The Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Corvallis
Help care for the UU Grounds – time for spring mulching!
We have a large pile of shredded bark mulch that we are sharing with the Zen Center. Many hands will make light work! Please join us on Monday May 19 and Monday May 26, 3-5 PM at the Fellowship.
Questions? Contact Joyce with this form.
We plan to have a “Welcome Back to the Classroom Wing” Open House Celebration on Sunday July 6 – so we need more help on the following days:
PLEASE SIGN UP on the sheets on the Foyer table or
contact Wolfgang Dengler.
Working together, we can accomplish this final push – thanks!
The UUFC choir, under the direction of Steven Evans-Renteria, presents a service of beautiful music with readings and contemplation, to nurture us inside and out. With the added artistry of Lauren Servias at the piano and George Beekman on percussion, and Rev. Jill McAllister in support. Come ready to indulge and appreciate, then stay afterward for our Annual Meeting – all UUFC members are needed and encouraged to attend.
Our Annual Meeting is this Sunday May 18 at noon. In it, all members present participate in the essential business of sustaining the Fellowship. This is one of the main ways we live up to and live out our commitments to democratic ways of governance. And, it is one of the primary responsibilities of membership. What are some of the other responsibilities of membership?
Membership means taking your religious life seriously, helping to sustain the life of the Fellowship, and supporting it with time, talent and money according to your own means and needs.
Membership means being present and accountable in this vital, dynamic congregation, joining hundreds of others as we work for justice, nurture freedom of thought and religious expression, advocate for the worth and dignity of every human being, and dedicate ourselves to environmental stewardship.
Membership is required for taking part in the governance of the Fellowship – electing the Board of Directors who are charged with overseeing policies and finances for the health and wellbeing of the congregation, renewing and changing bylaws when needed. Membership is required for serving on the Board and for being eligible to vote at official congregational meetings. Members receive the UUA World, the bi-annual journal of the Unitarian Universalist Association.
In all of these ways, and more, being a member of the Fellowship is a source of fulfillment, of learning and growth, and of making a difference. I look forward to seeing you at the Annual Meeting.
Recently, a small group of Fellowship members spent several weeks crafting their elevator speeches about Unitarian Universalism. That is, they worked on how they might best describe UUism to someone in the time it takes to move between floors on an elevator. UUs often find it easier to describe what we aren’t rather than what we are, and many of us are inclined to be rather wordy, so it was no small task. And the task is never done.
The point of the elevator speech is to know what to say on the fly, so it takes practice! If you see any of these brave souls at coffee hour, help them keep their skills sharp by asking to hear their elevator speech.
A few of them will be sharing their speech in an upcoming Sunday service to hopefully inspire you to consider what you might say, if asked, “What the heck is Unitarian Universalism, anyway?” Do you have a go-to answer? If so, Skyla wants to hear it!
We will be climbing Vineyard Mountain from the Lewisburg Saddle along NW Sulphur Springs Rd. (Corvallis). To carpool, meet at the UUFC parking lot @9:30 AM. We will meet at the Lewisburg Saddle Trailhead at 9:45 AM, and we will start hiking @ 10:00 AM.
Starting at the Lewisburg Saddle, our route will include the Vineyard Mountain Trail and portions of Dave’s Trail and Nettleton Road (#500). Hike length is approx. 3.3 miles. Elevation Gain is approx. 530 feet
Please RSVP for this hike using the button below!
A Call To Justice – The 2025 Collins Lecture from the Ecumenical Ministries of Oregon
Thursday, May 29, 2025
Pendleton Center for the Arts, Pendleton, OR
Also online
Tickets are $25
The lecture “will explore the duty and responsibility of faith leaders to protect the human rights of all people and what that looks like specifically for our LGBTQIA2S+ neighbors. Our guest speakers from the faith community will share their unique perspectives on LGBTQIA2S+ rights. Following a brief presentation from each speaker, they will engage in a facilitated question and answer session.”
For more information, and to reserve tickets, visit https://emoregon.org/event/2025-collins-lecture/.
The Annual Meeting of the UUFC will be held on Sunday, May 18. Members may sign in following the service, and the meeting will commence at noon. All UUFC members are asked and encouraged to attend! The Annual Meeting is where members vote on Fellowship matters, such as election of the Board of Directors, affirming the annual budget, and changing the Bylaws. If you are a member of the Fellowship and want to participate in its democratic governance, this is the meeting to attend!
Here is the Agenda:
Members may choose to attend the meeting on Zoom, rather than in person. In-person attendance is greatly preferred, as Zoom can fail in multiple ways. Zoom attendees will vote using the polling tool built into Zoom. PLEASE NOTE: IF YOU ARE UNCOMFORTABLE USING ZOOM OR UNSURE IF YOU WILL BE ABLE TO USE THE ZOOM POLLING TOOL, PLEASE MAKE PLANS TO ATTEND IN PERSON.
Per the Fellowship Bylaws, one-fourth of current members must be present at the meeting to form a quorum. Motions pass on majority approval of those members present and voting, except for motions on ‘momentous issues’ as defined in Article III Section 5 of the Bylaws. Amending the Fellowship Bylaws is one such momentous issue, and will require a three-fourths majority of members present and voting to approve.
Some items that will be up for vote have already been announced. Read more about them through the links below.
Nominating Committee Slate for 2025-26: https://uucorvallis.org/nominating-committee-slate-for-2025-26/
Affirmative Nondiscrimination Statement: https://uucorvallis.org/updated-affirmative-nondiscrimination-statement/
A huge THANK YOU! to the 30 volunteers who painted 8 classrooms and halls with 50 gallons of paint! We are making great progress right on schedule.
Phase 2 indoor painting will start in June after Gerding Construction Company moves out and all the new sprinkler pipes have been painted by a professional painter. We also will be stain-painting the exterior of the classroom wing as the weather warms up.
Check out the photos on the display in the Foyer and please sign up when the next round of help requests happen.
The South Corvallis Food Bank is feeling the loss of funding for food to provide to Corvallis/Benton County hungry neighbors. Below are lists of foods that are especially needed. You can bring food donations to the UUFC on Sundays. There are two baskets to the left as you enter Foyer. If you want to deliver to the Food Bank yourself we ask that you please put “UUFC” put in the ‘received from’ field on the receipt.
Can we aim for 100 to 500 pounds of food this month?
Thank you! from the Secure Housing and Food for All Justice Team.
High-Priority Items:
Staple Foods:
Personal Care:
Pet Supplies: Dog and cat food
The Food Bank cannot accept bulk or home-canned items, or items without labels.
The Food Bank is located in South Gate Plaza.
Address: 1800 SW 3rd St #110, Corvallis, OR 97333
Open Mondays and Wednesdays 1 – 3 PM, Thursdays 5 – 7 PM, and Saturdays 10 AM – 12 PM.
They could use more volunteers!