CONNECTIONS WEEKLY Ogle Family for Their Help with Set Up, Clean Up, and Performing

From Kelly LoGiudice: Deep gratitude to my other organizers, Lisa Ogle and BOULDER VALLEY UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST FELLOWSHIP Dianne Ewing, of this past Saturday’s wonderful UU Passover Seder. Thank you to Scott Youmans, Charlene Jourdan, Marsha Perlman, and the whole CONNECTIONS WEEKLY Ogle family for their help with set up, clean up, and performing. MAY THEME: BLESSING May 8, 2016 From the Member Engagement Council: Many thanks to Jane Moss and Thematic Reflection: “Each week in worship [in some way], I recognize Gloria Pearlstein, who created a terrific New Member Dinner on April 29. and honor our ‘tangled blessing,’ that is, the way that life tends to arrive not Thanks also to Anne Bridgins and Brian Kenyon, Jean Cannella and Elena distinctly as joy, or grief, but rather all mixed up…In my own life, I know this Slusser, Meri and Paul Gibb, Hannah Grosser, Beth and Chuck Hensel, all too well: my children are adopted from foster care, which means that one Phyllis and Michael Herman, Wendie and Jim Highsmith, Judy Holleman, mother’s worst day became another mother’s – that is, my – best day. I think Loyce Jones, Prue and David Larson, Lucy Maret, and Larry Sherwood for that somehow, amazingly, the greatest blessing can come in the midst of the providing delicious food and lively conversation. And finally, thanks to Rev. most terrible loss. It doesn’t justify the pain or make it okay. It simply makes Lydia for her guidance and warmth while welcoming our new members. joy also possible, love also possible. And sometimes our task is to simply be awake and with a grateful heart to see the also-true story of the good in the From Lisa Kahn: Great thanks to Rich Evertz for creating an ingenious midst of grief – the blessing in the midst of suffering.” apparatus for hanging the Black Lives Matter banner. — Rev. Gretchen Haley, Senior Minister of the Foothills Unitarian Church in From Unity Plaza and the Member Engagement Council: Many thanks to Fort Collins, Colo. Cornelia Grondahl for generously donating the proceeds from the sale of her lovely, personally designed greeting cards to BVUUF. You can purchase these Next Sunday, May 15: “Youth Rites of Passage” cards during Unity Plaza. Rev. Lydia Ferrante-Roseberry, Ruth Rinehart, and Katie Covey, Worship Leaders; Rachel Stevenson and Chris Itano, Worship Associates UPCOMING EVENTS 9 a.m.: Coming of Age Service SUN MAY 8 9 a.m. – Mindfulness Meditation Group (Thoreau) 11 a.m.: Bridging Service for Graduating Seniors 9 a.m. – 5th Grade OWL (Barnum) Need a little hope and inspiration? Meet the future as we honor and celebrate 12:15 p.m. – Spanish Conversation Group (Alcott) our youth during these two distinctive services! At 9 a.m., our seventh and 12:30 p.m. – Coming of Age: Finalize Credo eighth grade “Coming of Age” youth will share their “credo statements.” At 11 Statements (Barnum) a.m., we’ll say goodbye to our graduating seniors during our annual 12:30 p.m. – Strategic Planning/School of the Spirit “bridging” service. Children fourth grade and up will stay for the services. (Thoreau) MON MAY 9 6:30 p.m. – Evening Men’s Covenant Group TODAY’S HAPPENINGS (Barnum) Mindfulness and Meditation: Gwen Murphy will share a tonglen 7 p.m. – Fellowship Singers (Sanctuary) (compassion) breath practice recording from Tara Brach at 9 a.m. in the TUES MAY 10 6:30 p.m. – Wise Women Spirituality Group Thoreau Room. We welcome all! Email Gwen Murphy (Sanctuary) ([email protected]) or Judy Feland, [email protected], for more 7 p.m. – Personnel (Thoreau) information. WED MAY 11 9 am. – Connections Weekly submissions due 7 p.m. – Board Meeting (Pauling) Banner Dedication: We will gather at 10:20 a.m. to dedicate our new THURS MAY 12 9:30 a.m. – Memoir Class (Pauling) “Black Lives Matter” banner, as well as rededicate ourselves to racial justice 7 p.m. – Strategic Planning Committee (Alcott) work and social equality at 10:20 a.m. FRI MAY 13 9 a.m. – Congregational-Based Spiritual Direction (All of BVUUF building) ANNOUNCEMENTS. SAT MAY 14 9 a.m. – Worship Associate Training (Sanctuary) Where’s Lydia? Rev. Lydia Ferrante-Roseberry will visit with her mother 10 a.m. – Covenant Group Facility Meeting (Alcott) in New Jersey this weekend for Mother’s Day. You can contact her by phone Noon – Guitar Song Circle (Pauling/Alcott) (720-272-8284) or by email ([email protected]). 5 p.m. – Coming of Age: Closing Ceremony

National Mental Health Month: Stop by the Boulder Valley Community Worship Associate Training: If the creation of “thin places” of spiritual Action Network’s table during coffee hour each Sunday this month to learn experience appeals to you, we invite you to apply for a position with the more about their work to bring awareness to mental health issues. Worship Associate team for 2016-17. We will take applications through Sunday, June 5 at http://www.bvuuf.org/worship-associate-resources/. We May Chime In! What can the Fellowship do to better achieve its mission to will offer a training session before your commitment starts in September. "Bring Love and Reason to Life" and "Build a Just and Compassionate Contact Silvine Farnell ([email protected]) or Bruce Martin World"? Let us know at www.bvuuf.org. ([email protected]) with any questions.

“We ARE Nature” Day Camp Needs Supplies: Please consider Goodbye, Katie! After 30 years as a religious educator for Unitarian donating the following materials for our “junk sculptures”: boxes, paper Universalism, our beloved Katie Covey will retire from serving congregations. towel tubes, duct tape, pony beads, and the like. No Styrofoam please! Drop To celebrate, we plan to send her off in grand style during our single 10 a.m. off these supplies in a box located outside the Religious Education office. service on Sunday, May 22. Stay after the service for a fabulous French food Additionally, if you know someone who could benefit from a scholarship for truck and a photo booth! Help us make memories to send with Katie on her the day camp, please contact Rachel Setzke at [email protected]. way! Please note that we’ll switch to our summer schedule, meaning that we will only hold one 10 a.m. Sunday service through August. Wise Women Spirituality Group: Learn about the Native American Goddess, Corn Mother, through song and storytelling during our monthly Annual Congregational Meeting: Join us at 11:30 a.m. Sunday, June 5, meeting at 7 p.m. Tuesday, May 10 in the sanctuary. Don’t forget to bring as we elect new officers, hear Rev. Lydia’s “State of the Congregation” items for our altar that represent May’s theme of “Blessing.” Contact Kelly address, learn more about our financial situation from Treasurer Wayne LoGiudice at [email protected] to RSVP. Itano, and vote on our bylaws. We encourage everyone to attend and participate in this important yearly meeting. Humanist Group Monthly Meeting: Discuss the use of labels like “agnostic,” “atheist,” or “humanist” during the humanist group’s monthly We Need General Assembly Delegates: This year, Unitarian meeting at 12:30 p.m. Sunday, May 15 in the sanctuary. If you consider Universalists around the country will gather in Columbus, Ohio from June yourself to be any of these labels, do you readily express your outlook? Or do 22-26 for the annual General Assembly. This year’s theme? “Heart Land: you sometimes hold back to avoid a negative reaction? Where Faiths Connect.” BVUUF can send five delegates – would you like to be one of them? Duties include attending the business sessions and voting for May’s Chat with the Minister: We invite visitors and newcomers to meet the Fellowship when needed. Contact either Sheri Price with Rev. Lydia after the second service on May 15 to learn more about ([email protected]) or Carol Pranschke ([email protected]) by Unitarian Universalism and the Fellowship. We’ll gather near the pulpit June 1 if interested. before moving to a quieter room. LAST WEEK’S ATTENDANCE Neighborhood Connectors Meeting: Neighborhood Connectors, 9 a.m.: 72 assemble! We’ll meet at 12:15 p.m. Sunday, May 15, in the Pauling Room. 11 a.m.: 94 Bring a lunch if you like – we’ll serve refreshments and dessert. Service members: 15

Treasurer’s Budget Updates: Wayne Itano, BVUUF Treasurer, will give a HALF-PLATE briefing on the budget for the 2016-17 fiscal year between services on Sunday, Unitarian Universalist Service Committee will receive $1,148.99 from the May 15. full-plate taken May 1.

AIDS Candlelight Memorial: The Boulder County AIDS Project (BCAP) GRATITUDES and the Interfaith AIDS Coalition of Boulder County invite you to participate From Rev. Lydia: We have a tremendous amount of caring that happens in one of the oldest and largest grassroots campaigns for HIV/AIDS among those in the congregation – much of it unseen. I offer deep gratitude awareness at 6:45 p.m. Sunday, May 15 at the BCAP building (2118 14th Street for those individuals that tend to those needing loving support. None of us in Boulder.) At 7:30 p.m., join in a silent walk through downtown Boulder to can do it alone, but together we weave a tapestry of love. the AIDS Memorial Garden. Afterwards, enjoy music, a short reflection, and a reading of the names of the local people lost to the disease.

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