We hope you all had a joyful holiday season. Thank you very much for sharing your time and effort to help the people of Corvallis who are struggling each day to survive by donating warm clothing and food items. It’s a new year and we continue with our efforts to help our less fortunate community.
The Unity Shelter is open again and can use volunteers, the Corvallis Drop-in Center is in need of warm clothing, and the South Corvallis Food Pantry needs to refill its shelves.
The Secure Shelter and Food for All team is meeting in the library of the UU on January 14 after the service. Please join us if you want to become active in this group.
Donation Needs
Shoes – Especially Boots! (men’s 9+ or women’s 10+)
Gloves
Belts (plain, size 30-36)
ANY Outdoor Wear: hoodies, coats, sweatpants. Water-resistant preferred.
For the month of January our Justice Outreach offering will benefit the Linn Benton NAACP. The NAACP works to ensure the political, educational, social, and economic equality of rights of all persons and to eliminate race-based discrimination.
An evening of appreciation and discussion as our UUFC Justice Teams present their work and goals, including a discussion of justice areas the Fellowship might consider adding to our work. Coffee house-style music and refreshments as well!
Corvallis Carbon Offset Fund: At the end of service on Sun 17 Dec, Brian Lee talked to us about local carbon offsets available through the Corvallis Carbon Offset Fund (CCOF). We’ll share the video of Brian’s talk once it’s posted, but in the meantime, we invite and encourage you to estimate your/your family’s carbon footprintand reduce that footprint via donation to the CCOF orother appropriate climate action/climate justice group.
Towards Net Zero: For those ready to make reducing and taking responsibility for their carbon emissions an ongoing commitment, we invite and encourage you to sign up for UUFC Climate Action Team’s Towards Net Zero project.
Tree Planting: We still need volunteers to help plant eight trees in the islands in the Crystal Lake/Willamette Park parking lot, 10:00 AM to Noon, Sat 20 Jan. This is our third year of collaborative tree planting with the City’s Urban Forestry Program. To volunteer, email michael.a.hughes1951@gmail.com with Subject Tree Planting.
Volunteers are needed to help plant trees in the islands of the Crystal Lake/Willamette Park parking lot. Sat 20 Jan, 10:00 AM to noon. To volunteer, email michael..hughes1951@gmail.com,
Sunday, December 17th, 4:00pm to 6:00 pm in the Social Hall
Join Anya and Jema and friends for hot drinks and cozy crafts and conversation. Bring cookies to share, if you like! An optional walk through the neighborhood to look at Christmas Lights will follow. All are welcome.
We meet monthly on the 3rd Sunday in the afternoon. Join LGBTQ+ folx and allies for social gatherings centered on queer issues and themes. We understand the importance of queer community, and our goal is to provide a safe space where people can find that sense of belonging right here in Corvallis. Questions: connect@uucorvallis.org
All are invited. Help protect democracy! Meet or catch up with others who are doing this work. We’ll share information about: what we all have accomplished in the last few election cycles, how letter writing makes a difference, and key issue campaigns of the year: Ranked Choice Voting (on Oregon’s ballot) and the Freedom to Vote Act. Join us in the Sanctuary following the Sunday Service.
Join Jess and Bobbi and friends in the Fellowship Social Hall for a potluck with some icebreaker games. Bring a dish of food to share. All are welcome. We meet monthly on the 3rd Sunday in the afternoon. Join LGBTQ+ folx and allies for social gatherings centered on queer issues and themes.
We understand the importance of queer community, and our goal is to provide a safe space where people can find that sense of belonging right here in Corvallis. Questions: connect@uucorvallis.org
There is no more important climate work than the influencing of legislation and policy, whether at the national, state, or local level. Climate Action Opportunities, refreshed weekly on Saturdays, provides three or four curated, quick opportunities to do just that. We have a list of organizations whose calls to action we amplify, and the number from each organization.
To help assess the engagement of UUFC members and friends in faith-based climate action and to encourage such action, please anonymously share the number of the actions below you take this week using this Climate Action Form. Optionally, you may anonymously also share other recent climate action.
GTN Xpress Project: On 10/19/23, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) authorized a huge expansion of fracked gas in the Northwest. Grassroots organizations, community groups, Tribal nations, and dozens of elected officials across the Northwest are joining forces to push back on FERC’s approval of GTN Xpress, a proposal by TC Energy to push more gas through its aging GTN pipeline. Our coalition is going to challenge FERC’s decision to approve the GTN Xpress project. Sign the petition to challenge FERC’s decision.
Single Use Packaging: Walmart is America’s largest grocer by revenue — but far too many shoppers are coming home with a pile of single-use plastic packaging that they didn’t ask for. Too often, this plastic packaging ends up as waste, clogging landfills and polluting the environment. Walmart can change its packaging practices and set a precedent for others to follow. Add your nameto Urge Walmart to put wildlife over waste
Western Arctic drilling: Oil companies are pushing for more drilling in the fragile Western Arctic landscape. .As people of faith, we have a moral responsibility to care for our Sacred Earth. We must ensure these irreplaceable landscapes are free from destructive oil and gas development. Tell the Bureau of Land Management: No drilling in the Arctic.
Our October Justice Outreach offerings will support the South Corvallis Food Bank. Their mission is to increase sustainable food security in Corvallis by providing emergency food boxes, information and opportunities with compassion and respect. Donations can be made in person on Sundays, or at uucorvallis.org/donate.
Information about the Monthly Outreach Offering, as well as about UUFC Justice Teams, is posted on the bulletin board at the northeast corner of the Social Hall. This month the South Corvallis Food Bank open hours and lists of needed food are on the Bulletin board in the Social hall for October.
Did you know that in addition to providing food the South Corvallis Food Bank has cooking demonstrations and recipes, collects cold weather items, diapers, personal care, and household items? Volunteer opportunities include helping shoppers, restocking, gleaning, assisting with incoming deliveries, driving for monthly home delivery. Youth ages 12 and up are welcome with their guardian’s permission.
Join the Secure Housing and Food for All team meeting at 11:30 am in the library after the Sunday Service Oct. 8 and have your questions answered (or researched) by the team working to provide food, clothing, housing, shelter, and volunteers to the unhoused in Corvallis/Benton County.
