There is no way to include everything we’ve done together, but I want to begin a list here. And perhaps a better way to describe it is who we’ve been together….
We renewed the mission of the Fellowship – Explore, Love, Act — and birthed the Council structure from the mission. The Justice Council took form, we began to work collaboratively, and our impacts increased. Stewardship increased. We professionalized more of our staff. We renewed our pastoral care structures and created the Fellowship Care and Support Team. We divested from fossil fuels and invested in local solar energy projects. We continued a partnership with Unitarians in Transylvania and increased our global connections to the Philippines and Burundi. We welcomed and supported refugees from Burundi and El Salvador. We became a Sanctuary Church. We created the Justice Outreach Fund to make grants, and leveraged one of those grants to help create Unity Shelter. We created an Emergency Aid Fund. We invited and enjoyed UU singer-songwriters. We welcomed Kirtan as a form of worship at the Fellowship, and later Dance Planet. We collaborated with a local Zen Buddhist sangha, then sold them the house next door and became neighbors and partners.
We re-started project to renovate and expand our buildings; in a successful capital campaign we raised more than 2 million dollars. We allowed ourselves to change course in the building project several times, for good reasons, and finally we have completed the renovation of our classroom wing. The Grounds Stewards program increased creativity and participation on our grounds and began a process of strategic planning. WE SURVIVED THE PANDEMIC. We became much more technologically diverse. We made commitments to Equity, Diversity and Inclusion and sought training to learn more skills toward anti-racism and multi-culturalism. We became more intentional about strengthening inter-generational connections. Together we learned new ways to tend to grief, and depression. In worship we focused on annual themes including Faithfulness, Courage, Deepening, World Religions, and more. We created connect-up activities and groups. We welcomed new members. We gathered to share the sadness of deaths among us. We weathered conflicts and learned to focus on right relations. We created a disruptive behavior policy, a Right Relations Team, and a new Covenant of Right Relations. We partnered with the Mid-Willamette Valley Trans Network. We looked forward to, and appreciated, our Sunday music and musicians, weekly flower arrangements, and the ministry of our coffee crews. We reviewed what worship means to us……. And so much more. What do you remember and appreciate?
