juc crier 6 30 14

1

June 30, 2014 • [email protected] • www.jeffersonunitarian.org • Volume 2014 Issue 12

The JUC CrierThe Newsletter of the Jefferson Unitarian Church

14350 W. 32nd Avenue • Golden, Colorado 80401 • 303-279-5282 • Fax: 303-279-2535

Sunday, July 6 • 9:15 & 11 a.m. • Infant/toddler care provided.

Poetic Faithpresented by Rev. Dana Lightsey, Consulting Assistant Minister

Poetry gives voice to our experience of life in ways nothing else can. This service will be filled with the poetic exploration of the notion of faith. Music: Dave Devitt, guitar; Rev. Keith Arnold, piano. Worship Associate: Steve Sargent.


The Nature of Thingspresented by Rev. Wendy Williams, Senior Minister

In this month of patriotic salutes and homage to independence, we take a different turn. Through a blend of music, poetry and homily, Sophia’s Journey joins forces with Wendy to explore the invitation of nature to an interdependent life. Music: Sophia’s Journey; Rev. Keith Arnold, piano. Worship Associate: Gail Abbott.


The God We Pray Topresented by Ruth Rinehart, Seminarian

Do you pray? To God? What does that mean? Galen Guengerich, Senior Minister of All Souls Unitarian Church in Manhattan, NY, has written a book entitled God Revised: How Religion Must Evolve in a Scientific Age. Our fourth and seventh principles will guide us as we consider an understanding of God that doesn’t ask us to put science or our good thinking on the shelf, a new understanding that incorporates the best science of the day as well as our deep human need for community. Ruth Rinehart is a candidate for UU ministry in her second year at Iliff School of Theology. Music: Melissa Monforti. Worship Associate: Julie Excell.


The Long and Winding Roadpresented by Rev. Dana Lightsey, Consulting Assistant Minister

This is Dana’s last service as our Consulting Assistant Minister and it is time to say goodbye, as she moves on to be the minister at High Plains Church Unitarian Universalist in Colorado Springs. Endings and beginnings are a part of all of our lives. Ending well paves the way to beginning well. This service explores this important moment that happens so often in our lives. Let’s celebrate the time we have had together and all that

we have shared. Music: Worship Band; Rev. Keith Arnold, piano. Worship Associate: Anne Starace.

☛ Looking ahead to… Sunday, Aug. 3: Mind-Bending Mystery presented by Rev. Wendy Williams, Senior Minister. Writing about religion and science in 1930, Albert Einstein offered that the most important function of art and science was to awaken a feeling of wanting to experience the universe as a single, significant whole. Music: Rev. Keith Arnold, piano. Worship Associate: Steve Sargent.

2

1 Visitors' Circle • 2nd & 4th Sundays 5 minutes after each service (Meet @ the Welcome Table)

For newcomers: an informal discussion to answer your questions about Unitarian Universalism and JUC.

Upcoming sessions: July 13, 27.

1 Path to MembershipSaturday, September 20 • 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. (chapel)

Led by Membership Coordinator Annie Hedberg, this class is designed to familiarize those considering joining JUC with some of our staff, our diverse programs and activities, UU history and the responsibilities and benefits of membership. Sessions include child care and a light lunch. You may RSVP at the Sign Up Site or call the JUC office (303-279-5282). Please call Annie @ 303-279-7451 for more information on the joining process.

JUC Evergreen Campus Sunday, July 6 • 4 p.m.

What If...presented by the Worship Ministry Team

What if our religion was each other? or What if love were the center of our being? The Worship Group will reflect on such concepts as put forth in a meditative poem by Ganga White, founder of the White Lotus Foundation. We’ll explore these questions and how we might incorporate them into our daily lives.

Worship services held on first and third Sundays at 4 p.m. 28628 Buffalo Park Rd.

(The church up the hill from the Evergreen library)

If you wish to be informed about news regarding our Evergreen campus, please contact Sue Parilla, Dir. of Congregational Engagement ([email protected]).

☛ Looking ahead to… Sunday, July 20: The Long and Winding Road presented by Rev. Dana Lightsey. This is Dana’s last service as our Consulting Assistant Minister and it is time to say goodbye, as she moves on to be the minister at High Plains Church Unitarian Universalist in Colorado Springs. Ending well paves the way to beginning well. Let’s celebrate the time we have had together and all that we have shared.

Farewell to Rev. Dana LightseySunday, July 27 • 12:30 p.m.

Let’s send Dana off to her new congregation with our love and support! Potluck lunch, music, and time to give your good wishes to Dana and enjoy a summer Sunday with JUC friends. Sign up at the Sign Up Site. Write a personal note to Dana at the table in the south commons on Sundays, July 13-27, or send a note to the church office to

be placed with the others.See Dana’s farewell newsletter article on p. 4.

General Assembly in Colorado (GA in CO) Potluck DinnerSat., July 12 • 5:45 p.m.

Columbine UU Church (6724 S. Webster St., Littleton)

Enjoy an evening of fellowship with UUs from all seven Boulder Denver Cluster churches. Featuring dinner, reflections on GA in Rhode Island, and a viewing of the Ware Lecture by Sister Simone of Nuns on the Bus. Sign up at http://tinyurl.com/GAinCO or contact Debby Bower ([email protected]) for more info.

Golden Circle Worship & Luncheon

Thursday, July 17

10:45 a.m. Worship11:30 a.m. Social Hour - 12 p.m. Lunch

Exclusively for JUC members, friends and their partners who are 70 (or better). Look for your invitation in the mail! RSVP needed by July 11.

Suggested donation: $7.Contact: Sue Parilla (303-279-5282, x24;

[email protected]).

Thanks for Supporting NAMIWalks!Through the generosity of members of JUC, $4,000 was

contributed in May to continue the important programs of NAMI CO (National Alliance on Mental Illness in Colorado) and to support NAMIWalks. The Mental Health Advocates Group thanks everyone who contributed to the special plate collection or donated individually. Seventeen people and several dogs joined the JUC NAMIWalks Team on May 17 to call attention to the needs and celebrate the courage of individuals who have a mental illness.

3

Family SpotlightAshley Johnson, Director of Religious Education ([email protected]; 303-279-5282, x18)

Community of Unitarians Raising Kids (CURK)Summer Camping Trip

Limited capacity; the location accommodates tents, trailers and small RVs. $20/family. Sign up at the Sign Up Site or contact Christine Leahy ([email protected]).

Fri., Aug. 8 - Sun., Aug. 10 Lakeview Group Site near Twin Lakes, Leadville

Summer SundaysJoin us for fun grounded in UU community. More than

babysitting and a bit less than formal lessons, this will be a Summer of Fun! Nursery and sprouts rooms open all summer.

July’s theme is Rocks Rock!PreK-5th: Paint rocks, build a house, and explore the spiritual nature of our earth.

Youth EventsOffsite adventures. Contact [email protected] for current events. Feel free to join adult worship on Sunday morning.

Blessings, Wendy

Fanning

Rev. Wendy Williams, Senior Minister (303-279-5282 ext. 13; [email protected])

Across the country, I am in vibrant conversations with ministers and lay folks who are passionate about Unitarian Universalism. General Assembly (the annual gathering of our congregations) is a great way to spend a week. If you have time next summer, I encourage you to explore attending. It will be in Portland, Oregon, a lovely place to visit. More than that, though, our Leap of Faith partner, First Unitarian Portland, is kicking of the 150th anniversary of their church that summer. We can help them celebrate as we offer thanks for the ways in which they have helped us gain a new perspective on ourselves this year.

Through Leap of Faith, we learned that becoming a large charge is so much more than mere numbers. And, while church size and dynamics are riveting for only a few of us, it is important to note that some 18 months ago, lay leaders in our congregation gathered and identified our strategic goals. Chief among them was developing our systems and structures into those more typical of a large church so that we could better live into our mission of nurturing souls, growing Unitarian Universalism and transforming the world beyond our walls.

We will be assisted in that cause this year by our new Assistant Minister, Rev. Eric Banner. Many of you had the opportunity to meet Eric and his family in May and understand well the excitement the Recruitment Team and I had about Eric’s gifts and ministry. Eric brings both large and small church experience, as well as great intellect, passion, energy, and implementation skills to us. You will note his presence among us quickly, as his first project is to launch theme-based small group ministry that will begin in September.

Also joining us in August is our intern, Beckett Coppola, who completed her studies at Naropa this spring. While the full range of Beckett’s responsibilities will be developed to coincide with her learning goals, it is safe to say your opportunities to interact with her will be plentiful on Sundays, in meetings, classes and pastoral care.

These two additions have our pulpits both in Golden and Evergreen a bit more crowded than they used to be. Thus, with rare exception, it will be the three of us who will lead worship at both campuses. This reality is a common one in large churches, and results in very few lay-led services. We have one notable exception in the service led by Worship Associates at the end of June.

Speaking of worship services, summer is a time when schedules and travel can vary more than usual. As you come and go, it can feel like you missed something when you overhear comments about a particular message. While watching sermon videos vis JUC’s Vimeo channel is a great option, it does require that you be in front of a computer screen. That’s something many of us do too much of already. Great news! We are currently in the test stage of putting our messages into mp3/podcast format. Our goal in doing so is primarily to serve our families who spend hours in the car taxiing children. We want to better serve them and hope our messages will feed and sustain them for the important work of raising kids. Look for audio files to begin appearing soon! (jeffersonunitarian.org/sermonaudio)

From so many states away, JUC’s light shines bright. I am so grateful to serve you and serve with you.

May the summer warmth and rhythm renew your spirit. May our year-round church sustain it. And may the coming church year be one in which you find many opportunities to deepen, connect, and engage.

4

Dances of Universal Peace2nd Tuesdays • 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. (chapel)

All Are Welcome! Next Session: July 8Dances of Universal Peace is a simple, meditative practice of singing and dancing sacred songs

from all over the world. No dancing or musical experience or skill required. Suggested donation: $8. Only give what you can. Led by Gayan Gregory Long and Rev. Dana Lightsey - and this is Dana’s last dance at JUC! She would love to dance with you one last time!

Drum Circle: Tuesday, July 8 • 6 p.m. (chapel)Do you love to drum? Bring your drum or just yourself to the Drum Circle before the dance. Extra drums will be

available. Master drummer and teacher, Gayan Gregory Long, will teach drumming patterns from all over the world.

It is July and the time has come for me to leave JUC. We have known this day was coming all year, yet as the day draws closer I am experiencing many mixed feelings of sadness about leaving, satisfaction for all we have accomplished, and excitement about my new position at High Plains Church Unitarian Universalist in Colorado Springs.

When I came here two years ago, Wendy had just finished her first year as senior minister and Nathan Woodliff-Stanley had just left the position of Minister of Social Responsibility. It was a time of upset for some and a time of uncertainty for many.

I have worked to help Social Responsibility Council and later Pastoral Care Group adjust to a new model of providing ministry to the church. I also worked with the staff to clarify what this new model looked like and the various changes this brought to the systems of the church. This has not always been an easy adjustment but we have learned a great deal from each other and have worked hard to wrestle with the difficult issues so we could bring as much healing and health to the church as possible.

The most important part of this job, and the most rewarding to me, has been the relationships that have grown between us. You have told me how I have touched your lives, and I want you to know how much you have touched my life, during the easy times and during the challenging times. I have been awed by the great spirit of generosity that has come from so many of you. You have used your curiosity and creativity to renew and rebuild programs in ingenious ways that will continue to enhance the entire church well into the future. (I hope!)

I have had the privilege of participating and observing the growth of the All-Church Project and so many

other great programs brought into reality by the Social Responsibility Council, the newly emerging Green Task Force, the innovative programs of the UU Liberal Christians, the newly developing School of Mines Spiritual Freethinkers and the 20s & 30s Group, and the new Pastoral Care Associates program, just to name a few.

And now you are welcoming Eric Banner into the church as your new Assistant Minister! I know Eric and I know he brings many gifts to JUC. I am confident that he will serve you well and I have great hope that his relationship with you is long and prosperous.

We have a rule in the Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA) that ministers who have left are not to communicate with the church or its members for three years. This is can be a difficult rule to understand. I have come to appreciate it, though. You need the freedom and space to develop your new relationship with Eric without any sense of divided loyalty. This will be the foundation of his ministry and it needs to be free of any possible interference from me.

So if I am suddenly unresponsive to your FaceBook posts or other contacts, please don’t take it personally. I hope you understand that I am following this very important rule. I have done all I can to pave the way for Eric’s successful ministry and the last piece that I can do to help him and help you is to stay out of contact with you.

These past two years have been filled with countless conversations, laughter and tears of grief, worry, frustration, joy and delight. Being a minister is a powerful and intense experience because a minister is often with people during the most difficult, painful, or joyful and exciting times of their lives. Sharing these intimate moments, and everyday moments too, has bonded my heart with yours again and again.

As we prepare to say goodbye, please know this is not a breaking of these precious bonds. These bonds become our fond memories that continue to enrich our lives as we move in different directions. I have loved being with you these past two years. It has truly been an honor to serve you and I will always carry you with me in my heart.

With Deep Gratitude and Love, Dana

shinea little

LIGHT~ Rev. Dana Lightsey, Consulting Assistant Minister (303-279-5282 ext. 31; [email protected])

5

For general information on SRC Task Forces and their goals, visit jeffersonunitarian.org/src.. . Unitarian Universalist Service Committee (UUSC) Task Force . .

Celebrating the UU Rainbow of Welcome and LovePrideFest Parade 2014

What a beautiful sight it was to see UUs from throughout the Boulder Denver Cluster marching in the June 22 PrideFest Parade! JUC had over 25 marchers, ages 1 to 71+, sporting orange shirts, carrying JUC banners, sharing our Standing on the Side of Love invitation to the world. A gorgeous day, a welcoming message, and a celebratory event - what joy!

A huge thank you, as well, to the JUCers who staffed the cluster’s booth during the festival: Kate Kyanne, Dorothy Lorig, Jo Roberts and Debby Bower. JUC’s presence was only possible thanks to the efforts of Lisa Bickford, JUC’s PrideFest Coordinator. And fundamentally, thanks to the JUC community for supporting our ongoing outreach of love!

Family Tree's Treasure Trunk Thrift Store Is MovingJUC will sponsor two teams to help with the move:

Wed., July 9 • 2 to 6 p.m. & Sat., July 12 • 9 a.m. to noon

JUC's partnership with Family Tree goes back decades, including donations and purchases at the Treasure Trunk Thrift Store. All profits from the store fund homeless programs at Family Tree, and their clients shop for free at the thrift store. The store is moving to a larger facility and folks are needed to help with the move.

Please show up at the current store (7043 W. 38th Ave., Wheat Ridge). Children ages 11+ are welcome to join us, accompanied by an adult. Please let us know which date you’re available. Contact: Heather Hagemann (heather.

[email protected]; 303-905-6148).

The new store location is 5892 W. 44th Ave., Wheat Ridge. If you would like to volunteer at a different time, or if you have a truck and could help with the hauling, please contact Jaclyn Wilmot at Family Tree ([email protected]; 303-403-5892).

Guatemala Scholarship Partners: Save the Date for the Next Fiesta! Sunday, October 5 • 12:30 to 2:30 p.m. • patio

The Guatemala Partners have had a successful church year, beginning with the Guatemalan Fiesta last September. Through generous monthly donations, we supported indigenous Mayan students in their efforts to continue education beyond fifth grade, and we expanded our relationship with the community through the Books for the Library donations, the pen pal project and the sewing project. Donations have met the goal to continue support for about 40 students and made it possible for ADIVIMA to hire a tutor to work directly with them. Our book donations more than doubled the size of the community library, and the women participating in the sewing project have formed the Mayan Women Art cooperative and demand for their products has increased weaving activity in the Pacux community as well. JUC responded when the Rabinal community was threatened with increasing intimidation and violence. A group of JUCers will be traveling to Rabinal in September for a first cultural exchange trip.Many thanks to you, the JUC community, for your amazing support of the scholarship students and their community as they strive to improve their lives and seek economic self-reliance. We think it’s time for another Fiesta! -Everyone of all ages is invited. -Enjoy a taste of Guatemala with music, food, a Guatemalan marketplace, and more. -Find out how you could be partnering with our students and their community. The Fiesta will need many helping hands. Contact us if you would like to be a part of making it a great success. Contacts: Gretchen May (303-233-6113; [email protected]), Margie Robinson (303-278-0786; [email protected]).

6

We Hold in Our Hearts…❦ Deborah Andrews and family, who are grieving the sudden loss of their nephew, Daniel Andrews, age 31, who took his own life earlier this month;

❦ Steve Sargent, who crashed his bicycle and broke his collarbone June 19;

❦ Sara Covington, JUC’s Religious Education Assistant, as she is in the hospital a second time due to an infection following the birth to their third child, Thayer;

❦ Ken Richards, who is recovering from heart ablation surgery;

❦ Peggy Gates, who had knee replacement surgery in May;

❦ Michael Goldstein, as he was hospitalized earlier this month and is recovering from a concussion;

❦ John Schaffer, who spent a few days in the hospital and is recovering at Sloan’s Lake Rehabilitation Center;

❦ Miles Thiry, son of Chris & Heather Thiry, as Miles will have surgery on July 1 to remove pins from his arm after breaking it earlier this summer.

We Celebrate with…❦ Anne Anselment and her family, as they celebrate the birth of William James Anselment, born on June 4 to Jeremy & Calgary Anselment;

❦ Sara & Jeff Covington, as they welcome their new son, Thayer Thomas, born on May 26;

❦ Judith & Lukasz Galecki who welcome their daughter, Thea Eleanor Galecki, born on April 21;

❦ Natalie Fedak, upon her graduation from Western Washington University, Magna Cum Laude and with University Honors.

Pastoral CareHow JUCers Care for Each Other

.,

Pastoral Care Reflectionsby Elaine Zerger

When I listen to you share your life stories during chalice lightings, I am struck by a sense of awe. Your wisdom, your insight and your courage inspire me. I wonder how you managed to survive the difficulties that life tossed your way and I’m often brought to tears. I reflect on my own tough times and then I know the answer.

Caring people have made the difference—caring people inside and outside of JUC. Many have listened and offered help, support, and love. As Meg Wheatley says, Everything in the universe only exists because it is in relationship to everything else. Nothing exists in isolation. We have to stop pretending we are individuals who can go it alone. Truly connecting with another human being gives us joy.

Anytime that you have patted someone on the back, given them a hug, provided a meal, listened to a problem or a story, in other words, connected with another church member, friend or visitor, you have been part of Pastoral Care at JUC. We are a community. Our slogan, How JUCers care for each other, is accurate. On TV they call it Sharing the Caring and that’s what we do.

As co-chair of the Pastoral Care group for the past two years, I’ve served with a group of kind, compassionate and resilient individuals. Our team members know that life is about change and when Rev. Tracey Wilkinson, our Minister of Pastoral Care, departed, it required more than a little change in our group structure. Our steering committee has defined and redefined our various roles and responsibilities. We, together with Wendy, Dana, Ashley, Keith and Eric, are trying to provide the support to which you are entitled in our community.

We need your help, however. We get much of our information about the needs of JUCers from the Pastoral Prayer, but we know that often significant life events aren’t mentioned. So if you have experienced a joy or sorrow and would like support from our Pastoral Care group, please fill out a pew card and deposit in the box on the table to the left of the sanctuary or contact a member of our team. Our names are listed on the pastoral care bulletin board in the south commons. If you prefer, you may contact a member of the ministerial team by sending an email to [email protected] or by calling 720-248-7249. If you know of another member in need of support, please encourage them to do the same.

Together, we JUCers can provide help for one another. As our favorite Fab Four said, We get by with a little help from our friends.

Memorial ServiceMarge Ferguson

Saturday, July 12 • 11 a.m.

Please join us in celebrating the life of long-time JUC member Marge Ferguson, who passed away May 13. Reception follows in the commons.

7

Blue Mountain Meditation Group1st & 3rd Thursdays, 7:30 p.m. Annie & John Hedberg (303-279-7451)For those practicing Eknath Easwaran’s Eight-Point Program for living a spiritual life in the everyday world. If you wish to join without the introductory course, read Passage Meditation by Easwaran and meditate 30 minutes daily for a month.

Buddhist Sangha1st & 3rd Sundays, 5 p.m. Doug Anderson ([email protected]; 720-474-6723)The Buddha was a highly unorthodox person. His teachings are not sets of dogma but rather propositions for people to investigate and validate for themselves. This service is open to all: no experience necessary. Child care is provided.

Charla! 2nd & 4th Sundays, 5 p.m. Carol Drew (303-422-5977)Discuss important topics in Spanish. Intermediate level recommended.

Covenant of UU Pagans (CUUPS)Mari Cowley (303-420-4139)

Dream Study2nd and 4th Mondays, 9:15 a.m. Marie Schottler (303-278-8035; [email protected])Based on the writings of Jeremy Taylor, this is a gentle group process in which questions are asked of the dreamer leading to an aha! about his or her own dream. Newcomers welcome; please call before attending.

Great Books Discussion Group2nd & 4th Mondays, 7:30 p.m. Dona Chilcoat (303-989-6945) Based on the idea that by reading from the great books of our civilization and discussing them with others, sharing insights and questions, you can reach a fuller understanding of these works than you could on your own.Next mtg., Sept. 22: Light in August (Faulkner)

Issues in Aging4th Mondays, 7 p.m. Valerie Stone ([email protected]; 303-669-8528)Information and education on issues related to healthy aging and dementia, to include lectures, panels, and discussion.

JUC Knitters3rd Fridays, 7 p.m. in members' homesJean Decker (303-274-9872; [email protected])All knitters and crocheters are invited to join in making hats and blankets for Denver Health.

Memoirs 3rd Sundays, 7 p.m. Len Wheeler (303-467-3342; [email protected])We’re gentle, we laugh, and we’re serious about commenting on ways to improve our non-fiction writing. No prior experience is needed.

Non-Violent Communication 2nd & 4th Thursdays, 7 p.m. Dindy Fuller (720-402-4099)Anyone who has previously taken NVC training is eligible to participate. A great way to practice and improve your skills.

Poetry Group 1st & 3rd Thursdays, 7 p.m. Julie Excell ([email protected]; 541-778-4724)Explore poetry as an art form and a spiritual practice through appreciation of the work of master poets, and through writing and sharing your own poetry.

Quuilters' Group1st Saturdays, 9 a.m. to noonJean Decker (303-274-9872; [email protected])Newcomers welcome! Call for mtg. details.

Retirees' Brown Bag Lunch1st Fridays, 11:30 a.m. Contact: Betty Halladay (303-274-9144)Next meeting: July 4.

Roving Readers4th Sundays, 12:30 p.m. Mike Foster (303-456-2647)Open to anyone who reads the monthly selection. Books selected by group participants. Next mtg. Sept. 28.

Science and Spirit4th Sundays, 12:30 p.m. Joe Kraus ([email protected])Discuss recent discoveries and wonder together. http://jucscienceandspirit.wordpress.com

Slow Soup Group4th Sundays, 12:30 p.m. Gilla Lachnitt (303-216-9674; [email protected]), Carol Kolesnikoff (303-588-9198; [email protected])We’ll prepare soups together to take home and to donate. Co-sponsored by LEAP and the Eating Ethically Task Force.

Story Circle3rd Tuesdays, 6:30 p.m. Lev Ropes (303-278-0177; [email protected])A gathering to foster the traditional art of storytelling for adults. Tell a well polished story for fun, or a story that you’d like to polish up in front of a forgiving and friendly audience. Receive help from other tellers, or show up as a listener. All are welcome.

UU Liberal Christians 1st & 3rd Tuesdays, 7 p.m. Sara Lohaus ([email protected]; 303-432-3149)Connect with Christianity from a fresh, open-minded perspective.

UU Piecemakers3rd Fridays, 9:30 a.m. (members' homes)Edna Mae Miller (303-989-4793)Work on personal projects as well as quilts donated to charities selected by the group.

VAGUE: Visual Artists Group of Unitarians Extraordinaire! 3rd Fridays, 2 p.m. Emily Townsend ([email protected])Work on visual journals and learn some new techniques; bring a blank book and all other materials will be provided. We work in silence after a short demonstration, so please arrive by 2. Drop-ins are welcome, but please e-mail Emily first so we have supplies for everyone.

Walking Together2nd Mondays, 7 p.m. (Crown Hill Park)Tim Brungardt (call JUC office for info) Take a leisurely walk near JUC to learn about fellow JUCers and have friendly conversation without the distractions we encounter during coffee hour, group meetings, shared meals, or while caring for children. All generations and abilities are welcome.

Ongoing Groups

Lifespan Education and Adult ProgramsGroups on this page meet on a regular basis and welcome new members. Meeting locations are posted in the common areas of both church buildings.

✻ Ongoing Group: Issues in Aging • 4th Mondays • 7 p.m.Valerie Stone ([email protected]) We meet once a month to discuss a wide variety of issues related to aging. So far, we have covered getting an accurate diagnosis when dementia is suspected, resources for families dealing with dementia, caregiver issues, wisdom and exercise. Mon., Feb. 24: Dr. Michelle Winston presents The 6 Pillars of Brain Fitness and Brain Health, covering memory and attention exercises for healthy aging. Then she will lead us in some neurobics exercises!

8

New/Upcoming LEAP Classes

To find out more about JUC’s Lifespan Education and Adult Programs, visit jeffersonunitarian.org and click LEAP under

the Programs tab. Sign up for classes at the Sign Up Site or by calling the church office (303-279-5282).

Contact: Patti Coe-Withington (303-596-1130), LEAP facilitator.

✻ New Ongoing Group: HUUmanists Good without A God succinctly describes a core belief

of most people holding humanist views. Humanism is a progressive philosophy of life that, without theism and other supernatural beliefs, affirms our ability and responsibility to lead ethical lives of personal fulfillment that aspire to the greater good of humanity. This JUC group is an official member of the UU Humanist Association. Our group will hold educational forums, engage in social activism, organize get-togethers, and plan events consistent with our core beliefs, the seven principles of the UUA. Please watch future editions of The JUC Crier for notices of upcoming events and visit www.huumanists.org for additional information.Facilitator: Chuck Mowry (303-989-3117).

✻ New LEAP Class: The Wi$dom Path: Money, Spirit, and Life (UUA Tapestry of Faith Program)Sundays, Sept. 21 and 28, Oct. 5-26 • 12:30 to 2:30 p.m.

How do our financial lives intersect with our religious, spiritual, and community lives? How can we have a relationship with earning, spending, giving, and investing that is spiritually healthy and grounded in our deepest values? This program helps participants understand how decisions and attitudes about money can be an effective force for living lives of meaning and value, and for creating positive change in themselves, their congregations and groups, our society and the world. Our joint exploration of money from many angles and perspectives opens the way for money to become less troublesome and more useful as a practical, life-giving tool.

Light lunch provided; child care upon prior request. Facilitators: Rev. Nadine Swahnberg, BJ & Bud Meadows ([email protected]; 303-420-6157).

✻ Ongoing Group: JUC Poetry Group The ongoing LEAP group formerly known as Poetry as a

Spiritual Practice has decided to change its name to avoid any misconception that the poetry we write or read has to be spiritual in nature or theme. Not the case! We write poems that range from wacky to irreverent to super-cool, with everything in between! Of course, the mere fact of writing a poem, of any kind, means that we have to be in the moment, with all of our senses open, and alive to the connection between the specific and the Universal! Sounds kind of like a spiritual practice, doesn’t it? If you have any interest in writing or just appreciating poetry, you are welcome to join our group—this summer we are meeting the 3rd Thursdays of the month in M3/4 at 7 p.m. In the fall, we will probably return to our regular schedule of the 1st and 3rd Thursday evenings. We’d love to see you there! Facilitator: Julie Excell (541-778-4724).

✻ Buddhist Sangha Guest Speaker Deborah Bowman Lotus and Moon: Poetic Voices of Awakening Sunday, July 20 • 5 p.m. • chapel

Deborah Bowman, PhD, is a psychologist, photographer, author and professor of Transpersonal Counseling Psychology at Naropa University as well as a senior teaching faculty member with the Boulder Psychotherapy Institute. For 25 years she has worked as a Gestalt and Jungian psychotherapist in Boulder and she is author of The Female Buddha: Discovering the Heart of Liberation and Love. www.thefemalebuddha.com Contact: Doug Anderson ([email protected]).

✻ Margaret’s Music with Thin Air OrchestraSaturday, July 26 • 4 p.m. • chapel

Original tunes composed by Margaret Bakker, favorite Hispanic dance music from northern New Mexico and southern Colorado, and Scandinavian music played on Margaret’s hardingfele, an antique Norwegian fiddle. We will also include dancing to the waltzes and polkas.

Thin Air was organized in 1998 by Erika Seuker as a folk orchestra. We now have 15 amateur and professional musicians, playing a variety of instruments, as well as singing. Margaret has led the group in recent years.

Save the Date to Let the Good Times Roll! JUC’s Annual Auction: Sat., Nov. 8

The 2014 JUC Auction will be the evening of Saturday, November 8.

We still need some key people to help us pull off this great event! Please contact co-chairs Debbie Klisis ([email protected]) or Darcy Stanton ([email protected]) to find out how you can help.

9

•

•

•

10

—

11

Board Blog~Morgan Davies, Secretary (408-839-1497; [email protected])

The beginning of a new church year is upon us! It is with great excitement that I look

forward to the new year: to study my core truths, to share my excitement about JUC, and to

work to be my brother’s keeper.At the May Congregational Meeting, we elected

the incoming leaders of the church. We are fortunate to have members who are willing to dedicate themselves to the betterment of this community: members who uphold our principals and covenant to act for the good of the organization. To all who were recently elected to leadership

positions, thank you for your commitment to JUC.Ours is a shared ministry. For the ways in which you

have ministered or otherwise contributed to JUC this year, we are thankful. Thank you to those who contemplate how to rouse engagement, those who teach and mentor our kids, and those who keep us fiscally responsible. The responsibilities of our church are like a relay race. Sometimes you run, and sometimes you rest. For all the ways you have run the baton and passed it this year, we are grateful.

For the ways in which you have served our mission to nurture our spiritual community, grow Unitarian Universalism, and transform the world outside our church walls, we are thankful.

Programming Groups Moving to Ministry Teams If a church has only one activity happening per week, it’s

a worship service. JUC is filled with activity almost every day of the year. How is it, then, that some people find it challenging to connect within our congregation? We are a big organization, but that shouldn’t be our excuse. We have leaders looking for more participants and members looking for more connections.

Our programming folks are in conversation about transitioning from a council of programming groups to ministry teams. There is quite a bit of intention surrounding this change. Our program leaders tend to coordinate and plan in parallel to our staff. Creating ministry teams integrates staff with program leaders. We intend to reduce the amount of bureaucratic process needed to

Recently I’ve had an opportunity to explore the principles of humanism. In the beginning I thought it might be an odd marriage, that of humanism and paganism. One of the things that drew me to paganism is that it embraces both the divine feminine and the divine masculine and I tend to see this duality playing itself out nearly everywhere in nature. Yet there is something appealing about the pragmatic approach of humanism.

It has been a sometimes bumpy road in trying to align the two philosophies, but lately I’ve come to realize that they could have a long and happy marriage with a few adjustments in my thinking. One of the things I’d have to do is substitute the word preternatural for supernatural; it expresses the non-causal otherness of nature, the magical, miraculous, numinous, mysterious yet non-empirical quality of the sublime. Most importantly, the preternatural does

not demand belief or faith, but instead encounter and experience.

For those of us practicing a nature based religion, we are by definition naturalistic,

humanistic and theistic. For me, the definition of naturalistic is that nature is sacred in and of herself/

itself. As pagans, we embrace and affirm holistic ethics that are biocentric and ecocentric: life-centered and

ecosystem-centered. We are neither over nature nor above nature, but deeply rooted in nature.

So how do we make this relationship work? First, it needs to be understood that as pagans, we are legitimate inheritors of rationalism, democracy, egalitarianism, science and medicine AND we can embrace all these principles within a sacred framework that doesn’t contradict itself.

Next month I will explore the value of ritual to modern pagans and where it fits in the scheme of pagan humanism.

do church work, and to create a system where folks are able to do more and talk about it less. It is my hope that a simplification of our programming structure will offer more entry points for new people, moving away from the committee meeting as an entry point.

One of our Leap of Faith teams is the Policy Renewal Team, led by Mark Baker and including Sarah Reeves, Carol Wilsey, Joe Stone and me. We are charged with simplifying our policies and preparing for a shift in structure to a model commonly used among large UU churches called policy governance. Our early work has included requesting changes in the Standing Rules (our Board policies) to allow staff freedom to make changes in areas such as building use, programming structure and recruitment of an intern committee. With these changes, and others yet to come, we will be able to simplify church and focus more on personal connection and spiritual transformation.

From a Pagan Perspective...by Mari Cowley (303-420-4139; [email protected])

Sue'S NewSSue Parilla, Director of Congregational Engagement (303-279-5282 x24; [email protected])

12

Tuesday, July 1 1:00pm MMG: Thin Air (Priestley rm.) 6:00pm vSALT Team mtg. (M1/2) 7:00pm Stewardship Council (M1/2) 7:00pm SRC: Housing & Poverty TF mtg. (M3/4)Wed., July 2 6:30pm MMG: Handbell rehearsal (Priestley rm.) 7:00pm Ministry: The Reformers (sanc, commons, kit)Thurs., July 3 7:30pm LEAP: Blue Mountain Meditation Group (chapel)Friday, July 4 Office Closed (Independence Day) 11:30am LEAP: Retirees’ Brown Bag Lunch (M3/4)

Sunday, July 6 9:15/11am Poetic Faith w/Rev. Dana Lightsey 4:00pm Evergreen Campus Worship Service: What If...? 5:00pm LEAP: Buddhist Sangha Service (chapel) 6:30pm Evergreen Campus: Dinner after Church Tuesday, July 8 1:00pm MMG: Thin Air (Priestley rm.) 6:30pm WG: Dances of Universal Peace (chapel) 7:00pm 9th Grade Trip Reunion Planning (comm., patio) 7:00pm Committee on Ministry mtg. (M1/2) 7:00pm EETF: Foodies Book Group (R3/4) 7:00pm LEAP: Men’s Group w/Bishop (Mitchell rm.) 7:00pm SRC: UUSC TF mtg. (M3/4) 7:00pm Worship Team mtg. (R6/7)Wed., July 9 6:30pm MMG: Handbell rehearsal (Priestley rm.) 7:00pm Ministry: Education Reform Discussion (sanc, commons)Thurs., July 10 2:00pm MMG: Sophia’s Journey rehearsal (sanc.) 6:30pm Board of Trustees mtg. (M3/4)Friday, July 11 7:00pm LEAP: Bridge Group (MGR, M3/4)Sat., July 12 11:00am Marge Ferguson Memorial Service (sanc., comm., kit.)

Sunday, July 13 9:15/11am The Nature of Things w/Rev. Wendy Williams 12:15pm YRP: Tribe lunch and program (patio, R6/7 backup) 12:30pm PL&J Task Force mtg. (R3/4) 12:30pm Family Promise set up (entire Mills bldg.) 5:00pm Family Promise families arrive (entire Mills bldg.) 5:00pm LEAP: ¡Charla! (R3/4)Monday, July 14 9:15am LEAP: Dream Study (R3/4)Tuesday, July 15 1:00pm MMG: Thin Air (Priestley rm.) 6:00pm LEAP Group mtg. (R3/4) 6:30pm LEAP: Story Circle (R6/7) 7:30pm UUSC TF: Guatemala Trip prep mtg. (M1/2)Wed., July 16 6:30pm MMG: Handbell rehearsal (Priestley rm.) 7:00pm Green TF: Sierra Club Beyond Coal (chapel)Thurs., July 17 10:30am Golden Circle Chapel (chapel) 11:15am Golden Circle Lunch Social Hour (commons/kit) 12:00pm Golden Circle Luncheon (commons/kit) 7:00pm LEAP: Poetry as a Spiritual Practice (R3/4) 7:00pm SRC Meeting (R6/7) 7:30pm LEAP: Blue Mountain Meditation Group (chapel)Friday, July 18 2:00pm LEAP: VAGUE Art Journaling (R6/7)

Sunday, July 20 9:15/11am The God We Pray to w/Ruth Rinehart 12:30pm Green TF Meeting (M3/4) 1:00pm Evergreen Campus: Path to Membership 4:00pm Evergreen Campus Worship Service w/Rev. Dana Lightsey 5:00pm LEAP: Buddhist Sangha Service (chapel) 7:00pm LEAP: Memoirs (M3/4)

• Rev. Wendy Williams, Senior MinisterMon., Tues., Thurs., Fri. • 10 a.m. - 3 p.m.

• Rev. Keith Arnold, Minister of MusicTuesday–Friday • 11 a.m. - 4 p.m.

• Rev. Dana Lightsey, Consulting Assistant MinisterTuesday–Friday • 11 a.m. - 4 p.m.

• Ashley Johnson, Director of Religious Education

Monday–Thursday • 10 a.m. - 2 p.m.

Summer Office Hours Monday • Wednesday • Friday

9 a.m. to 4 p.m.Sunday • 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

The JUC CrierThis newsletter of the Jefferson Unitarian

Church is delivered electronically to all members and pledging friends. First class mail delivery is available upon request to the church office (303-279-5282; [email protected]).

Upon request, visitors may be added to the email list or receive four (4) complimentary issues, after which they may continue receiving the newsletter by notifying the church office. E-mail [email protected] to submit an article.

Editor: Rona BradleyNext deadline: 3 p.m., Wed., July 23Next publication date: Mon., July 28

Sunday Morning AnnouncementsTo have an announcement made about

your church activity, call the Worship Associate no later than Friday at noon.

• July 6 Steve Sargent @ 303-279-4753• July 13 Gail Abbott @ 303-277-9180• July 20 Julie Excell @ 541-778-4724• July 27 Anne Starace @ 812-325-7191

Calendar Highlights(extended calendar available online at jeffersonunitarian.org)

Weekly Attendance

June 1 9:15 195 RE: 30 (10 adults) 11 153 RE: 16 (10 adults)

Evergreen 4p 34 RE: 4 (3 adults)



Evergreen 4p 37 RE: 2 (1 adult)



13

A Faithful Response to Jefferson County School BoardMovie Screening: The Reformers • Wed., July 2 • 7 p.m.

Education Session and Discussion • Wed., July 9 • 7 p.m.

Community Discussion • Wed., July 23 • 7 p.m.

After attending a portion of the ‘rally’ a couple of weeks ago prior to the School Board meeting, I was again struck by the polarized world in which we live. There is little room anymore for civilized debate and discussion.

Further, while there, I spoke with several of our members, who emphasized the same thing: lots of vitriol with limited real conversation or earnest debate.

This is consistent with what I have been hearing from our members at church, some of whom are retired teachers and fear the degradation of all they built. Some are parents of neighborhood school children who lament the demise of their kids’ schools. Some are parents of charter school kids who feel like the enemy.

For me, this issue is an opportunity for ministry and leadership. How can we affirm for our members that our church is a safe place for all of us? Shouldn’t that be our role in ministry? How can we help folks learn and explore the issue without fear that the question itself will have them seen as colluding with ‘the enemy’?

This is a service our congregation can offer to the larger community. That is, modeling how we can learn, listen, and discuss issues without devolving into demonizing anyone else.

To that end, I met with Paula Reed to discuss the situation with Jefferson County Schools. As she put it, This is a divide-and-conquer strategy used by corporate reform boards all over the country, but there doesn’t have to be an adversarial or disrespectful division there at all!

Thus, we are doing a series of presentations, beginning with a movie screening on July 2 about how the corporate reform movement has been operating in school districts all over the country, with a special emphasis on Douglas County. It’s called The Reformers.

On July 9, we’ll hold an education session and discussion. It’s not a debate; it really is to get respectful dialog going in an area that’s become very heated, at JUC and elsewhere. All would be done under the guidelines of our Covenant of Respectful Relationships.

We have set aside July 23 to offer that discussion to the wider community as outreach to foster and model respectful discussion about education.

This is an opportunity to share information, ask questions, and live our faith into our community life (no matter which way we vote).

Please join me in our faithful response.

-Rev. Wendy Williams

juc crier 6 30 14

Documents

worship associate

keith arnold

infanttoddler care

worship band

blend of music

understanding of god

wendy williams

unitarian universalism