Worship Service in the Garden

A worship service will be held outside in our church garden this riday, May 29th, at 6:15 pm. We'll celebrate the beginning of planting season in word and song, and join together in blessing the earth. The service will last about 1/2 hour; members of the garden crew will be present afterward to share info or answer questions about this ministry. All are welcome.

Spring Clean-Up

This Saturday May 30, 9 am-1 pm. Bring your favorite cleaning solutions and we will also supply some, too.  Please let the house committee know of any other cleaning or small repairs that you would like to have addressed. If you would like to lend a hand with this cleaning, minor repairs or smoke alarm/emergency lighting checks, please let us know or just show up!  Morning snacks and a light lunch will be provided.

Book Group

The Book Group will meet this Sunday, May 31 at noon in the Adult Lounge. This month's book is A Town Like Alice by Nevil Shute. In the book, a newly wealthy English woman returns to Malaya to build a well for the villagers who helped her during WWII. Everyone is welcome to attend.  Contact Shirley Bond or Sarah Singal.

Library, Bookstore to Close After June 7

The church library and bookstore will be open in the Clara Barton lounge before and after the congregational meeting on June 7th.  It will be closed for the season June 14 and 21.  We have a free magazine exchange, used books for sale for 25 and 50 cents and new books for sale at a discount.  We'll be clearing out all the 25-cent books, except for children's books, before we re-open again, so this will be your last chance to take advantage of these bargains.  If you have a book borrowed from our library, we ask that you return or renew it before we close for the church year.

Church Picnic

Saturday, June 20, Lake View Shelter 1 at Webster Park, noon-4 pm. Parking is on the other side of Lake Rd. What to bring:  A dish to pass, something to grill, your drinks, and board games, sports equipment (e.g. badminton, Frisbees, bocce sets etc.). The church will provide dishes, utensils, napkins, condiments, and the heated grill. Contact Karl Abbott [email protected]. 

This Week at First Universalist

Thank you for keeping us updated, both when you schedule events and when you need to cancel one!  Please continue to do so.  Send news of your events to [email protected]; or call 546-2826.

SAVE THE DATE:

JUNE 7: ANNUAL MEETING for First Universalist will be held June 7 immediately following the service. Key agenda items will include approval of the 2015-2016 annual budget and election of church leaders. The deadline for submitting annual reports is Friday, May 22. Annual reports will be available Sunday, May 31.

JUNE 14-21: RAIHN* WEEKJune 14-21 is our next RAIHN Week, when we will host temporarily homeless families, providing them with a safe place to stay and good food. A training session for new volunteers will be held Tues, June 9th, 6:30-8:30 PM at First Unitarian Church,  Contact Chris DeGolyer ([email protected] or 461-3616) or Marti Eggers (385-4342).

JUNE 24-28: GENERAL ASSEMBLY: June 24-28, Portland, OR. The theme is Building a New Way. Attendees worship, witness, learn, connect, and make policy for the Association through democratic process. 

ADDITIONAL ANNOUNCEMENTS:

CALLING ALL MUSICIANS! Our summer services will be starting on June 27, and music for those services is provided by volunteer musicians.  Could you be one of them?  Even if you have just one piece you've always wanted to try to perform, we'll make a time and place for you to do it, whatever your voice or instrument.  Please contact the summer music coordinator, Ann Rhody at [email protected] for more information.

FOOD INGATHERING VOLUNTEER NEEDED: We are looking for another volunteer to help take food from our Ingathering services to the Nester Street Community Food Cupboard. If interested please contact Ed Deller at [email protected] or 967-9141 or talk to Charlie Gibson.

KEEPER OF THE FLAME: The Keeper sets out the chalice, candles, stones for joys and sorrows and puts them away. Each person is Keeper every 4-6 weeks. Please see Michael VanArsdale if you are interested. Couples can do this together.

THE BOOK CLUB WILL NOT BE MEETING JUNE, JULY, OR AUGUST. We will meet again September 27th. We will be discussing "Dreaming in Cuban" by Christina Garcia. A remarkably funny yet endearing novel set in Cuba and Brooklyn. A great read for this time in history. The book is short, lively, and informative. For further information please contact Sarah Singal or Shirley Bond.