The Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Corvallis
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Do you feel compelled to do something helpful at the UUFC? Greeters are an integral part of Fellowship life as we help set the stage for this welcoming community.
If you would like to bring your authentic self onto this Team, please either speak to the staff at the Greeters Desk on Sunday or contact the Team lead via this announcement. Get on the volunteer list!
The pre-school has moved into the Social Hall and Kitchen on weekdays. 7:30 AM – 5 PM. They also use the foyer for coming and going.
So far, they’re feeling comfortable about how the space works for their program. And together we are still figuring out some of the details. One big detail for us to be aware of: Fellowship groups do not have access to the kitchen on weekdays or evenings, EXCEPT for Fellowship events that make reservations to use the Social Hall and Kitchen on weeknights. For those events, moving of furniture and kitchen equipment is needed on both ends of the event, and that requires orientation and communication. Again, during this temporary change in building use, Fellowship events do not have access to the kitchen except by reservation and with orientation. Thanks for your help with this! Some permits are still under review for the work in the classroom wing, however work will begin on January 13, starting with asbestos abatement.
We Care is a local coalition of faith communities, businesses, foundations and other non-profit organizations which provides emergency assistance for Benton County residents. Each week, We Care helps people pay for rent, utilities, and other expenses to prevent evictions and homelessness or the shut-off of water or electricity. The Fellowship has long been a supporting partner.
Jan. 5 “Why Religion Matters, Now” Rev. Jill McAllister
Jan. 12 “Janus: Looking Back and Ahead” Rev. Jill McAllister
Jan. 19 “The Most Dangerous Man in America” Rev. Jill McAllister
Jan. 26 Wheel of the Year: Imbolc
It’s finally happening! The classroom wing is really, truly, actually closing this time. The doors are off most of the rooms, and Brian Egan has transformed the RE office into command central for the construction project. We are a go, people. This is not a drill. I repeat, this is not a drill.
Parents, we ask that you keep a close eye on your children while areas that feel familiar and welcoming to them are no longer safe for entry.
If you’re the parent of preschool or elementary aged kiddos, I encourage you to arrive early on Sunday to help your littles get familiar with the new setup.
STARTING THIS SUNDAY:
~Infants, toddlers, and preschool children will remain in the sanctuary. Additional toys have been added to the gallery, and I and several volunteers are more than happy to walk/distract willing wee ones during the service if you indicate an openness to that variety of support. We’re all in this together! Please communicate your needs!
~Grades K-5 will meet in the back of the social hall, behind the accordion doors.
~Middle and high school students will meet in the library.
Construction can’t keep us down! We have lots of great reasons to gather in the coming months, so pull out your phones and mark your calendars.
JANUARY EVENTS for FAMILIES
1/12 Family Breakfast, 8:45-9:45
1/16 Parent Peer Support Group, 6:30-8PM
UPCOMING EVENTS for YOUTH
1/18 -19 OWL kickoff overnight
2/15-16 Eugene Aromantic Ball and overnight
3/14-16 Coast Retreat
More information for all family events can be found at uucorvallis.org by clicking “News” in the menu bar and then selecting “RE Council” from the drop down menu. Registration and event details for youth gatherings will arrive in parent inboxes 2-4 weeks prior to the event.
With the Our Whole Lives program (OWL) for middle schoolers returning for the first time since 2019, many Fellowship parents are seriously reflecting on how best to discuss matters of sex, sexuality, body changes, and identity with their kids.
Even if your child is not old enough for the OWL program, we have plenty of resources to offer you!
We want our parents to feel well supported, not just with peer groups and pastoral care, but with concrete resources that you can access as the need arises. If you have questions about the check out process, or ideas about other supportive resources we should add to our library, email me or find me on a Sunday morning so we can chat.
I cannot remember the last time I ventured into the classroom wing and did not find Wolfgang hard at work hauling, boxing, or building custom storage shelves to fit our exact needs. Talk about love in action! If you see him around, give that man a big thank you!
YOU CAN HELP!
Once the construction company is done, there will be some finishing touches to make as a community before we can move back in. This means opportunities to bring the whole family to help revitalize our newly secured building. How exciting is it that you’ll have a chance to leave your fingerprints on this piece of Fellowship history? From painting and trim work to unboxing, I’m sure the needs will be great. Please let me or Wolfgang know if you have hidden talents to share, a desire to build new skills, or just a strong back and energy to give. Moving this project across the finish line will surely take the whole village!
As always, if you have any needs or big ideas to share, I’m here for you. Just send an email, text, or carrier pigeon. And if you’re not interested in receiving updates for children and families conveniently in your inbox, say the word and I’ll remove you from our mailing list.
Thanks for being one of the many reasons this community is so fabulous!
With the return of the Our Whole Lives program (OWL) for middle school, conversations are bubbling up all around the Fellowship about how we were taught (or not taught) about relationships and our bodies. Most often they center on how we want to do better for the next generation than was done for us. While we do not have the volunteer power, at this time, to offer OWL for younger ages, parents of elementary aged children are not without resources.
I am pleased to share that beginning in January, we will have several offerings for parents as they navigate questions about changing bodies, relationships, and identities.
We want our parents to feel well supported, not just with peer groups and pastoral care, but with concrete resources that you can access as the need arises. To receive a copy of It’s Perfectly Normal, ask questions about the check out process, or share ideas about other supportive resources we should add to our library, email me at dre@uucorvallis.org or find me on a Sunday morning so we can chat.
When we lived on Bainbridge Island we were part of a HOUSEHOLD LENDING LIBRARY. For example, I currently have 24 stemless wine glasses if anyone needs to borrow them for an event. If you have any things similar such as lots of plates, cloth napkins, air mattress, Rototiller, portable crib, luggage, etc. please email me and I’ll make a spreadsheet. I will also put an announcement on our UUFC facebook page. Let’s share!
On Sat 18 Jan, from 10:00 AM to 12:00 noon, in the fourth year of our collaboration with the Corvallis Urban Forestry Program, we will plant eight trees along Avery Park Drive, and we need your help.
Thank you. Questions: treasurer@uucorvallis.org
Welcoming the Unwelcome Study Group
Monday evenings from 7:15 to 8:30 September 23rd – December 2nd
Facilitated by Joyce Federiuk
Please register HERE.
Try, once again, to let everything you do be done in love.
I am inspired by these words Rev. Jill uses to close our Sunday service. What would it be like to
live this way? Sometimes I speak or act out of love, and that feels like happiness. But not
everything I do or say comes from love, and when an alternative motivation (like ego, obligation,
guilt, anger, etc etc) takes over, the results are often not so good.
How can we move closer to this lovely ideal? Buddhist nun and teacher Pema Chodron has a masterful way of explaining Buddhist wisdom in an accessible and compelling way. After reading “When Things Fall Apart” I was intrigued by the idea that in our incessant quest to avoid suffering, we often make a mess of things and cause a lot of suffering for ourselves and others. When I attended a weekend retreat with Pema and learned to meditate, I learned that it is possible to train in loving kindness. Meditation allowed me to take these ideas to heart and start to apply them to actual situations. I then gained a new level of appreciation of the power of
Buddhist wisdom.
I’m planning a study group to read and discuss “Welcoming the Unwelcome: Wholehearted Living in a Brokenhearted World”. Here’s a blurb from the cover:
In her first new book of spiritual teachings in over seven years, Pema Chodron offers fresh wisdom, heartfelt reflections and the signature humor and insight that have made her a beloved guide in turbulent times. In an increasingly polarized world, Pema offers us tools to find common ground, even when we disagree, so we can build a stronger and broader sense of community. Sharing never-before-told personal stories from her remarkable life, simple and powerful everyday practices, and directly relatable advice, Pema leads the way in showing us how to become triumphant bodhisattvas- compassionate beings- in even the most difficult of circumstances.
Well, reading and understanding is one thing. But taking the advice to heart and trying it out in our everyday encounters is what I’m hoping to achieve in this Adult RE offering. We will read, we will discuss, we will do guided meditations, and we will try out these ideas in real life.
This year’s adult religious exploration programs are centered on our congregational theme of the year: Ancestors, Descendants, and Us.
We will deepen our understanding of our UU religious ancestry, practice articulating our own religious beliefs and spiritual impulses, and explore ways to improve our relationships with ourselves and our fellow travelers in this river of life.
We very much appreciate you taking the time to pre-register so that we can arrive well-prepared to provide you with the best RE experience possible.
Some upcoming Adult RE opportunities include:
Music Theology (November-December)
Fail Fest 2024 (December 28th)
Adult OWL (Our Whole Lives, human sexuality program (January-March)
Elevator Speeches (April)
Common Read: Authentic Selves: Celebrating Trans and Nonbinary People and Their Families (July)
ONGOING OFFERINGS:
Parent Peer Support Group (3rd Thursday of each month @ 7:15 in the library, free childcare provided)
Neurodivergence and Mental Health Peer Support Group (Third Sunday of each month @ 11:45 in Room 9)
All past RE event listings can be viewed here!
If you have a special interest and would like to facilitate an exploration opportunity for adults, email Skyla King-Christison at dre@uucorvallis.org. Teh RE Council loves when our members help co-create the gatherings they would like to see, and I’m happy to support you in launching your RE-related ideas.
