As they say, March came in like a lion!
The month started with a big wind event, but days are getting longer, and the birds are singing new songs. People are receiving vaccines. Things are shifting.
There’s a lot going on in our church web. Our Senior Youth group showed their amazingness in the worship service they offered on 2/21. Our 5th-7th graders explored the Black Heritage Trail and their own voices and published a touching letter to the editor in the local newspapers. A couple dozen people bundled in snow gear to spend a beautiful morning playing and just being together at Great Bay National Wildlife Refuge. Coming of Age 8th graders continue to work through their program and have been cultivating an understanding of their own identities as young Unitarian Universalists. And a robust sexuality education program is back up and running, with completely full rosters for our 5th grade and 7th grade classes, plus a full brand new small group ministry called “Parents and Caregivers as Sexuality Educators”.
Our church theme this month is “Commitment.” There are so many directions to go in exploring this topic. What I’m currently thinking about is how we often think about commitment as a declaration we make at the beginning of something, or a sort of “said and done” act. But real commitment is constant action, a decision we make over and over to keep working. For example, our February theme was “Beloved Community” and we heard sermons, had discussion and stories about that topic. However, as UUs, isn’t our religion nearly defined by a commitment to continuously and actively work toward creating the Beloved Community? Our principles and sources in many ways dictate that this is our forever work.
Similarly, when we make the commitment to become members of South Church, we agree to show up, to participate and to give ourselves in various ways. We all have different gifts to offer, and our community is not whole if we are not committed to showing up with our whole selves over and over. This might sound exhausting, but the funny thing is, when we share the gifts we have in ways that we want to share them, then the gifts we receive in return fill us right back up, often with more joy than we had before. If you’re not feeling this, then talk to us. This should not drain anyone; it should feel like opportunity. There are so many ways to plug in to the web, to participate in growing the Beloved Community. This is true for every one of us, at every age. If your port doesn’t already exist, then we can help create it.
A few awesome RE items to highlight:
- Bedtime Stretch and Story a time for all ages on Wednesday evenings, 7:00-7:30pm. We do a few minutes of gentle yoga, read a book together, and then maybe a moment of guided meditation before saying goodnight. LINK
- Morning Poems Parents – this one’s for you! Log into zoom on Wednesday mornings at 7:30 for a thirty-minute spiritual practice using poetry. Bring a journal, and a cup of coffee or tea, and start the day with some dear South church friends. LINK
- 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! LINK
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:
There are still many ways to connect with other South church families! Click here for RE Program Information
- Tuesday, March 2:
- Grades K-5 meet on Zoom 4:00-5:00p
- Wednesday, March 3:
- Friday, March 5:
- Chopped! Cooking challenge 6:00p. Registered teams will receive a zoom link by email.
- Sunday, March 7:
- All-Ages Chapel 9:00-9:30a on Zoom
- Worship on Youtube 10a-11a, led by Endowment Committee members
- Coming of Age 8th grade meet in person, with mentors, 3:00-4:00pm
- Senior Youth CoA Alumni panel–meet 3:00-4:00pm
- 7th Grade Sexuality Class meets 11:30a-1:30p
- 5th Grade Sexuality Class meets 4:00-5:30p
- Tuesday March 9:
- Grades K-5 meet on Zoom 4:00-5:00p
- Wednesday March 10:
- Sunday, March 14:
- All-Ages Chapel 9:00-9:30a on Zoom
- Worship on Youtube 10a-11a, sermon by Reverend Susan
- Coming of Age 8th grade meet in person at Urban Forestry Ctr 3:00-4:00p, with Mentors
- Senior Youth Meet outside at church 1:00-2:30; we’ll participate in the Covid Memorial and then walk to the park to hang out
- 7th Grade Sexuality Class meets 11:30a-1:30p
- 5th Grade Sexuality Class meets 4:00-5:30p
- Tuesday, March 16:
- Grades K-5 meet on Zoom 4:00-5:00p
- Wednesday, March 17:
- Sunday, March 21:
- All-Ages Chapel 9:00-9:30a on Zoom
- Worship on Youtube 10a-11a, sermon by Mary Banach
- Coming of Age 8th grade meets in person 3:00-4:00p
- Senior Youth
- 7th Grade Sexuality Class meets 11:30a-1:30p
- 5th Grade Sexuality Class meets 4:00-5:30p
- Tuesday March 23:
- Grades K-5 meet on Zoom 4:00-5:00p
- Wednesday, March 24:
- Friday March 26:
- 5th-7th Grade social group meets in person, dinner picnic and play time! Prescott Park, 6:30-8:00p
- Saturday, March 27:
- South Church Family Outing Day at Urban Forestry Center, 45 Elwyn Rd Portsmouth, 10:00am
- Sunday, March 28:
- All-Ages Chapel 9:00-9:30a on Zoom
- Worship on Youtube 10a-11a, Led by Reverend Susan and Kirsten
- Coming of Age 8th grade meets in person, 3:00-4:00p
- Senior Youth
- 7th Grade Sexuality Class meets 11:30a-1:30p
- 5th Grade Sexuality Class meets 4:00-5:30p
- Tuesday, March 30:
- Grades K-5 meet on Zoom 4:00-5:00p
- Wednesday, March 31:
*Weather permitting **Tentative, details may change
Families at Home: March’s Theme is Commitment
Our UU faith in pratice:
- In honor of Women’s History Month, explore the exhibit “Girlhood (It’s Complicated)” from the National Museum of American History
- “A Time To Mourn: An Interfaith Memorial Service To Honor Losses of Covid-19” online service offered on March 12th at 7pm by Abbey of Hope. Preregistration required.
- Play “Who Am I? Race Awareness Game,” an app available for free on the App Store, for iPhone and iPad. Our K-5th graders have enjoyed playing!
- Make a family covenant, as a commitment to how you want to be together as a family. Or, if you already have one, revisit it together to decide how it’s been going and to make any necessary changes. Here’s a brief article that helps with the basics.
Our UU faith in action:
- Did you know that there is a movement to adopt an 8th UU Principle? Its purpose is essentially to ask us to commit to creating the Beloved Community in concrete ways, by dismantling racism and other oppressions. Learn more HERE. You can also download and print a poster of the UU Principles (including the 8th), in language that is digestible for kids HERE.
Dinner Time Discussions: Some questions you might discuss at dinner this month to explore the theme of Commitment…
- A commitment is like a promise. We have commitments whenever we are part of a group, and sometimes those commitments haven’t been spoken. What are your commitments to these groups:
- Your family
- Your friends
- A sports team, theater group, or any other activity group you join
- South Church
- Your self
- Unitarian Universalism has Principles that we all try to live by. Try exploring them, one per evening during dinner. You can print this graphic or use its kid-friendly language in your discussions.
Chalice Lighting for mealtimes this month:
“Light is Returning,” by Kate McPhee
“Around us, light is returning.
It rekindles the spirit of life in the skeletons of trees.
It brings forth new shoots from the soil.
It wakes us from our winter slumber, and invites us to see what lies beyond.
We light this chalice in the spirit of our Earth’s awakening
and to reaffirm our commitment to the value of our home.”
Upcoming Themes (2020-2021 Church Year)
- March2021: We are a community of Commitment
- April 2021: We are a community of Becoming
- May 2021: We are a community of Story
- June 2021: We are a community of Play
southchurch-uu-re.org 