This Week at OUUC
Church Activities
Books Brownies Beans opens on Saturday, February 25, at 9:00 am and runs until 3:30 pm that day. Browse the books and audio-visual offerings, check out the Beanies and Bead Jewelry for sale, relax with friends in the Bistro over beverages and brownies while enjoying the live entertainment. Come one, come ALL!
The new member welcome ceremony and brunch will be held between services this Sunday, February 26. Please join us!
An hors d'ouevre/finger food reception will be held on Tuesday, February 28 from 5:00 – 7:00 pm for the 2011 recipients of the Share the Plate Program. Please stop by to visit and hear from the Family Support Center, NW Eco-building Guild, Haven House, Out of the Woods, Olympia Free Clinic and Dispute Resolution Center how our support has helped them with their efforts.
4th-5th Grade Our Whole Lives will begin in March. If you have or know a child in 4th or 5th grade, this is an amazing program that gives a holistic and loving, as well as accurate and developmentally appropriate, sexuality education. There will be a Parent Orientation on March 4 at 12:30 pm. All participants must have a parent attend that orientation. For more information, contact our Director of Religious Education, Sara Lewis.
Each night from Friday, March 16, through Thursday, March 30, the Interfaith Works winter shelter will be once again housed at OUUC. It will take any volunteers from our congregation, both men and women, be a part of this opportunity to welcome and provide safe shelter for these women. Needed will be overnight hosts, kitchen hosts from 7:00 to 9:00 pm, laundry helpers, and individuals to help with loading and unloading supplies and on weekends drivers to transport the women to the Union Gospel Mission. A brief orientation training will be offered for all volunteers. Look for the sign-up table in the Commons beginning Sunday, February 26.
The OUUC Annual Auction and Dinner is on March 17. You Can Sign up as a Volunteer for one of the many auction spots by going to the poster in the Commons between services and after second service on February 26, March 4 and March 11. There will be someone there who can answer your questions. Or to volunteer by phone or e-mail, contact Caroline True, Auction Volunteer Liaison. Advance Ticket Sales for the Auction and Dinner ($30) can be purchased at the Kiosk in the Commons between services and after second service on February 26, March 4 and March 11, or by going to the auction page. Keep Those Donations Coming! Donate your items online and view the advance catalog at the same link. Bring Your Items to the Container in the church parking lot starting this Sunday Feb 26, between services and after second service on February 26, March 4 and March 11. The tagging team will make sure your online donation description is matched up to your item. Contact Janet Pearson if you have questions about bringing an item or need help.
Guest at Your Table is winding down. Please give your contribution, ideally as a check payable to UUSC, to Ann Yeo at the Guest at Your Table display in the Commons Sunday or as soon as possible. When all donations have been collected, she will send them to the Unitarian Universalist Service Committee on behalf of our congregation, with individual donors credited. Thank you for supporting the important human-rights work of the UUSC.
The Befriending Prisoners class has been rescheduled to March 10, 2:00 to 4:00 pm.
If you ever wanted to spend an overnighter with a group of motivated activists and generally exciting folks, this is your chance. On February 19 a group of Spokane citizens will be spending the night at OUUC. They will be working at the legislature on February 20 to get a “justice budget” considered this session. The group is organized by the Washington Community Action Network (CAN) and they have been effective in their efforts in the past. As a host you will make sure that they have access to the assigned rooms (RE wing) and you may provide coffee and/or treats. Interested? - Contact Kelly Thompson or the church administrator.
Take 30 minutes on Sunday for Laughter Yoga. Laughter is a stress buster. It strengthens the immune system, counts as aerobic exercise, increases endorphin levels, increase serotonin production. Laughter Yoga is done standing or sitting, does not require a sense of humor or jokes. You don't even need to be happy or have a reason to laugh. Join us for Laughter Yoga, today, at 12:30 pm, Classroom 5.
OUUC is asking for your help to install a 48 module solar electric system on the roof of the building. You can adopt a solar module or contribute whatever you can. Contact David Love, for more info or chat in the Commons after services.
New to OUUC? Please join us the third Sunday of the month at 10:45 am for our Introduction to OUUC class, where you will meet interesting people and learn more about OUUC. The session lasts about an hour and childcare is available.
In preparation for the adult education class, The Human Side of US immigration Policy to be held on Tuesday March 20, could anyone having an extra copy of the book, The Death of Josseline please contact Frances Tanaka. She’ll be circulating the books between services this next month.
In the Larger Community
The Out of the Woods Board Needs YOU - Out of the Woods, a separate non-profit organization associated with OUUC, has been operating a family homeless shelter on OUUC property for the past 6 years. We work really hard at getting homeless families back on their feet in 90 days, and have been very successful in doing so. Out of The Woods is seeking a few more members for its Board of Directors. Skills required include your passion for helping the homeless, plus good organizational and managerial abilities. We are also seeking people who have a background in fund raising, are good writers, like to network and make community connections, or have expertise in volunteer management and supervision. If you have these skills or other specialties and talents, but don’t feel ready to become a full board member, consider becoming a “Friend” of OTW, working with one of our board members on specific activities. The board meets for two hours monthly and your involvement requires a few additional hours a week. Interested? Contact president@outofthewoods.org or call Board President, Jean Phillips or Vice President, Julie Rodwell. An application form can be found on our web-site at www.outofthewoods.org.
South Sound Estuary Association's (SSEA) Discovery Lecture Series final 2011-2012 presenter is Filmmaker, John F. Williams. His presentation: Our Invisible Shoreline: A Video Tour presents a video tour of the secret watery world lapping, crashing, and swirling on our local beaches. See unusual underwater video clips, provocative photographs, and engage in conversation about some of the key marine shoreline processes that are not a part of our daily experience. This event is free and open to the public. March 7, 7:00 – 9:00 pm, LOTT WET Science Center, 500 Adams St. NE.
What, Where and When- Get the Money Out of Politics! March 17 at Tollefson Plaza, 17th and Pacific Ave. 12:00 pm – Gather at Tollefson Plaza, where a 30-foot banner of the Bill of Rights provides the backdrop to powerful street theater, Supreme Court justices, Ladies Liberty and Justice; corporate robots. Incredible New Orleans Dixieland goes from funeral dirge to swing. Special guest, Bill Yake, nationally known, will read “In Remembrance of Democracy”: not to be missed. 1:00- Local speakers will highlight the numerous ways our communities are impacted by these so called “corporate rights”- environmental threats, disappearing access to housing, healthcare, education and American jobs. 2:45- Find out what you can do to stop “corporate personhood” and protect your right to participate in the voting process. Join with the 80 communities nationally who have passed a municipal or state “We the People” Resolution to amend the Constitution. We will soon be introducing a Resolution to Amend to our Olympia City Council. Contact Molly Gibbs for info and meeting times.
GIVING LIFE THE SHAPE OF JUSTICE. Learn to develop effective congregation-based social action in this workshop, led by Rev. Richard Gilbert, author of Building Your Own Theology curriculum and The Prophetic Imperative: Social Gospel in Theory and Practice. March 23-24, Northlake Unitarian Universalist Church, Kirkland. $25 per person, includes lunch on Saturday. Information and registration at www.uuvoiceswa.org, and from Carol McKinley.
Heist: Who Stole the American Dream? - A new groundbreaking feature documentary about the roots of the American economic crisis, and the continuing assault on the working and middle class people in the United States, Heist boldly reveals the crumbling structure of the U.S. economy. The documentary shows March 16 – 22 at the Olympia Film Society, www.olympiafilmsociety.org.
General Information
Are you getting our mid-week email announcements? If not, please stop by, call or email the church office with your email address. It’s the best way to stay informed about church activities!
Please return your coffee cups and glasses to the kitchen.
The photographs on view in the sanctuary room are by Paul Schaufler, a friend of a member of the Congregation.
Please remember to lock your car, whether parked on the side streets or in the church parking lot.
When emailing the church office please use liberalfaith@ouuc.org. Our old address liberalfaith@olyuu.org, as well as any other email addresses ending in olyuu.org are no longer available.
Find us on Facebook.
Reminders: If you take chairs out of the sanctuary, please return them to the sanctuary. If you need to move furniture in any of the classrooms, please leave the room set up the way you found it. Thank you!
Nursery Practices - Please be aware that the nursery will be kept locked during the week, in order to keep it clean and safe for our children. If you have a meeting or class at OUUC and wish to use the nursery for childcare, contact our Director of Religious Education, Sara Lewis, at dre@ouuc.org and she can try and arrange for childcare supervision and the use of the nursery. Supervision during Nursery use is required.
Milestones are events in our family and friends’ lives. We share births occurring in our larger family, graduations from various programs or schools, new jobs or other endeavors that will form or inform our lives in some significant way. Please send milestones to by the 3rd Sunday of each month.
If you have recently transferred stock to OUUC, or plan to do so, please notify the church office so we are sure to credit it to your account.
Please, don’t speed on East End Street. As you approach and depart from the church, please be mindful of our neighbors and their small children, and go slower. And kindly don’t park in front of our next door neighbor’s house on East End Street.
Olympia Unitarian Universalist Congregation now offers a mobile version of our online giving page to make it easy for you to give anytime from your smart phone. Simply scan the image you see here using your phone’s Quick Response (QR) code reader!
The on-line photo directory is available on the church website. You can stop by the church office to be issued the password. The password will only be issued to those who are listed in the directory. Members (those who have signed the membership book), Supporters (those who have made a financial pledge), and those who have signed up to be a Friend of OUUC are listed automatically.
Friendly reminder - Please turn off all cell phones and pagers during the worship service.
OUUC has a group known as the Caring Friends. This group is notified when one of our congregants is facing a particular challenge and/or needs some assistance. You are not obliged to do anything, but it is an opportunity to know what is going on and to be a help if you are able. If you are not already a member of this group but would like to be added, please to have your name added to this list.
OUUC bumper stickers are available in the church office - $3 each. Spread the word wherever you go.
If you would like to donate anything to the church - furniture, supplies, etc. please check with church staff first.
Large print programs are available. Please see one of the ushers.
Enjoy the convenience of electronic giving - We want to remind you that we offer electronic giving as a way to automate your regular weekly offering. Electronic giving offers convenience for our members and much-needed donation consistency for our congregation. There are two ways to set up electronic donations. You can visit the About Us page on the church website, locate the donation link and follow the instructions or, if you wish, you can simply complete a paper authorization form and return it to the church office. As you contemplate future contributions, please consider electronic giving. Authorization forms and additional information are available from the church office. Thank you!
Social Groups
Powerful Unitarian Gals (PUG) - You are invited to laugh a lot, share books, recipes and films you enjoyed, tell jokes, catch up with friends and make new ones. If you have a spare Wednesday morning (10:30 to noon) find your way to the Mud Bay Coffee shop at the intersection of Cooper Pt. Rd. SW and Black Lake Blvd. SW - upstairs (across the parking lot from Office Depot). Only one requirement - you're FEMALE. Newcomers welcome.
Welcome working (or not) UU women to our new gathering: Lady Unitarian Social Hour, or LUSH! Please consider joining us for drinks and hors d'oeuvres on Tuesdays, 4:30-6:00 pm. We will gather at different venues around town. This is intended to be a drop in event, so if it works for you any given Tuesday, please join us. Contact Susan Bakke or Suzanne Wilson for location. Newcomers welcome.
Mighty Unitarian Guys (MUG) meets Thursday 10:00 to 11:00 am, at Traditions Café and World Folk Art, a friendly colorful setting, with the Capitol in view. Typically four to ten guys show up, regular and infrequent participants; handful to table-full. No set agenda. Newcomers welcome.
Guys TGIF
This is an informal group of guys that get together each Thursday afternoon for refreshments and conversation at a local ale house of interest. (We previously met on Fridays, but haven't come up with a good new name yet.) If you want to participate, contact Bernard Brady and he'll put you on the e-mail list. The group gathers at about 4:30 pm and never goes past 6:00 pm. Newcomers welcome.