. Read more about the artist and purchase tickets at simpletix.com.

Tickets are $20 general admission, $15 seniors, and $10 students.

Silent Supper

October 29 at 6:30 pm Gathering

7:00 pm Silent Meal

8:00 pm Fire Circle

Join CUUPS for a ritual supper to honor our ancestors and beloved departed. Attendees should bring letters to their dead as well a a dish to share that was an ancestral favorite.We’ll gather at 6:30pm to explain the ritual and get settled then begin the silent meal at 7pm.

Those who do not want to join the supper can meet us on the terrace at 8pm for an informal fire circle.

Please RSVP in Realm, contact Christinewith questions.

A Big Wave is Coming!

February 2026

Let’s make waves, be the waves, and ride the waves!

February will bring online, silent, and live auctions.

Be prepared to be creative, generous, and joyful.

“You can’t stop the waves of life, but you can learn to surf.” –Jon Kabat-Zinn, author

Around The Corner

Churchwide Events & Activities:

Governance Meetings (Open to all):

  • 10/22 Board of Trustees (RSVP)
  • 11/19 Finance Committee (RSVP)

Small Groups:

  • 10/19 BREAD Listening Session (Register)
  • 10/19 Trans & Gender Non-Conforming Support Group
  • 10/21 (Tuesdays) “On Religion” Book Group (RSVP)
  • 10/26 Rising Young Adults!
  • 10/28 Atheists, Skeptics, and Humanists
  • 10/29 Silent Supper
  • 11/1 Youth Group Late Night
  • 11/2 Trans Allies and Families Support group
  • 11/2 Gender Affinity Group (teen)
  • 11/12 Second Wednesday Book Club (now online!)
  • Sacred Song Circle (Wednesdays, 6pm)
  • Choir Rehearsals (Spirit of Life Tuesdays, Chalice Choir Thursdays)

Classes:

  • 11/5 Intro to Somatic Movement (Register / Request Childcare)
  • 11/9 Pathways to Membership
  • Tai Chi for Balance (Tuesdays, 10am)

Other Stuff!

  • Co-Working Space (Fridays, 10am)
  • 11/7 See Amber in Ohio Roller Derby Home Games (offsite)

Planning ahead? Check our online calendar for additional events!

From First UU Leadership

Great Success! Fall Fun Night & Dance Recap

Huge thanks to everyone who came out to build community, roast a hot dog, and cut a rug at the dance! The couple hundred dollars we raised will help fund summer justice immersion trips for the teens in our Youth Group. You can donate to the Youth Trip Fund anytime by clicking the “Youth Fundraising” button on our website!

Justice & Volunteering

Connect with our Justice team and other First UU’ers on the Signal App

by joining the First UU Columbus Protesters (app required).

Spread the Word!

Fund for Immigration Legal Assistance (FILA)

Faithify Campaign

On Sunday, October 19th, First UU’s Fund for Immigration Legal Assistance (FILA) is kicking off a crowdfunding campaign through the UUA’s Faithify site. We need your help! Please share this campaign with everyone you know! This exciting campaign will increase FILA’s capacity to help immigrants in the Central Ohio area. Let’s build the excitement!

Learn more at: Faithify.org/FILA-Fund-for-Immigration-Legal-Assistance

2025 Living Faith Awards

Sunday, October 19 at 2pm

Tickets Still Available

First UU Member Su Farnlacher will receive a Living Faith award, and Rev. Amanda Hays will receive an Alvin R. Hadley Social Justice Award at the 2025 Living Faith awards! Tickets are still availalble if you would like to attend the celebration.

Feed and Read Ohio

October marks the one year anniversary since First UU started offering the Green bags for members to use for monthly collections for Feed and Read Ohio. Thank you to all of you who have given so generously!

To learn more about the program, talk to Jacques Angelino in Beach Hall any Sunday – And grab your green bag for this month’s collection!

Classes & Groups

A Senior Gathering Thank you!

Our sincere thanks go to the many volunteers who provided their time and energy to make the October 16 Senior Gathering a success: Donna Adassa, Marilyn Beerman, Eve Catus, Sandy Coen, Yesh Cosme, Joe Del Medico, Su Farnlacher, Barb Fiorini, Bill Fiorini, Fluff Fiscus, Pat Hoffman, Katie Holdford, Florence Jain, Karen Keenan, John McCrystal, Suzan McCrystal, Frank Phillips, Dennis Rankin, Debbie Shaw, Andrea Smith, Chris Sullivan, Karen Torvik, Doug Vazquez, Judy Vazquez and everyone else who spontaneously helped.

Our deepest appreciation is extended to Dick Dawson and Rev. Terasa Cooley for providing our program.  Rev. Teresa facilitated a small group covenant experience for each table which allowed time for discussion and sharing. A video tribute from WBNS-TV was shared to highlight the life of the recently departed First UU member Chuck White. Birthdays were celebrated and songs were sung with the accompaniment of Karen Thimmes. Thank you, Karen, for providing your piano skills to this Gathering for 17 years!

We look forward to welcoming our seniors again on Thursday, December 4, 2025. The program will begin at 11am that day, followed by a lunch that will be served.

Join Millennial Covenant Group!

Calling all millennials! Our small ministry group will be starting back up again for the year, and we are ready to add some new folks to the mix at our events this November! We usually meet first and third Sundays of the month, 6-8ish, and we alternate between formal discussion meetings and informal social events. We would love to see you on 11/2 or 11/16! Contact Gabe McDonald or Ben Sostromfor more information.

Expressive Worship

October 23, 6:30 pm

Expressive Worship is the Fourth Thursday of each month! The theme for October is “Cultivating Compassion”

This service grew out of a challenge at GA—to imagine worship in a whole new way. The result was this relaxed, art-centered gathering where participants engage with a theme through personal creative exploration. Each service follows a structured flow—opening words, a song, a reading, time to create art while themed music plays, a closing and an optional sharing time at the end.

Photos from September’s Theme: Building Belonging

A-S-H (Atheists, Skeptics, and Humanists)

Upcoming Meeting Programs

Tuesday, October 28

Tuesday, November 25

October’s program will feature a YouTube presentation by Dr. Robert Hazen, Geologist, Astrobiologist, and Senior Staff Scientist at the Carnegie Institution’s Earth and Planets Laboratory. Dr. Hazen talks about what is being considered to be a new and previously unrecognized law of nature – Emergent Complexity. This law puts the final nail in the coffin of “Intelligent Design”.

For November, author Don Merrill will speak about his book, published in 2019, PLEDGE: The Public Radio Fund Drive. The book is a deep dive into the funding and function of public radio. With the defunding of public radio by the current administration, Don will touch on its origin story, historical fights, and possible future.

There will not be a meeting in December.

Watch Rev. Marco’s Bible Class Recordings!

The whole series is available as a playlist, on First UU’s YouTube channel!

Community News

All Soles Halloween Dance

Saturday, October 18, 2025

Beginners’ Session 7:30 to 8:00 PM

Dancing 8:00 to 10:30

We will dance to the calling of Beth Mast (from Dayton) and the music of Carter Scratch Band. Carter Scratch Band consists of Andi Carter (fiddle), George Carter (guitar), Bill Miller (banjo), and Steve O’Regan (bass).

New to dancing? A beginners’ session, from 7:30 to 8:00 PM, will get you started. You will learn some basic figures that will be repeated in the evening’s dances. All dances will be taught and no partner is needed.

More info at firstuucolumbus.org

Cost: $10 for adults, $5 ages 12-25.

Spiritual Direction Program Opportunity

The Wellstreams Immersion program is seeking individuals to work with intern spiritual directors for one year beginning January 2026. This is an ideal opportunity for those who have never been in spiritual direction – or have limited experience with it – and are ready to see if this might be helpful to their spirituality and faith.

Our intern directors are in the final phase of their training and are supervised by experienced supervisors. Anyone interested in participating would need to be willing to commit to monthly sessions with an intern spiritual director beginning in January 2026, ending in February 2027. There is no charge for this service.

Learn more about spiritual direction on our website or register for one of the information sessions:

Tuesday, 10/28, 6:30 – 8 p.m.

Thursday, 10/30, 9:30 – 11 a.m.

Wednesday, 11/5, 3 – 4:30 p.m.

Thursday, 11/6, 6:30 – 8 p.m.

(Contact Alejandro Rodriguez for further details)

Family Activities

Classes Have Begun! Please Register Now!

Sign up to participate if you haven’t yet! More info, reg links, and activity descriptions: https://firstuucolumbus.org/learning/sunday-school/

Happening This Sunday, 10/19!

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)

10:45am-12:15pm Neighboring Faiths 11+yrs (301)

10:45am-12:15pm 6-7year Our Whole Lives (402/3)

11:00am-12:15pm Roots and Wings 14+yrs: HS Spirituality and Big Q’s (library)

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 7-11yrs: Start in Service Until After Story (201)

Kiddos staying w/fam during service: grab Busy Bags in the gallery, explore quiet toys in Wee Worship & Slowter Lounge, or crafts/games in cabinets by the kitchen!

12noon-1pm Meet Cassandra Montenegro! Snacks, Coffee, and Conversation (Beach)

1:15-3:00pm Navigators Scouting – Hike (off site)