Our Annual Auction is the biggest FUN-raiser and fundraiser of the year. It kicked off last Sunday, April 27, in Fuller Hall on Sunday and online throughout the week, and it will last through the festive auction coffee hour on Sunday, May 4, up until 5 p.m. While some auctions are focused on selling high-priced rarities, ours focuses on members and friends of our congregation providing services for each other. Many of these services are social gatherings, like a dinner or a hike. Other offerings are treasures from the heart, like a painting, or items that are just plain practical…

Our congregation is a teaching congregation. Over time, we have served the wider Unitarian Universalist Association by accepting and mentoring intern ministers who are in the process of formation as religious professionals. Occasionally, we are blessed to be able to ordain someone who has served us as an intern, especially when they have continued in service as an Assistant Minister for a period of time. All of you are invited to the joyous occasion we are anticipating with great excitement – the Ordination of Danielle Garrett into the Unitarian Universalist Ministry on Saturday, June 7, at 2 p.m. in our…

Last Saturday, over 80 members of our community joined with thousands of others in Portland to peacefully protest attacks on our democracy and human rights. Our UU values and commitments were on proud display, with some members of the group hanging our "Side With Love" Banner over the side of the Burnside Bridge! It was a joyful and hopeful day of resistance and community. Thanks to those of you who showed up, in Portland and at other protests around our area. For those of you who weren't able to march, know we carried you in our hearts. And for those…

As you may have read in last week’s minister column, “In a time when so many of our values, such as promoting democracy and human dignity, are under attack, our shared social justice ministries can be a grounding and guiding force in our lives and in the world. I have heard from many of you that you want to figure out ways we can show up for our values together.” One opportunity is happening this Saturday, in nonpartisan rallies across the country, where folks are coming together to push back against attacks on our democratic institutions and basic rights. This…

Unitarian Universalism is a faith that lifts up the “prophethood and the priesthood of all believers.” While I may possess the title of Reverend and the role of a minister, the ministries of our congregation – creating worship, teaching, caring, organizing, serving, justice-making – all of these are our shared work. You are also invited to minister to one another and to the brokenness and possibilities in our individual lives, in our congregational life together, and in the world beyond our walls.   One example of a shared ministry is our social justice efforts, which engage many hearts and minds in…

In these days that can feel dark and stormy, it’s a joy to come together and celebrate the vibrant life of our community. On April 6, 2025, First Unitarian Portland will celebrate our members and welcome new folks to membership in the church in the Sunday service. It is a moment to shine a light on the deeper connections that membership brings and remember what it means. As Rev. Alison reminded us in her January column, membership is more than a formal commitment and more than just signing the book—it’s about embracing our shared humanity and fostering meaningful relationships. I…

We hold many beliefs, but we share in one faith. Unitarian Universalism is a religious movement that draws wisdom from multiple sources, including the world religions. Here is the full list of what is often referred to as our six UU sources. In addition, at a recent General Assembly, we passed a set of shared values, which includes pluralism as a core value of our faith.This openness to diverse beliefs and guiding philosophies sets us apart from more dogmatic traditions. While you can’t believe anything you want here as some have suggested, we support a very broad tent. Our eight…

Friends, we find ourselves in a time of fasting. The Muslim observance of Ramadan began last Friday evening and yesterday was Ash Wednesday, the beginning of the Christian liturgical season of Lent. So I’ve been thinking a lot about the spiritual practice of giving things up. As an atheist teenager, I was terribly judgy of my friends who observed Lent. The giving up of sugar and junk food felt like a way to reinforce diet culture and cloak it in piety, which was an affront to my feminist values. I am embarrassed now to remember how, full of teenage bravado…

This month, we’ve been reflecting together on the topic of grief: the many different types of grief, the role grief plays in our lives, and how we can hold and move through our grief together. As we continue to reflect on this topic, we share this poem from adrienne maree brown that served as our reading during this past Sunday’s worship service. May it spark something in your soul and bring a measure of comfort or inspiration. Spell for Grief or Letting Go By adrienne maree brown Adequate tears twisting up directly from the heart and rung out across the…

I wasn’t at church on Sunday, but I often make sure to tune in afterwards if I can’t be in the sanctuary. For me, worship is a way to center myself in our faith community. I feel more connected to you all and my own spirit when I know we’re pondering the same questions, chewing on the same topics, or feeling lifted by the sound of the same choir anthem during the week. And I’m so grateful for the staff and technology that make it easy to tune in remotely! So while other passengers were watching the Super Bowl pre-game,…