Elizabeth Duhegraham

My introduction to religious acts of service was strange and off putting. I don’t know if this is a common occurrence in Christian worship services but I imagine it might be since it is based on a bible story. I can’t say I’ve ever read it, but I understand there’s a story about Jesus washing people’s feet and that this story is meant to show that Jesus was humble.  

As a child I found myself being the one whose feet were washed by the priest in front of the congregation. At first, I felt special but that feeling faded as I understood that I was in the role of the undeserving and lowly. I was also a painfully shy child so once I was there with all eyes on me, I was mortified. I went back to sit by my mom feeling embarrassed and ashamed. I didn’t have a frame of reference for what I was supposed to be getting out of this experience. And I was a lonely child who really needed an adult to try to understand my perspective.  

I understand as an adult that this incident was part of a sermon and not an act of service. If the priest

had been serving me, he would have gotten to know what I thought I needed. He would have done

something culturally relevant to me rather than something that was culturally relevant in Jesus’ day. He would have made sure that my needs and boundaries weren’t being overlooked in the service of the point he was making.  

I’ve made mistakes as an adult attempting to serve others. Sometimes in hindsight I realize my attempts to help lack empathy for those receiving. The foot washing incident is how I remind myself that empathy always needs to be the first step in serving respectfully.

For the month of November, we’ll be exploring as a community what it means to nurture religious community in which we serve respectfully. November is also Indigenous People’s Month. Can this possibly be a coincidence? Well actually, ok, yes, it is. But this happy coincidence has me thinking about what it means to serve our Indigenous neighbors respectfully.

I think our UU Service Committee team has done a wonderful job of this with its partnership with ADIVIMA. As you may be aware, the team has led JUCers in supporting that organization’s scholarship program, which supports members of the Maya Achi in Rabinal, Guatemala, to attend secondary school. 

The situation in Guatemala, and in Rabinal particularly, is illustrative of the effects of colonialism across the globe. In response to their demands for inclusion, the Guatemalan government systematically destroyed 626 Maya villages, killed or “disappeared” more than 300,000 Maya, and displaced millions more. The government also destroyed buildings and crops, slaughtered livestock, fouled water supplies, and violated sacred places and cultural symbols. Before the state massacres. The World Bank-backed Chixoy Dam project saw the forcible removal of Maya Achi from their land, with 5,000 more extrajudicial killings of those who refused to leave. Before the civil war, 70% of Guatemalan people were Indigenous Mayan. Now, that number is only about 40%.

Why do I tell you all this? For one, to give you an idea of the global nature of the anti-oppression, anti-racism work we at JUC have committed ourselves to with our adoption of the 8th principle last spring. But more importantly, I’d like to hold up the work that UUSC has done for going on two decades as an example of serving respectfully. During the Guatemala Fiesta last month, we heard from several people who have gone on the annual Guatemala trip - including those who went as youth. These are folks who have gone down to meet the people of Rabinal, learn about their experiences and their culture, and get to know them as people. To form the relationships necessary to understand how best to support the Maya Achi past sending money (though this is important!) so that the people of JUC know and truly understand their needs in a way that is helpful to them. And to be profoundly transformed themselves in the way they view Indigenous cultures and their own place in this work.

And now, our UUSC team is considering how best to continue support for ADIVIMA as an organization, so it can continue to run the scholarship program AND do its work in pursuing justice and reparations for the Maya Achi. I urge you to speak with June LeCrone and Gretchen May to get to know the work that our UUSC team is doing in Guatemala. And maybe ask them about the next trip!

Closer to home, JUC’s racial justice team is in the midst of researching how our JUC community came to be where we are, and what impact our presence as a religious community may have had and still be having on our Indigenous neighbors. The land that JUC is on has been home to the Cheyenne, Ute, and Arapahoe peoples, among others. Our Indigenous neighbors aren’t “history;” they are real people who continue to feel the spiritual and material effects of our occupation of their land, and this racial genealogy of JUC is step one of getting in right relationship with our BIPOC communities and neighbors in order to understand how we might address the injustices that our community might have unwittingly been a part of, so we can then understand when those communities tell us what they need.

So my question to you this month is, what steps might you take to learn about the experiences of our Indigenous neighbors here in Jefferson County? How might you begin forming relationships with people whose outlook and needs might be vastly different from your own, so that we as a community might serve respectfully in our commitment to anti-oppression work?

Serving respectfully seems to come naturally to one of our members who you are very likely to encounter in one capacity or another at JUC. Allison Windes teaches in our Faith Exploration program - the past couple of years in the 8th grade Coming of Age class and this year in 7th grade Our Whole Lives. In addition, she serves on the EMGT team and on the Family Ministry team. She also frequently volunteers in many other small capacities like being a greeter or helping with particular events like the Halloween party or the Prom. She frequently attends events such as We are Parents, the Guatemala Fiesta etc. Allison is clearly dedicated to serving our JUC community and is quite modest about her contributions. In fact, when asked about why she contributes so much time, her first response was to state that she does so much less than other people.  

Our mission does not just call on us to serve though. It asks us to serve respectfully. In Allison’s case, this manifests itself in the way that Allison seems to be dedicated to serving in multiple parts of the church - not just where she might have a direct interest (i.e. something that benefits herself or her children). She also takes time to really listen when part of a team or a class and gives thoughtful feedback. Although she admits that one reason she volunteers so much is that it helps her connect with people at church, the grace with which she connects with people, her willingness to help wherever the need arises and her gentle way of interacting illustrates her respectful approach.  

We have so many people at JUC dedicated to serving both our congregation and beyond our walls. While I am uplifting Allison’s many contributions, I don’t want to scare anyone into thinking we expect everyone to be able to serve in so many capacities. Our church thrives because of the big and small ways that so many serve.  

I see many examples of respectful service at church. Our Faith Exploration teachers work hard to honor a diversity of learning styles and meet kids where they are. Our small group leaders work hard to include people at various stages of their spiritual and life journeys. Our racial justice team and queer group leaders are working hard to give us tools to learn what it means to respectfully serve diverse populations both at church and beyond. 

I feel proud to be part of a community that values service and that calls us to take a step further and serve respectfully. The focus on respectful service will help ensure that our service is actually helpful!  

Thanks to all of you who currently serve our congregation and welcome to those who are just waiting for the opportunity to step up! 

Church Safety

Safety while here at church is a priority for us. We have a Safety Team (Rev. Jen, Carol Wilsey, Sarah Billerbeck, Emily Bonadore and Michael DeSantis). We also call in volunteer help/expertise or consult with UUA resources as-needed. 

Security Team - A new thing we’re doing is forming a Security Team. This will be a team of volunteers here on Sundays (starting soon) to provide a layer of awareness and response, particularly if there is a disruption or an emergency of some kind. If you are interested in being on the team, please contact Carol.

Here are some important things to remember about safety at JUC:

1. Wash your hands frequently, especially as we move into cold and flu season. Don't come to church if you or your children are ill.
2. If someone is experiencing a heart incident, we have a defibrillator (AED) in the north commons (in a white cabinet on the wall just next to the welcome stand). While it is nice to have training, the unit has very simple instructions and provides audio commands so it can be used without prior practice. Never hesitate to call 911. The firefighters do not mind coming to check on someone.
3. NARCAN (Naloxone) in the case of an opioid overdose is also stored in the AED cabinet. There are simple written instructions for what to look for and how to use it with the medication.
4. First Aid kits are located throughout the campus in each classroom and in common areas.
5. If you light a chalice for a gathering, please remember to extinguish it, and don't leave matches within reach of children. 
6. In the case of a fire, alarms will sound throughout the campus. If this happens, exit and move away from the building. The children will also be exiting with their teachers. In the event of an evacuation, look for your child(ren) outside. Please do this even if you know it is a drill or the alarm has been set accidentally. Fire extinguishers are located in several areas of the church. Take a look around so you know where they are.
7. Watch for icy spots when we have precipitation and cold weather. We do the best we can to clear sidewalks and entrances, but mother nature sometimes has the upper hand.
8. Be cautious of uneven walking surfaces.
9. Drive slowly and carefully in the parking lot - especially when it is full. If you are walking, make sure the driver of any moving vehicle can see you.
10. Use caution when entering or leaving the parking lot. Traffic sometimes is moving very fast on 32nd Ave.
11. Avoid bringing food with peanuts to campus. This is dangerous for people with severe allergies.

What about the potential for violence? That is the most frightening and unpredictable situation to imagine here in our beloved and sacred space. Here is advice gleaned from church safety training sessions:

1. See Something - Say Something, Hear Something - Do Something. This is not about how someone looks, it's about behavior. If a person is nervous, angry, sneaky, sweating, or evasive, it is okay to tell someone. Note that this might not be a stranger. If someone you know shows a change in behavior let someone know. If you see a suspicious object, tell someone. Go to the Commons Coordinator or any staff member. Ushers, greeters and others can keep an eye on someone and/or escort them out if necessary. It is okay to call 911.

Song of the Month: One Voice by The Wailin’ Jennys

As a special note, if this song resonates with you, please consider coming to JUC on Saturday, November 9 for a concert featuring our own Chris & Steef Sealy alongside Cara Luft, a founding member of The Wailin’ Jennys. Tickets are available HERE. Cara and The Sealys will

also be leading music in worship on Sunday, November 10.

As we continue exploring JUC’s mission, we’ve arrived at one that I’ll admit I’ve struggled the most to understand. I could process through Deepen Spiritually, relying on my years of music leadership in various religious contexts. Connecting Authentically came easy to me, as it feels at the core of almost everything I do. Come December, Love Radically is the easiest for me to embrace. That leaves this month, and Serving Respectfully.

When prompted to think of someone at JUC who embodies this mission, I immediately landed

on one person who has not only been an incredible asset to the church for many years but has

been one of the kindest and most encouraging voices lifting me since I arrived this Fall. That

person is Bev Curtiss, Director of the JUC Ringers.

Bev's dedication to handbell ringing is truly inspiring. She has been ringing handbells for a

quarter century, and has been directing them for 14 years. Her journey began as a ringer here

at JUC in 1999, in the days when we only had hand chimes. Not long after, with the help of

many, JUC established a fully equipped handbell choir which Bev has been a part of since its

inception.

Bev's journey with handbells is a testament to her passion and dedication. She shares, “I fell in

love playing handbells so much that I wanted to learn more about them and to eventually direct

a handbell choir. I attended many handbell conferences sponsored by the Handbell Musicians

of America, was in their Handbell Certification program, and learned extensively about the

techniques used when ringing, musicality, bells in worship, arranging/composing, and of course,

directing.”

Bev started a Beginning Bells group called The Golden Bells in 2004 and directed them for many years until former Director of Music Ministry Keith Arnold invited her to take over the JUC Ringers in 2011.

Leading musical groups is no small endeavor for a staff member. It amazes me that Bev has maintained this incredible work for so many years as a volunteer.

As I mentioned, I’ve struggled to work my way into the idea of Serve Respectfully – not that it is difficult to envision that, but coming out of so many years of competitive music-making and graduate school, it’s tough for me to separate the things I’ve done for myself and my career and the value those things might have had beyond myself. As I continue to interrogate and explore that duality, I know I can look to folks like Bev as a model of how to do this work genuinely, respectfully, and wholeheartedly.

Thank you, Bev, for your many years of dedicated, respectful service to JUC.

This month I will be hitting my 1 year anniversary at JUC. I have spent this time meeting and getting to know the amazing people within and outside of JUC. I am blessed to serve such an amazing congregation. I want to take a moment to highlight an amazing group of people that you all have hopefully had a chance to shake hands with. The Welcome Team.

The Welcome team is filled with people that genuinely care and want everyone to feel comfortable within these walls. The amazing sense of hospitality and empathy for each person is overwhelming. Each Sunday it takes 12 people from the Welcome Team to greet, usher, make coffee, collect the offering, and manage all the volunteers.

Each role has such a critical piece to play each Sunday. The greeters shake hands and answer questions from anyone coming in. They serve as the first experience anyone may have of JUC. The ushers help people to find seats, get assistance, pass the offering plate, and count the collectionss that sustain our ministry. The coffee hosts come early and ensure that everything is set up so that people can enjoy a cup of coffee while they get to know this amazing congregation. Finally, the incredible role of the Commons Coordinator. That role is the one that organizes and manages all the volunteers for the Welcome Team on a Sunday. They check people in, answer questions, and help train anytime it is needed. They are the backbone of the Sunday Welcome Team.

One such incredible Commons Coordinator and Office volunteer that has stood out and helped me navigate this position over the past year is Linda Horn. She has been volunteering for over 20 years. Her knowledge and experience has made her an invaluable resource for JUC and me personally. When I asked her why she volunteers she said this: “I was taught to believe that if you are going to belong to a community, group, or church, then to get the most out of this time, you have to give back and/or support them in some way. Everyone has their own way of giving back. Mine is partially financial, but I also want to give of my other abilities, which just happen to be working in the office or helping with the Sunday service.” She humbly accepts this as her participation and gift that she does so immensely well.

People like Linda and all the amazing people that drive the Welcome Team are the front lines of JUC and the heart of what we do here as we nurture a religious community where we deepen spiritually, connect authentically, serve respectfully, and love radically. May we continue to grow and serve the community for years to come.

Do you know If YOUR home has racist covenants?

JUC CAN (Community Action Network)

By Jill Armstrong

Do you own a home that was built before 1950? If so, your deed might contain a racial covenant, or language included on property deeds which specified who was allowed, or not allowed, to live on a piece of property.

Learn more about racial covenants in Jeffco.

“Housing and homeownership are essential to economic mobility. Yet, despite their importance, many residents of Jefferson County struggle with high housing and homeownership costs. These housing barriers are most acutely felt by Black, Indigenous, and other Jefferson County residents of color. In 2018, homeownership rates for Native American, Hispanic, and Black residents of Jefferson County were at least 30 points lower than that of their white peers.” The Bell Policy Center. Read More

about Historic Housing Barriers in Jefferson County,

More information and webinars about housing in Jeffco from The Bell Policy Center.

JUC Community Action Network (CAN) continues to work around housing issues in Jeffco with a racial justice lens. If you have questions and/or would like to be added to the JUC CAN Action Alert list to receive occasional important alerts and updates about housing issues and legislation, please send an email to communityaction@jeffersonunitarian.org.