Weeklies – Text Only

WEEKLY ANNOUNCEMENTS – text only

Sunday Services

  • This Week:

    January 11, 2026 – How Do You Tell Your Story?

    Each of us has a spiritual autobiography. When we stand back and look at the arc, what seasons do we see? What narrative do you want to claim today to carry you forward?

    Rev. Alex McGee will preach

Services This Month

  • January 11: How Do You Tell Your Story?

    Each of us has a spiritual autobiography. When we stand back and look at the arc, what seasons do we see? What narrative do you want to claim today to carry you forward?

    Rev. Alex McGee will preach

    January 18: Can I Let You Have Your Story?

    In anticipation of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, let us consider whose version of his story we know. Widening the lens, let us consider what versions of someone else’s story we are willing to hear. If we truly live our inclusive values, what discomfort comes with accepting a person’s whole story?

    Rev. Alex McGee will preach

    January 25: Why Church?

    “Why Church?” Community, exploration, redemption, forgiveness, exchange, justice – what the heck is church for? Let’s talk about why church matters.

    Guest speaker Rev. Mitra Rahnema is a lifelong Unitarian Universalist and graduate of Starr King School for the Ministry. She has offered ministry to congregations in Missouri, Michigan, and California. Mitra is editor of the 2017 book and UUA Common Read, “Centering: Navigating Race, Authenticity, and Power in Ministry.” She is dedicated to building vibrant and engaged anti-oppressive communities. Mitra lives in Portland, OR.

    February 1: Forgiveness

    Forgiveness can sometimes feel elusive or confusing. But humans throughout the ages continue to grapple with forgiveness. Let us consider what is ready to be heard in our hearts and put into action now.

    Rev. Alex McGee will preach

    February 8: Reconciliation

    Cheap forgiveness may be falsely labeled as reconciliation — but the risks are great. So, today, let us consider the many steps of accountability that are often necessary before true reconciliation is possible. Because around the world and in the home, true reconciliation allows fresh possibilities in life.

    Rev. Alex McGee will preach

    February 15: Love

    What do we need to talk about in our Unitarian Universalist Fellowship on the day after Valentine’s Day? Come find out!

    Rev. Alex McGee will preach

    February 22: Shelter and Community Care

    For several decades, Corvallis has grappled with challenges of what it means to have safe housing for all and shelter accessible to those in need. This UU Fellowship has played a role in many ways. Come reflect on the history of the congregation’s collaboration with Unity Shelter, current local issues, and what might be possible in the future.

    Shawn Collins, Executive Director of Unity Shelter, will be our guest speaker. Shawn got his first look at the realities of homelessness and poverty in the Willamette Valley through his volunteer experiences at the South Corvallis Food Bank. After leaving HP in 2016, Shawn worked at United Way of Benton & Lincoln Counties, as the Program Manager for the Housing Opportunities Action Council (HOAC) through 2019. He was instrumental in securing the site that would become the Corvallis Men’s Shelter in 2017.

    March 1: Inspiration from our Partner Church in Transylvania

    Last Fall, several members of UUFC went to visit our Partner Church in Transylvania. Today they will share information, illumination, and inspiration: history of partner churches at UUFC; how they observed resilience in action; how Unitarianism there reflects Christian roots; and rituals that were transformative.

    Janet Throop, Linda Bruslind, Scott Bruslind, and Patricia Parcells will speak.

From the Minister

  • Budgeting From the Heart

    Dear congregation:

    Since arriving here in August, I have been impressed with the steady care that goes in to the finances of this Fellowship.  I already knew, from studying the congregation before I came, that it was fiscally sound.  But now, I have met the leaders and staff who daily are tending to the details, the long range, and the values that guide us.

    Please know that this congregation works on a fiscal year running from July through June.  That means it is off-set from the U.S. tax year and many other non-profits.  So, as you plan your annual giving and budget for the year, please anticipate that UUFC pledge drive will occur in the Spring.  At that time, a budget will be made based in part on the pledges we receive from you.  This shared planning helps us all be stewards together.

    Respectfully,

    Rev. Alex
    Interim Minister

This Week at UUFC

  • First day of Postcard Writing to Voters, 1/4

    Get your pens ready! Join the Democracy Action Team in writing to prospective 2026 election year voters. Sunday, Jan 4th is the first day of our first writing project in 2026.

    WHAT: News Boosting Postcards to Georgia to educate voters about the impact of the “Big Beautiful Bill” on rural hospitals. You can see the postcards at Informed Voters of America initiative website at https://www.informedvotersus.org/.

    HOW: We have 200 postcards to write and mail by Feb 5, 2026. We will distribute them in packets of 10 (with addresses, stamps, and instructions) at the Democracy Action Team table in the Social Hall after Sunday worship (which starts at 10 AM) – starting on Jan 4. Look for us there! Take the supplies and follow the instructions!

    Or – you can get the supplies from Claire Montgomery.

    Or – you can sign up with Postcards to Swing States at https://secure.ngpvan.com/NPCPSG0VaUqaLw7w6AbNDg2 and have them mailed to you directly. You can choose where to write (Georgia, Iowa, Maine, Michigan, North Carolina) but the minimum order is 100 postcards.

    Contact Claire Montgomery (UUFC Democracy Action Team) for more information.

    Do hand-written letters and postcards increase voter turnout? YES. Randomized Controlled Trials demonstrate statistically significant increases in voter turnout of 1-3%. That may not seem huge – but swing state elections are close and that could be more than enough to tip the scale. Check out Vote Forward experiments at https://votefwd.org/impact (click on “See Our Tests”) and Progressive Voter Turnout Project experiments at https://turnoutpac.medium.com/a-gateway-to-activism-postcards-win-close-elections-5bf7f45da15a.

    Happy writing!

  • Return Holiday Trees for planting, 1/4 or 1/11

    If you purchased a plantable holiday tree from the Fellowship and wish to return it to be planted, you can do so on either Sunday, January 4 or Sunday, January 11. Please leave your tree at the covered bench in the Fellowship parking lot.

    Questions: treasurer@uucorvallis.org

Announcements

  • RE Newsletter for Janaury

    “Dear world, I am excited to be alive in you, and I am thankful for another year.”  ~Charlotte Eriksson

    Greetings, Families!

    I hope your winter holidays were warm and cozy! A new year is unfolding before us, and we’re starting off with a little ease after the holiday hustle. Don’t miss these sweet opportunities for connection and reflection in January!

    UPCOMING EVENTS:

    1/8 Parent Connection Dinner @ 6:30 (register HERE one time, to get reminders)

    1/11 Family Breakfast @ 8:45 (register HERE and bring a dish if you are able)

    1/25 Heartland Humane service project for OMG!

    More information about our events can be found below, and info for all events can be found at uucorvallis.org by clicking “News” in the menu bar and then selecting “RE Council” from the drop-down menu.

    The OMG! youth group will serve at the Heartland Humane Society on January 25th. Specific times and registration details have been emailed directly to parents. This is always a favorite activity each year, so be sure to register by 1/18! Youth without a permission slip will not be permitted to serve.

    While there, the youth will assist with routine care of the animals and facility, and wrap up with some animal socialization time. Please make sure your child wears work clothes that can get dirty. The attending youth advisors will be Steve Ferrell and Mark Aron. Please send questions to Skyla.

    Thanks to a dedicated group of moms, the Parent Connection Dinner, formerly known as the Parent Peer Support Group, is no longer a potluck! We have enough soups prepped to get us through the end of the year! Parents are invited to show up with their dishes and enjoy soup, bread, and desserts along with meaningful facilitated discussion on topics relevant to parenting and mutual support. You are invited to register one time, and then you’ll receive the automated reminder texts and emails each month. You can help us decide how much to prepare by clicking RSVP button on the reminder to let us know you’re coming. As always, free childcare will be provided in a nearby room.

    Thank you for showing up and supporting our 4th-6th graders at the Holiday Fair! They successfully sold out of magnets, post cards, and paintings and raised a nice chunk of money to spend toward the many projects they’re hoping to do together this year.

    It was amazing to have eight of our bold and creative young people perform in a Sunday service this year! The gratitude and awe keeps rolling in from all corners of Fellowship life, as so many were moved by the story and song that was shared.

    Your offering of time and courage meant more than you might imagine to those in our community who were feeling alone during the winter holidays, or who have limited interactions with younger people. I can’t tell you how many people have said something along the lines of, “Their singing! It was so beautiful and so moving! Exactly what my soul needed!”

    So thank you, parents and kids, for giving of yourselves and your time so generously. It was such a gift to share worship with you in that way!

    Our amazing OMG! member, Elizabeth, reached out and asked if she could offer her talent for face painting at our annual Holiday Fair. She spent five hours sitting at the kids’ table painting faces for free, and connecting with people of all ages. I love that she knows her gifts, identified a place where she could share them, and reached out to make it happen!

    Several times, I watched children who were bored from shopping with their parents light up when they saw that there was something for them, and then their parents light up when they saw that it was free!

    Thank you, Elizabeth, for being exactly who you are and for sharing that with us!

    If you or your child has a gift just waiting to be shared, let me know how we can support you in sharing it! 

    Y’all, 2025 was a wild ride in RE!

    We spent the first half of the year without any classrooms to meet in, and still managed to pull off a one-room school house style Sunday morning offering for children in the social hall, a youth group in the library, and the first round of OWL (Our Whole Lives, comprehensive sex and sexuality class) since the pandemic. This would not have been possible without the tireless work of a dozen dedicated RE leaders who were willing to keep showing up in the most challenging of circumstances. And they were so, so challenging!

    In the back half of the year we hosted a children’s summer camp, hired two more youth staff, moved back into the classroom wing, said goodbye to Rev. McAllister and welcomed Rev. McGee, added a 4th classroom and lots of new RE leaders to keep our classrooms thriving, and closed out the year with our Winter Solstice pageant!

    I can’t think of a better way to have spent a year in community! I am so grateful to get to spend my time working with you and your children, and I’m excited for us to make 2026 a joyful and hope-filled time to be at the Fellowship together! 

    Happy New Year, Beloveds!

  • Can you see yourself in the Choir?

    There’s nothing to be afraid of and all it takes is that first step. Like a New Years resolution, change might be scary – but honest! We’re friendly.

    The choir is a welcoming group of singers who enjoy learning music and sharing it with the Fellowship. There is no audition.

    We meet every Wednesday at 7:00 PM in the Sanctuary. Contact Director Steven Evans-Renteria for more information at this link.

  • Outreach Offerings for January

    Our January Justice Outreach Offering will support We Care. We Care is a local coalition of faith communities, businesses, foundations and other non-profit organizations which provides emergency assistance for Benton County residents. Each week, We Care helps people pay for rent, utilities, and other expenses to prevent evictions and homelessness or the shut-off of water or electricity. The Fellowship has long been a supporting partner.

    To learn more about their work, visit the We Care website.

    How to donate to the monthly Outreach Offering

    Each month, the Fellowship gathers donations for a certain charitable cause. These are our Outreach Offerings. You can contribute to this month’s offering in a few ways:

    1. Give to the Sunday collection basket
    2. Donate online
    3. Donate to the refreshments during the social hour

    The Kitchen team donates an assortment of sweet and savory refreshments, including gluten-free and vegan choices, for our enjoyment at the social hour following Sunday worship. These items are purchased and prepared by the team to encourage donations to the Outreach Offering. Collection baskets are always found at the ends of the refreshments table. The next time you’re eyeing something tasty on the table, consider putting a donation in the basket first to show how much you appreciate having that treat ready and waiting for you!

  • 2025-2026 Pledge Drive Feedback Survey

    We are collecting feedback on the 2025-2026 pledge drive! Fill out the survey to share your thoughts by clicking the button below.

    Survey

    Your feedback will used to make improvements in how we communicate about pledging, record key pledging information, and share the importance of pledging with the congregation. Survey responses are anonymous so please share what is on your mind and how we can make this process better in the coming years. Contact Rachel McGrath (who is helping to support the stewardship team) with any questions regarding the survey.

Plan Ahead

  • Justice Theatre Auditions, 1/26-1/27

    The Justice Theatre Team is gearing up for its 8th annual production! This year’s show will take place on Friday and Saturday, March 27th and 28th, and the team will be staging 12 Angry Jurors, a play by Reginald Rose that will be directed by Sarika Rao. Proceeds from the production will go to the Campaign to Support Equal Justice in Oregon, a legal aid organization that provides free civil legal services to low-income and senior Oregonians.

    Auditions will take place on Monday and Tuesday, January 26th and 27th at 7pm at the UUFC. NO experience is necessary to try out for these productions, and it’s a great way to make social connections while lending your talents to a great cause. Auditions will consist of reading excerpts of the script with other actors, and it will be low-key and lots of fun!

    These auditions are for an unpaid, amateur performance opportunity. For maximum accessibility, this is a memorization-optional production—actors will have the option to carry some or all of their lines in a notebook or on a clipboard prop if they so choose.

    If you have any questions about the team, the production, or the audition process, please reach out to justice.theater@uucorvallis.org.

    About the play

    A 19-year-old man has just stood trial for the fatal stabbing of his father. “He doesn’t stand a chance,” mutters the guard as the 12 jurors are taken into the bleak jury room. It looks like an open-and-shut case—until one of the jurors begins opening the others’ eyes to the facts. “This is a remarkable thing about democracy,” says the foreign-born juror, “that we are notified by mail to come down to this place—and decide on the guilt or innocence of a person; of a man or woman we have not known before. We have nothing to gain or lose by our verdict. We should not make it a personal thing.” But personal it is, with each juror revealing their own character as the various testimonies are re-examined, the murder is re-enacted and a new murder threat is born before their eyes! Tempers get short, arguments grow heated. The jurors’ final verdict and how they reach it t will electrify the audience and keep them on the edge of their seats.

    About this year’s beneficiary

    Learn more about the supported organization, the Campaign to Support Equal Justice in Oregon, by CLICKING HERE: https://cej-oregon.org/

    About the Company

    Justice Theatre @ the UUFC is a community theatre venture aimed at staging small-scale productions with pay-what-you-will performances supporting social justice causes. Past beneficiaries have included the ACLU, the Corvallis Cold Weather Mens Shelter, CARDV, and the Mid-Willamette Trans Support Network. Our mission is to create theatre that fosters discussion about the world around us, to make theatre that is completely open and accessible to audience members of any income level, and to use performance to generate donations for good causes. The company is part of the Fellowship’s larger commitment to justice work under the auspices of the Justice Council. Organized by the Justice Theatre Team, the Fellowship generally stages one production every year or so with amateur actors who donate their time (which helps to maximize profits for donations!), and these productions are intended to comment on something going wrong in the world while raising money to help right that wrong.

    Childcare is available!

    Free childcare can usually be arranged for any Fellowship event by using this link 1-2 weeks prior to the event.

  • Kirtan With Jaya Lakshmi, 1/16

    Join Jaya Lakshmi and her band for an uplifting evening of mantra, kirtan and original sacred music.

    Friday, January 16, 2026, 7:00 – 8:30 PM at the Fellowship.

    Tickets $25 in advance, $30 at the door. No one will be turned away for lack of funds.

    Childcare is available!

    Free childcare can usually be arranged for any Fellowship event by using this link 1-2 weeks prior to the event.

  • Jaclyn Moyer Reading, 1/18

    Corvallis resident Jaclyn Moyer will read excerpts from her book On Gold Hill, a 2025 Oregon Book Award winner. Moyer’s story combines food and culture. In raising wheat and vegetables on a 10-acre California farm, she discovers her Punjabi ancestry and the origins of organic agriculture.

    Sunday, January 18, 2026, 12 noon – 1 PM in the Sanctuary.

    Childcare is available!

    Free childcare can usually be arranged for any Fellowship event by using this link 1-2 weeks prior to the event.

  • Harvest the Power, Leadership Enrichment Workshop 2/5-4/16, register by 1/25

    WHAT: Workshop series to help current and future Fellowship leaders step more fully and successfully into their roles.

    WHEN: 1st and 3rd Thursdays in February, March, and April, from 6:30-8:30 PM

    WHERE: Social Hall

    WHO: Anyone with an interest in leadership in any area of the Fellowship. From small groups or single events to joining the Board of Directors, if you think you might ever like to be one of the people who shape the direction of this congregation, this workshop is for you!

    REGISTER: HERE by 1/25. Free childcare is available! When filling out the registration form, indicate if you will need childcare.

    This offering will be co-facilitated by Michael Hughes (Treasurer) and Skyla King-Christison (Director of Religious Exploration). Please contact either of us with questions.

    This program will:

    • Affirm the spiritual and emotional gifts and the skills that each person brings to a leadership position
    • Encourage understanding that holding a leadership position is an opportunity to enrich and deepen one’s own faith
    • Strengthen understanding of covenant and the practice of keeping covenant within the leadership team and in the congregation
    • Guide leaders to center relationships as a faithful practice, thinking of the congregation as a “we” rather than a collection of individuals
    • Lead participants to develop an understanding of the importance of personal spiritual practice and integrity to healthy leadership
    • Guide participants to consider which voices and perspectives were marginalized in the past and need to be part of congregational or leadership decision-making
    • Introduce systems thinking, and provide some practice with exploring congregational issues through a systems lens
    • Encourage participants to consider that conflict can indicate questions needing attention in the larger congregational system and invite them to respond accordingly
    • Deepen and enrich the experience of congregational leaders and, by extension, the ability of congregations to live out their missions and values, both in congregational life and in the wider world

    If any of the ideas above spark your interest and make your heart go, “Oh!” you should register and join us! What we learn together today will help ensure a healthy and vibrant Fellowship for generations to come!

  • Gardening with Easy to Grow Native Plants, 2/1

    Native plants can add beauty to your yard, while attracting butterflies, hummingbirds and other pollinators. They often need less water too. Come learn more about plants that are easy to grow and attractive to look at from Jessie Wilson, Master Gardener.

    Sunday, February 1, 2026 at 1:00 PM in the Social Hall.

    Childcare is available!

    Free childcare can usually be arranged for any Fellowship event by using this link 1-2 weeks prior to the event.

  • The Aging Brain – A Healthy Approach, 1/14

    Elders Thriving in Community, in collaboration with Lumina Hospice, present Dr. Helen Kao, speaking on common questions about our brain health as we age – are my cognitive changes normal/abnormal? What’s known about lithium and estrogen? What role might CBD/THC play? How important are sleep, exercise, socialization, and “brain games”?

    Wednesday, January 14, 2026 3-4:30 PM in the Sanctuary.

    RSVP helpful but not required; email Alison M.

    Childcare is available!

    Free childcare can usually be arranged for any Fellowship event by using this link 1-2 weeks prior to the event.

Connect Up/Affinity Groups this Week