The Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Corvallis
Let’s explore the Crestmont Land Trust Area, see Marys River and the Fairy Circle!
Meet at the UUFC parking lot at 8:30 AM to carpool to the West Cardwell Hill trailhead: 24645 Cardwell Hill Dr, Philomath. We’ll gather at the trailhead at 8:45 and begin hiking at 9:00.
The hike will be approximately 3 miles with 250 ft. elevation gain. We’ll do a portion of the Cardwell Hill Loop trail. (https://www.alltrails.com/trail/us/oregon/cardwell-hill-loop) We’ll be on gravel roads mostly. Bring plenty of water and consider bringing an “offering” for the Fairy Circle.
Please RSVP by clicking the button below and filling out the form.
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?
Come try some Dabkeh folk dancing after the service on Sunday, July 13. Adriel Molk will be teaching Palestinian folk dances to all who join. Everybody who can walk, balance on one foot, and is willing to try footwork can join in the dances! This gathering is an opportunity to experience some Palestinian (and neighboring) cultures.
Contact Adriel Molk with questions.
Good news from the Fellowship Grounds Team! We have been awarded a “Jerry Paul Native Pollinator Conservation Grant” from Benton County Soil and Water Conservation District* and it will be used for a new pollinator garden along our East Boundary.
We have already begun planting native trees and shrubs in this area where the cedar trees were removed. The grant will provide funds for adding a bounty of flowering perennials – along with expert advice on how best to support our native bees.
There is much work to be done over the summer, planning the new garden and preparing the site for planting in the fall and winter. Please come to one of the work days we have scheduled and help this new garden take shape. Our goal is to create a place of beauty that will not only support our native pollinators, but will inspire us with ideas we can use in our own gardens. Garden Work parties at the UU on:
If you would like to help bring this new garden to life but can’t make any of these scheduled work parties, please email me of your interest and availability and we will figure out a way to include you. Thank you!
Joyce Federiuk
Grounds Stewards Team Leader
As you are doing your early summer house cleaning and find items you no longer need that have higher value and/or are antique in nature, please considering taking them to Beekman Place Antique Mall (601 SW Western Blvd, Corvallis, OR 97333) for consignment sale under the UUFC account. Once an item sells, the UUFC gets the money, minus a small consignment fee. We made over $1,000 in the past year on the sale of a piece of antique Native American jewelry donated by a UUFC member!
Please call Beekman before dropping items off to assure that they are interested – their number is (541) 753-8250. Their hours are Tuesday – Saturday, 11 AM – 5 PM and Sunday 12 – 5 PM. When you drop something off, just tell the person at the counter that it is for sale under the UUFC account.
Please contact Russ Karow if you have questions.
Greetings, UU Fellowship of Corvallis! I have been preparing to move across the country and thinking ahead about settling in there. When I join you in August to begin the interim ministry time, we will have many activities and opportunities for getting to know each other — some more serious, some more fun. I welcome your wisdom about the local area. To gather some of your insights, I’ve made a list of questions, such as your recommendation for a local mechanic, an easy day trip from Corvallis, and your favorite event in the annual life of the congregation. If it would be fun for you, please use the survey form linked below to answer my questions. I look forward to learning more about you and Corvallis!
Rev. Alex McGee
It’s “Clean-It-Up and Move-It-All-Back” time for the classroom wing! We need one more round of help! Now that volunteer painting is finished (thank you, everyone!) and the professional painters have completed their tasks, we need to plan the next steps:
Volunteer to help with room-by-room cleaning on July 16, 17, 18, doing the following:
Each cleaning day has multiple 2-hour shifts:
We’d like to get four people per shift! Teams of 2 make for easier window removal!
Volunteer to help with various installation projects July 21 – 31. Projects include:
We will schedule when you are available !
Contact Wolfgang Dengler through Breeze to sign up, or sign up using the sheets on the table in the Foyer.
