Torch Articles

As an RE team, when we chose the theme Faith In Action for our church year, we had no idea how timely it would be. To further our growth as a faith community, we added two new programs,  Service Sunday and UU@Home. These programs have been designed to compliment our theme, guiding our youth in action and service in our community, as well as the larger community and world.

On our first Service Sunday, on October 22nd,  we participated in a nation-wide UU White Supremacy Teach-In. Through advocacy and research, two essential elements of service learning, our youth grappled with topics such as racial identity and privilege.  Next, we met with members of the Refugee Resettlement Committee(RRC) and learned about their work with the International Rescue Committee.  As a community, we learned what it's like to live in impoverished and war-torn countries, and discussed how it would feel to move to someplace completely different.  The RRC challenged us to find and befriend refugees in our own schools and communities. In January we learned about the Sanctuary Solidarity Network and First Church’s place in Utah’s history of providing sanctuary. We tied quilts and made beautiful collaborative paintings to make the residence in our own church a bit more welcoming.  This month Nuzzles & Co. came (with puppies!) to teach us about their efforts to find homes for animals throughout Utah. The youth also enhanced their knot tying and braiding skills by making dog and cat toys to donate to the shelter.  We hope to continue the year with equally enriching service opportunities.  We are continuing our service project from last year, Sandwich Sunday.  For those of you who are new, the youth prepare 40 sack lunches for homeless teens at the Volunteers of America shelter each month.  In March a speaker from the VOA will be telling us more about where our sandwiches go and the community it’s serving.  

April will be The Big Give! The goal of the Big Give is to encourage our youth to reflect and evaluate the community partners we’ve teamed with, and give big to them!  Step one: Make a box!  In RE, we will be making our own Giving Boxes.  We’ll brainstorm ways they can earn money for their Giving Boxes asking them to bring the boxes back to church a week before Easter Sunday.  Step two: Learn to evaluate a charity.  We will discuss each of the community partners we learned about this year and each child will decide which partner to give their hard-earned dollars to.

And finally, UU@Home is a brand new class for families to explore being a Unitarian in fun ways--together!  We hope to seek ways to bring home the things we discuss each week at church.  We’ll learn more about the 7 principles, practice some gratitude, and maybe throw down some family yoga.  Find us in Little Chapel on the last Sunday of each month at 10:15!   Our youth have been eager learners and active helpers! It is a gift and a joy to lead them!

Our teachers are amazing!  As the lower school closes out another curriculum block, the RE team would like to thank our teachers once again!

• Infant-Three year olds: Erin Cowley, Betsy McHugh
• Preschool: Beth and Coleen Jennings, Bethany Moos
• Kindergarten-2nd Grade: Kevin Emmerson, Jennifer Heartel, Kris Lander
• 3rd-4th Grade: Jojo Lui, Megan Anderson
• 5th-6th Grade OWL: Britt Rose, Kendra and Raleigh Smith, Matt Wilson
• COA: Carrie Black, Kaden Colton, Paul Kuttner, Kristin Quinn
• High School: Derek Gersdorf, Cooper, Rob Richardson, Dot Verbrugge

RE Calendar:

• March 5: Family Fun Night
• March 11: Sanctuary Sunday, Service Sunday, Sandwich Sunday, OWL 5th/6th Second Session begins
• March 18: High School Service
• March 25: Child Dedication, Jr Choir Singing

As Unitarians, welcoming visitors in an open and inclusive way has always been one our strongest virtues. If we had “commandments” I’m sure one of those would address our hospitality.

As it turns out, I think our welcoming “gene” has multiple levels. First, it connects individuals to families—their own, of course, but to all the others who find First Church to be a welcoming environment.

Beyond that, we know the Church welcomes the community at large. Sort of a “welcome wagon” to all who seek the warmth, comaraderie and benevolence inherent in our guiding principles.

As we approach Celebration Sunday, I wonder if I’ve risen to the challenge of making new families feel welcome here...of making at least one child—perhaps several children—less fearful of being the new kid/s in a religious education classroom.

GIven the recent horrific events in Florida, we should never underestimate the power that one person has among those who are vulnerable. Your very first words and acts of welcome leave an indelible mark.

People remember acts of kindness throughout their entire lives. Every positive encounter, every “welcoming”, has the potential to create a Unitarian sort of future. The old adage “One candle flame can light a million other candles and never be diminished” certainly comes to mind.

Maya Angelou got it right when she wrote, “People will forget what you said...people will forget what you did...but people will never forget how you made them feel.”

Today, in the face of corrupt governments, violence and glaring inequality worldwide, freedom seekers still come to the United States for safety, shelter and an improved quality of life. So many arrive as strangers, unable at first to fit in. That is where we come in! At this very moment, I am so proud of our congregation—friends and strangers alike—who have come together to welcome and protect a family in need.

Hospitality starts at home and here at First Church. Like the proverbial pebble dropped in a pond, it can moves outward toward the larger community. By embracing our faith, I have come to learn more about my own theology. In part, it is quite simple. The world should be an extension of what we value in our homes...we should welcome strangers and seek ways to extend our hospitality.

This year, more than ever, it is so difficult not to despair over the repetition of unspeakable terror and tragedy. Not to mention the disturbing discourse from so many of our leaders.

In Jewish folklore, there is a wonderful story about a man who stood before God, heartbroken by the pain and injustice in the world.

“Dear God,” he cried. “Look at all the suffering, the distress, the anguish in your world. Why don’t you do something—send help!” God responded, “I did send help! I sent you.”

We Unitarians are compassionate people. As we celebrate our founding and our unique gifts on March 4, let us always remember to act with love and kindness and welcome the stranger.

It’s pledge season at First Unitarian! I really love pledge season. This is the time of year when the congregational community comes together not just to pay the bills for the coming year, but to affirm that this religious community belongs to us – and then to determine what that is worth to us, and how we will account for that worth.

We live in a time of mega-merchandisers like Amazon and Walmart that fight to offer us the lowest prices – but we know that prices don’t adequately measure the cost or the worth of a thing. Some of my very favorite things have cost next to nothing – a handmade gift from my child, my favorite coffee cup that was a gift from a public radio pledge drive.

And, I find that the older I get, the more satisfaction I get from investing in people and places. I don’t need lots of new things, really; what I crave is connection and relationship. I am grateful when I can spend a little more to make a purchase from a locally owned business or service, when I can spend my entertainment dollars in local bookstores and outdoor activities, and I’m extremely grateful for public transportation. Putting my money into people I know and see every day is a spiritual practice for me: it brings me closer to my vision of a just and peaceful society.

Most of a church’s budget goes into what the corporate world calls “labor”: the wages and benefits of the people who work for it. Yes, that includes the ministers, of course; but it also includes the other religious professionals who fill our lives with hope and opportunities for growth and service, and the professional support staff – one of the finest I’ve seen anywhere, in any denomination – who do much of the behind-the-scenes work of keeping the church going. It is one of the greatest privileges of my life to work with these wonderful people and to see all the amazing things they do for this church community.

Much of the rest of the church budget pays for the things that support these people and make their work possible: supplies, operating funds, building and grounds support. Our board of trustees earns that name: trusted, trustworthy, a group of experienced and mature people who take their role of managing the trust of the congregation seriously.

I can think of few ways to better invest in people and places, with the goal of advancing our values, better than to make room in your personal budget for a generous pledge to this church. The church plays a unique role in society, whatever one’s beliefs: a lifeline for those in crisis, and a laboratory for making our values manifest.

If you are new to the congregation and aren’t sure what to pledge, or if you’ve been around for a while and want to review your pledge and make sure it’s right for you, I strongly encourage you to have a look at the UUA’s Fair Share Giving plan. Fair Share Giving is a sliding scale pledge plan based on a percentage of income, and is designed to make it easier for families of all income levels to find a pledge level that is economically just and financially sound. You can learn about it here:

https://www.uua.org/finance/apf/pacifc-western-midamerica/contribution-guide

Yours in faith,

Rev. Monica

Regional Assembly is for the Whole Family!

The UU PWR Regional Assembly in Portland, Oregon (April 27-29) has something for people of every age. In addition to the main programs for adults, we'll have a UU Kids Camp for ages 5-14, a Youth Assembly for ages 14-18, and high-quality childcare for infants to age 4. Families can spend time together, too, sharing the experiences of the opening ceremony, the Sundaymorning worship, mealtimes, and more. Because of our UU commitment to including children and youth, the PWR is covering much of the cost of the programs for young people. The registration fee is just a portion of what it costs for these engaging, inclusive, and faith-building programs.

The Pacific Western Regional Assembly promises to be an experience that deepens UU identity and fosters hope and resilience in people of all ages. Register now and join us in Portland this spring!

I’m new to Salt Lake – I moved here in July to work at the University of Utah after graduating from Penn State in May with my Master’s in Higher Education. I really like it here! It’s been fun to explore the area and meet new people, especially at church. I’m originally from Indiana, and that’s where my mom and sister live. My brother lives in Virginia. I’m the middle child. It’s hard to live away from my family, but that’s where one grows the most – outside of one’s comfort zone. 

I grew up in Carmel, Indiana, a suburb of Indianapolis. I identify Bloomington, Indiana as my hometown now, after going to college and working there for a stint, and my mom has relocated there. I’m an academic advisor at the U – it’s great to be using my Master’s degree, and I get to help students every day. It’s very rewarding, and I feel extremely lucky to be living and working in Salt Lake. For hobbies, I like to go hiking and go on walks. I also like to read, and I love visiting museums and seeing shows, movies, and plays. I also enjoy singing, and I’m a member of the church choir. A goal of mine is to write a book, and I’m trying to learn how to play the ukulele. 

I’m a huge horror fan – books and movies. One of my favorite movies is “The Sixth Sense,” and my absolute favorite book is “The Shining” (unpopular opinion: the movie is trash) – I like when horror stories have a supernatural element and a clever twist. 

Moving to a city where I knew literally no one, I wanted to find a community, and becoming a part of a liberal church was on my agenda. My mom’s a Unitarian and suggested I check out the First Unitarian Church. 

This has been a place for me to learn, challenge myself, meet people, and explore. I’m so happy to have followed my mom’s advice to check out the church. Its mission to promote social justice and tolerance aligns with my own, and it has strengthened my resolve to exhibit compassion in all I do.

I’m a member of the Young Adults group, participate when I can in the church’s book club, sing in the choir, and partake in a Small Group Ministry. I also hike with the church’s hiking club and have gone out to brunch with the Lunch Bunch.

I hope to sign the book next month.  I want to support this church in any way I can, for I so believe in the Unitarian Universalist message. 

Hope is in the air. High School kids are organizing nationally to end or at least change America’s sick infatuation with guns. It’s feels as though the NRA is holding us all hostage at gunpoint, but the youth of our nation see the real issue as spineless legislators. The youth have fixated on the weakness of state and federal legislators who have discarded all moral principles for cash in their campaign pockets. Florida suffered mass shootings in Orlando, 2016, Fort Lauderdale, 2017, and this year in Parkland’s Marjorie Stoneman Douglas High School. The kids have said, “enough.”

These kids know that mere teenage idealist rhetoric won’t win the battle. So they have honed the resistance skills that have permeated our society this past year, and they have already shaken the ground on which the Florida Legislature stands, so beholden to the NRA.

The Parkland students have taken the gun issue to new levels of awareness. The follow-up of mass shootings in the past never had the fight in them, assuming that changing gun laws would never happen in the country where military attack weapons were valued more than children. But already, the Florida Legislature seems willing to re-examine some hardened NRA terms by possibly raising the age of gun purchases and securing better background checks.

And it all comes down to the bottom line, doesn’t it? American businesses are shaking free from the NRA terrorist organization. From Life Insurance companies to wine clubs, software companies and pharmaceuticals, car rentals and the National Bank of Omaha, have swallowed pills of moral courage. We will be held hostage no longer; the lives of our nation’s children do matter.

The kids, if is it all right to call them kids, have offered a basic civics class to Americans. It’s this simple: You must take responsibility for how you vote. Citizens elect legislators who focus on financing re-election campaigns rather than the crucial issue we face in real life: gun control in order to keep children and adults safe at school and in movie theaters, and in shopping centers, and in the work place. Arming every citizen to fight back represents a psychopathic view of society and community. Responsible voting serves as the lynchpin to changing ingrained patterns of violence. These kids are making all of us look seriously at the power of voting, and to use that power to make politicians accountable as public servants, not purveyors of placing more guns into circulation.

The gun control movement has just begun. Sanity lies on the horizon. We’re further ahead now than we were with the Brady Bill or President Obama’s impassioned speeches. Teenagers, younger than the millennial generation, will (hopefully) lead us to a safer, saner future. The clergy will be joining our Salt Lake high school kids for the March 24^th Protest Rally from West High to the State House. Will you be there, too? TRG

Family Fun Night

Join us Monday, March 5th at 6 pm for Family Fun Night.  This month we are joined by Jean Irwin, from the Utah State Arts Council, who will be leading us in creating family journels our of unconventional materials.

Social Justice Council  

The Social Justice Committee is partnering with Planned Parenthood this year and is seeking volunteers for their sexual health program in the Metro Jail.  Please contact Di Johnsonat  if interested.  Training begins March 10th.

Join us for our next Social Justice Council Meeting on Sunday, March 18, 2018 at 12:20 pm for updates on Sanctuary, Pride Parade, Planned Parenthood partnerships, IRC, Environmental Justice, and other social justice endeavors and opportunities!

UU Hiking Club

Do you want to hike or do walks with fellow UU's? Come to our planning potluck on Tuesday, March 20th at 6:30 in Eliot Hall.  Contact Catherine at  if you have questions. 

Dinner and Dialogue

Meet other UU's on a more personal level over a potluck dinner.  Sign up at the Congregational Life Table in Eliot Hall to Host or Join a group.  We have a special Seder Dinner in March.  Contact  with questions.

Mindfulness Group

Meditation is held Sundays, after the first service ends, around 10:00 am. 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.

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.

Save the Date: Art Fair 2018

Each spring First Church hosts an Art Fair with local visual and performing artists. This years event is on Saturday April 21st from 5 to 10 pm and Sunday April 22nd till 1:30 pm. This is a fun family event with food and entertainment provided. All arts and crafts welcomed. Display space is limited, so sign up early. If you have any question please contact Bill Reed at   More info available at slcuu.org

Note: In this issue of The Torch, our Religious Education Director Julie Miller introduces new and prospective members of First Church to the essence of our Religious Education (RE) Program.

First Church’s RE curriculum, based on Unitarian Universalists’ values, enables us to embrace an inclusive, multigenerational church community that comes together on Sunday mornings and weekdays to do many things—share ideas, work on social projects (Refugee Resettlement, support for Homeless Teens, for example), enjoy the camaraderie of like-minded people and reflect on uplifting sermons. We embrace liberal religious values and a commitment to social justice and community action.

For infants and toddlers from birth through 3 years old, being a Unitarian means “I know that I am safe and loved.”

For Pre-K and Kindergarten: “I know that I can have fun and that I am a valued participant in our church.”

For 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th graders: “I am learning about the Unitarian Universalist Church.”

For 5th & 6th graders: “I’m learning about other religions and how they may be similar to—or different from—Unitarian Universalists.”

For the middle-school years: “I know what I believe.”

For high school students: “I can connect my Unitarian identity to my life and my chosen faith community.”

For adults: “I can maintain my commitment to service and community involvement and to my chosen faith.”

Through our Sunday worship services, and our educational and cultural activities, our overriding objective is to provide opportunities to reflect, serve and learn in a supportive environment We’re always looking forward to meeting new friends.

As Unitarians, we are:

Learners seeking experiences that instill wisdom and guide us toward an ethical and spiritual life

Explorers from many faith traditions as well as multiple ethnic, racial, sexual and cultural identities

Doers, standing on the side of love, with helping hands and thinking minds who value deeds above creeds

We enthusiastically invite all such seekers to join us here at First Unitarian Church of Salt Lake City.

Whether this is your first, fifth, or umpteenth Celebration Sunday, you are in for a treat this year. Mark March 4 in your calendar, attend either service (or both!) and celebrate First Unitarian Church: its dedicated staff, members, and friends; our commitment to social justice and the environment; the joyous music and religious education departments; and the different ways—large and small—First Church touches your life, impacts our shared community, and supports what’s best within humanity, especially in these topsy-turvy times. This year’s theme for Celebration Sunday is simple yet powerful: Make It Count. Whatever you do, do it with intention. Have a positive effect. Set things right.

Did I mention a treat? We are thrilled to welcome back a longtime friend of First Church, Lily Eskelsen García. Lily, who started her career as a cafeteria worker before becoming an elementary school teacher in the Granite School District, was the 1989 Utah Teacher of the Year. She now presides over the National Education Association, the largest Union in the country, in Washington DC. From teaching homeless and hard-to-place foster children in Salt Lake City to joining President Obama’s Commission on Educational Excellence for Hispanics, from writing parenting columns and protest songs (sometimes one and the same) to speaking out against Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos’s undermining of the nation’s public schools, Lily makes every day count. She’s a Unitarian Universalist with close ties to many First Church members. She will be back among friends this Celebration Sunday to speak (and, we hope, sing) at the 9 am and 11 am services. Make your Sunday count—and don’t miss Lily.

Here’s another way you can make Celebration Sunday count: the day marks the beginning of our annual pledge drive, and your pledge, well, it counts! Whether you have signed the membership book or are a friend of First Church, your pledge is a major component of the annual budget and supports daily operations. We absolutely welcome collection plate contributions, but they don’t allow us to create a budget—your pledge does. And because we have great things planned for next year, our goal for the pledge drive is ambitious but doable: $583,000—a 5% increase over last year.

If we meet our goal, our church will continue to make it count. We will triple the budget of the music department from $4,000 to $12,000, which will allow us to recognize David Zabriskie as Associate Music Director. We will keep a second minister and significantly invest into security so that our programs and events will serve a growing congregation in a safe and welcoming environment. Lastly, and perhaps most importantly, we will increase staff salaries. While we can’t give our staff the 4% raise recommended by the UUA, after many years of static salaries we need to provide our professional staff with a 2% cost-of-living increase. To make these things happen, we need you to make it count—with your participation, your heart, and your pledge.

Stop by the pledge table in Eliot Hall between Celebration Sunday and Easter Sunday, and Make It Count!

On Monday, January 29, our congregation became the first in Salt Lake City to offer physical Sanctuary to an immigrant family seeking to avoid deportation. This effort has required hundreds of volunteer hours, deep prayer and reflection, and logistical arrangements from a large crew of people, both within and outside our church. What a thrilling moment, as we come together for love and justice, giving so much of ourselves for this precious family!

It’s important to remember that this is not about us, though. We are the conduit through which justice may be carried out, but as in any act of love, we are putting the needs of someone else first, before our own needs and wishes. We are providing hospitality to a family we’ve never met – a family who’s scared, away from home, unable to leave our facilities because of the immediate risk of deportation.

Most of us have had the pleasure of having overnight guests in our own homes, and that’s a good starting place for us to think about how to be good hosts to this family. There are some crucial differences, however. Check out these tips on how to be a good host to a Sanctuary family:

1. ALWAYS LET THE GUEST LEAD. If you find yourself in a position to help our guests in any way, always check with them first to ask how they prefer things.For example, the guest may want to cook or wash up for themselves, instead of having someone do it for them. You aren’t being inhospitable by refusing that request! Let them know you’re ready to help if they wish, but respect their decisions.

2. It’s natural to be curious and friendly, to want to introduce yourself and get to know our guests. But try to remember that they would much rather be at home than with us: they’re in our church as a last resort in their pursuit of a legal path to stay in the country. We must be sensitive to the emotional exhaustion of being in that position.  And as in any case when you’re spending time with strangers, even well-meaning ones, it takes time to build trust and get to know people. So a friendly hello is welcome, but try to be as unobtrusive as possible. When the guest is ready, they may wish to share their story with us and start making connections. Always let the guest lead.

3. Even when trust has been established and relationships are forming, there are some questions which are never appropriate to ask. We should avoid asking about our guests’ documentation, about the situation they fled or why they are here in the US, or any other sensitive personal details. Think about the most sensitive or painful things in your life – we all have things we’d rather not talk about with anyone but our most trusted confidants.

4. There are so many other things they might want to talk about – their profession, their hobbies, their favorite recipes, sports – anything!There are so many volunteers who are contributing to this effort. They are committed to keeping our guest safe and as comfortable as possible. Our staff are also working hard to contribute to the effort. When you see them, be sure to thank them and ask how you can help!