UUCGV NEWS
Welcome to the month of
Becoming Unitarian Universalist Congregation of the Grand Valley — Newsletter
April 2021
We are an affiliated congregation of the Unitarian Universalist Association and the Mountain Desert District
From Our Minister, Reverend Wendy Jones I know this rose will open I know my fear will burn away I know my soul will unfurl its wings I know this rose will open . . . ~ Mary E. Grigolia (Singing the Living Tradition #396) What does it mean to become...Become what...Something better... Something different...Something other?
:
What does it mean to become...Something grand...Something magnificent...Something we already are, but just haven’t realized yet? What does it mean to become? Within the smallest seeds are all the elements needed to become the grandest, most magnificent trees. Within the seeds of the soul are all the elements needed to become the grandest most magnificent human beings.
We are a Welcoming Congregation
(Continued on page 2)
In This Issue
#grandvalleyuu
A Place for Liberal Spirituality
Diverse Thought and Community Action
1
Among Us 1-3 Children/Youth Religious Education 6, 10-11 Leadership 13 Revelations 4-5 Community 8-9, & 14 Worship Calendar 7 Calendar 15
(Continued from page 1)
The process is gradual, it is slow, it is miraculous and it is beautiful. Do not be afraid to become what you have always been meant to be; you are already there. I know this rose will open. . . And still, the bud is just as beautiful as the expanding flower. It is all magnificent. Oh, what a world we live in. Oh, what powerful potential we all hold! Oh, what beauty is yet to come. I know this rose will open . . . For all of us, in our own wonderfully divine time. With Love, Rev. Wendy
Join us at the Oak Shelter Pavilion at Lincoln Park (by the tennis courts, about 100 yards from the playground) for an afternoon picnic and Easter egg hunt! It's easiest to get to if you park in the parking located near the pool. Bring your own picnic lunch, and a dessert to share if you wish. Drinks will be provided. The Easter Egg Hunt will begin at 1:00 sharp. Hope to see you there! 2
From UUCGV Director of Music, Miriam Deming As we move into a month of "Becoming," it is fitting to think about what the choral/music program can become within the UUCGV community. A potential musical opportunity that I hope to provide would be through creating a music program for our youth and children, helping them to get involved and connect. In my last few years of teaching in a public school, I was receiving training and implementing a "Little Kids Rock" also known as "Modern Band" class. Modern Band is a pretty fantastic program designed to help all kids become music makers. It focuses on making contemporary music quickly accessible to kids a la "garage band" style, allowing them to learn songs on vocals, guitar, bass, drum set, keyboard, and other instruments. I would love to know if such a program interests the parents and children here at UUCGV. While I do think that it would still involve kids singing in a traditional choir way sometimes, my hope is that by offering a Modern Band approach to many rehearsals, the kids who would like to play more than sing can have more instrumental opportunities. I envision rehearsals that would probably be 45-60 minutes each week, based on the age of the interested youth, and that we would feature prepared songs on some Sundays. I think the details could better be worked out once I know the interest level, so please contact me if your child is interested! Music is such a tool for expression, healing, and becoming a better version of ourselves. I hope this can become a new program at UUCGV! Miriam Deming UUCGV Choir Director music@grandvalleyuu.org 3
Revelations This is a monthly column helping us to get to know our friends and members in a deeper way. We thank Monte High for taking the time to do these in-depth interviews for us. This month Monte used his talents to create a beautiful poem for us.
Becoming How do I meet the moment How do I greet this situation What do I bring with me on this journey into the unknown? Will I recognize the beauty Will I see the oneness How everything is connected How love brings everything together becoming? - Monte High ____________________________________________________
Our church theme for April is “Becoming”. I thought I would pose a question about becoming to several random UUCGV congregants, and include the responses in my April newsletter column. My question: Recently, when I am in a situation where I am uncertain, I try to remember to ask myself first of all – what do I want to come of this? What is it for? So, I thought I’d try to pass it on and ask, keeping this in mind, what would you like our church community “to be”, what do you see our church “becoming”, especially given that we’ll hopefully be returning to in-house services by the end of the summer? Pick something in particular that comes to mind and write a sentence or a few. Here are the responses: “I would like to see us continue to be more of an activist church, in particular reaching out and serving as a headquarters or place of refuge for vulnerable populations (those with food insecurity, POC, immigrant/latinx, LBGTQ). In other words, truly welcoming with open arms (in remembrance of Duane Carr) to all who enter our doors.” - Bill Hilty
“Somehow have a random 6 person Coffee breakout right after the service and then go visit with your friends. Just like we do online.” - Floyd Joramo 4
“A community in which authentic and loving relationships plant the foundation for individual growth, spiritual transformation, and service and activism in the world at large. A community which swiftly and generously welcomes newcomers into its network of loving relationships while continuing to treasure its established members.” - Elizabeth High
“More active with children and seniors.” - Kathleen Hedlund
“A sanctuary of safety and peace. A place of acceptance and love. A well of new ideas and concepts for the good of all. A platform for inspiring music and arts. A place where hugging is important!!! A magnet for persons of all colors and spiritual paths.” - Janet Hassell
“I want this congregation to become what it has always been for me, but for a wider and more diverse group of people. My name is David Miller and I joined this congregation in about 1996. Since then, this congregation has given me both safe haven from the trials of the world and inspiration to take meaningful action in that world. It provided my children with compassionate education that honored them as individuals with will and dignity, regardless their age, which contrasts with the theological abuse of my religious childhood. I want that for all children. This church has given me welcoming community when I had things to celebrate and also when I had losses to grieve. So I want this church to remain that. I felt welcomed the first day I walked into a UU church, but I already matched their existing demographic in nearly every way. What I want this church to become, is a place where people who do not have my white, male, CIS-gendered, educated-sounding presentation will be actively invited, be warmly welcomed upon entry, and will experience genuine comfort and acceptance as they meet us. We must not only offer who we are and what we have to our community, but we must be open to being changed by their participation and engagement. We can become more than what we have been, and the more we are willing to accept the changes others will bring, the better, kinder and more loving we will all become. I want this church to continue on its path of growth in community outreach, in material ways, helping people who need help, and also in inspirational ways, speaking out for the power of human love and acceptance. Both are essential for us to become both that safe haven and that launching point for action that we are steadily growing to be.” - David Miller
5
Message from the DRE By Chelsea E. Craine, Director of Religious Education for Children and Youth This month we explore and celebrate what it means to be a people of becoming. Becoming is a topic inextricably linked with children and youth. From a young age we are constantly asked what we want to be when we grow up, meaning our profession. In our larger society we are conditioned to believe that one day we will become one thing, and that this one aspect of ourselves, the part that generates money, will be the primary definition of ourselves, the part with the most importance. In this month of becoming, let us challenge that presupposition. What do we as a faith community want to teach our children about becoming? Is it a process during childhood and adolescence after which at some point in adulthood we “arrive” and cease becoming, cease changing? Or do we continue to become something more, something different, throughout our entire lives? Is who we become defined primarily by our profession, our source of income, our position in the societal money-machine? Or is it a plethora of values, actions, commitments, emotions, and relationships all working together to change ourselves and our world? How can we, as adults, lead by example as a radical people of becoming? What areas of your life have stagnated which you may feel inspired to change and grow? In what ways do you imagine your highest self positively interacting with your community which currently are not being realized? How can you broaden your mind and your life to include previously unexplored possibilities? May we carry these questions forward throughout the month of April. And the next time you ask a child what they want to be when they grow up, consider expanding on that question to include aspects of life outside the professional world, the possibility of multiple and varied endeavors, and the never-ending nature of change and growth. May we become more together than we are apart. Love and Light, Chelsea
6
Soulful Sundays Welcome to the month of BECOMING April 4th I Know this Rose Will Open ~ An Easter Story of Becoming ~ Rev. Wendy Jones
April 11th Grand Junction’s Tiny House Project Sherry Cole
April 18th Earth Day Rev. Wendy Jones
April 25th Freedom and Serenity Through Stoicism: Lessons from the Romans and Greeks Ernie Stech
7
Goddess Group Join the UUCGV Goddess Group as we discover the hidden forces within. All who identify as women are welcome to join us at any or all of the dates below. We meet monthly on the 4th Thursday, at 6:30 pm via Zoom. As women, we are stronger together through support and love. Each meeting you will expect sisterhood, exploration of a particular chakra, a meditation and a whole lot'a love. For more information contact Barbara Beth by emailing works90@hotmail.com. April 1: Crown Chakra Pt 2 - End of this chakra study, all are welcome! April 22: Open Discussion ~ Choosing Upcoming Topics Go to www.grandvalleyuu.org/goddess-group for the Zoom link.
Laughter Yoga!!! 9:30 am each Wednesday. We will be meeting at the NE section of Sherwood Park, across from 1460 E. Sherwood Drive.
UUCGV Meditation Groups Silent Meditation for Healing Our World Join us at the church on Wednesdays at 10:30am for 20-30 minutes of silent meditation for healing our world. We will have chairs arranged six feet apart and we ask that you please bring a mask. ____________ Morning Meditation Join us on Friday mornings at 9:00am for meditation with intentional breathing with Robintix via Zoom. Contact Robintix for more info at
Go to http://www.grandvalleyuu.org/aging-gracefully to read or download the most recent writing by Ernie Stech, UUCGV member. 8
UUCGV Photo Directory of Members & Friends An updated directory will be available in print at the end of April. Email administrator@grandvalleyuu.org with any contact info changes and your pic :)
Raise Funds for UUCGV Through Your Regular Purchases at City Market & Amazon Smile City Market Community Rewards Program This program makes fundraising easy by donating to local organizations based on the shopping you do every day. Once you link your loyalty card to an organization, all you have to do is shop at City Market and swipe your Shopper’s Card. Here’s how it works: Go to http:// www.citymarket.com and log into your King Soopers or City Market account Search for “Unitarian Universalist Congregation of the Grand V” either by name or KA151 and then click "Enroll" New users will need to create an account which requires some basic information, a valid email address and a loyalty card REMEMBER, purchases will not count for your organization until after your register your loyalty card. You must swipe your registered King Soopers or City Market loyalty card or use the phone number that is related to your registered King Soopers or City Market loyalty card when shopping for each purchase to count. 9
Amazon Smile Did you know that by simply going to smile.amazon.com instead of to amazon.com, Amazon will donate 0.5% of your purchase to UUCGV? Here are the steps: Go to smile.amazon.com Click the menu symbol at top left (stack of short lines) Go down to "Your Amazon Smile" and click Fill in: "Unitarian Universalist" in the space provided Scroll a LONG way down to the Unitarian Universalist Congregation in Grand Junction Click "Select" button
Important Dates in Religious Education Easter Picnic and Egg Hunt Sunday, April 4th, 12:30pm-2:00pm Join us at the Oak Shelter Pavilion at Lincoln Park (by the tennis courts, about 100 yards from the playground, easiest to get to if you park in the lot located near the pool. ) for an afternoon picnic and Easter egg hunt! Bring your own picnic lunch, and a dessert to share if you wish. Drinks will be provided. The Easter Egg Hunt will begin at 1:00 sharp. Hope to see you there! If you are interested in helping stuff/hide Easter eggs, please contact Chelsea at dre@grandvalleyuu.org. In the Discovery Garden: Planting Nasturtiums Saturday, April 10th, 10:00am-11:00am Children and youth are invited to the Discovery Garden to plant nasturtium seeds in the bookworm! Remember painting those delightful slats last spring with bright colors and the names of our favorite books? Now we get to plant flowers in the bed made from our art. Looking forward to celebrating spring together! Youth Group: Service and Social Sunday, April 11th, 6:00pm-8:00pm All middle and high school aged youth are invited to join us for an evening of service and social activity. We will make sandwiches and cake bars and pack them in bag lunches for the Grand Junction Mutual Aid distribution on Tuesday, April 13th. These lunches feed hungry community members in need as well as the volunteers who run the distribution. After making the lunches, we will talk, play games, and/or watch a movie depending on the will of the group. Hope to see you there! Our Amazing Night Sky: Lyrid Meteor Shower Friday, April 23rd, 9:00pm-10:00pm Families of all ages are invited to the Colorado National Monument to view the Lyrid meteor shower with us! View celestial bodies and constellations through a telescope and enjoy the beauty of our evening sky. Carpooling for those without monument passes is available. Please contact dre@grandvalleyuu.org if you have a pass and would be willing to share car space, if you do not have a pass and need to be linked up with someone who does, or if you have a telescope you would like to bring to the event. Photo Challenge: Becoming How are you becoming your true, unique self? What are you letting go of and/or letting in so you can continue to grow? What predictions do you have about what our community will become in the future? April is our month of exploring what it means to be a people of becoming. As you consider this, take pictures inspired by the theme and send them (with a brief caption if desired) to dre@grandvalleyuu.org by Friday, April 23rd to be included in the slideshow during the service on Sunday, April 25th. values and ideas are you committed to? What
changes are you committed to seeing in the world? How does your 10 conscience influence your commitments? March is our month of exploring what it means to be a people of commitment. As you consider this, take pictures inspired by the theme and send them
April - Becoming Sunday, April 4th - Letting Go and Letting In: Easter/UU Source #4 When we think about becoming, we often think first of growing, of becoming more and more. But becoming isn’t always about expanding and adding alone. Much of the time it requires a letting go before we can let in. And since this weekend is also the weekend when our Christian friends celebrate Easter, we will use the frame of letting go and letting in to explore that old story anew. With all this in mind, what’s one of the ways our faith guides us in the work of leaning into a people of Becoming? It reminds us that “becoming requires some letting go so we can let in the new! Sunday, April 11th - Change: the Importance of Keeping an Open Mind Who are we meant to become? What unique gifts can we share with the world? That is for us to find out for our whole lives. Growing into what is special and unique about us isn’t always easy. Society is constantly pressuring us to become something we’re not. So, what’s one of the ways our faith guides us to being a people of Becoming? It tells us, “Resist what others want you to be and become your true and unique self!” Sunday, April 18th - Becoming People of the Earth: Earth Day/7th Principle Especially as we face the climate crisis, we are called to become people of the Earth rather than people over the Earth. Our 7th UU principle inspires us towards this with its call to “Respect for the interdependent web of all existence of which we are a part.” So, what’s one of the ways our faith guides us into being a people of Becoming? It says, “honor your connection to the earth by becoming a protector of it!” Sunday, April 25th - Making Hopeful Predictions: What Does it Mean to be an Imaginator? The theme of Becoming invites us to think of the future. Who are we becoming as we grow up? As Unitarian Universalists? It’s normal for human beings to want to control and know their future, and yet we can only control the future so much. Sometimes the answer will be hazy, and we have to trust. So, what’s one of the ways our faith guides us into being a people of Becoming? It tells us “predict the future as best you can but be open and trust what unfolds.”
11
From UUCGV Board President, Elizabeth High Although tragedies are constantly unfolding in different parts of the world, sometimes a tragedy really hits home. For me, this is true of the recent shooting at a grocery store frequented by my dad and stepmother; a grocery store which I grew up going to regularly.
2020-21 Leadership Board President Elizabeth High
When my world splits open that way, I feel urgency to deepen my spirituality and be of service in this world. And I feel boundlessly grateful to have found a community that can amplify that desire and be a force for positive change.
Vice President Laurel Carpenter
This quote from an article on the gratefulness.org website about a group called “TreeSisters” summarizes my feelings about UUCGV:
Past President Janet Cummings
As the forests burn and fear rises, the choice to continue bringing all your creativity to something that builds hope and comfort, that believes in everyone and calls for their greatness, and that provides directly relevant and impactful solutions… is such a relief.
Treasurer Sue Brown At-Large Melissa Humphrey At-Large Richard Hyland
~ Clare Dubois Each time we feel paralyzed by feelings of helplessness about the state of the world, we can choose to do some small concrete task to help UUCGV create hope and comfort. We can choose to do some small concrete task to help UUCGV create directly relevant and impactful solutions to world problems.
At-Large Herb Feinzig At-Large Abby Leinbach
As Pamela Haines writes at http://www.findingsteadyground.com/ The goal of injustice is to breed passivity — to make us believe that things happen to us, events happen to us, policies happen to us. To counteract this, we need to stay in touch with our sense of personal power. One goal is to see ourselves as people who create, whether it’s cooking a meal, organizing a dazzling dramatic action, knitting a hat, making a sign, or playing the piano. We are more than consumers, and our humanity must be affirmed. The energy from our grief and anger can be channeled into energy working for good. Sometimes it will be fun and creative. Other times it may not look very exciting. It may involve tackling some unpleasant and mundane task that we have been procrastinating but which will be helpful to a larger picture goal that will benefit others. Let’s support each other by believing in each other and ourselves and by drawing out that greatness that can shine forth when we set our egos aside. Let's take full advantage of the blessing of finding ourselves together in this valley, at this critical point in time in our world.
12
Team Leadership Circle (TLC) Worship Robin Cyr Religious Education (RE) Jan Hyland Membership Bill Conrod Celebrations Mary Delbecq At-Large Angie Ecker At-Large Laura Jeffries
Living Into Leadership Board Highlights
TLC Highlights
The Board's primary responsibility is to carry out the UUCGV mission through wise governance of the physical, financial, administrative program, and operational resources of the Congregation.
TLC maintains the Programs of the church and the church calendar and hold on close to the Mission, Vision, and Principles of UUCGV.
Below are the highlights of the Board meeting held on Thursday, March 11, 2021 Our UUCGV Board will meet again on Thursday, April 8, 2021 at 7:00 pm. We welcome and seek direct dialogue with members and friends of our congregation.
TLC communicates with each other and the board about the day-to-day operations of the church and provides support to the teams if they need it. TLC meets the second Tuesday of the month at noon. The TLC met on Tuesday, March 9, 2021.
If you would like to discuss a matter at the Board meeting, please contact Board President Elizabeth High at elizabethahigh3@gmail.com by April 5th, 2021
TLC will meet again on Tuesday, April 14, 2021 at 12:00 pm.
Finance: Our current gain of $36,000 YTD is far better than projected loss of $6,700 for this fiscal year. Auction netted more than $12,000. Will be moving the paddle auction funds to a separate bank account for future use on repair of front awning.
The following was discussed at the meeting. Email tlc@grandvalleyuu.org for questions and comments. Membership: There is discussion about creating a new membership category called “Virtual Member” for those in the UUCGV community who would like to join and participate solely through our virtual programming.
Leadership Slate: Elizabeth encourages the Board to consider their desires for leadership next year. If you are interested in joining the board or the TLC please let Elizabeth know. Stewardship: Stewardship Sunday will be March 21 with the theme “Sowing Seeds of Mystery.” Stewardship event March 27, open house style, where congregants submit their pledge cards and receive a mystery potted flower as a gift.
Religious Education: Chelsea is putting together summer programming for the children to have Religious Education classes outside beginning in June.
Basement Usage: Mutual Aid Partners and Solidarity Not Charity have been notified that we will be returning the basement to be used for religious education classes this summer, and are working with both organizations to help find storage for their items.
Celebrations: Celebrations & RE are teaming up for the tradition Easter Picnic and egg hunt on April 4th. The Easter picnic will be at Lincoln Park Oak Shelter from 12-2:00 on Easter Sunday. 13
GJ Mutual Aid Food & Resource Distribution (970) 316-2019 Every Tuesday at 536 Ouray Ave, Grand Junction, CO 10 am – 1pm drop off. 11am - 1:30 pm pick-up Due to heightened COVID restrictions, strict safety guidelines are being followed in order to keep our guests and volunteers safe. In person human resources are now being scheduled by appointment only, these include Barkley's Hope for dog/cat vaccinations, GV Peace & Justice & Vote Positive for resource navigation, Solidarity Not Charity for street outreach, 970 Medicare & Seguros Pa'ti for health insurance plans. Non-perishable foods and fresh produce are still available through our partnership with Food Bank of the Rockies and Catholic Outreach Soup Kitchen. Pre-made food boxes are being delivered to veterans as well as low income & senior housing. Find Grand Junction Mutual Aid on Facebook! If you'd like to make an urgently needed tax deductible donation, please go to www.MutualAidPartners.org _____________________________________________________________ Can you donate 50 sandwiches? Or 50 bags of chips? Or 50 pieces fruit? Or 50 drinks? Help UUCGV provide sack lunches for Mutual Aid on 5/12/2021 Items will be collected at UUCGV during office hours. Sack lunches will be assembled and distributed on the second Tuesday of each month from 10am-2pm, during the Grand Junction Mutual Aid weekly distribution event. Thank you for contributing! Look for the sign up link in the weekly email. 14
UUCGV Calendar
April
Worship Schedule Worship Services are held Sundays at 10:30 am via Zoom
2021 Sunday 28
Monday 29
9:30 Children’s RE via Zoom 10:30 Worship Via Zoom
4 9:30 Children’s RE via Zoom 10:30 Worship Via Zoom 12:30 Easter
Tuesday 30 10:00 GJ Mutual Aid
5
6 10:00 GJ Mutual Aid
12:00 Finance
Picnic and Egg Hunt @Lincoln Park 11
12
9:30 Children’s RE via Zoom 10:30 Worship Via Zoom 6:00 Youth Group: Service and Social 18
19
9:30 Children’s RE via Zoom 10:30 Worship Via Zoom
25 9:30 Children’s RE via Zoom 10:30 Worship Via Zoom
26
Wednesday
Please Remember that all meetings & events MUST be scheduled through the administrator (257-0772) or administrator@grandvalleyuu.org. See full calendar, renters and all, at grandvalleyuu.org/calendar.
Thursday 1
31
Friday 2
Saturday 3
9:30 Laughter Yoga @ Sherwood 10:30 Meditation 11:15 Sacred Dotting 6:30 Goddess Group via Zoom
9:00 Morning Meditation
7
9
10
9:00 Morning Meditation
8:30 UU Serves at the Soup Kitchen
8
9:30 Laughter Yoga @ Sherwood 10:30 Meditation 11:15 Sacred Dotting 7:00 Board 6:30 Adult Choir
15
10:00 Planting @ Discovery Garden
13
14
10:00 GJ Mutual Aid 12:00 TLC
9:30 Laughter Yoga @ Sherwood 10:30 Meditation 11:15 Sacred Dotting 5:30 RE Team 6:30 Adult Choir
20
21
10:00 GJ Mutual Aid
9:30 Laughter Yoga @ Sherwood 10:30 Meditation 11:15 Sacred Dotting 6:30 Goddess 6:30 Adult Choir Group via Zoom
9:00 Morning Meditation
27
28
30
10:00 GJ Mutual Aid
9:30 Laughter Yoga @ Sherwood 10:30 Meditation 11:15 Sacred Dotting
22
29
6:30 Adult Choir
15
16
17
9:00 Morning Meditation
May Newsletter Deadline
23
24
9:00 Meteor Shower on the Monument
9:00 Morning Meditation
1
Unitarian Universalist Congregation of the Grand Valley P.O. Box 1053 Grand Junction, CO 81502
NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION U.S. POSTAGE PAID PERMIT NO. 118 GRAND JUNCTION, CO “Return Service Requested”
“Vitally Inclusive Justice-Centered Spiritually Alive”
Minister: Rev. Wendy Jones 257-0772 x2 or minister@grandvalleyuu.org Church Administrator: Maya Kraushaar 257-0772 x1 or administrator@grandvalleyuu.org Director of Religious Education: Chelsea E. Craine 257-0772 x3 or dre@grandvalleyuu.org Music Director: Miriam Deming music@grandvalleyuu.org Facilities: Cameron Jordan facilities@grandvalleyuu.org
For me, becoming isn’t about arriving somewhere or achieving a certain aim. I see it instead as forward motion, a means of evolving, a way to reach continuously toward a better self. The journey doesn’t end.
536 Ouray Ave, Grand Junction, CO 81501
- Michelle Obama www.grandvalleyuu.org Find us on Facebook & Instagram @grandvalleyuu
We meet via Zoom on Sundays at 10:30 am for Worship
17
