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Save the Date – 1/12/25 – Congregational Meeting
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(Thanks to Coral Cosway for the post)
Ordination of Lia Davis as Minister of Music!
First Unitarian will hold a special congregational meeting on Sunday, January 12, 2025 at noon in the Sanctuary. At this meeting, our congregation will vote on whether to ordain Lia Davis as our Minister of Music.
In the Unitarian Universalist tradition, the right of ordination, that is, the authority to ordain someone to the ministry, is reserved exclusively for local congregations. The Board of Trustees has authorized a special meeting to consider Lia’s ordination.
Lia has been doing extraordinary music ministry with us for nearly seventeen and a half years. Her musical gifts are obvious and deeply appreciated. She has also demonstrated personal gifts of presence and service far beyond the music she plans and performs. Lia has visited members who were homebound or in nursing homes to play for them. She has nurtured many relationships in the congregation. Also, during the pandemic she broadcast weekly musical improvisational meditations. The congregation has grown to love and trust her for the extraordinary ministry that her presence and music provides.
If the congregation votes to approve Lia’s ordination, it would be a powerful affirmation of her work with our church, changing her job title from Director of Music to Minister of Music. Her ordination would take place in the Spring.
Please plan to attend this special meeting on January 12. Similar to our annual meetings, we need a quorum of First Unitarian members at the meeting in order to vote. This meeting will be streamed with a Zoom link available so that those who wish to vote remotely will be able to do so.
Questions about the special meeting and the proposal to ordain Lia can be directed to Coral Cosway at President@fusden.org or 720-413-6298.
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Lunch Bunch Potluck – Friday, January 10th, at 11:45 am
Everyone is invited to our monthly potluck, Lunch Bunch, on the second Friday of the month. 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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(Thanks to Beverly Bravo for the post)
Family friendly potluck and CORE Circle in which parents of school-age children may bond and form lasting friendships while their children are engaged in the sanctuary and gently supervised by older church members. Fun for everyone!!
The next meeting is Friday, January 17th at 6:00 pm in the Community Room.
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Memorial – Ed and Jane Wasson
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There will be a joint memorial for Jane and Ed Wasson on Saturday, January 25th at 1:00 pm here at First Unitarian of Denver.
Jane Wasson, a beloved member of First Unitary passed away on November 28. Jane’s husband Ed, passed away in February 2024.
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(Thanks to Lia Davis for the post)
Capitol Hill Concerts presents Mark Oblinger on Saturday, January 25th at 7 pm. Mark will bring his soulful, eclectic blend of indie/folk/pop to First Unitarian’s sanctuary stage, along with very special guest vocalist Robert Johnson, singer/ keyboardist and co-writer Linda Lawson, eTown drummer/singer Christian Teele, and multi-instrumentalist Eric Moon on lap steel, keys, accordion and vocals. A portion of the proceeds from this concert will benefit Food For Thought. Their vision is to create a community where weekend hunger is no longer a barrier to a child’s education and success. Read more & purchase tickets here.
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FUSE Task Force Wants to Hear From You!
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(Thanks to Leslie Harvey for the post)
The First Unitarian Seeking Engagement (FUSE) Task Force is working towards creating a more engaging culture for welcoming new members and visitors to FUSD. We are reaching out to all congregants for your feedback and ideas. If you have suggestions, please click on this form. You do not need to answer all of the questions; simply choose a few that resonate with you. Thank you!
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Hiring – Maintenance/Custodian
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First Unitarian Society of Denver is seeking a part-time Building Custodian (15 hours per week) to join our team starting in January 2025. Please click here to view the full job description.
To apply, submit cover letter and your resume to Rhonda Williamson at office@fusden.org.
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Hiring – Interim Choir Director/Song Leader
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(Thanks to Rev. Mike Morran for the post)
First Unitarian Society of Denver, an urban congregation of over 300 members, is looking to hire a part-time Interim Choir Director/Song Leader for the period of January through May, 2025. Our choir of 20-25 members rehearses weekly, and performs twice each month at Sunday morning services. Experience conducting choirs, and the ability to work collaboratively with a small staff team is essential. This position is approximately 14 hours per week and includes Sunday mornings. Applicants are encouraged to respond as soon as possible. Please send a resume and brief cover letter to Revmorran@gmail.com. A full job description is available HERE
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Leadership Development – Committee Training
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(Thanks to Patrick Whorton and Tess Dieringer for the post)
At the Interconnected Committee meeting last October, we surveyed participants about their interest in leadership development training, and we’re excited to share the next steps!
Church Google Drive Training
Many committees have already been working individually with Rhonda to organize and migrate documents to the church drive, set up access, and understand the basics. This one-on-one approach has proven to be the most effective.
If your committee is interested in learning more, please contact Rhonda directly at office@fusden.org to schedule a convenient session. Ideally, one to three people from your committee should attend. Plan for about one hour, and bring a laptop if possible.
Breeze Training
Rhonda will record and publish two targeted training courses:
- For members at large
- For leadership and committee members
The member-focused training will be ready first, with committee training following in the new year. We’ll keep you updated on publication dates. Huge thanks to Rhonda for her invaluable support!
Upcoming Leadership Training Sessions
The other top interests identified were:
- Running an Effective Meeting
- Managing Conflict
- Team Building
We’ve partnered with Rich Hogeboom, who was introduced at the ICC meeting, to lead these trainings in two interactive sessions:
- Sunday, January 26
- Sunday, February 9
- Both sessions will be held in the Rose Chapel from noon to 2:00–2:30 PM, with light refreshments provided.
Please note: These sessions are interactive and designed for in-person participation, so they won’t be recorded or available virtually.
We hope this advance notice helps all interested committee members attend. Calendar invites will be sent soon, where you can RSVP with the number of attendees from your committee to help us plan accordingly.
Looking Ahead
The Leadership Development Committee is working hard to provide meaningful training and support. We hope these efforts will build committee confidence, foster participation, and support our shared ministry philosophy.
Thank you for your dedication to this community and for being part of this journey with us!
In the spirit of shared ministry,
Patrick and Tess
Co-Chairs, Leadership Development Committee
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Labyrinth
(Thanks to Coral Cosway for the post)
Dennis Grogan and Tina Proctor have generously donated their large labyrinth to our community. Members, friends and visitors of FUSD have experienced walking the labyrinth, as well as expert guidance from Dennis and Tina, during many services and events. We are honored to give this beautiful labyrinth a new home. If you are interested in using it for your event at FUSD, please contact Rhonda Williamson at office@fusden.org. Thank you Dennis and Tina! [photo attached – this is in the sanctuary prior to the renovation]
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The Larger Unitarian Universalist Community
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Unitarian Universalist Holiday Message
The Unitarian Unitarian Association December Newsletter click here.
We Gather With Love: A Holiday Message From UUA President Sofía Betancourt
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Pacific Western Region – Happy Holidays
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The Pacific Western Region of the Unitarian Universalists, Holiday Blog.
The Pacific Western Region staff wish you, your family, and communities a very Happy Holidays! Your presence in our world is a blessing! May the season be a blessing to you!
The UUA will be closed December 20th-January 5th- we will be back at work on January 6th. If there is an emergency, please send an email to your primary contact which will give you who to contact during the holiday or complete our Partnership Activation Request form.
If you would like to start thinking about 2025 consider checking out our Community Resilience Hub. It has great resources, tools, and general support for your congregation and community.
We will bring more opportunities for connection and support in the new year with our spring program: Responding to Now: A PWR Series which will have one session each month on a topic responding to the challenges of our current times.
May you find love and connection this holiday season!
Sunshine, Hara, Melanie, Mylo, Melissa, Sam, Sarah, Summer, and Tania
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UUCW Trip to NYC
(Thanks to Kathy Glatz for the post)
UN Spring Seminar During Commission on Status of Women (CSW). March 15-16, 2025 in NYC
Led by International Convocation of UU Women (ICUUW) deadline registration:1/15/25.
Zoom session on Friday, Dec 6, 10 am EST which will give you more information and offer a chance to ask questions about the seminar, CSW, and registration.
Email questions to springseminar2025@icuuw.
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