ISSUE 78

DECEMBER 2022

Returning the Torch

This week marks an auspicious time in the life of JUC, as you welcome Wendy Williams back from a four-month Sabbatical. A sabbatical, as the name implies, is a time of rest and renewal. But it may be something else, as well.

It occurs to me that clergy sabbaticals are akin to what William Bridges, in his books about transitions, called the Neutral Zone. This is an interval between the time something ends, and the time something new takes its place, in which it seems that nothing is happening. But appearances are misleading.

Important things are likely happening in the Neutral Zone, but they're happening underground, beneath conscious awareness. Dr. Bridges says, "...[I]n the neutral zone there is often little to do except to wait watchfully as the closer edge of your new life begins to come into focus, rising up out of the depths beyond your sight..." Or, as Howard Thurman has written about the Growing Edge, "The fruit ripens on the trees, while the roots are silently at work in the earth, against a time when there shall be new leaves, fresh blossoms, green fruit. Such is the growing edge!"

When Rev. Wendy returns, chances are she'll have changed, in small or big or ways. We can't predict those exact ways. At very least, she'll be rested and renewed. She'll have had a chance to spend some time "just being," and rediscovering herself (to use her words) as a "human being, not a human doing."

As you prepare for Wendy's return, I'd invite all of you to reflect on the ways you may have changed in the last four months. It's said that a minister's sabbatical is a sabbatical for the congregation, not just the minister. How has it been a sabbatical for you? What have you discovered about yourself in this time? What gifts have you found in yourself? What treasures can you bring to this beloved community?

As for me, I'm back home in Albuquerque, after a drive marked by blessedly light traffic, benign weather, and beautiful vistas along I-25. I can't adequately express in words what a joy it's been to be with you these last few months! As I read the notes you wrote to me on my last Sunday, which church staff have beautifully arranged in an album, I'm filled with gratitude for our time together, and for the opportunity to serve with you. I can say that this time has been a time of growth and discovery for me, as I further live into what it means to be an elder "flunking retirement."

I can also say that last weekend, I learned anew the importance of vital religious community. Like many of you, I woke up to last Sunday's news of the mass shooting at Club Q. It hit me like a gut punch - too close to home, for many reasons - and I knew I'd find solace, strength, and a sense of solidarity from JUC's Sunday Service. I attended on livestream, and you did not disappoint. Thanks for being the extraordinary community you are!

SPARKLERS

Rev. Wendy Williams, Senior Minister

December - The Path of Wonder

As we come into the season where nature’s beauty is made more so by muted and minimal light, holidays and holy days call us on to The Path of Wonder. How might the path of wonder help us cope with challenges and complexities?

Perhaps it is by developing new (or renewed) ways of seeing. As Proust wrote so long ago: The voyage of discovery lies not in seeking new vistas but in having new eyes.

Perhaps a skilled way into that is through journaling. Author and physician Rachel Naomi Remen has a worthy practice you may want to explore.

Warning: Don’t let the perfect be an enemy of good. This isn’t about writing well. It’s about noticing, paying attention and reshaping your vision.

Board of Trustees Report

The following topics were explored at the most recent Board of Trustees meeting.

The Board welcomed a presentation from leaders of JUC CAN and Together Colorado. They discussed their goals, collaboration with JUC, how to involve more congregants, past projects, and hopes for the future.

The Board discussed congregational involvement in social justice and systemic change.

The Board prepared for the November 13, 2022, congregational meeting. Due to covid restrictions, this was our first in-person, congregational meeting in three years!

The Board discussed a request from the Leadership Nominating Committee (LNC) regarding recommendations for leadership positions within JUC.

The Board discussed the importance of safety and JUC’s Policy on Disruptive Behavior.

Path of Change and Planned Giving

If we view our life as being on the path of change, one of the effective ways to deal with change is by planning. Estate planning is a great example of how we can be better prepared for inevitable change. The JUC website has a section called Life Decisions that provides excellent resources to aid us in working on our end-of-life plan. It’s wise to start this process without haste and well before it is needed. It can always be updated. It will give us more peace of mind and our loved ones will certainly appreciate our compassionate thoughtfulness.

While planning, please include a bequest to JUC to memorialize one’s legacy. Contact our Planned Giving team: Bud & B.J. Meadows, Mike Kramer or Carol Wilsey

Welcome to the month of wonder! I love that the word “wonder” has more than one meaning. As a noun, it is a heart-centered word - it evokes an emotional response - I am filled with wonder as I sit in front of the beautiful lights at Christmas time. Its verb form is more brain-centered - I wonder why those lights can stay on all night without burning up. Both meanings share the common denominator of encouraging ourselves to walk through the world with an open heart, an open mind and open senses.

What are some of my current wonderings? I wonder how we can best serve families during this strange time of trying to create a “new normal” that I want to call post-covid, knowing full well that covid is still with us. The Family Ministry Team had a robust discussion recently about how to keep families engaged without burning them out. We had a few ideas but would welcome thoughts from our families. In fact, we would love to have a couple more parents join our team. Let me know if you are interested - people of all genders encouraged to join - we could use some more gender diversity on our team.

I wonder if you know that our Nursery and PreK/K rooms are staffed by some highly qualified people! Melissa Powell has beautifully transformed the PreK/K room into a welcoming and fun space. She is bringing engaging crafts and stories for our young congregants. Carla Blue-Norton is making sure that the nursery is safe, welcoming and stimulating. Rae Robinson and Amy Schubert-Zhang are providing a stable presence and helping our teen workers learn to care for our young friends.

I was filled with wonder as I saw our 1st-5th graders at the Abundant Harvest table handing out bowls of soup and so many delicious treats. Thanks to the creativity of their teachers who make up our 2nd-5th “theme team” Judy Douglass, Nancy von Burske, Lucinda Duncan and Dindy Fuller, they were able to put their faith in action and raise over $600 for the Arvada Rising homeless ministry.

I wonder which of the many family-friendly events you will choose this December. We have so many!

Friday, December 2: First Friday Open Mic - Holiday version
Sunday, December 4: Middle and High School S’mores and Hot Chocolate Social
Wednesday, December 7: Families of Color - dinner and games
Sunday, December 11: I Heart Xmas - sing the songs of the season while raising money for our Guatemala partners
Wednesday, December 21: Solstice Service - experience the wonder of the return of the light
Saturday, December 24: Christmas Eve Family Services

No matter how you celebrate I wish you and yours a holiday season filled with wonder!

Luke 2:8-11:

“Now in that same region there were shepherds living in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. Then an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid, for see, I am bringing you good news of great joy for all the people: to you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is the Messiah, the Lord.”

Having been raised Christian (the fundamentalist evangelical variety, but that’s for another article), the story of the shepherds and the announcement of Jesus’s impending birth is one I’ve heard dozens, maybe hundreds of times. But as a child, I don’t think I ever really stopped to think what it might have been like for those shepherds. Imagine sitting in the craggy Palestinian countryside in springtime, in the dark - no flashlights, no electric lights, maybe with a small fire for warmth, the hills perhaps dimly illuminated by stars or a sliver of moon. Peaceful… familiar… known.

Suddenly, breaking the solitude of hours, a blazing light, which appears to be coming from… from… a stranger who definitely wasn’t here a few seconds ago and appears to be… glowing??? In a short time, so the story goes, the shepherds would get to meet the embodiment of divine love come down to earth. They would know the peace of the Divine themself, all feelings of panic banished. But before that? Yes, I think “terrified” probably sums it up quite well. I think I can safely say I’d be terrified.

And somehow, this all feels vaguely familiar. Over the past two, now going on three years, how often has our wonder arrived preceded by apprehension? How often has unexpected joy come from something that at first seems strange or unsettling? How many times has an unwelcome event piqued our curiosity? How many human innovations have come about because of unexpected - and often difficult - world events?

Let me be clear: I absolutely do not subscribe to the theology that says all bad things happen for a reason, or that a deity sends us horrific events to “test” us. I simply do not believe that, if there is a loving God, he would inflict upon his children that kind of cruel test. Nor do I think it’s fair or right to ask grieving people to look for a silver lining in the midst of their grief. And please, if you find yourself in a season of grief during these holidays, please do join us in person or online for our Blue Christmas Service on Tuesday, December 13.

But also, as we continue to experience changes and the natural apprehensions that go along with them - in our lives, our congregation, and our country - and consider our next steps, I want to remind you to engage your sense of wonder, of awe, of curiosity in response - not out of a strained sense of false positivity, but out of the knowledge that, eventually, new circumstances bring new opportunities.

It’s a wonder tinged with apprehension… But it’s also a wonder filled with possibility, with curiosity about what comes next. So in the midst of some of the apprehensions this holiday season, as well as the regular bustle it often brings, my wish for you is that you are able to embrace wonder in all its forms:

Wonder at the natural rest and renewal that the northern hemisphere is experiencing through the solstice.
Wonder at having our senior minister, Rev. Wendy, back with us, also rested and renewed.
Wonder at the story of Hanukkah - a story of resistance and faith.
Wonder at the Christmas story, the joy of the divine come to earth.
Wonder at the celebration of African culture, heritage, resilience, and self determination that is Kwanzaa.
Wonder at being with friends and family and community, however that may look for us, and in whatever ways those gatherings may have changed over the past couple of years.

Poetry of Wonder

The William Blake (1757 - 1827) poem speaks about the ordinary stuff of everyday life - a blossom, a moment, a tiny piece of rock - and knowing that in each atom is contained tremendous expanses.

"To see the world in a grain of sand

And heaven in a wild flower.

Hold infinity in the palm of your hand,

And Eternity in an hour."

These lines which contain an invitation to wonder, come from a much larger poem, Auguries of Innocence, which include the stanzas:

"It is right it should be so,

Man was made for Joy & Woe.

And when this we rightly know

Thro the World we safely go.

Joy & Woe are woven fine,

A Clothing for the soul divine.

Under every grief & pine

Runs a joy with silken twine.”

From time to time, I include some of these lines in Pastoral Prayers that I offer, wrestling with the challenge of being human. At least according to William Blake, and other poets, and various spiritual teachings from around the world, the opportunity is to rest in the assurance that the human spirit is completely equipped to be in midst of both joy and sorrow, and that they are intertwined.

Another William Blake poem, “Eternity,” offers these lines:

"He who binds himself to a joy

Does the winged life destroy

He who kisses the joy as it flies

Lives in eternity’s sunrise.”

As you recognize, this invitation is not to hold on to ephemeral experiences, but to experience each moment for what it is. The Boulder-based composer Bill Douglas has set some of these lines in a choral anthem that the JUC Choir will be singing on December 4, as we at JUC enter into the month of Wonder. You can hear the Ars Nova Singers of Boulder singing this lovely piece here.

In this month of Wonder, may you be remember that the universe is present within you, that you are made literally out of the dust of stars, that you and I were given the tools - by our very being - to be present with both joy and sorrow, and that we may honor and acknowledge every moment as it flies.

UU the Vote

Jessy Hennesy

We made it through Colorado’s midterm elections!! With over 70% turnout, Jeffco was behind only one (very small) county’s voting rate. Well done everyone who voted, pestered your friends and family into voting, communicated about ballot issues, or had other participation!

The national midterm election is also extremely close to over - we are down to the Georgia Senate runoff, to determine whether Rev. Raphael Warnock will continue to represent Georgia or be replaced by Hershel Walker. That election is December 6; if you are interested in supporting non-partisan efforts to get marginalized voters out to the polls you can find ways to do so at UUthevote.org/events

Speaking of national turnout efforts, our congregation and friends have written and mailed over 7,000 postcards (between the primary, general, and runoff elections) to make it easier for folks to navigate election systems in Georgia, Arizona, Florida, and Alabama.

But election issues haven’t finished for the next two years. Odd numbered years bring special district elections. Wondering what those are? Pay attention to UU the Vote in the spring when we’ll be digging into those!

If you’d like to join the UU the Vote email list, email uuthevote@jeffersonunitarian.org.

Colorado Voters Passed Statewide Funding for Affordable Housing

JUC CAN

Thank You JUC Members Who Voted “YES” on Proposition 123!

Colorado now leads the country in taking steps to tackle our affordable housing crisis, which has sent home prices and rents soaring and has contributed to workforce staffing shortages and growing inequities. The passage of Proposition 123 gives Colorado’s local governments and nonprofits more tools and funding to preserve and build affordable housing, fund programs for the unhoused, help renters build wealth to become homeowners, and provide down payment assistance for first-time homebuyers (with preference to first-generation homebuyers). Local governments that opt-in will prioritize local review of building approvals and endeavor to increase the number of homes that Coloradans can afford by 3% every year.

As Rev. Jen Simon discussed in her November 20 sermon, systemic change can be difficult but is needed to help improve our society. Our state’s housing crisis has developed over many years, and it will not be solved overnight. Over the last 20 years, low-to-middle-income wages have mostly remained stagnant while home prices have more than doubled. Half of Coloradans can’t afford to live here, and the unhoused population is on the rise. Teachers, first-responders, and essential workers can’t afford to live in the communities they serve. People living on fixed incomes are being pushed out of their communities. Young professionals struggle to afford rents or mortgages, and young people who want to start families can’t afford (or find) starter homes.

What can you do?

Funding through the new programs created from Proposition 123’s passage is expected to be available by next summer. Local governments and nonprofits will need to apply for grants administered by the Colorado Housing and Finance Authority (CHFA) and the state Division of Housing. Our city and county elected officials and staff will need to hear from you, the grassroots, about your priorities for affordable housing in our communities. Please stay tuned as we learn more about the application process for funding—and please engage with JUC CAN’s Calls to Action as we work with our partners throughout Jefferson County.

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.