Annual UUFC Holiday Fair, 12/5

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Our Annual UUFC Holiday Fair is Saturday, December 5 from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm.

CALLING ALL ARTISANS: Are you an artist or craftsperson who would like to sell your art at our Holiday Fair? Start working now to have enough items ready for sale on 12/5.

PUT 12/5 ON YOUR CALENDAR: The Holiday Fair features locally made, unique items available for gift giving or personal collections – paintings, prints, jewelry, carvings, wooden art, greeting cards, paper goods, home decor, clothing items, holiday decorations, and more. You can also purchase live evergreen trees, holiday swags for your door or table, baked goods, preserves, candy, snacks, a light lunch. There will also be a re-giftables section of less expensive items so that children can buy small gifts for relatives and friends.

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED: We will need folks to post flyers around town, bakers, kitchen workers, greeters, cashiers, people to make evergreen swags, folks to set up and take down tables, and people to help the artisans. The Holiday Fair is one of our major fundraisers for the Fellowship. You can be a part of it. Come join the fun.

Contact: Bonnie Morihara

Ministerial Search Cottage Meetings, 9/20

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The Ministerial Search Committee will be hosting several small “Cottage Meetings” of 8-12 people each. We want you to have the opportunity to tell us in person how you view the congregation currently and what qualities you would like in our next minister. This important input from YOU will inform the Congregational Profile we publish to UUA ministers and help us find our best match. Each meeting will last an hour and be facilitated by two Search Committee members. Meetings will be offered at these times:

  • Sundays 9/20 – 10/18 in the Sanctuary at 11:45am
  • Tuesday, 9/22 in the Sanctuary at 7pm
  • Zoom meeting on 9/24 at 7pm
  • Zoom meeting on 9/28 at 6pm.

We will also be hosting meetings for focus or affinity groups (e.g. parents, Board members, Queerly Beloveds) – these will be scheduled later.

To help us plan, please consider signing up in advance on the clipboards in the lobby on Sundays or by using this RSVP form. (https://uufc.breezechms.com/form/search_cottage_26)
We will make every effort to accommodate you even if you forget to sign up, or your plans change. Showing up to a meeting is better than not showing up at all. We would love to hear from everyone! Please fill out the Congregational Survey as well. (https://forms.gle/cRfurPUXLKyXq4vE7) Both are needed!
Thank you for taking an active part in the life of our Fellowship. The future of our beloved community depends on it!

OSU International Moms Group Needs Childcare Assistance

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The International Moms Group is open to all international moms in the community (both OSU affiliated and non-OSU affiliated) at any stage of parenting. The mission of the group is to educate, empower, and encourage international mothers on their parenting journey. The vision of the group is to create an encouraging community for international moms to be healthy, thriving parents; to empower international moms to make healthy and informed decisions that will impact the health and well-being of their children and whole family; and to help the community and future generations appreciate diverse cultures.

The International Moms Group is looking for female volunteers in their childcare room from 9am to 12pm on Wednesdays at Orchard Court Community Center at 3405 NW Orchard Ave, Corvallis, OR 97330. The children’s playroom is just in the next room where presentations are taking place. Childcare allows for the international moms to attend and be fully engaged in the sessions.

For cultural reasons, the IMG is seeking only female childcare volunteers. If you are interested and able to help with this community building need, please send an email to Sandy Goeke, the International Moms Group Coordinator, internationalmomsgroup@gmail.com, to obtain more information.

This request came to Russ Karow from Adria Buncal with the OSU Office of International Services. The UUFC has partnered with OIS on other activities and events in the past.

Settled Minister Search: Break Barriers, Build Beliefs Workshop, 10/24

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SAVE THE DATE! Please join us for the Break Barriers, Build Beliefs (B4) Workshop on Oct. 24 from 9:00am – 2:30pm. This two‑session experience (with lunch!) helps us notice and address bias as we prepare for ministerial search. It will be facilitated by Rev. Eric Kaminetsky. All are welcome; Search Committee and Board attendance is expected. Beforehand, we will send out a B4 Beliefs Survey and collect RSVPs. Thanks for planning to help us in this good work!

Help put the chairs back!

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Our sanctuary has had an eventful week with an open floor, but now we need to put the chairs back before our Sunday worship service. If you are willing to lift chairs and come to the Fellowship at 9 AM this Sunday (Sep. 13) we need you! We would really appreciate it if you would also sign up here to tell us you’ll be helping. You may think that plenty of people will be available to help, but the few people who regularly show up early on Sundays have other responsibilities that are crucial to our worship; they won’t have time to also handle the chairs.

Arc and Vision

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Rev. Alex McGee, serving in role of Interim Minister

The Universalist minister, author, and seminary president Gordon McKeeman used to remind those of us who knew him that we might as well learn to get along together now here on Earth, since we are going to be together in heaven.

I used to think he meant that metaphorically. But, the last time I saw him, when he was getting ready to move away to live with his adult kids in his elder years, he said to me: “I look forward to seeing you.” I replied with confusion and curiosity: “Oh, are you coming back to visit Charlottesville? I’ll be moving away, too.” He replied with a sparkle in his eye: “No, but I’ll be seeing you.” It took my breath away for a moment, and then I smiled quietly with him. And he smiled back.

Indeed, this life-long journey of learning to get along is a true human pilgrimage. What higher calling can there be? I think that you as a congregation have many rich opportunities in the coming year to grow together into what it means to live into conflict and repair together. So many of you have told me of the beloved community you find here and how you hope to be your best selves together. But what does that look like? I encourage you to ask a fellow member what it looks like to them.

At this moment in September, 2026, here at the UU Fellowship of Corvallis, I see so much richness: a brilliantly designed Religious Exploration program; an eager new membership team; a strong and responsive Facilities Council; organized and caring planning teams for the Mens and Womens Retreats; a smart, centered, and grounded Search Committee; a steady Sunday morning Kitchen Ministry, and so much more.

At the same time, I hear so much pain as people grieve the loss of David and Lauren Servias in the role of Music Director and Pianist. I hear confusion about what messaging has gone out through formal and informal channels. I hear questions about what can be known and not known. I apologized during the Sunday service on August 23 for my August 17 letter, in which I did not fully honor the deep sense of family that you all have experienced here and for the timing of the choir’s start. They announced their departure during worship on August 16, before I had responded to them about their resignation letters. I accepted their resignations for the date they gave on Sept 30, and I set their final work day for August 30, to align with the start of a new church year. Beyond this information, I am bound by respect and legality to not discuss details of personnel matters. 

Looking ahead, Steven Evans-Renteria will be with us each Sunday morning — twice a month leading the choir, other Sundays engaging the congregation and sharing his vocal gifts in other ways. We will have guest pianists in the coming weeks, until an interim pianist is hired. 

In times of uncertainty, human nature often grasps for things that are familiar. Yet, ancient wisdom tells us that a soft hold allows for new creativity. That is why I encouraged the congregation to try a “soft hands” meditation a few weeks ago. This is not a substitute for grief. Grief has its own place. Hence, the messy swirl of change involves looking back and looking forward at the same time.

But, how to stay centered in the midst of all of this? How to regulate one’s own emotions, so that one can access reason, and then move to resolving things? Last Sunday, Rev. Leslie read from the Tao Te Ching about the mind needing time to settle, like mud settling and clearing. In the Time for All Ages last week, I rang a bell for the kids and invited them to notice how long they could hear the sound — this calls a person to the present moment. In the sermon, I described the yogic tool of using 12 fingerpads to count 12 breaths. Peacemakers need a tool kit for cultivating calm — what is in yours? Peace and calm are not the absence of action, but a precursor to effective response.

I have had many meaningful conversations with individuals or small groups in the past few weeks in which we grappled with questions such as: Distinguishing between intent and impact. Distinguishing between asking for accountability or making accusations. Distinguishing between secrecy and confidentiality. Balancing a sense of family with the needs of an institution. These nuances are alive in many areas of the Fellowship and I encourage you to find wise moments to explore these with others.

You as a congregation need to give clear messages to the Search Committee about who you are and what you are growing toward, so that they can explain your identity clearly to candidates, so those candidates can make sound choices about whether they are a good fit. Please see the wonderful article in this Journal about the Search Committee’s service to you.

With care,
Rev. Alex McGee

Rev. Alex can be reached at rev.alex.mcgee@uucorvallis.org and you can learn more about her hours and contact info here.