Homecoming Sunday!Sunday, September 8
| |
Sunday Worship at 10:15 a.m.
Childcare is available during our worship service for children 6 months to 3 years old.
Social Hour: Buchan Reception Hall after the service.
| |
Welcome to Homecoming Sunday! We will be kicking off our annual spiritual theme of the year, âJoin the Journey,â in a multigenerational service.
As we embark upon the journey of a new year together, let us reflect and celebrate those who have brought us to this point and the blessings we carry with us on the way forward.
Be sure to join us for pancakes before the service at 9 a.m.!
| |
Minister's ColumnA Prayer for the Turning of the Year
| |
Welcome to a new year at First Unitarian Portland! We are so looking forward to hosting you in person and online for Homecoming, including a community breakfast (pancakes served from 9 a.m. - 10 a.m.), multigenerational worship at 10:15 a.m., and our Learning Community Open House following the service. Here is my prayer for this season of reopening:
Spirit of Life,
May we feel the blessings of our spiritual ancestors
Who opened the doors to our current location 100 years ago.
May their stories ground us and lift us upâ
We are the inheritors of the people who built our Eliot Sanctuaryâ
And rebuilt it after a fire â with their love, dedication, and perseverance.
May we feel the blessings of our community and its people todayâ
The collective âWEâ who open doors and minds and hearts to
The transformative possibilities contained in:
Acts of hospitality and welcome,Â
Words and music that make spirits soar,Â
Moments of mentoring of children and being mentored by them,
Caring for one anotherâs hurts and hopes,
And joining movements of justice for our earth and her inhabitants.
May we open the door to this new yearâÂ
The 158th year in our story
Knowing that each of us is fully a part of this community
And yet it is each of ours only for a time.
May we be ready once again
To serve and to lead with love at the center
Offering our gifts to one another and our city
in ways that ground and lift us
for the people of today and also the people of tomorrow.
Amen. Blessed Be. May it be so.
In faith,
Rev. Alison
| |
|
Music Ministry Transition
| |
|
Many congregants have asked questions about the recent staff change in our Music Ministry. In response, our Board of Trustees has written a "Frequently Asked Questions" document.  If you'd like to take a look at the FAQ document, email "Please send FAQ doc" to FAQ@firstunitarianportland.org.
New Q&As will be added in the coming weeks based on congregant questions and other feedback.
| |
|
LAST CHANCE â Join a Listening Circle Led by Lay Ministry and the Board of Trustees
Sunday, September 8, 11:45 a.m. - 2 p.m.
Location: Eliot Chapel
| |
| We are living in challenging times with recent changes in the leadership of our music program here at the church and with the range of emotions that have come with that change.
In the spirit of wanting to create spaces for us to come together as a community, you are invited to join a Listening Circle on September 8 from 11:45 a.m. to 2 p.m. To join, please assemble in Eliot Chapel by 11:45 a.m. Space is limited on a first-come and first-serve basis. Because seating is limited, we kindly ask those who have previously attended a Listening Circle to allow space for new attendees by not attending again.
This is a one-time gathering and will be facilitated by members of our Lay Ministry Team and Board of Trustees.
The Listening groups will provide a safe space for people to reflect on the changes and the impact of those changes. Confidential notes will be made of general themes of the circle and any questions you have. You will receive responses to questions within 3 weeks.
Note: We suggest bringing a drink and a snack or sack lunch.
| |
|
TONIGHT! â All Choir Meeting/Rehearsal Tonight
Garrett Bond, Summer Music Coordinator
| |
|
Hello all! Thank you to everyone who attended and participated in the 2024 Summer Choir. I am grateful for all of those who were present/who wished to be.
Tonight, September 5, we will have our first all-choir meeting/rehearsal of the 2024-2025 calendar. Come meet in the Sanctuary from 7 - 9 p.m. to go over the plan of action for the month of September and to rehearse our two anthems for this first Sunday â Homecoming Sunday â back from summer! The anthems for this first Sunday of "Join the Journey" are two of my all-time favorite pieces of music: Come Travel With Me and The Pasture.
Thank you all! I am looking forward to seeing many of you tonight!
| |
|
Learning Community Registration is Now Open
| |
|
Registration is open for the Learning Community's 2024-25 church year! To register your child, fill out this form.
| |
|
NEW! â First Steps Class
Sunday, September 8, 12 p.m.
Location: Channing, A101
| |
|
Join us for our first First Steps Class of the program year, following the service in Channing Room A101.
First Steps Class â Join the Journey is a warm and inviting orientation held monthly, designed for both new and returning folks at First U PDX. With a special presentation from our associate minister of 29 years, Rev. Tom Disrud, this session provides a high-level overview of the church, its history and core values, and the vibrant community it nurtures. During the class, folks will have the opportunity to meet church leaders, learn about the diverse activities and programs offers, and even have the option to ask questions about membership in the church and pick up membership paperwork.
Coffee, tea and water will be served. See you Sunday!
| |
|
Share Your Garden!
Every Sunday after the service
Location: Fuller Hall
First Share, First Unitarian Portland
| |
|
Do you have a flourishing garden brimming with fresh vegetables, fruits, and herbs? Share your gardenâs bounty with our community by bringing it on Sundays to the First Share table in Fuller Hall during Social Hour.
| |
Around the Church
Enjoyed coming to gatherings at First Unitarian Portland? Consider contributing to sustaining our community. Your support goes a long way in fostering meaningful connections. Thank you!
| |
|
SAVE THE DATEÂ â All-church PicnicÂ
Saturday, September 14, 12 - 4 p.m.
Wilshire Park:Â 4116 NE 33rd Ave, Portland, OR 97212
| |
| This year's theme is "Join the Journey" and we invite everyone to come together for a day of fun, fellowship, and community.
We ask each family to bring their own picnic lunch and a dessert to share with others. This is a wonderful opportunity to connect with fellow congregants and enjoy a delightful meal outdoors.
To make this picnic a success, we need volunteers to help organize and implement various activities throughout the day. Whether you can assist with setting up, leading games, or helping with clean-up, your support will make a significant difference. If you're interested in volunteering, please reach out to Jen Thomas and she will put you in touch with organizers.
| |
|
NEW! â The Art Wall Committee is Looking for New Members
| |
|
You donât have to be an artist to join, just be interested in art. Members commit about one day a month to attending a meeting or helping install the new show, usually the last Thursday of the month. Committee members recommend artists who might be a good fit for Fuller Hall and the committee juries the artists. If you are interested, contact Connie.
| |
|
Vespers Service Every Friday
| |
|
Our Friday Vespers services resume tomorrow, September 6, and continue through the church program year.
End your week with a quiet pause at the Vespers service each Friday evening on livestream from 5:00 p.m. to 5:40 p.m. Wind down from a busy week and begin your weekend with this service of music, poetry, reflection, prayer, and meditation.
| |
|
UPDATE â Weekly Loving Kindness Meditation
| |
|
The teachings of Loving Kindness, or Metta, are about finding a path with heart. Jack Kornfield says, âItâs about undertaking a path that transforms and touches us in the center of our being. To do so is to find a way of practice that allows us to live in the world wholly and fully from our heart.â
With this Spiritual Practice, one can cultivate feelings of happiness, dispel loneliness,  let go of fear and anxiety. If you are feeling stuck, this practice can help you enjoy a more compassionate life for yourself and others.
Join us on Zoom on Monday evenings from 8 - 8:30 p.m. starting September 16 to extend Loving Kindness to yourself, to those around you, and to the world.
No previous meditation practice is necessary, and new participants are always welcome. Join on an on-going basis, or drop in as youâre able.
| |
| Giving Thanks to Our Clean Team!
| |
|
The Clean Team was in the house on August 23, working to make everything look clean and welcoming and ready for Homecoming Sunday! Thanks to Marti Yoder for organizing and the team that responded: Sharon, Ron, Laurie, Bob, Barbara, Mindy, Dorothy, Alicia, and Jen.
| |
|
Join Our Support Network: Lotsa Helping Hands
| |
|
Do you enjoy helping others? Are you looking for concrete ways to strengthen our beloved community? Consider joining our churchâs Lotsa Helping Hands support network!
Coordinated by Lay Ministry, Lotsa Helping Hands is a care calendar similar to Meal Train that enables volunteers to provide meals or visits for congregants going through challenging times.
And if you or someone you know could use the support of meals or visitsâor if you have any questionsâplease contact one of our coordinators, Leslie or Susan.
| |
|
CHECK WEEKLY â Donate Supplies to the Shower Project!
| |
|
Note: We currently have a desperate need for new boxers and boxer briefs in sizes M & L.
The Shower Project is going well, and our guests appreciate the service. With colder weather around the corner, we have updated requests for needed items:
- Cases of water
- New boxers or boxer briefs (M & L)
- Tents, blankets, and sleeping bags
- Used or new adult sweatshirts (M & L)
- Used or new jeans, belts, and shoes (all sizes)
- Disposable razors, preferably double-bladed
- Small containers of shaving cream
- Emory boards & nail clippers
- Granola bars
- Sugar packets for tea/coffee
Our page now includes a list of our most frequently-needed items.
Your donations make a big difference in the lives of those we serve. Thank you for your support!
| |
|
NEW! â September 8 Newsletter
| |
|
We ran out of Blessing Packets at the 8/25 service but we restocked! Whether you didnât get one, want another, or missed this opportunity entirely, there will be baskets of small colorful envelopes in the sanctuary lobby and at the RE Welcome Desk. If you would like a way to mark the change of the season, help yourself.
The weather is changing, and life always evolves. Threshold times encompass new school years and jobs, trips, hobbies, partnership, divorces, parenting milestones, graduations, retirements, moving, coming out, and all kinds of next life stages...continue reading
| |
|
UPDATE â UU The Vote: Time to Return Your Letters!
| |
|
Please finish your letters to voters and return them to the UU the Vote Table during social hour or to the church office before the end of September. The letters will be blessed at an upcoming worship service and we will send them all in early October, in time to make an impact on this election.
Over 6,000 of the letters we've distributed have not yet been returned. If you took letters but have not finished them, bring what you've done and return the rest to the UU the Vote Table ASAP. We'll find folks to finish them.
Also, join us Tuesdays in September from 10:00-11:30am in Room B101 in Buchan to write letters. Bring a friend, bring your letters, and make it a party! Thank you for helping with this collective effort to put our UU values into action. Let's get out the vote!
| |
|
Antiracism Learning Circles 2024 Registration
| |
|
You are invited to join an Antiracism Learning Circle this fall. Itâs on Zoom, so you can join from anywhere! Circles start the week of September 23.
Our goal is to build multicultural, diverse, engaged communities and work to dismantle racism and other oppressions. Antiracism Learning Circles are opportunities to do some of that work, to expose ourselves to our true history, to increase awareness of ongoing oppressions, and to explore and reveal our reactions to issues concerning race in America. We are animated by imagining "what if" a critical mass of us are exposed to this information and knowledge.
Visit the group page for full descriptions of the media we will dive into, schedules, and registration information. For questions, contact Jody.
| |
|
Register Now: Ranked-Choice Voting Workshop for City of Portland
Monday, September 16, 6 p.m.
Location: Zoom
| |
|
This year, Portlanders are using a new voting system to elect the cityâs Mayor, Auditor and City Council. Instead of a primary followed by a general election, these positions will be elected in a single election November 5 using ranked-choice voting (RCV).
This hour-long workshop will prepare you to vote. Members of the League of Women Voters will summarize the changes, then dive deeply into how to fill out your ballot to ensure that your vote counts! You can ask your questions here too. This is a nonpartisan Zoom workshop. To join, please register through this link.
| |
|
OR UU Voices for Justice August Newsletter
| |
|
OR UU Voices for Justice is the only state-wide UU organization dedicated to social justice. Here is our August newsletter, which includes information on our upcoming annual meeting. Registration is now open.
| |
|
CHECK WEEKLYÂ â Art for Social Justice
Curated by Ethel, Speaking of Justice Editorial Team
| |
|
The Speaking of Justice Editorial Team offers weekly art to deepen our connection to the work for social justice and to build the Beloved Community.
This week features a performance of "Lead With Love" by Melanie DeMore and the VocalEssence Chorus. To listen, watch the video below:
| |
In the Community
Many thanks to Allen and Jeremie Draper who offered last week's chancel flowers in memory of their mother, Jeri Lynn Draper, who would have celebrated 73 years on August 30.
There will be a memorial gathering for Irene Etlinger on September 8, 2 - 4 p.m. at Terwilliger Plaza.
| |
Do you have a birth in the family, a graduation, an anniversary, a memorial, or other milestones to share?
You can acknowledge it to the entire congregation by sponsoring a floral bouquet. As we connect with friends, say it with flowers on the Chancel.
| |
NEW! â September/October Art Wall Exhibitions Art Wall
Photographs by Sam Muller
| |
Sam's images capture the essence of the raw Elements of Japanese Garden design, such as rock, water, plant, sand, bamboo, cedar, and the seasons. Enjoy Sam's photographs in Fuller Hall in the months of September and October.
| |
|
Recurring Workshops, Classes & Gatherings
| |
|
Caregivers Support Group: Open to Newcomers. Fourth Sunday of each month at 9 a.m. via Zoom.
SUMMER BREAK â Care and Action for Reproductive Dignity (CARD): We meet on the third Sunday of each month from 12:15 to 1:45 in Fireside. Contact Marni for summer activities.
Community for Earth (CFE):Â We meet on the 2nd Sunday of the month before worship services (hybrid) and on the 4th week of the month at rotating times. Contact our group or visit our calendar for details.
SUMMER BREAK â Loving Kindness Meditation:Â Meets every Monday from 8 - 8:30 p.m. via Zoom. Spiritual reading, meditation, and follow up sharing. Open to all. Contact Katie for more information. Resumes on September 16.
SUMMER BREAK â Good Times: Movie Group Sunday movie meetups at members' homes to discuss current films in theaters or streaming. Contact Christine for details and to join our group email list.
Mental Health Caregivers Group: Second Wednesday every month via Zoom 7 - 8:30 p.m. Email Ellen for more.
Sojourners: Lollygagging Our Way To The Inevitable: Sojourners and Sojourners 2 are two groups that meet for two hours at First Unitarian. Members support each other through aging with facilitated discussions, activities, personal stories, and social events, fostering growth and friendship. All are welcome, but both groups are limited in size; no drop-ins, please. || Email Lucy with questions.
"Tâ Time: A Trans, Nonbinary, and Gender-Expansive, Exclusive Gathering: Meet on the second and fourth Sundays in Channing Room at 12 - 1 p.m.
EVERY SUNDAY â UU the Vote: Join Us For Community and Letter WritingÂ
The blue tablecloth will be available every Sunday until October. Letters can be dropped off and picked up at the church office.
Letter Writing Schedule:
Women's Circle II:Â Meets most second and fourth Mondays of the month. Email Kim.
| |
Got something for Front Steps? Send in your church-related submission for our weekly publication. Use "Front Steps" as the subject line and submit here.
Deadline: Tuesdays at 5 p.m.
If your submission is urgent and couldnât be sent before the deadline, please include âURGENTâ in the subject line.
| |
|
For the month of September, we share our Sunday offering with our church's 13 Salmon Shower Project, whose doors opened this past January. We aim to provide access to basic hygiene and respite needs, including a shower, restroom, clean clothes and a lunch in a safe and non-judgmental environment while building relationships with our unhoused neighbors. We are committed to ensuring that everyone, regardless of race, ethnicity, gender identity, sexual orientation, housing status, or ability, feels welcome and secure.
| |
|
