WEEKLY

CONNECTION

Janurary 15 - 21, 2025

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Sunday, January 19


Joyful by Nature

Shawna Ambrose


Our ecology provides joy that we love and can learn from. Spontaneity, wildness, and the totality of being in the moment could be some of the reasons why animals are happy. Or perhaps it, as Mary Oliver reflects, that we experience joy when we “…let the soft animal of your body love what it loves…” In worship, let us explore the joy of co-creation together.

Watch Live

YOUTH FAITH EXPLORATION

9 am Programs (end at 10:10 am)

Nursery: (ages 0-3)

PreK: Chalice Children

K-12: Social Action Activity, All children and youth will start in the sanctuary

4th/5th OWL: Images in Popular Culture

11 am Programs (end at 12:10 pm)

Nursery: (ages 0-3)

PreK: Chalice Children

K-12: Social Action Activity, All children and youth will start in the sanctuary

IGNITE DEADLINE

The deadline for article submissions to the January issue of IGNITE is Monday, January 20 at 11 am. Submissions are subject to review/editing. You may submit your article by replying to this email, or emailing Kurt Kontour

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WEEKLY HIGHLIGHTS

The JUC Annual Community FUN!draising Auction is March 1- 8

Our annual online silent auction raises funds while providing the opportunity for connection through JUCer hosted parties, events, and other fun social activities throughout the year. All ages are encouraged to participate. Stop by the auction table in the south commons this Sunday to ask questions and/or submit your donations. Auction Website


2025 Summer Camp Lottery

JUC Summer FUUN Camp! August 11 -15 // 9 am to 3 pm // for 6-12 year olds

Join other JUC kids for a week of summer fun, UU style! The cost is $200/camper for members, $250/camper for non-members. Campers will be selected by lottery (by family). The lottery will close on Friday, February 14, and families will be notified by Tuesday, February 18. Sign Up


Save the Date: Multigenerational Valentines Crafternoon

February 9 // 12:15 - 2:30 pm // We will spend the afternoon making fun valentine crafts, enjoying snacks and drinks and making time to connect with each other across the generations. ALL are welcome! Crafty volunteers needed! If you are crafty and want to host a table or help with general set up or clean up please Sign Up

THIS WEEK

Thursday, January 16

  • Drumming Circle // 2:30 - 4 pm // 3rd Thursdays // Join fellow JUCers for an afternoon of ecstatic drumming, and possibly dancing. No drumming experience required, no age or physical limits. Bring a hand drum if you have one, but we also have extra drums and other instruments to share. Dancers are always welcome! Contact: Bill Barr


  • We are Parents (+kids): Creating Joy // 5:30 pm // Let’s gather and be joyful! During We Are Parents this month we will spend time together in community as we practice ways to create joy in our lives. We will play, move and laugh together. Bring the whole family and eat together. Then, while children attend choir or childcare, parents attend programming with Sarah. Suggested donation for food is $20/family $5/individual. Sign Up


  • Children's Choir First Rehearsal // 6:15 - 7 pm // We will focus on presenting the Children's Music Service on Sunday, March 30. Children ages 6-12 and all abilities and talents are welcome. This is a great way to be a part of our church and meet new friends. How will we connect Wholeheartedly? The choir meets every Thursday (except Spring Break) from 6:15 to 7 pm. Sign Up


Friday, January 17

  • Poetry Group // first and third Fridays // 1 - 2:30 pm // M3/4 // We gather to share a poem we have written on a chosen topic, and give gentle feedback to each other. Contact: Linda Ropes


Saturday, January 18

  • Memorial Service for Pamela Emery Lee // 1 pm // Celebrate Pamela's life with friends and family. Watch Link


Sunday, January 19

  • Abundant Harvest Table // 10 am and 12 pm // south commons // Nourish your body after worship each Sunday with healthy, delicious food lovingly prepared by fellow JUCers. Donations collected benefit Arvada Rising's Homeless Ministry. Volunteers are always needed to prepare food and staff the table. Sign Up


  • MLK Sign Making Party // 12:15 - 1:15 pm // chapel // Gather to make signs to be carried at the MLK Marade! Whether you are attending the Marade or not, this is a chance to put your faith into action by creating messages that will be carried in the parade. All ages are welcome and supplies and snacks will be provided.


  • Mindfulness Meditation // 5 - 6:15 pm // online // The Mindfulness Meditation group is meeting every Sunday to meditate together and discuss a mindfulness-related theme. Meeting Link Contact: Tina Voelker


Monday, January 20

  • Marade // 10 am // City Park // The Marade is Denver's annual march/parade to honor Dr. King. We'll gather across the road from the Martin Luther King, Jr. statue at Denver's City Park - look for Rev. Jen and the JUC banner! Step off is at 10:45, though it often runs late. The route is about 2 miles and goes down Colfax, ending with speakers at Civic Center Park. Dress for VERY COLD weather!!!

HAPPENING SOON

Wednesday, January 22

  • Spiritual Practice Series: Mindfulness // 7 - 8:30 pm // JUCers are invited to learn about and engage in a spiritual practice that might be new to them or to which they want to commit at a deeper level. January’s class, Be Here Now!, led by Tina Voelker, will focus on mindfulness practices. Experience practices to help you get in the habit of staying in the moment when it matters. Sign Up


Thursday, January 23

  • Yoga As You Are: A Spiritual Practice // 2 - 3 pm // 2nd, 4th, & 5th Thursdays // chapel // This class is open to people of all abilities and levels of experience. There will be opportunities for people who aren’t able to get on and off the floor. Bring a yoga mat or a beach towel, plus any yoga props you already own. Contact: Martha Eastman



  • UUA Common Read: Authentic Selves // 6:30 - 8:30 pm // Look forward to this workshop led by Intern Minister Michael DeSantis! The 2024-2025 UU Common Read (available at the UUA online store) is Authentic Selves: Celebrating Trans and Nonbinary People and Their Families, by Peggy Gillespie. This is a beautiful compilation of life stories of trans and nonbinary people, as well as their partners, parents, children, siblings, and chosen family members. Get the book and read it by January 23. If cost is a barrier, please email Michael. There will be a two-part discussion on Thursdays, January 23 and 30 (6:30 - 8:30 pm) and one more open to parents and caregivers of children and youth on Tuesday, February 4 (6:30 - 8:30). Sign Up



  • Green Task Force // Energy Transition: How to Reduce Battery Mining // 7 - 9 pm // From utility scale storage to EVs, batteries are essential to the energy transition. Two authors from RMI show solutions for the rising mineral demand involving efficiency, innovation, and circularity, and how RMI is helping implement them through its Battery Circular Economy Initiative. Stay for a reception afterwards.


Sunday, January 26

  • Child Dedication // 9 am service // JUC member families with new babies or young children are invited to participate in our annual child dedication ceremony. Child dedication provides an opportunity to both formally welcome children into our congregation, and for the congregation to make promises to support your family's spiritual growth in the years ahead. Contact: Sarah Billerbeck or Sign Up


  • The Power of Our Name: Town Hall // 12: 30 pm at JUC and 6 pm Online // Board Leadership will answer questions and provide a broader perspective on the purpose and vision for reimagining our name. The 12:30 session will be livestreamed. The 6 pm session is on Zoom. 12:30 pm Watch Link // 6 pm Zoom Link


Monday, January 27

  • Unitarian History and Theology // 7 - 9 pm // Mondays through February 17 // Learn the history of the Unitarians! What was Unitarian Christianity? What made Unitarians stand out theologically? How has it evolved over the centuries to become part of our Unitarian Universalist history and theology? Sign Up


  • Great Books Discussion // 7:30 - 9 pm // Great Books is based on the idea that by reading from the great books of our civilization and discussing them with other people – sharing your insights and questions you can reach a fuller understanding of these works than you could on your own. The book is Khirbet Khizeh by S. Yizhar ContactCarol and Clint Flynn

-- ONLINE MEETINGS USE PASSWORD JUC UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTED --

COMMUNITY NEWS

Sunday, January 26

Life in an Ancient Arctic Rainforest // socializing 3:30 pm // speaker 4 pm // Presented by CU Geological Sciences Prof. Jaelyn Eberle, Curator of Fossil Vertebrates at the CU Museum of Natural History. Her research focuses on the study of fossil mammals during past intervals of climate change, and the recovery and evolution of mammals following the mass extinction of 66 million years ago. Enjoy our community table of food and drink. The program is sponsored by Jefferson Humanists (jeffersonhumanists.org), a chapter of the American Humanist Association. 


Volunteer for the 2025 Point-In-Time Count

Monday, January 27 (6 to 9 pm) and Tuesday, January 28 (3-hour shifts available throughout the day) // Make a difference in our community! The annual Point-In-Time (PIT) count is a census of Jeffco's unsheltered individuals on one day, and our Jeffco community needs 100 volunteers (people like you) for 3-hour shifts to help with this critical effort to better understand homelessness and inform local support systems. You can choose the city within Jeffco where you’d like to volunteer, and you’ll have the flexibility to select from various roles (both indoors and outdoors). Whether you sign up with friends and family or join a group of other volunteers, there are many opportunities to help. Sign Up