Sunday Worship at 10:30 a.m.
Childcare is available during our worship service for children six months to 3 years old (in the nursery.)
Social Hour: Fuller Hall after the service
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The writer Annie Dillard tells us that beauty is a kind of grace, wholly unmerited, and the least we can do is try to be there to witness it.
How can we cultivate a spiritual practice of noticing beauty?
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Minister's Blog
A Reflection on the Year
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This is a reflection on the hopes and dreams for our future that you shared with me in May and June of 2023 at the Community Conversations. Read on to see what we’ve been able to accomplish in the past year. Thank you for all you shared. We couldn’t have made it to where we are today without your ideas and your help in furthering many of our goals.
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Join Our Support Network: Lotsa Helping Hands
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Do you enjoy helping others? Are you looking for concrete ways to strengthen our beloved community? Consider joining our church’s 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 visits—or if you have any questions—please contact one of our coordinators, Leslie or Susan.
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Upcoming Classes, Events & Gatherings
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!
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All-Come Social Justice End-of-Year Celebration with Pizza!
Sunday, June 2, 12:15 - 1:45 p.m.
Location: Buchan Reception Hall
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Join us for social hour with pizza and an end-of-year Social Justice celebration following the service. We'll share in song, shout out to all the amazing happenings we've co-created this year, "harvest" some of what we've learned, and deepen our connections for resilience and solidarity as we look toward the horizon.
This is an ALL-COME event and will be an opportunity to learn about the breadth of our Social Justice ministry and share what calls us as we move into the election season and beyond
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Labyrinth Happenings!
Sunday, June 2, 9:30 a.m. 'til noon
Location: Fuller Hall
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Join us for the last Labyrinth of the church year. Stop by before or after service for quiet contemplation.
Mark your calendars for next year: Starting in September, we will be holding the Labyrinth on the first Sunday of the month at our new location, Fuller Hall. We’re always looking for more volunteers to help us set up, hold sacred space, and plan special programming.
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First Steps Class
Sunday, June 2, at noon
Location: Channing Room
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Learn about the ways in which you can engage and connect by diving deeper into First Unitarian history.
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Young Adult Bagel Brunch
Sunday, June 2, at noon
Location: Fireside Room
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Are you a young adult (18-35) interested in deepening your engagement with the church and meeting other folks your age?
Join intern minister Danielle Garrett, member engagement coordinator Jen Thomas, and other young adults for an end-of-the-year brunch! We’ll gather in the Fireside room after service on June 2 to get to know one another, enjoy some bagels, and discuss how we can strengthen young adult programming in the coming church year. Please join us! This event is open to all young adults, whether you’re a long-time member or it's your first Sunday at church.
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SAVE THE DATE — Third Act Oregon Presents: An Evening with Bill McKibben
Friday, July 5, 6:30 - 8:30 p.m.
Location: Eliot Chapel
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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.
Following the event, enjoy light refreshments in the First Unitarian's beautiful, air-conditioned Buchan Reception Hall.
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Shower Project Needs Clothes & Snacks
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The Shower Project is going well, and our guests appreciate the service, especially the clothing donations. To ensure we can continue providing for our guests, we urgently need the items listed below. 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 new white tee shirts M/L (urgent need!)
- Men's boxer briefs M/L
- Sugar packets
- Single-serving, microwaveable snacks (i.e., mac and cheese, oatmeal)
Items can be left in the COHHO bins in Fuller Hall.
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Our Soup Drive for LiftUp Continues through 5/31
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Please drop off any size can/carton/cup of soup to the COHHO food bins in Fuller Hall next to the kitchen. Thanks so much for your generous donations!
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NEW GROUP — Fare-Free Transit - PDX
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EJAG is forming a new group to advocate for eliminating fares on the Tri-Met public bus system. Currently, Tri-Met has a mishmash of standard and discounted fares.
Our question: Should Tri-Met be moved to a simplified system that ends the mishmash and instead eliminates the payment of any fare at all? There are environmental and economic justice issues, which would say YES. Come to the EJAG table after service, learn more, and sign up to become part of a Google Group to advocate for FARE FREE TRANSIT for the Tri-Met system.
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BOOK DISCUSSION — Saving Democracy: A User's Manual for Every American
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The group, co-led by David Delk and Jean Pierce, will meet the first week of each month beginning in June, with the exact time determined by the participants' schedules.
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In the Community
Member Ann Copeland died on May 13 at the age of 84. Ann lived with dementia in the later years of her life. She worked in academia for many years and later became a Certified Financial Planner. At First Unitarian she took on the role of selling scrip as a way to support the church.
Member Barbara Ulman suffered a setback in her recovery from aortic valve replacement surgery when she took a fall earlier this month. She is in a rehabilitation facility and hopes to return home soon.
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HOW TO — Book for the 2024/2025 Church Year
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Social Hour Sunday Tabling: Sign up for Fuller/Buchan Reception tabling on Sundays by emailing John Rosette.
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Join Us for Cake and Ice Cream in Fuller Hall on June 9!
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Celebrate the end of the program year with cake and ice cream in Fuller Hall immediately following the service on June 9.
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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.
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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
Two of the greatest jazzers ever, to again honor Duke Ellington on the 50th anniversary of his death.
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Recurring Workshops, Classes & Gatherings
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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 noon.
UU the Vote: Join Us For Community and Letter Writing
We're putting our Tuesday sessions on hold. Our final session before the break will be on May 28. Tuesday sessions will kick back into gear in September, just in time for the big mail drop in early October.
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:
- Every Sunday until October / Social Hour
- Every Tuesday, through May 28 / 10 - 11:30 a.m. / B101
Women's Circle II: Meets most second and fourth Mondays of the month. Email Kim.
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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.
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Our community's focus this year is to support the dignity of our houseless neighbors.
Sisters of the Road is a social justice organization that uplifts the dignity and autonomy of people experiencing poverty through low/no-cost meals, education and training, a barter work program, advocacy, and a welcoming community space for all.
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