Month: February 2017

Moderator’s Letter: February and March

March 15, 2017

Greetings Fellow Congregants,

     The word is out: we have a new Director of Music!  The search committee unanimously recommended that we hire DeReau Ferrar and Reverend Sinkford offered him the position.  DeReau has accepted and we now begin a new musical journey … read more.

Congregational Life Intiative

Rev. Bill Sinkford is away at a gathering of the Senior Ministers of large UU congregations this week and he invited me to write about what we are calling the Congregational Life Initiative. –Tom Disrud, Associate Minister

Do you remember when you first came to First … read more.

Three Finalists for Music Director Postion

Dear Friends and Members of First Unitarian Portland,

Your Music Transition Committee has been hard work, and we are very pleased to provide you with this exciting update, summarizing our process, presenting our 3 finalists and outlining next steps.

Our process: Beginning last May, we advertised and … read more.

I’m With Her

In 1992 former Senator Edward Kennedy and Coretta Scott King both wrote letters opposing the nomination of Jeff Sessions to the federal bench. This Tuesday, Senator Elizabeth Warren was allowed to read Kennedy’s letter of opposition as she argued against the nomination of Jeff Sessions … read more.

A Special Season

The winter holidays are a special season at First Unitarian. We celebrate both the value of the long dark of winter and the return of the light as the earth begins its turn toward spring. Join us for a special Music & Worship service this … read more.

The Coming of Hope

The liturgical season of Advent began last Sunday. It is a time of anticipation, of waiting for the birth of a child that the Christian traditions know as a savior. It is also a time of preparation of hearts and minds to receive the Good … read more.

When Hope Gets Cancelled

Dear friends,

I am writing on Tuesday in this Thanksgiving week. We have just sent out an e-notice of the cancellation of the mayor’s March for Hope. It was a shock to my system to see that cancellation. It felt almost like a decision to walk … read more.

Deliver Us to Evil

“This is the day we have been given. Let us rejoice in even this day…”

When I offered the benediction last Sunday I changed my usual words to acknowledge the simple truth that it is probably harder for most of us to get to gratitude this … read more.

What Now?

What now? The results of Tuesday’s election surprised all the progressive pundits and liberal pollsters. Not all of us, but most of us were stunned, unprepared and fearful about what may be in store. How could so many of us been so wrong?

I was prepared … read more.