UUFD Monthly Newsletter, January 2026

January 2026

"Practicing Resistance"

Happy New Year!

Minister's Message from Rev. Jamie

minister@durangouu.org

Happy New Year!

When I was a kiddo my favorite movie was Star Wars. I was intrigued by the struggle between good and evil, Luke Skywalker and Darth Vader, and the rebellious and wise Princess Leia and Han Solo. The phrase “may the force be with you” was bandied about the school playground and it slipped into my own imagination. I wondered if the force was with me, did I have possession of this great and curious power? Perhaps it was Star Wars that inspired my spiritual quest as I searched for this mysterious force that energized the Star Wars universe.

All these years later, I have come to understand “the force” as the power of love. It moves through our world animating all that is good and holy in our world. It shows up as kindness, care, compassion, courage and justice. Rev. Dr. Cornel West famously said that “justice is what love looks like in public” and it is our call and commitment to live love fiercely and transform the world into love’s image. If we take seriously the power of love we can practice resistance from a place that honors all of life, all people, and our beloved Earth home.

Throughout January we will reflect on “Practicing Resistance” and we might consider that love is a force that gathers us in community and moves us to action. In a message from the Unitarian Universalist Side with Love Team this week we were reminded that “Love is not passive. Love shows up. Love organizes. Love tells the truth and strains toward justice.” When we practice resistance together we are moving love into the world, even when it is a struggle, and that love can be messy, complicated, soft, tender, fiery and fierce.

Anchored in our Unitarian Universalist values we have responded to injustice in our community and our world with force and courage this past year. I know we will continue to show up in transformative and powerful ways in the year ahead, guided by our mission to “love courageously, inspire spiritual growth, and work for justice.”

I appreciate these guiding words from Michelle Collins as we look to 2026:

"May this be our prayer:

to sustain one another’s courage

until quiet faith and public fire

become one movement of love."

May it be so.

In faith,

Rev. Jamie

Music for the journey

Enjoy this beautiful song written by Aileen Vance sung by Lea Morris: “Let Justice Roll Down”. May it serve as inspiration as we reflect together on what it means to “Practice Resistance” and live our Unitarian Universalist values boldly and courageously in the world. https://youtu.be/pgyPJ41yDZY?si=oZB_t6BE6vI0syss

Meet with the Minister

Would you like to make an appointment to meet with me? Please visit my Calendly Link to see my schedule and make an in-person or zoom meeting at a time that works for you! https://calendly.com/minister-durangouu

President’s Message

A message from UUFD President Tim Miller

president@durangouu.org

As 2025 draws to a close, I’ve been thinking with great appreciation about our first full calendar year with Rev. Jamie. We kicked off a campus improvement project in February. We put the finishing touches on our congregational covenant in the spring and approved it, along with yet another balanced budget, at the annual meeting in May. We showed up in great numbers for pro-democracy events and provided a welcoming and safe venue for Companeros’ Festival Latinoamericano celebration in September.

Rev. Jamie, and several search teams, onboarded Tayler Smith as our new Music and Choir Director, Callum Fable as Spiritual Growth Ministry Facilitator, and Kathy Kolbe as our Congregational Accompanist. Saying farewell to Nikki Bauer and searching for a new Congregational Administrator have been bittersweet and challenging respectfully, but hopefully more than one star will rise in the east this winter.

Unless I miss my guess, 2026 promises to be equally impactful. We’re making steady progress on the fellowship hall project. Financial feasibility interviews conducted by UU consultant Kay Crider showed good potential to raise $2.2 – 2.3 million or more in a capital campaign. Together with additional funds from a mortgage or a grant from our church endowment or a building sale, $3.5 – 3.7 million could be available. While more work needs to be done, town hall attendees on December 14th expressed solid support for the so-called “Small+” fellowship hall conceptual design.

As we approach our nation’s 250th anniversary, I anticipate we will continue our strong engagement to protect the democratic institutions that have served America so well for so long. We will continue to live into our mission to support marginalized groups in our community. I look forward to a variety of adult and youth spiritual growth ministry offerings, engaging music, and members collaborating to sustain this vibrant church community.

Wishing you and yours a happy new year,

Tim

Building Engagement Task Force

Don't Forget! You can always catch up on the state of the discussion by clicking on the "Potential New Building Updates" box in the lower right corner of the UUFD homepage.

Or, follow this link!! https://durangouu.org/potential-new-building-updates/

Community Connections and Fun Events in January

SAVE THE DATE!

Coming to Bowman Hall, a multi-generational Circle Supper: January 10, 2026 at 5:00pm.

This will be a GRAND Circle Supper, gathering together for food and friendship in the dark of winter.

For comfort, kids’ space/activities, and safety, there will be a limit of 50 attendees.

Sponsored by the Membership Team. Questions to Nancy Fisher, circlesupperuufd@gmail.com

Soup Tuesday

January 20th at 11:30 AM

Bowman Hall

If you haven’t previously attended, please contact Elaine Collins. This is strictly social!

You may want to bring soup or bread and butter—or nothing. Just let Elaine know that you are coming. We look forward to seeing you!

Game Night

January 2nd at 6:30pm

Bowman Hall

The next Game Night is January 2, 2026, in Bowman Hall at 6:30pm. Open to all, young and old. Bring games, snacks, drinks, yourselves, family and friends. Let's play games and be together for fun!

Contact Nancy Fisher here with questions and to RSVP.

Or, you can just show up!

Social Justice & Responsibility

Guest at Your Table

Thank you for your participation with Guest at Your Table this year. On Sunday, January 4, 2026 we will continue to accept your boxes and gifts to the program. Guest at Your Table supports Unitarian Universalist partners around the world in the work of liberation and justice. To learn more visit:

https://www.uusc.org/congregation-hub/guest-at-your-table/

January Share-the-Plate

Gifts this month will go to: 4CORE

4CORE serves Southwest Colorado by promoting energy efficiency, and the adoption of green energy solutions through programs that strengthen the local economy and promote a healthy and sustainable future.

We focus on energy efficiency upgrades, renewable energy installations, clean transportation education and support, and water conservation, to help individuals and businesses achieve immediate energy and cost savings. 4CORE envisions a resilient Southwest Colorado in which fair access to clean energy solutions reaches all in our community.

You can donate to 4CORE using the QR code or during the offering on Sunday. Thank you for your generosity.

This year, we are donating our Share-the-Plate collections to a different non-profit each month rather than donating to only 4 non-profits for the entire year. The need was so great for so many non-profits this year that we decided to step up for all of them.

Due to the severe cuts in federal funding for many of our non-profit organizations, the SJR team received more share-the-plate nominations this year than usual. Since there were 12 nominations, we decided to fund all of them. Each non-profit will receive donations for just one month, rather than for 3 months as we’ve done in the past. The following is a list of non-profits and the month they will receive our donations.

January 2026: 4Core

February 2026: FLC Black Student Resources

March 2026: Our Own Lives

April 2026: Durango Early Learning Center

May 2026: Durango Dementia Coalition

June 2026: Murdered & Missing Indigenous Relatives Task Force

July 2026: Four Corners Slow Money

August 2026: Manna Soup Kitchen

September 2026: Durango/Cortez Adult Education Center

Also, we now have a QR code dedicated to our Share-the-Plate. You will find it on the Order of Service and in the weekly Friday E-News.

News from the Basic Needs Team

Your Basic Needs team is working on our mission: to inform our congregation about the needs present in our community and to respond as we are able. Thanks to the many of you who respond to these needs so frequently!

We would like to let you know what recent issues are on our minds, so here are a few highlights:

• Days for Girls continues their good work of creating menstrual kits which allow girls and women to continue working or attending school during their periods. These kits are placed at the Grub Hub (FLC) and sent to our southern border and abroad.

• Needham Elementary School receives monthly treats and appreciation for the teachers and staff from several UUFD volunteers, letting them know how we value their work.

• NINIA (Interfaith Alliance) is currently working with the Emergency Warming Center (EWC) which began Dec 1 at Sacred Heart church. It is open when the forecast predicts temperatures below 15 degrees. Volunteers are always needed; you will be informed about the upcoming orientations. The Interfaith Alliance also sponsors Laundry Love, which has been supported by UUFD for the past two years.

• Native Hope provides boxes of food monthly to those in need on the Navajo reservation, as well as periodic deliveries of firewood, winter warmth items. Organized by Summit Church, many UUFD folks are involved in this effort.

• Durango Food Bank received a HUGE response of donations following termination of SNAP. They will also apply for funds from CERF (Community Emergency Relief Fund), which was our recent Share-The-Plate recipient. Thanks to all of you who contributed! We are staying informed from the Good Food Collective group organizing CERF, which has already distributed $50,000 to food-providing organizations.

• The Grub Hub (FLC) is requesting funds for a matching grant to help them provide for the many students needing food and housing assistance. Your SJR budget will offer this support.

• Manna Soup Kitchen is always in need of food and financial donations. UUFD has a team that shows up to volunteer monthly. If you are interested, please contact Marilyn Leftwich (spiderango19@gmail.com) to help their essential mission of feeding and providing services to our neighbors.

THE ANTI-RACISM TEAM

Greetings from the Antiracism Team (Marianna Fischer, Jorie McCann and Lisa McCorry)! We're choosing to bring joy, while extending grace for grief, and holding space for the overwhelming injustices. How can we move through this season of merriment with goodwill towards all? It can be a challenge across the dinner table or across the country, let alone moving through our daily lives. Joy shared is doubled, pain shared is halved. Keep vigilant this season for the small glittering glimpses of wonder. Move and speak more from your heart than your head; prioritize connection. We all have something in common: are we a parent, have we lost someone this year, are we lonely, what are we reading, what is our morning beverage of choice?

It's the holidays...and things are still really messed up! Our Christmas vibe has been a little off this year. Multiple things can be true; we live in the richest nation and yet disparities are skyrocketing. And, we can still sing. We can still overeat. We can still laugh. Especially in the face of suffering and sorrow, we all need to take action to reduce others pain. Where are you taking action to bolster someone outside of your circle? We can still keep the vibration high, because it is a collective vibration.

"Love is such a powerful force." -Coretta Scott King

In Love and Gratitude,

The ART Team

Upcoming ART and Community Events:

Antiracism Team MLK Sunday Worship: Women Who Have Continued to Carry King's Message Forward. Join us for an engaging and interactive service!
FLC MLK Day Black Student Resource Center events on campus: sign making, march and film screening of "the Butler," ebsmith1@fortlewis.edu
Soul Food Dinner: DHS Black Student Alliance annual gathering Thur. Feb. 26 - purchase tickets through the ART Team
More info to come on a Diversity, Inclusion, Equity and Belonging Audit as we continue to covenant to dismantle barriers to full inclusion

Community Health

Ho, Ho, Ho, wash your hands!

A Message from the Covid Advisory Team

It is the time of year for disease prevention. Norovirus (vomiting illness) is very active this year; the best prevention is hand washing (hand sanitizer does not kill it).

While it is spread mainly through hand contact, there can be infection through breathing if you are around someone who is actively ill. Sanitizer works for respiratory illnesses. The best prevention is not to come to Fellowship if you are sick.

In order to simplify the reporting of a positive COVID test in the congregation, please report it directly to the COVID Advisory Team at cat@durangouu.org.

If you have been in contact with others at a UUFD event in the last 5 days, please let us know as soon as you test positive.

Thank you.

Get Your Free Covid Tests

You can get free covid tests at the front desk of La Plata Public Health, 185 Suttle St. Covid is increasing in Durango waste water. If you have respiratory symptoms, please test, and test again 48 hours later. The newer strains can be fairly mild, but it is still highly contagious. Thank you and stay safe.