the OUUC spark

In the worship service last Sunday, many of us were moved by the ritual of bridging for our graduating seniors and the stories of connection and transformation from members of the One Parish, One Prisoner (OPOP) program.

Bridging is the annual ritual of inviting those graduating to walk across a small bridge, symbolizing their transition from childhood to adulthood. We honored the journey of Emillio Martinelli and Salem Henriquez and sent them on the next leg of that journey with our love and care.

The OPOP is a new Faith in Action team this year that has connected with an incarcerated person who is due to be released soon. We heard from John Crutcher, Zoë Meyer and Maggie Smith about why this justice work is important to them.

As I reflected on the monthly theme of freedom, I noted that freedom is not being able to do whatever we want, because living with other people in this world always has constraints. Freedom is being able to choose the constraints that we are willing to live with.

Living a life of integrity, meaning in line with our deepest held values, means knowing what those values are. During my sabbatical last Summer, I spent some time reflecting on my values and how I wanted to manifest them. The values that I landed on are integrity, honesty, self-understanding, supportive relationships, and concern for the common good. I have tried to keep these in my heart and mind as I’ve returned to congregational ministry.

What are your core values? As we explore the spiritual theme of freedom this month, I invite you to define and clarify your values. Here are some steps that can help you do so:

• 1) Identify your most important values. Narrow your list down to no more than five so you can remember and stay connected to them.
• 2) Explore each value with questions like:

• a) Where did these values come from? What person or experience planted the seeds of that value in you? What experiences nurtured their growth?
• b) What is each value’s archenemy? What is their opposite?
• c) What gets in the way of you leaning into them more fully? What roadblocks routinely get in their way? What are the most common distractions or temptations that pull you away from them?
• d) What new value is blooming in your life and trying to make its way into your top five?
• e) What’s one small act you can take this month to bring one of your core values more into the foreground of your life?
• 3) To go deeper, you might take some time in silence to connect with your body and notice where a value shows up in your body.
• 4) You might also make a timeline of your life and notice which values were showing up, or not showing up, at each stage.

Last, you might consider if and how your values can help you feel freer. Does knowing your values help you have the freedom to choose how you will live your life?

As we move through this month into the long days of summer, I wish you moments of comfort, calm and freedom.

Blessings on your summer,

Rev. Mary

Lost in a light show

A moth attracted to fake luminescence

Mirrors confronting themselves

The shockwave pushing all away

Found in the back, tattered

Cycling being lost and empty

Problems cancel each other out

Temporary dopamine before the sky crashes down

Between numbing noise of my mind

Insatiable hunger for inedible desire

Navigators point in differing general directions

The infinite crossing roads many bigger than others

“don’t lose progress now“

Possibly light at the end of the tunnel

A lite fuse ready to explode

The service on Sunday, June 8th is the annual ritual of flower communion at OUUC.

If you plan to be onsite, please bring a flower — or a few — to share.

If attending online, please plan to show your flower on camera.

All the information about the meeting can be found here.

Everyone is welcome to attend; only OUUC members can vote. Voting is possible both onsite and on Zoom.

Satisfying snacks will be provided for those onsite.

You can find the recording of the June 1 Budget Expo here. If you’d like more details on the proposed budgets, this is a good source as we will not be presenting the same level of detail at the annual meeting.

• The Annual Meeting IS the time to come having at least read the budget and gone to the prep meetings if you cared about that (or not if you trust the people in the room).

• The Annual Meeting IS the time to come having read the other material or at least have scanned it.

• The Annual Meeting IS the time to engage thoughtfully and respectfully - even if there is some disagreement.

• The Annual Meeting should be a time of good congregational work and great congregational celebration.

Please do your preparation, and please be kind to one another. It’s been a really long year on top of a series of really long years, and, to quote a ten-year-old I know who chose to not engage in a fight with his older brother, ‘I’m too tired…. it’s just not worth it.’

Tonight's dinner will be "Eat the Rainbow," with foods of all colors.

All are welcome for food and fellowship at 5:30 pm. If you can help cook or set up, starting at 3:30 or 4:30 pm, please email Rev. Sara.

Please note that dinners pause for the summer after June 12th and will return in September.

After-dinner (6:30 pm) options include: Sit & Stitch, Parents' Group, and UU Buddhist Sangha.

The last issue of The Spark for this congregational year will be June 12. We’ll resume on August 28. Happy Summer!

Website: https://www.ouuc.org

Email: office@ouuc.org

Location: 2306 East End St NW, Olympia, WA, USA
Phone: (360) 634-2005

Office Hours

Tuesday and Thursday, 12:00 – 4:00 pm

Sunday, during services

Staff Contacts

Rev. Mary Gear, Minister

Rev. Sara Lewis, Director of Community & Faith Development

Troy Fisher, Music Director

Victoria Ridgway, Office Assistant

Ian Stephan, Office Manager

Isaac Jennings, Finance Manager

Marie Arensmeyer, Sexton

Teresa Madsen, Tech Coordinator

Carbon Marshall, Tech Specialist

Anissa Bentlemsani, Religious Education Assistant