weekly announcements

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.

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.

Parking Lot Garage Sale, 9/20

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Do you have stuff you no longer need and want to get rid of? Are you willing to donate all the proceeds to UUFC? We’ll be holding our annual Parking Lot Garage Sale on Saturday, September 20 from 10 AM – 2 PM.

Here’s the procedure:

  1. Price your items (whole dollar thrift store prices or less)
  2. Bring your items to our parking lot and “sell” them, sending buyers to the cashier with their items. You don’t have to collect any money.
  3. At 2 PM take all unsold items home or deliver them to your favorite thrift store.

Unhoused Persons task force meeting, 8/17

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A task force has been formed to address the impact of unhoused people living on the Fellowship’s grounds. This Unhoused Persons task force will be meeting after service on the first and third Sundays of each month. The next meeting will be in the Sanctuary on Sunday, August 17 at 11:40 AM.

The task force’s goal is to provide the Board of Directors with:

  1. A plan for the ongoing management of unhoused persons already residing on Fellowship grounds.
  2. Elements of a policy to guide management of future residents, either on the ground or in cars.

Labor Day Tuna Roast, 9/1

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tuna roast

End the summer with a party! Specifically, a Tuna Roast on Labor Day from 4 – 7 PM at the Lions Shelter in Avery Park.

Since 1997; always on Labor Day, always at Avery Park, Lions Kitchen; a party for all UUFC members and friends, old and new. This event marks the beginning of the new church year and a welcome to our new interim minister Alex. It is a good place to bring kids as it is next to the swings, the old train, and the dinosaur bones. Teens can “hang out” or help with the barbecue. To cover costs we ask for a donation of $7.00 per adult and whatever you think is appropriate for your kids. Sliding scale because we want everyone to come, so no one will be turned away for lack of funds. This is about being in community, not a fund raiser. If there is any leftover money, Rev. Alex can direct it to an appropriate place.

We provide barbecued tuna, sweet corn on the cob, lemonade and sheet cakes. For vegetarians there will be veggie burgers and barbecued eggplant and zucchini. For picky kids there will be hot dogs. We ask you to bring your own plates and silverware and $$$.

A folding chair might be helpful. Especially, bring a potluck dish such as dessert, salad, bread, chips, dips, veggies, fruit, pickles, and lots more desserts.

This is a community event and it takes a community to run it, especially if you are able bodied and not herding little kids. We always need help setting up at 3:00 PM and cleaning up around 7:00 PM. We’re hoping that many people will take turns barbecuing. For these things just show up and jump in.

We do need someone to obtain the corn from WINCO, early arrivals can shuck the corn, and a couple of quiet people can cook it. We need a drink master, to make the lemonade and keep the jugs refilled. We need 2-3 people to help me prep the tuna on Monday morning. Finally we need someone to pick up seven rented tables at Special Occasions on Friday, and return them on Tuesday. If you have a truck with a bed long enough for 8-foot tables, that would be excellent. Otherwise we can borrow Lee Holt’s truck, but a driver is needed. Special occasions does all the loading and unloading so you don’t need to be muscular.

Contact Rich if you can help on these several jobs.