Please Join Our Live Stream
Sunday, March 28, 2021Family Worship Service at 9:15 a.m.
Worship Service at 10:15 a.m.
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Right Livelihood & Black Trans Life
Rev. Jaelynn Scott
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“Centering” as an organizing principle is the habitual return to an initial ethical principle and a shaping of work, life, faith and our spiritual practice on this principle. In Buddhism, we refer to this as right livelihood, the grounding principle of our life’s work.
Intersectionality, for example, is a principle of right livelihood, a lens by which all our life’s work can be framed. Intersectionality asks that we hold the needs of intersectional identities and disabilities in our livelihood, and especially the life of Black women. Why? Specificity brings strength to social action. When we take care of the most marginalized those with the most intersectional needs, we take care of the entire community. What would it mean to center your life’s work, your livelihood in the protection of Black Trans life?
Rev. Jaelynn Scott is a Buddhist community minister who has served as the Director of Lifelong Learning at Woodinville Unitarian Universalist Church. A graduate of Naropa University’s Buddhist Divinity program, she was ordained by Ven.’s Bhante Chao Chu and Tampalawela Dhammaratana, and brings decades of dedicated meditation experience to her ministry.
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Bill's BlogWhen Can We Come Back to Church?More congregants are asking when we will be able to return to in-person worship. It is far from a flood of questions, at least yet, but the number of questions has increased.Â
The questions are natural. For the first time in over a year, there is positive news about the pandemic. There are now three vaccines approved and being distributed. “Have you gotten your shot?” is a question I hear a lot. Check-ins at church meetings often lead with reports of vaccinations. Personally, I got my second shot last Friday. Â
Thankfully, though the absolute numbers remain high, the number of infections, hospitalizations and deaths have declined sharply ...continued.
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Family WorshipWhat can we do as a community to stop bullying?Â
We want to offer a content warning, as this service brings up a very difficult story of being bullied.
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School is sometimes a hard place to be, especially when a student faces bullying.  What can we do as a community to stop bullying? Â
For this family service, we will hear of a 9 year-old girl’s struggles with bullying—the devastating experiences she had in school, and how by sharing her story created efforts to stop a culture of bullying in schools.  There is pain in the stories of those being bullied, but there is also hope.Â
Intern Minister Stacey will offer a story along with a video. Dustin will lead our hymns and share music, and Rev. Bill Sinkford will lead us in meditation.Â
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Holy Week Tenebrae ServiceAs we approach “Holy Week” in the Christian tradition, you are invited to view a special Tenebrae service recorded last year. A Service of Tenebrae, or “Shadows,” is a tradition that dates back to the 12th Century and is an extended meditation of the journey of Jesus leading to Good Friday and the crucifixion. It is a somber, reflective service of music and words that will include passages from scripture and music for Tenebrae from 17th Century composer Marc-Antione Charpentier. Revs. Sinkford and Disrud will lead the service and DeReau Farrar and Joe O’Donnell will offer special music. This service was originally broadcast in 2020.
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Welcome to First Unitarian with Rev. Disrud
Sunday, March 28, 11:30 a.m. - 12:45 p.m.Â
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Are you new to First Unitarian Portland? We are so glad you are here. This virtual class will offer an orientation to the church, to Unitarian Universalism and what it means to be a member. This will be a chance to meet other newcomers and to have your questions about the church answered.
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| Featured News & EventsTimestamps are Pacific Daylight Time (PDT) unless stated otherwise.Â
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| Gmail Users: You may have to scroll down to the bottom of this message and click on "View Entire Message" to see the complete FrontSteps.
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Foundation MonthLeaving a LegacyÂ
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As Foundation month comes to a close please consider joining current Legacy Society members by making your gift intent today. You can include First Unitarian in your estate plan by leaving a portion of your estate to the Foundation.
Foundation Info Sessions: This is the last Sunday to join members of the Foundation’s Board for a Zoom information session after the service from 11:30 a.m.-12 p.m.Â
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| | Upcoming Events, Workshops & Classes
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THIS SATURDAY -Â Gratitude Workshop
Saturday, March 27, 3 p.m. - 4:30 p.m.Â
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This workshop will explore the spiritual practice of gratitude and the many ways it enriches our relationships, perspectives, and ability to find meaning and equilibrium even in the most challenging moments and stages of our lives. Limited to 15 participants.Â
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Abolition Movement Today: An Action Study GroupÂ
Tuesdays 6:30 p.m.Â
April 6 - May 11
Register by March 30
Prison abolition. Defund the police. Prison industrial complex. Mass incarceration. Have you found yourself wondering what these terms mean?
Join Lay Minister Mark Woodlief and Director of Social Justice Dana Buhl in a six-week study group as we co-facilitate a mutual learning opportunity for the curious, the considering, and the committed.
Together we'll journey to better understand practical visions of community safety and liberation and how we ground our vision and actions in our UU faith. We’ll explore podcasts, videos, and written material between Zoom meetings. We will also have guest presenters, including Reverend Bill and other community leaders.
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NEW -Â Saturday Eco-MeditationsÂ
Starts Saturday, April 10, 9 a.m.
Intern Minister Stacey Mitchell will lead outdoor meditations (using Covid safety protocols). There will be a guided meditation component to each session, as we connect to our sacred earth in each of these meditations. Beginners are welcome.Â
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NEW -Â Survival Lessons: Reclaiming Your Life After LossÂ
Saturdays, April 10, 17, 24 & May 1, 10 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.Â
This four-session class will focus on telling our stories and identifying ways to experience healing and transformation following the death of a loved one. Limited to 8 participants.Â
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NEW - Antiracism Learning CirclesRead one book or several! Join other congregants and folks in this new spring session.
To join a cohort, read a synopsis, or if you would like further details, click on a book title you are interested in listed below:
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Online Vigil to Remember Victims of Atlanta Shooting
Friday, March 26th, 4:30 p.m.Â
#StopAsianHate Day of Action & Healing
AAPI across the U.S. and worldwide are gathering to mourn the tragic loss of eight precious lives. We will unite as a community to pay respects to the deceased, to find community healing in the face of heightened discrimination that has traumatized the entire Asian American community, and to call for solidarity under a banner of anti-racism.
The intersectional program will include prayers by religious leaders from a number of traditions and from a number of organizations. This vigil is part of numerous events taking place on March 26th, which has been promoted as the #StopAsianHate National Day of Action and Healing by Asian American Congressional leaders and civic organizations. March 26th is significant, as it is when the first U.S. law on naturalization, the Naturalization Act of 1790, was enacted to limit citizenship to only “free, White persons."
Anti-racism is a goal that can only be achieved with the support of any and all communities that call this country home. We invite all communities, people, and allies to join us in solidarity, and to participate in the Virtual Vigil that will be livestreamed here on www.326vigil.org, using hashtag #326Vigil.Â
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UUA General Assembly Wednesday, June 23 – Sunday, June 27, 2021
General Assembly is the annual gathering of UUs to do the business of our denomination. This year GA will be held virtually June 23-27, 2021. GA is a busy, fun week filled with worship, workshops, community building, business meetings, ceremonies, lectures, witness, singing (this year, a virtual chior) and much more. You can attend as a participant or represent our church as a delegate. GA in June of 2022 will be in Portland!
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Program ResourcesAdult Programs, Social Justice, Learning Community, Music & Arts
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Tales from the Pandemic: Celebrating our Humor, Patience & Resilience
Monday, April 5, 12:30 p.m.
After several weeks of scrambling to get a COVID-19 vaccination, we seem to have used just about every tool in our toolbox—and we’re still nowhere near done! Paul Iarrobino will share his experiences trying to help older adults sign up for appointments, pulling out all the stops, and telling it with humor. Do you have a story to share too? Let’s gather and reflect on our collective resilience!
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Friendship & Fun Wednesdays
Wednesdays at 5 p.m.
Do you want to simply have fun and interesting conversations with new folks or folks you haven’t seen for a while at First Unitarian?
The facilitator-lead gathering will begin with an ice-breaker topic/question each week. Come with your favorite beverage or treat and be together through conversation. (An on-going commitment is not required.)
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Vesper Prayer Service
Fridays at 5 p.m.
End your week with a brief quiet time of prayer, reflection, meditation and music offered by our Lay Ministers. Let this be a pause at the end of the week, to receive and to be held in love, without the need to converse. Registration is required to receive the Zoom link. (An ongoing commitment is not required.)
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Caring Circle for Parents
Monday, April 5, & 19 at 7 p.m.
In these challenging times for families, our lay ministers invite you to join a Caring Circle for parents. This small group will meet every other week to provide listening and support to one another.  (An ongoing commitment is not required.)
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Social Justice Action Item
Action request: Immigrant Justice Action Group (IJAG) supports the 2021 legislative priorities identified by the Interfaith Movement for Immigrant Justice (IMIrJ): strengthening the state sanctuary bill, supporting public safety alternatives to policing, and acknowledging the intersection of immigrant, racial and climate justice. To keep abreast of current actions related to these priorities, please refer to the IMIrJ Running Action List here. This list is updated regularly to offer the most timely information about these legislative priorities.
Meeting announcement: Immigrant Justice Action Group (IJAG) holds their regular monthly meeting on Sunday, March 28th 1-2:30 p.m.. To receive a zoom invitation to this meeting, please contact Ann.
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Social Justice Action Item
Support HB 3265
Support HB 3265 which will update & strengthen the 30+ year old Oregon sanctuary law. In the next two weeks help the Interfaith Movement for Immigrant Justice (IMIrJ) make 500 calls to Democratic (only) legislators requesting their support for this bill.
Among other things, this bill would prohibit warrantless arrests at courthouses, ban ICE detention contracts, and prohibit racial profiling in prisons/jails. Contact information for your legislators can be found here.
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SW HOPE Community Food Drive Needs Your Help
Are you getting an income tax refund or stimulus payment soon? Then COHHO asks you to consider sharing some of those funds with your Southwest Portland neighbors. Neighborhood House is now holding a fundraiser to serve the ever-increasing number of families who depend on their food pantry for sustenance.
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Art For Social Justice
The Speaking of Justice Editorial Team offers weekly art to deepen our connection to the work for social justice and building the Beloved Community.Â
Curated by Ethel Gullette, Speaking of Justice Editorial Team
Amanda Gorman, Women in the World
Amanda Gorman, the 21-year-old inaugural Youth Poet Laureate of the United States of America, opened the 2019 Women in the World Summit with a stunning reading of her empowering poetry. Accompanying Gorman onstage was a troupe of dancers led by legendary choreographer Sherrie Silver.
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In the Community
June Tyler Rogers, mother of member Laura Rogers, died on March 1 in Lake Oswego, just two months shy of her 101st birthday. Laura says her mom blessed the world with her laughter, her careful listening, her loyalty to those she loved, her openness to evolve as the world changed and her resiliency and courage in the face of health challenges. We hold Laura, her husband Tom Alexander, and their extended family.
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REMINDER - Board of Trustees Meeting
Open Board Meeting at 7 p.m.Â
Thursday, April 1, 2021
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We have passed a milestone in the church’s history that none of us could ever have predicted – we have not been in our buildings for an entire year. Though we all miss being together, our virtual ministry has allowed our beloved community to expand beyond just those who can drive to the church. I have met several of our new community members at Virtual Coffee Hour and enjoyed hearing their stories about how they connected with First Unitarian. Our virtual ministry and community will continue to be important even as we come together again.Â
Ministry and staff have been thinking about how and when we will regather when circumstances allow. They are consulting with congregants as they explore alternatives and develop plans. The transition back to meeting in person is more complicated than our move to the virtual world and will take more time to figure out....continue.
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COVID-19 Vaccination Eligibility & Appointments
How to Schedule a Vaccination Appointment
The following is updated information about how to schedule your COVID-19 Vaccination. If you would like help with scheduling your vaccination appointment, please send an email to The Alliance. We recommend reading the instructions before signing up...continue.
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First Unitarian's Response to Covid-19
Here are a few important updates that affect our life together.
Sunday Worship
Staying Connected
Church Communications: Do you receive messages from the church including this weekly E-News and our Staying Connected emails? To receive church emails send a note to etafuri@firstunitarianportland.org.
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Naming First Unitarian Foundation in Your Will or Estate Plan
Help assure the long-term sustainability of this beloved congregation by including First Unitarian Portland in your will or estate plan.
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Having trouble viewing our services through the website?
Find our Live Streams on Boxcast, Youtube or on Facebook.
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Have a Submission for E-News?If you have a church-related submission you would like published in our weekly Front Steps (E-News), please submit it here with subject line “For E-News.”
Submission deadline is noon on Tuesday.Â
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Sunday Live StreamÂ
& Social Schedule
Join us LIVE from your computer or smart device by clicking on the links below.Â
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Want to know what this church has to offer? Show up for events/classes/socials and  stay engaged!
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Trying to find connection with those in the congregation with similar interests?
Contact one of the many groups run by members of the church and connect.
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Moved recently? Changed your phone number or e-mail? Fill out this form.
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