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Sunday Worship,
February 9th, 2025
at 10:30 am
Practicing Joy
Lia Davis
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Join us on February 9th at 10:30 am for this intergenerational service! It’s February 2025 and you may be asking yourself “How can I possibly be joyful in times like these?” But joy is not a luxury, or frivolous fun, it is a necessity and an act of resistance in these anxious times. Join us for a high energy, participatory music service as we actively practice taking delight. You are encouraged to wear bright colors, delightful hats, &/or costumes suitable for Carnaval.
No RE Classes on February 9th! Instead, this will be an intergenerational service: Practicing Delight. Our children will help before the service, handing out something delightful to congregants as they enter the sanctuary, as well as dancing and having fun throughout. You won’t want to miss this delightful family service!
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New Member Sunday, February 9th
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Sunday, February 9th will include a New Member Welcome as part of the morning worship service. If you or someone you know is ready to take this step with First Unitarian Society of Denver, please let Susan Riederer know by sending an email to sjriederer@comcast.net.
There will be a New Member Cafe immediately after the service in the Community Room. Brought to you by the Connections Ministry, these are hosted on New Member Sundays as a way to mix and mingle with our newest members. Look for the banner in the SE corner of the Community Room. Come by and make a new friend!
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Miriam’s Book Table is Proud to Feature…
(Thanks to the Nan Wigington for the post)
All About Love by bell hooks.
You should read this book because it reaches far beyond romance and explores how love is a tool for social change and healing. It examines how societal structures, gender roles, and capitalism block our ability to love. Come by Miriam’s Book Table during coffee hour and give the book a look.
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Supplies for Community Coffee Hour
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We hope you’re enjoying our Community Coffee Hour as much as we do! To keep this cherished time vibrant and welcoming, we invite you to contribute your favorite beverage additions (we do not need coffee at this time) or snacks. Whether it’s creamer, plant-based options, sweet treats, teas, or even some healthy veggies, your contributions help make our gatherings special.
Regular contributions from members like you ensure that our Coffee Hour remains a delightful experience for everyone. Thank you for your generosity and for being such an integral part of our community.
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Activism Resources for Immigration Justice
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(Thanks to the Mike Morran for the post)
There are two protests/vigils this coming weekend.
- Aurora Unidos — Rally against Buckley AFB collaboration with ICE – Saturday Feb 8, 10 am, at Buckley AFB at intersection of E. Mississippi and Aspen St.
- Love Knows No Borders, No Walls! A vigil organized by the American Friends Service Committee at the ICE Detention Center, Monday, February 10th at 6:00 pm. 3130 Oakland in Aurora, CO
Opportunities to contribute, get involved, and information about knowing your rights are available from:
Short, informative videos can be found here: https://www.wehaverights.us/
A fine Faith Leaders statement from the Colorado Council of Churches can be found at: https://cochurches.org/christian-leaders-in-colorado-voice-strong-opposition-to-trump-immigration-policies-urge-reform/
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A message from Rev. Mike Morran
Ever wonder about the beautiful stained glass window of the Good Samaritan in our church foyer? Rev. Mike Morran shares its incredible journey from our second building at 19th and Broadway to its place of honor here at 14th and Lafayette. This piece of First Unitarian Denver history has been preserved through moves, a fire, and renovations—now greeting us every time we enter.
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Children’s Religious Exploration Programming
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Religious Exploration News
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(Thanks to the Leslie Harvey for the post)
No RE Classes on February 9th! Instead, this will be an intergenerational service: Practicing Delight. Our children will help before the service, handing out something delightful to congregants as they enter the sanctuary, as well as dancing and having fun throughout. You won’t want to miss this delightful family service!
Our First Annual Spontaneous Talent Show was a success! Keep an eye out for photos and descriptions of acts coming soon on social media. We had about 40 friends join us last Saturday for family friendly fun, with about 10 folks taking the stage to perform mostly singing acts- some accompanied by piano, drums, and guitar. We look forward to hosting the event again next year and creating a yearly tradition.
Our Youth Program will begin on March 2nd, thanks to the incredible volunteers who have signed up to assist us: CJ Witlaw, Kate and Mitch Mazzotta, Robin Keith, Coral Cosway, LK Wilhelms, Ellory Boyd, Eric Kollwitz, Michelle Boyer, August Sharp, Kenna Bonner.
Click here learn more about and register for QUUest Summer Camp for Middle and High Schoolers July 6-12, 2025 in Casper, WY.
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First Unitarian Events Coming Soon
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February 9 – Leadership Training
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(Thanks to Patrick Whorton and Tess Dieringer for the post)
Part 2 of Collaborative Leadership training will be held on Sunday, February 9, in the Chapel from noon to 2ish pm. You need not have attended Part 1 to benefit from Part 2. All are welcome! Refreshments will be served.
Please also mark your calendars for Sunday, March 16, when master facilitator Paul Riederer will conduct a session on facilitating effective meetings in the Rose Chapel, noon – 2 pm.
In the Spirit of Shared Ministry,
Patrick Whorton and Tess Dieringer
Co-Chairs, Leadership Development Committee
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SoUUlful Living at First Unitarian Denver!
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(Thanks to the Mike Morran for the post)
How does one live a spiritual life as a Unitarian Universalist? This class in five sessions will explore and answer that question. Facilitated by Rev. Mike Morran, we will explore the core propositions of UU theology, and introduce/practice the spiritual disciplines of our tradition both individually and as a group. Class will meet Thursday evenings, February 13th through March 13th, 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. Seekers, members, the curious, and the skeptical are ALL welcome! Participation is free, but you must pre-register with Rev. Mike; revmorran@gmail.com.
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Lunch Bunch Potluck – Friday, February 14!
Everyone is invited to our monthly potluck, Lunch Bunch, on the second Friday of the month. This month we meet on Friday, February 14! We gather at First Unitarian Society of Denver around 11:45 a.m. to set up, and we generally ring the lunch bell at 12. If you don’t have more than an hour, just come at noon and join us. The food is always delicious, and the company is stimulating.
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Join Us in a Discussion on Immigration and First Unitarian
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(Thanks to Julie Meyers for the post)
There is a crisis going on in our community that involves immigrants who live among us. FUSD has had an Immigration Committee in the past. Some of us have been discussing whether it is time for FUSD to become actively involved once again. What would that involvement look like? Please join us on Sunday, February 16th from 12:00-1:30 in the chapel for a discussion. Anyone interested in the topic is welcome and any ideas are appreciated. Pizza will be served. Any questions, please contact Elisabeth Arenales.
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Thank-you Piano Recital;!
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(Thanks to the Lia Davis for the post)
Lia Davis, FUSD’s Music Director, will perform a short piano recital on our new Schimmel grand piano on Sunday, February 23rd. The recital will begin about 20 minutes after the service ends (12 or 12:15 pm, after coffee hour) and last about 30 minutes. This “thank you” recital is an offering of gratitude to our FUSD community who supported and contributed to the purchase of the piano last year.
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Reproductive Justice Movie – February 20th.
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(Thanks to Jane Ashley for the post)
“Grandma”. – Movie starring Lily Tomlinson
The 2015 movie “Grandma” will be shown on Thursday, Feb. 20 at 6 pm. Starring Lily Tomlin and Julia Garner. Grandma helps her teenage granddaughter when she gets pregnant. Please RSVP to jane.ashley52@ gmail.com. Then I’ll send my new address and information.
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Middle East Justice Upcoming Events
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(Thanks to Ann Sabbah for the post)
There are three more free community events in February and March put together by our own Middle East Justice Project. Please join us! Note: the final event is a potluck and discussion of the latest Ta-Nehisi Coates book The Message, so check with Miriam’s Book Table to get a copy.
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Stewardship Ambassadors Needed!
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(Thanks to Richard Erickson for the post)
Our Annual Pledge Campaign kicks off on February 23rd. This year we require ~50 Stewardship Ambassadors so we can contact every member and friend of FUSD. If you are looking for a volunteer opportunity with a minimal time commitment, this may be for you. You will be asked to contact 4-5 people to make sure they have received their pledge packets and answer their questions.
Find out more by visiting the Stewardship Council table in the Community Room after the service or contacting Kimberly or Karen at stewardship@fusden.org
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Venezuelan Family Needs Furniture
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(Thanks to Julie Meyers for the post)
I occasionally ask for help for a family who came here from Venezuela 2 years ago. They were recently removed quickly from their apartment due to a building infestation with bed bugs. They had to leave a lot of their belongings behind. Currently they are in need of a double bed (just a mattress is fine), bedding for a twin and double mattress, 4 pillows, a bureau or set of drawers for clothing, and a vacuum cleaner. If you have any of these items and can donate them, please let me know.
Thanks!
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(Thanks to the Helen Berkman for the post)
Yes, the 2025 Auction is going live! “Sailing Together in our Blue Boat
Home!” will be Saturday, May 3, 2025 at 4:30 pm. Mark your calendar and
enjoy supper from a great food truck, a wine bar, silent auction tables, and
dessert. Music to lure you into the Sanctuary for a live auction will be
provided by Nichole Albertsmeier and friends. On-line bidding will be
available in April but only if your donations start pouring in!
SO, right now we need your donations! Help fill our catalog with exciting
items, experiences, events, and services. Get your creative juices flowing
and drop off your donation at the auction table beginning February 9th , or
access the donation form right here.
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Choir Rehearsals on a New Night
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(Thanks to the Lia Davis for the post)
Weekly rehearsals for the First Unitarian Chalice Singers are moving to Wednesday evenings at 7:15. If you are interested in joining the choir, please contact Wyatt Smith, our new Interim Choir Director, at choir@fusden.org. The choir typically sings twice a month in Sunday worship services. All voices and abilities are welcome to sing in the choir!
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Memorial – Antonia Banducci
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Antonia Banducci died of Alzheimer’s Disease on November 4, 2024. She was a former member of First Unitarian Society of Denver and will be greatly missed. A professor of musicology at the University of Denver for 27 years before her retirement in 2021, she was beloved by students and colleagues for her tireless efforts on her students’ behalf and will be remembered for her high standards, enthusiasm, unflagging energy, great sense of humor, and her joie de vivre, as well as a strong dedication to social justice issues, bicycling, and a love of nature. She was devoted to her cats, Harry Braveheart and Gabriella Gatti.
There will be a Celebration of Life on Sunday, February 16 at 1:00 pm at the Lamont School of Music. An obituary for Antonia can be viewed here.
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Local Unitarian Universalists News
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Social Justice Film Series
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(Thanks to the Holly Fulton Racial Justice Task From First Universalist)
WHEN: Friday, February 7, 6:30 pm
WHERE: First Plymouth Church, 3501 S. Colorado Blvd.
WHAT FILM: RUSTIN is a 2023 American biographical
drama about the life of the unsung civil right activist Bayard
Rustin. Produced by Barack and Michelle Obama’s
production company, Higher Ground, the film stars Colman
Domingo in the title role. It is based on the remarkable true
story of Rustin, without whose vision the 1963 March on
Washington would not have happened.
Bring snacks to share if you can. We gather at 6:30 and the
movie begins at 7 pm. The Social Justice Film series will be
hosted at First Plymouth church from February through May
2025.
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Celebrating the Black Church of Lincoln Hills
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(Thanks to Julie Meyers for the post)
Lincoln Hills is one of the organizations who received a grant from FUSD’s Reparative Donation several years ago. We are invited to join them for this event, a Black History Month program, “Songs, Stories, and Sanctuaries: Celebrating the Black Church and Lincoln Hills.” This special event honors the deep historical bond between the Black church and Lincoln Hills, highlighting their shared legacy of faith, community, and resilience in shaping African American history. Through uplifting music, powerful storytelling, and vibrant visual art, the legacy of Lincoln Hills and the Black church will come alive with interactive elements such as reenactments, choir performances, and storytelling sessions.
Join us on Saturday, February 8, 2025, from 1:00 – 3:00 pm at Shorter Community AME Church, 3100 Richard Allen Court, Denver, Colorado 80205. There is no cost to attend, but we kindly ask that you RSVP on Eventbrite, click here.
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Sacred Earth, Sacred Action
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Saturday, February 8th, 1-7 pm MST and Tuesday, February 11, 2025, 7-8:30 pm. Iliff School of Theology, Shattuck Hall
Sacred Earth, Sacred Action (SESA), brings together environmental scientists, theologians, poets, and faith leaders to inspire meaningful change within communities of faith and activism in the Rocky Mountains and beyond.
In person and live-streamed. Register here.
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The Larger Unitarian Universalist Community
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Pacific Western Region – Responding to NOW
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The Pacific Western Region of the Unitarian Universalists.
Responding to Now: A PWR Series will have one session each month on a topic responding to the challenges of our current times. Save the Time and Dates, February 6th, March 6th and April 3rd via Zoom. Register here.
In this political climate, we need one another more than ever. This series of three workshops offer leaders of UU congregations and covenanting communities the opportunity to receive, and give, moral and practical support for facing the challenges of religious leadership in 2025. Topics will include leading strategically in anxious times, dealing with conflict and difficult behavior, and creating meaningful connections for people of all ages, all in the context of a spiritual community that is called to uphold human rights and dignity.
Register here.
February 6th: When Anxiety Trumps Covenant: Resources, Tools, Strategies
Revs. Summer Albayati and Sarah Gibb Millspaugh
The pain, fear, and anxiety of living in the US at this time can lead to an increase in destructive behavior between members, staff, and ministers of our congregations. Conflicts escalate more easily, people get more reactive, and folks get more defensive and try to turn everybody else into “the problem.” Learn some strategies from your regional staff and your fellow UU congregational leaders for staying resilient, and lovingly and effectively addressing destructive behavior patterns when they arise.
March 6th: Emergent Strategy and Liminal Times
Revs. Sunshine Jeremiah Wolfe and Tania Márquez
April 3rd: Young Children and Families
Dr. Melissa James, Sam K. Pearl, and Mylo Way
Location: Online (Zoom)
Time: 08:00 PM to 09:30 PM – AZ and Mountain times.
*The gatherings will be at 5:00 Hawaii, 6:00 Alaska, 7:00 Pacific, and 8:00 Arizona and Mountain times.
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UU World – Fall/Winter 2024
Read the Fall/Winter 2024 Issue – “Seeds of Change” of the UU World by clicking here.
The UU World is the magazine of the Unitarian Universalist Association, it celebrates liberal religion and the people it inspires.
You can view the UU World online presence here.
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First Unitarian Society of Denver Information
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First Unitarian – Hearing Assistance in Sanctuary
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Our Sanctuary has a hearing loop. This allows us to better serve the people in our community who have trouble hearing. If you are hearing impaired, you will be able to hear what is said at the worship services and other events with better clarity.
What is a hearing loop and how does it work? Hearing Loops allow people who wear hearing aids to directly receive the sound from the PA system to their own hearing aids, much like Wi-Fi for laptops. To hear better, you will no longer have to pick up a separate listening device!
Do my hearing aids work in a loop?If you wear hearing instruments you will need to find out if they have this wireless receiver, called a T-coil or Telecoil, built in to benefit from the hearing loop. The T-coil program is accessed by pushing a button on your hearing aid. This T-coil setting has to be activated before use. Please consult your audiologist if you have a push button on your hearing aids. If your hearing aid is not equipped with a T-coil, or you do not have a hearing aid: we have listening devices available, simply ask a member of our staff.
For more information: www.hearingloop.org. For questions about your hearing aids, please visit your audiologist. For questions about our hearing loop system, please email: Assist2Hear. Inc at: info@assist2hear.com.
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First Unitarian – Calendaring and Room Reservations
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(Thanks to Rhonda Williamson, Congregational Administrator, for the post)
To Request an event addition to the First Unitarian calendar and to request a room reservation:
- To add a meeting or event to the Church Calendar and reserve a room:
- Check the church calendar on the website to see if there are any conflicts. There is a link on each page of the website in the black area at the bottom, under ‘Useful links’
- Complete the following form to request that your event be added to the calendar and to request a room reservation. https://firstunitariandenver.breezechms.com/form/45698258
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First Unitarian – Communication Methods How To’s
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(Thanks to Rhonda Williamson, Congregational Administrator, for the post)
First Announce: A weekly church newsletter sent out by blast email Thursday evenings. (Also found on the website.) Deadline for entries is Tuesday end of day.
Order of Service: The handout given at each Sunday service – giving service details, and upcoming church events Request deadline is Thursday at 8:00 am.
Please complete the form at the link below to submit announcements for either or both First Announce and Order of Service – select both options on the form. https://firstunitariandenver.breezechms.com/form/e50206
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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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