Best Practices with Service Animals

Part of being a safe and welcoming community for everyone who chooses to be in covenant with us is learning about how to be awesome with service animals when they are present. Curious about best practice when you encounter a service animal out and about? We’ve got you covered!

  1. Notice when an animal is in a service vest, signaling that it is not a pet, but a working companion.
  2. Ask the human how the service dog helps them and get permission before interacting with the service dog.
  3. Speak directly to the human, not the service dog.
  4. Give extra personal space to the service dog and its person.
  5. Always assume the service dog is busy working, not off duty.

More information is available from Guide Dogs of America to deepen your understanding and skills. Thanks for helping us live our values of inclusivity!

Time to Set Up your ’25-’26 Pledge Fulfillment

Thank you to all who pledged to support the UUFC in 2025-26. That support enables our Fellowship to pursue its mission: Explore. Love. Act. We gather as an inclusive religious community to search for meaning, build deep connections, and inspire action toward a better world for all.

Fiscal Year 2025-26 begins on July 1st, and it is now time for Step 2 in the stewardship process: updating your contribution payment method and assigning it to Pledge ‘25-’26. If you authorized us -– the UUFC treasurer or business manager – to update your pledge payment in Breeze, that is being done.

If you chose to do the update yourself, please do so by July 1, but wait until after your final pledge payment for ’24-’25 has completed. Instructions on how to do the update can be viewed by clicking the button below, but if you need additional help, email <treasurer@uucorvallis.org> or <businessmgr@uucorvallis.org>.

A final ask: please email <treasurer@uucorvallis.org> once you have updated your pledge, saying that you have done so.

Thank you.
Michael Hughes <treasurer@uucorvallis.org>

UU-owned goody stand supports Linn-Benton Food Share

Buy treats from a local UU-owned goody stand to support Linn-Benton Food Share (LBFS)! Holley Lantz, Donn Zellet and Nora Cohen operate a goody stand selling homemade jams, old-fashioned fudge, and scrumptious chewy oatmeal chocolate chip cookies. This is the 17th year they have sold treats to benefit the food bank. They donate all proceeds to LBFS, and last year raised $1,024! Your purchases of jam, fudge, and cookies make a difference! LBFS is filling a critical need feeding more and more people who can’t stretch dollars far enough.

The goody stand is at 2921 NW Ashwood Drive – a small “C”-shaped street halfway between Circle and Walnut west off 29th – at the top of the driveway. It’s always open! Goodies are sold on the honor system. Leave cash or check (made out to LeoNora Cohen) in an envelope in the upper right cubbie. Take change if you need it.

Fudge and cookies cost $1 per piece, 6 for $5. Jam is $7 for one jar, or $6 per jar for multiples.

The fudge is made by Holley Lantz from a 1946 recipe. It is grainy like your grandma used to make and is deep, dark chocolatey goodness! Donn makes the most delicious, large chewy oatmeal cookies full or chocolate bits, cranberries and raisins. Cookies and fudge will be available June 8 or earlier. The jam is made in small batches by Nora Cohen in her kitchen. There are multiple flavors available:

Strawberry Mango (Shuksan U-pick strawberries, frozen mango)
Italian Plum (from Nora’s trees)
Apricot
Fig (from Nora’s tree) with toasted walnuts, honey, fresh ginger and cinnamon
Sweet Cherry and Mango
Strawberry-Red Currant
Blueberry

The selling season ends August 15!
And thank you for returning jars and rings.

RE Summer Newsletter

Greetings, Families!

We made it through another fabulous Fellowship year! 🙌 With some of your favorite RE activities on summer hiatus, you might be wondering what other opportunities are coming for children, youth, and families. Well, wonder no more!

Grab your calendars and get ready for summer goodness you won’t want to miss!

SUMMER EVENTS for FAMILIES

6/8 Family Hike at Lewisburg Saddle, 1-2PM, register here

6/23-27 Play to Your Values summer camp, 8:30 to 11:30 on the Fellowship Lawn

6/29 Corvallis Knights Game, 5-8ish at Goss Stadium, register here

7/6 Sunday Morning Kids’ Lemonade Stand, during and after the service

7/13 Family Hike at Fitton Green, 1-2PM, register here

8/3 Sunday Morning Sidewalk Chalk Values, during the service for kids

8/10 Family Hike and Splash at Mary’s River Natural Area, 1-3PM register here

8/16 Outdoor movie night and camping on the lawn, 9PM register here

8/24 Ice Cream Social, 7PM on Fellowship Lawn, register here

SUMMER EVENT for YOUTH

8/24 Youth kickoff river float, noon to whenever, register here

More information about our events can be found below, and info for all events  can be found at uucorvallis.org by clicking “News” in the menu bar and then selecting “RE Council” from the drop down menu.

The second Sunday of each month, June through August, we’ll be hosting a family hike. We ask that families preregister so that we know who to wait for at the trailhead, and hikes with fewer than 2 registered families will be canceled via text.

We’ll be starting with Lewisburg Saddle and a little visit to the spot my family calls Salamander Heaven because there are tons of salamanders to see. Then we’ll hit Fitton Green in July. We’ll wrap up the summer with a short walk followed by a splash in a bend in the river that has shallows for little humans and a deeper pool for our confident swimmers on the back side of Mary’s River Natural Area. 

Exciting news! The youth will have a dedicated youth room in September and they’ve chosen a wild accent wall to paint themselves. We will begin painting this Sunday and continue on Sundays until the job is done. Please have youth arrive in clothes that can get paint on them.

On the first Sunday of each month, we will have a multiage activity for the kids. In July, we’ll prepare a lemonade stand again to raise money for the charitable organization that the children vote to give to. In August, we’ll spend some time on the playground talking about our shared values and what they mean to us, and then sidewalk chalk the heck out of firwood entrance with 6 word statements about our values.

If you’re nervous about having the kids in the sanctuary again, know that you’ll have relief on the first Sunday of each month!

In addition to hikes and during-service activities, we have a couple of night time activities that are open to the entire congregation, and geared specifically toward families.

On June 29th, we’ll have a ballpark night with the Knights. Buy a ticket and join us in section 2 so we can sing and cheer and eat junk together. Register for that event HERE.

And on August 16th, we’re going to show the classic My Girl on an outdoor movie screen and you’re invited to camp on the lawn and show up to the service in your jammies the next day. Registration for the movie night with camping is HERE. You do not have to camp to come enjoy the movie!

It’s been so much fun getting to know your children over the course of this last year. They are delightful in all the ways and it’s the biggest honor to get to spend time with them week after week and get to know their quirks and gifts. 

Thank you for raising such amazing humans and for being committed to doing it in community!


Before you go, some parents have requested to be contacted about RE happenings via text. Our church management software allows for that, but only once you’ve opted in. If you are interested in receiving things like this newsletter via text, please use this form to opt into that service. And please communicate with me about how it’s going if you opt in. Breeze can be a bit fussy, so this will be a new experiment. I’ll be counting on your feedback!
 
And as always, if you’d like to stop receiving updates about Fellowship RE activities, email me and let me know.
 
Happy June, Y’all! 

Help! 160 local people losing shelter

Oregon’s homeless shelters face a potential funding crisis if timely action isn’t taken. With the state budget deadline approaching on June 18 (or June 29 if there is an emergency declaration), your advocacy is critical to ensure shelters can continue operating without interruption starting July 1.

An update on Unity Shelter Funding

As some of you may have seen in multiple news outlets, or from our social media, Unity Shelter is at a critical point. While we have been solidly funded for the past 2 years by the State of Oregon, changes in the federal funding landscape are likely to cause challenges to the State’s ability to maintain the level of funding we’ve had in previous years. Click below to read a note from our Executive Director about how we’re responding and the changes to Unity Shelter operations.

Click Here for a funding update

Unity Shelter needs your advocacy! How to Advocate for Shelter Funding in Corvallis: A Guide for Action

The Urgency: Why Your Voice Matters Now

Oregon’s homeless shelters face a potential funding crisis if timely action isn’t taken. With the state budget deadline approaching on June 18 (or June 29 if there is an emergency declaration), your advocacy is critical to ensure shelters can continue operating without interruption starting July 1.

In Corvallis, if emergency shelter is closed, at least 160 individuals will be impacted by the closure of 3 Unity Shelter programs alone: Two congregate shelters and our emergency hoteling shelter.

Understanding the Legislation at Stake

Two bills are particularly important to Oregon’s shelter system:

HB 5011: This budget bill funds Oregon Housing and Community Services (OHCS), including essential shelter funding. Currently in Ways and Means Committee, this bill directly impacts whether shelters receive timely funding.
HB 3644: A policy bill directing OHCS to establish a coordinated shelter system by mid-2026. While this does have long-term implications, it’s not connected to our immediate funding concerns.

Follow the bill and see the full text here:  HB5011 2025 Regular Session – Oregon Legislative Information System

Step-by-Step Advocacy Guide

Step 1: Contact Key Decision-Makers

The most effective action right now is contacting members of the Ways and Means Committee, particularly those on the Transportation and Economic Development Subcommittee who review the OHCS budget.

Who to Contact:

Step 2: Craft Your Message

When contacting legislators, emphasize these key points:

  • Continuity of Services: Explain how any funding gap would force shelters to close in July, leaving vulnerable Oregonians without critical services
  • Community Impact: Describe specific impacts on your local community if shelter funding is delayed (Remember – closing shelters means an additional 160 people outside, including children and the elderly. The city’s current practice of posting and clearing camps means that folx are perpetually dislocated. The data is clear that this is a harmful practice, see this article as just one example of recent research on the topic.) In addition to the impact to those without shelter, 40 people will be laid off.
  • Urgency for Distribution: Stress the need for not just approval but rapid distribution of funds once approved

Step 3: Mobilize Your Network

  • Share this information broadly and encourage advocacy!

Step 4: Follow the Process

  • Monitor committee hearings and votes on HB 5011
  • Stay connected with OHCS’s workgroup on “continuation” funding for shelters
  • Be prepared to provide testimony if public comment periods are available

Stay Informed

  • OHCS is aware of the critical timing issues and has established a workgroup focused on continuation funding for shelters
  • Follow updates from providers like Unity Shelter about budget developments

Remember: Your Advocacy Makes a Difference

Legislators need to understand the real-world consequences of funding decisions. Your specific examples of why this matters to you and how shelters impact our community are powerful tools for effective advocacy.

Sample Advocacy Message

Subject: Urgent Support Needed for Shelter Funding in HB 5011

Dear Representative/Senator [Name],

I’m writing regarding HB 5011, which contains critical funding for Oregon’s homeless shelters through Oregon Housing and Community Services.

Our emergency shelter organization, Unity Shelter, serves over 1,200 unique individuals annually, providing essential safety and support. Without timely funding at the start of the fiscal year, we face the possibility of service closure beginning July 1.

This would mean [include something about the specific impact this would have on our community – like, 160 individuals, including families with children, would lose emergency housing options in our community, 40 employees will be laid off.]

I urge you to:

  1. Support full funding for shelter services in HB 5011
  2. Prioritize rapid implementation to prevent any funding gaps in July
  3. Recognize shelters as essential human services requiring funding continuity

I appreciate your consideration and your care for our most vulnerable citizens.

Sincerely,
[Your name]
[Organization, if applicable]
[Contact Information]

UUA Common Read

The UUFC became an official UUA Welcoming Congregation more than 3 decades ago. The Gender and Sexuality Justice Team is ready to lead UUFC in updating our status as a Welcoming Congregation that includes non-binary and transgender folks.

An important first step is for members of UUFC to read and discuss the UUA Common Read book for 2024-25 – Authentic Selves: Celebrating Trans and Nonbinary People and their Families. Please read the book and join a four-part discussion workshop led by Anya Ballinger and Jema Patterson. The meetings will take place from 6:30-8:00 PM in the UUFC Sanctuary on 7/15, 7/29, 8/12 and 8/26. Tell us you plan to participate by registering here: https://uufc.breezechms.com/form/a93a00

Authentic Selves, is a sweeping compilation of life stories and portraits of trans and nonbinary people, as well as their partners, parents, children, siblings, and chosen family members. This important new book was developed in collaboration with PFLAG National and Transgender Legal Defense & Education Fund.

Monthly Outreach Offerings for June

Our June outreach offerings will once again support Flaming Chalice International, the non-profit organization founded by Rev. Fulgence Ndagijimana to support Unitarians in Burundi and Rwanda. This year our contributions will provide microloans for young entrepreneurs, supplies to make school attendance possible for young children, university scholarships, a community center for four villages, and more. The Fellowship has been part of this partnership for more than ten years. Our help makes a difference in lives of many Burundians and in the health and growth of global UUism.

Sunday Services This Month

Feb. 2 “Where I’m From: Reflections on Black History” Rev. Jill McAllister
Feb. 9 “What Do You Know?” Rev. Jill McAllister
Feb. 16 “When Comfort Zone Principles Don’t Apply” Blaise Ntakarutimana (Kevin Shimineza)
Feb. 23 Special Guest Peter Mayer – UU Singer / Songwriter