Hello beloved families of South Church!
At the risk of making assumptions about how y’all are doing, Jen DD and I have been reflecting on how things are feeling in our households as the school year unfolds in all its strange new ways. Our kids continue to navigate life with less opportunities to be with friends or pursue some favorite pastimes, we are missing family, trying to find safe ways to make Thanksgiving feel special, and worrying about the unknowns ahead.
We’ve also noticed something about our unique position in church, which is that we both are having opportunities to play in zoom spaces and in-person spaces with our own kids during church groups. We’ve noticed that zoom feels less solitary when you are in a zoom room with someone else by your side, and seeing our children in community with others is good for our relationship with each other as well.
We want to share that experience with more South Church parents– and we need your help to make that happen. There are a few ‘families together’ times in the coming month. Please try to join us for one of them! They will be intentional, multigenerational spaces, and we think you’ll find them really valuable.
Read below for upcoming dates, as well as some resources for family’s at home to reflect on the month’s theme of Healing. As always, please reach out if you have questions!
One more thing… Please Register your kids for the program year! It keeps our records accurate. click here for the online form!
What you need to know this month…
Click Linked Items for additional Details:
All ages morning chapel on Zoom Every Sunday at 9:00am. This is a great way to stay in touch with other South Church Families, please join us! Parents encouraged to attend with your kids. Coffee and PJ’s are appropriate attire!
There are many ways to connect with other South church families this fall! Click here for RE Program Information
- November 1st: Clocks change today!
- All-Ages Chapel 9:00-9:30a on Zoom
- Worship on Youtube 10a-11a- Honoring our Ancestors~ led by Mitch Pivor
- Coming of Age raking fundraiser 1:00-3:00
- Coming of Age regroups with mentors at 7:00-7:30p on Zoom
- Senior Youth~ Meet online, 8pm
- Tuesday, Nov 3rd, and Wednesday, Nov 4th, 7:00-8:30p~Election Day community gatherings. Open to all, this will be a centering space, with facilitated breakout rooms, including space for families https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83423359128
- Wednesday, November 4th: Grades K-5 meet on Zoom
- Friday, November 6th: Grades 6&7 Service Learning program meets on Zoom, 7:00-7:45 https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83296102712
- Sunday, November 8th-
- All-Ages Chapel 9:00-9:30a on Zoom
- Worship on Youtube 10a-11a- Led by Reverend Susan
- Senior Youth~Meet at Urban Forestry Center 3:00-4:30p for a group hike*
- Tuesday, November 10th (no school tmrw!)~ 6:30pm- Online Family Play! Join us for a family game night– parents are required to have fun!!! https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85757548703
- Wednesday, November 11th: Veterans’ Day, (Grades K-5 will not meet)
- Sunday, November 15th
- All-Ages Chapel 9:00-9:30a on Zoom
- Worship on Youtube 10a-11a- Led by Kirsten Hunter
- Coming of Age meets on Zoom, 6:30-7:30p
- Senior Youth~ Meet online, 8pm
- Wednesday, November 18th: Grades K-5 meet on Zoom
- Thursday, November 19th: Grades 5-7 stories around the campfire! 5:00-6:30 RSVP to JenD by 11/17 for location and details
- Sunday, November 22nd
- All-Ages Chapel 9:00-9:30a on Zoom
- Worship on Youtube 10a-11a- Led by Reverend Susan
- Coming of Age meets with mentors at Maher property, 3:00-4:30
- Wreath and Coffee Sale! 12p-2p at church, proceeds to benefit H.O.M.E
- Senior Youth~ Meet outside at church for wreath sale 12p-2p
- Tuesday, November 24th: Grades K-5 meet on Zoom
- Thursday, November 26th: Thanksgiving
- Sunday, November 29th:
- All-Ages Chapel 9:00-9:30a on Zoom
- Worship on Youtube 10a-11a- Led by Susan York
- Wreath Sale, 11a-1p at church**
- Senior Youth~ Meet outside at church 11a-1p
- Sunday, December 6th:
- All-Ages Chapel 9:00-9:30a on Zoom
- Worship on Youtube 10a-11a- Led by Reverend Susan
- Coming of Age~Meet on Zoom 6:30-7:30
- Senior Youth~ Meet on Zoom 8pm
*Weather permitting **Tentative, details may change
Families at Home: November’s Theme is Healing
We have the courage to face these times, and can practice the skills needed for healing history, healing with gratitude, and healing with service to others. May you find comfort and healing in your own life. Blessed be.
Our UU faith in pratice:
- How to tell the true story of Thanksgiving to your kids. Truth and healing go hand in hand. Perhaps you can find a way to engage in that idea during this month of the Thanksgiving holiday.
- Practice Gratitude: It may not be intuitive all the time, but one way to invite healing is to practice gratitude. Here are some ideas for what that might look like: 13 Most Popular Gratitude Exercises
- Music can be a powerful tool for healing! This song by Lea Morris, “I Can Heal” would be a good one to learn and share with your family around getting feelings hurt.
Our UU faith in action:
- In connection healing history, consider making a donation this month to the Mashpee/Wampanoag people. Healing involves many steps, and when we are working to heal wrongs that have been done to people, reparations are an important piece of that work!
- Is your Child a UU7 Secret Service Agent? UU7 is a way for South church children and families to engage in our mission through simple challenges. November missions will be in the mail soon! and we’ll post them online soon!
Dinner Time Discussions: Some questions you might discuss at dinner this month to explore the theme of Healing…
- Ask everyone at the table to try to remember something that may have hurt us from a long time ago. (For young children, ‘a long time ago’ might not be as long; the idea is to elicit something that is not still raw.
- reflect on what you remember about when it first happened.
- Consider if it still feels the same way? Or if it has changed over time.
Chalice Lighting for mealtimes this month: “
We come to be free
for more than ourselves
to call love the greatest liberty
to sing of loyalty, courage, and
kindness
to remember we are all
doing the best
we can
excerpt from The Healing in Freedom, by Rev. Gretchen Haley
Upcoming Themes (2020-2021 Church Year)
- December 2020: We are a community of Stillness
- January 2021: We are a community of Imagination
- February2021: We are a community of Beloved Community
- March2021: We are a community of Commitment
- April 2021: We are a community of Becoming
- May 2021: We are a community of Story
southchurch-uu-re.org 