First Unitarian Faith Development Ministry News

This Sunday (1/29) in Faith Development

2012-01-26T12:38:00.000-08:00

This Sunday (1/29) our younger classes will continue their exploration of the UU Promises with the story "A Name on the Quilt," an Indigo Promise story. See the attached take home page.

Our "Advanced" class will continue their exploration of UU Hymns.

Teachers for this Sunday are:

PreK and K - RED: Lou (S) an Audrey (D)

PreK and K - ORANGE: Jody (S) and Jen (D)

1st Grade YELLOW: Kelley (S) and Gina (D)

2nd Grade GREEN: Meredith (S) and Phil (D)

3rd Grade BLUE: Seth (S) and Jen (D)

The 4th-5th Bibleodeon class will begin learning about Moses. Teachers are Joyce and Henry.

This Sunday's 6th-7th grade lesson, "Dead Ends," deals with the subjects of death and loss. In my experience this has been a very meaningful class for a lot of students. The class will be taught by Gerri and Christy, with a special guest who has personally experienced loss in his own life.

Our 8th grade Coming of Age class will make final preparations for their Coming of Age service on Sunday, 2/5.

See you on Sunday!

This Sunday (1/22) in Faith Development Classes

2012-01-19T12:56:00.000-08:00

This Sunday our younger Spirit Play classes will return to the UU Promises with a story about the Blue Promise: "Believe in and act on your ideas, and listen as others share their ideas." The story is called "Wanda's Roses." Please see the take home page attached.

Our third grade Advanced Spirit Play class will begin a three-part exploration of the hymnals we use in our church.

Spirit Play Teachers for this Sunday are:

Red (PreK-K): Carrie (S) and Tania (D)

Orange (PreK-K): Shari (S) and Sersia (D)

Yellow (1st): Katherine (S) and Kelley (D)

Green (2nd): Phil (S) and Jen (D)

Blue (3rd): Laura (S) and Seth (D)

Our 4th-5th grade Bibleodeon class will have a lesson on Joseph (part 2). This important biblical patriarch had a fascinating story before and after the coat of many colors. Teachers for this week are Marilyn and Joyce.

This week in our 6th-7th grade Compass Points class the topic is "Transitions" with Christy and Gerri teaching. This is a powerful lesson about the transitions in our lives, preparing for next week's lesson about death and dying. The purpose is to give the youth an opportunity to explore the transitions they will face in life as growth experiences.

Our 8th grade Coming of Age class will begin "Finalizing the Credo" in preparation for the Coming of Age Sunday on Feb. 5. The teachers for this Sunday are Fran and Ellen.

See you on Sunday!

Hogwarts Camp Preview Party!

2012-01-19T10:23:00.000-08:00

On Sunday, February 5, we will have an exciting launch to our Summer Camp program by hosting a "preview party" in Unity Hall from 2-4 pm. This event will have activities for all ages.

You can also check out the recently updated webpage: http://www.imaginedcollective.org/hogwartsworcester.html

(and I've also published the camp fees on the webpage now).

Preview Party for

February 5, 2-4 pm

At First Unitarian Church

90 Main Street, Worcester, MA

Camp dates: July 9-20, 2012

At the Preview Party:

· Meet the Headmistress Iris Imaginoria (who has been directing Hogwarts camps in other locations for 7 years)

· Kids can sample some activities

· Parents can ask questions and get info

· Potential staff can get more info and apply

· Registration opens!

For much more info (and registration links):

www.imaginedcollective.org/hogwartsworcester.html

Two-week Hogwarts Camp includes:

* Hogwarts castle! Diagon Alley!

* Get sorted into your own unique house.

* Quidditch & the House Cup competition.

* Owl Post, Magical Activities Room, and the Room of Requirement

* Exciting Classes: Magical Creatures, Transfiguration/ Charms (art), Defense Against the Dark Arts (drama), Incantations (music), History of Magic (literature), Divination (meditation), Potions (science) and more…

For Students Entering Grades 1st-12th

Before and after care will be offered. Camp fees will be comparable to other Worcester camps (with discounts and scholarships available).

Register early! Fees increase in April.

I am looking for some volunteers for the preview event. Are you thinking of volunteering for the actual camp and want to try out how it might feel to be a Professor? Or are you not available during the week but willing to lead a simple activity during the preview? Activities will be similar in depth to those at the Halloween Festival or Hanukkah party. Costume pieces will be provided (unless you want to wear your own - always welcome). I also need help setting up that afternoon after church. Please let me know if you are willing to help by E-mailing me at jgray@firstunitarian.com.

Results of Congregational Poll

2012-01-10T08:20:00.000-08:00

On Sunday, November 20, our 6th-7th grade Compass Points class took a "theological poll" of the congregation. Each participant was encouraged to "vote" for three statements out of fourteen. Some chose to split their votes in half. The class members also voted. While this is just a snapshot based on those present that Sunday, it is interesting to see. If you were not there on this particular Sunday (or even if you were), take a moment to look closely at the following list. Where would you vote? Do these statements inspire you to think more about the big questions? The following are listed in order (those with the most votes first):

1) We can use science and reason to understand our universe. (29.5 votes)

2) There is a spark of divinity in each of us. (27.5 votes)

3) I find God in nature. (25.5 votes)

4) God is present in the relationships among people. (21 votes)

5) There are probably as many ideas about God as there are people. (19.5 votes)

6) God is my conscience calling me to make the world a better place. (17 votes)

7) God and the universe are the same. God is everything and everyone. (15.5 votes)

8) Creation is ongoing and we are co-creators with God. (13.5 votes)

9) God cares for us and listens to our prayers. (10 votes)

TIED WITH

10) There is no way to know whether or not there is a God. (10 votes)

11) My beliefs about Jesus make me feel closer to God. (8 votes)

12) There is no such thing as God, and even the word is meaningless. (6 votes)

13) God created the universe and then let it run itself (4 votes)

TIED WITH

14) God is like a loving mother who sustains us and all life. (4 votes)

Central Massachusetts High School Youth Conference

2012-01-05T09:11:00.000-08:00

Date of Con: Friday Feb 10 5:30- Sat Feb 11 2:30pm
Theme: I Got UU Babe
Open to: High School grades 9-12 Central Mass max 50 people
(Snow Date: Feb 24)

Registration: Ends Jan 31st
Fee: $25 (includes 3 meals and a t-shirt)
Scholarships available - just ask

To Register: Youth Registration Form
(Please note: you must have your parents to give their electronic signature and must know which adults will be attending from your church)
Adults click here (an adult must accompany every five youth)

Details of Con:
•Get to know UU youth from other churches in a comfortable environment.
•Meet throughout with your "touch groups" to touch base about your experience.
•Youth-led workshops including: Drama, Art, Martial Arts, and more.
•Opportunities to engage in Social Action together based on "Standing on the Side of Love."

•Schedule:
FRIDAY FEB 10
Arrive between 5:30 and 6:30pm. Teens are assigned a "touch group" color and sign up for workshops.
6:30-7pm Opening..Get introduced, opening game, rules and regs, covenant, schedule.
7- 7:30 Dinner
8pm-8:45 Workshops 1-5
These may include: 1. Writing- Gianna 2. Music- Lyndon 3. Zentangle- Katie/Alison 4. Improv- Nick 5. Origami- Ben/Stefan
9:00- 9:45 Workshops 6-10
These may include:6. Crafts- Gianna 7. Theater- Nick 8. Photography- Joannah 9. Martial Arts- Tong Ya 10. Worship Workshop- Calum
9:45-10:15 Get set up for overnight..... and ready for worship
10:30pm Worship - Deepening/sharing
11:00 Ready for bed...appropriate sleepwear and set up in areas per choice...There will be a video games room, quiet board games room, and movie room.
Suggested lights out at 1 am.

SATURDAY

9:00-9:30 Breakfast

9:30-10 am Packed up and cleaned up

10-11:15 am Hang out down time with voluntary workshops offered from 10-11:15am which may include: 11. Yoga and or dance - Rowan 12. Ultimate Frisbee- Lyndon, Cameron, Robbie, Drew, Sam (outside of good weather or indoor nerf in fellowship hall) 13. henna tatoo- Alison/Katie 14. Handstands- Bruce 15. group photo/ memory portraits- Joannah/ Natalie
11:30 Social Action Workshop - "Standing on the Side of Love"
12:30 LUNCH
1:30 Wrap up and Clean up. Check-out.
2:30 Depart

Join us! Contact Robin Caracciolo robin.caracciolo@gmail.com for more information.

This Sunday (1/5) in Faith Development

2012-01-05T09:01:00.000-08:00

Welcome back to the next portion of our faith development year! We had a lot of fun over the holidays, and now we're getting back to classes.

The story for all of the younger classes this week is the General Promises, Part 2. It is a continuation of the Promises lesson we did early in the year. The 7 UU Promises (or Principles) are the covenant by which we live as Unitarian Universalists. They are basic guidelines or actions that reflect and reinforce the values agreed upon by UU churches.

Teachers are:
Red: Audrey (S), Lou (D)
Orange: Jody (S), Shari (D)
Yellow: Katherine (S), Hope (D)
Green: Phil (S), Meredith (D)

Our 3rd Grade "Advanced" Spirit Play class will have a lesson on Martin Luther King, Jr. and Rosa Parks.

For their work time, they will prepare to "lead" a protest during the MLKJ worship service next week. They will choose an issue collectively that they feel is important - what is something that they think is unfair that they want to protest. The point of this is to give the students a visceral experience of how it feels to protest on an issue they really care about, even if it is just a mock exercise.

Teachers:
Blue: Gina (S), Laura (D)

This Sunday our 4th-5th grade Bibleodeon class will have the first of a two-part lesson on the biblical patriarch Joseph. Teachers are Alison and Colleen.

This Sunday our Compass Points (6th-7th grade) class will have a lesson on Sacred Texts. Teachers are Gerri and Christy.

This Sunday the Coming of Age class will have a lesson on "Learning to Lead Worship." This is moving us toward their quickly approaching Coming of Age worship service (scheduled for February 5 - mark your calendars now!). Teachers will be Ellen and Rich.

See you on Sunday!

Celebrate Winter: From Darkness into Light

2012-01-03T21:04:00.000-08:00

By Jessica S. Gray
Director of Faith Development Ministries

Today we celebrate winter. My personal experience of winter has certainly changed in the past few years. I have lived most of my life in the south, so winter meant the world got a little colder. But snow was never a significant part of my winter experiences. Snow was an anomaly - something truly wonderful that almost never happened.

In the Carolinas and Tennessee, it snowed maybe once or twice a year. Everyone would stop whatever they were doing and enjoy it. Then the snow would melt and life would go on. In 2008 it snowed at our home in Louisiana – the first time it had snowed in Baton Rouge since 1989. It was gone by noon.

Then I spent last winter in Connecticut with my family. I remember the excitement of the first fresh-fallen snow. The entire world was covered in glistening white. Ariana was so excited to play in the snow, and she immediately made snow angels, snowballs, snow men.

But then the snow never left. Before it fully melted, more covered it. And more and more. Ariana tired of the snow by the time the banks were taller than she was. The snow plows pushed the mountain of snow at the end of the street until it was taller than our house. As the snow built higher and higher along the sides of the road, the world felt smaller and smaller. Claustrophobia set in. Rhye and I built new muscles as we shoveled and shoveled and shoveled. I adjusted and readjusted my work schedule every time the daycare was closed – sometimes 2 or 3 days a week. The glistening white was long gone. All we saw was gray.

How can we celebrate winter? Isn’t it something that we just endure, looking forward to moving on into more pleasant seasons? The winter solstice is at the very beginning of winter, and yet it celebrates the turning point, the movement from the darkest time of the year back into the light. This whole festival season is about celebrating the light in the midst of darkness – decorating our homes and streets with electric lights, lighting the candles for Christmas, Hanukkah, Solstice, Kwanzaa. Setting off fireworks for New Year’s.

One of my favorite passages about light comes from a 1990s TV show called “Northern Exposure.” Set in small-town Alaska, the town’s resident philosopher Chris says: “Ever since we crawled out of that primordial slime, that’s been our unifying cry – more light. Sunlight, torchlight, candlelight, neon, incandescant, light to banish the darkness from our caves… Light is more than watts and foot candles. Light is metaphor... Light is knowledge, light is life. Light is light.” (Click here to see the video)

Our struggle against darkness comes not only from outside, but also from within. At Hogwarts Camp I teach a class called “Defense Against the Dark Arts.” For any of you familiar with the Harry Potter books or movies, it’s a very important class. I teach that the very real dark arts in our world can come from different sources. Some of the darkness comes from outside, from other people or circumstances outside of our control. But the most dangerous dark arts are the ones that attack from within.

In a Tibetan Buddhist text about fear, the shadow or darkness is called the “demon of doubt.” Whenever things don’t go as we expect, doubt creeps in. Have I done something to cause my current negative circumstances? Am I just not good enough? Doubt can lead to depression, which for some completely paralyzes the mind as if it is frozen in a glacier. How can we thaw these doubts? The Buddhist antidote for the demon of doubt is the pure light of awareness. The tantra teaches that each person has within all of the qualities of an enlightened being. Our suffering hides us from our true nature. When we are truly aware of our own value, this awareness breaks through the ice that has surrounded us, giving us hope and freedom from the demon of doubt.

Even in the darkest and coldest winter, you hold within you the light of your own uniqueness and wonder. You can break free from your demon of doubt.

But is there a place to honor the cold, the dark, the winter? All things have value, including the darkness. What would happen if we look for beauty in the winter rather than hibernating and hiding from it. The cold is a time to rest, a time to reflect, a time to prepare for what is to come. The snowflakes themselves remind us of our inherent worth and value. Each of the snowflakes at the front of the sanctuary was made a child in our Faith Development program. Each one unique. We teach the first principle of Unitarian Universalism, the inherent worth and dignity of all people, at the core of all of our classes. Just like the snowflakes in our story (see below) – each snowflake different, each snowflake beautiful, each snowflake counting for something, in its own way. We can choose to be like the cardinal, shaking off the cold in discomfort and ignoring the winter. Or we can choose to be like the chickadee, paying attention to the beauty of the winter, honoring the uniqueness of each person, each circumstance, each moment – the magic and wonder of the snow.

I invite you now to contemplate your own experiences of winter. Think about the times you played in the snow as a child – building snow men, snowball fights, ice skating, sledding – whatever joyful things you can remember. Think about gathering around a fire with family or friends, drinking hot chocolate or warm cider, as the feeling returns to your fingers. Contemplate your own inherent light within. Children, I invite you to come forward to make your own “magic snow” which you can take home . Think, honor, remember, and take joy in this journey through the cold, dark winter. This journey from darkness to light.

“The Weight of a Snowflake”
by Janeen K. Grohsmeyer

This story takes place in the woods in winter time.
On a winter afternoon filled with fresh, white snow falling from above, a chickadee perched on a thin branch of a maple tree and watched the snowflakes fall.

A bright red cardinal flew over and landed near by.
"What-cha doin??" chirped the cardinal.

"Watching snowflakes," said the chickadee.

The cardinal cocked his head to one side. "What for?"

"They’re pretty. And each one is different! I haven’t seen two that look the same."

"A snowflake is a snowflake is a snowflake, that’s what I say," said the cardinal. "And they’re cold. Me, I can’t wait for spring. This winter stuff is for the mammals…most of them have fur on their toes!"

The chickadee nodded, so that the little black cap on her head bobbed up and down, but she didn’t say yes and she didn’t say no.

White snowflakes fell all around them.

The cardinal put his foot down and hopped sideways on the branch to get a little closer to her. "What-cha doing now?" he said.

"Counting snowflakes," said the chickadee.

The cardinal cocked his head to the other side. "What on sky for?"

"I was wondering how many snowflakes this branch will hold."

"Don’t worry about it, that’s what I say," said the cardinal. "Snowflakes don’t weigh anything."

"Not anything?"

"Well.... almost not anything. Snowflakes weigh next to nothing. They don’t count for anything, and they’re all the same." He clacked his strong beak once, twice, and then again. "You know what, little chickadee? You should find something else to do, that’s what I say."

The little chickadee nodded, so that the little black cap on the head bobbed up and down, but she didn’t say yes and she didn’t say no. After a minute, the cardinal clacked his beak once more, then flapped his strong red wings and flew away.

The chickadee stayed where she was, perched on the thin branch of the maple tree and counting the snowflakes as they fell. White snowflakes fell all around her. More snowflakes fell, each one different, each one beautiful. Some of them landed on the branch…snowflake after snowflake each one weighing almost nothing, but each one counting for something.

Because as the chickadee counted snowflake number ten thousand three hundred and three, that branch broke from the weight of the snow.

The chickadee fell with the branch, but only for a moment, for she flapped her wings and flew up into the snowflakes that fell from the sky, each snowflake different, each snowflake beautiful, each snowflake counting for something, in it’s own way.

Mandala Dance Circle Schedule

2012-01-02T13:57:00.000-08:00

The Mandala Dance Circle meets every Thursday from 6-7:30 pm in Unity Hall. All are welcome, even those with limited physical abilities. The primary dances are based on Tara, the Tibetan Bodhisattva of Wisdom, Compassion and Power. Tara manifests in 22 specific forms. Beginning with January, we will be working through the 22 Taras as they manifest in five colors. We will also celebrate each of the earth-centered Sabbats through rituals every six weeks.

The schedule is as follows:

January 5 – Root Tara - Wisdom, Compassion, Power

January 12 – Green Taras

January 19 - Green Taras

January 26 –Green Taras

Feb 2 – Imbolc Ritual

February 9 – White Taras

February 16 –No Dance

February 23 –No Dance

Mar 1 – Jess out – White Taras

March 8 – White Taras

Mar 15 – Jess out - White Taras

March 22 – Ostara Ritual

March 29 – White Taras

April 5 – Gold Taras

April 12 – Gold Taras

April 19 – Gold Taras

April 26 – Red Taras

May 3 – Beltane Ritual

May 10 – Red Taras

May 17 – Red Taras

May 18-20 – Special Weekend Retreat with Prema Dasara – The Full Mandala Dance of the 21 Praises of Tara

May 24 – Black Taras

May 31 – Black Taras

June 7 – Black Taras

June 14 – Complete Enlightenment

June 21 – Litha Ritual

Green Taras:
Wisdom, Compassion & Power, Impeccable Virtue,
True Refuge

White Taras:
Creative Wisdom, Serene Peace, Transformer of Poison,
Remover of Sorrow

Gold Taras:
All Victorious, Sublime Intelligence, Destroys Negativity, Auspicious Beauty, Bliss & Joy

Red Taras:
Swift Protection, Worthy of Honor, Joy & Laughter, Irresistible Truth,
Destroyer of Attachment, Radiant Health

Black/Blue/Purple Taras:
Invincible Courage,
Distributor of Wealth, Ferocious Compassion

Cleaning up after Christmas

2011-12-27T12:48:00.001-08:00

By Jessica Gray
Director of Faith Development Ministries

Two days after Christmas, and place looked like it had been hit by a tornado of toys, wrapping paper, and more. Forget spring cleaning. Today was a day of winter cleaning. Now our recycle bin is full of boxes and gift paper, all of the excessive packaging that came with all of Ariana’s new toys. And I’ve learned a few things about myself, my child, and our process.

I usually try to get my cleaning done while Ariana is at school, but as school is out this week, I discovered a new form of parental torture – cleaning with an eager four-year-old helper. As I swept the dirt into a nice pile, she would come behind me with her little broom and move it all around again. As I picked up toys and put them where they belong, she would come behind me and pull them out again. When I tried to control the situation, I got frustrated time and again. But I realized that when I let go of my control, it no longer bothered me as much. It was the essence of impermanence. Sweep, allow for chaos, re-sweep. It reminded me of a Tibetan sand mandala, carefully constructed only to be blown away.

The second thing I learned was patience. Pretty soon Ariana tired of sweeping and moved on to a new toy. This gave me the brief window I needed to sweep up the pile and get it out of the way. I just needed to wait and watch for the right moment. Breathe in, breathe out. Pay attention to the moment. Cultivate consciousness.

Third, I found ways to engage her that worked with her strengths. Sweeping was a problem, but she really enjoyed dusting. I just had to move the breakables out of the way as she did it. She also enjoyed sorting her toys into types, and she even agreed to let go of some broken ones.

Finally, I learned that these are the joyful moments. All too soon my girl will be grown. She might help clean if I insist, but she won’t volunteer to be my helper. Instead of struggling with the challenges, I have an opportunity to really be here now. So we didn’t get the entire apartment clean. We only did two rooms. And several of her toys have already made their way back onto the floor. But we shared the day together, and for this I am grateful.

No matter what age your children are, I wish to gift you with these four things: acceptance of impermanence, patience, an honoring of your kids' unique strengths, and gratitude for the joyful moments. I hope they are as useful to you as they have been to me.

Later this week I’ll likely repeat the process with the other rooms until our apartment is clean. I like to clean just before New Year’s – metaphorically sweeping out the old year to make room for the new. Letting go of the past, so I can look forward to the future. And I wish this for you, my new congregation. May this new year bring blessings we cannot even imagine.

I also hope I see you on Sunday (1/1) for our multigenerational Winter Celebration – I heard it’s going to snow in the sanctuary! Don’t miss it.

Little Store gets Big Help from BYKOTA!

2011-12-19T08:46:00.001-08:00

by Lesa McWalters, Youth Ministries Coordinator

On December 4th, ten youth and three adults walked over to the old Sha-Booms building on MLK Blvd, knocked on the door, and walked into a phenomenon! Hundreds of “shopping bags” were laid out on the floors of three large rooms, all with a tag with information about a single child, who would otherwise not have a gift to open on Christmas morning. Some shopping bags were filled; others were waiting to be filled. Our job was to sort through huge boxes of donations of toys and clothes, and determine where to place them in age-appropriate boxes. We were challenged with emptying 7 large boxes, each box large enough to fit 10 youth inside! In a matter of two hours, our job was complete.

This year the Little Store will provide gifts to a record breaking number of children: almost 2,000 kids living in Worcester County. All the gifts, mostly toys and clothing – including winter coats – are donated by local churches, schools, and other organizations. Sorting and bagging the items is a big challenge, and BYKOTA met this challenge with enthusiasm! Special thanks to Stacey Hill, Jerry Bellows, and all the kids who helped out with a smile! You all made Christmas a little merrier for the children in your community!

Faith Development Ministries Classes on Sunday, 12/18

2011-12-15T09:14:00.000-08:00

I'd also like to give a big shout out to all who helped with the Christmas Pageant last Sunday! It was a beautiful morning, with amazing natural lighting effects. I got so many compliments, but honestly you all did the work (you and Kris Johnson, our fearless pageant director). Thank you for participating. You can see pictures from the pageant here: http://www.firstunitarian.com/christmaspageant2011.cfm

This Sunday (12/18) is all about Hanukkah! All of our Spirit Play classes will be working with Hanukkah stories, and then afterwards is the Hanukkah party in Unity Hall (with help by our BYKOTA kids). Come celebrate this festival of lights with us.

Compass Points (6-7 grades) will have a lesson called "Our Living Tradition." The 8th Grade Coming of Age class will be setting up for the Hanukkah party.

Teachers for this Sunday are:

Red (Pre/K): Tania (S) and Carrie (D)

Orange (Pre/K): Sersia (S) and Jen (D)

Yellow (1st): Kelley (S) and Hope (D)

Green (2nd): Kattia (S) and Amy (D)

Blue (3rd): Laura (S) and Seth (D)

Indigo (4th-5th): Colleen and Henry

Violet (6th-7th): Christy & Mary

White (8th): Christina

I have also elaborated a bit about the upcoming Winter Holiday services from a family perspective. You can find out more here.

I hope to see you on Sunday!

Bright Blessings,

Jessica S. Gray, Ph.D.

Director of Faith Development Ministries

First Unitarian Church of Worcester, MA

www.firstunitarian.com

Holidays at First Unitarian

2011-12-15T07:51:00.000-08:00

‘Tis the season to be busy, right? There is so much going on at this time of year. Parties and shopping and baking, oh my! In the midst of the craziness, take a deep breath. Remember that the season is meant to be about family and togetherness. And, if you’re wondering whether or not you bought the right presents, just remember this list of the 5 Best Toys of All Time. :)

I do hope you will take the time to join us for some of our many worship celebrations this month and next. Many of these are specifically family oriented. (Note: this listing includes more information about some of the services than the listing in the newsletter, so it's worth the read.)

Mandala Dance Solstice Ritual, Thursday December 22, 6-7:30 PM
The Winter Solstice is the most personal winter holiday for me. On the darkest day of the year, we await the return of the light. It is a beautiful reminder that the cycles of life continue. We will honor the return of the light through a simple earth-centered ritual led by Jessica and Rhye Gray. Join us to celebrate the season in meditation, movement and song. All are welcome (including older children and youth). The Solstice Ritual will be held in the chapel, and childcare will be available for younger children who don’t want to participate.

Christmas Eve, December 24, 2011-3:30 PM
I am really looking forward to the Sing-A-Long Holiday Service on Christmas Eve. I will offer a Winter Solstice blessing, a participatory “Living Menorah” for Hanukkah, and a special Christmas story. Join us for an hour of music-making with guest director Jim Scott. Lots of singing, new songs, traditional songs, Hanukkah Song, solstice songs, Christmas carols and more, many with a Latin flavor. We will end with the traditional candle-lit Silent Night. A great occasion for the whole family.

Christmas Eve, December 24, 2011-5:30 PM
Our later service will be more traditional, though it will still have family-oriented moments, including one of the stories I am telling in the early service. This is First Unitarian's traditional Candlelight Lessons and Carols Service led by Rev. Tom Schade and First Unitarian's Music Director Will Sherwood. The ancient nativity story told once again in scripture, poetry and music, ending with the traditional candle-lit Silent Night.

There will be no childcare offered for either Christmas Eve service, but children are welcome in either service.

Christmas Day, December 25, 2011-10:30 AM
My family and I are new in Worcester. I actually offered to lead the service on Christmas morning for several reasons. I do have a young child, but she will be finished opening presents pretty early. We don't have family in the area, so we have nowhere to go and no one to see. I figured that there are likely other small families and singles in our congregation who may be in the same situation. This is an opportunity for us to spend Christmas with others. We will join together in the Bancroft Room for a short, informal worship, including stories and songs. There will be no childcare or classes offered. After the service, we will share in a potluck Christmas lunch.

New Year's Day, January 1, 2012-10:30 AM
New Year's Day will be a full worship service in the sanctuary. This is the continuation of our four seasonal services we began in autumn, “A Winter Community Celebration,” with Jim Scott as our musical guest, magic snow, and lots of other fun things. Kate Popinchalk and Amelia Nadeau-DaCruz will help me enact the story “The Weight of a Snowflake” (which a lot of kids know from their Spirit Play classes). The snowflakes kids made during pageant rehearsals will be displayed. We will have a special “sharing of snow,” and every child who attends will get some magic snow to take home. We do have nursery that day, but no classes. It will be a holiday service to remember!

And looking ahead…

Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, January 15, 2012 – 10:30 AM
“Oh Freedom!” A couple of our YRU2 Senior High youth will read several interviews of people who were intimately involved in the Civil Rights movement. These stories are powerful and poignant. Lesa McWalters, our Youth Ministries Coordinator, will offer a reflection. Our third grade class will lead other children in a “protest” during the service. And we will sing the songs of freedom. This service will be a powerful reminder that “We Shall Overcome.”

This Sunday (12/4) in Faith Development classes for children and youth

2011-12-01T08:50:00.000-08:00

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas! We begin pageant rehearsals this weekend, and the Jingle Bells Choir will have their final rehearsal on Sunday. To simplify things a bit, the classes will not meet any earlier than usual. After the first 15 minutes in the service (10:45), they will be led by Carrie West in a short rehearsal in the Bancroft Room before they go their classes. They will be released at the usual time (11:45).

Kids can also pick up their Advent calendar kits this Sunday (we will mail them after Sunday).

This Sunday all of our Spirit Play classes will be sharing in Christmas stories. Our youngest two classes (Orange and Red) will explore "The Miraculously Ordinary Baby," while our older three classes (yellow, green and blue) will explore "Advent."

Teachers in Spirit Play this Sunday are:

Red: Lou (S) and Audrey (D)

Orange: Jody (S) and Jen (D)

Yellow: Katherine (S) and Gina (D)

Green: Amy (S) and Phil (D)

Blue: Gina (S) and Jen (D)

This Sunday our Bibleodeon class will have a lesson on "Christmas" with Marilyn and Alison as teachers. Our Compass Points class will have a lesson called "United by Diversity," led by Mary and Gerri. And I will be the special guest in Coming of Age for a lesson called "Spirituality in Movement," with teacher Richard Laprade and assistant Rhye Gray.

See you on Sunday!

Also, a note from 3rd grade teacher Seth Popinchalk about their class on 11/18:

"Sunday we baked bread. I did make a batch of dough before class, and we pulled a TV style switcheroo so the kids could get the experience of kneading the bread, baking AND mixing the ingredients. We made Naan using this recipe, but I left out the Garlic.

http://allrecipes.com/recipe/naan/

It was a great class, and the kids reported it was the best bread they ever tasted."

Thanks, Seth, for going above and beyond to give the 3rd grade advanced Spirit Play class a great experience.

The Boy and the Drum (story and reflection)

2011-11-27T09:40:00.000-08:00

The Boy and the Drum
as told by Mark Nepo in "Finding Courage"

There is an old Hindu story. In it, there is a boy who wants a drum, but his mother can’t afford a drum, and so, sadly, she gives him a stick.

Though he doesn’t know what to do with it, he shuffles home and begins to play with the stick. Just then he encounters an old woman trying to light her woodstove. The boy freely gives her the stick.

She lights her fire, makes some bread, and in return she gives him half a loaf of bread. Walking on, the boy comes upon a potter’s wife whose child is crying from hunger. The boy freely gives her the bread.

In gratitude, she gives him a pot. Though he doesn’t know what to do with it, he carries it along the river, where he sees a washerman and his wife quarreling because the wife broke their one pot. The boy gives them the pot.

In return, they give him a coat. Since the boy isn’t cold, he carries the coat until he comes to a bridge, where a man is shivering. Riding to town on a horse, the man was attacked and robbed of everything but his horse. The boy freely gives him the coat.

Humbled, the man gives him his horse. Not knowing how to ride, the boy walks the horse into the town, where he meets a wedding party with musicians. The bridegroom and his family are all sitting under a tree with long faces. According to custom, the bridegroom is to enter the procession on a horse, which hasn’t shown up. The boy freely gives him the horse.

Relieved, the bridegroom asks what he can do for the boy. Seeing the drummer surrounded by all his drums, the boy asks for the smallest drum, which the musician gladly gives him.

Reflection by Jessica Gray

Mark Nepo, the writer who told this particular story, also wrote a bit about its meaning:

“The true nature of generosity is only fully visible if we let the story – whatever it is – unfold. If we limit the story to the boy asking for one thing and his mother bringing him another, we have a lesson in not getting what we want but accepting what we are given. If we end the story when the boy gives the woman the stick, we have a moment of altruism or sacrifice, depending on how we look at it. If we end the story when the woman gives the boy half a loaf of bread, it becomes a lesson in barter and fair exchange, trading what’s timely and of use. But if we let the story take its full and natural course, we are given something quite different…. Often, this courage – to wait and let the fabric of the Universe reveal itself – dissolves our individual sense of ownership into a sense of guardianship over gifts that no one owns.”

During this Thanksgiving week, I felt a great sense of gratitude from many directions. For weeks my “friends” on Facebook made gratitude lists, naming everything large and small, from family and friends to little things like soap and water, food, clothes, shoes… But are those really little things? To a person in need, those are not little things at all. When you need a stick to build a fire, that is the greatest gift one could give you.

In many ways, this story is about “Paying it forward,” cultivating generosity on many levels. Instead of being upset when his mother gave him something different from what he wanted, the boy accepts it and then gives it to someone who needs it more. He never shows any sign of expectation that his generosity will be returned. Rather, he sees people with needs and gives of what he has to help fill those needs.

Now, the story wraps things up nicely by giving him what he wanted in the beginning. Life does not always work like that. Sometimes we are called to give up things we desperately want, the things we cherish and cling to, the things we would rather die than sacrifice. All is impermanent. But we are always given blessings in return. Often these blessings take forms we are not expecting – a horse instead of a drum. But if we keep looking for the next “upgrade,” then we miss the moment. We miss the possibilities that are right in front of us. We miss the fact that the stick can be a drum.

When I was growing up, my parents taught me that God would always provide all we needed. Matthew 6:26 - Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? From my adult perspective, knowing what I know now, my parents must have struggled so much to provide for us. My folks were part of what is sometimes called the “Jesus Freak” movement of the 1970s. They were hippies, but they were high on God instead of being high on anything else. They were called to their ministry, but often that ministry did not pay very much. I remember both of my parents taking all sorts of jobs – driving school busses, substitute teaching – so many things to keep their family afloat and their ministry alive. And yet, I never knew that we were “poor.” I never felt “poor.” Sure, we wore hand-me-down clothes. And we didn’t get everything we wanted. But we always had everything we needed.

I no longer believe in the same transcendent, omniscient and omnipresent God. For me, the Universe is much greater and more complex than any single cultural representation of God could encompass. But I still have everything I need. Certainly not all I want, but all I need. And that includes sometimes learning the lesson of the things I cannot have… at least for right now.

I hope we can cultivate a sense of gratitude each day, not just during the Thanksgiving holiday. I am impressed that this church begins each worship service with a statement of gratitude: “This is the day that the Lord has made. Let us rejoice and be glad in it.” And so I count my blessings, large and small. On Thanksgiving Day, I shared my own gratitude prayer on Facebook: May everyone counting their blessings today join into one great force of gratitude. With that force, we can change the world.

Pageant Time

2011-11-14T11:42:00.000-08:00

Early Season's Greetings!

As many of you know, we began our sign-ups for the Christmas Pageant on Sunday. This continuing holiday tradition is one of the favorite memories of many kids who have grown up at First U. We still need a few more kid participants and a LOT more adult help. You can send an E-mail to Jgray@firstunitarian.com and tell me what you would like to do, and I'll be glad to sign you up!

Also, would any other parents have need for childcare for their younger children during pageant rehearsals? Would that make it easier for you to volunteer as a Kid Wrangler, costumer, etc.? I'm going to line up childcare for my own child, Ariana (who is in PreK and thus too young to be an angel). Let me know if this would be useful for you.

Pageant Rehearsals:

Saturday, December 3rd
Narrators, Herod, Mary, Joseph, Gabriel, the innkeeper, and wise people:
9:00 am – noon
Shepherds & Angels: 10 am - noon

Saturday, December 10th
Narrators, Herod, Mary, Joseph, Gabriel, the innkeeper, and wise people:
9:00 am - noon
Shepherds & Angels: 10 am - noon

PAGEANT - December 11th
All Participants should arrive by 8:45 a.m.

Thus far, the following kids and adults have signed up:

Grades 1-4
Shepherds: Darren Belanger, Mason Ronn, Connor West, Evan Ronn, Xavier Zinkevich, and James Ricardi

Angels: Talia Smith, Maia McKean, Maeve McKean, Caroline Zinkevich, Amelia Nadeau-DaCruz, Naima Masiki, and Riley West

Grades 5-6
Herod: Parker Ronn
Mary: Erin Hancock
Joseph: Andy Phan
Innkeeper: ???
Gabriel: Hannah Ennis
Myrrh Wise Person: William Hayman (myrrh)
Gold Wise Person: ??
Frankincense Wise Person: ??
Star: ??
Alternate: ??
(If others are interested in the part of Herod, we plan to have auditions on Sunday, November 27 at 11:45 am. All the rest of the parts are first come, first serve.)

Grades 7-8
Narrators: Alana Wyatt, Madeline Hayman, Nori Needle, Solomon Bellows, Ariana Cordova. (We could use one more narrator and two alternates.)

Adults
Kid Wranglers, 12/3
1. Kelley Zinkevich
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.

Kid Wranglers, 12/10
1. Abigail Hannaford-Ricardi
2. Shari Belanger
3.
4.
5.
6.

12/11: All of the above

Holiday Crafts People
12/3
1. Laura Zick
2.
3.

12/10:
1.
2.
3.

Snack Kings and Queens
1. Laura Zick
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.

Costumers
1. Cindy Cordova
2.
3.

Props Assistants:
1.
2.
3.

Hair Accessory Masters:
1.
2.
3.

Director's Asst.
1.

Let me know if you'd like to be part of the pageant magic!

Pajama Party on December 3

2011-11-14T08:10:00.001-08:00

While the parents play, the kids are invited to a
Saturday, December 3

During the Dinner and Dance Gala, our kids will have their own celebration downstairs:

6-7 p.m.
(during the adult Cocktail Hour)
Kids' Dinner - Pizza and snack foods - Parents are encouraged to bring a snack to share, but we'll have the basics covered. Let me know if your children have any special dietary needs we should consider.

7-8:30 p.m.
(during the adult dinner)
Active games led by me (Director of Faith Development Ministries, Jessica Gray) - I know all sorts of fun, cooperative games that are good for all ages. These games will be simple but fun, and I look forward to getting to know some of the kids better. (That's one of my biggest frustrations here thus far - I haven't had many chances to interact directly with the children).

8:30-11 p.m.
(during the adult Dance)
Quiet activities and movies - We will choose which movies to watch as a group. Your kids are also welcome to bring a favorite (G rated) movie to add to the options.

Kids should wear their pajamas and bring a pillow and blanket (or sleeping bag) and a stuffed animal from home (but we've got extras here if you forget). The games are designed for kids of all ages. We will have a quiet room available if the kids get tired at any point. And the adults can stay as long as they like, knowing their kids are in a safe space. It's like camping out at church! Parents must stay on site, but kids can attend all or part of the evening. Adult volunteers are needed to help with each shift. Sign your kids up when you buy your tickets to the Dinner or Dance Gala! You can sign up in the fellowship hall.

Or, if you want to send me an E-mail so I can add your kids to the list, that's fine too. I'll even add your names to the grown-up list if you want.

We Remember

2011-11-03T07:20:00.000-07:00

Everything was ready. The kids rehearsed and learned their lines. Abby and I spent hours making monarch butterfly wings (and then fixing them after several broke in the first rehearsal). The youth had cakes baked and ready for the cake walk. All was poised for a dramatic and interactive All Souls Community Worship last Sunday.

And then the snow came. The wet, heavy snow landed on branches still covered with leaves. And branches broke. And power lines fell. And the city shut down. I don’t know if any church in Worcester had services this past Sunday. Schools were closed for two days. Even the celebration of Halloween was delayed. Everything stopped.

I feel a great disappointment for what was lost. Some things can be recreated. The Cake Walk will happen this upcoming Sunday with whatever cakes the youth saved (and froze to keep fresh). I take my little girl Trick-or-Treating tonight. But there is not another opportunity for the “Ghost Wings” worship service this fall, and as it is quite seasonal it won’t fit later in the year. We will have many opportunities for Community Worship experiences this year, but October 30, 2011 has passed. It is gone.

I find this especially interesting because of the story itself, a Mexican story related to Dia de los Muertos, the Day of the Dead. In it, a young girl and her grandmother visit the “Magic Circle,” a place in the forest where hundreds of monarch butterflies migrate every year. Her grandmother tells her that the butterflies carry the souls of the “Old Ones,” and while they leave each year, they also return. When her grandmother dies, the butterflies help her remember.

We remember. We remember that life goes on. We remember that snow melts (though I know in a few months it might seem like it never will). We remember the great joy when the power comes back on! In some ways this surreal Halloween has prepared us for the winter, for the seemingly unending darkness. The cycle continues, and when it is time, all things return.

On a bright note, our UNICEF Halloween Festival and Dance Party last Friday were quite successful. I am now especially glad we made the decision to have it on Friday instead of Saturday or Sunday (though no fortune teller or meteorologist could have predicted the events of the weekend when we made that choice). You can see some of the pictures here.

By our current count, we raised $230 for UNICEF. If any kids take out Trick or Treat for UNICEF boxes tonight, make sure to bring them back to church so we can add to our total. The Cake Walk this Sunday also will go to support UNICEF.

A lot of people worked to make the Festival and Dance Party a success. I feel so lucky to have a great team of professional staff: Abigail Hannaford-Ricardi and Lesa McWalters went above and beyond in their work. Church member and professional deejay Jeremy Champlin donated equipment and expertise. Anita Kostecki donated prizes for the costume contest. Cindy Cordova and Amy Borg, co-chairs of the Family Ministries Team, and Rudy Cepko, YRU2 advisor, helped with set-up and during the event. Christine Sugarman and David Gendler took photographs. Rhye Gray gave Tarot Readings. Kattia Yauckoes, Linda Wyatt, and Carrie West also helped during the event. And our BYKOTA and YRU2 youth kept the activities going. My apologies if I missed someone, but I just wanted to give a big shout out to everyone who helped.

There are so many exciting things ahead. But thank you for taking a moment with me to remember what was lost. For this, too, is part of the magic circle.

All Souls Sunday: Talking to Children about Death

2011-10-27T07:43:00.003-07:00

This Sunday there will be no faith development classes. All ages will gather in Community Worship for All Souls, honoring our beloved dead, be they grandparents or goldfish, friends or family. A group of children and youth will dramatize the story Ghost Wings about the Mexican legend of the Old Ones returning as butterflies, and congregants will have the opportunity to name their beloved dead in a ritual of remembrance.

Parents, especially those with younger children, we strongly recommend that you take a moment to talk with your children before the service about those they would like to remember. Talking with children about death is never easy, and it's especially challenging since different UUs have such different ideas about what happens after we die. I suggest you follow your children's cues in sharing a developmentally appropriate discussion. On Sunday we will focus on remembrance rather than loss, but I urge you to be prepared for questions and discussions.

There are a lot of great resources available for talking with children about death.

Information for parents:
• Parenting Beyond Belief: On Raising Ethical, Caring Kids Without Religion by Dale McGowan. Written from the perspective of an atheist, this book offers advice for parents in many categories, including death.
• The Kid's Book About Death and Dying by Eric Rofes. This is a very helpful book that helps parents find kid-appropriate language for these discussions.
• The Tibetan Book of Living and Dying by Sogyal Rinpoche. One of the most important ways a parent can help their kids understand big issues is by approaching the topics in their own beliefs. This book has helped me personally in my search for understanding.
• Sum: Forty Tales from the Afterlives David Eagleman. I have not read this one yet, but I am very intrigued by it based on a review in UU World. It explores forty different ways of thinking about the afterlife, and it’s on my “to read” list.

Storybooks to share with children:
• The Next Place by Warren Hanson. This book offers a vision of what might happen to a person after death. It does not specifically mention heaven or hell, but it opens to the possibility of an afterlife.
• The Mountains of Tibet by Mordecai Gerstein tells the story of the death and reincarnation of a Tibetan woodcutter. It gives a beautifully gentle look at one human being dealing with life's choices and possibilities.
• Tear Soup by Pat Schweibert is a beautiful book on the process of grief, appropriate for children but also poignant for adults. This book has meant a lot to me personally in times of sorrow and grief. I cannot recommend it strongly enough.

I also have learned some very helpful language from books like Harry Potter, which deals a lot with issues of life and death. Professor Dumbledore reminds Harry that those we love never truly leave us for they live on within us. That is one version of the afterlife that we all can understand – those we love are still with us as long as we remember them.

I look forward to seeing you this Sunday. Our service will be joyful and possibly tearful as we remember All Souls.

Learning to Share

2011-10-19T10:11:00.000-07:00

“Mine! Mine!” The animators of the Pixar film Finding Nemo gave the seagulls in just one word: “Mine!” And yet, I remember when it seemed that was the only word my little girl knew. Everything belonged to her, and she was very reluctant to share – food, toys, mommy or daddy’s time and attention. As a toddler, it was developmentally appropriate to see the world revolving around her. Everything she saw (even things she didn’t really want), she claimed as “Mine!” While I was working on this article, a friend of mine “shared” an anonymous humor piece on Facebook called “Property Laws of a Toddler”:

1. If I like it, it's mine.
2. If it's in my hand, it's mine.
3. If I can take it from you, it's mine.
4. If I had it a little while ago, it's mine.
5. If it's mine, it must never appear to be yours in any way.
6. If I'm doing or building something, all the pieces are mine.
7. If it looks just like mine, it is mine.
8. If I saw it first, it's mine.
9. If you are playing with something and you put it down, it automatically becomes mine.
10. If it's broken, it's yours!

So I immediately “shared” it. Sharing is quite easy on Facebook, right? But in life, sharing is a bit harder to learn (and many adults still hold fast to the above laws).

In the miracle of growing up, my now preschool child is learning to share. This is also normal between the ages of 3-5. First it started with “proto-sharing” – showing others their toys but not being willing to let go of them. But children of this age imitate the adults, so we tried to give healthy examples of sharing. Sharing food was easy. Sharing toys has been a little more challenging, though preschool is helping. But the abstract sharing of something like “money” with people she can’t even see… way too abstract for her little mind!

We want our child to grow into a compassionate and giving adult. So I am consciously creating an atmosphere of giving now. Once a child reaches elementary school, he or she can begin to understand the abstractions – that there are people in this world who are suffering from lack of healthy food, clean water, medicine, education. Some of them even live right here in our country or our community. When we have resources, should we keep them to ourselves? Or should we share? As Unitarian Universalists, we live our faith by learning to share. We share our search for truth and meaning. We share acceptance with one another despite our differences. We share our worship experiences. And, yes, we share our resources.

One way we share our resources is through action. The Interfaith Hospitality Network families move into the church this week, and it will take an active sharing of many in the congregation to share with families who need so much. Sharing time is so valuable, and families who share together in helping with IHN have an opportunity to grow together in so many ways.

We also share financial resources, both within the church and in the world. First Unitarian relies entirely on financial donations to continue its work, but we also make a conscious effort to raise funds for others several times during the year. We support local organizations, family-based organizations, the Unitarian Universalist Association, and disaster-relief. And, once a year each Halloween, we participate in raising money for UNICEF, the United Nations Children’s Fund.

“Trick or Treat for UNICEF” was started by kids who decided they wanted to make the world a better place so all children can grow up healthy and safe. They began taking the orange boxes with them while they went door to door, asking for donations along with their candy. Since 1950, when Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF started, kids have raised over $164 million in total! All together in 2010, American kids and other contributors collected more than $4.35 million to help UNICEF help kids — isn’t that incredible? Kids have the power to change the world, because it only takes pennies to save a life! When we raise money by Trick-or-Treating for UNICEF, our donation helps UNICEF get children basic, but very important things they need to stay healthy. Things like medicines, safe water to drink, food, and education.

We have the power to make a difference. For example, nearly 900 million people around the world don’t have access to clean water. And nearly half of those people are kids —just 25 cents would pay for enough clean water in a day for 10 kids. So if we raise a dollar, how many kids would we be helping with clean water? 40 kids. What if we raise $10? 400 KIDS. What if we raise $500? We could help UNICEF give 20,000 kids clean water for a day!

First Unitarian Church of Worcester has a long history of participating with Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF. Every year the YRU2 Halloween party proceeds have gone to UNICEF, and individual kids took boxes to collect donations when they went trick-or-treating. This year the Family Ministries Team is working together with YRU2 and BYKOTA to host a UNICEF Halloween Festival and Dance Party on Friday, October 28. The festival, from 5-7 pm, will include a costume contest, arts & crafts, games, a Tarot reader, a toddler room, and a pumpkin decorating contest. Parents are asked to attend with their children. We will collect donations at each of these stations. We also will have information available so people can really see where their donations are going. Then we will transition into a Dance Party for youth and adults. Our goal is to raise at least $500 for UNICEF.

I look forward to sharing with you all next Sunday how much our festival raises. As the icing on the cake, so to speak, the YRU2 will sponsor the traditional UNICEF cakewalk next Sunday during coffee hour. And then our children will be encouraged to take the boxes out again as they Trick-or-Treat on Halloween. UNICEF does not ask kids to sacrifice their Halloween candy. Donations are usually collected in addition to the candy. So even though they are still collecting candy, they are also collecting donations that will help other kids.

My little girl may not be old enough to understand what we’re doing and why, but we’re going to take the little orange UNICEF box with us when we go trick-or-treating on October 31. In this time of the year when we recognize harvest, together we can create a season of giving. We can teach our children to share through our example. May our efforts truly make a difference in the world.

Upcoming Events in Faith Development

2011-10-17T08:26:00.000-07:00

• We will have a rehearsal for “Ghost Wings,” our dramatic story for All Souls Sunday, this upcoming Sunday (10/23) from 11:50-12:30 in the sanctuary. A dozen kids are signed up to be “Butterflies and Monsters” and should attend this first rehearsal along with our 8th grade main characters.

• UNICEF Halloween Festival & Dance Party! Friday, October 28. The family-oriented Festival will be from 5-7 pm and the teen and adult oriented Dance Party from 7-9 pm. Come in costume and invite your friends to this community-wide event. (And if you’re unable to attend but still want to support our UNICEF cause, go to our party website to donate. .

• You can also create your own “costumed” UNICEF photo. If you “buy” the upgraded “costumes,” it adds to our UNICEF total contributions. You can also continue to raise awareness of UNICEF by posting your photo on Facebook.

• We will continue the UNICEF weekend with the traditional Cake Walk on Sunday, October 30. With more than 20 cakes and pies to choose from, you’ll have fun trying to win your favorite! The Cake Walk will be after church during Coffee Hour in Unity Hall. This is sponsored by the YRU2 Youth Group.

• We are eager to begin developing an organized adult faith development program, and we need to hear from the adults in the congregation about their wants and needs! There will be an Adult Faith Development Listening Session on Tuesday, November 15 at 7 pm. We are also actively working to form the Adult Faith Development Team. If you would like to contribute to the church through this team, please contact Jessica at jgray@firstunitarian.com.

A Gentle Journey H.O.M.E.

2011-10-17T07:49:00.000-07:00

An account of an inter-church U.U. Youth Mission trip
by Robin Caracciolo
Director of Religious Education at our sister church,
Unitarian Universalist Church of Worcester on Holden St.

Last Friday morning, 35 of us gathered in the UUCW parking lot. There were 14 high school teens from UUCW, 2 from First Unitarian, 2 from Brookfield UU Church and 5 from the UU Church in Westboro. Together with the twelve adult chaperones, we circled up and looked at each other. We were suddenly co-journeyers full of high hopes, fear, excitement, and apprehension. Our individual threads were in small clumps, and some entirely separate. Aaron Payson, in a worshipful send-off, spoke to us about our journey. Still, we wondered what was in front of us, and how we all, so different, could become the woven volunteer “group” helping at H.O.M.E.

The 5 hour trip to H.O.M.E. in Orland ,Maine took 8 hours including stops, lunch and traffic. Traveling with a convoy of 5 vehicles proved to be a challenge.

Our arrival at H.O.M.E. was a rude awakening to many of us who were returning for the second time. With a heavy heart, I saw that the shelter had suffered a tough year and fallen into disrepair. Our accommodations were “rough”, most showers were not working and the two that were had no hot water. The water pressure was extremely low and the toilets were clogging. The kitchen was dirty and Friday night’s dinner took a long time to arrive. People felt tired and hungry, and wary

At our evening “circle” we processed the joys and challenges that were part of our day. There were many challenges present in that circle. The joys were the new friendships that were forming and the weather report of sunny skies and 80 degree temperatures. The challenge was the “sweaty work” we’d all be doing with the prospect of no showers.

Then, the magic happened. The tapestry was rapidly woven. The amazing kitchen crew led by Lee Hill and Lydia Proulx got the place sparkling and the food cooking. Bart Hill , Art Shea and Paul Vigneau Jr. got the showers, lights and toilets fixed. Paul Vigneau Sr., Robin Ganesan, Mohammed Salmassi , Pauline Sciarappa , Nancy Ackerman, Nick Choquette, and Sue Bartlet and crew cut the wood, stacked it, cleaned out the bargain barn and the community garden, and stocked the food pantry.

In our final circle on Sunday night, we sat around the fire and lit sparklers. Shoulder to shoulder with our fellow co-journeyers and the beautiful families living at H.O.M.E., the joys of accomplishment, perseverance and community (and a warm shower) outweighed everything else.

Thank you : Alison Lanyon, Cameron Root, Susan Mayes, Katie Cooney, Dessie Fung, Kahlia Salaices, Drew Lanyon, Robbie Johnson Erickson, Olivia Mandile, Joannah Houghton, Althea Ostrow, Charlie Buress, Luke Sciarappa, Paul Vigneau Jr., Nicholas Smith, Juliana Ruivo, Mithra Salmassi, Jenn Ostroff, Alex Ostroff, Lydon Davis, Rebecca Siegal, Natalie Ackerman, Gillian Ganesan. Thank you, adult chaperones.

H.O.M.E. Inc., established in 1970 as a craft cooperative, is a multifaceted organization involved in economic reconstruction and social rehabilitation. In its 30+ years of existence, it has grown from the single retail store where home crafters could sell their goods into a small community offering jobs, food, education, temporary shelter and home ownership to families in need www.homecoop.net

Well Begun is Half Done

2011-10-09T10:46:00.000-07:00

I like movies – a lot. And books. Stories in general. In fact, they are like myths to me. But when Tom asked me to speak to the adults and older youth about my philosophy of religious education, I planned to focus on something more “serious.” But then an idea just “popped” into my mind, and whatever I did, she wouldn’t leave. So, I decided to speak to you today about Mary Poppins.

When I was a child, I was enchanted by the music and the magic of this film. She was my heroine. I wanted to live in a world where toys cleaned up after themselves and carousel horses left the merry-go-round. For many years I considered myself “too old” for movies like “Mary Poppins,” but when I watched it again as an adult, I was blown away – and not like the nannies at the beginning of the movie with their umbrellas. Pretty soon I found myself saying “Poppisms” – short aphorisms or sayings from the movie that embody general truth. When I began working as a professional Religious Educator, Mary Poppins quickly became an avatar - an embodiment of who I would like to be.

I titled this sermon after one of my favorite Poppisms: “Well begun is half done.” I have this quote at the top of the “To Do” list in my office. I like to look at it every day because it inspires me to get started. Sometimes beginning is the hardest part of any project. When I was writing my dissertation in graduate school, I remember countless days of staring at a blank screen. Anyone who has written something knows about the blank screen of death. Beginning is at least half the work.

Mary Poppins calls the first game she plays with the children “Well begun is half done.” Basically, the game is cleaning up the nursery. But Mary keeps it interesting. Another Poppism: “With every job that’s to be done there is an element of fun. You find the fun and –snap- the job’s a game.” When she snaps her fingers, the nursery cleans up after itself. When I approach a task, I try to think about how it could be fun, especially if it involves kids, but most adults like to have fun, too. Granted, it would be more fun to do tedious tasks if I could make things fly through the air by snapping my fingers, but there are plenty of ways to find the fun in everyday life. Of course, fun looks different to everyone. Jerry Bellows told me the other day that he carries Sodoku in his pocket for the moments in between when he can just get lost in the numbers. Lisa McWalters, our new Youth Ministries Coordinator, likes to listen to audio books on long drives or while doing tedious tasks. She once had a job where she was scanning item after item into a computer, and she listened to a whole library of audio books.

My husband does most of the laundry at our house (lucky me), and he likes to sort our clothes into the rainbow colors. We’re colorful people, so sometimes we actually have a load for each color. He sorts them into the rainbow colors, washes them in that order, and then even hangs them in order of the rainbow in the closets. Sometimes he even hums the song “Rainbow Connection” while he’s doing the laundry – that was our wedding song. Like I said, we’re colorful people. When I clean the floors in my house, I like to turn on music and dance with the broom and mop. I especially like showtunes – imagine that. At the airport or in other public places, I like to make up stories about the people I see going by – where they are going, what they will do there.

I even turn parts of my spiritual practice into a game. When I’m waiting for the extremely slow elevator here at the church, I say mantras. That’s something I learned in India – waiting in line is a great time to do repetitive prayers – and there’s a lot of waiting in India. But while waiting for the elevator, I make it a game. How many mantras can I do between the first and third floor? My current record is 76.

But life is about more than games. In “Mary Poppins,” once the nursery is clean, she gives another Poppism: “Enough is as good as a feast.” It’s very interesting that this has become a mantra for me because it seems to contradict another of my personal mantras: “More is more.” Some people say “less is more,” but for me, “more is more.” I like to do things in a big way – dramatic, colorful, exciting. I especially like organizing special events – like the Halloween Festival we’re having on October 28. When Linda Wyatt brought up the idea of an evening event instead of the smaller coffee-hour carnival, I jumped on board. (Yes, I stuck an advertisement in the middle of my sermon – but it’s a big deal!) A friend of mine recently told me that he could not remember a time when I said a job or event was too big. But, at the end of the day, “Enough is as good as a feast.” The best dissertation is a finished dissertation. My deadline in this job is Sunday – I’ve got to get everything done by Sunday. I will always have more ideas than I can bring into reality. Whatever gets done, that has to be enough. I am enough.

Poppism: “Never judge things by their appearance... even carpetbags. I'm sure I never do.” When she first arrives in the nursery, Mary Poppins surprises the children by pulling unexpected items out of her carpet bag, including a lamp, a full-length mirror, and a potted plant. The children are encouraged to discover the extraordinary within the ordinary, to look at the world through mystery and wonder. Liberal religious education has always placed a high value on the direct experience of mystery and wonder. Sophia Lyon Fahs was a foundational religious educator who worked from the 1930s to the 1960s. She wrote curriculum and trained other religious educators, teaching that children naturally explore sacred truths through their direct experience of the world. In the early 19th century, William Ellery Channing spoke on the subject of religious instruction in the passage we read earlier today. He reminds us “not to stamp our minds upon the young, but to stir up their own… to awaken the soul, to excite and cherish spiritual life.” Even prior to Channing, in the 1828 Christian Teacher’s Manual, teachers are encouraged “not to infuse a soul into the little being before him, but to bring out the soul that is there in its native purity.” Each person has the ability to wonder, to explore, and to find their own answers at each stage in their growth and faith development.

What is faith development? One of the many factors that contributed to me choosing this job over other professional opportunities was the unique job title this congregation developed. My fellow religious educators have many different job titles: Director of Religious Education, Director of Religious Exploration, Coordinator of Religious Education or Exploration, Lifelong or Lifespan Learning Director, Program Director. The list could go on and on. In this church, I am the Director of Faith Development Ministries.

Faith development is the process by which people attempt to discern answers for the big questions - life, death, the Mystery. It is more than “education,” and it’s especially more than babysitting. Mary Poppins may be a nanny, but she is never just a babysitter. Faith development indicates a process of discovery that extends throughout one’s entire life. It is a process rather than a product, a journey not a destination. The vision statement this congregation created for Faith Development Ministries includes a broad spectrum of spiritual exploration. Our Sunday classes for children and youth are incredibly important, but you envision vibrant educational programs appropriate for all stages and ages. It is my job to help you bring your vision of faith development into reality.

Poppism: “Practically Perfect in Every Way.” The final item Mary Poppins pulls from her bag is her all-important “tape measure.” She wants to see how the children “measure up.” Michael’s measurement is “extremely stubborn and suspicious.” Jane is “rather inclined to giggle; doesn’t put things away.” Finally, Mary Poppins measures herself as “practically perfect in every way.”

This measuring could be seen as a sort of judgment, a label of who the children are, but I see it more like a continuum. Both of the children are still growing. Mary Poppins uses the tool of the measuring tape to see where the children currently are, but also to show them where they could be. Through the course of the movie, she helps the children and their parents begin to recognize and transform their obstacles. They are on the same continuum as Mary Poppins, and they all have the opportunity to someday measure as “practically perfect in every way.”

I believe we are each “Practically perfect.” The foundation of our Unitarian Universalist covenant is the inherent worth and dignity of all people. Each person is completely unique and practically perfect in his or her own way. In our elementary Spirit Play classes, we use the symbol of a “gift” to represent this first principle of inherent worth. The teacher shows a small gift box and says, “Each person is like a gift. You are special just by being yourself. You are a gift. We don’t know all the wonderful things about each other until we learn about each other and find out all of our gifts. We are all precious so we treat each other as a little part of the Mystery.” This is what we teach in our youngest classes.

The scripture we read earlier speaks of how we are each “fearfully and wonderfully made…intricately woven in the depths of the earth.” You are a child of the universe, just as valuable, just as important, as the trees and the stars. You have been practically perfect since long before you were born, and you will be practically perfect long after you die.

And this takes us back to “Well begun is half done.” How do we begin? We are not born with original sin. We are born with original blessedness. I first heard this term, original blessedness, from a real-life heroine of mine, the Rev. Rebecca Parker. As a Unitarian Universalist theologian, she teaches that our inherent worth and dignity stem from the human relationship with God. According to Rebecca Parker, early liberal Christians argued against the dismal view of human nature taught by Calvinists. She writes, “The liberal message emphasized instead that humanity’s divine origin is never fully defaced or erased by human folly and sin… Radical inclusiveness is the mark of Christian love, for all bear the image of God.” We are able to be inclusive because of our recognition of inherent worth. The Hindu greeting “Namaste” recognizes the value in the other, “the divinity in me bows to the divinity in you.” You bear the image of God. You are practically perfect in every way.

If this is true, why are there some times when we just don’t “measure up”? Remember, we’re “practically perfect,” not completely perfect. “Practically perfect” is still human – full of flaws and challenges. But perfect nonetheless. Complete perfection is not necessary, but recognizing our inherent perfection is good enough. We are perfect in our imperfection.

The final Poppism I wish to speak on was not said by Mary Poppins but by her friend, Bert, the chimneysweep. Throughout the movie the children’s father has long since forgotten how to balance work and fun. He loses control and loses his job, and as he is bemoaning his misfortune, Bert reminds him that “childhood slips like sand through a sieve... And all too soon they've up and grown, and then they've flown... And it's too late for you to give.” To give.

The father has to learn how to give to his children before it’s too late. He has to find and use his own unique gifts. Clearly he has gifts in business and finance, and he gives his children a financially stable home. That has much value. But the children want and need him to give them time and attention. Like so many of us, he learns that he needs to find balance between work and home. His greatest gift is time.

The final word in my job title is “ministries.” The word “ministry” literally means “service.” A minister is one who serves. I am honored to serve this congregation, and I look forward to helping you find your own unique ministries, the many ways you will share your gifts with the congregation and the greater community. Service brings “faith” into action. Ministry is our opportunity to share our practical perfection with others.

Each person’s idea of perfection is different. What is your practical perfection? And what will you do with it? Will you lose track of it in the tedium of everyday responsibilities, the grind at the grindstone? Or will you seek to find the element of fun in every job? Will you give your precious and unique gifts to the world? You already have everything you need - if you are willing to open your heart and mind. Rebecca Parker writes, “God’s imagination and longing, felt by every event-in-process, invites each particular thing to its potential part in the advance of peace, joy, healing, beauty, zest – abundant life.” We can change the world with our abundance.

Well begun is half done. We are made in the image of the divine. Whoever you are, whatever you are, wherever you are, you are well begun. Life is short. You may not even be half done. Share your gifts. And take joy, for we are “practically perfect in every way.” Namaste.

Halloween Festival and Dance Party!

2011-10-03T13:38:00.001-07:00

Friday, October 28

First Unitarian Church of Worcester
90 Main St.

Halloween Festival
5-7 pm
And “Dance Party with a Purpose”
7-9 pm

The Festival will be focused on family-oriented games and activities, while the Dance Party is intended for teens and adults (though kids are welcome if supervised).

• Costume Contest for all ages
• A preschool area with games (the “Lil’ Pumpkin Patch)
• Games and crafts
• B.Y.O.P. (bring your own pumpkin) for pumpkin decorating and pumpkin fashion show.
• “Ghoulish” snacks (feel free to bring some to share)
• Tarot readers and/or fortune-tellers
• A live DJ with lights, music and more!

All proceeds benefit UNICEF (the United Nations Children’s Fund). We will accept donations at all activities and ask a $5 donation if you’re only coming for the dance party. Questions? jgray@firstunitarian.com or (508)757-2708 x105.

Every dollar raised will help UNICEF save children’s lives by providing nutritious food, medicines, clean water, and access to an education, all luxuries we take for granted daily. Thank you for joining UNICEF to do whatever it takes to save children’s lives!

Many Leaves, One Tree

2011-09-28T07:57:00.000-07:00

Our Community Worship service on 9/25 was both meaningful and a lot of fun. If you missed it, I hope to see you next time! The following is my sermonette, followed by the script acted out by Solomon Bellows and myself:

Many of you are probably familiar with the story of “The Giving Tree” by Shel Silverstein. It is a well-loved story of a tree and a little boy, though many parents have expressed concern about how codependent the tree seems to be. As the boy grows, the tree gives and gives and gives until she has nothing left. This makes her happy. When he asks for money, she offers her apples. When he asks for wood to build a house, she gives him all of her branches. When he asks for a boat, she gives him her trunk. And when he returns to find only a stump, she offers him a place to sit.

Have you ever done that? Given more and more and more until you had nothing left to give? I know I can get so involved in a project that I forget to eat. Or I can work until the wee hours of the morning. I take care of my family, but I don’t take care of myself. I become the giving tree, but in the process I lose myself. I know this happens to many in church leadership. They enjoy giving to the church community, but it’s easy to get so involved that you lose sight of your own boundaries. That sort of selflessness causes so much more harm than good.

As you can tell, the story we told today was a bit different. This version was re-written by a retired UU minister named Jerry Wright. In this alternate version, the tree says “no.” She sets limits. Instead of basing her happiness on the happiness of the boy, she takes care of herself. And, in the end, he is grateful that she set limits. He learns to show appreciation for all he has been given. And we even get a hint that new life can grow from the passing of the old. It shows the cycle of life for both the tree and the boy.

Do you want to be the giving tree or the nurturing tree? It feels good to give to others. Giving is a very healthy thing to do. But know your limits. Know which gifts nurture your spirit and which cost you too much. Listen to your own boundaries. And learn to let go of the things that sap your energy.

Think about the autumn leaves. In your order of service, there is a printed leaf. Get it out now and look at it. Leaves are absolutely necessary to the life of a tree, for they gather the nutrients the tree needs to live. They are kind of like the tree’s food factories. But in the autumn, the tree has to be willing to let those leaves go. A tree's roots, branches and twigs can endure freezing temperatures, but most leaves are not so tough. If they freeze and die while they are still connected to the tree, the tree could die. The best way for the tree to nurture itself is to release them.

What do you need to leave behind? Do you need to let go of fear? Or anger? Do you want to let go of specific habits that no longer help you grow? Specific obligations? I want you to take a few moments to write on the leaf the things you want to release. (pause) Now, crumple it up, and let it go. (throw the ball). Seriously, let it go. (leaves start falling).

We have let go of many leaves. The leaves return to the soil as mulch, and the soil sustains the tree. And now that we’ve let some things go, now that we have set some boundaries, this community is one strong tree. As we enter into this harvest season, may we sustain each other. May we respect one another’s limits. May we take opportunities to nurture each other, to grow a strong community, but may we also nurture ourselves.

The Nurturing Tree
Adapted by Jerry Wright from Shel Silverstein’s The Giving Tree
Dramatized by Jessica Gray

PART 1:

TREE:
Once there was a boy who really enjoyed a tree. I am that tree.

The boy enjoyed the roughness of my bark when he climbed on it.
(BOY mimes climbing)

He enjoyed the springiness of my branches when he swung on them.
(BOY mimes swinging)

He enjoyed the crackle, the smell and the pillowy feeling of my leaves when he gathered them into a big pile and jumped into them, in the fall of the year.
(Leaves fall, and BOY mimes catching them)

He enjoyed the crunch and tart taste of my apples when he bit into their ripe fruit.
(BOY mimes eating an apple)

And when the sun was hot, he enjoyed sitting in my shade, leaning against my sturdy trunk, thinking about all the things he hoped to do and have and be as he grew older.
(BOY leans against the tree, dreaming)

As the tree, I enjoyed knowing the boy, too. I enjoyed watching him grow stronger, able to do more things. I enjoyed his company. I enjoyed being useful.

(BOY exits skipping)
But there came a long time when the boy stayed away.

PART 2:

As the tree, I missed the boy, until one day, he returned. But he was different. Older, but not necessarily wiser.

(BOY enters, a teenager)

Hello Boy. Would you like to play in my leaves?

BOY:
I’m too old for that. I need some money.

TREE:
"Well, money doesn't grow on trees, but apples do, and you're welcome to gather my apples and sell them for money."

BOY:
I guess that’ll work.

I was delighted to have the boy climbing about, gathering the apples I had grown. I enjoyed his company and I enjoyed feeling useful.

(Exit BOY)

But then the boy stayed away for a long time, again.

PART 3:
(Enter BOY as a young MAN)

As the tree, I missed the boy. One bright, sunny day I saw him coming toward me-older now-a man-and I was very happy. I really enjoyed his company. He was bigger and looked stronger than when I had seen him last.

Hello Boy. Would you like to eat my apples?

BOY:
I’m too busy for that. I want a house. A house to live in and raise a family. Would you give me your branches?

TREE:
I'll give you a few of my branches, and you may ask my neighbors for some of theirs. If I gave you all of my branches, I'd have nothing to support my leaves. Without leaves to turn sunlight and water into food, I would die. But as long as you take only a few of my limbs, I can grow others; so, you're welcome to a few.

BOY: (gathering branches) Thank you, Tree. I will also ask your neighbors.
(he exits)

TREE: I am glad to see he has enough to build his house. But now he stays away for several years.

PART 4:

TREE: As the tree, I missed the boy. One day I saw him coming toward me-a man in his middle years now.
(BOY enters, a middle-aged MAN)

Hello boy. Would you like to swing in my branches?

BOY:
I’m too tired for that. I've been thinking that I'd like to have a boat to sail on the lake, and I'd like to have your trunk to use for a hull.

TREE:
Hmm. I like you very much- I have liked you since when you were a small boy, climbing my trunk and diving into piles of my leaves-but I like
myself, too. I must say 'No' to your request. If I gave you my trunk, I would die, and while I like to give of myself and feel useful, I
know better than to give myself away.

BOY:
You’re saying no? You’ve always given me at least some of what I asked for.

TREE:
I've noticed that you only come around when you want something for yourself. Other than that, I never see you. I would really like for you to come visit me from time to time.

BOY:
I guess you’re right. I do only come see you when I want something. When I came here as a young boy, we both were giving each other something. But now you have been doing almost all of the giving and I have been doing almost all of the taking.

Would you like to have children play in your branches again?

TREE:
Oh yes!

BOY:
I’ll call my grandchildren! Come up here! (calls to any children from congregation to play). This is a great tree. You can play in it, climb it, swing from its branches. You can eat the apples.

Oh, and look, we can also plant some seedlings to make more trees. When they grow up, they can keep the tree company.

Part 5:

Like all living things, I grew older and older and finally died, and the keepers of the forest cut me down, leaving only a stump of a tree.

(Enter BOY, an old man)
The man grew older, too, and returned to me one day, only to discover that nothing
was left of me, but my stump.

I could offer no shade to sit in-no sturdy trunk to lean against-only my stump to sit upon, so the old man sat.
(BOY thinks for a time)

BOY:
Thank you, tree. Thank you for being there when I was a boy.

Thank you for the shade you provided, and for being there to lean upon when I just wanted a place to think thoughts and dream dreams.

And thank you, most of all, for setting limits and saying "No." Thanks for liking yourself as well as you liked me. I think that liking yourself enough to tell me "No" was the best gift you ever gave me."

(The tree raises new branches behind the boy)

TREE:
The end. And the beginning.

C 2006
Jerry D. Wright
Adapted for stage by Jessica Gray, 2011

Welcome autumn!

2011-09-20T06:05:00.000-07:00

In the past few weeks, I have closed the windows in my apartment and gone searching for my long-sleeved shirts and jackets. I have seen the first tinges of autumn in the leaves. I enjoy autumn immensely (especially my pumpkin-spice lattes), and, but this season also brings with it some challenges for many families. One of the greatest enemies of the modern family is the incredibly full calendar. So many families rush from school and work to other sports and activities and barely even take a moment to pass in the halls. My own child, Ariana, just started preschool, and my husband and I are both working new jobs. Some days I don’t get home until she is already in bed, and often we’re so exhausted that our family meals are in front of the TV.

We all know how important it is to spend time with our families. Those important moments of connection, whether they are the bedtime rituals or family dinners, are the moments that bond us together with the people we love the most. I think my favorite moments are the times we can never plan: a sleepy-eyed Ariana stumbling out of bed in her pajamas wanting to snuggle, evenings when she falls asleep without a struggle and Rhye and I have just a few minutes to talk, or even times when we’re navigating through traffic, discovering something new. These are moments worth treasuring.

And, as Ariana grows older, I also treasure sharing with her the religious rituals of my faith. We light a family chalice together and sing the chalice song she knows from Sunday School. We say bedtime prayers together. And, when she is ready, I look forward to sharing larger, communal worship experiences together. When I was a child, family devotions were an important part of our family life. My dad often said, “The family that prays together stays together.” While my prayers now may look or sound different from the prayers I said with my parents as a child, they instilled in me a love for worship. My spiritual connection was intimately connected to my family.

The etymology of the word “worship" derives from “worth” or “value.” What are the things we value? How will we shape the moments in our lives to recognize their worth? In addition to the beautiful spontaneous moments (which I encourage you to savor), this year we hope to bring many opportunities for you to share worshipful moments with your family at First Unitarian. The new format for Time for Community is intended to allow families to light candles together, to share their joys and sorrows, and to connect with others in the community. Many of the “Monday Night at the Church” programs are being designed for families to engage together in a spiritual way. And this Sunday I look forward to celebrating autumn with our first Community Worship Service, a time for all ages to join together in the sanctuary for the entire worship hour. For families with young children (early elementary and toddlers), we will offer “Extended Care” beyond our normal nursery services with activities connected to the theme, but older children and youth are strongly encouraged to join with the in this time of worship. Together, we will find new ways to express worth and honor in our community.

I hope each of us will find the time in our busy schedules to connect to our families and to our spiritual community. These are truly the moments of worth. Bright Autumn Blessings!

Upcoming Faith Development Events

2011-09-03T09:49:00.000-07:00

The church year officially starts September 11 with Homecoming Sunday. On this Sunday we will recognize and honor our volunteer teachers - our Partners in Ministry for Children and Youth. All classes PreK-8th grade will have their first meeting. At 11:30, all parents are invited to a "Meet & Greet" downstairs in the Landers Room. This is your opportunity to meet me, the new Director of Faith Development Ministries, see your child's classroom, meet some of their new teachers, and hear more about the Faith Development plans for 2011-2012. Snacks will be provided.

There are also a few more upcoming events you may be interested in:

On Monday nights, the church has a fellowship supper at 6:30 then a program at 7:30 pm. They ask a $5 donation for supper (if you can afford it). Then the programs vary. I am responsible for the program the second Monday of each month. My first program is September 12:

Family-friendly Water Communion
The Water Communion is a specific Unitarian Universalist tradition practiced in many churches throughout the nation. We will join together as a community in this alternative, participatory worship with story and song. You are encouraged to bring a small bottle of water from your home or some other place, but this is not required. All are welcome.

On THURSDAY nights from 6:30-7:30, I will be leading the Mandala Dance Group, a spiritual practice of movement meditations from earth-centered, Tibetan Buddhist, and other sources. The practice is similar to Dances of Universal Peace. Our group will begin meeting on September 22 with an honoring of the autumn equinox. Each week we will explore the cycles of the seasons, the moons, and our lives through movement, music, and meditation.

Sunday September 25 I am leading the main Sunday service. The title is "Many Leaves, One Tree: A Community Fall Celebration." It's the first of four seasonal services I will be leading through the course of the year.

I look forward to meeting you as we come together this fall. May it be a fruitful and abundant time for us all.

Bright Blessings!
Jessica Gray

The Bardo, the Butterfly, and the Boy Who Lived

2011-08-14T17:22:00.000-07:00

(Introductory sermon offered by Jessica Gray, DFDM, 8/14/2011)

“He moved on, and now he reached the edge of the forest, and he stopped.
A swarm of dementors was gliding amongst the trees; he could feel their chill, and he was not sure he would be able to pass safely through it. He had no strength left for a Patronus. He could no longer control his own trembling. It was not, after all, so easy to die. Every second he breathed, the smell of the grass, the cool air on his face, was so precious: To think that people had years and years, time to waste, so much time it dragged, and he was clinging to each second. At the same time he thought that he would not be able to go on, and knew that he must. The long game was ended, the Snitch had been caught, it was time to leave the air…

The Snitch. His nerveless fingers fumbled for a moment with the pouch at his neck and he pulled it out.

I open at the close.

Breathing fast and hard, he stared down at it. Now that he wanted time to move as slowly as possible, it seemed to have sped up, and understanding was coming so fast it seemed to have bypassed thought. This was the close. This was the moment.

He pressed the golden metal to his lips and whispered, “I am about to die.” The metal shell broke open.”
(J.K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows 697-698)

“I open at the close.” Last week, in her final sermon here, Kim Hampton opened with a quote from T.S. Eliot “What we call the beginning is often the end. And to make an end is to make a beginning. The end is where we start from.” I find it highly appropriate that I open with the very same words in my first sermon here. With every ending, we find a new beginning. And with every beginning, we honor the ending of that which came before.

How many of you have read the final Harry Potter book? Seen the final film? Seen any of the films? Ever heard of Harry Potter? If you didn’t raise your hand for at least one of those questions, either you’re not paying attention or you’ve been hiding under a rock for the past ten years. For my generation and those after me, Harry Potter is a cultural phenomenon, with the successful books and films, tons of toys and merchandise, wizard rock bands, and even a theme park. The stories became an important part of my life work as I was “Headmistress” of Hogwarts summer camp for seven years in Baton Rouge and also wrote a chapter in my dissertation about the series. I believe this story has had such a great impact because the imagery in Harry Potter transcends mere fantasy. I see it as a story of power, symbolism, and significance - a modern mythology.

And as with any myth, images can be interpreted far beyond their literal context. But some context is helpful. For those of you who may be less familiar with the series, let me explain something about the passage we just read. In the wizarding sport of “Quidditch,” Harry Potter plays the position of the Seeker. This player has only one job: to catch a small golden flying ball called the “Snitch.” Once the Snitch is caught, the game ends, and usually the Seeker’s team wins. As part of our camp we played Quidditch every year, and believe me, the snitch was well-sought. Much joy and many tears were expressed by the children who sought this little ball.

In the scene we read, Harry Potter is ready to face what he believes will be the final battle of his life. As he walks to his immanent death, he remembers that his mentor, Dumbledore, gave him an enchanted golden snitch engraved with the words, “I open at the close.” Let’s consider this image for a moment.

First, we have the Seeker. This is a classic image of one on a spiritual search. In Matthew 7:7-8, Jesus taught his disciples: “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.” Our Unitarian Universalist principles encourage us each to a “free and responsible search for truth and meaning.” We seek the opening that will allow us to understand the big questions, the revelation of something more.

I have always considered myself a spiritual seeker from as early as I can remember. I was raised Southern Baptist, the child of a minister, but I knew early on that I wanted more. I remember when I was about five years old, people would ask me what I wanted to be when I grew up. I said I wanted to be a minister, just like my daddy. But the good Southern Baptists always told me I could marry a minister, but since I was a girl I couldn’t be a minister. I was crushed. So instead I decided to be a missionary, and in high school I traveled on mission trips to Budapest, Hungary, Malawi in southern Africa, Venezuela, and Papua New Guinea. But I was frustrated with the exclusivity clause of Christianity as I knew it. I had an assignment in one of my missionary courses to write a paper called “The Destiny of the Heathen.” What happens to those who die that have never known about Jesus? Were we actually condemning them by telling them? I remember praying about this and determining that there must be other ways to know God. I left conservative Christianity. Academically, I studied other sects of Christianity, including Catholicism. I studied Judaism and Islam and other world religions. But soon I found a spiritual home in earth-centered traditions of modern Paganism and in a dance meditation of Tibetan Buddhism. I went on a dance pilgrimage to India and Nepal. I trained until I was considered a leader in my chosen spiritual practices. But I still valued my Christian roots, and I found that others could not understand why I followed multiple spiritual disciplines. When I found Unitarian-Universalism, it just made sense. I could honor many spiritual sources. With the principles, I found a framework for living my beliefs. And I found opportunities to minister to others through my work in religious education and now faith development. As a line from another of my favorite movies, Joe Versus the Volcano, says, “It's taken a long time meeting you, a long time on a crooked road.” My spiritual search has led me here to meet you.

Going back to Harry Potter, in this scene, the Snitch – the object of the Seeker - opens to reveal something extraordinary inside. But this moment of revelation, of openness, cannot come on an ordinary day. It can only be revealed in a moment of transition, a moment of change, a moment in between. Anthropologist Arnold van Gennep called this space “liminality,” based on the “limen” or the “threshold.” In his work studying rites of passage, he examined how religious rituals involve a separation from what was and a transformation into what will be. The boy becomes a man. The single individuals become a married couple. The girl becomes a mother. The moments in between are powerful, sacred, and transformative.

The Tibetan Buddhists call this moment of transition the bardo. Though this term often refers to the space between death and rebirth, the great teacher Sogyal Rinpoche explains in The Tibetan Book of Living and Dying that “Bardo is a Tibetan word that simply means a ‘transition’ or a gap between the completion of one situation and the onset of another.” Sometimes the bardo lasts for a fraction of a second. Sometimes we live in states of bardo for years. I’d like for you to think about a time when you experienced a transition or change in your life? Some of us may be in the bardo right now. For the past year and a half, I have lived in the bardo. We were ready to move on from Baton Rouge, but we were open about where we would go – uncertain of the future.

But are any of us ever certain of the future? As soon as we think we are, *snap* everything changes. A job disappears. A loved one dies. A diagnosis, a hurricane, a car accident, a war. I don’t know you, but I know that you have suffered loss of some sort. We all have. This is a fundamental part of the human experience.

Last week, my three-year old spent hours crying over the loss of a cupcake. She was supposed to wait until after dinner, but in her own inventive way she stacked boxes on top of a stool to reach it from the top of the cupboard. But she couldn’t eat it quietly. She came running into the living room to show us what she had achieved. We were so proud of her ingenuity that we didn’t want to punish her, but we couldn’t let her have the cupcake before dinner. She pitched a fit. She wailed over the loss of her cupcake. And her experience is just as real, just as valid, as those of us who have lost so much more. To her, this loss defied everything she knew to be right and good. She had a complete expectation that the cupcake would be hers, and when it was taken from her, she did not know how to handle that emotion. When we have good things in our life, we grasp and cling to them, trying to hold on, to prevent change. But they cannot ever remain the same. The only constant in this life is change. Oh, and by the way, she ate her dinner and got her cupcake. She only had to wait. But after she ate it, like everything else, it was gone again.

Harry Potter approached the bardo willingly. He believed he was walking to his death. He had already lost so much – his parents, many friends, his teacher, everything he knew and loved. He could not conjure his “Patronus,” the guardian that would protect him from the darkness and despair of the creatures called Dementors. And yet he kept going. And in this moment, the metal shell of the snitch opened, revealing a stone called “The Resurrection Stone.” This stone gave him a moment of connection with those he had lost. For this moment, he was strengthened by his sources of refuge and support. I asked some of my friends what they thought about this scene, and one told me, “For me it's that we never really walk this road of life alone, and it is comforting to know that others have walked it before us, made mistakes like we make, loved others like we love, and fought battles like we fight. Even when we feel alone and that the world is a horrible, cruel place, those we love have never really left, nor ever will leave us.” Those we love become our sources of protection, our Patronuses. From the Buddhist perspective, those who support our journey can be honored as our sources of “Refuge.”

I would like you to think about your own personal sources of refuge: If you will, bring your hands together in a symbol of reverence. Think first about your lineage of teachers. Who are the people that have guided your search? Perhaps your parents, your teachers, your ministers, your guides? See them clearly in your mind. Repeat after me, “My path is supported by the lineage of teachers.”

Next, think about your vision of the Enlightened Ones. Which spiritual beings have inspired your path the most? The Buddha, Jesus, Mary? Others? Prophetic men and women like John Murray or Martin Luther King, Jr.? See them clearly in your mind. Repeat after me, “My path is supported by the enlightened ones.”

Now I want you to think about the teachings themselves. What spiritual truths have you discovered in your search? What teachings have helped you with the big questions? Let them form in your mind. Repeat after me, “My path is supported by their teachings.”

And, finally, think about the community of Seekers. Who has traveled with you on this path? Look around. Today, at least, we travel the path together. Repeat after me, “My path is supported by the community of practitioners.”

These are your sources of refuge. When you find yourself in the bardo, remember that you are not alone. You are never alone.

“I open at the close.” Another way of looking at this looks within. We are not just the Seeker. We are the golden snitch. “We” open at the close. And we must break open to find new possibilities. What does it mean to break open? The word “broken” seems so violent – broken bones, broken homes, broken hearts. But we also can break ground, break bread, break-through, break free. We break the constraints holding us back. Like a seed pod breaks to allow a plant to grow, change must happen for life to happen.

When I look to nature, I see the bardo in the life of a creature with glorious wings that flies just like the golden snitch - the butterfly. While I was preparing for this sermon, I decided to watch some time lapse videos on youtube showing the butterfly life cycle. Did you know that most butterflies have an adult lifespan of less than two weeks? Many species of butterfly spend nearly twice as long in the cocoon, as much as a month or two. Their lives are so fragile, so brief, and yet so inspiring. First the caterpillar hatches from a tiny egg and lives and grows. Then, as we all know, to mature into a butterfly it must spin a cocoon. I always thought that the cocoon wraps around the caterpillar’s body. Instead, the first thing I noticed in the videos was that the cocoon forms from within the body, shedding the outer skin of the caterpillar. Just like the caterpillar, we each have all of the resources we need for transformation within. But we must give up all that we know, break through the outer shell, and shed our past like the caterpillar sheds its skin.

Then, after a significant amount of time and space, the caterpillar struggles to emerge from the cocoon. But the struggle is absolutely necessary. As some well-meaning people have discovered, if a person cuts away the cocoon to make it “easier” for the butterfly to emerge, the butterfly will never fly. The struggle through the tiny opening in the restricting cocoon is nature’s way of forcing fluid from the body of the butterfly into its wings. And even then, it takes a long time for the wings to expand. The butterfly, who has just endured great hardship, must continue to rest, to wait. Finally, the butterfly must be willing to release the familiar, to let go of the branch and fly. In our lives, we let go of the past. We wait. We struggle. We expand. And finally, we let go and fly.

“I open at the close.” In every ending, we find a new beginning. I graduated from Louisiana State University in May. Much like the caterpillar transforming into the butterfly, my academic work was full of ups and downs. My dissertation defense was quite a struggle. There were times I nearly gave up. But, do you know what they call a person who struggles but still passes a dissertation defense? Doctor. After 13 years of college, I thought it was important to attend my graduation, to walk the stage and receive the PhD hood, to formalize in a rite of passage the ending of this part of my life. And yet, like so many graduation ceremonies, I found myself impatient through the long wait of the day. I remember looking at all the other PhD graduates from different disciplines, thinking, “Can we just move on already?” It’s appropriate that the end of any academic program is called “Commencement,” for while it may signal an ending, it also is the beginning of whatever is to come.

At the end of June, my family and I packed and moved everything we own 1600 miles across fourteen states. In moving to Worcester, I have opened myself to a new home, a new job, a new church, new friends – a new life. And in bringing me here, you have also opened to me. While we can build on the glorious history of this church, your specific sources of Refuge, we are also breaking new ground together. We are beginning a new journey. I will do things differently than my predecessors. You are different from my previous congregation. We will likely disappoint each other at times. And I hope we can have a lot of fun together. I am a seeker. I open myself to what I will learn from you. And I hope you are open to what you can learn from me.

When you come to a time of transition in your life, the bardo between the past and the future, I encourage you to rest in the in-between. Breathe love and peace. Sogyal Rinpoche teaches, “When this kind of experience occurs, do not immediately rush to find solutions. Remain for a while in that state of peace. Allow it to be a gap. And if you really rest in that gap, looking into the mind, you will catch a glimpse of the deathless nature of the enlightened mind.”

I had a very visceral experience of loss and the bardo this past week. On Thursday, I took my laptop with me to the YMCA to work on my sermon while Ariana was in childcare. I was happy with my work, so we locked my bag into a locker and went swimming. After swimming, Rhye got our clothes bags out of the locker, locked it back, and we showered and changed. A mere 10 minutes later, we were shocked to find our locker empty – his shoes were gone, but my bag was gone – my bag with my computer, my phone, my glasses, my keys… pretty much my life. Shock. Tears. I could not believe that another human being could be so cruel. I was overwhelmed with how much it would cost to replace all of these very important things. I couldn’t even see straight since I didn’t have my prescription glasses. For hours we stayed in the lobby, giving a report to the staff and meeting with the police. But somewhere in the middle of that time, the lessons of this sermon really began to sink in. I breathed. I rested in the letting go. I was still sad and frustrated. I had a hard time sleeping that night. But I fully experienced the gap, the moment of the bardo. Even in the midst of a dramatic crisis, I found moments of peace. The next morning we got a call from the YMCA that our stuff was found stashed in a locker – all of my belongings intact! Our theory is that the thief figured it wasn’t worth getting caught, considering the police and security were quite visible at the only exit for hours after the stuff was stolen. But I also like to think there was some divine grace involved. I let go, and I was blessed in return.

We do not really own our possessions. And we especially cannot own our loved ones – our mates, our friends, our children. As precious as they are to us, we have to be willing to let them go. While stories like mine do not always have happy endings, when we let go we have the opportunity to receive blessings we cannot even imagine.

I would like to lead you in another short spiritual practice. If you are willing and able, gather your hands at your heart and imagine everything you hold precious and dear. This is your own golden snitch. But it’s time to open and fly. Raise your hands up as an offering and open. Release these blessings to the world.

The golden snitch is what we "seek." And when we find it, we win the game. But to win this game, we must “open at the close.” We have to let it go to move forward. With every ending comes a new beginning and new possibilities for openness. The future is not yet written. Are you ready for the next chapter, the next great adventure?

Now Hiring! Youth Ministries Coordinator

2011-08-10T12:11:00.000-07:00

Are you or someone you know interested in a part-time job that makes a real difference in the lives of youth? First Unitarian is now advertising for our new Youth Ministries Coordinator. Feel free to pass this on to anyone you think might be interested:

Position Opening
Youth Ministries Coordinator

First Unitarian Church of Worcester
This is an academic-year (nine months per year) position, September through May with an average of 15 hours per week (~4 units per UUA accounting system). This includes Sunday hours. At times, attendance at weekend and/or overnight events will be required. In the case that summer hours are required for a special event, such as a youth group service trip, hours during the academic year may be adjusted accordingly.

Youth Ministry Coordinator responsibilities include:

• Together with youth and adult volunteers, create a warm, welcoming, positive, safe, and healthy environment for youth ministry.
• Provide oversight, leadership, development, and support for programs for youth in grades 7-12 in the six realms of a balanced youth ministry: (1) leadership development, (2) fun and fellowship, (3) service, (4) worship, (5) relationships with peers and adults, and (6) education. This includes oversight and varying levels of involvement in the Sunday morning classes and youth group meetings, as well as youth group activities and the Our Whole Lives sexuality education program.
• Encourage and support the involvement and integration of youth within the congregation as a whole, and support the faith development of young Unitarian Universalists.
• Assist with organizing and executing volunteer recruitment efforts for all youth ministry programs. Together with the Director of Faith Development, train youth advisors and adult volunteers for their ministries. This includes familiarizing the volunteers with the First Unitarian Church Safe Congregation Policies and Procedures.
• Communicate with parents, youth, youth group governing bodies, and the Religious Education Committee, as well as the Director of Faith Development and Minister(s) through various means including meeting attendance in order to successfully and collaboratively provide oversight, leadership, development and support of the youth ministries.
• With assistance from the Faith Development Assistant, ensure that all administrative aspects of the youth ministries are completed successfully, including form collection and appropriate record keeping.
• Advocate for and publicize youth religious education programming and youth ministries through the newsletter and other means of communications.
• Together with the Director of Faith Development, youth group governing bodies, youth, Religious Education Committee, the Minister(s), Lay Leadership Council and/or Music Director, help plan and implement special and intergenerational events including intergenerational worship services not limited to the “Senior High Sunday” annual worship service.
• Work with the Director of Faith Development and Minister(s) to appropriately address youth issues of individual or family crisis.
• Participate in appropriate district and area conferences and workshops. Join online listservs related to work.

Responsibilities may also include:

• Work with the Director of Faith Development and volunteers to develop and implement a Coming of Age program for youth at one or more age levels.
• Work with the Director of Faith Development on curricular development for youth Religious Education Programs.
• With the Director of Faith Development and the Religious Education Committee, develop programs that support the ministry needs of families of teens, including and especially parents.

Qualifications (note that minimum age of candidate must be 25):

• Initiative, energy, enthusiasm, and positive-outlook
• Superior interpersonal skills with youth and adults, including parents
• Strong communication skills with youth in particular
• Healthy boundaries and sense of limits
• Ability to encourage and motivate others
• Affinity with and knowledge of Unitarian Universalist principles
• Ability to celebrate diverse religious beliefs
• Skills in managing volunteers
• Outstanding organizational abilities

Background check (CORI) will be completed by First Unitarian Church before hire.

Pay is approximately $12.73 per hour with paid holidays and sick leave. Four paid Sundays may be taken “off” per academic-year as arranged in mutual agreement with the Director of Faith Development. The Youth Coordinator is responsible for finding and providing instructions for a volunteer substitute when away. At this time, no other monetary benefits are offered.

The Youth Coordinator reports to and is supervised by the Director of Faith Development. The Director and Youth Coordinator will together work in collaboration with the minister(s), Religious Education Committee, Youth Group governing structures, and the Prudential Committee to meet ministry goals.

For more information please email jgray@firstunitarian.com or call 508-757-2708 and ask for Jessica or dial ext. 105. Position will remain open until we find the right match for us at this time. Resumes can be mailed to:

Attn: Faith Development Department
First Unitarian Church
90 Main Street
Worcester, MA 01608

Greetings! I'm so glad to meet you...

2011-08-08T09:27:00.000-07:00

Greetings First Unitarian of Worcester! I am so honored and blessed to serve as your new Director of Faith Development Ministries. I want to personally invite you to join us for Sunday worship this upcoming Sunday at 10:30 where I will be leading my first service here. My theme, “I open at the close,” developed out of a phrase from the final Harry Potter book and movie, but I look forward to taking it much, much further.

In time I know we will get to know each other well, but for now I want to give you some basic information about who I am.

I am a true Renaissance soul, with so many passions and interests. My spiritual path has journeyed through Christianity, Judaism, Buddhism, modern Paganism, and samplings of various other spiritual paths. All of these studies and practices led me to Unitarian Universalism, a rich religious tradition that allows me to incorporate many sources of inspiration into my spiritual life and work. I am passionately committed to the UU principles, having integrated them into my own spiritual practice and daily life. I believe Unitarian Universalism is the best venue for faith development, as it never provides all the answers. Instead we are encouraged to wonder, to seek, to engage in a free and responsible search for truth and meaning.

I traveled the world seeking spirit, performing dramas in Hungary, Malawi and Venezuela, studying culture in Papua New Guinea, and dancing for peace with an organization called Tara Dhatu in India, Nepal and Brazil. I recently completed my PhD in theatre at Louisiana State University, writing about modern myth and identity. All of my academic training is in theatre. I earned my bachelor’s degree at the University of North Carolina and my Master of Arts at Florida State University. I have directed many plays and especially enjoy finding intersections between theatre and spirituality.

For six years I served as the Director of Religious Education at the Unitarian Church of Baton Rouge in Louisiana. I led a complex and diverse program for children and youth. As a member of the Liberal Religious Educators Association, and the Unitarian Universalist Association credentialing program, I am well-trained in UU Religious Education. I have even written a couple of UU curricula and am a member of UUCards, a free-lance curriculum resource. I truly believe that education is a spiritual practice for all ages, not just for children. In my training, I was taught that everything a church engages in, from worship to social action, can be part of religious education.

I especially enjoy creating participatory worship services for all ages. It is so difficult to bring families together for anything, so offering opportunities for many ages to worship together, even if it’s only one or two times a month, allows for families to make a spiritual connection to one another. Even more, we are part of a larger church family. We welcome all who are seeking, whether they have children or not, whether they have mates or not, whoever you are. This year we are looking forward to offering Family Worship for all ages 1-2 times each month.

My approach to worship is contemporary, colorful, and multi-sensory, bringing significant messages through creative means. I have incorporated costumes, props, dance, theatre, puppets, and interactive storytelling into worship.

By far the most successful program I initiated in Baton Rouge was our Hogwarts Summer Camp (which included as many as 130 children and over 50 volunteers each year). It was completely an intergenerational endeavor, with “campers” as young as two weeks old (a child of a staff member) and staff who were octogenarians. Some campers began as youth in the program and before I left had transitioned to teaching. In this program we were able to use a mode of fantasy role-playing to creatively explore such topics as life and death, environmentalism, the value of friendship, overcoming differences, and how to make positive choices. We incorporated service and social action into each camp, as we taught “The real magic in life is helping others.” While the camp was ostensibly based on the Harry Potter novels, we used the structure to create a community. Through the six years of camp, I learned so much from the dynamic between the age groups, from helping teenagers work with toddlers to encouraging adults to engage in their own creativity. Based on this work, I have joined with other creative educators to create the Imaginorium Educational Collective, a nonprofit organization offering educational events and curriculum based on creative exploration of mythic worlds.

I also engage at home with practical spirituality as my husband, Rhye, and I actively raise our young daughter Ariana. Rhye and I met at an earth-centered festival in fall of 2000, married in 2002, and Ariana was born in December 2007. Rhye is such a wonderful partner – my intellectual and spiritual match in every way. Ariana is a blessing. She is an active and curious child, and she’s especially inventive when it comes to finding something she wants, like cupcakes (no matter how high we put them in the pantry!).

I look forward to meeting each of you as we embark on this journey into our faith development work. As with any journey, we begin with the first step. May we walk together in love, hope, faith, and peace. Bright Blessings!

Final Update From Sierra-Marie On Church School Staffing

2011-07-28T15:57:00.000-07:00

Dear Friends,

I am writing this note in my final 78 hours as your Director of Faith Development Ministries. It has been a pleasure working with you!

Thank you to the many folks who have volunteered to ensure that your church has all of its planned Church School classes for children and youth next year. You have come very close to a full team in all grades preK through 8th. With just two more volunteers in the next few days (one in preK and one in 1st grade), you will be able to avoid having any canceled classes.

Can you do it?!

By taking on a nine-month year of teaching, you fulfill your responsibilities in a congregation with a Cooperative Church School. The entire congregation owns and runs this school, and all parents are asked to volunteer to keep it going. But, of course, you would also likely receive something in return:

You would form or deepen a relationship with one or more adults in the congregation.
You would form or deepen a relationship with one or more children in the congregation.
You would form or deepen your own theological understandings.
You would develop a deeper sense of connection to the church.

If teaching is not your style, I would alternatively encourage you to think about youth advising. The church needs just four more youth advisors (one for middle school and three for high school) in order to keep the youth groups going in the fall. Youth groups provide an opportunity for youth to develop leadership, have fun together, worship, learn, engage with congregants of all ages, and make a difference in the world. You can help them do it!

I will be working all weekend. If you are willing to speak more with me about these opportunities to get involved, please give me a ring at 508-757-2708 ext. 105. After I leave, this will be the same number at which you can reach Jessica, the incoming Director.

I wish you well in the coming years.

Warmly and With Affection,

Sierra-Marie

(outgoing Director of Faith Development Ministries)

Volunteer Invitation

2011-07-03T09:25:00.000-07:00

Here is an update on the volunteer situation your Cooperative Church School for next year. I will no longer be with you as of July 31st, so at that point any classes that do not have the minimum size teaching team filled will be canceled and combined with other classes (in order to avoid leaving the new director responsible for finding the right volunteers to work with the classes).

Crunching numbers:

You need 7 more teachers in order to keep all your Church School classes (1 in preK, 1 in 1st grade, 1 in 4th-5th grade, 1 in 6th-7th grade, and 3 in 8th grade). There are 21 days from the last time this has been updated and July 31st, so one of you will need to say "yes" every three days to get those slots filled.

You also need 4 more youth advisors (1 for middle school and 3 for high school), which means that one of you will need to say "yes" every five days in order to get those slots filled.

We have 325 members in this congregation, more or less, so 11 more volunteers is an absolutely do-able goal. We can do this! But if 325 people are under the impression that someone else will say "yes," the math won’t work. What it will take is for some of you to come forward and say, "Yes! Yes, I would like to talk about whether this is the right volunteer match for me!"

The only number you need to remember is this: 1. You are 1 person who can talk with me about potentially volunteering. And that is more than enough.

Here is what you receive in return:

You form or deepen a relationship with one or more adults in the congregation.
You form or deepen a relationship with one or more children in the congregation.
You form or deepen your own theological understandings.
You develop a deeper sense of connection to the church.

You can contact me about volunteering by using the "contact" tab above or calling me at 508-757-2708 ext. 105. Volunteer candidates fill out an application form, interview with me briefly, and receive a background check before being assigned a team.

Warmly,
Sierra-Marie
(outgoing Director of Faith Development Ministries)

Save the Date, Volunteers!

2011-06-06T07:37:00.000-07:00

Faith Development Ministry Volunteers

(including team members, teachers, and advisors)

You and your families are invited to:

A Pizza and Pool Party

at the Gerfao's

Saturday, June 18 11:30AM-1:30PM

Please save the date.

An official invitation will follow.

For Children and Youth: Sunday, June 12 2011

2011-06-06T07:25:00.000-07:00

This Sunday is our final week of classes before we break for the summer. Please join us for the closing celebrations in each class!

Spirit Play
PreKindergarten, Kindergarten, 1st, and 2nd Grade Classes
For our closing lesson, we will have a flower ceremony and a special feast. Please bring a flower to share with someone else in class. It can be a flower from your yard or a flower from a store.

Stepping Stone Year
3rd-4th Grade
Please join us for a special Stepping Stone ceremony and celebration. We'll remember the many things we've talked about this year, and ways we have grown through the year.

Bibleodeon
5th-6th Grade
In this final week of class we will have our traditional "Feast in Ancient Palestine." Parents are invited to join their children for this class. We'll remember all the things we've learned through the year.

Sacred Threads
7th-8th Grade
Please join us for a Japanese tea ceremony. We'll honor our time together and learn something new as well!

YRU2 (High School Youth Group)
9th-12th Grade
The youth group opted to bring their year to a close at the annual spring retreat, and thus are not meeting formally this week. Youth are enthusiastically invited to worship this week.

The Party Was Wonderful!

2011-06-06T07:10:00.000-07:00

Thank you to all who hosted and attended my "farewell party" after church last Sunday. It was wonderful! I will be around through July 31st, so not to worry if anyone missed the goodbyes. There is still time.

Warmly in Faith,
Sierra-Marie

No "Religious Education" Sunday This Year (June 5)

2011-05-29T22:10:00.000-07:00

This Sunday's worship service is intergenerational. Please bring the children! Let's worship together as a community of all ages.

We will not be having a "Religious Education Sunday" this year. However, children will still be sent home with flowers this week, and 4th graders will still receive Bibles.

For Children and Youth: Sunday, May 29th

2011-05-23T06:24:00.000-07:00

This Memorial Day weekend, our high schoolers will be at their annual spring retreat in Craigville on the cape. Participants, please meetup at 3:30PM on Friday for a prompt departure.

Children in Spirit Play classes -- preK, Kindergarten, 1st, and 2nd grades -- will have a lesson on Sunday called "Flaming Chalice." In this lesson, the Unitarian Universalist "promises" (principles of our covenant, or shared values) will be reviewed, and we'll explore what it means to live into those promises as a community.

Children in the all other grades, 3rd and up, will be attending an end of the year chapel service in which we also affirm the values of our community and consider the learnings in each class this year.

Teaching Materials

2011-05-23T06:03:00.000-07:00

Please don't forget to return any teaching materials (curricula, etc.) that have been checked out to you.

You can return these items to the office of Faith Development anytime over the coming four weeks. If you are teaching the same class next year, and the class is using the same curriculum, you do not need to make a return.

Thanks,
Sierra-Marie

For Children and Youth: Sunday, May 22, 2011

2011-05-13T19:53:00.000-07:00

Please note: Sierra-Marie G. (Director of Faith Development) will be away this Sunday. In her absence, Cindy C. will be helping to make sure Sunday morning goes smoothly for our families with children and youth.

Spirit Play
PreKindergarten, Kindergarten, 1st, and 2nd Grade Classes
This Sunday we will hear the story of a woman's life from her infancy through her old age. The story is called "The Mystery of Beginnings and Endings" and provides an opening into universal wonderings about birth and death in human life.

Stepping Stone Year
3rd-4th Grade
This week, we will be introduced to Sophia Lyon Fahs, a Unitarian religious educator and collector of stories. Through her life story we will explore as we explore the value of listening, searching, and wondering.

Bibleodeon
5th-6th Grade
In our second to last class (the group will have chapel the following Sunday, and we have an all ages worship service the week after that before our closing class celebration on June 12th), we will close our exploration of the Bible this year by considering the Bible's role in people's lives today.

**Reminder: 6th-8th graders participating in the BYKOTA middle school youth group are invited to an end of the year dinner on Friday, May 20th from 6:00-7:30PM. We'll be eating a Chinese Food Feast, and our 8th graders will receive a graduation gift in a special ceremony.

Sacred Threads
7th-8th Grade
This Sunday, we'll talk about Shinto, the "native," pantheistic religion of Japan. We'll be taking some travels through our church building during this class, as we consider the relationship between our environment and our spirituality.

YRU2 (High School Youth Group)
9th-12th Grade
Youth group is Sunday from 10AM-11:30AM.

BYKOTA End of Year Dinner

2011-05-13T19:36:00.000-07:00

Our middle school youth will have their annual youth group "farewell dinner" this coming Friday, May 20th, from 6:00-7:30PM. They will have a Chinese Food Feast in the Dining Room followed by a short worship service, including a special ceremony in which 8th graders are given an 8th grade graduation gift.

A permission form will arrive in your mailbox in the middle of this week. There is no cost for this event, as some of the money raised during the Baked Potato Bar will be used to cover the cost of food. We hope all our BYKOTA-participating middle school youth attend this event!

Please note that some youth have agreed to help with certain tasks such as compiling the food order and planning the worship service (which includes preparing an order of service). Please check in with your youth about whether they have volunteered for any such tasks.

2011-2012 Registration

2011-05-09T07:59:00.000-07:00

The 2011-2012 Registration forms for children and youth will be arriving in mailboxes as early as late next week. This year, we ask that if you can register your children by June 5th, that you do so. Registration forms serve a legal purpose in the life of any organization serving youth, and it is important in this year of staff transition that we take care of the legal formalities as early as possible.

Early registration also ensures:

We have the right numbers of materials for each class and program
We assign the right sized classroom or meeting space to each class and program
We have the right number of adult volunteers assigned to each class and program
We communicate relevant and helpful information to you in a timely manner
We communicate information to teachers and program leaders that will make for a safe and good transition into a new year of classes together

Teaching Teams Update

2011-05-09T07:40:00.000-07:00

There are 18 teaching positions still open for next year. However, some of next year's volunteer teams are filling fast! Volunteer early to get your pick!

PreKindergarten: Spirit Play 3-6 version
1. Carrie W.
2.
3.
4.

Kindergarten: Spirit Play 3-6 version
1. Shari B.
2.
3.
4.

1st Grade: Spirit Play 3-6/6-9 version
1. Kelley G.
2. Katherine W.
3.
4.

2nd Grade: Spirit Play 3-6/6-9 version
1. Amy B.
2. Kattia Y.3.
4.

3rd Grade: Spirit Play 6-9 version
1. Laura K.
2. Seth P.
3. Gina D.
4. Jen M.

4th-5th Grade: Bibleodeon
1. Colleen M.
2. Joyce H.
3.
4.
Assistant Teacher: Henry K.

6th-7th Grade: Compass Points
1. Gerri B.
2.
3.
4.

8th Grade: Truth and Meaning
1. Rosemary R.
2.
3.
4.

BYKOTA (Middle School Youth Group, Advisors)
1.
2.
3.
4.

YRU2 (High School Youth Group, Advisors)
1.
2.
3.
4.
Chaperone/Substitute Advisor: Tom L.

Teen Choir
1.
2.
3.
4.

Kid’s Choir
1.
2.
3.
4.
Accompanists:

Please contact Sierra-Marie using the "contact" tab above to discuss whether teaching, advising, or directing a session of the children's choir might be the right volunteer match for you.

Summer Help Needed

2011-05-09T07:30:00.000-07:00

Can you volunteer a few hours in May, June, or July to help get the Church School ready for next year? Here are some projects for which we need volunteers:

Reorganizing the Church School supply closets
Inventory of supplies/preparation of restocking order
Restocking classroom supply bins
Reorganizing the classroom supply closets
Reorganizing the curriculum closet
Setting up our new 3rd grade classroom (modified Spirit Play)
Setting up the computer center in the new 3rd grade classroom

We need to complete these tasks by July 31st. Teen volunteers who are required to do volunteer/service hours for school, etc. are also welcome to help out! We can sign off on their work as needed!

For Children and Youth: Sunday, May 15 2011

2011-05-08T20:19:00.000-07:00

Please note: Sierra-Marie G. (Director of Faith Development) will be away this Sunday. In her absence, Sue P. will be helping to make sure Sunday morning goes smoothly for our families with children and youth.

Spirit Play
PreKindergarten, Kindergarten, 1st, and 2nd Grade Classes
This Sunday we will hear the story of a child's Christening or naming ceremony. This is a liturgical lesson in which we become familiar with the idea of a Christening, its meaning, and the Christening language that we use in our church.

Stepping Stone Year
3rd-4th Grade
This week, we will be introduced to Lewis Latimer, a Unitarian inventor, as we explore the value of creativity and also talk about themes of equality. Latimer helped bring electricity into our lives through the lightbulb.

Bibleodeon
5th-6th Grade
This week we will look at Jesus' miracle stories. There are three different ways that people have made meaning of these stories. We'll explore and try these different methods of approaching the stories.

Sacred Threads
7th-8th Grade
This Sunday, we'll talk about Philosophical Taoism. We'll survey the writings of Lao Tze and the Tao Te Ching. Note: 8th graders are invited to pizza and volleyball after worship.

YRU2 (High School Youth Group)
9th-12th Grade
Youth group is Sunday from 10AM-11:30AM, then pizza and volleyball in Unity Hall with incoming 9th graders (graduating 8th graders).

Thanks for your contributions!

2011-05-02T12:21:00.000-07:00

...everyone who contributed food or money to the Carty Cupboard food pantry on Sunday. Because of your help, we were able to bring the Carty Cupboard $540 and an abundance of groceries. This will help feed many neighbors when food supplies are at emergency levels in their homes.

If you missed the collection and would like to make a late contribution, please send checks to the church office, marked "BYKOTA Carty Cupboard" collection.

Sincerely From,
BYKOTA (Middle School Youth Group)

For Children and Youth: Sunday, May 1 2011

2011-04-25T08:07:00.000-07:00

Spirit Play
PreKindergarten and Kindergarten Classes
This Sunday we will hear a story of the "lifecycle of a butterfly." In nature, children have some of their very first encounters with birth, change and growth, and death.

Spirit Play
1st Grade
1st graders, come hear the story of a seed growing into a plant! The unfolding of a whole plant from a tiny seed is an everyday miracle of nature.

Spirit Play
2nd Grade
This Sunday we will hear the story of Muhammad's life. This story has a direct connection to our April 3rd story called "The Stone in the Temple."

Stepping Stone Year
3rd-4th Grade
This week, we will be introduced to Vilhjalmur Stefansson, a Canadian Unitarian adventurer who loved the arctic. We'll be talking about perserverence, courage, and respect.
NOTE: We need a parent to be substitute teacher in this class this week. Can you help?

Bibleodeon
5th-6th Grade
We have spent most of this year studying the Jewish Bible, but before Easter we began talking about Jesus. This week we will look at "Jesus the teacher" (next week "Jesus the healer").

Sacred Threads
7th-8th Grade
We have not had a "lesson Sunday" for a number of weeks, but before the break, we considered Popular Taoism. This Sunday, we'll talk about Philosophical Taoism. We'll survey the writings of Lao Tze and the Tao Te Ching.
NOTE: The following Sunday, May 8th, we will once again work on our video project.

YRU2 (High School Youth Group)
9th-12th Grade
Youth group is Sunday from 10AM-12PM. Let's reconnect now that the school holiday has ended!

Thanks to Teachers, and Teachers Needed!

2011-04-24T22:32:00.000-07:00

As we head to the end of our "Church School Year" together, parents please consider writing thank you notes for your children's teachers or advisors. These volunteers have put in much love and many hours to minister to your children. In fact, please consider helping your children write thank you notes as well!

In May we have a party for all the teachers and advisors, and their families. If you may be able to help with party planning or hosting, please use the "contact" tab above to get in touch with the Faith Development Office.

Please consider also that a number of our teachers are due for a break from teaching! If you have not yet taught, or have not taught for a while, please consider joining one of our teams in the coming year. If you can help out, use the "contact" tab above to get in touch with the Faith Development Office to see if this might be the best volunteer match for you. This is more important now than ever, as this summer we will be making a staff transition during a time when we are normally focused on making sure we have enough volunteers.

Curricular Selections

2011-04-23T22:24:00.000-07:00

Tentative selections of next year's curricula have been made. Please see below:

Prekindergarten, Kindergarten, 1st, and 2nd Grades
These classes will all continue with Spirit Play. 1st and 2nd grades will have some more advanced lessons. Some adaptations to the model may be made in 2nd grade (see below). We have structured the Spirit Play classes to provide a spiritual home for our children, grounding them in the principles of our covenant as Unitarian Universalists, and introducing them to the sources of our faith, such as the world's many religions, the words and deeds of prophetic figures throughout history, and the teachings of science.

3rd Grade
Third grade will continue with Spirit Play if we are able to find teachers who can make some necessary adaptations to the model to be more consistent with Montessori's model for children ages 6-9. If we are unable to assemble the right team for this effort, this class will instead return to a traditional church school model and use a curriculum called "Experiences With the Web of Life," which fosters the development of a spiritually grounded love for the earth and the interconnected web of which we are a part.

4th-5th Grade
This class will be introduced to the Hebrew Bible this year through the "Bibelodeon" curriculum which was so well-liked by the teachers and kids in the next older class this year. This will be the precurser curriculum to "Jesus and the Kingdom of Equals," which will be used the following year.

6th-7th Grade
After two years of Bible study, our 6th and 7th graders will explore their own emerging beliefs, our shared Unitarian Universalist faith, and their relationships with others and the world. They'll be given ample opportunity to share their own ideas about life's big questions, while also continuing to build a foundation for a responsible search for truth and meaning.

8th Grade
As they head into high school, youth have the ability, desire, and often the scholastic background to discuss complicated issues of religion and philosophy. The curriculum we have selected, "Truth and Meaning," is designed to respond to many of the common questions Unitarian Universalist youth have at this stage as they attempt these discussions. They are often the only Unitarian Universalist in their class, or even in their school. They sometimes have trouble explaining to their friends the nature of a religion with no creed and no dogma, and they are uncertain about what exactly their friends believe. "Truth and Meaning" helps youth uncover what they have in common with their friends, religiously, and where they differ.

For Children and Youth: Sunday, April 24, 2011

2011-04-18T06:53:00.000-07:00

Note: This Sunday is Easter Sunday! After the 10:30 worship service, each class will be invited outside (weather-permitting) for an Easter Egg Hunt. Each class has an assigned area in which to do the hunt and an egg limit per child. Parents will be responsible for the supervision of their children during the hunt.

Spirit Play
PreKindergarten and Kindergarten
This Sunday, come hear the story of a seed growing into a plant.

Semi-Advanced Spirit Play
1st Grade
Join us and hear about Jesus's life and ministry.

Advanced Spirit Play
2nd Grade
On Sunday we will be introduced to the Christian resurrection story.

Stepping Stone Year, Bibleodeon, and Sacred Threads
3rd-4th Grade, 5th-6th Grade, and 7th-8th Grade
This Sunday we will have a special children's chapel worship service in which we tell the Christian resurrection story. The children are invited to bring money of their own for the chapel offering.

Note: 7th and 8th graders have three options on Sunday. They can either attend chapel or attend worship in the sanctuary with family, or they are invited to hide eggs during worship for the younger children's Easter Egg Hunt. We need a lot of hiders to make this event a success, so thanks in advance to the youth who choose to help with the hunt!

YRU2, High School Youth Group
9th-12th Grade
For Easter Sunday we will attend the worship service in the sanctuary (anyone who chooses not to do so may help hide Easter eggs). Keep in mind that we will be planning an activity to do on Friday, April 29th.

Easter Eggs Needed

2011-04-17T17:40:00.000-07:00

We are collecting Easter eggs for our children's Easter egg hunt. We need all eggs by Sunday, April 17th. Thank you in advance for your donations.

Please bring in plastic Easter eggs filled with:

small toys
stickers
money
or wapped candy

Please no candy with nuts, including peanuts and tree nuts!! This is very important because a candy with nuts can contaminate a whole bag full of eggs.

Once you've filled your eggs, place them in a bag or basket and label the bag or basket with your name, the number of eggs, and what you've filled them with (this last item is because we divide the eggs up by classes and can address allergens and age appropriateness for groups where this is an issue). This event is a lot of fun for the children, so thank you very much for the eggs.

For Children and Youth: Sunday, April 17 2011

2011-04-10T22:00:00.000-07:00

Note: This Sunday is Palm Sunday! As is tradition, our children will be invited to distribute palm leaves in the congregation before heading to class.

Spirit Play
PreKindergarten, Kindergarten, and 1st Grades
Come hear the exciting and mysterious story of the minister John Murray and the farmer Thomas Potter. This is one of the great stories of our Universalist history, even if perhaps apocryphal! The story hails from the 18th century, involves a ship getting stuck in a sandbar and winds that do not turn, and as a result, the birth of Universalism in America.

Advanced Spirit Play
2nd Grade
Having heard the story of exodus last Sunday, this week we will rejoin the Hebrew people in the desert. Our story is called the "Ten Best Ways" and it follows Moses to his reception and dissemination of "the ten commandments." Because the children are now familiar with Moses and "the people of God" who fled Egypt for the desert, this would be an especially good year to consider attending the annual Passover Seder at church with your 2nd grader.

Stepping Stone Year, Bibleodeon, and Sacred Threads
3rd-4th Grade, 5th-6th Grade, and 7th-8th Grade
This Sunday we will have a special children's chapel worship service in which we tell the story of Passover. This is an important story in its own right, and will also be helpful to the children next week when we have a second children's chapel worship service and hear the story of the end of Jesus' life.

YRU2, High School Youth Group
9th-12th Grade
TBA

BYKOTA Food Drive

2011-04-10T21:38:00.000-07:00

Did you know that we are one of the Carty Cupboard food pantry's biggest donors?! Many families count on us to have enough food to get through for a few days when times are rough. Our middle school youth group, BYKOTA, takes a collection of food and money for Carty Cupboard just one time per year. Last year due to the doubling of all money collected by a generous donor, we were able to contribute about $2000 to the pantry in addition to hundreds of non-perishable food items. Imagine what we can do this year if we set our minds to it?

Please bring donations of food and money to worship on Sunday, May 1st. As is tradition, the middle schoolers will push a grocery cart through the aisles to take up this special collection.

See you there!

For Children and Youth: Sunday, April 10 2011

2011-04-03T19:40:00.000-07:00

Spirit Play
PreKindergarten, Kindergarten, and 1st Grades
Our prekindergarten, kindergarten, and 1st graders will hear the story of Moses and the "Ten Commandments" this Sunday. The story is called the "Ten Best Ways" and it is organized into three components: "Love God," "Love People," and "God Loves Us."

Advanced Spirit Play
2nd Grade
Our story this Sunday in second grade is the Jewish story of Exodus, with references to Passover. The children will be introduced, among others, to Joseph, Moses, and Miriam. The following Sunday this same class will hear the "Ten Best Ways" story described above as the continuing story of Moses and his people.

Stepping Stone Year
3rd-4th Grade
Wondering about death is a universal experience that weaves together the entire history of humanity. This week we will continue our class conversation about death. We will hear a story from the Wintu people of Northern California, one story that seeks to explain death. We'll ask, what is the role of love in death?

Note:
There will not be class or youth group meetings for 5th-6th, 7th-8th, or 9th-12th Grades this Sunday. Instead, we will all attend the annual "Senior High Sunday" worship service in honor of graduating seniors Kaitie, Reina, Noah, and Melina.

However, the BYKOTA (middle school youth group) will be attending a movie together after church. If you have a youth in BYKOTA, please see your email for more details. A permission form will arrive in your mailbox later this week.

A Great Big Thank You!

2011-03-28T09:26:00.000-07:00

Thank you to all the folks who made March Family Ministries Month such a great success!

Thanks to Vivian Shortreed and Stacey Hill for hosting the birthday party potluck and to all the many congregants who brought cake as well as potluck dishes for the party! Thanks to Ken Mandile and Peter Gray for organizing two very fun game days. Thanks to Carrie West for creating and leading a whole committee of folks to host a "family cooking party" on a Saturday as well as a delicious congregational soup and bread luncheon on Sunday, and thanks to the many people who participated on that committee and did all that work! Thanks to the Rev. Schade, Carrie West, Joonu Coste, Betsy and Sam Politz, and Janet Davis for presenting spiritual practices at the inspiring Family Spiritual Practices Symposium. Thanks to Sally Patton, Thomas Armstrong, Bassie Shemtov, and Marc Tumeinski for donating their time to share with our congregation and the larger nation their expertise on creating inclusion for people with disabilities. Thanks to Wendy Innis for teaching some of our teens about such an important subject as financial management. Thanks to the Unitarian Universalist Church of Worcester for a meaningful service opportunity with their Loaves and Fishes Food Pantry. Thanks for Ken Mandile, Carrie West, and Jesse Anderson for making a wonderful family movie night happen. Thanks to James Cordova for teaching an interesting relationship class for couples. Thanks to our middle school youth group, BYKOTA, and for the youth group parents for putting together a yummy and very filling baked potato bar luncheon, and to all the congregants who brought desserts and loaned crockpots for the event. Thanks to Seth Popinchalk for making himself available at sun-up to light the pizza oven. Thanks to Sam and Besty Politz, James Cordova, David Rynick, and Melissa Blacker for teaching families about meditation at the Introduction to Zen workshop, and thanks to Ken Mandile for single-handedly helping children and adults alike make birdhouses together (including donating all materials).

It was a truly remarkable month and a wonderful display of the many types of Family Ministry opportunities we have here at First Unitarian Church of Worcester.

For Children and Youth: Sunday, April 3 2011

2011-03-28T08:18:00.000-07:00

Spirit Play
PreKindergarten, Kindergarten, 1st, and 2nd Grades Our prekindergarten, kindergarten, 1st, and 2nd grades will hear a story from the Islamic tradition called "A Stone in the Temple." In the story, Mohammad finds a way to help several tribes cooperate rather than compete in the completion of a temple they were rebuilding together.

Stepping Stone Year
3rd-4th Grade
Wondering about death is a universal experience that weaves together the entire history of humanity. This week we will begin talking about death in our Stepping Stone class. We will be speaking of this wondering openly in class this week. Our story will be adapted from the story of Buddha and the Mustard Seed, a story of grief.

Bibleodeon
5th-6th Grade
What does the world know about Jesus? We have spent most of this year studying the Jewish Bible, but this Sunday as Easter begins to approach, we will bring into our class the Christian stories of Jesus. We will consider what is known about Jesus, including what is known about how Jesus looked and the things he did.

Sacred Threads
7th-8th Grade
This Sunday our 7th and 8th graders will be working on their video project. Please check in with your child about whether she or he had an assignment for the video project, and whether he or she has completed the assignment. Some students have also volunteered to bring in some equipment for our work, so please speak with your student about what is allowable for him or her to bring in.

YRU2 (High School Youth Group)
9th-12th Grade
Youth group is Sunday from 10AM-12PM. Please attend this very important youth group meeting in which we finalize plans for Senior High Sunday (which will take place on Sunday, April 10th). Your participation is important!

**Note: The trip to New York for high schoolers, a joint project of First Unitarian and the Holden Street Church, is happening this weekend! If your youth is going on this trip, all deposits should have been made by this point. Please be at 90 Holden Street at 7:15 sharp on Saturday morning.

Baskets Needed

2011-03-28T07:08:00.000-07:00

Do you have any baskets you no longer need? If so, we are in need of donated baskets for our Spirit Play classes. We are especially in need of baskets without handles that can fit in a cubby that is 11 inches x 11 inches x 11 inches.

Thanks in advance for your donations!

Intro to Zen Meditation Workshop For Families

2011-03-24T12:35:00.000-07:00

At the heart of Zen meditation practice (zazen) we discover how to wake up to our true lives as human beings.

The discipline of Zen is simple to learn, and takes a lifetime to practice and integrate into daily life and work. In this workshop, we will learn about Zen Buddhism and the basics of Zen meditation.

We will explore the forms of meditation practiced at the Temple, including sitting and walking meditation (kinhin) and chanting. There will also be time for questions and discussion.

This workshop is designed especially for UU parents and will include time to sit with their children as well as time for parents to learn about the Zen-UU connection while the the children engage in a craft and hear a reading of a Zen children’s book in an adjacent room. Our hope is to provide a spiritually meaningful experience for both parents and their children.

The workshop will be taught by David Dayan Rynick Roshi and Melissa Myozen Blacker Roshi, who have been practicing Zen since 1981, and who guide the Worcester Zen Center/Boundless Way Temple. David is a student of and has received Dharma Transmission from Zen Master George Bomun Bowman. Melissa is a Soto Zen priest, and is a student of and has received Dharma Transmission from James Myoun Ford Roshi.

Melissa, David and James Ford are the guiding teachers of Boundless Way Zen, a community of Zen practice centers throughout New England. Melissa and David will be assisted by James Cordova who is the Practice Leader for the Monday night Zen sitting at the First Unitarian Church and a Dharma Teacher in the Boundless Way Zen community.

For Children and Youth: Sunday, March 27th

2011-03-21T05:15:00.000-07:00

Spirit Play
PreKindergarten, Kindergarten
Our prekindergarten and kindergarten children will hear the story "A House For God" on Sunday. This is a "wonder and awe" story dealing with the human history of creating houses of worship. Using stone and wooden blocks as well as other materials, we will recreate such houses in our story.

Spirit Play
1st, and 2nd Grades
In the first and second grade, the children will hear the "Wise People and the Elephant" story that was told last week to the younger children. This Buddhist story engages the religious imagination with the notion that all people may have a piece of the truth.

Stepping Stone Year
3rd-4th Grade
This week we will get to know the history behind the chalice symbol and the story of the Unitarian and Universalist consolidation into one religious body. We will study the cooperative elements of this history and consider what it means to "decide to work together."

Bibleodeon
5th-6th Grade
Get ready to meet a modern day "Jonah" of the biblical story of Jonah and the big fish! On Sunday, we'll learn Jonah's story and consider him as a "minor biblical prophet" along with several other biblical figures. And, we'll talk about "belief."

Sacred Threads
7th-8th Grade
This week we will be taking a break in our class schedule to prepare the BYKOTA (middle school youth group) "baked potato bar" lunch for the congregation. Please use the "contact" tab above to tell us what topping you will be bringing for the potatoes if you have not already done so.

YRU2 (High School Youth Group)
9th-12th Grade
Youth group is Sunday from 10AM-12PM. Please attend this very important youth group meeting in which we begin to plan Senior High Sunday (which will take place on Sunday, April 10th). Your participation is important!

Middle Schoolers Save This Date

2011-03-13T18:37:00.000-07:00

Middle schoolers, please plan to help out at the BYKOTA (middle school youth group) baked potato bar on Sunday, March 27th. We'll serve lunch to the congregation, and the suggested donation will be $5 per person or $10 per family. Each youth will be asked to bring a topping to contribute, so please watch your email for details.

Change of Date

2011-03-13T18:33:00.000-07:00

To enable more youth to participate, the Financial Wellness Class for Teens and Their Parents will now take place on March 20th only (it is no longer a three-part series).

We'll cover basic foundational components of healthy, balanced, values-centered management of money. Parents must attend with their youth because we will also help parents initiate and deepen important discussions with their kids about money (before college comes into the picture!). Registration for this event is required, and attendance at all three of the sessions is important. Click here to register.

Craigville RSVPs Needed

2011-03-13T18:28:00.000-07:00

YRU2 participants, please let us know as soon as possible if you plan to attend the annual Memorial Day Weekend youth group retreat at Craigville May 27th-May 29th. The Craigville Conference Center requires a contract from us with a participant number, so a firm "yes" or "no" is needed immediately. To RSVP, simply click the "contact" tab above.

For Children and Youth: Sunday, March 20, 2011

2011-03-13T18:18:00.000-07:00

Please note that Sierra-Marie (Director of Religious Education/Faith Development Ministries) will be away this Sunday, March 20th. Cindy Cordova, Faith Development Teams Chairperson, will be available in her place.

Spirit Play
PreKindergarten, Kindergarten, 1st, and 2nd Grades
Join us on Sunday for stories from the Buddhist tradition. Our prekindergarten and kindergarten kids will hear a Buddhist story called "The Wise People and the Elephant." The story illustrates the way in which all people can have a piece of the truth. Our 1st and 2nd grade students will create a timeline of the Buddha's life and hear the story of his teachings.

Stepping Stone Year
3rd-4th Grade
This week we will continue to consider how we make decisions, through the lens of taking action. We'll talk about our church's values and some of the things we choose to do as a church community. We'll hear a story and be challenged to decide how we might act in tricky situations of everyday life.

Bibleodeon
5th-6th Grade
Please join us on Sunday for an introduction to the most well-known women of the Hebrew bible. We'll consider the role that each of these women played in the biblical stories, and prepare our own set of "awards" for some of these women.

Sacred Threads
7th-8th Grade
Due to a change in our schedule last week to accomodate a special guest speaker on Confucianism, this coming Sunday we will do what we had originally planned for this Sunday. Our class will be about the "four noble truths" and "eightfold path." If time allows, we'll also talk about the history and spread of Buddhism.

YRU2 (High School Youth Group)
9th-12th Grade
Youth group is Sunday from 10AM-12PM. We'll start chatting about senior high Sunday, but no firm plans will be made until the following week. There will be discussion, yummy snacks, and perhaps a game!

For Children and Youth: Sunday, March 13th

2011-03-07T07:15:00.000-08:00

Spirit Play
PreKindergarten, Kindergarten, 1st, and 2nd Grades
Join us on Sunday for stories of wonder. Wonder is a source of faith, especially for children. In preKindergarten and Kindergarten, the story will be "Hide and Seek With God" and in 1st and Second Grade, the story will be "A House For God."

Stepping Stone Year
3rd-4th Grade
As we continue to explore the theme of decision-making this week, we will look at the story of The Good Samaritan as a "story of decision making."

Bibleodeon
5th-6th Grade
This Sunday we will have the second of two lessons on Solomon. We will consider the concept of obediance as we continue building our model temple.

Sacred Threads
7th-8th Grade
Our class on Sunday will be about the spread of Buddhism. As last week we needed extra time to finish our movie, this week we will also consider the "four noble truths" and "eightfold path."

YRU2 (High School Youth Group)
9th-12th Grade
Youth group will have a movie marathon and sleepover this Friday at 7PM (eat dinner before you come). Bring movies. Watch your mail for the permission form this week. Youth group is Sunday from 10AM-12PM.

March: Family Ministries Month

2011-03-01T20:13:00.000-08:00

Family Ministries Month at First Unitarian Church

Strengthening Family Bonds & Deepening Spiritual Practices

March 2011

Sponsored by the Family Faith Development Team

Inspired by the UU Mama Covenant Groups

Families of all shapes and sizes are invited to participate in a series of Family Ministry activities and programs this March. Please save the following dates (more dates and details to follow):

Note that on Sunday, February 27th, we'll kickoff the Family Ministry Month with a "winter wonderland" afternoon of play in the snow. See the link for information.

Sunday, March 6th

Birthday Party Luncheon 12:00-1:00PM – We'll kick off the month with a multigenerational "birthday party mix-and-mingle" luncheon after church. This is a potluck, so please plan to bring a dish. Folks will sit at the table assigned to their birthday month.
Games after church 12:00-1:45PM – During and after lunch, stick around for board and card games.

Saturday, March 12th

Family Cooking Event 1:00-4:00PM – Saturday we'll be cooking soups, and family members of all ages can help out in meaningful ways. This a chance to spend time with other families of the church, and contribute to the life of the church at the same time. Soups will be used for a luncheon on Sunday. Registration for this event is required, and families will be asked to bring some items for the soups if possible.

Sunday, March 13th

Soup and Bread Luncheon 12:00-1:00PM – Soup provided by the previous day’s cooking event will be shared with the congregation. Bread donations are most welcome! Volunteers are needed to help set up before and clean up after this event. Please use the "contact" tab above to get in touch with the Office of Faith Development Ministries if you can help out or bring bread.
Family Spiritual Practices Symposium 12:30-1:45PM – After lunch, come downstairs to the Landers Room for a brief (15 minute) presentation on spiritual practices for families. After the presentation, parents and children are invited to rotate between the different Church School classrooms where different spiritual practices will be highlighted by members of the congregation who practice them. Each room will have a take-away item. Topics may include prayers, yoga, mealtime rituals, sabbath, mandalas, rites of passages, meaningful traditions and family rituals. More volunteers are needed for this program. If you or anyone you know in the church has experience with any of these spiritual practices (or additional ones), please contact the Office of Faith Development Ministries using the "contact" tab above. Event RSVPs are not necessary but appreciated.
Financial Wellness Class For Teens and Their Parents, Part 1 12:30-2:00PM – Wendy Innis, a member of our congregation who grew up in this church and is a professional financial planner will be offering a three-session class on financial wellness. The class will include the spiritual and religious dimensions of our relationship to money. All youth 7th-12th grade are invited to attend this class with their parents. Registration for this event is required, and attendance at all three of the sessions is important.
"Faith and Family Day" With the Worcester Sharks 3:00PM – Bring the family to the hockey game at 3PM. This may be followed by a post-game skate. Tickets are $11 (child or adult) and must be pre-ordered through the church (seats will be reserved in one section). We'll be joined by folks from other Worcester faith communities at this event.

Friday, March 18th

Family Movie Night 6:30-8:30PM – Bring the whole family and enjoy movies and popcorn with other families in the church. We will show the movie using a large screen projector. Early evening time and movie title to be announced. We also need volunteers to run this program and provide popcorn. Please use the "contact" tab above to get in touch with the Office of Faith Development Ministries if you can help.
UU Food Pantry Service Project 6:00-8:00PM – There is no better context for children to understand social justice than within the family. On the 18th, volunteer as a family to help with the Loaves and Fishes food pantry at the Unitarian Universalist Church of Worcester at 90 Holden Street. Friday night volunteers set up the food pantry (additional volunteers may be accepted to help with Saturday food distribution). Older children and youth for whom lifting is not a problem are especially well-suited to the task, but younger children can help in small numbers. Some folks may want to make this a monthly activity. Use the "contact" tab above to get in touch with the Office of Faith Development Ministries if you'd like to help.

Sunday, March 20th (note: please bring a bagged lunch on this day)

Games After Church 12:00-1:30PM – Stick around during and after coffee hour for board and card games. No lunch is planned for this day, but if you could help organize a lunch, please use the "contact" tab above to let the Office of Faith Development Ministries know.
Class for Couples 12:30-2:30PM – James Córdova, author of The Marriage Checkup, will offer a class for couples. Details to be announced as soon as possible.
Financial Wellness Class For Teens and Their Parents, Part 2 12:30-2:00PM – Wendy Innis, a member of our congregation who grew up in this church and a professional financial planner will be offering a three-session class on financial wellness. The class will include the spiritual and religious dimensions of our relationship to money. All youth 7th-12th grade are invited to attend this class with their parents. Registration for this event is required, and attendance at all three of the sessions is important.

Friday, March 25th

Babysitting Night at the Church 5:00-9:00PM – Parents, you are the backbone of your families! Your self-care is absolutely critical for your children's social, emotional, and spiritual well-being. Leave the kids at church for a couple of hours in the evening so they can play games and do crafts while you go out and do what you want to do. Couples, this is a great opportunity to go out on a date! Please note that this event is for congregants only and requires registration.

Sunday, March 27th

Introductory Zen for Families 9:00-10:00AM – Receive an introduction to Zen Buddhism! The introduction will be provided to parents and kids together, and then each separately. More details to follow.
Baked Potato Bar 12:00-1:00PM – Our middle school youth will be offering a Baked Potato Bar lunch to congregants for a suggested donation. Enjoy baked potatoes with a wide variety of topping choices.
Building Birdhouses 12:00-1:45PM – With the help of their parents, kids will be invited during and after lunch to build birdhouses. Wood materials will be provided. Additional volunteers and tools are necessary for this event, so please use the "contact" tab above to get in touch with the Office of Faith Development Ministries if you can help out.
Financial Wellness Class For Teens and Their Parents, Part 3 12:30-2:00PM – Wendy Innis, a member of our congregation who grew up in this church and a professional financial planner will be offering a three-session class on financial wellness. The class will include the spiritual and religious dimensions of our relationship to money. All youth 7th-12th grade are invited to attend this class with their parents. Registration for this event is required, and attendance at all three of the sessions is important.

Possible Event(s) To Be Added

Guest Speaker/Author on Parenting – We may be adding an event with a guest speaker or author on a parenting topic.
Parenting Teleseminars – We may have a short series of panels with guest speakers on parenting topics and/or with community resources and service providers. Topics might include parenting children with special needs, parenting teens, or choices in schooling, foster and adoptive parenting, or other items of interest in our community. Panel discussions can be heard on the internet or by call-in to the teleseminar line. UPDATE: The first seminar has been confirmed for Tuesday, March 15th at 8:00PM EST. The theme of the first seminar is "From the Disability Paradigm To An Inclusive Society: Creating a World of Welcome for All God's Children." There will be a panel of speakers including author and educator Thomas Armstrong.
UU Mama and UU Papa Expansion – If there is interest, we will expand the number of UU Mama covenant groups we have and start a UU Papa covenant group. Use the "contact" tab above to let us know if you are interested.

Upcoming Deadline

2011-02-28T07:50:00.000-08:00

Please take note that the last day to purchase tickets for the Worcester Sharks Faith and Family Day (March 13th, 3PM hockey game followed by a post-game skate) is Sunday, March 6th. Tickets are $11 per person (child or adult). If we have a group going, we will reserve a First Unitarian Church seating section. Please use the "contact" tab above to get in touch with the Faith Development Office if you would like to purchase tickets to this event.

For Children and Youth: Sunday, March 6, 2011

2011-02-28T07:45:00.000-08:00

Spirit Play PreKindergarten, Kindergarten, 1st, and 2nd Grades
This Sunday we will have a yellow promise story (yearn to learn about ourselves, each other, and the Spirit of Love and Mystery that some call God). The story is called "Small Fry" and is about a fish who gets a peak at the world outside the water and is forever changed. "Small Fry lived in a pond at the foot of great mountain. The dark waters made it impossible for his school of fish to see anything except the watery world in which they lived. All day Small Fry and the other fish swam in circles, round and round, each fish moving at the same time, each in the same direction."

Stepping Stone Year
3rd-4th Grade
In this second week in our unit on making decisions, we'll be talking about the Golden Rule. We'll hear Jesus' version of the Golden Rule and will consider different scenarios of decision-making in which the Golden Rule could be tricky.

Bibleodeon
5th-6th Grade
This Sunday we will have the first of two lessons on Solomon. This week we will focus on his words and deeds as we begin the creation of a model of his temple. This week we will explore the concept of wisdom as it applies to Solomon's life, and next week we will consider the concept of obediance.

Sacred Threads
7th-8th Grade
Our class on Sunday will be about the roots of Indian Buddhism. Through exploring Buddhism's origin in India, we will learn about Buddhism's "four noble truths" and "eightfold path." We will also complete our viewing and discussion of the video, "The Little Buddha."

YRU2 (High School Youth Group)
9th-12th Grade
Youth group meets from 10:00AM-12:00PM. Please plan to be present for the whole session. After youth group, we will have an extra rehearsal of the teen choir. Bring $3-5 to contribute to food if you are able, and regardless, stay for lunch whether or not you are singing. We'll have a "Chinese Food Feast." Sunday evening is a screening event of the movie "The Laramie Project" at the Unitarian Universalist Church of Worcester.

High Schoolers, Your RSVPs are Needed

2011-02-21T08:03:00.000-08:00

Upcoming in YRU2 (High School Youth Group)

Possible bake sale and benefit screening of the movie "The Laramie Project" with the Holden Street Youth Group on March 6th, 6:30-8:30PM. Pending parent approval and advisor availability.
Sleepover and movie marathon Friday March 11th through Saturday March 12th. We've invited the Holden Street Youth Group to join us for this event. Times, details, and permission forms to be sent out soon.
April 1st-3rd Trip to New York City with the Holden Street Youth Group. Please note that we need an immediate RSVP from all interested youth. A mandatory trip planning meeting will be held the evening of March 1st at 90 Holden Street.
April 10th is Senior High Sunday, during which we lead worship for the congregation and honor our graduating seniors. We will begin planning for this during Sunday morning youth group meetings in March.
On Easter Sunday, April 24th, youth in the 6th-12th grade are invited to either attend worship or spend that time hiding Easter Eggs for the younger children's after-worship Easter egg hunt.
Over Memorial Day Weekend, May 25th-27th, we will have our annual retreat at Craigville. If you would like to attend this event, you must reply right away, as we need to get a headcount to the retreat center.

High Schoolers, please click the "contact" tab above and let us know which of these events you plan to attend.

For Children and Youth: Sunday, February 27, 2011

2011-02-20T23:23:00.000-08:00

Spirit Play PreKindergarten, Kindergarten, 1st, and 2nd Grades
This Sunday we will have a green promise story (grow by searching for what is true and right in life). The story is adapted from The Empty Pot. From the book review on Amazon: "Ping is a Chinese boy with an emerald green thumb; he can make anything grow 'as if by magic.' One day the Emperor announces that he needs a successor, someone who can carry on after he is gone with the ruling of the kingdom and the growing of the flowers. He gives each child one seed, and the one who grows the best flower will take over after him. Competition is fierce, and Ping is heartbroken that nothing comes up, despite his careful tending. On the day of the competition, he is the only child with an empty pot; all the others brings lush plants. But the Emperor has tricked everyone by distributing cooked seeds, unable to grow; and Ping, with his empty pot, is the only honest gardener--and the winner."

Stepping Stone Year
3rd-4th Grade
Unitarian Universalists believe in a free and responsible search for truth and meaning. We each make meaning from our lives. One way that we do that is by making decisions. What choices are yours? What choices are already made for you? This Sunday we are going to be thinking about choices: both easy choices and hard choices. Before Sunday, take some time to speak as a family about who owns different decisions about your 3rd or 4th grader's lives. Children should come, if they are able, to church on Sunday with a list of choices that are theirs and choices that are made for them.

Bibleodeon
5th-6th Grade
On Sunday, 5th and 6th graders will have a lesson on David from the Hebrew Bible. The kids will be invited to share anything they know about the story of David and his battle with Goliath. Then we'll hear some of David's story, and the children will turn it into a news report. We'll also talk about David's interactions with The Ark of the Covenant.

Sacred Threads
7th-8th Grade
Most youth are familiar with the basic facts about the life of Jesus and other founders of major western religions. The life of the Buddha is important and equally compelling. In this session we will follow-up with our field trip to the Buddhist temple, and we will continue our study of the Buddha's life. We will stress the way in which individuals have impacted the history of religious development, and we will get a feel for Asian spirituality through the story of Buddha's origin. We hope to show clips from the movie "The Little Buddha" as a part of this class.

YRU2 (High School Youth Group)
9th-12th Grade
Youth group meets from 10:00AM-12:00PM. Please plan to be present for the whole session.

For Children and Youth: Sunday, February 20, 2011

2011-02-13T21:38:00.000-08:00

Spirit Play

PreKindergarten, Kindergarten, and 1st Grades
"One fine morning Mr. Gumpy decides it's a perfect day for an outing in his little boat. Apparently, plenty of others think so too. First some children ask to join him, then a rabbit, a cat, a dog, a pig, a sheep...Soon, Mr. Gumpy's boat is precariously full, and there's nowhere for anyone else to go--but overboard! This mild mariner takes everything in stride, though, and his guests are soon bellying up to a nice tea." This Sunday's story is Mr. Gumpy's Outing by John Burningham. This is an orange promise lesson: offer fair and kind treatment to all people.

Parents, please don't forget to take your children to the bathroom before worship begins in order to minimize class bathroom breaks, which helps us stay within our Safe Congregation guidelines and maximize our short time together each week.

Spirit Play, Advanced

2nd Grade

Our older Spirit Play children will be introduced to the parable of the Good Samaritan. Like many of the great religious stories, this can be told as a story from sources of faith, such as Christianity or prophetic people. It can also be told as a promise story, such as an orange promise story: offer fair and kind treatment to all people. Our children will have a chance to name sources and promises that seem to be reflected in this parable.

Stepping Stone Year (3rd-4th Grade), Bibleodeon (5th-6th Grade), and Sacred Threads (7th-8th Grade)

On Sunday we will meet in the chapel for a "Children's Chapel" worship service. Currently we are organizing 7th-8th graders who would like to be youth musicians or worship leaders for this service. If you are in the 7th or 8th grade and have an interest in taking such a role, or if you are the parent of a 7th or 8th grader who is interested, please use the "contact" tab above to get in touch with the Office of Faith Development so your participation can be arranged.

YRU2, Youth Group
9th-12th Grade
Sunday morning youth group is a chance for social time together, check-in and sharing, as well as a chance to have a discussion about a religious theme or topic. Youth group is from 10am-12pm.

Winter Wonderland

2011-02-10T13:12:00.000-08:00

The whole congregation is invited for an afternoon of winter fun at the Mirick Family Farm at the bottom of Mount Wachusett on Sunday, February 27th. Come on out after church!

Bring a picnic lunch to eat (at church before leaving, on the way to Princeton, or by the bonfire once you get there). If you have some, bring sleds or toboggans, snowshoes, or cross-country skis. Or just romp around! There are plenty of fields, lanes, and woods for playing. No skating please, as there is too much snow on the ice.

The distance from the road to the bonfire is about 200 yards. Please note this ahead for kids who will be walking this distance in the snow.

A bonfire and a smaller fire at a separate warming station, cocoa, coffee, and make-your-own s’mores (toasted marshmallows with milk chocolate on graham crackers) will be provided. Sierra-Marie will bring a bag of vegan marshmallows from The Living Earth (note that they are vanilla flavored but supposed to be very good in s'mores). There are about 16-18 per bag. If another vegetarian family or two can bring a bag also, we should have plenty for all the vegetarians.

The event will start at noon and will wind up by 5:00PM.
Flyers with a map are available at church.

A Big Thank You!

2011-02-06T20:13:00.000-08:00

Thank you to the youth, parents, and mentors who participated in our pilot Coming of Age program in 2010-2011, and then shared a little of their lives with us at Coming of Age Sunday! What an amazing group of people!

Thank you to the many individuals who helped put together a wonderful coffee hour reception in honor of the youth! Thank you for the decorations and food, and for making punch and cutting and serving cake, and then for staying late to get the kitchen cleaned up.

Thank you to all who gathered for worship, and supported our youth with love and enthusiastic conversations afterward!

For Children and Youth: Church School Classes February 13, 2011

2011-02-06T19:21:00.000-08:00

Two Notes of Interest For All Grades

This Sunday we will not have access to most of our classrooms due to the presence of our Interfaith Hospitality Network (IHN) guests. For this reason, we will have modified class activities in different locations. See below.
We are still collecting personal hygeine items for care kits to be sent to the Veterans' Shelter. If you are able, please bring small toiletry items into church by this Sunday at 10:30AM and place them in the baskets on the table between the dining and Bancroft rooms. We'd like to complete these kits this Sunday, when the children are scheduled to place the toiletry items into washcloth pouches during coffee hour. However, we can only complete them if we receive more donations.

Spirit Play
PreKindergarten, Kindergarten, 1st, and 2nd Grades
On Sunday we will meet as one large group in the chapel. The children will be able to vote on a story to hear for a second time this year, as review. We're eager to hear what they'll choose! We'll also have some special work options.

Stepping Stone Year
3rd-4th Grade
This class will meet in the Dining Room to sort and prepare toiletry items to be placed in washcloth pouches for the Veterans' shelter. We'll also make some items to go along with the Spirit Play story we heard a couple of weeks ago.

Bibleodeon
5th-6th Grade
After being dismissed from worship we will meet in the Bancroft Room and prepare some bouquets for residents of the Lutheran Family Services Nursing Home. We'll speak about Biblical stories of caring for one another. And then we'll walk over to the Nursing Home to deliver the flowers. Please dress for the weather, including snow or rain boots if needed and a coat. We'll arrive back at 11:40AM. Permission forms will be sent home this week.

Sacred Threads
7th-8th Grade
7th and 8th graders are also taking a field trip, but it is a little more intensive. An RSVP is needed ASAP from those who have not yet responded, so we can make that we have enough drivers. (Parents, please note that we are still in need of drivers/chaperones...and this is a great opportunity for you to experience this service also!) This group will be attending the Sunday service at the Linh Son Buddhist Temple. We will gather in the Bancroft Room promptly at 10:30AM and leave at 10:40AM on the dot. Please bring your permission forms (will arrive in your mailbox this week) and come on time. Service at Linh Son Temple starts at 11:00AM and ends at 12:30. Those who need to leave at 12:30 should be picked up at the temple by their parents. The rest of the group will stay for lunch at the temple and return to the church around 2:00PM.

YRU2 (High School Youth Group)
9th-12th Grade
What is the history of Unitarian Universalism and our church? Join us to discuss this on Sunday morning. We'll pool our knowledge and see if we can trace back. We'll also cut up potatoes for our "breakfast for dinner" meal for IHN, and have our usual check-in and social time as well. Youth group is from 10:00AM-12:00PM. Please plan to be present for the whole session. Note: We'll meet back at the church at 4:00PM to join the Holden Street youth group and perhaps even some 8th graders from Westboro in the meal prep, service, and clean up for IHN. We'll be done by 8:00PM.

It's a Party!

2011-01-30T22:46:00.000-08:00

During coffee hour on Sunday we will be serving cake and punch in honor of five youth who have successfully completed the Coming of Age rite of passage program. We need two volunteers who are willing to slice and serve the cake and one or two volunteers who are willing to prepare the punch. Can you help? If so, please use the "contact" tab above to get in touch with the Office of Faith Development Ministries.

For Children and Youth: Church School Classes February 6, 2011

2011-01-30T22:28:00.000-08:00

Note: We are still collecting personal hygeine items for care kits to send to the Veterans' Shelter. If you are able, please bring small toiletry items into church this Sunday and place them in the baskets on the table between the dining and Bancroft rooms. The children will be placing these items into washcloth pouches on February 13th.

Spirit Play

PreKindergarten, Kindergarten, 1st, and 2nd Grades

Please join us this Sunday as we hear a story from our very own congregation, maybe even from you. The story is about making personal care kits for the Veterans' shelter. This story reminds us that everyone has needs. We all require help sometimes, and we can all give help sometimes. This story is a indigo promise story (insist on a fair and peaceful world). As usual, our storytime is followed by a worktime with child-directed activities.

Stepping Stone Year
3rd-4th Grade
We have been exploring in class the stories of science that can help us make meaning from our lives. This we we will hear the stories of animals. We'll learn a little about Darwin and we'll be going outside for a while, so please dress for the weather.

Bibleodeon (5th-6th Grade), Sacred Threads (7th-8th Grade), and YRU2 (High School)
All three of the above groups will not meet during the worship service this Sunday. Instead, please attend worship this week in support and honor of the five youth who will be sharing their personal credos with the congregation as the final step in their Coming of Age rite of passage.

Note: BYKOTA (Middle School Youth Group) will have their monthly meeting this week at 9:00AM in room 7. BYKOTA members who also participate in the children's choir may wish to divide their time between both BYKOTA and choir, or they may prefer to participate in one or the other this week.

Calendars For First Unitarian Families

2011-01-30T22:11:00.000-08:00

Parents of Children and Youth:

The Faith Development Teams would like to hear from you about the electronic calendar programs you use, if any. Specifically, the teams are interested in whether it would be helpful to have Faith Development calendars, such as youth group or special event calendars, in a format that would allow for easy import of calendar items into your electronic calendars.

If you are a parent of a child or youth and you use an electronic calendar (such as Microsoft Outlook, Microsoft Exchange, Google Calendar, Windows Live Calendar, Mozilla Thunderbird or Sunbird, iCal, or Yahoo! Calendar, etc.), please click this survey link and take one minute of your time to answer three quick and easy questions.

Thank you for your help!

Children's Choir Continues

2011-01-30T18:59:00.000-08:00

The children's choir has been rehearsing at 9:00AM each Sunday. We could use some more voices, especially boy voices. If your child might be interested in participating, please use the "contact" tab above to get in touch with the Office of Faith Development Ministries.

The choir will rehearse each Sunday now through March 27th, with the exception of the Sunday before and the Sunday after February School Vacation for Worcester Public Schools (February 20th and 27th). On March 27th, this session of choir will wrap up with the children singing during worship in the sanctuary.

Church School Classes: Sunday, January 30th

2011-01-23T16:25:00.000-08:00

Spirit Play

PreKindergarten, Kindergarten, 1st, and 2nd Grades

Please join us this Sunday as we hear a story of Chickadee and Cardinal, who will find out how one single snowflake can break an entire branch off a tree. This story is a first/red promise story (respect each person as a child of God). As usual, our storytime is followed by a worktime with child-directed activities.

Stepping Stone Year
3rd-4th Grade
How did the world begin? How did life begin? We have learned the creation stories read in stars and the creation stories found in drops of water. This Sunday we will explore the creation stories found in fossils. We'll even make our own fossil replicas.

Bibleodeon
5th-6th Grade
This Sunday we continue studying Moses' story through the desert years. We'll consider the concept of "God's chosen people," start familiarizing ourselves with the passover seder, and even have a treasure hunt to help us explore this story.

Sacred Threads
7th-8th Grade
We'll finally start our long-awaited video project this Sunday. 7th and 8th graders, come help get the ball rolling! Do you have a digital video camera or other equipment that would be helpful? Can you assist with a video project? If so, please contact Sierra-Marie using the contact tab above.

YRU2 (High School Youth Group)
9th-12th Grade
Youth group meets from 10AM-12PM. Youth group activities have not been planned as of the publication of this newsletter, but overall program goals include worship, learning, service, friendship, and leadership.

Church School Classes January 23, 2011

2011-01-16T20:03:00.000-08:00

Spirit Play
PreKindergarten, Kindergarten, 1st, and 2nd Grades
On Sunday we will consider these values:

respect each person
offer fair and kind treatment to all
yearn to learn about ourselves, each other, and the Spirit of Love and Mystery that many people call God
grow by searching for what is true and right in life
believe in and share your ideas, and learn from others as they share their ideas
insist on a fair and peaceful world
value the earth, the home we all share

These are the principals of our faith, using the colors of the rainbow as a memory cue. For the "advanced wording," see the covenant of the Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations.

Stepping Stone Year
3rd-4th Grade
In our Stepping Stone class we will continue our unit on meaning-making through science. We'll discover a long chain of evolution as we find the many stories carried in a single drop of water. On this special Sunday we will also be telling the children a Spirit Play story on the principals and sources of Unitarian Universalism. We are taking a break from our usual class material to tell this story in order to contextualize for our children the various units we have been exploring in our class together.

Bibleodeon

5th-6th Grade
Join us on Sunday as we get acquainted with the biblical Moses through an enthusiastic dramatic presentation and the making of our own clay commandment tablets. The theme we will explore in this first of a two part series on Moses is the exercise of leadership. The "mystery of the day" is stated this way: "When should we lead and when should we follow?"

Sacred Threads

7th-8th Grade

In our time together this Sunday we will seek to better understand religious practice by introducing a visual meditation device used by both Hindus and Buddhists: mandalas. We'll experiment with the device ourselves, and the helpful properties of a circle in understanding religions. If time allows, we may talk briefly about the Chinese-Tibetan relationship and its history.

Note: This class will be working on a video project the following Sunday, January 30th. Do you have a digital video camera or other equipment that would be helpful? Can you assist with a video project? If so, please contact Sierra-Marie using the contact tab above.

YRU2 (High School Youth Group)
9th-12th Grade
Please join us for a time to connect, plan for upcoming events, play a game, and discuss an item of spiritual, religious, or ethical interest during youth group on Sunday, from 10AM-12PM. Note that Coming of Age will meet on Sunday from 12:30-2:00. During our time together in Coming of Age we will share our credos and celebrate the accomplishments of each Coming of Age youth.

Day of Service Updates

2011-01-16T18:29:00.000-08:00

We are preparing personal care kits for folks at the veterans' shelter. A huge thanks to Cindy C. for getting this project going on Sunday! The kits will contain personal hygeine items.

If you can, between now and February 13th, please bring in items such as:

Toothbrushes
Small or medium sized tubes of toothpaste
Dental floss
Compact bars of soap
Travel size cans of shaving cream
Deodorant
Combs
Travel size foot powder
Lip balm
Travel size shampoo and conditioner

These items will be placed in "washcloth pouches." There is still more sewing to be done on the pouches, and all are invited to sew a pouch whenever here on a Monday or Sunday.

To see more items on the Veterans, Inc. wishlist, click here.

Thanks for your help!

BYKOTA Sleepover

2011-01-09T20:32:00.000-08:00

The BYKOTA (middle school youth group) sleepover is coming up on Saturday, January 22nd. Parents of middle schoolers, please don't forget to mark your family calendar. Permission forms will arrive in the mail this week.

Church School Classes Sunday, January 16, 2011

2011-01-09T19:38:00.000-08:00

On Sunday we will not hold any church school classes or youth group events. Instead, we will worship together as a congregation of all ages in a special Martin Luther King Day worship service.

Worship packets and a "fidget" item will be provided for kids who need something to do with their hands. Parents may find it helpful to bring silent toys or books for especially young children. Songs we will sing are:

#335 Red Hymnal -- "What a Friend We Have in Jesus" (Mahalia Jackson version)
#428 Red Hymnal -- "When Israel Was In Egypt's Land" (Louis Armstrong version)
Order of Service Insert -- "Shall We Gather at the River"

After worship we will have an abbreviated "Day of Service" activity available in coffee hour. This is an opportunity for kids and adults alike to do something together as a community to benefit the larger community. This is the best context in which our children can learn the value of hope and action. If you plan to be in town Martin Luther King Day weekend, please plan to participate in this event with us. Participation is open to all. Our abbreviated project this year is the handsewing of "washcloth pouches" in which personal hygiene items will be packaged. The items will then be given to the Veteran's Shelter.

Of course, the best opportunities to make a difference in the community often involve building relationships and working for justice. For information about other projects you can get involved in as part of the larger Martin Luther King Day of Service movement, visit: http://mlkday.gov/.

Children's Choir Sign-Ups Begins

2011-01-03T09:09:00.000-08:00

Our second session of children's choir will begin on Sunday! Please sign up if you have not done so already! Christy Clark will direct the choir, and the choir will rehearse:

January 23rd
January 30th
February 6th
February 13th
NO REHEARSAL February 20th and 27th (Feb. school vacation)
March 6th
March 13th
March 20th

The choir will sing in worship on March 27th.
Please use the "contact" tab above to let the Faith Development Office know if your child plans to participate.

You're Invited

2011-01-03T08:57:00.000-08:00

One thing we can do to prepare for a smooth transition to a new Director of Faith Development Ministries next year is staff all of our Church School classes in the spring. It is important that we don't delay!

If you are curious about teaching, but aren't sure about signing up, please come to an hour-long, no-obligation informational luncheon in the Religious Education wing downstairs on Sunday, January 23rd at noon. Learn what we are doing in our classes and what teaching entails, and even hear from people who are teaching currently about their thoughts on the experience. Use the "contact" tab above to RSVP so we can better plan for lunch.

This is a no-risk way to find out what you always wanted to know!

Important Meeting With the Religious Education Search Committee

2011-01-03T08:53:00.000-08:00

Members of the Religious Education Search Committee invite you to join us on Sunday, January 9, from noon-1:00 PM downstairs in the religious education wing of the church. During the past few months we have been listening to your ideas and exploring what is happening in other UUA congregations around the country, and would now like to share with you our vision for faith development for children, youth, adults and families at First Unitarian. Please join us this coming Sunday for this important conversation as we prepare to advertise the position for our new Director for Faith Development Ministries in February/March.

Church School Classes January 9, 2011

2011-01-03T08:48:00.000-08:00

Spirit Play
PreKindergarten, Kindergarten, 1st, and 2nd Grades
On Sunday we will continue celebrations begun last week of our existence in a vast and great universe. Our PreK and Kindergarten classes will hear a story called I Look Out at the Stars, which explores perspectives through the wonder-inspiring notion of being held to the earth by gravity. The 1st and 2nd grade class will hear a story about our bodies being made of hydrogen created (13.7) 14 billion years ago at the start of the universe. This is adapted from material at http://www.thegreatstory.org/.

Stepping Stone Year
3rd-4th Grade
In our Stepping Stone class we are starting a new unit on meaning-making through science. As with the younger grades, we too will be considering "the stars." We'll talk about everything from the universe's creation to the makeup of planets.

Bibleodeon
5th-6th Grade
This week we will have the second of a 2 part series on Joseph, favored son of Jacob in the Hebrew Bible. Through a dramatized "modern version" of the story and discussion, we'll consider the connection between Joseph's story and our own lives.

Sacred Threads
7th-8th Grade
This Sunday we'll be introduced to a religion that connects Asia to the Middle East: Sikhism. This is very different from Jainism, which we recently studied (both are, however, very small religions on the global scale), so we'll look at the foundations of Sikhism and consider the concept of syncretism. As a part of our studies, we'll compare the consolidation of Unitarianism and Universalism into one tradition with the creation of Sikhism.

YRU2 (High School Youth Group)
9th-12th Grade
Note that Coming of Age will meet on Saturday from 4PM-midnight. During our time together we will finish a rough draft of our credos. On Sunday morning from 10AM-12PM, the youth group will gather for a "party" and pizza-making.

Church School Classes Sunday, January 2nd

2010-12-20T11:19:00.001-08:00

Spirit Play
PreKindergarten, Kindergarten, 1st, and 2nd Grades
On Sunday we will celebrate our existence in a vast and awe-inspiring universe. Our PreK and Kindergarten classes will hear a story called I Live in the Universe, which takes the children from inside their homes, to their neighborhoods, and cities, and then to the state, country, continent, planet, and eventually the universe. The 1st and 2nd grade class will hear The Great Story, a story of the universe from its creation through current times.

Stepping Stone Year
3rd-4th Grade
In our Stepping Stone class we are completing our unit on birth this Sunday. Our final birth story will be that of the Buddha, which we will look at against the background of the stories of the previous weeks: Jesus' birth stories and our own birth stories.

Bibleodeon
5th-6th Grade
This week we will have part 1 of a 2 part series on Joseph, favored son of Jacob in the Hebrew Bible. We'll make "coats" of many colors as we talk about Joseph's interpretation of dreams and his leadership in Egypt. We'll also hear about Joseph's treatment at the hands of his jealous brothers and consider the timeless theme of family dynamics.

Sacred Threads
7th-8th Grade
No human religious organization is perfect, as all exist within the limitations and challenges of the real world and our shared humanity. We will be considering this on Sunday as we discuss changes facing modern Hinduism. We will also consider the way in which great religions are dynamic and non-monolithic, and participants can expect to understand what that means by the end of class.

YRU2 (High School Youth Group)
9th-12th Grade
On Tuesday, December 28th, all youth are invited to come paint the youth lounge and then have dinner together! We hope to see you there! On Sunday we will not have youth group, and instead all youth are invited to attend worship. Note: Coming of Age takes place from 12:30pm-2:30pm.

Merry Christmas From the Church School!

2010-12-20T06:17:00.000-08:00

From the volunteers and staff of the Church School, Merry Christmas! We hope you enjoy the holiday on Saturday. As many of our families expect to be out of town on Sunday, we have canceled classes. If there are enough children present to gather as a group, we will have some low-key but fun activities to help us get ready to ring in the New Year. Children in the 6th grade and up are encouraged to attend the worship service.

Teachers, enjoy the day off!

Church School Classes Sunday, December 19th

2010-12-13T07:40:00.000-08:00

Spirit Play
PreKindergarten, Kindergarten
This Sunday we will hear the very simplest version of Jesus' birth story. The story is called "The Miraculously Ordinary Story of a Baby." The story is told such that it focuses on the very ordinary aspects of Jesus' birth story. It leads us to questions such as "I wonder if Jesus' parents had any idea how important he would be when he grew up?" "I wonder if Jesus felt important when he was a child?"

Spirit Play Semi-Advanced and Advanced
1st and 2nd Grades
Our 1st and 2nd grade classes, like prekindergarten and kindergarten, will hear the story of Jesus' birth, but their story will be framed through advent. The children will be introduced to advent as a time not just of waiting, but of getting our hearts ready for Christmas, a time to make room in our hearts for hope, love, joy, and peace.

Stepping Stone Year
3rd-4th Grade
Like the younger children's classes, our 3rd and 4th grade class will be looking more closely at Jesus' birth this week. This story is part of a unit on "creation stories" of individual people. As we create our own crèches we'll consider the importance of different aspects of Jesus' birth story. A "Christmas conversation" letter has been sent home with suggestions for family conversations to have this week.

Bibleodeon
5th-6th Grade
This Sunday in our 5th and 6th grade class we will not only consider Jesus' birth story, but the celebration of Christmas more broadly. We'll be sharing our own Christmas memories and hearing a couple different versions of Jesus' birth story as we consider why it is that so many Unitarian Universalists celebrate Christmas. We'll also be making "Christmas miracle" ornaments.

Sacred Threads
7th-8th Grade
We're continuing our exploration of Hinduism in this class this week, in a lesson called "Everyday lives of Hindus." We will consider various manners of Hindu worship, contrast classical Hinduism and devotional Hinduism, and discuss the possibility of their being a "classical" and "devotional" expression of Unitarian Universalism. We'll surely also check in and talk about our holiday plans!

YRU2 (High School Youth Group)
9th-12th Grade
Our high school youth group meets from 10:00am-12:00pm. Coming of Age will meet this Sunday from 12:30-2:30pm. For Coming of Age, we have a panel of guests from the congregation who are "walking the walk" of our religious values.

A Big Christmas Pageant Thank You!

2010-12-13T07:30:00.000-08:00

Thank you to the pageant director, cast, singers, crew, parents, and volunteers who carefully drove the icy roads to be here for the pageant!

Thank you to the Jingle Bells Choir for projecting your voices and bringing us your sweet music!

Thank you to the adult choir for tying the pageant worship service together with your songs!

Thank you to the pageant performers who were flexible in trading around roles last minute and for your performance!

Thank you to the many, many parents who enthusiastically volunteered to pitch in, in every way imaginable from costumes to snacks, supervision, and even clean up!

Thank you for our advent candlelighters who were patient despite our forgetting to invite them up to light the candles!

Thank you to the members of the congregation who braved the roads to be with us!

It was good to be together for another pageant!

Living Gifts and Living Nativity

2010-12-06T12:35:00.000-08:00

Event Notice

First Unitarian Families Encouraged to Attend and Meetup

Saturday, December 11th

The Heifer Farm CELEBRATION OF LIVING GIFTS
11 a.m. – 4 p.m. 216 Wachusett Street in Rutland
What do you buy the person who has everything? How about a goat, a llama or a water buffalo? At Heifer International's Celebration of Living Gifts, learn how sponsoring animals like these can provide food and income for hungry families. You get a handsome card to give and a hungry family receives hope for a better future. Take pictures with the animals and purchase gifts from around the world in the Heifer (Overlook farm) fair trade shop. Enjoy hot cocoa and cider, make gingerbread animal cookies and warm yourself by a bonfire. Admission is free with the donation of (a) canned good(s) that will be taken to a local food bank. Last year during this event, 450 pounds of canned goods were collected!
Mesa Farm LIVING NATIVITY
5:00 p.m. 67 Muschopauge Road in Rutland
After attending the Celebration of the Living Gifts at Heifer, come "down the road” for the Living Nativity. This event used to be held at Heifer, but has now been moved to nearby Mesa Farm, owned and operated by former Heifer staff member Dale Perkins. As is tradition, the event is free, but all are asked to bring a plate of cookies to share. The living nativity is essentially a Christmas pageant with real animals. Dress very warmly because it involves sitting in the cold for a while. There are also shows at 6:30 on the same day as well as 5:00 and 6:30 on Saturday (Saturday’s shows will have sign language interpretation). The 5:00 time would be a good time for First Unitarian families to meet up in case a number of us are attending the Celebration of the Living Gifts.

Church School Classes December 12, 2010

2010-12-06T12:12:00.000-08:00

All are invited this Sunday to the annual Christmas pageant. Come one, come all! There will be nursery care available, but there will not be church school classes or youth group.

Advent Series: Evolutionary Christianity

2010-12-06T11:59:00.000-08:00

In an effort spearheaded by Michael Dowd, a UU evolutionary preacher and teacher, during the season of advent thirty esteemed scientists and inspiring Christian leaders join together for a groundbreaking dialogue on the blessing of an evolutionary lens in Christianity. This program has been offered as a free teleseries, and you are invited! The goal is that this dialogue will enrich the life of participants, deepen their faith, and bless the world.

The series can be heard over the phone or on the internet. Last night as I was putting my kids to bed, I listened to a conversation between Michael Dowd and Bruce Sanguin, minister of the Canadian Memorial United Church in Vancouver. It was a fascinating conversation, and I am eager to hear the rest of the series!

To register, go to the Advent of Evolutionary Christianity website. Once registered, you will receive emails with details about the various programs.

In Faith,

Sierra-Marie

Christmas Pageant Weekend Schedule

2010-12-06T11:27:00.000-08:00

This weekend is not only our final days of preparation for the pageant, but also our pageant itself. The pageant will be presented in the context of the worship service on December 13th.

Below is a basic outline of the schedule for the weekend. Please see your mailbox this week for a more detailed schedule.

Saturday, December 11th, 9 am– 12:00 pm: Rehearsal for all cast members. Angels and shepherds don't need to arrive until 10:00am, but all cast members, please be prompt.

Sunday, December 12th, 8:45 am: This is the morning of the dress rehearsal. All cast members should arrive by 8:45 am sharp to be dressed in costume and ready to rehearse at 9:00 am on the dot!

Sunday, December 12th, 9:45 am: Our “Jingle Bells Choir,” made up of children from our prekindergarten and kindergarten class, will not have another rehearsal until this, our dress rehearsal immediately prior to the performance. Please arrive promptly at 9:45 am on Sunday if your child would like to sing in the choir.

Sunday, December 12th, 10:30 am: The Christmas pageant is the “sermon” portion of the worship service. We begin worship at 10:30 a.m.

See you this weekend, and call Sierra-Marie with any questions at 508-757-2708 ext. 105! Thanks for your participation...this will be a lot of fun!

Pageant Costumes

2010-12-06T11:20:00.000-08:00

Jingle Bells Choir and Christmas Pageant cast, below is a rundown of what to wear on pageant Sunday.

Jingle Bells Choir
Just come in whatever lovely clothes your parents ask you to wear. You are most welcome to wear your holiday clothes. Be sure to spend a lot of time practicing nice signing voices for your songs this week, and then please just bring your smiles.

We’ll give you a special garland halo, and we’ll have jingle bells for you to ring at the appropriate time.

Narrators
Dress nicely. If you have any special holiday clothes, you can wear those as well.

Joseph, Innkeeper, Herod, Wise People, Shepherds
Wear lightweight clothing (those robes are hot and heavy). Once you arrive, please wear sandals or slippers on your feet.

Mary, Gabriel, Star, Angels
Wear lightweight clothing. Also make sure your clothing is light in color as you are wearing white or light colored robes. Once you arrive, please wear sandals or slippers on your feet.

Additional Notes
1. Please don’t spend money on your shoes. For costumed parts, we would prefer you wear slippers, ballet shoes, or sandles, but if you don’t have any, wear something simple or just wear what you have. Please no furry crazy slippers—they are adorable but not for the pageant.

2. All costume-wearing pageant participants were fitted for the pageant at rehearsal last Saturday. If you were not present for the rehearsal last Saturday, please come 15 minutes before your rehearsal time to get fitted. We have only one day for last minute alterations, which will be a tall order for our most gracious costume volunteers.

Church School Classes December 5, 2010

2010-11-29T10:40:00.000-08:00

Children's choir members please note that choir meets 9-10AM. This Sunday we will be singing in worship, so prompt attendance is required!

Spirit Play
PreKindergarten, Kindergarten, 1st, and 2nd Grades
Our story in class this week will be from the book The Chanukah Blessing by Penninah Schram. While the story is a playful take on a "modern" visit received by one family from Elijah the Prophet, it provides children with an introductory lesson on the history and meaning of Chanukah.
Note: Both PreKindergarten and Kindergarten will meet at the usual time this week (at dismissal from worship around 10:45) but will end class a little late in order to accomodate a final Jingle Bells Choir rehearsal.

Stepping Stone Year
3rd-4th Grade
This week's lesson is called "Unique and Wonderful You" and is about the stories of who we are, as individuals, and our own "creation" stories...the stories each of us have of being born. Children are invited this week to bring a copy of a picture from when they were little (baby pictures or one of the earliest pictures they have of themselves if no baby picture is available). Some of our children have adoption stories along with birth stories, and there will be a place for all of that in our class. Parents please note that we do talk in basic terms about "the facts of life" in this class. Please contact the Faith Development office if you have any particular concerns.

Bibleodeon
5th-6th Grade

Our lesson this week is on Hanukkah. We will share our own experiences and knowledge about Hanukkah, make clay menorahs, hear a version of the story of Hanukkah, and talk about why some Unitarian Universalists celebrate Hanukkah. Any child whose family has a menorah is invited to bring the menorah in to show our class.

Sacred Threads
7th-8th Grade

This Sunday's lesson is titled "Ahimsa and the Jains." While a small religion by global standards, Jainism is an important belief for Unitarian Universalists to study, as Jainism split away from a parent church similarly to Unitarian Universalism, and it represents an expression of the first and seventh Unitarian Universalist principles.

Note: Our Middle School Youth Group, BYKOTA, will have its monthly meeting at 9AM in room seven ("the Bride's Room"). We also need middle school youth to help out younger children with activities at the Hanukkah Party during coffee hour. Please use the "contact" tab above if your youth can help.

YRU2 (High School Youth Group)
9th-12th Grade

The youth group will be giving their youth lounge a fresh coat of paint this weekend. This Sunday, some of our youth will also be singing in the teen choir, which is performing at the Holden Street church at 11AM. For those who are present for our own youth group meeting, we will have food, discussion, check-in, games, a little business, a chalice lighting and a meaningful discussion. High school youth are also invited to help out younger children with activities at the Hanukkah Party during coffee hour. Please use the "contact" tab above if you or your youth can help.

UU Mama

2010-11-29T09:34:00.000-08:00

"(now the ears of my ears awake and now the eyes of my eyes are opened)"
e.e. cummings

The UU Mama meetings for December will be on the theme of Spiritual Self-Care. We think this is a timely topic for the holiday season! From UU Mama facilitator Joonu: "As mothers we often find ourselves extremely busy with many and often competing commitments while striving to have the time to connect with ourselves and to our source. Not only is spiritual self-care essential for our own well being, but for the well being of our families. As spiritual leaders in our homes, it is also important in that we are models for our children as we are their first and most important teachers." We'll be exploring the role of spiritual self-care in our lives.

The UU Mama covenant groups are for the purpose of personal reflection, sharing common experience, offering meaningful discussion, building fellowship, and deepening our spiritual practices as Unitarian Universalists, all as these relate to our roles as UU parents.

Our hope is that through the covenant groups we will strengthen our families, which also strengthens our church community.

UU Mama groups currently meet on the second Monday and second Thursday of every month. We are looking to start a third UU Mama Group in January or February, and possibly a UU Papa group also. If you are interested in the possibility of participating in UU Mama or UU Papa starting in January or February and going through the spring or summer, please use the "contact" tab above to let the Faith Development office know of your interest. We'd be happy to get you plugged into a group!

Summer Day Camp?

2010-11-23T12:58:00.000-08:00

Summer Day Camp Meeting
Saturday, January 29th from 4-5:30pm

In 2009, we hosted at First Unitarian Church for the first time ever a summer day camp with the hope of offering such a camp every-other-summer. Thus this coming summer, 2011, is the expected date for our next camp.

The camp was AWESOME and we definitely want to do it again.

Our first camp was called "UU Galaxy"
and focused on the joy of our cosmic existence

In order to hold a camp again we will need several congregational volunteers willing to serve on a Camp Planning Team whose work would span from February 2011 through the date of the camp in June or July.

In 2009 we hosted the camp as a weeklong venture in partnership with four area Unitarian Universalist churches, and we are in conversation with these churches about doing so again. Thus our congregation's Camp Planning Team can expect to be working with volunteers or staff from one to three other churches.

The more the merrier! There is plenty of work to be done, but it is a lot of fun, and now that we have done it once before, we have some templates to assist us in the work.

If you are interested in this project, please consider coming to an initial meeting on Saturday, January 29th from 4-5:30pm. Light refreshments will be provided, and while there is no obligation, we are hoping at this meeting that we will get a planning effort going for the camp.

Schedule Notations for Families With Children

2010-11-22T09:45:00.000-08:00

Families, please take note of the following:

Saturday, December 4th: This is the date of our first pageant rehearsal. Those children who are narrators or primary roles should be present from 9AM-12PM. Angels and shepherds attend 10AM-12PM.

Sunday, December 5th: On this Sunday, we will have Church School as usual. BYKOTA (middle school youth group) will have their monthly meeting. PreK and Kindergarten kids will rehearse their pageant songs during class time as one combined group (both classes will come together). Both those classes will start at 10:30 rather than the usual start time on this date to accommodate the rehearsal. After classes dismiss at 11:40 there will be a Hanukkah party in Unity Hall during coffee hour.

Saturday, December 11th: This is the second and final pageant rehearsal. Those children who are narrators or primary roles should be present from 9AM-12PM. Angels and shepherds attend 10AM-12PM.

Sunday, December 12th: This is our Christmas Pageant worship service (no classes). Children in the pageant will come early on this morning for dress rehearsal. After the pageant, all are invited to coffee hour and then a lunch. Please bring donations of food for the soup and sandwiches meal. Following lunch, all are invited to the annual Green Christmas fair in Unity Hall. BYKOTA (the middle school youth group) will have its annual trip to the Little Store to help sort, organize, or wrap Christmas gift donations for children. YRU2 (the high school youth group) will go Christmas caroling with youth from the Holden Street Church.

Sunday, December 19^th: We will have Church School as usual on this date. Coming of Age will meet 12:30-2:30PM.

Friday, December 24th: All ages are invited to our annual Christmas Eve worship services at 4PM and 5:30PM. These music-rich services both end with a candlelit round of "Silent Night."

Sunday, December 26^th: To Be Announced! We will probably have a low-key post-Christmas holiday party. Some classes may meet. Please stay tuned, and use the "contact" tab above to let the Faith Development office know if you can help. We’d like to get a feel for how many folks will be in town and plan to be at church before finalizing any plans, so keep in touch about whether you plan to be present.

Sunday January 2^nd and January 9^th: We are planning to have Church School as usual on this date, so please plan to join us if you can for some very interesting classes. On January 2nd, Coming of Age will meet 12:30-2:30.

Worship Activity Bags?

2010-11-22T09:20:00.000-08:00

Over the next several months, I will be placing a couple boxes of crayons and a couple pads of paper in each pew box for children who have an easier time listening when their hands are busy. Children should feel free to use these during their time in the sanctuary each Sunday or during all-ages worship services such as the one this coming Sunday.

Can you volunteer to check the pew boxes once per month and restock these supplies as needed?

Another thing we might consider is creating worship activity bags. For information or examples of churches using the concept, see the following links:

To do this, we would need a team of volunteers to create the bags:

Donations of small bags such as those sold by the Oriental Trading company or simple draw-string bags made by a volunteer or two would be necessary.
Donations of small items to go in the bags would be needed. For older kids, these might include "fidgets," legos, small clipboards, and some paper and colored pencils or crayons. For babies and toddlers the bags might include soft books and toys.
Volunteers would be needed to fill the bags with the donated items.
Volunteers would be needed to check the bags and keep them stocked on a monthly basis.

In Faith,
Sierra-Marie

Church School Classes November 28, 2010

2010-11-22T08:58:00.000-08:00

Happy Thanksgiving! There will not be church school classes or youth group on Sunday, November 28th.

Instead, we will have a special Bread Communion worship service for all ages. The service will include a participatory ritual of communion. A worship service packet will be provided to the children, as well as a small "fidget" item. Please bring silent toys or books for young children for whom you think such would be helpful. If the children need to move around or become fussy, as always, the service can be heard on speaker in the narthex as well as downstairs in the "Bride's Room" (room seven).