Midweek UUpdate 4/1/26

•

A Heartfelt Thank You
(and a Final Opportunity!)
Hello Everyone,
The formal phase of our “Growing the Light” pledge drive has come to a close.
As we reflect on this journey, the Stewardship Committee wishes to extend a profound thank you to everyone who submitted a pledge. Your commitment ensures that our progressive, impactful missions continue to thrive.

A drive of this magnitude succeeds only through collective effort. We would like to recognize:

  • Our Dedicated Canvassers: For your diligent work and personal outreach.
  • Office Staff & Board Treasurer: For the countless hours of “behind-the-scenes” logistics that kept us on track.
  • Our Congregation: For your continued gifts of Time, Talent, and Treasure.
It’s Not Too Late! (We are closing the gap to our financial goal!)

As the Stewardship Team works to tally the final numbers to pass on to the Finance Committee, we welcome any additional pledges. If you missed the deadline but still wish to contribute to the future of our church, please pledge online.

Join us this Sunday, Reverend Liz will be announcing the final outcomes of the drive and celebrating the light we are growing together.

With gratitude,
The Stewardship Committee

Click here to pledge

FYI 

Another World is Possible book release

The Justice Center at All People’s
Thursday, April 2, 7:00 pm

The Justice Center is hosting a Book release event for Danica Novgorodoff. Danica is a long time UU and is a member of All Peoples.
 

Danica’s new book “Another World is Possible” is a powerful book, written in a graphic style, that unpacks environmental justice in a way that is very digestible and which highlights the stories of young activists from around the world.  It s a great resource for all of us.  As a graphic book, it is accessible for teens through adults.

You are encouraged to attend to show your support for Danica, AND to get this valuable resource! The book release is free, but they are asking folks to register so they can plan accordingly. Register here  The book is available at several local bookstores and from Amazon. Click here for a review.

NEW: CLCM Needs

We need to stock up on toilet paper!  Bring your TP donation any time in the month of April.  We are also perpetually in need of books and magazines for our waiting area (we offer them for free to folks), children’s books, and sugar and creamer for the Coffee Ministry.  Thank you!!

UU the Vote

Sunday is the last day to turn in your Virginia special election postcards!. They must be mailed by April 6.

Opportunity to Learn CPR

Have you always wanted to learn CPR but never got to it? Is your CPR certification expiring, or has expired? First U will be hosting classes to make sure you get the certification you want and need! Fill out this form or see Kristi Drehmel to let us know what dates are best for you. We can even get your class in after church!

First U Book Club: Monday, April 13 at 6pm

Our meeting is the church library (the room behind the sanctuary organ). We’ll be discussing Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer and voting on the books for the next 6 meetings. Come, even if you haven’t read the book, and help us choose the future!

April is Earth Month

We place our planet and its inhabitants front and center of our social justice efforts. See below for details.

Immigrant Justice Speaker: Saturday, April 11

Standing With Our Neighbors: Immigrant Justice & Community Action
at the New Albany Public Library 2:30-4:30pm
Speaker: Rep. Nima Kulkarni, Kentucky State Representative
Founder & Director of the New Americans Initiative
Across Indiana and Kentucky, immigrant families are facing an uncertain and frightening future. Raids. Detentions. Fear in our schools and neighborhoods. But our community is not standing still. Learn what you can do – calls, letters, showing up, speaking out. Practice real advocacy skills you’ll use the same day. Find your people – and Do Something together! Leave with real knowledge, real skills, and real next steps.

Potential and Current Membership News 

Joining – Participating – Celebrating – Learning

Connections Ministry

April 5: New Member Ceremony
Our annual New Member Ceremony is scheduled for Easter Sunday, April 5th.  We will introduce all new members to the congregation, share some bio information and celebrate! Contact the office or click the link to share bio info. If you are interested in this, signing the membership book is the qualifying event.

We welcome Anne Leslie, Barbara Hansen-Calloway, Donna Colleen Miller and Philip Woods, Emily Miranda, Josh Bleecker, Katelyn and Montana Rowland, Mark D. Cobb, Mark E. Schueler, and Martha Wright.

April 19: New to UU Classes Begin
Our New to UU Classes will start on April 19th This is for any of our members and friends who want to learn more about UUism, our Louisville church history, and UU basic theology through four, one-hour sessions before Sunday services. Visit our link to be included in notices and materials or contact the office.

Everyone: Please Take the Activity Survey

Joining in Church Activities: We are using an activity survey to learn what activities all our members and friends are either engaged in or wish to do at First Unitarian. Help us develop our congregational activity and interest inventory by completing the survey!

Join Us Sunday, April 5 at 11:00am
 

Be a Resurrection
Speaker: Rev. Liz Weber

Most Unitarian Universalists don’t believe in the literal resurrection of Jesus. But the concept of resurrection, or rising again after defeat, is a good one for our times. We are all called to be a resurrection. Let’s explore that idea together. Happy Easter!
We will have a New Member Ceremony during the service. 
 

For the zoom link, Click here. The Meeting ID is 4508929882 if you can’t attend in person.  You will not need a password. Contact the volunteer desk if you have trouble getting online.
The Nursery: The Tadpoles Room will be open for babies and pre-k  from 9:30am-12:15pm on Sundays.

Registration Forms are required for each child, including those in the nursery.
 
Easter Egg Hunt: Hippity Hoppity!
The Easter Egg Hunt is on April 5
There will be regular RE during the Celebration of Life on Easter morning, followed by treats and an Egg Hunt after the service.
There will be regular RE during the Celebration of Life on Easter morning, followed by treats and an Egg Hunt after the service. In case of rain or bad weather, we’ll move the egg hunt indoors.

We need your help to pull this off. Please contact Loren for more information.
We will have an extended Coffee Hour after the service, but No Lunch.

It’s helpful if you RSVP for the Easter Egg Hunt. Contact Loren or click this link to sign up to attend and for the various tasks we need help with. Some things to sign up for include:

  • Donate plastic eggs, candy and/or small items to put in the eggs
  • Stuff eggs Sunday at 9:30am; or hide them shortly after the service.
  • Supervisors needed: Egg stuffing/hiding, Food Setup, Cleanup and Prize Giving
 

April 12
Afterlives: Letting the Mystery Be
Speaker: Reverend Karen Johnson

There is much speculation about what happens after we die, coming from a wide variety of perspectives.
Some religions have certainty and specificity about how and what. Others, including Unitarian Universalism, are open to the mystery. Let’s explore the concept of an afterlife using the creative, and sometimes absurd, work of David Eagleman, exploring concepts we inherited from our families or cultural heritages and how that might have shifted over our lifetimes.
 
About the Speaker:
Reverend Karen G. Johnston is the Senior Minister at First Unitarian Universalist Society of Burlington and the founder of Date with Death Club, a nondogmatic curriculum used by four dozen (or so) UU congregations to “explore mortality in community.” She and Rev. Liz attended seminary together.

Earth Month Activities

Resolution on the Climate Crisis:

First Unitarian Church of Louisville acknowledges the imminent threat of the climate crisis to both human civilization and the other species with which we share the planet. We join with All Peoples and other UU churches to call on all members of our community to take action to reduce the threat and mitigate the consequences of the climate crisis.

Adopted by the congregation of the First Unitarian Church of Louisville
at the Annual Meeting, June 2022.

Check with the Seventh Principle Team for activities and ways you can participate.

Earth Month Activities

April is Earth Month at First Unitarian Church and a time we put our planet and its inhabitants front and center of our social justice efforts. The 7th Principle Team invites all to join in support of three Earth Centered action-oriented Sundays this April and a Sunday service in May.
  • April 12 – Hyper-scale Data Centers and their impacts on community and our planet* 
  • April 19 –Water Step – Provides water to communities impacted by a warming Earth
  • April 26 – UUA Green Sanctuary – Aligning our church with UUA environmental stretch goals
  • May 4 – Honoring Earth and all species

RE: Religious Exploration
Contact Loren Crawford, Director of Religious Exploration (DRE)
Learn About More Upcoming RE Opportunities Here
Families Welcome / Childcare Available beginning at 9:30
 

Children’s RE Contact: Loren  

This begins in the sanctuary at 11:00 with the Moment for Ages. They leave during the Song for the Children.

The Nursery: Tadpoles will be open for babies and pre-k  from 9:30am-12:15pm on Sundays.

Registration Forms. Registration information is required for each child, including those in the nursery.

Adult (RE) Contact: Adult Religious Exploration

All are Welcome: Members, friends, visitors, curious people, and people lost in the building are all welcome.
Check-in begins at 9:45. Class meets in the Church Library at 10am.
Click here (or see above) for information about  Adult RE.

Justice Information

UU the Vote

will rise again in 2026, a very important election year. We will be writing postcards to get out the vote among traditionally under-represented voters in swing states, reminding folx of the important issues and values at stake. We hope that our first postcard campaign will be to get out the vote for the Virginia constitutional amendment to adopt a fair congressional district map — a vote that is currently being blocked by yet another court challenge! Once the Virginia Supreme Court rules (favorably, we expect), we will be writing postcards in the Social Hall after the service. You can also take cards home to write. Come check us out! Questions? Send us an email.

Resources for Resistance

Be sure to view the list of resources above and share with those that need them.

Safe Haven for Transgender Ordinance

Councilman JP Lyninger and Louisville DSA are working hard to pass an ordinance making Louisville a Safe Haven for the transgender community. This has been in development for over a year, with input coming directly from our trans neighbors and other socialists and community members who are heavily invested in public dignity and safety. One of the steps to making this happen is having individuals and organizations sign on to our demand letter.