New registration form: Parents and caregivers, please register your children/youth using our new registration form no later than August 27. 

Party time! All children and youth are invited to stay after FF classes on Sunday August 20 for an end of summer and back to school party in Bowman Hall. Parents are welcome to stay, but can pick up kids at 1pm. Nikki and Harrison are excited to celebrate and ring in a new school year with you all!

Fall Festival coming up: Last year we had a very fun and successful fall festival. We are excited to bring this fun time for our children and youth back this year! Details to come asthey are finalized.

Fall Youth Faith Formation Themes: This fall we have some exciting classes filled with learning and growing in our UU values. Some themes include: Welcoming, Heritage and Generosity. As UUs we hold these values close and encourage our children and youth to grow with them! Join Nikki and Harrison on Sundays for fun learning! Note: Classes will split by grade/age starting August 27th.

Multi-generational service led by FF children and youth: FF staff are planning for a service led and directed by the children and youth on October 15th (tentative). Parents/Guardians/Caregivers: Put this date in your calendar!

Grandparents and Friends of Our Kids: Would you like to be added to the distribution list that regularly keeps caregivers up-to-date on Faith Formation activities for our youth? Send an email to faithformation@durangouu.org to be added.

Sharon Mignerey, Coordinator for Faith Formation, will be out of the office July 17 through August 6. If you have questions or need assistance from Faith Formation during this time, please reach out to Harrison Wendt, Youth Programming Coordinator.  

Plans are underway for the autumn kick off. Faith Formation has a number of programs planned for both kids and adults beginning after September 1. The date for the Fall Festival will be announced soon. 

A UU Writers group that uses the prompts supplied by (Soul Matters) UU Writers will launch in September. If you’d like to see a sample packet of what this program will be like, click here. 

A Creativity Matters group that uses the prompts supplied by (Soul Matters) Creativity will also launch in September. If you’d like to see a sample packet of what this program will be like, click here. 

Stay tuned through e-announcements and the newsletter for more!

Welcome to our new Coordinator of Faith Formation Sharon Mignerey!

A summer resident for many years, Sharon is happy to have returned home to Durango last year after living in Houston TX for the last 16 years and Denver for the previous 30. She has been a licensed practitioner with the Centers for Spiritual Living for 12 years, has taught college-level English and Composition, has worked as a technical writer, and is the author of twelve novels. She regards herself as a writer, teacher, and spiritual seeker always ready to explore new ideas. One of the principles she strives to live by is “Look for the Good and praise it.”

Sharon takes up her new position on July 1. She is looking forward to new friendships at UUFD.

Hello!

Greeting you all for the first time is such a pleasure. Let me introduce myself: I’m the Rev. Leah Ongiri (please, call me Leah or whatever makes you most comfortable) and I get to be your new half time family ministry coordinator this program year. I’ve known and respected Rev. Katie for years, and welcome this chance to get to work with her through the end of her ministry here.

Are your ears burning? Hope so, because she has been telling me beautiful things about Unitarian Universalism in Durango. I’ve been hearing that you are a dedicated bunch, connected to each other, and deeply caring about your congregation and community. Immediately after my first conversation with Rev. Katie about coming on staff, I went to your website and read that your mission is to love courageously, inspire spiritual growth, and work for justice. “Ah,” I thought, “my kind of people!” I can’t wait to help support your families and get to know each of you more personally as the months unfold.

I grew up Unitarian Universalist and Jewish in Portland, Oregon. I just moved back to Portland this summer with my family. My partner Amy is a professor, and our children are 12, 10, 9, and 8. I’ve been a UU minister for about 14 years, with my last and longest ministry being at the Fox Valley UU Fellowship in Appleton, Wisconsin. In fact, I’m still serving them part time until the end of November, at which time I will conclude my 10 years of service there. My favorite activities during off hours are cooking with my kids, rainy nature walks, and writing poetry. Probably the most important piece of information about me is that my tuxedo cat Luna Rose likes to prowl in the background of Zoom meetings. 

Now it’s your turn! If you’d like, drop me a line at familyministry @ durangouu.org to introduce yourself and tell me something I should know about the Fellowship or greater Durango. Or be sure to say hi when we encounter each other at a virtual Fellowship event.

Bright blessings!

Leah