April 2019
IN THIS ISSUE
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AnimasViewGratitude for Springtime
Rev. Katie's Animas View

 I believe we can change the world if we start talking to one another again. 
-Margaret Wheatley, writer and organizational consultant
 
Just a few parking spaces in our lot remain covered with a blob of stubborn old snow, and I've seen yellow crocuses popping up in corners of the garden. We on church staff are preparing for Easter's two special worship services (9:30 am and 11 am) and our Stewardship crew is doing their best to complete the canvassing for all of our pledges in order to finalize a budget for the next fiscal church year (July-June). 
 
I've got great hopes that we can fulfill our goal ($280,000) so that we can actualize the abundant ministries expressed.
 
I am grateful for all of you who have searched deeply to make your financial commitment for the upcoming year. I often hear a great gratitude expressed about the importance of being a part of UUFD. We are warm and hospitable, and fortunate to be able to support passionately the mission of liberal religion (building a truly welcoming faith home, giving to improve the larger community, growing our own spiritual depth) in Durango, Bayfield and the Four Corners. 
 
I love Stewardship time because it gives me the opportunity to name the urgency of a transformative community like ours, a rarity in this time. Each year as we ask for your commitment, I am transported years ago, before I decided to enter the ministry, when I took on the leadership of stewardship at a congregation whose membership was well over 500 individuals. Talking to people in the church about what they value, about the importance of Unitarian Universalism, about educating our children to be the kind of people we need more of in the world - how could I not think this is the most important ministry we face? 
 
I love meeting with each new person who is readying to join our fellowship.  I hope I convey our sense of love and care. May this home provide safety and a place for people to develop courage to do more and be more than they thought they could. Let us not take for granted this beloved fellowship. 
 
Always in the love,
Rev. Katie


SundayServicesApril Services

Theme: Wholeness  
Spiritual Practice:  Repairing what is broken and knowing we are enough 
 
April 7
Justice on Earth
-Rev. Katie Kandarian-Morris
We'll look at the tension between our first (inherent worth) and seventh principle (interdependent web) to see how we might address the intersections of race, class and the environment. How might we deepen our relationships across culture? Stay after today for a discussion of the UUA Common Read, Justice on Earth
 
April 14
I Am Broken, Too
-Rev. Katie Kandarian-Morris
How are we as liberal religionists stuck in a culture of perfectionism? Although we might be freed by accepting ourselves as worthy, what will we have to change? 
 
April 21,  Easter Sunday: 2 Services, 9:30 am and 11 am 
The Church Incarnate
-Rev. Katie Kandarian-Morris and Lisa McCorry
It has been said that we all together are "the church incarnate." Let this Easter Sunday be the day that we practice this. Our choir will sing, and we'll celebrate this happy day. 
 
April 28
Beloved Conversations
-The Beloved Conversations Group and Rev. Katie Kandarian-Morris
Members and friends of this faith community made a large commitment to show up again and again, to stretch themselves as they explored the role of race and ethnicity in their lives. Next, might we make institutional change?


PresidentsMessagePresident's Message
Tom Miller

I'd like to reprise some of the thoughts Bonnie and I shared in our testimonial on March 3, stimulated by a recent David Brooks column "A Nation of Weavers." We announced our personal Declaration of Interdependence and proclaimed a commitment to being a Weaver. In the article, Brooks speaks of social isolation and social fragmentation - an epidemic of pain from the lack of a healthy connection to each other and inability to see the full dignity of each other. He describes the excesses of 60+ years of hyper-individualism where the self is persistently at the center, where self-interest dominates relationships.  

Weavers of the social fabric, on the other hand, have an ethos that puts relationship over self.  "We" precedes "me".  Weavers build community by practicing "radical mutuality," fully acknowledging our need for each other. As Brooks says, this changes our moral lens, where instead of being motivated by money, power and status, our motivation is to live in right relation with others and to serve the common good.

Living in right relationship with others and serving the common good is central to our mission and work at UUFD and is what compels our personal commitment.   At UUFD, we commit to be in covenant with one another to become our best selves and to serve the needs of our community here and beyond.  We love across boundaries. When we commit our personal time and make a financial pledge to help make this possible, we are reflecting that commitment.  

UUFD needs all our support to accomplish its mission. We at UUFD need each other in this vitally alive Beloved Community in order to impactfully work toward the common good.  We have issues to deal with that deserve our support, like managing our growth, extending our presence and partnerships in the community, increasing our social justice commitments, and deepening our connections to each other.

We are blessed to be part of this community, to know that we are not alone, that our intentions and journey are linked to yours, and deep down are about love.  Please join us in giving from your resources, both your time and your money, so that together we can be Weavers of the social fabric, putting love into action for ourselves and our world.  



SocialJusticeWhen do we create new social justice teams?
Social Responsibility and Justice special feature

Hopefully everyone is somewhat familiar with our four current social justice teams working in specific justice areas:  Basic Needs, Healing Racism, Immigration, LGBTQ.  These teams continue their mission work as identified UUFD priorities. But how might a new priority and team arise and begin work?
 
The SRJ Coordinating Team recently considered this and identified a set of criteria for making this decision.  The emphasis, as you will see, is on interest and commitment to a justice area coming from the fellowship. Here are the criteria:
  • Minimum of 4-6 people express desire to form a team focused on an identified social justice need that supports the UUFD mission
  • 1-2 people indicate a willingness to lead/co-lead the team
  • Purpose and vision for the team is identified
  • Willingness to commit at least two years to the identified social justice team work
  • Commitment to regular communication and meetings to forward progress
  • Commitment to engage in education, advocacy, and partnership in the community as appropriate
  • Team leader(s) commits to participation in SRJ Coordinating Team
You can request approval for a new social justice team based on the criteria above at our website ( click here), or you can pick up request forms at the SRJ table. The SRJ Coordinating Team will review any requests, and talk with those expressing interest, looking to confirm readiness for successfully beginning a new team.  Questions about a potential new team are welcomed and you can talk with any one of the SRJ Coordinating Team members:  Bonnie Miller, Barry Devine, Tom McCampbell, or Rev. Katie.


RecitalPianist Marilyn Garst to perform April 26
Final recital in the 2018-19 series
 
The final recital in the 2018-2019 series will be presented by Marilyn Garst at 7:00 p.m. on Friday, April 26.  The first half of the program will feature 18th-century music for the harpsichord, while the second half will feature piano music from the 19th and 20th centuries.  The program will open with the final three pieces of Jean-Philippe Rameau's third collection of harpsichord pieces of 1728. The second half will open with Lament by Ellen Taaffe Zwilich, a successful American composer and professional violinist. Next will be Béla Bartók's Suite, Op. 14 (1916), the most significant of his piano works along with a later Sonata. The recital will close with two stunning pieces by Frédéric Chopin, the Etude in C-sharp Minor and the Ballade No. 4 in F Minor written in 1842, which has been described as a masterwork of melancholy genius, music hot from the soul, and the quintessence of Chopin at his most nearly perfect which is sublimity.
 
Marilyn was a faculty member for 25 years at The George Washington University in Washington, D.C., where she taught various music courses, served as Keyboard Coordinator and pianist in the GWU Faculty Trio.  Her past also includes college teaching in Kansas, performing as pianist in the Mangold Duo, and earning three degrees in music.  After moving to Durango, she served for eleven years as Music Director for UUFD and currently continues as a pianist for the Fellowship and Artistic Director of the Recital Series.  For more information and ticket purchase, click here.  Tickets may also be purchased at the door.


FaithFormationJourneying Together
Notes & News from Faith Formation

March's theme, "Journey," led the kids through life's journeys - beginning by creating walking sticks for the journey, pictured here, and ending with death, dying and a mock memorial service. As Unitarian Universalists, we talk often in the classroom about the agency and choice encouraged in this faith. Children don't like to be told what to do (does anyone?), and I see the wheels turning in their heads when they are regularly reminded of this. It's the catalyst for amazingly intelligent dialogues about birth, death, belief, God and the afterlife. The   1st Principle 3rd Principle  and  4th Principle,  along with our covenants, create supportive and brave spaces for these conversations. This is what Faith Formation is. It can change until the end of our life. What happens after that? "Best kept secret in the world," my Nan says. According to the kids the last Sunday in March, almost every one had a different response. How cool is that? 
 
I was asked recently what it means to "serve" families.  Serving families means providing a spiritual home for parents with children (obviously a collaborative governance and ministry effort). Serving families means all facets of children's, youth and family ministry. This includes but is not limited to children's and youth Faith Formation classes, supplies for learning and exploring UU Faith, multigenerational worship services, nursery care for infants and toddlers, multigenerational special events, service projects, pastoral care, supportive community, and the availability of kid care during meetings, spiritual practices, adult Faith Formation, circle suppers and events, so that parents can fully participate in the life of the church. 
 
In Service and Gratitude, 
-Lisa McCorry, Director of Faith Formation


FacilitiesWe need to hear from YOU
Revised conceptual plans for facilities growth available for viewing; please share your opinion

We now have the revised conceptual plans available for your review in Bowman Hall through the month of April (at least). You will have opportunity to dialogue with the members of the Facilities Planning Task Force (FPTF), who will be available to help clarify your understanding of the presentation boards.  The plans will also be posted shortly on our website here.

The two conceptual proposals show how each version (contiguous concept or non contiguous concept) could be staged in phases. The presentation boards also have elevation drawings, to help you visualize the possibilities being described.  Additionally our FPTF team has taken care to define the primary logistical challenges of each phase of the plan, and to describe the advantages and disadvantages of both concepts.

You will be asked to decide which of the two conceptual plans is your preference and to give us a sense of your reasoning for that preference. For anyone interested, we have scheduled several discussion meetings (similar to the discussion groups when we considered calling a minister). These focused groups will provide a chance to dive in to more detail on the implications for UUFD operations during construction, and discuss which conceptual plan best fits our needs. This will be an opportunity to voice your concerns or questions more fully, and help us identify issues as we find our collective way to a sound decision. Tom Umbhau of Bauen Group Architects (who developed these conceptual plans) will be on hand at the  April 28th gathering.

These meetings for members and friends will be held in Bowman Hall on the following dates:
April 14 Sunday 12:00-1:00 PM 
April 15 Monday 6:00-7:00 PM
April 25 Thursday 6:00-7:00 PM
April 28 Sunday 12:00-1:00 PM  

The feedback from these gatherings will be compiled with information from the congregation gathered at the less formal Sunday coffee hours. To help us with this discernment process, we want and need to hear from you! Please check your calendar for the date that works best for you, and come see us at the display tables in Bowman Hall to sign up. Talk to us, we want to hear from you.

Mary Ocken and the Facilities Planning Task Force 
Trenton Wann, Barbara Hawn, John Redemske, Mary Hockett and Tom Miller



CUUPSCUUPS Corner
Covenant of Unitarian Universalist Pagans

April 5  6:30 PM Bowman Hall
CUUPS Bio-Spiritual Integration
The art of deep listening.  Listening to your life story through your body.

April 12 6:30 PM  Silabh Anam Druid Group
Always fun and informational

April 19 6:30 PM  Bowman Hall
CUUPS Special WITCHES BREW
Healthy Psychic mind expanding herbal (LEGAL) teas for meditation, sleep, dreaming, spiritual work. Free cup of tea followed by a meditation.  Recipes given.  

Willow

CUUPS of the  Half Moon
V isit us on Facebook at CUUPS of the Half Moon



NewMemberNew Member Spotlight: Becky Logan

Becky lived in Vermont south of Burlington in cow country for about 25 years. She had a lovely house on ten acres and shared it with great housemates and an assortment of dogs and cats. She worked for around 15 years as a FoxPro database programmer. When she retired, she left for a six month trip to New Zealand (wow!) and did many of the Great Walks, traveling both islands plus Great Barrier Island and Stewart Island. Soon after she got back home, she sold her house and everything in it and hit the road in an RV - a beautiful 36 footer towed by a big Ford truck. She spent two years traveling the country, from Down East Maine to the Oregon coast, from the Ozarks to the Blue Ridge, from Big Bend, TX to Eau Claire, WI, from the FL Keys to Prescott, AZ. While she loved living in her comfy RV and loved traveling, she missed much in the way of social life. It was time to look for a new home. After checking out co-housing in Prescott and Bend, OR, she found the friendly, welcoming community of Heartwood in Bayfield. She looks forward to all the fun  things to do in Durango - an active UU congregation, a terrific pickleball group, lots of lectures and events, and great hiking. "What's not to love?" she says. Welcome Becky!