One of the things I love about being part of our church is that it offers ways to help me awaken the spirit within that I want to cultivate, but sometimes would pass right on by. The spirit of generosity, for example. It’s clear to me that you all appreciate the chance to give to causes that support our values, but are often overwhelmed by the sheer number of good organizations in the world. Our monthly special plate allows you to give to causes you care about, without having to personally vet each one.

Each month, mostly on the 3rd Sunday, we give our offering away to partners and projects beyond our walls. While our current fiscal year isn't yet over, we can say that many years the special plate offerings awaken nearly $50,000 in giving that might not have happened otherwise. How does it all happen? Through the work of our members and lay leaders.

Each year the Justice Council considers all special plate applications at the same time. Though not every organization will be selected, each application receives a thorough review that seeks to evaluate the merits of each, and the overall balance of the year.

If you are considering making a special plate suggestion for the coming church year, here are some general guidelines.

Organizations must be a 501(c)(3) tax exempt entity. They are more likely to be approved if they

• Operate in Jefferson County or Colorado generally
• Are small enough that $2-4,000 would make a meaningful difference in their budget
• Help larger numbers of people
• Have ties to the members of Jefferson Unitarian Church, particularly if our members are, or are able to be, actively involved in their work
• Align with our Unitarian Universalist values and traditions

While none of these criteria are rigid, they collectively play a role in how the Justice Council determines which applications are approved and which are declined. Only 12 special plate applications are approved each year, and a few organizations are automatically included every year, including the Action Center, Family Tree, Habitat for Humanity, and the Unitarian Universalist Service Committee.

How do you submit an application? You can find a copy of it on the Justice Council portion of our website and email or put a completed copy in my mailbox at church.

I don't make these decisions, the Justice Council does, but I help coordinate getting the applications to our lay leaders for their consideration. Because we want each application to have time for a fair review, we're asking for all applications to be submitted no later than Friday, May 20. Decisions will be made at the June meeting, near the end of the month, and those who put in applications will be notified of the results. Thanks for all you do to make JUC a partner in making a better world everywhere our light shines.

Awakening to Blessing

As we approach the six-year anniversary of the composition of a Unitarian Universalist cantata, “Awakening to Blessing,” here in the month of “Awakening,” I thought it would be interesting to re-visit this creative endeavor that Rev. Wendy, I, the choir, instrumentalists, and the congregation participated in back in 2016. Here is the story of “Awakening to Blessing.”

JUC is a member of the “Soul Matters Sharing Circle.” In fall 2015, when thinking about a scheduled Choir Sunday in May 2016 on the Soul Matters theme of “Blessing,” I had searched for but not located a multi-movement choral work with a particularly Unitarian Universalist approach to the topic of “Blessing.” When I shared this with Rev. Wendy, she suggested, “Why don’t we write one ourselves?” After blinking a few times, and without further consideration, I agreed with her that this would be a good project for us to undertake, with Wendy writing the words and me crafting the music. I had previously composed anthems for the choir and I had written a 12-minute piece for a community choir and orchestra, but I had never set out to create a work of this scope, with six or seven movements, 40-45 minutes, for choir and orchestra.

Rev. Wendy developed a framework of six movements that explored various aspects of the idea of “Blessing.” The fourth movement included an interactive ritual element of worship: a “blessing of the hands” in which congregants/audience members would approach water stations, where officiants would pour water on the hands of and say “Blessed be the work of these hands.”

The process of creating the music for this cantata was one of the most difficult and rewarding experiences I have undertaken in my music ministry. As a choral conductor, I have read through pages and pages of music that I knew was not high quality, and I did not want to write such music! To the contrary: as a UU choir director I have constantly been challenged to locate multi-movement, thematically unified, neither too-difficult nor too-easy music for choir and small orchestra whose duration could fit inside a Sunday morning worship service. In particular, I have been interested in finding such music that speaks in the language of my faith, with text that was not written in another religion’s point of view. In other words, I was involved in this creation, writing exactly to my congregation’s particular needs, with a hope that the work would be of sufficient caliber and interest to appeal to the needs and desires of other Unitarian Universalists who sought after similar works.

Brooke Maddaford, Trustee

I stared at the poster of a wooden bridge over calm waters, wishing I could disappear into the painted sunset while dutifully mulling over the question my therapist had just asked: What fills your bucket, Brooke? 

We had been talking about how I felt stretched and stressed beyond what had ever seemed possible in the “before times,” and how I might prioritize my own needs better in 2022. 

“I think I lost my bucket some time in 2020,” I responded.

I believe many of us can relate to this feeling. We’re now in this “new normal” where vaccines are available and many mask mandates have lifted—and yet covid looms. In the past two years, we lost loved ones and our sense of safety and our illusion of control. We learned that we could endure more than we ever knew, but our nervous systems haven’t recovered from being in a constant state of fear. That. Was. Hard. It’s still hard. But “we can do hard things,” as writer and activist Glennon Doyle says. 

Our theme this month is “awakening.” But how do we wake up from this collective nightmare that we all just lived, and in some cases are still living, through? How do we come back to our old selves while integrating this global trauma that changed us all forever? How do we honor those we lost, and those we will lose, due to inequitable access to health care and vaccines? Answering these questions feels critical and, at times, impossible. 

So, baby steps. What can we do now to wake back up—to awaken? We all know we “should” meditate/pray, exercise, spend time with loved ones, eat healthily, get enough sleep, etc. These are important, but sometimes these goals just get added to my To Do list, which feels like further pressure and potential failure. 

Instead, today, I offer you this: 

“Don’t ask yourself what the world needs. Ask yourself what makes you come alive, and go do that, because what the world needs is people who have come alive.” –Howard Thurman

This quote was handed out by our beloved ministers during the Rose in the Wintertime service, and I’ve clung tightly to it as I’ve been identifying what makes me feel alive in our new normal. How about you? What makes you come truly alive? 

The term “flow state” refers the feeling of being so fully immersed in whatever we’re doing that everything around us seems to fade into the background. It can be challenging to get into a true flow state, but I’ve found it when playing music with others or reading Harry Potter with our son. Psychologist and writer Adam Grant talks in The Happiness Lab podcast about achieving a flow state of mind while playing Mario Kart with his family. Many paths lead to flow and although they’re different for everyone, they frequently involve activities that require deep concentration. 

When I’m in a flow state, I feel a deep sense of peace and the chatter in my mind disappears. All distractions melt away and there is a profound sense of oneness. I wonder if that’s because being in a flow state means we are fully present and completely awake. 



Of course, we can’t spend every moment in a flow state, but when it happens it feels like magic. 

Do you think you’ve ever experienced a flow state of mind? If so, what were you doing? If not, ask yourself what makes you come alive. What does being truly awake look like for you?

This month we continue the series highlighting social justice activists in our church. For April, long-time member Judy Douglass agreed to have a chat with me about her involvement at JUC and why she is motivated to do the work of justice in the community. 

Judy has been active at JUC in many capacities over the years. Her roles have included editing the newsletter, teaching Religious Education, leading the Habitat for Humanity pumpkin patch fundraiser, and serving on the Board of Trustees. Currently, she is focusing her energy on Family Promise and other efforts to address the housing crisis in Arvada and Jeffco. Since her retirement she has had more time to focus on this work that she loves. 

In discussing the catalyst for her activism, Judy stated that there are several motivating factors. First, she finds this work to be very fulfilling. Always looking for ways to contribute, she feels that the ways she is blessed through her work more than make up for her effort and time spent. Among the benefits of volunteerism include the interesting people and friends she meets. 

Judy stated that she believes it is unhealthy for her if she dwells on her own troubles; serving the community helps her to make a positive difference in the lives of countless others while improving her own at the same time. 

I am inspired by Judy’s strong commitment to her faith, that we’re always to work towards equality and justice. Judy attributes her interest in social justice to having been raised in a conservative family, with a father who “practiced social justice by nature.” He treated others with equality and respect, despite differences in race, social location, etc. 

As is the case with Jill Armstrong whom I spoke to last month, Judy also focuses her efforts on local policy. She sees that her efforts can make a bigger impact on the county and local levels, whereas the national level is very difficult to influence. Judy’s main issue at this time is the housing crisis and homelessness. She advocates for affordable housing primarily in Arvada and Jeffco. 

Inspired by Judy’s activism, I signed up to volunteer for Family Promise. I hope you will also consider getting involved with Family Promise, or another project at JUC. 

Thank you to Judy Douglass for taking the time to speak with me and help me to understand the work she has done, is doing, and the motivations behind her efforts. I have enjoyed speaking with JUC’s social justice activists and learning about all the important things they are doing right here, on the local level, to combat homelessness and advocate for affordable housing.

Are You Green Curious?

Martin Voelker

Earth Day is Friday, April 22 and you may be wondering what JUC’s Green Task Force is planning. We highly recommend attending one of the well established Earth Day festivals organized by many Front Range cities. For our own Earth Day event on Sunday, April 24 at 3 p.m. we are showcasing Steve Stevens’ home which he ingeniously turned from a drafty energy hog to a comfortable energy producer. 

But for our first Green Task Force gathering in April on Sunday, April 10 at 4 p.m., we’re inviting ‘green-curious’ people to enjoy Gilla Lachnitt's homemade cakes followed by a round of speed networking. It’s essentially speed dating without the dating. We’ll will split up for several brief one-on-one conversations and share what motivates us to act for climate and environment. Back in the big round we’ll then look for common threads and come up with event ideas or actions for the group. It’s a good way to get to know people better and to get off the side lines. Perhaps we can start an environmental movie night, find topics for a panel discussion, invite activists from environmental organizations, organize electric vehicle test drives, or find ways to engage children and teens at JUC.

It takes surprisingly little time to organize an event, so the individual time commitment is quite small. Getting engaged is much better than doom-scrolling or self medication – so join us!  

Upcoming Green TF events: 

• Geothermal’s Low Carbon Energy Solutions, Thursday, March 31 at 7 p.m.
• Green TF gathering for newcomers with speed networking, Sunday, April 10 at 4 p.m. 
• Earth Day Showcase: Steve Stevens’ Smart Energy Retrofit, Sunday, April 24 at 3 p.m.
• Don't Blow It - Wind Power’s Legal Perils, Thursday, April 28 at 7 p.m.
• Why Modern Building Codes are Crucial for Energy Savings & Comfort, Thursday, May 26 at 7 p.m.

Habitat for Humanity Update

Andy Melick

Home Blessing at Aria Homes

On the afternoon of Thursday, March 3, four under-construction houses at Habitat Metro Denver’s Aria homes were blessed in a ceremony attended by dozens of faith congregation sponsors, including JUC. All four future homeowners were on site. One of the homes is sponsored by Jeffco Interfaith Partners (JIP), a coalition of local churches which JUC founded over twenty years ago. Upon completion, the two-bedroom, 900 square foot townhouse will become the home of Stephanie and her son Xavier. In the past 10 years, Stephanie and Xavier have lived in 11 different apartments. Housing security will have a huge impact on both of their lives.



This traditional ceremony involves messages of blessing from each congregation posted between the studs, as well as origami peace cranes strung through the ceiling rafters. Ad lib well-wishes are also written with markers by everyone present. In Stephanie’s own words, “This house is already so full of love.”

Support Mobile Home Parks at the State Capitol

Kathy Smith, JUC CAN

The JUC Community Action Network (JUC CAN) has been partnering with Together Colorado and several other organizations to engage Jeffco mobile home park residents in learning about new Colorado laws that support and protect them. The work was made possible by grants from Community First Foundation and the JUC Endowment and Memorial Gift Trust.

By far the most common complaint that we’ve heard from residents is about increasing lot rents. Mobile home parks have a unique business model where the residents own their home but pay monthly rent to the park owner for the land (lot) underneath their home. Currently, there is no limit on annual lot rent increases, which leaves home owners vulnerable to unpredictable lot rent increases with little to no ability to move their home. For one park in Golden, lot rents are over $1,000 per month. At another park in Golden, lot rents were increased by 50%+ for most residents when the park changed ownership. Even so, mobile homes are the largest source of naturally occurring, unsubsidized affordable housing, with most residents being hard-working families, older adults, people with disabilities, immigrant families, and veterans.

With increasing land values in Colorado, the “mom and pop” park owners are rapidly being replaced by corporations and investment funds that neglect maintenance and upkeep, increase lot rent, and make immense profits while forcing out hundreds of residents and breaking up lifelong communities. This is the trend facing over 100,000 people who live in over 700 mobile home park communities across Colorado.

JUC CAN has supported legislation to increase protections for mobile home owners and provide an opportunity for residents to purchase their park when it goes up for sale. These laws have been in effect for a couple of years and in that time new challenges have appeared, including predatory lot rent increases and delays using the state-run dispute resolution process. Bills before the state legislature this session offer a chance to address these issues. We have seen the deep suffering of those who are struggling to keep their homes. We must call upon our legislators to prioritize the most vulnerable in our communities and promote the common good through the legislative process.

Please email your Representative and tell them that you support mobile home park residents!

Here is some information about two important bills at the state Capitol:

HB22-1287 (Protections for Mobile Home Park Residents) is an extensive bill that will keep mobile home owners in their homes by expanding opportunities and protections for residents when their parks go up for sale, establishing reasonable annual limits on lot rent increases, and strengthening accountability of park owners. This bill will help safeguard Colorado’s largest source of unsubsidized affordable housing. Fact Sheet and learn more on the Rights for Residents website.

SB22-160 (Loan Program Resident-owned Communities) creates a dedicated $35 million revolving loan and grant program to assist mobile home owners or their assignees seeking to purchase their communities. The bill also furnishes funding for technical assistance to support residents in this process. This bill provides mobile home owners with opportunities for financial advancement and building wealth that are afforded traditional homeowners.

Please sign up for the JUC CAN Action Alert list to receive occasional updates about housing issues, legislation, and actions. Send an email to communityaction@jeffersonunitarian.org with your request to sign up.

And finally, you can learn more about Together Colorado’s legislative action opportunities, which are part of our effort to further human dignity in Colorado this legislative session. Working together, we build a future where everyone in Colorado—Black, white, and brown, long-time resident and newcomer—can thrive.

Ballot Issues: What to Know

Jessy Hennesy, UU the Vote

When I’m talking about our elections to friends who are new to Colorado or don’t live here, I always end up talking about our ballot issues. Remember the 2020 ballot and the 13 statewide issues we had to research and vote on? It’s a lot to ask folks to be informed on. And so many of them were outright deceptive. 

Since it’s again an even year, we are back into the possibility of a dozen or more initiatives and propositions making our ballots. JUC’s UU the Vote (UUTV) team will be doing lots of research and communication about the ones that make the ballot, but signature collection is already starting to ramp up for items going through the initiative process. 

As you encounter signature gatherers, here’s our advice:

1. When in doubt, don’t sign. If there’s one thing I hope you gather about these, it’s this. Once bad measures get on the ballot, opponents frequently have to spend millions of dollars informing the voting public of possible consequences. And you’ll almost always have another chance to sign at a later time. 
2. Read the measure. Folks gathering signatures can be deceptive (intentionally or through being uninformed) about what a measure does. I’ve in particular heard about this deception around tax measures and abortion restrictions. You’ll be less likely to be caught by this deception if you read the measure yourself. 
3. Do some additional research. Beyond reading the measure, look it up. You can do this online, or contact people who can help. This might be the library, the League of Women Voters, or JUC’s UUTV team. I’m happy to do research and get back to you (you can leave me a voicemail or text me at 303-880-2459), and I’ll be trying to post info about measures collecting signatures on my personal Facebook page and JUC’s Virtual Commons Facebook group. 
4. Again, generally don’t sign petitions to get things on the ballot. As the League of Women Voters suggests: think before you ink!

Some of the things people are hoping to get on the ballot are good! UUTV and other JUC justice organizations (like the JUC Community Action Network) will do our best to give you opportunities to sign petitions for the ballot initiatives we vet and support as aligning with JUC values. But many ballot measures are funded by extreme right-wing organizations trying to gut our government through tax cuts, restrict reproductive rights, or otherwise advance causes that aren’t aligned with our JUC values. Do your part to keep our state democracy healthy and keep an eye out for these measures!!