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News from BFF
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Countdown to the Move
Walking around our office spaces and the lower level, you can see that items are starting to shift around in preparation for our move in August.
Thank you to all those who made our "Moving Sale" a success last month. Jill Van de Water and Fleet Lentz led the effort, but countless individuals devoted time and expertise to reviewing, evaluating, and moving items. We hope all those who took items home will continue to enjoy them for years to come.
Now that we have removed many items from the building, the substantial task of packing and moving everything else remains. We thank the dedicated "transitions team" for volunteering their time and tactical expertise to lead this work. To find out how you can help, or if you have concerns regarding the logistics and packing for our moves, please get in touch with members of the Building for the Future Transition Team:
Fleet Lentz:
[email protected], 210-725-9726;
Key Dates:
Sunday, August 14: last day of programming in this building
August 15 - September 15: Building closed except to movers
September 15: building turned over to Faurot Construction
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From the Archives
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| Patra Attig and Kitty Comstock uncovering treasures. |
News from 1922:
Bunco Gang Jailed at First Universalist!
Rocky Mountain News and
Denver Post
articles from the time tell of how our congregation (then located in Capitol Hill) was used to detain con artists in the basement until the FBI could arrive. Known widely as the "Million Dollar Bunco Ring," the crime was national news.
From the
Denver Post,
dated August 25, 1922:
Prisoners captured in a score of raids in prominent Denver hotels and business houses and on crowded downtown streets were spirited away to a temporary jail established in the First Universalist church, East Colfax avenue and Lafayette street, in the heart of the fashionable Capitol Hill district.
Find news clippings of the incident, including photos, in our archives or read more at the
Blonger Brothers blog. We thank our archive team for preserving these and many more treasures from our past.
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Faith Formation and Religious Education
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Spirit QUUest/ QUUest Camp Carpool
Sign up by July 2nd
We are currently organizing rides for a First Universalist carpool to and from Spirit QUUest/ QUUest camp at La Foret Conference and Retreat Center in Colorado Springs
July 4-9. Check-in is
4:00 p.m. on
Monday, July 4th. Checkout is
11am on
Saturday, July 9th. La Foret is located outside of Colorado Springs at 6145 Shoup Road Colorado Springs, CO 80908. If you are willing to drive OR you need a ride for your middle-schooler or high-schooler, contact Vanessa Johnston by
July 2nd at
303-362-0803 or
[email protected].
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Safety and Security Committee
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Safety and Security Committee Seeks Volunteers
The Safety and Security Committee is seeking additional volunteers to assist with the development of a comprehensive safety and security plan for our church. The pay is nonexistent but the satisfaction of helping to make our church more safe and secure is substantial. The plan will include such topics as medical emergencies, fire and smoke emergencies, building evacuation, and threats. If you have expertise you are willing to share in any of these areas, you are invited to join our team. The committee meets once per month at a date and time agreeable to the m
embers. Current members are:
Jim Boyd (Chair),
Tam Barthel,
Carole Duncan, and
Sandra Sandstrom.
To join the Committee or for more information, please contact Jim Boyd:
[email protected]
or 303-929-7060.
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Your Help and Donations Needed
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IFCS Pantry Shelves are Empty
Charitable donations often drop off at this time of year, but families struggling with food security need more support in the summer months when children are out of school. Please bring donations of non-perishable items to the Integrated Family and Community Services bin when you come to church any Sunday or throughout the week. Items that are particularly useful include: pasta/sauce, peanut butter, jam, boxed macaroni and cheese, cereal, beans, and condiments such as salad dressing.
Denver Rescue Mission Needs Non-Food Items
The Homelessness Task Force is currently accepting donations for the Denver Rescue Mission. They need
blankets; unused toiletries of any kind; toilet paper; toilet tissue; paper towels; laundry detergent; dish and hand soap; sponges and scouring pads; reading glasses; over the counter (unused) medicine; diapers (all sizes); baby wipes; and baby bottles. Please place in the bin marked in the front foyer.
Congolese Asylum Seeker Needs Our Help
Evodie Sebehile, a friend of our church, is in need of summer clothes including shorts, t shirts, summer shoes. Clothes should be L or XL size 14 or 16 and shoes size 8. She has also received her work permit so if you know of available work for a 21 year old female with minimal English skills please pass on your ideas. To help in either way, pl
ease contact Shelly Dill:
[email protected]
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 Events
Lea
rn more about recurring and special events and access the full church calendar on our Events page.
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Transform
Building a Beloved Community
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Build our Habitat for Humanity Home
Construction volunteers needed on starting immediately! We have build days on Fridays, Saturdays and some Sundays through July. During this 8:00 a.m.-3:30 p.m. work day, you will be fully trained in areas you feel able to perform. Each build day is hosted by
one
partner congregation, but
anyone
from First U and the other 12 congregations can participate on any of the days. It's a great way to meet others from various faiths and work shoulder-to-shoulder on a common goal. To sign up go to:
hia.denver.volunteerhub.com
. Questions? Contact Crystal Reser at
[email protected]
Next Chapter: Donate Life
Friday, July 8,
1:00 to 2:30 pm, Friendship Hall
"Donate Life" is the topic for the July meeting of Next Chapter. Our guest speaker is Tae Stamper, Public Education Coordinator for the Donor Alli
ance. Having worked both in surgery and in education for the Donor Alliance, he can explain the process of organ and tissue transplant, encouraging participation and correcting misconceptions. All welcome!
Questions?
Ilene Kasper,
[email protected]
or
303-887-6688 or
Ardis Westwood,
[email protected]
or
303-952-9700.
First Universalist Clean-up of
South Platte Trail
Saturday, July 9, 8:30 - 10:30 a.m., Meet at C2 Imaging
Start your day with a lovely walk and help keep trash out of the South Platte river!
Green First is hosting a summer clean-up of the First Universalist stretch of the South Platte trail. We invite everyone:
singles, friends, and families to join us. Please meet us at the C2 Imaging parking lot at the southwest intersection of Dartmouth and Platte River Drive (west on Dartmouth from Santa Fe, turn left after the river). Safety vests, trash bags, gallon buckets and trash pinchers will be available. Bring gloves, water and wear good shoes. We won't get into the river but will pick along the banks as well as on the trail.
RSVP to Toni Nading:
[email protected]
if you plan to come so that we can look for you.
New
Homelessness Task Force Potluck & Meeting
Sunday, July 10, 11:30 a.m., Room 4
All are welcome to join our newest "official" task force as we continue advocating for people experiencing homelessness and working to understand this complex issue in our community. This is potluck so bring something to share! Questions? Contact Shelly Dill:
[email protected]
Metro Caring
26th Annual
Loaves and Fishes Food
and Funds Drive
Sunday July 31, First Universalist
Food security is a constant worry for too many families in our community, and summer is a particularly difficult time when children are out of school and donations to food banks also drop off. Our Social Justice Council asks you to bring donations of
: tuna, peanut butter, pasta sauce and whole wheat spaghetti when you attend service on July 31, and we will bring them to Metro Caring, a Denver hunger prevention agency.
UU Lawyers for Social Justice Potluck & Meeting
Sunday,
August 14, 11:30 a.m., Room 4
If you are a lawyer please join us to explore ways we can help the social justice mission of First Universalist. This is a potluck so bring something to share! Shelly Dill:
[email protected]
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Renew
Special Events
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Sing for Your Supper (fundraiser dinner)
Saturday, July 16
There are some spaces available for our fundraiser dinner on July 16th! All proceeds go to support the church. Harryl & Michael Hollingsworth and Melody & Ed Durso invite you to come sit by the pond, sip a cool glass of chardonnay, rest your "feets" awhile, and enjoy a sing-along and BBQ. The cost is a $75 per person donation to First Universalist Church. Contact Harryl Hollingsworth:
creativepercomcast.net or
303-722-6483.
Bringing Down the House! Concert and BBQ
Friday, August 12, 6:00 - 9:00 p.m.
Bring the whole family to enjoy a free
meal and concert one last time as we celebrate and commemorate our time in this 'old house' before construction begins on our building renovation.
The concert will be fun for all ages, and childcare will also be available to families.
Save the date- you won't want to miss this party!
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Connect
Recurring Events
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Se
nior Support Group
Fridays, July 1 and July 15, 1:00 - 2:30 p.m. Room 4
DeeAnna Parrish leads a Senior Support Group on the first and third Fridays of each month. The group is open to all seniors who care to come and share in a safe and welcoming setting. Contact DeeAnna:
614-546-8814, [email protected]
Pathway to Membership and Connection
S
unday, July 10, 11:30 a.m. - 2:00 p.m., Colvin Commons
All are welcome to this class in that explores the life of the church and the many ways to connect in our congregation. If you are interested in learning more about membership and belonging, join us for light refreshments and class. RSVP to Rev. Jeannie Shero: [email protected].
Yoga Flow and Meditation
Mondays, 5:45-6:45 p.m. (except July 4)
Kate DeCamp leads this beginner friendly, donation-based class. Join us for an hour of gentle yoga postures, stretches and breath work as we connect and relax the body, mind and spirit. Beginner friendly, donation based class.
Social Justice Book Club (4th Mondays)
Monday, July 25, 7:00 p.m., Room 3
This month, we will d
iscuss
Between the World and Me
by
Ta-Nehisi Coates. This memoir explores the evolution of Coates's thinking about race through the course of his life in the form of a series of letters from father to son. We meet monthly and discuss a different fiction or non-fiction title at each meeting, always connected to social justice matters. Newcomers are welcome. For more information,
contact Ian Jaffe:
[email protected]
or
3
03-941-8891.
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No Community Forum on July 3.
The "False Flag" Attack - An Old, Immoral, But Common Pretext for War
Sunday, July 10, 11:30 a.m., Sanctuary
Special guests
Fran Shure, Marti Hopper, and Joseph Karuna,
will present the long history of false flag attacks and other false pretexts for one country going to war against another --- from long ago to the present era. A "false flag" attack is when one nation or group stages an attack as though it was committed by the opposing group or country, and then uses the "attack" to justify an attack or to impose martial law. If we understood and expose this under-recognized dark side of history, we could better prevent wars based on false propaganda.
Universal Health Care
- with T.R. Reid 
Sunday, July 17, 11:30 a.m., Sanctuary
Proponents say Amendment 69 would establish universal health care in Colorado at reasonable cost. Other rich democracies provide universal health care with better health at half the cost. We will be joined by T. R. Reid, who chairs the state-wide citizen's campaign for universal health care, is a well-known for his PBS Frontline documentary, "Sick Around the World" and his best-selling book, The Healing of America.
Electronic Vote Totals Diverge from Exit Polls:
What Does It Mean?
- with DU Prof. Alan Gilbert
Sunday, July 24, 11:30 a.m., Sanctuary
Electronic vote totals in 2016 diverged widely from exit polls - with DU Prof. Alan Gilbert. In exit
polls in 15 states, Sanders averaged 9% more votes compared to Clinton than on electronic
voting machine results. Exit polls are accepted as reliable and as the standard to determine if
an election is fraudulent. What's going on? What should we do? Learn more in this article and video.
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Dorothy Cole Book Stall Closing Sale
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Your Dorothy Cole Book Store will close its doors
July 24;
our UU/spiritual/religious collection will appear in
the new Library, but we must dispose of all other book
stock, including jewelry, bumper stickers, signs, and furniture.
Visit us in Friendship Hall on Sundays for profound bargains, priced at cost or below,
with used books mostly $1, and help us avoid writing off the
value of our present stock. You've heard of Dealin' Doug?
Well, meet Dealin' Diane and the fabulous volunteer staff.
We have some great stuff we're pretty much giving away!
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Scheduling Events at Church
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To schedule an event at the church, please contact the church office at
[email protected] or
303-759-2770 x23.
Please tell us if you need childcare for your event.
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Happenings
is a monthly e-newsletter of events and announcements. It is produced by the First Universalist Church of Denver and is emailed monthly. In addition, subscribers will receive a weekly update about Sunday services and major church news.Our list is secure; we do not share email addresses.
Submission Guidelines: Send announcements of
event title; date; time; locale; cost; and contact information to
[email protected]. Event details will be published to our website and highlights will appear in the monthly e-newsletter, Happenings.
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