“Helping Instead of Hurting: How Palliative Care Can Increase Quality of Life and Reduce Suffering of Those Living with Chronic Conditions” – Jacqueline DeVaney, Family Nurse Practitioner.  Palliative care is a branch of healthcare that is not well known or understood, even amongst many health care providers and workers.  However, the need for it grows … Continued

"The Power of Words: Using Our Voices for Good" Naomi Fisher We live in a world inundated with others’ voices – media messaging, social networking, political lies.  How can we make our own voices heard?  Can our voices possibly make a difference?  In the immortal words of Margaret Mead: “Never doubt that a small group … Continued

“The Evolution of God“   Kit Ketcham   Over the past several millennia, human beings have wrestled with the concept of the power beyond human power.  Some call it God or Goddess, some call it Nature, some don't have a name for it, others are agnostic or atheist/non-theist.  Rev. Kit Ketcham will speak on the … Continued

Astoria’s African American history dates back to 1805, when York traveled through the area as part of the Lewis and Clark Expedition. A handful of sailors and fur traders came in the decades that followed. By the late 1800s, a small number of Black residents called Astoria home, but they were targets of discrimination from coworkers … Continued

Many have been curious about Dean and Tina’s adventures abroad, so they will start their story.  It will take more than 1 service, because 3 years is just too much to fit into such a small timeframe.  For this first part, we will try to fit in discussing our motivations and reasons for going abroad, how we decided … Continued

Rev. Kit Ketcham & Friends   "The God Concept" is a variety show of serious reflection by Rev. Kit Ketcham with illustrative readings (some not so serious) by PUUF volunteers.  Thanks to Naomi Fisher, Elliott DeVaney, Karin Webb, Frank Logan, Nancy Logan, and Veja Lahti for their help.  Laura Gordon is our layleader as well as … Continued

  When we consider the Christian story of Easter, we get bogged down with the ideas of suffering, sin, and proof of the resurrection.  What can we learn from the Christ story?  How can we keep our hearts open to miracles?   ~Open hearts, open minds, room for all theologies, including yours~   We are … Continued

Noted local violinist Kim Angelis will talk about the twists, turns and surprises of her journey through breast cancer treatment, and how they affected her musical odyssey.  She will also perform compositions that emerged from that experience.   ~Open hearts, open minds, room for all theologies, including yours~   We are meeting in person at the First … Continued

On Mother’s Day, Rev. Kit will look at the gifts we receive from our mothers, whether our moms were “stellar or cellar”, meaning that we may receive useful gifts from even bad mothering.

Rev. Carol McKinley –  How are we, as Unitarian Universalists, to respond to attempts in recent months to ban books and censor honest accounts of history?  As a tradition rooted in a commitment to the use of reason and freedom of religious thought, our long history as a faith that has been labeled a heresy … Continued

Rev. Lynn Ungar – People have a wide range of responses to poetry, from a deep sense of meaning and connection to an aversion to something that seems unnecessarily obscure.  But what, exactly is poetry for?  And what might that purpose have to do with religion? Dr. Lynn Ungar is a poet, UU minister and … Continued