Minister's Message

A message from UUFD Minister Rev. Jamie Boyce

Dear Members and Friends,

Arriving at December feels like an abrupt landing after a turbulent journey! The last month has been challenging and there is still so much uncertainty weighing heavily in our world. As I reflect on what is possible for our future, I find myself returning to our congregational mission for grounding, inspiration, and direction.

“Love courageously. Inspire spiritual growth. Work for justice"

As we welcome the messy and marvelous month of December, it is a good time to anchor ourselves in our congregational mission, remembering that it will guide us through uncertainty and empower us to meet the future with courage, love, spirit and a passion for justice. Alongside our Unitarian Universalist values, our mission is an abiding presence in our lives.

December is also a time to embrace joy, wonder, and awe and delight in the magic of the holidays. A time to bring our full presence to our lives, gathering all that is beautiful, and allowing the overflow of love and joy to be a blessing in the world. 

My office remains open and my schedule available to pastoral care appointments throughout December. It can be a complicated season, please reach out if you would like pastoral presence minister@durangouu.org. 

In faith, hope, and love,

Rev. Jamie

A poem of hope and renewal shared on Sunday, November 17, 2024

Holding the Light by Stuart Kestenbaum for Kait Rhoads

Gather up whatever is 

glittering in the gutter, 

whatever has tumbled 

in the waves or fallen 

in flames out of the sky, 

for it’s not only our 

hearts that are broken, 

but the heart 

of the world as well. 

Stitch it back together. 

Make a place where 

the day speaks to the night 

and the earth speaks to the sky. 

Whether we created God 

or God created us 

it all comes down to this: 

In our imperfect world 

we are meant to repair 

and stitch together 

what beauty there is, stitch it 

with compassion and wire. 

See how everything 

we have made gathers 

the light inside itself 

and overflows? A blessing.

President's Message

A message from Board President Tim Miller

I’m writing this message a couple days before Thanksgiving. I expect Carolyn and I will have had a fine time at the UUFD Thanksgiving potluck last Thursday, and I hope everyone, including the sizable number of visitors on Sundays in November, had a restful or exciting (or both) holiday with those you love.

We made good progress advancing the analysis of our sanctuary building’s heating and air conditioning (HVAC) needs in November. Two energy audits were conducted: one through local nonprofit 4CORE, which gave us the data we needed to submit a timely application for a Bipartisan Infrastructure Act grant that, if awarded, will reimburse up to 80% of the cost of installing heat pumps and insulating our virtually uninsulated sanctuary roof. Competition for this grant will be intense, but there are additional grant opportunities we can pursue. The second audit was a more comprehensive evaluation of our building’s “envelope,” which confirmed that we must work to reduce the amount of air that passes through our roof and walls before we finalize the components of the replacement HVAC system. We’ll engage roofing and insulation contractors during December to learn the cost of significantly increasing the effective insulation (R-value) of our roof while preserving the building’s aesthetics.

PLEASE SAVE THE DATE: February 14-16, 2025, and particularly the all-congregation meeting on Saturday the 15 th . This Next Steps Consultation workshop, facilitated by UU Stewardship consultant Kay Crider, will help us assess our readiness to design and eventually build a new fellowship hall.

In other news, the Personnel Committee, in concert with Rev. Jamie and the Board, continues to refine aspects of our Employee Handbook. Consistent with our mission, we recently added Indigenous Peoples’ Day and Juneteenth to UUFD’s list of recognized Federal holidays – and we are working toward offering a monthly Wellness Benefit to eligible part-time employees (those working 20+ hours/week) who have elected not to be covered by the UUA health insurance plan.

Wishing everyone a happy and safe holiday season,

Tim Miller

December 24

Unleashing Hop and Joy: A Christmas Eve Candlelight Service, led by Rev. Jamie Boyce, Faith Formation, and Worship Associate Sheryl Guy

The Christmas Story reminds us that hope and joy are born in the presence of challenging circumstance, breaking through into world with power and force. Let us rejoice in the unleashing of hope and joy into our world, once again, and be renewed our commitment to peace and justice.

This service begins at 4:00pm

December 29

No worship services today, have a wonderful holiday break!

UUFD is Hiring!

UUFD is in need of a music director and pianist (one person) depending on interest and abilities. Compensation is competitive based on experience, etc.

If you have friends, friends of friends, relatives, etc. who might be interested in this part-time position, please have them contact Rev. Jamie Boyce at minister@durangouu.org for information.

News from the Office- Important Dates!

UUFD offices will be closed from December 25th through January 1st. Please email Nikki at information@durangouu.org with any questions.

There is no worship service on December 29th.

Holiday Communications Due Dates and Notices:

The January newsletter due date is Friday December 20th

E-announcement for Dec 27 due date is Mon Dec 23 by 10am

E-announcement on Jan 3 will resume as normal (due date of Thurs Jan 2 at 10am)

December News from Faith Formation

At the end of the day: do others feel loved in your presence?  This is the spiritual bottom line.  `Masin Kipp

We all know the refrain: peace on earth, good will toward men.  With all the strive and sorrow in the world, this can seem such a hollow hope, such an empty promise.  The UU faith puts for the idea that we really can have a world that works for everyone.  It’s tempting to look into the world with a “you first” mentality.  In reality, that peace … that love, which is so much a part of the holiday season and that is at the core of every religion … begins within each of us first.  This month, Soul Matters invites us to practice the presence.  To do so, we learn how to be fully in this minute right now because it really is the only one we have.  The mystic Alan Watts, responsible for introducing Zen Buddhism to the west more than almost anyone else, offers this: “Stop measuring days by degree of productivity and start experiencing them by degree of presence.”

Kids Faith Formation in October 

Holiday Market December 8

On December 8, the annual holiday market where kids “shop” for their loved ones will take place in Columbine House.  

We are still accepting donations.  Open your closet and drawers for those no longer used treasures that can become something special for someone else: jewelry, art, bric-a-brac, books, personal accessories (gloves, hats, scarves), games and toys (in good condition), and so on.  NO CLOTHING.  

On December 8, after hospitality time, EVERYONE is invited to come to shop for those items remaining after the kids have shopped.  Anything left at the end of the sale will be donated to the Methodist Thrift Shop.  

Personal Faith Development – December “The Practice of Presence”



Have you thought about keeping a journal but find that it’s another thing to add to the to-do list that just never quite happens despite good intentions.  If this is you, you might be drawn to the idea of a one sentence diary.  This shortened idea of a diary invites us to be present today with what is important and manageable today.  A strategy for developing this habit can be found here.  Keep it simple for yourself and try it out for a month or two.  Enjoy holding the presence.

In closing. Consider this.  “The Persian poet Kabir wrote: “I laugh when I hear that the fish in the sea is thirsty.” Are you thirsty for the divine? The sacred? The clear light of awakening? All around you, the world is wet with it.” `Daniel Shkolnik