This Sunday we observe and celebrate Imbolc (also known as Candlemas), the point on the Wheel of the Year halfway between the Winter Solstice and the Spring Equinox. The first hints of Spring are beginning to show themselves, the light is very slowly returning, and it’s a time to plant the seeds of everything we hope will grow this year and let go of things that no longer serve us! This is a time of year for contemplating mysteries, and speaking about the unspeakable, mysterious, hard-to-describe parts of being alive. All ages join in worship together.
david
Justice Outreach for February
Our outreach offerings in February will support Unity Shelter, a local non-profit organization which provides emergency shelter and transitional housing, plus wrap around services for people who are without safe housing or shelter. Unity Shelter’s mission is to provide safe shelter through collaborative care.
Between Us, 2/2/2024
When I answered the call to ministry here at the Fellowship in 2013, the letter of call which became the Letter of Agreement between minister and congregation included this as its second point:
1.2 “Anti-Oppression Awareness
This congregation accepts its responsibility to continue to offer its members and minister(s) opportunities to increase their ability to function in a multiracial, multiethnic capacity and to address the systemic nature of oppression within Unitarian Universalism. On-going opportunities for growth and reflection will be offered to ensure the success of the professional ministry and will be scheduled in consultation with the Committee on Ministry.”
Having most recently served a congregation in Michigan which had increased its commitments to understanding and addressing systemic racism, I was very happy to move to a congregation which shared that awareness and commitment. Part of my own work to understand systemic racism had begun very early in my career, when I made a commitment to myself to undertake an annual study of the works of and about Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. (I’ve now been engaging in this study for nearly 25 years).
Here at the Fellowship, my commitments have only increased, as have those of the Board and many members of the congregation. Now, Black History Month is part of my own “liturgical year”; I set a learning goal during this month each year. This practice has influenced how I learn and study throughout the year. I think that 85-90% of what I read is related to the study of systemic racism and other forms of bigotry. I read predominantly non-white authors, in a wide variety of genres – mostly because I realize that my own perspectives, based on my own experiences in life, are still very limited.
Several years ago, soon after the strong emergence of the Black Lives Matter movement, I invited everyone in the congregation to join me. “If you are White like I am, read something – anything,” I said, “that will begin to broaden and deepen your understanding of the nature of systemic racism. Many of you did, and we have been engaged in communal learning and discussion ever since.
This year, this Black History Month, I offer the same encouragement. If you have never made a commitment to learning about Black History, I invite you to begin. In case it might help, here are some of the books I’ve read in the last couple of years, which I highly recommend.
“We Were Eight Years in Power” – Ta-Nehisi Coates
“How the Word Is Passed “ – Clint Smith
“The Radical King” – Cornel West, Editor
“Homegoing”, and “Transcendent Kingdom” – Yaa Gyasi
“The Book of Delights,” “The Book of More Delights,” and “Inciting Joy” – Ross Gay
“Fortune: How Race Broke My Family and the World – and How to Repair It All” – Lisa Sharon Harper
“Remnants: A Memoir of Spirit, Activism and Mothering” – Rachel Elizabeth Harding
Gauging Interest in a Puerto Rican Dinner, 2/24
If there’s enough interest, I’m thinking of preparing Puerto Rican meal for 30 to 50 as a fundraiser for the Fellowship on February 24, 2024 at 1 PM. My family emigrated from Puerto Rico to the mainland in 1926 and there are rich food traditions in our culture that I’d like to share. Should be fun and delicious.
Menu:
~Arroz con gandules (rice with pigeon peas, which is considered the national dish of Puerto Rico);
~Papas con chorizo (potatoes with chorizo), served with tortillas like my grandma used to do;
~Pollo guisado (chicken stew);
~Ensalada verde (simple green salad);
~Habichuelas negras (spiced black beans);
~Tres leches cake, Puerto Rican style (adding coconut milk and whipped cream with toasted coconut sprinkled on top);
~Agua de Jamaica (sweetened hibiscus flower tea, served cold).
~Might also include platanos maduros (fried ripe plaintains, which are naturally sweet).
Cost: $15.00 per person, paid in advance. I will donate all of my time and some of the food so we can donate the maximum. Volunteers welcome.
Unfortunately, due to the traditional menu I won’t be able to accommodate special diets, gluten free, vegan, or vegetarian requests. I’ll prepare a meal that meets these needs at a later date.
Please let me know if this interests you so I’ll know how many people I might expect to serve. Thanks a lot and I hope to see all of you sometime soon.
Ernest Cardona
Chalice Circle Samplers: A New Series
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 month). 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.
Any questions? Read our FAQ or contact us at chalicecircles@uucorvallis.org
Thank you, Shikha Ghosh Gottfried and Nancy Sowdon
Blooming Bulb Sale, 2/25
Yikes! Spring is already springing. The Immigrant and Refugee Support Team brings you the Blooming Bulb sale on Sunday, February 25 after the service. Treat yourself to a pot full of beautiful blooms. Proceeds will be used to buy stamps for the Democracy Action Team’s letter writing campaign. Nancy Kyle n.kyle12@gmail.com
Secure Housing and Food for All
The Secure Housing and Food for All team appreciates and thanks everyone who contributed money to We Care last month. If you are interested in working with We Care, please take a look at their job announcement below. Also, a big thank you to those who brought in food, coats and blanks for Southtown Food Bank and the Corvallis daytime Drop-in Center.
January 2024: We Care is now hiring for a part-time Intake Coordinator! See the Intake Coordinator job announcement for more information.
Fill out the and the Intake Coordinator Job application to apply, or email Kate@wecarecorvallis.org.
We look forward to seeing you at the Social Justice gathering on Friday February 2nd. Roz Keeney
Sunday Services in February
February 4 – Wheel of the Year: Imbolc (Candlemas) Intergenerational Service
February 11 – Rev. Jill McAllister “The Meeting of Two Giants: A Black History Month Reflection”
February 18 – Rev. Jill McAllister with guest Rev. Darrick Jackson “Shared Ministry as Improv”
February 25 – Rev. Jill McAllister “Still Aiming for Justice?”
“The Endless Conversation,” 1/28/2024
“The endless conversation” is another way to say “Life”, or “living life”, or “the religious life.” It is a recognition that living is not a problem to be solved or a solution to discover, but an ongoing interchange – biological, physical, emotional, spiritual, and more. Recognizing the conversational structure of being human can help us nurture an inner core of strength and courage, and create and sustain true community.
with Rev. Jill McAllister
Emergency Preparedness
UUFC has a new fire management tool for kitchen stove fires, a Fire Blanket. The red bag with black release straps will be prominently mounted in both kitchens for use with any flaming fire. This 3-layer laminated fiberglass Fire Blanket will smother the flames within 15 seconds. Also a person can wrap it around themselves to protect against flames. This method is faster and much less messy than chemical fire extinguisher foam., which is another option especially if flames are wider than the 3 foot by 3 foot blanket Never spray water on such a fire. Please look for the red bag next time you are in the kitchens.