General Assembly Sunday Worship Viewing at 10:15 a.m.Â
Location: Buchan Reception Hall and via livestream
Childcare services are not available this Sunday.
Social Hour: Will be in Buchan Reception Hall after the service until 12:15 p.m.
| |
Weaving Our Lives: GA Sunday Morning Worship
| |
|
Join us from home or at our watch party at church for the largest annual gathering of UUs in worship. We will be watching the UUA's General Assembly Sunday Morning Worship together.
We are all tangled up in a great web of life woven with beauty and hardship, love and loss, thriving and struggle. How do we tend well to the weaving so that all of us are held in care?Â
| |
|
What is General Assembly (GA)?
General Assembly is the annual gathering of Unitarian Universalists, where we conduct business of the Association, explore the theological underpinnings of our faith, and lean fully into our mission and principles.
| |
|
Young Adult Weekly Meetups All Summer!
Next Meeting: Sunday, June 23, at 12:15 p.m.
Location:Â Buchan Reception Room 101
| |
|
Are you a young adult looking to make new friends, explore your interests, and get involved with your community? Well, we've got some exciting news for you!Â
Expect fun social events, thought-provoking discussions, and opportunities to connect with the First Unitarian Community. Don’t miss this chance to be part of a dynamic and inclusive community. Join us, make new friends, discover new interests, and make a difference!
Email Jen or drop by on Sunday to join us for more information. Â
| |
|
"T” Time: A Trans, Nonbinary, and Gender-Expansive, Exclusive Gathering
Next Meeting: This Sunday, June 23, from 12 - 1 p.m.
Location: Channing Room
| |
|
This gathering is exclusively for trans, nonbinary, 2Spirit, and gender-expansive folks and friends. We will have a small selection of complimentary teas and coffee available. You do not need to be a member of First Unitarian or consider yourself a Unitarian Universalist to join us—come one, come all!Â
| |
Featured NewsEnjoyed 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!
| |
|
NEW! — Pride Kick-Off: Tea and Treats
Next Meeting: Sunday, July 14 from 12 - 1 p.m.
Location: Channing Room
| |
|
Join us for "Tea and Treats" during pride kick-off week! All LGBTQ+ and questioning folks are welcome. Meet new friends, share experiences, and celebrate our vibrant community.Â
Hosted by the folks from First Unitarian's "T Time" meetup group.
| |
|
NEW! — Engaging Discussions and Immediate Actions: GA Delegates Gear Up for Change
| |
|
This is an exciting time of year for our GA Delegates. We met on June 16 to get to know one another better and discuss the business topics of Article 2 and the UUA Bylaws. That may sound boring, but not this year!
The process of grounding our values with LOVE at the center is enlivening. Not everyone is for this change, but each delegate will vote their conscience based on the 3 forums we had over the past two years and all the sermons with love at the center of our actions.
There will be Actions of Immediate Witness, too. Check out the General Assembly issues at uua.org.
| |
|
NEW! — Visit the Soul Box Project Exhibit at Lake Oswego Public Library
Now until June 28
Location: Lake Oswego Public Library (706 4th Street)
| |
|
"The Loss We Carry," part of the Soul Box Project, raises awareness about gun violence. This exhibit, now in 27 states with 59 branches, was created by local artist Leslie Lee. First Unitarian contributed over 9,000 boxes to this impactful effort.
If you can't visit in June, catch the exhibit at West Linn City Hall in September 2024. The Soul Box Project is also available for loan through the Peace Action Group at First Unitarian. Contact us here for more information.
| |
|
Support LiftUp This Summer
| |
|
We are supporting LiftUp throughout the summer, from June 16 to Labor Day. Please place in the COHHO bins in Fuller Hall by the kitchen any of the following most needed food items: brown rice, whole grain pasta, shelf-stable milk, canned protein (tuna, chicken, salmon), nut butter, any low sodium broths, canned veggies, and sauces.
| |
|
Third Act Oregon Presents: An Evening with Bill McKibben
Friday, July 5, 6:30 - 8:30 p.m.
Location: Main Street Sanctuary
| |
|
Don’t miss this rare evening with one of the world’s most beloved and important environmentalists and global thinkers. Mingle with Third Act Oregon volunteers and climate activists from all over the state after the main presentation.
Enjoy light refreshments in First Unitarian's Fuller Hall following the event.
| |
|
Keep the Momentum Going with UU the Vote!
| |
|
Thank you, First U letter writers, for your dedication to the UU the Vote campaign! Our goal is 10,000 letters, and we're almost halfway there! Let’s keep the momentum going through the summer!
Look for the blue tablecloth during Fellowship Hour every Sunday throughout the summer. Tuesday morning sessions will resume in September. Let's make a big impact with UU the Vote!
| |
|
How to Support the Shower Project!
| |
|
The Shower Project is going well, and our guests appreciate the service, especially the clothing donations. We urgently need the items listed below to continue providing for our guests. Your donations of these specific items will make a big difference in the lives of those we serve. Thank you for your support!
- Men's boxer briefs M/L
- Chocolates (our guests really love sweets), gummy bears, etc.
- Granola bars
- Single-serving, microwaveable snacks like mac and cheese, oatmeal, ramen
- Snacks like protein bars
| |
In the Community
Longtime member Vicki Pflaumer would like her church community to know that she underwent a heart ablation procedure on June 14 to help the heart maintain a normal rhythm. The procedure itself went well, although she experienced serious allergic reactions to the medications. Vicky is now at home recovering. She is not up to having visitors or phone calls at this time but welcomes your prayers and cards. Congregants can contact the church office for her mailing address.
| |
Letter from the Board
It’s a beautiful spring morning as I sit here writing this letter. The sky is bright blue and the slight breeze sends soft pink petals down on my walk way. But spring is not on my mind today. I recently returned from a trip to...continue reading.
| |
|
HOW TO — Book for the 2024/2025 Church YearÂ
| |
Social Hour Sunday Tabling: Sign up for Fuller/Buchan Reception tabling on Sundays by emailing John Rosette.
| |
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.
| |
The Speaking of Justice Editorial Team offers weekly art to deepen our connection to social justice work and build the Beloved Community.
Curated by Ethel, Speaking of Justice Editorial Team
Juneteenth – also known as Juneteenth Independence Day, Freedom Day, and Emancipation Day – commemorates the end of slavery in the United States. A blend of the words June and nineteenth, it marks June 19, 1865: the day that Union Army Maj. Gen. Gordon Granger rode into Galveston, Texas, and issued General Order No. 3, proclaiming that the enslaved African Americans there were free. Freedom for the enslaved people of Galveston, Texas, came two-and-a-half years after President Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation, which couldn’t be enforced in areas under Confederate control.
| |
|
Recurring Workshops, Classes & Gatherings
| |
|
Beloved Community of Color: Every second Thursday evening and fourth Saturday morning of the month. Email for more info.
Caregivers Support Group: Open to Newcomers. Fourth Sunday of each month at 9 a.m. via Zoom.
Care and Action for Reproductive Dignity (CARD): We meet on the third Sunday of each month. From 12:15 – 1:45 in Fireside.
First Connections: We meet monthly on the third Sunday for all new and returning folks! And it is a terrific way to meet new folks just coming into the community. Bring a brown bag lunch. Questions? Email Pat.
First Steps: Every first Sunday of the month at Noon // Location: Channing Room. Discover additional insights into life at First Unitarian Portland, avenues for connection, and delve deeper into Unitarian Universalism. Questions? Email Jen Thomas.
Lunch Gathering at Elephants
Monday, June 24 at 12:30 p.m. || Location: Elephants Delicatessen S. Corbett
Sojourners: Lollygagging Our Way To The Inevitable: Sojourners and Sojourners 2 are two separate groups that meet for two hours in person at First Unitarian. Members support each other through the aging journey by engaging in facilitated discussion and activities, sharing personal stories and concerns, inspiring individual growth, and promoting friendship through social activities. All are welcome, but both groups are limited in size; no drop-ins, please. || Email Lucy with questions.
THIS SUNDAY — "T” Time: A Trans, Nonbinary, and Gender-Expansive, Exclusive Gathering: Meet on the second and fourth Sundays in Channing Room at 12 - 1 p.m.
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.
THIS SUNDAY — Young Adult Meetup! Every Sunday at 12:15 p.m. in Room B101. Expect fun social events, thought-provoking discussions, and opportunities to connect with the First Unitarian Community. Questions? Email Jen.
| |
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 noon.
| |
|
For the month of June, we are sharing our plate offering with Street Books. Street Books is a bicycle-powered, mobile library serving people living outside and at the margins in Portland.
Since 2011, Street Books has provided books, reading glasses, and other survival supplies to create relationships and a community of mutual care. They strive to empower people on the streets through access to literature and to create a community of support for people living outside through a shared love of books.Â
| |
|
