UUFD Newsletter, March 2022

March 2022

Let your ka catch up

Message from Rev. Munro Sickafoose, UUFD Targeted Minister

In ancient Egypt, it was said that when someone went on a journey, it took four days for their ka to catch up with them once they reached their destination. Ka was roughly equivalent to the idea of an eternal ‘soul.’ It survived the death of a person, and could reside in a picture or statue after their death. I’ve always wondered why it took four days, and why their ka didn’t simply travel with them. My totally unfounded guess is that in those days, a person’s identity and the place they lived were indivisible. One’s ka and that place were deeply bound, and the ka was reluctant to leave. We do, after all, feel safer and more comfortable in our home place, and we also derive a sense of identity from it. Why four days? That seems to be roughly the time it takes to start feeling comfortable in a new place.

But what about when our home places undergo rapid change, as they are doing now? Political unrest, economic uncertainty, pandemics, and more; the changes are the equivalent of going on a long journey in a foreign land that looks just like home, but isn’t! It feels like we are journeying all the time, when it is the world that is doing the moving. We can feel unprotected, vulnerable and uncertain. It’s easy to become weary. We can’t stop the world changing. However, we can stop, stop long enough for our ka to catch up. Take time for your ka, and say, “Here I am. I am in this here and now. I will stop here and wait.” Just stop and wait. This is not the same as a day off!

Whether we believe in eternal souls is moot. Feeling more at home in a changing world takes time, and we must make time for it, and not rush. Regularly taking the time to let your ka catch up with the world, even if it’s just one day or one afternoon a week, is a spiritual practice that I highly recommend.

March Services

On March 13, services will be back in person as well as online! At the Feb. 22 Board meeting, the COVID Advisory team provided updated information on local transmission rates and trendlines. Current virus prevalence places us at a point where in-person worship can resume while meeting our safety parameters. We will continue to use established protocols on masking, distancing and vaccination. Worship on zoom will continue to be provided. To join a Zoom worship, look for the link on the UUFD website.

March 6

Communion

-Rev. Munro Sickafoose

Many of our social challenges are complex predicaments that are not easily solved, if they can be ‘solved’ at all. Many solutions create more problems than resolutions. But what if thinking we have solutions is part of the problem?

March 13 - IN PERSON SERVICES RESUME

The First Unitarians

-Rev. Munro Sickafoose

Unitarian history goes back a long way. Our tradition is deeply grounded in reason and religious tolerance, concepts that were once radical, and are under attack again today by the same kinds of forces that attacked them then.

March 20, Celebration Sunday!

Be A Leaf

-Rev. Gary Kowalski*

Celebration Sunday is the time to share a little green with your favorite faith community. Please be prepared to complete a pledge card for fiscal year 2022-23 and consider a 10-12% increase in giving if you are able, which will provide COLAs for our staff, bring on a new Interim Minister, fund a fresh start for Faith Formation, and expand our social justice impact. Rev. Kowalski's remarks will address the perennial questions: Who Are We? Where Did We Come From? Why Are We Here? Is there some greater Purpose or Destiny we are intended to fulfill? The answers, it appears, may already be in bud.

*Minister In Residence: Gary Kowalski and his wife Dori Jones will be in Durango the weekend of March 19-20 and the days adjacent. Please contact [email protected] if you would like to meet socially, have a cup of coffee, share concerns about the congregation, or if you just need a good listener. Gary is always available for zooming or by phone (505-257-5014) when not in town.

March 27

Land of the Free

-Rev. Gary Kowalski

Some of you may know the life and story of civil rights activist and martyr Viola Liuzzo. For others her name and biography may be new. (The FBI tried its best to tarnish and bury her legacy but failed.) In honor of women's history month, Rev. Kowalski revisits the remarkable bravery that took Viola from her Unitarian congregation in Detroit to the front lines of Selma where she died, reflecting on what lessons we can take away in this renewed moment of racial reckoning.

Message from John Redemske, UUFD Board President

Hello fellow UUFD members and friends,

I became acquainted with the UU philosophy about 30 years ago when living in southern NH and was active in the Milford congregation. After moving to Durango in 2012, I became active in many parts of the UUFD community. With my engineering background, a large amount of my volunteer activity was five years as Building and Grounds Chair. We were a growing congregation and over those years I helped facilitate the creation of the office space in the upper floor of the San Juan House, the expansion of the rear of the Sanctuary and the Sanctuary Chancel expansion. The actual projects were completed with the help of many, many members of our congregation. All of us were giving our time and effort for the creation of something larger than what each of us could have done on our own. Working together, look what we accomplished!

As we enter into the season when we think about our annual pledge for the coming year, consider that our combined financial contributions to UUFD also facilitate the furthering of our mission in a way that no one individual could do. Just like rowing a boat in the water, however, the more effort each of us put into rowing, the faster the boat travels toward our goals. So, as you think about your pledge this year, consider increasing your pledge to help UUFD accomplish its mission!

This is also the time of year when we consider and discuss our budget for the coming year. Our budget is a description, in terms of money, of what parts of UUFD are important to us. The Finance Committee and the Board have been compiling budget information from the various UUFD Committees and Teams to develop a draft budget. The draft budget will be discussed with the Congregation in a “Town Hall” format Zoom meeting after the Sunday service on the 6^th March. This will be a time for all of us to think about what is important for us at UUFD. I strongly encourage the entire Congregation to participate in this budget discussion. It will be a time to listen. It will be a time to think as much about what is important to other people in the congregation, as it is to think about what is important to us individually. We are all in this together!

Fortunately, the Omicron variant of the COVID virus has rapidly diminished, and the Board, in consultation with the UUFD COVID Advisory Group and the Worship Team, decided that we will re-start in-person worship services on Sunday March 13. The same COVID protocols will be in place (N95 masking and vaccinations) as were used last December, unless there is an update from our COVID Advisory Group. It will be very exciting to meet together again!

As always, if you have any questions, comments or suggestions about Board activity, please give me a call! 603-345-2244.

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

John Redemske

FAMILY MINISTRY AND FAITH FORMATION NEWS

It's Music Month!

A message from Leah Ongiri, family ministry coordinator

March is Music Month in Faith Formation!

March 6:Last Zoom session

Put on your dancing shoes…or just log on however you happen to be. Dancing belongs to every body, and it’s the perfect way to kick off our March Month of Music. Attend the main service if you like and then log on at https://uuma.zoom.us/j/93505231864. You can save the link, or just click when it’s dropped into the Zoom chat at the end of the service.

March 13:In person at the Fellowship; start in the main service

Do you have a favorite song, playlist, or music video? Bring the title of a song or two to share and leave with some new music ideas.

March 20:In person at the Fellowship; start in the main service

We’ll welcome special guest duo Hallie Denman and Jackson Bullock to help us in our exploration of music.

March 27:In person at the Fellowship; start in the main service

You don’t have to be a master professional to make music. We can even do it over Zoom with each other.

All children and youth are welcome. Contact Leah Ongiri at [email protected] for more information or to get involved.

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Welcome Joe Sykes as new Technical Director

Since James Mirabal has moved on to another job, we warmly welcome our member Joe Sykes as our new Technical Director! Joe will be managing all aspects of our Audio/Visual equipment for our Sunday services, including the management of the Zoom platform and the recording of our services for our web site. Joe brings with him years of experience in live and broadcast stage production and organizing and planning for indoor or outdoor music and community events. Be sure to stop by on Sunday when we are meeting in person and welcome Joe as he manages this very important part of our Sunday services.

What's next with the Pledge Campaign

"All Together Now!"

All Together Now is the slogan for this year’s pledge campaign and uses the river as a metaphor for a journey that inspires us to give in order to support what we believe in and to nourish our commitment to our fellowship - love, spiritual growth, and social justice. With the onset of the war against Ukraine, the waters are even more turbulent and troubled than before. Our democracy, our sense of justice, our belief in human kindness are all under assault and to stay afloat psychologically and emotionally, we must pull together and support our faith based community. Will you give 10% to 12 % more this year than last year to cover rising costs and to add new programs to our expanding congregation? If you can’t increase your pledge, if not already offering your time, please consider sharing that precious resource.

Please make sure to join us on Celebration Sunday, March 20, in person! Have your pledge card with you to fill out and hand in at the end of the service. The Floozies will again encourage us all to be more generous with our money, smiles and laughter! You can also mail your pledge card to the church office after March 20 or drop it in the locked mail slot at the base of the church office. Questions/concerns? Contact Kathleen Adams at 970-676-1022 or [email protected].

“These are extraordinary times. Much hangs in the balance. Do not stint or shortchange the future you believe in.” -Rev. Gary Kowalski

Text-to-give

Video explains a simple, quick way to give to UUFD

Want to become a text-giver to UUFD? Here’s a one-minute instructional video on how to set yourself up to donate very conveniently and quickly using your smart phone: https://youtu.be/aYlpo_huD7Q

Text donations made from the day before the first Sunday each month until the Friday after first Sunday will go to that month’s Share The Plate recipient. All other text donations will count as a regular Sunday Collection plate gift.

Choir is coming back!

Diversitones resume rehearsals March 16

The UUFD Choir, the Diversitones, will resume rehearsals on Wednesday, March 16, in preparation for Easter and beyond. Rehearsals will start at 6:30 pm in the sanctuary and, for now, will last just one hour. Vaccinations, boosters, and masks required. If you have been thinking about joining - or rejoining - the choir, this would be a great time to do it! For more information, email Elizabeth Crawford, director.

Scholarships offered to attend UUA General Assembly

GA to be held June 22-26 in Portland, OR

The Nominating and Leadership Development Committee is looking for a couple of members who are considering becoming more engaged at UUFD (especially young adults) and who wish to attend the annual UUA General Assembly to be held June 22-26 in Portland, Oregon.

Our intention is to provide an opportunity for the selected participants to learn more about their place in the UU family and to hopefully be inspired to step into UUFD leadership positions such as team leader, committee member, or a Board of Trustees position.

If you are interested in applying for this scholarship, please contact anyone on the Nominating and Leadership Development Committee:

Kathy Devine ([email protected]); Donna Nelson ([email protected]); or Mary Sison ([email protected])

Guidance for resuming in-person meetings at UUFD

How we can safely come together

As President John noted in his message above, COVID-19 activity in our County has diminished to the point that in-person services can resume on March 13. What about other in-person gatherings in our indoor spaces, such as Bowman Hall, the common area of the San Juan Office and the Columbine House rooms?

The good news is that such gatherings are now safe if certain occupancy limits are respected and if N-95 masks are worn by all occupants. If you are a committee or team leader wishing to reserve a room for your meeting, here is the general procedure to follow.

First, as in the past, send an email to our Office Administrator Jeanne MacKenzie ([email protected]) so she can check availability and tentatively book the room on the Church calendar. As our Campus reopens, you can anticipate increasing demand for rooms, so you’ll want to schedule at least a week in advance and indicate if the meeting will recur on a regular basis. This will also give us time to review the safety of your proposed meeting, as described below.

Second, you will want to know whether the number of participants, duration of the meeting and other measures are in compliance with Board policy designed to minimize the risk of spreading COVID-19 at indoor gatherings. The COVID Advisory Team will be happy to provide you with that guidance. Just drop an email either to Nancy Fisher ([email protected]) or me ([email protected]). We’ll close the loop by notifying Jeanne of our guidance.

Graham Smith

For the COVID-19 Advisory Team

Why good things happen to good people

Social Responsibility and Justice (SRJ) Special Feature

If you read any of the social justice UUFD newsletter articles, you know that the work of our congregation to seek and create justice in our community is noticed and appreciated. We are acting to make lives better for others through generosity and caring with our time and our money. Do you know that in doing so, you are creating a longer, happier, and healthier life for yourself?

In their book Why Good Things Happen to Good People, Dr. Stephen Post, professor of bioethics at Case Western Reserve University’s School of Medicine, and Jill Neimark, journalist, novelist and former features editor of Psychology Today, share research from the nation’s top universities about the life-enhancing benefits of caring, kindness, and compassion. Here are some highlights about acts of caring and kindness that not only help others, but also ourselves, summarized by Eric Barker, an author who presents science-based answers and expert insight on how to be awesome in life.

Gratitude – not the typical gratitude journal. Show gratitude to others. Write them a letter of gratitude, say what they’ve done for you and what it meant. Or call or zoom. Research says this doesn’t just make you happier in the moment, but increases happiness for both parties for months.

Give – give support to someone else. Volunteer, offer help, show emotional support to someone. Data show those who give support to others improve their own mental health even more than those receiving it.

Forgiveness – you don’t have to condone someone’s bad behavior, but you can stop letting it torture you by forgiving them. It takes empathy and courage, but it ultimately puts you back in control of your own life and you get back your power and self-esteem and sense of hope.

Laugh – shared laughter creates bonds between people and heals relationships. Keep a playful perspective and share it with others. You’ll feel better.

There’s an astonishing connection between caring, generosity and health and you can read more in the book. But let’s celebrate together that we as a congregation are doing good for ourselves as well as for others as we continue our commitment to love courageously and work for justice.

Healing Racism Team Reflections Series

Resources and upcoming meeting

Over the last several months, UUFD's Healing Racism Team has used the newsletter to offer the congregation personal vignettes about anti-racism resources. Remember when...

Anna shared about how much the Characteristics of White Supremacy have informed her understanding of her own racism, as well as her conversations with others?
Marianna encouraged all of us towards self-reflection and growth using the Me & White Supremacy book and journaling tools?
Steve offered resources for the anti-racist parent, including lists of children's books?

If you haven't already, we hope you'll explore these resources - and let us know what you think!

And if you're ready for more: the Healing Racism Team meets on Monday, March 14 at 6:30 pm to discuss next steps. What would you like to see UUFD do next in our healing racism journey? If you have a suggestion, or you might be interested in joining the team, please let us know: [email protected].

Town Hall style budget review meeting March 6

All members encouraged to attend Zoom

The Finance Committee and the Board have been compiling budget information from the various UUFD Committees and Teams to develop a draft budget. The draft budget will be discussed with the Congregation in a “Town Hall” format Zoom meeting immediately following the March 6 Sunday service.

Our budget is a description, in terms of money, of what parts of UUFD are important to us. This will be a time for all of us to think about what is important for us at UUFD. The entire Congregation is strongly encouraged to participate in this budget discussion. It will be a time to listen and discuss. It will be a time to think as much about what is important to other people in the congregation, as it is to think about what is important to us individually. We are all in this together! Hope to see you there!