We have a tradition of the question box sermon. This is a time for members, friends, and visitors of all ages to ask questions of Rev. Alison Miller about faith in general, Unitarian Universalism in particular, our congregation, or whatever question is on your heart and mind. This service is…

Community, exploration, redemption, forgiveness, exchange, justice – what the heck is church for? Let’s talk about it. Inspired by the Sinead O’Connor song “Take Me To Church.” https://youtu.be/jMzY_KQIKjU

Home is the starting place of our lives. It is also the destination we are always journeying towards. Is home a feeling, a place, a practice? One year into my journey with you in this new place, I will share a reflection on the meaning of finding and creating home.

(Time for All Ages) The church is in constant reformation, with people coming and people going. What is the church that is emerging at this moment in history?

(Time for All Ages) Anger is part of life's journey, showing up in personal relationships, communities, and our culture. What wisdom does this heated energy offer us?  Rev. Patrice Curtis is Transformational Interim Ministries Director at the Unitarian Universalist Association and a former First Unitarian intern minister.

(Time for All Ages) I remember some years back wondering when the time would come when pride parades were no longer needed. I was naïve. On this Pride Sunday in Portland, we witness how some of the most vulnerable among us—particularly our trans siblings—are under assault from bullies of all…

It is said that Unitarianism is the head of our religion, and Universalism is the heart. From this big beating heart, we know how deeply we are loved, like it or not. Jennifer Springsteen has been a member of First Unitarian Portland for 15 years and studying for the UU…

When you envision Unitarian Universalism—our theology, our practice, our people —what archetypes come to mind? How does our faith thrive in communities beyond the conventional boundaries of Unitarian Universalism in the West? Explore Unitarian Universalist stories from the margins, delving into the intersections of gender, race, and class to better…

Join us virtually for the largest annual gathering of UUs in worship! This powerful, communal worship experience will stream on Sunday, June 25 at 8 a.m. Pacific Time Even if you couldn't attend the General Assembly in person, you can livestream the worship service. Sunday Worship with American Sign Language (ASL) will…

What allows us to rise in the face of the challenges and trials of life? Today, we will reflect on sources of hope that can contribute to personal and communal resilience.

Flower Communion / Multigenerational Children, Youth, and Adults of all ages are invited and encouraged to attend our celebration of the 100th Anniversary of the Flower Ceremony. Flowers represent the unique beauty of each person, and the bouquet represents the unique beauty of our community. Everyone is invited to bring…

Today, we are honoring our Coming of Age youth who have been on a journey to explore and articulate their beliefs and values. This milestone moment in their life is a reminder for all of us that our faith and our community are always evolving. Each transition and each generation brings…

The Rev. Lewis McGee was a Humanist theologian and one of the first African Americans ordained in the Unitarian tradition. He believed in "creative imagination that provides hope." Humanism teaches us about people’s capacity for both cruelty and kindness with one another. In such a confused and fractured world, can…

In this Music and Worship service, we will travel down garden beds, get our hands dirty in the soil, and listen to what the earth and its creatures have to teach us. Visual art, poetry, science, children’s voices and Native American wisdom and activism will inform our lessons, accompanied by a wide variety of Choral Anthems and special arrangements. 

Happy Mother’s Day!  In a congregation, we are a village for our children and also for the children in the world around us. Parents, grandparents, and all of us face many competing demands on our time.  How do we stay centered on what matters and provide a loving, liberating presence…

Change is our constant companion. Let us surrender and open to the possibilities that lie before us. Let us move with intention and action ushering in a new day.

This is an annual tradition at First Unitarian--a service led by our youth program. The service will include their musical gifts and insightful readings. It's a wonderful opportunity to uplift what our church nurtures in young people. 

Although we invest in space travel, we are bound to Mother Earth. How fares the spirit of our relationship to the home, which gives us birth?

Earlier in the service Rev. Alison shared words of Thomas Lamb Eliot, the first minister of this congregation, as he asks the question of why it is we go to church? Eliot first references the ocean salt breeze or seeing the sunlight on Mt. Hood, and finally ponders, “Why do…

Join us for our Annual Easter Celebration and an Easter egg hunt. Mark 16:8–And they went out and fled from the tomb, for trembling and astonishment had seized them, and they said nothing to anyone, for they were afraid. _______________________________________________ Good Friday Tenebrae Service || Friday, April 7 p.m. in…

This coming Wednesday will be the beginning of Passover, when Jews around the world come together for the Seder meal to remember and reflect on the story of the liberation of the Jewish people from slavery in Egypt. And at that Seder table, one of the first people to be…

Many are feeling at least tired and a little frayed at the edges, if not overwhelmed and traumatized by the big and small griefs and challenges of the pandemic and emerging from it. Today, I invite you to live into the second part of the commandment “Thou shalt love thy…

Come learn about the Edict of Torda, the Act of Religious Freedom and Conscience on its 455th Anniversary. =========== You're invited to join today's (3/19/2023) Board Forum and Café Conversation in our Buchan Reception Hall at 12:15pm, or on-line at:https://www.tinyurl.com/Board-Mar19

Robert Fulghum, a UU minister who wrote a book several few years ago called “All I Really Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten,” tells the story of choosing the place where he would one day be buried. After thinking about options for some time he chose a plot in…

Our 2nd UU principle includes affirming and promoting compassion in human relations. Let us glimpse some of the wisdom that the path of Buddhism and Kuan Yin, the Goddess of Compassion, have to offer on the week of her birthday.

We are at the beginning of the Lenten Season – an invitation to open our minds, hearts, and spirits to the possibility of transformation. The three pillar practices of prayer, fasting, and charity are the vehicles that move us along the journey of change. Fasting is about letting go of…