david

You may have seen or heard the word ‘kirtan’ when investigating the worship options at the Fellowship and wondered what it was. Basically, kirtan is a very simple & powerful way to meditate. It’s effortless & joyful; the music does the work for you as you flow with the melody & rhythm. As you sing you experience a deep connection with the musicians, the other audience members and yourself. And when the music stops, your mind is quiet.

Because kirtan has roots in India, many of the chants are sung in Sanskrit. These ancient chants contain powerful renewing & transformative energy that helps us reconnect with the Divinity that resides within all of us. If you’ve ever chanted responses in Latin or Hebrew in your religious tradition, then you know how powerful singing in an ancient, holy language can be. You can be completely immersed in the sound, with no words to distract the mind — the magic of the chants can then carry you within. While singing along at a kirtan concert, you can experience your own voice becoming as beautiful as those performing—all voices merge together to become One Voice.

We have kirtan every Friday night at the Fellowship. The 1st and 3rd Fridays are a Community Kirtan in person in Room 7, other Friday nights we hold the kirtan on Zoom. We also host live events. If you’d like to learn more about this ancient tradition, please join us on Friday, December

Questions? Contact Kitzie Stern at kitstern@gmail.com. Let me know if you’d like to receive our weekly newsletter.

For the second year, the UUFC Climate Action Team offers living trees to enjoy through the holiday season. Plant on your own or return it in early January to the Fellowship atrium and we’ll find a home for it to be planted.

We have 3 gallon Doug- firs for $20 and 5 gallon Redcedars for $30.

Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii), perhaps the most common tree in Oregon, is the most important conifer in the state because of its ecological and economic significance.

The Western redcedar (Thuja plicata)is often referred to as “the cornerstone of northwest coastal Indian culture.” Among the names given this tree were “tree of life” and “life giver,” and some tribes called themselves “People of the Cedar.” Groves of ancient cedars were symbols of power, and gathering places for organization, ceremonies, retreat, and contemplation.

Thanks to all who contributed to the UUFC Emergency Aid Fund on Giving Tuesday and after. It is not too late! We’ll keep the portal open through the weekend. UUFC members contributed over $900 to this fund which is used to help other members who are in dire need of assistance to make it through housing, utility, medical, auto, transportation and other short-term crises. You have made a difference. If you are interested in contributing to this fund, can go to the online collection basket – then in the white box in the middle of that page use the top option button to select “Give to Giving Tuesday.” You then enter your donation amount, whether the gift is recurring or one-time, and then choose debit/credit or ACH payment. Alternatively, you can mail a check to the UUFC (2945 NW Circle Blvd, Corvallis OR 97330) or drop a check in the Sunday collection basket. Please write “Giving Tuesday” on the memo line of all checks. Your gift can make a real difference in the lives of other UUFC members. 

We’ll celebrate October, November, and December birthdays after the service on December 10. If you have a 4th quarter birthday and haven’t signed up yet, please sign the sheet by the “Happy Birthday” bag just outside the Sanctuary doors.

UUFC Birthday Club

We also invite you to celebrate the years you have lived by joining the Birthday Club. Write a check to UUFC for how old you are, put “Birthday Club” in the memo line, and drop it in the collection basket on Sunday or mail it to the Fellowship. This money will go into a special fund with a group of donors deciding later how to best use it.

In December everyone who made a contribution towards fulfilling their ‘23-’24 Pledge will be receiving a contribution statement via email from Breeze. This is a great opportunity to check that you’re on track to fulfill your pledge (our fiscal year ends June 30, 2024). Annual contribution statements for tax purposes will be sent in January. 

At our November 2023 meeting, the UUFC Board of Directors reviewed Fellowship finances, as always. Also discussed were proposed policies for managing the Reserves Fund and the Endowment Fund. The Financial Oversight Council is reviewing all of our investments, and re-organizing the way we report both financial trends and current status.

We are discussing ways to make the Committee on Ministry more visible and sustainable, including possibly adding it to the bylaws. The Committee on Ministry is responsible for supporting the minister(s) and evaluating shared ministry at the Fellowship.

We received a report on the Building Enhancement Project, which is progressing toward the planned renovation of the classroom wing. A very preliminary estimate of the costs of the work came in high – which was not unexpected due to the much greater scope of needed renovations than previously understood (especially to make the buildings safe in case of earthquake). Conversations with the builders are ongoing to finalize the details of the work and arrive at the Maximum Estimated Cost. The project is tentatively scheduled to begin in May 2024.

Minutes of Board meetings are posted at uucorvallis.org/archives/Board minutes.

from Board member Jema Patterson

On Tuesday, November 28, we ask you to consider making a donation, large or small, to the UUFC Emergency Aid Fund. Requests for aid from this fund are managed by our minister and a review team. Its idea is simple – if there are UUFC members or others related to the Fellowship who are in need of emergency assistance with housing, utilities, medical costs, auto and transportation costs, etc., they can make a request to the Emergency Aid Fund, through Jill. In the past several years, we have granted many requests from members of the trans community, who are often in danger of losing housing and employment. We have also used emergency aid funds to support refugees and immigrants seeking safety and asylum in the United States, including Burundians and Salvadorans fleeing violence in their homes.

By policy, grants from this fund are limited to once each year and at this time, no more than $500. Your UUFC board may consider increasing this dollar limit given what we all know about living in today’s world. More than $2500 in aid allocations were made last year. This fund is not part of the UUFC general operating budget. It is funded solely by donations from members and friends.

To give, you can go to the online collection basket – then in the white box in the middle of that page use the top option button to select “Give to Giving Tuesday.” You then enter your donation amount, whether the gift is recurring or one-time, and then choose debit/credit or ACH payment. Alternatively, you can mail a check to the UUFC (2945 NW Circle Blvd, Corvallis OR 97330) or drop a check in the Sunday collection basket. Please write “Giving Tuesday” on the memo line of all checks.

Your gift can make a real difference in the lives of other UUFC members. Please ponder this affirmation we make each Sunday – together we can do more than any of us can accomplish alone – and give generously.

Just in time for holiday gift-giving, we introduce the official UUFC Merch Shop! This virtual storefront offers a wide assortment of apparel and accessories to show your UUFC pride. The family-owned, PNW-based company gives a percentage of every sale back to the Fellowship! Delivery time is 2-3 weeks, so give yourself a lot of lead time, but know that you’re getting a better, more durable product for the wait. Want your group or special event at the Fellowship to have merch? Contact Skyla (DRE@uucorvallis.org) to get your team’s logo set up in our shop!