I inhabit a world - I’ve always inhabited a world - of middle places. Since childhood, I’ve known I’m not Black OR white. And as a non-binary person, even as a kid, I understood that I didn’t fit the typical “girl or boy” mold, although I didn’t stumble upon the language for what I am until well into adulthood. I’m mostly attracted to men… but not entirely. Class was always wishy washy, too. I grew up with a single mother. I never missed a meal, but we didn’t have a lot extra. And when we did, it was because Mom worked extra, extra hard to make it so. But, being put in the “smart kid” classes more often than not, I was regularly surrounded by people whose families could afford all the activities, and all the vacations, and whose college funds were, well… funded. I am cognizant that, without my mother’s intentionality in choosing where we lived in Colorado Springs, I wouldn’t have had nearly the amount of opportunity afforded me by growing up in a well-funded, well-staffed public school district.

All this to say, I’ve never really fit in the binaries. And as a child, I thought, was made to think, that that was my failing. That there was something wrong with me because the depictions of identity, and of success, bore little resemblance to my reality. It took me decades to realize that that was the project: to make me, and people like me, feel as if they were wrong. People who are ashamed of who they are, are easy to guilt into compliance. They’re easy to convince that they don’t deserve the full measure of love and understanding and support and power that every person is owed. I think that’s what makes a lot of our current reality so threatening to a lot of folks, and why the backlash is so angry, unreasonable, and brutal. Many of our compatriots have bought into this idea of only certain human expressions being acceptable. And now we, as a country, are coming to grips with a reality contrary to what we’ve been taught. Or rather, we’re coming to grips with the fact that what we’ve been taught about how the world works, never existed. Human beings rarely actually fit in the either/or. We’re much more beautifully complex than that. I get to embrace BOTH sides of my heritage. I get to explore ALL aspects of my gender expression. I get to speak from a place that is neither here nor there, and know that it is uniquely, insightfully mine.

So I’m wondering, friends - in what aspect of your life or identity have you not fit into the “acceptable” designations? What opportunities has that afforded you, or might it afford you? How might the rejection of fitting into one box or another provide opportunities for growth, both individually and as a community?

Here I am, writing my very last Ignite article. I admit that writing these articles has not been my most favorite or easy task. I frequently battle the inner voice that says, “no one really cares what you think.” I have experimented with different approaches, from a simple exploration of the monthly theme to a run-down of Faith Exploration happenings. I toyed many times with writing secret messages (I am trapped in the basement - please help me get out), just to see if anyone was paying attention. Given my monthly angst, I would have thought that writing this one would be a welcome task, knowing that this will be the last. But as I think about my long years as a JUC staff member, and also as a congregant, I can’t help but feel a tremendous sense of sadness as I write this last reflection.

I started at JUC as a music ministry intern when my youngest kids were toddlers. At the time, Keith Arnold was kind enough to hold our meetings in the Preschool room so Luke and Ozzie could play while we met. As my intern year was coming to a close, Keith charged me with “making myself indispensable" so I could be re-hired the next year. Apparently, given that

I stayed for the next 18 years, I was able to do that! For 15 of those years, I worked part-time making music with so many JUC children and families: in classrooms, in Children’s, Radiance and Resonance choir, in family music classes and in the Children’s musicals. My own three children grew up here, along with so many JUC kids, participating in choir and FE classes. My husband, Rob, started teaching OWL and has been doing it ever since. During covid, I kept the kids’ choirs going online, taught music in our online FE classes and, of course, was a member of the “Quarantet." (Remember all those videos we made?) And then I was given the opportunity to serve as the Director of Faith Exploration, a job that I have held with such honor. In that role, I have loved the opportunity to lead our program and to help shape what it looked like post-covid. I have loved working with so many dedicated staff members and volunteers who showed up to put their faith in action every Sunday and beyond. I have loved the many connections I have made with families, kids, and adults in our wonderful community.

As we are winding up this summer, where we celebrate the gifts of the spirit that we would give our church, I am reflecting on the gifts that our church has given me. Through my years at JUC, I have been given the gift of embracing the words “church” and “religion,” and the gift of a Unitarian Universalist faith that has allowed me to grow from a skeptic to my current understanding of myself as a spiritual atheist. I have been given the gift of truly learning what it means to live out my shared values, and to let those values guide my actions and behavior. I have been given the gift of music - it has been such a privilege to get to make music with Laura, Adam, Baker, the Sealys, the JUiCe band, and so many other musicians over the years. I have been given the gift of working with Wendy and a whole staff team dedicated to making this church a place of deep belonging for all. And, lastly, I have received the gift of being held in abundant love and community both for myself and for my family. My gratitude for the gifts I have received is boundless. I am so very sad to be leaving. This is truly not what I was planning, and I am shedding tears every day over the loss of this place, and all that it means to me.

My son Luke is most especially sad to be leaving, and so I will tell myself what I have been telling him every day: change is inevitable, and it sometimes comes when we least expect it. Even if we are leaving a place, we don’t have to leave the memories and the love that held us in that place. We have no idea what amazing new adventures will come if we embrace this change with a fully open heart. We are going to be OK and, quite possibly, better for this, even though it’s hard to believe that now. Blessings to you, my JUC community. I know you will continue to thrive in the extremely capable hands of our amazing staff. I will miss you so much and hope you will miss me a little. I love you all.

Love,

Sarah

Truth

by Richard Burrows



I've been thinking about truth- not lofty or mystical notions of it, but truth as a practical value. It quietly underpins our 4th Unitarian Universalist principle: “A free and responsible search for truth and meaning.” It appears in our Covenant, too: “To seek the truth in love.” Yet, truth isn’t something we talk about much in UU circles. That may be because we don’t claim exclusive access to higher truths the way some other traditions do.

For example, Christians believe that redemption comes through accepting Jesus as savior. A Buddhist may say that ultimate truth is elusive, yet approachable through deep meditation. The Quran literally names Allah as “the Truth.” But that’s not the kind of truth I’m talking about. I mean common, everyday truth—empirical truth. The kind we can verify through study, logic, and experimentation. This sort of truth is under siege in today’s world. And when truth gets fuzzy, even our deepest values can misguide us. Think of the January 6th insurrection. Yes, there were some chaotic thrill-seekers involved, but others were propelled by love - love of country, a sense of justice, and a desire to right what they believed was a wrong. The tragedy is that they had lost sight of the truth, and in that blindness, their values became weapons.

That’s the danger. Righteous outrage, fed by misinformation, can stir us to harmful action. A misleading news clip. A manipulated social media post. If we’re not careful, our desire to act ethically gets hijacked. But if we commit to the work - if we seek truth with diligence and humility - then truth becomes a bedrock. It strengthens relationships, helps us understand the world more clearly, and grounds our actions in reality. It liberates us from self-deception and frees us from the grip of comforting but false beliefs. Truth isn’t just an ideal. It’s a discipline. And if we honor it, it can be the most loving act of all.

This month, as we reflect on the Gifts of the Spirit, my focus has been on Community. And where better to experience the vibrant heart of our community than through the shared joy of

music? As your Director of Music Ministry, I witness firsthand the incredible sense of belonging and connection that blossoms when we come together to make music. Our choirs here at JUC are more than just collections of voices, they are spaces where friendships are forged, support is offered, and the spirit of our Unitarian Universalist values truly shines. Whether you've been singing your whole life, or you're curious to try something new, there's a place for you. Joining a JUC choir isn't just about singing; it's about contributing your unique voice to a collective expression of beauty and spirit. It’s an opportunity to build deeper connections with fellow congregants, to learn and grow musically, and to offer your gifts (whether you believe you have them or not) to our community. We welcome all who feel called to join us in raising their voices. No prior music skills are required, and resources are available to help you learn music if reading music is not a skill you possess. If you're looking for a fulfilling way to engage with our community and experience the transformative power of shared song, consider joining one of our choirs. A link to register for the choir season will be in the Weekly Connection for the next few weeks. If you have any questions about participating in the choir, please reach out to me directly, or to any of our current JUC Choir Members.



Let's create beautiful music and build a community together!