weekly announcements

Share Your Voice: Timeline for UUFC Elections and Annual Meeting 2026

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The UUFC Annual Meeting is coming up on Sunday, May 17, 2026 after worship service. Many things happen at our annual meeting, including voting on who will fill various leadership roles. For exact details, please read the UUFC Bylaws, shown at the bottom of this page.

Here is the timeline of events leading up to this year’s annual meeting.

The Annual Meeting on May 17 is also online. If you are unable to attend the Annual Meeting in person, it will be available on Zoom using the same link as the Sunday Service, included below. You will also be able to vote using Zoom. The meeting will start after the service at approximately 11:30 am.

Zoom Link: https://zoom.us/j/96231448170?pwd=cUoxaWxyei9wOTE5cVFVZ0t0Qk5KUT09

Agenda for the UUFC Annual Meeting

Come vote on many key items and celebrate our search for meaning, deep connections, and actions toward a better world for all, The meeting will be held shortly after the service on Sunday, May 17. We require a quorum of at least one-quarter of the membership. Sign-in sheets will be available before the service. Snacks will be available in the Social Hall. The meeting will be carried on Zoom and on-line voting will be available.
The agenda includes several important items:

  • Gathering, Chalice Lighting, and Confirmation of Quorum
  • Voting
    • Search Team (requires a vote of ¾ of members present)
    • Emerita Status Resolution (requires a vote of ¾ of members present)
    • Candidates for Office (simple majority)
  • Board, Council, Team and Staff Reports
  • Financial Overview and Vote (simple majority)

You can read more about the Annual Meeting here.

Matters Up For Vote

Elected Fellowship Lay Leaders

The Nominating Committee has presented a slate of candidates to fill the following roles:

  • Members of the Board of Directors
  • Members of the Nominating Committee
  • Chair of the Personnel Committee
  • Chair of the Financial Oversight Council

View the slate of candidates at https://uucorvallis.org/nominees-for-uufc-elected-positions-2026-27/.

Note that the Chair of the Committee on Ministry would normally also be elected at the Annual Meeting, but the work of the Committee on Ministry is paused during our time of Interim Ministry.

Ministerial Search Committee

The Board of Directors has presented a slate of candidates to serve as the Ministerial Search Committee, which will be tasked with conducting a search for our next settled minister.

View the nominees for our Ministerial Search Committee at https://uucorvallis.org/nominees-for-settled-minister-search-committee/.

Ways of Voting

Motions are passed by majority vote of those present, which is determined through a verbal Yea/Nay vote. Attendees on Zoom will vote using Zoom’s polling function.

Becoming a Voting Member

Voting at the Annual Meeting is only open to people who are signed, active members of the Fellowship. In other words, those who have signed the membership book and maintained active membership. See Bylaws Article II.

There is still time for new members to join before the Annual Meeting! Prospective members are required to attend three of the Inquirers Series sessions before signing the book: #1 Our Shared Values, #2 Transitions Q&A, #8 Membership 101 (or #9 UU Roots). These sessions will be offered before the Annual Meeting, on these dates:

  • Transitions Q&A: April 19 (swapped dates with Care & Support, which is now on May 10)
  • Membership 101: April 26
  • Our Shared Values: May 3

If you have already completed any of these sessions, you only need to attend the others. You do not need to repeat a session you’ve already attended, though you are welcome to!

The membership book will be available for signing after the Inquirers Series on May 10, for those who have completed the prerequisites. This will be the last opportunity to sign the membership book before the Annual Meeting. To learn more about membership at the UUFC, see our Path to Membership page.

UUFC Member Voting FAQ

This list of Frequently Asked Questions was prepared to help inform people about the votes that will occur at the Fellowship’s Annual Meeting. Please read these questions, and share this page with anyone who has questions about voting. If you have a voting question that isn’t answered here, please email it comms@uucorvallis.org.

Do I have to be a member to vote?
Yes, per the Fellowship’s Bylaws.

Does pledging make me a member?
No. But it is greatly appreciated!

How do I know if I’m a member?
Check the list of members that is currently available at the Board table in the Social Hall after Sunday worship service.
You can also ask by emailing comms@uucorvallis.org.

How does the Fellowship keep track of who the current members are?
Fellowship staff maintain a member database using Breeze Church Management Software.

Can I vote proxy?
No.

Can I vote with an absentee ballot?
No.

Can I vote on Zoom?
Yes.

Can I vote by phone?
No.

Can my friend / roommate / spouse / cat vote for me?
No.

How many of the Inquirers series do I have to take before I can become a member?
Three; specifically Sessions 1, 2, and 8 (or 9). For more information see Our path to Membership page.

Can I sign the book the morning of the congregational meeting? The day before? The week before?
Our Membership Coordinator is willing to meet with people to sign through May 13, but after that, the list of members will be in process to be prepared for the Annual Meeting.

If I was a member elsewhere, can the minister make an exception for me?
No.

I didn’t know I had to be a member. Can I vote anyway?
No.

I have been coming to the UUFC for a long time. Doesn’t that count?
Not for the purposes of voting on congregational matters, no.

I think I signed the book 20 years ago, but you all don’t have proof. Can I vote?
No. But ask about your membership status anyway, so existing records can still be checked.

UUFC Bylaws

Cooperative Egg Hunt

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We know many egg hunts are all about gathering as many eggs as you can, as fast as you can. Ours is a little different, and that difference really matters for your child’s experience. Please take a moment to look over the plan so you can help them understand what to expect: a cooperative, shared activity where every child gets one of each color and leaves with a full set of meaningful treasures. When children know ahead of time that this isn’t about collecting as many eggs as possible, they are much more likely to relax, enjoy the process, and feel proud of what they’ve gathered. Your guidance helps make the experience joyful and fair for everyone.

🌈 The Plan

This is a cooperative hunt, not a race.
Everyone helps make sure all children can collect one egg of each of the 7 colors.
Each color corresponds with a value, and each value has a station at one of the tables.

🥚 How It Works

  1. Find one egg of a new color
    • Only take an egg if you haven’t already had that color.
    • If you accidentally get one twice. It’s okay. Just put it back in the grass.
  2. Trade it in right away
    • Bring the one egg to the table that matches its color/value.
    • Trade the egg for a prize that helps you remember that value.
  3. Leave the egg behind
    • Eggs stay at the tables. Only prizes go home.
  4. Repeat
    • Go find a different color and trade it in, until you have visited all 7 value stations.
    • If you’ve found all you need, look around and see who needs help!

🎯 Important Guidelines

  • ✔️ One egg per color per child
  • ✔️ Trade each egg before finding another
  • ✔️ Collect one prize from each station (7 total)
  • ✔️ Most tables have two values, one has one value
  • ✔️ Things run more smoothly if everyone doesn’t go to the same table at the same time, so no need to go in order.

🚧 Safety & Boundaries

  • Stay inside the cones at all times
  • Parents, Guardians, and Grown-ups who brought participants are responsible for supervising their children
  • Volunteers are here to staff tables and answer questions, but their focus is not on monitoring safety boundaries

💛 Remember

We are sharing, helping, and making sure everyone gets what they need.

Take your time. Help each other. Have lots of fun!

Jack’s advice on getting to No Kings III

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The NO KINGS demonstration rally is TOMORROW, March 28, noon to 3 pm.  We obviously have a national crisis and this is our chance as regular citizens to do something about it.  How many people from UUFC will be there?  Let’s help make Corvallis contribute in a big way to making the nationwide attendance far exceed the 7 million that were at the previous NO KINGS in October.

As for transportation to the demonstration, which begins at noon, I recommend taking the bus to avoid hunting for parking near the courthouse.  If you just go to the rally at the courthouse, all the bus routes end at the transit station just a block away from there.  If you want to join the march, which starts at noon at 11th and Monroe, several of the bus routes go right by that intersection.  Check the route maps on the Corvallis Transit System website to find the route that applies to you.  

The march will include songs of resistance, other music, and speeches, not only at the beginning but also at a second half-hour stop at Central Park.  It is scheduled to arrive at the 4th-street rally at 2 pm, just 1 hour before the rally ends.  Personally, I think the rally is the most important part, so I intend to skip the march, or at least part of it, and spend most of my time on 4th Street.  Either way, I strongly encourage everyone one to participate.

Jack Elder

Memorial Service for Susan Straight, 5/3

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This event will be a celebration of Susan’s life. All UUFC members and friends who knew Susan or would like to know more about this extraordinary woman are invited. RSVPs are appreciated for planning purposes.

Sunday, May 3 at 3 PM in the Fellowship’s Sanctuary.

As part of our celebration, all attendees are cordially invited to reception in my home following the service. Transportation will be provided, as needed, from the UUFC parking lot and back again.

RSVP by contacting Elona Meyer.

Lessons Learned Thus Far in our 2026-27 Stewardship Drive

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Thanks to you all for pondering your commitment to the UUFC as part of our 2026-27 Stewardship Drive and to those who have already completed your stewardship forms. You are appreciated!
As with any activity like this, we are learning new things and reinforcing old lessons as we go. These are some of our discoveries thus far:

  • We all have stories about how the UUFC and its members have had sometimes profound impacts on our lives. We have heard some of these stories as part of our town halls. The next time you have a chance, ask another UUFC member or friend about their favorite Fellowship memories. Community building is part of who we are.
  • We are in the transition time between settled ministers. This is a time to remember the past, explore the present and ponder the future. How have you been, how are you now, and how will you be a UUFC member or friend?
  • Personal information is a concern in today’s world. Your UUFC leadership and staff are aware of the need to keep personal information secure and have instituted new policies and procedures to aid in such.
  • If you want to just have your current year pledge and pledge payment method “rolled” into the coming year, this can be done for you, but you need to give specific permission to have this happen. Talk with Michael Hughes (our treasurer), Scott Bruslind (our Financial Oversight Council Chair) or Stephanie Haines (our operations and business manager) about such.
  • Yes, you can make a pledge by simply writing a check today and including it along with a note that it is your 2026-27 pledge in an envelope that is put in the donation basket on Sunday, in the donation box outside the fellowship hall or mailed to the UUFC. We can deal with prepaid pledges.
  • There is great joy in being part of the UUFC as we face our ever-worrisome world together with those of similar mind. Together we can accomplish great things that none of us can accomplish alone.

If you have any questions at all, please reach out to me or Michael Hughes and we will answer your question or pass you on to someone else on the Stewardship Team.
Scott Bruslind, FOC Chair

An “Opening to Opportunity” Update

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UUFC members and friends,
As you likely know, our 2026-27 stewardship drive has formally launched. Our thanks to the many who have already responded.

Some reminders on how to complete a pledge form or have someone set up a pledge for you:

  • The stewardship form can be directly accessed at https://uufc.breezechms.com/form/a8cc2728459812
  • Paper copies of the form are available on Sundays during services. Stewardship team members will also be present to answer your questions.
  • You can email office@uucorvallis.org or call 541-752-5218 and provide your name, the dollar amount of your pledge, how you plan to pay and contact information. Fellowship staff will enter your pledge for you into the form.
  • Our drive will be in full swing through mid-April. We will have a “soft” close on Sunday April 19. After that date stewardship team members will reach out to those from whom we have not heard for follow-up.

If you have questions and are comfortable in working in the electronic world, click here and you’ll find Rev Alex’s stewardship “sermon” (~17 minutes long), a FAQs listing, and at the very bottom of the FAQs, a link to the Power Point that was used in our town hall meetings.

Any other questions – send an email to finance@uucorvallis.org.
Thanks for your financial and volunteer time support of the UUFC!

ETC Exercise for Elders, 4/8

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Elders Thriving in Community (ETC) presents Vida Miwa from Fitness Over 50, with suggested exercises that support mobility, balance and flexibility as we age. Plan to practice activities that can be done both sitting on or holding onto a chair, as well as options for standing or floor activities. Wear comfortable clothing & suitable shoes. Join us in the Sanctuary on Wednesday, April 8, 3-4:30 PM.

Childcare is available!

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

Community Music Circle, 3/30

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March 30th, 7:00 to 8:30 PM in the Sanctuary

Do you like singing with others? Do you play an instrument? Come join us for a relaxed evening of making music together.

Guitars, ukuleles, piccolos, tubas, hand drums, recorders, hammered dulcimers…all instruments are welcome!

Sing along, try something new, or just listen and enjoy.

We’re building community through shared music-making—no experience needed, no pressure, just music, connection and fun.

Minister Emerita Listening Sessions

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The Board of Directors has formed a task force to inform the congregation about Rev. Jill McAllister’s nomination for Minister Emerita in preparation for a vote at the UUFC Annual Meeting on May 17. This task force is conducting a number of listening sessions in which to discuss this process and answer any potential questions.  They will also set up a table in the Social Hall or Foyer after worship services to answer questions and share information.

Here are the currently-scheduled listening sessions:

Sunday, March 22  7 – 8:30 PM         Listening Session in the Sanctuary
Thursday, March 26  7 – 8:30 PM      Listening Session in Room 3
Sunday, April 12    11:45 AM            Listening Session in the Sanctuary

The task force has written a list of frequently-asked questions about Ministers Emerit, which you can read here.

Childcare is available!

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

Know Your Rights training, 3/23

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Prepare for the upcoming No Kings III protest by taking this Know Your Rights training on March 23!

From the organizers:

In this ACLU-led training, participants will learn about the Constitutional right to peacefully protest and about best practices for reducing risks when attending protests like the upcoming No Kings mobilization on March 28.

Monday, March 23, 6 – 7 PM. Register here. This training is offered virtually, so you don’t even need to get off your couch or put on pants!