Could You Survive on $5.15 per Hour? Faith Activists for a “Just” Minimum Wage
Johanna Chao Rittenburg, Program Manager for Economic Justice, UU Service Committee
Join Johanna Chao Rittenburg and a panel of UU and Interfaith activists working for economic justice in Colorado’s current statewide campaign to raise the minimum wage. Learn how faith-labor-community coalitions are tackling poverty on the state and local level across the US. The workshop will include a video on the Santa Fe Living Wage Campaign. Join Johanna and Dan Moen, First Universalist Church, Denver; Jim Bole, Jefferson Unitarian Church, Golden; and Greg Rasheed, Let Justice Roll Interfaith Organizer, Coloradans for a Fair Minimum Wage.

Welcoming All Children and Youth into Our Faith Communities
Rhonda Williamson, Religious Education Director, First Universalist Church, Denver, Colorado
Religious educators, ministers, RE committee members, parents, and others concerned about wholesome communities will learn about the importance of ministering to children with special challenges in this overview of the Involve… training by Sally Patton. Among the topics to be covered are: weaving all children into the fabric of the congregation; when children are safe and loved, we are all safe and loved; disability awareness; how labeling affects our treatment of children; making RE less like school; and more.

Moral Values for a Pluralistic Society
Rev. Deborah Holder, MDD Justice Ministries Service Area and community minister, Santa Fe, New Mexico
The success of conservative religious fundamentalists in gaining political and cultural power is no accident, but the result of grassroots education and organizing. Moral Values for a Pluralistic Society is an important new process and approach to public witness that will strengthen our capacity to be non-defensive public representatives of liberal religious values. This workshop is a follow-up to the spring 2006 gathering of MDD congregations in Santa Fe, an opportunity to learn specific action strategies, and a chance to hear the latest updates from the St. Louis General Assembly.

Rockin’ the Faith: Building Vibrant Young Adult Communities
Rob Fetter, MDD Board of Trustees, UU Church of Boulder, Colorado; and Jessie Trovik, MDD Young Adult and Campus Ministry Coordinator; plus a panel of additional presenters
Featuring a panel of young adults and religious professionals experienced with building strong young adult groups in congregations and on college campuses, including members of large and small congregations, Rob Fetter and Jessie Trovik will lead discussion on: why young adult and campus ministry (YACM) is valuable; strategies for attracting and retaining young adults in our congregations; strategies for building vibrant intergenerational communities; encouraging young adults to be active members of congregations.

Celebrating Social Justice in Worship Through Music
Joe Jencks and Iain Campbell Smith, songwriters and performers
International touring performers, songwriters and activists Joe Jencks and Iain Campbell Smith will discuss some of the many ways we can bring contemporary music into our worship services. There will be a specific focus on music of conscience, solidarity, social awareness, and diversity. One of the reasons the civil rights movement was so strong was because it was a singing movement. Likewise, the labor movement, peace movement, women's movement, and others have used music as a tool for organizing and uplifting. Joe and Iain will offer suggestions about how to weave music into traditional services, and how to create entire musical services that draw our attention to various aspects of the social justice that is at the heart of our UU faith tradition. Singing together is still a great way to organize, unify and inspire!
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Bringing Out the Best in Yourself and Others: Fostering Co-Creative Work
Sunder Kaur Khalsa, All Souls UU Church, Colorado Springs, Colorado
Team and collective work can be the most rewarding of all the work we do. How can we support others in their effectiveness and development? When our congregational work is a co-creative practice of showing up as our best selves and inviting others to do the same, our work, our communities and our spiritual presence are strengthened. Participants will gain skills in cultivating personal insight, an ability to reframe group work as an active learning project, and confidence in communication skills in a team setting. Sunder Kaur Khalsa, known to many as Anne Armitage, brings experience working with others on the local, district and continental levels of the UUA and as a retreat leader and coach. She is the winner of the MDD’s Robert D. Goff Walk the Talk award in 2005.

Unitarian Universalist Volunteer Relief Efforts
Jinnie Trabulsi, MDD Sectretary and Volunteer Coordinator and Community Minister for the Mississippi Gulf Coast
A little more than a year has passed since Katrina and Rita devastated the Gulf Coast. Jinnie Trabulsi, Secretary of the MDD Board and newly-hired volunteer coordinator for UU relief in Mississippi, will describe the conditions on the coast and present volunteer opportunities for you to help.

Communicating Effectively with Your Friends and Your Enemies: Strategies in Nonviolent Communications for Unitarian Universalists
Barry Johnson-Fay, Justice Ministries Steering Committee and Southern Colorado Justice Ministries Cluster Leader; and Denise Hall, candidate for UU Ministry and Northern Plains Justice Ministries Cluster Leader
Participants will receive an introduction to nonviolent, compassionate communication skill to enhance the effectiveness and mutuality of communication. NVC can allow Uus to transform "enemy images" which often serve as barriers to communication and change. The workshop will include an overview of NVC principles, small group practice of NVC skills, and stories of experience using NVC in MDD congregations. Barry Johnson-Fay and Denise Hall are active in the Southern Colorado and North Plains Justice Ministries Clusters, respectively. This workshop will continue during the 3:15 – 4:45pm workshop period.

Finding, Recruiting and Keeping Volunteers
Gretchen S. Cutts, High Plains Church, UU, Colorado Springs, Colorado
Gretchen Cutts will share her 30+ years of professional and volunteer experience to provide strategies for keeping current volunteers happy and for finding and recruiting new volunteers. Group problem solving exercises, along with discussion and handouts will provide new skills for building congregational volunteer rosters. Gretchen is writing her third book, Stretching Your Advertising Dollars: for Nonprofit Organizations and Small Businesses.

Five components of a Balanced YRUU Program and of a Church
Officers of the MDD Youth Adult Committee (YAC); and Kathy Vaughn, MDD YRUU Coordinator
The leaders of the MDD’s outstanding YRUU program will present all the components needed for a balanced church or youth group. A self-assessment opportunity will allow you to see where your congregation stands, and how you can move to more balance. There will be small group work, much sharing, and lots of FUN!

Just Do It: Creating (and Implementing) a Growth Plan for Your Church
Rev. Matthew Johnson-Doyle, MDD Growth and Outreach Service Area and minister, High Plains Church, UU, Colorado Springs, Colorado
To grow your congregation, you must figure out what is holding you back -- and change it; what is drawing and keeping people -- and do more of it; and you must plan to be ready for the new people who will come. We'll talk about the process and content of a growth plan, common pitfalls, and examples. There will be lots of time for discussion and questions. Rev. Johnson-Doyle is the past leader of the MDD Growth and Outreach Service Area and minister of High Plans Church, UU, in Colorado Springs. In his three years there, the congregation has grown by over 50%!

Religious Education and You
Alice Springer, Religious Educator, UU Congregation of Santa Fe, New Mexico; and Joyce Zaug, Director of Religious Education, Unitarian Church of Los Alamos, New Mexico
The second part of this workshop (which began in the previous workshop period) will focus on information for new Directors of Religious Education, such as covenanting, credentialing, and working as part of a staff team. Topics of interest to attendees will be covered as time permits.

Communicating Effectively with Your Friends and Your Enemies: Strategies in Nonviolent Communications for Unitarian Universalists (continued)
Barry Johnson-Fay, Justice Ministries Steering Committee and Southern Colorado Justice Ministries Cluster Leader; and Denise Hall, candidate for UU Ministry and Northern Plains Justice Ministries Cluster Leader
The nonviolent communications program, which began during the previous workshop period, continues.