Accepting Uncertainty as a Spiritual Gift
Rev. Katie's Animas View
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I suppose we wouldn’t be Unitarian Universalists if we were really uncomfortable with uncertainty. We would have chosen a faith with more definitive answers, one that posited a certainty of definitions and creeds. Ours is a questioning faith, one that is more comfortable with doubt, with accepting paradox and ambiguity. I find this one of the most comforting spiritual gifts of this tradition.
But that doesn’t mean that it’s easy living in the uncertainty. Especially the uncertainty of a pandemic. How do we know what to look forward to? What about the things that have been cancelled? What about the changes suggested by the movement for Black lives, the various exhortations about dismantling the current police system? We’ve got big voting decisions coming up.
And then there’re the comforting things, the celebration of holidays and holy days, even those days that are just holy to us. I will be yearning for big gatherings like parades and fireworks for the Fourth of July, and I will be missing the Four Corners Retreat that is always held the following weekend. This year, we have cancelled the retreat for the health and safety of all who host, work hard and those who attend. Our planned guest minister, the Rev. Gretchen Haley, will be staying at the cabin on the property, and she will offer us a heartfelt and important homily that Sunday (July 12
th
).
Other Sundays in July will feature our Worship Associates who will be showcasing historic UU figures who have scientific significance. It will be faith formation and spiritual grounding for this time of uncertainty.
I am grateful to all of you who continue to show up in so many ways. I look forward to seeing you in worship, on Facebook, and maybe even in the grocery store. In this time of precarious changing and uncertainty, we need each other.
Always in the Love,
Rev. Katie
P.S. I’ll be taking some of my vacation from July 13
th
-August 2
nd
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July Services (all services held online)
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Summer Series: Heed the Results of Science
July 5
Benjamin Rush, compassionate scientist and pioneering reformer
-Tom Miller, pulpit guest
We’ll learn about early Universalist and signer of the Declaration of Independence.
July 12
Roots of Resilience
-Rev. Gretchen Haley, pulpit guest and Rev. Katie Kandarian-Morris
We will explore the meaning of resilience and the ways that the lessons of resilience live in us already, available to meet this moment and other moments of challenge and uncertainty. Today’s worship will serve as a touchstone for our annual Four Corners Retreat, usually held on this Sunday.
July 19
Isaac Newton, philosophy and gravity
-Tim Miller, pulpit guest
While his religion may not look like ours today, Newton’s theology was built according to his own conscience. Come, discover our connection.
July 26
Elizabeth Blackwell, First Woman Physician
-Anna Royer, pulpit guest
Influenced by the Unitarian transcendentalist movement, Elizabeth Blackwell was the first woman to graduate from medical school in 1849.
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Importance of the Vote
Social Responsibility and Justice special feature
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What if slavery ended in 1800 instead of 1863? How many lives might have been saved? How might the trajectory of justice and equality for Black people in our country have changed?
These speculative questions are rooted in an actual event of our history. In 1783 Thomas Jefferson chaired the committee preparing a plan for developing and governing the western lands called the Ordinance of 1784. As described by author Joseph J. Ellis in
The Quartet: Orchestrating the Second American Revolution, 1783-1789,
“In order to underline the presumption that the core principles of the American Revolution would prevail in the steady march across the continent, Jefferson insisted that all hereditary titles and privileges would be repudiated and that slavery would end no later than 1800.”* It lost in Congress by
one vote.
The individuals we elect to represent us and to serve our country have an enormous responsibility and an enormous impact. The values by which they live and act make a difference. That’s why UUFD is participating in the effort to
UU the Vote
, which is sponsored by the UUA. This doesn’t mean that as a church we advocate for or against specific candidates. It means we advocate that candidates support actions aligned with the values we hold dear. And that we fight efforts at voter suppression, because all voters and all votes matter.
What can you do? Talk to others about the issues and our principles of inherent worth and dignity of every person, the importance of justice and compassion for all, respect for our interdependence, and the right of every person to have a voice and to have a vote.
As an individual,
you can advocate for candidates that you believe carry these values. Support justice-oriented ballot issues, such as raising wages, criminal justice reform, climate justice and more. Encourage everyone to register to vote and to vote in every election. Call our senators and representatives and ask them to pass measures that increase access to voting, such as expanding mail-in balloting and early voting.
Let’s take our passion to the polls when we elect our leaders and never again let a decision for justice fail by one vote.
Bonnie Miller
-Social Responsibility and Justice Committee Chair
*Emphasis mine
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Sign up now available for White Fragility book discussion series
Monthly series begins Sunday, July 12
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Now more than ever, we - as individuals and institutions - are called to stand up against racism. But what does that mean? How do we do it? What role do we, and specifically White people, have in dismantling racism? How might White people be inadvertently perpetuating racism without knowing?
To explore these issues, the UUFD Healing Racism Team will lead a discussion series on
White Fragility
, a book by Robin DiAngelo (Beacon Press, 2018). This pivotal book guides readers:
- to build racial awareness,
- understand how our society is constructed to advance White people at the cost of others,
- build language to disrupt racism in everyday lives, and
- become more accountable to actively creating a more just world.
You are welcomed - and encouraged - to join the
White Fragility
book discussion series. Each month, we will come together to dialogue about the concepts DiAngelo discusses. Here are a few details:
- When: The second Sunday of each month from 12:00 - 2:00. July 12th will be our first session.
- Where: For now, we will meet via Zoom, using the ‘breakout’ function to allow for smaller group discussions.
- What: We plan to discuss one chapter each month. On July 12, we will discuss Chapter 1: "The Challenges of Talking to White People About Racism."
- Next Steps: If you are interested in participating, please sign up here. If you have children who are interested in participating in a brief story and conversation at the beginning of the session, please indicate on the sign up form.
Questions you might be asking:
- Do I have to commit to attending all 12 sessions? - Due to the sensitive nature of this work, we ask that you do your best to attend all sessions.
- I’d like to come to just listen; what is expected of me during the sessions? - We encourage all participants to actively engage. While this work may not feel comfortable, we will all be in this together as we step outside our comfort zones to spur change.
- Didn’t we start this book club already? What do I do if I already attended in March? We are asking everyone to reaffirm their interest in continuing with the White Fragility series, so please sign up again to confirm your interest. If you didn't join us in March, we are starting from the beginning so please sign up and join us.
The Discussion Series is sponsored by the Healing Racism Team, a UUFD team that is committed to understanding the impacts of racism and advocating for racial equity and justice for all.
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Yard signs available for pre-order
Order by July 17 for delivery the week of July 27
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Share your UU values with a yard sign! $10 includes sign, stake, and delivery (if requested). To pre-order, email
yjmiller2@gmail.com
by July 17 with the number of signs you'd like, and if you prefer delivery or in-town pickup. Signs should be available the week of July 27.
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Supply drive for Navajo Nation gathers truckloads of supplies
UUFD thanks local community
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The recent supply drive for the Navajo Nation resulted in two truckloads and two trailers of supplies gathered for distribution in the Navajo Nation, specifically around Gallup, New Mexico, and Chinle, Arizona, where the COVID-19 virus has hit hard.
UUFD would like to thank all of the community members who joined this effort to provide needed food, masks, gloves, personal hygiene and cleaning supplies. We particularly thank members of the Summit Church who partnered in the drive, as well as collections for the Navajo and Hopi Families COVID-19 Relief Fund.
We acknowledge that as we respond to the needs of our Navajo neighbors, we are also beneficiaries of the opportunity to contribute and care for one another.
Additional Herald
coverage of the supply drive can be found
here
and
here
.
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Contact Us
Newsletter Editor: Shanan Orndorff
Unitarian Universalist Fellowship
419 San Juan Drive, Durango, CO 81301
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SUNDAY SERVICE 10 AM
(online until further notice)
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Our mission at UUFD is to:
Provide a home for liberal religion, spiritual exploration and personal growth.
Provide lifespan religious education that draws on multiple sources and explores religious, spiritual, intellectual and ethical questions.
Work toward a community with peace, liberty and justice for all.
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Ministry & Staff
Rev. Katie Kandarian-Morris, Minister
Jeanne MacKenzie, Office Administrator
Sara Sautter, Interim Director of Faith Formation
Marilyn Garst, Classical Pianist & Artistic Director for Recital Series
Lawrence Nass, Contemporary Pianist
Elizabeth Crawford, Choir Director
José Duran, Choir Accompanist
Shannon Beaver, Connections Coordinator
Tricia Bayless, Financal Clerk
Caesar Sanchez, Sexton
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Board of Trustees
Frank Lockwood, President
K Redford, Vice President
Teresa Jordan, Secretary
Rev. Katie Kandarian-Morris, ex-officio
Board meetings are held the third Tuesday of each month, 4 - 6 PM (check calendar for changes).
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