dre@uucorvallis.org

A Cheat Sheet for Connecting with RE Kids!

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Sunday morning Religious Exploration for children and youth is off to a great start this year. Have a look at what they’ve been up to so you’ll have an easier time striking up an intergenerational conversation in the social hall. Every adult in the building has a part to play in the religious education of our children, making them feel seen and valued, so take the time to meet them and let them know you!

This past Sunday, the Chalice Children toured the building and got to look behind every locked door and dig around in every closet. Ginny Gibson showed them all the cool things in the kitchen, Scott Bruslind showed them Jill’s stole collection and then walked them through the service to see if she was really wearing one (she was!) and then they got to pick out a book to read together from the library. If you see a preschool-aged kiddo in the social hall, ask them what their favorite space in the Fellowship is and tell them yours.

The Spirit Play kiddos learned a hand jive to help them remember that Love is at the center of all of our values, and made jetpacks out of silver-painted cereal boxes to start trying to remember the JETPIG values acronym. With the power of rhymes and perhaps a bit of chocolate bribery, we hope that all of the Spirit Play kids will be able to list the 6 values by heart by the end of the year. Can you list them yet? Consider inviting one of the kids into a contest to see which of you can list the most Article 2 values from memory, or share with them why you think Love is at the center.

The YRUU youth hosted Mate, all the way from our partner congregation in Transilvania! They discussed what justice really means, why it made the cut for our new set of highest shared values, and laid the groundwork for starting the Harvard Justice course next Sunday. When I popped in to snap a picture with our guest, they were discussing the challenges of having a death penalty in the context of our very fallible legal system. Next week they’ll be encountering the trolley dilemma and the moral theory of utilitarianism. Do you think the rightness of every action is determined by its consequences? Share your views with the middle and high schoolers on the deck after the service, and ask to hear theirs!

Turning Points in UU History, 10/13-11/17

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Adult Religious Exploration is back! We’re kicking off a new year of Adult RE with a deep dive into some of the juiciest controversies, failures, and missed opportunities in UU history. We’re talking about those turning points that left our faith tradition forever changed. What can you learn about how we got to where we are and use it to help us get to where we want to be? Come find out!

Sundays @3, 10/13-11/17

REGISTRATION is kindly requested.

You can check out the complete list of scheduled Adult RE opportunities HERE.

Neurodivergence & Mental Health Support Group, 3rd Sundays @ 11:45

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3rd Sunday of each month @11:45

This group for mutual support in the realm of living with neurodivergence or mental health challenges is facilitated by Anthony Acquilano.

This group is not intended to be a substitute for professional care, and participants are discouraged from attempting to provide solutions to other members’ challenges. Instead, this is a space to share experiences, feel heard, learn from the experiences of others, and share resources.

Please register here to receive an email reminder on Thursday before each gathering. 

Family Pool Party, 9/29

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All Fellowship families with children in RE are invited to a HEATED pool party on September 29th from 2-4.

If it’s not your child’s weekend with you, but you want to mingle with other parents, come anyway. If you’ve got a baby who’s not ready for swimming, come anyway and meet other families. Deeply connected families are the foundation of Fellowship life! 

Location information will be sent to all registered families the week before.  

More information can be found at the registration page HERE!

Pema Chodron Study Group

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Welcoming the Unwelcome Study Group

Monday evenings from 7:15 to 8:30 September 23rd – December 2nd

Facilitated by Joyce Federiuk

Please register HERE.

Try, once again, to let everything you do be done in love.


I am inspired by these words Rev. Jill uses to close our Sunday service. What would it be like to
live this way? Sometimes I speak or act out of love, and that feels like happiness. But not
everything I do or say comes from love, and when an alternative motivation (like ego, obligation,
guilt, anger, etc etc) takes over, the results are often not so good.

How can we move closer to this lovely ideal? Buddhist nun and teacher Pema Chodron has a masterful way of explaining Buddhist wisdom in an accessible and compelling way. After reading “When Things Fall Apart” I was intrigued by the idea that in our incessant quest to avoid suffering, we often make a mess of things and cause a lot of suffering for ourselves and others. When I attended a weekend retreat with Pema and learned to meditate, I learned that it is possible to train in loving kindness. Meditation allowed me to take these ideas to heart and start to apply them to actual situations. I then gained a new level of appreciation of the power of
Buddhist wisdom.

I’m planning a study group to read and discuss “Welcoming the Unwelcome: Wholehearted Living in a Brokenhearted World”. Here’s a blurb from the cover:
In her first new book of spiritual teachings in over seven years, Pema Chodron offers fresh wisdom, heartfelt reflections and the signature humor and insight that have made her a beloved guide in turbulent times. In an increasingly polarized world, Pema offers us tools to find common ground, even when we disagree, so we can build a stronger and broader sense of community. Sharing never-before-told personal stories from her remarkable life, simple and powerful everyday practices, and directly relatable advice, Pema leads the way in showing us how to become triumphant bodhisattvas- compassionate beings- in even the most difficult of circumstances.

Well, reading and understanding is one thing. But taking the advice to heart and trying it out in our everyday encounters is what I’m hoping to achieve in this Adult RE offering. We will read, we will discuss, we will do guided meditations, and we will try out these ideas in real life.

Thank you!

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Thank you to everyone who stopped by for a cup of lemonade at our youth-run lemonade stand! The kids got a taste of how the kitchen runs on Sundays (thank you, kitchen crew, for your patience and mentoring!), worked together to make lemonade and signs, and had a crash course on customer service skills.

With your generous support, they raised a whopping $190 for Jackson Street Youth Services! We deeply appreciate you showing up to support the young people in our congregation and beyond!

Consider Becoming a Grandfolk!

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The Grandfolks Squad is a group of (mostly) older adults who are willing to provide occasional childcare on an as-needed basis so that young parents can attend Fellowship functions without incurring a cost for childcare. This is a great way to get to know younger families and connect deeply with the next generation of Unitarian Universalists. In your free time, you can provide the loving care that we wish for every child and parent in our midst.

If you have extra love to give and time to share, please consider becoming a Grandfolks Squad member.

To join the squad, email Skyla (dre@uucorvallis.org) to set up a meeting. Grandfolks are interviewed and background checked before service, and receive a snazzy button to show the world that they’re proud Grandfolks!

We’re looking forward to having you on he squad!

It’s Time to Register for the New Year!

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Families, it’s time to register your children and youth for the new year in RE! I know it may feel like you just registered them yesterday (if you’re new, you might have!) but each new Fellowship year brings a new registration form so that we can keep your younglings safe with the most up-to-date information while they’re in our care!

Thanks for helping us out by registering in advance of September 15th, when the new year in RE kicks off.

This year, to make things easier for you, we have one form for all three age groups. So whether your child is in Chalice Children (nursery care for new walkers through preschool), Spirit Play (grades K-6), or YRUU (youth group for grades 6-12), the form is the same.

If you have any questions, please contact Skyla King-Christison (dre@uucorvallis.org)

Ice Cream Social, 8/25

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All ages are invited to join us for a cold treat on the Fellowship lawn on August 25th at 7 PM.

Find out what’s coming up in RE for adults, families, children, and youth in the year ahead. Meet members of the RE Council and special teams. Catch up with old friends and maybe even meet your new Fellowship bestie over a cold treat!

We’ll have gluten-free and vegan options available, as well as board games to share.

While registration at this link is not mandatory, it would be super helpful as we made purchasing decisions for this gathering!

See you there!

August Youth Event, 8/25

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All Fellowship 7th-12th graders and their friends are invited to the annual youth river reunion, to collaborate as a team and connect deeply over some wild water fun. This event is the perfect time for our new youth to get to know their group and advisors for the year ahead, so we hope to see you there!

More details can be found on the event registration page. Please register by August 11th.