2023-01-06

Religious Exploration: January 8, 2023

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Religious Exploration & Faith Development
Community Unitarian Universalist Congregation at White Plains
January 8, 2023

2022-2023 RE Theme: Unitarian Universalist Identity
Overview of the Year & Upcoming Schedule

View past newsletters at bit.ly/CUUCRENews
Spotlight

Kids Clothing Drive
through January 20

The Reproductive Justice and Hunger and Homelessness Social Justice teams are collecting gently used clothing for infants, children, and teens (newborn–18) to be distributed to local families in need through 914Cares.

Three Ways You Can Help:
1) Donate items. There will be donation boxes in the CUUC lobby for:
    * Gently used clothes for infants, children, and teens (ages newborn-18);
    * New socks and underwear for children and teens; and
    * New or gently used sneakers for children and teens.
2) Conduct a mini-drive. Ask your friends, neighbors, and classmates if they have items they can donate. Click here for a flyer to share. Contact Terri or Carolyn if you need help transporting donations to CUUC. 
3) Help sort clothing for donation to 914Cares. We will be sorting and bagging clothes at CUUC on Sat Jan 21, 10am-2pm. Other dates may be added as needed. Stay tuned for more info and a sign-up sheet for sorting times. RE families are especially encouraged to help!
Read about 914Cares. Contacts: Terri Kung (madterri@gmail.com) or Carolyn Hanson (carolynhanson77@gmail.com) for more information. 
Spring OWL Classes
Invite Friends & Help Publicize

This year, we are offering the Our Whole Lives (OWL) curriculum for 1st-9th graders and parents/caregivers. Our classes are open to the community and this curriculum is indispensable, supporting healthy decision making and self-esteem, understanding dynamics in relationships, affirming all sexual orientations and gender identities, and encouraging communication between parents and their children. We encourage you to spread the word. 
The 8th-9th grade class is already underway. Coming up, the 1st-3rd grade class starts in January during Sunday morning RE. The 4th-5th, 6th-7th grade and parent/caregiver classes will be offered at CUUC over three Friday evenings, February 10, March 10, and April 14. The parent and caregiver class will include additional online dates to complete all twelve sessions. Classes are open to all who share the values of self-worth, health, responsibility and justice.

This is a great opportunity to invite friends and community members who are new to Unitarian Universalism and CUUC. Please help us advertise by sharing two pamphlets with friends, in your online groups, and elsewhere: Spring 2023 Sunday morning 1st-3rd grade class and family resources; and Friday evening 4th-5th, 6th-7th & Parent/Caregiver classes
Upcoming RE Schedule
Sun Jan 8: K-7th grade Chapel with Tracy and 8th-12th grade Youth Group. OWL youth attend Youth Group. 
Tue Jan 10, 7pm: Parents & Caregivers of MS & HS Youth Covenant Group in the RE Zoom room.   
Sun Jan 15: 1st-12th grade Social Justice program.
Fri Jan 20, 6:15pm: Youth Group meets at CUUC. 
Sun Jan 22: K class with Tracy, 1st-7th grade classes (1st-3rd grade OWL begins!), 8th-9th grade OWL. Youth Group attends worship. 11:20am OWL parent orientation makeup & CoM Community Chat, new CUUC Reconciliation process.
Sun Jan 29: 1st-7th grade classes & 8th-9th OWL. Youth Group attends worship. 
Sat Feb 4, 10:30am: 10:30am RE/Meals for HOPE.
Sun Feb 5:1st-7th grade Chapel with Tracy and 8th-12th grade Youth Group. OWL youth attend Youth Group. 11:20am Mid-year RE Council check-in with families.
Sun Feb 12: K class with Tracy, 1st-12th grade Social Justice program. 
Sun Feb 12: 11:30am at CUUC - Mid-Year RE Family Check-In with the RE Council.
Tue Feb 14, 7pm (will likely reschedule): Parents & Caregivers of MS & HS Youth Covenant Group.
Sun Feb 19: Whole Congregation Worship. RE does not meet. (School holiday)
Sun Feb 26: Whole Congregation Worship. RE does not meet. (School holiday)

Please Save The Date and Join Us: Sun Mar 19, 11:30am at CUUC and in the RE Zoom - Family and conversation about the future of religious exploration and faith formation at CUUC.
 
Updated schedules coming soon: K-7th Grade (.pdf) & 8th-12th Grade (.pdf).
Sunday, January 8
Religious Exploration

The Youth Group needs magazines for making vision boards this Sunday. If you have a couple magazines that you no longer need, please bring them to the REsource room (next to Fellowship Hall) or Youth Group room (14, red hallway) this Sunday. Thank you!

K-7th Grade Chapel
Room 43 in the green hallway

Tracy and Joe G will lead a Chapel focused on beginning again. Whether at the start of a new year, new friendship, or new activity, we have opportunities to begin again. We will explore this in Chapel, sharing meaningful rituals and hearing a story about waterbugs who have no idea that there is another existence waiting for them as dragonflies, a life in which they will expand wings they might not even know they have, and breathe air they might not even know exists. 

8th-12th Grade Youth Group
Room 14 in the red hallway

Daniel & Cyndi T and Stevie C join the youth this Sunday to make vision boards. The process of making a vision board can help you clarify goals, dreams, and intentions for the year ahead. Then seeing these reflected on the board throughout the year can be a reminder to hold them in focus as you explore opportunities and possibilities. *Please bring magazines the group can cut up for this activity. If you would like to make an online vision board, please bring a laptop or tablet.

8th-9th Grade OWL Youth
Attend Youth Group. 

10:00am Worship
In Person and Online

"Soul" ~ Rev. Meredith Garmon
Why it might be helpful to reflect on.

Visit our website for the Sunday order of service. We continue to wear masks for Sunday morning worship and RE in the building. Revisit past services anytime at youtube.com/TheLiberalPulpit and subscribe!

Click here to join the live-stream of our Sunday Worship or phone in (audio only): 646-876-9923 · Webinar: 761 321 991 · Passcode: 468468. Everyone live-streaming the service is invited to stay online afterward to socialize on Zoom. Log in to bit.ly/CUUC-CoffeeHour or phone: 929-436-2866. Meeting: 336 956 2210, Passcode: 468468.

Community

PlaceKeeping Practice

“First Saturdays” PlaceKeeping Practice, Sat Jan 7
Join the PlaceKeepers each month to appreciate, improve, and maintain the grounds of CUUC, our spiritual home. Come at 10:00am for our Gratitude Practice, or anytime throughout the day. The intrepid Joe Majsak has been cutting back invasive Devils Walking Stick, which we can use to mark the edges of our trails (bring gloves). Help us envision new plantings in these newly cleared areas, for future generations to enjoy. Contact: Bice Wilson (bicewilson@gmail.com). Note: a memorial service will be in the sanctuary starting at 2:00pm. Please keep a respectful distance from the sanctuary windows during this time.

Mitten Tree
Last Sunday

Bring your donations of mittens, gloves, hats, and scarves for all ages and sizes. Also new women’s and men’s socks and underwear (men’s XL especially needed). All items will collected after the Sun Jan 8 worship, and distributed to local shelters for our neighbors experiencing homelessness.

Conversation with Families
Exploring the Future of RE at CUUC

Sun, March 19, 11:30am, Fellowship Hall and Zoom 8428
Times are changing, as are family needs and schedules. Join members of the RE Council and Tracy for a visioning discussion about the future of RE at CUUC. We will discuss feedback shared by the Self-Assessment Committee from the congregational survey, then explore what Religious Exploration and faith development might look like here in the coming years. It is exciting to think about what we can build together! Contact Tracy B, cuucwptracy@gmail.com
Class & Youth Group Schedules
K-7th Grade (.pdf) |  8th-12th Grade (.pdf)
Weekly Newsletters
Stay up to date by receiving the weekly RE newsletter (sign up here; read past Issues here) and weekly CUUC e-Communitarian (sign up here; read past issues here).
Tracy Breneman, Director of Religious Exploration and Faith Development, cuucwptracy@gmail.com
Community Unitarian Universalist Congregation at White Plains  
468 Rosedale Ave · White Plains, NY 10605-5419






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