UUCB men and young adults help church members with flood recovery
11/03 “The Love Remedy”
Amy Rowland, Ministerial Resident
11/10 “Tilting at Windmills”
Rev. Howell K. Lind, Developmental Minister
11/17 “To Do No Harm”
Janen Wright, Lifespan Faith Development Director
and Rev. Howell K. Lind, Developmental Minister
Full Church Worship Service
11/24 “We Are Better Together
Kierstin Homblette, Boulder Denver Cluster Beloved Community Coordinator
Interested in learning more about Unitarian Universalism or about the process of becoming a member of the Unitarian Universalist Church of Boulder?
There will be a two session Path to Membership class, from 12:00 pm until 1:30 pm, on Sunday, November 3rd and Sunday, November 10th.
For those who, after participating in this Path to Membership class and wish to formally join our religious community, there will be a Welcoming of New Members at the 10:30 am Worship Service on November 17th.
Attending this class does not commit one to joining the church, but it is an opportunity for those who want to know about UUCB and Unitarian Universalism to then make the decision of whether or not to formally affiliate with UUCB. A sign up sheet for those interested in attending will be at the church office in the weeks preceding the first class on November 3rd. If childcare is needed so that you might attend these Path to Membership sessions, please let the church office know so that child care can be provided.
The Path to Membership sessions are a great way to learn more about Unitarian Universalism and to better understand what our church in Boulder is working to accomplish in the lives of our members and in the larger community.
What is the best way to give back to the church community you love? To find your place? To make new friends? To live your UU values? Volunteer!
UUCB relies on its volunteers and lay leaders for everything coffee on Sunday morning to making important decisions about the future of our church. Many of us lead busy lives and find it hard to dedicate time to the church beyond attending on Sunday mornings, but those who share their time and talent report that volunteering is well worth the time.
More good news: opportunities are available at the church right now! So, if a Member of the Leadership Development Committee or Board of Trustees talks to you about filling a need at our church, please give it consideration. We need you to make our community an even better place. We’ll also keep volunteer opportunities posted here in the CLM so that you can let a member of the Leadership Development Committee know you might be the perfect fit.
This month, we are looking for:
1, Auction chair- we need to find someone willing to coordinate the fundraising auction this year. We won’t be able to hold the auction in November as usual, but it can certainly be done early next year.
We have auction software that should make job easier.
2. Fundraising coordinator- We’re looking for ideas about how to do some fundraising from people who aren’t members, instead of expecting our members and friends to both pledge and support every fundraiser.
We don’t expect this person to *do* all of the events, rather, to gather ideas and get people who are excited about them to make them happen.
3. UUSC chair– The Unitarian Universalist Service Committee is an International Service group that ascribes to UU Principles and is informed by the United Nations Declaration of Human Rights. Feel free to call Mary Jean Ewing if you would like to learn more about UUSC and what our church has done in recent years with this group.
–The Leadership Development Committee
(David Hughes, Ingrid Parker, George Wolf, Paula Base, Mary Clough, and Toni Piwonka-Corle)
Meet the organization that will get 100% of our four November Sunday “Share the Plate” collections. It’s Boulder Meals on Wheels. Their motto is “We deliver energy … and smiles!” The motto refers to the fact that Meals on Wheels delivers nourishing food along with the friendly, loving care of volunteers and staff.
Meals on Wheels of Boulder was founded in 1969 and their mission is to provide tasty, nutritious fully prepared meals to residents of our community who need their service, regardless of age or income. Their goals are to provide nutritious, well-balanced meals, to help clients maintain or restore their health, to remain independent in their own homes, and to provide a daily ”wellness check.”
For this 2013-2014 church year, our congregation was selected to be a “mentoring” congregation to the Mission Peaks Unitarian Universalist Congregation in Fremont, California. It is a distinct honor to be chosen by the Unitarian Universalist Association’s Pacific Western Region to be in our denomination’s “Leap of Faith” program. Being chosen signifies UUCB as a congregation that has succeeded and prospered over the immediate past few years, as witnessed by our congregation’s current vitality, energy, and social justice outreach, not to mention our development and creation of several exciting new programs that has made UUCB noteworthy on the national denominational scene.
In August our church’s “travel team” met with the eight member team from the Mission Peaks UU Congregation at the Leap of Faith “Launch” in Sacramento, California. It was a productive get-together and exchange and several areas were quickly identified where UUCB could be of assistance to Mission Peaks as they work toward achieving and realizing some objectives that they want to accomplish during this program year. In turn, there are some things that UUCB can take advantage from Mission Peaks where we can learn and explore new ideas.
It is an exciting partnership and we look forward to a visit to Boulder in January from the representatives of Mission Peaks as we explore this connection together.
Relatedly, on this topic of connection and partnership, I am pleased that UUCB has been able to adjust our fall events and commitments on Friday evenings and Saturday mornings to accommodate helping out our neighbor, Bonai Shalom. The Bonai Shalom congregation will be utilizing our building and facilities while their Shul (on Cherrryvale Road) undergoes repairs from the flooding in Boulder this past September. While our sanctuary had some water damage, it was nothing compared to what our neighbors at Bonai Shalom experienced. Their temple had extensive water and flood damage and, while repairs are being made to their temple, it feels good to be able to help out our neighboring Jewish congregation.
Connecting . . . Being in Relationship . . . Helping and Learning from One Another. That’s what being together in community is all about. It is what we, as Unitarian Universalists, profess and try to live. I am glad and proud that we are doing it here at UUCB.
Howell
On Connection
One of the things I find myself most grateful for this Thanksgiving season is having the opportunity to make new friends and new connections. I am grateful to be automatically part of a Unitarian Universalist family in this move so I don’t have to start over at square one. Humans are social animals. It doesn’t take long in a new place before one yearns to fit into a larger social structure.
I think here in the West it is easy for us to lose sight of our connection with others as we go about our materialistic, independent, often fragmented lives. People don’t interact face-to-face much anymore. We text or email, zip around in cars and pull into garages without ever having the opportunity to say hi to our neighbors. It has been noted that most families don’t really know their next door neighbors anymore but are more apt to make friends with people who share their interests- like other parents on their childrens’ soccer team. I wonder, do we have to choose between the two or would our lives be richer if we made it a point to meet and know about the lives of the people who physically live around us– some of whom could be lonely and in desperate need of friendship.
Remember the song by Barbara Streisand that went, “People, people who need people….” (What are they?) They are the luckiest people in the world. I had a friend who was very successful in her career but very unhappy and it was this song that started to haunt her until she made some life changes and started focusing on having better relationships. Does it surprise you that before she internalized this song it hadn’t really occurred to her that she was missing this human connection and that this was the source of her unhappiness? Our need for other people is not always obvious to any of us.
German philosopher Habermas says that, “we are not first individuals who then form social groups. Instead not only do our groups precede us but we become selves in the first instance through the process of social interaction.” It has always interested me that the word religion comes from the Latin word “religare” and literally means “to bind together.” If we take that to heart we could say it is impossible to be UU by oneself. We are all brought into an on-going conversation. So much of our faith formation relies on our interaction with those around us and those who came before us.
Along these lines, Wade H McCree a UU minister said this, “To me one’s religion is expressed in the manner in which one relates to other human beings. If one fights relentlessly against injustice, want, hate, and every form of exploitation then one is a religious person. Religion is not expressed by ritual or ceremony but by loving others.”
Speaking of connection, I am looking forward to our Intergenerational Service this month on the 17th of November. It will be a Celebration of Being Grateful and will include a Thank You Ceremony for those people who stepped forward to be our Children and Youth R.E. teachers this year. If we want to be a united and whole community, strong in the connective bonds that make our lives meaningful, it is so important that our kids feel part of the BIG picture and see the adults in their lives modeling that they do indeed value their faith. It is a UU adage that religion has to be “caught” as well as “taught.” Our children and youth watch the people they look up to and learn through your attitudes and convictions.
Janen Wright ———Lifespan Faith Development Director
Whitney Wheeless
This past spring, the Board worked with our congregation to evaluate and expand upon our developmental ministry goals. Together, we created five-year goals for our church. Although these goals are included as part of Howell’s recently renewed contract, they are our shared goals. These goals are our church goals that we, as a congregation, are responsible for working toward with our ministry team.
Our church goals are divided into five major areas: church community, worship, lifespan faith development, social justice, and strategic planning. These goals build upon the dream report from 2007, the visioning work of the board over the past few years, and input from committees and members. If you haven’t seen the goals, I would encourage you take a look at them in the member’s only section. These are some of the ways we are fulfilling our church’s mission.
From a Board standpoint, this is a year of planning. An important piece of work for the Board of Trustees is to work on our strategic plan. Our intent is to define the work we need to do now and in the next few years, so that we can achieve these 5-year goals. In this plan, we will identify which committees or task forces are responsible for that effort. We’re looking at some important areas for our church including rental/lease and building use, audio/visual needs for the Earth and Sky Rooms, and marketing communications.
I think the most important aspect of our planning this year and moving into the future is that every one of us plays a part in helping our church become all it can be. Each of us is responsible for achieving these goals. This could be through committee work, our ministries, leading a special event, or efforts as an individual member.
This month, I want to highlight our Church Community goals. We want to be a welcoming place for all—our members, visitors, and our staff. We want everyone who comes through our doors to feel cared for. One way we achieve this is by living our covenant (the affirmation) spoken on Sundays and following our Covenant of Respectful Relationships. Our other shared goals around community are much of the reason that UUCB means so much to us: to have a caring and supportive community around us and the opportunity to develop and deepen connections.
Each of us can help us achieve our church community goals every time we come into church. We can make a point to welcome a new visitor (we have many each Sunday) and learn about her spiritual journey. We can listen carefully to others and think before we speak to ensure that we are constructively presenting our views. We can be generous with our praise and well wishes for others. We can participate in or lead efforts to get to know members in a deeper way, especially reaching out to other generations and people outside our normal circles.
We have so many blessings in our church and amongst our members. I thank each one of you for all that you do to make UUCB the special place that it is.
We honor members, friends, visitors
Our thoughts and good wishes continue to be with: Family and church member friends of long-time member, Mary Grey a spirited, delightful, independent woman born in Australia died at home on September 20 at age 91. Fern Levin recently had a heart attack and received two stents. Sunday, October 13th, she was in church and enjoying her new energy! Martha Kappel, Jenny Fitt-Peaster’s Mother, was in Boulder Community Hospital with an irregular heartbeat, but is now at home in Hospice care with heart failure. She is loved and supported by Ed, and her very large family, many who are an important part of our church family.
Congratulations, Good Luck, Blessings, and Thanks to: Ralph Hollingsworth attended the wedding of grandson Douglas in Key West (as Diana Nyad came ashore, about the same time). Douglas and Brenda live North of Miami. Bob & Julie Ford thanked all who helped with food, loans of equipment and labor during the high water. Julie Zielinski and husband Eric Wilson are expecting their first child who is due March 2014. Hilton and Jenny Fitt-Peaster are in Italy for a month celebrating 36 years of love, and successful surgery! I’m happy to report that after 3+ years daughter, Kendall Richards has a “Big Girl” job in the hotel industry as a Sales Manager. We rejoice with Steve & Heidi Todd, who celebrated a their 25th wedding anniversary on September 25th in Switzerland. Bill and Sharon Belew are new Grandparents twice over. Born three days apart they welcomed Oscar Tennessee Cadava in Chicago, and then flew to Denver to welcome Lachlan Joseph Perry.
Special Welcome to our Newest Members: Neil DiMuccio, Linda Dixon, Trish Judd, and Kristyn Christman-McCarty & Hannah Jackson. We are very pleased that you have joined us.
IMPORTANT Random Thoughts: Since the end of August after returning from Sacramento, CA, Caitlin and I have purposely worn our LEAP of FAITH name-tags to church as a teaser. When asked I promised that it would all be revealed, and the time is now. Rev. Howell Lind, Amy Rowland, Caitlin Moore and myself were the UUCB Travel Team as Mentors attending the Pacific Western Region Leap of Faith Launch Conference. Yes, we were the Mentors to Rev. Jeremy Nickel, and seven awesome members from the Mission Peaks Unitarian Universalist Congregation in Fremont, CA. To be mentors, sharing what we know works, with another church after our five+ years of change and growth made my heart feel very proud. The program is based on UUA President Peter Morales’ consultation with large and growing congregations, Leap of Faith is more a methodology than a program, inviting congregations into learning communities with larger congregations. Our church will be involved with their church through 2013-2014. Their travel team will be here in January so you will get a chance to meet them as well. There were eight teams attending and interestingly four were from Colorado. Two as Mentors, and two as Mentees. For me it was a bit of a full circle as Rev. Nancy Bowen facilitated the first two UUA sessions — one in New Orleans (2010) and one in Minneapolis (2011). Fred and I were volunteer staff for her not participants.
With Love & Care, Barb
UUCB and Boulder Valley UU Fellowship members and families and friends will enjoy the annual Boulder area UU Thanksgiving dinner on Thanksgiving Day, November 28. It’ll be at UUCB at 2 p.m. Everyone brings a dish to share–traditional or non-traditional. Contact Dianne Ewing for information. The sign-up sheet will be out every Sunday in November. Plan to come early to help set up or stay late to clean up, if possible!
We’ll have traditional and non-traditional food to suit all tastes and dietary needs. There’ll be great conversation and fun visiting with guests from our neighboring UU congregation in Lafayette. Bring your favorite dish for this occasion. You only have to make (or purchase) one dish (extra large amount appreciated). It’s so much easier than preparing a feast of many different dishes for a few people at home. (You won’t even have to clear the clutter off of the dining table at home!) And you will still have leftovers to take home! We divide up what’s left so you can enjoy some yummy food the next day too.
If the weather is nice, children and adults too may enjoy some time on our playground, before or after dinner. We may even bring out some cider and nibbles to start the dinner in the playground.
Buy for your home, or UUCB, or as gifts!
Look for the poinsettia order table with the red tablecloth each Sunday during November. Questions? Contact Dianne Ewing.
Growing out of our Green Sanctuary effort several years ago, this group will be having an organizational meeting before Thanksgiving to determine how we will proceed in the coming year. This is a good time to get involved. We are a cooperative effort which plans, plants and maintains a working garden here at church. To take this opportunity to learn about and practice gardening with the support of a group; to enjoy the fruits of your labor; and, to explore the spiritual values of Unitarian Universalism while working on ‘earthly’ matters, contact Mary Jean Ewing. There will also be information at the table in coffee hour.
The Women’s Book Group meets the second Friday of the month at noon in the Listening Room. New members are always welcome. Our book for November 8, is The Dove Keepers by Alice Hoffman.
NOVEMBER CIRCLE SUPPER On Saturday, Nov. 2, Diana and Michael King invite us for a pot-luck dinner at their home in Gunbarrel. If you have not already signed up, call them right away to join the group (see the member’s directory for phone and address). Deadline is Thursday, Oct. 31. They are UU transplants from Maryland and are world travelers.
DECEMBER CIRCLE SUPPER On Saturday, Dec. 7, Laurie Duncan will host an Italian feast at her home near Cherryvale and Arapahoe in Boulder. Dig up your favorite Italian recipes or plan to pick up some special Italian treats at the deli counter or bakery. The sign-up sheet will be out in late November.
Beth and Ed Schmahl invite UUCBers and friends to their Boulder home for tea on Sunday afternoon, November 17, from 3 to 5 p.m. This is just for fun! Bring finger food to share. No sign-up required. Come swap stories of fun times or serious subjects, whatever strikes your fancy. There will be directions to their home at UUCB that morning, or phone them for directions. See the church directory for their phone number.
UUCB Men and Young Adults lend a hand tearing out soggy carpet and sheetrock in members house after the September 2013 Boulder area floods. Thanks to all who helped members in their time of need. UUCB Men Don Lilly, Reed Bailey, Clint Brown, Jon Bond, Jerry Palmer and Dianne Ewing helped clean up Bob and Julie Fords’ flooded basement. Some UUCB Young Adults also helped.
(Photos by Reed Bailey)
The Flooded Sievering ‘s house
Don Lilly and Reed Bailey help with trash removal at the Sievering house
(photo by Reed Bailey)
RESCHEDULED DATE: Saturday, November 23rd 2013, @ The Boulder Theater
Featuring God-Des & She, The Tah Tahs, Vendors, AFTER PARTY and much more!
Out Boulder is honored to still be hosting its 10th Anniversary of Boulder Pridefest after being postponed due to the extraordinary flood that affected much of Boulder County and other areas across the state. Pridefest will now take place at The Boulder Theater, Saturday, November 23rd, 2013. There will be vendors, entertainment and more from 3:00-8:00pm, with a special After Party to follow featuring DJ Tatiana.
This year’s passing of Civil Unions in Colorado has given us many reasons to celebrate the progress for the LGBTQ community in Colorado as a culmination of its 19-year history of fighting for equality in the Boulder community. We anticipate a record level of participation in this year’s Pridefest for our 10-year anniversary, for our Civil Union victory this year, and for our new and exciting venue for our community to convene after the devastating flood.
Pridefest Coordinator and Events Manager, Aubree Peckham says: “This is going to be a brand new Pridefest for the Boulder County LGBTQ and allied community. Our pride in the park may have been rained out, but our rainbow will shine on and bring our community together for day of healing, camaraderie and celebration.”
The legendary Boulder Theater will host our revamped 10th Annual Boulder Pridefest. This historic venue opened in 1906 as an opera house, and over the years the theater has undergone major state of the art renovations leaving our community with the Boulder Theater we know and love. Our entertainers will share the same stage that has hosted thousands of respected national, international and local artists performing today.
Out Boulder is especially proud to announce God-Des & She as the headliner of our entertainment stage. God-Des & She were first seen on the Showtime television series “The L Word” and had a number one video on MTV LOGO for 15 weeks with their song “Love You Better”. Since then they have toured worldwide, sharing the stage with artists including; Lady Gaga, Salt n’ Pepa, and SIA, and have released three albums to critical acclaim. They just released their 4th album, “United States of God Des and She” in February 2013. More information about the band is available at: http://www.god-desandshe.com/
Also performing is The Tah Tahs. The Tah Tahs are a fun high energy all female band who has played with Dizzy Reed of Guns N’ Roses, Taylor Dayne, Hell’s Belles and many other talented musicians. They play covers as well as original rock songs and have toured the U.S. Their first EP is in the works. More information about the Tah Tahs is available at: http://www.thetahtahs.com/
The entire weekend is tagged as “Pridefest Days,” with the following activities:
*Thursday, 11.21
Pridefest Kick Off – 3rd Thursday – Late Happy Hour! @ Proto’s Pizza- Boulder, 7:30-9:30 pm
*Friday, 11.22
God-Des & She Concert: Denver Kick-Off to Boulder Pridefest @ Exdo Annex Event Center, 7 pm
*Saturday, 11.23
PRIDEFEST! 3 pm-8 pm @ Boulder Theater – vendors, entertainment and more!
After Party @ Boulder Theater and George’s Bar & Grill- Featuring DJ Tatiana and exclusive Meet and Greet with God-Des & She; Cover charge, 18 and up. Dancing, DJ’s, Go-Go dancers and more.
In addition to hosting a decade of Boulder Pridefest, we also staff a year-round community center. We aid members of the community through social gatherings, educational programs, and support groups. All proceeds of Boulder Pridefest will return to Out Boulder to fund its extraordinary programs supporting the LGBTQ community of Boulder County.
For more information, visit: http://outboulder.org/content/pridefest-0
For event information, contact Aubree Peckham at 303.499.5777 or apeckham@outboulder.org.
Are you:
If you have one or more of these identities and are a UU or have a current or former affiliation with Unitarian Universalism, you are invited to participate in the UUA’s Multicultural Ministries Sharing Project to help our faith grow and best minister to you and your family in the 21st century.
The Sharing Project Survey is open now and ends October 31, 2013. Learn more and take the survey now! www.uua.org/sharingproject
Would you like to donate a real Christmas tree or one or two real wreaths to UUCB to get us in the holiday mood? We’d like to have the wreaths up all of December, and the tree up from mid-December through the end of the month. Please contact Dianne Ewing, if you’d like to provide a tree or wreaths or help decorate our building.
The board of PRISM, Progressive Radically Inclusive Student Ministry, is holding a fundraising dinner on Friday, November 15th at 6:30. UUCB is a sponsor of PRISM and Bob Ford and Lou Mazzola serve on the PRISM board. Please consider coming to the catered dinner which will have entertainment from 3 Story Limit, an a cappella group. You can support PRISM by purchasing tickets from Bob or Lou the next few Sundays in the Sky Room during coffee time.
On Tuesday, Nov. 5, we will be providing dinner for the student members of the Progressive Really Inclusive Student Ministry at CU. We feed about 24 people, but we ask our UUCB helpers to only provide one dish for 6 to 8. Call Dianne Ewing for details and to volunteer. We will have a sign-up sheet at UUCB on Sunday, Nov. 3, to fill in needs not already spoken for.
On Tuesday, Nov. 19, we’ll provide pies for a Thanksgiving feast for the PRISM students. Other congregations will provide other parts of that dinner. Pie bakers, please contact Dianne Ewing to offer a pie for this feast. Or perhaps you’d provide some ice cream or whipped cream to go with the pies.