Designed especially for newcomers seeking more information about UUism and the Fellowship AND open to all comers. 11:45 AM Room 6C. This week: Religious Exploration, with Dawn Dirks.
Join the “Secure Housing and Food for All” Team
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Our October Justice Outreach offerings will support the South Corvallis Food Bank. Their mission is to increase sustainable food security in Corvallis by providing emergency food boxes, information and opportunities with compassion and respect. Donations can be made in person on Sundays, or at uucorvallis.org/donate.
Information about the Monthly Outreach Offering, as well as about UUFC Justice Teams, is posted on the bulletin board at the northeast corner of the Social Hall. This month the South Corvallis Food Bank open hours and lists of needed food are on the Bulletin board in the Social hall for October.
Did you know that in addition to providing food the South Corvallis Food Bank has cooking demonstrations and recipes, collects cold weather items, diapers, personal care, and household items? Volunteer opportunities include helping shoppers, restocking, gleaning, assisting with incoming deliveries, driving for monthly home delivery. Youth ages 12 and up are welcome with their guardian’s permission.
Questions? Contact them at (541) 760-9382 or email info@southcorvallisfoodbank.org
Join the Secure Housing and Food for All team meeting at 11:30 am in the library after the Sunday Service Oct. 8 and have your questions answered (or researched) by the team working to provide food, clothing, housing, shelter, and volunteers to the unhoused in Corvallis/Benton County.
Pacific Western Region Cluster Con
Acting on our commitment to fostering cross-congregational youth connections, UUFC kicked off the new year by hosting a regional overnight for teens from Washington and Oregon with worship, arts, and small group exploration centered on this year’s theme, building a new way.
Special thanks to this event’s youth deans, Michi Araki, Kameko Araki, and Haven Christison, as well as supporting adults Mark Aron, Becca Bedell, Steve Ferrell, Brandon Abbott, Ryan McConnell, Tyson Bryant, and Anya Ballinger. You represented the spirit of our congregation beautifully and created a memorable weekend for all in attendance. Thank you!
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Daily Practice: A Weekly Reminder
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Autumn is a season of amazing contrasts. One could spend much of a day simply watching the sky. The colors of the clouds – from white to gray-brown to gray to dark deep blue-gray – all can be present at the same time. And when sunlight illumines red and yellow trees against the dark clouds – it is often breathtakingly beautiful. From cool rainy days to hot sunny days, as trees seem to turn colors overnight. Not to mention the sun on the trees against the clouds, which sometimes quickly turns to hail, which turns to sheets of rain, which eventually becomes a drizzle.
‘There is a deep kindness at the heart of everything,’ wrote John O’Donohue. I love that idea, yet the contrast with what seems like immense destructiveness – a collective insanity, a growing instability – is stark. I remind myself of the ying-yang symbol of Daoism, which illustrates the constant presence of and movement between dark and light, life and death, evil and good – all always present and interwoven.
Every day is unique; its unfolding cannot be slowed nor can its path be predicted. And, we always have the choice to begin again, to be open to the unfolding, to let ourselves be carried and to bring our best selves and highest ideals to whatever comes our way. And so may we greet each day: the clouds, the rain, the light, the colors, the beauty, the presence of evil and good. May we be thankful for the breath which is given to us again and again.
Not So Like-Minded After All
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It’s not uncommon for UU’s to note that they like being part of a congregation because they’re among “like-minded” people. It turns out, the more we learn about how brains function, and the more we listen to people instead of making assumptions about them, we’re not very like minded at all! What, then, do we offer one another for our religious lives?
Star Trek and UU
1st and 3rd Fridays from 6:30 – 8 PM, Room 7
October 2023 – mid April 2024
View and discuss how the TV Series Star Trek has portrayed social justice issues. Each evening we will watch an episode together and then discuss the relevant social justice themes from a Unitarian Universalist perspective.
Hosted by Amy Ayers
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Queerly Beloved October 2023
Sunday, October 15, 4-6 pm
Join LGBTQ+ folx and allies for social gatherings centered on queer issues and themes. We understand the importance of queer community, and our goal is to provide a safe space where people can find that sense of belonging right here in Corvallis. We meet monthly on the 3rd Sunday in the afternoon. All are welcome! Questions: connect@uucorvallis.org
October Gathering:
This month, Ginny and Jema will lead an open-ended discussion on the topic of “Coming Out”. In the safe space of our Queerly Beloved group let’s explore and share our experiences of the “stages” we may have gone through or are still going through. Vivienne Cass proposed that there are 6 Stages of Coming Out. Do we agree or would we add other stages?
Stages of coming out identified by Vivienne Cass:
- Identity confusion. In the first stage, identity confusion, the person is amazed to think of themselves as a queer person. …
- Denial. This is a sub-stage where one will deny homosexuality. …
- Identity comparison. …
- Identity tolerance. …
- Identity acceptance. …
- Identity pride. …
- Identity synthesis.
October Services
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October 1 – “Love As Spaciousness” with Rev. Jill McAllister. A new generation of UUs suggests articulating our values in new ways, beginning with Love at the Center
October 8 – “Not So Like-Minded After All” with Rev. Jill McAllister. We’re learning a lot about the real differences in how brains work – neurodiversity. Turns out we’re more different than we imagine.
October 15 – “What is Transformation?” with Rev. Jill McAllister. Have you ever experienced transformation? How is it part of religious and spiritual growth?
October 22 – “God Is Not One, Neither are We” with Rev. Jill McAllister. One of the unique characteristics of our religious movement is pluralism – the willingness to be different and be together at the same time.
October 29 – Wheel of the Year – All Ages – Samhain / Halloween
October 1, Braver and Wiser
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~Worship is our shared Unitarian Universalist practice of exploring, connecting to, and creating the ways
that our individual lives fit into a larger whole. Not all UUs share the same beliefs or opinions–our religious tradition doesn’t expect or require consensus—but our shared worship forms a vessel for us to find meaning together. By devoting ourselves to a regular time of encountering and engaging that which is greater, wiser, and more compassionate than our individual selves, we create opportunities for transformation and meaning-making. The UUA offers many resources for worship – for congregations, small groups, and for home practice. Find out more at uua.org/inspiration.
~Braver / Wiser — Courage and Compassion for Life as It Is : A weekly reflection from the UUA
Life is full of hard edges and complicated choices. Braver/Wiser gives you weekly message of courage and compassion for life as it is. Every Wednesday we deliver an original written reflection and brief prayer, grounded in Unitarian Universalism. Join the Braver/Wiser community and sign up today!
Justice Outreach Offering for October
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Our October Justice Outreach offerings will support the South Corvallis Food Bank which provides food for low-income families and those in need of emergency food services.
Information about the Monthly Outreach Offering as well as about UUFC Justice Teams is posted on the bulletin board at the northeast corner of the Social Hall or at uucorvallis.org/justice. .