July 2021
Your monthly news & updates
Congregational Meeting Called for Sunday, July 18, 11:30 AM

Your Board of Trustees has called this congregational meeting for the purposes of approving our budget, hearing updates on the building expansion project, and hearing updates on our re-opening plans. Please stay on the regular Zoom link after worship concludes to participate in the meeting.



Question Box Sermon Scheduled for July 18, 2021

An annual NUUC tradition. What's on your heart and mind? Rev. Susan Ritchie will take your questions, personal, theological, practical--ask anything you like! She will answer a few select questions during service and then use the others to form topics for future sermons. While in the past we have collected questions live on the day of the service, for the purposes of this virtual worship, please submit your questions to Rev. Ritchie at minister@nuuc.org by Wednesday, July 14, 2021 at 5 PM. If you prefer to submit an anonymous question, click here.

Ways to Connect
Creative Fellowship
Are you longing for connection in these difficult times? Do you have unfinished craft/art/sewing/knitting or other projects that you would like to work on but haven’t? If so please join Commissioned Lay Minister Teri Cornell in Creative Fellowship! We will have a zoom meeting once a month (the first Thursday of each month from 6:30PM-8:00PM) and we can work on our projects, exercise our creativity, and talk about whatever is on our minds and hearts. No need to sign up, just drop by using the same Zoom link that we use for regular NUUC worship service (see below).

The Second Monday Morning Covenant Group, meets from 10:00 until noon via “Zoom.” For a link, contact Marty Keith at martykeith @zoho.com. On July 12, participants plan to consider "Do We Have Free Will?"

Wednesday Noon Check In
Join us using the regular NUUC zoom connection at noon everyday Wednesday for informal check- ins and chat with your fellow members. Use the regular Sunday morning Zoom login, or write minister@nuuc.org for a direct link.
NUUC's Women's Group meets the last Sunday of the month at noon. The topic for July 25 is "Why Do People Cling to Certain Beliefs?" Weather permitting, the group is meeting on the lawn at the church. Participants will not be entering the building. In the event of rain or a chilly day, a Zoom session will be arranged.

Interested in the Once a Month Brown Bag Books? The next meeting is July 20, beginning at Noon, to discuss "Their Eyes Were Watching God" by Zora Neale Hurston. Weather permitting, the group is meeting on the lawn at the church. Participants will not be entering the building. In the event of rain or a chilly day, a Zoom session will be arranged.

Soul Matters Small Groups
We currently have three different Soul Matters Small Groups virtually meeting, for regular in depth check ins, and for exploring together different spiritual themes. New members are welcome at any time, write to minister@nuuc.org
Mowing at NUUC: We Need Some Help
The Building & Grounds Committee is requesting help with the mowing. They would like to get 1-2 volunteers each month from the congregation to mow just one time during the season through October. The other weeks will be handled by B&G Committee volunteers.  
 
We have a zero-turn riding mower, which can be used for almost all of the mowing. For a few small, tight areas, which the zero-turn mower cannot handle, we then use a self-propelled push power mower. Using a zero-turn mower is fun and allows the mowing to be done in about half the time. If you are not familiar with using a zero-turn mower, we will give you some brief training for about 15 minutes that gets you familiar enough with the mower to comfortably mow the main parts of the yard. You will still trim the edges of the yard with the self-propelled push mower. But, some people prefer to use the push mower to mow the entire yard instead of the zero-turn mower. 
 
Please consider volunteering to mow one time this season. If you would like to help the church handle the mowing, you can see the mowing sign-up schedule posted at this weblink: tiny.cc/NUUC-mowing . To get scheduled, just pick a date that works for your schedule and then contact Bob Keith at bobkeith@zoho.com or 740-369-1919. You also can contact Bob if you have questions or would like more information.

JULY 2021 SOCIAL JUSTICE NEWS
 
WELCOME BACKPACKS FOR RETURNING CITIZENS
 
Thank you to everyone who donated items for the backpacks and wrote encouraging notes during May and June. Your kindness and generosity will be greatly appreciated by the recipients who are trying to make a successful transition from prison to restored citizen. It is a challenging and often lonely time, especially for those who have been incarcerated for many years and/or who don’t have family support. The Welcome Backpacks not only provide essential personal care items, but also send a message that there are people who understand and care. In July, we will be putting the items into the backpacks. If you are interested in helping with this, send your name, email address, and phone number to Pam Patsch at bealight2010@icloud.com. You will be contacted about a date, time, and place to assemble the backpacks.
 
INTERFAITH ASSOCIATION OF CENTRAL OHIO (IACO)
 
OPEN POSITION ON IACO COUNCIL: The Interfaith Association of Central Ohio (IACO) is a non-profit organization whose mission is to create an interfaith community based on understanding, friendship, and trust. IACO puts this mission into action by:
Ø Educating the public about customs and practices of different faith traditions.
Ø Advocating for social justice, peace, and human dignity.
Ø Promoting interfaith gatherings and events that address local and global concerns.
Ø Partnering with other faith and peace-focused organizations.
 
IACO is made up of nine member faiths including: Bahá’i, Buddhist, Christian, Hindu, Islam, Jain, Jewish, Sikh, and Unitarian Universalist. IACO’s council serves as its policy board. This group is made up of three representatives from each of the member faiths. The council meets every other month to discuss current issues to which IACO can take positive action and to plan interfaith opportunities.
 
Currently there are 2 UU representatives from First UU Congregation serving on the IACO Council. NUUC has provided the third representative in previous years and has the opportunity to fill the current vacancy. If you are interested in interfaith work and serving on the council, contact Pam Patsch for more information at bealight2010@icloud.com. You can also visit the IACO Facebook page to learn more about how the organization is fulfilling their mission.
 
UU JUSTICE OHIO NEWS
 
If you are passionate about social justice, you will find lots of opportunities to stay current on issues in Ohio as well as actions you can take to create a more just world for all of us. UUJO offers webinars each month on upcoming state legislative bills; provides training on advocacy through letter writing, phone calls, visits with your representatives, and testifying at legislative hearings; offers informational webinars on key issues; and sponsors events such protests, marches, and testifying at State House hearings. Recent legislative threats include anti-protest bills that criminalize peaceful protests, voting restrictions, the state budget that takes away funding from programs that support low-income Ohioans, and restrictions on teaching a more neutral and accurate history in public schools, banning the death penalty, and allowing Ohioans to be exposed to radioactive waste. You can stay informed by following UUJO’s Facebook page and subscribing to email alerts. To support UUJO’s work, you can make a donation, attend events, and participate in webinars.
 
Connecting the Dots: People, Planet, Power: Free Online Event August 7th at 10:00 am: UU principles call us to protect the planet. We work on this in our UU congregations regularly with Green Sanctuary initiatives, gardens, and other conscious choices. Many of us simultaneously work on anti-racism and dismantling white supremacy. What if we could combine these two efforts into one called Environmental Justice? What if UU congregations, other faith communities and organizations doing Environmental Justice work around the state connect with each other and work together? Let’s connect the dots between protecting our planet, racial justice, and the power structures that continually bring injustice to the people of Ohio. Let’s gather in community and expand connections so we can all work together for a healthier, more inclusive Ohio. Register at http://bit.ly/environmentaljusticeppp . Saturday, August 7th at 10am, three expert panelists will share their thoughts on Environmental Justice, how that relates to Racial Justice and what we can do about it here in Ohio. The panelist discussion will be followed by an opportunity for connection between Unitarian Universalists, other like-minded faith communities and Environmental Justice advocates.
About the expert panelists:
·       JOCELYN TRAVIS - Central Region Organizing Manager of the Sierra Club, connecting Racial Justice and Environmental Justice.
·       SUSAN STEINGRABER Ph.D. - Biologist, author, and cancer survivor, writing about climate change, and ecology, connecting human health and Environmental Justice.
·       ANNETTE MCCOY - President of Trumball County NAACP, connecting legislation/policy and Environmental Justice.
 
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