April 2008 - Columbine Unitarian Universalist Church

April 2008 April 2008
Volume
Volume15,
15,Issue
Issue10
10
The
Columbine
Connection
The Columbine Connection
Sunday Programs
April 6
“Appreciation Sunday”
Members of the Congregation
Our annual Appreciation Sunday service concludes our 2008 - 2009 Stewardship
(fka Canvass) campaign with presentations by a number of our Members on what
CUUC means to them personally. This is a moving, thoughtful, and intimate opportunity to hear 5 or 6 personal stories on ways our church has touched the lives of our
friends, learn how it has enriched their lives, remember how they have enriched
ours, learn more of their spiritual and personal journeys, and hear how they were led
to become part of our community. The 2007 service was warm, thoughtful, funny,
and touching; 2008 is sure to be as enlightening. The choir will sing too.
April 13
From the Minister
2
Making a Difference
3
From the President
4
Musings
5
From the DRE
Reverend Barry Bloom
A sum up of our experience with the Unitarians of Auckland and other parts of New
Zealand, and of our experience with the Maori people and their religion. Though
their origins are very different, and their ways as different as could be, the whites
and Maori peoples co-exist in a good way in New Zealand. I will bring stories of our
time there.
Inside This Issue:
Happenings
“Spiritual Life in New Zealand”
6 thru 12
13
April 20
“Share a Meal. Bridge a Culture”
Kay and Dave Corby, founders of Common Tables
Common Tables has a vision that recognizes each of us has the power to be a catalyst
in creating a more peaceful world environment. By starting at a grass roots level and
building friendships that transcend religious, cultural, ethnic, political, and lifestyle
differences, Common Tables believes anyone can re-establish the similarities that
link and influence all humankind at our deepest core level. Learn how sharing a meal
and conversation can build bridges that cross cultural divides and create opportunities for greater understanding and harmony in the world.
April 27
“A Celebration of Earth Day”
Reverend Barry Bloom
Each year we celebrate Mother Earth on this day. This service will have song, a children’s story, as well as stories for grown-ups about our Mother. It is a time of gratitude which we will share in a ritual honoring the Earth. The choir will sing.
The Columbine Connection
April 2008
FROM THE MINISTER
Dear Friends,
When you receive this newsletter, I will still be in my sabbatical
month and still be in New Zealand. The weather will be warming here,
getting ready for the first pitch at Coors Field. Easter will be past, Earth
Day to come. Flowers will be pushing their way out of the earth in our
lovely volunteer created and maintained garden. And a new minister
may have become known to you.
Fresh starts and new beginnings are always exciting and challenging at the same moment. Some yearn to keep things as they always have been, or seem to have always
been. Others thrive on regular change, moving forward into a future vision. All of that
will be happening during these coming months. It is important that we all talk to each
other, nurture and support those who are feeling distressed, and prepare for the future
that is upon us.
Speaking of the future. Next Saturday and Sunday, April 5 and 6 will be the
climax of the stewardship campaign. My family and I will be back for the
Saturday night gathering with its good food and fun. Then for the service the
next day. As you heard me say in my sermon on March 9, it is not easy to talk
about MONEY in a church. What we really need to talk about is commitment. Commitment to a cause greater than ourselves carried out with fellow travelers who we trust
and love. When the commitment to do so is present, each of us will know what portion
of our resources we wish to give to support the presence and vigor of Columbine UU in
the world. We are already “on our way to the Promised Land”. Let’s complete the journey.
Columbine Connection
This monthly newsletter of the Columbine Unitarian Universalist Church is for
the benefit of its members and pledging
friends. Visitors receive the newsletter
for six months, after which time, if they
have not made a pledge to the church,
they may subscribe for $12.00 a year by
calling (303)972-1716. To contribute an
article to the newsletter, send an email
to::
[email protected]
Or call (303) 882-1896
Carmelo J. Corica
Editor
Darrell Dodge
Web Coordinator
The sermon on April 13 will be about our trip to New Zealand in general, and
our experience with the Unitarians there in particular. I will have given the
sermon at the Auckland Unitarian Church on March 16, and we are going to,
hopefully, visit with the UU Fellowship in Christ church. Part of my inner
commitment about the sabbatical is to bring back something of value to you. This will
be my attempt to do so. Then, on April 27, we celebrate Earth Day together.
Give what you can in support of the church this year. There is so much excitement, for
good reason, about where we are headed!!!
See you in church.
Many blessings,
Barry
Reverend Barry Bloom
CUUC Website:
Http://www.columbineuuchurch.org
All contents copyright 2008
Page 2
The Columbine Connection
April 2008
Making a Difference
by Frances
Blizard
Empty Shelves at Food Banks — throughout the country there are untold hardships on thousands of poor families.
Inter-Faith Community Services is one of the struggling non-profits, the one we have supported for years.
Their shelves are close to empty! CUUC is planning a food drive at the Coal Mine Road King Soopers on Saturday,
April 19. Food drives not only collect a LOT of food but are good business for grocery stores. Read all about it in the
column “Columbine Acts on April 19th” in this newsletter.
Inter-Faith thanks you for all the help you have given them over the years. They have named us “The Little Church that
Could”, and our support helps struggling families stay afloat. “The Little Church that Could”, can, and will again!
Mini-Golf Fundraiser for Inter-Faith Community Services
Date: Saturday, May 10
Time: 8:30 to about Noon
Place: Colorado Journey
(Belleview and Windermere)
I am so excited to know that so many of our church members are interested in helping out with the Inter-Faith’s MiniGolf fundraiser. This is one of the most fun fundraisers I’ve been a part of.
You need no talent – that’s why putt-putt-golf is the only golf I play. Even the real golf pros have a fun time. There is a
free continental breakfast, and lunch, lots of prizes and a silent auction as well. Everybody plays, kids, parents, and
grandparents, and the whole community joins in, church groups, businesses, school clubs, and service organizations.
So you’ll see all your friends, relatives, and even a few strangers.
Here’s how the fundraising works:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Each team of 5 people raises $1000.00.
That means that every team member needs to get
10 sponsors at $20 each for a total of $200, or
20 sponsors at $10 each for a total of $200, or
5 team members at $200 each = $1000…….No problem!
At our church it should be a cinch, as I have talked to a lot of people who can’t play, but
say
they would be more than happy to help sponsor those who can play. As a team member, all you have to do is be the first
one to find those sponsors. Sounds like a plan to me. Let’s go for it!
Judy
Judy Rooney ([email protected])
Vacation With UUs
Join UUs from around the country in Niagara Falls, July 20-23, 2008.
Come experience the wonder of Niagara Falls including some great educational opportunities
while being taken care of like royalty. The UU Church of Niagara is conducting a four day
UU Niagara Experience which is a lifetime opportunity to encounter the Falls up close from
every perspective. Spend four days with us exploring the rich history and natural beauty
around the Falls. For information visit our web site : http://www.uunex.net/
Page 3
The Columbine Connection
April 2008
FROM THE PRES…..
Dear Friends,
I would like to invite ALL of you to our annual Appreciation Dinner at CUUC on Saturday, April 5,
at 6:00 P.M. This is a fun event that will cost you nothing and will bring you lots of good fellowship
and fun. Laurie Pribbeno is working with a talented cast to bring us a delightful program, as always.
Steve Busey will work his magic with dinner. We would love to see you all there!
I sent out an e-mail last week introducing our new minister, the Reverend Dr. Barbara Coeyman. Her picture and portfolio can be found in the lobby at church. Feel free to stop by and read some of her sermons and peruse her resume. She
is as impressive to talk to as she is on paper. I am excited that she is coming to CUUC as our minister!
Reverend Coeyman will visit the Denver area during the weekend of April 26-27. She plans to attend the CUUC Council meeting on Saturday, April 26th. Reverend Coeyman and Reverend Barry Bloom will develop the service for Sunday, April 27th. Please join us to welcome her to CUUC.
At this time tentative plans are in place for a reception for Reverend Coeyman on Saturday, April 26th from about 4:00 –
7:00 P.M. This reception will be held at church to give all of you a chance to meet her in person and get acquainted.
More details about her itinerary will be available in the weeks to come. So watch for further announcements!
Your Board of Trustees continues to work on the sale of the Bowles property, which is proceeding on schedule, as well
as other matters of policy. This includes a discussion of ways to lovingly and legally handle controversial subjects as
the election year progresses. As we grow as a congregation, it is increasingly important to have policies and practices in
place to guide our work as a spiritual presence in our community.
This presence as a church will be felt on April 19th as we gather to work on projects throughout the community as part
of the Columbine Acts activities. You can choose between six service projects scheduled throughout the day. See the
article in this newsletter for more information. Sign up begins on March 30th.
I look forward to seeing you all in the upcoming month as we worship, work, and play together. Enjoy the spring
weather. And know how important you each are to our CUUC family and to me!
In Gratitude,
Judy
Judy Kary
President of the Board of Trustees
Mother’s Day Sale
CUUC's Annual Mother’s Day Plan Sale will be back this year. We sell nursery grade flowering plants, baskets,
bowls, and bedding plants by pre-order from late April through mid-May with delivery at CUUC on Mother's Day
Weekend, May 9-11. Watch for order forms and more information at CUUC in late April. For more information, see
Karen Cody-Hopkins or contact her at [email protected]. Karen is looking for helpers to pass out order forms at CUUC on
April 20th, 27th, and May 4th, and to help with distribution Friday night May 9th, Saturday May 10th and Sunday May
11th. Email her if you can help. Proceeds benefit the church and the plants benefit your Mom, you and/or your garden.
Page 4
The Columbine Connection
April 2008
Musings
I want more diversity in church. I want to see more people who are different than I am. As an Italian-American,
short, fat, heterosexual, liberal, long brown haired male who wears glasses, it is certainly nice to be with others who
are similar to me. However, I also want different. I need different. I need more diversity in order to be all that I can
be.
Diversity will solve most of our problems as a congregation. Diversity will bring more ideas to us. To be certain, the
additional ideas will not all be good ones. However, some of the additional ideas will be great. As a less diversified
group of people, we will not be able to have the advantage of some of the great ideas of people who think differently
than ourselves.
Some of the people we believe think differently from us, do not think as differently from us as
we might believe. One-quarter of our country identify themselves as evangelicals. However the
old guard leaders of those evangelicals, the Roberstons and Dobsons who continue to be the
most vocal leaders of the movement, do not represent the younger generation of their own
movement. The new generation of evangelicals care more about global warming than electing
corporate Republicans. They care more about combating poverty than denouncing homosexuality. They care more about ending the war in Iraq than bringing American democracy to the
Middle East at the cost of the lives of their friends.
I am not so quick to believe that evangelicals, especially the new generation, want to see a planet that is very different than I do. We both want equality in our economics and our social lives. We both want to live in peace. We both
want justice to reign across the globe. Maybe we should be more concerned about our similarities, building on them,
than we are about our differences. Concentrating on our differences can only be divisive. Concentrating on our similarities can bring us together to build a better place for all of us to live.
The reasons why we want to make changes is not important. If evangelicals believe that Jesus is the only way to get
to heaven, that is fine with me. Believing in Santa Claus is actually a good thing, especially when Santa is telling
people to share, to be fair and to be a good person. If a person said they were hearing voices and those voices were telling them to be a better person, far be if from me to want to
“cure” them of those voices. Maybe I would want those
voices talking to me too.
Without diversity, we cannot be representative of our society
and certainly not of our species. We should be actively pursuing more diversity at CUUC. We need more gays and lesbians. We need more people of color. We need more nationalities, ethnicities and religious persuasions. We need more
people who have different moral and ethical values. Diversity is not just something that is good to have. It is necessary
in order to be a healthy, vibrant organization. For purely
selfish reasons, we should be actively pursuing diversity.
Carmen
Carmen J. Corica, Editor
[email protected]
Page 5
The Columbine Connection
April 2008
Social Activities for CUUC
Free Day at Denver Botanical Gardens at Chatfield, Friday April 4th. If you would like to carpool, meet at the church at
9:45am. Otherwise meet at 10:00am at the Botanical Gardens at Chatfield. Bring your Colorado drivers license for free
entry. Best case scenario, we will get to see the beginnings of spring; worse case scenario, we will have a nice walk
around the pond.
Passover Seder Dinner at CUUC, Wednesday April 16th at 6 pm. Hosted by Deb Suzuki. Of the Jewish
traditions, Seder is the most important event in the Passover celebration. This family oriented celebration is a wonderful way for us to experience the rituals of a different culture. Do you know what Haroseth, Parsley, Roasted egg, Shank Bone, and Bitter herbs symbolize? Adults $5, Children $3.
Fellowship Dinner at CUUC, Wednesday April 30th, 6:00pm, hosted by the Green
Team. Embrace the opportunity to eat a little lower on the food chain with a vegetarian dinner catered by the Damaskus Grill. This is a great opportunity for new members and friends to get to
know the congregation in a smaller group and more relaxed atmosphere. Adults $5, Children $3.
“Go Green” and save $.50 by bringing your own reusable plates and utensils.
Second Annual Family Camping Trip, July 11-13. We will gather at the
Cutthroat Bay Group Campground on Grand Lake, about an hour and half drive from Denver.
Enjoy a relaxing weekend of fellowship in the great outdoors. Hiking, bird watching, horseshoes,
Saturday evening potluck, campfires, and sing-a-longs. The site is limited to 30 people so sign
up now. For more details pick up an information sheet by the sign up sheet in the back of the
sanctuary.
Please add your name to the sign up sheets in the back of the sanctuary so that we can get a head count for each event.
Any questions, contact Tracy Leonard at 303.904.2015 or [email protected].
CUUC's LEADERSHIP COMMITTEE SEEKING 2008-2009 LEADERS
During April, your elected Leadership Search Committee (LSC comprised of Karen Cody-Hopkins, George Mandeville,
and Wes Howe) will begin the nomination process for the church's 2008-2009 leadership positions. Elections will be
held during the Spring Congregational Meeting after the service on May 18, 2008.
Rules: Elections are open to all voting Members (Voting Members are those age 16+ who have been Members for 60
days). Per our Bylaws, some positions require that a person be 18+ (all Officers but not Trustees) and a Member in good
standing for a set time (President needs to have 2 years of membership; VP, Treasurer or Trustee needs to have 1 year of
membership). We also allow only one Member per family/household to be on the Board or an Officer at a time. To see
our Bylaws, go to our website, www.columbineuuchurch.org and click on Covenants & Documents, then scroll down to
Bylaws. More than one person may be nominated for and run for any Office they are eligible for, but the LSC makes a
recommendation of a slate to fill all upcoming vacancies.
Board and Officers: Continuing the newer tradition of electing Vice Presidents who will continue on to be CUUC
President, we anticipate nominating David Manning to move to the Presidency. In addition, we are having conversations
with people who are interested in serving in the other positions to be elected this year — Vice President, Treasurer
(Loraine Kreznar wishes to run again), and 2 Trustees. Jamie Daniels will continue for the second year of her term while
George Mandeville and Alan Popiel, having served us very well, are at the end of their terms.
We will also have 2 vacancies on the elected Committee on Ministry — Dan Gaiser will serve another year while
Ruthanne Cauley and Ann Wederspahn are finishing their terms. We appreciate their dedicated service. Per Bylaws, we
have a 1 year and 2 year term to elect for this critical committee.
The final elected positions to fill 2 vacancies on the Leadership Search Committee — a 1 year and a 2 year term — as
George Mandeville completes his term and Karen completes a 1 year term. Wes and Karen would like to run again so
even if both are elected, there is still one 2-year term. George is moving to become CUUC Environmental Coordinator,
working with Ann Wederspahn and Just Act to increase our "greenness."
Volunteers for any of these vacancies should notify Karen at [email protected] for more information. These positions
are valuable ways to serve our community.
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The Columbine Connection
April 2008
Grocery Coupons!!
Every time you purchase scrip you are donating to the financial health of the church.
Scrip are redeemable at King Soopers, Starbuck, Barnes and Noble and many other merchants. If you buy $50.00 per week scrip, in 10 years you will have contributed
$1,300.00 to CUUC! And it did not cost you anything since you receive a dollars worth
of merchandise for every dollar of scrip you buy. It is a great way to support CUUC!!!!
Pathways to Membership
The next Pathways Class is planned for April 27, 2008, at Noon. The Pathways class is a wonderful way
to learn a lot about our church and the UU organization, UU beliefs, and share our own spiritual quest.
The class lasts 2 3/4 hours with a lunch served, and child care provided. If you are thinking of joining
our church, this class is a requirement. Please contact Sue Dressel ([email protected]) if you are interested, or sign up on the signup sheet in the sanctuary.
Pagan Circle Forming
Are you a practicing Pagan? Would you be interested in practicing with a group? I am starting to put a
group together of like-minded pagans from various paths. Ideally this group would be a partnership of
equally contributing members, who would be willing and able to share their wisdom and experience to
enrich the group as a whole. I feel that gender and age diversity is important to a balanced group. The
proposed start-up date for the group is April 20th, for the Full Moon. Anyone who feels like this is
something they would like to do, should meet me after church on April 6th, at noon. If you have questions, call Heather Austin at 303-522-8839.
Volunteer Opportunity
Would you like a chance to help a teen find his personal spiritual path? I work for Shiloh Home, a residential treatment facility for boys ages 10-18. Some are recovering from abusive situations, and some
are on probation for various behaviors and choices they have made. We would like to find people willing to volunteer some evening time on a regular basis to get to know the boys and be available for discussions about spirituality, not necessarily religion. They come from all kinds of spiritual backgrounds,
so would need people who would talk to them without judgment or dogma or proselytizing. A perfect
opportunity for UU people. If you are interested, contact Heather Austin at 303-522-8839.
Ready To Sew
Singers Wanted!
For the Columbine UU Church Choir.
Expand your voice and heart.
Refresh and Recharge with Song.
Take part in Sunday services and
musical events in the larger
Denver community.
Enjoy new musical experiences.
For more info contact David Burrows at
303-455-2110 or Email [email protected].
Page 7
I do sewing and small upholstery projects in
my home.
• Cushions (for wicker and other furniture)
• Pillows
• Windowseats
• Dining room chair seats
• And etc.
Contact Carolyn Kelley at 303-703-9422
The Columbine Connection
April 2008
Project Angel Heart Update
Project Angel Heart is still on track as one of our activities that people can participate in for ‘Columbine Acts Day’ on
Saturday, April 19th. Some good news is that when we met with them and explained what we were doing, they agreed
that any CUUC volunteers on April 19th itself would not need to go through the orientation beforehand. Anyone who
wishes to continue after April 19th will still need to attend the orientation however.
This means will its now easier than ever to volunteer for this as your activity that day. Just sign up on the Project Angel
Heart sheet at church, and then all you will need to do is show up at Southern Gables Church (Mansfield and
Wadsworth) at 1 pm on April 19th for your route. You will need proof of insurance and your Driver’s License but no
advance training is required!
Each driver will be assigned a route that day, and given their meals to deliver. The route will only take around 2 hours.
It works best to have a couple of people on a particular route, so team up with a friend! It’s also a great experience for
kids, so this would also work out great for families to do.
Another item resulting from our discussions with them was the idea that after April 19th, CUUC could ‘adopt’ a route,
as opposed to each volunteer driver having a route. What this means is that going forward after April 19th; we could do
this on a rotating basis. For example, if we had 6 drivers, it would be only every 6 weeks that any one particular driver
and their group would need to be the ones to handle the route. This makes it a more manageable time commitment for
anyone involved. Some people have already expressed interest, but I will look forward to hearing from anyone else
who would like to do this on April 19th.
Also worth noting is that Thursday, May 1st is Project Angel Heart’s ‘Dining Out For Life’ event. Eat at a participating
restaurant that day and 25% of your food bill will go to Project Angel Heart. Check the Project Angel Heart website for
more details: http://www.projectangelheart.org/
Project Angel Heart provides meals for people living with HIV/AIDS, cancer and other life threatening illnesses in
Denver and Colorado Springs.
Jim
Jim Hopkins
720-344-7274
[email protected]
CUUC Appreciation Weekend
April 5—6, 2008
It's a free Dinner...a Show...a Play...our History. Lots of Laughs, and a Service!
Everyone — Members, Friends, and Visitors alike — are welcome, nay encouraged, nay cajoled —
to be in the house at CUUC for our annual Appreciation weekend to conclude our 2008-2009 Stewardship (fka Canvass) campaign. We have lots of new Members and Friends who should know what
our old-timers know. Saturday's free dinner, starting at 6pm, is a delicious meal to be eaten in anticipation of the CUUC Show afterwards. And what a Show it will be! If you've never seen a Laurie
Pribbeno directed, Sue Fraley production, get ready for much fun. Laughter is GUARANTEED. This year's play, in honor of our 15th Anniversary, will feature a retrospective of some past
vignettes — could they be bringing back Dorothy, Star Track, UU popcorn???? — and some new features. All performed by CUUCers whose hidden talents are revealed. Steve Busey and his merry band of foodies and bartenders have
never failed to deliver a delicious meal. So be there on Saturday, April 5th at 6 pm. Families and friends welcome. Then join us at our Sunday service on April 6th to hear some Members tell you about how they found CUUC
and what it means to them. This is one of the most intimate Sundays each year where we go a bit deeper than during a
coffee conversation to bond with our fellow seekers.
PS As for the Stewardship thing, unless it is in the script, we don't talk about money or pledges during the show or dinner on April 5. We don’t hit you up for anything, so come enjoy the dinner and show and appreciate the depths of our
talented community).
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The Columbine Connection
April 2008
Columbine Acts on April 19th
What are we trying to do?
Get as many friends and members working together on one day to make our CUUC community a better place!
Our working together on April 19 will be a celebration of UU principles that value our place in the web of life and the
worth and dignity of every person. We are going to clean up small parts of land in honor of Earth Day and, in compassion with those who lack enough to eat, we’re going to collect, sort, and deliver food.
You can choose how you want to spend 2 or 3 hours on Saturday, April 19. Each project will make you feel that the
world is a better place because you are the caring person you are. Each project is suitable for kids, parents, neighbors,
friends, and grandparents. All projects will start with a photograph or two, a little something to munch on, and a bottle
of water to take with you.
Earth Day Projects — Lighten the earth of its trashy burden.
These projects are for active folks whether you are a Green Team member or not. Maps, gloves, trash bags, and recycling containers will be provided. Feel free to bring your own pokey poles and trash grabbing tools! All three of these
activities are from 9am to 11am.
• Cleaning up the park behind Ken Caryl Middle School — This is the park with all the sports fields where so many
middle and high school football, soccer, lacrosse, tennis, and baseball games are played. The playing fields are in
pretty good shape, but lots of junk has collected against all the fences. Debris like bottle tops gets embedded in the
grass. It needs a good spring cleaning and Columbine Knolls Recreation District is delighted that we can do this!
• Cleaning up the lot between the church and Coal Mine Avenue — We know this lot! We drive past it every Sunday. It’s owned by JeffCo Open Space but most people assume it has something to do with us. Unfortunately it’s a
bit of an eye sore. Help pull out the hubcaps and flotsam and jetsam that accumulated over the winter. We will also
do a bit of sprucing up around our own parking lot!
• Spring cleaning the Labyrinth — And the land around it! Some springs the wind brings in a lot of stuff that needs
to be removed, some springs the Labyrinth needs weeding and the stones reoriented. Come and see what this spring
reveals and you can stay to walk the path also!
Food for Others Projects — Share in the process that gets food where it is needed all year round. These projects are for
“people” people; those generous souls who know that at anytime any of us could be in need.
• Collecting food donations for Inter-Faith Community Service’s food bank. Rain or Shine. Three shifts are 9-11am,
11-1pm, 1-3pm at the King Soopers at Pierce and Coal Mine. Getting people to donate non-perishable food is the
first step in getting nutrition to those who need it. You will be armed with lists of the most needed types of food
and details of Soopers’ best deals of day on those items that you can hand to shoppers as they enter the store. Your
huge smiles and thanks as you collect shoppers’ offerings when they leave will make their day too!
• Sorting donated food at JeffCo Action Center. Discover a key function for any food bank: organizing donations so
they can be distributed to those who need this food so desperately. Remember also that many hands make any task
lots of fun! Rain or Shine: meet at CUUC to carpool. 12–2:30pm.
Delivering a week’s worth of specially prepared meals to Project Angel Heart clients in our SW Metro area. This is an
essential service for people whose chronic illnesses rob them of the energy necessary to shop and cook the meals they
so desperately need to regain or maintain their health. You will work in teams of 2-5 adults and children. Meet at 1pm
at Southern Gables Church (Wadsworth & Mansfield). You will be done by 3:15pm.
Do you prefer to work behind the scenes? Have you always wanted to be in the press corps? Are you already over committed on the 19th but have a few hours on the 18th? We need you to:
• Document this wonderful day. Pphotograph or film or interview volunteers as we work
• Help organize carpool lists, water bottles, snacks to keep us energized. And especially:
• Help prepare a feast to share for Sunday lunch the next day: make your choice of soups or salads or cookies!
April 19 is a special opportunity to put aside our normal routines for a few hours. It is a chance to talk with our fellow
CUUCers while doing something besides drink coffee, to put our values into practice, and to end the day knowing that
we have honored this world and the people on it by our efforts.
Brightly colored sign-up sheets are in the sanctuary. Questions can be answered by any member of the Just ACT Team.
Just ask Frances Blizard, Gaye Denley, Sue Fraley, Eric Gustafson, Les Jones, Dory Pinkham, Amy Rowland, Ann
Wederspahn or Sarah Manning!
Page 9
The Columbine Connection
April 2008
Update on Darfur: A New Peacekeeping Force
As Darfur smolders in the aftermath of a new government offensive, a long-sought peacekeeping
force, expected to be the world’s largest, is in danger of failing even as it begins its mission because
of bureaucratic delays, stonewalling by Sudan’s government and reluctance from troop-contributing
countries to send peacekeeping forces into an active conflict.
The force, a joint mission of the African Union and the UN, officially took over from an overstretched and exhausted African Union force in Darfur on January 1. It now has just over 9,000 of
an expected 26,000 soldiers and police officers and will not fully deploy until the end of the year, United Nations officials said. Even the troops that are in place, the old African Union force and two new battalions, lack essential equipment, like sufficient armored personnel carriers and helicopters, to carry out even the most rudimentary of peacekeeping
tasks. Some even had to buy their own paint to turn their green helmets United Nations blue, peacekeepers said.
The peacekeepers’ work is more essential than ever. At least 30,000 people were displaced last month as the government and its allied militias fought to retake territory held by rebel groups fighting in the region, according to United Nations human rights officials. The force has a robust mandate to protect civilians. But that is easier said than done.
It is unclear how exactly the deployment of troops in Darfur can be speeded up, given the built-in constraint, imposed
by the government in Khartoum, that African troops be used first. Western activists concerned about Darfur say the Sudanese government is primarily responsible and have demanded that China, Sudan’s main trading partner and one of its
suppliers of weapons, join other countries to press Sudan to allow troops of any origin the troops to deploy quickly.
While the Sudanese government has been blamed for some of the delay, some diplomats and political analysts say the
United Nations requirements have also slowed the force.
There is certainly no lack of money since the force has a budget of $1.7 billion. What it needs is troops and equipment,
and neither have been easy to get. Some countries are reluctant to commit troops in an active conflict with no peace
agreement or even a working cease-fire. The international community had two choices — get a peace accord and deploy
the mission after, or send the mission anyway. It chose the latter. But how do you keep the peace when there is no peace
to keep?
Please go to the website of your Unitarian Universalist Service Committee (UUSC) to find out how you can contribute
toward pressuring the United States and other governments to meet their commitments to sent troops and equipment to
support the peacekeeping force. Or call me for other ideas. This information was taken primarily from a 3/24/08 article
in the New York Times and is a follow up to the screening of the film Sand and Sorrow at CUUC last month.
Les
Les Jones, [email protected]
303 807-2610
CUUC Communications’ Outreach Team Forming
Members and friends are invited to become part of the newly formed CUUC Communications Outreach Team (COT
for short). Jean Kuss has essentially served alone as CUUC's Advertising Committee for awhile so with her encouragement we are creating a whole team of people devoted to CUUC's external outreach in its many forms — marketing,
advertising, publicity, PR, all external outreach to those interested in our church and its communications into our community. The team will establish policies, procedures, methods, tools and information on to whom, how, and when to get
the word out about our burgeoning church programs. All Committees and groups will be invited to participate on this
team and use its resources. If you or your Committee have any marketing, publicity, advertising needs or if you are interested in helping CUUC effectively raise its profile in our community, please come to the next meeting Monday
night, April 7th at 6:30 pm at CUUC. For more information, contact Karen Cody-Hopkins ([email protected]), Gaye
Denley ([email protected]), or Jim Wardell ([email protected]).
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The Columbine Connection
April 2008
UUA General Assembly Registration Now Open!
Fort Lauderdale, Florida June 25-29
Information on Financial Aid for Attendees
Registration and housing reservations are now open for the UUA's General Assembly 2008 in Fort Lauderdale, Florida
June 25-28! Visit www.uua.org/ga to register. If you would like to attend General Assembly but need financial assistance in order to do so, here are several sources of funding!
1. Our congregations offers limited financial assistance for church leaders to attend General Assembly. Speak
with Judy Kary or David Manning if you are interested.
2. Between March 1 and March 31 you can apply for a scholarship from the GA Planning Committee. If you intend to
apply for a Planning Committee scholarship, we urge you to download and review the application today. The process requires a letter of endorsement and matching scholarship from your congregation so get in touch with your
minister or congregation president. More information can be found at
www.uua.org/events/generalassembly/registrationhousing/financialaid/15005.shtml.
3.
You can volunteer at General Assembly in return for financial assistance. Details at
www.uua.org/events/generalassembly/registrationhousing/financialaid/14930.shtml.
4.
Finally, the UUA website has a page of tips to save money on your GA costs:
www.uua.org/events/generalassembly/registrationhousing/financialaid/15012.shtml.
YOUNG ADULT NEWS (18 - 35)
The new online Church of the Younger Fellowship Welcomes You!
At the end of last year, CYF exploded with new features and activity! Our dutiful Tech Team updated our website with
a complete redesign. In addition to a snazzy new interface, CYF is now easier to use than ever, with reorganized and
simplified discussion forums, group sections, and spirituality opportunities. As always, CYF is a wonderful place for
fellowship and connection and it is bursting with friendly Unitarian Universalist young adult faces and lively discussion.
Feel like something has been missing lately? The CYF has got it. We are consistently growing with a new member rate
of about two new members per week and would love for you to join us!
New to CYF? Please visit us! Our website is: www.uucyf.org/.
Interested in sponsoring a young adult for the CYF? Visit us at www.uucyf.org/ and click on the Sponsor icon at the top
of the page.
Sincerely, CYF Steering Committee
Young Adult & Campus Ministry Office Contacts
Nancy DiGiovanni — Young Adult and Campus Ministry Director of Programs
(617) 948-4629 — [email protected]
Erik Kesting — Young Adult and Campus Ministry Assistant
(617) 948-6463 — [email protected]
Reverend Dr. Tracey Robinson-Harris — Acting Director of Young Adult
and Campus Ministry
(617) 948-6462 — [email protected]
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The Columbine Connection
April 2008
Lifespan Religious Education News
Children’s RE Calendar for April
Four Classes continue with these themes:
Preschool & Kindergarten — Buddhism and Buddha in the Garden.
1st and 2nd Grade — Buddhism and Tibet. Buddhism and the 8 fold path.
Intermediate — Stepping Stones: Ways to look at Creation. What did Charles Darwin say about Creation
Middle School — God Images: Is God beyond space and time?
High School — Career Stories: Members of the congregation discuss their career tracks with the high
school youth in Barry’s office during Sunday morning service.
March 30th — Mardi Stone
April 13th — Tracy Leonard: What It Took to Be An Airline Pilot
April 20th — Steve Wittstuck
April 27th— Veta Lefholz, My Many Varied Jobs As a Nurse.
Community Building Sunday — April 27th Celebrating Earth Day
We will talk of the Summer Program involving a Community Garden and do some planting.
Labyrinth Sunday for All RE Classes — April 20th
CUUC Book Club Meets
April’s book is Black Swan Green by David Mitchell. Library Journal Review says this:
“Thirteen is a difficult age, and Jason Taylor has a hard time negotiating the mean streets of the ex-urban town of this
book's title. Two factors make life in Cold War England even more difficult: he has a stammer, which he tries valiantly
and cleverly to conceal from friends and classmates, and, even more dangerous, he secretly writes poetry and sends it to
a local publication under a pseudonym. Life at home is no picnic, either, with a father and mother increasingly at odds
and an ice princess of a sister who enjoys toying with the younger Jason. British slang and cultural idioms color the
prose of brilliant stylist Mitchell, who conveys an emotional rapport with his characters. Though this work is seemingly
worlds away from his postmodern visionary 2004 epic, Cloud Atlas, that novel nevertheless seeps into the cracks as
minor characters and themes reappear from the earlier work. Here the virtuoso ventriloquism of multiple
voices and settings focuses only on Jason and his surroundings but to heightened comic and dramatic effect. Recommended for all fiction collections.”
Please join us on Wednesday, April 23 at 7:30 at CUUC when we discuss Black Swan Green. All
are welcome! Contact Sue Zloth at [email protected] for more information.
New Member Reunion Party June 8th
We are announcing a reunion party, June 8th at Noon, for all those who have joined CUUC in this past
year, including any who join from the April 27 class. This is a celebration for all of those who have become new members in the past year, hosted by Barry Bloom and Suzanne Fey-Gaiser. We will be looking for feedback on the classes, the year, how things have gone, and what might be improved for future
classes. Please let us know if you can attend. Hope to see you there!
It is the editorial policy of this newsletter to print whatever is sent to us for inclusion, unless we think the item
will be offensive or hurtful. It occurred to us that it would be interesting reading to hear how others came to call
themselves Unitarian Universalists. This, then, is an invitation to share that part of your faith’s journey with our
readership. All other topic are open for submission also. Members of CUUC will be given preferential treatment
where publishing is concerned. Thank you for understanding.
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The Columbine Connection
April 2008
CUUC's Religious Education Update
Put Some Spring in your step with April’s Adult Religious Education Opportunities
Wednesday April 2
11:30 am - 1:00 pm
Hot Topic — Cold Lunch
Come share and enjoy stories around the high points of our evolution as a congregation. What
was "The Bunker?" What did our current building look like when it was first used for Sunday
worship? Who was Joel? Come join Sally and Allen Popiel, bring your fun stories, your questions,
and your lunch. Open to all, this event is a great way to get to know each other in a small group
setting.
Saturday April 5
10:00 am – 12:00 pm
The Transcendentalist (Part 3 of 4)
Their Influence Shaped the History of our Denomination Bill Oliver offers us his rich knowledge about Transcendentalism and Social Movements: Bronson Alcott, Elizabeth Peabody, Margaret Fuller, Henry David Thoreau,
and Frederick Douglass.
Saturday April 19
10:00 am – 12:00 pm
The Transcendentalist (Part 4 of 4)
Join Bill for his insights into the legacies of Transcendentalism in the 19th and 20th centuries.
Saturday April 26
2:00 – 4:30 pm
Transitions: Part Six
Having been snowed out in January, Mary Jo Cleveland returns to help us begin filling out the Living Will and
Durable Power of Attorney forms, as well as the booklet: Five Wishes. All materials will be provided. Far from
being morbid, this class is a golden opportunity to create the priceless gift of honesty for your own relatives so
they will be able to genuinely honor your personal wishes and preferences.
Monday June 2 — Sunday June 8
Western UU Life Festival
During the first week of the month (June 2-8) UU’s from all over our area will gather at the Ghost Ranch retreat
center, located in New Mexico, for the Western UU Life Festival (called WUULF). Workshops
and gatherings are designed to inspire, empower and encourage artistic and spiritual well-being in adults, teens and children. This year’s theme: Desert Reflections: Faith and Politics. Program listings for adults and children can be seen at
www.wuulf.org or in back of the sanctuary. Please take a program home, but
please return it. Registration forms are attached to the booklets.
Master Calendar
There is a Master Calendar on the Bulletin Board in the Sanctuary. This calendar should have listed all the events that
are scheduled for and at CUUC. If you see an event that is not on the calendar, please speak to one of
the members of the Board of Trustees. If you would like to have an event listed on the Master Calendar,
please contact Julie Highsmith, CUUCs Office Manager. Julie’s email address is
[email protected] and her phone number is 303-972-1716.
The deadline for The Columbine Connection for the next 13 months is as follows:
April 21, May 19, June 23, July 21, August 25, September 22, October 20, November 24, December 22, January 19, February
16, March 23, April 20
These dates are the last Monday prior to the last Sunday of the month. The Connection will be available for members and friends at
the last Sunday Service of the month at CUUC and then will mailed to the remainder of the subscribers. The absolute deadline for the
next thirteen issues will be at midnight on the above dates. Please be prepared to have any and all submissions to the Connection by
12:00AM (midnight) on the deadline date. If it is a problem meeting the deadline, please contact the editor to make arrangements for
the submission. No guarantees, explicit or implied will be made for any submission. All submissions become the property of The Columbine Connection.
Page 13
The Columbine Connection
THE
COLUMBINE CONNECTION
Is published monthly by
Columbine Unitarian Universalist Church
6724 S. Webster Street
Littleton CO 80128
Phone: 303-972-1716
April 2008
Officers
Judy Kary
David Manning
Loraine Kreznar
President
Vice President/Secretary
Treasurer
Trustees
Alan Popiel
George Mandeville
Jamie Daniels
Sunday Morning Worship Begins at 10:30am
Coffee & Conversation Served After Service
Home
www.columbineuuchurch.org
ALL ARE WELCOME!!
The Columbine Connection
Columbine Unitarian Universalist Church
6724 S. Webster Street
Littleton CO 80128
Page 14