WAYS TO CONNECT

MULTIGENERATIONAL ACTIVITIES AND SERVICES

MULTI-GEN SERVICES

Multigenerational services (Multi-gens) are led by the Director of Religious Exploration, and are for all members of the congregation to take part in. Classes are not held when we have Multi-gens, as they are planned with the children in mind, with extra songs and movement activities. The Nursery is always provided though. Children and Youth also take part in these services, and participate by reading poetry or other special readings, performing music or skits, lighting and extinguishing the Chalice, and helping in other ways depending on the service.

We generally offer 4 Sunday morning Multi-gens, and 1 evening Christmas Eve Multi-gen each year:

The Water Communion

In August, we have our Water Communion service. This service brings closure to our summer RE programming, and prepares the children and adults for heading back out into the world: to school, work, and wherever each person’s path takes them during the week.

This is a communion specific to Unitarian Universalists, and was created by 2 UU women in the 1980’s.

The Winter Holiday Service

Our Winter Holiday service is held in mid-December, and is focused on one or more of the winter holidays from around the world. These services generally have a lot of music and have parts for all children that are interested in participating!

The Christmas Eve Service

Our Christmas Eve Service combines the reading of the Christmas Story, a secular holiday Story For All Ages, lots of holiday caroling and musicians, ending with a White Elephant gift exchange and a cookie and cider reception!

RE Sunday and Flower Communion

The RE Sunday service and the Flower Communion have been combined the past 2 years, but might be separated into 2 distinct services in the future. RE Sunday is a service that celebrates the children and youth of the RE classes, recognizes and gives thanks to the teachers and volunteers, and also includes a Bridging Ceremony for graduating seniors.

The Flower Communion is a special service that celebrates the beauty of nature, friendship and family, coming together, and sharing with one another.

This is a communion specific to Unitarian Universalists, and was first created 100 years ago!

And one more special service.

This might be a special service for a holiday or holy day like Halloween or the Spring Equinox; a UU related service about the Chalice, our UU Principles or Sources; or on something that the RE has been working on, like a social justice or environmental project.

WEEKLY RE NEWSLETTER

The Weekly RE Newsletter is sent out on Sunday afternoons, and details the events in the different classes that day, along with important information on upcoming gatherings and activities. It also offers extra activities and ideas to help continue religious exploration throughout the week, and discussion questions and prompts for families to expand on what was learned and explored in the classes that day.

THIS MONTH AT A GLANCE, THE MONTHLY UUFT NEWSLETTER

The Joy of Coloring Outside of the Lines

I love coloring books. They’ve been around forever. I especially love the really cool new “adult” coloring books that are available now, with themes of meditation, mindfulness, nature, and others with whimsical, mystical, and magical dream scenes, and all with very small and intricate details. Crayons won’t fit in these tiny places, only the sharpest points of the “good” pencils, the “coloring book pencils”.

Sometimes though, when coloring, maybe the table gets bumped. Or maybe a sneeze happens. Or maybe a cat decides that my paper is the only place in the entire world they could possibly sit. On these occasions, and others like them, my hand might slip a bit, and a color moves beyond the walls of its containment into the next space over. The color has escaped! It has broken free of its bounds and has merged into the world of a color different than its own.

There was a time in my life when this bothered me, but now it brings a new feeling of joy at this freedom. I wonder what new pictures I can create by ignoring the lines, and choosing to color outside of them. I wonder what images my mind will create as I allow the colors to flow how they choose without boxing them up.

There is a real joy in coloring outside of the lines, but maybe a better word for it is “freedom”. Sometimes I like the neat and orderly lines, but oh how I love to break them down!

Special Events in April!

Community Night

Community Night will be on Thursday, April 10th from 6-8. Come and socialize, play a game, create some art, and enjoy the company of other like-minded individuals.

Annual Creek Clean Up

Our Annual Creek Clean Up will occur on Sunday, April 13 th during regular RE times. Please have your children come ready to get a little dirty this day! Layers are good, as it is still a little chilly in April, but not always. Shoes that have a good grip but can also get wet are very important. I want to say that crocs really aren’t the best shoe to wear, but I will leave that up to the individual families, as I know that a few of the RE children and Youth ONLY wear crocs. After our Time For All Ages, we will walk down the block to the Shunga Creek with garbage bags and gloves and see what interesting things we can find in the creek! Last year one child even found an ipad! I wonder what interesting piece will win the prize as the most interesting this year!

Easter Egg Hunt

After the Easter Egg Hunt, the children and Youth will retire to their classrooms to crack open their eggs and see what they found and return the egg shells so that they can be recycled and used again by the Easter Bunny next year!

The Children and Youth

After the Time For All Ages in the sanctuary, the children parade out to their classes with their classroom leaders, following the weekly RE Lantern Carrier!

Nursery (Birth through Age 3)

Our nursery is staffed by our excellent Nursery Care Provider, Farai, along with one generous volunteer each week. Check out how Farai has rearranged the nursery to create age specific spaces, it looks very inviting! Depending on the particular child, they might be ready to move up into the classrooms before they turn 4!

Lower Elementary (Age 4 through 2nd Grade)

Remington and a weekly volunteer will lead the children in lessons that mirror our main service, through the Soul Matters curriculum along with Spirit Play lessons, and is presented in a way that is similar to Spirit Play. This class will spend a short period of time on the campfire carpet for their check in and lesson, and then will explore the Spirit Play centers focusing on the main idea from the morning’s lesson. April will focus on the theme of Joy, as well as Earth Day and Easter.

Upper Elementary (3rd Grade through 6th Grade)

Bobbi and Richie will lead the class on a lesson mirroring the main service. Using the Soul Matters Curriculum as a guide, they will provide activities to help the class delve deeper into the theme of Joy!

Youth Group (7th Grade through High School)

The Youth Group is led by Kimmie and a weekly volunteer, and will compare and contrast different world religions through the themes of: Harvest, Divination, Ancestors/Death, Myths, Morality, Love and Family, Spring/Nature, Resurrection/Reincarnation, and Acts of Devotion. This thought provoking class will follow the wheel of the year. For April, the Youth will explore the theme of Resurrection/Reincarnation.

~~~~~

RE Volunteers Needed!

We need volunteers. In order for the classes to be covered, I would like for each family to commit to helping out 4 times in a class this year. Just 4 times. Just 1/12 of the year. This does not need to be in your child’s class, but could be in an older or a younger classroom if you would prefer. If everyone does a small part, we can keep this program running strong! Look for the sign up sheet on the RE table. I will contact you a few days before your scheduled volunteer time to remind you.

If you are interested in helping out our Religious Exploration program, please contact DRE Erin erin.forstein@uuft.org for more information! You will be sent a link short online form to fill out for an easy background check, which is paid for out of the RE budget. I am still looking for 1 Classroom Lead for the next school year! The Upper Elementary class (grades 3-6) is in need of a regular and reliable classroom leader. This is a paid position.

The Bake Sale!

The RE Bake Sale is moving from every month to quarterly and will take place 4 times a year. Our next bake sale will be on April 6th.