The Building Expansion Team and the Board are in agreement: we can move forward to expand the social hall and make the whole building more energy efficient and safe. We have already invested in this process and we’ll still be able to accomplish a lot. First, the Corvallis City Council needs to vote to let us rescind our request for a new conditional use permit. That meeting will be on March 6. Once we have that assurance, we’ll schedule an open meeting for all who are interested to talk about the next steps and what the project can include now.
There has been a lot of music happening at the UUFC since the beginning of Covid. After almost two years of the choir being on hiatus due to the pandemic, we are so happy to have them back with us. Last spring they started meeting just to sing hymns, wearing masks and sitting far apart. It was a tough time, but they were so excited to be singing together.
Last summer they made their first appearance after almost two years of not singing in services at all. They were small but mighty, and now they’re nearly as big as before, and are continuing to grow. We are so glad to have Stephen Evans-Renterria leading the choir. He has been doing an incredible job and brings a lot of enthusiasm to our services. If you are interested in singing in choir, talk to Steven about joining. He’ll be the one waving his arms in front of the choir when they sing.
David Servias has stepped away from being the regular choir director to help in other areas like technology and the website, but is still overseeing our music program. You will see him at the piano with the band. That’s right, we have a band now! We tried putting together a band to lead hymns for the first time last Spring, and we had so much fun that we’ve been doing it ever since about once a month. Steve Strauss (guitar), George Beekman (percussion), and Gary Barnes (singer) have been part of this group since the beginning. Julie Harter (guitar) and Matt Matthews (guitarrón – ask him to show it to you!) joined us for the first time on Christmas Eve, and Priscilla Galasso sang with us for the first time in February. We only rehearse the morning of, so it’s very exciting and we have a great time. If you play guitar, bass, percussion, or sing, and you enjoy flying by the seat of your pants, talk to David.
We did say goodbye to one of our members, Lynn Scott, who moved to Scotland this month. Lynn helped us through the pandemic when we were only doing outdoor services, with less than 30 people and she led the songs. We are so grateful for the music she brought to our services, and we wish her the best in her new adventures.
We’ve had some great guest musicians since we’ve come back to in person services, including Johanna Beekman, Compass Rose, and Roy Zimmerman. But the most important part of our music program is all of you who come together on Sunday morning to join in the singing, clapping, and dancing. We are so excited to have everyone back together making music!
Covid protocols follow the CDC guidelines depending on our community level, show at the top of this page. Here is a guide to what the community levels mean:
Monday was Samhain (also known as Halloween), a time to honor those who have gone before us and a time to honor the natural cycle of death that creates and nurtures life. Let’s honor that cycle with a slightly spooky story about death and flowers!
After you listen to the story, perhaps you’d like to honor those who have passed on in your circle of experience, whether they be family, friends, pets, or even trees or flowers. You can find instructions to create ancestor figures here: https://www.instructables.com/Samhain-Salt-Dough-Figurines/
Sound and Music Attributions The following music was used for this media project:
This week’s story is a sad one, because not all stories can be joyful. A dying child and a kind spirit help the grownups around her to grieve with honesty and truth.
In the same way that not all stories are joyful, not all feelings are joyful, either! Sometimes feelings can be hard, but it’s very important for them to be felt honestly and fully. Here’s a silly way to explore your own feelings with vegetables: https://www.instructables.com/Feelings-Vegetables/
