fellowship-news

Silent Supper

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Sunday, October 29th evening

On Samhain, or All-Hallow’s-Eve, we take time to remember those who have died. We honor our ancestors through a ritual supper, eaten in silence. A time for conversation and reflection will follow.

RSVP required, so we have enough place settings! Register here: https://uufc.breezechms.com/form/5fd6ba

Participants should bring:
1. an item for the altar; such as a photograph or small token that reminds you of someone who has died
2. food to share; can be homemade using a recipe from your ancestors, or it can be store bought, such as your grandpa’s favorite brand of potato chips.

An event in collaboration with the Wheel of the Year Samhain service.

Group Camping at Cascadia

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group camping at cascadia

Come and join in fun and fellowship while camping at Cascadia State Park. A group site has been reserved with a limit of 25 campers. Plans include group meals on Friday and Saturday evening, time for hiking, exploring, building community, and much more. Only tent camping is available at the site. Bring your own tent, personal gear, and food. Carpools are encouraged. Cascadia State Park is about 50 miles from Corvallis.
September 14th – 17th, (Thursday – Sunday)
Come out for all or part of the event. More information will be available with registration confirmation. 
Completion of registration form and payment of $15 per person (max $45 for family) is required. Space is limited.

Questions: contact Julie Halter or Nancy Gill
Payment by check to UUFC with “Cascadia Camping” in the memo line.
Click here to register: Registration Link

camping poster

Tuna Roast

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tuna roast

Join us on Labor Day – Monday, September 4th for the return of the Tuna Roast. This is a family friendly picnic gathering at the Lions Shelter in the SE corner of Avery Park. Come for games and visiting at 4:00 pm, food at 5:00 pm.

Grilled Fresh Tuna, potatoes and corn on the cob will be provided. Please bring a side dish or dessert to share. You are also encouraged to bring your own picnic plates, silverware and cups to reduce waste, along with lawn chairs. There will be games and activities for all ages! 

There will be no Sunday service on August 3 – the Tuna Roast therefore serves as a kind of in-gathering. Reverend Jill will lead us in song and words of intention around 5:00 pm.

Volunteers are needed in a variety of roles: help marinate and grill tuna, clean and cook corn on the cob, help with set up, pick-up truck(s) needed to haul tables and extra grill, assist with activities, help with tear down and clean up. 20-30 people will be needed to help make this event the best one ever! Set up begins at 3:00 pm.

Sign up to Volunteer

Email greet@uucorvallis.org with any questions.

This event is for UUFC members, friends and their loved ones. We welcome a small donation of $5 per person, although no one will be turned away.

REMOVAL OF INCENSE CEDAR TREES

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Affected areas marked in red.

Sadly, many of the tall cedar trees along the east boundary of UUFC’s property will have to be removed this summer, probably in August. After 4 years of discussion, consulting, and much review the Board of Trustees has approved the removal of 30 trees from our east property line for safety reasons. The removal will start sometime in August, 2023. No oaks or other hardwoods will be removed. This is reduced from the proposed removal of 47 trees that was recommended by Corvallis Arborist LLC in 2022.

Because of the danger of the tall Incense Cedar trees falling on our or our neighbors’ buildings we have had to make the hard decision to remove them. We hired Corvallis Arborist LLC (JonPywell) to evaluate all of the trees on our property and he produced a detailed report in November of 2022.  The bottom line is that he recommended that we remove 47 trees because they are a threat to buildings. The threat is that as the trees get bigger, they are more likely to be blown over by strong winds.  Many are already leaning. The UUFC Board of Directors has reviewed this recommendation and had discussions with many of you and settled on a plan to remove 30 trees that appear to be the most threatening.  This is not something they have done casually.  These trees were planted in 1952 by two of our beloved congregants and have been a valued part of our campus for over 70 years.

We have contracted with a very experienced tree removal contractor, Mid-Valley Woodsmen (Josh Cantrell), who will have to climb each tree and cut small portions from the top and lower them down with ropes.  Josh is very aware of our desire to have as little impact on the remaining trees and vegetation as he can.

Because these trees have to be cut into small segments to get them down safely, we will not be able to sell the wood as sawlogs.  Most of the wood will be chipped and sold to a paper mill or used for landscaping.

Links to documents

Arborist Report

Map of Trees to Cut

Contract

Quote

Communication Changes

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We will soon be transitioning toward a ‘hub-based’ communication system, where the UUFC website – uucorvallis.org – will be the primary place to find information about what’s going on at the Fellowship. We will phase out the monthly newsletter and information will instead be published on the website, in a blog-like format where new information appears at the top, and you can scroll down for previous posts.

All who are interested are invited to join an open discussion on Fellowship communication in general on Sunday, June 18, after the Sunday Service. Come with questions, concerns, and ideas. Communication is always in need of improvement! 

Building Expansion Project: One More Step and Moving Forward

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Save the Date: March 6th

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.