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Rev. Katie's Animas View
Gather in peace, gather in thanks
Gather in sympathy now and then
Gather in hope, compassion and strength
Gather to celebrate once again
-Jim Scott, UU Singer/Songwriter
I used to look at the theme of gratitude as trite and clichéd. But when I began to spend more time with the concept, I thought it was only as trivial as the power of love. I realized gratitude was a way out of despair, anxiety, and discouragement. I found it was a simple way to build healthy power and strength, to live in the moment, looking at the gifts of life that exist right here. It's a theological concept that allows for deepening.
A common activity for Thanksgiving dinner is to circle the table inviting each one to offer something for which we are thankful. The first things that come to mind are often family, friends, and health, but once those are named, the list may become more creative. What are those things in Unitarian Universalism for which we might be grateful? Let me name a few.
- The Board of Trustees of the UUA has agreed to immediately provide $300,000 to Black Lives of Unitarian Universalism. Funding will continue long-term, and will allow the organizing collective as well as all UUs to do some healing work for racial justice. (Look for further information in UUWorld.)
- We will be electing a new UUA president in June of 2017. Three candidates are running and we'll be able to submit absentee ballots, which will make it possible to participate even for those who don't attend General Assembly (this year in New Orleans). All three candidates are women, making certain the election of a woman will be an historic event for our tradition.
- Closer to home, we'll be celebrating Thanksgiving with a dinner at the Fellowship. All are welcome to attend and appreciate the wonderful company, food, and a prayer for this gratitude.
- Our UUFD families are growing in number. Because of overflowing commitments we may not see each of these young families every single week, but our registration numbers are greater than 80.
- Notice of the Installation celebration was included in a recent edition of the Durango Herald. Word is out that ours is an inclusive community where transformation takes place.
I'm certain that you have called to mind numerous other things, like the beauty of the Sunday flowers on the chancel, the joy of spending time with new and old friends you've met through this fellowship, and how UUism has brought at least one new thing into your life. I can't wait to hear your list of gratitude.
Love,
Rev. Katie
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November Sunday Services
Gather the Spirit
Themes: Gratitude, Traditions, Families
November 6
There's a Bit of Magic in Everything
Rev. Katie Kandarian-Morris
**DAYLIGHT SAVINGS TIME ENDS - turn clocks back one hour**
As we celebrate All Souls Day, the themes of El Diá de los Muertos remind us to consider the full cycle of life. Let's remember loved ones gone before us, and our own place in the rhythm. Bring a photo or memento for the altar.
November 13
Now, More Than Ever
Rev. Katie Kandarian-Morris
On this post-election Sunday, let us assess the mess we have made. Regardless of the results of the vote, there is a place for the gifts of this liberal religious faith, but first we've got some healing to do.
November 20
The Welcome Table
Rev. Katie Kandarian-Morris
The ongoing program of the Unitarian Universalist Service Committee called "Guest at Your Table" reminds us at this harvest season, to think of those who are not gathered at our table. What can we learn by taking part in this tradition of giving and gratitude?
November 27
My Story
Members of UUFD, pulpit guests
Three of our members will offer their spiritual journeys. Why are this faith and this community important in making a life?
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President's Message
Teresa Jordan
"So gratitude is liberating. It is subversive. It helps us realize that we are sufficient, and that realization frees us. "
Joanna Macy
World as Lover, World as Self
As our beautiful autumn yields to the approaching winter, we celebrate with a national holiday - Thanksgiving. So allow me to indulge in my gratitude for our congregation. I am frequently reminded in many ways that I am so fortunate to belong to this community of concerned, talented, loving, and giving people. Together we pool our resources to build a home for liberal religion, support one another in our efforts in spiritual growth, and work toward social justice. I am truly thankful for the community we share at UUFD.
Our gratitude goes to
Lynn Griffith, Connie Jacobs, and
Bonnie Miller, the co-coordinators for the successful FROLIC fundraising auction held last month. Thanks to everyone who participated to help raise funds to address the growth needs of our congregation and to donate towards local, low-income housing issues.
Thanks to
Zach Gonzales, Tim Miller, Eb Redford, John Schiffel, and
Graham Smith for all the hours they put into our new e-giving program that allows for online donations. Instead of writing a check or dropping cash into the collection baskets, why not earn points on your rewards card? Ask questions about online donations at the table during Sunday coffee time or sign up at
http://durangouu.org/connection/donate/. The board encourages participation in our e-giving program to streamline the work of our volunteers who count the Sunday collections and K. Redford, our associate treasurer. Thanks to all those who count the collection plate donations, and thanks to everyone who signs up to participate in e-giving.
Thanks to
Allison Andersen, Susie Francis, and
Maureen Maliszewski, the UUFD Nominating/Leadership Development Committee, and Faith Formation Director
Lisa McCorry for organizing "The New UU" Workshop Series (see article below). Thanks to the class facilitators:
Ken Carpenter, Charlie Clements, Teresa Jordan, Rev. Katie Kandarian-Morris, Lisa McCorry, Carolyn Miller, and
K. Redford. There are two more workshops scheduled - "How are Decisions Made?" on Wednesday, November 2 and "Membership" on Wednesday, November 9. Workshops meet from 5:30-6:30 p.m. There are no prerequisites, so thanks for joining us for one or both remaining workshops to learn more about our faith community.
I am grateful to my fellow members of the board: Vice President
Tom Miller, Treasurer
Jim Dahlberg, Associate Treasurer
K. Redford, Secretary
Donna Miller, Member-At-Large
Susan Koonce, and
Rev. Katie Kandarian-Morris. I very much appreciate their service to our beloved community.
Finally, let me express gratitude for our growth at UUFD. I am so thankful to each of you for joining our beloved community. We are better together. Thank you.
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Highlights from the Installation Ceremony
Historic event formally installs Rev. Katie Kandarian-Morris
".......The pitcher cries for water to carry
and a person for work that is real."
Marge Piercy
 On September 25, our fellowship hosted the formal installation of our newly called minister, Reverend Katie Kandarian-Morris. A lay-led fellowship from its beginning, this historic service acknowledges and celebrates the relationship between the congregation and our first ever minister. It was pageantry befitting such an auspicious occasion.
 Music Director Marilyn Garst along with Choir Director Alane Brown presented both the adult and children's choir, along with musicians Charlie Kiene, Grace Wilmes, Liza Tregillus, and Elizabeth Crawford. Amazing music filled the air!Guest celebrants traveled to Durango to be active participants in the order of service. They included Rev. Darcy Baxter, Rev. Michelle Favreault, and Rev. Lucas Hergert from California; Rev. Lydia Ferrante-Roseberry from Boulder, and Rev Stephan Papa from Denver. And from Durango, Rev. Padraic Glenn Ingle of the Faith Community Church of the Nazarene.
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| Rev. Katie accepts her new "Reserved Parking" sign. |
Following speakers and music, our president, Teresa Jordan, led the fellowship in the official invitation to our ministry. Such an occasion often calls for an exchange of gifts, and this one was no exception. Rev. Katie presented the fellowship with a handsome wooden bench - which can be seen outside the front door of the sanctuary. The fellowship presented Rev. Katie with a personalized "Reserved for Minister" parking sign, and a lovely new stole designed by Aline Schwob.
 Following the installation theme taken from Marge Piercy's beautiful poem, "To Be of Use" and the teal color theme, pitchers of flowers and color overflowed from the sanctuary to Bowman Hall for the post-installation celebration. The reception for Rev. Katie was an elegant and festive affair. Members and guests gathered in the happily crowded hall decorated by JJ Jennings following the theme and color of the day - teal ribbons, pitchers offered from the collections of church members, and spectacular locally grown flowers by Lisa Bourey, owner of Passion Flowers. All feasted on a variety of finger foods provided by members including cheese straws, bruschetta, stuffed mushrooms, meatballs, puff pastry roll-ups, deviled eggs, and a variety of delicious dips and spreads. Topping it off was a wonderful lemon cake decorated for the occasion. Champagne and a non-alcoholic punch was served.
It was an occasion not soon forgotten, and certainly a highlight of our church's history!
See article and more photos from the Durango Herald's coverage of the event.
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Faith Formation Corner
Lisa McCorry, Director of Faith Formation
"You can't expect to reap a harvest that you're not willing to plant."
"There is no harvest without hard work..."
The UU Fellowship of Durango is dreaming big in many ways. Many hearts and hands make this vision possible. How might we kindle our own inner light by considering abundance over scarcity?
In this month of gratitude,
I am grateful for this sacred community.
I am grateful for the commitment of time, talent and treasure that abounds in this congregation.
I am grateful for the kind faces and helping hands of the members and friends who contribute in myriad ways.
I am grateful for the growing families.
I am grateful for so many inspired daring leaders holding tradition while forging new paths.
I am grateful for children in our classrooms planting seeds in their souls.
I am grateful for the youth, young adults and adults who nourish the sprouting seeds of those young minds.
I am grateful for the sacred space in which we worship.
I am grateful for the meetings that make our mission unfold.
I am grateful for the freedom to worship.
General News
Dia de los Muertos Children and adults are invited to bring a photograph or memento to honor lost loved ones. There will be an alter on the chancel for adults. The children will build an altar in their classroom.
The New UU continues through the middle of November. All are welcome to attend for various topics on Wednesdays from 5:30-6:30 pm in Bowman Fellowship Hall. See the article below, or click
here for a PDF of the flyer.
Childcare is now available at the church during
Circle Suppers. Next Circle Supper is Saturday, November 19th. RSVP appreciated for children's meal planning.
Parents Night Out for Noel Night. Noel Night is downtown Durango's Local's First holiday shopping event. Childcare will be offered at the church. $5 donation per family to support Project Merry Christmas.
http://www.durango.org/events/event/noel-night
On-Going Adult Education and Spiritual Practice. We offer a variety of recurring spiritual practice and adult engagement at UUFD: Sage circle, poetry circle, meditation, Covenant of UU Pagans (CUUPS), yoga, gardening, painting, Healing Racism Circle, Manna Soup kitchen meal prep and service, game night, films, music recitals, Circle Suppers and more. See our calendar at
http://durangouu.org/blog/calendar/
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The New UU
Workshop series for new and old members to explore our UU faith
 The Nominating & Leadership Development Committee (Susie Francis, Maureen Maliszewski and Allison Andersen) have selected The New UU Series as the first offering of UUFD's leadership development initiative. Our goal is to provide a foundation to build upon. The New UU comes highly recommended from UUA as a great way to get new and old members well versed in our UU faith.
UUFD will offer the New UU series on
Wednesday evenings October 5th through November 9th from 5:30 to 6:30PM. Please mark your calendar now for the workshops you are interested in attending. These workshops are interactive and facilitated by UUFD members and staff. Plan to attend if you are a UUFD member (new or old) or a non-member who might consider UUFD as your future spiritual home.
The goals of this program are to:
- Introduce new and existing members to UU and provide information related to UU worship, theology, history, social justice, faith formation education, membership and governance
- Provide resources within and outside the congregation for participants to explore topics independently
- Equip new members and friends to make a decision about membership in a UU congregation and facilitate integration into the congregation by introducing you to a cross section of members.
Upcoming workshop dates, topics and facilitators are:
- Oct 26 - Social Justice Philosophy and Practice - Charlie Clements
- Nov 2 - How Are Decisions Made? Governance and Polity - Teresa Jordon
- Nov 9 - Membership - Carolyn Miller & K Redford
The New UU is a series of six 1-hour workshops addressing important themes in UU congregational life. Each workshop provides an opportunity to interact and share your own experiences, a process that echoes the UU commitment to individual theological exploration. Participants will learn about UU not only by hearing about it, but by doing it-exploring your own theology and its intersection with the tradition.
Each workshop includes a framework for introducing traditions & practices of our congregation and opportunities for members to interact with workshop participants, sharing various aspects of their congregational life.
For a printable flyer, click
here.
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HELP NEEDED!
Help raise wages for 420,000 Colorado workers
 Thrive! Living Wage Coalition is leading the campaign in La Plata County to educate voters about the
Colorado Minimum Wage Ballot Measure ($12 by 2020). We need at least 30 Volunteers for Sept 3 - Nov 8 to knock on doors and educate voters about the ballot measure. All volunteers will receive all necessary training and support throughout the campaign. Low-wage worker volunteers may qualify for a stipend. Call Maureen at
970-903-0957.
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Online giving now available!
Give with a simple click
 It might look like a simple "Donate" button on our website, but it's a big deal to us! UUFD can now accept online payments for pledges and donations, including recurring or monthly payments. Simply go to
our website, click on "Donate" on the top menu, and you'll be guided through the process. UUFD is charged a processing fee to accept credit cards electronically, so if you do choose this method, please consider clicking the box that includes an additional 2.75% in your donation to cover this charge.
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CROP Hunger Walk:
In April the Durango CROP Hunger Walk raised $6,834, most of which came from our fellowship. This included $2,236 from share-the-plate contributions in April, May, and June.
Twenty-five percent of the total proceeds went to the Fort Lewis College Grub Hub food pantry. Above, Dennis Aronson and Betty Schwartz-Bozeman present a check for $1,694 to Katie Young, president of the Sociology Club that runs Grub Hub.
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 CUUPs Corner
Covenant of Unitarian Universalist Pagans
We are having our annual meeting this month - please join us as we plan the next year. What would you like to see happen at CUUPS? The month ends as we look how the stars LINE up with guest astrologer Patrick Valentine. Look forward to seeing you there.
-Linda
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Mmmmm...chocolate!
Baking cocoa now available from Equal Exchange
Our Equal Exchange products now include Baking Cocoa. It is organic and sugar-free. Just in time for holiday baking.
UUFD has been selling Equal Exchange for eight years. We believe in the protection and concern for the livelihood of small farmers that benefit from a secure market for their products. If you would like to help us continue supporting Equal Exchange, please consider selling the fairly traded items on one
Sunday a month. Contact Janice Taylor if you need more information.
Thanks for your continued support.
-Janice Taylor
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Classical guitarist Nicolo Spera to perform
Recital Series 2016-2017
Friday, Nov. 4 at 7 pm
Italian guitarist Nicolo Spera will present the second recital on
Friday, Nov. 4
, at
7:00 p.m.
featuring Spanish music from Catalonia by Enrique Granados and Federico Mompou. Nicolo will perform his own transcriptions of this music on the ten-string guitar. As a soloist, he has performed in the US and Europe and has won top prizes at several Italian and international competitions. He holds degrees from the Claudio Monteverdi Conservatory in Bolzano and the prestigious Accademia Musicale Chigiana in Siena, an Artist Diploma in Guitar Performance at the University of Denver and a Doctor of Musical Arts degree from the University of Colorado Boulder. In 2011, Nicolo was appointed to the faculty at the University of Colorado where he is professor of Classical Guitar. He is also on the faculty of the study abroad program, Renaissance in the XXI Century in Florence, Italy. In 2013, he founded the University of Colorado International Guitar Festival and Competition, an unprecedented event that attracts prestigious guests, guitar performers and students from all over the world. Admission to the recital can be paid at the door by cash or check. See the UUFD website for further details.
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Artist reception Nov. 4
Printmaker Allison Anderson exhibits in Bowman Hall
Monoprints by Allison
will be exhibited in Bowman Hall throughout November and December. Inspired by patterns in nature and all things found, Allison Andersen creates abstract and atmospheric monoprints.
Her opening reception is Friday, November 4th at 8pm, following the Recital Series.
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Pause for Poetry
Join the UU Poetry Circle to read and discuss your own contributions or those of your favorites over light refreshments. Meeting on second Monday evenings,
6-8 pm, in Bowman Hall, the group welcomes visitors. Inquire at
durangofolk@frontier.net.
Not nostalgia
The smell of my wallpapered room when it rained,
Of lawnmower sliced crabapples hidden in the grass.
Of my father's first smoke of the day,
Winding through the steam from his black coffee,
Or the flat muddy tang and click of lake stones,
The arc of skipping or the plonk of not.
Entwine me now, and lift me not in memory
From my lame, twisted body
To the fork of the cherry tree,
Or lay a chain of lilac leaves on my hair,
Again the brown I wanted so much to change
Until it changed to grey.
Elizabeth Long
Snowy Plovers
For years I've walked a beach on Monterey Bay
Careful to avoid the nesting grounds of the
Endangered Western Snowy Plover.
I've loved these tiny shorebirds --from a distance --
their sand- colored feathers, snowy white breasts,
the small distinctive patches of black
around shoulders and beaks.
Late one afternoon, I came upon a small flock of plovers
Feeding on invertebrate life at the Bay's wrack line.
I turned back thinking I might be complicit with
The dogs, frolicking humans, foxes and owls that
Threaten their survival. The little flock took flight,
Moving on ahead of me. They landed and began feeding,
Running in short spurts, hunting and pecking
Their tiny black legs a blur.
Suddenly they rose up in a cloud - whirling, soaring, diving,
Their white breasts glowing in the sunlight,
Twenty, maybe thirty tiny birds -- so coordinated
In a complex aerial dance they seemed to share one mind,
Perhaps one joy, each bird a note in an unfolding lyrical line.
Time and again they dropped onto the sand, fed,
Then soared into their aerial dance.
We moved down the beach, together it seemed,
Sharing a joy de vivre,
A sentience belonging to all living things.
Doreen Hunter
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