RECENT ONLINE SERMONS*
click on the sermon image to view the video

*Sermons are posted by a volunteer, usually within two weeks
Thank you for your patience!

You Enjoy Myself
with Rev. Scott Rudolph, Minister and Beth Wood, Singer/Songwriter

December 22, 2024 The great mystery of it all invites us to appreciate, enjoy, and experience this life. The Universe has come to know itself through us. Self-consciousness comes with marching orders. We have an important job to do! Let’s get to it.  

Collaborating with our choir, Sisters-based singer songwriter Beth Wood will join us this Sunday morning to help us consider how it is we witness the divine.

Oh Yeah… It’s Now!
with Rev. Scott Rudolph, Minister

December 8, 2024 When we are present to ourselves and experiences, something magic happens. We notice that time moves at a different speed. Life slows down, and we get to appreciate moments that are all around us all the time.  

Don’t Just Do Something, Stand There!
with Rev. Morgan Schmidt, Guest Speaker

December 1, 2024 Together let’s re-frame how the act of “being present” - doing nothing - is one of the most powerful ways we are able to do the work of love, which is our work to do.

The Courage and Risk of Relationship
with MOsley WOtta, Guest Speaker & Rev. Scott Rudolph, Minister

November 24, 2024 We welcome this local artist as we explore the beauty and cost of creating real relationships. He has been transforming Central Oregon with his art for years now. This is a Sunday service you will not want to miss. 

Embodying Freedom: Breath, Pleasure, and the Path to Collective Liberation
with Pat Kailey & Stef Jenkinson, Lay Leaders

November 17, 2024 Join us as we explore somatic abolitionism, a movement led by Resmaa Menakem, and discover the power of embodied practice for healing and liberation. Through breathwork, pleasure activism, open attention, and a journey into collective resilience, we’ll connect with our bodies and the space around us as a means to dismantle oppression and cultivate deeper connections with ourselves and each other. Come ready to breathe, release, and reimagine freedom.

No Matter What
with Rev. Scott Rudolph, Minister

November 10, 2024 The election has come and gone. No matter the result, there is work to do around healing, collaboration, and justice. Spiritual grounding in our theology of love will illuminate the path forward.

America. Religion. Democracy
with Rev. Scott Rudolph, Minister

November 3, 2024 Our country, as well as our religious tradition is based on the idea of the democratic process. American governmental history is grounded in ideas of religious liberalism. As election season culminates, we look to the original vision of our republic and the intersection of religion and politics.

The Still, Small Voice: A Spiritual Compass
with Rev. Scott Rudolph, Minister

October 27, 2024 There is a quiet voice inside of you. Some call it your conscience, some consider it their truest self, and others believe it to be the voice of God. It is good to hear what this voice has to say. Even better if we heed its invitation.    

Are You Listening?
with Noreen Halberstadt & Others, Lay Leader

October 20, 2024 Throughout life we experience changes. In each change there is always a sorrow, even if joy ultimately comes. What do we do with our feelings about change? How can we support our loved ones when they are experiencing transitions? Are there things we can learn from different cultures and traditions about honoring loss?

Listening Is Love
with Rev. Scott Rudolph, Minister

October 13, 2024 Have you ever been truly heard by someone? It is an experience that affects the sharer and the listener. When we take the time to listen deeply, we not only learn about another person, but we find out more about ourselves as well.

Love On The Dane Floor
with Rev. Scott Rudolph, Minister

October 6, 2024 Disco has grooves and moves, but did you know it also has roots in the history of race relations, gay culture, feminism, and American politics? This morning, we get funky and look at the impact of disco, love, and our Unitarian Universalist tradition. There will be something for everyone, even if you think…“disco sucks.” Come on! Do the Hustle!

Is The God’s Body? Re-imagining Nature and Spirit
with Anastacia Compton, Lay Leader

September 29, 2024 How do we move from an extractive age to a new era? How would our relationship to the Earth change if it were the living body of our beloved Spirit of Life? We welcome you, your dreams, and your questions to this interactive worship service, a part of the Climate Justice Revival.

Work In Process
with Rev. Scott Rudolph, Minister

September 22, 2024 Process Theology is a way of thinking about God as an evolving, persuasive force rather than all-powerful, coercive one. Process thought considers that all of creation is continually unfolding and becoming, and that God does not control this. It’s up to us. No pressure! 

You’re Invited!
with Rev. Scott Rudolph, Minister

September 15, 2024 There are invitations to all sorts of things – some of them desirable, others are not. Our attention is constantly being invited by media, politics, and religion. And all the while, we are also making invitations. What are you inviting into your life?   

Why Do We Exist? Gathering The Waters Ritual
with Rev. Scott Rudolph, Minister

September 8, 2024 A Philosophers and theologians have long pondered existence. Why is there something rather than nothing? During this All-Ages service, we celebrate that we do exist, as individuals and as a community. We invite you to bring some water from your summer adventures to contribute to our annual Water Ritual be they far flung or close to home.

Do All UUFCOers Think The Same?
with Stef Jenkinson, Lay Leader

September 1, 2024 A thought-provoking service inspired by Jubilee's Spectrum videos. We'll explore the diverse perspectives within our UUFCO community. Audience participation is welcomed as members of the Board and LDC take the stage to discuss what we share, where we differ, and what it means to walk together in faith.

The Prophetic Sisterhood and Free Religion
with Rev. Scott Rudolph, Minister

August 25, 2024 Some of the first women ordained in the United States in the mid-1800s were Universalist or Unitarian. They challenged the patriarchal thinking of the time and changed history. These women were a part of the Iowa Sisterhood and moved liberal religion from the mid-west into the frontier. Feminist thinking has long served faith and strengthened our religious tradition.

Let’s Talk About Love
with Rev. Scott Rudolph, Minister

August 18, 2024 We are a community bound by love. The expression of our love happens in amazing and unforeseen ways. Our love impacts lives. This Sunday we will invite a conversation wondering about who we are and what we will become with love as our guide.

Faith in Motion: Nurturing Growth Across A Lifespan
with Amy Brock, Director of Religious Exploration

August 4, 2024 We see that plants grow with the support of soil, water, and sun. What about people? How do we grow? Join us for an exploration of faith development with Amy Brock, our Director of Children and Youth. We'll look at how developmental stages and relational theories can explain and inform our experiences at UUFCO individually and collectively. You'll leave with a stronger understanding of what we mean when we talk about faith as Unitarian Universalists.

Is This All A Grand Experiment? Thriving Beyond Trauma
with Chela Sloper, Congregational Life Facilitator

July 21, 2024 Civilizations have come and gone, and some would say that we are in the middle of a slow-moving cascade of catastrophes. Is there something about the uniqueness of the human species that brought us to where we are today? How do we observe what is happening and not lose heart? Let’s remind ourselves that we are in this together, and tune our hearts to community and collaboration.

Sacred Resilience: Thriving Beyond Trauma
with Jeff Belzer, Lay Leader

July 14, 2024 Discover the essence of psychological resilience, where humans transform adversity into strength and wisdom. Shonna Edwards and the esteemed panel will lead you through an honest and reflective conversation about thriving beyond trauma in this engaging and heartfelt service. This discussion promises to be enlightening, as well as empowering. Don't miss this opportunity to connect, reflect, and embrace the journey from struggle to strength.

Who Owns the American Flag?
with Rev. Scott Rudolph, Minister

July 7, 2024 The American flag is an incredibly powerful symbol. It has meant different things to different people over history. While in modern times it is often associated with the far-right, the American flag belongs to all Americans. Maybe if we could agree on that, it would help break down some of the divisive polarization in this country. Join in a lively discussion about flying the American flag following the service.

Weaving our Lives
with Molly Housh Gordan, Guest Speaker

June 30, 2024.We are all tangled up together in a great web of life that is woven with beauty and hardship, love and loss, thriving and struggle. How do we tend well to the weaving so that all of us are held in care?

Voices of Pride: Celebrating LGBTQ+ Lives and Stories
with Stef Jenkinson, Lay Leader

June 23, 2024. Join us for a heartfelt discussion featuring personal stories and reflections from a panel of Dick Falxa, Anne Graham, Randy King, Emily Moxley and James Simmons-Cox. Together, we will reflect on LGBTQ+ Pride, celebrate the diversity of our community, and envision a future of inclusivity and love. 

Spiritual Renewal: Deepening Men’s Bonds
with Dirk Matthias, Lay Leader

June 16, 2024. UUFCO is a busy place! The fellowship works hard to develop and maintain nurturing spaces and support for all. We invite you to hear stories from men in our congregation, sharing their ongoing work to reactivate, revise and renew the Men's Fellowship group.

Flower Celebration: Color Comes Alive
with Rev. Scott Rudolph, Minister

June 9, 2024. Our Flower Celebration is an annual ritual that celebrates beauty, human uniqueness, joy, and community. Created in 1923 in Prague, the practice has continued in our congregations for over 100 years. We invite everyone to bring a flower to share. We will have extra flowers so all can participate. The most important thing you can bring is yourself!  

Renewing the Spirit: Music Can Change Your Heart
with Amy Brock, Director of Religious Exploration for Children & Youth

June 2, 2024. Renewal means experiencing something fresh like clean laundry, a salad with yesterday's veggies, or a new song that makes you smile! Join Noreen Halberstadt, Amy Brock, and the Bells of Praise Handbell Choir with Shelley Giaier for an *all-ages exploration of renewal.
*Nursery care is provided for very young preschoolers and younger.

The Voices in My Head
with Rev. Scott Rudolph, Minister

May 26, 2024. Beliefs are ideas in our mind. They shape our actions and relationships. Unitarian Universalism invites a diversity of beliefs understanding that there are many paths toward truth. As a wise man once said, "We need not think alike to love alike."

The Muppets, Sex, Violence & Progressive Religion
with Rev. Scott Rudolph, Minister

May 19, 2024. Most of us at one point or another have encountered the Muppets in our lives. But the question is, "What Muppets did you know?" because they have take on many forms over the years. Haven't we all? The Muppets show us how to change over time with intention.  

Skyward Sojourn
with Stef Jenkinson, Lay Leader

May 12, 2024. Embark on a captivating journey through the skies as we delve into the remarkable world of avian migration. Join us as we celebrate World Migratory Bird Day and set to revel in the awe-inspiring miracle that happens in the skies around us. Lay Leader Stef Jenkinson (she/they) will guide us to see the beauty and wonder they experienced in their decade of working with and alongside birds.

My Little Youth Service: Friendship is Magic
with UUFCO Youth and Amy Brock, DRE

May 5, 2024. UUFCO youth and advisors guide us through an exploration of friendship as it relates to interdependence. We celebrate the growth of our graduating youth through a bridging ritual. The annual youth service is always such an important moment in the life of our young people.

War is Not Healthy for Children and Other Living Things
with Rev. Scott Rudolph

April 28, 2024. Our hearts break as the violence in the Israel-Hamas war continues unfolding in this tragic moral and humanitarian crisis. We reject all forms of antisemitism & Islamophobia. Amid complicated truths, we proclaim the simple truth thatevery life is sacred.  

Earth Day: Is Love in the Air?
with Mike Reed & the Environmental Justice Team

April 21, 2024. Where can we start when it comes to acknowledging the countless gifts we receive from Mother Earth? Can we ever truly finish counting them? Earth Day, established 54 years ago, was not just a celebration of these gifts but also a summons for united action to protect our planet. With the pressing reality of climate change, this call to action has become even more critical over time. We will delve into how our faith, our community, and above all, our love for the Earth can empower us to be its good stewards of our planet.

Climate and Connectedness
with Rev. Scott Rudolph, Minister

April 14, 2024. In the first of a two-part series, we explore climate change and the realities how this impacts us. We are truly all connected, we humans have a shared fate. There are things we can do, ideas we can understand, and ways to be that lean into our connectedness with nature rather than highlighting that which seems to separate us. As we approach Earth Day, we acknowledge just how dependent we are on our beautiful pale blue dot of a planet and how we can live with reverence and in relationship.

The Declaration of Interdependence
with Rev. Scott Rudolph, Minister

April 7, 2024. In a country fractured, ‘Us vs. Them’ has become the common narrative. How quickly we forget that we belong to each other and need each other as a part of one interdependent web of existence. Imagine these words through a lens of profound interdependence: We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all people are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.

Sweet Darkness. Beautiful Light.
with Rev. Scott Rudolph, Minister

March 31, 2024: Easter. Every once in a while we find ourselves in the cool dark of a metaphorical cave, especially in the Winter months. Then Spring blossoms, the new day dawns, and we step outside to feel the warm of the sun on our face.

Painting with Words
with Anis Mojgani,Guest Speaker

March 24, 2024. Oregon poet laureate Anis Mojgani shares his poetry and prose, painting a picture with his award winning works. Can we be transformed by words? Come join us and see!

Anis Mojgani is the current Poet Laureate of Oregon. A two-time individual champion of the National Poetry Slam and winner of the International World Cup Poetry Slam, he has been awarded residencies from the Vermont Studio Center, Caldera, AIR Serenbe, The Bloedel Nature Reserve, The Sou’wester, and the Oregon Literary Arts Writers-In-The-Schools program. Anis has done commissions for the Getty Museum and the Peabody Essex Museum. His latest poetry collection is, The Tigers They Let Me. Originally from New Orleans, Anis currently lives in Portland, Oregon.

The Healer Within
with Nicole Spreadborough, LPT, Drs. Emma and Derek Andre,
and facilitated by Rev. Scott Rudolph, Minister

March 17, 2024. Have you ever wondered about the many ways there are to help heal traumas, wounds, and old narratives? We all have times in our lives where we feel stuck. Join us as we have a conversation with three mental health professionals whose experience with EMDR therapy and psychedelic medicine have given them insights into how people create change in their lives. They will shed light on making personal changes and connecting with the healer within.

Why We Worship
with Rev. Scott Rudolph, Minister

March 10, 2024. Our fellowship has gathered every Sunday morning going back into the 60’s. There must be something going on worth coming for. And this is exactly what the root of the word worship means – “worth-ship.” The word can be complicated. Come on Sunday, and we will try to make it worth your while!

Minute Transformations
with Rev. Scott Rudolph, Minister

March 3, 2024. Transformation is a process. It can be easier to fixate on the imagined outcome rather than concentrate on the moment in front of us that can lead us there. The Tao Te Ching reminds us "A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step." To transform our lives, we are challenged to transform our minutes.

Pleasure Activism
with Rev. Scott Rudolph, Minister

February 25, 2024. Can justice work be absolutely joyful? We often think about the efforts needed for social change as difficult, laborious, or uncomfortable. And there feels like there is some truth in that. But a black feminist re-framing of this says that justice work can be the most pleasurable human experience. Healing and happiness can go side by side.

Inspired by Adrienne Mare Brown book of the same name.

... With Liberty and Justice for All
with Jeff Belzer & Dustin Fanning-Painter, Lay Leaders

February 18, 2024. Justice means bonding or joining or organizing people together into a right or fair order of relationships. Jeff and Dustin invite us to consider justice in Central Oregon through the lenses of housing and 2SLGBTQIA+ people.

With, Not For—Justice through Relationship
with Rev. Scott Rudolph, Minister

February 11, 2024. The more isolated we are, the less we are compelled to act. But when we are in relationship, our responsibility to each other becomes clear. Justice work changes us as we change the world. Even though it can be difficult, there is deep fulfillment and even joy in working for justice.  

Featuring guest musician, Sean Alan.

Change Your Location, Change Your Heart
with Rev. Scott Rudolph, Minister

February 4, 2024. What is your proximity to the needs for justice that call to your heart? Social justice advocate and lawyer, Bryan Stevenson, encourages us to “get proximate” with oppressed and marginalized people so that our work for justice comes from a different place. Being in deeper, closer relationship invites us into learning, understanding, action, and, yup… discomfort. If you change your location, just watch what happens to your heart.

Love at the Center
with Rev. Scott Rudolph, Minister

January 28, 2024. Maya Angelou wrote that “love liberates.” There is a freedom available in loving. As we act in loving ways, we liberate ourselves and uphold our natural connection to the interdependent web. Amidst our diversity of thought, Unitarian Universalism unapologetically holds love at the center of our shared values.

Gratitude and Reciprocity as We Walk on Earth
with Carolyn Tate, Lay Leader

January 21, 2024. The future can seem overwhelming. But when we honor Earth’s gifts and work in community to solve the problems we face, we can experience joy in action.

Carolyn Tate is Professor Emerita at Texas Tech University, where she taught Ancient American Art History. She’s published books on the ancient Maya and on the Olmec, America’s earliest major civilization. She also curated the Ancient Americas collections at the Dallas Museum of Art and organized the first major traveling exhibitions of Olmec art. On her spiritual journey, she launched from Christianity to study Asian philosophies. What brings her to UUFCO is the opportunity to explore diverse spiritual ideas within a committed community.

God is a Metaphor
with Rev. Scott Rudolph, Minister & Laney Mauck, Youth Leader

January 14, 2024. Humans use the word “god” to try to capture something uncapturable. This is how language works. Words point toward meaning. A good (god) metaphor just might give us access to a glimpse of the unknowable. This morning we honor the power and limitations of words.

Love Your Gosh-Darn-Dumb-Headed-Stinkin’-Good-For-Nothing Enemy
with Rev. Scott Rudolph, Minister

January 7, 2024. If our love impacts lives, then so, too, does our hatred. Our actions affect our surroundings and create who we are. Let’s shape ourselves and our world with love rather than hate.  

Question Box
with Rev. Scott Rudolph, Minister

December 31, 2023. Every once in a while our service is created in real time by the questions the congregation submits. This morning Rev. Scott will collect the questions and answer a handful of them. Any question is fair game!

Just What Are We Made of?
with Chela Sloper, Congregational Life Facilitator

December 24, 2023. In the iconic song Woodstock, Joni Mitchell sang "We are stardust, we are golden," but Shakespeare's Hamlet had a much dimmer view, saying we were a "quintessence of dust". Both? Neither? Potential or paradox? Join us for a more casual, less-Christmasy Christmas Eve morning as we explore "what a piece of work is [humanity]". Service will be in the round.

Agnosticism-Embracing the Mystery
with Rev. Scott Rudolph, Minister

December 17, 2023. The Universe is a big, amazing, and weird place. And here we are… conscious creatures, self-aware, living life. If we could make sense of it all, perhaps that would be a balm to our existential anxiety. But we can’t. So, it does us well to humbly say, “I don’t know” and allow the Mystery. Or, we can even invite it!

BAM (Beauty, Awe & Mystery) with Marci Wayman, Guest Speaker

December 10, 2023. Honoring and welcoming grief so that we may continuously shift our relationship with ourselves, each other, the world, and the whole of life is a big BAM. Grief allows us to open to how the mystery calls us to live our love.

Due to the sensitive nature of the topic, please request access by emailing the office (admin@uufco.org).

Agnosticism – Living the Questions?
with Rev. Scott Rudolph, Minister

December 3, 2023. It is humbling that there are some things that we will never fully understand. All this could be cause for anxiety were it not for our ability to accept our limitations. To solve a mystery is nice, but sometimes a good question will have to suffice.

Erring on the Side of Generosity
with Rev. Morgan Schmidt, Guest

November 26, 2023. To err is human - to err generously is divine. In this season of giving thanks for abundance, we know that sometimes we see the world through a lens of scarcity. Join us for a conversation on enough-ness and making fools of ourselves for the sake of sacred generosity. 

Rev. Morgan Schmidt (she/her) is a local community collaborator who advocates for our most vulnerable neighbors. Recently appointed Executive Director of the Central and Eastern Oregon chapter of the Red Cross, she began Pandemic Partners in 2020, ran for County Commissioner in 2022, and is an ordained Presbyterian pastor.  She has served as a youth pastor in Boston, Seattle, and at First Presbyterian in Bend.

How ‘Bout Them Apples?
All-Ages Service with Amy Brock, Director of RE

November 19, 2023. When we think about generosity, we often think about giving and receiving as people. Our UU faith invites us to think deeply about how we connect to all of earth's beings and about how they connect to us. All ages are invited to consider the generosity of our plant friends through an exploration of apples, their trees, and the seeds of inspiration that they sow.

Being Generous to an Idea
with Rev. Scott Rudolph, Minister

November 12, 2023. Ideas are like people. Sometimes we have to take some time to get to know them. This year, the Unitarian Universalist Association is reviewing how we express the foundation of our religion. We do this because of our commitment to adapting to a changing world as a part of our spiritual path. We have our 7 Principles and now new Values are being introduced. Let’s get to know each other!

Be Generous With Yourself
with Rev. Scott Rudolph, Minister

November 5, 2023. When we think of generosity, our thoughts quickly turn to how our love and resources can help others. But do you not deserve generosity as well? What if you offered the kindness, space, and love you save for others to yourself? You can do that! In fact, no one else can. Be generous with yourself and watch how good things unfold.

Never One Thing with
Rev. Scott Rudolph, Minister

October 22, 2023. Unitarian Universalism finds a unique expression in each of our congregations. Every community is shaped by the people gathered. Our minister, Rev. Scott, traveled to the Philippines during his sabbatical and learned what Unitarian Universalism looks like in that part of our world. Quite different and very much the same!

Liberal Religion is Dead… Again
with Rev. Scott Rudolph, Minister

October 15, 2023. Liberal religion is a theological orientation which proclaims that our spiritual and ethical lives can and should evolve. Looking backward, we can trace how this way of thinking has created our current iteration of Unitarian Universalism. Looking forward, well… we are just not sure about that yet. But we have faith it is bound with Love.

The Teachers’ Lounge
with Dirk Matthias

October 8, 2023. Walk on in to the teachers’ lounge! Come hear from our fabulous panel of educators to celebrate World Teachers Day, featuring moderator, Dirk Matthias, and panelists, Kim Gunderson, Jaz Halberstadt, Randy King, and Teré Pelaez.

Journey with Piano
with Rev. Scott Rudolph, Minister

October 1, 2023. Paula Dreyer, professional pianist and long-time accompanist at UUFCO, takes us on a musical journey through recent changes in her life.

Come On In, Forgiveness
with Rev. Scott Rudolph, Minister

September 24, 2023. Put out the welcome mat. The high holy day of Yom Kippur in the Jewish tradition considers how forgiveness might be invited into our hearts. If forgiveness feels like a difficult guest, perhaps humility could receive an invitation as well.  

Our Love Impacts Lives
with Rev. Scott Rudolph, Minister

September 17, 2023. Imagine a time when love has impacted your life – perhaps by a person, through an organization, or maybe it came from within your own heart. Love has an energy to it, and the love we put into the world makes a world of difference. Love grounds us and love grows as we nurture it.

A Water’s Welcome: Ingathering Water Ritual Service
with Rev. Scott Rudolph, Minister

September 10, 2023. After the summer, we come back together carried on different currents that will join as one. Our fellowship program year begins Sunday with our Water Ritual. You are invited to bring some water symbolic of your summer to share in our common vessel. Rev Scott, our minister, will be in the pulpit after his five month sabbatical. We welcome you all and the stream of life that that brings you here.

Charting a New Course
with Chela Sloper, Congregational Life Facilitator

September 3, 2023. What do Daniel Schmactenberger, Erik Erikson, Joanna Macy, and dystopian fiction have to tell us about how we got to where we are, and how we might plot a detour toward a world we desperately hope is possible? And while it’s not a good idea to drive while gazing in the rearview mirror, what can we gain by dealing with what lies behind us as we “recalculate” our course going forward?

Perspectives on Perspective
by Youth Lay Leaders, Laney Mauck and Stevie Irvine
with Maggie Miller and Pat Kailey

August 27, 2023. Have you ever held a perspective different to everyone else around you? What was that like? How did you deal with it? Congregants from UUFCO share their stories and perspectives on this question.

The Journey Beneath Our Feet with Rev. Alex Holt, Guest Speaker

August 20, 2023. We know we are living in dangerous and uncertain times. Nothing seems stable. The Chinese wisdom book "The Tao Te Ching" has a verse very familiar to many of us: "the journey of a thousand miles begins with the first step." A better translation is "the journey of a thousand miles begins beneath our feet." What do these two passages mean in a time of huge change? Can we shape our lives around improvisation?

Rev. Alex Holt is a semi-retired transitions minister who ministered at UUFCO from 2012-14 while the new building was designed. He studies with the Buddhist Recovery Network and recently celebrated 20 years of sobriety from alcoholism. His future hobbies include bonsai, and black-and-white photography.

Love in a Time of Disaster with Rev. Morgan Schmidt, Guest Speaker

August 13, 2023. We know it's not if, but when disaster will affect us, our loved ones, and our communities. When responding seems impossible, when we don't know what to do, when there are no words...what's left? (There will be lighthearted moments; it’s not all gloom and doom…) 

Rev. Morgan Schmidt (she/her) is a local community collaborator who advocates for our most vulnerable neighbors. Recently appointed Executive Director of the Central and Eastern Oregon chapter of the Red Cross, she began Pandemic Partners in 2020, ran for County Commissioner in 2022, and is an ordained Presbyterian pastor.  She has served as a youth pastor in Boston, Seattle, and at First Presbyterian in Bend.

Climate Resilience in Central Oregon: Challenges and Hope
with Hal DeShow, Lay Leader

August 6, 2023. Climate change is no longer a distant threat; it's a stark reality impacting our community right now. As we grapple with rising temperatures, devastating wildfires, and persistent droughts, many of us are asking what the future holds and what can be done. If that’s you, then this Sunday is for you.

Hal DeShow is a geology instructor at COCC and a friend of our UUFCO community.

Raccoons, Hawks and Humans: Saving Wildlife in Central Oregon
with Sally Compton, Guest Speaker

July 30, 2023. Steve Irwin said, "We don't own the planet earth, we belong to it. And we must share it with our wildlife."  Central Oregon is said to be a mecca for those who love the outdoors.  But along with the beauty comes the inevitable encroachment of humans which has an impact on the creatures who share this mecca.  That's where Think Wild, a rescue, rehabilitation and release hospital for wild animals of Central Oregon, comes in.  

Sally Compton, Executive Director of Think Wild, has a diverse background working in conservation and the non-profit sector, both internationally and locally. She holds a degree in evolutionary biology from Cornell University, and her experience prior to Think Wild includes work for the Oregon Coast Aquarium, Cornell Lab of Ornithology, plus endangered species research in New York, the Philippines, and South Africa.

Your Birthday – It’s More Than the Cake and Candles
with Leslie Koc, Lay Leader

July 23, 2023. “They say it’s your birthday!” (Beatles 1968) Does that song bring forward a tidal wave of birthday memories or a vision of the birthday that’s coming? Either way, our birthdays are unique and yet they knit us together in a common passage of our lifetimes. Join us on Sunday to explore birthdays beyond the cake and candles.

From Masks to Hugs with Paul Bennett, Lay Leader

July 16, 2023. A visual artist's chronicle of the Pandemic and reflections on what he learned from having an inheritance of time.

Paul Alan Bennett has been making and teaching art for most of his life. His work has been featured on Oregon Art Beat and Pendleton Woolen Mills made 16 of his paintings into tapestries, two of which hang in the UUFCO Gathering Hall. He has published three books: Night Skies, Pandemic Portraits, and HUG.

Music of the Movement: Songs That Changed the World
with Mark Levy, Guest Musician/Speaker

July 2, 2023. Mark Levy has been writing and performing topical/satirical songs since the 1970s. His original compositions satirize social and political items in the news, presidential foibles, and world events. His often biting humor enables him to convey a serious message and make people laugh at the same time. He has traveled the country lending his songs to pertinent social and political issues at meetings, rallies, marches, and concerts, hoping to change minds with his music and humor. In addition to singing for truth & justice, Mark is a trained cantor and is also known for his rendering of Jewish and international folk songs. Mark is also a member at the Florence Unitarian Universalist Fellowship and we are excited to welcome him to the UUFCO.

Who Can “Know Thyself” Better Than Thyself?
with Chela Sloper, Congregational Life Facilitator

June 25, 2023. A timeless exhortation for how humans should live is "Know Thyself". This simple maxim was first attributed to the Oracle of Delphi nearly 3,000 years ago, engraved on the entryway to the Temple of Apollo. These days we talk about authenticity and inner freedom, and for those who have been on a path of self-discovery, it can be a lifelong journey.

Coming to Consensus: How To Find Agreement Among the Disagreements
with Heather McNeil, Lay Leader

June 18, 2023. There are divisions and differences, from families to nations. It could be as simple as what’s for dinner, or as monumentally important as the national debt. How can agreement be reached? What are the ingredients for coming to consensus, acceptance and support? Based on her experience on the national Newbery and Caldecott committees, Worship Team member Heather McNeil will share ideas for achieving consensus when opinions are strong, emotions are jazzed, and voices are loud.

Tending Our Soul’s Garden with James Simmons-Cox, Lay Leader

June 11, 2023. Today we celebrate the 100th Anniversary of our “Flower Communion” – a service that has taken place all over the world in UU churches since 1923. Please make sure to take a flower -- we’ll make sure everyone receives a blossom!

James Simmons-Cox has a Masters in Art Education, two Masters in Theology, been an ordained minister for the Church of Christ, Southern Baptist, and United Methodist denominations. He now considers himself a "pilgrim" and spiritual director – who (with his husband) enjoys the arts, nature, traveling and living life to its full.

Juneteenth with Dalton Miller-Jones, PhD, guest speaker
and Sean Alan, guest musician

June 4, 2023. Juneteenth commemorates the “official” end of slavery in the United States. On June 19, 1865, over two and a half years after the emancipation proclamation was signed by President Lincoln, Federal troops informed approximately 250,000 enslaved Black Americans in Galveston, Texas that they had been freed!  Dr. Miller-Jones will share his perspectives on the importance of Juneteenth for all Americans, which has been celebrated by those of African descent for over a century.  

Dr. Dalton Miller-Jones is a retired Portland State University professor emeritus, where he established the Department of Black Studies. He received his doctorate in Developmental Psychology from Cornell University where his research focused on the impact of culture on development and learning, especially for African American and Indigenous First Nations children; along with being the co-chair of the Restorative Justice and Equity Group of The Father’s Group, Dalton has served on the board of many organizations and taught at numerous universities.

Sean Alan is a singer songwriter who has opened for national acts such as Los Lobos, Smash Mouth, and Parliament Funkadelic. He is a socially conscious artist who has been involved in supporting the movement of progressive causes.

Creativity Everyday: Standing In vs Standing Out
All Ages Service Led by Youth & Advisors

May 21, 2023. Everyone is creative. When we align our values with our creative spirit and connect with others who are doing the same, we have the potential to create meaningful change. Our youth and advisors guide us on a journey of exploration that is sure to inspire those who are young or young at heart to lean into the joy of creativity as a spiritual practice.

A Friendship That Keeps Giving with Judy Hurlburt, Lay Leader

May 14, 2023. From the moment of the miraculous creation of each of us, we require that, in order survive, grow and thrive within the interdependent web of life, mother, father or some other fulfills our needs. In a reflection of the Judy P and Judy H friendship, explore how friendships meet many of our needs “in spots.”

Trash Talking: Moving Beyond Bad News, An All-Ages Service

May 7, 2023. How can you make the earth a better place? Art offers a powerful tool for understanding and transformation! With plastic pollution as our focus, we will share images, songs, and stories to inspire creative solutions for improving the health of our earth.

Guided by members of the Art Resources Team and Religious Exploration Team with Amy Brock, DRE.

The Restorative Power of Space and Place with Pat Kailey, Lay Leader

April 30,2023. We are blessed to reside in the breathtaking beauty of Central Oregon, a landscape that for many of us, profoundly influences our spiritual well-being. We gather this week to celebrate the sacred places that nurture our inner selves. Our congregation members will share stories about the nearby places that have revitalized their spirits, ignited their creativity, and fueled their passions. Together, we delve into the importance of these sanctuaries and unveil the essential role they play in rejuvenating our spiritual energy. This renewal empowers us to cultivate resilience and unleash our creative potential in a world that frequently tests our values and beliefs.

Earth-Based Spirituality with Marty Rudolph, Lay Leader

April 23, 2023. Simply put, we are Earthlings. The Earth is our origin, our nourishment, our educator our healer, our fulfillment. At its core, even our spirituality is Earth derived. [sic] If there is no spirituality in the Earth, then there is no spirituality in ourselves ~Thomas Berry  

Join us as we explore the evolution of earth-based spirituality.

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Resistance: Could It Actually Be Your Greatest Asset?
with Rachelle Indra, Guest Speaker

April 16, 2023. We've always been taught that resistance is a bad thing we should overcome, but there are actually places in our lives where our resistance can be the key to fulfillment and creating healthy boundaries. We'll explore the many facets of resistance, and how it might be creating more joy in your life than you realize.

Rachelle Indra is a life coach and speaker specializing in the intersection of self-actualization and humor. She has made it her life's mission to teach what we should have been taught in school: how to have healthy relationships, discover your life's purpose, and retrain your brain to work for you instead of against you. Rachelle has been a member of UUFCO since 2018.

Life from Death and other Universal(ist) Principles with Rev. Morgan Schmidt, Guest Speaker

April 9, 2023. The message of Easter is one of love and hope, connecting us to the universal truth that life comes from death and love overcomes fear. Hear the Easter story anew through the tale of two ancient parades, one walk home, and the “aha!” moment we all long for.

Rev. Morgan Schmidt (she/her) is a local community collaborator who advocates for our most vulnerable neighbors. Recently appointed Executive Director of the local chapter of the Red Cross, she began Pandemic Partners in 2020, ran for County Commissioner in 2022, and is an ordained Presbyterian Pastor.  

Jewish Passover & UU Principles
with Donald Bear, Diane Darling, Donna Dobkin, Judith Smith, and Mark Steinberg

April 2, 2023. Spring is in the air! With the coming of Spring, we invite you to learn about the story of Passover and how it relates to our UU Principles.

Awe Shucks with Rev. Scott Rudolph, Minister

March 26, 2023. Feelings of awe are often inspired by the natural world given the splendor of the earth and skies. But human relationships can also open ours heart to awe if we notice moments of beauty happening every day between people. These occurrences are always there; we just have to remember to be aware of them. This will be Rev. Scott’s last Sunday before his sabbatical.

Unvarnished Truth with Rev. Scott Rudolph, Minister

March 5, 2023. Is vulnerability just a “buzz word” or is it the key to a deeper, more fulfilling life? The more honest we are with ourselves, the more we become an authentic part of the world.

You Win Some, You Lose Some with Rev. Scott Rudolph, Minister

February 26, 2023. We have all won. We have all lost. Competition is a part of the human experience and can be both healthy and destructive. Be a “winner” and join us on Sunday as we explore the interplay of competition and love in our lives and in our culture.

Unfinished Work with Rev. Scott Rudolph, Minister

February 19, 2023. 160 years ago, Abraham Lincoln gave The Gettysburg Address honoring the fallen of the deadliest battle of the Civil War. He beseeched the American people to rededicate to the grandest ideals of our nation – equality and freedom. Unitarian Universalists still gather around these ideas today. The speech also calls us to the “unfinished work” in bringing these values to life.

Paw Prints on Your Heart with Pat Kailey, Lay Leader

February 12, 2023. Our Children's Covenant invites us to be "a friend to all animals". That's the least we can do! Our all-ages service celebrates our love for our animals and their love for us. We'll swap stories of how we have been loved, helped, or taught by our animal kin. Connect with us by bringing a photo your beloved animal to place on our blessing altar.

What’s Love Got to Do With It? with Rev Scott Rudolph, Minister

February 5, 2023. Love is a pretty wide open word. There are lots of “kinds” of love. As Unitarian Universalists, we place love at the center of our religious life together. Let’s slow down this morning to consider and claim what we mean by evoking and embodying love.  

Wisdom from a Donut with Rev Scott Rudolph, Minister

January 29, 2023. Our teachers are everywhere. Concluding our monthly theme, Finding Our Center, Rev. Scott sat through the morning hours in a donut shop communing with the insights found among the donuts. The theory was that these confectious, deep-fried pastries and the world that surrounds them might have something to teach us about life. We promise, they do, and this service won’t glaze you over.

Howling at the Moon with Rev. Scott Rudolph, Minister

January 22, 2023. Allen Ginsberg published his epic poem “Howl” in 1956 creating a stir across the county and right here in Central Oregon. His courageous poem enabled him to share his heart. What is the truth you need to say, the song you need to sing? Like it or not, one day you will be an ancestor. Your words matter and life matter. 

A Culture of Care with Dirk Matthias, Lay Leader

January 15, 2023. The Culture of Care Team at the High Desert Educational Support District is working to impact educational culture and outcomes with Trauma-Sensitive (neurobiological lens),  Restorative (relational/heal the harm), and Equitable  Practices (everyone gets what they need) that systematically promote wellness, safety and community support for all. Please join us for a panel discussion led by Dirk Matthias about how this team is helping teachers, students, families and the community find their center.

When You’re Awesome… and When You’re Not
with Rev. Scott Rudolph, Minister

January 8, 2023. Some days you are great at being who you are. Other days, you might need a little help finding your center. This Sunday, we will hold some space for exploring our successes and offer a tangible way to get in touch with your core self! 

Seven Million Wonders with Heather McNeil, Lay Leader

December 18, 2022. During the busy holiday season we sometimes miss the many simple wonders all around us.  But there's joy and wonder everywhere when you see the world through the eyes of a child.  And that's what we will do with lay reader Heather McNeil.

Telescope Theology with Rev. Scott Rudolph, Minister

December 11, 2022. The James Webb telescope has been sending pictures back to Earth now for months. The images are stunning, reminding us of the mystery and miracle of our Universe. As we gaze deep into outer space, we can’t help but to look inward as well. 

The Mystery of Mysticism with Rev. Scott Rudolph, Minister

December 4, 2022. Throughout time, mystics are those that have somehow had an experience of becoming one with… something. What it is, we are not really sure. God? Nature? The Universe? Perhaps it is good enough to just call it the Mystery for now. That might keep us wondering, but that is quite alright. 

Accepting Change, Allowing Transition with Rev. Scott Rudolph, Minister

November 27, 2022. Sometimes change doesn't arrive and depart like a house guest. Sometimes it sticks around and we must decide how to live with it. Will we wrap our heads and hearts around it? Will we allow it to change us?

The Courage to be Spiritually Boring with Rev. Scott Rudolph, Minister

October 16, 2022. Enlightenment sounds fantastic! If you could tell me where to show up and at what time, I’ll be there. But until then, the ordinary, day-in-day-out of life makes up our spiritual journey. There is something extraordinary about the ordinary.

The Earth Is My Home with Rev. Scott Rudolph, Minister

September 25, 2022. The Universe is a big place. In that expansiveness that is incomprehensible, we find ourselves on this little planet called Earth. We belong here. I am of the Earth, born and raised!

"We Belong to Each Other" with Rev. Scott Rudolph, Minister

September 11, 2022. Our In-Gathering and Water Ritual calls us to gather the spirit of our fellowship together as we begin our congregational year. We invite you to bring water from somewhere in their life or travels to pour together to symbolize the coming together of our shared journey. We will also welcome some new folks to the fellowship with a New Member Ceremony.

"Let the Beauty We Love Be What We Do"
with Chela Sloper, Congregational Life Facilitator

September 4, 2022. What propels human life? What moves us to do what we do? Nature has equipped us with certain basic survival needs and the drive to fulfill them, but when those needs are basically met, what next? Our higher aspirations might feel irrelevant in the face of disruptions in our world, but, as Yogi Berra once wisely quipped, “If you don’t know where you’re going, you might end up someplace else.”

"Where You Lay Your Head" with Rev. Scott Rudolph, Minister

August 28, 2022. If you have a bed under a roof, you have reason for gratitude. Houselessness confronts our relationship to others as well as to our own values.

"Adventures in Creating Family: Stories about Infertility & Adoption"
with Kristel McCubbin Masterson, Lay Leader

August 21, 2022. As Unitarian Universalists, we embrace families of all types which means our congregations are filled with many ways to be a family. This week's service will include stories from 4 UU's about infertility and adoption from four unique perspectives. There are many experiences of these topics so this will be a brief glimpse into four. We hope you will join us as we embrace these stories of what our panelists’ experiences have been with their families.

"What’s On Your Mind?" with Rev. Scott Rudolph, Minister

August 14, 2022. As our thoughts drift, we bounce between our personal lives and world events. We have to-do lists alongside hopes and dreams. There is worry, wonder, and gratitude. We gather as a religious community to bring some of our internal landscape into conversation with each other and our values. This morning we will explore what is on our minds to give some shape to future Sunday mornings.  

“Your Spiritual Experience” with Chandra Smith, Lay Leader

August 7, 2022. Each of us is different and the soul's journey is different for everyone of us. It may manifest differently at different times and in different ways. Only our soul knows what we may truly believe about life and spirit.

"Wisdom from the Ancient Maya" with Carolyn Tate, Lay Leader

July 31, 2022. Civilizations … they rise, they fall.  The ancient Maya incorporated their awareness of earlier civilizations into their surviving creation narrative, the Popol Vuh. Join Carolyn, a former professor of ancient Maya history, to explore the motivations of the Creator Couple as they tried and failed multiple times to produce proper humans. What did the Creator Couple want? And what is the relevance of this indigenous American creation narrative to us today?

Carolyn Tate is an art historian of ancient Mexico and now an aspiring novelist. At UUFCO, she’s a member of the Women’s Connections Steering Team and you can find her ushering on first Sundays.

“Dar La Bienvenida al Inmigrante”
with Jamie Rose McNeil, Lay Leader, and Krystal Loverin, Guest Speaker

July 24, 2022. How many of you can correctly answer when the Constitution was written? Or how many years we elect a U.S. Senator? These are some examples of U.S. Citizenship test questions that many Americans born in this country answer incorrectly. Join Jamie Rose McNeil and Krystal Loverin from Bend Immigration Group as they present a bilingual service, shedding light on some of the struggles immigrants face to obtain a green card or become naturalized, what Bend Immigration's role is in welcoming them, and how legal policies often seem to clash with social justice.

“In and Out of Sabbath: A Jewish and UU Interfaith Service”
with Rev. Scott Rudolph & Rabbi Johanna Hershenson

July 17, 2022. UUFCO invites Temple Beth Tikvah to a Sunday morning service in which Rabbi Johanna Hershenson and Rev. Scott will offer a sermon in dialogue about transitioning from the sabbath into the ordinary. Rabbi Johanna will also introduce the Havdalah ceremony to the Fellowship. Afterward our two communities will share in a pot-luck meal and social gathering.

“Five Jagged Rocks” with Jazlyn Halberstadt, Lay Leader

July 10, 2022. Unitarian Universalists often struggle with answering a fundamental question, "what do we believe?" We'll explore the 5 jagged rocks of Unitarian Universalism, which were created by Revs. Nancy Bowen and Mike Morran as a way to build on our principles, and dive deeper into our beliefs. We'll learn about the history of the 5 jagged rocks, and how they came to be, as well as how we can use these beliefs to anchor ourselves in trying times.