“Teamwork is the ability to work together toward a common vision. The ability to direct individual accomplishments toward organizational objectives. It is the fuel that allows common people to attain uncommon results.”—Anonymous

More than a month has passed since the visioning weekend. I hope many of you had an opportunity to participate in what I construed as very energetic and productive process. Even though I supervised the childcare and helped in the kitchen for most of the day, I made sure I heard snippets of conversation and could feel the warmth and energy that was created.

The unveiling of the mission and vision statements and the affirmation of both signifies a commitment to the future of the congregation and its growth (perhaps in numbers but certainly in depth of purpose and intentionality). The goals that were generated by participants at the visioning day clearly indicated support for Lifespan Faith Development (LFD) or Lifespan Religious Education as it’s also called. Additionally, many ‘dots’ voted for Young Adult RE, Adult RE, and Youth Retention—all topics within LFD.

On March 21 during the forum time, 10-11 a.m., I hope to offer more definition and clarification about Lifespan Faith Development, a relatively new concept and approach within Unitarian Universalism for what we have long called Religious Education/Exploration. This is an important topic for the RE committee as it deliberates how LFD might be structured and implemented.

Deciding on this change, not just in a name, but also in philosophy will affect the job description for the settled Director of RE. It would definitely affect the committee’s work. Vision often implies and sometimes pushes for change. Lifespan Faith Development is more than children’s or youth RE, it’s more than adult RE—it’s a change in how one thinks of ‘church’ and what is expected from the experience of ‘church’.

I hope to see many of you at the forum and welcome your thoughts, concerns, or questions.

See You on Sundays,

Benette Sherman
Interim DRE

RE NEWS
March 14: No RE classes, but childcare offered
March 21: Regular RE classes
March 28: No RE classes, but childcare activities are offered for preschool-6^th grades
April 4: Easter Intergenerational Service (children in the service for the full hour)

YRUU Conferences: I hope everyone has attended the CONS this year. They are a great way to get involved and share fun and worship with peers. Scholarships are available.

MDD YAC Business & Bridging Conference
When: Apr 9-11, 2010
Where: Jefferson Unitarian Church, Golden, CO

My husband has taken a job in California. The boys and I will be joining him in June. Unfortunately, I will not be your youth coordinator next year. I have enjoyed getting to know everyone! You have found a place in my heart forever.

Please contact me at youthcoord@uulosalamos.org. I’m always here for you!

Sara Rose Dickens

Conversation Hearts—how they’ve changed over the last few decades. When the NECCO company began making these hearts in 1902 the sentiments were innocent and sweet: Kiss me, True Love, Be Mine, Sweet Talk. But by the millennium they’ve been changing to reflect the times. It’s funny how conversation hearts can have a slightly deeper meaning for a congregation dreaming, working and playing together.

Here’s a sample of the more recent sentiments:

• Dream team—Love My Team—You and Me—Purr-fect—Start Now…Doesn’t this just scream how important team work/shared ministry is for a congregation? (or From You I Receive, To You I Give?)
• Melt My Heart—Cloud Nine—Ever After—Amore—Got Love…Don’t we say, “Love is the doctrine of this church?” When genuine and respectful love emerges within our community, we all profit and grow.
• Wise Up—Let It Be—Chill Out—Time Out...Words to remember when conflict bubbles up.
• Dream—I Wonder—What’s Up?—Odyssey—Magic…It’s all about a common vision to create a magical community.
• ILU—UR A QT—UR A STAR—Email me—Fax Me—Page Me…Congregations need to keep up with the various ways to communicate and evolve.
• Cheer Me On—Teach Me—Rising Star...Mentoring each other into leadership helps with consistency, commitment, and knowledge transfer.
• Thank You—You Rock—You Go Girl—Bear Hug…Can we ever appreciate each other enough in varied ways?
• Sweet Home…Let’s create a spiritual home for all of us.

These little confections called conversation hearts do remind us to engage in ongoing conversation. If I manufactured these conversation hearts I might imprint on them such words as:

Imagine, Invite, Incarnate;
Clarity, Coherence, Consistency;
Enliven, Enthusiasm, Embody;
Voice, Vision, Vitality

The religious exploration committee deserves a special Valentine thank you for practicing the meaning of these words. The committee of Kelly Shea, Mark Peterson, Erin Boquin, Amber Ripoll, Kay Ulrich, and Jim Cooley have remained focused on ‘the big picture’ of mission/vision/goals while helping with the little (but very important) details of childcare, safety, teacher support and appreciation, resources, curricula, and much more.

My hope as we proceed with the RE program this semester is that parents and others partner with the committee to ensure rich and deep experiences across the lifespan. The committee can’t and shouldn’t do this work of the heart alone.

And did I forget to say to all the Cool Cats and Cool Dudes…you have a heart of gold.

Benette Sherman
Interim DRE

Some envision time as a circle or spiral, but I can’t help thinking of the New Year as a 90-degree turn towards something new and promising. The New Year signifies a welcome end to the frenzy of the holidays, and guides us to a quieter time for reflection, friends, and families. I’m accustomed to long, cold winters with lots of snow and have appreciated the song Find a Stillness in the Singing the Living Tradition hymn book. It promises that we will find true harmony as we embrace silence, stillness, and the essence of winter.

As the religious education program flows into the new year and the meeting time for RE classes change, I hope we can all remember, in the depths of change, to seek harmony—not with a conciliatory attitude of “go along to get along,” but in the sense of making, singing, and hearing something beautiful and dynamic. This meditative song also says that if we seek the stillness, silence, and essence we will flower or grow in spirit. My New Year’s wish is for this to be true for all and especially for the children and youth. There is a card in the Tarot deck of the magician with one arm pointing to the sky and one pointing to the earth. The magician is the connection or conduit between the possibility or reality of

Heaven (consciousness, self-awareness, love, God…) and the experience of this life on earth. Parents can act as the conduit for their children—helping them establish roots and caring relationships in a religious community and yet urging them to expand their thinking and experiences of what might lie beyond themselves and beyond this existence. You are indeed the resident theologians for your children. This might intimidate some and yet come naturally to others. Perhaps the extra time at church will allow you to attend Forum, talk with other parents about nurturing spirituality in children, or simply find a still and quiet space for reflection and prayer.

Let’s turn the corner together toward something promising, harmonious, and energetic. Happy New Year!

Benette Sherman
Interim DRE

Dates to Remember
January 3: No RE classes; childcare will be available.

January 10: “RE Switch.” All RE classes, except YRUU, will meet from 10-11 a.m. YRUU meets at 11 a.m.

January 17: No RE (Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday weekend).

January 24: Special Friends program begins.