Midweek UUpdate 7/22/26

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Proudly Progressive, Boldly Inclusive, Radically Friendly

FYI 

Children’s RE during the Service July 26: Board Game Day

A wide assortment of games for all ages
We’ll head to RE after the Moment for All Ages and the Song for the Children.
See the remaining Summer RE Plans for Children.

CLCM School Supplies Drive has been extended to July 30!

Central Louisville Community Ministries is extending the collection of school supplies to July 30. We want our neighborhood children to start the school year with supplies in hand – and we need your help! Please bring your donations to the CLCM office, 809 S 4th St, Monday-Thursday from 9:30am-noon. We need: pencil 10-packs;  pens; crayons 24-packs; washable markers 8-packs; highlighters 3-packs;  post-it notes; packs of looseleaf paper; glue sticks 3-packs; scissors; spiral notebooks; 2-pocket folders;  primary lined composition notebooks; tissues; disinfecting wipes; and backpacks.

Women’s Alliance Social Action Shower Invitation

Saturday, August 1 from 11am — 1:00pm     

Find out more here.

Gail Helinger

Gail’s memorial service will be Saturday, August 15th, at 3 pm here at church. A brief obituary is in the July 9 Courier-Journal. We hold all who cared about Gail in our hearts, minds, and prayers. Read more from Rev. Liz.

New Feature: Getting to Know Your Board

Monitor the section below to learn more about those serving on the First U Board.

Reminder: You can still attend virtual GA Sessions for FREE

Click here for a FREE special opportunity to participate in sessions, workshops and worship services, even though GA is over in person.

Getting to Know Your Board

Officers of the Board of Trustees 2026—2027

From the Vice President:

My first thought when asked to write this? “Come find me at coffee hour and let’s discuss how I’m the most boring person you’ll meet today!”

This is my second year on the Board of Trustees.
 

I love First U’s commitments to many missions and causes and the work people do on a daily basis. Also, I appreciate how many things here “just get done,” quoting Reverend Liz. So many of you contribute in a multitude of ways.

Professionally, my background contains a mix of a long Army career (including four combat zone deployments), a lot of crisis communications/PR work, and a heavy stint in advertising — think Darren Stephens from Bewitched meets a slightly less-dark Don Draper from Mad Men. My “best military deployment” was a cool one: Helping post-war Bosnia rebuild in the ’90s; I’ve been back twice since and have plenty of stories to share.

Have lived in KY before and moved back five years ago to work as a civil servant at Ft. Knox, where I wrangle my old foe, PowerPoint, on a daily basis. I’ve found some progressives there and folks who are Unitarians –They just don’t know it yet! (Working on them).

My passions include all things nerdy: Computers, sci-fi/fantasy, and photography. Lately, I’ve been adapting vintage manual lenses (like a 1970s-era Soviet lens) onto modern digital cameras with some really cool results.

I’m looking forward to continuing to connect with everyone in the congregation!

Join Us This Sunday at 11:00am
 

July 26

Trek Rules for Living, part 2
Guest Speaker: Jane Martin Buckley

Gene Roddenberry created a story about what our culture could evolve to in the 24th century. This is a follow-up to a recent 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.

Join Us for Upcoming Services

August 2
A Lammas Celebration
Guest Speakers: Lady Vanessa and Ron Zorn
 

We will celebrate Lammas, “loaf mass,” (also referred to as Lughnasadh) in circle format as we honor the August holiday. This festival marks the bounty of the grain harvest, which may also manifest as the successes in our own lives. Now as the sun begins journeying to the south, we acknowledge our achievements, and our personal harvest, by coming together in community to symbolically return these blessings to the earth.

About Our Speakers
Lady Vanessa is a High Priestess of the Wica in Louisville where she’ been active since 1981. Transformative and earth-centered practices are the focus of her spell work, tarot readings, rituals, and teachings. As an advocate for Pagan paths, Lady Vanessa has appeared on local media, but more often facilitates public rituals and classes through CUUPs at First Unitarian Church, Louisville Pagan Roots Festival (FKA Louisville Pagan Pride), and Clifton Unitarian Universalist Church.  In addition to being a Unitarian Universalist Church member, she has a M.A.T. and holds ministerial credentials of public record through the New Wiccan Church. For fun, goodwill outreach, and charity, Lady Vanessa regularly dances with Bluegrass Black Hats.

Ron Zorn is a long-time member of First Unitarian Universalist Church and a Co-Facilitator of the Covenant of Unitarian Universalist Pagans (CUUPS) here at First U. He is Co-Chair of the National CUUPS organization on their Board of Directors. He follows an Earth-Centered Spiritual path and enjoys collecting books on a variety of religious paths that are outside of the Abrahamic faiths.
 

August 9

The Congregation
 is Your Curriculum

Guest Speaker:  Jim Hennigan
 

School will be back in session and so will Adult Religious Exploration (Adult RE), where we’re all learning, we’re all teaching, the subject is always Unitarian Universalism, the congregation is our curriculum, and tuition is free. You will hear about what we have been doing in Adult RE, imagine what’s next on the syllabus, and choose where you fit in.
 

Save the Date: The 2026 Water Communion Service  will be August 30.

Social Justice

Women’s Alliance Social Action Shower Invitation
Saturday, August 1 from 11am — 1:00pm

The Women’s Alliance of First Unitarian Church will be holding its annual Social Action Shower beginning at 11:00 and ending at 1:00. A luncheon will be provided by the members of the Women’s Alliance, and we invite all persons who identify as women to join us. The Shower is a great introduction to learn how the Alliance supports women and children while forming friendships within our congregation.

This year our shower gifts are going to support LaCasita Center. Their mission is to enhance “the well-being of Louisville’s Latinx community through education, empowerment, advocacy, and wellness”. A representative from LaCasita will be joining us to tell more about the services they offer. Here is their gift list: Diapers size 4, 5, 6, & 7; Pullups; Wipes; Kroger and Walmart gift cards.

If you are unable to shop or attend, you may email the office, to make arrangements to donate cash/check (made out to Women’s Alliance), and it will be used to purchase additional gift cards. Contact the office for the address. (Jeffersontown)

Save the Date! August 14 CLCM Give Back Event

On August 14, Noble Funk Brewery is hosting a give-back event for Central Louisville Community Ministries.  Live bingo starts that evening at 6:30pm, and a portion of all food/drinks sold that evening will benefit CLCM.  This is a family-friendly event, and there’s plenty of free parking in their lot.  Come join the fun while supporting a great cause!

Vigil to Demand Justice for Lorenzo July 25
Justice for Johan. Justice for All. ICE Out.  

Event Details:

  • What: Justice for Lorenzo. Justice for Johan. Justice for All. Vigil
  • When: July 25, 2026, 5:00 – 7:00 pm EDT
  • Where: Big Four Pedestrian Bridge, Waterfront Park, 1101 River Road, Louisville KY, 40202
  • Call to Action: We will gather at the base of the Big Four Pedestrian Bridge at 5:00 pm EDT to engage in song, prayers, and read the names of ICE victims. Participants may also complete postcards calling on elected officials to prioritize safety over surveillance, and to demand transparency and accountability in immigration enforcement. At 6:00 pm, we will process silently across the bridge, stopping along the way for a brief remembrance for ICE victims.
  • Details and registration here.

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

Adult (RE) Contact: Adult Religious Exploration

Are you curious about Adult RE? Click here
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.

Children’s RE Contact: Loren Crawford

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

Are you curious about Children’s RE? Click here

The Nursery: Tadpoleswill 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. They will join the older children in Summer RE as appropriate.

Summer RE for Kids!

JULY
  • 26: Board Game Day: A wide assortment of games for all ages
AUGUST
  • 2 Solar Oven Day: Build a pizza box solar oven to make s’mores
  • 9 Peace Stone Day: Paint flat rocks with kind words to hide around the neighborhood 
  • 16: Cooking Day II: Create goodies for a donation-based lemonade stand. Proceeds go to CLCM 
  • 23 Jar Day: Decorate jars for Water Communion. Give to the congregation at coffee hour.
  • 30: Water Day III The Last One:  It’s Water Communion Day!
September 6: RE Classes begin