Sunday Live Streaming ServiceSunday, May 3: 10:15 a.m.
| |
Annual Youth Service
First Unitarian's YRUU
This is an annual tradition at First Unitarian—a service led by our high school youth in YRUU (Young Religious Unitarian Universalists). It’s a wonderful opportunity to experience what our church nurtures in young people. The service will include musical talents and insightful homilies.
| |
Bill's BlogOur Grief Will Endure
“The pandemic will pass. Our grief will endure.” -- Eddie Glaude, Jr., Washington Post, April 7, 2020
I printed Prof. Glaude’s article more than three weeks ago and placed it on a small stack of books and papers at the left of my desk. To the right are the books with chapters I plan to use in coming sermons, the poems and paragraphs I will use as readings and openings, the files I must open to move our ministry ahead.
The stack to the left, which is much smaller, holds things that will not let me go, though I don’t yet know what to do with them.
The three weeks since the article was published feel like an eternity in Covid-time. The deaths were just beginning to accelerate. We had yet to see the images of mass graves outside of NYC, or the refrigerated trucks used as makeshift morgues outside the NY hospitals. There was fear of what was sure to come. Anticipatory grief and fear are closely aligned.
With the US death toll now above 60,000, and growing by a predictable 2000+ each day, the losses are very real. Even here in Oregon where prompt action and perhaps luck have limited the number, the losses are still real...Continued
| |
First Unitarian's Response to COVID-19
We are doing all we can to stay connected as a community and to provide resources both within the church and in the larger community. Here are a few important updates that affect our life together:
Staying Connected
Church communications: Are you signed up to receive messages from the church including this weekly enews and other messages to keep us connected? To receive church communication send message to etafuri@firstunitarianportland.org.
Sunday Worship
We will be offering virtual worship at 10:15 a.m. until further notice.
Coffee Hour with the Ministers
For other ways to connect through classes and small groups, see offerings in this enews.
Community Justice and Service Action Items
Please look below in the Justice and Service section for ways you can contribute, advocate and learn.
| |
Q&A with Rev. Bill & Quarterly Congregant Finance Review
Sunday, May 3, 11:45 a.m.
Location: Virtual/Zoom
Join Rev. Bill for another in a regular series of Q&A sessions. After a brief update on developments at the church, he will respond to the questions you bring about the church or about our faith.
Bill will be joined by church treasurer Leila Wrathall who will facilitate our quarterly congregant finance review.
| |
Sharing Our Church Space to Feed Our Neighbors
First Unitarian Supports Outside In's Food Program
Our neighbor, Portland’s Outside In, has risen to the challenge of continuing supportive programming for youth and marginalized people amidst the Covid-19 crisis. Their clinics and pharmacies are operating, behavioral health treatment continues remotely, and meals are provided for young adults, ages 18 - 24. Until this week, one challenge they faced was a lack of space in their cramped basement, making it difficult to maintain healthy distancing for their food program...continued
| |
Ballots Have Been Mailed
If you are a voting member, your ballot is in the mail.
Your postal-mailed ballot must be received in the church office by Thursday, May 14, so make sure you review the packet carefully, cast your votes on the enclosed ballots, and mail them back using the provided envelope in time to be counted.
If you are expecting a ballot and do not receive one by Saturday, May 2, please contact Erin.
| |
Younger Adult Virtual Events
Younger Adult Logistics Meeting
Sunday May 3, 12–2 p.m.
Help us plan our upcoming events. Newcomers are welcome!
| |
ALLIANCE Monthly Luncheon
Because we care about you and your wellbeing, the Alliance co-presidents and Leadership Team have sadly made the decision that we will be unable to gather for our May 6, 2020 luncheon due to the spread of the coronavirus (COVID-19). We have taken our direction from the leadership of the church, health authorities, and our local and state governmental leaders. We are sending each of you love and wishes for safety and good health.
| |
Uncovering our Resilience, Gratitude and Connections During COVID-19
Wednesday, May 6, 10–11 a.m.
Location: Virtual Class
This week's topic is: what we miss most and creative solutions. Together, we will share our challenges and through storytelling, discover how we might create a path of healing.
Facilitator: Paul Iarrobino is the founder of Our Bold Voices. Paul helps individuals harness their inner strengths to remove barriers and rediscover their purpose.
| |
Healing Space for Activists & Organizers
Thursday, May 7, 8:30 a.m.
This offering is free to our activist community.
This one-hour Zoom session will provide a gently held sacred space to connect with oneself and with one another in order to reduce stress and anxiety. We will use guided exercises, art, journaling and other grounding techniques to help navigate these challenging times. Please have paper and some sort of drawing tool with you.
Facilitator: Hun Taing, Co-Founder of Training 4 Transformation
| |
Nourishing the Spirit: Practice for the Long Haul
Saturday, May 9, 10:30 a.m.–12 p.m.
Location: Virtual Class
In community we reawaken the hope, imagination, and passion that sustains us as we work to build the world we see in our dreams. Join us for a rejuvenating class with Rev. Katherine Jesch.
| |
|
Program ResourcesAdult Programs, Social Justice, Learning Community, Music & Arts
| |
|
Social Justice and Service
| |
April 2020 Social Justice Service, Action and Learning
Our Social Justice Action Groups remain active. See how you can be involved with material support, advocacy/activism and learning about issues of justice.
| |
Speaking of Justice: Social Justice Program & Action Group Updates
"Love calls us to the sacred work of seeking justice.” This is the core of our social justice covenant at First Unitarian Portland. As we adapt our organizing and actions to this period of physical distancing, the sacred work of justice continues. Click below for updates and articles from our Social Justice Program and our Social Justice Action Groups.
| |
Learning Community Zoom Sessions Begin!
We’re excited to announce opportunities for our children and youth to connect using Zoom. Sessions will be hosted periodically with our volunteer teachers for each grade level and will offer everyone an opportunity to stay connected and share with one another. Children 1st/2nd and younger should attend with a parent/caretaker. If you don't have a Zoom account, you can still participate in Zoom sessions. Or you can set up a free account ahead of time. We’ll be sending the details to each grade level, so keep an eye on your email for upcoming sessions.
| |
All Ages Service Project - Get involved at home!
In March, we had planned to gather in the Learning Community to learn about and take part in The Butterfly Effect: Migration is Beautiful project. While we can no longer meet in body to share this experience together, here is a video which will include opportunities to engage with this important effort at home. When we are all together again, we’ll all be able to combine what we’ve created. Please explore the project website.
| |
Don’t have a Chalice at Home?
Maybe you do! Here’s a creative opportunity with the kids—make a chalice from materials you may have lying around. Lighting a chalice together when watching worship, at the dinner table, or even as part of your bed time ritual can be meaningful and help keep your family grounded during these times.
| |
Summer Chalice Camp
Update: We understand families need to make plans, and in consideration of our current circumstances, we will be making a decision before or by May 31 about whether we will be able to have Chalice Camp this year. We will keep everyone informed as soon as a decision is made.
| |
Trans Inclusion in Congregations
Location: Virtual Class
"Welcoming is a spiritual practice." - Transforming Hearts Collective
First Unitarian is offering this virtual class free of charge. You may complete this course on your own time. This educational opportunity is for everyone from novices on trans identity to those with decades of life experience.
| |
Auction Canceled
The difficult decision has been made to cancel the already postponed auction for this year. It is clear that an auction is neither safe nor feasible at this time or in the near future.
There is great hope that the congregation will be able to come together again in the fall and the auction committee is exploring the option of a potential bake sale at that time to celebrate!
Thank you to those who already donated this year and for those who were planning to – as well as everyone who has made our last seven auctions so successful. We shall all get through this together.
| |
In the CommunityCommunity milestones, joys, and sorrows
Member Paul Kidwell died quietly on April 23 with his wife and partner Chris by his side. Paul’s dementia had deepened but he and Chris enjoyed joining our virtual worship. They joined First Unitarian in 2010. We hold Chris Kidwell in this time of loss.
Kyle Brecheen, a young man who grew up here at First Unitarian and is remembered by his Learning Community teachers and friends, died tragically earlier this month. His parents, Cole and Marsha and his sister Amanda Brecheen have many memories and friendships from their long association with the church and appreciate our thoughts and prayers in this time of loss.
Longtime member Mildred Taxer turned 100 years old on April 24. Mildred joined the church back in 1953 and attends most every Sunday. Blessings on your first century, Mildred.
Mary Martin recently gave the church a gift in honor of her daughter, Kirsten Lee, who celebrates her birthday this month. Mary writes, “Kirsten has invited me to recent online services and I am moved and impressed by the work the church does in its own community and the larger Portland community. Sunday mornings online provide a welcome balm to the pandemic health crisis surrounding us.”
| |
|
April 2020 Board of Trustees Moderator Letter
Greetings,
Well, it has been a month since we implemented our physical distancing and safe ways of being with each other. The board hopes you all are healthy and continuing to find the gifts in your life.
We are blessed to have ministers and staff who are holding our spirits with outstanding services & music, and keeping our physical facilities day by day, while also looking and planning ahead for how we will be together in the coming months.
It is likely we will have virtual church services for the rest of our church year. These have been very well ‘attended’. If you haven’t, please tune in, and continue to monitor the church website and bulletins for ways to stay connected.
First Unitarian is committed to pay all our staff through the month of April. We have applied for a Payroll Protection Loan, part of the CARES Act, which if received will allow us to extend that for approximately two additional months...Continued
| |
Sunday, April 26 Attendance:
Livestream: 810
| |
Faked Email Messages “from Rev. Bill”
They’re becoming more frequent: “Spoofed” email messages that appear to be from Bill Sinkford asking for your help. Email spoofing is an actual thing! It is the creation of email messages with a forged email address for the purpose of fooling the recipient into providing money or sensitive information. In our case, the messages look like they’re from Bill. But they’re not. Spoofed emails are very prevalent because it is incredibly easy to spoof an address. Fortunately, a spoofed email message does not mean that your email (or Bill’s) has been hacked or compromised.
So how can you tell when a message is spoofed? A quick way to check if Bill is the actual sender is to carefully check the full email header. This is where important details are located. By reviewing the header of the email, you’re able to determine the actual email address of the sender.
Bill’s email address is bsinkford@firstunitarianportland.org. If the sender’s email isn’t EXACTLY this email address…and you really have to look carefully…it isn’t from Bill!
And sorry to say, email spoofing isn’t something that’s under our control to stop. So it’s up to each of us to pay close attention to the sender’s complete email address, not just the name.
| |
Why Pronouns Matter
At church and elsewhere, it’s becoming more common for people to introduce themselves with the pronouns they use, and to ask, “What pronouns do you use?” Though this may be an unfamiliar question for you, becoming comfortable with it is a way to live our UU principles.
Here’s why:
Gender is a primary way our creative identities interact with the world. Many people feel comfortable with the gender assigned to them at birth based on their genitals, assigned male or female, and are called cisgender. (Cis means “on the same side of,” so for these people, gender and sex-at-birth align.) For many others, their assigned gender is not a true or comfortable identity. Read more here.
| |
|
Ongoing Groups
For information on a specific group please contact the leader by clicking the button below.
Many church groups meet on a regular schedule during our program year (approximately September through May or June); however, groups often meet on an irregular basis or take the summer months off, so if you are unsure about a particular group's schedule, please contact the leader.
| |
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.
| |
Do You Have an Item for E-news and/or the Sunday Bulletin?
If you have an item you’d like published in our weekly Front Steps (eNews) or the Sunday Bulletin, please submit it here and include in the subject line “For eNews” –or– “For Sunday Bulletin” –or– “For eNews and Sunday Bulletin.”
Deadline for submissions is noon on Wednesday.
Because space is limited in our Sunday Bulletin, we’re unable to run articles for more than a week or two in advance, depending on the number of submissions. Articles may need to be shortened if space is tight.
| |
|
| Sunday Livestream
Join us LIVE from your computer or smartphone on Sundays at 10:15 a.m.
| |
Jump to our program resources!
| |
|
This Week’s Shared Plate
This Sunday's offering will support the next YRUU Civil Rights Pilgrimage. Last summer, fifteen of our high school youth participated in the YRUU Civil Rights Pilgrimage to Mississippi, Alabama, and Tennessee to connect our faith’s history to the Civil Rights Movement, and to learn from those dedicated to ending the longstanding injustices of mass incarceration.
| |
What's your family doing together while you’re spending more time at home?
Sharing your photos adds to our media collection and gives us permission to publish and/or use images for publications, website content, and social media.
| |
Have you moved recently? Changed your phone number or e-mail address? Anything else you'd like to let us know about?
| |
|
