weekly announcements

Outreach Offerings for June

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The June Monthly Outreach Offering is to TRUUST – Transgender Religious professional Unitarian Universalists Together. From their website:

TRUUsT was founded by Mr. Barb Greve and Rev. Sean Parker Dennison in 2004, after several years of conversation, to support and advocate for trans UU religious educators and ministers, with the hope of one day expanding into an organization for all trans Unitarian Universalists.

Their mission is to support Unitarian Universalist trans+ religious professionals, advocate for each other and their ministries, and transform Unitarian Universalism and our world.

Read more at https://transuu.org/.

Jam Stand Open

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The jam stand operated by Nora C., Donn A., and Holley L. is open at 2921 NW Ashwood Drive in NW Corvallis! All money collected goes to Linn-Benton Food Share. Please help feed hungry people!

The stand is at the top of the driveway. The house is surrounded by a high deer fence, so you can’t miss it. Ashwood is one block from Elmwood, heading towards Walnut.

There are currently seven kinds of homemade jam. They are all low sugar (1/4 to 1/3 the amount of regular homemade jam). One jar is $7. Two or more are $6 each. You can choose;

  • Strawberry
  • Organic Blueberry
  • Plum (Homegrown Santa Rosa and Satsuma)
  • Apricot
  • Wild Blackberry
  • Mango-Black Cherry
  • Strawberry-Mango

To go with jam, there is homemade peanut butter, 100% peanuts at $4 per jar, made by Donn Z. He also makes the amazing oatmeal-chocolate chip-raisin cookies $1 each or 6 for $5.

Holley L. makes old-fashioned chocolate fudge, grainy dark chocolate like your grandma used to make from a 1946 recipe. It’s $1 per square, 6 for $5.

The stand is always open and works on the honor system. Take your goodies (put in a bag if you like in bottom right cubby) and put cash or check to LeoNora Cohen in the envelope in upper right cubby.

THANK YOU FOR HELPING LINN-BENTON FOOD SHARE!

Gratitude Letter from Minister Emerita Rev. Jill McAllister

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At the Annual Meeting of UUFC membership on May 17, 2026, the congregation voted to offer Emerita status to Jill McAllister.  The letter of agreement is here.  Jill retired from the role of minister at UUFC in Summer 2025.  Below is a note from Jill expressing her gratitude and well wishes to the Fellowship.  

Dear Friends – I’m writing with thanks for your decision to confer upon me the status of Minister Emerita of the Fellowship. Thank-you! I take on this new status with gratitude and appreciation for our many years of shared ministry in challenging times, and for all we learned and accomplished together.  I’m grateful every day for your support for my decision to retire – it was definitely the right time for me.  I am still “settling in.”  And, as Life has its own ways, I am exploring new horizons.  A sibling with cancer – now I can visit often.  And an upcoming move: due to a quite unexpected (and beautiful) job opportunity for Walter, my spouse, we’re moving to Germany for at least a couple of years, leaving at the end of June.  And I know that you, the members and friends of the Fellowship are exploring new horizons and moving ahead too! Thank-you to all who are dedicating yourselves to this work.  I look forward to what emerges between you. You will be in my thoughts, as ever, and I’m sending love to you all.

Jill McA

Café Justo coffee is available!

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Enjoy some delicious, aromatic Café Justo coffee. When you order Café Justo coffee, a part of your purchase will be used to provide Café Justo to migrant shelters in Agua Prieta, Nogales, Sasabe, Sonoita, Tapachula, Gomez Palacio, and Matamoros in Mexico, as well as shelters in Columbus, Ohio, and in Silver City and Deming in New Mexico — through our “Love Mercy, Do Justice” ministry. That’s the “compassion” part of the “coffee and compassion.” Café Justo makes a great cup for you and me. Many hands go into the processing of your coffee before it ever reaches your cup. Coffee is one of the most labor intensive crops. Your purchase here helps communities in Mexico thrive.
(We regret that DECAF is not available until further notice.)

New art in the Sanctuary

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Out with the old and in with the new. On June 2nd the abstract art by the Willamette Abstract Group will be removed and on June 3rd our new exhibit will be installed. Our featured artist for June, July and August will be Carol Chapel, longtime local resident and creator. Carol’s paintings usually focus on nature and our environment. When asked about her style, Carol said “I recently saw some drawings done by a young man who is non-verbal. The way he processes and reacts to information is through drawing. I realize that we share common ground. I certainly am not nonverbal, but I too react and process information through my artwork. It helps my understanding of the subject. I do not necessarily strive to make an accurate reproduction of what I see, but I do want to bring the viewer into my understanding of it.“

I hope you find Carol’s work thought provoking and inspirational. If you are interested in helping to choose art for future exhibits, please contact Brian E.

Men’s Retreat, Save the Date! 10/16-18

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Our theme for this year is Playing the Game of Life: How Do We Roll? What have been the biggest shapers of our lives? People, places, work, play, our highs, our lows… experiences of all kinds! We’ll explore this broad question (with many answers) at the 2026 Men’s Retreat. But wait, it’s a retreat, for heaven’s sake! You know – relax, put your feet up, fun and games! YES, it’s that too! And good food! Sharing meaningful experiences and having fun together – it’s all about building deeper connections with one another in our UU community.

Sound good? Then MARK YOUR CALENDAR for October 16-18 (Friday late afternoon through Sunday lunchtime). The retreat will be at Camp Harlow outside of Eugene, barely an hour’s drive from Corvallis. Watch for details and registration information in August. For more information: mensretreat@uucorvallis.org.

One More Community Music Circle before Summer Hiatus, 6/1

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The last Community Music Circle before we take a break for the Summer will be Monday, June 1st at 7-8:30 PM in the sanctuary. Hope you can make it!

What’s that you say?

Did I hear someone ask “what is a community music circle?”

So glad you asked: The community music circle is when a group of really great people from the Fellowship come together to play and sing together. You can sing or bring your instruments. All skill levels are welcome. It’s a fun time and there are usually surprises – most of them unplanned!

If you’ve never come to one, give it a try! If you’re a regular, we have a new songbook with a bunch of familiar songs to try out.

Hope to see you there!