I’m delighted to announce that Ella Gavlinski is joining UUCB as our new collaborative pianist! (Picture coming soon!) Ella is in her final year at Metro State University of Denver finishing a Bachelor of Music in Jazz and American Improvised Music. A talented jazz pianist, and a multi-instrumentalist, Ella grew up in Durango, CO playing from a very young age. She’s been involved with the UU Fellowship of Durango and is excited to help support the music program here at UUCB. Thanks especially to the hiring team of Paula Staffeldt, Chris Zanoni, and Jack Doggett, as well as feedback from Steve and Heidi Todd for the Chancel Cats, and from our interim music director Judson Lee (more about him below!). Ella’s first Sunday with us will be Christmas Eve.

With Ella’s hire, our interim pianist Paula Staffeldt will be stepping down from that role and back into the congregation at the end of the month. Paula has filled in for nearly six months with grace, patience, collaboration, and good humor and flexibility through the changes in the music program this fall. I so appreciate her skill and grace during the twists and turns of these last months! I hope you’ll join me in saying thanks to her and in welcoming her back into being a part of the congregation as a whole.

While we work to hire a new music director, we’re glad to have Judson Lee as our interim music director. With a background as a music director, educator and vocalist, Judson spent eight years as the director of Music Ministry for a church in Waterloo, Iowa, before his move out here this summer to begin a doctoral program in conducting at University of Northern Colorado. Judson will be with UUCB until at least mid-January, depending how quickly the search for a new music director progresses (and it’s already in motion!).

Finally, a word of deep thanks to our choir members and musicians: change is never easy and you’ve had a lot of it this year. I appreciate your flexibility. And I appreciate the way that you hold strongly and clearly to a vision of music ministry at UUCB as one of the pillars of church life. Your trust and hope and willingness to help build the future — even in the middle of uncertainty — is one of the things I most admire about the culture of our congregation.

Always, please don’t hesitate to reach out if you have any thoughts, questions, feedback, or hopes to share.

With Gratitude,
Rev. David