RE Newsletter for May

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“May, queen of blossoms, and fulfilling flowers! What pretty music shall we charm the hours?” – Lord Edward Thurlow

    Greetings, Families!

    Please grab your calendars and read carefully all that is below. This month’s newsletter is ripe with date changes, summer event previews, and more!

    UPCOMING EVENTS:

    5/3 Family Breakfast @ 8:45 (register HERE and bring a dish if you are able)

    5/14 Parent Connection Dinner @ 6:30 (register HERE one time, to get reminders) BRING YOUR OWN DISHES!

    5/17 Annual Meeting (childcare is provided!) @ noon

    5/24 Parent Q&A with Skyla on Playground deck @ 11:45

    PLAN AHEAD

    6/7 River of Life RE Service

    More information about our events can be found below, and info for all events can be found at uucorvallis.org by clicking “News” in the menu bar and then selecting “RE Council” from the drop-down menu.

    If you love Family Breakfast — and we know you do — take special note: May’s breakfast is happening one week early so we don’t overlap with Mother’s Day.

    If the mother in your household dreams of nothing more than sleeping in on her special day but simply cannot bear the thought of missing monthly breakfast, please consider this our humble gift to you.

    May Family Breakfast will be Sunday, May 4. We hope to see you there!

    Summer Sundays are made for lingering. A post-service hike, a splash in the river, a snack shared with friends while the kids run ahead.

    While Parent Connection Dinner and Family Breakfast take their annual break from June through September, we’ll be leaning into a few casual, low-prep ways to stay connected this summer:

    June 28 – Fitton Green Hike & Snack
    July 26 – Marys River Natural Area Splash & Chat
    August 29 – Family BBQ & RE Orientation (this one is a Saturday!)

    Each month’s RE newsletter will include registration details and gathering information. If we need to cancel due to extreme heat or low registration, I’ll contact registered families by text.

    I’m especially excited for the August BBQ, because it will serve as our joyful on-ramp into the new church year. We are planning to lean hard into family fun, stronger connections, and fuller attendance in the year ahead, and this gathering will be our first step.

    We’ll eat together, play lawn games, and welcome both new and returning families. Children who register early will receive their RE t-shirts as we unveil this year’s theme. Then, as the kids head off with their guides and advisors to play games and create their group covenants, parents and I will spend some time talking about our shared hopes for Religious Exploration, and about how we can partner with you to make Fellowship Sundays a place your child is genuinely excited to be.

    Please get these dates on your calendar now, and let me know if any of them land squarely on family vacation plans. If a large portion of families are excluded and there’s a better option available, I am more than willing to shuffle things around. The earlier we compare calendars, the easier it is to make summer work for everyone.

    Speaking of communicating your needs with me, I’m delighted to invite you to our annual Parents’ Chat with the DRE.

    This is a casual chance to share your questions, your calendar conflicts, your hopes, your frustrations, and your wildest ideas for how we can get you and your children genuinely engaged in UU faith formation. If there’s something you’ve been wanting me to know, this is a great space for it.

    Join me on May 24 at 11:45 a.m. on the RE deck. I’ll have pitchers of lemonade, the kids can play on the playground, and we can chat in the sunshine.

    What you share in this conversation really does shape the plans we make over the summer as we prepare for fall, so I hope you’ll come help me dream a little.

    Thank you to everyone who came out for the JETPIG Easter Egg Hunt last month! The feedback was fabulous. Our big kids were wonderfully caring with the littles, and our volunteers kept their cool under some very real crowd pressure at the slime and candy tables.

    I especially want to share one story that came out of our volunteer debrief.

    When I asked one volunteer how the event had gone, they told me they had spent part of the night before studying the value assigned to their station so they would be ready to talk about it from every angle and ready to help children think a little more deeply instead of simply grabbing the prize and sprinting off to the next table.

    They were positively beaming as they said, “I learned so much just preparing for this, and then it really paid off. I had the best conversations with some of the kids.”

    As they shared a few of those exchanges with me, I realized I could hardly track the details because I was too busy feeling so stinking proud to serve alongside adults who take the faith formation of our children this seriously.

    Y’all, we are beyond lucky to have the volunteer team we do. Your children are in excellent hands with these remarkable leaders who prepare on their own time so they can engage more meaningfully, and who genuinely delight in watching children light up with excitement about what they are learning. Gah! What could be better than that?

    Thank you, as always, for entrusting your children to the care of the Religious Exploration team. It is such a joy and an honor to watch them grow, to see their personalities branch out in all directions, becoming more fully themselves year by year. What a gift it is to be humans in community together.

    I’m wishing you blossoming love, deeper connection, and a few good pockets of springtime ease this month. And as always, if you need to chat, I am only an email or phone call away.

    Music Sharing Night, 6/29

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    June 29th, 7-9 PM in the Sanctuary

    Do you want to share your music with others in the Fellowship? Sign up to perform at the Music Sharing. Sign ups will be available in June. Watch the weekly announcements for details on how to sign up.

    Do you like to sing or play music, but the thought of performing causes you a feeling of terror or dread? This is understandable. But you should know that we’ve had many people make their musical debut at these Music Sharing Nights. People who have never sung outside of their car or the shower took the leap and stood in front of a supportive group of people from the community cheering them on to make their first public performance. This could be you!

    But if you don’t want to perform, you don’t have to. There will be no pressure whatsoever – just come and enjoy the music and cheer on all the fantastic musicians in our community! 

    UUFC Auction, 6/6

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    The Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Corvallis Presents

    The 2026 Services Auction & Dinner

    Saturday, June 6th from 5:30 to 8:30 PM

    Philomath Scout Lodge 

    660 Clemens Mill Road, Philomath OR, 97370 

    Catered dinner, drinks, live music, raffle, mystery goodie bags, and live/silent auction offerings

    Members, friends, & family are invited!
    Shuttle service available to and from the Fellowship

    RSVP by clicking the button below – registration is required to bid!

    RSVP by clicking here

    Paying for dinner is separate! This year our meal is professionally catered!
    Please buy tickets for dinner by clicking the button below.

    Buy dinner tickets here
    ($15 suggested donation)

    Sign up here to volunteer at the event – volunteers eat free!

    Volunteer Sign up Here!

    The catalog of lots in the Live Auction can be viewed here.

    Online Auction

    Online auction opens May 17th at 1PM and closes May 31st at 5PM

    The online auction is now closed. Thank you to everyone who participated!

    Online Auction Site

    Auction Donations

    Click here to donate items or services to the auction

    Don’t have items or services to donate?  Won’t be able to attend the auction but want to help? Fill out the form below to donate funds via Breeze.

    Breeze donations will be used to purchase items for the auction or to offset event costs

    Photos of the Philomath Scout Lodge

    Outreach Offerings for May

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    The May Monthly Outreach Offering is to Casa Latinos Unidos.  This organization is committed to strengthening the Latinx communities in Linn and Benton Counties through programs that support people in meeting basic needs, build resilience and capacity through education and leadership development, and celebrate cultures. They are all first and second generation immigrants with a deep sense of identification with the people who have immigrated to the area from Latin American countries, bringing their traditions and dreams to build a new life in a new country.

    Read more at https://casalatinosunidos.org/.

    UUFC Member Voting FAQ

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    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 Annual Meeting, 5/17

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    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.

    Answers to Questions about Minister Emerita

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    From the Emerita Team:

    In finishing up our listening sessions, here are some Frequently Asked Questions that we heard with some repetition.

    Q. Why are we pursuing this honor now and not last year?
    A. We looked into bestowing the honor of Emerita on Jill last spring, but didn’t do it soon enough before last year’s annual meeting, so the Board asked us to wait until this year, when we would have sufficient time to hold listening sessions and have conversations with the congregation well before this year’s annual meeting in May.

    Q. Would it be better to wait until next year or even two or more years from now?
    A. Many members have asked us to pursue this honor for Jill now, so while the memory of Jill’s loving and beautiful ministry is still fresh in our minds, we wanted to express our gratitude by conferring this honor now rather than a year or more from now. Moreover, we realize that hopefully a year from now, our focus will appropriately be on welcoming a new, settled minister to our Fellowship, rather than on celebrating a past minister.

    Q. What are the UUA guidelines for when to bestow this honor?
    A. The UUA does not have specific guidelines for when to bestow this honor; some congregations do it when the minister retires, which is what this congregation did for two former ministers; some wait a year, and some wait longer. 

    Q. Are there guidelines determining the type of contact Jill may have with our congregation, once the status of Emerita is conferred?
    A. Yes.  These guidelines will be negotiated among our Interim Minister, Alex McGee, Carl English-Young, our Board President, and Jill, our former Minister. These guidelines will create a Covenant, which will be presented to the Congregation at our annual meeting in May. When a settled minister arrives, they will create a new Covenant with Jill concerning these same guidelines.

    Attend UUA General Assembly 2026

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    GA2026 is happening soon!  June 14 – 16 and 19 – 21
    Act quickly to serve as a delegate and save on registration fees!

    General Assembly 2026 (GA2026), the annual meeting of our Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA) is coming up soon in June! This year, due to the increased costs of travel, the event will be online. Registration is open currently. Registration fees increase on May 1. 

     “Meet the Moment: Together Everywhere” will unfold in two parts with a midweek pause. From Sunday, June 14 to Tuesday, June 16, delegates will engage in fully virtual General Sessions focused on the business of our national association. Our delegates will represent the UUFC on these policy matters. The preliminary business agenda is now available. To view, go to:

    https://www.uua.org › files › 2026-03 › ga2026_tentative_agenda_03012026.pdf

    For delegates who wish to take part only in the business sessions and not in GA programming, a business-only registration option will be available in May for $175. This option provides access to the Delegate Participation Platform only and does not include live programming, on-demand viewing, the EduCenter, or networking features in the Whova app. 

    After a two-day pause, GA2026 resumes Friday, June 19 through Sunday, June 21 with worship, featured speakers, and “Meet the Moment: Together Everywhere” themed programs. Eight Satellite Sites scattered across the country will host a local welcome, song, and chalice lighting, as well as livestream GA content, offer space for afternoon discussion groups, and host the Sunday Morning worship livestream. Fortunately, one of the Satellite Sites is hosted by our neighbor, the UU Congregation of Salem, OR (see below).

    REGISTRATION: Everyone participating in GA, whether joining a community gathering, watch party, or attending a UUA-hosted site, must be registered for General Assembly. Registration rates for adults are $350 through the end of April and $450 if registering May – June. Satellite site admissions, which may be added to the GA registrations, are a non-refundable $25, and are subject to local capacity. UUFC delegates can obtain help with registration fees as needed by contacting Board president, Carl English-Young. (President@uucorvallis.org)

    Those interested in serving as UUFC delegates should contact Rev. Alex McGee. With 317 members, our congregation is certified to appoint seven delegates to the annual business meeting. Delegates are selected based on the following: 

    • Prior attendance at the GA, with preference given to those who are attending for the first or second time.  
    • Prior participation in GA and/or UUFC affairs, with preference given to those who are experienced participants with a depth of knowledge of UU and UUFC history and practice. 
    • Those whose activities and viewpoints, in the views of Board members, are best aligned with those of the majority of members of the UUFC, while also allowing for a diversity and balance of perspectives.  
    • The demonstrated capacity of the nominees for respectful and congenial interactions with other UUFC members.   See UUFC Policy 2.8.1 for complete details. 

    General Assembly Satellite Site at the UU Congregation of Salem, OR

    ~An Invitation from our neighbors at the UU Congregation of Salem ~

    We welcome UUs to join us in Oregon’s capital city of Salem, in the heart of the Willamette Valley, for General Assembly gatherings. This opportunity for connection, conversation, and relationship-building will take place amid the beauty of June in our area. We’ll gather in our sanctuary, with its distinctive flaming chalice-stained glass window and newly upgraded video wall. There will be opportunities to share coffee, tea, and conversation in our spacious fellowship hall and to join in small group conversations to meet the moment together.

    Invitation to lecture at UU Portland, 4/25

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    First Unitarian Church of Portland is hosting their Annual Sewell Lecture on Saturday, April 25, from 1 – 4:30 PM at their building in downtown Portland. The topic is “AI as a Tool for Oppression and Resistance & Liberation”, delivered by Dr. Sylvester Johnson, who is a professor of Black Studies at Northwestern University.

    Attendance is free and open to the public, but you do need to register at the following link: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/ai-as-a-tool-for-oppression-and-for-resistance-liberation-tickets-1985679778671.

    AI may seem like an abstract concept, or something that only matters to tech companies, but it’s already thoroughly enmeshed in society – and getting more so. Our work to fight oppression is not limited to using old tools, nor confined to only the oppression we’re used to. When new tools like AI become available to the world, it behooves us to understand how they can be used for or against us.

    Sacred Sound Practices For Challenging Times, 5/30

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    Are you feeling stressed out by the state of the world?
    Join devotional musician Kavita Kat Macmillan for this introduction to the subtle energies of Sacred Sound to soothe your nervous system, to ground & to connect with your voice!
    No experience necessary.

    About your guide: Kavita Kat Macmillan is an interdisciplinary vocalist, musician, and performer whose work bridges yoga, somatic practice and music to foster creative awakening. Kavita’s guidance, through her in-depth mentorships, global retreats, and workshops, helps catalyze people of all backgrounds and ages to shed inhibition, dissolve blocks, and access their unique, authentic voice, and seat of creativity within. Kavita’s music can be found streaming on all platforms. More info at kavitakatmacmillan.com.

    Saturday, May 30, 1 – 2:30 PM, in Room 7.

    Tickets are $33 in advance, $40 dollars at the door.

    More information and tickets are available at https://ticketstripe.com/sacredsoundcorvallis.

    Kavita

    Childcare is available!

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