weekly announcements

Your 2026-27 Stewardship Drive Update

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As you are likely aware, our 2026 Stewardship Drive is underway. As of Friday, April 10, 86 members and friends have made pledges totaling $191,000. These numbers are comparable to last year’s drive at this same time. The dollar amount is 38% of our anticipated pledge need of $500,000.

Sunday, April 12 will be the beginning of the third week of the drive. Sunday, April 19 will be the “soft close” to the drive. After April 19, your stewardship team will reach out on an individual basis to all members from whom we have not yet heard as well as friends who have contributed in the past but not made a commitment in this drive.

As stated before, our goal is to have all members and friends complete a stewardship form, even if they are unable to make a dollar or time commitment in the coming year.

Click here to go to the stewardship online form. Click here to learn more about the stewardship drive and to access a frequently asked questions (FAQ) website. Paper copies of the stewardship form are also available in the foyer outside our fellowship hall. An email to Stephanie Haines (our office/business manager) at businessmgr@uucorvallis.org that includes your name, dollar amount you would like to pledge, and your plan for method of payment can also get you into the system.

Please act now. Opportunities await. Open yourself to them!

Dance Planet featuring Lauren Servias, 4/18

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Join us for Dance Planet on Saturday, April 18 at 7 PM. We’ll come together to celebrate Earth Week at the Fellowship.

At 7 PM sharp beloved pianist Lauren Servias returns to provide 30 minutes of gorgeous opening warmup music. When she’s played for us in the past we’ve had people come just to hear her heart-opening music. I’ll be providing some light percussion during part of her set before we transition into an hour of DJed global grooves (with an Earth Week flavor) for dancing, moving, or just listening. We’ll wind down to a peaceful closing at 8:30 PM.

Admission to this family-friendly event is a suggested donation of $5 – $20. One hundred percent of the proceeds will be donated to local environmental organizations.

Please help us spread the word and bring your friends so we can move together and raise lots of funds for our planet.

Childcare is available!

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

Next Community Music Circle, 5/4

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How was the Community Music Circle last week?  It was great! 

We had about 25-30 people attending, several who brought instruments. We sang all of your favorite UU hymns–some that you haven’t heard in a while. You can read more about it in this month’s Monthly Journal. 

The next Community Music Circle is scheduled for May the 4th. You are invited to bring a song from childhood to teach to the group! More details coming in the Weekly Announcements.

Open to all ages and all levels of musical ability! Bring voices and instruments if you have them.

Outreach Offerings for April

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Our April Justice Outreach offering will support the Community Services Consortium Weatherization Program. The program targets lower income housing for basic energy efficiency repairs and upgrades.  These involve energy assessments, insulation, weather stripping, ducts, furnace safety, and more, in a planned, organized process by local workers.  This is free for qualified residents of Linn, Benton, and Lincoln counties.  The program relies heavily on Federal funding which has become more difficult, while the waitlist for program services lengthens.  Your donations will allow more local households to be served and help those with sub-marginal incomes to save on energy costs. For more information, visit https://communityservices.us/weatherization/.

How to donate to the monthly Outreach Offering

Each month, the Fellowship gathers donations for a certain charitable cause. These are our Outreach Offerings. You can contribute to this month’s offering in a few ways:

  1. Give to the Sunday collection basket
  2. Donate online
  3. Donate to the refreshments during the social hour

The Kitchen team donates an assortment of sweet and savory refreshments, including gluten-free and vegan choices, for our enjoyment at the social hour following Sunday worship. These items are purchased and prepared by the team to encourage donations to the Outreach Offering. Collection baskets are always found at the ends of the refreshments table. The next time you’re eyeing something tasty on the table, consider putting a donation in the basket first to show how much you appreciate having that treat ready and waiting for you!

Grounds Work Parties in April

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Happy Spring!  Time to get outdoors and get our grounds looking great.  Joyce has scheduled 4 work parties for April, and will plan additional work parties weekly in May.  Please come help out when you can – let Joyce know if you plan to attend. 

April Work Parties
Mondays:    April 6 and April 20     3-5pm
Saturdays:   April 4 and April 18     3-5pm  

If you can’t make those times and would prefer to come when you can, there are specific tasks you can work on individually or with a buddy (a potentially new friend?).  Specific tasks include things like: 

  1. cardboarding and mulching the areas adjacent to Firwood and Elmwood to get rid of the scraggly grass and weeds that are unsightly and difficult to mow. 
  2. weeding a specific area (lots to choose from!) 
  3. repotting potted plants

Our group efforts will involve completing work on the pollinator garden, which will mean planting annuals, mulching, setting up a watering system and woodchipping the path.  And other misc. pruning and wood chipping the paths. 

We are having the large oak trees pruned on April 16th by Peak Tree Care.  After their work, we should have some high quality wood chips to use for the paths.  

Childcare is available!

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

Justice Outreach Fund is Seeking Proposals

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The Justice Outreach Fund (JOF) created in 2015 supports our Unitarian Universalist Values with an emphasis on creating a just and diverse multicultural Beloved Community where all thrive. To do this, the Fund awards small and large grants up to $10,000 to projects that are aimed at seeding and/or achieving social, economic, racial, and environmental justice.

The JOF Team is looking for projects that support one or more of the following three outcomes:

  1. Changing how people are thinking and talking about an issue.
  2. Engaging people and communities in civic action.
  3. Developing or changing public or corporate policy.

For more information, the JOF Team encourages you to visit our table in the Social Hall on the first Sunday of each month, visit our newly revised webpage, or email us at jofund@uucorvallis.org for more information.

Join the Choir, Wednesdays at 7 PM

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Embroider your life with song! The UUFC Choir meets every Wednesday at 7:00 PM in the Sanctuary and is open to anyone – whether you have musical experience or not. There is no audition.

We sing a variety of pieces – each with unique style, instrumentation, and cultural significance – which allows for diverse musical exploration and personal expression.

The Choir is a great way to be of service to our Fellowship community… and have FUN! Contact Director Steven Evans-Renteria for more information at this link.

Childcare is available!

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

LEGATO potluck, 4/8

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Come lend your voices to table talk about justice in our society. You might share song titles the choir and band could include in its repertoire. The potluck is Wednesday April 8 at 6:30 PM. Come early if you can help set up tables.

Bring a dish to share (please identify all ingredients), serving utensil (if needed), and your own plate, fork, and water. The kitchen will not be used. This is a low-impact meal.

This is a Connect Up Event with the purpose of building community within the UUFC congregation.

Childcare is available!

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