Please Join Our Live Stream
Sunday, December 13Worship Service at 10:15 a.m. PDT
Family Worship Service at 9:15 a.m. PDT
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Awakening & Awe: Bodhi Daywith Rev. Abhi Janamanchi
Bodhi Day is the Buddhist holiday that commemorates the day that the historical Buddha, Siddhartha Gautama, experienced enlightenment. It is observed in many mainstream Mahayana traditions including the traditional Zen and Pureland Buddhist schools of China, Korea, Japan, and Vietnam. Bodhi Day serves as a reminder of the wisdom that is naturally available to us, the wisdom of cultivating our minds and recognizing our relation to the whole.
Rev. Abhi has served as Senior Minister of Cedar Lane Unitarian Universalist Church, in Bethesda, MD, since August 2013. Born in India, he was raised in the Brahmo Samaj, a liberal Hindu movement with close ties to Unitarian Universalism.Â
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Bill's BlogFestival of Lights
The eight days of Hanukkah begin tonight. This Jewish celebration is one of the many ways that people of faith pause and witness during this season of long nights. The Solstice, Diwali, Kwanzaa, Christmas… all ways that communities mark this season of the turning year.
Hanukkah means “dedication” in Hebrew and the holiday commemorates the rededication of the Temple in Jerusalem during the second century Before the Common Era (BCE). Syria, the empire then dominating Palestine, outlawed the practice of Judaism. Syrian soldiers occupied Jerusalem and desecrated the Temple by erecting an altar to Zeus and sacrificing pigs within the Temple compound...continued.
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Family WorshipWhales & the Mysterious Deep
We will continue to explore the theme Mystery, which will bring us to the depths of the ocean this Sunday. Our focus will be on whales as representatives of the mysterious deep. Cassandra will share a story, Dustin will offer music, and Nicole will invite us into a listening meditation.Â
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Winter Solstice Service
Monday, December 21, 7 p.m.
Winter Solstice is a time of darkness moving toward light. What can we learn from this time of rest, renewal, and looking forward? We will honor both the light and the darkness of this season of our lives.
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Christmas Eve Services: “Love Is Born Again”
Thursday, December 24
4 p.m. Family Service
8 p.m. Candlelight Service
We will celebrate this holiday when we yearn to gather but must remain apart. We carry a sense of loss, of many losses, with us. But we also carry the seeds of new possibilities in our hearts. We will look to the meaning in the Christmas story for material to weave into our lives, so that we can make of our hearts a manger where love can be born again.Â
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Christmas Pageant: Rebroadcast
Sunday, December 27
Family Service at 9:15 a.m.
Main service at 10:15 a.m.
Rebroadcast of the 2019 Christmas Pageant, a wonderful and joyous tradition at First Unitarian Portland.
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Help Those in Need this Holiday Season
Here are some ways to support people in need both within our church community and in our larger community this season. These are organizations in concert with our own church mission:
First Unitarian Emergency Fund for members
This fund helps members facing some kind of critical need like loss of housing, utility shutoff or some other unexpected, necessary expense. It is part of how we build Beloved Community in our congregation.
Outside In
Since 1968 when it was founded in the basement of our church, Outside In has transformed thousands of lives by helping break the cycles of chronic homelessness, poverty, and poor health among Portland’s LGBTQIA+ community, people of color, those experiencing homelessness, and the underserved.
Clay Street Table
Clay Street Table, which operates out of St. Stephen’s Parish, just up the street from the church, strives to “feed those who are hungry in body and in spirit.” In 2019 Clay Street provided over 140,000 meals of food and groceries to youth and adults in our downtown community.
Oregon Worker Relief FundÂ
The Oregon Worker Relief Fund provides financial support directly to Oregonians who have lost their jobs yet are ineligible for Unemployment Insurance and federal stimulus relief due to their immigration status, and now face hunger, homelessness, and economic hardship.Â
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| Featured NewsAll timestamps are scheduled in Pacific Standard Time (PST) unless stated otherwise.
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The City & Prosper Portland Get Paid. The Black Community Gets PLAYED!
TONIGHT! – Thursday, December 10 at 7 p.m.
Listen to the Emanuel Displaced Persons Association (EDPA2), survivors & descendants of the hospital expansion tell their story EXACTLY how they are experiencing it.
Learn what happens when Black Families, victims of the Emanuel Hospital expansion, advocate for restitution & enforcement of a Housing Relocation policy.
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First U PDX! Adopt-a-PHFS Family for the Holidays!
REMINDER - Drop-off: Sunday, December 13 from 11:30 a.m. - 2 p.m.
Curbside Drop-Off: Buchan Building/Eliot Center Entrance, 1226 SW Salmon St.
COHHO thanks all who signed up to purchase gifts for the four PHFS families we “adopted” this year. All items are accounted for at this time. As in previous years, you’ve stepped up with generosity of spirit and credit card!Â
For those who hadn't signed up, you can still donate Fred Meyer or Target gift cards for the families before December 13. Â Write us here to work out the arrangements.
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THANK YOU for a Successful Giving Tree!
Last Saturday we had an outdoor drop-off alternative to this year's Giving Trees! Thank you for making this year's holiday special for our Portland Neighbors. We encourage those who could not physically contribute to donate to these local organizations.Â
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Spotlight on the Committee on Hunger & Homelessness
A Home For Everyone: By Sarah Ferguson
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| | Upcoming Events, Workshops & Classes
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Write for Rights on International Human Rights Day
TONIGHT! - All are welcome! Your words have power!
Thursday, December 10, 7 p.m.Â
First Unitarian Portland has hosted a local Amnesty International chapter for several years. For this year's International Human Rights Day they have invited First Unitarian congregants to join them in their virtual letter-writing event.
Across the globe, supporters will come together on this day for Amnesty Inter-national’s Write For Rights campaign, and will write letters for those whose basic rights are being attacked. Grab a drink, a snack, and a seat at your home table to join us. Along with pen, paper, envelopes and stamps, grab a warm drink and cozy seat at your home table to join us at this link.
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Caring Circle for Parents
Mondays, December 14, 28, January 11, 25
From 7 – 8 p.m.
An ongoing commitment is not required.Â
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.Â
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Program ResourcesAdult Programs, Social Justice, Learning Community, Music & Arts
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Vesper Prayer Service
Every Friday 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, but an ongoing commitment is not required.Â
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Loving Kindness Meditation
Every Monday, 8 – 8:30 p.m.
Loving-Kindness towards self and others is a basic foundational view of Buddhism and other religions. Intern Minister Stacey Mitchell will gently guide you through this spiritual practice which cultivates benevolence, kindness, and amity. An ongoing commitment is not required.Â
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Reimagining Normal:
Contemplative Conversations
Tuesdays, January 19 – February 23,
8 a.m. – 9:15 a.m.
The world has changed. We are changing. Who am I now? How am I called to serve? What must I mourn and what do I invite into this changing reality?
This can be a time to reconsider, reimagine, move toward reform. Join us in weekly conversations designed to nurture and support us through a pandemic of possibility.
Note: This cohort is limited to 6 participants. A commitment to attending all six weekly sessions is required.Â
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Send Us Your Photos & Be Part of Family WorshipÂ
We invite you to submit photos of your family member for inclusion in our weekly worship. Seeing each other in this way helps us stay connected. Send pictures of your family tuning in at home, of activities we do during worship, projects worked on from our monthly mailers, or any other photos you want to share. Thank you to those of you who have sent pictures! Please send photos to this email.Â
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Monthly Mailers & Zoom Gatherings
Registered families should have received their November mailer packets for the theme of Prayer. Watch your Learning Community news for details about a zoom session for our younger age groups as we round out the month.
Please share your feedback about the mailer packets and zoom sessions which will help us in planning future months.Â
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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.
BRAVE! Sung by Voices Rock Medicine, a Choir of Women Physicians!
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In the Community
Dr. Roger Meyer died on December 1 after an accidental fall, having been in declining health for some time. He was 92. Roger was involved in our peace work for many years and especially with our United Nations work. He leaves six children, two grandchildren and his former wife. His family plans a memorial early next year. We hold them at this time.
Mary Villnave, mother of member Jacqueline Villnave, died of natural causes on October 22 at the age of 96. In March, Jacqueline began working at Mary's assisted living facility so they could still be together, despite the limitation on family visits due to Covid-19. When an outbreak of the virus hit the facility in July, Jacqueline moved her mother into her home, where they spent many precious moments together, until her final breath. We hold Jacqueline and her extended family in our hearts.
We note the recent deaths of Rev. Chester McCall and Rev. Hope Johnson, African American UU ministers, whose lives touched some of us deeply. Though few in the congregation knew them, their ministries were part of our ministry and we hold their memory and all who grieve their loss with care.
Member Brenda Bell had surgery on December 2 to remove a cancerous growth in her stomach. The surgery went well and Brenda is now recovering at home.
Member Dave Kovich had surgery on December 3 for a blockage in his intestine. The surgery went well and Dave is now at home recovering.
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Greetings from your Ministerial Search Committee!
As daylight shortens, many anticipate a bright new year ahead. We are grateful for the steady leadership of the Board of Trustees, the staff, and especially our ministers and musicians providing worship and grounding for all of us--time for us to come together in the virtual world that has become a safe way to gather.
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Your committee has been using this extra time for learning more about our congregation, and is planning to resume in March more frequent meetings and deeper work to find the next senior minister to lead First Unitarian in the coming years of our lives together. Your voices will be heard as we gather for “cottage meetings” in subsequent months while we diligently assemble a picture of the congregation
It is a blessing to serve you in this “search” and hold you in our hearts. May our many generations thrive in peace, in hope and in love,
Lia Nagase, Kristin Guest, Leslie Pohl-Kosbau, Saranna Weller-Filz, Evie Zaic, Darin Stewart, Jess Parker, Mark Woodlief, and Sarah Hardin.
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Nominating Committee in Search of a Few Good Candidates
Are you a member of First Unitarian and wondering how you can give back? Are you wanting to help build the beloved community, seeing representation of all of our members in the leadership of our church?
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Message from our Board Moderator
We made it through the election and have reason to hope for healing as we look to a new year and a new administration. The prayer vigil offered by Rev. Bill, Rev. Tom, and Intern Minister Stacey on election eve was a time of calm and blessing in the frenzy of that night.Â
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As Rev. Bill reported, we prevailed in the lawsuit we joined with the Western States Association to protect our right to bear witness to, and protest, oppression free from interference by federal officers. Not only were we successful in protecting our rights in Portland, we also provided a framework that will help other communities of faith protect their right to express their faith through action. This is truly an example of thinking globally and acting locally. Thank you to Rev. Bill, Dana Buhl and our social justice groups for all they have done to help us put our faith into action...continued.
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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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Have a Submission for E-News?If you have a 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 Stream & Social ScheduleJoin us LIVE from your computer or smart device by clicking on the links below.Â
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December Shared PlateFor the month of December, we share our plate with three organizations providing critical services in our community. Outside In, located next to the church, provides a safe, supportive and inclusive place for health care and other services to help the underserved and people experiencing houselessness achieve independence. First Unitarian continues to share our reception hall for Outside In's food pantry.Â
Our Committee on Hunger and Homelessness partners with Clay Street Table, to help provide meals of food and groceries to youth and adults in our church's downtown community.
The Oregon Worker Relief Fund provides financial support directly to Oregonians who have lost their jobs yet are ineligible for Unemployment Insurance and federal stimulus relief due to their immigration status.
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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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