A Message from Nancy. Socially Active, Spiritually

Transcription

1 VOLUME 102 JANUARY 2019 ISSUE NO. 1 Socially Active, Spiritually Alive An Open & Affirming, Whole Earth, Just Peace & Restorative Justice Place for All!! INSIDE THIS ISSUE: Message from Nancy; Worship in Jan.,.... p. 2 Beloved Community: A Letter from Bob, Stewardship Report..p. 3 Also: Journey of the Spirit, Spiritual Formation, Book Club; a note from the Editor. p. 4 Outside our walls: Call for Peace Training, CFCU Gun Violence Lobby Day... p. 5 Opps to March: Womxn s March 2019, Marade p. 6 WHI Update, 17th Women s Retreat. p. 7 Women s Retreat Sign-up Form..p. 8 Administry Team Minutes. p. 9 Calendar & Birthdays. p. 10 A Message from Nancy Reflect, Imagine, Create, Embody Happy New Year! 2019 is here and with it a new opportunity to reflect on where we have been, imagine our future, and create together how we want to embody that vision to encourage more love, more justice, and more compassion and goodness in our community and in the world. We closed 2018 with a significant change in the life of our church with the end of Pastor Todd s journey with Wash Park. We celebrated Todd s 7.5 years of service and ministry with us and blessed him for his next journey in life and ministry. In the last few years, our community has engaged in important conversations about the church s vision, financial sustainability, and models of leadership and ministry. We have made good progress and this recent change with Todd s leaving is an opening, an opportunity for us as a community to deepen our collective and shared visioning, leadership, and creativity. Each one of us, from the oldest to the youngest member of our community, make this church. Each person s presence, wisdom, voice, and gifts make what has been, is and will be Washington Park UCC. (continued on p.2) Mark your calendar WELCOME 2019! Jan 2 ~ Journey of the Spirit, 6:30 pm, Beth Robey Hyde s home (p.4) Jan 5 ~ Game Night Jan 6 ~ Epiphany Worship, 10 am; Unhang the Greens (p. 2) Jan 12 ~PeaceTraining, 9-5, Boulder Mennonite Church, (p. 5) Jan 13 ~Communion Worship, 10 am (p. 2) Jan 16 ~ Journey of the Spirit, 6:30 pm (p. 4) Jan 19 ~ Women s March, 9 am (p. 5); Peace Training, 9 am, Boulder (p. 5) Jan 20 ~Worship, 10 am (p. 2) Jan 21 ~ Marade (MLK Day) 9 am (p.6); Book Club, 7 pm discussion (p. 4) Jan 24 ~ CFCU Gun Violence Prevention Lobbying Day, 9 am (p. 5) Jan 27 ~Worship, 10 am; 94th Annual Mtg. after church (p. 2) Feb 1-3~17th Women s Retreat (p. 7) Feb 3 ~ Celebration Worship, 10 am March 1-2: WHI

2 p.!2 from Nancy (cont. from p.1) Last Summer we had a glimpse of how we as a community adapt to leadership changes. I noticed how you all stepped up to take more leadership and participation in the ministry of Wash Park. We tried new models of worship, practiced great communication, learned some lessons, practiced new things and affirmed others, and we not only survived, we thrived! We had the best Summer attendance, both of members and visitors! All this affirms who we are and what gifts and talents we have, and affirms what is possible when we listen to one another, practice both/and thinking and action, encourage new leadership, and practice working together. In the coming weeks, we will step into a discernment journey to decide what we as a community want to do in terms of staff models and ministry priorities for 2019, and to support us through this process we have a dedicated, creative and committed team of myself, our Music Director, Eric McEuen, and our ministry leadership teams. During this time of discernment, I will be leading worship in coordination with other in-house teachers/preachers and participants, and will be providing pastoral care to our house-based elders and emergency pastoral cases. Eric will be serving as both our worship coordinator and music director, and Eileen Abbattista will continue to serve as the CMA building coordinator. As part of our church season of transition, the church will need volunteer teachers for our children 6-12 yrs. old on Sundays except the 2nd and 5 th Sundays. If you are available and willing to teach one or more Sundays, let me know in order to coordinate the schedule, curriculum, and all you might need. WORSHIP this month On Jan. 6 we will be celebrating Epiphany Sunday and reflect on the wisdom that the journey of the Magi who went to visit Jesus has to offer us today. On Jan. 13 & 20 Rev. Peter Sawtell will be leading worship on the theme of Hope. On the 13th Peter will explore the difference between optimism and hope, and why that distinction is very important in times like these. On the 20th, he'll help us consider some of the options that we have for grounding our hope, and why "hope in God" is both attractive and valuable. On Jan. 27 Nancy will preach and we will hold our 94th Annual Meeting to celebrate another year in ministry and our life together as a community, approve a church budget, welcome new leadership, and imagine and create together the ways we want to embody in 2019 the flourishing of abundant life for all of creation. With you on the journey, Pastor Nancy Rosas

3 p. 3 Beloved Community A Letter from our Moderator, Bob Murray "Your present circumstances don t determine where you can go; they merely determine where you start." A quote from Nido Qubein. And so here we find ourselves at the beginning, again. I wasn t here when Todd was chosen to be the new pastor. However, I joined as soon as I found he was the minister here. I came here because of him but I remain because of you, the members of the congregation of Washington Park United Church of Christ. "When we honestly ask ourselves which person in our lives means the most to us, we often find that it is those who, instead of giving advice, solutions, or cures, have chosen rather to share our pain and touch our wounds with a warm and tender hand." Henri Nouwen. Sunday after Sunday, as well as Wednesdays and Tuesdays and, well you get the idea, I have been touched and supported by various members of our congregation. This is what will remain for tomorrow and the future. I have told many of you that I am here to search, and to be among other searchers, not for The Truth, but for a spiritual truth that I can live by. I have been searching since I was 13 or 14 years old. Reading everything I could, talking to people whom I hoped had some answers. They never have. But sometimes they have partial truths, partial answers and those I save for the hard times in life. And so this quote from Dan Brown in the book, Angels and Demons: Whether or not you believe in God, you must believe this: when we as a species abandon our trust in a power greater than us, we abandon our sense of accountability. Faiths all faiths are admonitions that there is something we cannot understand, something to which we are accountable. With faith we are accountable to each other, to ourselves, and to a higher truth. Religion is flawed, but only because (humankind) is flawed. The church consists of a (gathering) of imperfect, simple souls wanting only to be a voice of compassion in a world spinning out of control. Bob Murray, Moderator Let us continue to be that voice. Stewardship Report HOORAY for the GOOD SHIP WASH PARK! What a fantastic 2019 Stewardship campaign! WPUCC members and friends (52 households total) have pledged $127,862 to keep our good ship Wash Park not only afloat -- but in shipshape -- for 2019: THANK YOU, one and all, for all the gifts and contributions you bring, and for your unique presence within our Beloved Community. A bit of recent history -- for 2018, 43 households pledged $100,860 during the regular Stewardship campaign, with 11th hour one-time additional contributions of $18,000 (from four households) filling an unanticipated and scary projected budget deficit. For 2019, we will be traversing some uncharted territory together as we consider our best route forward for ministry staffing, but I am certain we have the collective resolve and resources to make this journey -- may favorable winds prevail! Kudos and huge thanks to the 2019 StewCrew -- Ryan Duncan, Kristine West, and Annie Witwer -- for creative energy and shared wisdom: invaluable! Signing off with optimism for our new year together, Eileen Abbattista, Vice-moderator and Stewardship lead

4 Also Journey of the Spirit continues Wed., Jan. 2nd & Jan. 16th, 6:30 Beth Robey Hyde s home E. Linvale Place, Aurora Phone: (303) Directions: Beth s home is just inside Heather Gardens near the Yale and Abilene entrance. Enter there, turn left at the T, then two quick rights into Country Place 4 and into the cul-de-sac. Second driveway on the right. Call Beth for directions about parking. This is a vibrant conversation group, exploring spiritual/social/religious/personal/justice issues. Everyone is welcome! Bring a nosh to share if you can! Spiritual Formation p. 4 Pastor Nancy has called for volunteer teachers to step up, on the 1st and 3rd Sundays of the month. This involves working with our 6-12 yr. olds with support and curriculum, all that you need to make this a successful & rewarding experience! Please contact Nancy Rosas if you can serve in this way. Thanks! WPUCC Book Club Mon. Jan. 21, 7 pm: (at the House of Rothschild Party Room, 675 S. University Blvd.) The Newcomers by Helen Thorpe this book is so incredibly timely and relevant on many levels: set at WPUCC s neighborhood school, Denver South High School, Helen Thorpe spent the 2015/2016 school year observing happenings in the Newcomer Class of master teacher Eddie Williams. She analyzes teaching techniques used to bring a diverse group of 22 newcomers into a life vastly different from what they have known. The readers learn about the hurdles these newcomers face, get to know them as people, gain insights into the immigration process, meet some of these kids families, see how DPS is working to address this VERY current problem. It s a rich read. Join our book group to discuss your take on this timely book! for Mon. Feb. 18, 2019 Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman March: Gulliver s Travels by Jonathan Swift All interested readers are WELCOME to join whenever their interest moves them. Contact Diane Peterson at dmpeterson3@gmail.com for more information. Dear Readers, Apologies for the tardiness of the January CONTACT. The mousepad on my laptop developed a quirk and it has taken a remote, wireless mouse to get the words flowing again. Thanks for your understanding. Also, a heads up for the February edition of CONTACT I will be out of town beginning January 30, so my current plan is to have the February edition published by February 10th. A reminder will be sent later this month. Yours, Laura Carrasco CONTACT Editor

5 Outside our walls p. 5 THE CALL TO ACTIVE PEACE Strengthening Relationships, Healing Divisions Saturday, Jan. 12 & 19, 9 am - 5 pm Boulder Mennonite Church 3910 Table Mesa Drive, Boulder, CO Training One: The Spiritual Heart of Nonviolence Strengthen relationships by releasing judgments that create division. Tap your deepest inspiration for personal and collective healing. Reset your commitment to hold the big picture and transform conflict. Training Two: Active Peace Circles (Jan. 19) Learn the steps of restorative justice and apply them to your relationships and the issues you care about. Stay open and effective no matter what comes at you. Receive the support necessary to practice Active Peace over time. or Scott@4ActivePeace.com / GUN VIOLENCE PREVENTION LOBBY DAY Hosted by Colorado Faith Communities to End Gun Violence and Colorado Ceasefire BRINGING ACTION TO OUR THOUGHTS AND PRAYERS Thursday, January 24, 2019 St. Paul s Lutheran Church, 1600 Grant St, Denver, CO :30AM 11:30AM Come learn about the: Upcoming Legislative Session Extreme Risk Protection Order Bill How To Be A Citizen Advocate With Your Elected Officials Following the speaker presentations all are invited to go to the Capitol to meet with your State Representative and Senator Light refreshments will be available -- bring a bag lunch if wish to eat before lobbying

6 Opportunities tomarch in January 2019!! Is this your chance to continue your 2019 Fitness Resolutions for good causes? Womxn's March on Denver 2019 gather in Civic Center Park Saturday, January 19, 2019 LISTEN. UNITE. ACT. SCHEDULE Pre-Rally - 9:00 am THEME: LISTEN to those that have been silenced. Speakers and artists will be on stage in Civic Center Park. The march begins! - 10:30 am (1 mile) THEME: UNITE Under the Banner of Anti-Oppression. Due to crowd size, not everyone may actually start marching at the same time; this is just the beginning. Post-Rally - 11:45 am THEME: ACT with Intention. Speakers and artists will be on stage in Civic Center Park. See Marade! January 21, 2019, 9 am City Park to Civic Center Park Join fellow marchers and parade fans in this year's Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Marade. Participants will congregate at the Dr. King memorial site in City Park at 9 a.m. The Marade begins at 10 a.m. with participants marching together to Civic Center Park, where cake will be served. The Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. yearbook will be signed again this year at the Colorado State Capitol Building, and program festivities are expected to end at 1 p.m. For those who want to carpool, meet at the church 10:00 am; otherwise, look for the church sign at City Park. We often get a really small turn out for this march - let's get folks out for this one! Please, please consider coming to this year! This kind of public witness is really important and part of who we are as a church. Peace, Allyson Sawtell

7 p.!7 Women s Homelessness Initiative Update We now have dates for Wash Park s participation in the WHI for While the Signup Genius is not yet ready, we want you to have these dates to block on your calendar: March 1-2 May July October Some details have changed. We are scheduled to be at First Unitarian Society of Denver, 1400 Lafayette St. The main areas where help is needed are: Setup on Friday night 3:45-6:00 pm, Dinner Friday night 4:30-7:30 pm, deliver Breakfast Bags to First Unitarian between 5:00 and 8:00 pm Friday, Overnight 8:45 pm to 6 am Sat., Cleanup for Saturday morning from 6:30 to 8:30 am, and, new, Laundry. A more-detailed run-down of duties involved will come in February CONTACT. At least you now have dates to SAVE! Bev Rexrode at , has stepped up to coordinate this mission. THANK-YOU! Contact her with questions. If anyone would like to volunteer additional time directly with First Unitarian, their sign up is at 30e0845aeaf2ba3fb WPUCC Women s Retreat February 1-3, 2019 The 17th WPUCC women's retreat will be held at the beautiful YMCA of the Rockies in Estes Park, CO This has become a much loved tradition that offers opportunities for rest, relaxation and togetherness for both introverts and extroverts! Friday, the 1st, is an optional, extra overnight; most activity will be on 2/2 and the morning of 2/3. Please print, fill out, and mail the registration (next page), along with check payment, as directed at the bottom of the form. (Registration deadline is January 25th) This year Diane will be activities planner and Amy and Lori will handle registration and logistics. A couple things for your consideration: We need someone to organize meal groups (as Mary Alice so ably did last year) as we get close and know who will be attending. If you are interested in participating in a low-key exchange of gently used, quality clothing, shoes, jewelry, etc., save your give-away goodies for the retreat! Have ideas or want to help? Need more information? Diane Peterson- dmpeterson3@gmail.com Amy Prater- amyhprater@gmail.com Lori Willard- willardsdenver@msn.com But what if the power of!iendship is a quiet movement unto itself, one heart at a time, shrinking the shadows between us? Tiya Miles

8 p.! WPUCC Women s Retreat February 1-3, 2019 Programming Saturday 10:00 a.m. to Sunday at 2:00 p.m. The 17th WPUCC Women's Retreat will be held at YMCA of the Rockies near Estes Park. We ll create community through activities that nurture spirit, mind and body. What s included: Saturday lodging, 4 meals (assigned to groups to plan, procure, prep and clean up) and retreat activities. Name: Phone: 8 Bedroom Retreat Cabin $ 75 for 6 person room $ 90 for triple/quad $134 for double Roommates: Roommates: Roommate: ***For those who want to extend their weekend at YMCA of the Rockies, stay Friday night (dinner not included) for an additional $90 per person*** Yes, I am attending Friday night Rides Could drive others Friday (how many) Could drive others Saturday (how many) Need ride. Please specify Friday or Saturday. Scholarships & more Requested amount: full amount any amount would be appreciated Contribution to scholarships: $ Special Requests (dietary, mobility): Please mail registration form along with your check payment (made out to WPUCC with Women s Retreat written in the memo line) to: Amy Prater, 1236 S. Gaylord St., Denver All forms and payments due by January 25 th If cancellation is necessary at the last minute, you will be charged for your room

9 p.!9 Administry Team Meeting Minutes November 13, 2018 Attendees: Todd Smeidendorf, Cathy Oglesby, Eileen Abbattista, Tom Luehrs, Scott Munstock, Maggie Van Cleef, Carol Slocum Minutes: approved Vice Moderator s Report Stewardship 26 pledges currently in. 16 almost certain. Goal: 50 pledge units. Eileen will call a few units who are newer members. Stewardship campaign components of theme, explanation of what means, and committee as well as year-long discussion of our financial circumstances have contributed to a good result, so far. stewardship Building Coordination Todd and Eileen will work together to move pews for Dances of Universal Peace prior to their second and fourth Wednesday meetings. The dance group will move them back. $250 estimate to stripe the parking lot. Eileen will check with contractor to make sure that will include sweeping the parking lot first. It was not clear who was checking on whether a permit for paving parking behind church was obtained by the contractor or not. In future planning processes, we intend to be clearer about who is responsible for what portion of a process. Treasurer s Report We are about $1200 over budget at this point in the year. This is not a concern at this point because we set a budget with an expectation to be over budget by the end of the year. Scott will prepare a proposed budget options for team to discuss December 11. The Building Coordinator position can be funded for the remainder of the year through the Lily Grant as a re-entry support to the returning pastor. Other business At the Dec. 11 meeting the committee charged to look at our staffing models needs to bring some proposals. Todd and Scott will make sure this happens. Administry team will draft the budget and staff recommendations for the annual meeting to be presented at Dec. 11 meeting and plan how to get feedback from the congregation prior to the annual meeting scheduled for January 27, Respectfully submitted, Cathy Oglesby Clerk of the Administry Team

10 p.!10 JANUARY 2019 SUNDAY MONDAY TUESDAY WEDS. THURSDAY FRIDAY SATURDAY DEC 30 Good bye to TODD DEC Journey of the Spirit, 6:30 pm EPIPHANY Worship 10am Unhang the Greens! Peace Training 13 Communion/ Worship 10 am Journey of the Spirit, 6:30 pm Peace Training 2019 Womxn s March, 9 am Civic Ctr Pk. 20 Worship 10 am 21 Marade for MLK Day, 9am Book Club 7 pm CFCU Lobby St. Paul s, 9:30 am Worship 10 am Annual Mtg. after FEB 1 FEB 2 Women s YMCA in Estes Park January Birthdays 7 Ross Breyfogle 15 Tom Luehrs 19 Isabella Starr 20 Dee Buchanan Frank 21 Maggie VanCleef 21 Anne Witwer 26 Mary Alice Parmelee 29 Ruby Linkhart 29 Grace Johnson 30 Vida West Staff Bookkeeper Director of Music & Arts Lead Pastor Center for Music & Arts Director & Office & Bldg. Use Manager Nancy Magliery Eric McEuen Rev. Nancy Rosas Eileen Abbattista Contact is published by Washington Park UCC. Deadline for submissions is the 25th of each month to: lkcarrasco@comcast.net or to washparkucc@gmail.com

11 We re on the Web! Washington Park United Church of Christ Washington Park United Church of Christ is an inclusive, progressive, loving and caring community rooted in a Christian faith that values varied pathways, spirituality and mission. We strive to embody peace, justice and harmony for all of God s creation and actively work in the world to further these values. We like to have a good time in the process! Celebration worship is held every Sunday morning at 10:00 a.m.. Church school for children and youth is offered during the worship time. Infant care is offered during worship times and for all other church events upon request. A progressive Christian Church in Denver, CO Washington Park UCC 400 S. Williams St. Denver, Co Phone: office@washparkucc. org.