October 1 – “Love As Spaciousness” with Rev. Jill McAllister. A new generation of UUs suggests articulating our values in new ways, beginning with Love at the Center
October 8 – “Not So Like-Minded After All” with Rev. Jill McAllister. We’re learning a lot about the real differences in how brains work – neurodiversity. Turns out we’re more different than we imagine.
October 15 – “What is Transformation?” with Rev. Jill McAllister. Have you ever experienced transformation? How is it part of religious and spiritual growth?
October 22 – “God Is Not One, Neither are We” with Rev. Jill McAllister. One of the unique characteristics of our religious movement is pluralism – the willingness to be different and be together at the same time.
October 29 – Wheel of the Year – All Ages – Samhain / Halloween
Dear Friends and Members of UU Fellowship of Corvallis:
I am sharing lyrics and a video with you, below. The phrases have nourished me all week, sliding in and out of my awareness, enveloping me like an occasional hug.
What I see in my mind’s eye with them is this memory from last Friday, January 23 in Minneapolis: the tall, slender, long-brown-haired woman who is a rabbi, standing at the pulpit of a Lutheran church, with Swedish words in the stained glass above her, and Spanish posters on the altar.
What I sense in that environment in my memory are coats, more coats, hats, mittens, and backpacks all around me on wooden pews as tired clergy colleagues sing together. The words sound muddy at first. But with repetition, and the rabbi’s patient smile and steady voice, we get clearer about the lyrics. The meaning begins to sink into my heart, and I feel relief and courage.
She taught us this song when we arrived at 9 am. Later, at 11:30 am, after hearing that someone had been abducted three blocks away, she leads us again. There is less space for horror to grab us when we sing this song together.
“We will not underestimate our power any longer— we know that together, we are strong. Like drops of water shape the rocks as they rush down the falls, we know that together, we are strong.”
To give proper credit, I looked up the composer and share this background with you: Rena Branson is a Jewish composer, ritual leader, and educator who uplifts personal and collective healing through song. Rena founded A Queer Nigun Project (aqueernigunproject.org), which organizes community singing events for LGBTQIA+ folks and sends Jewish spiritual audio content to people who are incarcerated in NYC jails.
My wish for all of us at UUFC is that power of song continues to hold you in the coming days, weeks, months, and years.
Our February Justice Outreach Offering will support the Linn Benton NAACP. The NAACP works to ensure the political, educational, social, and economic equality of rights of all persons and to eliminate race-based discrimination.
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:
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!
The recent woes in Minnesota have taught many lessons and opened many eyes. Those who have learned and seen have wisdom to share, and we have the luxury of learning – and offering our support – from relative comfort. Here are some resources worth looking at, learning from, and sharing.
A directory of charitable efforts and works in Minnesota that need financial support. Itself a passion project, “just two ladies running this thing as volunteers”.
Resources for 3D-printing whistles, information on how to use them, and instructions on building whistle packets to spread the information. If you decide to carry and use a whistle, please be sure you understand the patterns being used in your area. Blowing alarms no one understands won’t help!
The UUFC Grounds Team is meeting on Sunday, February 22 at 11:45 AM in Room 3.
The Grounds Team will meet to discuss the big picture for 2026. What is most needed now? What is our action plan? Discussion will include a) pollinator garden installation and care, b) care of the big trees on the property, and c) improvements to our public face on Circle Blvd.
Whether your interest is in the doing or the planning, please make every effort to attend. Working together builds community as we care for our beautiful grounds!
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 Democracy Action Team meets this Tuesday, February 3 in the Social Hall at 5 pm. We will watch part of “What’s the Plan”, a video by Ezra and Leah, the high-energy couple who reveal weekly their view of how American citizens are doing in our attempt to undo Project 25.
We’ll see their interview of Erica Chenowith – acclaimed political scientist and author of Why Civil Resistance Works, and of the 3.5 threshold rule. Everyone is welcome.
The UUFC Endowment team is offering scholarships to help individuals and families attend an Eliot Institute summer camp this year. Attend this information session in the Sanctuary at 11:45 AM. There will be a short video, Q&A with camp attendees, and scholarship forms available. See the Eliot website https://www.eliotinstitute.org for more information, or contact Linda Hardison. The UUFC scholarship form is available to download below; deadline for submitting your application is Monday, March 9.
Elaine K. is making beautiful Birdseed Winter Wreaths as a fundraiser to buy stamps for the Democracy Action Team’s 2026 letter writing project. This project will educate voters who have fallen into disinformation and will get out the vote for this year’s primary and general election. Wreaths will be available in the Social Hall after Sunday Service, costing $15 for a small wreath and $30 for a large one; cash or check only.
In the 2024 election 53 writers at the Fellowship wrote a total of 25,530 letters and postcards. Rigorous studies have shown handwritten letters to be an effective way to increase voting. We started writing educational postcards in early January. Eventually we will write by Zoom, in person, and on our own, and have fun doing it! Stop by the Democracy Action Table if you want packets of postcards for writing.
Our UUFC Queerly Beloved social group will meet in Room 6C on February 1 after the service beginning at 11:45. All are welcome. We will be crafting, bring something to mend, all restorative handicraft are welcome!
We will be discussing important topics for the group, programming for the rest of the year, including revisiting our covenant, and the Sexuality and Gender Diversity justice team.
This workshop will focus on digital literacy and keeping yourself safe online. With the advances of technology in social media and AI, the scams being used have advanced with them and are more effective than ever. We’ll spend time talking about websites asking you to “agree” to things (and why you don’t actually need to), dealing with a variety of phone call scam tactics, and keeping your accounts and identity safe online. Feel free to bring your phones, laptops, and tablets if you’d like.
Childcare is available!
Free childcare can usually be arranged for any Fellowship event by using this link 1-2 weeks prior to the event.
Would you like to help start new Chalice Circles and meet fellow congregants? We are looking for volunteers to join the Chalice Circle Team. No experience required. Please contact us at ChaliceCircles@UUCorvallis.org.
