weekly announcements

Registration is now open for the Fall Chalice Circle Sampler Series, starting this September. For details and dates and to sign up, please see the Chalice Circle Sampler Series Sign-Up Form.

Chalice Circles are an opportunity to deepen your ties to others in this community. We do this by meeting on a regular basis with the same small group of people to share how we each navigate the journey of being human. This is done via thoughtfully designed “topics” that offer ideas and questions for reflection. Through authentic sharing and listening, we learn how to voice what deeply matters to us.

Never been in a chalice group? “Test the waters” by signing up for the sampler series which will meet 4 times (once a week for the first 3 weeks plus a final session 2 weeks later). You’re under NO obligation to come to more than these sessions but our hope is that if this experience is something you find of value, you’ll continue with a longer term group that will meet twice monthly for the year.

Any questions? Read our FAQ.

Contact us at chalicecircles@uucorvallis.org, via phone or in person after a Sunday service.

Shikha Ghosh Gottfried and Nancy Sowdon

Thursday August 8, Corvallis riverfront at 1st and Madison Ceremony to mark the bombings of Hiroshima Aug 6, 1945 and Nagasaki Aug 9, 1945.

Are you interested in stories about the Fellowship? About who first gathered, who built our buildings, how RE and justice work and music have been part of this congregation’s life? Do you ever try to imagine folks who came here before you – what brought them, what commitments they made, how they were supported in times of challenge and change? Do you know some of these stories because you are in them? Because the Fellowship has been part of your life, and you part of its life, for many years?

Rev. Jill McAllister is looking for a few people who’d like to help with a UUFC history project in the coming year. Please contact her if you are interested in helping collect and edit some of the stories of the Fellowship. We have many stories to tell and to save, to pass on for those who come after us. We are making stories now, for the future.
The project may include recording oral histories, interviewing folks, writing down memories, creating a journal, and more.

Our theme for the coming year will be about past, present and future – ancestors, descendants and us. It will give us a chance to know more about our connectedness – what holds us together, what nurtures and strengthens us. In the midst of the stories of our lives, being created every day, it may inspire us to know more about where we come from and where we aim to be going.

We were hoping that construction on our classroom wing renovation project would begin in September, or maybe October. It looks like JANUARY is more realistic! The project team received a timetable last week from Gerding Builders, outlining the many, many pre-construction tasks still needing to be done, including several city permits, engineering decisions, final drawings, sub-contracting, and more. The schedules for permits plus the availability of contractors have the greatest effect on timing.

So, we’ll keep going with our preparations for emptying the building, at a slightly relaxed pace. We’re only now becoming aware of the huge amount of work needed to install fire sprinklers in the building – involving installing a new pipe under the parking lot from the street to the RE wing, and building a small “house” to contain all of the connections from that pipe to the interior plumbing. This is what is needed in order for our building to meet current fire safety code!

Thank-you to all who have already volunteered to help with a variety of tasks plus offered short-term storage for the contents of our building. We’ll keep going in making our plans, cleaning out rooms and closest, packing boxes, etc.
This project is going to happen! Please stay tuned.

Memorial Service Receptions give us opportunities not only to contribute to the receptions but also to visit with others—to build our relationships within the UUFC. Typical tasks associated with the reception include set-up and clean-up, contributing refreshments (some people simply contribute finger food), arranging it to serve, monitoring the refreshments, and attending the guest book if needed. We visit as we work and have a good time.

Services are announced ahead of time in Weekly Newsletters and include an invitation for you contact Sandy Piper to participate.

Questions? Contact Sandy.

I’m always willing to talk to you about our memorial receptions. The service and reception for Louise Ferrell, a long-time UUFC member, is August 11 at 2:00. If you would like to help with this reception, please contact Sandy. It would be great to have new people join us.

Contact Sandy Piper

Greetings from the Board of Directors! The Board met July 16, 2024 and made great progress in adopting policies related to the accounting and distribution of our financial resources. Small revisions were made to the Reserves and Justice Outreach funds, and we established an Endowment fund to support the long-term vitality of the Fellowship. The principal of the Endowment will not be spent, and annual distributions from the Endowment fund will not exceed 90% of earned interest. If there is a negative return, no funds will be spent until the principal level of the year just prior to a negative return is reestablished. At least $600 of earnings will be drawn upon each year for the benefit of youth through the Ozretich memorial fund and remaining funds will be allocated by the Board in collaboration with the Endowment Team of the Financial Oversight Council. As of June 30, 2024, the Endowment fund totaled approximately $90,000.

In other work, the Board continued to discuss a new fundraising policy and adopted a revised 2024-2025 budget that reflects lower income from pledges than hoped for. Rather than hiring additional administrative help for 2024-2025, staff duties will be rearranged, and volunteers will be recruited to fill the administrative role. If you are new or are a procrastinator and have not pledged, it is never too late.

To donate or find out more, visit the “donate” page uucorvallis.org/donate.
Find out more about Board activities through our approved minutes, as well as the latest policies in our Governing Documents, visit the UUFC Filing Cabinet page.

The Jackson Street Youth Services has a School Supply Drive for at-risk and homeless youth ages 10 and up.

Wish List:
Backpacks
Calculators
Notebooks
Flash drives
Planners (dated/undated
Sketchbooks
Headphones

Drive ends August 9. You can place in basket in Foyer marked Clothing or Staples in Albany during open hours, or Corvallis Tue-Wed, 10a-1p at 225 SW 4th St.

Questions: Ben email (ben.martens@jacksonstreet.org) or 541-760-5825 UUFC Secure Housing and Food for All team.

We will leave after the service on Sunday, July 28th, about 11:45. Carpooling at your discretion. Drive time is about 40 minutes.

Based on participant input, we’re adding West Hills Vineyards to our schedule this month (Thanks Suzanne & Carolyn)!

West Hills Vineyard is an historical gathering place on the grounds of the 1858 home of Governor Ike. L. Patterson (18th governor). The website states, “as long-time locals, when the opportunity to acquire a piece of Polk County history presented itself, we couldn’t pass it by. As we embark on this historic landscape’s next chapter, our mission is to grow grapes with regenerative practices that restore and breathe new life into fields that were once over-farmed and left neglected for many years.”

The vineyard features a tasting room with classic wines and a chef prepared seasonal menu (no outside food). Those with the wine passport will get a tasting flight of 4 wines. The menu is very appealing for lunch with salads, sandwiches, etc. West Hills offers an array of red, white and rose wines with prices ranging from $28 to $70.

Please RSVP to Heather E if you want to attend. Heather will send a confirmation email to participants on Saturday.

Nice, relaxed way to get to know other UU’s.

Clean out your closets and garage and bring your unwanted items to our UUFC parking lot rummage sale on Saturday, August 31 — 10 AM to 1 PM. We supply tables and a cashier. You clean your stuff, price it, display it, and stay and “sell” it. All proceeds benefit UUFC.

Questions? Contact Bonnie Morihara