First Unitarian Portland

🌎 Ostara Ritual
2026-03-18 18:00 - 20:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | Buchan Hall, 1226 SW Salmon St, Portland, OR, 97205, United States
Join Rev. Charlotte Cramer for a series of earth-based rituals following the Wheel of the Year. These rituals will be simple and accessible to all, rooted in the earth and human experience, and for any faith background or belief system. Click here for more information about the full series.
On Wednesday, March 18, we will be celebrating Ostara, the Spring Equinox, through honoring the lessons we have learned this past winter, and sending out wishes for the coming season and reemergence of the sun. Welcome the return of light and the season of new growth with an earth-based, simple yet transformative community ritual.
Potluck to follow! Please bring your favorite dish.
Note: This event will take place in Buchan Hall. Please enter through the Salmon Street entrance (1226 SW Salmon St).

Neighbor-to-Neighbor Interfaith Witness at ICE
2026-03-18 14:00 - 14:45, 2026-03-04 14:00 - 14:45 | Portland ICE Facility, 4310 S Macadam Ave, Portland, OR, 97239, United States
Neighbor-to-Neighbor Interfaith Witness at ICE is an opportunity for faith communities to be in solidarity, declaring our moral outrage at the cruel practices of abducting community members, terrorizing communities, and separating families, in the name of an inhumane political agenda. We will demonstrate that neighbors show up for neighbors. We will be shoulder-to-shoulder to bear witness to our outrage, deepen our relationships, and build solidarity among our interfaith communities. Please dress accordingly for the weather. Please do not bring signs. We will provide whatever is needed for the ritual.

This series is supported by Together Lab, which has been organizing interfaith clergy to be a daily moral presence at the ICE facility on Macadam and at the Federal Courthouse downtown, as well as organizing neighbor-to-neighbor solidarity with teachers and families around Portland.

Loving Kindness Meditation
2026-03-16 20:00 - 20:30, 2026-03-09 20:00 - 20:30, 2026-03-02 20:00 - 20:30, 2026-02-23 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.

Children and Youth Learning Community
2026-03-15 10:15 - 11:30, 2026-03-08 10:15 - 11:30, 2026-03-01 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
2026-03-15 10:15 - 11:30, 2026-03-08 10:15 - 11:30, 2026-03-01 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
2026-03-13 17:00 - 17:40, 2026-03-06 17:00 - 17:40, 2026-02-27 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

*Registration Closed* Journey to Articulating Your Faith
2026-03-11 17:30 - 19:30
A Spiritual Development Opportunity for Adults of All Ages
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!
**Registration is now closed.**
Schedule: 5:30 – 7:30 p.m. on November 12, December 10, January 14, February 11, March 11, April 8, May 13, and June 10.

2026 All-Church Forum
2026-03-08 12:00 - 13:30 | Eliot Chapel, 1011 SW 12th Ave, Portland, OR, 97205
The calendar is set for forums and meetings through the end of the year. Events will be held at noon in Eliot Chapel unless otherwise announced. Childcare will be available.

Feb 8 – hear budget priorities from Rev. Alison and an update from the Board.
Mar 8 – review the proposed budget for next church year, ask questions, and provide feedback.
April 12 – learn about bylaws changes, see the final budget, and ask questions ahead of voting in May.
May 17 (Year-End Forum) – learn election results and hear year-end reports from the Board and Rev. Alison.

Watch our Front Steps e-news for more details.

Drop-In Parenting Circle
2026-03-08 11:45 - 14:00
Join our community of parents and caregivers. Share stories and wisdom, and take time to explore spiritual reflection. Long-time families and new folks are welcome. Meets most months from September to June. Childcare provided. Drop-ins welcome.

🥣 Souper Sunday
2026-03-08 11:30 - 14:00
On the second Sunday of most months, we offer two different soups as part of our Social Hour, including at least one gluten-free option and at least one vegetarian option. To learn what type of soups will be offered at the next Souper Sunday, subscribe to our Front Steps e-newsletter.
If you are able, the suggested cost for the soup is $5 to help us cover the cost of ingredients.
Please supplement the offering by bringing the following to share:

Breads
Treats
Snacks/sides
Kid-friendly prepackaged drinks

Spoons and cups for soup will be provided. Please consider bringing your own containers and utensils to be more environmentally friendly.
It takes a lot of folks to put on Souper Sunday every month: organizers, cooks, servers, shoppers and clean up team to name a few. We are appreciative of all who volunteer. If you are interested in helping out, please contact Barbara M.

Carol Touchet Celebration of Life
2026-03-06 14:00 - 17:00 | Buchan Hall, 1226 SW Salmon St, Portland, OR, 97205, United States
Long-time member Carol Touchet died in February 2026 at home. Carol joined the church in 2001 and was a faithful member of the Alliance, helping with memorials; an active member of our “T” Time group; and an usher for many years.
Join us in Buchan Hall at 2 p.m. on Friday, March 6, to celebrate her life.

Contemplative Practices Group
2026-03-05 13:00 - 14:30 | Channing, A101
First Thursdays in Channing (A101)
Third Thursdays in Eliot Chapel

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. Facilitator is Patty C. We 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.

Monthly Board Meeting
2026-03-04 19:00 - 21:00 | Buchan Hall, 1226 SW Salmon St, Portland, OR, 97205, United States
Congregants are welcome to join us in person (Buchan Reception Hall) or on Zoom:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82930223125?pwd=[REDACTED]

The Alliance Presents “Stories of Lan Su"
2026-03-04 10:30 - 13:00 | Eliot Chapel, 1011 SW 12th Ave, Portland, OR, 97205
Weaving Together Portland Communities: Stories of Lan Su – Revealing the Untold Tales of Portland’s Chinese Garden
Join Venus Sun, Senior Director of Experience at Lan Su Chinese Garden, as she traces the roots of Portland’s one-of-a-kind classical Chinese garden with its profound identity as a living expression of art, philosophy, and tradition, and its cultural impact through diverse programs that invites community to connect with traditions both ancient and modern.
Bring your lunch and $5 to enjoy dessert & beverage after the program. RSVP by emailing AllianceRSVP@firstunitarianportland.org.
To watch online, join us here.

Considering Membership Class
2026-03-01 11:45 - 13:30 | Channing, A101
Every community is like a tapestry—each person adding their own color and texture to the whole. If you’ve been attending First Unitarian Portland and are feeling ready to become a woven part of the fabric of this congregation, we invite you to our Considering Membership class.
In this one-session gathering, you’ll learn about the commitments and joys of membership, ask questions, and—if you’re ready—complete the necessary steps to officially join, including signing the membership book.
Please let us know you’re coming by filling out this RSVP form. Childcare will be available.
Whether you’re new to Unitarian Universalism or simply new to Portland, we’d be honored to help you find your place in the weave of our shared spiritual community.

"The Water Factor" Author Reading
2026-03-01 11:45 - 13:30 | Classroom B304
A reading and discussion with author Marilynne Eichinger
Join members of Community for Earth for a reading from The Water Factor, a near-future eco-thriller set in the Oregon High Desert, and a discussion of what happens when something as sacred as water is treated as a commodity instead of a human right. Light refreshments provided. Grab a drink from coffee hour and join us for a lively conversation.
The Water Factor raises urgent moral and spiritual questions about stewardship, justice, and our responsibility to one another. Award-winning author Marilynne Eichinger follows James Hokama Byrne as his trust in corporate systems gives way to a deeper calling to protect life and community. Set in Oregon’s High Desert and drought-stricken Ethiopia, the novel blends action and compassion into a powerful call to conscience. Join us for a conversation about the story, the real-world issues behind it, and what our faith asks of us in a time of climate crisis and growing inequality.

🌀 Labyrinth
2026-03-01 09:00 - 12:00 | Fuller Hall, 1211 SW Main St, Portland, OR, 97205
Our 7-circuit canvas labyrinth will be available in Fuller Hall for walking meditation from 9 a.m. until noon this Sunday, March 1.
A labyrinth is “a spiraled sanctuary where your old ways fade, the ego begins to molt, and outlived stories fall away. Like the caterpillar in chrysalis, you may feel undone, uncertain, unformed – suspended in the in-between. But trust this: something holy is happening in the hidden depths. Within the sacred space of this quiet cocoon, your calling ripens, your courage stretches new wings. The soul rearranges itself. You are not lost. You are becoming. Trust the dark. Trust the pause. The path will open again when it is time to emerge: revealed, radiant, resplendent.” To learn more about the modern labyrinth movement and its leader Lauren Artress, who penned this description of labyrinths, visit the Veriditas website.
Teri M. will answer questions and welcome volunteers to help set up or put away the labyrinth. Email her here.

🥞 Pancake Breakfast
2026-03-01 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.

Vigils for Troubling Times
2026-02-24 17:30 - 18:10 | Virtual
Are you struggling to cope with the daily news and events in these dark days? We invite you to join Vigils for Troubling Times, a quiet service of music, poetry, readings, reflection, and meditation offered on Zoom.
Beginning on Tuesday, February 24, from 5:30 – 6:10 p.m. on Zoom, we will gather in community for lament, solace, inspiration and hope. The series will continue on the 4th Tuesday of each month through June.
Click here to join.

*Registration Required* Writing Life Stories: Trying New Approaches
2026-02-23 10:00 - 12:00
Why join a writing group? Maybe you’ve been trying to make sense of the confusing event in your past or a puzzling family member. Maybe you want to write down and self-publish family stories to share with family and friends. Maybe writing stretches your brain and you like the feeling. Our general process will be to use an idea or prompt that inspires us to write for 10 to 15 minutes, followed by reading aloud to the group (you’ll have an option to pass). All levels of experience are welcome. Please commit to all four sessions. Facilitated by Suzanne K.
Meets in person at the church from 10 a.m. to noon on Mondays, January 12 and 26, and February 9 and 23.
Additional details will be shared once you register here: https://forms.gle/DfGe51BeFoxf5Qcz8
