Who We Are
Religious
diversity is at the core of our beliefs and services. We are
affiliated with the Unitarian-Universalist (UU) denomination, but
each UU church is operated independently by its members. While some
who attend our services have a UU family background, many of us come
from other religious traditions or from Interfaith families. Many
grew up Catholic, Protestant, or Jewish, but others are agnostics,
atheists, humanists, pagans, wiccans, scientists, or simply
searchers for a spiritual home for their own brand of faith and
community. Some people believe in God and/or Jesus Christ, some do
not, and some are still deciding. But each is here to undertake
aspects of their search in a church community. Many come to help
find answers either for themselves or for their children. We
encourage each person or family member to practice elements of
his/her faith, while sharing in a church community. For more
information on our UU beliefs, click
here.
What to Expect at Our
Sunday Morning Service:
We hold our weekly service on Sunday mornings at 10:30 am. Our
Service lasts about an hour, and normally includes music, hymns,
candles of joys and sorrows, readings, and a sermon. Sometimes there
is voluntary community reflection on the sermon topic. Children sit
with their families for the first 15 minutes and then they either
are led out to classrooms for age appropriate religious education or
they may stay with their parents during the Service. Parents are
always welcome to leave the Sanctuary with their children and attend
their child’s Religious Education class.
Minister
We are very privileged to have a full time interim minister,
Rev. Mary Wellemeyer.
Due to the variety of our Services, we urge visitors to come a few
Sundays in order to hear a variety of topics.
As You Enter
When you arrive, a Greeter will greet you in the foyer, hand you a
welcome packet, which includes information about the church and our
faith. Our Greeters will ask you to fill out a nametag so that we can
remember your name next time we see you. Families are often greeted by
Martin Blue-Norton, our DLRE --
Director of Lifespan Education (Sunday School Director) -- who can
answer questions, tell you about our age appropriate classes and
answer your questions.
Order of Service
A Greeter will offer you an Order of Service with details of the
day’s Service, Announcements, and Information. The Minister or lay
leader conducting the Service will advise you when to stand or sit
(as you are able) and announce when silence or meditation is
appropriate. The Worship Committee encourages everyone to show their
appreciation with smiles and nods rather than by applause.
Greeters will advise you when to enter if you arrive late. Sound
is available in the Lobby so you don’t have to miss part of the
service or if you need a time out place with a fussy child. You may
leave during the Service but please do so quietly.
A typical Service includes:
- Welcome
- Greeting
- Sing Children to Religious Education classes
- Announcements
- Prelude
- Call to Worship
- Opening Affirmation or
Covenant Reading
- Hymn
- Chalice Lighting
- Lay Testimonial
- Candles of Joys
& Sorrows*
- Pastoral Prayer
- Offering
- Sermon
- Hymn
- Extinguishing the chalice
- Benediction (all are asked to stand and join hands
where they are.)
- Musical Postlude
* Candles of Joys and
Sorrows in our time for people who choose to light a candle in
silence or share their joy or sorrow with brief words. Children
under 10 should be accompanied by an adult.
Children need to be picked up from their classrooms as soon as the
service ends. Children can play in the fenced backyard as long as
there is adult supervision. We want our children to be safe.
Holidays
We celebrate the traditional holidays in a manner appropriate to the
UU faith. These holidays include Christmas and Easter, as well as
Passover, Summer and Winter Solstices, Day of the Dead, Chanukah,
and Kwaanza, etc. We also note secular events such as Mother’s Day
or Martin Luther King Day. Religious ceremonies include marriages,
memorial services, child dedication/ naming ceremonies, and coming
of age ceremonies. In addition, we have our own annual traditions,
such as intergenerational services, flower or water communion
services, etc.
RE (Sunday
School) for Children and Youth
Members serve as teachers who follow a UU curriculum which
includes well planned lessons designed to help children understand
our faith and how to live UU values in their daily
lives. The nursery and one classroom are adjacent to the front
lobby. All other classrooms are behind the sanctuary. Children are
generally grouped by age and grade:
- Preschool (toddlers through age 5)
- Primary Class - grades K-1-2,
- Intermediate Class - grades 3-4-5,
- Middle School Class - grades 6-7-8
- High School discussion session
- We have regular intergenerational, team building, and
mentoring event so the children have chances to interact.
Children are free to stay with their parents for the adult
service; however, most children get bored and find the RE classes
better meet their needs.
Infant Care
Every Sunday a trained child care provider is available for infant
care in the nursery. A changing table is located in the nursery.
Parents are always welcome to stay with their infant, toddler, or
preschooler during the service.
Offering
We take a weekly offering by passing baskets during the service.
Visitors are invited to let the basket pass on their first visits.
Returning visitors may feel free to make a donation in cash or by
check made out to CUUC. Members make annual pledges that are paid
during our fiscal year; pledges and offering basket amounts are used
to support the church operations, our programs and activities, and
the Unitarian Universalist Association. Occasionally, we take a
special designated collection.
Music
Our
services usually include a Prelude, 2 hymns, and music in the
Service including during the Offering played by live musicians –
members, friends, or invited guest musicians. We have two UU hymnals
distributed amongst our seats. Our Choir usually sings twice a
month. If you have musical talents, please introduce yourself to our
Choir Director, Matt Fisk.
Coffee &
Conversation
After service, we invite you to join us for coffee, snacks, and
conversation. This time provides an opportunity to meet Members, the
Minister or Speaker, and other visitors, to learn about church
programs and activities. This is also a good time to check the
bulletin boards or activity sign-up sheets on the back ledge, and to
make friends in our church community.
Welcoming
Congregation
Columbine
Unitarian Universalist Church is a Welcoming Congregation, welcoming
lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered people to our community.
The rainbow sticker worn by many members and friends on our nametags
is a symbol of our commitment to diversity. We also support GLBT
community activities such as PrideFest in Denver.
Ways to Get Involved and Meet People
The week’s activities and contact people for our committees and
groups are listed in the Sunday Order of Service. Our monthly
calendar of events is online here.
Our Groups include Church Committees, Women’s Circle, Men’s Group,
Book Club, Prayer Circle, Biking Group, Women’s Hiking group,
monthly family events. Social Action programs are organized under
the Just Act Committee, and include Interfaith
Community Services donations and programs, Unitarian Universalist
Service Committee programs, tutoring at a local schools, and Green
Teams. We also have Fellowship dinners, potlucks, parties, and occasional
classes, and seasonal events. In many cases, childcare is provided
at no charge at our activities, but it is best to verify in advance.
Parking
Parking is available in our lot or on Webster Street. Handicapped
parking is available next to our main door. New visitors are
encouraged to use the designated Visitor spots.
Handicapped Access
All our rooms are on one level. We have a handicap accessible ramp
to the front door and a handicapped accessible restroom located at
the back of the sanctuary.
Dress
Feel free to come to our church in comfortable clothes – jeans are
okay -- while other people may wish to dress up a bit. Ties are rare
but welcome. Children should dress comfortably in outfits that allow
them to move and do class craft projects.
Air Conditioning
Our rooms are air conditioned.
Questions
Talk to a Greeter, a Member (blue nametags), the DLRE (Director of
Lifespan Religious Education), a teacher, or ask a Member to
introduce you to the Membership committee representatives or a
church Officer. You may also email us at
cuuc@columbineuuchurch.org . |