2023-02-24

Religious Exploration: February 26, 2023

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Religious Exploration & Faith Development
Community Unitarian Universalist Congregation at White Plains
February 26, 2023

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

View past newsletters at bit.ly/CUUCRENews
Spotlight
Updated RE Schedule
 
Friday evening Our Whole Lives (OWL) classes started for 4th-5th and 6th-7th grades as well as Parents/Caregivers. We are canceling remaining 8th-9th OWL classes. Youth Group for 8th-12th grades resumes March 5th with breakfast (french toast casserole) and games. Find the updated schedule here!  Find descriptions of the classes and activities here
Quiet Sanctuary Area
Seeking Family Feedback

Like other UU congregations, we offer a quiet activity area to support families in worship. We know that even when their hands are busy, our young people are connecting with the rituals, words, and music of our faith.
Having a quiet activity or sitting on the floor can help them manage the time more comfortably. If your family has used (or avoided) that area, the RE Council is interested in your feedback. Do you find it helpful? Do you find it challenging? Are there other ways we could support your young people when they attend worship in the sanctuary? Please send your feedback to Tracy (cuucwptracy@gmail.com) and/or Karen D (KMDreher55@gmail.com).
Sunday, February 26

10:00am Worship
Whole Congregation - All Ages

In Person and Online
"The Ecological Thought" ~ Rev. Meredith Garmon
Everything is interconnected. That's it: that's the ecological thought, notes philosopher Timothy Morton. And the more we consider that thought, the more our world opens up.

If your young person is in the sanctuary quiet activity area, please sit in the chairs nearby to help them learn to navigate worship space.

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.

Quiet Activity Area

We offer a quiet activity area in the sanctuary for anyone to use, and especially for families during whole congregation worship. We know that even when their hands are busy, our young people are connecting with the rituals, words, and music of our faith. Doing a quiet activity or sitting on the floor can help them manage the time more comfortably. We ask parents and caregivers to please sit in the chairs alongside whenever your children are in this area so you can monitor activity and help our young UUs learn to navigate the worship space.
 
Childcare & Religious Exploration

Childcare begins at 9:45am in room 32 in the yellow hallway. RE classes and Youth Group do not meet today. We will all worship together.
Upcoming Schedule
8th-12th Grade Youth Group
Meets Sunday, March 5th

We are hoping to re-energize 8th-12th grade Youth Group! Sunday, March 5th, Youth Group will meet for breakfast (french toast casserole and other yummy things), games, and to discuss a leadership opportunity. Click here for the revised schedule

Sun Feb 26: Whole Congregation Worship. RE does not meet. (end of the school holiday week)
Sat Mar 4: Community dance party - fun for all ages!
Sun Mar 5: K-7th grade Chapel and 8th-12th Youth Group with breakfast and games; After worship: Ministerial Search Forum
Fri Mar 10: OWL Classes for 4th-5th & 6th-7th grades, and Parents/Caregivers
Sat Mar 11: Families make meal bags for HOPE Kitchen
Sun Mar 12: Set your clocks ahead an hour then join us for 1st-12th grade RE/PlaceKeeping; After worship: TNBGNC Parent/Caregiver group; Congregational forum on Article II 
Sun Mar 19: 1st-7th grade classes meet; 8th-12th Youth Group tbd
Community

Young Voices in Worship

In an initial review of the report from the Self-Assessment Committee, the RE Council noted congregants' interest in having young voices in worship. We think that's a great idea and Rev. Meredith agrees! We are starting by inviting young people to read the chalice lighting and extinguishing words. These dates are open: April 9, 23 & 30; and May 14. To volunteer, contact Tracy, cuucwptracy@gmail.com


Congregation Forum
Ministerial Search Process

Sun Mar 5 in Fellowship Hall at 11:30am
Mon Mar 13 online in Zoom 7899

The CUUC Minister Search Formation team, which creates the search committee for our new minister, has been formed. They will update the congregation on their progress each month during the Our Congregation part of the worship service. The team will also host both an in-person and an online Congregation Forum to discuss the ministerial search process and to answer your questions. Save the date! Contact: Creighton Cray (creighton.cray@gmail.com)
Resources for OWL Classes 
1st-3rd, 4th-5th and 6th-7th grades
& Parents/Caregivers

One of the core priorities of the OWL curriculum is to encourage communication between children/youth and their parent(s)/caregiver(s). The Homelink resources support that by providing material to continue discussion about class topics at home. 
1st-3rd Grade
We are using the K-1 curriculum with our 1st-3rd grade class. This class meets Sunday mornings. The next class is March 19th.
4th-5th and 6th-7th Grade
We are using the 4th-6th curriculum with our 4th-5th and 6th-7th grade classes. This class meets over four Friday evenings. The next class is March 10th.

(Note: The 4th-5th grade Toolbox of Faith class and 6th-7th grade Riddle and Mystery class continue meeting Sunday mornings.) Parents and Caregivers as Sexuality Educators
This is the corresponding small group ministry for adults, offering opportunity for adults to recall your own questions, feelings, and experiences at the age your children are now, and to be intentional about how you would like to support your child as they have questions and strive to make decisions that are healthy for them. Parents and caregivers may participate in this class even if you do not have a young person attending an OWL classes. This class meets over four Friday evenings. The next class is March 10th. 

Families Supporting HOPE


Sat Mar 11, 10:30am-12:00pm, at CUUC
Family & Youth Activity: To-Go Bag Lunch Prep for HOPE

We will be making bag lunches and breakfasts Saturday, March 11th, 10:30am-12:00pm. Join us and feel welcome to bring friends. RSVP with Christine Haran to coordinate what food is needed (christineharan@yahoo.com).

It's Cookie Time!

From Refugee Resettlement: Muqadas Ghafoor, the ten-year-old daughter of the Afghan family our congregation has been helping, is selling Girl Scout cookies. After worship, look for Jane Dixon (lilrhodie@gmail.com).

 

Celebrating and Supporting LGBTPQIA++ Youth
Wed Mar 15, 8:00am-3:00pm
PrideWorks at Pace University, Pleasantville

We are delighted that the PrideWorks Conference for LGBTQ Youth and their Allies returns in person this year! Westchester UUs are the largest collective sponsor of the conference. Thank you! UUs also volunteer, present workshops, and serve on the Planning Committee and Board. Our presence is affirming for UU youth who attend with their school GSA (Gay Straight Alliance) and on their own, and it is an important youth ministry outreach that lets Westchester youth know we are a faith community that welcomes them. If you would like to help with UU activities such as greeting youth with the Side with Love banner as school buses drop off students at 7:15am, contact Jennifer S of the CUUC LGBTQ+ Team (jennifercstevens@gmail.com). Click here for a poster to post and share

We hope to see CUUC youth at the conference, with your school or on your own. Stop by our UU table for fun giveaways and identify yourself as UU for a special gift! 

A New Refugee Family is Coming

As a member congregation of the Interfaith Council for New Americans Westchester (ICNAW), CUUC is excited to once again announce that we have been asked to help resettle a new refugee family in the coming months. Click here to read a letter from the ICNAW team, with a link to donate. Contributions to ICNAW may also be made by sending a check to CUUC with "ICNAW" in the memo line. Contact: Jane Dixon (lilrhodie@gmail.com) and Robin Rocchi (robinandal@verizon.net)

Update on Ministerial Transition

After ten years, Rev. Meredith Garmon will be retiring from CUUC at the end of July. The ministerial search process to find our next settled minister is well underway. A lot is happening, including plans for a celebration honoring Rev. Meredith, an upcoming self-assessment report forum, a website upgrade, the creation of our new Search Formation Team, and more. Click here for an Update on Ministerial Transition letter from Board Chair Creighton Cray, detailing all that we are doing.

Community Conversation
Exploring the Future of RE at CUUC

 

Sun, May 21, 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 (cuucwptracy@gmail.com).

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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