Sunday Worship at 10:15 a.m.
Children & youth start in the Sanctuary at 10:15 a.m. then head to (RE) classes. Nursery and toddler care available during worship.
Social Hour:Â Fuller Hall after the service.
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Weaving Threads of Generosity
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Our spiritual theme of the year is “Weaving Community,” and the topic this month is our interdependence. A church is not a building; it is the people of all ages who care for one another, who tend to the wellbeing in the world beyond, and yes, to the building too. Today, we are excited to kick off our Campaign for 2026 and to have the chance to honor how the many threads of generous gifts of time and talent, funding and faithfulness allow our community to thrive.  Â
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Ministerial Blog
All Souls Service on Nov. 2
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On Nov. 2, one week from this coming Sunday, we will have our annual All Souls service. At this service every year we name members of our church community who have died in the last year as well as close family members of congregants. For me, this has come to be one of the most moving services we have every year. It is a tender and precious time.Â
If you’d like to submit names to be included you’ll find a link to send later in this message...MORE
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NEW! — Souper Sunday Mug Drive
Location: Fuller Hall
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Our mug supply needs a boost! If you have clean, no-longer-used, reasonable-sized ceramic beverage mugs, please bring them to Fuller Hall beginning October 26.
Mugs that are too large or too tiny can be passed along to donation centers—but the “just right” ones will help us serve up warmth and community on Souper Sundays.
Thank you for helping to keep this beloved tradition going strong!
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NEW! — Fall Forum
Sunday, November 2, 12:15 - 1:45 p.m.
Location: Eliot Chapel
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Your Board of Trustees invites you to our Fall Forum. Join Rev. Alison and your Board of Trustees for this update. Topics include...
- Priorities for 2026 – 2027 budget
- Updates on congregational life plus reports from Stewardship Committee and Foundation
- Report on last Spring’s congregational survey
- Report on Board goals 2025 – 2026
Childcare available!
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NEW! — Names for All Souls Litany on November 2
Due by Wednesday, October 29
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On November 2, we will have our annual All Souls service when we name members of our church community who have died in the last year along with close family members of congregants.
If you'd like to include the name of a loved one in the annual litany, send the name (and pronunciation if necessary) to remembrance@firstunitarianportland.org. If your loved one's name has been mentioned in parish concerns it should be on the list already. But you are most welcome to submit a name just to make sure. In addition to members, you are welcome to submit names of close family members who have died. Please submit names by Wednesday, October 29.Â
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NEW! — Grief and the Holidays
Sundays, November 9 and 23, and December 7 and 14, 11:45 a.m. - 1:15 p.m.
Location: First Unitarian
Rev. Duane Fickeisen and Dr. Bill Yasnoff
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In this class for people who are grieving the loss of a close family member, we will explore the nature of grief, offer the opportunity to share your own grief story, and make a plan to navigate the winter holidays. We will meet in person on four Sunday afternoons, from 11:45 a.m. to 1:15 p.m., on November 9 and 23 and December 7 and 14. The Rev. Duane Fickeisen and Dr. Bill Yasnoff will facilitate the group. Both are members of First Unitarian and have personal experience with being widowed and in facilitating grief groups.
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NEW! — FUSE Forum: Transitions and Housing Options
Sunday, November 9, 12 - 2 p.m.
Location: Buchan Reception Hall
First Unitarian Senior Engagement (FUSE)
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Come at 11:30 a.m. for soup, sides & conversation!
First Unitarian Senior Engagement (FUSE) presents this forum on transitions and housing options:
- Should you “age-in-place” and/or build an Accessory Dwelling Unit?
- Would you prefer to move to a senior community? How do you get rid of your stuff?!
- Do you wonder if you qualify for affordable senior housing?
- What if you need medical or memory care?
Come hear a panel of First Unitarian members about their search for the best housing for them as they grow older. This forum is for people of all ages, including older members wondering where to live as they age and younger members wondering what might be the best housing option for a beloved older relative or friend.
No registration required.
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NEW! — Articulating Your Faith: A Spiritual Development Opportunity for Adults of All Ages
Second Wednesdays from November through June, 5:30 - 7:30 p.m.
Location: First Unitarian
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Join Rev. Alison and Rev. Tom for an 8-session course of theological exploration and discovery. Together, we will trace our spiritual paths, explore our understandings of the sacred, human nature, and religious practice, and develop our personal credos: an expression of our most sacred beliefs and fundamental values that guide our lives. We will also get a chance to learn a little more about Unitarian Universalist history and build community with one another!
Dates:Â November 12, December 10, January 14, February 11, March 11, April 8, May 13, and June 10.
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NEW! — Music Ministry Transition Team Message
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"October's poplars are flaming torches lighting the way to winter."
- Nova S. Blair
This is an update from your Music Ministry Transition Team. We began our work in July 2024. Our first task was to find an interim music director. After reviewing resumes and inviting candidates to come out and meet with us, we concluded that Garrett Bond was the best candidate. Garrett has served marvelously in this position. We are so thankful and appreciative of all that he brought to our church. His calling is directing him elsewhere but he has agreed to remain with our church through June 2026.
Our work continues. We will now be engaged in searching for a more settled director. I am most grateful to the people on this committee (Rich Scher, Ameena Amdahl-Mason, Michael Murray, Holly Stern, Rev. Alison Miller, and Rev. Tom Disrud) who have worked together to support the music program. The application and information about the Music director position will be available on the church website beginning in November. Â We ask for your continued prayers and blessings on our endeavors. You can email us here.
- Theo Harper
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Alliance Greens Sale
Location: Online
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The Alliance Greens Sale is now open and will continue through November 9. A variety of beautiful wreaths and garlands are available again this year with no price increases! Plus, there is a new item available for the first time, a 12-inch tabletop tree that can be replanted outside after the holidays!
Use this link to place your order online. Please feel free to share the link with friends and neighbors who might also be interested. Friendly assistance with ordering will be available after service on Sunday during social hour.
Your purchases will be available for pick up at the church on December 5 and 6. Wreaths may also be ordered for mailing.
Funds raised from this sale will benefit recipients of The Alliance’s allocation grants to be awarded to non-profit organizations that support women, children, and marginalized communities.
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Lotsa Helping Hands: Caring for One Another
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When life gets tough — whether it’s recovering from surgery or illness, going through treatment, or facing another challenge — our Lotsa Helping Hands team is here to support you. Coordinated by Lay Ministry, volunteers provide meals or visits to make things a little easier.
If you’d like to volunteer or if you need some support yourself, email one of our Lotsa Helping Hands coordinators, Leslie C. or Susan P. We care for one another — because no one should go through hard times alone.
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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!
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NEW! — Have You Spotted the Rainbow Lanyards? Look for the Helpers!
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Colorful threads are showing up all over First Unitarian Portland—in the form of rainbow lanyards! If you’ve seen someone wearing one with their name tag, you’ve just found one of the many people helping to weave our community together.
Hospitality volunteers—ushers, greeters, folks at the First Connections table, Welcome Circle members, and those who add warmth and beauty to our spaces—are now easy to spot. These lanyards are a simple, bright invitation: “Come say hello, ask questions, or let us help you find your way.” Each conversation and connection adds a vibrant new strand to the tapestry of our community.
A big thank you to Kathleen V. for crafting these beautiful lanyards, and to all our hospitality volunteers for their warmth and dedication. By welcoming new faces and guiding familiar ones, you’re at the heart of what it means to weave community—one smile, one moment of care, one colorful thread at a time.
If you’re ever feeling lost, curious, or just want some company, look for the rainbow. Together, we’re weaving something strong and welcoming.
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Teachers: We’d like to hear from you!
Attention K-12 teachers of reading / literature / poetry (or art or music or theater): What books are you recommending / assigning to your students? What do your students particularly enjoy reading – or enjoy having read to them? Please let us know by giving the title and author to the Bookstore’s Cashier. Thank you!
Apocrypha and Pseudepigrapha
Are you interested in reading material from the same time as Biblical writing, but for one reason or another was not included in the Bible? The Apocrypha and the pseudepigrapha are considered non-canonical by many Christians, but are included in some traditions Bibles. These ancient Jewish and Christian texts include books like the Gospel of Thomas, the Book of Enoch, 1st and 2nd Maccabees, the Testaments of the Twelve Patriarchs, the Gospel of Peter, and the Gospel of Mary.
The Gospel of Thomas presents alternative early Christian beliefs and teachings that are not found in the accepted Gospels. Your Bookstore carries some of this material and can get others for interested readers. Beacon Bookstore also carries several books offering background and additional information to help in understanding how various translations changed meaning over the centuries. We carry some of the sacred text material from other faith traditions such as the Quran.
Hot Topics
Your Beacon Bookstore carries books being recommended for our adult discussions and classes, guidebooks on journaling and writing about your life and thinking during this important time in our country’s history (think about how valuable we find diaries of Revolutionary War or Depression-Era writers), and some great “rest-your-brain” (or give-your-brain-a-workout) poetry. Looking for books about the lives of our LGBTQIA+ siblings and children after reading Authentic Selves in the last couple of months? We have a number of books for children, youth, and adults. Â
And more…
T-shirts, mugs, pins, hymnals, and a variety of greeting cards.
Come take a look!
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CHECK WEEKLY — October 26 Newsletter
Rev. Leah Ongiri, Acting Director of Lifespan Faith Formation and Family Ministries
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Greetings and a Note from the RE Committee:
We wanted to send a note to introduce our committee, let you know a little about us and our purpose, and celebrate the care, time, and effort so many of us here at First Unitarian put into nurturing the children and youth in the Learning Community...MORE
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NEW! — Protect Oregon District 4 Training
Thursday, October 30, 6 - 7:30 p.m.
Location: Southwest Portland (Location TBA after registration)
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This will be an in-person event to gather with fellow southwest Portland residents to learn how we peacefully build action plans to oppose any military takeover in our communities. Location will be shared with those who register. Space is limited, and early registration is requested to assure participation. Register here.
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NEW! — MigraWatch Trainings
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Learn how to safely identify and respond to potential ICE activity in your community:
- How to spot and verify ICE presence
- How to plug into PIRC's rapid response network
- Know Your Rights
After training, you can join the PIRC hotline ecosystem and receive real-time alerts to help confirm ICE sightings in your community.
There are two sessions available:
- Wednesday, November 5, 7 p.m. - ONLINE. Register here.
- Saturday, November 15, mid-morning to early afternoon - SW Portland. Details TBA after registration. Register here.
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CARD Potluck
This Saturday, October 25, 10:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.
Location: Marni T.'s house
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Join us for an informative potluck on Saturday, October 25, from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at Marni T.'s house in SW Portland. We’ll enjoy a cozy, social gathering and hear firsthand accounts from one of our members who volunteers for the Northwest Abortion Access Fund (NWAAF). Our in-home potlucks are replacing our after-church meetings.
Also make sure to visit our CARD table during the social hour this Sunday, October 19, to learn more about our social justice group.
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Targeting Doctors in Gaza: Breaking the Silence
Thursday, October 30, 7 - 9 p.m.
Location: Eliot Chapel
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Join us for a vigil for murdered Palestinian health care workers, followed by a screening of Jan Haaken’s short film, “SUMUD: A Doctor’s Report on Genocide and Survival in Gaza,” and a presentation and Q&A with Dr. Travis Meleen on his experiences in Gaza in summer 2025.
Doors open at 6:30 p.m. $5 – $20 suggested donation; no one turned away for lack of funds.
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Each week we offer unhoused neighbors a secure space to shower, enjoy a meal, get clean clothing, and experience refuge from conditions on the street. We are always looking for more volunteers to make this possible. Volunteers sign up for 2-hour shifts that work for their schedule - and enjoy meeting other congregants this way. If you're interested, please click here.
Your donations make a big difference in the lives of those we serve. We are in special need of the following items:
- Food: Bread for sandwiches, peanut butter, jelly, dinner rolls, small oranges
- Men's clothes, especially jeans/pants/sweats (30 - 36)
- Hoodies, sweatshirts, coats, and rain gear
- Boxer briefs - NEW (M, L)
- Women's underwear - NEW (S, M)
- Direct monetary donations
Drop off your items in the marked cabinet in Fuller Hall during church hours or during Shower Project hours (Wednesdays and Thursdays between noon and 4 p.m.). Thank you for your support!
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CHECK WEEKLY — Art for Social Justice
Curated by Ethel G., Speaking of Justice Editorial Team
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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.
The Resistance Revival Chorus (RRC) is a collective of more than 60 women and nonbinary singers who join together to breathe joy and song into the resistance, and to uplift and center women’s voices. To listen to their performance of "All You Fascists Bound to Love," click the video below:
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In the Community
The chancel flowers on Sunday were given in Carol Santesson's memory by her family. Her memorial service was held last Sunday, October 19.
A memorial service has been scheduled for Judy Wilder who died on October 6. The service will be tomorrow, Friday, October 24, at 11 a.m. in the Eliot Chapel.
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- Contact a Minister: Our ministers are available for pastoral support to congregants in need and to officiate at rites of passages including memorial services and weddings. Call the church office at 503-228-6389, or send an email.
- Contact a Lay Minister: Lay Ministers support the pastoral work of the ministerial staff. They are church members who offer one-to-one caring and support for folks in times of need. Call the church office at 503-228-6389, or send an email. You can learn more here.
- Friend to Friend Outreach Program: This program provides connection to seniors and individuals who may be homebound and unable to attend church regularly. It offers members up to four in-person visits per year from a Lay Minister. Send an email to Lay Minister Steve K.
- Lotsa Helping Hands Support Network: This care calendar enables volunteers to provide meals or visits for congregants going through challenging times. For support or questions, email coordinator Leslie C. To volunteer, send a request here.
- Join an Affinity or Support Group:Â Build community through our identity-based affinity groups and experience-specific support groups. Learn about them here.
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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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October Art Wall Exhibition
Paintings by Benno Philippson
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Benno Philippson was a church member and Portland architect who loved painting the beautiful buildings and towns he passed through while traveling. Come down to Fuller Hall and join him on trips through Europe as well as local ones.
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Got something for Front Steps? Send in your church-related submission for our weekly publication. Submit it here (preferred) or email us here with "Front Steps" as the subject line.
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.
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| October 26's
Shared Plate
Our plate this week will be shared with Unitarian Universalists for Social Justice (UUSJ). UUSJ works to make our government fairer by advancing equitable national policies and actions, aligned with UU values, through engagement, education, and advocacy.
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| Want to know what this church has to offer? Visit our Calendar by clicking above to see our list of events/classes/socials!
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