Join the Visibility Brigade, 11/8 and 11/11

by

Saturday, Nov. 8: Bannering on the East side of the Highway 34 bridge to catch people coming into town for the OSU home football game, from 3:30 – 5:00 PM. RSVP to visibilitybrigadebc@gmail.com for a map and more details.

Tuesday, Nov. 11, Veterans Day: No Oath to Trump National Overpass Bannering Day from 3:00 – 4:30 PM at the Highway 20/I-5 overpass in Albany. We are collaborating with the local chapter of Veterans for Peace for this event. Across the nation, teams will hold visibility events on overpasses and bridges. Millions of people will see our messages! The purpose of this event is to give veterans a platform to express their outrage with the Trump administration’s steamrolling of our Constitution and rules of law. Our main banner will read: VETS DEFEND THE CONSTITUTION. Vets and non-Vets are welcome. Please RSVP to visibilitybrigadebc@gmail.com for a map and more details.

Childcare is available!

Free childcare can usually be arranged for any Fellowship event by using this link 1-2 weeks prior to the event.

ETC Fit and Active, 11/12

by

The Elders Thriving in Community team is pleased to provide an opportunity to learn about fitness for older people and then to participate in some recommended exercises. A slight change is that our presenter is Vida Miwa from Fitness Over 50.
The date, time & place remain the same: November 12, 3-4:30 PM in the Social Hall at the UUFC.

Childcare is available!

Free childcare can usually be arranged for any Fellowship event by using this link 1-2 weeks prior to the event.

Fifth Annual Street-Tree Planting, 12/6

by

On the morning of Sat. 6 Dec., UUFC, through the Climate Action Team, will do our fifth annual collaboration with the City of Corvallis to plant street trees. In the past, we have twice planted along NW Conifer Blvd and once each in Willamette and Avery Parks. This year we will plant eight deciduous trees along the north side of SE Goodnight Drive between Collins Pl and Aldrin Pl.

We need a dozen volunteer tree planters. Please email treasurer@uucorvallis.org to sign up for a couple of hours of fellowship and righteous physical labor on the morning of Sat 6 Dec, rain or shine.

Childcare is available!

Free childcare can usually be arranged for any Fellowship event by using this link 1-2 weeks prior to the event.

November 9, 2025 – Why It Matters to Come Together

by

While Unitarian Universalism welcomes many ways of believing, we have agreements about membership in this congregation. The sermon will explore how commitment to a religious community can be rewarding and what mutual relationship looks like. New members will be publicly welcomed.  In anticipation of Veterans Day on Tuesday, we will have time in our service for sharing and reflection.

Rev. Alex McGee will preach

Connect Up: Rich Hosting Thanksgiving at the Fellowship, 11/27

by

Rich is organizing a Thanksgiving dinner at the Fellowship! He needs to know how many people plan to attend, what side dishes they’ll bring, and if they want to help do some of the work leading activities. You can RSVP to Rich in-person after Sunday worship service (which starts at 10 AM), call Rich, or fill out the form linked below.

RSVP

The schedule for the festivities is:

10:30 a.m. Set up at UUFC.
4:30 p.m. Social hour at UUFC.
5:30 p.m. Turkey dinner with vegetarian/vegan alternatives. $5.00 suggested.
Please RSVP.
7:30 p.m. Conversation, table games, and clean up. Please stay and mellow out,
visit, or bring a favorite board game. Is anyone interested in doing charades?

Adopt-a-Highway Cleanup, 11/8

by

Our next Adopt-A-Highway litter pickup will be on Saturday, Nov. 8, 2025 9 AM – 12 noon.

Meet in the BiMart parking lot at the corner of 53rd and Philomath Blvd.

Wear sturdy shoes, clothes for the weather, and gloves. Reflective vests, pickers and bags will be provided.

Newcomers are very welcome. If we get 8 people, the total route breaks down to 1 mile per pair of pickers.

Use the SignUpGenius form https://www.signupgenius.com/go/60B0C4AAFA723A6F85-60108683-fall or email Scott Bruslind.

Childcare is available!

Free childcare can usually be arranged for any Fellowship event by using this link 1-2 weeks prior to the event.

History, Leadership, Connections, the Future…and a fire drill

by

From Interim Minister Rev. Alex McGee October 31, 2025

Dear Fellowship:

This week I have been learning history of the congregation through one-on-one conversations.  John Bailey gave me a tour of the memorial gardens and memorial plaques.  Rich Brainerd shared about the tradition of the Thanksgiving dinner.  Russ Karow described his children attending RE before the two buildings were connected. In Fellowship Care and Support meeting, I learned about long term members who receive visits from other members.  In the Facilities Council, we sorted keys that go to doors that reflect various chapters from the past decades. In all these stories, I hear dates going back to the 1970s and 80s.

Through these conversations, I hear about leadership in the form of stewarding our facilities, stewarding connections, stewarding the next generation.  I observe this congregation’s rich history of shared ministry.

I encourage you to find conversation partners who will share with you about their history in this place and what they celebrate.  

What I know is that the history of this congregation reveals the many gifts of leadership and shared ministry.  One of my goals in the coming time of interim ministry is to help you celebrate these gifts.  Another goal is to help you look together at what needs are current today.  And ask each other what history you want to create in the coming decades — with love and courage that builds a future that is relevant and risks new life.

Let us all listen for how leadership and shared ministry needs to look in the coming years.  In fifty years, what will members say about how the congregation stepped boldly into the future in 2025?

And:  this Sunday we will practice evacuating the building at the end of service.  This is important, caring work so that parents and kids can practice our plan for connecting up at the evacuation site, and so that we can identify ways to improve accessibility for all types of mobility.

Peace and love,
Rev. Alex 

Rev. Alex McGee is serving as Interim Minister and can be reached at rev.alex.mcgee@uucorvallis.org.

Oh – the Joyful Noise!

by

You’re invited to join the Choir and get your heart pumping, your lungs expanding, and your feel-good hormones triggering. Plus, the choir is a place to improve memory and creativity and to improve social connections and confidence.

Under the direction of Steven Evans-Renteria, we are preparing songs for the holidays at UUFC and elsewhere. These are exciting times.

We meet every Wednesday at 7:00 PM in the Sanctuary. Contact Director Steven Evans-Renteria for more information at this link or just come for rehearsal. Hope to see you.

Reserve Your Holiday Tree

by

The number of Holiday Trees is limited this year. To reserve yours, please use the Order Form. Your reservation will be confirmed once payment is received and recorded. Payment can made be via Breeze to “Unpledged Donation” with note “Holiday Trees,” by check to UUFC with memo “Holiday Trees,” or by cash in an envelope marked with your name and “Holiday Trees.” The Breeze option is recommended because checks and cash will not be recorded until the Monday following receipt, and your tree will not be reserved until payment is recorded. The form will be updated daily to show trees still available. Unreserved trees will be available on a first-come, first-served basis.

For more information on Holiday Trees, click here. Questions: treasurer@uucorvallis.org.