Special Dance Planet, 3/2

This Saturday, March 2, we’ll come together for a special Dance Planet at the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Corvallis. From 7:30 to about 8:45 we’ll move, each in our own way, to a rhythmic flow of music from around the world and across the decades.

But starting at 7 we’ll have a special treat: a 30-minute musical soundscape provided by our own amazing pianist Lauren Servias with a little help from George Beekman. Feel free to bring a yoga mat if you’d like to stretch, breathe, or roll while you warm up.Admission to this family-friendly event is a suggested donation of $5—15. 100 percent of the proceeds will be donated to local environmental organizations.

Faith-based Climate Action, 2/17/2024

Faith-based climate action this week

Good News

Climate-action Opportunities

Of Note

Save the Date Vote Forward: Solving the climate crisis requires a functioning democracy!  The UUFC Democracy Action Team is partnering with Vote Forward volunteers, who encourage fellow citizens to participate in our democracy by sending handwritten letters to unregistered and low-propensity voters.  Letter writing will begin early March with Zoom and in-person writing events!

CAT sign-ons: CAT worked with the Board to establish criteria for Justice Teams sign-on to and/or endorse justice causes. Applying those criteria, CAT has signed-on to and/or endorsed:

> Support Fossil Fuel Non Proliferation Treaty (11/1/23), 

> Support Overnight Cooling Center at OSU (11/4/23), 

> Oppose GTN Xpress Pipeline (12/14/23), 

> Oppose  Removal of Councillor Chalynn Ellis (2/2/24), and  

> Support  Pause on LNG exports (2/13/24). 

CAT’s notifications to the Board of these sign-ons are in this folder.

Bottle Drop:  Support the Corvallis Sustainability Coalition by using its blue Bottle Drop bags. These are in the lime-green bucket on the window-ledge behind the snack table in the social hall. The Corvallis Bottle Drop is behind the WaFa bank on 9th St.

Citizens’ Climate Lobby: Short video describing CCL’s success with respect to advancing the PROVE IT Act.

TED Talk:  Executive director Jonathan Foley presents the Drawdown Roadmap, a science-based framework for identifying the best solutions to use at the right time and in the right place to address climate change while improving human well-being, equity, and justice.  This talk is sure to inform and inspire you as much as it did the live audience of hundreds. 

Oregon Treasurer’s Net-Zero Plan: Divest Oregon response (generally positive) to this plan

Red Cross Blood Drive, 3/11

We are hosting a Red Cross Blood Drive from 9.30am to 3.30 pm in the Social Hall. See https://www.redcrossblood.org/ for more info.

Emergency Preparedness – Thank-You team!

Thank-you, thank-you to the Emergency Preparedness team: Craig Olbrich, Wolfgang Dengler and Denis White, for providing training for leaders, Sunday volunteers and more last Saturday Feb. 10, focusing on how to help evacuate the building especially in case of fire. (And how interesting that our fire alarm system began to malfunction the following day — we’re looking now at a system upgrade). Here’s a take-away for everyone: if a building evactuation is needed, everyone head out toward the parking lot to the gathering point at the corner of Firwood and Elmwood.

Daily Practice: A Weekly Reminder

To begin a day with notes of thanks is never a waste of time. It is a courageous way to orient oneself to a day, given how easy it is to start with complaints. To sit quietly for a few minutes to see what gratitudes emerge can feel like what the phrase “heart song” might mean. Thanks for the chorus of frogs and the response of an owl last night; for the shape of Marys Peak on the horizon; for the snow drops and crocuses and three tall daffodils already in bloom; for the busyness of birds who share this place; for the smell of moisture-filled morning air; for the thriving vibrant green of lichens; for gifts from friends and family – a poem, a photo, a message; for the wisdom of teachers and of students; for being part of a supportive working team; for knowing I am held in a circle of connection and love. I try to begin the day smiling, which is always what happens when I pause to count blessings. As I’m smiling, I’m bowing my head to my heart in a spontaneous prayer for so much that is so painful – for people living in wars in Ukraine and Gaza and elsewhere; for children in danger; for families struggling to survive; for generations of trauma of racism and patriarchy; for losses and mourning; for the state of the earth’s living systems. I look to this day with hope, and words from W.E.B DuBois as encouragement: “ The prayer of our souls is a petition for persistence; not for one good deed but deed on deed and thought on thought, until day calling unto day shall make a life worth living.” May this be our daily practice.

Improv Skills for Shared Ministry, and Life! 2/18 at 11:45 am

An After Service Continued Conversation on February 18: Treat yourself refreshments at the Coffee Hour, then join Rev. Darrick Jackson and Rev. Jill McAllister at 11:45 AM in the Sanctuary for an hour of further conversation about improvisation for congregational life and life in the world. All are welcome.

“Shared Ministry as Improv,” 2/18/2023

So much is changing in our world, faith, and congregational lives. As we engage this changing reality, we need tools to help us meet the needs of this liminal time. Improvisation can provide us with a framework for shared ministry, and life!

Our guest preacher, The Rev. Darrick Jackson (he/him), is the Director of Ministries for Lifelong Learning of the UU Ministers Association. He is one of the authors in the book “Centering: Navigating Race, Authenticity and Power in Ministry.” Rev. Darrick is active in DRUUMM (the UU ministry for people of color) and is the treasurer for Healing Moments (a ministry for caregivers of people with Alzheimer’s). He is pursuing his D.Min in Theology and the Arts at the United Theological Seminary of the Twin Cities. Rev. Darrick and his husband, Dr. James Olson, live with their two cats, Merlin and Morgana. After Service Continued Conversation: Treat yourself refreshments at the Coffee Hour, then join Darrick and Jill McA at 11:45 AM in the Sanctuary for further conversation about improvisation for congregational life and life in the world. All are welcome.

Hub City Village Volunteerism and Donations

We are helping to furnish homes for those in need ~ CreatingHousing.org is in the midst of building 27 permanent tiny homes and a community center in Albany for those without secure housing and who are interested in being part of a cooperative community. To sponsor the completion of a tiny home, an organization can supply a list of household items like dishes, sheets, etc and then deliver that full set upon the home’s completion, projected at May/June 2024.

UUFC Member Joyce Marvel-Benoist is coordinating the sponsorship program and has asked the UU congregation to participate in bringing items to sponsor a home. She will be at a table in the foyer after the service on Sunday to share the list of needed items and answer questions. Additionally fabric and curtains are being collected for the making of curtains for all the homes (home sewing or April 16 sewing work party.)

Thank you,

Joyce

Contact Joyce Marvel-Benoist

Tree Planting, 2/17

Join us on Saturday, Feb 17, 10:00 AM to Noon to help plant 10 trees in and around the parking lot for the Crystal Lake ball fields and boat ramp. Coffee, donuts, & tools provided. Contact Michael Hughes to sign up, or just show up.

Justice Theatre Presents: The Roaring Girl, 3/29, 3/30

Tickets are now available for the 2024 Justice Theatre production at the UUFC! All proceeds benefit the Mid-Willamette Trans Support Network. Reserve tickets

Thomas Middleton and Thomas Dekker's "Roaring Girl"
Adapted and Directed by Britt Urey
March 29 and 30