Weeklies – Text Only

WEEKLY ANNOUNCEMENTS – text only

Sunday Services

  • This Week:

    No Sunday Service, 9/1

    There will be no Sunday morning service this week, September 1, 2024. We take this small pause between summer and autumn, a chance to rest before starting a new church year.

    There are two other chances to join with Fellowship folks this weekend: the Pop-Up Parking Lot Rummage Sale on Saturday August 31, 10 am – 1 PM, and the annual Tuna Roast and Potluck Picnic at Lions Shelter in Avery Park, with gathering beginning at 4 PM, tuna and the big buffet starting a 5 PM. A few volunteers are still welcome. See you there!

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Services This Month

  • August 4 – Wheel of the Year – Lughnasadh / First Harvest

    August 11 – “Making the Invisible Visible” EDI team with ARC of Benton County

    August 18 – “A Larger View” Rev. Jill McAllister

    August 25 – “Can We Be Prepared?” Rev. Jill McAllister

    September 2 – No Sunday Service

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From the Minister

  • From the Minister

    Just before getting back to a regular schedule (with a little less summer spontaneity) I’m taking a trip to Transylvania next week, and Jamie Petts and Skyla King-Christison are coming too. We’ll be attending an International UU Women’s Convocation gathering in Koloszvar with U-U women from many different countries, and making a very short visit to our partner church in Bozod Korispatak. I was the newly-called Associate Minister of the Fellowship in 1995, and also a member of the UUA Board of Trustees, when the Partner Church program began (first called Sister Churches) and my family and I traveled to Transylvania to begin this partnership. Members of the Fellowship have nurtured and continued the partnership for nearly thirty years now, through changes of ministers in both congregations.

    I’m so glad that Jamie and Skyla are both interested and able to come to this gathering, as a way of helping sustain this partnership and other of our international UU connections into a new generation. Transylvanian Unitarianism is our ancestral home, our lineage. It was a product of the Reformation in the Catholic Church in the 15th and 16th centuries – it was the so-called Radical Reformation which moved away from trinitarianism. Unitarians in Transylvania (now Hungary and Romania) kept this liberal tradition alive through centuries, through dictatorships and communism, through war and peace. We have much to learn from them today, from the present-day Hungarian Unitarian Church.

    This visit is part of that ongoing learning. And, from Sept. 20 – 30 our Partner Church minister, and her son will be visiting us! Rev. Katalin Szasz-Cserey and Mate look forward to being here again (for Mate, his first trip to the US), to spending time in Oregon and with us, and to continue the learning and the partnership. There will be lots of opportunities to get together with them, including an all-Fellowship Hungarian Dinner on Friday Sept. 27.

    I’m grateful to worship team member Susan Sanford for hosting the September 8 Sunday Service at the Fellowship, which will include the annual Joining of the Waters ceremony. It will be an intergenerational service. I hope you’ll plan to be there. All are invited to bring a small amount of water from somewhere important to you, to share in the ceremony.

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This Week at UUFC

  • No Sunday Service, 9/1

    There will be no Sunday morning service this week, September 1, 2024. We take this small pause between summer and autumn, a chance to rest before starting a new church year.

    There are two other chances to join with Fellowship folks this weekend: the Pop-Up Parking Lot Rummage Sale on Saturday August 31, 10 am – 1 PM, and the annual Tuna Roast and Potluck Picnic at Lions Shelter in Avery Park, with gathering beginning at 4 PM, tuna and the big buffet starting a 5 PM. A few volunteers are still welcome. See you there!

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  • UUFC Choir Resumes — Join Us! 9/4

    Choir rehearsals begin again on Sept. 4th. Our choir meets once a week (Wednesday nights from 7:00-9:00) to prepare music which enhances our Sunday services throughout the year. We embrace a wide range of music from this wide web of life, — as old as the 1300s and as recently composed as this year and many things in between. If you or someone you know would like to join a group of singers searching for beauty and wisdom in life through music, join us! ALL are welcome in the UUFC choir.

    Happy Practicing and I hope to see you Sept. 4th or any subsequent Wednesday at 7:00PM.

    Steven Evans-Renteria, Choir Leader

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  • New Wood Chips for the RE Playground – Can You Help?

    It’s that time of year again — school is starting, and facilities are being spruced up for the arrival of children and teachers. That goes for the Magic Flute Pre-School and our own Sunday Spirit Play program. The RE playground gets lots of use, and is in need of it’s annual replenishment of wood chips. Six or seven volunteers makes the spreading easy. Join us on Saturday morning, Sept. 7, for this fun and easy spruce-up job.

    Questions?
    contact Michael Hughes

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  • Pop-Up Parking Lot Rummage Sale, 8/31

    Our Pop-Up Parking Lot Rummage Sale is Saturday, August 31 – 10:00-1:00 There’s just one more week to gather items you no longer need, price them, and bring them to our UUFC Parking Lot on Saturday, August 31.
    • Stay for 3 hours and “sell” your items
    • Send buyers to a central cashier
    • Take home any unsold items at the end of the sale It’s a fun event and an easy way to recycle items you no longer want while helping to support the Fellowship.

    Please join us and tell others. We need “sellers” and buyers.

    Public welcome.

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  • Downsizing & Simplifying, 9/4

    Come join us as Lydia, of Queen B Organizing, shares her ideas for downsizing, tailored for our older age group. Discover practical strategies for planning a smooth transition into independent or assisted living, or simplifying in your current home. Learn how to navigate life’s transitions with ease, including organizing and sorting treasured memorabilia and optimizing home environments for greater comfort and safety. Learn practical steps to prepare for packing, moving, and unpacking. This presentation will provide valuable tips and compassionate support to help us and our families manage change with confidence and ease.

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  • Tuna Roast & Picnic, 9/2

    Join us for the UUFC Tuna Roast and Picnic in the Park at Avery Park’s Lion Shelter on Labor Day afternoon! 

    This family-friendly, annual social event will begin at 4:00pm with games and conversation. The marinated, grilled, fresh tuna and corn on the cob will be served beginning around 5:00pm. Plan to bring along your own plate, utensils, and drink ware, and a dish to share with others. Seating is limited so camping chairs are also encouraged. Near the Lions Shelter are a small play structure, swings, a train engine for climbing and exploring, the dinosaur bones, and plenty of space to run or roll down hills. 

    Contact Rich Brainerd with questions.

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Announcements

  • Justice Outreach Offerings for September – Corvallis School District Family Support

    More than 380 Corvallis School District students are identified as homeless and many more experience food insecurity and financial hardship. This Program connects families with critical resources so that students can arrive at school ready to learn. By donating to the Program, you can help provide access to essential community resources like housing, healthcare, emergency financial assistance, food pantries, employment opportunities, DHS benefits, and other forms of support.

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  • Neurodivergence & Mental Health Support Group

    This group for mutual support in the realm of living with neurodivergence or mental health challenges is facilitated by Anthony Acquilano.

    This group is not intended to be a substitute for professional care, and participants are discouraged from attempting to provide solutions to other members’ challenges. Instead, this is a space to share experiences, feel heard, learn from the experiences of others, and share resources.

    Please register here to receive an email reminder on Thursday before each gathering. 

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  • Oregon Clean Power Cooperative Offers OSU College of Forestry Investment Opportunity

    The UUFC itself and UUFC members have invested in Oregon Clean Power Cooperative (OCPC) projects in the past. OCPC has a new offering for solar work OSU’s College of Forestry. Loans will be two-year with rate varying from 1-4%. The UUFC will soon be repaid for a loan we made to OCPC for a project at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival. The Fellowship may reinvest in other OCPC projects once we have had an opportunity to explore other investment options. The UUFC invests ~4% of its reserve funds in “alternative” investments. These are investments that may not be quite at market rate but offer some return and benefit our local community.

    Russ Karow, Chair UUFC Financial Oversight Council

    See the OCPC Website for more information.

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  • Bread Bag Exchange

    We’ve been running an experimental exchange of bread bags to be used as dog poop bags. The supply side has been a huge success, with lots of bags contributed. However, the demand has been low, with few takers. We plan to give it another couple of weeks, but if bread bags are not an attractive option for after-dog clean up, we’ll discontinue the experiment.

    Questions/suggestions: Contact Michael Hughes

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  • UUFC Birthday Club

    Celebrate your birthday! Give the amount of your age to help sustain the UUFC and its work. Donate by check payable to UUFC, with memo Birthday Club. Donations are allocated 50% Operations, 20% Endowment, 20% Reserves, and 10% Justice Outreach. Questions: email Michael Hughes at treasurer@uucorvallis.org.

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  • UUFC Merch Store

    Check out the UUFC Merch Store for tee-shirts, hats, coffee cups, backpacks, umbrellas, and more! Support our Fellowship with great gifts for yourself and your loved ones. Find it under the “about” tab on the UUFC website.

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  • Share Your Produce

    Too much zuchinni? Apples to share? Gardeners and gathers are welcome to bring and share produce with others at the Fellowship each Sunday morning. The exchange usually happens on and around the bench just outside the Firwood entry doors.

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  • Pema Chodron Study Group

    Welcoming the Unwelcome Study Group

    Monday evenings from 7:15 to 8:30 September 23rd – December 2nd

    Facilitated by Joyce Federiuk

    Please register HERE.

    Try, once again, to let everything you do be done in love.


    I am inspired by these words Rev. Jill uses to close our Sunday service. What would it be like to
    live this way? Sometimes I speak or act out of love, and that feels like happiness. But not
    everything I do or say comes from love, and when an alternative motivation (like ego, obligation,
    guilt, anger, etc etc) takes over, the results are often not so good.

    How can we move closer to this lovely ideal? Buddhist nun and teacher Pema Chodron has a masterful way of explaining Buddhist wisdom in an accessible and compelling way. After reading “When Things Fall Apart” I was intrigued by the idea that in our incessant quest to avoid suffering, we often make a mess of things and cause a lot of suffering for ourselves and others. When I attended a weekend retreat with Pema and learned to meditate, I learned that it is possible to train in loving kindness. Meditation allowed me to take these ideas to heart and start to apply them to actual situations. I then gained a new level of appreciation of the power of
    Buddhist wisdom.

    I’m planning a study group to read and discuss “Welcoming the Unwelcome: Wholehearted Living in a Brokenhearted World”. Here’s a blurb from the cover:
    In her first new book of spiritual teachings in over seven years, Pema Chodron offers fresh wisdom, heartfelt reflections and the signature humor and insight that have made her a beloved guide in turbulent times. In an increasingly polarized world, Pema offers us tools to find common ground, even when we disagree, so we can build a stronger and broader sense of community. Sharing never-before-told personal stories from her remarkable life, simple and powerful everyday practices, and directly relatable advice, Pema leads the way in showing us how to become triumphant bodhisattvas- compassionate beings- in even the most difficult of circumstances.

    Well, reading and understanding is one thing. But taking the advice to heart and trying it out in our everyday encounters is what I’m hoping to achieve in this Adult RE offering. We will read, we will discuss, we will do guided meditations, and we will try out these ideas in real life.

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  • Consider Becoming a Grandfolk!

    The Grandfolks Squad is a group of (mostly) older adults who are willing to provide occasional childcare on an as-needed basis so that young parents can attend Fellowship functions without incurring a cost for childcare. This is a great way to get to know younger families and connect deeply with the next generation of Unitarian Universalists. In your free time, you can provide the loving care that we wish for every child and parent in our midst.

    If you have extra love to give and time to share, please consider becoming a Grandfolks Squad member.

    To join the squad, email Skyla (dre@uucorvallis.org) to set up a meeting. Grandfolks are interviewed and background checked before service, and receive a snazzy button to show the world that they’re proud Grandfolks!

    We’re looking forward to having you on he squad!

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  • Chalice Circle Sampler Series This September

    Registration is now open for the Fall Chalice Circle Sampler Series, starting this September. For details and dates and to sign up, please see the Chalice Circle Sampler Series Sign-Up Form.

    Chalice Circles are an opportunity to deepen your ties to others in this community. We do this by meeting on a regular basis with the same small group of people to share how we each navigate the journey of being human. This is done via thoughtfully designed “topics” that offer ideas and questions for reflection. Through authentic sharing and listening, we learn how to voice what deeply matters to us.

    Never been in a chalice group? “Test the waters” by signing up for the sampler series which will meet 4 times (once a week for the first 3 weeks plus a final session 2 weeks later). You’re under NO obligation to come to more than these sessions but our hope is that if this experience is something you find of value, you’ll continue with a longer term group that will meet twice monthly for the year.

    Any questions? Read our FAQ.

    Contact us at chalicecircles@uucorvallis.org, via phone or in person after a Sunday service.

    Shikha Ghosh Gottfried and Nancy Sowdon

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  • UUFC Men’s Retreat, 10/25-27

    The 20th Annual UUFC Men’s Retreat will be held this year from Friday, October 25 (5 PM) through Sunday, October 27 (1 PM). Details and registration will be available soon. The Men’s Retreat is an opportunity for those who identify as men to get to know other men at UUFC, give yourself a respite from the daily routines, and enjoy time for personal reflection. We’ll be at the Menucha Retreat Center overlooking the Columbia Gorge in Corbett (https://menucha.org). Through large and small groups, singing, time in nature, and play time in the evening, we’ll connect with one another in deep and meaningful ways.
    Our theme this year is: Building Authentic Connections

    Releasing shame and self-criticism.
    Being more emotionally present with others.
    Exercises in integrity and relationship.
    Enjoying one another and being courageously playful.

    Mark your calendar now. Registration will be open soon! Questions? Contact Alan Kirk (alan.r.kirk@gmail.com), Nick Houtman (houtman58@gmail.com), Jeff Martin (jeff.labrador@comcast.net), JF Benoist (jfb@jfbenoist.com).

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Plan Ahead

  • Favorite Singer / Songwriters Return to UUFC – Two Great Concerts 9/21 and 10/13

    Plan now to join us for concerts by two of our Fellowship favorites: Emma’s Revolution (Pat Humphreys and Sandy O) on Saturday September 21, and Roy Zimmerman on Sunday October 13. Both concerts begin at 7 PM. Tickets for both will be available soon! Mark your calendars and invite your friends.

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  • Partner Church Minister Visit – .Join in! 9/20-9/30

    Our Transylvanian Partner Church minister, Rev. Katalin Szasz-Cserey and her son Mate will be visiting us Sept. 20 – 20. The Partner Church team is making arrangements and welcomes help from all who are interested. Please contact Patricia and Janet if you would enjoy spending time with Kati and Mate who both have some English skills and access to Google Translate.

    Ways to help:

    • Prep / serving at the Friday, Sept. 27 Hungarian Dinner
    • Hosting or co/hosting a tour of a local high school, of OSU, of a trip to the Coast, a day at the Fall Festival, a trip the the Corvallis Benton County Museum
    • Sharing a meal at your house
    • Other activities you’d like to offer

    Rev. Kati will preach on Sunday Sept. 29, followed by the dedication of our relocated Memorial Garden and the traditional Hungarian Szekely Gate at its entrance.

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  • Grief Tending Circle, 9/16

    Grief Tending Circle 6-7:30 p.m. Monday September 16 in the UUFC Library

    Come join us as we share our grief in a circle of compassion to acknowledge, listen to, and tend to the broken heart. Grief and its accompanying emotions like anger, frustration, loneliness, numbness, and confusion can be overwhelming to process alone. Whether your grief is from surviving the loss of a loved one, a breakup, a life transition, or bearing witness to the calamities of our planet including climate grief, wars and genocides, this gathering is for you.

    Our time together will include poetry, sharing, writing, and a simple ritual.

    Facilitators: Anna Coffman and Susan Sanford

    Please sign up so we can be prepared for you and let you know what to bring.

    Contact Susan and Anna for more information.

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  • Save the Date: 2024 Women’s Retreat

    The 2024 Women’s Retreat will be October 18 & 19 at the Fellowship. This year’s theme is “Resilience: Build Your Own Toolkit”

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  • Family Pool Party, 9/29

    All Fellowship families with children in RE are invited to a HEATED pool party on September 29th from 2-4.

    If it’s not your child’s weekend with you, but you want to mingle with other parents, come anyway. If you’ve got a baby who’s not ready for swimming, come anyway and meet other families. Deeply connected families are the foundation of Fellowship life! 

    Location information will be sent to all registered families the week before.  

    More information can be found at the registration page HERE!

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  • Crafters & Artists Wanted for Holiday Fair, 12/7

    Calling All Crafters & Artists Our UUFC Holiday Fair is coming December 7. Do you enjoy jewelry making, calligraphy, quilling, ceramics, woodworking, making greeting cards, knitting, crocheting, quilting, painting, photography, glass making, etc.? Turn your hobby into cash for yourself and UUFC, and joy for the buyers who love getting hand-crafted items for themselves or as gifts. UUFC retains 25% of the selling price and you get the rest. Do you have limited inventory? Then share a table with another UUFC crafter. Start creating now.
    Tom & Isabel Prusinski are coordinating artists/vendors.

    Please let them know you wish to participate.

    Contact Tom and Isabel

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  • Less is More Class, 10/1

    Additional seats are now available in the Less is More waste reduction workshop offered by Master Recycler, Betty Shelley, in the UUFC Sanctuary, Mondays 6:30-7:30 pm on October 1, 8, 15 , and 22. The Climate Action Team expands the offering of this 4-part workshop to those who missed bidding on seats in our April auction. The workshop is $25 /person (cash or check at the first session) which will help support the Fellowship. Friends and non-members are also welcome.

    Less is More: Getting to One Can of Garbage a Year

    Join this 4-part workshop to learn why and how to reduce your waste. Reducing your waste is a simple, profound way to decrease your environmental impact on our world and save money at the same time. Presenter Betty Shelley is a Master Recycler and a former Recycling Information Specialist for Metro Regional Government in Portland. Betty and her husband, Jon, have generated only one can of garbage a year since 2006.

    For more information, contact Betty Shelley

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  • Oregon UU Voices for Justice – Annual Meeting, 10/5

    9:15 AM – 3:15 PM at UUFC

    All Fellowship members and friends are invited to join in the annual meeting of Oregon UU Voices for Justice – a state-wide UU collaborative – hosted at the Fellowship on Saturday Oct. 5 from 9:15 – 3:15. The theme is Saving Democracy: We Are the Majority. Sessions will include shared work on Environmental Justice, Human Rights and Economic Equality. Register online at https://bit.ly/2024UUV4JAnnualMeeting

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Connect Up/Affinity Groups this Week

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