On the Sunday of Memorial Day weekend, May 26, we’ll remember Fellowship members who have died in the past year. If you would like to have someone you’ve lost named and remembered in this service, please let Rev. Jill McAllister know.
Between Us
May is my birthday month, and reflecting on having been once again carried by the Earth thru this part of the universe, on a full rotation around the Sun, even taking all the hard things into account, I’m very glad to be alive! As a small token of my deep gratitude for all the gifts that I receive every day, I’ll be making a contribution to the UUFC Birthday Club again. The older I get, the more I love this: that on my birthday I celebrate by giving gifts to others, including an amount of dollars at least equivalent to my age, to the Fellowship. When it is your birthday month, I hope you’ll do that same.
One of the reasons I like to give to the Fellowship, again as a SMALL token of my deep gratitude, is that the Fellowship has been for so much of my life a community of companionship and nurture, in which I have in so many ways learned to be the kind of human being I want to be. When I first became a UU, here at the Fellowship, I was deeply interested in the history and development of liberal religion. I was in need of the kind of religious freedom the Fellowship, and UUism offered. I was thirsty for theological and social perspectives that were wide open and inclusive and progressive. It was heady and exhilarating, and I decided to make it my life work.
What I didn’t know at the time is that while the ideas are important, the opportunity to be in relationship with other people – to be in community, as we so often say – is even more important. Both are needed: the evolving ideas AND the chance to practice them in real time with real people. That’s my bottom line:
how do any of our ideas stack up in relation to how we interact with other people (and all of the living world?) I have to say, to myself as well as to you who might be reading, that as UU’s we are quite good at articulating, discussing, and debating ideas and not as good at living into our highest values. Like almost everyone else in the world, we still get hung up in self-centeredness, in a need for comfort and security, in an outsized need to be right, in the perspective of ego.
And so, I am grateful to be alive in order to keep trying, keep learning, keep aiming to be the kind of person I want to be.
I hope I have many more years to do this work, because the more I learn the more I see that I have to learn. I have a long way to go. Thank-you for being my companions on this journey!
Sacred Chanting with Shantala & Friends
We are very happy to welcome Portland’s popular Kirtan group Shantala back to Corvallis for a sacred chanting concert on Saturday, May 18 at 7 PM. Benjy and Heather Wertheimer have been leading kirtan (sacred chanting) worldwide since 2001 as the duo Shantala. They are known and loved for their special gift of bringing the audience into a vast and loving experience through their unique blend of exquisite voices with instruments of India and the West. Together they create music with beauty, passion, and reverence.
Heather and Benjy have released nine beautiful and well-loved albums of sacred chant music since 2003, including Living Waters, Jaya, LIVE in love, Sri, The Love Window, LIVE2love and FIVE. They also have a passionate international online following, with hundreds of thousands of YouTube video views, millions of iTunes/Apple Music downloads, and millions of streams on Spotify.They will play in the Sanctuary of the UU with special guests Sean Frenette and Johanna Beekman.
“Tending Our Selves” 5/12/2024
Jill will welcome guest speaker Jen Shattuck. Jen is a UU religious educator and author who serves on the staff at both the Unitarian Church of Barnstable MA and Sanctuary Boston. She is the author of The Tending Years, a book for those caring for preschool-age children, and is also the creator of Ellery Churchmouse, a video series for UU kids and their families.
In her sermon she’ll consider “who” we bring when we come together – our many identities, experiences, hopes, needs and more. The service will include a dedication of children, and special music from Johanna Beekman. Afterward Jen will host a post-sermon discussion, which might include questions about the sermon, about her book “The Tending Years” (copies available), about neurodivergence and more.
RE Volunteer Appreciation Luncheon 6/9
We couldn’t offer the awesome programming and community-building opportunities for our children and youth that we do if not for our tireless team of volunteers. Did you know that it takes approximately 34 volunteers to keep our Religious Exploration programs up and running? That’s a lot of people contributing their time and energy to the care and development of our tiniest beloveds!
All RE Volunteers from the Grandfolks Squad, Nursery Care Team, Spirit Play Guides, Youth Advisors, and RE Council members are invited to attend a luncheon in Rooms 6 B&C at 11:45 on June 9th. Register HERE to help us prepare.
Parents, it would be lovely if you would sign up to contribute an item to the luncheon for those who care for our littles throughout the church year. Signups for food contributions can be accessed HERE!
If you have any questions about attending or contributing, contact Skyla (dre@uucorvallis.org)
Tending Our Grief Circle, 6/1, 10-12:30
We gather once more before the summer break to tend to our grief. The grief you hold may be for personal losses, transitions, or the sorrows of the world – all are equally welcome and worthy of attention.
Our time together will include gentle movement, poetry, writing, sharing and a simple ritual. Please join us.
Facilitators Anna Coffman and Susan Sanford
For information, contact Anna, email: anna.cupoftea@gmail.com, phone/text: 979-760-0910
Dance Planet 5/4
This Saturday we’re having a special Dance Planet at the Fellowship. From 7:30 to about 8:45 we’ll move, each in our own way, to a rhythmic flow of music from around the world and across the decades. But starting at 7 cellist Sabina Monn and percussionist George B. will create an auditory space for movement, stretching, or just listening.
Admission to this family-friendly event is a suggested donation of $5—15. One hundred percent of the proceeds will be donated to local environmental organizations.
So You Wanna Be a GA Delegate.* Here’s How.
Just let any Board member or Rev. Jill know.
The UUA’s General Assembly will be held June 20-23 this year. The GA features worship, workshops, speakers, business sessions, and more. Delegates will take the final vote on the proposed new Article II of the UUA Bylaws.
This year’s GA will be all-virtual for the first time, saving you travel time, expense, and fossil fuel consumption.
UUFC is eligible for a number of delegates. There is a policy to help the Board select delegates from those who express interest.
Read the UUFC policy (2.8.1) on delegates.
You may also register to view many of the events.
Visit the General Assembly page on the UUA website.
*Sung to the tune of So You Wanna Be a Rock and Roll Star.
