weekly announcements

New Foot-Operated Doorstops

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There are new doorstops on the entry doors. Use your foot to lower the doorstop in position. To release it, step on the metal tab and the doorstop pops back into the open position. No more bending to unlock the hook latch!

There are also new window blinds in the classroom wing rooms which are operated by lifting up slowly from the bottom with two hands. This stacks the blind as you open it (no cords to pull). To close these blinds, pull down gently/firmly/evenly. A plastic rod on the left can be rotated to tilt the blinds into varying degrees of light entering.

Sign Up Now! – Men’s Retreat, 10/3-5

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Time to register for the annual Men’s Retreat, this year at Camp Harlow near Eugene (only an hour’s drive from Corvallis). The retreat will be held from 5 PM Friday October 3 to 2 PM Sunday October 5. For those who identify as men, this is an opportunity to get to know each other and build connections with other men at UUFC. Our theme this year is “Sharing the Story of Your Life Journey.” Check out the flyer with details at this link:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1f6YJIxzCbjXZdWaI45a5bDxtDZsJoCsv/view?usp=sharing

Register ONLINE at https://uufc.breezechms.com/form/mensretreatregistration2025.

More information: contact Alan Kirk.

Greeters are Lemonaders!

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Looking to increase your resilience during trying times?

OSU research suggests that cultivating a sense of openness and fun even though things may be challenging (lemonading) helps. There is no greater place to create a moment of joy than serving on the Greeter Team.

Don’t wait! Join the Greeter Team and experience the joy of providing valuable human connection to those seeking reassurance (especially newcomers).

Speak with anyone at the Greeter desk or contact the Team lead via this form for more information. Cheers!

Volunteers needed to hang art

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The art hanging team needs some additional hands for our next art installation.  The artist and his wife will also be on hand with Isabel Prusinski to hang their art on Friday, August 29 at 1 pm.  One volunteer is needed.  Ability to climb up and down a ladder is a must. This is a great opportunity to get a sneak peak at the art which will enhance our space AND talk with the presenting artist. Please contact Isabel Prusinski if you are interested.

Register for Fall RE!

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Parents and guardians, it’s to register your children for the new year of Sunday morning Religious Exploration!

CHILDREN WHO WERE REGISTERED AT ANY POINT LAST YEAR MUST STILL BE REGISTERED Anew BEFORE ATTENDING RE THIS YEAR.

Please read the following descriptions carefully and register each child for the appropriate space. We acknowledge that school grades are not a perfect proxy for age or development. Nonetheless, we find them useful for determining the most appropriate group for most children. If you feel your child would benefit from being in a different group than the one designated below, please reach out to the Director of Religious Exploration, Skyla King-Christison.

THE RAINBOW ROOM

This space is for new walkers through preschool. We may occasionally be able to accommodate infants if the caregiver-to-child ratio allows; however, your infant may be returned to you in the service if more children arrive and it can no longer be safely accommodated. Children in this space may be dropped off in Room 4 of the classroom wing no earlier than 9:50, and should be picked up before their guardians attend coffee hour.

Please register for the Rainbow Room HERE prior to dropping your child off.

SPIRIT PLAY

This space is designed to meet the approximate developmental needs of beloved children in grades K through three. Children in this space begin in the service with their families, and will depart for room 6c as a group after the time for all ages. Guardians should pick them up before attending coffee hour. This group may occasionally be on the playground, through 6c, at pickup time.

Please register for Spirit Play HERE prior to their first Sunday.

SEEKER SPACE

This space is designed to meet the approximate developmental needs of beloved children in grades four through six. Children in this space begin in the service with their families, and will depart for room 9 (upstairs) as a group after the time for all ages. This group will prioritize outdoor time and project-based exploration, so please ensure that they are dress for the weather all year round. This group must be picked up before attending coffee hour.

Please register for Seeker Space HERE prior to their first Sunday.

OPEN MINDS GROUP (OMG!)

This space is designed to meet the approximate developmental needs of beloved children in grades seven through twelve. Youth in this space will be released to come join the adults in the social hall. They do not need to be checked out by guardian, but they are not permitted to linger in the classroom wing unattended. Please discuss expectations with your youth prior to their attendance.

Please register youth for OMG! HERE before their first Sunday

If you have questions about any of our Sunday morning offerings for children and youth, don’t hesitate to contact the Director of Religious Exploration, Skyla King-Christison at dre@uucorvallis.org.

And don’t forget that we have a variety of Religious Exploration offerings for adults this year, and can often provide free childcare with appropriate notice. Check it out and get the whole family engaged in RE!

Democracy Action Team – One Million Rising Resistance Gathering, 8/24

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One Million Rising Banner

On Sunday, August 24th at 6pm, before the Ice Cream Social, join the Democracy Action Team for our second One Million Rising Resistance Gathering. Our conversation will center around the theme, “What’s the plan?”. We’ve now completed all of the trainings and it is time to get into action. We will discuss several options for the kinds of action which our Fellowship is uniquely suited to support

One Million Rising (https://www.nokings.org/rise) is a training framework designed to provide ordinary Americans with the skills and language to describe, organize, and respond to this moment of profound danger to American Democracy. So far, we have learned about the Authoritarian Playbook (https://www.authoritarianplaybook2025.org/) and the Pillars of Power (https://www.authoritarianplaybook2025.org/what-we-can-do#what-worked-last-time).

On August 13th, we heard about national causes efforts already underway that our group could undertake. At this gathering, we will discuss these national efforts as well as local campaigns already under way to which we might lend ourselves.

Consider coming an hour early before the Ice Cream Social, whether you have been there for every training or this is your first time; preserving our democracy will take all of us. See you there!

What is One Million Rising?

Here is a description from the organizers:

Across the country, authoritarian forces are getting bolder and more dangerous. Trump and his allies are not hiding their agenda: mass deportations, rollbacks of civil rights, weaponized courts, and full-scale attacks on our democracy. We don’t have to wait until it’s too late. We can stop this. But it’ll take all of us—not just single days of mass action, but sustained organizing in our communities.

That’s why this summer, we’re launching One Million Rising—a national effort to train one million people in the strategic logic and practice of non-cooperation, as well as the basics of community organizing and campaign design. This is how we build people power that can’t be ignored. You’re invited to join us—and lead.

What if I want to start getting involved before this meeting?

Contact Karen Josephson or Robin Lancaster to get connected with our on going campaigns.

Watch the Recorded Trainings

One Million Rising Training 1: The Moment + Your Mission

One Millon Rising Training 2: How to make it happen

One Million Rising Training 3: What Now?

Connect Up Hike, 8/30

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We will hike the Takena Landing lollipop trail in Albany. Meet at the UUFC parking lot at 8:30 a.m. if you would like to carpool. We’ll gather at the trailhead under the bridge at 8:45 and begin hiking at 9:00. This 3.6 mile riverside hike in North Albany has little elevation gain. There are opportunities for wading and for agate hunting and blackberry picking.

DRIVING DIRECTIONS FROM CORVALLIS: Take Highway 20 to North Albany. When you come to the stoplight/intersection with NW North Albany Rd, turn RIGHT into Takena Landing and proceed to the parking lot under the bridge.

RSVP here

Mosaic Antiracism Workshop for Adults! Register by 9/1

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Registration is requested HERE.

WHAT: A fun and connecting communal exploration of radical inclusion through the lens of race and culture.

WHEN: Monday evenings, 9/8 – 10/20 from 6:30-8PM

WHERE: Room 7 @ uufc

WHY: Because the social and political landscape is ever-evolving, there will always be more to learn about how to be inclusive, and this will never be a topic we can check off the old to-do list and call it done. In 2020, the Commission on Institutional Change’s report, “Widening the Circle of Concern” (UUA), the commission recommended that we “hold conversations across generations about issues of inclusion, with the goal of recognizing the evolution in our Living Tradition and that spiritual development needs change over time.” Let’s answer that call in Corvallis!

More details:

Each session will include the following elements:

  • Opening: chalice lighting and check-in
  • Read: audio or video of a book or an article to explore together
  • Watch: video
  • Do: craft, game, or other activity
  • Close: chalice extinguishing words and other classroom rituals to close the circle
  • Take Home: suggested activity and/or conversation starter to encourage further faith development at home

We want to see a majority of our adults engaging with this material. We want to see teams and councils putting this learning to work in all we do in every corner of Fellowship life and beyond. We want to do whatever is needed to help you engage deeply, share bravely, and welcome wildly, so if you want to be included and can’t figure out how, or if you have questions or concerns, please reach out to Skyla King-Christison at dre@uucorvallis.org .

PS Our children will be engaging with Mosaic across the year, too! Below are some pictures of our leaders of the children and youth programs getting ready for the juicy and community-building year ahead!

Kirtan With Girish, 8/17

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Girish, an accomplished musician of many genres, former monk infused in spiritual practice, loving wordsmith linking lyrics and rhythm in a blissful musical event, sings traditional Sanskrit mantras with a modern, funky, yet deeply devotional twist. Accompanied by his amazing band, Girish invites his audience at his kirtan concert to participate by singing along, call and response chanting, and dancing. Girish has been recommended and featured in “O, The Oprah Magazine”, “Yoga Journal”, “Spirituality and Health Magazine”, “LA Yoga Magazine”, “Common Ground” and “Yogi Times.” Girish’s original music catalog of seven albums is popular in yoga studios and music festivals all over the world, and his “Music and Mantras” book was published in 2016.