Creativity Matters
2025-06-03 19:00 - 20:30 (America/Chicago) | UU Wausau, 504 Grant Street, Wausau, WI, 54403, United States
Freedom

June’s Creativity Matters theme is “Freedom.” Together, we’ll discover how freedom fuels creativity by opening the door to endless possibilities and true self-expression. Freedom encourages us to break boundaries, trust our unique voices, and create boldly, without fear or limits.

Please note: starting in June, Creativity Matters will be meeting on the first Tuesday of the month.

Project Options

We will have supplies for Project Options C, D, and E from the monthly Creativity Matters packet*:

Inner Critic: Get freedom from inner critic. It can be harsh and loud, but giving it a name and a face can help loosen its grip. Draw, paint, or collage your inner critic as a person. Give it a face, a name, imagine its size, clothes, and expression, and add word bubbles.

Four Values: Freedom isn’t just about fewer limits, it’s about staying true to what matters most. Choose your top four core values, find an object or person that represents each one, create or find an image of them, and hang them on a wall in your home.

Escape Decision Fatigue: From illustrator Wendy MacNaughton, this exercise uses simple rules to ease decision fatigue and invite creative flow. By giving up control, we shift from directing the process to collaborating with it. Sprinkle red chili flakes (or similar small items) onto a blank page. Let them fall naturally. Outline each flake where it lands, then enjoy the meditative practice of filling in the negative space with black ink.

*Don’t have a copy of this month’s Creativity Matters guide? Sign up to be part of the mailing list or reach out to our Director of Religious Education for a copy!

What is Creativity Matters?

Our Creativity Matters group helps community members engage in monthly themes and explore spiritual growth through creative expression.

It’s all about allowing our intuition and imagination to guide us, not just our logic and reflective minds. Think of it as making room for your right brain to dance with your left brain.

Creativity Matters is a high school and adult group designed for everyone — no experience or artistic skill is required! Just bring a playful spirit and adventurous attitude.

Qi Gong · Free Class
2025-06-03 18:30 - 20:30, 2025-05-27 18:30 - 20:30, 2025-05-20 18:30 - 20:30 | UU Wausau, 504 Grant Street, Wausau, WI, 54403, United States
Join teacher Larry Riddle and others in our beautiful atrium for stretching and Qi Gong. The stretching portion of the classes lasts for about 90 minutes and is required. Beginners welcome. Wear loose-fitting clothes and flat tennis shoes, if you have them. Classes are free and open to the public.

Women’s AA Meeting
2025-06-02 18:00 - 19:00, 2025-05-26 18:00 - 19:00, 2025-05-19 18:00 - 19:00 | UU Wausau, 504 Grant Street, Wausau, WI, 54403, United States
Women’s AA meets every Monday evening, including on holidays. Please enter through the doors off of the parking lot.

Learn. Practice. Share.
2025-06-01 18:30 - 20:00
Mindfulness/Meditation Community

A Drop-in Summer Series in a mindfulness/meditation community. Please join us.

In a world that often feels uncertain and overwhelming, the power of stillness, connection, and mindful presence becomes more important than ever.

You are warmly invited to join a supportive mindfulness and meditation community — a space to pause, breathe, and grow stronger together. Whether you’re new to meditation or have an existing practice, this is a welcoming circle for all who seek peace, clarity, and resilience.

Together, we will explore:

Guided meditations to calm the mind and center the spirit

Mindfulness practices to help navigate daily stress with compassion

Community sharing to remind us that we are not alone

This is not about perfection. It’s about showing up — for yourself and for each other — with kindness and intention.

Let’s meet in stillness and rise in strength

Where: First Universalist Unitarian Church of Wausau, 504 Grant St., Wausau, WI 54403

When: Sundays 6:30 – 8:00 pm, weekly

Who: Everyone is welcome, no experience necessary

What: Each 1.5 hour session is designed to include building of community, sharing/discussion on topic or theme, and practicing mindfulness with gentle movement and stillness

If this speaks to you, we would be honored to have you with us. Feel free to invite others who may benefit.

Your hosts are Lisa Stein and Jeanine Knapp

Lisa Stein is new to the UU Wausau community, having returned to Wausau early in 2023 after living in Madison for 34 years. She is grateful to have been invited to the UU by another member and now attends with her son and his family, who are also new to the area. Lisa is a retired educator who brought mindfulness meditation and wellness to teachers, students, and school communities. She teaches a meditation program called Mindful Based Stress Reduction (MBSR).

Jeanine moved to Wausau in 2020 and has been a part of UU Wausau since that fall when Soul Matters groups met virtually; Jeanine was a Soul Matters group participant for 3 years. She participates in social justice activities and attends Margaret Jerz’s Drum Club. Jeanine has had an on/off meditation practice since 2010 and studies in the Tich Nhat Hahn tradition.

Sunday Worship And Glorified Coffee Hour
2025-06-01 10:30 - 12:30
Flower Communion

Today we celebrate Flower Communion, a beloved Unitarian Universalist tradition. Each person brings a flower to create a shared bouquet – a symbol of the beauty and uniqueness each of us brings to our community. Like the flowers, no two of us are the same, and each one adds something essential to the whole.

Join Us On Sundays For Services That Inform & Inspire

Sermons at UU Wausau encompass many topics, but always with the intent of cultivating dialogue and fostering growth. On any given Sunday, you will hear a sermon that stimulates your thinking about life, opens a new perspective on the Bible, or speaks to the state of the world with words of hope or healing. Join us Sunday in person as we worship together.

Tai Chi · Free Class
2025-05-29 18:30 - 21:30, 2025-05-22 18:30 - 21:30, 2025-05-15 18:30 - 21:30 | UU Wausau, 504 Grant Street, Wausau, WI, 54403, United States
Join teacher Larry Riddle and others in our beautiful atrium for stretching and Tai Chi. The stretching portion of the class lasts about 90 minutes and is required. Beginners are welcome. Wear loose-fitting clothing and flat tennis shoes, if you have them. Classes are free and open to the public.

Choir Practice · Tenor and Bass Sectionals 🎵
2025-05-29 15:00 - 16:00, 2025-05-22 15:00 - 16:00, 2025-05-15 15:00 - 16:00
If you have had a secret wish to sing, join the UU Wausau Choir. We always welcome new members. There are no formal auditions; just bring your good ears and a desire to sing harmoniously.

Enjoy the practice-driven process of learning new music to share with the congregation on a three to four-week schedule.

The UU Wausau Choir meets every Wednesday in the Atrium from 6:30-8:00 p.m. The Tenor & Bass and Alto Sectionals have additional practices, such as this one!

For additional information to participate, contact Music Director Margaret Jerz margaret@uuwausau.org or call the church office at (715) 842-3697.

UU Choir Practice 🎵
2025-05-28 18:30 - 20:00, 2025-05-21 18:30 - 20:00
If you have had a secret wish to sing, join the UU Wausau Choir. We always welcome new members. There are no formalauditions; just bring your good ears and a desire to sing harmoniously.

The UU Wausau Choir meets every Wednesday in the Atrium from 6:30-8:00 p.m. Enjoy the practice-driven process of learning new music to share with the congregation on a three to four-week schedule.

For additional information to participate, contact Music Director Margaret Jerz margaret@uuwausau.orgor call the church office at (715) 842-3697.

The Noon Swoon
2025-05-28 12:00 - 13:00, 2025-05-21 12:00 - 13:00 | UU Wausau, 504 Grant Street, Wausau, WI, 54403, United States
You’re invited to be part of our weekly gathering, where we dive into the thought-provoking world of The New Yorker magazine.

Join us during the lunch hour as we unpack the pages of the previous week’s issue, sparking vibrant discussions and sharing diverse perspectives.

Whether you’re a devoted reader or simply curious about engaging with insightful content, this is the perfect opportunity to connect, learn, and expand your horizons.

Bring your lunch, your inquisitive spirit, and a hunger for stimulating conversation. We look forward to welcoming you to this enriching experience.

Choir Practice · Alto Sectionals 🎵
2025-05-28 11:30 - 12:30, 2025-05-21 11:30 - 12:30

Weekly Knitting Group
2025-05-28 10:00 - 12:00, 2025-05-21 10:00 - 12:00 | UU Wausau, 504 Grant Street, Wausau, WI, 54403, United States
Discover the joy of knitting and the warmth of community by joining our Weekly Knitting Group. All are invited, whether you’re a seasoned knitter or a complete novice. Bring your own knitting projects and let your creativity flow in the company of kindred spirits.

It’s not just about crafting but forging connections, sharing stories, and supporting one another. Knitting has a way of bringing comfort, both through the soothing rhythm of stitches and the bonds we build along the way.

Come join us in Walker Hall (upstairs) and be a part of this wonderful group, where your skills and passion are celebrated, and where every stitch is an opportunity to knit our community closer together.

Sunday Worship And Glorified Coffee Hour
2025-05-25 10:30 - 12:30
The Blessing of Coming Undone

There’s holiness in falling apart—when the mask slips, the to-do list is abandoned, and all that’s left is raw, real need. This Sunday, we honor the quiet breaking points. Not as failures, but as invitations: to rest, to receive, to stop caring what the critics think, and to rediscover what it means to be human in a world that never stops asking for more.

Join Us On Sundays For Services That Inform & Inspire

Sermons at UU Wausau encompass many topics, but always with the intent of cultivating dialogue and fostering growth. On any given Sunday, you will hear a sermon that stimulates your thinking about life, opens a new perspective on the Bible, or speaks to the state of the world with words of hope or healing. Join us Sunday in person as we worship together.

Minister's Book Club
2025-05-22 18:30 - 19:30
Join us for the Minister’s Book Club on Thursday, May 22 at 6:30 p.m. as we discuss Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer.

In Braiding Sweetgrass, botanist and Citizen Potawatomi Nation member Robin Wall Kimmerer weaves science and Indigenous wisdom into a profound exploration of our connection with nature. Through stories of plants, animals, and ecology, she reveals how the natural world offers gifts and lessons—if we learn to listen. Blending myth, history, and personal reflection, Kimmerer argues that fostering ecological consciousness begins with recognizing our reciprocal relationship with the earth.

You’re welcome to come whether or not you’ve finished the book—though the discussion is definitely more engaging if you’ve had a chance to read it.

Join us for great discussions and fellowship as we explore thought-provoking books this winter and spring!

Board of Trustees Public Meeting
2025-05-20 18:30 - 20:30 | UU Wausau, 504 Grant Street, Wausau, WI, 54403, United States
All interested members and friends are welcome to the Board of Trustees meetings. Monthly board meetings are held at First Universalist Unitarian Church of Wausau on the third Tuesday of each month at 6:30 PM (unless otherwise noted).

Learn more about the church board, its role, and how to get involved.

Learn. Practice. Share.
2025-05-18 18:30 - 20:00
A Three-Session Meditation & Mindfulness Community

In times of uncertainty – whether facing personal challenges, transitions, or the shifting landscape of our world – we can come together as a community to build resilience. Mindfulness and meditation offer powerful tools to navigate these moments with clarity and compassion.

For our final session, we’ll explore how loving-kindness meditation can become part of our daily lives. You may recognize its beautiful melody from our Sunday services—now, we’ll practice extending compassion to ourselves and others, deepening our sense of connection and care.

Each session will include a period of silent meditation with gentle guidance, followed by time to share your experience with fellow participants.

About Your Hosts

Lisa Stein is a recent addition to the UU Wausau community, having returned to Wausau in early 2023 after living in Madison for 34 years. She is grateful to have been welcomed by a fellow member and now attends with her son and his family, who are also new to the area. Lisa is a retired educator with a background in bringing mindfulness meditation and wellness practices to teachers, students, and school communities. She currently teaches a program called Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR).

Jeanine Knapp moved to Wausau in 2020 and quickly became an active participant at UU Wausau, engaging in Soul Matters, social justice initiatives, and Drum Club. Jeanine has practiced meditation on and off since 2010, and she studies in the tradition of Thich Nhat Hanh.

Sunday Worship And Glorified Coffee Hour
2025-05-18 10:30 - 12:30
Baccalaureate & Bridging Service

A long-standing tradition at UU Wausau is to recognize those of us who are on the cusp of transitions — moving up in school, graduating from college, retirement, but especially, our youth who are moving to emerging adulthood — and an opportunity for the congregation to offer our blessings for wherever their journeys take them next.

Community Focus Collection (CFC)

On the third weekend of each month during September – May, our Sunday collection is given to a pre-selected Ministry Partner, organization or cause, like this one, that puts our values into practice.

Through previous Community Focus Collections you’ve become familiar with the variety of programs the Women’s Community provides.

Abuse in Later Life, Latinx Advocacy, Human Trafficking, Legal Systems Support, SE Asian, Refugee Outreach, Sexual Assault and more.

Shannon Jarecki will be here on Sunday, May 18 to tell you more about what often first comes to mind when we think of The Women’s Community. How the shelter operates. We are fortunate to have these services here, especially in these times when funding/grants are being slashed. Your continued support is needed and valued.

Community Collection Focus · Ministry Partners
2025-05-18 08:00 - 17:00
Community Focus Collection (CFC)

On the third weekend of each month during September – May, our Sunday collection is given to a pre-selected Ministry Partner, organization or cause, like this one, that puts our values into practice.

Through previous Community Focus Collections you’ve become familiar with the variety of programs the Women’s Community provides.

Abuse in Later Life, Latinx Advocacy, Human Trafficking, Legal Systems Support, SE Asian, Refugee Outreach, Sexual Assault and more.

Shannon Jarecki will be here on Sunday, May 18 to tell you more about what often first comes to mind when we think of The Women’s Community. How the shelter operates. We are fortunate to have these services here, especially in these times when funding/grants are being slashed. Your continued support is needed and valued.

Women's Early Risers
2025-05-17 08:30 - 09:30 | UU Wausau, 504 Grant Street, Wausau, WI, 54403, United States
Women’s Early Risers is a social group that meets monthly for breakfast and companionship. Any interested women are invited to join – UU or not!

The group meets at Tri-City Restaurant (525 Grand Ave, Schofield, WI 54476).

For more information, contact LeeAnn Venne at mom.venne@gmail.com.
