Happy New Year, friends! In this first month of 2026, we'll be exploring the UU value of transformation, the practice of continually becoming. When we think of "becoming" something, we often have a defined endpoint. We are 'this,' and we are trying to be 'that.' And 'that' is the goal. But the truth, embodied by the Greek philosopher Heraclitus's adage that you never step in the same river twice, is that we are always becoming. Always changing. Even at the atomic level, we're constantly configuring and reconfiguring ourselves. Now, I've thought about this a lot. Partly through rigorous graduate study, but spurred on more than anything by who I am as an identity (biracial but perceived as white, bisexual, nonbinary), I've done a lot of thinking about what it means to be in between, to inhabit those undefined places that our society likes to pretend don't exist.

I think in doing the work of anti-racism and anti-oppression, we often have ideas of “returning” to a time before colonization, before Indigenous ways of seeing the world were almost stamped out. We long to return to an idealized world where none of that happened. And we tend, I think, to idealize that world, which still certainly had its societal problems. (Some were extremely patriarchal. Some were violent against neighboring peoples or segments of their own population. They were still, after all, people). But many of us long to live in a world where resources are shared more freely, where commercialism doesn’t exist, where non-binary ideas of gender existed and were even celebrated, where your village was as responsible as you were to ensure the safety of your children, where the color of your skin didn’t dictate your value to society… These are good and worthy goals, whether they are an idealization of our past or not.

Look. The sobering reality is that the last 500 years are a part of us. They are indelibly etched on our conscious and subconscious. Right now, in this moment, for better or worse, they are part of who we are as a society. We can’t change that in this moment; we can’t change the past.

But the good news is that our work going forward will be informed by what happens when we don’t value all people, don’t lean into our Unitarian Universalist values of pluralism and equity. Of course we all wish that our current forms of racism, classism, sexism, ableism, etc. didn’t exist. But our current reality can inform a future that is more loving, more in tune with who we want to be. And once we have done the work to understand where we may have gone wrong in the past, we can set up guardrails to ensure we don’t return to values and actions that don’t suit us.

Liminal space, that place or time that is between defined states, is, by its definition, uncertain. It can be uncomfortable not knowing exactly where we’re going or what we’ll find when we get there, especially in these times when those in power seem hell-bent on destroying the values of love, compassion, empathy, pluralism, equity. The future, the unknown, can seem big and scary. Our brains, absent knowledge of what will happen, can fill in the future with all sorts of horrible scenarios. And they can also idealize a past that we felt was more secure and more certain. This is a very human inclination, and one that has served us well, evolutionarily. Early humans who didn’t anticipate possible threats didn’t last very long. And yes, we should absolutely start building new structures, new systems, new ways of thinking and feeling to counteract those possible outcomes.

But as we do that, I urge you to keep in mind that liminal space is also a place of endless possibility. And we are always in liminal space. What an exciting place to be! It’s a space of being able to gain a clear, sometimes difficult understanding of who and where we are, based on the past. And it's a space of dreaming, of being intentional about who and what we want to take into our future. So this month, I invite you to reflect on where we are. To sit in the discomfort of unknowing, to name that discomfort, and to honor it as the real human impulse that it is. And then, as a suitable beginning of the year exercise, I’d invite you to reflect on what possibilities you see in this moment. What can we all, as a religious community, begin to build for the future we want to see?

Paige LeBlanc

My friend Tom says that personal growth goes like this: “If I went to play poker and I won every time, it wouldn’t be fun anymore.” He helped me see that the contrasts help us feel alive. Transformation has a wide spectrum of experience. Sometimes it’s big and glamorous, a huge awakening. Other times, it’s more like a softening. 

This past week, I noticed a feeling of wanting to be "taken care of” mixed with a fear of loss of connection to “the hand that feeds me." I got curious. How many times does this tension poke its head unconsciously in the choices I make? Does it show up in how I use my voice in the world? In contexts which really support me? When and how do I bend and mask in safe spaces in order to stay safe? Does that happen at church? With my family? With my friends?

In thinking about church, I can see how I transformed just to join. Way back when, I was the kid who ditched Sunday school and bought candy with her dues money instead. I never really got what those adults were doing. Then as I grew up, I noticed my friend Michael finding solace in the ritual of mass or just sitting in the pews. As a mom, I met a woman who said we could use her church as a place to do a Spanish play date with our kids and I thought “What?!? What kind of place is that open to someone ‘outside‘ its group?!?!”

There began my adventure with our church. Fast forward 20 years of friendships, church happenings, and community connections. I now find myself in a place of deepening, here at church. In what ways am I learning and growing to always let myself in and never let myself off? How do I do that for others? In what ways is church a remembering of the Oneness of which we all are a part, and in what ways is it a safe space to hold my messy human parts? In what ways am I called to evolve beyond safety and expand a little bit more?

Today, I realize my greatest growing edge is humble transformation. Being willing to see the raw spots and tend them gently and regularly, for both myself and my loved ones. Be less busy. See what’s precious, name it, experience it, and know it’s all part of the impermanent wonder of life. 

To a fresh start in 2026 church! To finding, naming, and claiming our new identity and to living into the transformation it brings us every little and big step along the way! Blessed Be!

This month’s theme, Transformation, the practice of continually becoming, speaks to the heart of Unitarian Universalism and to the heart of our music ministry here at JUC. As UUs, we trust that faith is not fixed, but living; that we grow through relationship; and that we are shaped, again and again, by the ways we show up for one another. 

Music offers us a sacred space to practice this becoming. When we sing together, we bring our whole selves, our doubts and hopes, our weariness and our joy, and we are changed by the act of listening deeply to one another. Harmony is not sameness, it is difference held with care. 

This spring, the choir will be entering into a shared, prayerful process of creating a new choir covenant. In our UU tradition, covenant is central: it is how we choose to be in right relationship, not because we are the same, but because we belong to one another. Our work on this covenant will be rooted in collective joy, the joy of spiritual connection, the joy of growing musically, and the joy of community that forms when we trust one another enough to grow together. 

This process is not about getting everything “right,” but about becoming more present, more generous, and more grounded in love. As we sing, reflect, and listen, we will be practicing the very transformation our faith calls us toward: learning how to hold one another with compassion, accountability, and grace. 

My hope is that this covenant will strengthen the choir not only as musicians, but as a spiritual community whose music carries care, courage, and authenticity into our shared worship. Each anthem, each hymn, becomes an offering of who we are and who we are becoming, together. 

Thank you for being a congregation that believes in growth, relationship, and the sacred work of continual becoming.

As I think about this month’s theme of Transformation, I am immediately drawn to write about the children and youth at our church. In particular, the transformation I saw in our children and youth post-pandemic. 

Before I was the choir accompanist, part of the Music Ministry team’s “Quarentet”, or Faith Exploration Coordinator, I was the volunteer accompanist for our Children’s Choir. In 2017, every Tuesday evening, my kid and I packed up and rehearsed with a vibrant group of children. I loved getting to know them, and I loved having a place for my kid to find friends outside of his preschool. 

I worked with Sarah for two, almost three Children’s Music Services, where I really got to know our children and youth well. Then 2020 happened…

Our Children’s Music Service of 2020 was scheduled for March 15th, 2020, two days after the shutdown. I was absolutely crushed... all the hard work for nothing. We were online, and my position as the choir's accompanist was no longer needed. The memories of the kids in the choir were seared into my mind as the “kids” who were there pre-2020. 

In May of 2023, I became the Faith Exploration Coordinator, and I started working with our children again. Who were these kids? I didn’t recognize them at all! They were all many inches taller, pre-teens, teens, and some with new pronouns and names! As their memories were frozen in time, they had all grown up! Here are a few of the children and youth who have grown up in this faith community, grown their hearts, and bring so much light into our lives. 

The Cross Boys: Dylan, Carter, and Baxter. I have seen them grow up in this community and radiate throughout it. They are leaders in their own right and in their respective grades. You will find at least one of them helping in the kitchen or working in the nursery. These kids I once knew are now wonderful young men. 

Evie: I remember directing her to all corners of the chancel to get her skits “just right” for the Children’s Music Service. Now, she works in the nursery and supports the classrooms with loving care, helping to grow the hearts of our next generation. She is a beautiful example of a youth leader in our congregation. 

Obryen: She had always brought a buoyancy to our choir rehearsals. I remember having to keep up with her unbounding energy every week. Now, she is stoic and strong, and an immense help and great leader. A depth of maturity that I could have only wished for at her age. 

Nova: I remember that Nova was the one friend in the choir who was my kid’s age. Although they had not been in school together, they had a special connection when they were little. I have had the privilege of witnessing her grow in her talents, be helpful when needed, and be flexible. She is a true star.

Devon: If anyone exemplifies genuine warmth of spirit, it is Devon. Ever since I have known him as a late elementary schooler, he has always been agreeable and flexible with the task at hand. He now works in the nursery, assists in the classroom, and greets families on Sundays. Devon will always ask you how you are doing, point you in the right direction, and help keep our young kids on task in the classroom. Devon will be graduating this year, and I wish him all the best.

All of these kids, named here and unnamed. All of them have left a mark and have transformed our church. They bring a vibrancy, thoughtfulness, and love to our faith community. I have been transformed by knowing them. 

Thank you. Thank you, families. Please know that your children are loved and admired here.

Jeffco Interfaith Partners (JIP) Update

Julie and Ken Andrus

As we begin the new year we wanted to share the results of the Jeffco Interfaith Partners pumpkin patch sales in October. The money collected at the patches will provide approximately $44,000 toward the sponsorship of our 2026 Habitat home.

On behalf of JIP we want to extend our gratitude to the many volunteers from our church who helped unload and sell pumpkins, and especially to those who worked multiple times. Thank you for your continuing support! We are also grateful for our generous community that has supported us for these many years.

We also wanted to let you know that construction has begun on the Habitat home in Arvada, located at Griffith Station at 8407 W 52nd Ave. Julie and I joined a group from JIP for a productive day of framing in November and got a lot done that beautiful day!

The next build date for JUC members to volunteer is Saturday, March 14. We have 5 spots to fill and members can sign up at Habitat for Humanity of Metro Denver. Please only sign up for the March 14 date. The other days are reserved for other congregations. Our congregation will have more opportunities to volunteer and work with other members. We will share those days as they are announced. Hope to see you at the build site!

Make a Difference in Jefferson County! Volunteer for the 2026 Point in Time Count.

By JUC Community Action Network (CAN)

The Point in Time (PIT) Count is a nationwide effort to better understand the individuals and families experiencing homelessness in our communities. Each January, volunteers help capture a one-night snapshot of people staying in shelters as well as those sleeping in places not meant for human habitation, such as outdoors, in tents, vehicles, or abandoned buildings. An accurate PIT Count is essential. The data help cities, counties, and nonprofit partners:

• Understand the demographics and needs of people experiencing homelessness
• Develop informed, effective solutions
• Qualify for critical federal and state funding that supports community-based services

Sign up here to volunteer for the 2026 Point in Time Count (no previous experience needed)!

There are three hour shifts available from January 26-27, 2026. You can sign up with family and friends! Both inside and outside options are available. Volunteering for the 2026 PIT Count is a powerful way to support your community and help shape solutions to homelessness in Jeffco.

What We Learned from the 2025 Jeffco PIT Count

In January 2025, the Jefferson County PIT Count identified 1,174 people experiencing homelessness, including 494 individuals who were unsheltered. This represented a 27% increase from 2024, the largest rise across the Denver metro area. Notably, half of those counted were experiencing homelessness for the first time. You can learn more at the Heading Home website, Jeffco’s central hub for homelessness and cold weather information and resources.

Cold Weather Shelter Response in Jeffco

Currently, Jeffco does not have an emergency congregate shelter. For the 2025–2026 winter season, six Jeffco cities and the county have entered into an intergovernmental agreement (IGA) to coordinate a cold weather sheltering response. Through this partnership:

• $2 million has been pooled to fund emergency sheltering
• Motel vouchers will be distributed by homeless navigators up to 72 hours before a severe weather event.
• Jefferson County has purchased mobile shelters through its Emergency Management Division for deployment during extreme cold weather

A severe cold weather event is declared by Jefferson County when the temperature is 32°F or lower with accumulation of snow greater than one inch, or 20°F or lower with or without snow. Extreme Weather is defined as 10°F or below. While this collaborative approach is an important step, a long-term, regional solution is still urgently needed.

Jeffco Homelessness and Cold Weather Resources

• Jefferson County Severe Weather Hotline: 303-271-7511 (Jefferson County’s after-hours hotline helps community members connect with resources during severe weather activations. Hours: Weekdays 6 pm to 11 pm; weekends and holidays noon to 4 pm. Operates only on activated days).
• Heading Home Website: Jefferson County’s central hub for homelessness and cold weather resources.
• Jefferson County Cold Weather Activation Information and Resources

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, including your city of residence, to communityaction@jeffersonunitarian.org.