from Jane Everham

“Humanist teachings that counsel us to heed the guidance of reason and the results of science and warn us against idolatries of the mind and spirit.”

UUs read, study, learn, talk, debate, discuss, argue, challenge, question, interview, interrogate, deliberate – am I repeating myself? Yep, we do that, too. We are intellectual creatures and attend to our heads (sometimes more than our hearts), but it takes both to be a good UU, a good steward of the earth, a good human.

The 5^th Source teaches us that in our UU faith, we maintain and nurture our respect for facts. We embrace reason as a verb, “to think, understand, and form judgments by a process of logic”- a key difference between reason and idolatry.

Idolatries of the mind and dogma offer a framework that may give followers an easy out from intellectual responsibility. Some people like being told what to believe because then they don’t have to think, wrestle with complex issues, and make tough decisions. Like climate change, for example – if you don’t believe in climate change you have no responsibility for thinking about or trying to solve such an overwhelming global issue. But climate change is based on scientific facts – you don’t believe in facts, you believe facts, or not.

UUs have an aversion to creeds and dogma, but our faith’s commitment to science and reason can serve to guide us in living ecologically, socially, and call us to engage in working through the messy challenges of the democratic way. As a longtime member of Foothills, I have witnessed and been officially engaged (once as President of the Board of Trustees) in events that have “rocked our boat,” but I stand proud of a congregation that is not afraid to stand up to a challenge and do the hard work required to resolve, mend, and move on.

I am so grateful for this covenantal faith that calls me to live the Seven Principles guided by our Six Sources – a strong foundation for both heart and mind. I hope this 5^th Source’s call to “heed the warning against the idolatries of mind and spirit” keeps us humble. This UU faith is not the one, true faith for all, it is just the one, true faith for UUs. Other faiths, including Humanism, have revealed truths and actions that serve the common good, truths that we have adopted as our own. I love that UUs know and embrace that “the Truth is always being revealed.”  We are a “living tradition” continually learning and evolving. Let us continue to use our voices and our actions as example for others for the betterment of our world. And let’s not be afraid to be big and loud!

Katie Watkins

Katie believes the best things in life are the result of collaboration and diverse perspectives coming together to produce something greater than any individual could. She is passionate about systems, efficiency and collaboration for better community outcomes. She loves dreaming up the big picture and drafting the roadmap to make it happen. She has a background in operations, fundraising, communications and program development, as well as over a decade of nonprofit management experience in Northern Colorado.

Her greatest joy in life comes from her family. Her husband, Steven, a principal at Wellington Middle School, and daughters Emmaline and Esmae are the lights of her life. Together they love mountains, music and all kinds of food. She is passionate about women supporting other women in all stages of life and especially through the critical moments that make or break us. She believes that one of the most important things in life is to be kind.

Being outdoors makes her soul come alive. It always roots her in gratitude and is one of the reasons she loves living in Fort Collins.

from Jane Everham

“Jewish and Christian teachings which call us to respond to God’s love by loving our neighbors as ourselves.”

This Golden Rule teaches us to love our neighbors as ourselves. I’ve always struggled with this Rule because I see too many people not loving themselves very well – being doormats, self-deprecating, or callous. I don’t want to be loved in the manner some people, even friends, treat themselves. Rev. Sean Neil-Barron preached “The Platinum Rule” last fall: Love your neighbor as your neighbor would like to be loved. A subtle, but significant difference because the Platinum Rule requires one to get to know the person to be loved. It may also require one to love in an uncomfortable manner – something I recently experienced.

My best friend lost her partner of 29 years. He was in declining health for several years and in the last two years required a tremendous amount of vigilance, care, energy, focus and sacrifice. In the last year my friend was exhausted, her sleep was constantly disrupted, and her personal goals were shelved as her life was limited to his care. In her exhaustion, she fantasized what she would do when he passed.

“I’m going to travel. I’ll sell the house, move closer to family, get a small apartment, and I will travel.”

Then he passed. Oddly, he went to the hospital in crisis, but rallied. Very early in the morning, he woke up and told the nurse he felt better then he had in days and hoped to be released later that day. The nurse left his room, and ten minutes later he died.

When you know something is going to happen, and on some heartbreaking level you are hoping it will happen, and then it suddenly does – it can still be a shock. At least that is what happened to my friend: “I wasn’t at his side. I didn’t get to say good-bye.”

She told me these things months later when she finally agreed I could visit her. Initially she went silent for weeks and was very unreceptive to communication from family and friends. “I can’t stop crying. I miss him.” she explained.  Telling her it didn’t matter if she cried, that I could handle her crying, did no good. “It matters to me,” she said.

Every suggestion that she visit, travel, (You always said you wanted to go to Italy – let’s go!) or make plans for moving on was met with a flat, well-boundaried, “I’m not ready.”

Her needs confounded me. Loving her in the way she wished to be loved meant doing nothing,  felt helpless, and resulted in impatiently waiting – for months. I had been ready to cancel everything; to visit, travel with her, or help her sell her house, move, and get newly established. But all was verboten.

Eventually, she said I could call her, then visit, and  FINALLY – nine months later, she visited me. She is doing much better though she still insists that “I’m  not ready” for much more of life yet. “I’ll let you know when I am ready to get on with my life.” Seeing her progress helps, but the experience of loving my friend as she wished to be loved was a very difficult life lesson. I’m an Enneagram Two, The Helper – we need to help!

Nevertheless, I did it. I refrained from being “help strikes again,” which is just what my friend dreaded. She needed to control her world and keeping  others at bay worked for her. I needed to trust that she knew herself and her needs. In the end, I was able to do my part in letting her heal in her way, not my way. Today, our friendship endures, and is possibly stronger. Maybe I am even a better friend now.

Katie Watkins

Katie believes the best things in life are the result of collaboration and diverse perspectives coming together to produce something greater than any individual could. She is passionate about systems, efficiency and collaboration for better community outcomes. She loves dreaming up the big picture and drafting the roadmap to make it happen. She has a background in operations, fundraising, communications and program development, as well as over a decade of nonprofit management experience in Northern Colorado.

Her greatest joy in life comes from her family. Her husband, Steven, a principal at Wellington Middle School, and daughters Emmaline and Esmae are the lights of her life. Together they love mountains, music and all kinds of food. She is passionate about women supporting other women in all stages of life and especially through the critical moments that make or break us. She believes that one of the most important things in life is to be kind.

Being outdoors makes her soul come alive. It always roots her in gratitude and is one of the reasons she loves living in Fort Collins.

from Jane Everham

“Wisdom from the world religions which inspires us in our ethical and spiritual life.”

Mark Sappenfield, the editor of the Christian Science Monitor, reported, “Someone once told me that the Monitor’s reputation for unbiased journalism was all wrong, because the Monitor clearly did take sides: for justice, compassion, dignity, or responsibility, just to name a few” (i.e. the Monitor has a bias for progress).

Progress is the root of progressive and as a member of the progressive UU faith at Foothills Unitarian Church, I connected with Sappenfield’s words. As a progressive church, Foothills intends to move forward, evolve, grow.  How many Sundays have we heard the words compassion, “justice,” “dignity,” and “responsibility” from our own pulpit?

I’ve subscribed to The Christian Science Monitor for 21 years because it is a fair and balanced source of news. I am ill-informed of Christian Science as a faith, however, I can say that over the years this periodical has communicated compassion, fairness, and its own brand of courageous love. I’ve never felt animosity toward Christian Science, but I have ignored the religion. Now I see that faith as a partner on the road we UUs travel.

The religion of my childhood was very sketchy Congregationalist and Episcopalian, participating in religion was not a family priority. My three best, childhood friends were Catholics, so I accompanied them to a fair number of Catholic Masses, and over time I developed an animosity for religion. Generally, it all seemed like a finger pointing, holier-than-thou sham, and as a young adult in the late 60s and 70s, I rebelled against any system trying to tell me how to be. I built barriers against religion. Then in the 80s, life events steered me toward a search for a religious community, and  the Unitarian Universalist faith was a natural with its rejection of religious dogma and embrace of “an individual search for truth and meaning.” I shifted from “no religion” to “my faith’s okay, but yours is not so hot” stance which ultimately didn’t feel very UU.

 I began further exploration of Buddhism and Native American spirituality, and our son attended Har Shalom Pre-school which provided a year of learning for our family. More recently, Krista Tippett’s podcast On Being, further acquainted me with Buddhists, Jews, Catholics, Protestants, Muslims – not necessarily clergy, but people of faith who have helped transform my attitude.  Today, my church’s call to unleash courageous love and my experience in Wellspring Sources, our UU, ten-month course in spiritual deepening, have resulted in my breaking down more walls I’d built between faiths. As my religious knowledge and attitudes grow and shift I experience greater curiosity and desire more learning.

For example, the Jesuits and Franciscans priests can be so down-to-earth, imaginative, and witty. I became curious about the Jesuit founder, St. Ignatius, and believe me, being curious about a saint is a major shift for me. Now, I am reading The Jesuit Guide to (almost) Everything: a spiritual practice for real life by Reverend James Martin. Not everything I’m reading resonates. Like a UU hymn singer, I change some of the words in my head as I read, yet much of what I read feels familiar and comfortable. I see how my own spiritual practice can be enhanced by some of the everyday spiritual practices that St. Ignatius recommended . . . in 1534. Father Martin doesn’t say in his book, “Our worship time is over; may our service begin,” but the most basic tenets of the Jesuit faith emphasize a call to clergy and followers to serve their communities.

I’m not changing faiths – ever. It just feels good to shed hostile feelings and to broaden my circle of religious inclusion. Being always irritated or “anti” is a physical and spiritual drain. Acknowledging a shared bias with other faiths for compassion, dignity, responsibility and justice is recognizing a bigger blanket of love for this world we inhabit. As I pursue my spiritual path, it is nice to know that there is a diverse caravan traveling with me.

Katie Watkins

Katie believes the best things in life are the result of collaboration and diverse perspectives coming together to produce something greater than any individual could. She is passionate about systems, efficiency and collaboration for better community outcomes. She loves dreaming up the big picture and drafting the roadmap to make it happen. She has a background in operations, fundraising, communications and program development, as well as over a decade of nonprofit management experience in Northern Colorado.

Her greatest joy in life comes from her family. Her husband, Steven, a principal at Wellington Middle School, and daughters Emmaline and Esmae are the lights of her life. Together they love mountains, music and all kinds of food. She is passionate about women supporting other women in all stages of life and especially through the critical moments that make or break us. She believes that one of the most important things in life is to be kind.

Being outdoors makes her soul come alive. It always roots her in gratitude and is one of the reasons she loves living in Fort Collins.