Thoughts from Todd. Socially Active, Spiritually

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1 VOLUME 101 FEBRUARY 2018 ISSUE NO. 2 Socially Active, Spiritually Alive An Open & Affirming, Whole Earth, Just Peace & Restorative Justice Place for All!! INSIDE THIS ISSUE: Thoughts from Todd, Spiritual Formation News, Ash Wednesday Service, Journey of the Spirit.p. 2 Outside our walls: Communities in Conversation, CFCU News, IAF.. p. 3 Noteworthy: Denver Art Song Concert, Book Club p. 4 Business: Semi-Annual Mtg. minutes.. p. 5-7 Dec. Administry Team Minutes, Cathedral Square Celebration..p. 7-8 Calendar & Birthdays...p. 9 Maraders Thoughts from Todd 2018: Looking Forward with Faith Faith simply translated means trust. And I trust what is coming in this year for WPUCC and how we ve gotten here. We are completing an Appreciative Inquiry process, welcoming new people in, exploring new ways of connecting and communicating outward, and meeting our challenges by working on problems together. I trust that we will do the same the rest of We are always making room for the unexpected, but here are a few things to that we expect in 2018 for WPUCC: New Ministry Teams Our Appreciative Inquiry process has reached its final implementation stage. We adopted the plan at the 2018 Annual Meeting. February is the month to get going with those new teams (Beloved Community, Messaging & Communication, Processes & Programs, Church Culture & Community). The goal is more effective, efficient, and integrated ministry with teams in creative collaboration. The Beloved Community and Messaging and Communication teams are particularly tasked with an external focus, serving and connecting with nearby neighborhoods, the city, and world. Each of our ministry (continued on p.2) Mark Your Calendars Feb 2-4 ~ Women s YMCA of Rockies in Estes Park Feb 4 ~ Celebration Worship, 10 am Feb 7 ~ Journey of the Spirit class, 6:30 pm (p. 2) Feb 11 ~ Breakfast in Church & Communion, 9:30 am; Denver Art Song Concert, 3 pm (p. 4) Feb 14 ~ Ash Wednesday Kirk, 6:30 pm (p. 2) Feb 18 ~ Celebration Worship, 10 am Feb 19 ~ Book Club, 6 pm pizza, 7-8:30 pm discussion, (p. 4) Feb 21 ~ Journey of the Spirit class, 6:30 pm (p. 2) Feb 25 ~ Celebration Worship, 10 am Feb 27 ~ Communities in Conversation, 7-8:30 pm (p. 3)

2 Thoughts from Todd (cont. from p. 1) p. 2 teams have new ministry ideas and directions that came from our Appreciative Inquiry process of storytelling, dreaming, and strategizing. Summer Sabbatical of Play In 2017, we won a Clergy Renewal Grant for 2018 from the Lilly Foundation based on a theme of play. After 7 years of service, I will take 4 months off (mid-june to mid-october) to rest, read, and play. This includes electric guitar lessons, a one month trip to Hawaii with my wife Allison, and an extended spiritual leaders study with Interplay (interplay.org). The congregation received funds to cover pastoral needs and to do its own training with Interplay. We will reunite at Camp LaForet for an All Church Retreat with a theme of play. The sabbatical goal is renewal for me and a strengthening of both our capacities for creative service, community building, and resilience by integrating more play in our lives. Transitions to Solid Sustainability We celebrated finishing 2017 with a $5k SURPLUS. Super! And we see that future projections indicate more challenges to keeping us balanced. We will be exploring more revenue sources, mostly using our building. Our Center for Music and Arts initiative is taking on new life and upgraded hosting thanks to Eileen Abbattista. A few more areas of the building may be upgraded and used by new groups. Leadership will also be in design and discernment all year on new staffing models that both serve our ministry vision and fit a balanced budget for 2019 and beyond. I am looking forward in 2018, grateful for the time, talents, and treasure that we bring together to create community and to make a better world. Now, more than ever, let us be the church; real, relevant, connected, creative, faithful. Blessings, Pastor Todd Ash Wednesday Service Feb. 14 th, 6:30 pm The Kirk of Bonnie Brae UCC, 1201 S. Steele St. We enter Lent with reflection, prayer, music, prayer stations, and ashes with Sixth Avenue UCC and The Kirk of Bonnie Brae UCC. We begin the intentional journey into the Mystery of Life, Death and Resurrection (New Life). Journey of the Spirit class continues Wed., Feb. 7th & Feb. 21st, 6:30 Beth Robey Hyde s home E. Linvale Place, Aurora Phone: (303) Directions: 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. Go deeper with your questions about theology and spirituality with this discussion group. Bring a nosh to share! Children s Spiritual Formation On the first and third Sunday of the month, our children will continue to learn from the wisdom of world religions of with Louise West. The other Sundays they ll continue with our fabulous curriculum of Progressive Christianity that includes stories, songs, & suggested activities that invite the children to use their minds and bodies. Breakfast in Church, Feb. 11th Gather 9:30 am for potluck breakfast followed by Worship and Communion. Adult Ed opportunities: Watch Sunday Church Bulletins for news on this front.

3 p. 3 Outside our walls Please join us in our new season of Monthly Dialogue Events Communities in Conversation Tuesday, February 27th ~ 7:00 to 8:30 pm AT The Lady Fatima Center 2120 S. Holly Street Denver, CO Out of respect for our hosts, please dress modestly and plan to remove your shoes upon entering. Doors will open at 6:30 pm for Table Assignment. Feel free to bring a friend. All are welcome! This event is co-sponsored by The Interfaith Alliance of Colorado. Please hold these dates for upcoming monthly dialogues: March 27th, April 24th and May 22nd Free attendance - All are welcome Visit Our Website Please RSVP to info@abrahamicinitiative.com We need your RSVP for table setup CFCU Advocacy Effort Off and Running January was a busy month for CFCU advocates and our allies: BUMP STOCK BAN INTRODUCED FOR COLORADO DENVER CITY COUNCIL PASSES BUMP STOCK BAN OVER 40 ADVOCATES SHOW UP FOR CFCU LOBBY DAY WITH CO-HOST COLORADO CEASE-FIRE Become a Part of CFCU s Advocacy Team Contact Advocacy Co-Chairs, Julie Meyers and Wayne Laws to learn of the importance of our Rapid Response Networks in reaching legislators and having members testify at hearings: julie.meyers.md@gmail.com and onawalk@comcast.net There is great information about Being an Effective Advocate at Or, contact our WPUCC Advocate, Alice Silver at asilver301@gmail.com Overview of 2018 Bills Colorado Ceasefire President, Eileen McCarron described the bills we ll be working on in 2018 and provided some very helpful hand-outs describing the bills plus federal legislation, their status, talking points and a primer on contacting legislators developed by Common Cause that are attached. As you can see from this list, we ll need volunteers to testify and contact legislators for the following: SB18-051: Prohibit Multi-Burst Trigger Activators (Bump Stocks) Strongly Support SB and HB : Repeal the Ban on High Capacity Magazines Strongly Oppose SB18-097: Permitless Concealed Carry Strongly Oppose HB : Guns in School Strongly Oppose HB : Deadly Force Against Intruder (business) Strongly Oppose HB : Penalty for Burglary of Firearms Support

4 p. 4 Noteworthy African-American Art Songs curated by soprano Stephanie Ann Ball, at Wash Park Center for Music & Arts Sun., Feb. 11, 3 pm. Stephanie and her guest artists offer a moving journey through art songs written by some of history's most influential African-American composers, and the texts of America's most prominent African-American wordsmiths, including music of Undine Smith Moore, William Grant Still, Adolphus Hailstork, Hall Johnson, and more. Melodies will be enhanced by powerful words from Langston Hughes, Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., and many others. Such a powerful performance is a perfect addition to Denver's cultural events calendar during Black History Month. This abbreviated family concert is appropriate for middle and high-school students -- and everyone! For tickets and video showcasing Denver Art Song Project, visit: Book Club will meet Monday, Feb. 19th at The House of Rothschild Party Room Gather at 6 pm on Feb 19th if you want to share pizza please let Tom Byrnes know if you want to be in on the pizza: tbyrnes@snakebite.com. Others are still welcome to join us at 6:00 and bring your own salad/meal to eat and commune with us if you don't want pizza. 7-8:30 pm: discussion of February book: The Street Lawyer, by John Grisham discussion to be led by Tom Luehrs. We have switched to the 3rd Monday of the month, meeting at the House Of Rothschild, 675 S. University Blvd., in the Party Room. Parameters for the Book Club: Book Leader has read the book he/she recommends. The group seeks a variety of books, nonfiction, fiction, out long enough to be available, and consideration given to length of books month by month if long book is read one month, we go with a shorter book the next month. No meeting in December To Read this Spring of 2018: March 19: Mountains Beyond Mountains, by Tracy Kidder, Alice Silver leading April 16: Night, by Elie Wiesel, Diane Peterson leading May 21: Empire Falls, by Richard Russo, Pamela Munstock leading Questions? Contact Diane Peterson at dmpeterson3@gmail.com.

5 Business p. 5 Washington Park United Church of Christ Semi-Annual Meeting Minutes June 4, 2017 I. Call to Order 12:10 p.m. by moderator Gaye Denley. A quorum was declared by Mary Alice Parmelee. II. Review of minutes from January 2017 Annual Meeting. Nadyne Guzman moved to approve the minutes as written. Tom Luehrs seconded. The motion passed. III. Financial Report by Glenn Slocum o Balance Sheet highlights: In January, 2017 a gift was given and accepted. About half the money was spent to balance the budget. The remainder was spent on a new sprinkler system, the Appreciative Inquiry process, and bonuses for our senior minister and minister of spiritual formation. We received a significant, generous gift from the Toepfer estate which will be put into the endowment fund that supports the mission of the church on into the future. o Budget Execution report highlights: We are on track for income and expenses. About $13,000 of the income was from the one time gift received in January. The congregation will need to plan for that $13,000 potential deficit. IV. Moderator s Report A. Births Desmond Reed Chloe Hoogervorst B. Baptism Leo Ragar C. Remembrances Bob Peterson Martha Whitlock Sarah Mogen Harold Williams Several beloved pets D. Affirmation of ministry Jah Rain Ecclesiastical Council and ordination Hannah Ingram Ecclesiastical Council Nadyne Guzman EC this afternoon Nancy Neiro affirmed for her end of life ministry E. Highlights of the Church Year Transition from Luke and Tanya Rackers to Eric McEuen as music director Facilities improvements include improved drainage, replacement of sprinklers, effective mice removal, outside painting. Five formal program teams prepared summaries of their work that were made available to the congregation at this meeting. Many activities including Todd s representation of our church at the Standing Rock.

6 p. 6 V. New Business Community building - Food Trucks 2 nd and 4 th Wednesday all summer. Nancy Rosas, our minister of spiritual formation, will soon be taking her welldeserved sabbatical, July 1 September 5, Governance model - New design of Program and Administry Team meeting continues. Cathy Oglesby led a process to reflect on current leadership design and brainstorm possible changes. This spring it was decided that the Program leads will meet with the Administry Team every other month. The Administry Team meets monthly. Peter moved that we continue for one additional year to use an experimental governance model outside the by-laws. Gail Sidwell seconded. The motion passed. Mary Alice announced that she will begin to develop an annotated directory of the congregation that would include other family member s contact information that would be housed with the senior minister for the purpose of contacting family members if needed. Annie Witwer publicly thanked Gaye for her term as moderator. VI. Slate of new officers and committees for Administrative Ministry Team Moderator: Maggie Van Cleef Vice-Moderator: Bob Murray Chairperson: Gaye Denley Secretary: Cathy Oglesby Treasurer: Glenn Slocum Building: Tom Luehrs Program Ministry Team Spiritual Formation: Nadyne Guzman Fellowship: Pamela Munstock and another co-chair Worship Support: David Johnson Mission & Service: Elizabeth Hoffman and Beth McCoy, Co-Chairs Justice & Advocacy: Alice Silver Special Teams: Pastoral Relations Team Kathy Carfrae and Heather Luehrs Congregational Appointees Beth Hyde Pastor Appointee, one additional open Planned Giving Gail Sidwell (3 yr. term, ends 2020) Heather Luehrs (3 yr. term, ends 2020) Mary Parmelee (2 yr. term, ends 2019) Guy Twyman (2 yr. term, end 2019) Marge Muzillo (1 yr. term, ends 2018 Gaye Denley (1 yr. term, ends 2018)

7 p. 7 Authorized Ministry Mary Alice Parmelee Association Delegates Eric McEuen and Mary Alice Parmelee Slate of proposed leaders was approved. Bob Murray gave several awards Meeting was adjourned at 12:58 pm. Respectfully submitted, Cathy Oglesby Adminstry Team Secretary Administry & Program Team Meeting Minutes December 12, 2017 Attendees: Maggie VanCleef, Cathy Oglesby, Bob Murray, Glenn Slocum, Gaye Denley, Todd Smeidendorf, Tom Luehrs, Pamela Munstock, Beth McCoy, Alice Silver, Eileen Abbattista Minutes: Approved as revised In November Todd moved that we change the name of the Reserve Fund, 11.4 line item, to Special Projects Fund and create a simple formal process for the Administry Team to grant money from this fund for Special Projects. Program Updates: Building Tom Luehrs A crew did leaf raking. Bulbs have been planted. FISH-Pamela Munstock - Staff are preparing 3 days of food for the Saint Francis Center apartment opening. F3- Eileen Abbattista Hanging of the Greens went well. Unhanging will be January 7. Mission & Service - Beth McCoy Waiting to hear from Jamie Schwartz, the co-coordinator of the Women s Homeless Initiative to see if WHI will continue in Justice & Advocacy - Alice Silver Need more committee members. December 13 at 4:15-5:30 candlelight vigil for vicitms of Sandy Hook and other gun violence at the corner of Hampton and Colorado. Posters have been made. Assistant Moderator - Bob Murray Pledges are still coming in. Appreciative Inquiry Update Gaye Denley Allyson and Gaye met with the Men s Group to gather additional feedback. Summary of AI Lunch & Learn, Nov. 19 was shared with the What s Next team: Questions arose about Children & Youth Pastoral Relations Where does CMA fit? Naming connections with broader church Authorized Ministry Team What s Next team is preparing the proposal to present at the January Annual Meeting for congregational approval. continued on p. 8

8 p. 8 Dec Program & Adminstry Minutes (continued from p. 7) Assuming the new structure is approved, leaders will be recruited for the following 5 Teams: Beloved Community Team Existing Administry Team Moderator, Vice Moderator, Past Moderator, Treasurer, Secretary Messaging & Communication Team Processes & Programs Team led by pastor and moderator Church Culture & Community Team Beloved Community Administry Team Messaging & Communication Processes & Programs Church Culture & Community Rewriting the Bylaws will be part of the process for the Processes & Programs Team with the assurance that parts of the former Bylaws will be part of the new Bylaws, so important processes that need to continue are not lost. Financial Report - Glenn Slocum We are on track for spending. Line Grant is the Lilly Grant for Todd s Sabbatical expenses. Name will be changed to Sabbatical Grant 2018 Proposed Budget discussed. Respectfully submitted, Cathy Oglesby Clerk of the Administry Team WooHoo! Wash Park & FISH of East Denver Communities: Please come help celebrate if you can. Your contributions of time and/or money were part of making this project happen!

9 February 2018 SUNDAY MONDAY TUESDAY WEDS. THURSDAY FRIDAY SATURDAY Jan 28 Jan 29 Jan 30 Jan Women s Retreat 3 Women s Retreat 4 Worship 10 am Women s Retreat Journey of Spirit, 6:30pm 11 Breakfast in Church & Communion Ash 9:30 am Wednesday Art Song Service, Concert, 3 pm 6:30 pm Worship 10 am 19 President s Day Book Club 7 pm Journey of Spirit, 6:30pm Worship 10 am Communities in Conversation 7-8:30 pm 28 March 1 March 2 March 3 February Birthdays 12 Dalton Martin 13 Nathan Linkhart 14 Nancy Rosas 20 Shauntay Larson 21 Peter Witwer 26 Sydney West Staff Bookkeeper Director of Music & Arts Minister of Spiritual Formation Senior Minister Parish Ministry Intern Nancy Magliery Eric McEuen Nancy Rosas Todd Smiedendorf Ryan Duncan 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

10 We re on the Web! Washington Park United Church of Christ A progressive Christian Church in Denver, CO 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. Washington Park UCC 400 S. Williams St. Denver, Co Phone: office@washparkucc.org