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May 27, 2014 • office@jeffersonunitarian.org • www.jeffersonunitarian.org • Volume 2014 Issue 11

The JUC CrierThe Newsletter of the Jefferson Unitarian Church

14350 W. 32nd Avenue • Golden, Colorado 80401 • 303-279-5282 • Fax: 303-279-2535

Sunday, June 1 • 9:15 & 11 a.m. • Infant/toddler care provided.

The Thing with Featherspresented by Rev. Wendy Williams, Senior Minister

Emily Dickinson described hope as the thing with feathers that perches in the soul. Is it? Steeped in an often cynical and mean-spirited world, it is easy to feel hopeless. How might we open our ears and hearts to hope in such a world? Music: JUC Ringers; Worship Band; Adam Revell, piano. Worship Associate: Gail Abbott.

Sunday, June 8 • 9:15 & 11 a.m. • Infant/toddler care provided.

Change and Be Changedpresented by Derek Mitchell, Director, UUA Holdeen India Program and Rev. Wendy Williams, Senior Minister

Derek Mitchell will share about the UUA’s work with India’s most vulnerable groups as they seek to advance empowerment and promote equity, and we’ll explore what it means to companion those who strive for justice. How can Jefferson Unitarian Church be a part of a learning circle to deeply reflect on the UUA’s work in India? How can a hopeful spirit on the other side of the world inform justice-making in Colorado? Music: JUC Choir; Adam Revell, piano. Worship Associate: Bev Curtiss.

Sunday, June 15 • 9:15 & 11 a.m. • Infant/toddler care provided.

A Tale of Two Fatherspresented by Rev. Wendy Williams, Senior Minister, and Rev. Barry Bloom, Community Minister

This Sunday, Wendy and Barry celebrate fathers. Father’s Day was created well after Mother’s Day and is sometimes given less attention. To UUs drawn to justice and equity, that may seem unfair. Looking at fatherhood in two different eras, we explore the meaning and impact of these relationships. Music: Rev. Keith Arnold, piano. Worship Associate: Steve Sargent.

Sunday, June 22 • 9:15 & 11 a.m. • Infant/toddler care provided.

Signs of Hopepresented by Rev. Dana Lightsey, Consulting Assistant Minister

Our world seems to be getting crazier and scarier. So many of our global problems seem insurmountable. If we look at the truth about our current situation, it is easy to feel hopeless and helpless. Where can we find hope? Is it even out there? Music: Rev. Keith Arnold, piano. Worship Associate: Julie Excell.

Sunday, June 29 • 9:15 & 11 a.m. • Infant/toddler care provided.

What If...presented by members of JUC’s Worship Group

What if our religion was each other? or What if love were the center of our being? This Sunday the Worship Group has teamed up to reflect on such concepts as put forth in a meditative poem by Ganga White, founder of the White Lotus Foundation. We’ll explore these questions and how we might incorporate them into our daily lives. Music: Cracker Jack Ringers; Gail Abbott and friends. Worship Associate: Bev Curtiss.

2~Blessings, Wendy

Fanning

~ Rev. Wendy Williams, Senior Minister (303-279-5282 ext. 13; wendywilliams@jeffersonunitarian.org)

1 Visitors' Circle • 2nd & 4th Sundays 5 minutes after each service (Meet @ the Welcome Table)

For newcomers: an informal discussion to answer your questions about Unitarian Universalism and JUC.

Upcoming sessions: June 8, 22.

JUC Evergreen Campus Sunday, June 1 • 4 p.m.

Creating a New Worldpresented by Rev. Dana Lightsey, Consulting Assistant Minister

The survival of our planet is seriously threatened by climate change and overpopulation. The American dream seems to be fading into a sea of inequality. And we live in a world full of cynicism, and hostility. Is it any wonder that the need to medicate depression and anxiety is rapidly growing? Yet real happiness, well-being, and joy isn’t found in a bottle. Pandora’s Box is open; can we find the gift of hope in the midst of it all?

Worship services held on first and third Sundays at 4 p.m. 28628 Buffalo Park Rd.

(The church up the hill from the Evergreen library)

If you wish to be informed about news regarding our Evergreen campus, please contact Sue Parilla, Dir. of Congregational Engagement (sueparilla@jeffersonunitarian.org).

☛ Looking ahead to… Sunday, June 15: Father’s Day presented by Rev. Wendy Williams.

Our month of exploring what it might mean to live a life open to beginnings and endings is nearly over. We are, I think, called to a recommitment to the time between tending as we must to our yearning to belong. Like it or not, I believe that is what brought us through JUC’s doors the first time. Maybe we came thinking it was for our children or to satisfy a parent or partner or someone. Yet, from our stories it is apparent that we wanted to believe there was a place for us. We wanted community and together it is our co-creation, which is an ongoing project. Each of us, long-timers and newcomers, shape our community especially if we let ourselves get to know others and be known by others.

As Brene Brown put it in her book, The Gifts of Imperfection, “Belonging is the innate human desire to be part of something larger than us. Because primal, we often try to acquire it by fitting in and by seeking approval, which are not only hollow substitutes for belonging, but often barriers to it. Because true belonging only happens when we present our authentic, imperfect selves to the world, our sense of belonging can never be greater than our level of self-acceptance.” That’s why belonging doesn’t begin with joining or being dedicated or some other ritual—those rituals are signals of readiness, openness, and willingness to show up—to be a part of the gathered community.

Belonging is developed over time by our actions. We remind ourselves of this every Sunday. We show up, not because we thought we needed the message or we knew we would like the music, but because that’s what belonging means. You show

up. You risk being seen and known because you just might be the most important person for someone to connect with that day. That’s hard to believe, I know. Many of us struggle with the reality of being imperfect. What do I have to offer? we wonder. And yet, it is profoundly true that some of our best ministry is done by and for each other out of the ways in ways in which we are hurt and hurting.

In my home congregation, so many years ago now, I was in a hard place. Introverted anyway and hiding behind an invisible wall of self-protection, I remained distant. Miraculously one Sunday, a member who seemed to have it all together and whom I admired, shared her story and I learned that she too had chapters not so very different from the painful one I was in. My walls lowered. I really was loved and loveable because of who I was, not in spite of it, just like that member.

I think about the groups that arise within our walls from time to time for folks struggling with terminal illness in their families or those trying to rebuild their lives after divorce. These are people who lean into each other, not because any one of them has expertise, but because in their stories and companionship they rediscover themselves and their own resilience. I think about someone bravely coming through our doors shell-shocked by recent loss. It was a conversation with someone else in the congregation who experienced something akin to his loss that helped him feel heard and seen and welcome even in all his grief.

Together we are co-creators of community—that’s what belonging is. JUC is a gift: the one we keep co-creating and giving to ourselves and those who have yet to find us. I am so grateful. See you on Sunday!

JUC ANNUAL RUMMAGE SALE: JUNE 6-7Accepting rummage donations Sunday, June 1, 12:30 - 2 p.m., and Mon. - Wed., June 2-4, 9 a.m. - 8 p.m.We’ll need about 100 volunteers during the sale. This is a great way to meet new people! Sign up at the Sign Up Site or go to http://tinyurl.com/RummageVolunteers

JUC Member Presale: Thurs., June 5, 3 – 8 p.m.

Sale Open to the PublicFriday, June 6, 9 a.m. to 8 p.m.Saturday, June 7, 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.Invite your friends through JUC’s Facebook page at facebook.com/JUCGolden

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Family SpotlightAshley Johnson, Director of Religious Education (ashleyjohnson@jeffersonunitarian.org; 303-279-5282, x18)

Saturday & Sunday, June 21 & 22Civic Center Park

PrideFest 2014 is around the corner, and JUCers are invited to take part in any of several ways to celebrate the LGBTQ community’s culture and heritage. Keep your eyes open for the upcoming opportunities to sign up to:

1) Help JUC staff the Boulder Denver UU Cluster booth on Saturday from 12 to 2 p.m. and Sunday from 2 to 4 p.m.;

2) March in the Parade Sunday morning as part of the orange stripe in the rainbow that represents our seven Boulder Denver Cluster churches. (We’ll have breakfast together first!)

Whether you’re a member of the LGBTQ community or an ally, please join us for a weekend of fun, solidarity, and sharing of the open, welcoming nature of Unitarian Universalism. Contact: Lisa Bickford (bickfordl@pobox.com).

UU Camps this SummerOvernight Camps:

• QUUEST and Spirit QUUEST: July 6 - 12 QUUEST is for rising 9th through graduating 12th graders. Spirit QUUEST is for rising 6th to 8th graders. Experience love, compassion and beloved community. www.mdduua.org

Elementary Age Day Camps:

• Summer Arts Jam with Kutandara Marimbas at Boulder Valley UU Fellowship: June 2 - 6 More info at www.bvuuf.org• Chalice Camp at First Universalist of Denver: June 9 - 13More info at www.firstuniversalist.org• Chalice Camp at Columbine UU: July 14 - 18More info at www.columbineuuchurch.org• Imagine Camp at First Unitarian Society: July 21 - 25More info at www.fusden.org

Community of Unitarians Raising Kids (CURK)Summer Camping: Sign Up Now!

Each trip has a limited capacity and both locations accommodate tents, trailers and small RVs. $20/family. Sign up at the Sign Up Site or contact Christine Leahy (natureloving_gal@yahoo.com).

Fri., June 13 - Sun., June 15 (Father’s Day Weekend) Printer Boy Campground near Turquoise Lake, Leadville

Fri., Aug. 8 - Sun., Aug. 10 Lakeview Group Site near Twin Lakes, Leadville

Summer SundaysJoin us for fun grounded in UU community. More than

babysitting and a bit less than formal lessons, this will be a Summer of Fun! Nursery and sprouts rooms open all summer.

June’s theme is Bubbles!PreK-5th: Explore bubbles through cooperative games, gigantic bubble hoops and more!

Youth EventsOffsite adventures planned during the month, not on Sundays. Contact ashleyjohnson@jeffersonunitarian.org for current events. Feel free to join adult worship on Sunday morning.

Good News! We Are Making Progress!Family ministry is a big tent. One piece of it is Religious

Education. We’ve conflated family ministry and RE in the past. We are getting very clear on the RE piece including goals, roles and responsibilities. We have rescheduled the June 7 Families Matter workshop so that we can focus on creating clarity. Many thanks to Ashley Johnson, Melissa Kaltenbach, Rev. Kelly Dignan and Rev. Wendy Williams for their commitment and work on this.

The Interfaith Alliance of Colorado (TIA-CO)Public Policy Forum:

Religious Freedom and Reproductive JusticeThurs., May 29 • 7 to 8:30 p.m.

Capitol Heights Presbyterian (1100 Fillmore St., Denver)

The forum will look at the covert campaign to redefine religious freedom in the United States and the implications this effort has on access to reproductive health care and religious freedom for all Americans. In particular, the forum will consider the two cases before the U.S. Supreme Court—the Hobby Lobby and Conestoga cases—dealing with the Affordable Care Act and access to contraception.

Panelists: Rev. Nina Churchman, Episcopal Priest; John Kane, retired professor, Regis University; Laura Reinsch, Political and Organizing Director, NARAL Pro-Choice Colorado; Mark Silverstein, Legal Director, American Civil Liberties Union of Colorado

Moderator: Rev. Nathan Woodliff-Stanley, Executive Director, American Civil Liberties Union of Colorado

The event is free and open to the public. Time will be given for audience questions. Light refreshments will be served.

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Dances of Universal PeaceAll Are Welcome! Next Session: June 10

2nd Tuesdays • 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. (chapel)Our monthly Dances of Universal Peace worship service is

moving to Tuesdays. Dances of Universal Peace is a simple, meditative practice of singing and dancing sacred songs from all over the world. No dancing or musical experience or skill required. Suggested donation: $8. Only give what you can.

Drum Circle: Tuesday, June 10 • 6 p.m. (chapel)Do you love to drum? Bring your drum or just yourself to our first Drum Circle. Master drummer and teacher, Gayan Gregory Long, will teach drumming patterns from all over the world. At 6:30, we will begin Dances of Universal Peace with more opportunities for drumming as we dance.

Community EventCreate Meaning Workshop:

Exploring the EnneagramMondays, June 2 – 30 • 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. (R3/4)

Learn about the nine Enneagram personality types; realize personal desires, fears, motivations and gifts; discover ways to free yourself from habitual reactivity; increase compassion and effectiveness in your relationships with people of different personality styles. Please register online (createmeaning.org/#!exploring-the-enneagram/cpdp).

Contact: Amy Rowland (amy@createmeaning.org).

Save the date! Sunday, July 27 we will celebrate our time with Rev. Dana Lightsey and give her a warm send off to her new position at High Plains UU Church in Colorado Springs. Watch for the upcoming details.

Board Blog~Joe Stone, Trustee (720-412-0280; joerstone@hotmail.com)

Are you familiar with the saying, “Moving at the speed of church”? It’s the observation that

often times things can take longer than we might like to move from point A to point B in a church

setting. There are many reasons for this: most of the heavy lifting is done by volunteers (us!) and we all have busy lives on top of the good works we do for our

church. And sometimes its because our bureaucracy, however well meaning, has created a few too many hoops to jump through. We exist as a community to share the inclusive love of our church with each other and the greater world. And we should make it as easy as we can to do so.

For those of you who have had to wade through our bylaws and procedures to figure out how to get a fundraising event approved or something similar, it can be a bit of a frustrating process at times. The Board of Trustees has realized that reviewing and revising our bureaucracy is something we need to do from time to time so that we can be an effective and impactful force in the community.

So what did we do to address these issues? We created

another committee! But indeed this committee has been brought together not to create more bureaucracy but to re-evaluate it.

The Policy Renewal Team has been created to begin the long process of working through our bylaws and Standing Rules to provide recommendations to the Board on best practices towards moving into a Policy Governance model. Policy Governance is something you’ll be hearing about quite a bit over the next couple of years and we believe it will make JUC a bit more nimble when it comes to getting things done. Currently the Team is made up of Joe Stone, Mark Baker, Sarah Reeves, Sue Parilla and Carol Wilsey.

Late this summer, a consultant with experience in Policy Governance transitions will visit JUC to get us all on the right track as we begin to pare down our current operating procedures manual, which is as thick as a Tolstoy novel. We are truly excited to enter into this next phase of church governance because it means that our community is continuing to grow and evolve. For any of you governance nerds out there or anyone who would like to know more about Policy Governance, we’ll write more articles in the future and at some point we’ll have a description of our interpretation of Policy Governance on the website. We are honored to serve this wonderful community.

Pledge Tribe Lunches Are Changing! The Pledge Tribes from October ‘13 to May ‘14 have enjoyed

getting together for a lunch before their pledge months begin. This has caused some confusion, so we decided to switch to the second Sunday of the same month after which the tribe is named. If you are in the June Tribe, your lunch will be held on June 8. The June Tribe has already received their invitations, and if you are in this Tribe, please get your pledge in and RSVP for the lunch right away! If you are in the July Tribe, your lunch will be on July 13. If you are a member of the August tribe, it will be on August 10.

Also, we will be working to modify the content of the programing after the lunch. Making Tribal Banners has been fun, but we are hoping to give people more of a chance to share their stories. One of our ministers will still attend each lunch and the food will still be just as yummy, with special diets taken to heart.

As your pledge month approaches, look for the Stone by Stone envelope with your pledge paperwork and invitation inside, and/or look for the email from the office. Get your pledge in as soon as you can, and please be as generous as you can - you can give your church at least a cost-of-living raise, and sometimes a merit raise! Please RSVP for your lunch, and come to enjoy good food and get to know your fellow tribe members!

For more information about the Year Round Pledge process, lunch events, or volunteer opportunities, please contact Pat Emery (303-748-1215; stardustpat@gmail.com).

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For general information on SRC Task Forces and their goals, visit jeffersonunitarian.org/src.

. . . Green Task Force . . . . . . Eating Ethically Task Force (EETF) . . .

We Want Your Ideas! Meeting: Sunday, June 1 • 12:30 to 2 p.m. (M3/4)

The recent singing of the Requiem by the JUC Choir was an outstanding example of dedicated service to our JUC community. How might we (meaning all JUC members, but especially those concerned about environmental issues) make a similar contribution beyond JUC, to the communities around us? That question is on the agenda for our next meeting. Bring your ideas and suggestions!

Nourishing Connections Luncheon Sat., May 31 • 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. • commons

Farmers’ Market: Please pre-order by contacting vendors. Ask about specials:

Buffalo Peak Ranch (www.buffalopeakranch.com/) Kiowa Valley Organics (www.kiowavalleyorganics.com/)

Happy Farm (303-288-0026)

Luncheon: A representative from Right To Know Colorado will discuss the GMO Labeling Initiative and take signatures on the petition. Take a stand and speak up for our right to know what is in our food and what we are feeding our families. Guest speaker, Dr. Gerber, is a family physician and owner of South Suburban Family Medicine in Littleton. He has been providing personalized healthcare since 1993 with an emphasis on longevity, wellness and prevention. Frustrated with spiraling healthcare costs related to the treatment of medical conditions including obesity, diabetes, atherosclerosis and heart disease (just to name a few), Dr. Gerber has been focusing on prevention and treatment programs using real and whole foods to improve health.

Abundant Harvest Table Every Sunday on the patio (May - October)

We share our fresh organic garden produce and baked goodies. Bring a contribution and pick up a treat! Your contributions benefit the House of Hope and the greater Edgewater community. Co-sponsored by JUC’s Housing and Poverty and Eating Ethically Task Forces.

GMO OMG (2013) Saturday, May 31

1:30 p.m. • sanctuary

Directed by Jeremy Seifert • Featuring Dennis Kucinich

Is this the end of real food? What you don’t know about GMO may surprise you!

Green Task Force and Eating Ethically Task Force

Be There for Bees - Helping Our Pollinators

Wednesday, June 256:30 to 9 p.m. (M3/4/patio)

Unprecedented collapses of bee populations pose a

great danger for agriculture which depends on bees to pollinate food crops. Neonicotinoid pesticides (already illegal in Europe) are a likely culprit. Peggy Gates will introduce the issue and talk about practical ways to landscape and garden to sustain our honeybees and native pollinators.

If you want to know how to support our pollinators or are curious about becoming a beekeeper, put this on your calendar! We will include a walk to our next-door neighbor Living Systems Institute to see the bees, chickens and permaculture gardens. Contact: Peggy Gates (peggygates@live.com; 303-668-3761).

Green Task Force Movie Showing: Waste LandWed., June 11 • 7 p.m. • chapel

Join us for a thought provoking movie! Waste Land offers stirring evidence of the transformative power of art and the alchemy of the human spirit. It follows artist Vik Muniz from his Brooklyn home to his native Brazil and the world’s largest garbage dump in Rio de Janeiro. He photographs an eclectic band of catadores, who forage for recyclable materials. Muniz’s project reveals both the dignity and despair of the catadores as they begin to re-imagine their lives.

Light munchies and beverages provided, or bring something to share. Contact: Lisa Rountree (lisa.rtree@gmail.com; 720-273-7511).

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New/Upcoming LEAP Classes

To find out more about JUC’s Lifespan Education and Adult Programs, visit jeffersonunitarian.org and click LEAP under

the Programs tab. Sign up for classes at the Sign Up Site or by calling the church office (303-279-5282).

Contact: Patti Coe-Withington (303-596-1130), LEAP facilitator.We Hold in Our Hearts…❦ Marci Mustoe, who will have surgery this week to follow up her cancer treatments;

❦ The family of Marge Ferguson, long time member of JUC. Marge passed away Tuesday, May 13.

We Celebrate with…❦ John & Dee Ray as they celebrate their 20th Anniversary;

❦ Pearl Wilson and her solar car team which participated in NREL’s alternative energy race representing Manning School;

❦ Katrina Fedak, who received her Master’s in Music with an emphasis in Music Therapy from Colorado State University last Friday;

❦ David Burrows, who won a prize in the Silliman Anthem Competition for Congregational Singing. Also, his children’s musicals were performed in Sunday morning worship in Acton & Stowe MA, and Swampscott, MA this church year.

Pastoral CareHow JUCers Care for Each Other

.,✻ Spiritual Healing through Energy Work, Sound and Shamanic Meditation Saturday, June 14 • 10 to 11:30 a.m.6620 Quitman Ct., ArvadaDavid Burrows (heartflute@yahoo.com; 303-522-6947), Joyce Barrett (joycebarrett@comcast.net) The group holds a healing meditation or ritual once a month, weaving together practices from shamanism, energy healing, and music healing to create sacred space, offer prayers, and send/receive healing energy. Special guests lead the group on occasion, and space is limited to 15 participants. RSVP requested. Optional potluck after the meeting. June 14: Ken Cohen presents a Native American Healing Ceremony anyone can learn and perform.

Is there something you would like to discuss with a minister or member of the Pastoral Care Group?You may send an email to cares@jeffersonunitarian.org or call

720-church9 (720-248-7249). Or, fill out a PCG card and drop the card in the Pastoral Care box on the table in the left front side of the sanctuary. Be sure to include your name, the date and your contact info. A minister or member of the Pastoral Care Group will be in touch with you as soon as possible. You may also contact a member of the pastoral care team. Our names are listed on the bulletin board over the EnCounter in the south commons. We are here for you!

College Care Packages: THANKS!With the support of our congregation, Young Adult Ministry

was able to send more than 40 care packages to JUC college students as they prepared for finals. This tangible show of support reminds our students that they’ll always have a spiritual home at JUC. Thanks for your donations, and a special thanks to Lisa Bickford for coordinating the project.

Calling All Young Adults! It’s the Summer BBQSunday, June 8 • 1 p.m.

All young adults are invited! Whether you’re a new high school graduate, a returning college student, or in the 20s & 30s group, please join us and make new friends, reconnect with old pals, and catch up on the latest happenings at JUC. RSVP to Jacqui Ainlay-Conley (sandycat@ecentral.com; 303-940-1425), or visit the 20s & 30s Facebook page and join the event.

✻ New Ongoing Group: HUUmanists Chuck Mowry (303-989-3117)Good without A God succinctly describes a core belief of most people holding humanist views. Humanism is a progressive philosophy of life that, without theism and other supernatural beliefs, affirms our ability and responsibility to lead ethical lives of personal fulfillment that aspire to the greater good of humanity. This JUC group is an official member of the UU Humanist Association. Our group will hold educational forums, engage in social activism, organize get-togethers, and plan events consistent with our core beliefs, the seven principles of the UUA. Please watch future editions of The JUC Crier for notices of upcoming events and visit www.huumanists.org for additional information.

JUC KNITTERS and QUUILTERS Thanks to many busy hands, we donated 12 baby quilts

and 30 baby hats to Denver Health for their Babies-in-Need program this month. They love us and our contributions to the many needy babies born there each month. Thank you all!

~Jean Decker

Zimbabwe Art Ready for PickupIf you purchased a piece from the Zimbabwe Art Project

show, please pick it up after noon on Sunday, June 1, or come to the office soon after that date. Thanks for supporting the artists and JUC with your purchase. You may still purchase work until June 1. Any piece that does not have a red dot is still available.

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Blue Mountain Meditation Group1st & 3rd Thursdays, 7:30 p.m. Annie & John Hedberg (303-279-7451)For those practicing Eknath Easwaran’s Eight-Point Program for living a spiritual life in the everyday world. If you wish to join without the introductory course, read Passage Meditation by Easwaran and meditate 30 minutes daily for a month.

Buddhist Sangha1st & 3rd Sundays, 5 p.m. Doug Anderson (dca-crm@hotmail.com; 720-474-6723)The Buddha was a highly unorthodox person. His teachings are not sets of dogma but rather propositions for people to investigate and validate for themselves. This meditation service is open to all: no experience necessary. Child care is provided. June 15: Lotus and Moon w/Deborah Bowman

Charla! 2nd & 4th Sundays, 5 p.m. Carol Drew (303-422-5977)Discuss important topics in Spanish. Intermediate level recommended.

Covenant of UU Pagans (CUUPS)2nd Thursdays, 7 p.m. Mari Cowley (303-420-4139)

Dream Study2nd and 4th Mondays, 9:15 a.m. Marie Schottler (303-278-8035; mschottler@comcast.net)Based on the writings of Jeremy Taylor, this is a gentle group process in which questions are asked of the dreamer leading to an aha! about his or her own dream. Newcomers welcome; please call before attending.

Great Books Discussion Group2nd & 4th Mondays, 7:30 p.m. Dona Chilcoat (303-989-6945) Based on the idea that by reading from the great books of our civilization and discussing them with others, sharing insights and questions, you can reach a fuller understanding of these works than you could on your own.Next mtg., Sept. 22: Light in August (Faulkner)

Issues in Aging4th Mondays, 7 p.m. Valerie Stone (vestone@gmail.com; 303-669-8528)Information and education on issues related to healthy aging and dementia, to include lectures, panels, and discussion. May 29: The Nerdy Neuroscience of Aging: Part 2

JUC Knitters3rd Fridays, 7 p.m. in members' homesJean Decker (303-274-9872; jeandteach@Q.com)All knitters and crocheters are invited to join in making hats and blankets for Denver Health.

Memoirs 3rd Sundays, 7 p.m. Len Wheeler (303-467-3342; lenkt@earthlink.net)We’re gentle, we laugh, and we’re serious about commenting on ways to improve our non-fiction writing. No prior experience is needed.

Non-Violent Communication 2nd & 4th Thursdays, 7 p.m. Dindy Fuller (720-402-4099)Anyone who has previously taken NVC training is eligible to participate. A great way to practice and improve your skills.

Poetry as a Spiritual Practice 1st & 3rd Thursdays, 7 p.m. Julie Excell (julieexcell@gmail.com; 541-778-4724)Explore poetry as an art form and a spiritual practice through appreciation of the work of master poets, and through writing and sharing your own poetry.

Quuilters' Group1st Saturdays, 9 a.m. to noonJean Decker (303-274-9872; jeandteach@Q.com)Newcomers welcome! Call for mtg. details.

Retirees' Brown Bag Lunch1st Fridays, 11:30 a.m. Contact: Betty Halladay (303-274-9144)Next meeting: June 6.

Roving Readers4th Sundays, 12:30 p.m. Mike Foster (303-456-2647)Open to anyone who reads the monthly selection. Books selected by group participants. June 8: My Beloved World (Sotomayor)June 22: A Tree Grows in Brooklyn (Smith)

Science and Spirit4th Sundays, 12:30 p.m. Joe Kraus (swish@nuthingbut.net)Discuss recent discoveries and wonder together. http://jucscienceandspirit.wordpress.com

Slow Soup Group4th Sundays, 12:30 p.m. Gilla Lachnitt (303-216-9674; lachnittg@gmail.com), Carol Kolesnikoff (303-588-9198; eatingethically@gmail.com)We’ll prepare soups together to take home and to donate. Co-sponsored by LEAP and the Eating Ethically Task Force.

Story Circle3rd Tuesdays, 6:30 p.m. Lev Ropes (303-278-0177; levropes@comcast.net)A gathering to foster the traditional, oral art of storytelling for adults. Tell a well polished story for fun, or a story that you’d like to polish up in front of a most forgiving and friendly audience. Receive help from other tellers, or show up as a listener. All are welcome.

Thin Air: A Musical EnsembleTuesdays, 1 p.m. Margaret Bakker (303-986-0769)An informal group of folks who wish to keep up their musical skills as well as have fun. We have been playing together for 15 years and our repertoire consists of traditional, folk, instrumental and vocal music. Please call for more details.

UU Liberal Christians 1st & 3rd Tuesdays, 7 p.m. Sara Lohaus (pslohaus@comcast.net; 303-432-3149)Connect with Christianity from a fresh, open-minded perspective.

UU Piecemakers3rd Fridays, 9:30 a.m. (members' homes)Edna Mae Miller (303-989-4793)Work on personal projects as well as quilts donated to charities selected by the group.

VAGUE: Visual Artists Group of Unitarians Extraordinaire! 3rd Fridays, 2 p.m. Emily Townsend (emily.townsend@gmail.com)Work on visual journals and learn some new techniques; bring a blank book and all other materials will be provided. We work in silence after a short demonstration, so please arrive by 2. Drop-ins are welcome, but please e-mail Emily first so we have supplies for everyone.

Walking Together2nd Mondays, 7 p.m. (Crown Hill Park)Tim Brungardt (call JUC office for info) Take a leisurely walk near JUC to learn about fellow JUCers and have friendly conversation without the distractions we encounter during coffee hour, group meetings, shared meals, or while caring for children. All generations and abilities are welcome.

Ongoing Groups

Lifespan Education and Adult ProgramsGroups on this page meet on a regular basis and welcome new members. Meeting locations are posted in the common areas of both church buildings.

✻ Ongoing Group: Issues in Aging • 4th Mondays • 7 p.m.Valerie Stone (vestone@gmail.com) We meet once a month to discuss a wide variety of issues related to aging. So far, we have covered getting an accurate diagnosis when dementia is suspected, resources for families dealing with dementia, caregiver issues, wisdom and exercise. Mon., Feb. 24: Dr. Michelle Winston presents The 6 Pillars of Brain Fitness and Brain Health, covering memory and attention exercises for healthy aging. Then she will lead us in some neurobics exercises!

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Wed., May 28 7:30pm JUC Choir (sanc.)Thurs., May 29 7:00pm Strategic Planning (M3/4)Sat., May 31 9:00am EETF: Nourishing Connections (so. commons,kit., R1/2) 1:00pm EETF: Film GMO OMG (sanc.)

Sunday, June 1 9:15/11am Sunday Service: The Thing with Feathers w/Wendy Williams 12:30pm Rummage Sale drop-off begins (chapel) 12:30pm PLJ: Green Comm. mtg. (M3/4) 4:00pm Evergreen Campus Worship Service 5:00pm LEAP: Buddhist Sangha Service (sanc.)Monday, June 2 Rummage Sale drop off (entire main bldg./patio) 12:30pm Covenant Group - Keen (M1/2) 6:30pm LEAP: Listening Generously (M3/4)Tuesday, June 3 Rummage Sale drop off (entire main bldg./patio) 1:00pm LEAP: Thin Air (Priestley rm.) 6:30pm Going Deeper (R6/7) 7:00pm SRC: Housing & Poverty TF mtg. (M3/4)Wed., June 4 Rummage Sale drop off (entire main bldg./patio) 6:30pm MMG: Handbell rehearsal (Priestley rm.)Thurs., June 5 7:00pm 9th Grade Trip mtg. (R6/7) 7:00pm LEAP: Poetry as a Spiritual Practice (M3/4) 7:30pm LEAP: Blue Mountain Meditation Group (M1/2)Friday, June 6 9:00am Rummage Sale (entire main bldg./kit.) 11:30am LEAP: Retirees’ Brown Bag Lunch (M3/4)Sat., June 7 9:00am Rummage Sale (commons, kit, chapel, patio) 9:00am LEAP: Quuilters Group (R5) 11:00am GTF: Citizen’s Climate Lobby (M1/2)

Sunday, June 8 9:15/11am Sunday Service: Change and Be Changed w/Derek Mitchell 12:15pm YRP: Tribe lunch and program (R6/7) 12:30pm PL&J Task Force mtg. (M3/4) 12:30pm LEAP: Roving Readers (R3/4) 1:00pm Young Adult Ministry BBQ (Mills kit., patio) 4:00pm India Info Session (M1/2) 5:00pm LEAP: ¡Charla! (M3/4)Monday, June 9 9:15am LEAP: Dream Study (M5)Tuesday, June 10 1:00pm LEAP: Thin Air (Priestley rm.) 6:30pm WG: Dances of Universal Peace (chapel) 6:30pm Going Deeper (M3/4) 7:00pm EETF: Foodies Book Group (R3/4) 7:00pm LEAP: Men’s Group w/Bishop (Mitchell rm.) 7:00pm SRC: UUSC TF mtg. (M5) 7:00pm Worship Group mtg. (R6/7)Wed., June 11 6:30pm MMG: Handbell rehearsal (Priestley rm.) 7:00pm PLJ/Green: Movie “Waste Land” (chapel)Thurs., June 12 9:30am PCG Steering Committee (M1/2) 1:00pm UUSC TF: Sewing Project mtg. (M1/2) 6:30pm Board of Trustees mtg. (M1/2) 7:00pm LEAP: CUUPS Full Moon Ritual (chapel) 7:00pm LEAP: Non-Violent Communication (Mitchell rm.)Friday, June 13 7:00pm LEAP: Bridge Group (MGR, M3/4)Sat., June 14 10:00am PLJ: Perpetual Peace mtg. (M3/4)

Sunday, June 15 9:15/11am Sunday Service: Father’s Day w/Barry Bloom & Wendy Williams 4:00pm Evergreen Campus Worship Service 5:00pm LEAP: Buddhist Sangha Service (chapel)

• Rev. Wendy Williams, Senior MinisterMon., Tues., Thurs., Fri. • 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

• Rev. Keith Arnold, Minister of MusicTuesday–Friday • 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

• Rev. Dana Lightsey, Consulting Assistant Minister

Tuesday–Friday • 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

• Ashley Johnson, Director of Religious Education

Monday–Thursday • 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Office Hours Monday – Friday • 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Tuesday – Thursday • 6:30 to 9:30 p.m.Sunday • 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

The JUC CrierThis bi-weekly newsletter of the Jefferson

Unitarian Church is delivered electronically to all members and pledging friends. First class mail delivery is available upon request to the church office (303-279-5282; office@jeffersonunitarian.org).

Upon request, visitors may be added to the email list or receive four (4) complimentary issues, after which they may continue receiving the newsletter by notifying the church office. E-mail ronabradley@jeffersonunitarian.org to submit an article.

Editor: Rona BradleyNext deadline: 3 p.m., Wed., June 25Next publication date: Mon., June 30

Sunday Morning Announcements To have an announcement made about your

church activity, call the corresponding Worship Associate no later than the prior Friday at noon.

• June 1 Gail Abbott @ 303-277-9180• June 8 Bev Curtiss @ 303-250-7202• June 15 Steve Sargent @ 303-279-4753• June 22 Julie Excell @ 541-778-4724• June 29 Bev Curtiss @ 303-250-7202

Calendar Highlights(extended calendar available online at jeffersonunitarian.org)

Weekly Attendance

May 18 9:15 125 RE: 35 (10 adults) 11 240 RE: 31 (12 adults)

Evergreen 4p 116 RE: 0 (0 adults)

May 25 9:15 140 RE: 19 (10 adults) 11 165 RE: 16 (11 adults)

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