UUFD Newsletter, Feb. 2021

February 2021

What Does it Mean to be a People of Beloved Community?

Rev. Katie's Animas View

Dear Ones,

While the pandemic persists in taking lives and keeping us apart, I continue to have so much pride in this spiritual community, and in particular, in you. The people of UUFD have stuck together, have found ways to stay active and involved, have navigated new forms of technology, and have even made friends with Zoom.

In the background, the many people of our Stewardship crew are planning ways to get the word out to members and friends that it is time to recommit to keeping our community strong and on firm footing. As visions are imagined and budgets are created for who we want to become, we’ll include the many and growing ministry programs, careful financial management, and the maintenance and improvements of our beloved buildings, the home to which we’ll return.

Please keep your eye out for notices that will let you know when to look in the mail for your pledge packet, as well as for activities to make our Stewardship time joyful. Be thinking about how you might stretch so that you can feel good about your giving. Be thinking, too, about your vision for this liberal religious community, as we work toward unveiling the bonds that bind us to becoming the Beloved Community.

With Love,

Rev. Katie

February Services (all services held online)

To join a Zoom worship, look for the link on the UUFD website. Need help learning to use Zoom? Try this video tutorial or this FAQ.

FEBRUARY THEME: Beloved Community

Feb. 7

Lessons from Groundhog Day

-The Rev. Katie Kandarian-Morris

While Groundhog Day might be a good day for an annual deadline, it has also been a parable for lessons learned. While staying home might feel like a repetitive practice, where might we find something better than before?

Feb. 14

30 Days of Love

-The Rev. Katie Kandarian-Morris

This year’s UUA program, “30 Days of Love,” focuses on different themes for each week, culminating today on restorations and reparations. How might we each find our place to refuel?

Feb. 21

The Beloved Community

-The Rev. Katie Kandarian-Morris

What do we mean by the term “The Beloved Community”? How might our generous gifts get us closer to finding it?

Feb. 28

Hindsight, Humor and Hope

-Sara Sautter and Members of Adult Class

The members of this adult faith formation class share with you how they are working to redesign their later years into a time of reflection, discernment, soul stretching, and new life possibilities. The gift of extended years finds many of us becoming elders with deep personal questions such as, Who am I now? and What will I do that is meaningful? Join us as we explore our later years.

Planning for Possibilities

Message from K Redford, UUFD Board President

As a nation, we have many challenges ahead. Gratefully, the new administration provides leadership for a return to confidence in our government institutions and the trust in science needed to take control of this dreadful pandemic. It is a relief to welcome February 2021, and the possibility of returning to something akin to normal routine.

February 2 (Imboc or Mid-Winter) is when a groundhog’s shadow determines the possibility of six more weeks of winter – or not. Lots of snow would be good! February 11 is the start of the lunar New Year and the year of the Ox. It is an opportunity for personal reflection and a renewal of the resolutions made in January. On February 16, the revelries of Mardi Gras last until midnight, when Ash Wednesday ushers in 40 days of Lent in preparation for Easter Sunday.

For UUFD, February is also a time to look ahead. It is Budget time. In addition to numerous fixed expenses, the budget process encourages planning for possibilities that reflect our commitment to the greater community and to each other. A balanced budget is required by our bylaws to be presented at the Annual Meeting in May. Expenses cannot exceed income.

Members of the Finance Committee and the Stewardship Committee are already at work to provide the most opportunity possible for us to reach our goals and support our vision for the coming church year. Help is needed. The more we each give of our time, talent and treasure, the more we can achieve together. It is not too soon to start planning for the happy day when we are able to open our doors once more.

Keep Our Chalice Burning Brightly

2021 Pledge Campaign kicks off this month

"Keep Our Chalice Burning Brightly" is our theme for this year’s pledge campaign. This past year has been such a challenge for all of us, but the flame of the chalice continues to provide a beacon of light and hope for better days ahead. It is the ultimate symbol of the UU community and all that it stands for – love, freedom of religious expression, truth, equity, compassion, unity, liberty and justice for all. But the flame itself is delicate and cannot burn on its own. Like our democracy, our precious community demands that we care deeply, participate fully, and give generously to support the values we believe in. When we all give, we all benefit!

Pledge packets will be mailed out in February with detailed information, including a pledge card. Our "Dazzle Drive-Through" will occur on Celebration Sunday, March 21, after the service between 1 and 3 PM, during which time you can drop off your completed pledge card. Please do not mail in your pledge card prior to March 21! Because we are operating virtually as a committee, we can’t track it prior to March 21 but will make arrangements for all to participate.

Elementary class planning talk show in March

What will Empathy say? Or Courage?

After spending the fall and winter exploring how to be an anti-racist, our second through fifth grade class is working on their capstone project. The congregation will soon be invited to their (still un-named) Zoom talk show. Our hosts Owen Sykes and Grace Frazer will interview guests such as Empathy (Wilder Valdez), Action (Iris Foster), Courage (Piper Sykes), and even Wealth Gap (Sophia Valdez). Nate Trefry is in charge of our sound effects. We’ll even enjoy a surprise musical guest.

If your elementary child wants in on the fun it is NOT too late. We have commercials to make! Just have your kids show up on Sunday morning at 10:00 in worship and be ready to follow the link to faith formation. Or contact Sara, our Director of Faith Formation at faithformation@durangouu.org.

We hope to have our March opening day set soon. Watch your e-Annoucements and next month’s newsletter.

Coronavirus Vaccine 101

Local physicians present evening forum Feb 18 at 6:30 pm

Should I get the Coronavirus vaccine? Is it safe? How long will it last? What are the side effects?

Join us for an evening forum on Thursday, February 18 at 6:30 pm as local physicians provide information and take your questions. The forum will be held via Zoom. Check the church event calendar for the Zoom link or sign up here.

Our Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA) Pacific Western Region’s gathering will be virtual, making it easy to attend. Register here to attend on Saturday, February 13th. Join lively celebrations and workshops.

Help UUFD turn over a green new leaf

Social Responsibility and Justice (SRJ) special feature: Environmental Justice Team

We’ve been through months of political discord, COVID challenges and economic disruption. Each of these by themselves required us to find new ways to adapt, survive and hopefully prevail as their waves pass. It’s almost enough to hide the much larger concern - that our changing environment will require, for the foreseeable future, even more attention, action, and resilience building.

Our Environmental Justice Team (EJT) has been meeting regularly through this COVID year to continue to expand UUFD’s conscious activity in dealing with the effects of climate change. Using the UUA Green Sanctuary program as a model, the Team is moving forward with ambitious goals for the year. The overall thrust of this year’s activities is to engage and enable the congregation to:

Identify and describe opportunities and challenges to achieve the greatest impacts with respect to mitigating the climate-change crisis,
Adapt to and build resilience to impacts of the crisis
Collaborate with marginalized communities most impacted by, but least responsible for, the crisis to secure justice.

Two assessment activities will kick off this month that will help the EJT establish a clear understanding of where we are now as individuals and as a Fellowship. The first is a brief individual survey, which you will receive in your email. It will give you the opportunity to reflect on your awareness of and participation in your personal habits that positively contribute to climate resilience. The aggregate survey data will help the Team understand what we are doing well as a community and where the EJT needs to put the focus of our work. In addition, members of the EJT will be contacting various teams and committees to examine the different activities that they are already doing or considering in more programmatic ways. We can then explore ways the EJT can collaborate to further increase UUFD’s positive environmental justice impact in their areas of focus.

Using this baseline awareness and additional collaboration with various teams and committees, the Team will coordinate a specific, targeted program of activities for this year and beyond in five key areas – Awareness and Commitment, Worship and Celebration, Faith Formation, Congregational Life, and Climate Mitigation Actions.

There is so much that needs to be done to mitigate the effects of our changing climate. Certainly, major governmental and industrial activities will (hopefully) make big inroads. But all of us, individually and as a Fellowship, have a responsibility to do what we can at the local level. Your participation in the upcoming survey, the team/committee collaborations as well as your individual actions will all make a difference. Those of us working for a sustainable future thank you.

Board Bullets

Report from the Jan. 19, 2021 UUFD Board meeting

Call to Order: Lit Chalice. Heard Opening Words. Read Board Covenant. Reviewed Process Observation Form. Completed Check-In Practice
Accepted by Consent: December 2020 Board Meeting Minutes and Membership Report. Faith Formation Report was moved to Business Agenda.
Public Comment: None
Minister’s Report:
Worship Arts: Technical Director is averaging 4.5 hours per week. Unspent funds in the Faith Formation line item are being used for his salary.
COVID campus closure: Unscheduled meeting was held on campus and an exterior door was left unsecured. Congregation’s cooperation is needed to schedule use of buildings during the COVID pandemic.
Position Descriptions: Minister is leading a rewriting of position descriptions.
Treasurer’s Report:
Motion passed to pre-approve Finance Committee to apply for Payroll Protection Program when the committee determines funds may be needed.
Operating and non-operating incomes are now displayed on the same report.
FROLIC discussion: Schedule event to not conflict with pledge campaign.
Policy Considerations:
Addition to Faith Formation Safety Policy to address communication between adult staff and children outside of program time.
Software Privileges Policy: Board approved policy addition to the Board Policy Manual in alignment with the UUFD Governance/Ministry Model.
Communication policy: Need to develop a broader communication policy.
Confidentiality agreements will be developed to reflect our congregation’s covenantal relationship.
UUFD Business Address: Board decided to retain 419 San Juan Drive as the business address and move the UUFD mailbox to the sanctuary building.
Healthy Congregation Committee: Several members have agreed to serve on this committee. Board representative will reach out to other members to serve on committee and arrange a training meeting for the committee members with our UUA Western Pacific Region congregational consultant.
Leadership Council: Rev. Nancy Bowen will lead the attendees in a process to help develop a UUFD Vision Statement.
Closing: Heard Process Observation, heard Closing Words, and extinguished Chalice

Next Leadership Council Meeting: Thursday, January 21, 6:00-7:30pm. All committee chairs, team leaders, and members interested in leadership are invited to attend by using the Zoom link found in the online calendar.

Next Board Meeting: Tuesday, February 23, 4:00-5:30 pm. Members and friends are welcome to attend by using the Zoom link found in the online calendar.

Submitted by Teresa Jordan, Board Secretary