Month: January 2020 (Page 1 of 2)

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]I’ve loved labyrinths for a long time, especially since a walk I took through the labyrinth at Sunrise Ranch in Loveland about 10 years ago. It was a time of major transition in my life, and turning through its tangles as the sun was setting one evening felt like unraveling my heart. I felt connected and alive and open to all that life would bring next.

That first–and the many transformative times I’ve had with labyrinths since–are why I was so excited that we could bring the labyrinth practice to Foothills during the Future Tense series.

It has been really beautiful to witness people traveling the labyrinth this month. And…at the same time, I’m so relieved that we won’t have the labyrinth as a part of the 11:30 service anymore! Not only was it pretty labor intensive to set up (thank you so much to the volunteers who made it happen!!) in a very short turn-around after the 10:00 service, it necessarily took up a disproportionate amount of time for a Sunday service. And even still, I felt like it wasn’t enough time to have the sort of transformative experience the labyrinth process.

Labyrinths are a perfect example of my message from Sunday. They are NOT efficient! Labyrinths are meant to be deliberative, slow journeys where you really feel the movement in your body and soul.

Which is why I’m so glad and grateful that Pat Slentz, spiritual director and labyrinth guide, is offering a 2-hour workshop this Saturday from 9-11 to fully explore the labyrinth. She’ll provide some history and context, and then she’ll guide us through a walk in the labyrinth as a meditative experience.

Sign up here – and invite a friend!

This workshop seems to me the perfect bridge between the Future Tense series and our next series, The Feels, which we’re kicking off this Sunday–as the movement in a labyrinth often helps us process and move emotions through our bodies and minds so that we can be open to what life brings next. Rev. Kristen is kicking off the series this Sunday with a service looking at liberal religion’s historical resistance to emotional wisdom and ways to engage emotions productively today

Join us at 8:30, 10, or 11:30–looking forward to seeing you there!

In partnership,
Rev. Gretchen[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Notes from Future Tense: Week 4 – Inefficiently Yours    
Listen to the sermon
Read the sermon

Text
Wendell Berry’s Manifesto: Mad Farmer Liberation Army

Mentioned in the Service
Automating Humans: The Costs of Amazon’s Extreme Efficiency
Courtney Martin’s article about an ambivalent relationship to efficiency
Malcom Harris’ book on millennials and efficiency

Music
We sang our series theme song People Get Ready
The Band played Panic! At the Disco’s High Hopes
We sang Bill Withers’ classic Lean on Me

Further Resources
Time Article on Amazon’s Treatment of Workers
Hurry Slowly – A podcast on being more productive, creative and resilient by slowing down
On the Clock: What Low-Wage Work Did to Me and How It Drives America Insane.

Remember
We have created an economy, and increasingly a culture,
that conflates efficiency with ultimacy.
But humanness is inherently inefficient.
Which means we’ve created an economy, and increasingly a culture
that requires we suppress our humanity.
Our faith reminds us that we hold both the agency, and the responsibility
to create a world that amplifies and celebrates –
rather than suppresses,
our humanness –
our true existential purpose
of being utterly and inefficiently interdependent.
Notice when you are getting caught thinking efficiency is the same as best.
What other values can you choose to privilege to create a future where humanness can freely flourish?

[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

Rev. Gretchen Haley

Rev. Gretchen Haley has an audacious ambition for the liberal church, believing in its capacity to transform lives and our world by way of hyper-local relationships and partnerships that inspire the unleashing of courageous love. She oversees worship, community resourcing and outreach, and the intersectional work of our justice teams. She also serves as chief of staff, and ministry lead to the Board. In all of these, she is inspired by the commitment of the countless people who show up to do the sometimes-messy work of the church, and who are leading us to live into our mission for Northern Colorado as it is growing and changing. Her ministry is infused with her relentless curiosity about most things, especially the big stuff of theology, the beauty of creation, the magic of collaboration, and the joy of pop culture. She’s all in on adrienne maree brown’s emergent strategy, and finds solace in the trails in and around Fort Collins. She moved to Colorado from Washington state over 20 years ago for grad school in theatre, and knew immediately that she would never leave. She and her amazing partner, Carri, have 2 teenagers, Gracie and Josef, who both relish and resent being PKs, and who keep her grounded, frustrated, inspired, and humbled, everyday. She is basically obsessed with her two dogs, both large mutts, Charlie and Archer.

Responsible for: Worship, Community Resourcing and Outreach, Justice Ministries, and Congregational Leadership

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]It’s been about 5 years since we last had a monthly paper newsletter at Foothills (what was then called The Intercom).  At the time, there was a sense that people weren’t really reading the (longish) newsletter, and it was A LOT of effort (and postage) to produce it each month.  Since then, we’ve tried all sorts of ideas to get information out, some more and many less successful.

Since I returned from sabbatical, and maybe especially as a result of feedback we’ve gotten in the capital campaign visits, I’ve been feeling that there is a real desire among some Foothills members to have more direct access to more “news” about all that’s going on at Foothills.  Things like, what’s the Board working on? Or, what are the state of our finances? Or, what’s going on in family ministry? Or, with newcomers? Things that used to be covered in the Intercom!

We’ve also heard from many that it would be nice to have this sort of news available on paper, maybe even delivered to your mailbox!

Like I said, not everyone wants this sort of information, but for those of you that do, we want to provide it.  We value transparency, and deeply appreciate the underlying desire for greater ownership and partnership in our shared work.

As a result, I’m so happy to announce the return of a paper newsletter for Foothills. It will be a bi-monthly (sent out in the even-numbered months) by-paper-mail publication, geared towards members and extremely involved friends.  

And, it will be by-subscription only.  Subscriptions are free, of course, but the idea is that we are sending it out to those who truly want this information, and read it.  We’ll ask you to renew annually so that we can keep the list accurate.

We’ll also have copies available on Sundays, and there will be a PDF link at the bottom of our weekly emails, and a PDF link on the website if you prefer to have it electronically.  No subscription necessary in this case.

We’ve decided that this bi-monthly printed publication should be what we call our Communicator. That was the title of Foothills’ paper newsletter of the past (before the Intercom), and is a more-fitting title for what we’re trying to accomplish than what we offer in the Weekly email (which will need a new name…we’re leaning towards “The Weekly” unless we come up with something better soon!).

The new Communicator will be news-oriented, not promotion oriented.  For promotions of events and programs, we’ll keep with our current system.  This is just the beginning of some shifts we’re making in communications this year as we try to grow our transparency and clarity, and provide the information to the people who really want it.

So….if you would like to receive our new Communicator, we ask you to subscribe by filling out this form.  The first issue will be mailed around February 22nd, so look for it by the end of February in your mail box.  

Let me know your questions, and thank you so much for all the ways you show up for and with the Foothills community!

– Rev. Gretchen[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

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.

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Earlier this week, Carri and I decided to make some organizational improvements to our bathroom. We did all the research – checked out prices, read all the articles about organizations, figured out a budget, all in an afternoon. And then, in a few clicks, we ordered about 8 different things within 2 days later, with free shipping!

I have to tell you, it was perfect. Good prices, and all so fast. No lines. No trips to stores where we find nothing useful. And, if things work out as we hope, our mornings will be so much more efficient.

A few years ago, this whole experience of extreme-efficiency and on-demand living would’ve been – unimaginable. But today, it’s normal, taken-for-granted.

I’ve heard a lot of conversation lately about the ethics of Amazon, and other similar models that prize efficiency, immediacy, and convenience and disregard things like fair labor practices or environmental impact.

But, I’ve heard less about how we are being changed by a world where these models are a given. How they change what we expect from each other, what we cherish in our relationships, what we nurture in ourselves. The ethics of who we are, and who we are becoming, in the context of our (new) normal. And how our faith calls us to be with and for one another in our emerging future.

These are the questions I’m taking up this Sunday in the last service in our Future Tense series. Hope to see you. 8:30, 10, or 11:30.

Be sure to check out the great resources from this Sunday, below.

In partnership,
Rev. Gretchen[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Notes from Future Tense: Week 3 – White Lies   
Listen to the message

NPR’s White Lies
Podcast
Visual Story
Resources

Mentioned in the Service
Why I’m No longer Talking to White People About Race
Proposed 8^th Principle

Music
We sang our series theme song People Get Ready
James Mitchell sang Redemption Song
We sang MaMuse’s We Shall Be Known and the civil rights classic We Shall Overcome

Further Resources
White Fragility by Robin DiAngelo – Join the Foothills Book Group
Join the Foothills coffee conversations on race
Children’s Books addressing race and ethnicity
Raising an Anti-Racist Child
“How Do I Handle My Unapologetically Racist Son?”
Resources for Parents and Families on Race and Racism

Remember
We can’t imagine a future without racism if we don’t see the racism of the present
How can you help undo the stories of Fort Collins being “so white,” or that there are not people or color in our community?
In what ways does this connect to your spiritual commitments and our UU principles?

Check out this message from Patricia Miller and our Share the Plate partner, Alianza NorCo. And be sure to join us this Sunday for our final Sunda supporting their important work.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_video link=”https://youtu.be/lYI71QIsBP8″][/vc_column][/vc_row]

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.

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]I so enjoyed our first “Throwback Sunday” this past week, with Sean engaging Rev. Walter “Roy” Jones, Jr.’s sermon from 1983, “Faith for the Long Haul; Faith for Right Now.” If you missed any of the three services, you can check out the podcast recordings in the links below.

This Sunday, we’re turning to the past again to help us illuminate the future — as we look back at 1965 and the call Martin Luther King Jr. put out to interfaith clergy to join him in Selma. Many Unitarian Universalists responded (including Roy Jones), and one UU minister, James Reeb, was killed by a group of white men angry at his allegiance with the civil rights movement.

The NPR podcast, White Lies, took an extensive look at Reeb’s murder and the people and events that led to it remaining unsolved for decades. The service this Sunday will be delving into their discoveries, as well as considering how the lessons of that time speak into both our present and our call for the future. Eleanor and Sean have imagined another creative and engaging all-ages service for this year’s MLK service, and I hope you’ll join us.

Maybe it’s surprising that in a series exploring questions and tensions related to the future that we’d look once again to the past — but I think it makes sense. As we try to connect with that longer arc of history, we need to find those threads that run across decades and even centuries, the questions and lessons that remind us of a larger story we’re a part of. A story that we are being shaped by, and that we can shape.

Looking forward to seeing you this Sunday.  8:30, 10, or 11:30.

In partnership,
Rev. Gretchen[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Notes from Future Tense: Week 2 – Faith for the Long Haul; Faith for Right Now   
Listen to the 8:30 original sermon
Listen to the 10:00 remix of the sermon
Listen to the 11:30 exegesis of the sermon

Text
I read David Whyte’s poem Sweet Darkness at 8:30
I read Jan Richardson’s poem When We Breathe Together at 11:30

Music
We sang our series theme song People Get Ready
We sang Love Has Already Won, Gonna Lay Down My Sword and Shield, and De Noche

Practice
At 11:30 we practiced again with our labyrinth – the big full canvass labyrinth or finger labyrinth.  We have a few more options to take advantage of the labyrinth coming up – be sure to check them out.

Remember
Faith is that posture of trust which opens access to whatever real reinforcements for meaning, or sources of initiative or direction, there are.  Faith is the trust that opens these things to us.
What is worthy of your faith? What creates that trust in you?  [/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

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.

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]By Bryan Hulse, Foothills Climate Justice Ministry member

It’s a well-known fact that some of the strongest relationships are formed over food. I’m sure that everyone can think of at least one example, whether its a Thanksgiving meal shared with a large family, weekend pizza with good friends, or that first dinner date where something between you seemed to just click. Food and community go together so frequently that it is almost impossible to separate the two. As we look to build a stronger, more just, and more resilient community in Northern Colorado, one of the strongest tools at our disposal, then, is that of preparing a table and sharing food. Authors Brendan Francis Newnam and Rico Gagliano say it well when they write:

Giving homemade food to your guests is a metaphor for sharing and openness. Gathering around a table to consume it is a metaphor for community. Eating it in unison is a metaphor for mutual understanding.*

With this in mind, the Climate Justice Ministry here at Foothills started sponsoring a monthly “Seasonal Supper.” The goal of the Suppers is two-fold and the first is to foster community. They are open to all, without obligation or expectation. I like to say that if you like to eat, you’re invited!  But we don’t limit our community to those around the table. After the meal we have a speaker present a short presentation about an environmental or food related topic, to help us engage with the issues of the broader local, national, or even global community.

The second goal is to show that eating is a deeply environmental act. The industrial food system and its global spanning supply networks mean that we can have most any food we want on any date of the year. But all this convenience comes with the high costs of pollution, greenhouse gas, and environmental degradation. Thankfully, we a fortunate to live in a place in which options for local, non-industrialized food abound. At each Supper we highlight foods that are locally and seasonally plentiful during that month. In fact, most of the ingredients used to make the seasonal suppers are grown right here, and purchased face to face with the farmer who grew them. For example, a meal featuring tomatoes, zucchini, and eggplant might be served in July, but potatoes, carrots and onion are more appropriate for January. Then we gather a handful of volunteers to transform those ingredients into a delicious shared meal that showcases the possibilities of our local, seasonal, and sustainable bounty.

Looking forward into 2020 and beyond, it seems like we could really use more sharing, openness, and mutual understanding. We’re in a time of deep unrest, be it political, social, or environmental. We might feel powerless, or scared, or just plain lonely, and in my opinion, nothing is a better tonic for those feelings than fresh food, served with warmth and love. The table is set and there are seats a plenty. Won’t you come join us?

*Source: Brunch Is Hell: How to Save the World by Throwing a Dinner Party, by Brendan Francis Newnam and Rico Gagliano (Little, Brown and Company; 2017)

[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_single_image image=”34780″ img_size=”small”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_media_grid element_width=”6″ grid_id=”vc_gid:1582771201897-f463dda0-1c80-8″ include=”34781,34780″][/vc_column][/vc_row]

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.