While We’re Between Ministers: Need Anything?
During our time in between ministers (next few weeks), please contact the office if you have questions regarding church.

First Sunday Lunch 7/6/25
We will have an Independence Day Menu: hot dogs and veggie dogs, baked beans, cole slaw with watermelon for dessert.

Kitchen/Refrigerator Cleanout:  Saturday, July 12
Ever so often, the kitchen refrigerator and freezer fill up with assorted leftover food, condiments, etc. It’s time to clean them out to make room for the folks who’ll need some space to store their ingredients for upcoming events. So, on Saturday, July 12, both will be cleaned out. Anything without a name and date on it will be recycled or discarded. Saving space for others’ events is a big help.

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.  The next meeting is July 12th. See you there?

Seventh Principle Team: Join Us?

Voices of Kentuckiana Concert at First U: July 13 at 6:30pm
Join us for an evening of great music in a concert held at First U! Wine and desserts will also be available. Doors open at 6pm. Suggested donation is $25 per person. For tickets, click here.

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 know how to transform precious metals into cash through their 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 email 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
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.

Maintaining some sense of control, especially when the world around us seems particularly chaotic, is more than a deep seated desire, it is essential if we are to maintain vibrancy, meaning and joy.  And while we can seldom control the world around us, we can, to varying degrees, have significant say in how we respond to it. In this talk we will explore practical choices we can make, and actions we can take, to help ensure we thrive amid these strange and challenging times.

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.

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

The Anti-Racism Challenge (ARC) Begins July 4
We have the opportunity to take part in anti-racism activities that help us notice racism in our lives and challenge it. If you wish to sign up for the Anti-Racism Challenge, click here. Signing up will ensure you receive the list of suggested experiences/activities for each of the next four Fridays..
Past ARCs have included watching movies, attending music events, and visiting art exhibits featuring local Black artists (to name a few). These opportunities lend themselves to fellowship with one another. You don’t have to be a signed member of the community to join! We would like to thank Listen, Learn, Act, the organization hosting the ARC, for this opportunity. To learn more, click here.

FUUD

• Sunday, August 3: We will reflect back to the past week and to our anti-racism journey, plus prepare for our “First U After ARC” community time: First UU Dinner (or FUUD).
• Wednesday, August 6: The final debrief/celebration/community connection for our Anti-Racist Challenge (ARC) will be a meal at First U – which we’re calling “FUUD.” Kitchen and Social Hall. 5pm to 9pm.

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.

This Sunday, July 6: Painting Day
(Body portraits, chalk murals, finger painting. It will get messy.)

• JULY 13: Water Day (Prepare to get wet! Bring a towel and extra clothes!)
• 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!)

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.

• Tuesday July 1: Take a Plastics-Free pledge  And start collecting single-use plastic bags throughout the month – recycle at nearby Kroger.
• Wednesday July 2: Register for a free July 31 webinar on Zoom, 7pm to get inspired and educated.
• Thursday July 3: Bring your own reusable cup of mug when you order a beverage out.
• Friday July 4: bring a reusable container for leftovers when you dine out.
• Saturday July 5: switch to a glass or stainless steel reusable water bottle. Recent studies report a typical liter of bottled water contains 240,000 plastic fragments.
• Sunday July 6: Register for a free class to educate yourself on plastics pollution
• Monday July 7: Bank fossil-free. Find out if your bank is financing fossil fuels and look for a better option.
• Tuesday July 8: Reduce plastic in your garden. Most plastic weed barriers break down into ever-smaller bits of contamination in the soil. Cardboard and burlap sacks are a great alternative.

On Thursday, July 24, 6:30 pm: Film Screening
The Office of Sustainability, Beyond Plastics Louisville, and Trellis Brewing (827 Logan Street) will host a screening of the documentary We’re All Plastic People Now. The film highlights the impact of plastic chemicals in our bodies and on our health. Trellis will donate $1 for every drink ordered to Kentucky Waterways Alliance.  More information will be available at the First Sunday Luncheon.

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.