Weeklies – Text Only

WEEKLY ANNOUNCEMENTS – text only

Sunday Services

  • This Week:

    September 7, 2025 – Gathering the Waters and Beginning a New Congregational Year

    Bring water to pour into the common bowl as you name the qualities and commitments you bring for the year ahead. We will commission the board and Interim Minister. We will offer blessings to the guides who will work with children and youth this year and the sermon will reflect on the urgency of helping the world by raising the next generation with UU values.

    The choir will be back, and Rev. Alex will preach.

Services This Month

  • September 7: Gathering the Waters and Beginning a New Congregational Year

    Bring water to pour into the common bowl as you name the qualities and commitments you bring for the year ahead.  We will commission the board and Interim Minister.  We will offer blessings to the guides who will work with children and youth this year and the sermon will reflect on the urgency of helping the world by raising the next generation with UU values.  

    Choir will be back, and Rev. Alex will preach.

    September 14:  What’s Wrong and Is It Me? 

    This sermon will be an exploration of times in life we are trying to fix something…but the best change will come from looking at a bigger picture.  Special reflections on the exciting new Mosaic curriculum this year.  

    Rev. Alex preaching.  

    September 21:  This service will be full of love and creativity, and the topic and speaker are still being arranged.

    September 28:  Balance and Loving Embrace of Imbalance.

    As the days and nights are nearly equal in length this week, we have a chance to reflect on the many meanings of balance.

    Rev. Alex preaching and the band will play.

From the Minister

  • August 31, 2025

    Hi Fellowship!

    Look at this photo of my office door in the fresh new Religious Exploration wing of the building!  How wonderful that all the effort for renovations and fix-up have borne fruit and are ready to welcome youth on September 7.  I am grateful to the crew who worked on signage so I have a bulletin board outside the door of the office I use.  Perhaps in the photo you can see it is Room 1 – right inside the doors of the RE wing, which are to the right of the parking lot door.

    Most important, this photo shows that on my door I have taped a copy of the congregational covenant.  Can you see that green piece of paper? The Fellowship covenanted to this in May 2023, and it reminds us of love, respect, listening, celebrating differences, clarifying misunderstandings, and returning to covenant.  I have it on the door of my office to remind myself and all who enter here of how we agree to relate together. 

    One of the reasons I am attracted to Interim Ministry is because it is journeying with people during times of change.  And change has so many aspects:  excitement, uncertainty, grief, creativity, exhaustion and many more feelings.  In fact, there are as many feelings as there are people reading this message.  My goal is to honor all those truths, offer compassion for the discomfort, and help you stay true to your deepest values as you navigate this time.  Please offer yourself and others spacious compassion and curiosity as this new chapter in the life of the Fellowship is unfolding. 

    In peace,

    Rev. Alex

This Week at UUFC

  • Tap Talk at Common Fields, 9/1

    After the Tuna Roast, this Monday, September 1st, join friends of the Secure Food and Housing Justice Team at TAP TALK: SHARE THE LOVE 2 at Corvallis Common Fields.

    From 5:30pm – 7:30pm Meet 4 local organizations working to create a better future: South Corvallis Food Bank, Corvallis Housing First, Friends of Outdoor School, and Corvallis Multicultural Literacy Center. Join us for a FREE public event with presentations and info on how to get involved, fun activities, and ways to support their missions.

    If you can’t make it while our Justice Team is there, you can still visit and learn about these wonderful local organizations! Enjoy yummy food and drink anytime between noon and 9 pm, and Common Fields will donate 10% of sales to the groups.

    All are welcome to participate, connect with community members, and be a part of the solution!

    At Common Fields, 545 SW 3rd St

    Contact: 500WSCorvallis@gmail.com

    Sponsor: 500 Women Scientists Corvallis

    Event Poster:

  • Shuttle to the “Workers Over Billionaires” Rally, 9/1

    Consider attending the “Workers Over Billionaires” protest rally on 4th street, taking place from noon to 3 PM on September 1. Just before our Tuna Roast!

    Traveling to and from the protest (and parking nearby) is an obstacle for many people. To alleviate that problem some kind people at the Fellowship are offering a shuttle service to the protest. Those who would like to use this service should show up at the UUFC parking lot to get rides to and from the front of the Corvallis Library. We will be available, as needed, to pick up at half-hour intervals, leaving UUFC at 12:00, 12:30, 1:00, 1:30, and 2:00; and doing return trips from the Library at 1:00, 1:30, 2:00, 2:30, and 3:00.

    Another good option is to take advantage of the CTS buses if one of their routes runs close to your home. All routes start and stop from the Downtown Transit Center, which is just a block from 4th Street. Check their routes and schedules at: https://www.corvallisoregon.gov/cts/page/bus-routes, or plan your personal route at: https://apps.corvallisoregon.gov/cts/tripplanner.html.

    For any who are interested in using the shuttle service, please contact Jack Elder by email, phone, or text, and give him your name and the times you would like get rides in both directions.

    We could also use a few more volunteer drivers. With more drivers, each individual will need to drive fewer trips, and can spend more time at the protest!

  • Kirtan with Eugene’s Sitaram Das, 9/5

    Through chanting Sanskrit mantra, music, teachings, Q&A, and storytelling, this kirtan intends to awaken the Heart of Love. Sitaram Dass will be joined by Jeannette Kangas (tabla) and Clark Stacer (bass). Friday, September 5 at 7 PM in Room 7.

    Sitaram Dass (he/him) spent several years serving his beloved teacher Ram Dass on Maui, where he was shown the path of Bhakti, the yoga of service and devotion to God. He is an author, teacher, kirtan singer, spiritual therapist, and lover of God. As the director of the Sacred Community Project, he works to lower the barriers of access to contemplative and devotional practices.

  • Connect Up Hike, 8/30

    We will hike the Takena Landing lollipop trail in Albany. Meet at the UUFC parking lot at 8:30 a.m. if you would like to carpool. We’ll gather at the trailhead under the bridge at 8:45 and begin hiking at 9:00. This 3.6 mile riverside hike in North Albany has little elevation gain. There are opportunities for wading and for agate hunting and blackberry picking.

    DRIVING DIRECTIONS FROM CORVALLIS: Take Highway 20 to North Albany. When you come to the stoplight/intersection with NW North Albany Rd, turn RIGHT into Takena Landing and proceed to the parking lot under the bridge.

    RSVP here

  • Mosaic Antiracism Workshop for Adults! Register by 9/1

    Registration is requested HERE.

    WHAT: A fun and connecting communal exploration of radical inclusion through the lens of race and culture.

    WHEN: Monday evenings, 9/8 – 10/20 from 6:30-8PM

    WHERE: Room 7 @ uufc

    WHY: Because the social and political landscape is ever-evolving, there will always be more to learn about how to be inclusive, and this will never be a topic we can check off the old to-do list and call it done. In 2020, the Commission on Institutional Change’s report, “Widening the Circle of Concern” (UUA), the commission recommended that we “hold conversations across generations about issues of inclusion, with the goal of recognizing the evolution in our Living Tradition and that spiritual development needs change over time.” Let’s answer that call in Corvallis!

    More details:

    Each session will include the following elements:

    • Opening: chalice lighting and check-in
    • Read: audio or video of a book or an article to explore together
    • Watch: video
    • Do: craft, game, or other activity
    • Close: chalice extinguishing words and other classroom rituals to close the circle
    • Take Home: suggested activity and/or conversation starter to encourage further faith development at home

    We want to see a majority of our adults engaging with this material. We want to see teams and councils putting this learning to work in all we do in every corner of Fellowship life and beyond. We want to do whatever is needed to help you engage deeply, share bravely, and welcome wildly, so if you want to be included and can’t figure out how, or if you have questions or concerns, please reach out to Skyla King-Christison at dre@uucorvallis.org .

    PS Our children will be engaging with Mosaic across the year, too! Below are some pictures of our leaders of the children and youth programs getting ready for the juicy and community-building year ahead!

  • Labor Day Tuna Roast, 9/1

    End the summer with a party! Specifically, a Tuna Roast on Labor Day from 4 – 7 PM at the Lions Shelter in Avery Park.

    Since 1997; always on Labor Day, always at Avery Park, Lions Kitchen; a party for all UUFC members and friends, old and new. This event marks the beginning of the new church year and a welcome to our new interim minister Alex. It is a good place to bring kids as it is next to the swings, the old train, and the dinosaur bones. Teens can “hang out” or help with the barbecue. To cover costs we ask for a donation of $7.00 per adult and whatever you think is appropriate for your kids. Sliding scale because we want everyone to come, so no one will be turned away for lack of funds. This is about being in community, not a fund raiser. If there is any leftover money, Rev. Alex can direct it to an appropriate place.

    We provide barbecued tuna, sweet corn on the cob, lemonade and sheet cakes. For vegetarians there will be veggie burgers and barbecued eggplant and zucchini. For picky kids there will be hot dogs. We ask you to bring your own plates and silverware and $$$.

    A folding chair might be helpful. Especially, bring a potluck dish such as dessert, salad, bread, chips, dips, veggies, fruit, pickles, and lots more desserts.

    This is a community event and it takes a community to run it, especially if you are able bodied and not herding little kids. We always need help setting up at 3:00 PM and cleaning up around 7:00 PM. We’re hoping that many people will take turns barbecuing. For these things just show up and jump in.

    We do need someone to obtain the corn from WINCO, early arrivals can shuck the corn, and a couple of quiet people can cook it. We need a drink master, to make the lemonade and keep the jugs refilled. We need 2-3 people to help me prep the tuna on Monday morning. Finally we need someone to pick up seven rented tables at Special Occasions on Friday, and return them on Tuesday. If you have a truck with a bed long enough for 8-foot tables, that would be excellent. Otherwise we can borrow Lee Holt’s truck, but a driver is needed. Special occasions does all the loading and unloading so you don’t need to be muscular.

    Contact Rich if you can help on these several jobs.

  • Crossing Thresholds Group

    Register for this 9-month group HERE by September 8th.

    One of the sacred tasks of being human is making meaning of our lives, our identities, and the ever-unfolding story we are part of. In these threshold moments—when something ends and something new begins— ritual, reflection, and community provide needed grounding. 

    As Unitarian Universalists, we are blessed with a tradition rich in honoring life’s passages, especially for our children and youth. Yet too often, adults must navigate profound change without the spiritual scaffolding of ritual or the comfort of shared witness.

    If you are living through a major life transition— loss of a beloved, birth of a new beloved, retirement, new job, gender transition, new relationship commitment, divorce, recovery, or any other significant turning point—you are not alone.

    We invite you to join Crossing Thresholds, a 9-month spiritual journey beginning in September. Together, we’ll explore the depth and complexity of personal transformation through three cycles of reflection.

    What to Expect

    Each cycle will include a rhythm of ritual, reflection, communal support, and creative exploration guided by a team of facilitators:


    At the beginning of each cycle (September, December, March), Susan Sanford will lead a simple, grounding ritual that honors the turning of the Wheel and the thresholds we are crossing. Through embodied practices, evocative imagery, and gentle reflection, you’ll be invited to locate your personal story within the greater rhythm of Earth’s seasons.

    The next month of each cycle, Dorrie Board will provide a casual and light-hearted approach (mostly, but sometimes laughter evolves into tears, and that’s ok, too) as you travel through your “seasonal” transition. The bulk of this session will be open discussion and sharing/listening, and lots of laughing, and there might be room for related media and movement. Participants will help to create the flow of each experience as Dorrie is the guide on the side. (October, January, April)

    At each cycle’s close (November, February, May), Skyla King-Christison will guide hands-on creative art sessions, including altar making (with Ginny Gibson, as a bonus in September), sigil creation, personal history scrolls, and ancestor collage. These projects were chosen to help us engage with the discomfort of transformation through creative exploration. No art skills needed.

    Ongoing Practices
    All participants will be invited to:

    • Create a personal altar to live in the UUFC atrium
    • Schedule solo meditation time in the atrium space
    • Join monthly nature-based meditations and socials

    Our time together will culminate in the River of Life Service in June, where participants will be lovingly witnessed by the congregation as they cross into what comes next.

    If you have any questions, please contact Skyla King-Christison at dre@uucorvallis.org

    We’re excited to go on this journey together!

Announcements

  • Chalice Circle Sampler Pop-up this Fall

    Want to experience what a Chalice Circle session is like? We’re trying a different format this year that will hopefully lower the barrier to make it easier for YOU to check out if joining a Chalice Circle is for you.

    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 a Chalice Circle Pop-up Session offered this Fall. If you want to continue, we’ll help set up new groups that will continue through the upcoming liturgical year (through June). You’re also welcome to sign up if you’ve been in a group in the past or even if you’re already in a group! Come see what’s changed or just experience chalice with a different group of people.

    Three sessions will be offered (2 hours each), and you can choose to attend 1, 2 or all 3 (different topic, different people but same format). Sign-ups are online via this Google Form (https://bit.ly/fall25chalice). The dates of each session are specified in the form.

    Have more questions about chalice circles? Attend the next Inquirer Series featuring them on October 5, or read our FAQ at: https://uucorvallis.org/chalice-circles/.

    Questions? Email: chalicecircles@uucorvallis.org

  • New Foot-Operated Doorstops

    There are new doorstops on the entry doors. Use your foot to lower the doorstop in position. To release it, step on the metal tab and the doorstop pops back into the open position. No more bending to unlock the hook latch!

    There are also new window blinds in the classroom wing rooms which are operated by lifting up slowly from the bottom with two hands. This stacks the blind as you open it (no cords to pull). To close these blinds, pull down gently/firmly/evenly. A plastic rod on the left can be rotated to tilt the blinds into varying degrees of light entering.

  • Register for Fall RE!

    Parents and guardians, it’s to register your children for the new year of Sunday morning Religious Exploration!

    CHILDREN WHO WERE REGISTERED AT ANY POINT LAST YEAR MUST STILL BE REGISTERED Anew BEFORE ATTENDING RE THIS YEAR.

    Please read the following descriptions carefully and register each child for the appropriate space. We acknowledge that school grades are not a perfect proxy for age or development. Nonetheless, we find them useful for determining the most appropriate group for most children. If you feel your child would benefit from being in a different group than the one designated below, please reach out to the Director of Religious Exploration, Skyla King-Christison.

    THE RAINBOW ROOM

    This space is for new walkers through preschool. We may occasionally be able to accommodate infants if the caregiver-to-child ratio allows; however, your infant may be returned to you in the service if more children arrive and it can no longer be safely accommodated. Children in this space may be dropped off in Room 4 of the classroom wing no earlier than 9:50, and should be picked up before their guardians attend coffee hour.

    Please register for the Rainbow Room HERE prior to dropping your child off.

    SPIRIT PLAY

    This space is designed to meet the approximate developmental needs of beloved children in grades K through three. Children in this space begin in the service with their families, and will depart for room 6c as a group after the time for all ages. Guardians should pick them up before attending coffee hour. This group may occasionally be on the playground, through 6c, at pickup time.

    Please register for Spirit Play HERE prior to their first Sunday.

    SEEKER SPACE

    This space is designed to meet the approximate developmental needs of beloved children in grades four through six. Children in this space begin in the service with their families, and will depart for room 9 (upstairs) as a group after the time for all ages. This group will prioritize outdoor time and project-based exploration, so please ensure that they are dress for the weather all year round. This group must be picked up before attending coffee hour.

    Please register for Seeker Space HERE prior to their first Sunday.

    OPEN MINDS GROUP (OMG!)

    This space is designed to meet the approximate developmental needs of beloved children in grades seven through twelve. Youth in this space will be released to come join the adults in the social hall. They do not need to be checked out by guardian, but they are not permitted to linger in the classroom wing unattended. Please discuss expectations with your youth prior to their attendance.

    Please register youth for OMG! HERE before their first Sunday

    If you have questions about any of our Sunday morning offerings for children and youth, don’t hesitate to contact the Director of Religious Exploration, Skyla King-Christison at dre@uucorvallis.org.

    And don’t forget that we have a variety of Religious Exploration offerings for adults this year, and can often provide free childcare with appropriate notice. Check it out and get the whole family engaged in RE!

  • Outreach Offerings for August

    Our Sunday Outreach offerings in August support Seeds for the Sol, a nonprofit, grassroots organization taking action now to remove the financial barriers to residential energy efficiency. Their neighbor-to-neighbor funding model mimics the natural cycles of planting, harvesting, and renewal, helping more households move toward net zero. This funding model addresses climate mitigation and adaptation, energy equity and outreach, and workforce development by making affordable housing more energy efficient.

  • Update on Needs in our Community – Secure Housing and Food For All Justice Team

    The passage of the Big Beautiful Bill has had a profound—and deeply challenging—impact on local Corvallis shelters. With funding significantly reduced, these vital organizations are struggling to meet the basic needs of those they serve. The loss of resources has been devastating, but the need has not gone away. In this difficult moment, volunteers have become more essential than ever. If you’re able to give your time, even a little, your support can help keep dignity, warmth, and safety within reach for our neighbors in need.

    For more information on how you can help, you can visit the following web pages or contact the Secure Housing and Food for All Justice Team, Roberta Smith (https://uufc.breezechms.com/people/view/27347382).

    Volunteering / Supporting Unity Shelter

    Ways to Support the Corvallis Day Time Drop In Center

    Volunteer at the South Corvallis Food Bank

  • Women’s Retreat Workshop Proposals

    The Women’s Retreat Planning Team is looking for women who would volunteer to lead a 50-minute workshop on a practice that brings them peace. Workshops will be offered at the UUFC on Saturday, October 18 at 11 am, 3pm, or 4pm. We hope to be able to offer a variety of different things, such as:

    1. Spiritual practices – e.g. ritual, music, meditation
    2. Body practices – e.g. breathwork, yoga, walking
    3. Creativity practices – e.g. arts, words, crafts
    4. Climate practices – e.g. sustainability in home & consumer habits, gardening & land work
    5. Economic practices – e.g. data and dollar practices that support agency and peace
    6. Relationship practices – e.g. healthy boundaries, generosity, interaction games

    If you’ve got a proposal to offer our retreat community, please submit it before Sept. 21 by clicking the button below and filling out the form.

    Proposal Form

    You can contact the Women’s Retreat Team at womensretreat@uucorvallis.org.

Plan Ahead

  • Parking Lot Rummage Sale – Saturday, 9/20

    We’ll be holding our annual Parking Lot Rummage Sale on September 20 from 10:00 AM – 2:00 PM. Do you have items you no longer need and want to get rid of? Will you kindly donate all the proceeds to UUFC?

    Here’s what you do:

    1. Price your items (thrift store prices or less)
    2. Bring you items to our parking lot and “sell” them. Send buyers to the cashier with their items. You don’t have to collect any money
    3. At 2:00 PM take all unsold items home or deliver them to your favorite thrift store.

    Tell your friends, neighbors, and OSU folks. The Rummage Sale is open for everyone to shop.

    VOLUNTEERS NEEDED
    • At 9:30 AM to bring tables and chairs from our building to the parking lot.
    • At 2:00 PM to return tables and chairs to the building.

  • Red Cross Blood Drive, 9/10

    A blood drive will be hosted in our Social Hall from 9:30 am until 2:30 pm on Wednesday 9/10. You can sign up to donate on the American Red Cross Donate Blood website.

  • Please register for the UUFC Women’s Retreat, 10/17 & 10/18

    If you identify as a woman in a way that is significant for you, you are welcome to join us for our annual Women’s Retreat. It will be held at the UUFC on Friday night Oct. 17 from 6:30 – 8:30 pm and from 9:00 am – 7:00 pm on Saturday, Oct. 18. This year’s theme is “Right Here, Right Now: Peace through Practice”. We will share practices that may help you find peace in your center, peace in your connections, and peace in your community. The $55 fee for the retreat includes two meals on Saturday catered by Forks and Corks.

    Please register using this form. https://uufc.breezechms.com/form/wr2025

    Payment can be made online or by check to the UUFC with “Women’s Retreat” in the memo line.
    Volunteers, suggestions, and questions are welcome at womensretreat@uucorvallis.org. Team facilitators are Heather Thomas, Kimi Mayo, and Priscilla Galasso.

Connect Up/Affinity Groups this Week