All Volunteers who serve in RE in any capacity — whether you lead a Sunday morning class, facilitate one of our family gatherings, or attend the RE Council meetings — are invited to pop by the library on Sunday morning between 8:45 and 9:45 for a warm drink, connection with fellow volunteers, and a chance to tell Skyla anything you want her to know about how things are going in RE.
Cappuccinos, lattes, hot chocolate, and tea, as well some some baked goodies will be available during that time as long as supplies last. Volunteers with dietary restrictions are encouraged to contact Skyla in advance so that your needs can be provided for.
It’s finally happening! The classroom wing is really, truly, actually closing this time. The doors are off most of the rooms, and Brian Egan has transformed the RE office into command central for the construction project. We are a go, people. This is not a drill. I repeat, this is not a drill.
Parents, we ask that you keep a close eye on your children while areas that feel familiar and welcoming to them are no longer safe for entry.
If you’re the parent of preschool or elementary aged kiddos, I encourage you to arrive early on Sunday to help your littles get familiar with the new setup.
STARTING THIS SUNDAY:
~Infants, toddlers, and preschool children will remain in the sanctuary. Additional toys have been added to the gallery, and I and several volunteers are more than happy to walk/distract willing wee ones during the service if you indicate an openness to that variety of support. We’re all in this together! Please communicate your needs!
~Grades K-5 will meet in the back of the social hall, behind the accordion doors.
~Middle and high school students will meet in the library.
Construction can’t keep us down! We have lots of great reasons to gather in the coming months, so pull out your phones and mark your calendars.
More information for all family events can be found at uucorvallis.org by clicking “News” in the menu bar and then selecting “RE Council” from the drop down menu. Registration and event details for youth gatherings will arrive in parent inboxes 2-4 weeks prior to the event.
With the Our Whole Lives program (OWL) for middle schoolers returning for the first time since 2019, many Fellowship parents are seriously reflecting on how best to discuss matters of sex, sexuality, body changes, and identity with their kids.
Even if your child is not old enough for the OWL program, we have plenty of resources to offer you!
Free copies of It’s Perfectly Normal are available to any Fellowship family that requests one by emailing dre@uucorvallis.org.
A limited supply of smaller resources like the Askable Parent pamphlet will be available in the library.
Beyond reading materials, now you are able to check out a set of anatomically correct dolls that are complete with pubic hair, working wombs, and more.
We want our parents to feel well supported, not just with peer groups and pastoral care, but with concrete resources that you can access as the need arises. If you have questions about the check out process, or ideas about other supportive resources we should add to our library, email me or find me on a Sunday morning so we can chat.
I cannot remember the last time I ventured into the classroom wing and did not find Wolfgang hard at work hauling, boxing, or building custom storage shelves to fit our exact needs. Talk about love in action! If you see him around, give that man a big thank you!
YOU CAN HELP!
Once the construction company is done, there will be some finishing touches to make as a community before we can move back in. This means opportunities to bring the whole family to help revitalize our newly secured building. How exciting is it that you’ll have a chance to leave your fingerprints on this piece of Fellowship history? From painting and trim work to unboxing, I’m sure the needs will be great. Please let me or Wolfgang know if you have hidden talents to share, a desire to build new skills, or just a strong back and energy to give. Moving this project across the finish line will surely take the whole village!
As always, if you have any needs or big ideas to share, I’m here for you. Just send an email, text, or carrier pigeon. And if you’re not interested in receiving updates for children and families conveniently in your inbox, say the word and I’ll remove you from our mailing list.
Thanks for being one of the many reasons this community is so fabulous!
With the return of the Our Whole Lives program (OWL) for middle school, conversations are bubbling up all around the Fellowship about how we were taught (or not taught) about relationships and our bodies. Most often they center on how we want to do better for the next generation than was done for us. While we do not have the volunteer power, at this time, to offer OWL for younger ages, parents of elementary aged children are not without resources.
I am pleased to share that beginning in January, we will have several offerings for parents as they navigate questions about changing bodies, relationships, and identities.
Free copies of It’s Perfectly Normal are available to any Fellowship family that requests one.
A limited supply of smaller resources like the Askable Parent pamphlet will be available in the library.
Beyond reading materials, now you are able to check out a set of anatomically correct dolls that are complete with pubic hair, working wombs, and other surprising details.
We want our parents to feel well supported, not just with peer groups and pastoral care, but with concrete resources that you can access as the need arises. To receive a copy of It’s Perfectly Normal, ask questions about the check out process, or share ideas about other supportive resources we should add to our library, email me at dre@uucorvallis.org or find me on a Sunday morning so we can chat.
Are you feeling the tender ache of absence as the winter holidays approach? Or perhaps feeling lonely, anxious or depressed? Join us for an online Blue Holidays Vesper Service, followed by an optional time of sharing, at 6 p.m. Monday, Dec. 16. Rev. Leslie Chartier and Susan Sanford will facilitate. Please register in advance so we can send you the zoom link and suggestions for preparing your space for our time together. Contact Susan for more information.
Catherine Whiting has been a pediatric occupational therapist for 41 years and specializes in sensory processing and self regulation at home and in schools. She is offering a workshop geared towards parents (grandparents also welcome) about how to identify the sensory needs of a child and to help them by modifying the environment for self regulation. Dynamics of family members having different needs will also be explored.
The members of the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Corvallis ceremonially welcome babies and older children into this world, and into the community which holds them, offering our lifelong commitment to the nurture of each child. This dedication is a joyful ritual which affirms that each young soul is a gift, and which celebrates the covenant of family and community. Each child will receive a decorative certificate as a record of their formal welcome into this circle of care.
While we are happy to provide a child dedication any time a family requests one, it is our custom at UUFC to perform this communal ceremony on our near Christmas Eve.
This year’s child dedication will be offered during the service on Sunday, December 22nd. If you would like to have your child dedicated in this ritual, please contact Skyla (dre@uucorvallis.org) no later than December 18th.
This time of year can be a lot for parents as we try to maintain all the rituals, magic, and meaning of the season. To honor all you do, we’d like to offer you a break! Drop off school-aged (k-8) children in the social hall from 1-4 on December 27th. We’ll have a thank you card writing workshop (with helpers for those who haven’t mastered the pen yet), eat snacks, and settle in for a movie while you take a few hours to recover from the holiday hustle. To make the most of the thank you card workshop, please send your child with a list of specific people & gifts for which to offer thanks.
Thanks to a generous grant from the Benton County Foundation, this event is free and open to the public, so invite your friends and family to take advantage of this opportunity!
Registration is required for this event, and will close on 12/20. Space is limited.
You’ve probably noticed that there are more and more families in our midst each week. Hooray! We love seeing faces of all ages in our sanctuary. With this uptick in family participation, we are experiencing a higher demand for childcare. At the same time, our list of able Grandfolks is dwindling due to illness and factors such as night driving.
A parent’s ability to engage in small group ministry and special events plays a large role in determining whether the family unit as a whole can continue to participate in the life of the Fellowship. If you are an adult of any age who has been with the Fellowship for more than 6 months, please take a moment to consider whether you would be able to give even one hour a month to care for children so that parents can have that time to commit to their own spiritual enrichment.
All Grandfolks will be interviewed, trained, and complete a background check before service.
If you want to help families stay engaged, please contact Skyla at dre@uucorvallis.org for more information.
Using values, communication skills, and spirituality as starting points, this program explores sexuality issues for adults of all ages. OWL(Our Whole Lives) builds an understanding of healthy sexual relationships, affirms diversity, and helps participants accept and affirm their own sexuality throughout their lives.
It’s not too late to experience the healing and healthy sex ed you wish you’d had back then!
This series is facilitated by trained guides. Dawn Dirks is trained for all ages of OWL, and Skyla King-Christison is trained for adult OWL with an emphasis on older adults.
Join us on Sundays 1/5- 3/9 from 2:30 to 4 in the social hall.
Pre-registration is required for this series, and space is limited.
