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IN THIS ISSUE
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 A Sense of Gratitude and Love
Rev. Katie's Animas View
We shall be known by the company we keep
By the ones who circle round to tend these fires.
-Karisha Longaker
As I write, I am still filled with the glow of a wonderful 4 Corners UU Retreat, alongside the banks of the Pine Song River. For more than 20 years running we have been hosted by Ken and Lois Carpenter on their stunning and peaceful property, welcomed by their generous spirits and love for our faith.
I feel so fortunate that these are the kind of people who set the example for what Unitarian Universalism means, for what it means to offer abundance and hospitality. I hope that your time alongside the river offered you moments to generate fellowship, to experience spiritual deepening, and to make connections across the larger map of UU congregations.
We have plans to continue this retreat well into the future, looking for ways to enhance and build upon our worthwhile foundation.
Thank you to our special guest, the Rev. Dr. Leon Dunkley, to Ken, Lois, to their daughter and son-in-law Karen and Bob, and to every single one of you who have made this event possible. As we sang, "It is time now, and what a time to be alive, in this great turning we shall learn to lead in love."
I am so grateful to be serving you as your minister.
Always in the love,
Rev. Katie
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August Services
The first three services of August are the last of our Summer Series, moving through life's ages and stages, considering the question, "Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?" Our members will proffer their truths.
August 5 Bonnie Miller (70s)
August 12 Ken Carpenter (80s)
August 19 Mary Ruth Bowman, Burt Coleman (90s) with Rev. Katie Kandarian-Morris
We'll complete our look at life with our nonagenarians as we consider what our own lives mean. Come celebrate life!
August 26
T-Shirt Theology
-Rev. Katie Kandarian-Morris
Included in the many ways we express ourselves and our values are the writings on the front (or back) of our t-shirts. You are invited to come to worship wearing a shirt emblazoned with what you care about and we'll demonstrate what is important.
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President's Message
Tom Miller
I start this month with a quote from Vince Lombardi - no, not that one. It's "Individual commitment to a group effort - that is what makes a team work, a company work, a society work, a civilisation work." And I would add beloved community work. This is a letter of appreciation, gratitude, thanks, amazement and joy for the incredible work of the informal but oh so effective team work that literally dozens of our faith family have engaged in over the past several months to create our fantastic additional space. So many people put in time, energy, creativity, and persistence, sharing their particular expertise and level of commitment to our expanding mission, that it would take the whole newsletter to name their individual contributions. Some put in a few hours. Some spent the better part of their waking lives in the back of the Sanctuary. It all came together. There was excellent planning, a terrific outline of the different stages of the work and competent management of each step, active anticipation of issues that might come up, quick and creative adaption to those issues that could have been glitches, but turned out to be opportunities. And overall superb collaboration among everyone at all phases of the project. If you were involved somehow, no matter how small or large, I hope you feel a great sense of accomplishment and satisfaction in a job well done. If you were unable to help, I hope you will find a way to let those who did know of your appreciation. This fellowship works!
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Social Responsibility & Justice Update
Special Feature: Share the Plate
Share the Plate is a deeply valued tradition at UUFD and other UU churches. Every first Sunday of the month, we dedicate all cash received in the offering basket, as well as checks with STP on the memo line, to an organization doing important social justice work in the Four Corners area. In this October-September cycle we've donated significant funds to the Durango Food Bank, the Women's Resource Center, Compañeros Immigrant Resource Center, and the Be Frank Foundation. With two months remaining for this year's STP, we have donated $11,475.42 thus far.
A new cycle of Share the Plate recipients is about to begin, and n
ominations will be accepted throughout August.
If you would like to nominate an organization or project for Share the Plate collections, you can pick up a nomination form at the SRJ table on Sundays, complete a form online at the UUFD website, or click here to download and print the form.. The criteria for selection includes:
- nonprofit organization based in the Four Corners area
- work is focused on pressing social justice issue
- preference given to organizations working on UUFD current social justice priorities: Basic Needs, LGBTQ, Healing Racism, Immigration (Read more about these priorities here.)
The selection of the four new recipients by the Social Responsibility and Justice Coordinating team will occur in September and the first newly selected recipient will begin in October. Each selected recipient will receive Share the Plate collections for a three-month period. If your nominee is selected as a recipient, you will be asked to work with SRJ Coordinators to invite a representative from the organization to a Sunday service, and to identify individuals from UUFD who are willing to speak about the organization at one of the STP Sundays.
Thank you to all UUFD members and friends who have nominated worthy organizations in the past. Your effort resulted in significant financial support as they work toward achieving their organization's mission.
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Faith Formation For You
This is the hour. The time has come. Mindful of our responsibilities as leaders of this faith and guardians of the living tradition, we call upon that great cloud of witnesses-those who came before, those who are here now and those who have yet to come. -
Connie Simon
Beloved Conversations, Meditations on Race and Ethnicity at UUFD is open for registration. It begins with a weekend retreat, October 19 & 20th, offered by a curriculum developer from outside the congregation. After the retreat, participants continue in small groups with facilitators for eight gatherings with a curriculum. This work is relevant to everything we do.
Open enrollment and orientation for covenant groups is this fall. Contact Covenant Group Coordinator, Julie Jordan, at
[email protected].
UUFD offers
Adult Faith Formation including spiritual practices to connect, evolve and deepen in friendship and faith. Ways to engage include Covenant Groups, Outdoor Adventure, yoga, meditation, CUUPS (Covenant of UU Pagans), Parent and Baby Meet-up and Playgroup (hosted by Café au Play), Game Night, Poetry Circle, Sage Circle, Circle Suppers, Film showings, common reads, workshops and more. Childcare is available upon request for all Adult Faith Formation activities. See
our calendar for a full list of offerings.
First Sunday Family Meet-up Breakfast, August 5th at 9AM before church in Columbine House. All families with children and youth invited. Breakfast provided. Feel free to bring an item to share but not necessary.
Picnic Potluck in the Park, Saturday August 11th at 3PM at Fassbinder Park (aka Triangle Park). All are invited. Bring a dish to share.
Faith Formation Team gathering Thursday, August 30th 4:30-6PM. Light snacks will be served. Childcare available upon request. All are welcome.
Contact Lisa McCorry at
[email protected] for support with any children's, youth (middle and high school), family or adult Faith Formation needs.
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Please share your interests & skills!
UUFD Skill and Interest Database available online now
Tara Frazer, our Congregational Life Coordinator, invites you to fill out the
Skill and Interest Inventory online by clicking here
, if you have not already. Tara is collecting information from all members and friends to create a database of the collective skills and interests in the congregation. The purpose is to help more people get involved in the church in ways that are satisfying, while also fulfilling the needs of the church. You are not obligating yourself to anything by filling out the survey, just communicating what skills, talents and passions you have that you may at some point be willing to share.
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CUUPS Corner
Covenant of Unitarian Universalist Pagans
August CUUPS Schedule
Thursday, August 2
Lammas/Lughnasadh Celebration at 6:30 pm at Bowman Hall. These Sabbat festivals are special occasions and all are welcome.
Thursday, August 9
OBOD Druid meeting at 6:30 at Bowman Hall. All are welcome.
Thursday, August 16
CUUPS meeting at 6:30 at Bowman Hall.
CUUPS of the Half Moon
visit us on Facebook at CUUPS of the Half Moon
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Getting to Know You: Sheryl Guy
New member spotlight
In this feature, we introduce a member new to UUFD and give them a chance to introduce themselves in their own words.
I grew up in eastern Montana. After high school, I kept moving west: Billings for college, north-central Montana in a "Little House on the Prairie" two-room schoolhouse storage room, Libby for 12 years, Kalispell for three, then Silver Valley and Post Falls - both in Idaho - before moving to Durango nine months ago. My husband, Stephen, and I were married just last year on July 15. He has three grown children in California, and I have two boys, in Spokane and Seattle.
I have a BA in Theatre, Music, and English from Rocky Mountain College in Billings and an MA in Education Administration from the University of Idaho. I taught in a country two-room schoolhouse the first two years, then music, English and theatre over the years. I also worked as a Head Start principal and summer school principal. Before having a family, I worked several seasons in professional Summer Stock theatre and played flute with the Billings Symphony for four years. I enjoy hiking, piano and vocal music, reading, and movies.
I was raised Lutheran. I first attended a UU service in Spokane, WA, 17 years ago. I attended a Solstice service there and have never looked back. I joined UUFD because I wanted to continue my UU path. One way I've grown spiritually over the course of my life is learning about the fundamentals of even more faith practices.
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