Sunday, November 1

Sunday Worship at 10:15 a.m.

All Ages All Souls' Day service in the Sanctuary at 10:15 a.m. 
Nursery and toddler care available all service.

Social Hour: Buchan Reception Hall after the service.

IMPORTANT! — Daylight Saving Time Ends This Weekend

Don't forget to "fall back" this weekend! Daylight Saving Time officially ends at 2:00 a.m. on Sunday, November 1, 2026.

Before you head to bed on Saturday night (Halloween), remember to turn your manual clocks back one hour. If you don't, you'll be REALLY early for Sunday service!

Heirlooms of the Heart

Rev. Alison Miller, Senior Minister

Join us for a special All Souls’ Day Service for All Ages. How do we tend to the hearth of our ancestors? How do their stories and memories kindle the fire of life in us today? You are invited to bring photographs and/or mementos of ancestor(s) or recently departed loved ones to place on our altar. We will also share in a Litany of Remembrance.

Please email names of close family/friends who have died in the past year to remembrance@firstunitarianportland.org by Friday, October 30 at noon.

Ministerial Blog

Tending Generosity

Rev. Alison Miller, Senior Minister

I just heard that a scammer is in action again pretending to be me and asking congregants to buy gift cards. You are all such generous people. I know that when I ask you to help, you will often say yes, if you can. I do not take this for granted. It is very upsetting when someone preys upon the trust we have between us, within our spiritual community, and our tendency to be generous.  

Let me take the time to MORE...

Updated — Annual Fund Drive

We've now reached 61% of our $1.35 million goal!

Each fall, we invite members and friends to reflect on what First Unitarian means in their lives and make a financial commitment to support our church in the coming year. These gifts help sustain our worship, music, pastoral care, religious education, and social justice work.

A special thank you to our Sustainers and early pledgers!

Our Sustainers' commitment to renewing their pledges each year gave us a strong start to this year's campaign, and we're grateful to everyone who has already stepped forward with a pledge. If you're a Sustainer, we invite you to consider increasing your pledge for 2027, if your circumstances allow. And if you're not already a Sustainer, we hope you'll consider becoming one! 

Every pledge, no matter the amount, makes a difference. Please join us in Brightening the Light by making your pledge today!

Questions? Email Stewardship

NEW! — Pancake Breakfast This Sunday!

Date: Sunday, November 1, 8:45 a.m.

Location: Buchan Reception Hall

Join us for complimentary, delicious pancakes in Buchan Hall from 8:45 to 10 a.m. on the first Sunday of the month. Our scrumptious plain, blueberry, chocolate, and blueberry-chocolate pancakes are fresh off the griddle. All are welcome!

NEW! — BIPOC Affinity Group Meeting

Date: Sunday, November 1, 11:45 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.

Location: Buchan Bldg. - B304

Our in-person BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color) affinity group is meeting on the 1st Sunday of the month after services in B304. Take the elevator to floor 3B and go to the end of the hall. Our next meeting is November 1. Bring a snack to share if you can. Questions? Email us.

NEW! — First Steps Class

Date: Sunday, November 1, 12:00 - 1:30 p.m.

Location: Buchan Bldg - A101 (Channing Room)

The next First Steps Class for new and returning folks is scheduled for this Sunday, November 1, following the service in A101 (Channing Room). Join together to meet new friends and learn more about the history of First Unitarian Portland and find ways to engage in the community. The introductory class starts at 12 p.m. and includes a tour of the campus and concludes around 1:30. If you need help finding your way to the Channing Room A101, check in at the Welcome Desk in the lobby of the main sanctuary. You also can ask anyone wearing a rainbow lanyard and they will be happy to give you guidance.

Alliance Program and Meeting

Date: Wednesday, November 4, 10:30 a.m.

Location: Eliot Chapel

Cathy Tortorici, Willamette Riverkeeper and member of First U, will be speaking about the health, meaning and value of the Willamette River. RSVP to The Alliance

NEW! — Post-Election Gathering

Date: Wednesday, November 4, 12:45 p.m.

Location: Eliot Chapel

Join Rev Alison and Rev Ken for a post-election gathering in Eliot Chapel at 12:45 p.m. on November 4. You are welcome to bring your lunch and join the Alliance for a community lunch at 12:00 just before the gathering at 12:45.

NEW! — Souper Sunday is November 8

Date: Sunday, November 8, after service

Location; Fuller Hall

November 8 is the next Souper Sunday. Join us during social hour for a cup of turkey and wild rice soup or the signature tomato soup and cranberry pumpkin muffins.

If you would like to contribute to the meal, bread or muffins are always welcome. And we always have room for volunteer soup makers.

NEW! — Strategic Planning Update

The Strategic Planning Summits wrapped up on Saturday, October 24, and were a rousing success! Thanks to the 100+ congregants and staff who participated!

Summit participants imagined the congregation thriving in the year 2032 and identified themes that characterized that thriving church. The visions are inclusive, aspirational, and responsible, and they put love at the center.

Now, the Strategic Planning Steering Committee will create Action Planning Groups around those themes.

In November, look for opportunities to participate in those groups.

If you'd like more information, email us.

Updated — Alliance Greens Sale!

Date: Ongoing

Location: Order Online

The Alliance annual Greens Sale is now open and runs through November 8. Decorate your home with wreaths, garlands or tabletop trees or bring holiday cheer to families and friends. Choose from a variety of beautiful wreaths, garlands, and a 14-inch tabletop tree that can be replanted outside after the holidays.


Use this link to place your order online. Please feel free to share the link with anyone who might also be interested. Friendly assistance with ordering will be available after service on Sunday during social hour.

Your purchases will be available for pick up at the church on December 4 and 5. Wreaths may also be ordered for mailing. 

Funds raised from this sale will benefit recipients of The Alliance’s allocation grants to be awarded to non-profit organizations that support women, children, and marginalized communities.

Email the Alliance Greens team for any questions or assistance with your order.

NEW! — Grief and the Holidays Class

Date: November 15 & 22, December 6 & 13.

Location: Eliot Center - A301 (Blue Sky Library)

In this class for people who are grieving the loss of a close family member, we will explore the nature of grief, offer the opportunity to share your own grief story, and make a plan to navigate the winter holidays. We will meet at 1st Unitarian on four Sundays, from 11:45 to 1:15, on November 15 and 22 and December 6 and 13. The Rev. Duane Fickeisen and Dr. Bill Yasnoff will facilitate the group. There is no cost, but pre-registration is required. More info and preregister here

NEW! — Alliance Holiday Sales - Collecting Donations

Drop off your donations of jewelry, scarves, and Christmas items in the Holiday Sale box at Social Hour and at the November 4 Alliance meeting.

Each year the Alliance donates thousands to community groups serving women, children and marginalized communities and the proceeds from the Holiday Sale all go toward new grants in 2027!

The Holiday Sale will be on Sunday, December 6th & 13th.

Calling All Artists

Date: January & February 2027

Location: Fuller Hall Art Wall

We are excited to announce a Congregation Art Show for January and February 2027 and are calling for artists of ALL ages to participate. The theme for this show is 'SPIRIT OF LIFE' inspired by our doxology. We invite you to to create and submit work that reflects this theme as we celebrate the "Spirit of Life" together.


Submit art and registrations December 6, 13 or 20 at the Art Wall table in Fuller Hall. If you have any questions please contact Joanne S or Sherry H.

Vespers

Date: Weekly on Fridays, 5 - 5:45 p.m.

Location: Zoom

End your week every Friday with a quiet service on Zoom.


Dick Withers will be offering the reflection on Friday, October 30.

Election Night Watch Party

Date: Tuesday, November 3, 5 - 9 p.m.

Location: Buchan Reception Hall

Come together on Election Night! We will gather in Buchan Hall to watch results come in— as community. No need to be alone!

Tuesday November 3, 5-9 pm

Bring: snacks and beverages (non-alcoholic)

It’s FINE to just drop in. But if you can, please do register and get the door code for entry, at RSVP for Election Night Watch Party

Updated — Need to book a room, submit an article for publication or update the website?

New online forms were recently created to request a meeting room for your group, submit an article or event for publication and for updating the church website. To submit your request, use one of the links below.

Be sure to review the request with your program director before submitting the form! 

Guidelines for submitting a publication request:

• Deadline for submissions: Tuesdays at 5 p.m.
• No more than three (3) weeks before the event

Submit Request for Article-Event Publication

Submit Request to Reserve Room

Submit Request to Update Website

(As of 11/2, we have a new webmaster! Please continue to submit the form link above to request website updates. Thanks for your patience as they work through the backlog of requests)

NEW! — Join the Coffee Grounds Team!

Our church makes a lot of coffee. In a landfill, coffee grounds and other organic materials create methane. In a compost bin, coffee grounds make an excellent addition by providing nitrogen and improving soil structure. Alternatively, coffee grounds can be dumped in our home green yard debris bin. Join members of Community for Earth in keeping our coffee grounds out of the garbage and perhaps improving your garden at the same time!

Each Sunday, a volunteer can pick up a yellow five-gallon bucket partially full of grounds after church. Simply add the grounds to your compost or yard debris bin and return the empty bucket to church the following week. Fill out this form to join the Coffee Grounds Team.  


Questions? Contact us here.

Updated — Bookstore

Thank you to Ron Yoder for his mention of the Bookstore when talking about putting our money where our priorities are during his video testimonial in last Sunday’s service. Our little store off Fuller Hall during the Coffee Hour each Sunday contributes about $5,000 annually to the church.

The Bookstore’s mission has two parts. The first part is to offer books, cards, and other materials that support the classes, groups, and personal growth of those in our congregation; and to support the church’s financial health through the contribution of about 40% of the sale price to the church’s bottom line. We purchase just as regular small, independent bookstores do – through a wholesaler – and sell at standard retail prices. We try to carry the best of titles that fit topics were talking about and studying, books about our faith and other faith traditions; poetry, readings, and meditations; thoughtful picture books for children; books for young people to support their knowledge of our neighbors and our world; self-help classics; books for the church’s book-groups; and books covering many of the justice topics we work on. In addition, we’re very happy to special order for you or your own book group. We’re able to get just about anything you might find in a much larger bookstore. The second part is to be a welcoming place for newcomers to check us out. Our church is very large and it’s difficult to dive into the noisy mix of the coffee hour if you don’t know folks. The bookstore provides plenty to look at, a few friendly “book people” to talk with, someone who is probably able to answer your initial questions or send you to a table where there is a person who can, or you can find a chair in our small store to sit and people-watch as you look through a book. These elements have been our mission for more than the 40 years our current volunteers know about. 

Are you new to First Unitarian? Please come in and browse! 

Have you been around forever? Please come in and browse and introduce yourself to someone new! We know there are introverts with 2 week’s tenure and with 20 years’ tenure. Books are a good, safe topic! Your coffee or tea cup is cordially invited to come with you!

Our service this Sunday takes place after a time change, after Halloween, and on the very first day of our month with the worship theme of "Tending."

When Rev. Alison first introduced our monthly themes for the '26-27 CATCH THE SPARK church year, November's theme immediately brought to mind our Parker Handbell Choir. A beloved musical tradition in our community, and one of the treasures of our Music Ministry, the dedicated musicians as well as the fabulous collection of instruments they resound on special Sundays that move our hearts so is all about "Tending." Within our current quintet of regular Parker 'ringers' we have two members who literally grew up playing some of these instruments and learning as youngsters from expert music staff as well as the virtuosic adult ensembles who took the tasks of ensemble listening, stewardship of their valuable and delicate instruments, and the spiritually significant practice of devoting their time, talents, and attention to weekly rehearsals. This also served as our inspiration in seeking out this Sunday's story for all ages: "When Joephine the Swans' Family Handbell Went Missing: The True Story" by Charlemagne Jackson.

Our Service Music lifts up a variety of cherished American spirituals, through alternatively toe-tapping and rhythmically engaging to deeply soulful and contemplative arrangements. The Parker Handbell Choir quintet will present Andrew Duncan's arrangements of "This Little Light of Mine" and "Wondrous Love," and will be joined by Joe O'Donnell, on the piano, for our Offertory - an arrangement of "Deep River" that also includes "I've Got Peace Like a River" by arranger Barbara Broome. Service Hymns begin with #1008 "My Life Flows on in Endless Song" and conclude with Dr. Ysaye Barnwell's "Breaths" (#1001). Joe will conclude the service with Adolphus Hailstork's organ arrangement of "Ev'ry Time I Feel the Spirit." 

There’s a lot going on in Buchan Reception this Sunday:

• Starting at 8:45, our Mens Group is serving pancakes.
• After the service, we’ll have special activities and snacks for kids and families in Social Hour

Read this week's newsletter.


Rev. Leah Ongiri, Acting Director of Lifespan Faith Formation and Family Ministries

Update on October 2026 ICE/DHS Surge in Oregon

The Immigrant Justice Action Group has a long record of supporting and educating the congregation about immigrant rights. As the assault on our immigrant neighbors continues, we want our community to be informed and aware of the changing methods of apprehension and detention that ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) and DHS (Department of Homeland Security) are employing. We must stay informed and take action to defend our neighbors’ human and civil rights. 

The first week of October marked a drastic surge in ICE/DHS detentions in Oregon. In just five days (Oct 6-10), the Portland Immigrant Rights Coalition (PIRC) verified 48 detentions that were reported to the hotline and suspects more unreported detentions. In comparison, 76 detentions were reported in all of September. Recent documentation also shows ICE agents using escalated violence and intimidation tactics. 

On October 8, DHS/ICE stated that “this rise in detentions is political retaliation against regions of the country that try to restrict local law enforcement & government employees from helping ICE abduct the people of the region (KOIN news).” CNN reported that the Trump administration told ICE agents around the country to arrest more people starting Tuesday [Oct 6] to fulfill a quota of 3,000 arrests per workday. 

Oregon’s congressional delegation recently authored this letter to Attorney General Todd Blanche demanding immediate answers to civil rights and human rights violations at the Portland ICE Facility. Members of the congressional delegation held a press conference on October 9 after visiting the ICE Facility, which you can see here. Also, on October 8, the Oregon for All Coalition (OFA) held a press conference you can view here. 

The surge in detentions ended after five days and reported detentions dropped back to previously weekly reported numbers (10-25). In their weekly update, PIRC applauded “the massive pro-immigrant community response taking place amidst the fear and disruption ICE is causing.” Knowing that ICE/DHS is always changing tactics, we need to be prepared for the next potential surge in detentions. 

What can you do? 

IJAG recommends the following actions and sources of information. 

If you see ICE or witness someone being detained, call the PIRC hotline: 1-888-622-1510. If possible, document what you see and get the name(s) of those being detained. See tips on what to do if you see ICE here. 

Support and follow frontline organizations:

• Portland Immigrant Rights Coalition (PIRC): statewide hotline, legal observers, rapid response, advocacy:. Instagram
• Interfaith Movement for Immigrant Justice (IMIrJ): mutual aid, accompaniment.
• Asylum Seekers Solidarity Collective (ASSC): mutual aid, advocacy; Instagram
• Equity Corp of Oregon (ECO): free immigration legal help for Oregon residents; Website: equitycorps.org
• VOZ Workers’ Education Project: support & advocacy for day laborers. Instagram

Watch the Front Steps for more information and upcoming ways to take action.

El Mes Nacional de la Herencia Hispana 

(Honoring Latino Experience and Contributions) 

The United States celebrates National Hispanic Heritage Month to honor the history, heritage, and contributions of Americans who came from, or whose ancestors came from, Mexico, the Caribbean, South and Central America, and Spain.


Latinos first arrived in Oregon during the Spanish explorations of the sixteenth century. The Oregon Encyclopedia offers a wealth of information about their experiences and contributions over nearly five centuries in “Latinos in Oregon”.

The Library of Congress, National Archives and Records Administration, National Endowment for the Humanities, National Gallery of Art, National Park Service, Smithsonian Institution and United States Holocaust Memorial Museum join in paying tribute to the generations of Hispanic Americans who have positively influenced and enriched our nation and society.

National Hispanic Heritage Month reads for children and adults can be found at the Washington County Library and Multnomah County Library. 

The Story of PCUN: The Farmworker Movement in Oregon (Lynn Stephen, University of Oregon Center for Latino/a and Latin American Studies)

Art for Social Justice

Resistance Revival Chorus with Rhiannon Giddens "All You Fascists Bound To Lose"

The Resistance Revival Chorus (RRC) is a collective of more than 60 women, and non-binary singers, who join together to breathe joy and song into the resistance, and to uplift and center women’s voices. Rhiannon Giddens has made a singular, iconic career out of stretching her brand of folk music, with its miles-deep historical roots and contemporary sensibilities, into just about every field imaginable.

Say It With Flowers!

Do you have a birth in the family, a graduation, an anniversary, a memorial, or other milestones to share?

You can acknowledge it to the entire congregation by sponsoring a floral bouquet. As we connect with friends, say it with flowers on the Chancel.

Email Marsha W. to make arrangements.

Pamela Chipman will show photos from Cuba that reflect its warmth and resilience while facing the challenges of everyday life.