1

What’s Inside? Sharing Thoughts:

Staff Reports Page 2

Religious Exploration

Plans & Updates: Page 5

Updates from Our

Ministries: Page 9

The Board of Trustees

Checks In: Page 12

Black Lives Matter Vigil

Photo Journal: Page 14

News from the Groups

Page 16

First U Happenings

FYI: Page 19

We are a church of reason and spirit that

Witnesses for progressive faith, Nurtures our community and

Transforms our world.

Welcome Linda Berry, Ministerial Intern

Linda was introduced to the church at the August 30 Celebration of Live. We look forward to getting to know each other. She will be sharing the message, “2.7 Seconds on a Bull Named Fu Man Chu” with us on October 11.

Vol. 21 No. 8

Fall 2015

809 South Fourth Street

Louisville, Kentucky 40203

A Member Congregation of the

Unitarian Universalist Association

www.firstulou.org

(502) 585-5110

Calendar

Highlights

September

13 Grades 4-6

OWL begins

27 Black Lives

Matter Banner

Raising

October

4 Blessings of the

Animals

November

1 Trick-or-Treat for

UNICEF

22 Bread

Communion

Guest at Your

Table

26 First U

Thanksgiving

Dinner

December

6 Chalica Begins

2

Contact Information for Rev. Dawn Email: minister@firstulou.org Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RevDawnCooley Phone: cell/txt: 502-295-1199

WELCOMING, WELCOMING

This is always one of my favorite times of year. After the slower days of summer, things begin to pick back up and we hit the ground running. This year there is much to look forward to as we come back together, renewed and revitalized.

We are continuing to explore how best to put our faith into action, through our ongoing Black Lives Matter vigils. We will also be renewing our

dedication to being a Welcoming Congregation – I invite you to the series of classes I will be giving on first and third Sundays as we delve deeper into what this designation means in the lived reality of life at First U.

Pursuing social justice is an important part of our faith, and so is hospitality. Towards these ends, you will notice some new faces around First U on Sundays and throughout the week. FORward radio (http://www.forward-radio.net) will be housed in what used to be our nursery (the nursery has moved into a bright, cheery space upstairs). And a congregation of the Spiritual Israel Church and Its Army denomination (a bible believing tradition whose primary teaching is that God is Love and that Love resides in each of us) will be sharing space with us on Sunday mornings, meeting and worshipping in the choir room and joining us for coffee and lunches during our fellowship hour. Please join me in welcoming them!

Speaking of new faces, I am excited to introduce Linda Berry, our new student minister. Linda is starting her second year at Meadville/Lombard Seminary in Chicago and will be with us part-time for two years. Linda comes to us from Nashville, where she has been a church leader for a number of years. But even before her time at Nashville, she knew her way around church – her late husband Ben was a pastor and professor. Linda has a Masters Degree in Human Resources Management and18 hours towards her PhD in Leadership and Management. She is particularly interested in campus ministry. We officially welcomed her at the August 30 service!

Finally, we have two new(ish) staff positions. First, we welcomed Michael Purintun as our new bookkeeper late this Spring. Michael and our treasurer, John Grossman, are spending time putting systems into place and bringing our bookkeeping back in house. We share Michael with Central Louisville Community Ministries and with Central Presbyterian, so it is a win-win situation for everyone. And you may recall that we announced the impending retirement of our Building Supervisor, Earl Reynolds. Thankfully, Earl has decided to stay on provided we bring in a janitor to help him with the manual labor, so that is what we are doing. Be on the lookout for an announcement about the new hire for this position in the near future!

Sharing space with these wonderful organizations, and hiring these new staff positions, continues to allow us to live our mission in our larger community. I am excited to see what this year will bring!

Speaking Of...... The Rev. Dawn Cooley

Related Articles

Black Lives Matter Vigil

Photo Journal page 14

Forward Radio page 19

3

A Note from the Music Director Christe Lunsford

4

Wow—Fall already! Some exciting things happened at church over the summer. We enjoyed sharing stories and activities from Picture Book UU with our friends in Preschool through 5th grade each week, and adults gathered for Ebb and Flow, Sacred Journal, Creativity as Spirituality, and Coffee and Social Justice.

We had a great RE Cleanout to prepare our rooms for fall classes. We painted, decorated, and moved into the new Nursery space in Room 214 upstairs and helped Forward Radio move into the (now) Radio Room in Room 106.5. Many of us continued to attend Navigators inclusive scouting meetings over the summer as well as showed our support at the Black Lives Matter vigils after church. It was a great summer to be at First U!

This fall will be full of fun, friends, and faith development, too, so we hope you'll join us.

RE Registration for children and youth continues to take place each Sunday in the RE Lobby upstairs. Please also fill out a photo release, sign up for Parent/Caregiver RE Co-Op hours, and donate to the Healthy Snack Fund.

See you

in RE!

Religious Exploration Happenings Linette Lowe, DRE

For further information about Religious Exploration:

Visit the First Unitarian website at firstulou.org, Contact Linette Lowe, Director of Religious Exploration at dre@firstulou.org.

You can also contact Kathy Thackeray, Chair of the First U Religious Exploration Ministry at religiouseducationministry@firstulou.org or see us at church, as Kathy and Linette are usually present on Sundays.

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Guest at Your Table November 22

Guest at Your Table is a yearly event sponsored by the UU Service Committee (UUSC) to support lifesaving human rights and social justice work around the globe. This year will be the 75th anniversary of Guest at Your Table!

Sept. 6 RE Ministry meeting 12:45

Navigators

13 One Room Schoolhouse 4-6 OWL 11:00-12:00

19 CLCM Walk in Central Park 9:00am (Saturday)

20 4-6 OWL Navigators

26-27 Middle School UU Youth Retreat at Camp Piomingo

27 4-6 OWL

Oct. 4 Navigators RE Ministry meeting 12:45

11 One Room Schoolhouse 4-6 OWL

18 4-6 OWL Navigators

25 4-6 OWL

Nov. 1 Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF 4-6 OWL RE Ministry meeting 12:45 Navigators

8 One Room Schoolhouse 4-6 OWL

15 4-6 OWL Navigators

22 Guest at Your Table

29 Fifth Sunday Adult RE programming

Save the Date!

Dec. 6 Chalica! Dec. 20, 27, Jan. 3 – Winter Break no Children's/Youth RE

Religious Exploration Dates

Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF is an annual tradition here at First Unitarian, where on November 1, we will wear our (not too scary) costumes to church and collect money to send to UNICEF to help children around the world.

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Nursery: Childcare and Programming led by Elena Meeks and NaQueesha Puckett

Preschool: Chalice Children led by Bev Daly and Susie Onwood

K-2nd Grade: World of Wonder led by Christina Roberts and Rae Cobbs

3rd – 6th Grade: Hogwarts led by Pam Middleton, Jill Sampson, April Kraft, and Jim Fry

Middle & High School: Curriculum TBD by youth, led by danielle rogers-candee and Jen Slazas

MS/HS Youth Group for youth 6th Grade and up will meet regularly beginning in September, schedule TBD.

One Room Schoolhouse Second Sunday of the month from 9:45 til 10:45 am. All ages meet with Director of Religious Exploration, Linette Lowe, and her assistants, in the Open Classroom, room 205. The topic of the month goes with the monthly mission themes. This September topic is Reverence. We’ll study Reason in October and Spirituality in November.

Children’s Celebration for children Preschool through upper elementary occur during the sermon portion of the Celebration of Life except during Multigenerational Celebrations of Life which include all children, youth, and adults.

OUR WHOLE LIVES (OWL) SEXUALITY EDUCATION

FOR 4th - 6th GRADERS

This fall we will be offering the Our Whole Lives (OWL) sexuality education program designed as age-appropriate for our 4th-6th grade students. OWL values self-worth, sexual health, responsibility, justice and inclusivity. In eight one-hour workshops that will take place during the Celebration of Life services this fall, OWL will model and teach caring, compassion, respect and justice. It helps children in grades 4-6 understand the physical and emotional changes of puberty. Participants explore values, communication, and decision-making as well as physical health and development. The HomeLinks feature of the program opens lines of communication between parents and children. The eight workshops are as follows:

1. Values and Sexuality

2. Family Relationships

3. Puberty: Physical and Emotional Changes

4. Gender Identity and Sexual Orientation

5. Lovemaking and Reproduction

6. Health and Safety

7. Communication

8. Decision Making

Religious Exploration OWL

Religious Exploration Children and Youth Classes

More information about OWL is available at the UUA website:

http://www.uua.org/re/owl

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2nd Annual Middle School Youth Retreat!

Join Youth from our cluster for an overnight retreat at beautiful YMCA Camp Piomingo

in Brandenburg, KY September 26 & 27, 2015

Arrive at 2:00 Eastern, depart at 2:00 the following day

$80 includes rustic lodging, meals, activities like swimming, campfire, pipeline slide, archery, climbing wall, games, and more, and an amazing UU youth experience!

Registration at

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1CiDpGTqR4xewUTpev4VTDVwOg_nrvfRnWRO28LBV4vA/viewform?c=0&w=1

Registration will close Sept. 14!

Questions? Contact DRE Linette Lowe at dre@firstulou.org.

Religious Exploration Middle School Retreat

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Living the Welcoming Congregation Rev. Dawn will lead us in eight sessions that deepen our understanding of sexual orientation, gender identity and expression. Leader: Rev. Dawn Cooley Meets: 1st and 3rd Sundays in room 103, aka, the Library.

Unitarian Universalism and You (UU & You) We will explore Unitarian principles through

current events, philosophical readings, as well as theological and spiritual thought. Leader: James Jeffries Meets: 2nd and 4th Sunday of the month in room 103, aka, the Library.

UU Parenting Everyone is invited to discuss the challenges and joys of parenting as a UU today.

Facilitators: Lisa Mascio-Thompson & Stacy Hagman Meets: 4th Sunday in Room 205. Sacred Journal Explore your creative side with Jill and friends as the journey to create pages in

a Sacred Journal continues. Monthly ministry themes provide the focus for each session. Facilitator: Jill Sampson Meets: 1st Sundays through 2015 in Room 205.

Coffee and Social Justice A conversation group lead by the participants with a focus on

current social justice issues and living our Seven Principles in the world. Meets: Every Sunday in the Social Hall.

Nursery care is available beginning at 9:30 through the RE hour in room 214. If you choose to have your child with you during the Celebration of Life service, please note that in the library (double doors next to the organ), there is a rocking chair and soft carpeting. You will be able to hear the service.

Navigators Inclusive Scouting for children & youth meets on the Second Floor on the first and third Sundays. (See page 17) Contact Bill or Cindy Van Rooy for more information. chapter86@navigatorsusa.org

UU Book Club meets the second Monday of the month in the Parlor, room 101, at 6:00 pm. See page 21 for more information.

First Sunday Luncheons There is a Luncheon for all infants, children, youth, and adults on the first Sunday of each month after the Celebration of Life. Note: there are two highchairs available for infants, and five toddler chairs that allow the child to be at table level. First Sunday Extended Childcare is provided for infants, toddlers and children through 5th grade upstairs in rooms 212/213 from 12:45 till 3:00.

Other Religious Exploration Sponsored Programs

Fall Adult Exporation

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All of the Resource Ministry teams have plenty of projects to keep them busy, and more volunteers are always needed!

If you are interested in helping with any of them, please contact Mary Ballard at ballardmb2@bellsouth.net. or at 502-594-9347.

Here, may you know that you are loveable, and that you are loved. And may you carry that love out into the world as a blessing.

The Resource Ministry at First Unitarian Church is responsible for working with church staff, team leaders and congregants to help keep building operations and maintenance running smoothly, and to oversee the aesthetics of the building and grounds. The Resource Ministry leader is Mary Ballard. The teams that help carry out this charge are:

House and Grounds

led by Joe Kremer and Roger Ohlman

Churchyard Friends

led by Kathy Gapsis

Aesthetics

led by Kathy Thackeray and Bev Daly

Kitchen Wizards

Kathy Thackeray, Claudia Runge, Lois Allen, and Jill Sampson

House and Grounds –The House and Grounds team holds a work party at church one Saturday per month. They work on projects inside our church building and on the grounds. There is always more to be done and you can learn DIY techniques from this experienced crew. They’ll continue to meet one Saturday per month, 9:00 am – 12 noon. Contact Joe Kremer or Roger Ohlman for more details.

Kitchen Wizards - The Kitchen Wizards meet regularly to clean the kitchen, toss leftover food from the refrigerator, and keep the church kitchen organized and ready for use. There is a checklist available in the kitchen for all to follow during and after any kitchen use.

Churchyard Friends - The Churchyard Friends have overseen many major projects, including removal of dead trees and construction of the Courtyard Corral. This group of volunteers maintain and beautify the church grounds during ongoing work parties to plant, weed, water, and replace landscaping as needed. Contact Kathy Gapsis for more details or to volunteer.

Aesthetics Team - The Aesthetics team maintains ongoing projects to beautify our indoor space, both on Sundays in the sanctuary, and with various projects throughout the building. They have spent many hours cleaning, rearranging, and planning. They have also made several recommendations for improvements and upgrades, which they will pursue as funding allows.

Resource Ministry Update Mary Ballard

Living What We Believe: Updates from the Ministries

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UPCOMING CELEBRATION OF LIFE SERVICES

Some of the details are yet to be decided, but the Fall promises a continuation of the diversity and quality of speakers at First U. Plans are in the works for a few open dates but are not finalized yet. As always, the weekly updates bring you the most recent news, so stay in touch.

September 6 Faith With Power Speaker: The Rev. Dawn Cooley

13 A Generosity Portfolio Speaker: Devi Pierce, Stewardship Chair

20 Sowing Justice Speakers: Members of First U

27 Ministry Theme: Reverence Speaker: The Rev. Dawn Cooley

October 4 Blessing of the Animals: Speaker: The Rev. Dawn Cooley Unlikely Friendships

11 2.7 Seconds on a Bull Named Speaker: Linda Berry, Ministerial Intern Fu Man Chu

18 All In It Together Speaker: The Rev. Dawn Cooley

25 Out of the Flames Speakers: Members of the Worship Ministry

November 1 Ministry Theme: Spirituality Speaker: The Rev. Dawn Cooley (and Trick or Treat for UNICEF)

8 To be announced Speaker: The Rev. Dawn Cooley

15 Watch your midweek update for more information

22 Bread Communion Speakers: The Rev. Dawn Cooley/Linda Berry

29 Watch your midweek update for more information

December 6 Chalica Speaker: Linette Lowe

Worship Ministry

USHERING 101

Are you currently an usher? Do you think you might want to be an usher? Do you have what it takes to fulfill the important but not very demanding (6 Sundays per year) duties of an usher? If yes to any of these, please come to the Ushering 101 class on September 13 (12:30-2:00) after the Black Lives Matter vigil.

Pizza and beverage will be provided. We will start with a review of the issues you have dealt with this year, then let the experienced people go. New people and anyone else who wishes, may stay to practice passing the plate and other challenging activities of being an usher. If you have questions, please contact Pam at pamiddleto1@gmail.com. No reservations needed. Just show up Sunday for pizza.

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GREETERS WANTED

Can you smile? Great! You've passed the first test.

Can you also say, "Good morning"? Wow! You are qualified to be a Greeter, and we need you!

Greeters work in shifts of an hour or so on Sunday mornings, usually one Sunday a month. They welcome people into the church and get to meet both newcomers and oldcomers. It is easy, and it's fun!

If you think you might be a regular or a substitute greeter, just call or email Maureen Taylor with your contact information. Here is the contact info for Maureen: maureenptaylor69@att.net or call 502-618-3080.

Thanks for considering this service to First U!

NEW MEMBERS

A New to First U Class was held August 16. On August 30, we had a New Member Ceremony and

the following people joined First U. Welcome to:

John Babb was a member of the Unitarian Universalist Church of Santa Clarita, California,

until he moved to Louisville in June to be close to his family. He is an Atheist and is

passionate about social and especially environmental causes. He loves to write and hike and

describes himself as “a total nerd.” He is still getting to know Louisville, and really enjoys

the history in this city.

Martin English describes himself as a Pagan and a Heathen. He is so happy to find kindred spirits with whom he can be together, talk, and enjoy friendship.

Debbie Hess brings to the table a joy of learning, which is rooted in an extensive array of educational experiences, including a couple of degrees, garnered along her life's path. If she had one wish for the world, it would be that wisdom would lead people to cease killing and move to world peace. She hopes always that the future remains a place of love.

Michelle and Leanne Love got married in Florida on June 11th this year and are ecstatic that their marriage is now legal everywhere! They are drawn to Unitarian Universalism because they have found it to be accepting and loving and a good fit. They hope to get more involved with civil rights activism within First UU. They join with their “wild child” Gabby, who is 8, and is excited to join Navigators.

Claire VanLandingham has been attending services at First U for about two years since she moved to Louisville for dental school. In her free time, she likes to travel, dance, and try new recipes. She loves the people she has met through this church and hopes to get to know many more members!

Connections Ministry (formerly Member Ministry)

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Please be aware significant change is regarding the parking lot that is jointly owned by First Unitarian Church and Calvary Episcopal Church. We have jointly rented this lot to Systems Parking for many years. Due to the decline of use of this parking lot, the income and lot maintenance from Systems has declined. Both First Unitarian and Calvary Episcopal have been hoping a better rental situation for our property. Happily, this summer we got a call from Presentation Academy, the parochial school that at 4th and Breckenridge Streets. Presentation Academy is in need of additional parking for their students. The board members and staff of First Unitarian, Calvary Episcopal, and Presentation Academy discussed this issue and came to an agreement that should work out for all three parties. How will this affect us? Details are below:

First Unitarian and Calvary Episcopal will BOTH have 12 reserved spots close to our properties. These 12 spots, plus the three spots facing Library Lane, should be sufficient space for daytime staff and visitors of First U and the CLCM office. Presentation Academy students will occupy the spots in the center of the lot (and a few along the First U side closest to 4th Street). Spots for First U and Calvary will be clearly marked. First U and Calvary members and visitors can park in the center spots as the girls leave the lot for the day after 3 p.m. We can also use these spots on the weekends. There may be special events at the school that may require more parking in the evening for some sports or other events. Presentation will notify both churches in advance of these events. This will begin with a one year lease, after which we will evaluate how well it went and make adjustments as needed.

The First Unitarian staff and board and Calvary Episcopal staff and vestry members feel this is a positive, neighborly thing to do by helping a nearby organization in need. As always, if there are any questions or concerns about this, feel free to reach out to a board member.

As you know, we already share our sanctuary with the Roman Catholic Women Priests on the First Sunday afternoon-evening of each month. They call their services Christ Sophia Inclusive Catholic Community, or CSIC.

Soon we will be seeing new faces coming into our church on Sunday mornings! Another church community, that was recently in need of renting a new space for worship has approached First Unitarian to inquire if they can use some of our space.

This is the Louisville congregation (approximately 30 members of all ages) of the Spiritual Israel Church and Its Army. It is a chiefly African American Church that emphasizes love and acceptance. Beginning Sept. 13th, they will be meeting in the Choir room on Sunday mornings from 10 am - 1:00 pm. We are excited they will be here and look forward to having fellowship with this congregation.

The First U Board of Trustees: Parking Lot Changes

The First U Board of Trustees: Shared Space

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Dear First Unitarian Members and Friends:

As many of you know, over the years our church property has been used as a refuge for some members of Louisville's homeless population. While in the past we have been welcoming to those needing shelter, three years ago we saw that we could no longer welcome transients to camp on our property, especially overnight. There were several reasons for this decision, issues such as safety, hygiene and excess litter on the church property. While this was a tough decision to make, it needed to be made. Unfortunately, the board has been made aware that we need to revisit this issue again.

With bridge construction, we are seeing more of the homeless population displaced from their refuges downtown and heading south into our neighborhood. We and other area churches and schools have noticed an increased transient population in our area.

We do not have SANITARY SERVICES (aka "porta-toilets") for persons who stay on our grounds overnight. There are some homeless that use the sanitary services at the Louisville Free Public Library -- but during late night hours the LFPL is not open and open piles of human refuse have been left on our grounds. Cleaning up this waste is not a pleasant job for either our paid staff or grounds-keeping volunteers. And not cleaning it up is not an option when we have children who could be playing on our grounds.

Finally, we have had some disruptive incidents at our church. Examples of this are the intentional damage to a visitor’s car and “bullying” or aggressively harassing members, staff and visitors when entering the church. While we want to be hospitable, we do ask that visitors to the church refrain from panhandling or asking for other supplies. If someone comes in the church in need of help, please find a board member or Reverend Dawn. We can make referrals to the person and direct him or her to where they can access help or shelter. There is also a fund that Rev. Dawn may use to give some immediate help to a person in need.

You may have noticed there are now “No Trespassing” signs on our property. While some members or visitors may not see these signs as welcoming, we were advised they should be put them up. While the signs may not stop transients from camping on our property, posting them will encourage the police to step up patrols around the church and be more active in asking them to vacate the premises.

Please know that, as a church, we believe in the inherent worth and dignity of every human being. But, as an urban church -- we have a very real set of challenges with transients (aka "the homeless"). We can be accepting of people, but we will not accept behaviors that put anyone in our community at risk.

As always, if you have any questions or concerns regarding this or other issues, feel free to contact Jill Sherman, Board President at jdsher01@gmail.com and phone number is 502-262-7662.

Board of Trustees: No Trespassing Signs

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Our Black Lives Matter Candle burns on our table each week in silent testimony to our determination to raise our own awareness and to pursue justice. Our weekly vigils provide an opportunity for church members and friends to speak up, identify as allies, and invite a conversation about race. Join us after the service, exit through the front door at Heywood House. Signs are provided. We meet after lunch on First Sundays, and after the Celebration of Life the other weeks.

These photos are taken from a Courier Journal article about our Black Lives Matter vigils. It was published on June 28, 2015. http://www.courier-

journal.com/story/news/local/2015/06/28/black-lives-matter-vigil-louisville/29427705/

Black Lives Matter

15

This article appeared in the Courier Journal on June 28, 2015. The link has a

video of the vigil in addition to this article and a picture gallery.

The caption says, “About 50 members of the First Unitarian Church in downtown Louisville take part in a peaceful 30 minute vigil on 4th street to publicly identify as an ally in the Black Lives Matter movement, and provide a community opportunity for conversation about racial justice. Sunday June 28, 2015.” (Photo: William DeShazer, Special to The C-J)

Holding "Black Lives Matter" signs to passing cars, more than 40 church congregants gathered in downtown Louisville Sunday for a vigil meant to highlight inequities they said go well beyond controversial police shootings.

"The conversation is expanding about how black people have been marginalized," Kathy Gapsis, a member of Women's Alliance of the First Unitarian Church on South Fourth Street. "It's a systemic problem that hasn't changed since the civil rights movement."

National statistics show African Americans face disparities in unemployment, household income, educational attainment, incarceration and health outcomes.

The group plans to hold regular vigils under the name of a movement that started in 2013 after the shooting of Trayvon Martin in Florida and gained momentum after the police shooting of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri.

"For a lot of people, 'Black Lives Matter' has to do with the Ferguson shootings. But it needs to be about treating African Americans fairly," said demonstrator Jane Martin Buckley, citing broader inequities "like access to health care, like food deserts ... high school dropout rates."

Noah Parker, one of the few African Americans present, who was attending the church as a guest, said he was heartened to see the turnout.

"This is a very important message," he said. "Local politicians should get more involved and focus on solutions."

Buckley pointed to a sign on the church reading "Civil Marriage is a Civil Right," which the church plans to take down after Friday's Supreme Court decision legalizing gay marriage.

But she said it's also a reminder that such decisions do not guarantee an end to discrimination for many segments of society, including African Americans.

"We haven't won these battles," she said.

As the group sang songs Sunday outside the church on South Fourth Street, passing cars honked their horns to show support.

"Our goal is really to engage the community in conversation. This is a controversial topic. We hear a lot of 'all lives matter.' We agree," Gapsis said. "But we're taking this time to specifically say, historically, black lives have not mattered in this country."

Reporter Chris Kenning can be reached at (502) 582-4697. Follow him on Twitter at @ckenning_cj.

Courier Journal article about our Black Lives Matter Vigils

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Mabon September 20

Samhain October 5

Members of the First Unitarian Church held a Black Lives Matter vigil on Sunday sponsored by the church’s Women’s Alliance

We are now at the harvest season in Earth Based Traditions.

It is a time for gathering what has been sowed and giving thanks for the abundance we have received. In early history this was a time of markets and fairs

where there was feasting and games in celebration of the abundant harvest.

CUUPs has resumed our classes after the summer break. Classes will meet on the first and

third Wednesdays of the month at 7PM in the church library. Our classes are a blend of lecture and discussion with seekers, those new to the path and experienced practitioners in attendance.

Looking ahead to September 20th, we will resume our public ritual celebrations and pot luck meal on Sunday evenings with a Fall Equinox/Mabon Celebration. Our Samhain Celebration and potluck will be held on October 25. Doors open at 5:30 and the ritual celebration will begin at 6:00 pm. Potluck dinner will follow around 7:00 pm, so bring a dish to share. This is a rain or shine event held indoors.

CUUPs is a free and open community of people who practice earth-based spirituality. If you need additional information, please email us at cuups@firstulou.org

There is no charge for Circle Celebrations or classes.

CUUPs: Covenant of UU Pagans

Join us after church on September 27 on our 4th Street side as we raise our Black Lives Matter banner! In June, our UUA General Assembly

passed a resolution calling on UU congregations to support the Black Lives Matter movement, and at our First U Annual Meeting,

we voted to reinforce our Black Lives Matter vigils by raising a banner. Now is the time! All are welcome.

A

Black Lives Matter

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Navigators USA, Chapter 86, is scouting for everyone. Our co-ed, secular scouting experience emphasizes diversity, inclusiveness and all the lessons that Nature has to offer.

We offer Junior Navigators for ages 5-8 and Senior Navigators for ages 9-12 and up. Navigators meets every first and third Sunday at First Unitarian, and the group is open to church members and non-members alike. Contact Bill and Cindy Van Rooy for more information at chapter86@navigatorsusa.org.

The Navigators Moral Compass: As a Navigator I promise to do my best to create

a world free of prejudice and ignorance. To treat people of every race, creed, orientation

and ability with dignity and respect. To strengthen my body and improve my mind

to reach my full potential. To protect our planet and preserve our freedom.

Pictures are from the First Camping Trip

on June 1 at the Lowe-Dolan farm in Bloomfield, KY, near Taylorsville. Activities included archery, scavenger hunt, ecology, stargazing hike, campfire, free play, outdoor games, yummy food, s'mores, and the most fun thing...sleeping in a tent!!!

WE NEED VOLUNTEERS As you all know, we are completely run by volunteers. Please consider becoming a leader

or helping with another job. If we want to continue running this chapter, we need to fill some positions. If you would like to know more about becoming a leader, please see Bill for more information. If you want to help in another way, please see Cindy. If you know someone outside of Navigators that would be a great leader and would like the opportunity, please have them send us an email to chapter86@navigatorsusa.org. Positions that need to be filled are:

Junior Leaders (2-3) - Lead and teach Navigators ages 5-8

Senior Leaders (1-2) - Lead and teach Navigators ages 9-12

Fundraising Planning Team (3) - Research plan, and organize fundraising events

Event Research and Planning Team (3) - Research, plan, and organize chapter events

Parent Coordinator (1-2), Coordinate parent volunteer signups

Awards/Patches Coordinator (1) - Keep track of Navigators awards earned, order patches/awards

Shutterfly Website Administrator - update our chapter's shutterfly website with event / meeting information, sign up sheets, etc.

Yours in Inclusive Scouting, Cindy Van Rooy

Navigators Inclusive Scouting

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The Reduce, Reuse, Recycle Corner The average person generates 4.3 pounds of waste per day. This is 1.6 pounds

more than most produced back in 1960. Where does it all go? Approximately 55% of

220 million tons of waste generated each year in the United States ends up in one of the

over 3,500 landfills. Municipal solid waste landfills are the second-largest source of

human-related METHANE emissions in the United States, accounting for approximately

22 percent of these emissions in 2008. (Methane absorbs the sun heat, warming the

atmosphere.) It’s considered a greenhouse gas, like carbon dioxide.

TODAY’S TIP: When plastic bags—from groceries, stores, on newspapers—get mixed into recyclables, they get

tangled up in the recycling center’s separating machines, shutting them down and rendering them and the other

recyclables useless. Leave them out of the recyclables. Use reusable bags, or if you have to use plastic bags, return

them to the store.

If you can’t reuse, recycle wisely From the First Unitarian Church Solar Array Project

An Important Notice Repeated from the Summer Issue Dear First U Parent/Guardian,

We are writing today to let you know of some important changes to the configuration of our courtyard. Per fire code, we have had to install emergency exit bars on the door to the courtyard by the wheelchair ramp. This means that anyone, including young children, can leave the courtyard simply by pushing the door open.

Because of this new safety hazard, it is absolutely imperative that all children be supervised while in the courtyard.

This is also a good time to remind you of three other safety and courtesy issues related to playing the courtyard:

1. Children, especially small ones, are able to squeeze through the bars. This means they can run away, or (heaven forbid) fall to the alley floor and get injured.

2. The courtyard is also home to our Memorial Garden, and cremains are planted in all non-concrete areas. Because of this, it is important that children not dig in the dirt.

3. Chalk drawings are allowed, and even encouraged, on the horizontal surfaces (ground, steps) of the courtyard, but are not allowed on the vertical surfaces (walls, stairs). We have many renters who utilize the courtyard and it is a source of income for us, and chalk does not wash easily off the vertical surfaces.

Children need a place to run around, and the courtyard is currently the space most suited towards these purposes. It was not, however, originally intended for such use. It is our responsibility to make sure that the children play safely and respectfully.

Thank you for your consideration in this matter. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact one of us.

Linette Lowe, Director of Religious Exploration The Rev. Dawn Cooley, Minister

Solar Array Project Joe Kremer

Important Message About Safety in the Courtyard

19

First and foremost, on behalf of all at WFMP Forward Radio, many thanks to all the folks at First Unitarian Church for welcoming us and our vision to your space!

Forward Radio is a community media project and start-up Low Power FM radio station. At Forward Radio, our mission is simple. We are building a new media platform, culture, and infrastructure for our community with the hope of transforming how we make and interact with media. We provide spaces for creation, learning, and discussion, by making the tools of media accessible in our community studio, providing training, and working to cultivate a participatory and just media culture within wider Louisville. We envision a future for our community where all are able to access the tools of media creation, so that all voices, especially those who are excluded and marginalized, can be clearly spoken, and heard.

We envision a different, more diverse, more just, and more liberatory model of media. We feel that media should reflect and be relevant to those who contribute to and share in its content. We ask the question: What would it look like, if everyone in our community had a platform to speak? What would it sound like, if we could hear all the stories of our community? How would we deal with community conflict differently if we had a space, to honestly discuss, argue, and reconcile our differences, openly shedding light on social injustices? How would our community change if leadership was cultivated from the bottom, by everyday people telling their own stories, seeing how our stories and struggles are connected, and then organizing around that shared vision. This is what we are working to build.

In building this project, we have had an outpouring of support and excitement from the community. We have a diverse range of community members and groups developing programming which approaches issues of social justice from multiple angles including:

Gender

Race

Age

Economic Class

Sexuality

Ability

Cultural identity

Religious belief

Political status/belief

We’ve invested our resources, time, and energy in building a permanent media infrastructure for our community. Now, we are humbly asking others to do the same, so that we can increase the reach and impact of this project. We are planning to launch our broadcast service WFMP 106.5 fm in April 2016. However, we are still in need of funding for some key pieces of broadcast equipment which will ensure that the community stories and conversations created in the Forward Radio studio can be shared with the wider community.

We invite you to participate! You can find out more about the project at forward-radio.net. You can also stop in to our studio and chat with our volunteers. If you are interested in getting involved, please take the next step and get in touch by sending an email to wfmp.louisville@gmail.com.

We look forward to hearing from you!(pun always intended!) Jared Zarantonello

First U Happenings: What’s New? Forward Radio

20

FIRST U HIKERS UNITE! September 20

Do you enjoy walking in the great outdoors? Do you enjoy spending time with kind and interesting people? Then come along to the first (we hope of many) hike of the newly forming FUHU! Sunday evening at 6 pm, September 20, we'll meet at the Louisville Nature Center, 3745 Illinois Ave.

We'll decide which trail to take based on the group that shows up. No experience or special equipment needed. Your friends and family are welcome to join in. Please rsvp in you intend to hike: Roger Ohlman, His email address is rohlman@twc.com, 502-635-1572.

ANIMAL BLESSING

Unlikely Friendships

October 4 Lions and tigers and bears. Uh, maybe

not. How about "cats and dogs and birds (and lizards, and fish, and...) instead? On October 4, you are invited to bring your properly-restrained animals to church for our annual Blessing of the Animals.

HEALTHY COMMUNICATIONS TEAM

Second Sunday of each month Here’s a place to share your thoughts!

Whenever you have feedback that you are not sure what to do with, whether positive or negative, visit the HCT table on the second Sunday of each month. They will be in the Social Hall at a table near the stairway.

A WALK IN CENTRAL PARK Help CLCM September 19

Central Louisville Community Ministries is

sponsoring a walk in Central Park to celebrate its

work, and to build community among the 7

member churches. This is a non-competitive walk

around the park perimeter (8 miles), and is a

family-friendly event with food, music, T-shirts

and great company.

Pre-registration for the walk can be done

Sundays at church, or through facebook or walk

day at the park. Registration fee is $10 for

individuals, or $20/family with a food donation

or personal care item. The Walk Captains for

First U are Lois Allen and Kathy Gapsis.

www.facebook.com/CentralLouisvilleCommunity

Ministries.

BLACK LIVES MATTER

BANNER RAISING September 27

Join us after church on 9/27 on our 4th street side as we raise our Black Lives Matter banner! In June, our UUA General Assembly passed a resolution calling on UU congregations to support the Black Lives Matter movement, and at our First U Annual Meeting we voted to reinforce our BLM vigils by hanging a banner. Now is the time! All are welcome.

UUs FOR POLYAMORY AWARENESS

October 2 UUs for Polyamory Awareness

(uupa.org) will meet on Friday, October 2, from 6:00 to 8:00pm in the library. This is an organizational meeting. If you are interested but unavailable on this date, or if you have questions, please contact Jasmine Walston (jasminegld@aol.com).

First U Happenings What’s New?

21

ROMEOS If you're a ROM (Retired Older Man),

then you're invited to join us the first

Wednesday of each month for lunch. We

meet at Golden Corral on Taylorsville Road

at 1:00 pm. See you on the first

Wednesdays!!

EXTRA! EXTRA!

BROWNBAGGERS NEW DAY Yes it is true - after a number of years

meeting on the second Monday of the month we will be moving to the second Tuesday The first meeting of the new year will be Tuesday, September 8, 2015 from 11:30 or so am to 1:00 pm. Maybe some of you baby-sitting grandparents can make it now!

September 8 Our first program of the new season is

“Show and Tell” so bring some interesting item on September 8 and be prepared to talk about it!

October 13 Brownbaggers to hold special CLOUT

"House meeting" in October. First Unitarian joined CLOUT (Citizens of Louisville United Together) this year.

Come find out about all the good work CLOUT does from staff person Anne Schwartz and share your thoughts/feelings in this "House meeting" format on Tuesday, October 13,2015 in the church library from 12:45 to 1:00.

November 10

Watch the Midweek Updates for information about the November topic. I will be calling some of you soon.

If you have some suggestions or would like to volunteer your services for future meetings, please contact Gary Drehmel.at gdrehmel@aol.com. Thanks.

UU BOOK CLUB The group meets the second Monday

of the month in the Parlor, room 101, at 6:00 pm. Book Club will be reading and discussing the following books.

September 14th The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah. Discussion lead by Carol Uebelhoer.

October 12th The Pope and Mussolini by David Kertzer. Discussion lead by Henry Lieberg

November 9th Devil in a Blue Dress by Walter Mosley. Discussion lead by Nancy MacPherson

KROGER

COMMUNITY

REWARDS

Re-Enrollment Required

NOTE: ACTION NEEDED BY YOU!

Did you know it’s possible to support First U just by shopping for groceries or buying gas at Kroger? If you sign up to have First U designated, it is. It’s easy to enroll. Even if you’ve signed up before, everyone must RE-ENROLL each year. Did you do this during August?

1. Visit the website:

www.kroger.com/communityrewards

2. .Scroll down to find your location and

click “Enroll Now”

3. Sign in to your online account, or create

an account

4. Find and select our organization, and

click “Save”

5. Or call 800-576-4377, select option 3

You’ll start earning rewards for First U right away on qualifying purchases made using your Kroger Plus Card! After you’ve signed up, look at the bottom of your receipt. It should list us as the group getting the rewards.

First U Happenings (Groups)

22

CHOIR FOR ALL AGES EVERYONE INVITD

Choir for All Ages rehearsals will take place on Nov. 15, 22 and 29 from 9:00-9:45. Music will be distributed in early November to anyone who would like to sing with us. If you like to sing, this is a fun, short-term commitment that's easy and accessible! Come join us! We will sing during the Chalica service on Dec. 6.

WOMEN’S ALLIANCE

Mini-Retreat November 7 The First U Women’s Alliance is

sponsoring a mini-retreat on Saturday morning, November 7 in the Social Hall. More details will be shared closer to time.

ANNUAL PRE-THANKSGIVING

PIE SALE NOVEMBER 22 Pie Sale November 22

The Women’s Alliance won’t be letting you down. Get your yummy pies for the holidays at the pie sale on Sunday, November 22 after the Celebration of Life.

FIRST U THANKSGIVING November 26

2:00 in the Social Hall

Bring a dish and enjoy a meal with friends. More details will be shared closer to Thanksgiving. Everyone welcome!

FIFTH SUNDAY RE

MONEY in POLITICS

November 29th The November 2015 Fifth Sunday

Social Justice Presentation: Money in Politics. The speaker will be our member, George Schuhmann. George has been serving on a national committee of the League of Women Voters examining how money is currently distorting our democracy. Learn how this has happened and what can and is being done to restore representation of the people.

BUILDING SECURITY SAFETY REMINDER

It is very important that we be mindful of security in the building and not leave untended doors unlooked. NEVER prop open a door and leave it! This must be stressed to anyone using the building, whether a church member or an outside group renting space PLEASE make sure the door locks behind you when you leave alone.

First U Happenings: November

Looks like I’ll need that extra hour this weekend to figure out how to reset my digital clocks!

Time Change November 1 “Fall Back”

23

COLERIDGE-TAYLOR STUDENTS

HOLIDAY HELP As you remember, we help provide Christmas

gifts to students that otherwise might not get anything. This school is in our neighborhood and you will be asked again to “adopt” a family or child by providing a toy and clothing as well as gift cards for the family. Mary Ballard will be giving you much more information in the midweek updates once the school begins the process.

CHRISTMAS EVE VESPERS SERVICE

Thursday, December 24 5:00 pm followed by a Reception

Mondays Weekly 5:00 The Kukes 2nd Mon. 6:00 Book Club, parlor 3rd Mon. 7:00 Pagan Pride, library

Tuesdays 1st Tues. 7:00 Personnel Committee 2nd

Tues. 11:30 Brownbaggers

2nd Tues. 5:30 Finance Committee, library 3rd Tues. 6:00 Board Meeting, library Wednesdays Weekly: 10:30 Staff Meetings, library 1st/3rd Wed. 7:00 CUUPs Class 2nd

Wed. 6:30 Worship Ministry, library

Thursdays Weekly: 7:00 Choir Practice, choir room 4th Tues. 5:30 Ministry Council, library

Saturdays 2nd

Sat. 8:00 House and Grounds

Weekly 2:00 (Rental) Travelers: AA Group

Office Hours 10:00-2:00 Monday-Friday See the complete calendar on the webpage for the latest information. www.firstulou.org/calendar

Sundays Weekly 9:10 Music Rehearsal Weekly 9:45 Religious Exploration Weekly 11:00 Celebration of Life 1st Sun. 12:15 First Sunday Lunch 1st Sun. 12:45 RE Meeting 1st & 3rd Sun 12:30 Navigators,

rooms 203 &205

When We Meet Calendar of Group Meetings

Other Churches/Groups Using Our Building

11:00 Every Sunday (choir room) Spiritual Israel Church and Its Army

4:30 First Sundays (sanctuary) Christ Sophia Inclusive Catholic Community

Association of Roman Catholic Women Priests

9:30-11:30 Mondays-Thursdays Central Louisville Community Ministries (CLCM)

aka “The Help Office”

Looking Ahead to December

24

We Are a Welcoming Congregation!

We embrace all persons equally, no matter their sexual or affectional orientation, gender identity or expression, age, race, ethnicity, neurodiversity, social or economic class, education level, family structure or abilities. If you need special accommodations, please let us know so that we can try to make appropriate arrangements. We welcome all to participate fully and openly in our congregational life.

First Unitarian Church of Louisville ~ A Member of the Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations ~

809 South Fourth Street Louisville, Kentucky 40203 (502) 585-5110

FREE PARKING: The parking lot off 4th Street next to the church is free all day Sunday.

The lot off York Street, across from the Library, is free until 1:30 pm.

STEEPLETALK Published quarterly by First Unitarian Church of Louisville.

Editor: Barbara Creasy office@firstulou.org

Next Deadline: November 1 (for the Winter newsletter) featuring

December-February events.

OUR MINISTRY STAFF

The Rev. Dawn Cooley Minister minister@firstulou.org

Linette Lowe Director Religious Exploration, dre@firstulou.org

Christe Lunsford Music Director, music@firstulou.org

Linda Berry Ministerial Intern, intern@firstulou.org

SUPPORT STAFF

Ethan McCollum Accompanist

Barbara Creasy Office Administrator, office@firstulou.org

Earl Reynolds Building Supervisor, earltreynolds@gmail.com

Michael Purintun Bookkeeper bookkeeper@firstulou.org

Christina Roberts Childcare Coordinator

NaQueesha Puckett Childcare staff

Elena Meeks Childcare staff

Jill Sherman President, Board of Trustees

The Rev. Richard Beal Minister Emeritus

The Rev. Bob Reed Minister Emeritus

Anne Miller RE Director Emeritus

QUICK LINKS

First U Website Calendar, Updates, Program information

www.firstulou.org

Stewardship Online Pledge Form http://goo.gl/forms/IuOXELGWWh

Kroger Community Rewards Program To sign up or to register online, go to:

https://www.kroger.com/communityrewards Or call 800-576-4377, select option 3

Sabbatical Video http://www.firstulou.org/videos