The world is a masterpiece. With each step she takes, the light changes. Color unfurls as different hues unfold. With each step the angles shift, presenting a different perspective. She is surrounded by such breathtaking beauty! At ease, she simply allows each new breath to come, grateful. Swaddled in beauty she moves through the world with an artist soul.

     Motherhood completed her like never before. Yet, there was also an aspect of diminishing. It felt like much of her life was suddenly put on hold. She had to let go of her art studio, her aspiration to earn a living as a working artist. She felt a loss without the time and place to create.

     Yet, she’s come to realize that being an artist is not something she can give up – it is an essential part of her being. Artist is her essence. She has learned that being an artist is about more than producing objects of artwork. She is now weaving an artistic path into life.  She has learned that the most important thing in realizing her artist soul is to pay attention to her immediate environment, and appreciate the beauty in the world around her. She enlivens her artist soul by so thoroughly absorbing her surroundings that she becomes a part of it – moving creatively within the masterpiece. Experiencing the beauty allows creativity to flow into her interaction with the world. She can take a morning walk into the great outdoors and fall into the masterpiece, into a world of awe. She’s come around the bend to a place where she feels more complete than ever before. She is now able to lean more fully into motherhood, into her children’s lives, and welcome the responsibilities that it demands.

     Maya Kraushaar comes from a family of artists. Grandpa Art was a pharmacist, and owned his own pharmacy until he retired – Nichols pharmacy. (Nichols, Maya’s maiden name – is derived from Nejaim and was changed to Nichols after Maya’s great-grandfather immigrated to the US from Lebanon.) But Maya remembers the special time that she spent with Grandpa in the garden and his little woodshop. Grandpa loved to spend time in his garden, and he created beautiful wood furniture of the Shaker style. Grandma was a writer. She wrote for the Berkshire Eagle. Maya has precious memories of grandma teaching her to sew, and long walks just the two of them. Aunt Maris is a writer. Uncle Arthur is a black-and-white photographer. Uncle Joe was a musician – a singer/songwriter, and played the piano. Maya and her mom got together with them all on most holidays, and visited the grandparents on special occasions. Mom is a painter, and was a singer/songwriter and played the guitar. She performed in the LA and Boston areas.

     Maureen Nichols, Mom, raised Maya by herself, other than the brief period living in LA. Though Maya’s upbringing was not typical, she had a good childhood. Maya was born in Pittsfield, Massachusetts, located in Western MA. When Maya was three, Mom decided to move to Hollywood to try and further her singing career. Maureen met Paul – and they all moved in together. He was a good man, and Maya would become strongly attached to him. They all lived in a tiny single-family home. She remembers bars on the doors and windows. An orange tree in the backyard. A beloved goldfish. A new swing set. Going on hikes and playing on the beach. Playing with a friend across the street in a big apartment building. Playing with snails on the wall. Earthquakes – watching Dennis the Menace when suddenly the house starts rocking in waves, her child-mind thinking that it was Paul hurling boulders at the side of the house with a catapult like something out of the Flintstones, and then mom comes crawling into the living room on her hands and knees with a big pillow over her head, yelling for Maya to get under the pillow with her, both of them crawling to the front door, mom yelling to a man walking down the sidewalk, “is this an earthquake?!”, and he simply replies yes and keeps on walking and Maya and Mom get under the kitchen table.

     After living in LA for 3 ½ years, mom decided that they needed to move back home. Yet, LA was Maya’s home. Maya loved Paul. She did not want to leave, and the move was very hard on her. When Maya and Mom arrived in Massachusetts they found out that the van carrying all their earthly belongings had caught fire and burned, including Mom’s guitars. All they had were a few clothes in a suitcase. They settled in Watertown, near Boston. They were extremely poor for years. In the fourth grade they moved to Cambridge, which became Mom’s permanent residence. Maya got involved running track with a small youth team. They practiced on the MIT indoor track. Maya continued with indoor and outdoor track, and cross-country in high school. Maya has always loved being creative, and in the fourth grade she realized that she was an artist. She loved painting, drawing, sewing, and making things from clay. In middle school some of her peers started viewing her as artistic.

     The summer after high school Maya was able to meet with her mom’s past partner, Paul. Paul from her childhood in California. This was a curative experience for Maya. Being able to reconnect allowed her to bring some closure to that period of her life. Around this time Maya was also able to contact her biological father. He is Lebanese, but currently lives in Saudi Arabia. Over the years she has kept in touch by using face-time applications such as WhatsApp and Skype.

     After high school Maya attended the Massachusetts College of Art, in Boston. It is located near Fenway Park and the Museum of Fine Art. Her focus was sculpture. A multitude of general education requirements consumed most of her time when she first began. She was excited to take welding and forging class her freshman year. She loved it until the day she had a bad accident on the stationary metal grinder. The metal piece she was grinding caught, and was suddenly tugged into the opening along with her thumb and forefinger. She had reconstructive surgery on her thumb, and missed the remainder of the semester. She was back in school the following semester, and focused on ceramics from that point forward.

     The favorite part of her freshman year was a two week trip to the Southwest. She was one of 12 selected to participate in a cultural education program. They painted a mural in the Boys and Girls Club at Shiprock, New Mexico. The group toured the spectacular landscapes in the Four Corners area. They were even escorted by a Navajo guide onto the base of Shiprock, where non-tribe members are generally not allowed to go. They were invited to a pow-wow, and Maya was amazed with the drumming circle of men from young boys to elderly, singing in unison. She saw wild horses for the first time. The experience dramatically changed Maya. The wide-open vistas, the contours and the shapes shifted 

something inside her and rocked her world. It fed her and became a part of her being. It called to her.

It took her three years to make it happen, and her time spent at the Massachusetts College of Art was valuable; yet, Maya transferred to the University of New Mexico. Albuquerque was magical. She loved the sun, the food, the way it smelled. She had a good experience at UNM. She really got into Raku firing and that was her focus in ceramics for the year.

     She met a boy, and the boy introduced her to Grand Junction and Mesa State College (Colorado Mesa University). The ceramics department at Mesa was A-M-A-Z-I-N-G ! The art building was practically brand-new. It was three stories, and the entire bottom floor was ceramics and foundry. After a year at UNM, Maya transferred to Mesa. The boy didn’t last long, but she fell in love with the Grand Valley and surrounding area.

     Maya’s senior project was a set of slab and coil built candy machines etched with comic-book style images and words advertising the pills inside. The machines theoretically vended pharmaceuticals from a fictional company called Remedex. One machine dispensed antidepressants, the second diet pills and the third male enhancement pills. Yes, contemporary American society – popping pills like candy. Maya’s degree was in ceramic sculpture.

     After graduation Maya worked as a server at the Redlands Mesa golf course and then tended bar and served at the downtown restaurant The Winery. During that time she had her own art studio, with a wheel and kiln. She also worked with mixed-media, textile fabric, and painting. Maya demonstrated her artistic techniques at the Art Center, taught at their youth camp, and modeled. She had art exhibits at GJ City Hall, at what used to be Planet Earth Four Directions Art Gallery, at the Art on Trout Annual Show, and at Studios on Kennedy. For the exhibit at City Hall, Maya casted body parts of her friends with plaster and then used the molds to create ceramic replicas of the body parts. Then she glazed them to look like they were decaying or almost becoming petrified. She nestled each part in a bed of sand and rock, and planted thyme beneath and around the parts. The message was: life from death, cycle of life, beauty in death, life in death, etc. Maya remembers going to City Hall once a week for three months with a watering can to keep the thyme growing. “People waiting in line to pay their utility bills would watch me watering these body parts. One lady commented to another person in line how disgusting the installation was. That actually put a smile on my face because it meant people were noticing the work and not just passing it by.”

     Maya met Paul (Kraushaar) at The Winery, where they both worked as servers. They worked together for about five years, becoming close friends, but didn’t get together romantically until after they stopped working together. They would socialize with the rest of the staff, and at one point joined CrossFit Red together and became work-out freaks for a while. They enjoyed talking with each other, cooking elaborate meals together, rollerblading together. Their romantic relationship grew very naturally from their friendship.
     Maya and Paul moved in together, and when Maya became pregnant several months later they thought they may as well make their commitment official – they got married. Tobias was born in 2014 and Phoebe joined the family in 2015.

     Three years later the marriage fell apart. There was a large financial burden, including student loans. And they had two young kids, parenting for the first time. They had no outside support. It felt like they were living isolated on an island. They were both feeling overwhelmed and depressed. Maya and Paul separated. They filed for divorce. During this period they both remained firmly committed to the children, and put the children first. The separation allowed Maya and Paul a different perspective on things, and about a year later they both started attending UUCGV Sunday Services, partly for the sake of the children. Then began a slow, gradual process of reconciliation. As the date for their divorce to be finalized neared, they discussed whether they wanted to go through with it. Ultimately, they decided to end the marriage, because it truly had been broken. Now, they are beginning again, living together, joining in a happy home.

     Looking back, Maya wonders if much of the angst in the marriage might have been avoided if they had had the support of a stronger community all along. Maya and Paul are grateful to have found this special community at the UUCGV. Maya and Paul and the children enjoy their time at church. It is wonderful to have found a place that nourishes their spiritual needs. A place that supports young families. A place where they feel that they truly belong.

     Many of you already know that Maya is our UUCGV Community’s fabulous, multi-talented multitasking administrator. Her work is the glue that holds it all together. Maya has been working for our Grand Valley UU congregation since November 2018. All who have come into contact with her know how capable she is, and how lucky we are to have her.

     Maya is looking forward to 2020, excited to see what the next decade holds. She is hoping to one day meet her father in person. She also has five siblings, ages 9-26, who she would love to contact and perhaps meet. When Maya and Paul find time for just the two of them, they love going on long drives, just talking and enjoying the scenery. Maya is turning the page to a new chapter, embracing motherhood and cherishing the simple things like watching her children learn to read. It has been delightful to witness the artistic development of her children. Tobias loves art – painting and constructing, seeing how things fit together. Phoebe seems to lean more into dancing and singing. Maya finds joy, peace, and fulfillment when spending time outdoors with Paul and the kids – exploring, hiking, planting and tending to the plants. When forced to be indoors, she loves making crafts with them, cooking with them, and dancing with them. Maya also loves doing these things on her own as well. She recharges during her times of quiet and solitude.

                                          Life goes on…       in endless song…

     Thank you to everyone who participated in our Vision 2030 Town Hall meeting in January!  Maya has posted the minutes from the meeting as well as pictures of the flip charts in the Member Zone of our webpage;  I invite you to take a look.  In the “Mission/Vision Dot Activity” I was struck by how evenly people put their dots next to all of the different lines of our mission and vision statements.  We as a congregation want equally to nurture each other, the earth of which we are a part, and to reach out to our larger community.  We strongly value lifelong learning and spiritual growth.  If we emphasize any one of these facets too much over another, we will feel out of balance.  We did not leave the meeting with a clear plan forward  from here to 2030, but I believe that our conversing clarified our values, and will alert us to when a “good fit” collaboration opportunity comes up for us. 

     The “Living into our Inclusivity Proclamation” event that was hosted at UUCGV on February 11th may be one such opportunity.  We found many people in the Grand Valley who share our passion for an inclusive Grand Junction community that celebrates diversity.  Two comments from that night’s brainstorming especially stood out in my mind.  One person suggested having activities in which diverse groups would be brought together: not as spectators, but working side by side, having fun together.  Another person said that we need inclusive gathering places in Grand Junction; places where people from all backgrounds can congregate.   Reflecting on these comments, I wondered: Could we help Mesa County Libraries to shape the Discovery Garden (next door to UUCGV) into a place where people from different walks of life can work side by side, congregate, and feel true ownership and welcome?  If so, what would be the steps to accomplishing this?  Maybe the first step would be to listen to the voices of those who are more marginalized in our community, and get their ideas of how to accomplish this. 

     You may have additional ideas stirring in your hearts.  Share the ideas that you feel passionate about helping bring into fruition.  Let us continue to “foster lifelong learning, diversity, and spiritual growth”.  Let us “live our Unitarian Universalist values of justice, reason, and compassion” into the next decade by “reaching out to the larger community, nurturing one another, and the earth of which we are a part” at a whole new level.  

​~ Elizabeth High

     Our planet needs our cooperation in order to survive. We need our planet in order to survive. Our children need us, in order to survive.

    We human beings need to learn new ways. Our current economic model that is based on growth is not sustainable. Yes, we need to advocate for macro level solutions; yet, sustainability begins at home and within our smaller communities.

    I present you with a few quotes from Mark Sappenfield’s weekly column from the Christian Science Monitor:

    “Zero waste is obviously about changing behaviors to produce less waste. But as my wife shared with me all the inventive ways people are getting around using plastic or reusing clothes or curbing the desire to accrue things we don’t really need, I realized that, really, zero waste starts with something else. It starts with consenting to change thought. The first step, in other words, is simply being willing to do something differently. In many ways, that first step can be the hardest of all.”

    “Once that first step is taken – the onward pull of reason and conscience be progress.”

    “At a time when there appears to be so much turmoil in the world, it is possible to look out and instead see something else: the world struggling with the perpetual task of consenting to new ideas. Politics today politics today show how easily we can become stuck in the mentally familiar. Polarization is groupthink turned inflexible.”

    “The world, on the other hand, is constantly demanding that we be kinder and more connected – that we think ever larger.”

    “The only constant is the universal need for progress, and that will never leave us where found us.

    So I must ask myself – 
Monte, are you willing to take that first step and begin living a more sustainable lifestyle?

~ Monte High, UUCGV Member

This is a monthly column helping us to get to know our friends and members in a deeper way. 
We thank Monte High for taking the time to do these in-depth interviews for us.

     Joel Prudhomme was born in Denver, Edgewater to be precise. The family lived in a 500 square feet house that his grandfather built. The kids had to go through their parent’s bedroom and the only bathroom to get to the small room with their bunkbeds. When Joel was four years old the family moved to Kearney, Nebraska – into a 27 room house that his great grandparents built. The kids loved it. You could get lost inside it. And they did. The small town of Kearney was an idyllic setting – Norman Rockwellish. There was a park right down the road where they could go play. Yet, it was difficult for Joel’s dad to make a living because of the lack of jobs for an electrical engineer in Kearney.
 
     Dad got hired on with General Electric as a quality control rep for the Air Force jet plane engines. The Prudhommes moved to Manhattan Beach, California. Once again, the kids loved it – the beach was a wonderful place to explore. Yet, they barely got their feet wet before Dad was transferred to Albuquerque, and bounced from one Air Force Base to another – in Rapid City, South Dakota and then Colorado Springs. When Joel was 10, the family jumped off the caravan. GE transitioned Dad into working with industrial motors, and the family moved back to Denver – Arvada. Despite all the moving, Mom was a loving homemaker and the family activities were always consistent, regardless of where they lived at the time. From here on out Joel’s growing up years would be a more typical, suburban life.

     Joel was sandwiched between two sisters, but it was a different time and he wasn’t around them much. They did girl things and he hung out with the boys in the neighborhood and on various sports teams. He played everything (there were fewer sports to choose from back then) – football, basketball, baseball, and even hockey though it’s played with only a narrow slice of a ball.

     Joel was also a good student and earned a joint scholarship in academics and sports to the University of Colorado, Boulder. He started out as an engineering student, played on the freshman basketball team, and joined a fraternity. During his freshman basketball season Joel soon realized that there simply wasn’t enough time in the day for basketball, his studies and all the facets of college life; so, Joel gave up basketball. And later he discovered that engineering wasn’t a good fit for him. He chose business marketing because it seemed like the most practical choice. Joel was more interested in psychology. He was fascinated with behavioral research. He graduated with a degree in business marketing and a minor in psychology. The plan was to work for a while and then go back to school to study psychology.

     Joel was dead-broke after graduation, so he went to Chicago to live with his older sister and her family. He didn’t get a job offer in business marketing in Chicago, so he took a job as a ticket agent for United Airlines. He thought the free airline travel benefits would be great. This was before computers, so all transactions were paper ones. Re-scheduling canceled flights were done by thumbing through the big multi-airline book and then calling other airlines to see if they had seats available, and then handwriting tickets. Not easy and not much fun when 30 angry people were backed up at your counter!

     After only three months in Chicago, Uncle Sam came calling. I want you for the U.S. Army! It was 1969. Joel was against the Vietnam War. A sociology class, school newspaper articles and student harangues had enlightened Joel on the history of Vietnam and the scenario there. He applied for conscientious objector status through his Episcopalian background. Joel did his required service as a conscientious objector at the University of Colorado Medical Center library. Living in the Capitol Hill area was an eye-opening experience. The urban setting was very diverse. Many of the youngsters were living “alternative lifestyles” and Joel integrated into the community. He was involved in the very first Earth Day celebration in 1970. He met a vivacious, attractive young woman – Kathi. After Joel completed his conscientious objector service, he and Kathi moved to Boulder and got married. The wedding took place in a wildflower field in the foothills of Boulder. It was a simple ceremony. Joel’s close friend Marilyn, an assistant librarian at the CU Medical Center library, is the only person that attended who wasn’t a family member. During this time Joel was doing a lot of still black-and-white photography, and eventually transitioned into videography.

     In the spring of 1973, after a horrible winter in Boulder, Joel and Kathi drove through Grand Junction. They hiked in the desert. The fruit trees were in bloom and there was little auto traffic. Boulder housing was expensive. ($25,000 for a medium-size ranch-style home in a 15-year-old neighborhood!) They had gotten into the “back to earth” thinking; so, considering everything, Joel shelved his grad school plans and they moved to Grand Junction.

     But before the story shifts over to the other side of the continental divide, a little digression: while Joel was serving his conscientious objector obligation in the CU Medical Center library, his close friend Marilyn started dating a young medical student. Naturally, Joel got to know this young medical student pretty well. Warren’s family had a cabin up in the mountains that they would visit on the weekends. Joel and Warren played a lot of chess, epic battles that sometimes lasted four or five hours. Who was this young medical student? None other than the late Warren Petersen, who was a long time member of our congregation. When Joel finished his conscientious objector service, he moved out of the area and lost touch with Marilyn and Warren. Joel was quite surprised when Warren showed up in Grand Junction years later.

     Joel and his dad purchased a 14 acre fruit orchard in Palisade. Joel worked the orchard, and also worked as a cinematographer – he shot 16mm game film for School District 51 high school teams and the Mesa College football and basketball teams. But these endeavors were not lucrative enough, so after several years Joel sold the orchard. Joel got a marketing job at Rocky Mountain HMO, where he worked for eight years. Then, he and a friend started a processed fruits business. Joel worked in the business and did the marketing for 14 years. Joel and Kathi had two daughters – Abby and Megan. They both attended Grand Junction High School. Joel’s daughters now live in Fort Collins, Colorado and Charleston, South Carolina. Each daughter has three boys, and the oldest is 11, so when all six of Joel’s grandkids get together they create quite a commotion.
When the processed fruit business began to struggle, it put a lot of financial stress on the marriage. In 2001 Kathi and Joel divorced.

     Joel’s friend talked him into getting involved with his construction business. Over the years Joel had also been renovating houses. He would remodel one house, and then move on. Joel has had six different residences in Grand Junction. Construction seems to suit his temperament. He’s a practical guy; it is fulfilling to build something and see the result of his work. Joel started working for Vostatek Construction, doing extensive work and supervising major projects. He was not your typical supervisor, however. When he saw something that needed fixing, he would often do it himself. He wanted to keep in touch with the hands-on part of construction. Vostatek industrial construction projects that Joel worked on included multiple repair/classroom remodels/roofing/irrigation projects for the City of Grand Junction, school district 51, the state of Colorado, and Colorado Mesa University. They also constructed new buildings at Highline State Park, and did extensive work at the Colorado Department of Wildlife and the County Hazardous-Waste facility, to name a few. Most importantly, Joel supervised the construction of Bananas Fun Park!

     Joel also joined the UU Congregation in 2001. Joel has always tended to be a bit reclusive. He liked having a progressive community to participate in, and he wanted to give the spiritual thing a whirl. Over the years Joel has been a part of almost every committee or team in the UUCGV. He’s been particularly active in the property team, doing everything from yardwork to inspecting and doing building repairs over the years. He worked on the irrigation system, and built the beautiful fence on the east side of our current property. Several years ago our community began actively searching for an available building that we could purchase, because the mortgage would actually be less expensive than the rent. Joel is a library patron, so he got advanced notice that the library was selling the property at 536 Ouray. The lightbulb immediately turned on inside of his mind. He knew the building had a strong foundation and could withstand a major renovation. It had beautiful, mature vegetation. And the location was outstanding. Joel actively promoted the purchase of our building and was involved in the initial design work. 

     In 2004, Joel was attending the Alternative Christmas Fair when he met a tall, ethereal being. Immediately he could tell that she possessed an uncommon kindness. Kindness was etched across her beautiful face. He could hear it in her voice. He could see it in her graceful movements. She had a delightfully playful sense of humor and a genuine, everlasting smile. And she was the organizer of this entire shindig – the Alternative Christmas Fair. Tables were set up throughout the expansive room, each supporting a different nonprofit humanitarian or environmental organization. The idea is to purchase a gift card as a donation to a nonprofit, and then gift it in someone’s name as a Christmas present. It is a way to give a gift that also improves the condition of our world and doesn’t contribute to the materialism of Christmas. Karen Sjoberg was running Grand Valley Peace and Justice at the time. It was easy for Joel to see that Karen was deeply compassionate, and devoted to working toward improving living conditions for all of God’s children.

     Joel and Karen were married at one of the overlooks on the Colorado National Monument. They are now living, happily ever after, in a little duplex on the Redlands. Together they are saving the world. Joking! If anything they are consoling one another. As long time activists, they have both learned that expectations are easily dashed. They try to focus on the joy of the moment, and are satisfied knowing they are attempting to put their best foot forward. Satisfaction, after all, is a key to happiness. It might also be the key to our current environmental crisis. How much do we really need? We need food, shelter and love.

     To give you an example of Karen’s current effort toward peace and justice, she is the founder of Citizens for Clean Air. Over the years Joel has been involved with many humanitarian and environmental causes. These endeavors give him a great deal of satisfaction. They make him feel good. Giving has that effect on people. “What do I value?”  “Am I willing to support it?” Joel chooses to give generously of his time and money.

     Joel tried to retire. He recently decided to phase away from big jobs for Vostatek Construction. Yet, he continues to work six days a week. Part of the reason is that he can’t say no. He continues to do mostly smaller remodeling projects and repairs, including work at area nonprofits. Joel enjoys being a helpful handyman.

                                                Life goes on…    in endless song…

     I have been thinking lately about the meaning of our congregation as an entity that changes over time and is nourished by the love, work, generosity, and creativity of those who are no longer with us. Two recent conversations within Leadership brought this to my mind. At our Leadership Retreat in September, Bill Conrod asked for a tally of how we first found out about the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of the Grand Valley. Two congregants who have since passed away were named as the connecting points to our congregation for a few people in Leadership. At our October Board meeting we started the meeting with the question “When did you first feel like you belonged at UUCGV?”

     Two other congregants who have since died were mentioned as integral to that first moment of belonging for a couple of Board members. These two conversations brought to my mind an image of our congregation as an evolving tapestry, with threads continuing in the tapestry from those who are no longer with us. Other threads in the tapestry come from children who grow up in the congregation and bring that experience into their adult lives. Ideally, this tapestry also enriches our world and touches the lives of those outside of our congregation.

     Monte and I first joined the tapestry of UUCGV almost 15 years ago. The time has seemed to fly by in a flash. The fact that children who were waist high have now graduated high school is a reminder to me of how much time has truly passed. In my mind, two of our biggest accomplishments in the past 15 years have been finding a settled minister whom we love and works together with us skillfully; and finding a home, a building that we own, that is situated in an ideal location for community outreach.

     In addition to these concrete “accomplishments,” there also have been countless precious moments that have touched each of us in different ways. Each one of us may have a story about a sermon or musical performance that touched us, a discussion in adult RE that changed our perspective, a transcendent moment as participating with other UUs in serving a meal at the soup kitchen or participating with other UUs in a march or rally.
​
     What kind of love, work, generosity, and creativity does each of us wish to put forward to shape the tapestry of our congregation into the future? What do we want our congregation to look like 15 years from now when the children in our congregation will be adults? What do we hope to have given these children by the time they are grown? How can our tapestry more fully enrich the world and touch the lives of those outside of our congregation? What impact do we want our congregation to have made in the Grand Valley community by the time 15 years have passed?
 
- Elizabeth High

     Alone, I traverse the path that meanders between the rivers. The land is narrowing and will soon come to a point. The sun is high in the sky and hot upon my skin. The path leads into the woods, and as the trees close in around me I enter a world of shadow. Light flickers down from above, at the mercy of the leaves’ dance with the wind. The air becomes damp and cool. I sit, still, as my eyes adjust to my surroundings. Otherworld surroundings. Being still, I watch, only my eyes moving. I listen. I tune in to my environment, immediacy, awakening my inner wilderness. Birdsong and the flow of the water, the depth of shadow. Each tree with its own attitude, reaching for the light. Friends, teach me to just be.
 
    With a renewed sense of belonging I move along. The path leads out of the woods into bright sunlight, intrusive, blinding. I pull my hat lower. Soon the river appears on my left, blue with flashes of silver though the water is muddied. The sound of rushing water grows louder and louder until I reach the crescendo where the rivers meet – crashing and roiling, swirling together to continue as One.
 
     These words follow a recent encounter with the Out-of-Doors. I took a little trip to Connected Lakes State Park. The confluence of the Gunnison River Diversion and the Colorado River is on the west side of the Park. I need to get out more. These outings into nature arouse the song of my soul. When I revel in the beauty of nature it reminds me to pay attention. It reminds me to treat every act as a ceremony – that every moment is sacred. It teaches me that, despite life’s travails, it is a blessing to walk this Earthly path as a human being.
 
     A couple weeks ago Elizabeth and I went on an adventure to (almost) Ridgeway. We visited the Dennis Weaver Memorial Park. Elizabeth unloaded my wheelchair from the vehicle and we set off. A few hundred feet down the path is a monumental pile of boulders and an enormous sculpture of an eagle in flight. The path circles around the monument – the four directions are marked and honored. There is a pile of various sized stones (prayer stones) and all are invited to create a cairn. All are invited to partake in ceremony. As I circled the monument I spiraled inward, awakening my inner wilderness. I became grounded in this place, cognizant of my place on this sacred path that I walk as a human being. The ceremony enhanced my experience as we continued down the path along the Uncompahgre River. My senses were heightened. Everything spoke to me. Beauty surrounded me. My soul was singing – how great it is to be a human being! O! The glorious pine tree – with two symmetrical branches growing upward from one trunk, V for victory. The graceful osprey cavorting with sky, circling around us to perch above the river. The school of large fish spied from the bridge over the river. My extraordinary fortune to be on this path with such an exquisite, delightful companion.
 
~ Monte High,  UUCGV Journey to a Green Sanctuary

This is a monthly column helping us to get to know our friends and members in a deeper way. We thank Monte High for taking the time to do these 
in-depth interviews for us.

     What makes Chelsea, Chelsea? As she is wont to do, she took the question to heart, and I swear I could see her highly charged brain begin to spin around inside of her head! She began “soul-searching.” When you get the opportunity to meet her you’ll soon realize that Chelsea is a beneficent soul. She is passionate about humanity. She wants to make a positive impact on people’s lives. She thrives while working together with others, creating a more benevolent world. Administering love and compassion.

     Chelsea has recently been contemplating a deeper intention toward the journey inward. Chelsea has carved out a little space for an altar, with the intention to be mindful of her place in the world. Thus far, the altar holds mostly pictures of her family and rocks that she and Ethan have collected on their travels.

     Family is very important to Chelsea. Hers is not the traditional nuclear family. Hers is wondrously varied and blended. She is the oldest of six siblings. Her sister Emily was born during Chelsea’s fifth year. Emily is Chelsea’s best friend. This summer they spent three weeks in Europe together – Germany, the Czech Republic, Austria and Poland. Among the highlights were witnessing the Berlin Philharmonic, exploring Leipzig which is home to many classical musicians, and participating in Kraków’s annual Dragon Festival while stuffing themselves with pierogis. Chelsea is anticipating Emily’s senior clarinet recital in October. The entire family is planning to meet at George Mason University to hear her perform.

     Chelsea and Emily’s dad, Agostino, was mostly absent. Chelsea, and then Chelsea and Emily, would visit him some during the summer and on weekends. Her dad had two children with Chelsea’s stepmom Allegra –  Ariel who is now 17, and Thalia, 13.

     Chelsea’s mom, Rachel, married Chelsea’s ex-stepdad, Erik, in 2001 when she was eight years old, and divorced when she was 14. Chelsea’s brother and youngest sister were born during this period of her life – Niko, who is now 15 years old, and Maeve, 14. Niko identifies as male transgender and is currently transitioning.

     (Aside – in high school Chelsea started referring to Rachel as Madre instead of Mom. It caught on and all of Rachel’s children call her Madre.) 

     In 2016, Madre married Liz, at their UU church. They met on an online dating service. Liz was an over-the-road truck driver. They had their first date at a truck stop restaurant. Rachel went on a week- long truck haul with Liz early on in their relationship. They hit it off, and fell in love. It was a nourishing kind of love. A comfortable, celebratory, complementing kind of love. Liz is a very calm and capable person, and tends to balance Chelsea’s somewhat dramatic family. Liz is now working in IT, so she doesn’t have long periods away from home.

     Chelsea is a cat person. She and Ethan have a large, black, short-haired cat called Pablo – Pablo Piernas. Piernas is Spanish for legs – when they first adopted him, he was so malnourished that his legs appeared impossibly long. Pablo loves going outside on his harness and leash. He’s not much of a snuggler; he’s very active. They refer to him as “action cat”. Ethan recently traveled to North Carolina to celebrate his grandparents 60th anniversary. The first night after Ethan’s departure, Chelsea was lying in bed and Pablo was lying on the back corner. Chelsea turned around in bed so that she was facing in the opposite direction, in order to draw a little more comfort from Pablo.

     Chelsea is very close to her grandparents Tim and Leslie – Papa and Grandma. They are very supportive of Rachel and her children. Some of Chelsea’s favorite memories are visits to Papa and Grandma’s house. They helped provide musical instruments for all of the children, and whenever they visited they would arrange a recital. They were especially helpful during Chelsea’s early years. When Chelsea was three, she and Rachel lived with Papa and Grandma.

     Rachel was a single mother. She was in college when she had Chelsea. Occasionally, when she couldn’t find a babysitter, Chelsea would go to class with her mother. Rachel likes to say how she would bring Chelsea to her evening astronomy class in a baby backpack. After graduation, Rachel started teaching high school science, which she does to this day. She would later go back to school part-time to get her Master’s degree, while continuing to teach.

     Chelsea Elizabeth Craine was born on June 8, 1993, in Northampton, Massachusetts. In the early years Rachel and Chelsea lived in various apartments in Massachusetts and Connecticut, and a year with the grandparents in Windsor, Connecticut. When Chelsea was five they moved to West Hartford, Connecticut. Rachel married Erik, and a couple years later when Chelsea was 10, they moved to Willis, Virginia. 

     Willis is in Floyd County, in the Blue Ridge Mountains of southwestern Virginia. There is one stoplight in the entire county, and it isn’t in Willis. They lived on a 36 acre farm, accessed by a gravel road. They had chickens, goats, a million (outdoor) cats, and of course horses. Chelsea’s chore was to take care of the chickens. Every morning and every night, watering and feeding and whatnot. She loved the cats. And she loved to ride horses. Her first horse was a beautiful pinto called Pony Boy, but he was mean and would butt his head into you. Her second horse was Princess Rhubarb – Ruby. She was skittish and could make for an interesting ride when she got spooked.

     Rachel considers herself agnostic. Technically they are Jewish but you have to go back generations to find anyone practicing the faith. Chelsea also considers herself agnostic, though as an 11-year-old she would’ve said atheist. In Willis, EVERYONE went to church. Where do YOU go to church? Emily and Chelsea started coming home from school with stories of children telling them that they were going to hell, that they were bad people. Rachel decided to start looking for a church so that the children could fit in.

     Rachel found a church she thought might work, in Blacksburg, an hour’s drive away. The UUCNRV – Unitarian Universalist Congregation of the New River Valley. (And we thought our church name was long? We Unitarians tend to like our words!) It didn’t take long for the family to fall in love with the congregation. Every Sunday it was a half day event. 

     Chelsea joined the middle school RE program. It was an eye-opening experience for her. They were using the Neighboring Faiths curriculum, where they studied the different religions and visited different local faith traditions. Yet, the fact that they allowed, and even welcomed, differences of opinion during discussion was most surprising of all. It was okay to express your own way of thinking. It was okay to express your own particular set of beliefs. Imagine that.

     The congregation did not offer religious education for high schoolers. Chelsea wanted to stay involved with RE, so she started volunteering as an assistant teacher for the pre-k and kindergarten group. She was also involved in the teen youth group that got together weekly on Sunday evenings and for special events.

     Chelsea’s first instrument was the violin, but when they moved to Willis the school didn’t have an orchestra. Chelsea learned the flute. When Chelsea entered high school she wanted to join the jazz band, but the school didn’t think the flute or the violin were jazzy enough. Chelsea learned the saxophone – the jazziest instrument of them all. The social world of high school was not easy for Chelsea. High school was not generally the happiest of times. One of the highlights was Jin, a foreign exchange student from Thailand that her family sponsored. They shared a room and became very close, best friends for a year.

     Chelsea attended college at Otterbein University in Westerville, Ohio, just outside of Columbus. Chelsea played the saxophone in the Wind Ensemble, Symphonic Band, and jazz band. She also played in the flute choir, and sang in a women’s choir and a mixed choir. She also attended the local UU congregation and taught RE classes for two years. She taught 4th and 5th grade using the Harry Potter curricula, which she adored. She earned two degrees – in music, and English with a specialty in creative writing. In her final year she took a linguistics class that left her enthralled – so much so that it would lead her across the country to grad school in Colorado.

     After graduation Chelsea returned to Virginia, and was living in Blacksburg. She was working at a music store, teaching music lessons and running the register when she wasn’t otherwise engaged. One day she met an intriguing young man buying strings for his guitar. A few days later he returned for a pick. Then he returned for more strings. His name was Ethan, and he was very shy. It turns out that they went to high school together. Ethan was a year younger than her so they didn’t cross paths very often. However, they had been involved in the same philosophy club during Chelsea’s senior year.

     Chelsea looked Ethan up on Facebook and sent him a friend request. And then she messaged him her phone number. And he called! They planned to meet for dinner the following week, on the night of the September full blood moon. Well, it was a cloudy day and the moon was nowhere to be seen. After dinner they decided to go chasing the moon. They drove into the mountains. They drove and talked and drove and talked, for hours and still no sight of the moon. They found each other. They found out that they were both complete nerds. They also had similar tales of woe. They bonded. A year later they moved in together, into a small cabin in the woods on the outskirts of town. The only heat was a wood stove and they didn’t really know what they were doing, so they did a lot of shivering.

     A year later Chelsea left for grad school, and Colorado appealed to Ethan so he joined in the adventure. After all, they were partners now. Chelsea attended the University of Colorado Boulder where she received her Master’s in Linguistics with certification in culture, language, and social practice. During her second year she found time to teach the preschool RE class at the Boulder UU congregation. Chelsea enjoyed linguistics, yet as graduation neared she began to realize that she did not want to continue in academia. It was Madre who opened the window into thinking about becoming a Unitarian Universalist Director of Religious Education. During phone conversations Chelsea always appeared to be happiest when talking about her experience working with the kids at the Boulder UU. Rachel brought up the possibility of becoming a DRE.

     Fortunately, Chelsea chose the UUCGV. She felt welcomed. She felt wanted. Chelsea was looking for more than a job – she wanted a community.

                                           Life goes on…         in endless song…

     Rev. Wendy has spoken at times about how we can have a rhythm to our involvement in congregational life, with some years when we are very involved, and other years when we step back and rest.  I think that after stepping back, sometimes it can take something special to inspire us to “jump back into the fray.”   I would like to share what that extra boost was for me.  It is a concept that sounds boring, but is actually powerful and intricate: “Constructive Program.” 
   
     I learned about Constructive Program about two and a half years ago.  It is a term and concept developed by Gandhi, and may have been as important as (or more important than) the “obstructive program” (marches and civil disobedience) to the successful freedom struggle in India.   Gandhi’s Constructive Program had 18 different elements specific to the situation in India at that time.  Constructive Program means that you are building something constructive to take the place of whatever unjust or unhealthy system it is that you are trying to change. 
    
     So what does that have to do with UUCGV?  Well, about a year and a half ago I was trying to think of local examples of Constructive Program when it hit me that UUCGV itself (and the Unitarian Universalist Association, and the Grand Valley Interfaith Network) has the potential to get that balance between obstructive and constructive programs that can help to change a society for the better.   Even as many of us are involved in protesting inhumane conditions on our southern border and with our history of some congregants going to Standing Rock and many of us participating in Pride Parades, Women’s Marches, and Martin Luther King Jr Day Marches; we also are building new systems that at their best reflect our 7 UU principles.  Our Religious Education program and OWL are building an educational system that teaches our children about their inherent worth and dignity.  To the extent that we live out our UUCGV Covenant of Right Relations, we are building a different way of relating to one another than what is depicted in our mass media or prevalent in our political system.   The Green Sanctuary Team is helping us create more sustainable ways of living than in the dominant consumer-based society.  Our worship services are a forum for us to work with Rev. Wendy to “build something new” every Sunday; an expression of creativity, musicality, art, written/spoken word all melding together to give us a glimpse of the sacred, perhaps overturn an assumption or give us new insight into an issue.
    
     Seeing the work of UUCGV in this “bigger picture” light of how it can connect with betterment of society at large really inspires me.   I hope that as we prepare for our Ingathering, this will give you a boost of inspiration as well.
 
- Elizabeth High

   This is a monthly column helping us to get to know our friends and members in a deeper way. We thank Monte High for taking the time to do these in-depth interviews for us.

      The theme of this story is music. Music is in the protagonist’s blood – it pulses through her heart and punctuates the rhythm of her days. From her core, the music plays. It moves her body with an uncommon grace and fills her mind with melody. Her soul sings.
 
     Amandalin. Amanda. Mandy. She truly has no preference. She is called by all three names within her family. She says she’ll answer to almost anything. Hey, choir director lady! Amandalin (a-mandolin) is a vibrant musical instrument. So, for the purpose of this article, the story calls out, sweetly, for Amandalin.
 
     Amandalin July Hunter was born on December 29, 1994, at St. Mary’s Hospital. The branches of her ancestral tree are far-reaching. Grandma Iva always said that Dad’s side of the family was mostly Irish. (However, Dad’s recent DNA test showed that, although the more recent history may be Irish, the ancestry is more evenly distributed between England, Scotland and Ireland.) This is where Fionna’s red hair comes from – her great-grandmother had red hair. Amandalin’s maternal side of the family hails from Japan. Grandma Helen was first-generation born in America.
 
     Amandalin didn’t grow up with many cultural traditions. Mostly just some yummy food cooked up with her mother and her mother’s sisters. Grandma always made sushi on New Year’s because that is a Japanese tradition. Amandalin, with a wink and a smile – “there is an old proverb that says – whatever you do on New Year’s Day, you will be doing for the remainder of the entire year. So, we always tried to have our cooking and cleaning done before New Year’s Day, so that we would not be cooking and cleaning all year long.” Her parents were not church people – religion and spirituality were not discussed within the family and were not a part of Amandalin’s upbringing.
 
     Dad’s name is Jim and Mom’s name is Jo but she goes by Ducky – yet they’ve always simply been Mom and Dad to Amandalin. When Mom and Dad were working, her grandma Helen would watch her. Grandma was amazingly kind and super witty. Amandalin also spent a lot of time in Loma with her aunt Mary. She was fascinated with the Dinosaur Museum. Family has always been a central part of Amandalin’s life. Her grandparents have passed away, yet her parents and several aunts and uncles still live in the area.
 
      Amandalin grew up as an only child, in a home full of art. Her grandfather was a painter: his creative work lived on the walls. Her father and her uncle were musicians: song rippled and swayed throughout the household. Her dad played piano and guitar – and bass guitar in the Hunter Brothers band. Her uncle, Dave Hunter, played guitar in the band, and is still one of the best guitar players Amandalin has ever met in person. Amandalin was always involved in music, starting with the piano at preschool age, and then dance a few years later. She studied ballet until she was 16. She was kind of a loner and did not enjoy school – except for the music classes. Amandalin was very shy. She wouldn’t sing with anyone. She would have her dad tune her guitar, and then take it back into her room and shut herself in for hours. Gradually, after much encouragement, her family convinced her to start playing and singing along with them.
 
     Amandalin started writing songs when she was 12 years old. It was also about this time, seventh grade, when her dad and uncle talked her into performing in a public place. She opened up for the Hunter Brothers Band at a coffee shop in the Redlands. She did not anticipate how stressful – and exciting it would be. And, until this performance, Amandalin did not realize how awe-inspiring the relationship between audience and performer can be. She experienced deeply the dynamic connection, the flow of energy between audience and performer. A family friend actually cried because she was so touched by of the beauty of Amandalin’s song. After this performance, Mandy began to understand the power of her gift – the gift of music that she receives, the gift of music that she gives – the interplay between audience and performer. The gift of song.
 
     In her heart, Amandalin has always known that music is the love of her life. Yet, in sophomore choir she met a music teacher named Marcia Kuhlman who greatly impacted her musical world. Marcia taught her professionalism. She helped Amandalin to see her musical performance as a craft. A work of art, yes; yet, also a set of many skills that can be broken down and practiced to improve craftsmanship and create an even more beautiful work of art. When Amandalin was 17, she got to meet and open a show for the YouTube sensation Danielle Ate the Sandwich, a folk artist that she admires. Marcia encouraged Amandalin to apply for entrance into the prestigious Berklee College of Music in Boston. She was accepted on scholarship.
 
     Amandalin introduced herself to the Atlantic Ocean; she discovered big city life. She also encountered The Big Blizzards and the city shutting down after the bombing at the marathon. Amandalin learned a great deal at Berklee – everything from vocal jazz to music history. She also had magnificent experiences. She sang first soprano in a choir that performed with the Boston Symphony Orchestra. It was an awesome experience to perform in front of a sold-out audience in her dream theater. She also performed in the Boston Opera House.
 
     Yet, Amandalin began to feel homesick, a very real and growing pain in the pit of her stomach. On top of everything else, the Boston Marathon bombing seemed to always be lingering in the back of her mind. It shook up the entire city of Boston. Amandalin needed her family. So, after completing three years of coursework she withdrew from Berklee and returned home to Grand Junction.
 
     Song still flows through every aspect of Amandalin’s life. She enjoys working with the wonderful folks in the UUCGV choir, helping them sing like angels, lifting the heart of the congregation. Amandalin also teaches voice lessons. She continues to work on her music, writing songs, practicing and performing. She has also begun to further empower herself by studying music production. Amandalin has had bad experiences with producers in her past. It would be fulfilling to work with young artists, and present them with a high quality product.
 
     Amandalin stopped dancing when she was 16 years old; but, rediscovered her passion for dance as an adult. She doesn’t practice ballet anymore – her new devotion is EDM – electronic dance music. For those of you who were fortunate to see Wendy’s July 14 sermon on “Frisson”, recall the video that showed how musical vibrations create geometrical patterns on water. The music playing in this video fits within the genre of EDM. Amandalin’s devotion includes community. The EDM community refers to itself as PLUR – which stands for peace, love, unity and respect.
 
     Dance as connection, with those experiencing the beat alongside you, yet also a deeper, more profound connection with the center of your being.  When you allow the music to touch your center, allow the music to move your body, it awakens your true self. Dance can put you in touch with the essence that is your true self and, paradoxically, also much greater than your self. Dance into the awareness of your connection to the earth, the earth’s connection to the sun, the sun’s connection to the universe…  God?
 
     Amandalin also fills up her days with workouts at the gym, fun concerts with her boyfriend Hunter, drawing and painting, supporting her artist friends, and just hanging with her family. And though she doesn’t often have time, she enjoys playing video games, which she thinks do not deserve the bad rap that they often get.
 
     Saving the best for last, Amandalin has a new joy in her life. On August 5, 2017, her daughter Fionna was born, also at St. Mary’s Hospital. Amandalin cherishes her time with Fionna. Fionna is at the age where she is beginning to get a mind of her own. No is now part of her understanding. Sunday last, Fionna grabbed Amandalin’s hand and led her all around the congregation. One of Fionna’s favorite activities is reading. Her favorite book is Time for Bed Elmo, which includes the lyrics to You Are My Sunshine. Amandalin doesn’t merely read this book to Fionna – she sings it!
 
                                         Life goes on…       in endless song…

This is a monthly column helping us to get to know our friends and members in a deeper way. We thank Monte High for taking the time to do these in-depth interviews for us.
 
      “What is the nature of the world we live in? That is a very complex question and our understanding of it is central to our beliefs. I don’t believe in fixed answers to most questions, but do believe in the necessity of being open to new ways of understanding the world. My beliefs have been changing, and I’m sure they will continue to change as I continue to live my life. I think of my life as a journey. In a journey, you and the world around you are continually changing, always becoming – becoming something new every second. I find that the Unitarian Universalist faith, which allows continual learning rather than any fixed beliefs, to be important for me and I continue to find community there that is of great importance for me.”
    
     Duane Carr is known by all in our congregation as the giver of the glorious, heartfelt bear hugs. His sincere kindness and generosity shine through with each embrace. This is also how Duane embraces the world – arms open wide, cherishing. Yet, anyone that has participated in one of the many UUCGV small groups with Duane, knows that he is a deep thinker.
    
      In the process of becoming the man we know and love, Duane has witnessed a change or two. He grew up on a cattle ranch on the Lake Fork of the Gunnison River. He had four brothers and four sisters. His mother had five children in seven years. “I think my mother was a saint.” The family was isolated. The nearest neighbor was a mile and ½ away. The tiny town of Lake City was 22 miles away and Gunnison was 40 miles away. There was no plumbing for running water or sewer, no electricity and no phone.
    
     Duane went to a one-room school through the fifth grade. They couldn’t find anyone to teach in that remote area, and thereafter he went to school in Gunnison. Duane has special memories of riding the range to check cows with his horse and dog, hiking the hills near the ranch, and branding calves.
    
     After high school, Duane attended Western State College in Gunnison where he achieved a BA in chemistry with a minor in math. Western State is also where he met Arleta. (*I wrote a newsletter article on Arleta a couple years ago.) Duane and Arleta were married in September, 1954. Duane was a year ahead of Arleta in school. They had planned the wedding for the following summer, after Arleta graduated; but, Duane was drafted for the Korean War. Duane and Arleta lived together for six weeks after their wedding before he left for the Army. Arleta remained in Gunnison to complete her degree in elementary education, and then joined Duane at Fort Lewis, in Olympia, Washington. Duane trained to be a medical aidman in the Army but never saw action because the war ended. He served two years. Their son Dan was born at Fort Lewis.
    
     When Duane was released from the Army, the Carr family moved to West Lafayette, Indiana, where Duane earned a PhD from Purdue University. His PhD work was in molecular structure (physical chemistry). Their son Don was born in West Lafayette, only a year after Dan. They had planned on two children and Arleta hoped to have them close together in order to get through the diaper stage and have that done with.
    
     When Duane completed his PhD work the Carr family moved to Crawfordsville, Indiana, where Duane taught physical chemistry and analytical chemistry at Wabash College. After a year, the Carr family picked up and moved again – to Cedar Rapids, Iowa, where Duane taught basic chemistry, physical chemistry and inorganic chemistry at Coe College. The Carrs put down roots in Cedar Rapids, where they lived for 33 years. Except for the two sabbatical years, that is.
    
     “After some years at Coe, I was searching for something different and accepted a two-year teaching assignment at the Agricultural Branch of the Haile Selassie I University, near Alemaya, Ethiopia. I am sure those two years made me (and the whole family) realize the diverse character of human lives and I know that it had a profound effect on my understanding of the world. I might have continued there, but being unable to get the children in a good high school, decided to go back to Coe College.”
    
     On the way back to Iowa, the Carr family also visited Greece. Upon their return they began once again to immerse themselves in the local community of Cedar Rapids. They reconnected with their open-minded friends at the Methodist Church. Duane returned to teaching, Don and Dan returned to school and began to reacquaint themselves with old classmates. Arleta went back to school to get her Masters degree.
    
     Over the years there were more trips to experience different cultures. They took part in youth missionary programs near Monterrey, Mexico. Duane will always remember a nine-year-old girl who he bonded with. “Yesenia...  She lived in a shack way out at the edge of Monterrey. She was very thin and I know she did not have lots to eat. Most of the other kids had suitcases, but she had only a plastic bag with a few thin clothes to wear. When it was time to leave, most of the kids were happy to be going home. We had very good food at the camp and I know that was special for Yesenia. She cried the day that she left and holding her was a high point in my life.”
    
     There were family backpacking trips to the Colorado mountains. In the summer of 1988 they began the monumental task of building a cabin from scratch (including the blueprint). Arleta and Don worked the whole summer and Arleta remembers it as one of the best times in her life. They continued to work on improvements over the years. The cabin was built on an 80 acre parcel of Duane’s family ranch. It was a timber claim that was not included in the mortgage that his father took out on the ranch. If you can’t get ahold of Duane or Arleta in the summertime, you can bet they are at the cabin. Once the snow melts from the high country, they make frequent trips to the cabin nestled next to the pond that is fed by a natural spring in the mountains.
    
     Some of the most phenomenal experiences of Duane’s life occurred during an Outward Bound trip to the Boundary Waters in the northern US/southern Canada. They spent 22 days on the water, traveling with canoes. Wonderful, wonderful times on the water, and participation at the campsites was also significant. One night they paddled out into the middle of a large lake, using only a compass to guide them. Out in the middle of the lake – a completely dark, black night – the northern lights came out and danced before their eyes. They leaned back in their canoes and watched the amazing light playing in the sky above them.
    
     In 1993 there was a volunteer mission trip to Tegucigalpa, Honduras. There were trips to Spain. There were Audubon trips to Costa Rica and twice to Arizona. In 1996, after their sons had moved away, Duane and Arleta were ready to retire. They took a trip out to Grand Junction and decided to stay.
    
     They attended a Methodist Church for a short time, but it just didn’t seem to be in the right fit. Duane remembered the thought-provoking ideas he had shared with people from the Unitarian Universalist Church in Iowa. Duane and Arleta found the group of UU’s that was resurrecting from a previous fellowship in Grand Junction. They met some fascinating folks, so they joined and became members. They have been with this group as it has changed and grown over the years, and have grown to love Unitarian Universalism. “We have attended the General Assembly (GA) of the Unitarian Universalist Association many times. One of those times, I attended a workshop by Ursula Goodenough, a cell biologist. That got me interested in her idea of Religious Naturalism. I was also able to talk with her at one of the Mountain Desert District meetings as well. Her understanding of life, its development over time, and its meaning, has come to form a good part of my belief system. Galen Guengerich gave a very interesting workshop proceeding one of the GA meetings, and he has helped my understanding of process theology. And over many years, the Tuesday evening discussions with church (UUCGV) friends have been important.”
    
     Duane tears up when talking about how much he loves our little congregation. And for over 20 years he’s put his love into action, stretching his arms out wide and embracing it in a great big bearhug. He is amazed and ever so grateful when he considers how far we have come since he joined in 1996. From a small group of 12 or so wonderfully strange folks wandering through the desert, calling themselves the Uncompahgre Unitarian Universalist Society, to sharing and renting buildings, and finally to the new wonderfully, beautifully strange UUCGV with our own magnificent building – a place to call home.
    
     Duane helped write our first bylaws. He has been involved in about every aspect of church leadership. He has volunteered at the soup kitchen for over 20 years, and for many years was the leader of the UUCGV group that cooks and serves lunch one Saturday a month. Yet, his favorite, most meaningful participation has come within the small group ministry. The UUCGV has had many small group opportunities – from the Tuesday night adult RE group to various covenant groups, chalice circles or supper circles. They are usually groups of 8 to 12 and provide a more intimate setting to get to better know our fellow members.
    
     Most of the traveling Duane and Arleta do now is up the mountain to the cabin, or to visit family. Both their sons now live in Texas, which makes it easier. Duane loves to spend time with the grandkids. He has six grandkids, two of which have his genes but that makes no difference to Duane. He enjoys just sitting in his yard, watching the birds, enjoying the natural world that is so important to the life he loves.
 
                                                Life goes on…     in endless song…