First Unitarian Portland

Membership Orientation Series: UU History
2025-02-16 12:15 - 13:30 (America/Los_Angeles)
Journey into the past with our assistant minister, Danielle Garrett, and Jen Thomas as we discuss:

The history of Unitarian Universalism
Our church’s history as a UU congregation

Come with us to explore our past and how it connects to our present.

Sign-ups through Front Steps are requested but not mandatory. Drop-ins are welcome.
Keep an eye out for announcements in the Front Steps E-news and on our website.

Climate Teach-in: Acting to Address Climate Change
2025-02-16 11:45 - 14:00 | Buchan Hall, 1226 SW Salmon St, Portland, OR, 97205, United States
Learn the latest on climate related legislation in Oregon from 350PDX. This teach-in is open to anyone who wants to learn how to talk to their legislator!
A light lunch will be served.

Children and Youth Learning Community
2025-02-16 10:15 - 11:30, 2025-02-09 10:15 - 11:30
The Learning Community, also referred to as R.E. (Religious Education), meets at 10:15 a.m. on Sunday mornings. On the first Sunday of the month, children and youth start out in the main Sanctuary for our monthly “Together Time” before moving on to their classrooms in our Eliot Center/Buchan Building, right next door to our Sanctuary building. Stop by the R.E. Information Desk in the Eliot Center if you need to register your children or youth, or have questions for us. All are welcome!
Click here to view more information about our Learning Community.

🕯️ Sunday Worship
2025-02-16 10:15 - 11:30, 2025-02-09 10:15 - 11:30, 2025-02-02 10:15 - 11:30 | Main Sanctuary, 1211 SW Main St, Portland, OR, 97205, United States
In-person
Sanctuary
1211 SW Main St.
Portland, OR 97205

Join us on livestream here

Vespers
2025-02-14 17:00 - 17:40, 2025-02-07 17:00 - 17:40, 2025-01-31 17:00 - 17:40 | Virtual
Our Lay Ministers will offer inspirational readings, guided meditation, and quiet music in a contemplative program at week’s end.
Congregants and visitors are invited to bring their prayer requests to be held during the service. They are received in real-time through the Zoom chat box, seen, and read aloud anonymously by the hosts. This is a time to join in prayer not only for our community but also for the world.
We look forward to sharing this time of quiet reflection with you when we are all holding so much in our hearts.
Details: Fridays, 5 – 5:40 p.m.
Join here (SAVE THIS LINK! It works every Friday.)
https://tinyurl.com/Vespers-1stU

Communications Committee Meeting
2025-02-11 18:30 - 20:00 | Virtual
The Board Communications Committee meets on the second Tuesday of each month, 6:30 – 8 p.m. Meetings are open to congregants.
Click here to join on Zoom.

Connect & Reflect
2025-02-11 17:30 - 18:15, 2025-02-04 17:30 - 18:15 | Virtual
Join Rev. Alison Miller and Jen Thomas on the 1st & 3rd Tuesdays of most months through June from 5:30 – 6:15 p.m. on Zoom. Come share in conversation centered on the topic of the most recent sermon. Look for the discussion question during preservice slides and order of service.

XL'D/RESCH'D Finance Committee Meeting
2025-02-11 17:00 - 18:30 | Virtual
Rescheduled to February 25. (The Board Finance Committee usually meets on the second Tuesday of each month, 5 – 6:30 p.m.) Meetings are open to congregants.
Click here to join on Zoom.

Finance Committee Meeting
2025-02-11 17:00 - 18:30 | Virtual
The Board Finance Committee meets on the second Tuesday of most months, 5 – 6:30 p.m. Meetings are open to congregants.
Click here to join on Zoom.

Loving Kindness Meditation
2025-02-10 20:00 - 20:30, 2025-02-03 20:00 - 20:30, 2025-01-27 20:00 - 20:30 | Virtual
The teachings of Loving Kindness, or Metta, are about finding a path with heart. Jack Kornfield says, “It’s about undertaking a path that transforms and touches us in the center of our being. To do so is to find a way of practice that allows us to live in the world wholly and fully from our heart.”
With this Spiritual Practice, one can cultivate feelings of happiness, dispel loneliness, let go of fear and anxiety. If you are feeling stuck, this practice can help you enjoy a more compassionate life for yourself and others.
Join us on Zoom on Monday evenings to extend Loving-Kindness to yourself, to those around you and to the world.
No previous meditation practice is necessary, and new participants are always welcome. Join on an ongoing basis, or drop in as you’re able.
May we be at peace and keep our hearts open.
Contact Katie R. for more information.
Click here to join.

Membership Orientation Series: Spiritual Practices for All
2025-02-09 12:15 - 13:30 | Classroom A108
Join our assistant minister, Danielle Garrett, and Jen Thomas as we dig into:

Why cultivating personal spiritual practices is crucial.
A variety of practices to consider for your own journey.
How these practices can deepen your connection to our community and enhance your overall experience at First U PDX.

Whether you’re new to spiritual practices or looking to expand your existing routine, this session offers valuable insights and practical guidance.

Registration not required!
Keep an eye out for announcements in the Front Steps E-news and on our website.

Drop-In Parenting Circle
2025-02-09 11:45 - 14:00 | Daisy Bingham Room, 1011 SW 12th Ave, Portland, OR, 97205
Join the community of parents at First Unitarian and share stories, wisdom, and explore spiritual reflection. These circles are great for long-time families and newcomers alike to build community with those who share a parenting journey. Meets the 2nd Sunday of most months from October to May. You are welcome to bring your lunch. Childcare provided.
For more info, check out the flyer.

Contemplative Practices Group
2025-02-06 13:00 - 14:30 | Channing, A101
First Thursdays in Channing (A101)
Third Thursdays in Eliot Chapel

The Contemplative Practices Group is returning! Join with us on the first and third Thursdays of the month from 1 to 2:30 p.m. to sit together in silence. Connect to your inner self as well as something bigger than yourself. Bring more peace and joy into your life, increase mindfulness and develop more perspective.
“Contemplative spirituality is about slowing down and relaxing our action, our striving, and all of our ‘doings.’ In order to ‘wake up’ to the Reality in which we are already immersed, we must slow down and gently transition ‘from doing to being.’ “ – Keith Kristich
This is a drop-in group. Any silent sitting practice is welcomed and no prior meditation experience is needed. If you would like to learn a contemplative practice for use during the group, let the facilitators know and they will meet with you half an hour before the group sit begins.
Each group meeting consists of a 20-minute meditation, a check-in on a spiritually oriented topic, and deep discussion of a poem or short reading. Facilitators are Patty C. and Ron W. They look forward to being with you!
—
Patty has been a UU since childhood and has attended First Unitarian for 20 years. She has taught spiritual practice classes and been involved with Wellspring, the Labyrinth and other church programs. She learned meditation in college and has had a daily meditation practice since joining First Unitarian. She has been an active Spiritual Director since 2012.
Ron is a spiritual director and has been a lay minister, Wellspring facilitator and taught in the learning community at First Unitarian. He has maintained a centering prayer and lectio divina practice for over twenty years.

Board Meeting
2025-02-05 19:00 - 21:00 | Buchan Hall, 1226 SW Salmon St, Portland, OR, 97205, United States
The Board of Trustees meets on the first Wednesday of most months, 7 – 9 p.m. Meetings are open to congregants.
Join us in Buchan Reception Hall (B102), or click here to join on Zoom.
Meeting ID: 829 3022 3125
Passcode: [REDACTED]
Or join by phone: +1 253 215 8782 US (Tacoma)

The Alliance Presents "Friends of Tryon Creek"
2025-02-05 10:30 - 14:00 | Eliot Chapel, 1011 SW 12th Ave, Portland, OR, 97205
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.
To join us for a brown bag lunch & dessert ($5) following the program, email AllianceRSVP@firstunitarianportland.org.

First Steps Orientation and Campus Tour
2025-02-02 11:45 - 13:00 | Narthex/Lobby, 1211 SW Main St, Portland, OR, 97205, United States
First Steps Orientation and Campus Tour is a welcoming monthly event held on the first Sunday, designed for new and returning members of First Unitarian Portland (First U PDX). This session offers an overview of the church’s history, core values, and vibrant community, encouraging participants to explore their connection and discover ways to engage.

For assistance in finding your way, please check in with the Welcome Desk in the main sanctuary narthex/lobby.

Attendees will meet church leaders, learn about various activities and programs, ask questions about Unitarian Universalism, and tour the campus. This informal setting fosters connections among newcomers and long-time members, enhancing the sense of belonging.

For those interested in deepening their commitment, the orientation covers membership requirements, including signing the Membership Record Book and making an annual financial pledge. Participants can also submit their membership application during the session, taking a significant step in their spiritual journey with First U PDX.

Hosted by Jen Thomas, Member Engagement Coordinator.

Children and Youth Learning Community: Together Time
2025-02-02 10:15 - 11:30 | Main Sanctuary, 1211 SW Main St, Portland, OR, 97205, United States

🌀 Labyrinth
2025-02-02 09:30 - 12:00 | Fuller Hall, 1211 SW Main St, Portland, OR, 97205
This year, as we explore the church theme “Join the Journey,” we will have monthly opportunities to deepen our spiritual practices and focus on our inner journeys through the Labyrinth. The Labyrinth will be set up in Fuller Hall on the first Sunday of most months from 9:30 a.m. to noon.
We’re always looking for more volunteers to help us set up our sacred space and plan other labyrinth related activities throughout the year. If you’d like to volunteer, reach out to Teri.

🥞 Pancake Breakfast
2025-02-02 08:45 - 10:00 | Buchan Hall, 1226 SW Salmon St, Portland, OR, 97205, United States
Join us for free, delicious pancakes in Buchan Reception Hall from 8:45 to 10 a.m. on the first Sunday of the month. We will have plain, blueberry, chocolate, and blueberry-chocolate pancakes fresh off the griddle. All are welcome!
Hosted by the UU Men’s Community.

How Will We Defend Attacks on Immigrants?
2025-01-28 19:00 - 20:30 | Virtual
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.

Karla Castenada, VOZ Workers’ Rights Education Project
Isa Peña, Innovation Law Lab
Ellie Gluhosky, Oregon for All Coalition

Please mark Tuesday, January 28, 7 – 8:30 p.m. (via Zoom) on your calendar for our first forum/workshop.
Register here
Tentative dates for the subsequent events are Tuesday, March 4, and Tuesday, May 6. Watch for additional information in upcoming Front Steps!

Membership Orientation Series: Social Justice
2025-01-26 12:15 - 13:30
Come and learn about the rich history and vital importance of social justice work. Hosted by Jen Thomas and a Social Justice Council member, this session will delve into:

How we live out our commitment to social justice.
The many ways you can get involved in our diverse program offerings that support meaningful work in the world.

From education and advocacy to direct action and community partnerships, you will find numerous opportunities to engage and make a difference.

Registration not required!
Keep an eye out for announcements in the Front Steps E-news and on our website.

Winter All-Church Forum
2025-01-26 12:00 - 13:30 | Eliot Chapel, 1011 SW 12th Ave, Portland, OR, 97205
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.
