Please Note: Deadline for submitting announcements is 11:00 am Tuesday mornings.

Sunday Worship July 13, 9:00 am and 10:45 am

A Moral Document with Rev. Carol McKinley

On July 4th we celebrated the 249th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. How are the values of freedom and human dignity expressed in that document reflected in the values we honor in our Unitarian Universalist faith tradition?

There will be no more After-Service Forums until September — Happy Summer!

Join us in-person at 9:00am and 10:45 am, or virtually at 10:45 am

Join us on Zoom at 10:45 am

Meeting ID:

873 210 124

Passcode:

2306

Join us on YouTube at 10:45 am

For Telephone:

Dial +1 (253) 205-0468

Last Sunday's Service

July 13th: Sacred Music

with Carbon Marshall, Sharon Love, and Ginny Taylor

A celebration of the spiritual power of music to open our minds, hearts, and bodies through melody, rhythm, and poetry. A few OUUC members and friends identify a favorite hymn and reflect on how it holds meaning for them. We’ll sing together, inviting music to deepen our personal experience of the sacred.

Watch the Service Here

Find Order of Service Here

OUUC NEWS

OUUC Shows Up for Knowledge

A small and mighty band of people showed up at the Washington State Capitol on July 12 to protest the federal cuts to science, libraries and education. Thank you to all who came to show support and solidarity!

Some of those gathered asked for the text of the speech that I gave on the base of the capitol steps. The speech can be read on our website by clicking here.

Stay strong and grounded; take care of yourself and each other.

Rev. Mary Minister@ouuc.org

Construction Ahead!

Thanks to all of your financial support for our congregation, we are excited to announce that the entire building will be painted from July 21st through August 1st. If you're coming to the church outside of Sunday worship hours, you may have to use different doors than normal to get in and out due to painting, caulking, and other work.

Additionally, our new heat pump will be installed on Monday, July 21st, and we expect the roof repainting and repair to take place by the end of July or early August, so be alert when you're entering and exiting the premises!

Once again, thank you all for all you do to keep our church well-maintained and ready for the next generation of UUers!

Staff Away Updates

Rev. Mary is away on retreat and vacation through July 25. She will not be checking email until she returns on July 26.

Buildings and Grounds Shout-Out!

Next time you are in the building and noticing how clearly you can see our beautiful groundskeeping, be sure to thank Marie Arensmeyer, Eric Ness, Dieter Jacobs, and Jerald Dodson for doing such a great job cleaning all of our big windows! We see (better, now!) and appreciate your work, folks. Thank you!

Becoming a Peanut Free Facility

Dear community, one of our young ones has a severe peanut allergy and we will be moving to becoming a peanut-free facility in response (this is one of the ways we take care of each other!). What this means for you: Please do not bring any peanuts, peanut butter, or products that contain peanuts (including peanut oil) to OUUC. Thank you for helping keep our community safe for all.

OUUC ACTIVITIES

This Week

Quick Faith in Actions From Home

Week of July 13th

Click Here to find quick Faith in Actions you can do from home, updated every week.

Sewing Ministry

Saturday, July 19th

12:30 pm

If you like to sew, enjoy participating in group projects, and want to support members of our community who would benefit from a warm hug (a lap quilt), join us in the Commons from 12:30 - 3:30! Contact Wendy Tanner for additional information.

Generation XYZ Lunch

Sunday, July 20th

12:15 pm

All between the ages of 18-50ish are welcome for the monthly lunch at 12:15pm in one of the classrooms. Look for Kedo Baye with any questions.

Future Events

Help remove invasive plants on the grounds

Saturday, July 26th

10:00 am

Help the Environmental Action Team remove invasive plants on the OUUC grounds! B.Y.O. water, sunscreen, garden gloves and weeding utensils.

Contact John Crutcher for more information.

Nature Group at McClane Creek

Saturday, July 26th

10:00 am

All ages are welcome to join Rev Sara and Anissa for nature and gentle walking at McClane Creek nature trail. A Discover Pass is required for parking here. RSVP to Rev Sara at dcfd@ouuc.org

Parent Group at Lion's Park

Thursday, Aug 7th

6:00 pm

Parents and caregivers of kids of any age are invited to attend the parent group for community building and mutual support. This month we meet at Lion's Park playground.

Nature Group at Burfoot Park

Saturday, Aug 23rd

10:00 am

All ages are welcome to join Anissa at Burfoot Park for nature and beach combing. RSVP to Anissa at reassistant@ouuc.org

Water Communion In-gathering

Sunday, Sept 7th

Remember to gather a bit of water over the summer for our Water Communion In-gathering service on Sept. 7

Save the Date: Annual Picnic

Saturday, Sept 13th

12:00 pm

Save the date for the OUUC annual picnic at the Rose Garden on Saturday September 13th, at noon

Calls to Action

July Faith in Action Digest

There are so many ways to show up, speak out, or lend support for our values in the world this month, find many of them organized here

Faith in Action Digest July 2025

Help with Coffee Crew

Our coffee hours are only possible through the help of volunteers who make the coffee, set everything up, and wash the dishes after.

Please sign up here to help

OUUC Side with Love Shirt

Get ready to represent OUUC and Side with Love at gatherings and justice events by ordering your yellow T-Shirt ahead of time!

Click Here To Order Your T-Shirt

Seeking Co-coordinators for

the OUUC Book Group

Frances Tanaka is seeking one or two co-coordinators to help renew OUUC's long-standing (mostly) fiction book group. Meetings will resume in September and continue every 2nd Thursday of the month at 6:30 pm. Please contact Frances if you would like to help.

Seeking Facilitators for Soul Matters Groups Next Year

Soul Matters groups are small groups of about 10 who meet monthly to explore the spiritual theme of the month through discussion questions. We are seeking facilitators for the new groups that will form and run September-June.

Please contact Rev Sara at dcfd@ouuc.org if you are interested in leading a group.

UU's Ministry For Earth seeks Board Members

UU Ministry For Earth has OPEN POSITIONS on our Board of Directors!

Board Members help steer the organization forward and ensure a sound strategic outlook. We need all sorts of expertise in areas such as: general non-profit or business management, climate justice, HR, finance and bookkeeping!

Click Here to learn more, and feel free to reach out to Board Chair Rev. Lauren Levwood even if you are unsure. Serving on a Board is a great way to incorporate UU values into your life, including meeting UUs from across the country. Plus, it always feels good to learn new skills that you can use to contribute to your community!

Join the Books Brownies and Beans Team!

Book Sale Team organizes the annual BBB fundraiser event scheduled this year on October 24 and 25. Seeking a brigade of people for a wide variety of tasks:

✓ Weekly planning meetings beginning in July

✓ Book sorters & haulers several weeks before the sale

✓ A larger cadre of book lovers to set up the sale

✓ An army of amazing volunteers to launch and manage the two-day sale, including cashiers, coffee and brownie purveyors, book organizers, music providers and other important positions

✓ A group of unsung heroes to "tear down" the entire book sale set-up and prepare the church for Sunday morning service.

Contact Pam Davidson to join the team!

Help Book Nook Fight Food Insecurity

Book Nook, OUUC’s new online used book store for all Olympia-area shoppers is now open 24/7, 365 days a year at books-ouuc.com Shop/pay online and pick up in Olympia! All proceeds will be lovingly passed on to the Thurston County Food Bank, where our support is needed to keep the shelves stocked and the lights on! New items are added to Book Nook frequently, as community book donations are received. Visit Book Nook often for great reading, viewing, gift ideas, AND help feed families! For more info about shopping or donating check out Book Nook OUUC webpage or Book Nook's FAQ page

Donate to OUUC Online

IN THE COMMUNITY

Every Friday

4:30 pm

Reconciliation Vigil for Peace

The Rachel Corrie Foundation for Peace and Justice invites you to show your support for Palestine at the Fellowship of Reconciliation Vigil for Peace each Friday from 4:30 pm - 6:00 pm, at Percival Landing in Downtown Olympia, located at the intersection of 4th & Water Street.

Sept. 22- 25

Fort Worden Camping Trip

Make connections in the congregation by sharing in our love of nature, engaging in meaningful conversations, walking the trails and sitting around the campfire- let’s go camping! Bring your tent, car, or RV- all are welcome! Sometimes we even rent cabins or yurts. Hike, bike, play board games, roast marshmallows, engage in other outdoor activities, or just hang-out. Join us on our next trip to Fort Worden on September 22nd. Sites are limited, so make your reservations soon!

For more information, email Rich Kalman.

Sept. 7

UU Ministry for Earth Common Read

The UU Ministry for Earth 2025-26 Common Read begins in September! We will be reading “What if We Get it Right?” by Ayana Elizabeth Johnson. Sign up here to join the Common Read group email list. We will be sending general reminders in our monthly newsletter and opportunities to connect with each other as we read along. We can’t wait to look toward an imaginative future for climate justice with you!

Sept. 7

The Woodlands: a virtual pastoral care program for trans people of all ages

The Woodlands is a new monthly virtual pastoral care program for trans people and their families, launching September 7, 2025. Open to all ages, each gathering includes a shared grounding ritual, identity-affirming breakout rooms, and a closing reflection. With spaces for trans adults, youth, and caregivers, The Woodlands offers a sacred, supportive environment to process grief, share joy, and build resilient community. Sessions are chaplain-led and will take place on the first Sunday of each month through May 2026. Learn more here.

July 17th

5:00 pm - 7:00 pm

John Lewis Day of Action

Celebrate the life and legacy of John Lewis with Olympia Indivisible by waving a sign and donating to Thurston County Food Bank. All Are Welcome! Feed hope and fight hunger. Bring signs on any issues troubling you, donations for the food bank (Canned goods, Cereal, Rice, Beans, Pasta, Peanut Butter), and a friend! Let's show that our community is together and ready to make some good trouble! July 17th on Martin Way at 109 exit from the I-5 Freeway. Easy parking at the park & ride.