Month: July 2019 (Page 1 of 3)

Change Lives! Be a Kids’ Small Group Leader!

July 29, 2019 /

Did you know that the number one factor influencing the thriving of children and youth is a positive relationship with an adult who is not their parent?! You can be that person in the life of our kids here at Foothills! We are looking for small group leaders for our Sunday Small Groups for children and youth for the 2019/2020 year.

This past Sunday I got to hang out with a diverse and wonderful group of kiddos at church. We gathered in a circle to share our names and one word saying how we were feeling right in that moment. Ellie was “curious”, Senara was “tired”, Sky was “thoughtful”(she is 4 years old), Vicente was “excited” and several of us were “happy.” We also took turns dropping stones into a bowl of water as we shared our joys and sorrows – birthdays, camping trips, dogs who have died and fears and excitement for a new school year about to begin. Later that day I was at a restaurant and from across the room I heard, “Look! there’s Eleanor!” and saw two young friends from church. I crossed the room to say hello and I was filled with gratitude to be a person that they are glad to see, someone they know beyond the circle of their family, in a circle of care and trust at church who sees them as important and lovable.

You can be that person in the life of our kids! We provide training, ongoing support and great resources to help you guide our children and youth as they grow in body mind and spirit. You serve on a team and choose your Sundays. I promise that you will grow alongside them and you will be amazed and optimistic about the future as you spend time with our fantastic kids!

You can Sign Up Here

Still not sure? Reach out to me – Eleanor, the Director of Family Ministry eleanorv@foothillsuu.org. I can answer your questions and tell you more about it. I know that there is no more impactful way that you can join our mission of unleashing courageous love.Change Lives! Be a kid’s Small Group Leader!

Calling on UUs to Live Out a Basic Principle

July 22, 2019 /

Climate Justice Ministry is on fire (metaphorically) to get something GREEN going for our community, even while we start on the building expansion which is also incorporating many environmentally sound ideas. Many of us are passionate about doing something positive for our climate.

And while stating what we believe, if we don’t act, it’s not going to do a thing. Some of us bike to church, some have hybrids or electric vehicles, and even a couple of Teslas were spotted in the parking lot last week. Since we all believe in the interconnected web of life AND want to build beloved community, what is ONE thing we could do? 

CARPOOL to church!  If we could find pockets of Ft. Collins where UUs live, and who would be willing to carpool, say, just once a month, we could change our carbon footprint. But isn’t there an app for that? We have researched this avenue, and frankly there isn’t. Sara Steen and Terri Thorburn researched this quite a bit. The problem with existing carpooling apps is that they are localized–they are developed for particular areas (almost all major metropolitan regions), and can’t be used outside of those areas. Sara’s husband develops apps like this, and he believes it would cost at least $5,000, if not closer to $10,000-15,000 to develop our own version! Probably not the best use of church resources at this time.

Lastly, one can’t really know the great relationships that could come out of carpooling with your UU neighbors. Of course, schedules can change and you might have to develop some different habits, but it’s worth giving it a try!

We hope you would be interested in taking a survey to help Climate Justice Ministry meet this goal of getting more people to church with less of a carbon footprint, please click on this link, and see how we might be able to link up!   

Terri Alles-Thorburn
Foothills Member

Building Bulletin July 2019

July 19, 2019 /

Share the Plate: Respite Care

July 18, 2019 /

In June, this generous congregation donated $2,982.24 to our local Respite Care, Inc.

Respite Care, Inc is a nonprofit organization in Larimer County that provides short-term specialized care to children with developmental disabilities, giving respite to parents and enhancing the quality of life for the entire family.

Respite Care, Inc provides care for children ages 6 weeks to 21 years old. In order to qualify for care, all clients must live in Larimer County, and must have a developmental disability. The children can stay over night for up to two weeks if parents need a break. AND they have a prom, a summer camp and wilderness camp experience that you too can participate in . . . if you volunteer.

This organization has grown from its inception with 15 kids to its current capacity of 55! We live in a blessed community.

Jane Everham

Can You Be a UU Conservative?

July 17, 2019 /

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Sunday Service Recap from Rev. Sean 

This past Sunday we continued our series No Stupid Questions tackling some core questions about Unitarian Universalism. This week’s question was: Can you be a Unitarian Universalist and a Conservative?

As I explored on Sunday, there is an easy answer to the question: Yes. We UUs affirm a free and responsible search for truth and meaning, which can and does lead people to affirm conservative political beliefs.

As Mark Morrison-Reed wrote in his recent book Selma Awakening:

During the first half of the twentieth century, prior to the rise of McCarthyism, Unitarianism had included outspoken Socialists like John Haynes Holmes on the one hand, and on the other a strong contingent of Republicans, including President William Howard Taft and Senator Leverett Saltonstall. On the Universalist side, Clarence Skinner represented the progressive wing, while several congressmen who attended [Universalist] National Memorial [Church] in Washington, D.C., were Dixiecrats. (197)

 

We are a liberal religion not a religion for liberals. Religious liberals hold fast to three fundamental truths:

  • We Don’t Know Much
  • We Can Know More
  • It will change.

Which means no matter your politics you cannot be a religious liberal without a great dose of humility, with no trace of fundamentalism, and have an opening for dialogue and relationship across difference. There is much to be gained by the tension between different political and theological differences.

The impulse to conserve and the impulse to progress. Held in the tension create the possibility to the deepest forms of transformation.

However, as is the case for most easy answers to questions, it’s not complete. As Tom Shade contends that when UUs in the 1960s affirmed the reality of systemic racism and aligned themselves with the civil rights movement, it began a rift that just gets wider and wider with the current republican party who has worked to resist and overturn the progress for racial justice.

In faith,
Rev. Sean

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