Torch Articles
August 15, 2017
Dear Friends: Please convey my thanks to the members of your congregation for supporting the work of the Unitarian Universalist Service Committee with the special congregational collection give of $324.00 which we received on August 8, 2017.
Together, with more than 50 grassroots partners in 20 countries and in the United States, you and UUSC are building a world free from oppression. From our work with women and children held in U.S. detention centers, to providing Syrian refugees humanitarian aid and legal assistance, to mobilizing against climate change, we are working to ensure that human rights are a reality for everyone. Our distinct approach sets us apart and makes us a forceful catalyst for transformation, creating real and lasting change for vulnerable populations across the globe. Your generosity and support are critical to our success.
UUSC is uniquely positioned to make a difference in these times of challenge and opportunity and I am thrilled to have the privilege to lead this extraordinary organization at this moment in history. Through our work in the months ahead, we will prove that love, community and empathy are powerful motivators and that the values that unite us are strong enough to confront the challenges we face.
Thank you for your contribution and for standing with UUSX. Your faith and commitment are an inspiration to us all.
With much appreciation, Hon. Thomas H. Andrews President and CEO
The Struggle is Everywhere
As a child of the South, and especially as a native of Birmingham, Alabama, I often ask myself, if I’d been alive in the 1950s and 60s, would I have shown up for racial justice? Would I have skipped school to join the marchers on the steps of the 16th Street Baptist Church? Would I have faced down the tanks and hoses with Fred Shuttlesworth? Would I have sung songs and prayed with Dr. King? Or would I have stayed at home, too afraid for my own safety to do anything but pray?
This is a question that white Southerners ask themselves often. For we are well acquainted with racism, and aware of what can happen when it is ignored. Case in point: Charlottesville, Virginia.
We watched with horror as people descended upon this college town with Nazi flags and torches to defend whiteness, a malignant and destructive illusion of cultural uniformity based on skin color, that excludes any diversity or difference. We cringed to see the hate unmasked, open and even proud, marching defiantly on streets we thought belonged to all people. Yet, even as we condemn such displays of hate, we who are socialized to be white are sometimes reluctant to admit the advantages that the illusion of whiteness confers upon us, nor how much we will be called upon to sacrifice to rid ourselves of this evil.
A few days after the Charlottesville protest, Salt Lake had its own chance to show that white supremacy is unwelcome and intolerable. I joined the crowd at a rally at the City & County building, organized by the Utah League of Native American voters, where speakers of many identities invited us to grieve, pray, and fight together as one community.
It warmed my heart to see Utahns denounce white supremacy and recommit to building a society of justice and diversity. Racism is not just a Southern thing – it is everywhere. And yet, everywhere I go, there are people of principle who are determined to root it out. It is so encouraging.
But if I can pass along just one message from the struggle in the South, it would be this: an anti-racist society begins at home. We must commit to living anti-racist lives, to rooting out white supremacy in our own hearts, first. I invite you to join me in a mindful search for ways in which each of us who are white benefits from the economic and relational structures of white supremacy, and look for ways to disrupt those systems. As my friend Rev. Theresa Soto says, “It takes all of us for all of us to make it.”
Activities Fair September 17th
Our annual Activities Fair will be held on Sunday, September 17th after both services. The Activities Fair is a great opportunity to learn about the various groups, programs, and committees of the church. Attention church groups: tables will be set up outside and will be available on a first come, first served basis.
Hospitality Help Needed
Hospitality Ministry needs volunteers for Greeters, Welcome Table and Congregational Life Table. Please contact Laurie Robinson at for more info or to volunteer.
Social Justice Film Screening Sept. 29th
Save September 29, 7 pm, Eliot Hall, for a free film and discussion. "The Wanted 18" will be presented and there will be snacks. This film is based on a true Palestinian story. The Israeli Defense Force is searching for 18 violators. Who are these 18? Are they terrorists? Maybe not. The villagers hide the 18. Who are they? This film has some animation and is appropriate for anyone over ten years old. There will be a discussion afterwards led by Just Peace in the Holy Land and J Street.
Auction - Save the Date!
Annual First Church Auction will be held Saturday, November 4, 2017 at The Falls at Trolley Square. More into to come. If you are interested in helping, please email Michele Page .
Seeking hikers and walkers
A First Church hiking group is starting up. Potluck Fall/Winter organizing meeting 6:30 - 8:30 p.m. Tuesday 9/26 Elliot Hall. Bring your day planner and a dish to share! Come meet other hikers and sign-up to lead a hike or walk. Contact Catherine at for more information.
Artists Discussing Art
On the last Monday of every month Artists gather in the Haven at 7 pm to discuss each others art in progress or recently completed. This discussion is open to all visual artist, watercolor, acrylic, oil, mixed media, fused glass, and clay. Bring work to discuss or just come to listen. Bring a light refreshment to share. Please contact Bill Reed at with questions
Mindfulness Group
Mindfulness Group Meditation is held Sundays, after the first service ends, around 10:00 am. (11:15 on Sept. 3rd) We gather in the Parlor, up the stairs at the south side of Eliot Hall. Mindfulness practice is shared, then followed by 20 minutes of guided meditation, and closing with loving kindness. All are welcome for the first time, to investigate or to maintain mindfulness practice
-submitted by John Rasmuson
The Refugee Resettlement Committee (RRC) seeks your help in making a silk purse out of a sow’s ear.
With the Trump Administration limiting the number of refugees admitted into the U.S. now and in the future, the RRC is expanding its services to those who the International Rescue Committee manage to bring to Salt Lake City. Two initiatives—the Basket Project and the Pedal Project—have been launched. Both are intended to provide the means by which First Church congregants may respond to a global humanitarian crisis by acting locally.
Helmed by Johanna Whiteman, the Basket Project provides refugee families with such needed household items as tea kettles, sheets, towels—dictionaries and soccer balls for the kids. A list is available on the RRC bulletin board and at the Congregational Life Table. Your options for joining the project are also explained there. Questions? E-mail Johanna Whiteman at .
The Pedal Project is led by Andrea Globokar. It collects gently used bicycles and gives them to refugees. Volunteers tune up the bikes beforehand, and donations pay for new helmets, locks, and lights. To donate or volunteer, please e-mail Andrea at .
The RRC, with 20 years’ experience settling refugees, believes the two projects will also afford welcoming, face-to-face connections with refugees as they adjust to their new life in Salt Lake City.
Both projects offer donation receipts for income tax returns.
Like the Marines, Religious Education is Looking for a Few Good Men and Women.
Here’s the deal: the position we’re about to offer features very little travel and few career benefits! It also includes no health insurance but it does offer huge thanks for your time & energy!
Oh, and we’re saving best for last: no pay!
Julie Miller here, Director of Religious Education, and oh yes, this is truly a call for volunteers.
As you dedicated regulars know, being a teacher in our RE program means volunteering. Which means you might miss out on the 11 am Sunday morning service. It might mean a couple more hours on duty. And like any teaching position, it will inevitably mean devoting time to planning next week’s lesson.
Remember Yogi Berra, the legendary NY Yankees catcher who invented many of America’s most memorable “catch” phrases?
Well, Yogi, our ever-prescient road trip guide, said “When you come to a fork in the road, take it.”
So we’re at a crossroads. The proverbial fork. Consider this note your invitation to apply for fabulous volunteer opportunities: we need two 1st/2nd grade teachers; we need a Christmas Pageant “Director”; and we need parents willing to co-op in the Infant and Toddler Room (109) during the year.
What at first blush might seem like a daunting and unrewarding task actually delivers immeasurable satisfaction. How? By igniting young minds. By watching children dig into lessons and projects they’ll want to talk about at Sunday night dinner or get back to the following Sunday. And, did I mention it deepens your faith development in our church and helps to connect you to our families and other members.
When you volunteer to teach in our RE Program, we provide curriculum materials, supplementary resources, supplies, equipment and, not least, support from a very dedicated staff. Our initial teacher training is set for Sunday, August 27th at 11:30 am in room 208. For those already “signed up”, we look forward to seeing you there. Not quite ready to volunteer? Come by and see what we are about!
RE classes for all grade levels begin Sunday, September 10 at 11am. As always, childcare is provided at 9 and 11am.
If you’ve never taught before but feel you might be ready to handle the job, the RE staff would be delighted to meet you and help you get over the I’ve-never-done-this-before willies.
Hope you’ve all had a great summer, and we’re looking forward to seeing you in September.
In Service, Your RE staff,
Amanda Esko
The Religious Education staff can be reached at 801-582-867 ext. 206
Reverendly Yours - Rev. Tom Goldsmith
UU Lunch Bunch (through August 27th)
UU Lunch Bunch is a family-friendly group for anyone and everyone who would like to get together for lunch and chat with like-minded people. Meet at the Restaurant on Sundays following coffee hour. For more information contact Sonia Carnell at (801) 262-1151 or
- August 6: No Lunch Bunch
- August 13: The Dodo Restaurant (1355 East 2100 South)
- August 20: Hog Wallow Pub (3200 East Big Cottonwood Canyon Dr.)
- August 27: Indochine (230 South 1300 East)
Mindfulness Group
Meets Sundays following Summer Forum in the Parlor.
Refugee Resettlement Committee: The Pedal Project
The Pedal Project is a collaboration between First Unitarian Church of Salt Lake City Refugee Resettlement Committee and the International Rescue Committee (IRC). The purpose of the Pedal Project is to provide free, gently used bicycles, new helmets, lights and bicycle locks to newly arriving refugee families in Salt Lake City. Donated bicycles are picked up my members of the Refugee Resettlement Committee who will provide a tax donation receipt. Contact Andrea Globokar, Project Coordinator at 801-518-7461 or to donate or for more information.
Looking Ahead
Summer Forum continues each Sunday at 10 am through August 20, 2017. Meditation group meets 15 minutes after the service in the parlor.
August 27th & Sept. 3rd: Worship services resume with one service only at 10 am. Childcare will be provided.
September 10th: Ingathering Sunday; regular worship service schedule resumes with services at 9:00 and 11:00 am; Religious Education classes for children and youth resume at the 11:00 am service only. Childcare for little ones offered during both services.
September 17th: Our annual Activities Fair happens after each service - a great way to find out how to be more involved and connected at First Unitarian Church.
Environmental Ministry thought you would want to know about the following recent publications and upcoming events/hearings/actions:
The Uninhabitable Earth - Annotated Edition. [David Wallace-Wells] July 14, 2017 NY Magazine []
This is one of the most widely read articles ever written on the climate crisis, and one that has stirred conversation and debate across the US. There have been dozens of responses to the article, many from leading climate scientists and bloggers. One from Dave Roberts (Vox) is: click here . Check out the Wikipedia page that is tracking the discussion . Plan to take part in an Environmental Ministry/Association for the Tree of Life series of discussions focused on this and related material this fall.
An Inconvenient Sequel: Truth to Power [Al Gore, 2017]
Century 16 Cinema, 125 E 3300 S, Salt Lake City (August 3rd, 7:00pm and 9:40pm; August 4th, 7:20pm; August 5th, 7:20pm; August 6th, 7:20pm)
According to the Internet Movie Database: “A decade after An Inconvenient Truth brought climate change into the heart of popular culture comes the follow-up that shows just how close we are to a real energy revolution.” Some reviewers praise An Inconvenient Sequel: Truth to Power saying “it takes viewers to climate change’s front lines” . Others say “it is a strange artifact of a post-truth year” pointing out that “its first press screening was on was on January 19, the evening before Donald Trump was inaugurated as the 45th president of the United States.” . Read the New York Magazine article linked above, check out An Inconvenient Sequel: Truth to Power, and then stop by the Environmental Ministry table to share your thoughts!
Rooftop Solar Public Hearing
Weds, Aug 9th, 2:00-6:30 pm * Heber M. Wells Building 160 East 300 South Salt Lake City, UT 84111. Fourth Floor Facebook
* Note time change – previous announcements indicated an earlier start time. Also note that As long as you arrive at the hearing room by 6:30 pm that day, you will be guaranteed a spot to speak.
The biggest chance yet for the public to participate in the rooftop solar fight is coming up on August 9th. Rocky Mountain Power is trying to raise rates on new rooftop solar customers. Read more about it in this Salt Lake Tribune article .
Over the last few months you have had a chance to submit written comments through HEAL’s action alert (you still can!) And guess what? Thousands of comments have been submitted!! However, nothing makes as big of a difference as in-person public testimony. Between the hours of 1:00 pm and 6:30 pm on Wed. August 9, the public will have the opportunity to speak directly to the Public Service Commission (the state body which will make the final decision on the utility’s application). Face-to-face you can tell the Commission how important rooftop solar is to you. More information: http://www.healutah.org
Last Chance Tour & Rocking Chair Blockade
10AM Mon, Sept 25 – 1PM Tues, Sept 26, 2017; Salt Lake City to Vernal to PR Springs Facebook
Hosted by Elders Rising for Intergenerational Justice
Elders Rising invites you to join us for a tour of PR Springs and a Rocking Chair Blockade at the tar sands mine. For the last five years a dedicated set of groups led by Utah Tar Sands Resistance has maintained a vigil at the site of a tar sands mining operation in the Book Cliffs. The mine owner, United States Oil Sands, (USOS), a Canadian company, has destroyed acres of habitat and risked pollution of water and air. The State built a $3M road to facilitate the extraction. Other groups that have supported the vigil include Canyon Country Rising Tide, Seeds of Peace, Wasatch Rising Tide, Environmental Ministry, and Peaceful Uprising. The vigil has included family campouts, action camps, and documentation of the destruction.
We plan to depart SLC around 10AM on Monday, September 25, and arrive in Vernal by around 4PM. Depending on our numbers, we will travel together in a bus, van, or private cars. We will stay in a hotel and in the morning we will proceed to the mine site near PR Spring. We will tour the area and plan to leave for SLC at around 1PM.
Besides our commitment to work for climate justice, Elders Rising is a fun-loving and easy-going group. We welcome all who are interested in seeing the area. The cost could be around $100 per person including room and transportation. We have a few folding rocking chairs and a plan that will keep us safe and comfortable.
This trip involves LOTS of PLANNING--we need to know as soon as possible if you are planning to join us or have any questions. PUT THIS ON YOUR CALENDAR TODAY AND RSVP to or to Kathy Albury at .
Assistant Minister's Corner - Rev. Monica Dobbins
Last Friday morning, I awoke to the news that the US Senate had failed to pass the “skinny repeal” of the Affordable Care Act, with a decisive and unexpected vote from Arizona Senator John McCain. Although I rarely find myself politically aligned with McCain, I took to Facebook to thank him for casting that no vote. Soon after, I realized that many of my friends were posting outrage that the male senator was getting all the credit, while the two women who’ve been siding with Democrats for months (Senators Murkowski and Collins) were being ignored. Was I not also outraged about this blatant display of sexism?
There’s definitely truth to that. I am only one of millions of women who has had the experience of seeing a man get all the credit for something I’ve been doing for months. I’ve had my great ideas stolen by men, right before my eyes. I’ve felt the humiliation of not realizing what was happening until it was too late to advocate for myself. Sexism is real – it is not behind us, not by a long shot – and it hurts.
And I’m angry with McCain for the way he did this: setting himself up as the savior of the Senate, inviting journalists to “watch the show” rather than answer their questions. Watch the “show” – is it just a show to you, Senator? As if millions of lives didn’t depend on this decision?
And yet: this vote was a victory. One person joined with two other people, one person picked up their courage, to do the right thing. It was a victory! I choose to celebrate that.
There’s a story about a son who loses his way, takes all his money and runs off to waste it in wild living. When the money runs out, he crawls back home and asks his father to take him back. The father is overjoyed at the return of his precious child, and wines and dines the foolish young man. Meanwhile, the guy’s older brother seethes with resentment: I’ve been here the whole time, doing what I was supposed to do. I’ve never failed you; why is he getting all the credit?
The father replies: “My son, you are always with me, and everything I have is yours. But we had to celebrate and be glad, because this lost one has been found.”
I believe that, in that moment, the young man’s father made a decision, not so much about justice for the son, but about what kind of life he wanted for himself. He decided he didn’t want to live a life of bitterness and anger. He chose joy, at the cost of the satisfaction of retribution.
No justice movement can survive in the long run fueled only by fury. The bitter herb of outrage must be followed by the sweet honey of celebration and gratitude. Otherwise, our hearts become corroded and hope trickles away through the rust-holes. We must cultivate gratitude, even when its recipient’s motives are cheap; not because the person always deserves our gratitude but because we deserve to live lives of gratitude. We deserve to live in gardens that grow wild with the fragrance of gratitude, tending even the smallest and roughest of blooms – believing, despite all the evidence to the contrary, that people can change, that they can do the right thing. Like forgiveness, gratitude is not just a gift I give to others – it is a gift I give to myself.
I’m not ignoring the sexism of the praise of John McCain in that moment. But as a former recipient of ACA health coverage, coverage that protected my family during a risky time in our lives, I’m choosing to celebrate and give thanks. It’s neither simple nor easy, but it’s what feels right for me. I have faith that the celebration will sustain me longer, for all the fights to come.
So: thank you, Senator McCain, for doing the right thing. Thank you, Senators Murkowski and Collins, for being steady in the face of sexist threats. Thank you, Democrats, for holding the position. Thank you, protesters, for sacrificing your time and resources to show up for justice. Thank you, thank you, thank you all.
Looking Ahead
Summer Forum continues each Sunday at 10 am through August 20, 2017. Meditation group meets 15 minutes after the service in the parlor.
August 27th: Worship services resume with one service only at 10 am. Childcare will be provided.
September 3rd: Worship service; one service only at 10 am.
September 10th: Ingathering Sunday; regular worship service schedule resumes with services at 9:00 and 11:00 am; Religious Education classes for children and youth resume at the 11:00 am service only.
September 17th: Our annual Activities Fair happens after each service - a great way to find out how to be more involved and connected at First Unitarian Church.