Sunday Worship at 10:15 a.m.
Learning Community (RE) classes are at 10:15 a.m. Nursery and toddler care is always available during our worship service. Learn about our program here. Current news here.
Social Hour:Â Fuller Hall after the service.
| |
Poet Maggie Smith begins her poem “Threshold” with the line, “You want a door you can be on both sides of at once.” But our society often prioritizes either/or thinking, constraining our imaginations and leaving little space for folks whose identities and experiences don’t fit neatly into boxes. Can we make breaking outside of binaries a spiritual practice? And how can we discern when it might be important to take a clear stance, for example in matters of justice and human rights?
| |
Minister's Blog
Inch by Inch, Row by Row
| |
How do we plant seeds of hope as we cross the threshold of a new presidential tenure, which represents a season of loss and harm for so many? One answer is to find nourishing individual and communal spiritual practices that will cultivate resilience within our lives and within our community...MORE
| |
|
Our hearts are heavy with the loss and the ongoing destruction caused by the California wildfires. We hold in our prayers all who have been touched by this calamity. As this disaster continues to burn through communities, we are assessing how our February shared plate might best be directed.
| |
|
Floater Wanted for Front Office Team
| |
|
We are looking for floaters who can occasionally fill in for our regular front office volunteers who need a day off from time to time. Regular shifts are Monday-Thursday from either 10 a.m. - 1 p.m. or 1 - 4 p.m. Basic computer and telephone skills required.
Volunteering in the office is a great way to get to know our ministers and staff, and to learn all about what's happening at the church. If any of these shifts are possible for you on a "now and then" basis, please email John Rosette, or call him at 503-228-6389 x102.
| |
|
NEW! — Regular Admin Helper for Front Office
| |
|
We need a friendly helper for our church office! This is a different position than the one listed above.
Got some free time and like keeping things organized? We're looking for someone who's comfortable with computers and doesn't mind doing some light admin work and record keeping.
If you're good at or willing to learn Word or Google Docs, can handle a spreadsheet, and want to pitch in a few hours each week, please consider helping out. We’d love to have you!
Great opportunity to give much needed help and be part of our church office community.
Workspace available with computer and internet access and super relaxed environment.
| |
|
We “planted” our hopes for our world during the service (see Rev. Alison’s blog), ate walking tacos together, and joined our voices in song. What a grand way to build community! Thanks to everyone who helped make this wonderful day happen!
| |
|
Winter All-Church Forum
Sunday, January 26, noon - 1:30 p.m.
Location: Eliot Chapel
| |
|
Join Rev. Alison and members of your Board of Trustees for a forum on January 26. Rev. Alison and Treasurer Roger Robinson will provide an update on the Annual Fund Drive and priorities for next year’s budget.
The Board will also introduce two proposed changes to the church’s bylaws. One will address privacy and security of our membership information; this follows the request last Fall by congregants to receive the member mailing list. The other will propose a reduction in the size of the Board from 12 members to 9; this follows an initial 2019 proposal by the board and subsequent research and deliberations.
All of this is in preparation for our annual congregational vote in May. Additional presentations will be provided to learn more about these important items are planned for March and April.
| |
|
JOIN US! — Potluck This Sunday / January 26 Newsletter
| |
|
Sometimes the best events have the simple-yet-transformative agenda of just being together in friendly community!
With that in mind, all RE teachers, family members, young people, friends, and anyone else are invited to a potluck and group games led by theater nonprofit New Moon:
11:45 amÂ
January 26th
Buchan Reception
Bring a dish to share; no RSVP required...MORE
| |
|
COP29 and Beyond: Climate Action in the Wake of the November Elections
Sunday, January 26, 8:45 - 10 a.m. (Join us at 8:30 a.m. for coffee and conversation)
Location: Buchan 102 or register to join online
| |
|
Join members of Community for Earth for a presentation by Dr. Frank Granshaw, who will summarize some of the key takeaways from the most recent U.N. climate summit held in Baku, Azerbaijan, and share his insights about next steps for climate action as the world braces for a new U.S. administration. Dr. Granshaw is a retired geoscience instructor and a glacial geologist who remains active in climate education and advocacy.Â
Contact CFEUUPDX@gmail.com for questions about this gathering or to learn more about Community for Earth. Watch for more information about our upcoming Climate Justice Action Series, starting with a session on legislative advocacy scheduled for February 16th.
| |
|
NEW! — CARD Meeting
Sunday, January 26, 11:30 a.m. - 1 p.m.
Location: Fireside Room
| |
|
You are invited to come to our monthly CARD meeting this Sunday, January 26. We will be excited to get the latest details about the Sewell Lecture on March 1 at 3 pm. We are thrilled that the focus of this year's Sewell Lecture will be reproductive health. It will be a multimedia experience with Idaho and Oregon abortion stories, guest panelists for Q&A, and tabling by local and national organizations including ACLU, Plan C Pills, our own CARD group and more.
Come to our meeting to hear the details, find out what we can do in advance of the lecture to get the word out and support a very important event!
| |
|
LAST CHANCE — Last Sunday to Pre-Order Tamales
This Sunday after the service, through January
Location: Fuller Hall
| |
|
Members of the Immigrant Justice Action Team (IJAG) will be tabling throughout the month of January to take orders (by pre-sale only) for tamales made by members of Western Farm Workers Association (WFWA) in Hillsboro, where several IJAG members have volunteered.
WFWA is a free and voluntary membership association of farm workers, seasonal workers and others who are low income, uniting to end their poverty conditions. WFWA is part of a national network of such mutual aid groups, 100% volunteer run and independent of government funding.
The tamale drive is one of the biggest fundraisers for WFWA, with tamales made by members and volunteers. The funds raised help support the organization and its services during the lean winter months when so many farm and seasonal workers are under-employed or not employed.
We will be taking orders at the IJAG table during Fellowship Hour through January. PICK-UP WILL BE SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 9.
Tamales are available in chicken, pork, and vegan. Orders cannot be mixed.Â
Prices: half dozen $10—suggested minimum cost $5; dozen $20—suggested minimum cost $10. CASH AND CHECK ONLY. We ask you to be as generous as your heart and wallet allow.
| |
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!
| |
|
TOMORROW — Special Friday Vespers Service
Friday, January 24, 5 - 5:40 p.m.
Location: Zoom
| |
|
You are invited to join a special Vespers service on Friday, January 24th on zoom from 5:00 - 5:40 p.m. We will celebrate this 200th service offering by Lay Ministers. If you haven't attended Vespers before, this is a chance to experience the service on zoom and end your week with a quiet pause of music, poetry, reflection, prayer and community. Join on Zoom here.
| |
|
GET TICKETS NOW — The 2025 Sewell Lecture
Saturday, March 1, 3 - 5:30 p.m.
Location: Main Sanctuary (1211 SW Main St)
| |
|
NEW! — First Steps Class on February 2
Sunday, February 2, 11:45 a.m.
Location: Channing A101
| |
|
Please join us for the next First Steps class for new and returning folks on February 2. This class is a great overview of First Unitarian and a chance to meet other new folks as well as take a tour of our campus.
Class meets at 11:45 in the Channing Room A101. If you need assistance, please drop by the Welcome Table in the Lobby/Narthex of the main sanctuary for directions. Or ask one of our friendly ushers and they can direct you.
The next First Steps class will be offered on March 2.
| |
|
NEW! — The Alliance Presents "Friends of Tryon Creek"
Wednesday, February 5, 10:30 a.m.
Location: Eliot Chapel
| |
|
Friends of Tryon Creek Executive Director, Gabe Sheoships, will share a presentation that draws cultural differences and parallels between Indigenous stewardship practices and Western models of environmental engagement, sharing examples and lessons from his work.
| |
|
NEXT WEEK — Forum: How Will We Defend Attacks on Immigrants?
Tuesday, January 28, 7 - 8:30 p.m.
Location: Zoom
| |
|
With the incoming administration, we know that big changes are coming that will impact immigrant communities. We want to be informed, prepared, and ready for action.
ARJAG and IJAG will co-host a three-part series of events addressing immigrant justice. Through an anti-racist lens, we will explore immigration status issues, the lived experience of immigrants in Oregon, and strategic ways we can act in solidarity to promote and defend the human dignity of Oregon immigrants.
Come meet our panelists and learn more about challenges being faced by immigrants.
Please mark Tuesday, January 28, 7 - 8:30 p.m. (via Zoom) on your calendar for our first forum/workshop.
Tentative dates for the subsequent events are Tuesday, March 4, and Tuesday, May 6. Watch for additional information in upcoming Front Steps!
| |
|
REGISTER NOW — Winter/Spring Antiracism Learning Circles
Location: Zoom
| |
|
You are invited to join an Antiracism Learning Circle this winter/spring. It’s on Zoom, so you can join from anywhere!  First Unitarian in Portland is the organizer. The first Circles start next week.Â
Full descriptions, schedules & registration information are HERE.
A printable flyer is HERE. Â
This winter/spring 2025, we are offering:
- Tribal Histories of the Willamette Valley (starts Thursday, January 16)
- On Tyranny (starts Tuesday, January 21)
- Seeing White (starts Wednesday, January 22)
- Doughnut Economics (starts Monday, February 3)
- The 1619 Project (starts Thursday, February 6)
- Caste: The Origins of our Discontents (starts Thursday, February 6)
- The Land That Never Has Been Yet (starts Wednesday, March 12)
- Subtle Acts of Exclusion
- My Grandmother’s Hands
- Poverty, By America
LEARNING CIRCLESÂ are small discussion cohorts based on a book or podcast that provide:
- Important learning about white supremacy, racism, and our national history
- The opportunity to build trust and go deep in small group discussions over time
- A safe place to have difficult discussions and deal with discomfort
- An opportunity to create and strengthen relationships with others
- Connection, focus and purpose in a virtual setting
How Do LEARNING CIRCLES Work?
- Each cohort (typically 4-12) gathers for a series (from 6-12 sessions) of facilitated Zoom discussions.
- Register for specific Learning Circle(s). Meeting dates & times vary.
- Everyone is given the opportunity to share reactions, then discuss as a group
- We ask that you plan to attend all sessions so we can build bonds of trust and insight
- Free of charge and open to all. Please invite neighbors and friends!
| |
|
Learning Community Needs Recyclable Materials this Sunday!
| |
|
Our Kindergarten class needs your empty cardboard rolls, plastic clamshell containers, and egg cartons! Drop off in A200 before RE on Sunday morning.
| |
|
NEW! — First Unitarian is a Good Trouble Congregation!
Tuesday, January 28, 5 p.m.
Location: Online
| |
|
Congregations can be the embodiment of our sacred UU values that propel our faith and communities toward a world where all of our communities thrive. This means we work collectively to get in the way of injustice and get into what US Rep John Lewis called "Good Trouble." Together we can build a truly multiracial democracy. Our incredible collective work — letter-writing, phone-banking, canvassing, gathering to learn together — met the guidelines to become a Good Trouble 2024 Congregation.
The UU the Vote Team at the UUA set ambitious goals for congregational participation. They know that these goals were a challenge to achieve and do not take it lightly that First Unitarian Portland made a huge commitment. There are so many more UU congregations who have done tremendous work to build power and live our values in the world. The UU the Vote team hopes to continue to build and develop a program with many meaningful ways for congregations and UUs at large to get engaged in promoting and protecting the right to vote.
We are invited to join a special celebration for Good Trouble 2024 Congregations on Tuesday, January 28th at 5pm PT. If you made calls, wrote letters, or are just curious about the UU the Vote program and other congregations' efforts, please join us!
| |
|
Ongoing Need for Food Donations to Lift UP
| |
|
We are happy to report that due to your generous spirit, Lily from COHHO was able to deliver 45 pounds of protein-rich food to Lift UP on Christmas Eve for distribution to their pantry on SW Jefferson and to affordable buildings in downtown and NW Portland. Thank you so much!
Unfortunately, the need has not ended. So next time you're ready to leave your house for Sunday service or a meeting at church, bring a can, jar, or carton of nut butter, jelly, soup, beans, tuna, salmon or tuna with you. As long as it's non-perishable and without an expired date, please consider donating it to Lift UP. They do an excellent job of helping people facing food insecurity feel a tad more secure.
Drop off your donations to the COHHO cabinet in Fuller Hall (by the kitchen) and we will deliver them to Lift UP. Every action-big or small-is one step closer to a Portland where no one is hungry. You can also donate directly to them on their website. Thank you!
| |
|
The Peace Action Group at First Unitarian meets monthly to share information and action items on moving from violence and militarism in our world. We have a custom of finding powerful and profound readings for the beginning and ending of each meeting. We want to share a reading with the wider congregation several times a month in 2025 to give an opportunity for reflection and meditation. We're starting with this terrific reflection on loyalties written by Carl Sagan long ago. If you have an interest in knowing what Peace Action is up to, please stop by our table any Sunday during coffee hour to say hello!
"Human history can be viewed as a slowly dawning awareness that we are members of a larger group. Initially our loyalties were to ourselves and our immediate family, next, to bands of wandering hunter-gatherers, then to tribes, small settlements, city-states, nations. We have broadened the circle of those we love. We have now organized what are modestly described as super-powers, which include groups of people from divergent ethnic and cultural backgrounds working in some sense together — surely a humanizing and character building experience. If we are to survive, our loyalties must be broadened further, to include the whole human community, the entire planet Earth. Many of those who run the nations will find this idea unpleasant. They will fear the loss of power. We will hear much about treason and disloyalty. Rich nation-states will have to share their wealth with poor ones. But the choice, as H. G. Wells once said in a different context, is clearly the universe or nothing." ~Carl Sagan
| |
|
CHECK WEEKLY — 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.
Launched in 2017 in response to the Trump presidency, the Resistance Revival Chorus is a collective of more than 60 women who join together to breathe joy and song into the resistance, and to uplift and center women’s voices. They believe that art and culture are essential to changing hearts, minds, and history; and they commit to the principle that joy is in itself an act of resistance. To listen to their performance of "Woke Up This Mornin' With My Mind Stayed on Freedom," watch the video below:
| |
In the Community
Staff member John Rosette’s brother-in-law, Ricky Gallegos, died unexpectedly this past week following surgery. Ricky was 66 years old. We hold John; Ricky’s wife, Mary; and their whole family in our hearts.
Member Sue Harvey had successful hip replacement surgery earlier this month. She’s recovering well and is grateful for everyone who has reached out with their healing prayers and well wishes.Â
| |
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.
| |
January/February Art Wall Exhibitions
Artwork by Paula Bullwinkel
Artist talk coming in February. Stay tuned!
| |
Paula Bullwinkel is a narrative and figurative painter. Her female characters and beast-familiars are often in a doppelgänger tableau, suggesting an unsettling and boisterous multiverse. She has exhibited widely, including Brooklyn, Los Angeles, Oakland, Switzerland, and Portland. Born in Northern California, she spent her childhood making miniature clay animals and figures in her mom's ceramic studio, reading classic fairytales, and playing for hours in the woods with imaginary characters. After earning a bachelor's degree in literature from UC Berkeley (and later a master's in art education), Bullwinkel spent years in New York and London as an editorial fashion photographer. Now she paints and lives in Portland.
| |
|
Star Ornaments Available at the Bookstore
| |
|
Star ornaments, commemoratives of our 100th Christmas Pageant celebration, are now available at our bookstore in Fuller Hall! The $5 price per ornament will go towards much-needed refurbishing of our pageant costumes.
| |
|
Recurring Workshops, Classes & Gatherings
| |
|
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 fourth Sunday of each month from 11:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. in Fireside and via Zoom. Contact Marni T.
Committee on Hunger and Homelessness (COHHO): We meet on the 3rd Sunday of the month after services. Contact Cynthia S for details or to be added to our email list.
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.
Contemplative Practices: First Thursdays (in Channing, A101) and third Thursdays (in Buchan Reception, B101) from 1:00 - 2:30 p.m. This is a drop-in group. Any silent sitting practice is welcomed and no prior meditation experience is needed. Contact Patty C and Ron or visit the event page for more information.
Immigrant Justice Action Group (IJAG): Check the IJAG page on the church website for ways to get involved and groups that need our energy and gifts. For meeting info, contact Laurie L.
Lotsa Helping Hands: A care calendar that enables volunteers to provide meals or visits for congregants going through challenging times. To join, send a request here. For questions or to receive support, contact Leslie C or Susan P.
Mental Health Caregivers Group: Second Wednesday every month via Zoom 7 - 8:30 p.m. Email Ellen Z for more information.
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 G with questions.
Souper Sunday Committee: Once a month, we offer two different soups as part of our Social Hour. It takes a lot of folks to put on Souper Sunday every month: organizers, cooks, servers, shoppers and clean up team to name a few. We are appreciative of all that volunteer. If you are interested in helping out, please contact Barbara M.
"T” Time: A Trans, Nonbinary, and Gender-Expansive, Eclusive Gathering: A group for anyone that identifies along the transgender spectrum. There are no requirements for medical transition status or gender presentation to attend. People who are questioning their gender and parents of trans kids (and their kids, too!) are welcome. We meet on the second and fourth Sundays in Channing Room, shortly after the service until around 1:00 PM. Questions? Email Aileen.
Wednesday Night Meditation: Every week from 7 - 8:30 p.m. All mindfulness and Buddhist-based meditations. Beginners welcome. A thirty-five-minute meditation followed by a member-led discussion to increase understanding and integration of Buddhist principles into our daily lives. For the link, contact Robert S.
Women's Circle II:Â Meets most second and fourth Mondays of the month. Email Kim S.
Women's Circle IV: Meets first and third Wednesdays of the month. Email Anne M.
| |
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 couldn’t be sent before the deadline, please include “URGENT” in the subject line.
| |
|
| January's
Shared Plate
This church year, we share our plate offering with community organizations working for the rights and support of immigrants. For the month of January, we are pleased to share our plate with Innovation Law Lab. They write "The U.S. government’s vast detention and deportation machine works to grind down the spirit of the immigrant. In its wake, communities are torn apart, families separated, and refugees forced to relinquish their right to freedom, inclusion, and safety." Innovation Law Lab provides legal expertise and strategies to build permanent pathways to immigrant and refugee justice. Their programs include rapid intervention, defense of asylum, a clearinghouse for immigrant justice organizing, and immigrant defense in Oregon.
| |
| This Week's Shower Project Requests
Your donations make a big difference in the lives of those we serve. All donations are greatly appreciated. At this time, we are in special need of the following items:
- Backpacks and/or plastic bags with handles
- Men's white t-shirts (M/L)
- Men's boxer briefs (M/L)
- Blankets
- Coffee creamer
- Cup Noodles
- Hand sanitizer
Our page includes a list of our most frequently-needed items.
Please bring your items to donate to the cabinet in Fuller Hall, next to the kitchen. Thank you for your support!
| |
| Want to know what this church has to offer? Show up for events/classes/socials and stay engaged!
| |
|
