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Easter Sunday Worship,
March 31st, 2024
at 10:30 am
Jesus Before Christ
Rev. Mike Morran
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Join us on Easter Sunday, March 31st at 10:30 am. What does history tell us about the young man from Nazareth, before centuries of politics and semi-tortured theology turned him into the Christ?
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An Easter donation hunt will follow the service. We will do a scavenger style hunt to create compassion kits that support our local community. A variety of treats and prizes will be available.
We extend a warm invitation to you to join us in person, or if you prefer, you can also participate online.
Our 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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Sally Isaacson
A Memorial for Sally Isaacson will be held at the First Unitarian Society of Denver on Saturday, April 20th, at 2:00 pm. Sally, passed away on Saturday, March 23rd, She was a cherished member of First Unitarian. Sally will be dearly missed.
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Paula Pattschull, a former member of FUSD has passed away. A memorial service to celebrate Paula’s life will be held at Evergreen Memorial Park, 26624 N Turkey Creek Rd, Evergreen, CO 80439, in the barn at 11:00 am on Friday, March 29, 2024. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to The Sierra Club (sierraclub.org) or Rocky Mountain Compassionate Communication Network (rmccn.org).
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(Thanks to Mike Morran for the post)
With great sadness, we have received a letter of resignation from our wonderful Director of Religious Exploration, Erin Kenworthy. Please find that letter here. More information about the future of the Religions Exploration program and what we will do now will be shared as it becomes known in the coming weeks. In the meantime, please thank Erin for her years of service, and wish her well in her future endeavors.
Bummed,
Mike
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Have You Made Your 2024/25 Pledge TO FUSD Yet?
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(Thanks to Steve Smithers for the post)
The Stewardship campaign for our Church’s next fiscal year kicked off about one month ago. To date we have received 127 pledges. This leaves approximately 40 pledges outstanding. To date $407,559 has been pledged and we are hoping to meet or exceed a total pledge goal of $575,000. If you have not turned your pledge in please take a moment to fill out your pledge either through the FUSD website or fill out a pledge form and return it to the church. The Finance Committee is busy putting together our budget for next year and they can’t complete their work until these pledges come in and we have a better picture of our revenues. Thank you for your financial support of OUR church!
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NOW
Donate and Volunteer
Click
AUCTION on the FUSD homepage banner
Or Visit
the Auction Table during coffee hour
MARCH 31, 8:00 AM
First Day to REGISTER TO BID and PURCHASE EVENT TICKETS
APRIL 7, 5:00 PM
DEADLINE to DONATE your dinner, event, gift certificate, basket,
art, or service
APRIL 14, NOON
ONLINE BIDDING BEGINS
APRIL 24, NOON
ONLINE BIDDING, REGISTRATION and
EVENT TICKET PURCHASES ENDS
Registration and event ticket purchases for individuals and families
must be completed by NOON TODAY accurate food, drink,
and youth program counts.
Registration and Tickets WILL NOT be available on Auction night.
APRIL 27, 4:30 – 8:00 PM
ATTEND AND SPEND!
Doors open at 4:30 pm
Silent Auction 5:00 to 5:45 pm
Dinner 6:00 to 6:45 pm
Award Presentation and Live Auction 7:00 pm – 8:00 pm
Join us for a truly memorable evening!
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Endowment Application Open!
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(Thanks to Nellie Stagg for the post)
The endowment grant application is now open! Please consider projects and apply before Monday, April 15th. The goal of the endowment is to enhance the permanent facilities and capabilities of First Unitarian Society of Denver. Projects will be selected that are visible to the congregation, will impact the work of the church for more than one year, will further the mission of our congregation and cannot be funded through our normal operating budget. To receive the application or ask any questions, please email the committee at endowment@fusden.org.
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First Unitarian Events Coming Soon
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Walk and Talk Into Spring
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(Thanks to Marty Dawley for the post)
WALK AND TALK into Spring: Join us for a lovely stroll on a beautiful Colorado day at the Botanic Gardens: Tuesday, April 2 at 12:30. If it’s not so beautiful, we know we can duck inside and still have a lovely time together. If there is a Snowpocalipis, well, if schools are closed, the plan is off! We’ll meet in front if it’s warm and by the gift shop if it’s not so pretty. Yes, of course, bring a friend. Bring two friends!
Call me with questions. Let Marty know if you are coming, so we will wait for you. Also, let Marty know if you need a ticket. We can get you in for free using our memberships. Contact Marty at martydawley@yahoo.com
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Reproductive Justice Movie Series: Let’s Support Each Other and Our Rights!
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(Thanks to Jane Ashley for the post)
Join us for a movie and a deep dive into conversation afterward. The 4th movie in the series will be shown on Tuesday, April 2, 6-9 pm. It’s a film from Chad: “Lingui: The Sacred Bonds.” It will be shown at the home of Jane Ashley. Please RSVP by email to: jane.ashley52@gmail.com, or text: 703-328-5891.
April 2 movie: “Lingui: The Sacred Bonds”
(2021) PG13, Rotten Tomatoes 96%
On the outskirts of N’Djamena in Chad, Amina lives alone with her only 15-year-old daughter Maria. Her already fragile world collapses the day she discovers that her daughter is pregnant. The teenager does not want this pregnancy. In a country where abortion is not only condemned by religion, but also by law, Amina finds herself facing a battle that seems lost in advance.
Trailer: https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/lingui_the_sacred_bonds
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Racial Justice – Spring Read
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(Thanks to Patrick Whorton for the post)
It’s not too late to join the discussion of the Racial Justice Project’s spring book read, Black on Black, written by Daniel Black, an author and professor of African American studies at Clark Atlanta University. This book, in fourteen short chapters, offers a queer, intersectional perspective on racial justice issues; each chapter reads like a personal essay, and examines a different issue. The third and final discussion will be on April 24; pages 159-end. All discussions are via zoom from 7:00-8:30 p.m. Participants must register to participate by emailing Patrick Whorton at whorton@gmail.com. who will then send yhou a zoom link and some discussion guidelines. Patrick will then send you a zoom link and some discussion guidelines.
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Climate Justice Book Discussion
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(Thanks to Taylor Chang for the post)
Please join Climate Justice Project in reading “The Water Knife” by Paolo Bacigalupi. The story is a dystopian thriller set in a future southwestern United States ravaged by water scarcity and revolves around Angel Velasquez, a water mercenary navigating a treacherous landscape of political intrigue and violence in a desperate quest for control over the region’s dwindling water supply.
Discussions will be facilitated by Peggy Ulrich-Nims on Wednesday, May 15th at 7p.m. via Zoom and again Sunday, May 19th in the library after service. Please contact Peggy at ulrichnims@gmail.com for the Zoom Meeting ID.
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Jayme Stone’s Folklife: April 13th
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(Thanks to Lia Davis for the post)
Join us for Capitol Hill Concerts’ next show, Jayme Stone’s Folklife, on Saturday April 13th at 7 pm. Jayme Stone (voice, banjo, guitar) will be joined by Enmanuel Alexander (bass, guitar), Greg Harris (synth, vibes, percussion), and Kevin Matthews (drums). This versatile gathering of musicians has cultivated vibrant Sea Island spirituals, Creole calypsos, and stomp-down Appalachian dance tunes for contemporary listeners. Their concerts are moving, inventive, and participatory experiences that prove folk songs are indeed perennials for the people. Tickets are now on sale. A portion of the proceeds from this concert will benefit Re:Vision. Their mission is to work with people in economically marginalized neighborhoods to develop resident leaders, cultivate community food systems, and create an economy owned by the community. Their purpose is to cultivate thriving, resilient communities, with a vision to create a world based on love, compassion, collaboration, and stewardship for the planet, our children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren of every person in our community. Support Re:Vision by donating cookies, fruits, or snacks (homemade or store-bought) which will be served at the concert intermission alongside donation baskets. All donations collected will benefit Re:Vision. If you would like to donate a refreshment, please sign up here.
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Join Climate Justice Committee for a Community Trash Pick-up on April 20th!
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(Thanks to Taylor Chang for the post)
Join us for an Earth Month event with the Climate Justice Committee! We’re participating in a community trash pick-up at Sand Creek Regional Greenway, a 13-mile public trail in northeast Denver. The SCRG Partnership, a non-profit, works to protect and improve access to this area, particularly for historically marginalized communities.
We’re calling on FUSD volunteers to join us on April 20th from 11AM-1PM. The collected trash will be transformed into a public sculpture by the Greenway Guardians, a group of young stewards aged 10 to 17 from Commerce City. This initiative directly supports our mission of addressing climate change through a social justice lens.
All are welcome! For more information and to RSVP, please contact Taylor Chang or Noelle Botti. Let’s make a difference together!
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Save the Date – Friday, May 3, 2024 at 7pm
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(Thanks to Noelle Botti for the post)
The Climate Justice Project would like to invite you and your family and friends to attend a very special screening of Fracking the System: Colorado’s Oil and Gas Wars, an investigative documentary about the state of fracking in Colorado. The film will be screened in person in the sanctuary at First Unitarian followed by a QA session with the producer and director, Brian Hedden, as well as representatives from 350 Colorado and Safe and Healthy Colorado.
More details to follow, but please plan to join us!
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Welcoming the Stranger: A Brown Bag Discussion
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(Thanks to Karen Ray for the post)
How are we welcoming to immigrants in Denver and Colorado?
How did we get here?
What more can we, as communities of care and faith, do to help?
Featuring:
Roxanna, a single mother of three from Peru, who is living the experience;
Claudia Villa, an immigration lawyer; and
Jennifer Piper, American Friends Committee
WHEN: Wednesday, April 10, 2024
11:00am to 1:00pm*
First Baptist Church of Denver
1373 Grant St, Denver, CO 80203
(some parking available on the premises)
*BYOL – bring your own lunch, we’ll provide sweets and drinks
RSVP by April 8
Diana Flahive, dianaflahive@chumdenver.org or 303-257-8588
Presented by CHUM WHI
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(Thanks to Julie Meyers for the post)
Guns to Gardens is a group of faith communities working to reduce gun violence in the Denver Metro area by dismantling guns and forging the parts into life-giving tools. On Saturday, April 13, Most Precious Blood will be hosting a gun surrender event in their parking lot. Gun owners bring their unwanted, unloaded firearms and turn them in. The guns are dismantled and forged into garden tools. Come join me in volunteering for this event. Happy to carpool. For more details and to register: https://www.givepulse.com/event/440952
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Social Justice Film Series Presents – “The Monk and the Gun”
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(Thanks to Holly Fulton from First Universalist for the post)
Social Justice Film Series presents “The Monk and the Gun”, Friday, April 5th, 2024
First Plymouth Congregational Church, Room 212
3501 S. Colorado Blvd. Englewood, CO
Snacks and visit at 6:30, film beings at 7 pm
This film captures the wonder and disruption as Bhutan becomes one of the world’s youngest democracies. Known throughout the world for its extraordinary beauty and its emphasis on Gross National Happiness, the remote Himalayan Kingdom of Bhutan was the last nation to connect to the internet and television. And if that weren’t enough change, the King announced shortly afterwards that he would cede his power to the people via their vote and a new form of government: Democracy. An elderly lama, recognizing that extraordinary change is about to sweep through his country, is troubled by the possible outcomes. He instructs his young disciple Tashi to set forth into the kingdom and bring him two guns before the full moon to “set it right.” The young monk is perplexed by his guru’s request, and his familiarity with guns is based solely on images from the only film available on television: James Bond. His quest brings him into contact with a scheming American gun collector Ron (Harry Einhorn), leading to a most unexpected outcome.
Watch the trailer for The Monk and the Gun here.
The Social Justice film series is co-partnered by First Plymouth and our neighbors, First Universalist Church.
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Sunday Funday with Soul 2 Soul Sisters
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We’re excited to invite you to participate in another season of Facing Racism. Join us this Spring as we give you the tools to heal and become a part of this movement to dismantle anti-Black racism. Register today for Facing Racism and be a part of the magic>>>
Join us in four sessions to unlearn racist behavior, develop intellectually and emotionally, and practice self-liberation. Registration includes;
💜1:1 Private Session with Rev. Tawana Angela Davis, PhD, Co-Founder & Executive Director of Soul 2 Soul Sisters. Reverend Dr. Davis is a Womanist, thought provoker, speaker, preacher, and community leader. Read more on her here.
💜Expansive list of resources for continued learning.
💜Access to our Facing Racism Alumni Network for continued service, workshops and community.
Virtual Session Dates: April 7th, April 14th, April 21st, April 28th
Session Times: 4:00 – 7:00 PM (MST)
Registration Fee: $599
Link to Register
A portion of your tuition will be used to sponsor Facing Racism for Black women, femmes, and gender expansive beloveds at NO COST.
The deadline to register is March 31st and spots are limited, so share it with your networks TODAY to make sure those important to you can join this journey with you!
In Divine Peace, Love, & Power, Your Facing Racism Facilitators,
Courtney Anika, Associate Director of Organizational Wellness
Rev. Tawana Angela Davis, PhD, Co-Founder & Executive Director
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The Larger Unitarian Universalist Community
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Pacific Western Regional Assembly – April 19th and 20th – Volunteers Needed!
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(Thanks to Jo Hehnke from First Universalist for the post)
This year’s Pacific Western Regional conference (https://www.uua.org/pacific-western/calendar/pwr-uua/pwr-threads-connect-stories-inspire) is being held at First Universalist Church of Denver, April 19 (starting at 6 pm) and 20th (ending at 5 pm). I am part of a team recruiting volunteers for the event. The theme this year is “Connections”. In that spirit, we are hoping to connect with members from area churches through the various volunteer tasks entailed. Volunteers are mostly needed for the Friday night reception and Saturday morning continental breakfast—contributing food, setting up and cleaning up afterward.
We need your help in recruiting volunteers from your congregation. Could you please provide one or more names of individuals who might be interested in coordinating volunteers from your congregation?
Please contact Jo Hehnke at Jo@josephinehehnke.net if you would like to volunteer.
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Registration Open for Pacific Western Regional Assembly – April 19th and 20th
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It’s time to get together!
Registration is open for our Pacific Western Regional Assembly this April 19th and 20th!
People can attend either in person, at First Universalist in Denver, or remotely. We are planning a family friendly event and children are welcome. This is a great chance to connect with our larger faith and connect with new and old friends.
Stay up to date on all the PWR RA Plans here.
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Engaging UUs in a Conversation on Article II
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This is an invitation to all UU’s into a NAtional Conversation on Article II. Please click here to view more information including a video library, a resource library and other information.
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2024 General Assembly Registration is Now Open!
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Represent us at the UUA General Assembly! The Unitarian Universalist Association’s (UUA) national meeting of UU congregations is an all-virtual event this year. You can participate from the comfort of your own couch from June 20-23, 2024.
As a member congregation of the UUA, First Unitarian Society of Denver (FUSD) sends “delegates” to this event, which includes worship, workshops, lectures and the annual UUA business meeting. FUSD delegates will participate in the business meeting and vote on items that impact all member congregations. If you are interested in serving as an FUSD delegate at the 2024 General Assembly, please reach out to Coral Cosway at President@fusden.org.
Adult registration is $280 and includes access to the live sessions, on-demand programming, featured speakers and major worships. There is also an option to register for only the annual business meeting portion of the event for free (or a donation amount of your choice). You can review the program and schedule and visit the UUA’s General Assembly webpage for more information.
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Pacific Western Region – March 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 March 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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Side with Love is a public advocacy campaign that seeks to harness love’s power to stop oppression. It is sponsored by the Unitarian Universalist Association and all are welcome to join. Subscribe to get updates.
After closing out this year’s 30 Days of Love, Side With Love is looking forward to exciting opportunities for faith-filled action this spring. Starting March 6, we have a range of offerings that we hope will ground you and help sustain your commitment to liberation, democracy, and justice. Please join us and share with your congregation! The link for the March newsletter is here.
If you haven’t already heard, we’re getting ready to activate every corner of our faith for UU the Vote 2024. This year, we will mobilize our friends, our neighbors, and our fellow UUs to generate a groundswell of democratic action and leadership towards a thriving future beyond November 5. If you aren’t already subscribed to our UU the Vote newsletters, you can sign up for updates here.
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First Unitarian Information
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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
Click here to access the First Unitarian Committee Handbook.
Feel free to dive in and let us know if you have any questions or thoughts!
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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
Click here to access the First Unitarian Committee Handbook.
Feel free to dive in and let us know if you have any questions or thoughts!
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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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