October 1, 2026

Dear Friends and Members of WHUUF,

On the last Sunday in September, we celebrated the “Big Reveal” with our architects from Fieldwork Design and Architecture. They brought to life a vision for expanding and transforming our WHUUF buildings—a vision shaped entirely by YOUR ideas, wishes, and desires.

The design renderings were nothing short of breathtaking. They envisioned a stunning new sanctuary above Forest Hall with a 50% larger seating capacity and an expanded stage, a welcoming new entry area featuring a wider staircase and an elevator, and a beautiful repurposing of our current sanctuary. For me, it was so inspiring that I wanted to ask: How soon can we start?

But first, let’s take it one step at a time. Our immediate next step is to determine how much of this vision we, as a congregation, are ready and able to fund. To guide us, a team led by the deeply experienced UU consultant Kay Crider will conduct a financial feasibility study. Some of you will be personally involved in this evaluation at the end of this month.

The ultimate question before us is simple: Are we ready to unite behind this exciting endeavor? Every single contribution counts—from the smallest gifts to the most significant. I am completely convinced that if we all chip in, we can make this vision a reality. If the upcoming survey confirms our shared enthusiasm, we will seek your approval to launch a formal Capital Campaign toward the end of this year.

By the way, if you missed this well-attended meeting after the service, you can still relive it here: https://www.youtube.com/live/nNllBozLREs

While it is easy to get swept up in the excitement of our long-term future, we must not forget the largest annual fundraising project keeping us strong today: the WHUUF Online Auction!
Thanks to your incredible generosity, this event has broken its own fundraising record for our operational budget year after year. This year is shaping up to be no exception. With over 170 fantastic items already filling our Woodsy WHUUF catalog, I am confident we are on track for another record-breaking year. A massive thank you to ALL of YOU who donated items and experiences to make this possible. Get ready to browse, scheme, and place your bids when the WHUUF Auction Catalog official bidding opens from October 18 to 25!

Last but not least, let’s celebrate! Come to the Grand Finale event of the auction on October 24 at the Multnomah Arts Center. This wonderful evening will feature a delicious Mexican dinner and drinks, special dinner-time entertainment by our own Betsy Weston, and a live performance by the Pyrettes—one of our fan favorites from the Coffeehouse! With childcare proudly provided, we hope our entire community can
gather for this fun celebration.

Don’t forget to secure your spot! Tickets must be purchased before the October 9th deadline. You can grab yours online via the WHUUF Auction Page or in person in the coffee room after the first two October services.

Onward together into a thrilling future here at WHUUF!

Kindly,

Uwe Neitzel

WHUUF Board President

September 1, 2026

Dear Friends and Members of WHUUF,

Welcome back to all of you who used the summertime to explore Oregon and the world. I hope that you had wonderful adventures and that you didn’t get affected too much by the wildfires in our area and many other areas. They are, unfortunately, something we might have to live with for the years to come.

This is a good time to thank all of you who kept our wonderful community alive with your service. These thanks go to:
 The worship committee, who were again able to fill our Sundays with exciting and meaningful services.
 The tech team and their volunteers, who installed new fiber-optic and other cables and access points for a long-needed improvement of our internet experience.
 The Arts team and their own set of volunteers who painted and decluttered our Fireside room and turned it into a showplace.
 All the volunteers who kept helping in the coffee room, with music during the service, with Children’s RE, Family Camp, and doing the traditional chores, like our weekly and monthly ground work (parties).

We are also glad that we have our Minister, Tracy Springberry, back. As mentioned before, we have a year ahead full of exciting and challenging endeavors for WHUUF and with that, it is good to have an experienced and well-liked faith leader in the pulpit and on our side. With her support and with all of yours, I’m sure that we don’t have to be afraid of any challenges that might come towards us.

With deep gratitude,
Uwe Neitzel
President, Board of Trustees