Pacific Unitarian Universalist Fellowship

Helping Instead of Hurting: Palliative Care
2022-02-27 12:00 - 13:00 (America/Los_Angeles)
“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 especially as COVID strains healthcare staffing and resources, and has potentially life-long consequences for many who have suffered from COVID. Jacqueline DeVaney, FNP, will share how palliative care focuses on individuals and their family members to enhance quality of life, puts their needs and goals at the center of their healthcare team, reduces healthcare costs, and helps to avoid the inadvertent harms that sometimes occur due to common western healthcare practices.

~Open hearts, open minds, room for all theologies, including yours~

The Power of Words: Using Our Voices for Good
2022-03-06 12:00 - 13:00
“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 of thoughtful, committed, citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.”

~Open hearts, open minds, room for all theologies, including yours~

The Evolution of God
2022-03-13 12:00 - 13:00
“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 many names for God.
Terri Daniels is layleader.

~Open hearts, open minds, room for all theologies, including yours~

The Ku Klux Klan in Astoria
2022-03-27 12:00 - 13:00
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 and business owners who refused to treat them as equal citizens. By the 1920s, Oregon’s Ku Klux Klan was a significant presence in Astoria, threatening Black residents who challenged white supremacy. This racist legacy was not limited to Blacks in Astoria. Chinese, Japanese, Indian, Hawaiian, and Native American residents of Astoria were also targets of the KKK.

~Open hearts, open minds, room for all theologies, including yours~
We are meeting in person at the First Presbyterian Church of Astoria. The service will also be live-streamed via Zoom for those who are not comfortable attending in person. Masks are now optional. If you are not feeling well, please wear a mask, or attend via Zoom.
We will have coffee hour after the service in Fellowship Hall.

Martineau Around the World Part 1
2022-04-03 12:00 - 13:00
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 on ESL/EFL teaching, why we chose South Korea to start, the process it all took to make it happen (esp with pets!), and the immediate cultural and personal differences we noticed and how we adjusted to living in a foreign country. We will touch on how our story differs from others that we talked to, and other fun anecdotes from our first bit of time abroad. Anything we miss or don’t get to will be put into the inevitable next round.

~Open hearts, open minds, room for all theologies, including yours~

We are meeting in person at the First Presbyterian Church of Astoria. The service will also be live-streamed via Zoom for those who are not comfortable attending in person. Masks are now optional. If you are not feeling well, please wear a mask, or attend via Zoom.
We will have coffee hour after the service in Fellowship Hall.

The God Concept
2022-04-10 12:00 - 13:00
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 a reader.

~Open hearts, open minds, room for all theologies, including yours~

We are meeting in person at the First Presbyterian Church of Astoria. The service will also be live-streamed via Zoom for those who are not comfortable attending in person. Masks are now optional. If you are not feeling well, please wear a mask, or attend via Zoom.

We will have coffee hour after the service in Fellowship Hall.

Roll Away the Stone and Embrace Life's Miracles
2022-04-17 12:00 - 13:00
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 meeting in person at the First Presbyterian Church of Astoria. The service will also be live-streamed via Zoom for those who are not comfortable attending in person. Masks are now optional. If you are not feeling well, please wear a mask, or attend via Zoom.

We will have coffee hour after the service in Fellowship Hall.

My Journey Through Breast Cancer with Music Guiding the Way
2022-04-24 12:00 - 13:00
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 Presbyterian Church of Astoria. The service will also be live-streamed via Zoom for those who are not comfortable attending in person. Masks are now optional. If you are not feeling well, please wear a mask, or attend via Zoom.

We will have coffee hour after the service in Fellowship Hall.

The History of Beltane and the Maypole
2022-05-01 12:00 - 13:00
Beltane is the Gaelic May Day Festival. Most commonly it is held on May 1st, or about halfway between the Spring Equinox and the Summer Solstice. Historically, it was widely observed throughout Ireland, Scotland and the Isle of Man. It is one of the four Gaelic Festivals – along with Samhain, Imbolc and Lughnasadh.

~Open hearts, open minds, room for all theologies, including yours~
We are meeting in person at the First Presbyterian Church of Astoria. The service will also be live-streamed via Zoom for those who are not comfortable attending in person. Masks are now optional. If you are not feeling well, please wear a mask, or attend via Zoom.

We will have coffee hour after the service in Fellowship Hall.

Gifts from Mothers and other-Mothers
2022-05-08 12:00 - 13:00
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.

"Censored"
2022-05-15 12:00 - 13:00
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 can offer guidance.
The Rev. Carol McKinley is the affiliated community minister at the Olympia UU Congregation. She is currently serving as the bridge minister at the Kitsap UU Fellowship in Bremerton WA.

The Purpose of Poetry
2022-05-22 12:00 - 13:00
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 dog trainer who lives in Vancouver, WA.

Making Peace with End of Life-Service
2022-05-29 12:00 - 13:00
Dr. Terri Daniel – This will include the sermon at noon, a light lunch, followed by a workshop of the same title from 2-4 p.m.
Dr. Terry Daniel is an interfaith hospice chaplain, end-of-life educator, and grief counselor certified in death, dying, bereavement, and trauma support. She conducts workshops throughout the U.S. and teaches at the Graduate Theological Union in Berkeley. We have an aging fellowship, and most of us have had to deal with death, severe illness, and memory loss within our own families. It is often very difficult to know how to help others (or yourself!) in these situations. In this workshop, Dr. Daniel will cover death and grief practices from a variety of cultural and religious perspectives, how death is addressed in our modern medical system, hospice and how it differs from palliative care, family dynamics in end-of-life bereavement, and creative rituals and ceremonies for death, dying and grieving. Registration forms will be sent out for the workshop.

Flowers of our Fathers
2022-06-05 12:00 - 13:00
The Flower Communion, for us Unitarian Universalists, celebrates an important event in UU history. For this special Sunday, we ask you to bring a flower or two from your own garden or wildflowers or Freddie’s, whatever works for you. During our service (Flowers for our Fathers), we will hear the story of the Flower Communion and what it signifies in our UU history. Rev. Kit Ketcham will also speak about Fathers and what our fathers have contributed to our lives, both positive and not-so positive-but-useful.
~Open hearts, open minds, room for all theologies, including yours~
We are meeting in person at the First Presbyterian Church of Astoria. The service will also be live-streamed via Zoom for those who are not comfortable attending in person. Masks are optional, but due to rising cases of Covid, strongly encouraged. If you are at risk from Covid, please wear an N95 mask. If you are not at risk, please wear a mask for the safety of other members of the fellowship. Everyone should practice social distancing (6 feet apart).

We will have coffee hour after the service in Fellowship Hall.

Pride Sunday
2022-06-12 12:00 - 13:00
Benedetto De Francisco will speak on Pride.

Restorative Justice - Laura Gordon
2022-06-19 12:00 - 13:00
Should we “Defund the Police”? The philosophy of justice held by the Six Nations of the Haudenosaunee, as discussed in the book “Covered With Night” by Nicole Eustace, is what we would today call restorative justice. Their concept of building accountability, creating a community of caring, and supporting basic human rights can combine to create safety without policing, prisons or punishment, as discussed by Zach Norris in his book “Defund Fear”. Abolitionists call for transformative justice, justice that does not bring further harm, but that brings accountability and healing.

~Open hearts, open minds, room for all theologies, including yours~

We are meeting in person at the First Presbyterian Church of Astoria. The service will also be live-streamed via Zoom for those who are not comfortable attending in person. Masks are optional, but due to rising cases of Covid, strongly encouraged. If you are at risk from Covid, please wear an N95 mask. If you are not at risk, please wear a mask for the safety of other members of the fellowship. Everyone should practice social distancing (6 feet apart).

We will have coffee hour after the service in Fellowship Hall.

UUA General Assembly Sunday Service: "The Deal on Those Days"
2022-06-26 09:30 - 11:00
We will Zoom in individually to the UUA General Assembly Sunday Morning Worship Service from 9:30 am-11:00 am. The title is “The Deal on Those Days”. The last few years have not been easy, including in our local congregations. Whole swaths of members have simply stopped coming: COVID is confusing and polarizing. . . In this moment when so many of us might be wondering if we should just give up, and relent, now is the time instead to double down on our commitment to the local church-this unique. community that saves us and also breaks our hearts.

~Open hearts, open minds, room for all theologies, including yours~

We are meeting in person at the First Presbyterian Church of Astoria. The service will also be live-streamed via Zoom for those who are not comfortable attending in person. Masks are optional, but due to rising cases of Covid, strongly encouraged. If you are at risk from Covid, please wear an N95 mask. If you are not at risk, please wear a mask for the safety of other members of the fellowship. Everyone should practice social distancing (6 feet apart).

We will have coffee hour after the service in Fellowship Hall.

Martineau Around the World Part II
2022-07-03 12:00 - 13:00
Having told us about how they got to South Korea, Dean and Tina will now tell us more about teaching and living in South Korea, as well as some cultural events and festivals they got to see and experience on their trips and travels in this country.

Rev Kit - "The New Normal"
2022-07-10 12:00 - 13:00
We’ve used that phrase repeatedly over the past several years but particularly during the pandemic. What is the new normal?

~Open hearts, open minds, room for all theologies, including yours~

We are meeting in person at the First Presbyterian Church of Astoria. The service will also be live-streamed via Zoom for those who are not comfortable attending in person. Masks are optional, but strongly encouraged. If you are at risk from Covid, please wear an N95 mask. If you are not at risk, please wear a mask for the safety of other members of the fellowship. Everyone should practice social distancing (6 feet apart).

We will have coffee hour after the service in Fellowship Hall.

Summer Potluck at Coffenbury Lake, Ft Stevens
2022-07-17 12:00 - 13:00
We will be meeting at Coffenbury Lake in Ft. Stevens State Park on Sunday, July 17 at noon for a potluck and social gathering. We will not be meeting at the Presbyterian Church!
To reach Coffenbury Lake from Astoria, turn right off of Hiway 101 on Harbor Dr. When you reach the 4-way stop at the west end of Hammond, turn left on Lake Dr. Caution: do not go straight into the historic area! From Lake Dr., turn right at either the first or second entrance to Ft. Stevens and follow the signs to Coffenbury Lake. As you enter the parking lot at Coffenbury Lake, the shelter will be on your right. You either need a State Parks pass or there is a fee station there. Bring a dish to share, a utensil to serve it with, and your own beverage. We’ll provide the paper products. If you want to help the environment, you can bring your own washable plate and utensils. Following our potluck meal, those who would like to can walk around the lake. There’s a nice 2-mile trail encircling the lake. There can be mosquitoes, so come prepared. If you have an instrument, bring it along. Last year we enjoyed a great singalong. Hope to see you all there. We have lots of new members, so this is a chance to get to know more of your PUUF friends.
There will be activities for children, so there will be no separate RE program.

Rev Kit - TBA
2022-08-14 12:00 - 13:00

Water Ceremony and Trauma: Remembering and Healing
2022-09-11 12:00 - 14:00
We will gather in our annual Homecoming service, during which we bring water to mingle in a common vessel, representing the community in which we share our lives and our experiences. Please bring a small amount of water to pour into the common vessel. It can be from a special place or from your kitchen faucet. If you forget, water will be available for you to use in the ceremony. Our Procession of the Waters will include our RE children, who will then proceed to their RE class. Our Choir will sing.

~Open hearts, open minds, room for all theologies, including yours~

We are meeting in person at the First Presbyterian Church of Astoria. The service will also be live-streamed via Zoom for those who are not comfortable attending in person. Masks are optional, but strongly encouraged. If you are at risk from Covid, please wear an N95 mask. If you are not at risk, please wear a mask for the safety of other members of the fellowship. Everyone should practice social distancing (6 feet apart).

There will be a Potluck lunch following the service in Fellowship Hall. Bring a dish to share. We will hear from the Visioning Committee and discuss their recommendations.

Pacific CUUPs Mabon Ritual (in the Fellowship Hall)
2022-09-18 12:00 - 13:00
We will be honoring Mabon, Modron, the 2nd harvest of the season (fruits and berries) and the Autumnal Equinox. It is a time for giving thanks for the bountiful harvests, the hope it lasts through the winter and finding balance in all things. We will discuss the history and myths, make offerings and do a divination for the season. If you wish to bring an offering, feel free. Any fruits or berries would be appropriate.

~Open hearts, open minds, room for all theologies, including yours~
We are meeting in person at the First Presbyterian Church of Astoria. The service will also be live-streamed via Zoom for those who are not comfortable attending in person. Masks are now optional. If you are not feeling well, please wear a mask, or attend via Zoom.
We will have coffee hour after the service in Fellowship Hall.

Reflections on Coffee Klatch Discussions
2022-09-25 12:00 - 13:00
Rev Kit will give a synopsis of the Coffee Klatch Discussions.

~Open hearts, open minds, room for all theologies, including yours~
We are meeting in person at the First Presbyterian Church of Astoria. The service will also be live-streamed via Zoom for those who are not comfortable attending in person. Masks are now optional. If you are not feeling well, please wear a mask, or attend via Zoom.
We will have coffee hour after the service in Fellowship Hall.

The Meaning of Islam
2022-10-02 12:00 - 13:00
Tawab Kamawal

Northwest Dawah Foundation

Northwest Dawah Foundation is an outreach organization formed to share the message of Islam with others, both by helping Muslims connect back to their religion by supporting religious, educational and social activities for Muslims, and by providing support for the needy and those in difficulties; while engaging with non-Muslims about the message of Islam to dispel misunderstandings.

~Open hearts, open minds, room for all theologies, including yours~

We are meeting in person at the First Presbyterian Church of Astoria. The service will also be live-streamed via Zoom for those who are not comfortable attending in person. Masks are now optional. If you are not feeling well, please wear a mask, or attend via Zoom.

We will have coffee hour after the service in Fellowship Hall.

Refreshing Our UU Values: The Article 2 Study Commission
2022-10-09 12:00 - 13:00
Laura Gordon
Unitarian Universalism is a living tradition. Spiritual growth is not easy and can mean change. We UUs have articulated our Purpose, as well as our Principles and Sources, in Article 2 of the Bylaws of the Unitarian Universalist Association. We are called upon by those bylaws to review Article 2 periodically. The very exercise of reviewing and revising Article 2 can clarify how we covenant together to create the beloved community. Currently the Article 2 Study Commission is at work on a revision to be ready early next year. This presentation will bring you up to date on their work.
~Open hearts, open minds, room for all theologies, including yours~
We are meeting in person at the First Presbyterian Church of Astoria. The service will also be live-streamed via Zoom for those who are not comfortable attending in person. Masks are now optional. If you are not feeling well, please wear a mask, or attend via Zoom.
We will have coffee hour after the service in Fellowship Hall.

Lifeboat Services
2022-10-16 12:00 - 13:00
Osach Orak (Oz)
The director of Lifeboat Services will provide an overview of their many programs which include overnight stays, laundry, a clothing closet, advocacy, resources, rehabilitation and meeting the immediate needs of those suffering from homelessness and poverty.
~Open hearts, open minds, room for all theologies, including yours~
We are meeting in person at the First Presbyterian Church of Astoria. The service will also be live-streamed via Zoom for those who are not comfortable attending in person. Masks are now optional. If you are not feeling well, please wear a mask, or attend via Zoom.
We will have coffee hour after the service in Fellowship Hall.

Threats to Democracy - Federal and state, and possible solutions
2022-10-23 12:00 - 13:00
Americans are currently very divided between those on the political far right and those elsewhere on the political spectrum. Those on the political far right are seen as a major threat to democracy due to actions like the Jan 6 invasion of the US Capital as well as efforts to undermine voting rights at both the federal level and state level. However, additional threats exist which are longer term that we need to focus our attention on; for instance, like the military-industrial complex, the US Supreme Court, and the ever increasing level of income and wealth inequality. We will explore these other longer term threats. And look at what is coming up in the OR legislature and/or via the initiative process.
David Delk Bio –
David is a native Oregonian, living in Portland, formerly in Astoria for a short while., with his gay partner Tom of 30 years. He is currently a peace and social justice activist with Alliance for Democracy and 1st Unitarian Church in Portland. As a member of Oregon Honest Elections, he is or has been a chief petitioner of initiatives at the local city, county and state levels to enact limits on money in politics. He also serves as the chair of the Oregon Progressive Party, on whose ticket he is running for US Congress in the OR 3rd District on a platform calling for reduction in monies spend on the annual “defense” budget and moving those funds to serve real human needs.

Homily & Discussion of the October Coffee Klatches
2022-10-30 12:00 - 13:00
Reverend Kit Ketcham

Rev. Kit will summarize her learnings from the October coffee klatches and add some of her own interpretations to what she’s learned. A congregational discussion will be part of the service. Veja will be layleader.

~Open hearts, open minds, room for all theologies, including yours~

We are meeting in person at the First Presbyterian Church of Astoria. The service will also be live-streamed via Zoom for those who are not comfortable attending in person. Masks are now optional. If you are not feeling well, please wear a mask, or attend via Zoom.
We will have coffee hour after the service in Fellowship Hall.

Coming Back to the Center
2022-11-13 12:00 - 14:00
Rev Carol McKinley
The common good is the moral center on which this country was founded, yet it seems as if there is a decreasing sense that we are all in this together. We must reclaim and proclaim our understanding of the common good, reminding ourselves and others that each of us exists in relationship to others.

This service will be followed by our our Second Sunday Potluck

~Open hearts, open minds, room for all theologies, including yours~

We are meeting in person at the First Presbyterian Church of Astoria. The service will also be live-streamed via Zoom for those who are not comfortable attending in person. Masks are now optional. If you are not feeling well, please wear a mask, or attend via Zoom.

Religious Education for Children will occur during the regular service.
