NEW: Speed Art Museum Visit This Sunday / RSVP by Friday at Noon
As part of the Anti-Racist Challenge, Lois Powell is organizing a visit to the Speed Art Museum at 12:30 Sunday, July 20. We will be visiting the “Louisville’s Black Avant-Garde” exhibition, now focusing on the works of G.C. Coxe, “the Dean of African American artists in Louisville.”

General admission is free on Sunday. Participants may meet after the museum visit at the museum’s café or at a nearby eatery. If you wish to join the group visiting the museum, please contact Lois via email or call 502-487-1156. by noon on Friday. (Be sure to also let her know if you’re interested in eating at the café.)

NEW: Early-Bird Adult Religious Exploration (RE) – Sunday at 9:30 am
Join us in the Library for a bonus Adult RE experience this Sunday morning at 9:30 where we will consider and discuss a stand-up bit by comedian Roy Wood, Jr., on patriotism in Black music (such as how “I’m proud to be an American, where at least I know I’m free” is a decidedly white-centered sentiment). This is video is from Week 2 of the Anti-Racist Challenge. No RSVP needed. No preparation expected. Just drop-in. Our regular Sunday Adult RE begins at 10 as always.

Children’s RE on Sunday, July 20: Board Game Day
(A wide assortment of games for all ages)  Children begin in the sanctuary for the service and leave after the  Moment for All Ages and Song for the Children during the service. Click here for the schedule of upcoming events.

Summer Songwriter Series: July 20
The next performance in this popular series which showcases 4 local singer/songwriters is Sunday, July 20.  Admission is free but a good will offering will be collected to benefit Central Louisville Community Ministries. The concert begins at 1pm at Christ Church Cathedral, 421 S 2nd St, and free parking is available at 441 S 1st St.

The House and Grounds Team Needs Help
The H&G team saves the church thousands of dollars every year by doing maintenance inside the building and out. It’s rewarding work and we enjoy getting together.  We cut the grass, fix the sanctuary chairs, change HVAC filters and dozens of jobs, large and small. We’re looking for help continuing this tradition. We meet over coffee and donuts at 9AM on the second Saturday of the month. Contact the office for more information.

CLCM Back to School Supplies Drive
Don’t forget to bring your school supplies to support this worthy cause between now and July 30. See below for the details.

Seventh Principle Team: Join Us?

Scrap Gold = New Water Heater
The church needs a new water heater and the Solar Array Project wants to help buy a more energy efficient unit. The price of gold is at near record levels. Silver is very high too. If you have little bits of gold in the form of broken chains, charms, rings, or jewelry gifts from lovers you’ve jilted, the SAP wants to help. One of the SAP’s members knows how to transform precious metals into cash through his 50-plus years as a Master Bench Jeweler.  For just 10% of the take, we will make this conversion. If you’re not sure what your metal is, we will test it. That box of sterling silver flatware that your children don’t want could bring  $1000 (less 10% for SAP). A small,  gold tooth filling recently brought $92. A broken silver  candlestick brought $74. For more information contact the office.

Books Needed for Little Libraries
Metro United Way’s Little Library Project, a network of 40-plus libraries throughout west and central Louisville, is a little low on books, especially books for children and young adults, especially those for, by, and about Black people of any genre, fiction or nonfiction. Look for a box set up in the Library Lane entrance for your donations. Thank you.

Reminder about Carbon Offsets: Are You Traveling?
Vacation time is upon us, and some of us are flying to destinations near and far. The Solar Array Project Team reminds folks that we have a carbon offset program in place here at First U. You can read about the program under the Environmental Justice tab on our webpage. Suggested donations of $10 for domestic flights, and $20 for an international flight, can be made here. These donations help fund First U’s efforts towards reduced consumption and use of sustainable energy, thus reducing the church’s environmental footprint.

About the Speaker:
With more than 8 years of experience in the non-profit arena. Marcus’s  professional experience includes strategic communication and community development with diverse community partners and stakeholders. Holds board membership in Louisville Metro Community Action Board and Volunteers of America Mid-States. He was a 2022 Louisville Business First 40 under 40 recipient and has recently been named from Louisville Business First 40 under 40 Alumni Highlight: People on the Move this year.

Marcus is a graduate of Western Kentucky University with a B.S. degree in Human Development and Family Studies, General, and an M.A.E degree in Student Affairs in Higher Education and is currently in the Education and Social Change Doctoral program at Bellarmine University. He likes to spend time with his family, traveling and volunteering. Shantel and Marcus are looking forward to bringing in an addition to the family this Fall.

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.

So much feels broken in our world right now. Join Linette Lowe to explore together what our faith tradition, our own experience, and the arts can bring when we feel broken.

NOTE: Please bring a smallish broken piece or item with you, something that might symbolize for you what you are experiencing as broken.  As the hymn says, together we will “bind up the broken!”

About the Speaker
Linette Lowe completed her MDiv in 2023 and is a candidate for UU
ordination. She is the Executive Director of Central Louisville Community Ministries. She is a life-long reader, a walker of fields and trails, a cat herder and lover of animals, a gardener, and an aspiring napper. She lives on unceded Shawnee land near Bloomfield, KY with her husband Jay and son Jaymeson, a herd of 7 cats, 12 chickens, and her beloved dog Lucy.

Adult RE – in the Church Library 10:00-10:45am 
All are welcome. Visitors, newcomers, guests, families. No RSVP needed

Kids RE This Summer – 11am Sundays
All Ages Children’s Religious Exploration will continue through the summer, but instead of classes we will focus on fun and delight.  Let Loren know if you want to help organize one of these days.

• JULY 20: Board Game Day (A wide assortment of games for all ages)
• JULY 27: Build a Fort Day (We’ll build a fort in the kindergarten room and have a spooky time)
• AUGUST 3: Mask Making (Making masks of all sort and playing with them)
• AUGUST 10: Critter Clay Day (We’ll build all sorts of creatures in clay)
• AUGUST 17: Cooking Day (Fruit Salad and Cookies and who knows what)
• AUGUST 24: Theater Games (Because why wouldn’t we?)
• AUGUST 31: Water Day (It’s Water Communion Day!)

Plastic Free July: You’ve seen the daily ideas listed in the bulletin each week. Click here to see the entire month’s calendar of ideas.  The Louisville chapter of Beyond Plastics has announced “Plastic Free July.” cosponsored with Metro Louisville’s Office of Sustainability.  Through the month of July, Plastic Free behaviors will be encouraged by sharing sustainable selfies and uplifting businesses engaging in practices that reduce waste of single-use products. Send a selfie tagged @sustainlouisville for a chance to win an Ocean Bottle travel mug made with recycled ocean bound plastic. Beyond Plastics is an organization formed in 2019 at Bennington College (Vermont) to pair environmental policy experts with grassroot advocates to build a vibrant and effective movement to end plastic pollution. Check out their excellent website!

You’re Invited to join Voices of the ‘Ville (A Community Group)
Wanna sing/learn to sing/improve your singing? Then join the Voices of the ‘Ville! The group’s mission is to lead sing-alongs with audiences from a diversity of situations. Participation is as much or as little as you can. Sing once or sing a thousand times. Rehearsals and songs will be catered to all levels of singing abilities. Performances will be in support of services for the unhouses prioritizing singing at shelters and encouraging those being sheltered to sing along.
Weekly rehearsal TBD – currently available to travel to you and teach songs!
Contact Charlie Walsh or call 502-377-5376. He’s at 1300 S. 4th St. Suite 250, Monday-Friday 9am-3pm.  If you can’t reach out, sign up and he’ll reach out to you!

KUUJAN’s All Network Gathering July 22, 7:00 pm – 9:00 pm (EST time)
KUUJAN Visioning Pt 2

The Board of KUUJAN is continuing a re-visioning process for KUUJAN.  We are looking forward to continuing to reflect on the added value that KUUJAN brings to our Unitarian Universalist community in the state, and what we offer in the state in terms of our justice efforts.

Please join us if you can.  This will be a really important conversation — and your voice matters!  Join the ANG by going here.

Request of Gift Cards from Kentucky Refugee Ministries
Kentucky Refugee Ministries, a local organization that resettles refugees and provides services to immigrants, is currently asking for donations of gift cards.  These cards are a great help to immigrants who are experiencing a slowdown in finding employment caused by employers’ reluctance to hire immigrants under this new Administration. The grants KRM once had access to for gift card aid has dried up due to federal withdrawal of funds.  Gift cards to Aldi, Walmart, Kroger, or Visa gift cards in $50 donations would be appreciated and can be delivered to KRM, attn. Joseph Caminiti: 969-B Cherokee Rd, Louisville, KY 40204.

CLCM Back to School Supplies Drive
Central Louisville Community Ministries is ready to begin collecting school supplies in time for back-to-school in early August. Last year CLCM sent two carloads of supplies to our neighborhood schools–let’s see if we can top that! Please spread the word and drop off your supplies at our office any time between now and July 30.