Hello Friends, and Hello Summer!
What does this moment hold for you? Some of us have been coasting through the end of the school year for the last several months. Here we are, and now what? What will your summer look like? Hopefully plenty of play and adventuring. And hopefully it feels like a nice long restorative time.
In the Religious Education world at South Church, we’ve been busy winding down programs; camping trips for our high school youth and 8th grade Coming of Age groups, celebrating final classes of 5th and 7th grade OWL, an emotional Bridging process toward the June 6th worship, and a powerful service on June 13th by our Coming of Age youth.
Our theme for June is PLAY! It’s time to let the kids take the lead on spiritual practice. There is incredible value in using play to process difficult things. Kids know this instinctually, and all we need to do is follow along. We’ve all had so many challenges, and it’s ok to let some of that move through us now in this joyful way. Games, pretending, tumbling, joking…it’s all great therapy!
June is also Pride month! Learning, celebrating, supporting LGBTQ+ organizations…This is built into the fabric of our faith. There are Pride events (including an RE gathering!), activities, and resources below for you to engage in with kids and youth.
Moving forward, we have a gentle yet connective summer schedule to offer. We have four, all-ages events on Saturday mornings. Since they aren’t weekly, the hope is that everyone can make it to all of them (or at least most of them 🙂.) Parents will be free to drop kids off, or you are welcome to stay for the fun. The plan is to hold these gatherings outdoors, but if we get rain we will move into the social hall. Here’s a description of each gathering:
- June 26th 9:30-11:00: PRIDE celebration! We’ll make decorations for the church fence and a fun item to take home for celebrating throughout the day and beyond. Meet in front of church.
- July 17th 9:30-11:00: Kids tell a story for worship! Acting, costume, props…microtheater!
- August 7th 10:00-11:30: Community Picnic! Bring a snack, picnic blanket and outdoor games. This one is for adults too! We’ll meet at Great Island Common, 301 Wentworth Rd, New Castle, NH 03854
- August 28th 10:00-11:30: Readying Together! We’ll center around returning to school, in whatever form that looks like for each of us, with blessings, games, and creating a special item to take away.
In case you haven’t heard, we are planning to resume in person church on Sundays beginning September 12th. We are busy planning and designing what Religious Education will look like in the transition and once we are again settled into that space.
It will be so good to see you this summer! Sending you all so much Love ♥️
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
- Wednesday, June 2:
- Morning Poems for adults, 7:30-8:00a on zoom
- Sunday, June 6:
- All-Ages Chapel 9:00-9:30a on Zoom
- Worship on Youtube 10a-11a,Bridging Sunday!
- Coming of Age 8th grade meet in person at SC Sanctuary 3:00-4:00p, recording day
- 7th Grade Sexuality Class meets 11:30a-1:30p at church
- Wednesday, June 9:
- Morning Poems for adults, 7:30-8:00a on zoom
- Sunday, June 13:
- All-Ages Chapel 9:00-9:30a on Zoom
- Worship on Youtube 10a-11a, offered by our 8th Grade Coming of Age Youth!
- 7th Grade Sexuality Class meets for final class, 12:00a-1:30p at church. Parents join us at 1:00 for the last 30 minutes!
- Wednesday June 16:
- Morning Poems for adults, 7:30-8:00a on zoom
- Sunday, June 20:
- All-Ages Chapel 9:00-9:30a on Zoom
- Worship on Youtube 10a-11a, sermon by Reverend Susan
- Wednesday, June 23:
- Morning Poems for adults, 7:30-8:00a on zoom
- Saturday, June 26:
- All Ages RE Saturday! PRIDE celebration 9:30-11:00! Meet outside at church. Parents may drop kids off or stay for the fun. Kids should arrive wearing sunscreen and wearing clothes that may get wet. Bring a water bottle.
- Sunday, June 27:
- All-Ages Chapel 9:00-9:30a on Zoom
- Worship on Youtube 10a-11a, sermon by Deanna Strand
Families at Home: June’s Theme is “Play“
Our UU faith in practice:
- Let’s all make some extra intentional time to just play with our kids this month, in any way they want to play. Pretend play for young children is especially helpful in processing emotions, and games of all kinds can help us reduce stress. Here’s a great list of family fun games that require few to no props: https://bestlifeonline.com/family-games-house/
- With this being Pride month, it’s a natural opportunity to engage in family explorations around what Pride is about and how to engage, learn, support, celebrate or take action to protect rights for the LGBTQ community.
Our UU faith in action:
- 6/19 is Juneteenth! The observance of Juneteenth as the African American Emancipation Day began in 1865.
- Here’s a list of kids’ books for learning about Juneteenth: https://www.nypl.org/blog/2019/06/18/juneteenth-kids-books
- Here’s a fun educational video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T2HAVuld0_0
- Another one, from PBS kids: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gWBlikh8A2E
- Our shared plate recipient for June is the South Church Immigrant Support Fund. This is a network within our own congregation that has been set up to support immigrants who have been released from detention locally. To get updates, including opportunities to volunteer, contact Jim Verscheuren: jd.verschueren@gmail.com.
Chalice Lighting for mealtimes this month:
“Exploring Who We Are”
Under the right circumstances, playing with fire is a delight—imagine being gathered round a firepit as the crackling flames invite us to sing, dance, and roast a marshmallow or two.
Our chalice also invites us to play, although with ideas rather than with marshmallows. The flame encourages us to explore who we are, who our neighbors are, and where we are on our spiritual journeys.
Today, we light this chalice in the spirit of play. Let us trust the light to guide us in this hour and in the days to come, finding joy along the way.
southchurch-uu-re.org 