UUFD Newsletter, October 2022

October 2022

October Services

We are now meeting in person as well as online! We continue to use our established and updated protocols on masking, distancing and vaccination. To join a Zoom worship, look for the link on the UUFD website.

THEME: Courage

October 2, 2022

"A Time of Turning"

This is a season of turning, in the weather, in our spirits. The Jewish calendar recognizes turning during the ten days between Rosh Hashana (September 25) and Yom Kippur (October 4). This season of turning is a time for intentional forgiveness, reconciliation, and going forward. Direct conversation helps break down barriers that get in the way of honest communication. In this autumnal season, all of us can practice turning, forgiveness, and healing. What turning are you hoping for?

October 9, 2022

"Civility”

~ Laurie Meininger

As we celebrate the start of a new church year, on this “In-Gathering” Sunday, we remember past stories of belonging and new stories of looking ahead in our personal lives and in this community of liberal faith. In this annual ceremony of the water communion, let us re-unite in body and spirit as we share waters which symbolize the past and the future. This is a multi-generational service: the children will remain in the sanctuary the entire worship time.

October 16

“Creating Community Through Shared Ministry ”

~Rev. Barbara Coeyman

“Shared ministry is the third “grounding” theme of this interim ministry that I want to reflect on with you. Seeing all that we do when we come to UUFD as “ministry” offers a positive, hopeful, transformative cast to our time together. In sharing transformative events, we build community. How do you understand “shared ministry?” How do you contribute to the “shared ministry” of this congregation?

October 23

“Finding Courage in a Circle of Trust”

~Rev. Barbara Coeyman

“Circle of Trust” is the name of a spiritual program that I will offer this congregation after the New year. A “Circle of Trust” is also a way of coming together grounded in the value of “trust.” Through trust, we have courage to go deeper in our relationships and to go forward on this journey called life. Let’s consider the meaning of “Courage” as defined by this spiritual program founded on the writing of Parker Palmer and developed by the institution called “Center for Courage and Renewal.”

October 30

“All Souls, Take Courage”

~Rev. Barbara Coeyman

At the end of October, several religious celebrations invite us to reflect on relationships with others. Day of the Dead is a Mexican holiday honoring departed loved ones. In Christian tradition, All Saints Day honors church mothers and fathers such as Saint Patrick. All Souls Day honors “regular” folks. The “Souls” within Unitarian Universalism include our ancestors in this free religion and in this congregation. For this service, bring photos and other memorabilia of “Souls” to honor during the ceremony of Joys and Concerns. Don’t forget the Halloween parade, for persons of all ages, at the end of the service!

A Message from Rev. Barbara

Dear Members and Friends of UUFD,

How lovely to be moving forward together in Interim Ministry here at UUFD, which I know is a new adventure for many of you. One of the articles about interim ministry some of you have been reading is called “In a Different Country.” Indeed, in many ways an interim period, focused on transitioning, can feel like if not a new country per se, perhaps a new roadmap through known country. An interim period is a time to explore new habits and practices in the “work” of a congregation, and assess and re-assess fundamental values and premises about why we participate in religious community. During transitioning ministry, congregations are asked who they are and where they want to go in the future. The congregation’s Transition Team is there to help guide and support both the interim minister and the congregation.

Let’s reflect on a few basics of an interim period. For starters, the role of the interim minister (that would be me!), broadly stated, is to observe the congregation and hold up a mirror which reflects back the minister’s experiences and observations. These reflections include both what’s going well (of which there is much at UUFD) and areas to consider new ways of doing and being together. An interim minister has their eyes and ears on the total congregation, assessing it as a total system, aware of the need to balance the many areas of congregational life which create the whole. As I suggest some new habit or approach to a congregation, I keep in mind best practices for the entire system, and I do my best to consult with the areas of the congregation most directly related to any suggested change. If you experience something new during this interim period, I invite you to reflect on the purpose of the change and how its fits into a broader context serving the greater good of congregational life, and also to trust that any change is done in the context of best intentions. I also invite you to remain curious about the implications of any change, especially if initially reasons for the change are not clear to you.

Another important premise of interim ministry is that this is a period of shared ministry: that is, while it is the minister who offers those lenses and mirrors and suggests options for expanding habits in congregational life, it is the congregation --- you, the stakeholders of UUFD ---- who implement the work of change, the work of going forward. As stated in “A Different Country,” “The interim time provides an invitation to the congregation to decide how the members themselves will do the work of the congregation.”

A transitioning time in church life can be both exhilarating and anxiety-inducing. As a congregation processes departure of a previous minister and other changes in staffing, while anticipating a new minister and a new mode of ministry. Additionally, in these current times, transitioning ministry is particularly prone to anxiety because of the larger context of the covid pandemic these past two years, the likes of which have created a time in congregational life like no other that we UU ministers have experienced. As UUFD travels through this “Different Country” of interim ministry, it is important to remember that we are not yet over the implications and influences of this pandemic, on our personal lives as well as the life of this religious community. Pandemic-related anxiety and stress remain, with the congregation, with the shared ministries and the professional staff. May we all remember to hold grace and patience among our highest values.

To support greater understanding of Interim Ministry, please note the following:

- The next Transition Forum will be on Sunday October 23, 11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. (after the service and social time)

- Suggested reading from In the Interim (books available in UUFD office)

o “A Different Country,” p. 13 - 22

o “Coming to Terms with History,” p. 51- 61

See you in church!

Rev. Barbara

Message from the UUFD Board President

Hello fellow UUFD members and friends,

The Interim Ministry that we are entering into is a time for reflection on where we have been and where we are now. As part of these reflections, a Task Force is being organized to review the Five Year Strategic Plan that our Congregation created in 2017. This year finishes the 5th year of this Strategic Plan, so it is time for us to review the 2017 Strategic Plan to determine what goals, objectives and tasks were accomplished and how and what goals, objectives and tasks were not achieved, and why. This should be an interesting review and I encourage those interested to contact me or see the E-announcements for more details.

As we move away from the Covid restrictions that have eliminated many of the activities that our Congregation had used to build fellowship between members and friends, it is time to restart them! It is getting together in person for either Faith Formation activities or social activities that help us to get to know each other and to bring us together. It is also an excellent way to welcome our newer members and friends into our Congregation.

Our UUFD involvement in community activities is also a great way to demonstrate our Mission and our UU principles to the wider community. Our entry of a float in the recent Pride parade and floats in prior Snowdown parades are but one example of our outreach into the community. The planned sponsoring of Faith Formation programs such as the OWL program for youth is another example.

As we demonstrate what UUFD is all about to the wider community, more people will be interested in joining us. This brings us around to our physical facility and how it can handle more members and friends. Before Covid, back in 2019, our Facility Planning Task Force did an extensive amount of work discussing this with the Congregation and developed some recommendations. It was recognized in 2019 that as we approached or exceeded 80% of our maximum capacity, overcrowding was becoming uninviting and was a deterrent to more people becoming interested in UUFD. Over the years, we have done small projects to expand our usable space as much as possible, such as by expanding the Sanctuary, chancel and offices. Two areas that the Facility Planning Task Force identified that have not been addressed are the congestion at the entry to the Sanctuary and the Fellowship Hall. The current Fellowship Hall Task Force with the conceptual design of a new Fellowship Hall contiguous to the Sanctuary addresses both of these areas. Essentially the main entry for people could be through the New Fellowship hall where coat storage, greeting and conversation can be done. This reserves the Sanctuary for its intended purpose: worship. Over the next several months there will be more discussion about a New Fellowship hall. It is time to plan for the future now.

As always, if you have any questions, comments or suggestions about Board activity, please Email me or give me a call or attend a Town Hall meeting. I really want to hear from you!

With gratitude to all of my fellow UU members and friends,

John Redemske

Love courageously. Inspire spiritual growth. Work for justice.

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Where is that Newsletter?!

I'm sure several of you have been asking yourself the question above for the last few days and I wanted to take this opportunity to explain.

Most of the congregation knows I've been struggling this year with personal health issues as well the ones my Dad is facing currently, and I just want to thank you again for all your care, compassion and patience. I know I have not been as productive recently because of personal issues and trying to learn a new job but I am determined to improve all of this as well as making new changes and improvements in the office to benefit all of us! I hope this is the last communication that is delayed and I am going to make every effort to guarantee it is but please be patient just a bit longer. I love this fellowship and all of you and want to do the best job I can for you.

Shannon Beaver

Office Administrator

FAMILY MINISTRY AND FAITH FORMATION NEWS

““Courage starts with showing up and letting ourselves be seen.” Breneé Brown.

October is the beginning of the holy days of most faith traditions between now and the end of the year, beginning with Yom Kippur on October 4. This holy day is followed by Mawlid al-Nabi (Muhammed’s birthday), Diwali, and Samhain. These are each markers between the autumn equinox and the winter solstice where the earth is entering its time of apparent death in the northern hemisphere. In fact, we know it is a time of reflection and renewal that is often below the surface. The uncertainty of reflection and renewal requires courage. For most of us, sticking with the status quo seems easier and safer

Reflection and renewal are certainly a big part of Faith Formation’s activities and plans over the autumn.

Children and Youth

With the reordering of the Sunday service, the children are embracing the opportunity to imagine and implement new rituals for themselves when they leave the sanctuary. Two important ones are:

Creating a covenant for their Sunday Circle. They are exploring many of the same questions that adults do – what is the role of kindness in being with one another, what makes you feel safe and accepted, how do you show respect for each other and our places of worship, what values are important to you. They plan to share their Covenant on a Sunday morning during Time for All Ages before the first of November. We hope this project is fostering great conversations at home.

Developing their own Joys and Sorrows ritual. Several the kids have expressed they feel too shy about coming up to share a joy or sorrow in our traditional way of doing this. They are experimenting with ways of expressing this during our Sunday Circle, and they are close to discovering a ritual that honors and makes room for both the outgoing and the shy.

Youth Group

We are still working to get a youth group formed though we don’t have anything new to announce at this time. Keep watching for that announcement that will come soon. For more information, reach out to Harrison Wendt at [email protected].

Welcome Nikki Bauer

As of mid-September, Nikki Bauer has joined the teaching staff. You may have first met her at Pine Song last summer; because of her participating then, the kids already knew her and are delighted to have her in their fold. As the classes grow, we are now prepared to divide this into two groups where the kids will have a circle together for opening and sharing and then split into their age-related activities.

Adult Faith Development Opportunities

There were thirty responses to the survey that went out at the end of August. Our thanks to each person who responded. If you did not and still want to (but maybe have lost track of that email), reach out to Sharon Mignerey ([email protected]) who still welcomes your participation.

We now have a much better idea of the interest for various classes. Watch for announcements soon on coming offerings, which will begin with the History of Unitarian Universalism that will be led by Reverend Barbara Coeyman.

If you have expressed an interest in covenant groups, watch for an announcement shortly after October 1. We have been timing this to fit with readings of existing groups that are about to finish. There are vacancies within two of the groups and enough interest to form one more. If you are interested and have not already reached out, it’s not too late. Drop a note to Sharon Mignerey ([email protected]).

Personal Faith Development

The theme from the Soul Matters Sharing Circle for October is courage. As one way of deepening connections within yourself and your family, we invite you to consider these aspects of courage.

· Contemplate the meaning of the following poem by Christopher Logue. Where are your edges—that place beyond which you think you may fall? Is there a place within you where your desire to explore your edges is greater than your fear of them? For you, what is flying.

Come to the edge.

We might fall.

Come to the edge.

It's too high!

COME TO THE EDGE!

And they came

And he pushed

And they flew.

· Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement, is the holiest day of the Jewish year. Working up the courage to make amends or forgive is scary. We’re tempted to run from it instead of facing it, but the wounded heart left behind may be our own. This is an invitation to be courageous, stop running, and understand what makes it so hard for us.

The Power of Mercy and The Power of Apologies are podcasts about forgiving and apologizing. Engage them this month as part of a spiritual practice that allows you to know yourself better and, hopefully, engaged in the repair of relationships that may be frayed.

In closing: “Perhaps all the dragons in our lives are princesses who are only waiting to see us act, just once, with beauty and courage. Perhaps everything that frightens us is, in its deepest essence, something helpless that wants our love.” ~Rainer Maria Rilke

Submitted,

Sharon Mignerey and Harrison Wendt

The UUFD COVID-19 Advisory Team Needs New Members

1. Need: The COVID-19 Advisory Team (“Team”) is seeking one or two new members to replace anticipated resignations.

2. Charge: The Team keeps the Board and other key leaders up to date on the risk of COVID-19 transmission related to gatherings in indoor Church spaces. The Team reviews community epidemic activity weekly and recommends measures to hold transmission risk below pre-defined thresholds. The Team also considers the risk of bad COVID-19 outcomes for our people, such as severe disease and prolonged debilitation (“long COVID”). The Team meets weekly to stay abreast of the rapidly changing COVID landscape. The Board draws heavily on Team updates in generating COVID-19 Policy as a part of its risk management responsibility.

3. Qualifications:

a. Background in science and/or health care, including comfort with evaluating data.

b. Interest in the subject.

c. Ability to stay focused on data rather than sentiment.

d. Awareness and respect for Unitarian Universalist values.

e. Availability.

i. The weekly meeting schedule and volume of source material can be challenging.

ii. We usually report at monthly UUFD Board meetings.

f. Adherence to our Team Covenant.

4. If you are interested or need more information, contact Graham Smith (505-320-5928; [email protected]) or Nancy Fisher (541-326-6255; [email protected]).

Healthy Congregation Committee Announcement

Non Violent Communication Series

The Healthy Congregation Committee HCC) is sponsoring a 6 week series on learning more about healthy communication and practicing the skill of non-violent communication. We all need more practice!! The workshop will be led by Rachiel Turiel who is both a student and teacher of Nonviolent Communication. She is also a writer and educator in Durango whose mission is to inspire and support both personal and community growth by offering tools of collaboration, communication, and nonviolence. She has been published in the New York Times, High Country News, the Herald, and more.

The series will run on a Monday evening from 5:00 - 6:30 PM October 10th - November 14th in Bowman Hall. The workshop can only accommodate a maximum of 20 people and will be canceled if less than 8 register. There are no fees but we will request a “Love” donation for Rachel once the class begins. Please reserve your spot NOW by contacting Kathleen Adams, [email protected], 970-676-1022 or Tom McCampbell, [email protected], 575-770-3506.

Announcing – new Share the Plate recipients!

Thank you to all those who nominated regional nonprofits for selection as our new Share the Plate recipients. We received nine nominations, and after review and discussion the Social Responsibility and Justice Coordinating Team selected the following organizations as recipients for the assigned months as listed:

October-December Riverhouse Children’s Center

January-March Fort Lewis College Grub Hub

April-June Housing Solutions of the Southwest

July-September Community Connections

Here’s a look ahead to some of the things you will learn about these organizations.

Riverhouse Children’s Center is the largest childcare facility in La Plata County and serves children from six weeks through five years old. Their mission is to build a foundation for a lifetime of success through quality early childhood education. Childcare is very expensive and hard to obtain in Durango but Riverhouse provides significant scholarships that allow lower-income parents to have their children in quality care.

Fort Lewis College Grub Hub is a student-led food justice organization that provides free food, including fresh regional produce, to help destigmatize food insecurity for students. The Grub Hub saw 7,347 visits and distributed 21,340 pounds of food in 2021-2022. They are also collaborating with Manna Soup Kitchen in creating a rapid rehousing program for students at risk of homelessness or experiencing homelessness.

Housing Solutions of the Southwest serves five southwest Colorado counties, including La Plata, and is dedicated to securing and maintaining affordable housing options to individuals and families. Through multiple approaches that include rental assistance voucher programs, transitional living services, emergency homelessness prevention, housing counseling, credit counseling, services and referrals and more, they help people with basic housing needs.

Community Connections is dedicated to the mission of creating opportunities for both children and adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities to lead healthy and fulfilling lives within our community, providing comprehensive services to a five-county region including La Plata. Programs such as early intervention for babies with developmental delay or disability, occupational, speech and physical therapy, living services for greater independence, vocational support services, and case management are some examples of the extensive support systems they provide in our community.

UUFD FALL CLEANUPS: Oct. 7 and Oct. 8 9AM to 12 noon- Our landscape is ready for the fall cleanup with weeding, trimming, and deadheading. The sunflowers and hollyhocks have taken over! We will break it into 2 sessions on the above dates so we can have all of our yard waste on the curb for the city to pick up on Oct. 10. If you can help with this important task on one or both days, please reply to Aline or Carroll at [email protected] or [email protected].

Thanks, Carroll and Aline