Midweek UUpdate 9/11/26

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Proudly Progressive, Boldly Inclusive, Radically Friendly

FYI 
 

Louisville Pride: Share the Sparkletastic Joy! Saturday, September 12

Louisville Pride is almost here! This event is more locally based with lots of community vendors, our church will be co-hosting a booth with All Peoples.
September 12th 11am-10pm  We’re looking for volunteers for the Glitter Booth!
If you’re interested in sharing some sparkletastic joy with us contact the office.

NEW From the 7th Principle Team: Data Center Update & Call to Action

Roger will be in the social hall each Sunday in September with current information about the status of the data center planning. See more below in the Justice Section.

Time for First U to Sign Up for a CLOUT Listening Session 

Meetings are IN-PERSON See below for more information.
New Sessions have been added!

NEW: First Unitarian Urban Campout: September 25-26

Join us at church on Friday, September 25 & Saturday, September 26th for our annual campout with an urban flair.
Starting Friday at 3 pm, we’ll set-up tents or indoor sleeping accommodations, conduct workshops, play sports, storytelling, talent shows, and sing-a-long campfires in the Courtyard.

Stay overnight in a tent, in the church, or at home and then participate in all-day Saturday’s events (8am to 10pm) – meals, workshops (tie dying, movie making, acting class, art making (painting & flaming mandala), shoebox parade construction, protest sign-making, crafts, etc.), a Louisville History Hike, more sports, activities, and just plain fun and relaxation.)

Price? – a potluck dish for Friday’s evening meal and/or your help with a workshop or activity during the campout. We will be serving three meals on Saturday.

What we need to know
(1) your name & email
(2) how many in your party,
(3) which day(s
(4) will you stay overnight on Friday?

If you are willing to present/help with a workshop, let us know!

Contact us via email!

Chalice Circles ’26-’27 Registration Begins

Our small group ministry starts up in late September following the summer break. Everyone must register to participate in a circle of 5 to 10 members and friends of First U who will meet regularly into June 2027. Circles discuss topics on broad themes such as each of our shared values of hope, satisfaction, or belonging. They meet once or twice a month, as decided by the circle’s members. There’s no homework or preparatory reading obligation. Just show up and share your stories and your truth.

To learn more, check out the Participant’s Guide or contact the office. If you want to try this out with no obligation, we are offering a one-time sampler circle at 10 am on Sunday, September 20 in the Library. When you’re ready to register, you can do it here or turn in a paper form available at the Volunteer Desk. (Registrations received after Sunday, September 20 will be assigned on a space available basis.)

First U Book Club: See You Monday, September 14

The Book Club is taking a break in August. Join us the 2nd Monday in September when we’ll be discussing The Little Paris Bookshop by Nina George!

Susan Wilburn Memorial Service – Sunday, October 4, 2:30 pm

At age 99, Susan was our oldest member, and she was at least the third generation in her family to belong to the First U community. Susan served on the Board, with Women’s Alliance, and in other leadership positions. Here is an oral history interview conducted with her in 2016 that is available through the Kentucky Historical Society. Her obituary is in the Courrier-Journal.
Susan’s service and reception will be here at the church and also accessible via zoom. Rev. Liz regrets that she has commitments out of state on the dates Susan’s family needed. Linette Lowe will officiate. Our gratitude to Linette.

Join Us This Sunday at 11:00am
 

September 13

Blessed Interdependence:
from Louisville to Springfield and Back
Minister: Rev. Liz Weber
Our Haitian neighbors in Springfield, Ohio, have been especially persecuted since the revocation of their Temporary Protected Status. Rev. Liz recently answered a call for faith leaders to go to Springfield to support the community. Come hear stories from that week of solidarity and service. We will also explore how our Unitarian Universalist values and theology call us to action and how we can take action here at home.
 

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
 

A Warning About the Topic September 20:

The service on Sunday, September 20  will address mental health and suicide prevention, including regional statistics about suicide loss in Kentucky and Indiana. We share this topic because we believe it deserves to be spoken aloud, in community, with honesty and care.

If this subject matter may be difficult for you, we welcome you to prepare accordingly – whether that means bringing a trusted friend to sit with, stepping out for a moment if needed, or choosing to engage with the sermon recording in your own time and space. You belong here, whatever you need. If you or someone you love is struggling, you can call or text 988 (Suicide & Crisis Lifeline) at any time, day or night. Rev. Liz is also available for spiritual and emotional support. We hold you.

September 20

Selah & Chesed:
Pausing, Staying,
and Choosing Love

Guest Speaker: Laura Roberts
 

Exploring two beautiful Hebrew words: selah, a sacred pause inviting us to stop, breathe, and notice what is real, and chesed, a steadfast love that stays present even in the midst of suffering.

Through the lens of suicide prevention and mental health, we considered what it means to truly be there for one another—not necessarily with answers or solutions, but with presence, compassion, and a willingness to listen.

Drawing on the wisdom of the Psalms, our UU values, and the modern symbol of the semicolon, we were reminded that a difficult moment does not have to be the end of the story. Sometimes the most powerful thing we can offer another person is simply to pause, stay, and say:
You are not alone. Your story is not over.
 

September 27

Animal Blessing Sunday
Rev. Liz Weber and Loren Crawford

We will celebrate the animals in our lives! You are invited to bring your pets, favorite stuffed animals, or photos of beloved pets (from today or those who have died) to church. We will bless them together and reflect on their importance in our lives.
This is a “stations” style worship for all ages. Children will stay in the sanctuary the whole hour. Instead of a single sermon, we will split into smaller groups that move from station to station around the sanctuary during our service. Stations include rituals like the blessing, time to share stories and spiritual crafts, and more.

Social Justice

NEW From the 7th Principle Team: Data Center Update & Call to Action

Info and Action: The 7th Principle team asks that your voice be heard by your councilperson and the mayor on this important topic. Roger will be in the social hall each Sunday in September with current information. Contact your MC representative at, 574-11_ _ + (your district number), and Mayor Greenberg.

Sign Up for a CLOUT Listening Session 

Meetings are IN-PERSON: Locations to be Shared
Autumn marks many beginnings – like school and our church year – and it’s also the beginning of the CLOUT (Citizens of Louisville Organized and United Together) annual justice cycle, where we listen to learn which problems weigh on you and your loved ones. Gathering our stories fosters meaningful connections and it reveals how we are all stakeholders in our justice work, bound up in a spirit of mutuality.

First U is offering three opportunities to participate in this important stage in working with 26 other metro area faith communities to build Beloved Community through holding leaders accountable. Each session will run about 75 minutes.

Remaining Sessions:

  • Tuesday, September 15 at 2 pm
  • Sunday, September 20 during RE.
  • Wednesday, September 23 at 6:30 pm
  • NEW Sunday, October 4 at 12:15 in the church library.

Each session has limited space. We can add more sessions, but if you have a preference for any of these times, do not delay. Get in touch with the office to reserve your spot or to learn more about the CLOUT listening process at First U.

UU the Vote:  Please Join Us!

We’re writing postcards to get out the vote for the November election. Come by the Social Hall after the service, or for more information, click 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

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.

Check here for more information on Children’s RE.
Religious Exploration Children’s Classes

  • The Nursery aka The Rabbit Hole: Open for babies and toddlers from 9:30am-12:15pm on Sundays.
  • The Raccoon Room: Pre-K – Grade 2. Room 212. Teacher: Ms. Loren & guest teachers
    Open for Pre-K and up starting at 9:45 so families can attend adult RE.
    At 11:00 a, children will begin in the sanctuary with their families and then head upstairs with their teacher after the Moment for All Ages. Class ends at noon, parents will come up and get their children following the service.
  • The Fox Hole: Grades 3 and up Room  202. Ms. Christina & guest teachers will begin in the sanctuary with their families and then head upstairs with their teacher after the Moment for All Ages. Class ends at noon, parents will come up and get their children following the service.

Youth Group: Grades 5 and Up 
We hope to meet on a regular basis at the church and around town.

Please complete one registration form for each child you would like to participate in Religious Exploration in the coming year. This includes the nursery.

Questions? Contact Loren, the Director of Religious Exploration

Adult RE: Join Us in Person or Online Sundays at 10am

Click here for more information on Adult RE.

We meet each Sunday at 10 am in the Library and via Zoom.
Join us at 9:45 for our check-ins with one another. Contact: Adult RE
Meeting ID: 881 3952 8893   Passcode: 809  Meeting chat link:

September 13 Four Engines for a Vibrant First U (Part 3):
A Commitment to Denominational Connection
Following up on the final thoughts from the August 9 service spelling out four engines to build a vibrant Adult Religious Exploration program – and, hopefully, from that, a vibrant First U experience – we’re going to explore the third “engine” and how a robust denominational connection is inherent to our work and a vital part of Adult RE planning, brainstorming ways we can put this third engine into gear. (This is a stand-alone session. You do not need to participate in any other part of this four-part series.)

September 20 CLOUT: A Listening Process for Community Change
Each year, CLOUT (Citizens of Louisville Organized and United Together) – the interfaith, multi-congregational community-based justice organization First U participates in – engages in a community listening process to discern what issues and inequities and injustices are percolating among us. This listening process occurs in homes and in other small group settings across Jefferson County and leads us into the next phase in which everyone votes on the next area of change and redress CLOUT will take on. There are house meetings that will be offered by First U members in September and this Sunday Adult RE session will be an extra session available to you, but the pool of participants will be capped at 10 (with no limit on who can join us as observers) so arrive early or sign up for one of the other house meetings if you want to participate in the listening process!

September 27 A Chalice Circle Sampler: Love at the Center
The Chalice Circles team is wrapping up the open enrollment period for Chalice Circles, the small group ministry program at First U, and this Sunday’s session is definitely one to check out if you’re “on the fence” about joining because we’re going to offer a sneak peek, sampler-sized, one-time Chalice Circle experience so you can “kick the tires” and take a Chalice Circle out for a test drive. We’ll run things kind of/sort of like an actual Chalice Circle and for this session our topic will be “Love at the Center.”