Monday, February 8th, 2016
Leaders from ten Grand Junction agencies will describe how their organizations provide “Help for the Homeless” at a League of Women Voters’ public meeting Monday, February 8th at 7 pm at UUCGV. A social at 6:30 will precede the program.
Panelists include; Dustin Bovee, Community Resource Unit of GJPD, Bennett Boeschenstein, Grand Junction City Councilman, Kathy Haller, School District 51, Sherry Cole, Grand Valley Peace and Justice, and Joyce Jade, Executive Director of Homeward Bound. Julie Mamo will facilitate.
 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/events/1737526059813708/

​Many hands make light work!
 
Spring clean up days will occur in March, one for indoors (March 5th?) and one for outdoors (March 19?). This year we are going to sign people up for specific projects ahead of time. We know that all our volunteers will be working hard during the homeless stay, so we will be spreading the duties around to make it easier for everyone to participate! Sign up at church or by calling the office.
 

This will be an exciting and inspiring evening hosted by UUCGV, First Congregational Church, and Western Colorado Congress February 16, 2016 at First Congregational Church (at 1425 N. 5th St, across from Grand Junction High School).
     The evening will begin at 5:30 with dinner and the program will go from 6-8:30.  We will be looking at the spiritual/philosophical aspects of faith communities coming together with some practical guidelines of how to implement and make it happen.  
Organizing: What the $@%* is Organizing?
1. Convening - who's in the room and why are we here (30 minutes)? What's calling us here? Do we feel like something is missing in our mission work?
2. Extended Reflection - The world we live in and the world we want to live in (40 minutes). Community organizing is the bridge between these worlds.
3. Approaches to Fight Injustice (60 minutes). Understanding distinctions in service/advocacy/organizing approaches and how can these work together?
4. Where Do We Go From Here? (10 minutes) Next steps.
5. Eval (10 minutes) Just how awesome was tonight? Thinking/feeling/doing. This evening is open to anybody who has a passion for bringing our faith communities together in an organized and justice centered way.

     The article below was written by, and, posted on Facebook, by Kenny Wiley, a black man, a lifelong Unitarian Universalist, and a Director of Faith Formation at Prairie UU outside of Denver. 

I need my Unitarian Universalist faith family to read this post.
     I feel icky writing that--like, you can make your own decisions, right? But what happened this weekend, in terms of our racial justice hopes and dreams as a faith, is that important.
     I served as an advisor at the MLK youth con in Denver over the weekend. The 75ish youth, who spent the weekend engaging in racial justice work, asked: Would we stick with the traditional Marade route, 15,000ish strong, or would we take some risks and join the hundreds planning to "#ReclaimMLK" on an alternate route?
     Those who work with youth can especially imagine how many questions such a dilemma brought up. The logistics and back-and-forths, while important, are not the point here. 
     In the course of the community discussing whether--and how--to participate in the civil disobedience, some of our youth of color felt frustrated and dismissed in the large group conversation, both by white youth and white adult advisors. One UU youth of color spoke their disappointment, people clapped and thanked them for speaking, and then the group moved on. As tears began flowing, it was clear something needed to be done.
     In general I consider myself a decent, but not great, religious educator. I like my job at Prairie UU--our congregation SHOWED UP at the Marade Monday, by the way--but I'm more known for my work with UU World.  The fact that I was in the room--and that two other religious professionals of color were also in the space--made a HUGE difference.
     Though there were only a dozen(ish) people of color in the room out of 90-something, I decided to take a risk and ask the youth of color if they wanted to caucus to have a safer space in which to talk.
     I call it a risk because 15-year-old me never would have accepted. Hole up with other black & brown folks away from everyone else? Um, no. But I asked anyway because 16-year-old me would've wanted to say yes.
17-year-old Texan UU me had but one advisor of color around (and his attendance was erratic due to work) and needed a mentor who looked like me.
     The youth of color said yes to the caucus, and said yes to themselves.
     What they decided is important, but again, not the point here. Over the course of a night--with guest appearances from Black Lives Matter, activists who happened to be in the building, and who gave their time to youth they didn't know from a faith they don't share the night before some huge, risky actions… the UU youth of color went from "Wait, we can caucus?" to "Yeah, UU advisors of color and BLM folks, thanks, but we got this." 
     IN ONE NIGHT.
     They do "got this."
     White UU friends, when we talk about making our faith more diverse and our staffs more diverse, it's not just about you. It's about our youth of color who often grow up in white friend groups and sometimes in white families. It's about the fact that the MDD adult staff who serve youth has some INCREDIBLE white folks on it, but the three of us folks of color, with our own journeys of pain and training and discovery, were the ones who made the call to help the youth of color center themselves.
     The youth of color, as they found and wielded their power, helped lead our community into a powerful space that honored where folks are on their journeys. Those ready to join the front lines and sing, "Which side are you on?" got to sing. Those who needed to be with the main march got to be--and in the end, we all sang, "Eyes on the Prize," and others, together, because of those YoC.
     The youth of color spoke truth to white adults who needed to hear it, those who have incredible souls and hearts and still, at key times, can get in the way.
     Friends, this work is not hypothetical. It is not abstract. The work of UU religious professionals of color sometimes goes un(der)appreciated, and sometimes gets overpraised out of guilt. But make no mistake: we matter. When you think of "who we are" as UUs, you better not forget us.
     UUs of color make concessions every Sunday, and on some weeknights, as well. I am in this faith because it is home, theologically and otherwise. If you are white and UU and reading this, I consider you my family, micro/macroaggressions and all. That room of youth and adults of color, mostly UUs...that was home. That's my ministry, even as I gladly serve the larger faith. 
     (Adults of Color): We need to be in the damn room.
Every UU reading this: I love you. 
UUs-and-other folks of color: I need you to survive.
(andmaybeshareifyouwannna)
Kenny Wiley

I rise for survivors of gender violence. Will you?!
Saturday February 20th at 10 am
CMU Meyer Ballroom, 1100 North Ave.
We speak to create awareness, share to empower, sing to inspire, and dance to celebrate! Knowing that together, all of us, can create real change and usher in a new era that embraces humanity and kindness as strength. Come to be inspired, hear motivational speakers, music & dancing!

I drew this using a photo I took at the Denver MLK March/Parade this last weekend (Jan. 16th). I've titled it "Why We March!" I was proud to be marching, singing, and chanting with the UU Youth from CO, NM, UT, and WY.
~Shari Daly-Miller

Housing Low-Income People

Lori Rosendahl, Chief Operating Officer for the Grand Junction Housing Authority, will speak at the Mesa County League of Women Voters’ program on Monday, January 11th at 7:00 pm at UUCGV. A social with light fare and refreshments will precede the 7:00 pm program.