2020-02-06

This Week in Religious Education: February 6-13, 2020

Sunday, February 9, 2020

Welcome Sophie! 
We are delighted to welcome Sophie Major to our childcare staff through June. Sophie grew up in this congregation and is excited to serve in this role. She has a warm, gentle and fun nature the children will love, and she'll be great support for Diane and Hans. Welcome, Sophie!

Childcare 
Children are welcome in worship and we offer a quiet activity area in the sanctuary where they can be comfortable while experiencing the words, music and rituals of our faith. Diane, Hans and Sophie also welcome children into childcare, room 32 in the yellow hallway. You are welcome to bring comfort items from home. Please let Diane know if your child has allergies or specific needs.

10:00am: We all start in the worship service at 10:00am then children, youth and volunteers leave for Religious Exploration classes and Youth Group. Children 3rd grade and younger must be picked up in their classroom. The Coming of Age class will remain in the worship service then have a sermon and discussion with Rev. Kimberley following worship - meet in the chancel area.

PreK Children are welcome in the sanctuary for worship where they can enjoy the children's area with quiet activities, or in childcare (room 32, yellow hallway).

K-1st grade Our Whole Lives (room 33, yellow hallway)
K-1st grade children continue learning about families. This Sunday, they explore how families nurture babies emotionally and physically, and talk about how babies arrive in families through birth or adoption. David B is leading and Tom R is assisting.

2nd-3rd grade Passport to Spirituality (room 43, green hallway)
The children continue learning about Hinduism. Last week, Susheela introduced the religion and shared her experience growing up in the Hindu faith.  This Sunday, Karen L will deepen the children's learning and teach a special activity that the children can take home and share with family members. Adine U is assisting.

4th-5th grade Bibleodeon (room 21, blue hallway)
The children will discuss ideas about believing in the Bible and learn about prophets in the Hebrew stories. In particular, they will learn the story of Jonah, then explore what UUs say about belief and how they decide for themselves what to believe.  The children will have an opportunity to create sculptures that represent stories they previously learned.  Alex Z is leading and Janice S is assisting.

6th-7th grade World Religions (room 41, green hallway)
The class begins a new unit this Sunday about Indigenous spirituality and religion, exploring the relationship Indigenous Peoples have with the earth and how that is connected to their spiritual growth. Chris B is leading and Mirjam N is assisting.

8th-9th grade Coming of Age (room 11, red hallway)
This Sunday, the youth continues exploring UU theology by attending the worship service and listening to Rev. Kimberley's sermon about God, then having a short sermon discussion with her following worship.  This is a wonderful opportunity for them to hear a UU sermon about God, then ask the Minister questions. Youth will meet Rev. Kimberley in the chancel area of the sanctuary following worship for a 20 minute discussion.

10th-12th grade Youth Group (room 14, red hallway)
Youth group meets with Daniel and Cyndi T to continue planning for the March 8th youth-led worship service.  There are some important decisions to be made, especially about music so the musicians can begin practicing.  We hope many youth will participate in this planning session!

RE Newsletters: If you would like to receive one or more RE newsletters in your e-mail, sign up HERE.  For this week's newsletters, click the class or group link above.

Connecting in Community

RE Assistants
Assistants Needed in RE No preparation required! Just spend an hour with our amazing children and youth while you fulfill our Safe Congregation practice of having two adults with our young people at all times. Click HERE to sign up or e-mail Tracy.

Congregational Survey
The Committee on Ministry is evaluating how we support our spiritual development and needs your input. The survey should take 10-15 minutes and responses are confidential. You can take the survey online HERE until February 10th. Contact Tom Wacht with questions (tjwachtesq@aol.com).

Life of Our Congregation Festival
Sunday, February 23 during Coffee Hour in the Sanctuary, we will have a Life of the Congregation Festival! It's part committee fair, part social action, part meet and greet. While you enjoy a marvelous coffee hour hosted by our Caring and Sharing Circle, add (or update) your photo for the membership directory, help make our hymnals a little more inclusive, check to make sure your family is registered for RE or complete a RE registration form, and find ways to participate in community that fit your schedule and interests.

2020 Variety Show
Saturday, May 2, 5:00pm
This will be our 8th Annual Variety Show (WOW!), always one of the most FUN fundraisers at CUUC. It is also an event where everyone, children to adults, can pitch in and create meaningful ties to a social justice cause. So work on your act and kids get ready to vote on February 23 for which organization we will support. HELP WANTED: It takes a village to run this event and requires all hands on deck. Please help by signing up to be our Head of Donations or Pizza Dinner Coordinator. Contact Liz Suvanto (elizabethsuvanto@hotmail.com) or Kate Snow Breault (ksnowbro@gmail.com). When the big jobs are filled, the smaller details fall into place and the fun can begin!

Sunday Morning Greeters
We would love to have families greet Sunday morning before worship. Children and youth are an important part of our community and it would be wonderful to include them in greeting members and guests! Your family would be in place 9:45-10:15am. Contact Jane Dixon (lilrhodie@gmail.com) to sign up for a Sunday.

Especially for Youth

Regional Senior High CON
Saturday, February 15th, 9:00am-8:30pm
UU Congregation of Rockland
February 9th is the deadline to register! CONpassion will be a day long conference (con) event planned by youth with the support of adults. At heart a youth con is an experience in building covenantal community. It is an immersive UU community experience where youth find love and acceptance. Our con theme and focus will be love and compassion. It will incorporate community building, fun, worship, spirituality, and youth leadership. This is a one-day CON for 9th-12th grade youth.  Youth Deans are Tracy K and Luke J.  Registration closes February 9th so REGISTER NOW. Youth registration, click here.  Adult registration, click here.

PrideWorks for LGBTQ+ Youth and Allies
Wednesday, March 18th at Pace University, Pleasantville
Registration is OPEN for PrideWorks!  This is the 20th anniversary of the conference and there is a special $20 student registration rate.  Many youth attend with their school's GSA; others attend on their own.  The Westchester UU congregations are a major sponsor of the conference and have a significant presence.  We hope many of our youth will attend and adults will volunteer at the conference.  Our DRE, Tracy Breneman, is on the PrideWorks Board and can answer questions.
More information and register HERE.

Thrive Youth of Color Event
May 15-17, 2020 at the First UU Society of Albany
Registration is now OPEN!  Unitarian Universalist Youth of Color (High School age People of African Descent, Caribbean, Indegenous, Asian and Pacific Islander, Latina/o/x and Hispanic, Middle Eastern/Arab and Multiracial) are gathering for a weekend of connection and fun at the first ever Thrive Weekend. It’s like a bite-size version of the week-long Thrive Leadership School where YoC gather to worship, feast, play, and engage in what it means to be YoC in their communities and the UU faith. The weekend will include a day of service and learning at Soul Fire Farm. Soul Fire Farm is a BIPOC-centered community farm committed to ending racism and injustice in the food system. They raise and distribute life-giving food as a means to end food apartheid. They bring diverse communities together on this healing land to share skills on sustainable agriculture, natural building, spiritual activism, health, and environmental justice.
For more information and to register, click HERE.

Metro NY Senior High CON
Save the date: April 24-26, 2020
Hosted by the Shelter Rock congregation
Stay tuned for more information...

Summer 2020 UU Camps & Activities

River Rising - Fantastic Youth Leadership Building Opportunity (rising 9th-12th graders)
July 5-11 at the UU Church of North Hills near Pittsburgh, PA
July 27-August 2 at Main Line UU Church near Philadelphia, PA
Registration is OPEN for the UUA's Central East Region 2020 River Rising Youth Immersion Experiences! Through covenant, collaborative leadership, skill building, games, silent reflection, personal challenges, spiritual practices and many magical moments both planned and not, we grew stronger, resilient and capable of facing the future. Read more here and register here. Deadline for scholarships is June 1st.  Click HERE for additional information and to register.

Camping in the Grove (rising 4th-7th graders)
August 2-6, Murray Grove, Lanoka Harbor, NJ  Registration is OPEN!
Five days of fabulous camp fun with a healthy dose of UU religious education and history. The 2020 camp theme is "Hand in Hand," which was the name of the ship John Murray arrived on 250 years ago bringing Universalist religion to North America from Europe. Camping in the Grove is for children and youth entering 4th through 7th grade in the upcoming fall.  Additional information and to register, click HERE.

Adventures Head (rising 8th-10th graders)
Mid-July, Murray Grove, Lanoka Harbor, NJ
This program will offer exciting service opportunities and outdoor adventures to youth who have aged out of Camping in the Grove and to all youth of adventurous spirit.  We will be learning firsthand how we put our values to work in the world! More information coming soon on the Murray Grove website.

In the Coming Weeks

  • Monday, February 10th, 7:30pm - The RE Council is meeting for a mid-year check in of RE programming. 
  • Sunday, February 16th - All begin in worship at 10:00am then leave for RE classes and youth group. Some of the children's classes will have Children's Worship with Tracy and Amy Swiss to learn about the Brighter Futures After School Mentoring Program and fill backpacks with donations the Hunger & Homeless team collected. 
  • Friday, February 21st - Faith Friday programming: Youth Group, Adult RE Class, Adult Journey Group, Children's Journey Group. Dinner at 6:15pm. Programs 7:00-8:30pm. RSVP by e-mailing cuucevents@gmail.com and let us know which group you are attending. 
  • Adult Journey Groups meet monthly on the 2nd Thursday and Friday, the 3rd Thursday and Friday, the 4th Sunday and Wednesday, and the 4th Thursday. Click here for more information and the February On the Journey packet. The theme this month is God.  

I look forward to seeing you!
in fellowship, Tracy

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