ISSUE 56                                                                                                                                                                                     FEBRUARY 2021
Neale Donald Walsch is a writer and an actor. Much of his writing is about exploring God through modern eyes, to the fury of some Evangelical Christians. In a Facebook post some years ago (7/22/14), Walsch offered these words which I believe can help us bridge from our January theme of Imagination to February's theme of Beloved Community.

Yearning for a new way will not produce it. Only ending the old way can do that. You cannot hold onto the old all the while declaring that you want something new. The old will defy the new; the old will deny the new; the old will decry the new. There is only one way to bring in the new. You must make room for it.

Longing is a prerequisite for imagination. Some describe it as discontent or pain. Regardless, for some reason, we want something or we want something to be different and a vision starts to form in our mind. And while we get excited about what is to come, we might be less attentive to or aware of the need to let something go. Yet, without it, we haven't really made room for the new.

In February, we will explore Beloved Community which, thus far, only exists in imagination. It is aspirational. It is transformational. It is a shift away from the burdens of individualism to a culture of we. A shift from focusing on happiness to maintaining the conditions necessary for people to be nurtured, challenged and sustained.

As I mentioned in my sermon on Sunday, January 17, the proposed eighth principle invites us to work toward Beloved Community "by our actions that accountably dismantle racism and other oppressions in ourselves and our institutions." Our Board has invited us to consider this principle and whether we will adopt it as a congregation. Our staff is envisioning various structures in which we can wrestle with what this principle asks of us. We will explore our imagination of what Beloved Community is, as well as how we might make room for the demands that it would require.

In some ways, this work is happening across our country. We have inaugurated new leadership and the call to a new vision of what's possible was woven throughout the day whether in speech, poem, song, or commentary. It is clear that those leaders want something new. Are we ready for all the changes that are necessary for the vision?

This is big work, friends. All of it is big work. I know our church is up to it. 

Extending Support Outside of JUC

As the pandemic continues, our ministry team has been contacted by financially secure members and friends asking if there are places in the community to effectively assist others in need. Since several folks have asked, we wanted to share the information with anyone who might be interested.

Undocumented folks continue to be ineligible for assistance, though at least this new round makes their lawfully present family members eligible. Our partners at Together Colorado have pointed us to the Left Behind Fund which specifically offers financial aid to undocumented folks who are otherwise not getting any help. The one "catch" if you will, is that up to now they have only been assisting people in Denver and Adams counties. They have plans to expand statewide, but haven't yet.

If you are interested in directing your support to Jefferson County, you may wish to consider 9 to 5 which is specifically doing work in this county. They have a fund called the Rapid Response Care Fund that provides assistance. They are prioritizing the people who are most often left out of emergency aid legislation: low-wage, gig, contract, and temp workers; undocumented people; single parents; women of color and more. They provide much-needed cash aid to people who are struggling with job loss, reduced hours, loss of income, caregiving for children and elders, and lack of paid sick leave and healthcare.

And, of course, our long time partner, the Action Center, which provides food, clothing, and support services to those in need. 
In This Issue
Board of Trustees Report
The Board received an update on the Staff's comprehensive plan to guide JUC forward towards becoming a fully multicultural and anti-racist church.

Since the Board passed a resolution recommending adoption of the 8th Principle, the Board and Staff discussed next steps to prepare JUC for the adoption of the 8th Principle. 

The Board adjusted some of its procedures and meeting protocols to improve the remote meeting experience and foster connection among Board members.
Imagination and Planned Giving
The dedicated members and friends of JUC have imagined many positive energy actions since its founding over a half-century ago. Many of those visions have been realized and are serving our community today. Others are a work in progress. 

"Because of who came before, we are." Our legacy gift to JUC can make a difference.  Significant change at a moral level can take generations, it is hard work and it always begins with you and me. The proposed 8th Principle is an example of how JUC can "...work to build a diverse multicultural Beloved Community by our actions that accountably dismantle racism and other oppressions in ourselves and our institutions." There are other causes you may wish to support.

Contact JUC's planned giving coordinators: Bud & B.J. Meadows, Mike Kramer or Carol Wilsey
COVID-19 has changed so many things for all of us, from how we work, and do school, to the many changes about how we gather as a church community. But one thing that hasn't changed is that the seasons and cycles of life continue. Births. Transitions. Deaths. All of those are things that we mark as a community. Each week we take time to share the joys and sorrows of our members in service, because, as the old saying goes, a joy shared is a joy doubled and a sorrow shared is a sorrow halved.
 
You might wonder, how do the ministers know about the things they share each week? Well, we know because someone tells us. They might call or email, whether directly to one of us, or by sending a note to [email protected], or calling 720-CHURCH9 and reaching our minister on-call. It might be the person who themselves has a joy or sorrow, or it might be for a friend, something you saw on Facebook you thought we should know, or heard through the grapevine. But especially in these socially distanced times, when we can't just run into each other on Sunday morning, we need all of us to be looking out for one another, and making sure that things don't slip through the cracks. We'd rather hear the same news four times than not hear it at all.
 
Caring for one another is part of how we build that beloved community. And caring for one another is something that happens in many ways. We bring meals to people who are struggling, and help coordinate friends so that in your hour of need there are fewer things for you to think about, rather than more. Pastoral care volunteers can help make that happen, but only if we let one another into our lives. Sure, you could just place a delivery order, or buckle down and figure something out, but you could also let your church be a place that holds you while you heal. Our pastoral care teams want to help you, and they can, if you say yes when one of them reaches out.
 
Speaking of those kinds of moments, did you know that even now, we're continuing to have memorial services? Online, like everything else, but gatherings of the beloved community, to remember the lives lived, and to hold the hurting hearts of all those who have loved and lost. All the deaths we've had got me realizing you might have questions about how we make those memorial services that are so much part of who we are as a church. So at the end of February, on the Sunday, Feb. 21 and the Feb, 28, we'll be hosting a two-part workshop on things to think about for your own memorial service, or for a memorial service you might help plan for someone you love. We'll gather online at 1 p.m., and talk about what a memorial service is in our church tradition, and what it isn't. We'll talk about what goes into a service, and things you might want to leave your loved ones so they know what's important to you. You can sign up today, and the link will be posted to the church calendar, where you can always find out about everything that's going on, even in these times. I hope to see many of you there.
As described by Dr. King, the Beloved Community is where all people can share in the wealth of the earth. In the Beloved Community, poverty, hunger, and homelessness will not be tolerated because international standards of human decency will not allow it. Racism and all forms of discrimination, bigotry, and prejudice will be replaced by an all-inclusive spirit of sisterhood and brotherhood. In the Beloved Community, international disputes will be resolved by peaceful conflict-resolution and reconciliation of adversaries instead of military power. Love and trust will triumph over fear and hatred. Peace and justice will prevail over war and military conflict.

In 2007, Patricia Flores Perez, an 8th grader from Lake Washington Girls Middle School, wrote Dear Beloved Community. In it, she describes Dr. Martin Luther King's Beloved Community. "The beloved community is a garden. The roses that decorate the beloved community are the ability to forgive. The beautiful green trees that stand so tall are the acceptance to all people. The soothing wind is the peace you provide. The gorgeous grass is the equality you offer. The smiles come from the agape love that you give to all." 

Patricia goes on to tell us that she has never actually seen the Beloved Community. "Sadly, it has been over 40 years since Dr. King proclaimed your beauty, and we are nowhere closer to seeing you appear in our world." Yet this young girl doesn't give up hope. She shares, "I will start with me because the change in one person can cause a tidal wave to reach the shore. A wave is caused when a person chooses, like Dr. King, to make change happen."  

I will start with me. I love how Patricia takes the first step - I hold the responsibility (even if I am in 8th grade) and start with myself. In this work, each of us must start with ourselves to build the Beloved Community. We must reach deep down inside of ourselves to discover where we need to expand our human decency, and for those of us that feel that we are pretty decent humans, we may need to explore a bit further. All forms of racism cannot be replaced until we move closer to understanding our hidden biases, the systems we live in that make us implicit in racism, and ways to move closer to antiracism. How we learn to love and trust and to practice justice and peace is a manifestation of our Unitarian Universalist faith and the values it holds at its core. Where are we learning and growing in our faith formation to guide us on this path? And the best part is we cannot do it alone! Building a Beloved Community includes all of our effort and imaginings. Yes, one person can cause a tidal wave but imagine what we can create if we create the Beloved Community together?

Jefferson Unitarian Church is here to guide and support you on this journey towards the Beloved Community. Please watch for opportunities in our Weekly Connections and Sunday service announcements for ways for you to be engaged and challenged. 

Beloved Community Blessing

When we imagine liberty--true freedom--for all people everywhere, may we grant our spirits a dance of joy.  When we imagine friendship and understanding among siblings across all cultures, may we reach out our hands in anticipation of that one-day clasp of mutuality. When we imagine our loved ones coming to harm, may we feel the warmth of the Source of Love that lives in each of us, and here find faith that all will be well.  When we imagine the fragility of our democracy, in our own muscles may we feel the strength of those working for voices and votes for all. When we imagine what has never been, what isn't, what could not be, may possibility dawn, as well as a vision of a beautiful, new future, beginning with our very next thought and action. So may it be, and we imagine it so.

~ Teresa Honey Youngblood
Unveiling the Bonds
Have you ever imagined a time, place, or space, where many diverse voices are heard and treasured, where appreciation is expressed for the culture of another without the attempt to change someone else's mind?

For several years in the early 2000s, JUC participated in leadership of the Interfaith Music Festival, sponsored by the Interfaith Alliance of Colorado. The purpose of this annual concert featuring "The Sounds of Faith" was to celebrate the many religions in Colorado; not to give the statement that "we are all the same," but to revel in the differences and to allow the space for multiple expressions of faith, tradition, and culture. Over the years, some of the participants included Lutheran Vocal Quartet, a Native American flute player, chanting from the Qu'ran, a Hebrew Cantor, a Buddhist Youth Rock Band, Hindu dancers, and many more, always including a combined UU Festival Chorus.

In the prefatory remarks to the festivals, the invitation was made to open to the forms of religious expression that were being offered, to know that there were particulars of ritual and music uniquely presented, and that religious music and dance arise out of the experiences of the people in the traditions themselves.

The Interfaith Music Festivals were one moment, one series of events, one kind of door to open into Beloved Community. As UU Minister and Theologian Rev. Dr. Kendyl Gibbons says, "Many windows, one light. Many waters, one sea. All lifted voices are free." The shared experiment of connecting through a Festival, opened a door toward religious community. 

In the words of Rev. Mark Morrison-Reed, "The central task of the religious community is to unveil the bonds that bind each to all. There is a connectedness, a relationship discovered amid the particulars of our own lives and the lives of others. Once felt, it inspires us to act for justice. It is the church that assures us that we are not struggling for justice on our own, but as members of a larger community. The religious community is essential, for alone our vision is too narrow to see all that must be seen, and our strength too limited to do all that must be done. Together, our vision widens and our strength is renewed."

This sentiment was echoed in the Inauguration Prayer by Rev. Leo O'Donovan on Wednesday, January 20. "Pope Francis has reminded us how important it is to dream together. "By ourselves," he wrote, "we risk seeing mirages, things that are not there. Dreams, on the other hand, are built together."

May this be an era when diverse voices are treasured, when dreams are built together, when connection is fostered and felt, and community - beloved - reveals the bonds that link one to one and all to all.
Where do we come from? What are we? Where are we going?
Stacie Amaya, Trustee

I grew up in the 90s under the white supremacy borne delusion that we had arrived as a culture to a place of racial equity. My understanding of the world included the false assumption that all people were equal and received equal treatment and opportunity under the law. Race was not discussed. Not in the home, not at school, and not at our liberal UU church, but I knew I was not a racist. I accepted all people. I had been working on my UU elevator speech and knew that all people had inherent worth and dignity. I did not use the n-word. I grew up with and around Black, Indigenous, and People of Color. I came from a (white) Puerto Rican family and my father was a brown man. A Mexican. I was not racist. How could I be? My intentions were good. I was a good person.
 
Through my personal journey into the work of becoming anti-racist, I have learned that it is not nearly enough to just be in the passive role of being "not racist," and that racism is not a binary, but a continuum. Racist thoughts and ideas are pervasively ingrained in our culture. Injustices have long been commonly accepted practices within our society. It is not acceptable for me to sit idly by being not racist. I must dive head first into the action of becoming anti-racist by standing up, speaking out and actively working to correct the racist policies and practices that exist. I also must continue to do the lifelong work of unlearning. The personal and internal work of identifying, examining and dismantling the problematic, harmful and racist ideas that I have picked up along the path.
 
As we journey forward as a people, a faith, and a Beloved Community towards the adoption of the 8th Principle, folks may ask, "Why do we need this? Don't the other principles already cover this? We're UU. We aren't racist."  Taking the step towards not only adopting the 8th principle, but understanding and living fully into the spirit of it requires us to go beyond just being "not racist." It invites us all to step together into the hard work of being anti-racist. This work will be a struggle, but it does not have to be perfect. We only need to remain committed to living into the work of becoming an anti-racist community. As Wendy has reminded us, "may we do so, always in love."
This month we held off on writing our articles for IGNITE so we would know the outcome of Inauguration Day 2021. We weren't sure what was going to happen after the coup attempt earlier in January and we knew there was a strong possibility that Inauguration Day could bring more violence and social unrest. Instead, I am pleasantly surprised to find myself inspired to write an article relating Inauguration Day to our February theme of Beloved Community. Phew! I didn't see that one coming... 

The inauguration ceremonies were emotional for many of us. Some cried tears of joy and relief mixed with tears of sadness and unhealed trauma. In our small groups, some JUC folks expressed feelings of tentative hope after watching the inauguration, but also many of us felt exhausted from "waiting for the other shoe to drop." As a nation, we have been traumatized by the hate and violence we have witnessed and by the desecration of institutions that exist to maintain democratic governance. 

Why was the inauguration such an emotional event for so many of us? I think because it not only gave us a picture of possibilities for moving forward but also because the hate and division of white supremacy culture was named. 

In his inaugural address, President Biden said: "I know speaking of unity can sound to some like a foolish fantasy. I know the forces that divide us are deep and they are real. But I also know they are not new. Our history has been a constant struggle between the American ideal that we are all created equal and the harsh, ugly reality that racism, nativism, fear, and demonization have long torn us apart."

What a relief to have it named. We know the road to healing and wholeness is long, but honesty about the horrors of the past is essential before we can start down that road. 

We got a little glimpse of that new world during the inauguration ceremonies. Our imaginations were delighted by the beaming brilliance of Amanda Gorman, our new 22 year old African American National Youth Poet Laureate, "This Land Is Our Land" sung by Jennifer Lopez (a woman of Puerto Rican descent), and of course, our first woman Vice President, Kamala Harris, (a woman of Afro-Caribbean and Indian descent). The inclusion of these powerful women of color taking a seat at the table (still not at the head of the table, but getting nearer) brought us a little closer to Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King's dream.

We talk about building Beloved Community in our Unitarian Universalist congregations and we quote Dr. King and his call for individuals and churches to work for inclusion and justice. We explore how churches can work towards dismantling white supremacy culture and becoming a true "community of communities." At JUC, we have just started naming our embedded racism and looking inward to notice our own privilege and prejudices. 

We want and need to look ahead and envision ourselves as Beloved Community, but where do we look for examples? Sometimes I think that is what we are missing ... examples that will stoke our imaginations and help us move forward. While imperfect, I think President Biden's inauguration celebration was a beacon of hope and possibility.   

What does that look like for our faith and more specifically, for our JUC community? As we move into discussions around the 8th Principle and continue our Reflections on Race, may we also use our February theme to frame our creative visioning about what is possible for our church community in this new world we are co-creating. May we be lifted by the hope and promise that this work brings.
 
Stories of Hope: Guest at Your Table 2020-21
Stephanie Wells

UUSC partners with the Lowlander Center to aid the Grand Caillou/Dulac Band of the Biloxi-Chitimacha-Choctaw Tribe, which is being devastated by climate change.

In many ways, Chief Shirell Parfait-Dardar and her community in southern Louisiana have been left to deal with climate change on their own. Lacking federal recognition, there is no government funding to respond to coastal erosion, increasingly frequent hurricanes, and other climate change impacts that small Louisiana Tribes, including her own, did little to create. Nor is there accountability from the oil and gas companies whose canals and pollution have, along with climate change, forever altered the landscape of the region. Thousands of miles of land loss is perhaps the most well-known impact, but it is only one of many environmental damages. Loss of land and trees have destroyed hunting areas, saltwater intrusion has limited farming to a scant number of crops, and severe flooding has eradicated ancestral burial grounds.

An all-volunteer organization with no paid staff, Lowlander Center officially began in 2013 and has been UUSC's partner since 2017. With UUSC's support, Lowlander has been working closely with Chief Shirell's Tribe along with other small Louisiana Tribes and coastal Louisiana communities to develop strategies, plans, and adaptations related to the environmental damages they face, including climate-forced relocation.
In this 5-minute video, Chief Shirell describes their plight. 

Please consider making a contribution to UUSC so they can continue their efforts to assist marginalized peoples and lands. You can contribute now here, or wait until Justice Sunday in March when you can donate directly during the service when UUSC will be the recipient of the Special Plate collection.