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Christmas Eve Worship
December 24th
5 pm – Family Friendly
7 pm – Traditional Service
(there is no 10:30 am Service)
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Please join us on Christmas Eve for a family-friendly service at 5 pm (in person), or a traditional service at 7 pm (in person and online). Both services will feature string quartet music and candlelight carol singing. Our First Unitarian Chalice Singers will perform at the 7 pm service. There will be no morning service this day.
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We extend a warm invitation to you to join us in person, or if you prefer, you can also participate online.
The 5:00 pm service will not be streamed.
Our 7:00 pm service streams to Youtube and Zoom (meeting ID is 466-677-668 and the password is 454623).
Join us for coffee in the Community Room after the service.
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Cookies for Christmas Requested!
It has been a long tradition at First Unitarian for there to be a cookie reception after each of the two Christmas Eve services. If you are able, please plan to bring some cookies to share on Christmas Eve.
Also, if you are able, be on hand help set up a table for such, or perhaps help take it down at the end of the evening. Thank you!
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Giving in Action for Christmas Eve – Metro Caring
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(Thanks to Arnie Carter, Giving in Action, for the post)
As a leading frontline anti-hunger organization in Colorado, Metro Caring works with our community to meet people’s immediate need for nutritious and culturally relevant food while building a movement to address the root causes of hunger. Metro Caring offers innovative programming in Healthy Foods Access, Nutrition Education and Cooking Classes, ID Procurement, Urban Gardening and Agriculture, and Community Organizing and Development. Its programs and resources are available to everyone throughout the greater Denver metro area without discrimination.
At its core, Metro Caring believes access to healthy food is a human right, not a privilege. But as it looks forward to its 50th anniversary in 2024, it recognizes that it cannot do it alone. It continues to rely on the investment, compassion, commitment, and generosity of all of us in order to make a direct, positive impact in the lives of people who need it most.
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December 25th Potluck Gathering
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Get ready for some Christmas magic! Join us on December 25th at First Unitarian for a festive gathering filled with good cheer, delicious food, and tons of fun.
We’re kicking things off at 11:00 am when the doors swing open, and the potluck buffet extravaganza begins at 11:30 am. We’ll be indulging in the holiday spirit until around 2:00 pm. Can’t wait to celebrate the joy of the season with you!
Contacts for this event are Karen Ray and Lynn Palma.
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Sunday Worship
December 31rst
at 10:30 am
This Sunday, the last day of the year, we will take some time to reflect on both the past and the future in a community conversation designed for connection and sharing.
There will be no Religious Exploration this morning.
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Still Time to Give in 2023!
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(Thanks to Jason Marsden, Stewardship Coordinator, for the post)
Seasons Greetings! As 2023 wraps up, you’re probably getting polite reminders from all your favorite charities that this is a great time to make a donation. So, here’s one from your FUSD community!
If you haven’t completed all your giving for the year, First Unitarian would be grateful for your consideration. We continue to stretch your generously-given dollars to deliver the programs and sense of community that you value. You can make a one-time or recurring gift here: https://fusden.org/giving/
And if you are new to the processes for completing a retirement distribution, securities transfer or other complex giving arrangement and need a hand — or want to check on your progress fulfilling your annual pledge — please don’t hesitate to reach out to me at stewardship@fusden.org and I will be delighted to help!
Finally, you can expect your 2023 giving summaries to be delivered (by email) beginning January 15. If you’d like a printed copy, let me know and I will be happy to provide it.
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Searching for Assistant Treasurer
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First Unitarian is on the lookout for a volunteer Assistant Treasurer to begin training with our very own Sally Isaacson. Sally has been doing an incredible job as the Assistant Treasurer for almost four years now. For more details about this role, swing by the Opportunities Table! If you’re interested, we’d love to hear from you! You can also contact Janet Kennedy or Kate Raabe for more information. To view the job description click here.
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Giving in Action Generosity!
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(Thanks to Carol Ruckel for the post)
Thanks to all of you! We raised almost $6400 for our six Giving in Action recipients in the first quarter of this fiscal year – July 1 – September 30. What wonderful support for nonprofits in our community whose work is compatible with our values.
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Make an Impact On Gun Violence
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(Thanks to Julie Meyers for the post)
For many years, First Unitarian has participated with Colorado Faith Communities United to End Gun Violence in advocating for legislation to help prevent gun violence. Each legislative session, we send emails to interested congregants when it is time to contact the Colorado legislature to vote for or against gun related bills. If this is something that interests you, please email me and let me know and I will add you to FUSD’s Rapid Response Network. Julie Meyers at julie.meyers.md@gmail.com
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Climate Justice Project – Assist Park People
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(Thanks to Ray Burdett for the post)
The Climate Justice Project of First Unitarian has committed to assisting the Park People in their tree planting mission by canvassing a low-resource Denver neighborhood to solicit interest from residents in getting a free or low cost tree. We have agreed upon Saturday morning, January 20th, from 9:00 AM to noon for the canvassing, but we have not yet been assigned a neighborhood. We will be walking the neighborhood in teams and placing door hangers on door knobs or other accessible areas, but we will not be knocking on doors. This is an easy way of “Thinking Globally but acting locally”. Please consider this volunteer opportunity, and thank you to those who have already volunteered. Contact Ray Burdett at rgb@pitt.edu if you are interested or have questions.
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Climate Justice Project – Book Discussion – Save the Dates
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(Thanks to Peggy for the post)
The FUSD Climate Justice Project is holding a book discussion opportunity in February. We will be reading Where The Water Goes by David Owen about the Colorado River from its northern Colorado origins to its end at the sea…where it is dry. The book is both informative and accessible and lays an important foundation for our understanding of the River that is the lifeblood for much of the West. Books will soon be available in the Community Room.
Please put the dates on your 2024 calendar. The dates are Wednesday, February 7 at 7:00 pm and Sunday, February 11 at noon.
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Racial Justice Project – Book Reading/Discussion
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(Thanks to Steve Brainerd for the post)
We will offer a book reading and study sessions this Spring, using Daniel Black’s Black on Black — an intersectional, Black/queer perspective on racial issues. The discussions will be held on the 4th Wednesday of the month, at 7:00, via Zoom: February 28 (Intro – p. 88); March 27 (pp. 89 – 158); and April 24 (pp. 159 – End). Participants must register in advance, beginning in January. The Racial Justice Project will make 6 copies of the book available at a discounted rate at Miriam’s Book Table.
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Pacific Western Region – January Newsletter
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The Pacific Western Region of the Unitarian Universalists, publish a newsletter every one to two months. This newsletter will keep you up to date on all things UU that are happening in our region.
Click here to view the January newsletter.
Additionally, you can visit the Unitarian Universalist Association web site at https://www.uua.org/ for information at the association level.
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White Antiracist Spirituality – Online Class
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Finding a place to park when you come to visit our urban sanctuary can be a bit of a challenge! We recommend the following tactics/locations:
- Sundays 6a-1p: 3 blocks of the north side of 14th Avenue (Marion St. to just before Franklin St. – please abide by the street parking signs)
- Sundays 6a-1p: The Center at Colfax and Lafayette
- Sundays 6a-1p: (42 parking spaces) The Alta Court lot, across Lafayette from the church. Cars with a First Unitarian Church (FUSD) hangtag or paper parking pass on the dashboard, may park in the spaces farthest away from Colfax.
- Monday through Friday, 6 pm to 8 am: (22 parking spaces) The Alta Court lot, across Lafayette from the church. Cars with a First Unitarian Church (FUSD) hangtag or paper parking pass on the dashboard, may park in the spaces farthest away from Colfax.
- Friday 6 pm to Monday 8 am (22 parking spaces, except Sunday morning, see above. The Alta Court lot, across Lafayette from the church. Cars with a First Unitarian Church (FUSD) hangtag or paper parking pass on the dashboard, may park in the spaces farthest away from Colfax.
- If you have any questions or need a parking pass, contact Rhonda at office@fusden.org. Parking passes can also be obtained from the Greeters on Sunday morning.
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