PAST SERMONS
Starting in the Fall of 2023 we began posting the Weekly Announcements on the website, which included summaries of the sermons. If you are looking for sermons from before what we have here, you might check the Weekly Announcements Archives.
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“My Unitarianism” 9/29/25
Our visiting Partner Church minister, Rev. Katalin Szasz-Cserey has served two village congregations in Transylvania – Bozod Korispatak and Firtosmartonos – for 23 years. She also teaches religion in a Unitarian High School in a nearby city. She’ll preach from her tradition on what it means to be a Transylvanian Unitarian. Following the service, all are invited to share in the ceremonial moving of our Memorial Garden. We’ll gather around the current garden, to remember those came before us, then we’ll move some of that soil around the building to the new Memorial Garden. Rev. Szazs-Cserey will help us dedicate the new garden and the Corvallis version of a traditional Transylvanian Szekely Gate we are building there, in honor of our long congregational partnership.
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“Our Transylvanian Roots” 9/22/24
‘Transylvania’ generally conjures images of werewolves and campy movies, but it’s a real and beautiful place with an incredible history, especially for Unitarians around the world. For it was in Transylvania (now part of Romania) that the concept of religious freedom made a bold and courageous entry into European Christianity, and helped inform ideas about freedom that seem obvious to us today. We welcome our partner church minister, Rev. Katalin Szasz-Cserey to Corvallis, and begin her visit by learning more about our Transylvanian roots.
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“Ancestors, Descendants, and Us” 9/15/24
“Where do we come from? What are we? Where are we going?” These words from the 19th century French artist Paul Gaugin provide the basis for our theme for this year – “Ancestors, Descendants and Us.” The theme is an invitation to consider the most basic religious question – How Shall We Live?- from new perspectives, both together and as individuals. Join us as we begin our exploration of this invitation.
RE “Spirit Play” Sessions for Children and Youth begin today; in the service we’ll send our children and their guides off to begin their new sessions with love and gratitude. -
“Joining of the Waters” 9/8/24
As the summer moves toward autumn we begin a new church year with the ‘Joining of the Waters’ ceremony.
We look to the West, the direction of autumn and water, and remember these gifts of the turning earth. In this inter-generational service, each person is invited to bring a SMALL amount of water from a place important to you, whether from your home tap or a place you have visited and loved, to add to the bowl of many waters.With Susan Sanford.
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No Sunday Service, 9/1
There will be no Sunday morning service this week, September 1, 2024. We take this small pause between summer and autumn, a chance to rest before starting a new church year.
There are two other chances to join with Fellowship folks this weekend: the Pop-Up Parking Lot Rummage Sale on Saturday August 31, 10 am – 1 PM, and the annual Tuna Roast and Potluck Picnic at Lions Shelter in Avery Park, with gathering beginning at 4 PM, tuna and the big buffet starting a 5 PM. A few volunteers are still welcome. See you there!
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“Can We Be Prepared?” 8/25/24
The unexpected is completely common, and we try to prepared for a variety of possible events – earthquakes, fires, ice storms, tsunamis, power outages, births and deaths, new love and break-ups, aging and related losses, political upheaval(?) and so much more. Statistics (what might happen) and logistics (possible responses) are something, but not everything and maybe not even the most important. What does it mean to be prepared?
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“A Larger View” 8/18/24
Among the many things we know (and think we know) is that we are part of a Life which is much more than our individual selves. Understanding what this means is one of the fundamental religious questions. Understanding how to live with what this means is a foundation for spiritual practice. What is involved, for each of us?
with Rev. Jill McAllister
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“Making the Invisible Visible” – 8/11/24
Our UUFC mission statement begins with “We gather as an inclusive religious community…” And we do our best to be welcoming to all who come. And, we still have lots to learn about what broad inclusion really means, and needs, and looks like. We’re at the beginning of a new collaboration with ARC of Benton County, and look forward to learning more today from ARC staff member Misha Marie and Board President John Gottchall, about the work of ARC, serving and supporting people with Developmental Disabilities.
Please join us. The service will be indoors today. Following the Sunday Service, at 2 PM, please join in the Celebration of Life for Louise Ferrell. Those wishing to join online may do so by using the regular Sunday Service link.
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Lughnasadh – First Harvest 8/4/2024
Lughnasadh, or Lammas, is the point on the Wheel of the Year which celebrates the beginning of harvest season — a time of ripening fruits and fields, a time of abundance, a time to give thanks. Join us to once again be reminded of the seasons and gifts of the earth here in the Willamette Valley. For all gardeners – bring some of your harvest to share, if you like — zuchinni, basil, first apples? If you’re not a gardener, blackberry season has begun – bring some to share!
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“Living In End Times” 7/28/24
Rev. Jen Youngsun Ryu Minister, UU Church in Eugene From Christian fundamentalist to climate scientists, people around the world believe that we are living in the end times. But isn’t the world always ending? Don’t we live between the end of one thing and the beginning of another?Pulpit exchanges between ministers and congregations are a long-time tradition in UUism. This week we welcome Rev. Jennifer Youngsun Ryu, minister of the UU Church in Eugene, OR, to the Fellowship, while Rev. Jill McAllister will be traveling to the Eugene congregation. Rev. Jen was born in Seoul, grew up in Toledo, became a UU in Baltimore, and went to seminary in Berkeley. She has served congregations in Virginia and Oregon and is a also a certified hospital chaplain.
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“Housing, Shelter, and Deservedness” 7/21/24
The world’s problems are local as much as global. Members of our Secure Housing and Food For All team work locally on issues of food, shelter and housing, right here and right now. They’ll help us welcome our speaker — Fellowship member Andrea Myhre who is the Executive Director of Corvallis Housing First. Andrea has helped change the landscape in Corvallis around with regard to homelessness, and she has much to share with us.
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“Imagine Peace” 7/14/24
What does PEACE mean to you? no war? Good relations with your neighbors? a life with enough for everyone? Join us as several Fellowship members, including Bill Glassmire, Molly Curry and Joyce Federiuk, share their understandings of peace and why we need to give more attention to it. Rev. Monica Jacobson Tennessen joins us to host the service.
Join us outside on the Fellowship back lawn this Sunday.
SUNDAY SERVICE VIDEOS
We have saved videos from most of the services from the past several years. Occasionally a service video doesn’t get recorded, or saved. If you can’t find a on the YouTube playlists, it might be in the Facebook live stream videos.
YouTube Playlist – Services from 2024
Facebook Livestream has videos of all the services that were livestreamed on Facebook (which is almost all of them). If you can’t find a particular service on the YouTube Playlist, it probably just hasn’t been added yet, but there is a good chance you can find it in the Facebook livestream videos.
YouTube Playlist – Services from 2023
Service Videos (January 2020 – March 2023): The link opens a pdf of an older method of storing links to service videos, before we started uploading them to YouTube.