I hope that at our church we are able to create a safe environment for our youth of all ages so that they don’t feel that they have to hide their vulnerability.  

One way our 7th and 8th graders routinely express their vulnerability is through Values Voting. In Values Voting, a prompt is read and the participants move in the room along a continuum to show what they believe about an issue in comparison to others. Their belief or opinion is visible to all. In 7th grade OWL, led by the fantastic team of DeDe Cross, Sarah Babcock, Ashley Armstrong, John Kaltenbach and Rob Billerbeck our youth show how they feel about tough questions such as:

"Seventh and eighth graders should be allowed to have friends at home without adult supervision"

or 

"There should be more restrictions on sexual images, language, and hookups on the Internet"

The Coming of Age (COA) curriculum for 8th graders also asks youth to openly express their thoughts on particular life questions. Our awesome COA team, led by Allison Windes, Jessy Hennesy, Brad Carson and Alex Wilder, asks 8th graders to locate themselves in a particular spot in the room in response to questions such as,

"It is easier for human beings to be good if they believe in God"

and 

"People are only capable of making little changes to their personalities. Major habit or personality change is impossible for most people"

Both teams work hard to support all of the kids in the class so that each one feels comfortable in expressing their opinions, particularly if they differ from the group. 

During this month all of our Faith Exploration classes will explore vulnerability in some way. 2nd-5th graders will be exploring how people sometimes express their vulnerability by standing up for something they believe in. They will talk about taking a “leap of faith” in order to do something important. The High School Youth Group will be experiencing vulnerability as they continue to plan the youth service and imagine themselves in front of the congregation leading worship. Our Neighboring Faiths class will be wrapping up the study of Islam and delving into Protestantism being vulnerable as they participate in worship services that are different from their UU home.  

My wish for all of the members of our congregation is that they will find JUC to be a refuge where they can feel safe and supported and able to share the vulnerable parts of themselves. 

In other news:

I am excited to announce that in March the Family Ministry Team will begin offering a monthly opportunity for families to connect with each other over a shared meal and some light programming. This is a hybrid of the “We Are Family” that we held pre-covid and SOUPs which has typically been held during the day. These Family Connection Nights will begin with a shared meal followed by kids going to childcare or to the youth room while parents engage in an hour-long interactive program designed to connect and support parents. The programming will be jointly planned by a member of the Family Ministry team and myself along with guidance from Rev. Wendy and Rev. Jen. I know that families have been longing to find ways to connect with each other and I am glad that we are getting this program off the ground! The first event will be held on Tuesday, March 14, 5:30-7:30 pm. 

I also highly encourage all of you to attend the workshop on anti-racism on Saturday, March 4. We will have childcare! The staff have been working with Julica Hermann de la Fuente and she is a dynamic, fun, joyful and knowledgeable speaker and wonderful human. We need tools to help our church live into the end of a more multicultural community and she will help provide those. Sign up to attend.

Friends, it’s no accident that our month of vulnerability comes after our month of love. We’ve spent a month exploring what love calls us to do; now we need to talk about how we prepare ourselves to do it.

Because we know it ain’t easy, right? As Unitarian Universalists, we believe that all souls are worthy, not only of respect and dignity, but of love. As it turns out, that’s a very countercultural - dare I say, subversive - idea. We are given thousands of messages, starting in our infanthood, of who is and is not deserving of love, and why we shouldn’t love.  

On the surface, some of those messages seem quite sensible. I don’t know about you, but I can find hundreds of reasons NOT to love. In our culture, we risk looking silly - and sometimes we risk a lot more than that - when we love the “wrong” people: people who have made some questionable life choices, people whose politics don’t look like ours, people who are differently abled or differently educated…

… because our society also tells us that we are worthy or unworthy of love by association. If we love the wrong people, we must BE the wrong people.

And as always, we risk getting hurt when we open our hearts. In order to be loved for who we are, we have to be willing to be known. And in order to truly, radically love others, we have to be willing to open ourselves up to the possibility of being judged.

So for me, vulnerability is the process of removing the obstacles that I have built - with the encouragement of my culture - to loving and being loved. It means unteaching myself the behaviors I have learned to make myself seem like the “right” people - the people who are worthy of love. And particularly, it means shifting the value I place on our culture’s judgments of who is right, and who is wrong, to love. That sometimes includes myself.  

This can be a real struggle. It’s hard work. Removing those barriers can be frightening, or even emotionally painful. But the good news (you knew there had to be some in here, right?) is that none of us have to go through this process by ourselves! You and I have a whole community here at JUC to support us, lift us up, and encourage us when we begin to question our commitments to being - and showing - our whole selves.

We have a community that will support us when we admit, “I need help and don’t know where to find it.”

We have a community that will understand us and counsel us when our hopes and dreams for our lives, our careers, our relationships with family or friends feel unobtainable.

We have a community that will love us even when we feel we’ve failed - and will remind us in our disappointment that our plans going awry doesn’t make us failures as people.

And we have a community that will work joyfully with us to tear down the barriers to loving everyone who needs to be loved.

So this month I challenge you to ponder what obstacles might be standing in the way of your loving and being loved. As always, if you would like to talk about any of these questions with a minister, please call 720-CHURCH9 (720-248-7249) or email cares@jeffersonunitarian.org.

Living into Our Music

At a recent Sunday service, those who had gathered sang a Morningsong “Just as Long as I Have Breath” from Singing the Living Tradition:

Just as long as I have breath, I must answer, "Yes," to life; 

though with pain I made my way, still with hope I meet each day. 

If they ask what I did well, tell them I said, "Yes," to life.

As we all were singing this song, I began to reflect on the second line about meeting each day with hope despite being in pain. I remembered stories that I hear from our members, some who have an accident or injury and who experience temporary pain, and many who experience chronic, unrelenting pain. What is it like to choose hope, to choose breath, to choose to say “Yes” when the experience of living in a body can be so challenging? As many who are reading this know, I am recovering from arm and shoulder surgery following a fall. I’m thankful that my own pain hasn’t been worse, but there are days in which there is aching and discomfort. I’ve been singing “Just as long as I have breath” for 30 years, but only recently it has taken a new meaning for me, giving me courage and hope on some days when I’d rather not venture out.

Still with hope I meet each day.

There are other songs in the UU canon that have layers of meaning that might be revealed in times of need or in times of joy. 

This verse from “Wake, now, my senses” comes to mind:

Wake, now, my vision of ministry clear; 

brighten my pathway with radiance here; 

mingle my calling with all who will share; 

work toward a planet transformed by our care.

Each of these lines has a unique and deep meaning, but that second line to me is something I have learned more about and lived into. “Brighten my pathway with radiance here.” There are certain moments when a person feels like the ordinary, everyday tasks all of a sudden have a shining element to them, a deeper purpose. These moments may be fleeting, or may be frequent, but this song names that they exist and invites us to help them to awaken, to follow one's calling, to realize the depth within the simple acts of daily living. 

You may remember the story of three stonemasons. A traveler in medieval times comes upon a stonemason at work. He asks, “What are you doing?” The man looks weary and unhappy. He responds, “Can’t you see I am cutting and laying down stone? My back is killing me, and I can’t wait to stop.” The traveler continues on his way and comes upon a second stonemason. “What are you doing?” he asks. “I’m building a wall,” says the stonemason. “I’m grateful to have this work so I can support my family.” As the traveler walks on, he encounters a third stonemason who seems to be doing exactly the same work as the previous two. He asks the man, “What are you doing?” The man stands up straight. His face is radiant. He looks up at the sky and spreads his arms wide. “I am building a cathedral,” he answers.

Brighten my pathway with radiance here.

Unitarian Universalism offers no fixed, sacred text. There is no creed. There is, however, the body of songs that we sing. And it may be true for you, as it is for me, that as you have more experiences on the planet you find your life reflected in and uplifted by the songs that we have been singing all along. In this month of vulnerability, may you find a song that connects with the deepest parts of where you are.

Family Promise - What Exactly Is It?

Judy Douglass

JUC has been a Family Promise host for about 25 years but many people have asked for a better understanding. The program was started in 1986 in New Jersey and is now established in 43 states with over 200 congregations and groups participating. Founded by philanthropist Karen Olson as the Interfaith Hospitality Network, the title was simplified to Family Promise (FP) in 2003. The mission is: "help[ing] homeless and low-income families achieve sustainable independence through a community-based response." Family Promise of Greater Denver was established in 1997 and in addition to aiding families without shelter, the program’s core is on sustainability, They provide rental assistance to help families avoid losing housing, rapid response to vulnerable families, programs to stabilize families including case management and ongoing family support after participants have left the program. 85% of their budget is spent on programs. In 2021, 448 families were served. 

The FP model is based on a network of interfaith congregations who provide housing in their building for one week about four times a year. Thus the families move in on a Sunday and move to another congregation the following Sunday. The host church provides shelter from 5 pm to 7 am daily. Family Promise provides a day site where families can spend the day if they choose. During the stay at the church, families are provided groceries for breakfast and lunch, a hot meal in the evening, transportation back and forth to the day site, and a private bedroom to spend the night. At JUC, we also provide and pay for transportation to a recreation center for showers and the laundromat. 

Families are vetted before they are accepted into the program and are expected to find employment (if able and if not currently working) and housing in a 2-3 month period. During the pandemic families were housed in a Residence Inn; JUC helped provide groceries, meals, and $1,000 of quarters for the laundromat. After the pandemic, several churches were forced to leave the program. Holy Shepherd Lutheran Church at 10th and Kipling, stepped in to save the program by offering their basement as a permanent site for four families. Thus there are now eight families in the program at a time; four families at the permanent or “static” site and four in churches. 

In all our years of hosting at JUC, there hasn’t been a typical week. We have hosted people with PhD’s, families with six children, families new to the Denver area, single dads with one or more children, single working moms, families recovering from crisis. The vast majority of our guests have at least one job. We have hosted one wedding, several newborns, one birth, and hundreds of adorable children. The program at JUC was started under the inspiration of Jim and Rosalie Bole and we have continued their focus on the respect for the value and humanity of all our guests. JUC has earned a reputation for being a flexible church as we focus on communication, understanding where people are in their lives and use policies that keep everyone safe. We have also focused on spreading the volunteer tasks of the hosting week out so everyone can do one task that takes 3-4 hours. The exception is the overnight hosts who sleep in a separate room, turn out the lights, and get coffee going in the morning. We need about 80-90 people per hosting week to fill all needs. 

Our next hosting week is March 12-19 please sign up to volunteer. The Housing and Poverty Task Force has a core group of volunteers who help newcomers volunteering for the first time and are available to answer questions. We also have a dedicated Family Promise staff person each week. At week’s end the families normally travel to another church. However, St. James Episcopal recently experienced a flooded basement needing total reconstruction. Thus, our families will be with us for two weeks. Volunteers for the second week will be coming from several area churches. This means that the RE wing will be occupied by families for two weeks and their food supplies will be in the kitchen. Please respect their space during this time.

The Hidden Life of Special Districts - What do YOU Know?

Jessy Hennesy, UU the Vote

Special districts affect how we live in Colorado. See which of these questions you can answer and then show up on Friday, March 6, 6-7:30 pm (at JUC and streamed on the website) to get the answers and learn even more! In the meantime, you can look up what is on your property tax bill and you can find some additional information here.

How many Special Districts exist In Jefferson County? 

• 10
• 72
• 112
• 182 
• 342

Where do you look to determine which special district taxes you pay?  

• The Blue Book
• The Secretary of State Website
• Your DMV registration
• Your property tax bill 
• The Jeffco Treasury Department Website

Which of the following is NOT a special taxing district/authority? (check all that apply) 

• Jeffco Public Schools
• Library
• JUC
• Fire Protection District
• Urban Drainage
• Vauxmount Metropolitan District

The majority of my property tax bill goes directly to special taxing districts: 

• True
• False
•  Maybe

I can opt out of paying special taxing districts if I do not use those services. For example, I never go to the library, preferring to buy every book I want to read. 

• True
• False

The taxation rate for each special taxing district is submitted for voter approval on the General Ballot each fall. 

• True
• False

Pastoral Care at JUC

Deda Nelson

Companioning one another spiritually is one of the most important ministries of a faith community. ~ UU Institute

Our Pastoral Care Team works to facilitate support of our faith community in a myriad of ways. We strive to hold a compassionate space and show concern for our congregants, especially when they may be facing a challenging life event. 

Companioning one another spiritually is one of the most important ministries of a faith community. So, we are especially excited to be pursuing another path by training Lay Pastoral Care Associates. Their goal will be to companion a congregant spiritually by providing a compassionate space to explore personal challenges within the caring presence of a trained volunteer. The training is thorough, and it takes time and a serious commitment. We already have volunteers who are committed and working hard. Their training will continue through the coming months, and we are looking forward to having them on our Pastoral Care Team.

We continue to be busy fulfilling requests for rides, meals, medical equipment and other short term needs. This spring, Fran Myers will lead an End of Life Documents Seminar. Her experience in this area is sure to help us understand the importance of these documents and what they mean to each us and our families. Many of us avoid this topic and put it off. Fran’s goal is to help us get it done and done right! In addition, our support groups for caregivers and chronically ill continue to meet. The Memorials Team provided receptions for families and friends of those we have lost. Since September, we have been a caring presence for well over seventy members and their families.

There are many ways to show support for one another and nurture relationships at JUC. If you would like to serve on our Pastoral Care Team, reach out to Rev. Jen Simon and someone from our team will get back to you.

Finally, our ministers are here for you, to listen and help when you are facing a trying event or “when meaning is hard to find.” So… If you or someone you know could use support email: cares@jeffersonunitarian.org or phone the on-call minister at 720-CHURCH9 or 720-248-7249.

Habitat for Humanity Update

Bruce Martin

As a sad reminder of the need for affordable housing the city of Denver held its annual Homeless Persons Memorial Vigil on the winter solstice, December 21. They gathered to remember the 265 persons who died homeless on the streets of Denver in 2022.

On a more upbeat note a review of year end finances for JIP (Jeffco Interfaith Partners) allowed the group to increase its shared sponsorship of a Metro Denver Habitat for Humanity (MD H4H) home to $70,000 for 2023. MD H4H will be kicking off the Miller Street project in Wheat Ridge with a morning ceremony on Friday, March 10 at 10 am. The build site for four duplexes is near Kipling and 44th Ave. This is the site of our own JIP shared sponsorship for a new home build this year.

JUC is slated to provide five volunteers for the first JIP build date at the Miller site scheduled for Saturday, April 22. To work on a MD H4H construction site one must be at least 16 years old (18 to climb ladders and use power tools). If you are interested in volunteering at the production shop there are some days with work planned for volunteers as young as 14 years old. For the work date at the Miller site on the 22nd there will be lunch provided. Contact Cathy and Bruce Martin if you are interested in volunteering on April 22.

Another way to support MD H4H is to attend in person or virtually their fundraising Breakfast for Humanity on Wednesday, April 19 at 7:30 am. The event will be held at the Infinity Park Event Center in Glendale (on Kentucky Ave. east of Colorado Blvd.). There is a challenge already put out there for the JIP table to raise at least $2,500 toward the event total.

Decades-Old State Law Should be Repealed

Kathy Smith, Jill Armstrong, and Mindy Mohr

When you hear about how much rent prices have increased in Colorado, you might think, “There must be a law!” Well, there is a law… But this statewide law actually prohibits our local governments from doing anything about landlords imposing substantial annual rent increases. Large rent increases have been devastating for many of the one-third of Colorado residents who are renters.

JUC’s Community Action Network (JUC CAN) supports a proposed state bill (HB23-1115) that aims to repeal this existing law that prohibits local governments from enacting rent-control measures. If HB23-1115 passes, then cities and counties would have the option to pass rent-stabilization ordinances or resolutions for their communities. Under this amended bill, the lowest limit on rent increases would be the Consumer Price Index (CPI) plus 3%, and rent stabilization could only be applied to housing units in buildings older than 15 years (with the exception of manufactured homes).

It is important to keep in mind that HB23-1115 does NOT enact statewide rent control laws or create any new local government mandates. It merely allows local governments to be able to consider if they want rent stabilization to be among their available tools to address housing needs in their communities. Many of our Colorado city’s mayors and council members are individually asking the state legislature to provide this option!

Mindy Mohr – a renter’s perspective:

I have been a homeowner for most of my adult life, but after selling my townhome to my children 5 years ago I became a renter – and what a frightening world it has become. As a homeowner, you may worry about rising property taxes, but at least your mortgage payment each month is stable … as a renter, each year when your lease expires you live in fear of what the new rent will be. The rent in my complex has increased by $800/month since I moved there in 2020, and I fear that I will have to move yet a third time when my lease expires this summer.

So many of our state’s renters continually fear being displaced – our older adults or disabled persons on fixed incomes, service workers who take care of us, our teachers and daycare workers. During the first legislative hearing for HB23-1115, I testified about my situation, and we heard heart-breaking stories from over a hundred renters. It is clear that Colorado is in a housing crisis and that many people are impacted and suffering.

Jill Armstrong – a landlord’s perspective:

My husband and I are small landlords, renting out a house in Ft. Collins for the last 15 years. We are on the other side of this equation, but I also testified in support of the bill. If passed, this would be a valuable tool for cities and counties if they decide to use it. There are many good landlords, but the rent increases that we hear and read about go far beyond being able to maintain a property and make a reasonable profit. Corporations, hedge funds, REITs, and private equity firms are buying up properties in Colorado and increasing rents dramatically. Ft. Collins may or may not decide to use rent stabilization, but the city will never have that choice if this bill does not pass.

You can help our local cities and counties get this tool that they need by supporting the passage of HB23-1115. JUC CAN will soon be sending out Action Alerts and during the Social Justice Fairs letting our congregation know how to contact their state legislators.

If you have questions and/or would like to be added to the JUC CAN Action Alert list to receive occasional important alerts and updates about housing issues and legislation, please send an email to communityaction@jeffersonunitarian.org.