May 5th 
“Atheists Don’t Have No Songs”– Lisa Phillips, UUCB Music Director
May 12th
“Transitions” – a Full Church Community (multi-generational service) Justin Butterworth and Howell Lind
May 19th
“Why Do We Bother?” Howell Lind
(Annual Congregational Meeting at 12:00 pm)
May 26th
“Is There More To It Than Just ‘Remembering’?” Howell Lind
During our May Congregational Meeting, UUCB members will have the opportunity to vote for several Church leadership positions for the 2013-14 church years. The Leadership Development Committee has selected the nominees for President-Elect, Board of Trustees, and Committee on Ministry. The Board of Trustees has selected the nominees for the Leadership Development Committee. The nominees are:
Jennifer Skiendzielewski — President-Elect
Jennifer Skiendzielewski came to UUCB in 2001 in search of a supportive community after the terrorist attacks shocked the country. She became a member two months later, having found her spiritual home. In the next few years, she served as Treasurer and Board Trustee, while also participating in the previous incarnation of the Young Adults group. Her favorite church roles to date have been Endowment Committee member and Youth Group adviser. She served in each of those positions for six years, and remembers all of them with fondness and pride. In 2007, Jennifer was named to the Ministerial Search Committee (later renamed the Selection Committee), and thus participated in the year-long process that brought the Rev. Howell Lind to Boulder.
Over the last few years, Jennifer has served as a Worship Leader and as Board Trustee (for the second time). She was the Board representative on the GROW task force, which provided input to the Board of Trustees regarding strategies for managing our growing membership in the short-, medium-, and long terms. She also has participated in the Goals task force, which has been working to define our congregational goals for the next five years.
Jennifer participated in the playground build last summer, working on the zip line, sandbox, and chalice gate. She can probably still point to the rebar stakes that she drove in to line the pathway…
Jennifer lives in Boulder with her partner, Teri Charles, and two youthful 13-year-old cats. She works as an Information Architect for Ricoh Production Print Solutions, designing and writing documentation for print management software. She enjoys travel, though most of her trips seem to lead her to her niece, Libby (4), and nephew, Landon (2). She swears that, one of these days, she’s going to start running again.
Catherine Burgess–Board of Trustees (3-year term)
After the adventure of relocating 11 times, Catherine and family happily planted themselves in Boulder in 2007. An active community builder, Catherine worked for BVSD and as president of Whittier Elementary PTA. She works full-time at Colorado Landmark, Realtors and takes pride in providing her clients with exceptional customer service. She loves playing with family and friends, camping, backpacking, skiing, house/garden building, and watching her daughters blossom. She has been a UU since 2001.
Caitlin Moore — Board of Trustees (1-year term)Caitlin has been a UU since 1997 and a member of UUCB since 2004. She was on the Dream Team committee which set the strategic direction for the church, has a long tenure as Board Secretary, and has participated in both the choir and Membership Council. Caitlin is a GIS Analyst for Intrado and holds a Bachelor’s Degree from The Ohio State University. She is recently married to Will Kropp and his sons Marlin and Darby. They reside in Longmont, CO.
Mary Clough — Leadership Development Committee (3-year Term)
Mary has been a member of UUCB for over 12 years, during the 90’s when daughters were young and rejoining again in 2009. At UUCB she has enjoyed working with the children on Sundays, attending Inquiring Minds book discussions, convenant groups, the Climate Change Ministry, and, of course, working with an awesome committee and many community members to build our new playground last summer. This spring and summer she is also looking forward to joining the garden team.
Paula Basse — Leadership Development Committee (3-year Term)
I joined UUCB in July 1985 when my daughter and I moved to Boulder from Miami, Florida. I became a UU there in 1968 as a Viet Nam War Protestor, a lettuce boycotter to help Caesar Chavez, Migrant Farm Workers, and was involved with Community Social Justice by holding Vigils for detained Cuban and Haitian Refugees. In 1974 we had a “Naming Service” for Nicole. Two years later we “celebrated” my husband with his “Memorial Service.” At UUCB, I have been an active participant: Acted as chair of The Caring Committee (5 years), The Council of Committees, served on The Board, taught in R.E., helped organize many Annual All Church Weekends, and attended numerous social events.My Boulder Community Social Justice Outreach actions have been: as a trained volunteer Crisis Counselor and Fundraiser for The Safehouse For Battered Women and Children (Progressive Alliance), a meal preparer at The Homeless Shelter, a Bereavement Counselor and Caregiver with Boulder County Hospice (TRU) and as a tutor with the I Have A Dream Foundation.
Toni Piwonka-Corle — Leadership Development Committee (2-year Term)
Toni is a 4th generation UU who joined the church 2 years ago after moving from Canada. She’s interested in serving on the Leadership Committee to help strengthen the family and community programs at UUCB. She lives in Boulder with her husband and two kids, and is honored to be nominated.
Gen Morley – Committee on Ministry (3-year term)
I am currently attending graduate school at Naropa University for Transpersonal Psychology. I begin a year-long internship in a private therapy practice this summer. I also work part time for a small renewable energy company with an office in Niwot. I live in North Boulder and plan to stay in the area for several years, with the goal of establishing my own private therapy practice in Boulder County. I came to UUCB in 2011 and formally joined the church a year later. I have appreciated the community that the church provides and have been very pleased to see that community growing in size and diversity as of late. I look forward to serving the church because UUCB is an asset to my life and lives of so many others. I appreciate the opportunity to learn more about how the church runs and what the needs of the church are. It would be my honor to participate in the direction of UUCB’s evolution.
Virginia Jenkins – Committee on Ministry (1-year term)
I am a second year student in the Masters of Contemplative Psychotherapy program at Naropa University. I began attending Williamsburg Unitarian Universalists in Virginia during the year before I moved to Boulder for school. I have been attending UUCB for the past two years, became a member about a year ago, and feel so blessed to be a part of this community. I am currently serving as a substitute member of the Committee for Ministry and seeking to continue as a member this coming church year. I have found the work of tending to the ministry of this church to be a fulfilling and spiritually deepening experience, and I hope to be able to continue my service to UUCB as a member of this committee.
Sharon LaRoque — Committee on Ministry (3-year term)
I came to Unitarian Universalism through the back door I guess. For years I was unsure at just where I belonged as far as my faith goes. I belonged to the Presbyterian Church throughout my childhood. In my youth I sang in our choir, belonged to the youth group and served on a new minister nominating committee. In college I stepped away from religion. Then when I married, my husband and I raised our children in the Presbyterian Church in Charlotte, N.C. I sang in the choir again and led the Children’s Choir. I began questioning my faith when I just could not accept Jesus as a savior who would leave most of the world behind who did not believe in him. Plus I was not involved in an emotional way but loved the intellectual side of my faith plus singing the music for the love of music. I remember asking our minister how is it possible that my good friends from college who were not Christian would not be saved? He never answered me. I was very disappointed. My husband passed in 2000 and I continued to live in N. Carolina until my youngest daughter moved to Colorado after living with me for awhile. Then in 2004-5 I visited her twice and decided to relocate here. When I did, I sang with the Arvada Chorale for a year and admired our director, Keith Arnold. When he left the Chorale, I found that he directed the choir at JUC so I started to attend there but it was just too far for me to drive. So I looked for a church in Boulder and found UUCB. I joined the choir and then the church. I am shy and did not exactly know how to get involved but appreciate this chance to do so. I am currently loving being a part of a Covenant Group and we have talked about so many wonderful things. We have even cried together. It’s a very moving experience!
FINAL RECOMMENDATIONS TO THE UUCB BOARD OF TRUSTEES FROM GROW* TASK FORCE 1.0
With an awareness that our church membership is growing, and with a focus on being and appearing to be a welcoming community, GROW makes the recommendations listed below for short term, medium term, and long term changes. Recommendations are divided roughly by committee. Key reasons for the recommendations are summarized in brackets.
These recommendations are based on five months of bi-monthly GROW meetings. During these brainstorming sessions no idea was out of the question. We allowed ourselves to be creative. The goal was to discuss and analyze these ideas thoroughly, setting personal biases aside. Input to the discussions came from the Sunday Service attendance count as registered in the Office Attendance Log; the membership count from the Membership Committee; input from Caitlin Moore for Appreciative Inquiry and Phil Wittmeyer for Building and Grounds; research into the experiences of other UU churches; and observations made by the GROW task force.
The Board should note that the recommendations for refining and improving accuracy in attendance counts of both adults and children are extremely critical. Current record keeping is inadequate, especially considering that GROW suggests quantitative triggers for re-establishing a GROW Task Force 2.0 to further evaluate recommendations.
SHORT TERM
The attendance numbers do not yet support major Sunday Service changes or facility changes. However, the numbers are high enough that, without an efficient flow of people, a sense of disorganization and crowdedness can easily be experienced. With this in mind, GROW makes the following recommendations for implementation as soon as possible:
Hospitality Committee
(1) The job of ushering should be made a well-respected, special position. GROW highly recommends that usher training be made mandatory for all current and future ushers. Usher training should include:
a.) During the Sunday Service, ushers should be aware of which seats are empty and direct late-comers to those seats at an appropriate time during the service. [This should make late-comers feel more welcome, and there should be less interruption to those already seated.]
b.) Ushers should take an accurate count of all those in the Earth Room during the Sunday Service. An additional but separate count should be made of those listening to the service on speakers in other rooms of the building. These counts should be entered in the Office Attendance Log or in the new Logos system. [This count will become the measurement by which future recommendations will be decided.]
c.) Ushers should pass the Offertory baskets following a design that does away with confusion to the ushers and to the congregation. [Having all ushers follow one pattern should provide a better sense of organization to visitors.]
d.) GROW recommends that a book cart be set just inside the double entrance doors of the Earth Room for hymnals to be placed on after the service. After the Earth Room is clear, ushers should place the hymnals from the cart into the hymnal closet. [This should keep hymnal-collectors from moving backwards into the room after the service, working their way to the hymnal closet.]
e.) Before the Sunday Service, ushers should make sure the new name-badge-holder board (see Building & Grounds Committee) is open and flat against the west wall of the hallway, opposite the new-member bulletin board.
(2) Various table arrangements should be tried for Sunday morning coffee, including separating the drink table from the food table. [Experimentation of location and orientation of the tables should determine the best flow of people.]
(3) As an experiment, up to five heavy-duty 24″ diameter bar-height tables should be rented and placed throughout the Sky Room, to be used during coffee hour, for several Sundays. If this idea works, these tables should then be purchased. [This should encourage those with cups and plates in their hands to move away from the drink and food tables. Also having a table to set cups and plates should make it more comfortable to enjoy the refreshments, shake hands, and give hugs.]
(4) A few folding chairs should be placed around the plant window in the Sky Room for additional seating options during the Sunday coffee hour.
(5) A sturdy cart should be purchased for the purpose of transporting coffee and supplies to the new playground during the Sunday coffee hour. An announcement in the Midweek Messenger should be made to spread the word that coffee in this location will be available, weather dependent. If this idea works, a second cart should be set up for the same reason but taken out the front door for those conversing in that location. [This should encourage people to move to other spaces beyond the Sky Room but help them still feel connected to the after-service refreshments.]
Building & Grounds Committee
(1) A new rolling name-badge-holder board should be built that can be folded closed when not in use and, when in use, opened to place flat against the wall of the hallway. [This should give members more room to look for their badges, and should do away with the blockage of the hallway intersection near the minister’s office.]
(2) Grow strongly recommends that the analog audio/video system be replaced with a extendible digital system. [This system should eventually be extended to the Emerson Room, the Listening Room, and the Sky Room. These areas could become overflow spaces for Sunday Services. See Medium Term recommendations.] The A/V system should include a scrolling message board in the hallway.
(3) Current restroom direction signs should be replaced with signs that are more visible and informative for both sets of restrooms. [For many members and visitors, it is important and comforting to know there are restrooms that are easily found.]
(4) An Acoustical Consultant should be hired to study the Sky Room and, upon approval, recommended improvements should be completed. [Last done circa 1985 …. Improvements in sound mitigation technology, such as new types of acoustical materials, should allow for more comfortable conversing without straining to hear or speak.]
(5) Composite folding chairs should replace the noisy metal chairs in the Sky Room. [This should allow for better programs in the Sky Room which are currently often interrupted by the noise of the movement of the attendees’ chairs.]
Worship Leaders
GROW suggest that, just before the Sunday Service begins, the Worship Leader take a moment to assess whether the Earth Room is becoming full. If so, the Worship Leader could ask everyone to move toward the center of the rows to make room for those not yet seated. [This will provide a less crowded look to the room as visitors and members enter the room, which should help them feel more comfortable about joining the service.]
Administration
(1) Special-interest tables in the Sky Room during coffee hour should be pushed up against the wall. [This should allow for more central open space and better flow within the room. It will take up some bench-seating space but the seating that is available will be better because those sitting there will not be blocked by the tables.]
(2) Before each Board meeting, the Office Administrator should send to the Board a monthly report of Sunday Service attendance figures and a monthly report of Sunday children’s class attendance. [The Board should monitor these figures to determine when it is time to look at long term recommendations.]
Lifespan Faith Development
An accurate count of children attending Sunday morning classes should be taken and recorded in the Office Attendance Log each Sunday. When it is shown that classrooms are uncomfortably crowded, a note should be attached to the attendance figure to indicate a concern. [This count will be a measurement for deciding future recommendations.]
Board of Trustees
(1) Using the monthly Sunday Service attendance report received from the Office Administrator, GROW’s recommendation is that the Board should monitor Earth Room crowdedness levels. When the Board observes that 160 people are attending Sunday Services regularly, the Board should establish GROW Task Force 2.0 to begin work on the recommendations for implementing longer term changes. [From the research of GROW Task Force 1.0, when church sanctuaries fill to 80% capacity every Sunday, major changes are needed to alleviate the crowding. The Earth Room seats 200 comfortably. Eighty percent of this number is 160.]
(2) Using the monthly Sunday class attendance report received from the Office Administrator, the Board should monitor children’s attendance. When Lifespan Development reports that the classrooms are no longer comfortable due to overcrowding, GROW Task Force 2.0 should be established to make further recommendations. The 80% Rule may apply here as well, but this situation may occur independently from the Earth Room status.
MEDIUM TERM
Building & Grounds Committee
An Architectural Consultant or Structural Specialist should evaluate the spaces adjacent to the Sky Room and make recommendations for a new kitchen, a coat room, and other storage areas. After reviewing the recommendations with the congregation, steps toward implementation should be established. [Removing the coats and carts from the Sky Room should increase space for people and allow for the beauty of the room to be enjoyed more fully.]
Hospitality Committee
Once an A/V system is in place for the overflow spaces (Listening, Emerson, and Sky Rooms), the Hospitality Committee should begin to use them as appropriate on Sunday mornings. This may include setting guidelines for: when and how to open these spaces, set-up and clean-up, and encouraging their use.
LONG TERM
When the Board has determined that Sunday Service attendance in the Earth Room has reached the critical 80% capacity, GROW Task Force 1.0 expects that major changes to the present building, or holding two services a week, will be required. Costs to be considered include: construction, extra staff, higher salaries, and the possibility of losing members who disagree. It is expected that GROW Task Force 2.0 will hold many congregational informational meetings so that all members feel they have been a part of whatever decision is made.
OTHER IDEAS DISCUSSED DURING GROW’S MEETINGS NOV 2012-APRIL 2013
(1) Remove the hymnal closet from its present location in the Earth Room and move the sound system to a different location to open up this area of the room for additional seating.
(2) Build a housing unit for the furnace on the west patio so that the furnace can be moved out of the Earth Room, opening up that space for more seating.
(3) Replace door from Listening Room to Earth Room with a sound-proof glass door to give those in the Listening Room a visual connection to the Earth Room (assuming 1 and/or 2 above have been completed to create a visual path.)
(3) Provide satellite services for members in nearby towns.
(4) Spin-off a separate church in a nearby location such as Longmont.
(5) Move to a bigger building.
GROW Task Force Members:
Janet Kern, Chair
Fred Cole
Jim Rowe
Jennifer Skiendzielewski
Ted Burnham
Justin Butterworth
*Give our faith room to grow
Retain our ministries through integration
Outreach to more people who need us
Widen our vision to embrace change
A Vigil — an occasion for devotional watching, an observance
Did you know… Close to here, thousands of hard working immigrant mothers, fathers, students and community members are detained every year?
On the first Monday of each month (since 2008) a Vigil is held in Aurora outside the ICE Processing Center. Each Vigil is sponsored and organized by allied organizations in the Denver-Metro Area.
On May 6th , our UUCB Immigration Ministry is sponsoring the Vigil for all ages. We invite you to come on the bus with us! We will meet in our church parking lot at 4:45pm and ride a big motorcoach (with a bathroom) to Aurora. Dinner served on the bus as we sing songs and say prayers. We return to UUCB by 8:30. We need to know if you will attend. Sign up at office before Monday April 29th to reserve bus seat(s) with dinner (no cost).
We need # ___ of seats on the bus. Names of people who will attend from our family:
We will eat on the bus: #__ meat burrito dinners, #__ vegetarian burrito dinners, #__ gluten free burrito dinners. – – – – – – -% – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – ( keep the top part of this as a reminder )
We need to know if you will attend. Sign up at office before Monday April 29th to reserve bus seat(s) with dinner (no cost). A Vigil — an occasion for devotional watching, an observanceAll Church Social Change Event, Monday, May 6th.
On Sunday, May 19th, immediately before Annual Congregational Meeting, our Voting Members and Friends present will be polled to help select which local nonprofits will Share-Our-Plate next church year. The organizations you nominated are shown below. When we Share-Our-Plate, we give all our Sunday morning plate collections for an entire month to a selected local nonprofit (except donations otherwise designated). Members also volunteer to help these nonprofits. This is part of our external, social justice ministry.
Please do your research now because we won’t have nominations or speeches from the floor. Decide which of these 12 nonprofits you’ll vote for. You can vote for five. But no recipient can get more than one of your votes. The top eight selected can then be our Share-Our-Plate recipients next year.
Respectfully submitted, Hilton Fitt-Peaster, Share-Our-Plate volunteer coordinator
Nominees
Boulder County AIDS Project (BCAP) Founded 1985, the twofold mission is: to provide support, advocacy and education to those in our community who are infected with or affected by the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) and to serve as an outreach and information center to prevent further transmission of HIV and the resulting Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS). Volunteers donate their time and talents to HIV Care Services, HIV Prevention Services, Resource Development and Operations. bcap.org
Boulder Shelter for the Homeless Provides safe shelter, food, support services, and an avenue to self-sufficiency for homeless adults in our community. They believe that all people deserve the basic necessities of life, and the community in which we live is called to serve this purpose. bouldershelter.org
Circle of Care Connects elders and the arts in our community. Volunteers ranging in age from 15 to 80 are an intergenerational community of concerned citizens, committed to making a positive impact on the culture of aging. An elder enrichment program serving Boulder County senior citizens. They are dedicated to providing accessibility to the arts, education and social/civic opportunities for the homebound elder, senior facility residents and older adults with physical, cognitive and financial challenges. circleofcareproject.org
Colorado Horse Rescue Founded in 1986, CHR is dedicated to providing emergency relief, shelter, care, rehabilitation, and adoption services for abused, neglected, abandoned and unwanted horses. Located in Longmont, CHR provides community resources through equine education, counseling, information and referral services. chr.org
Immigrant Legal Center of Boulder County The Immigrant Legal Center of Boulder County is dedicated to offering low cost legal services to the immigrant community of Boulder County and beyond. They use community volunteers in their “Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals” program. Volunteers help interested candidates and/or their family members complete worksheet information and identify missing documents/information in order to determine eligibility for services. This saves professional time (holding down costs) and allows serving more people. boulderayuda.org
Meals on Wheels of Boulder Meals on Wheels is a community-sponsored meal service, aimed at making life a easier for people who have trouble preparing their own hot meals. Every day of the week, volunteers prepare, serve and deliver a tasty, hot nutritious meal to nearly 200 homebound clients, regardless of age or income. There are lots of volunteer opportunities, whether you can volunteer two hours or twenty hours a week. mowboulder.org
Out Boulder Connecting Boulder County’s LGBTQ Community and its diverse needs in Boulder County Since 1994. Fosters safe environments for the LGBTQ community for gathering, support, self-expression, and the exchange of idea. Advocate for social justice by building collaborative relationships within the community at large. Educate the public about the experiences of LGBTQ people. outboulder.org
Parenting Place Welcome all families with children pre-natal to five years old. Since 1984 they have been supporting families in the Front Range with programs in Boulder, Broomfield, Lafayette, and Longmont–regardless of economic circumstances. Our mission is to relieve isolation, reduce the stress of parenting, and prevent child abuse and neglect by providing outreach and a place where families can receive support, education, and develop a sense of community. Parenting Place relies on volunteers to offer the wide range of services they provide for families. myparentingplace.org
Planned Parenthood of the Rocky Mountains Empowers individuals and families to make informed choices about their sexual and reproductive health by providing high quality health services, comprehensive sex education, and strategic advocacy for 90 years. plannedparenthood.org/rocky-mountains/
Safehouse Progressive Alliance for Nonviolence (SPAN) A local domestic violence organization offering support and services that provide healing, hope and opportunity to adults, youth and children who have been impacted by domestic or dating violence and community outreach to battered women and their children in Boulder County. safehousealliance.org
TEENS, Inc. A family and youth center in Nederland. TEENS, Inc. provides a safe environment to support, educate and empower youth and their families to make healthy choices and thrive. They serve youth and their families in the Peak to Peak Region. Began in 1997 when it formally took over youth services from the Town of Nederland. teensinc.org
There With Care – Boulder They provide fundamental support services to families and children facing critical illness during medical crisis. They connect families with volunteers and community partners to provide support programs that meet the needs of each individual family. There With Care families come through a referral network of social workers at 12 medical institutions across Colorado. therewithcare.org
Over the years of my ministerial career, I have served as a “Mentor” to a quite a few ministerial 
students and Unitarian Universalist ministers who are starting out in their ministries. An important aspect of “mentoring” someone else is being able to share some of the lessons one has learned in his/her experiences, offering advice and counsel to help someone else not make the same mistakes that you have made along the way, and to support the “mentoree” in his/her efforts.
Mentoring someone else is satisfying and rewarding in so many ways. You can learn and grow in the process; learning from reflecting on one’s own experiences and learning also from the aspiring mentoree.
In this coming church program year, our Boulder congregation has been asked to be a Mentoring Congregation to an “Aspiring Congregation.” We have been invited into the national Leap of Faith and the Pacific Western Region’s “Big Faith – No Borders” program, the denominational program that is a one-year experience pairing a healthy congregation aspiring to grow with a congregation (like ours) that is healthy and growing. Together they focus on breaking through the barriers hampering the aspiring congregation’s growth.
Our church has been invited to mentor the aspiring congregation, Mission Peaks Unitarian Universalist Congregation in Fremont, California. During the course of this coming church program year, the leadership (both ministerial and lay) from the Mission Peaks Congregation will be visiting Boulder and learning from our experiences in moving toward congregational health in discussion with our church’s leadership.
UUCB has accomplished quite a lot in both programmatic growth and congregational health during these past several years and there is much that we can share with another congregation who is aspiring to achieve something similar to what we have achieved.
It is a distinct honor to be seen by our national denomination as a church that is growing into solid congregational health and that we have experiences and ideas that can be shared with another church seeking to grow as we have. I think that there is much that we can share with the Mission Peaks UU Congregation as well as much that we can learn about our own progress and growing health. I also know that UUCB will learn of some new ideas and ways of doing things from the Mission Peaks congregation that will assist us as we continue to move forward as a religious community.
I am personally excited for us, as a congregation, to be a part of this denominational Leap of Faith and the Pacific Western Region’s “Big Faith – No Borders” program. We will learn much about ourselves as we assist another Unitarian Universalist church in its growing efforts toward congregational health and success. Mentoring can be satisfying, rewarding, and everyone engaged in the process benefits. Our national faith movement benefits as well. Talk about a win-win experience!
Howell
This has been an eventful year for our church and your UUCB Board of Trustees. As we shared at the welcoming of new members on April 21, “Our community of memory and hope embraces past, present and future. We will always need tradition and innovation. We will always need roots and wings and the best effort of each and every one of us in this our religious community.”
Because of this important commitment your Board of Trustees established a Task Force, GROW
Give our faith room to grow,
Retain our ministries through integration,
Outreach to more people who need us,
Widen our vision to embrace change.
Members of the Task Force were: Janet Kern, Chair, Fred Cole, Jim Rowe, Jennifer Skiendzielewski, Ted Burnham and Justin Butterworth.
With an awareness that our church membership is growing, and with a focus on being a welcoming community, GROW made recommendations for short term, medium term, and long term changes. Input came from the Sunday Service attendance count as registered in the Office Attendance Log; the membership count from the Membership Committee; input from Appreciative Inquiry and Building and Grounds; research into the experiences of other UU churches; and observations made by the GROW task force.
SHORT TERM
The attendance numbers do not yet support major Sunday Service changes or facility changes. However, the numbers are high enough that, without an efficient flow of people, a sense of disorganization and crowdedness can easily be experienced. With this in mind, GROW made recommendations in the following areas: Hospitality, Building & Grounds, Worship Leaders, Administration, Lifespan Faith Development and Board of Trustees.
MEDIUM TERM
For the medium term GROW made recommendations in the following areas: Building & Grounds and Hospitality.
LONG TERM
When the Board has determined that Sunday Service attendance in the Earth Room has reached the critical 80% capacity, GROW Task Force 1.0 expects that major changes to the present building, or holding two services a week, will be required. It is expected that GROW Task Force 2.0 will hold many congregational informational meetings so that all members feel they have been a part of whatever decision is made.
This is just the beginning. Our Congregational Meeting on May 19, noon; will be another opportunity for you to participate in the democratic process of our church. I invite every member to participate, hear about the accomplishments of the past year and together dream and plan our future. Our congregation will continue to grow and prosper as we live our mission—Deepening Faith, Living Well and Enacting Justice.
To review the complete report prepared by GROW and presented to your UUCB Board of Trustees, click here.
I think it’s about time that I reflect on the past few months in this interim position, as I am just over 
half way through my time as Lifespan Faith Development Director at UUCB.
Most every Sunday, folks seem to ask me “So how’s the job going?” In reflection, my answers have definitely changed depending on when you asked me. If you asked me in February, I probably answered, “I’m playing catch-up, but it’s good.” If you asked me in March, I might have said the same thing. Lately, I’ve been saying, “It’s great, I’m really starting to enjoy and settle into this role.” To be honest, it feels fantastic to be able to say that.
While it has been a ‘dive-right-in’ scenario, I have found so much joy in working with our young Unitarian Universalists. I have gathered funny and heartwarming stories from our youth that I will undoubtedly carry with me forever. I would love to just share a few reflections I have had on my journey with them so far…
I cherish the work I do with our youth, and look forward to continuing in this work.
If you are interested in helping with Sunday Religious Education, UU Summer Camp, or other youth events, please don’t hesitate to contact me at lifespanfaith.uucb@gmail.com. We can always use more volunteers in the classroom and elsewhere!
We honor Members, Friends , Visitors
Our thoughts and good wishes continue to be with: Judith Hunter who joined the “Socket Sisters” & “Brothers” auxillary, last month, by having a knee replacement. We are glad to have Jim Hester out of the hospital, and back home in Boulder. Adrienne (always intrepid) drove their car back by herself, from Las Cruces, NM, because Jim had to be flown back to Denver. Our best will always be with Jonathan and Hayden Williamson, as they embark on their new life adventures — Their new home address: 13 Duck Pond Rd, Camden ME 04843. Their E-addresses remain the same.
Congratulations, Good Luck, Blessings, and Thanks to: Recently Josie Heath was selected as this year’s Woman of Achievement by the Zonta Foothills Club of Boulder County. Senator Rollie Heath has certainly been active, helping to pass legislation “near and dear” to our justice efforts: the Civil Unions bill which puts Colorado in a leading position nationally; ASSETS which gives our undocumented youth the ability to receive in-state tuition; the Law Enforcement Trust Act, which frees the hands of our local authorities; and for all of the Gun control efforts which have gone forward. From the Irelands, “We are so grateful to this church community and the support we had at the Cake Auction. We feel so blessed”! This year’s Ninth Grade Trip left on April 19th with Grace Ireland on board. Deb Hoff has a new granddaughter, Lyra Koa Wise who was born “at home” in New Jersey, on March 20th weighing 9# 2 oz. Three-year-old, big brother Paxton, is enthusiastic — so far! Virginia Jenkins, who has received a Counseling Internship, with the Denver AIDS Project for the coming school year. Jason English and Gen Morley who were approved to buy their first home! Whitney Wheeless’ Sister Julie gave birth to twin sons: Leo Jaden and Oscar Levi Wheeless on April 1st. Aunt Whitney, Uncle Jim Rowe, and cousins Eliot & Miles are all helping to care for them, and celebrate their arrival. Julie assisted with our playground build last year. Steve Parker successfully defended his comprehensive exams!! Now he is Steve Parker, A.B.D.
Welcome to our newest members who joined April 21, 2013: David Archuletta, Susan Bailey, Timothy Bailey, Gail Fraser, Fern Levin, Catherine McIntyre, Eric McIntyre, Norm Metcalf, Barbara Taylor and John Taylor. We are so pleased that you have choosen to become a part of our community! Welcome again!
Random Thoughts: On some Sunday mornings the “Quiet Room” in the back of our Hearth Room has parents with young babies trying to be part of the service through the speaker. When we “cut through” this space, on our way to the Sky Room, or kitchen, it is very distracting for them. Please be considerate and try to go “in-out”, via the main doors of the Earth Room (our Ushers are there to assist).
Sunday, April 14th I too was bursting with pride, as a “parent” (Fred and I have 300+ young women & men we claim as ours because of the Ninth Grade Trip experience we shared with them.) of Becky Martin who presented the service,“Indigo–The Color of Justice“. It was her idea, and she worked with our young Unitarian Universalists — who were SUPER! Thanks also to Lisa Phillips, Justin Butterworth, Grace Ireland, and Fred Cole who made it happen. Yes, Becky is one of “mine” and she made me very proud!
With Love & Care, Barb
The UUCB Climate Change Ministry is excited about forming an alliance with the Citizens Climate Lobby! This national organization’s purpose is to create the political will for a stable climate and to empower individuals to have breakthroughs in exercising their personal and political power. More specifically, they have been working for the past few years to pass a national revenue-neutral carbon fee and dividend program that will incentivize renewable energy technologies and lead to stabilizing our climate.
Here’s what Dr. James Hansen, retired head of Goddard Institute for Space Studies and world-renown climate expert has said about this organization. “Most impressive is the work of Citizens Climate Lobby, a relatively new, fast-growing, nonpartisan, nonprofit group with 91 chapters across the United States and Canada. If you want to join the fight to save the planet, to save creation for your grandchildren, there is no more effective step you could take than becoming an active member of this group.”
Early in April, members of our Climate Change Ministry participated in the training and launch of the Boulder chapter of the Citizens Climate Lobby. We will be hosting the CCL monthly meetings on the second Wednesday of each month at 6:30 p.m. If you’d like to join this exciting new initiative, please join us! To learn more about CCL, please go to http://www.citizensclimatelobby.org.
Family Matters on the Playground – Socialize with other families on our new playground after church on May 5 at 11:30 am and and May 19 before church at 9:30. Refreshments will be provided.
Join us for a Family Matters Potluck at the home of Ed and Amy Self (980 McIntire St, Boulder) on May 11 from 5-9 pm. Weather permitting, we’ll spill out into the backyard for games and cheer under the shade tree next to a thriving vegetable garden. Our home is right around the corner from 
the Church, allowing kids the opportunity to enjoy the church playground. Please RSVP by May 5 to Ed Self via e-mail and let us know what you plan to bring (appetizer, main dish/grilling item, salad, side dish, or dessert). BYO beverages to share. Let us know if you’d like to help setup or clean-up.
Boulder Valley Women’s Health Center is our Share-Our-Plate recipient this May. They are an independent, non-profit comprehensive family planning clinic and gynecology health care provider. As the only Title X (federal family planning program) agency in Boulder County, Women’s Health primarily serves low income, uninsured, or underinsured people who experience barriers to accessing health care. For 40 years they have been a leader in providing high quality, comprehensive care for their patient population, responding quickly to fill gaps in the safety net of care for individuals who are most in need. In 2012, they served nearly 5,000 unduplicated patients at their clinics in Boulder and Longmont. In addition to their comprehensive services for adults, their specialized Youth Services program offers free comprehensive, medically-accurate, and culturally appropriate sexual health educational presentations to middle and high school aged students, as well as free Teen Clinic hours. In 2012, they reached almost 15,000 youth via clinical service, classroom presentations, outreach events, and a broad array of unique youth-specific technology initiatives. According to County Health Rankings, there were 1,585 teen births in Boulder County in 2012. Regardless of age group, averting unplanned pregnancies greatly reduces health and welfare costs in Colorado.
BVUUF, 1241 Ceres Drive, Lafayette, CO 80026
Who is invited: Current 6th-12th graders at BVUUF and UUCB
Cost: Free
Boulder Valley Unitarian Universalist Fellowship and the Unitarian Universalist Church of Boulder will host an overnight to help our youth bond within and between congregations. This is a great opportunity to deepen friendships, while inventing games with found objects, sharing stories, and playing with water!
Dive into the fun!
Register by Sunday, April 28th!
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/
Questions:
Emily Conger, BVUUF Youth Program Coordinator and UUCB Young Adult Co-chair
emconger@gmail.com
201-147-1741
Thanks!
UUCB Sky Room
Thursday, May 2, 2013
11:30 -1:30
Guest Speaker: Jon Bond
“Why an Atheist would want to be a Unitarian Universalist”
RSVP @ sign-up sheet in UUCB lobby
Need a ride? Call Carol Saunders
UUCB held a farewell party for Jonathan and Hayden Williamson on Saturday April 13th at Hilton and Jenny Fitt-Peaster’s home. The Williamsons have been very active members of UUCB for 18 years and are now moving to their new home in the State of Maine. Photos below:
The student members of the Progressive Really Inclusive Student Ministry and their minister Rev. Richard Robledo send a great big THANKS to all of you who have prepared food or contributed goodies for the special bags with which we welcomed them in the fall or that we sent to them for the final exam period, just starting. For the fall keep in mind that we deliver a meal ready to eat to at least 20 students (both undergrads and gradsJ) on the first Tuesday of each month during the regular academic year. Other churches feed them on other Tuesdays. We’ll be asking you to contribute to the meals, starting again in September. The students meet in the PRISM house near the CU campus, enjoy our mostly home-cooked meal, and have a worship service every Tuesday. They support each other, discuss spiritual topics, learn about other religious traditions, and do social justice work. The majority of the students this year are UUs, many are members of our Young Adult group. Pat yourself on the back for helping this group! They are our future!!!
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 May 10th is “The Little Giant of Aberdeen County” by Tiffany Baker.
Spring Fling Circle Supper on May 4! Plan to join other UUCBers and friends at the home of Julie and Bob Ford on Saturday, May 4 at 6:30 p.m. This is just for fun! If you have not signed up at UUCB, call the Fords to reserve your spot. Everyone brings a dish to share. Bring something that makes you think of spring! The Fords will coordinate the food, so we don’t all bring dessert.