UU-FYI – OUR WEEKLY NEWSLETTER

FOR SUNDAY, May 11, 2025

9:45 AM -SPIRITUAL FORUM

Please join us for Spiritual Forum on May 4, when Phil Park-Thomas will continue discussing conflict resolution. This week’s discussion will focus primarily on third-party mediation. Phil has a Master’s Degree in Quaker Peace & Justice studies, with emphasis on Conflict Management, as well as experience with Oklahoma’s Early Settlement Program. Hope to see you at this timely and interesting discussion!

11:00 AM – SERVICE

Photo by Miran Bradaric on Unsplash

“Blessed Are the Pigeons”

by David Strickler

CLICK TO WATCH ON OUR CHANNEL:

KIDS’ ACTIVITIES

On May 11, the kids will take a break from our regular curriculum to do a top secret project! (The secret is that we’re making gifts for our teachers.) Kids will tap into their creative brains and, if time permits, will also be able to make the same gift for themselves or their friends. Hope to see lots of friends there!

THIS WEEK’S CALENDAR

Saturday, May 10, 10:00 AM – Budget meeting in person and by ZOOM

Saturday, May 10 11:00 AM -1:00 PM Social Action Saturday*

Sunday, May 11:

·     9:30 AM – Choir Practice

·     9:45 AM – Spiritual Forum

·     11:00 AM – Service In Person + on the YouTube Channel

·     12:00 PM – Coffee & Conversation

·     Mother’s Day flower baskets pick up

·     5:30 PM – Sunday evening Meditation via ZOOM*

Tuesday, May 13, 11:00 AM – Sunday Service Committee – ZOOM*

Tuesday, May 13, 6:30 PM – Meditation group via ZOOM*

Thursday, May 15, 07:00 PM – Budget Meeting in person and by ZOOM

Thursday, May 15 World Dining* (RSVP by 5/13) see article



UPCOMING EVENTS (see articles below for more info)

Saturday, May 17 – Walking Group*

Saturday, May 17 – Film Club*

Sunday, May 18 – First Unitarian Annual Meeting after service

Sunday, May 18 – Men’s Group*

Monday, May 19 – Together Women RISE program*

Monday, May 26 – Memorial Day Picnic

*see groups and monthly meeting document for more details

LEADERSHIP AND STEWARDSHIP

BUDGET MEETINGS AND ANNUAL REPORT

As we’ve done for the past few years, there will be two meetings about the proposed church budget prior to the Annual Meeting on May 18. The proposed budget is in the Annual Report, which will be available in zoom. The first budget meeting will be at 10:00 AM Saturday, May 10, and the second at 7:00 PM Thursday, May 15. Both meetings will be held in the Sanctuary, and both will be hybrid—come in person or tune in using Zoom.

— Topic: Annual Report Budget Meeting Time: May 10, 2025 10:00 AM Eastern Time (US and Canada)=

— Topic: Annual Report Budget Meeting Time: May 15, 2025 07:00 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)

LEAD A SUNDAY SERVICE

Would you like to lead a Sunday service over the summer? Slots are filling up—we have all of June covered, but still need preachers—YOU, or your group—for Sundays in July and August.

Maybe you’ve been thinking for a while about what you might say in front of your fellow Toledo Unitarians—or an idea has just come to you, and you want to share while you’re enthused.

Do you and fellow church members talk about topics and all of you might share a Sunday to preach your conversations? Or, maybe a committee, group, or team you’re on would consider proposing a summer Sunday service centered on the focus of your committee, group, or team.

There’s a template to help you design the service—your primary responsibility will be to choose a couple of readings and write the sermon, and the rest can be from the template with your small adjustments for the day.

One aspect of our saying that all Unitarian Universalists share in ministry is that you have the opportunity to lead, too. Here’s a chance—this is your invitation to give a Sunday service, including the sermon, sometime this summer. It can be solo, with friends, or as a committee, group, or team.

See or email Rev. Tim and propose a topic and date.

Would you like to represent the Toledo Unitarians at the annual Unitarian Universalist Association General Assembly?

This year, GA will be in Baltimore June 18 through 22, and attendees can be there in person or participate online from the comfort of their own homes or vacation hideaways. For information, go to https://www.uua.org/ga.

There are a few slots for delegates from our congregation, and if you’re interested, there can be partial financial assistance whether you’ll go to Baltimore or watch from the Toledo area. Please contact Rev. Tim and Julia McGhee if you’d like to be considered for appointment as a delegate.



Rates increase May 16, so act quickly, please.

NEWS FROM THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES

Please add this important date to your calendar…

Sunday, May 18, 2025

First Unitarian Annual Meeting

After church

See you there!

CARING AND SHARING

We extend our deepest sympathy to longtime member Julia Baldwin, whose husband, David, has died. Please keep Julia and her family in your thoughts, meditations, and prayers.



Walter McGhee has been transferred to Advanced Specialty Hospitals of Toledo, 1015 Garden Lake Parkway. He would appreciate short visits and get well cards and messages.

Suzanne Hoffman fell on the Saturday before Easter and required outpatient surgery, causing her to miss her granddaughter’s graduation. We hope that you are healing well, Suzanne.

“UUs care! Please continue to communicate your concerns or celebrations with any member of the Caring Circle: Carla Logan-Mercer, Karen Christie, Phil Zepp, Suzanne Hoffman, Joanne Hartough, Becky Hrabovsky, Karen Porter, Terry Acocks, Kathy Crowther, Marsha Gamble, Susan Smith and Rev. Tim Barger.

Please contact Joanne Hartough at with any concerns or joys that you wish to share in this FYI column.

WORLD DINING All members, visitors, and friends are invited to the next Community Dining event. Due to the Memorial Day holiday this month, the event is scheduled for Thursday, May 15, 2025 at 6:00 PM at the Star of India, 415 S. Reynolds Road, Toledo, OH 43615. Enjoy the delicious food of India, made without MSG. Limit of 20 guests, due to restaurant space. Please RSVP by email or phone by noon on Monday, May 13, to Peggy Zdila. Don’t miss this Toledo favorite!

SECOND AND FOURTH SATURDAYS OF EACH MONTH

NEXT MEETING: Sat May 10

11 AM – 1 PM

Film Club will be in Fellowship Hall at First Unitarian on May 17 at 1:00 PM. We will have a potluck lunch and view the film The Old Oak, followed by a short discussion led by Susan Spiegel. Premiering at Cannes in 2023, The Old Oak is about a pub landlord named TJ Ballantyne, who lives in a previously thriving mining community in County Durham. He struggles to hold onto his pub and keep it as the one remaining public space where people can meet in the town. Tensions rise when Syrian refugees are placed there, but Ballantyne strikes up a relationship with one of the refugees. Access https://zeitgeistfilms.com/film/the-old-oak for more information about the film. For more information about the Film Club, contact Judy or Dave Murray.

THE FIRST UU WALKING GROUP

will meet Saturday, May 17 at 1:00 p.m. We will gather at Calvary Cemetery (2224 Dorr St, near Parkside Ave) and walk for about an hour. Please consider joining us for your physical and spiritual health. Future walks will take place at other MetroParks or at historic cemeteries. If Saturday is not a good day for you, we could start a second monthly walk on a weekday evening. Contact David Strickler (567-202-3955) with any questions.

UNITARIAN ACTION MEETS

On Sunday May 25th there will be a Unitarian Action meeting at 12:30 pm in a room TBD. The purpose is to discuss and plan UA activities for the fiscal year. The meeting is open to all congregants. Please come prepared to learn about previous activities and share your ideas on how we can be the face of Unitarian Universalist social justice ACTION inside and outside our walls.

MEMORIAL DAY PICNIC

Pack up your picnic dish and join fellow Unitarians in the church back yard for a Memorial Day picnic on Monday, May 26, from NOON to 4:00 PM. Grills will be hot so bring your favorite meat/vegetarian grilling item. Also bring your drinks and a dish to pass. Condiments, paper plates and tables provided. Grillmasters will be available to help cook your item. Anyone interested in bringing or playing games, let us know.

Any questions, please contact Carla or Marna.

Save the date! On June 14, 2025, there will be a mass protest from 1:00-3:00 PM at Promenade Park, 400 Water Street. It is a “No Kings!” Rally! This is the date of the 250th anniversary of the American Revolution and also happens to be an anti-birthday protest rally against our current administration! The event is sponsored by the Lucas County Democratic Party and Toledo Persists. Bring your signs, stand up, speak out, push back!

Weekly and Monthly Meetings

and Activities

Click THIS DOCUMENT for a fuller, printable description of the 2025 activities, location, meeting dates and contact person for each group:

Every Tuesday ….Sunday Service Committtee ZOOM call at 11:00 AM

Every Tuesday….Meditation @ 6:30 PM

Weekly AA meetings – see document link for times

1^st Friday……….Book Club @ 2:00 PM

1^st Saturday…….Knit Wits @ 11:30 AM

2nd Saturday……Social Action Saturday @ 11AM-1PM

2^nd Sunday……..Meditation @ 5:30 PM until December

3^rd Saturday…….Film Club @ 1:00 PM

3rd Saturday ……Walking Group @ 1:00 PM

3^rd Sunday………Men’s Group @ 5:30 PM

3^rd Monday……..Together Women Rise Seasonal time change to 6 PM

4^th Tuesday …….LGBTQ Online Support Group @ 8:00 PM

4th Tuesday……..Board of Trustees @ 7:00 PM

4th Wednesday …Blanket Making @ 10:30 AM

2nd Saturday……Social Action Saturday @ 11AM-1PM

4^th Sunday………Meditation @ 5:30 PM

4th (or last) Sunday…. Potluck after Service

Is your meeting not listed? Submit your meeting details at

https://uutoledo.wufoo.com/forms/first-unitarian-communications-request-form

GREEN SANCTUARY

CLIMATE CHANGE AND YOUR ALLERGIES

With warmer weather and spring blooms, some of us are no doubt experiencing the respiratory woes caused by seasonal allergies. Unfortunately, there is bad news for allergy sufferers: climate change is making allergy season longer and more intense, and is almost certain to continue to do so.

Researchers from Rutgers University noted in 2014 that pollen season length increased by three days just in the first decade of this century, with pollen counts rising by forty percent in that same period. These phenomena are caused by rising temperatures—in other words, climate change–and increased atmospheric carbon dioxide. Our area now experiences on average 45 more frost-free days than it did in 1970, according to Climate Central. Oak pollen arrives earlier, as does grass pollen. Ragweed pollen lasts longer into the fall.

Ragweed, that bane of so many people’s existence, is not just blooming longer; it is also producing more pollen. Increased CO2 levels cause ragweed plants to become larger, bloom more heavily, and therefore produce more pollen—somewhere around a billion grains per plant. Not only does it serve as fertilizer: CO2 causes the pollen to produce more of the protein that causes the allergic reaction. Not good news for us.

And the news gets worse. If current emission levels continue, some climate scientists are predicting a 200% increase in total pollen this century, with pollen seasons nearly sixty days longer in some places, particularly the northern US. And while we joke about pollen season, it is no laughing matter. In addition to the very real human suffering, allergic rhinitis (the medical name for hay fever) has an economic impact, estimated at more than $3.4 billion in annual medical costs in the US alone. Allergy sufferers miss an average of 3.6 days of work per year and are less productive at work when ill. The annual cost of asthma (not always allergy-related) is more than $80 billion, and over four thousand Americans die from asthma attacks each year.

We can reduce this suffering and these staggering costs by reducing the carbon emissions currently serving as weed fertilizer. We will always have pollen season, but we do not have to keep making the situation worse.

Courtesy of Rebecca Phillips

OFFICE HOURS:

Office hours are normally Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday from 10:30-2:30 PM. Otherwise, please reach us by phone or email, which will be frequently checked. Thank you.

Phone: 419-381-6999

Office email: office.manager@uutoledo.org,

2025 SCHEDULE

FIRST UNITARIAN CHURCH OF TOLEDO BOARD OF TRUSTEES

The Board meets monthly on 4th Tuesdays at 7:00 PM

Board meetings are open to all Members of the Church.

Members who are not board members may speak at the board meetings, but may not make motions or vote at board meetings. Members intending to speak at a board meeting shall notify the board president prior to the meeting.

Board meetings are generally held each month with the Bylaws requiring a minimum of meetings six times per year. The board may meet in executive session only to discuss personnel matters, to receive legal advice, or to discuss matters requiring confidentiality. Board Minutes once board approved are available to the Members upon written request.

2025 schedule: Jun 24, Jul 22, Aug 26, Sep 23

ABOUT THE FYI

The weekly FYI is published on Thursdays. The Order of Service is sent on Saturdays.

To submit information for the next UU-FYI, fill out THIS FORM

by Wednesday at noon. Questions about the form or the FYI? Email fyi@uutoledo.org.

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First Unitarian Church of Toledo | 3205 Glendale Avenue | Toledo, OH 43614 US

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