UUCGV NEWS
Welcome to the month of
Awe
Unitarian Universalist Congregation of the Grand Valley — Newsletter
December 2019
We are an affiliated congregation of the Unitarian Universalist Association and
From Our Minister, Reverend Wendy Jones The world is full of magic things, patiently waiting for our senses to grow sharper. ― W.B. Yeats There are in life a few moments so beautiful, that even words are a sort of profanity. ― Diana Palmer
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According to dictionary.com, awe is a “reverential respect mixed with fear or wonder.” I think of it as a sort of holy wonder, with love and beauty wrapped up in a single momentary experience; an experience that in one moment transcends time. An experience of awe is one beyond the senses, offering an expansion, a connection, a moment of perfect alignment with the vastness of the universe.
We are a Welcoming Congregation
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In This Issue
#grandvalleyuu A Place for Liberal Spirituality Diverse Thought and Community Action
Among Us 1-5 Revelations 6, 10-11 Children/Youth Religious Education 7-9 Leadership 12-13 UUCGV News 14 Worship Calendar 15 Calendar 15
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When all of a sudden, the singular blends into the whole, it becomes something that the mind can’t even imagine, and yet there it is in a lived experience. That is awe. A sense of awe doesn’t happen very often and so it should be received as a true gift when experienced. Most often, I feel that sense of divine wonder when I’m at the top of a mountain with the cold air hitting my face as I have just gotten off a the ski lift. I look down at the beautiful mountains below and my breath is taken away. It is accompanied by a moment of pure joy. It is the stunned silence after beautiful music. A choral of voices coming together to make exquisite sound. How does a sense of awe impact your day to day life? If the answer is “it doesn’t”, then maybe it is time to find something that will transport you to another time and place, if even for a brief moment, because it is those brief moments that last for eternity.
~ Rev. Wendy Jones
CHRISTMAS EVE CANDLELIGHT SERVICE AT UUCGV
DECEMBER 24 AT 7:00 PM 2
Music Notes How can we inspire awe? One article from geeatergood.berkley.edu suggests that those who experience awe daily can have improved mood and well being. This article recommended trying to enjoy the awe of nature daily and finding things that induce awe in our everyday life, whether it's by taking the time to appreciate the little things, looking at beautiful slideshows of world wonders, or reading an awe inspiring story. Naturally we can feel awe looking at a beautiful landscape like our Colorado National Monument. We can also experience it looking at pieces of art and during musical performances. But how can we inspired awe in others? Once we have applied these techniques to our own life can we help each other do the same thing? I think we can! The way we can do this is by sharing our gifts and offering our perspective. If you are a talented poet, share your gift and someone reading or listening to your work may be inspired with awe. If you notice the beauty of the sunset, point it out to those around you so they can see it's magical colors as well. I hope that we all continue to inspire awe within ourselves and each other and I hope that every now and then our special musicians and choir give you this feeling as well. Sing Everyday,
~ Amandalin Hunter, UUCGV Music Director music@grandvalleyuu.org * Source article: https://greatergood.berkeley.edu/article/itemeight_reasons_why_awe_makes_your_life_better
Among Us Care-Full Conversations: Is this world getting you down? Are you worried about climate change, the state of our world politics, or just experiencing an unexplained sense of anxiety in general? Would you like to have a space to talk about some of these issues with like minded people in a healthy and intentional way? The Care-Team will be hosting a series of conversations this fall called Care-Full Conversation led by Rev. Wendy. Don’t sit alone at home and deal with the craziness of this world all alone. Come discuss it with us on Thursday, December 19 at the church.
UU Night! Come spend relaxed time with new friends, enjoy great food, and get to know your UUCGV community in a new way! Charles Dawes has offered to be our chef. He does the shopping and cooking on Wednesday nights, but we need volunteers to help clean up on Wednesday nights. If you would like to financially support UU Night, City Market gift cards or cash donations are welcome throughout the week. Please feel free to drop them off in the office. All are welcome on Wednesday nights starting at 5:30 pm. 3
Black Canyon Discussion Group The next Black Canyon Discussion will be held in the Cedaredge/Montrose area on Wednesday, December 4, 2019 at 5:30 pm. The topic will be: "How can we best approach focusing on similarities between our peoples rather than the differences between us?" Phil Ellsworth will be hosting. Contact E Heuscher at 970-8564226 for more information.
Men’s Cooking UUCGV’s Men’s Cooking Group is the longest standing group in the church. We meet and cook the third Thursday of the month. If you’re new to the church and are maleidentifying, please join the fun! The next Men’s Cooking night will have a breakfast theme and be held on December 19 at 6:00 pm. For more info and location, contact Mark McKenney at 970-256-7907 or email mckenneyd@qwest.net
Goddess Group Do you pay attention to what your body is telling you? Do you pay attention to your body's cycles? How about the moon cycles? Or the cycles of the seasons? It is incredible what we can learn from our bodies and the cosmos. Come explore these cyclical energies on Thursday, December 19, 2019 at 6:30 pm at the church. We will explore how to become our best self by paying attention to cosmic flows in relation to our own powers. You will be taking home a little moon journal for 2020. Feel free to bring a lovingly prepared food our drink to share. If you identify as woman, you are welcome to join us for our last Goddess Group of 2019! For more information contact Miranda at msricerichardson@gmail.com or 970-712-4545. 4
WHO ARE UU? Come get to know us! Do your friends or family ever ask you, “What is Unitarian Universalism?” Do you wonder what it means when we say that we are a covenantal church rather than a creedal church? Have you ever wondered if there is a difference between being a "religious liberal" versus being a "political liberal?" Rev. Wendy leads a monthly informal gathering for friends, members and guests who would like to learn more about what it means to be a Unitarian Universalist. This is an ongoing conversation, usually on the second Sunday of every month after coffee hour. All people are welcome! All questions are welcome. Join the conversation on December 15 at the church.
UUCGV Meditation
Soup Kitchen Saturday
Morning Meditation
This is a reminder that Soup Kitchen Saturday is the second Saturday of every month at Catholic Outreach, located at the south end of 1st Street between Pitkin and Ute Avenues. We need your help on Saturday, December 14 from 8:30 am to 1:15 pm. We need 10-12 people from 8:30-10:30 am to help prepare and cook enough food for 150+ people. Another 7-8 people are needed from 11:45 to 1:15 pm to serve and help clean up the kitchen. Anyone with an interest in helping to prepare or serve this meal is welcome; teens included.
Join us on Friday mornings at 9:00 am for meditation with intentional breathing with Robintix at UUCGV. Contact Robintix for more info at
Please contact Chris Jauhola (chrisjauhola@aol.com; phone 6397616) for more information and to let us know that you plan to volunteer. Please bring a scarf or hat to cover your hair. Many thanks to all volunteers who helped prepare and serve chicken marinara and roasted potato wedges in November. A special thanks to Barbara, Bea and Wendy for taking on additional responsibilities last month in my absence.
Groups:
Laughter Yoga It's not really Yoga... come work out your spirit with laughter! Join us in this amazingly fun and energetic session! Every Wednesday at 10:00 am at the church.
Peaceful Meditation We meet the second Thursday of every month at 11 am. The next “vibration raising” will be on Thursday, December 12.
Interplay! Meditation & Qigong Bobbie and Boz will be offering sitting, walking, and moving meditation at our home, at 185 Bevan Lane, on Sunday, December 1 at 4:00 pm and at UU on Monday, December 2 at 4:00 pm. This is in the tradition of zen master Thich Nhat Hanh. Beginners and all are welcome.
Are you an adult or teen, who likes to play? Please come and check out an introduction to InterPlay. InterPlay is an active, creative way to unlock the wisdom of the body. We play with music, stories, and movement, which can lead to surprising experiences of joy, fun, connection, and depth. If you are curious or this sounds interesting, please join us on December 2 at 10:00-11:30 am at the church. No skill or training needed – all bodies are welcome. Contact Nancy Banman for more information at nancyabanman@gmail.com
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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. Joel Prudhomme was born in Denver, Edgewater to be precise. The family lived in a 500 square feet house that his grandfather built. The kids had to go through their parent’s bedroom and the only bathroom to get to the small room with their bunkbeds. When Joel was four years old the family moved to Kearney, Nebraska – into a 27 room house that his great grandparents built. The kids loved it. You could get lost inside it. And they did. The small town of Kearney was an idyllic setting – Norman Rockwellish. There was a park right down the road where they could go play. Yet, it was difficult for Joel’s dad to make a living because of the lack of jobs for an electrical engineer in Kearney. Dad got hired on with General Electric as a quality control rep for the Air Force jet plane engines. The Prudhommes moved to Manhattan Beach, California. Once again, the kids loved it – the beach was a wonderful place to explore. Yet, they barely got their feet wet before Dad was transferred to Albuquerque, and bounced from one Air Force Base to another – in Rapid City, South Dakota and then Colorado Springs. When Joel was 10, the family jumped off the caravan. GE transitioned Dad into working with industrial motors, and the family moved back to Denver – Arvada. Despite all the moving, Mom was a loving homemaker and the family activities were always consistent, regardless of where they lived at the time. From here on out Joel’s growing up years would be a more typical, suburban life. Joel was sandwiched between two sisters, but it was a different time and he wasn’t around them much. They did girl things and he hung out with the boys in the neighborhood and on various sports teams. He played everything (there were fewer sports to choose from back then) – football, basketball, baseball, and even hockey though it’s played with only a narrow slice of a ball. Joel was also a good student and earned a joint scholarship in academics and sports to the University of Colorado, Boulder. He started out as an engineering student, played on the freshman basketball team, and joined a fraternity. During his freshman basketball season Joel soon realized that there simply wasn’t enough time in the day for basketball, his studies and all the facets of college life; so, Joel gave up basketball. And later he discovered that engineering wasn’t a good fit for him. He chose business marketing because it seemed like the most practical choice. Joel was more interested in psychology. He was fascinated with behavioral research. He graduated with a degree in business marketing and a minor in psychology. The plan was to work for a while and then go back to school to study psychology. Joel was dead-broke after graduation, so he went to Chicago to live with his older sister and her family. He didn’t get a job offer in business marketing in Chicago, so he took a job as a ticket agent for United Airlines. He thought the free airline travel benefits would be great. This was before computers, so all transactions were paper ones. Re-scheduling canceled flights were done by thumbing through the big multi-airline book and then calling other airlines to see if they had seats available, and then handwriting tickets. Not easy and not much fun when 30 angry people were backed up at your counter! After only three months in Chicago, Uncle Sam came calling. I want you for the U.S. Army! It was 1969. Joel was against the Vietnam War. A sociology class, school newspaper articles and student harangues had enlightened Joel on the history of Vietnam and the scenario there. He applied for conscientious objector status through his Episcopalian background. Joel did his required service as a conscientious objector at the University of Colorado Medical (Continued on page 10)
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Message from the DRE By Chelsea E. Craine, Director of Religious Education for Children and Youth (DRE) dre@grandvalleyuu.org It’s December already! The end of the calendar year is drawing nigh and we are reaching the midpoint of our year in RE. These first few months have been a time of experimentation, change, and most importantly, fun. Thank you to every parent, volunteer, and team member who has helped support the RE program and myself throughout this transition. I feel joy as I see our community continue to develop and sustain practices which help nurture the spiritual growth of us all, especially that of our children and youth. For many, with winter comes reflection. As I reflect on the nature of religious education, a couple themes present themselves which I would like to share with you. As with any aspect of development, children’s spiritual growth is most significantly impacted by those with which they spend the most time: their caregivers. Parents, guardians, siblings, these are the people whose influence is greatest. Even if a child attends every RE class offered each Sunday of their childhood, one hour a week is a drop in the bucket compared to the time spent with family. For that reason, this month I will begin sharing extension activities related to the RE topics which families can explore on their own during the month. These resources will be available in hard copy form downstairs as well as online through the Children’s RE portion of our website. Outside of the family, children are influenced by larger communities such as UUCGV. As a community, we have the opportunity and the obligation to support our children in every aspect of their life journeys. Children learn through observation, and each time an adult member of our congregation welcomes them as they are (even when they are dirty, loud, and squirrelly) they learn that everyone is important and that they are loved. That is why I thank the adults of our congregation for welcoming our children and youth each Sunday as we begin worship together, and for extending that welcome throughout the service on All Ages Sundays. When you offer that gift of unconditional love, our children internalize it and offer it to others in turn. You are growing the beautiful garden of the future. Thank you. 7
Children’s Religious Education RE is AWEsome! This month we will be exploring what means to be a people of awe. We will delve into this theme in our three classes (preK - 1st grade, 2nd - 5th grade, and 6th - 8th grade) through art, games, music, service projects, and stories. See below for a brief description of each Sunday’s themes. If you have a high schooler who has previously considered themselves too cool for church school, ask them if they are interested in being a Teen Assistant and helping the teachers downstairs with the littler kids. Remember, it’s never too late to teach! Please contact dre@grandvalleyuu.org if you are interested in working with our amazing children and youth, or to register your own children for RE. Love in Action Sunday, December 1 Explore the amazement of change for justice as we learn about the real-life story of Rosa Parks. Practice the skill of collective engagement as we work together to show love in action.
Slowing Down Sunday, December 8 When we slow down we notice new and amazing beauty in all parts of our lives. Discover the feeling of awe through the story of a snowflake. Looking at the Night Sky Sunday, December 15 Delve into the amazement we feel when we look at the stars. Recognize the awe we experience when we contemplate the vastness of the universe.
Mitten Tree - ALL AGES SERVICE Sunday, December 22 Come one, come all to decorate the Mitten Tree! Bring new mittens, scarves, and hats and participate in this intergenerational service. Afterwards we will place all warm donations in our Blessing Box. Christmas Eve - ALL AGES SERVICE Tuesday, December 24, 7:00 pm People of all ages are invited to this special Christmas Eve service. There will be plenty of singing and light. Welcoming the New Year - ALL AGES SERVICE Sunday, December 29 Help us usher in the new year as we create a time capsule together. Bring a small object, note, or drawing to contribute to this intergenerational project. 8
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Other Important Dates Christmas Tree Cutting Saturday, December 7, 9:30 am Help us find the perfect tree for the sanctuary! Joanie and Andrea will be leading this adventurous tradition complete with potluck hotdog and marshmallow roast. If you would also like to get your own tree, you will need to get a permit from the BLM office by the airport, bring a snow-capable car, and the means to haul off your tree. We will meet at UUCGV and drive over together. Please RSVP by December 1st to dre@grandvalleyuu.org.
Parents’ Night Out Friday, December 13, 5:00 pm-8:00 pm All children and youth are invited to our monthly Parents’ Night Out! Come to UUCGV for dinner, a movie with popcorn, and games while your grown-ups take the night off. This month we will have a pancake dinner and watch two short seasonal cartoons, Frosty the Snowman and How the Grinch Stole Christmas. $10/child with a $20 family cap.
RE Team Meeting Tuesday, December 17, 6:00 pm Join the team! We meet the third Tuesday of the month at 6:00 pm unless otherwise noted. All meetings will take place at UUCGV. RE teachers invited. Teen advisers welcome. All members and parents who have ideas or input for the program are encouraged to attend.
UU Kids Gift-Making Workshop Saturday, December 21, 10-11:30 am Join us for a morning of gift-making, apple cider, and hot chocolate! Make presents for your parents, siblings, and friends. Choose from collage candle holders, personalized coasters, cookie mix jars, and homemade play dough, or make them all!
UUCGV Childcare: Childcare for babies and toddlers and preschoolers is provided during Worship on Sunday’s from 10:00 am to 12:00 pm and during UU Night on Wednesdays, from 5:30 –7:30 pm. Childcare is provided by Robintix Perryman. 9
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Center library. Living in the Capitol Hill area was an eye-opening experience. The urban setting was very diverse. Many of the youngsters were living “alternative lifestyles” and Joel integrated into the community. He was involved in the very first Earth Day celebration in 1970. He met a vivacious, attractive young woman – Kathi. After Joel completed his conscientious objector service, he and Kathi moved to Boulder and got married. The wedding took place in a wildflower field in the foothills of Boulder. It was a simple ceremony. Joel’s close friend Marilyn, an assistant librarian at the CU Medical Center library, is the only person that attended who wasn’t a family member. During this time Joel was doing a lot of still black-and-white photography, and eventually transitioned into videography. In the spring of 1973, after a horrible winter in Boulder, Joel and Kathi drove through Grand Junction. They hiked in the desert. The fruit trees were in bloom and there was little auto traffic. Boulder housing was expensive. ($25,000 for a medium-size ranch-style home in a 15-year-old neighborhood!) They had gotten into the “back to earth” thinking; so, considering everything, Joel shelved his grad school plans and they moved to Grand Junction. But before the story shifts over to the other side of the continental divide, a little digression: while Joel was serving his conscientious objector obligation in the CU Medical Center library, his close friend Marilyn started dating a young medical student. Naturally, Joel got to know this young medical student pretty well. Warren’s family had a cabin up in the mountains that they would visit on the weekends. Joel and Warren played a lot of chess, epic battles that sometimes lasted four or five hours. Who was this young medical student? None other than the late Warren Petersen, who was a long time member of our congregation. When Joel finished his conscientious objector service, he moved out of the area and lost touch with Marilyn and Warren. Joel was quite surprised when Warren showed up in Grand Junction years later. Joel and his dad purchased a 14 acre fruit orchard in Palisade. Joel worked the orchard, and also worked as a cinematographer – he shot 16mm game film for School District 51 high school teams and the Mesa College football and basketball teams. But these endeavors were not lucrative enough, so after several years Joel sold the orchard. Joel got a marketing job at Rocky Mountain HMO, where he worked for eight years. Then, he and a friend started a processed fruits business. Joel worked in the business and did the marketing for 14 years. Joel and Kathi had two daughters – Abby and Megan. They both attended Grand Junction High School. Joel’s daughters now live in Fort Collins, Colorado and Charleston, South Carolina. Each daughter has three boys, and the oldest is 11, so when all six of Joel’s grandkids get together they create quite a commotion. When the processed fruit business began to struggle, it put a lot of financial stress on the marriage. In 2001 Kathi and Joel divorced. Joel’s friend talked him into getting involved with his construction business. Over the years Joel had also been renovating houses. He would remodel one house, and then move on. Joel has had six different residences in Grand Junction. Construction seems to suit his temperament. He’s a practical guy; it is fulfilling to build something and see the result of his work. Joel started working for Vostatek Construction, doing extensive work and supervising major projects. He was not your typical supervisor, however. When he saw something that needed fixing, he would often do it himself. He wanted to keep in touch with the hands-on part of construction. Vostatek industrial construction projects that Joel worked on included multiple repair/classroom remodels/roofing/irrigation projects for the City of Grand Junction, school district 51, the state of Colorado, and Colorado Mesa University. They also constructed new buildings at Highline State Park, and did extensive work at the Colorado Department of Wildlife and the County Hazardous-Waste facility, to name a few. Most importantly, Joel supervised the construction of Bananas Fun Park! (Continued on page 11)
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Joel also joined the UU Congregation in 2001. Joel has always tended to be a bit reclusive. He liked having a progressive community to participate in, and he wanted to give the spiritual thing a whirl. Over the years Joel has been a part of almost every committee or team in the UUCGV. He’s been particularly active in the property team, doing everything from yardwork to inspecting and doing building repairs over the years. He worked on the irrigation system, and built the beautiful fence on the east side of our current property. Several years ago our community began actively searching for an available building that we could purchase, because the mortgage would actually be less expensive than the rent. Joel is a library patron, so he got advanced notice that the library was selling the property at 536 Ouray. The lightbulb immediately turned on inside of his mind. He knew the building had a strong foundation and could withstand a major renovation. It had beautiful, mature vegetation. And the location was outstanding. Joel actively promoted the purchase of our building and was involved in the initial design work. In 2004, Joel was attending the Alternative Christmas Fair when he met a tall, ethereal being. Immediately he could tell that she possessed an uncommon kindness. Kindness was etched across her beautiful face. He could hear it in her voice. He could see it in her graceful movements. She had a delightfully playful sense of humor and a genuine, everlasting smile. And she was the organizer of this entire shindig – the Alternative Christmas Fair. Tables were set up throughout the expansive room, each supporting a different nonprofit humanitarian or environmental organization. The idea is to purchase a gift card as a donation to a nonprofit, and then gift it in someone’s name as a Christmas present. It is a way to give a gift that also improves the condition of our world and doesn’t contribute to the materialism of Christmas. Karen Sjoberg was running Grand Valley Peace and Justice at the time. It was easy for Joel to see that Karen was deeply compassionate, and devoted to working toward improving living conditions for all of God’s children. Joel and Karen were married at one of the overlooks on the Colorado National Monument. They are now living, happily ever after, in a little duplex on the Redlands. Together they are saving the world. Joking! If anything they are consoling one another. As long time activists, they have both learned that expectations are easily dashed. They try to focus on the joy of the moment, and are satisfied knowing they are attempting to put their best foot forward. Satisfaction, after all, is a key to happiness. It might also be the key to our current environmental crisis. How much do we really need? We need food, shelter and love. To give you an example of Karen’s current effort toward peace and justice, she is the founder of Citizens for Clean Air. Over the years Joel has been involved with many humanitarian and environmental causes. These endeavors give him a great deal of satisfaction. They make him feel good. Giving has that effect on people. “What do I value?” “Am I willing to support it?” Joel chooses to give generously of his time and money. Joel tried to retire. He recently decided to phase away from big jobs for Vostatek Construction. Yet, he continues to work six days a week. Part of the reason is that he can’t say no. He continues to do mostly smaller remodeling projects and repairs, including work at area nonprofits. Joel enjoys being a helpful handyman. Life goes on…
in endless song… 11
Financial News
2019-20 Leadership Board President Elizabeth High Vice President Laurel Carpenter Past President Janet Cummings Treasurer Steve Watson At-Large Duane Carr At-Large Richard Hyland At-Large Herb Feinzig At-Large Abbey Leinbach
Finance Report - Collection Baskets Our collections each week can be divided into 3 different baskets.
The second is offerings. This is all cash (paper) and checks from people who do not pledge.
Leadership Development Team (LDT) Stan Scott Melissa Humphrey Robin Cyr
The third is pledges, and this is the bulk of the financial support church depends on. This comes from people who pledge at beginning of the year to donate a certain amount of money to church. You may have contributed in all three ways. All three important.
Team Leadership Circle (TLC) Worship Miranda Richardson
The first one is the loose change. That goes into the "change for change" which is given to a non-profit who is making a change in our community.
the the the are
For the year to date our finances are doing well because some of the people who pledged have pre-paid their pledges ahead of time. ~ UUCGV Treasurer, Steve Watson
Religious Education (RE) Jan Hyland Membership Bill Conrod
Put Your Fundraising Fun Hat On! We will be looking into new fundraising opportunities in the new year. If you have any creative ideas, please let Rev. Wendy or Steve Watson know. We have some creative ideas in the works that we will launch in 2020. 12
Celebrations Kathleen Hedlund Celebrations Mary Delbecq Care Laura Jeffries Honorary Member Green Team Audrey Brainard
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. TLC communicates with each other and the board about the day-to-day operations of the church and provide support to the teams if they need it.
Below are the highlights of the Board meeting held on November 14, 2019. Our UUCGV Board will meet again on December 12, 2019 at 7:00 pm. We welcome and seek direct dialogue with members and friends of our congregation. If you would like to discuss a matter at the Board meeting, please contact Board President Elizabeth High at elizabethahigh3@gmail.com by December 6, 2019.
TLC meets the second Thursday of the month at noon. The TLC met on Thursday, November 14, 2019. The following was discussed at the meeting. Email tlc@grandvalleyuu.org for questions and comments.
Auction Team We recognized the hard work of our auction team and appreciate everyone who helped or donated to make the event a success!
Worship Miranda Richardson let us know that she will be starting nursing school, therefor has resigned as the head of worship. Thank you for all of your hard work Miranda!
Safety Team The safety plan was approved by the board, and will be adapted into our church policy format. Thank you Bill Conrod and the rest of the Safety Team for all of your dedication for keeping the congregation safe.
Religious Education, RE The RE program is running smoothly. Please see pages 7-9 of this newsletter for more details.
New Board Member The board welcomed Abby Leinbach as our newest board member.
Celebrations The auction was a huge success and Celebrations has moved it’s focus to preparing for the Friendship Potluck with FCC for Thanksgiving.
Visioning We discussed three proposed "board goals" for 2019-20. 1) Generating fun and creative fundraising ideas, to compliment the work of Stewardship. 2) Clarifying the board’s scope of responsibilities and review the board section of the bylaws for any changes that may need to be proposed. 3) Support the Green Team as UUCGV lives into it’s process of becoming a "Green Sanctuary" by the UUA. Staff Congregation Relations, SCR The SCR recently updated the personnel policy and continue to define staff job descriptions.
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Care Love baskets are currently being made for members in need. They are looking for donations of small baskets and care items. Green Sanctuary The Green Team is cutting plastic bags to make recycled totes every Wednesday at 4:30 p.m.; will be hosting a meal for the auction on January 24 at Bill Hilty’s house; Green team will not meet in December. TLC will meet again on Thursday, December 12, 2019 at 12:00 pm
Care News: As the new year begins, the Care Team is always looking for people who would be willing to bring food, create care baskets, offer rides, or hold new born babies. None of these activities require joining the team, but would be wildly appreciated. If you are willing to share your time in any of these capacities please contact Laura Jefferies by emailing ljmerlyn@gmail.com.
Interested in Becoming a Member of Grand Valley UU?
Change for Change
Every now and then we are asked, "How do I become a member of this congregation?" It is a fairly simple process. If you are new to Unitarian Universalism, it is recommended that you go to one of the “Who are UU?” talks that Rev. Wendy facilitates once a month after the morning service. (see page 4 for more info). If you decide this is for you, then you can talk to Rev. Wendy (minister@grandvalleyuu.org), Peg Oswald (pegoswaldo@gmail.com) or Bill Conrod of the membership team about becoming a member. For more information, contact Bill Conrod at 970-712-8684 or bcconrod@yahoo.com.
Each month we collect change (coins) from the offertory baskets and donate it to a local charity. This effort usually brings in about $100/ month.
Sunday Hospitality:
Our November Change for Change went to Grand Junction Frozen Hobo Rescue with a mission to provide emergency aid to those in need on the streets of Grand Junction, during the coldest nights of the year.
The Worship Team would like to invite our members and friends to bring snacks and goodies to share after the service on Sundays. We have many requests for healthy items like fruits and veggies but cookies and cakes are always welcome too! Since we do not have a signup sheet for Sunday Hospitality, sometimes we won’t have anything. And that is ok! We all enjoy “just” coffee, tea and conversation too!
Our December Change for Change will go to the Loma Cat House. Their mission is to rescue, provide medical attention and find homes for feral and abandoned felines.
Big thank you to our greeters in November! Lynn deBeauclair, Robin Cyr, Maggie Eagleton, Duane Carr, Bob McKenna, Joel Prudhomme, and Pooka. Don’t you love seeing that beautifully friendly UU face handing you the order of service each Sunday morning? Being a greeter at UUCGV is a simple way you can contribute to the life of the congregation. If you’re looking for a short term commitment, please sign up on the clipboard in the foyer, or email administrator@grandvalleyuu.org. 14
UUCGV Calendar
Worship Schedule
December
Worship Services are held Sundays at 10:30am
December 8: Nancy Alaire Jesus & the Essenes December 15: Rev. Wendy Jones
December Theme: Awe
December 22: Winter Solstice
2019
December 1: Rev. Wendy Jones
December 24: Christmas Eve December 29: New Years Week
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. Sunday 1
Monday 2
Tuesday 3
4:00 Meditation 4:00 & Qigong at Meditation & 185 Bevan Ln. Qigong at 9
10
5
11 10:00 Care 10:00 Laughter Yoga
6:00 Suicide Support
15 16 10:30 Worship 11:30 Who Are UU? 12:00 Worship Team
22 10:30 Worship
4
23
Thursday
5:30 UU Night 6:30 Adult Choir
25 Office Closed
Saturday 7
9:00 Morning Meditation
9:30 Christmas Tree Cutting on the Mesa
12 11:00 Peaceful Meditation
13 9:00 Morning Meditation
12:00 TLC
5:00 Parents’ Night Out
14 8:30 UU Serves at the Soup Kitchen 10:00 Interplay
7:00 Board Meeting 17 18 19 12:00 Finance 10:00 Laughter 10:00 Care-Full Team Yoga Conversations 6:00 Men’s 6:00 RE Team 5:30 UU Night Cooking 6:30 Adult Choir 6:30 Goddess Group 24
Friday 6
10:00 Laughter Yoga 5:30 Black Canyon 5:30 UU Night 6:30 Adult Choir
10:30 Worship
8 10:30 Worship
Wednesday
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Christmas Day
20 January Newsletter Deadline
9:00 Morning Meditation
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21 10:00 Kids Gift Making Workshop
28
9:00 Morning Meditation
7:00 Christmas Eve Service 29
30
31
1 Office Closed
10:30 Worship New Years Day
15
2
3 9:00 Morning Meditation
4
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”
Office is open Tuesday-Thursday 9 am-2 pm Minister: Rev. Wendy Jones Tue 9-1, Wed & Thu 9-12 or by appointment 257-0772 x2 or minister@grandvalleyuu.org Church Administrator: Maya Kraushaar Tuesday—Thursday 9-2 257-0772 x1 or administrator@grandvalleyuu.org Director of Religious Education: Chelsea Craine 257-0772 x3 or dre@grandvalleyuu.org Music Director: Amadalin Hunter music@grandvalleyuu.org Facilities Manager: Sterling VanWagoner facilities@grandvalleyuu.org
“The world is full of magic things, patiently waiting for our senses to grow sharper.” - W.B. Yeats
www.grandvalleyuu.org Find us on Facebook & Instagram @grandvalleyuu
We meet Sundays at 10:30 am for Worship