“Lean on Me,” offered by Senior Youth at their Feb 5th Worship
Our high school youth group created a fun, thoughtful, inspiring worship service on February 5th. If you haven’t seen it yet, please do watch it on the YouTube channel. This month’s church theme is Vulnerability, and though the theme of February and their worship was “Love,” those kids gave us a lot to think about for this month’s theme, in the honest and very real ways they showed up.
And now we turn to March. The month that holds pretty promises of spring, but is really mostly windy, cold, icy, muddy, and a whole lot of gray and brown. The tension of waiting impatiently for the natural world to finally sprout and soften can cause a similar inner climate where all the things we’ve been holding are trying to bubble under a frozen surface: Plans, dreams, frustrations, all of it. Thank goodness for community, where we can dig right in to our vulnerability, rather than bury it deeper in a permanently frozen tundra! Our RE groups have built some great relationships over the last many months, which allow many of the kids to be vulnerable with each other in their weekly check-ins, as well as in some awkward conversations about some of the topics they explore. They’ve created safe, soft, fertile ground together, where they can unfold and grow into their own perfectly individual selves. I can’t wait for us all to see another example of this on display when our Coming of Age youth lead their worship service in June.
In other news, we are so excited to announce that we are finally able to open the Nursery! We have hired staff and are sourcing some volunteers to assist, and we will be ready to welcome babies and toddlers into that space beginning March 12th. Families with children 3 and under, please make sure your tiny ones are registered so we have the info we need to care for them well. Please reach out if you have any questions at all about how the Nursery will operate.
Also, we will have child dedication ceremonies on April 23rd and June 4th. If you have a child or children that have not been dedicated yet and that you would like us to include in either of these events (or if you have questions about what that even means!) please reach out.
Here are a few upcoming RE things to take note of:
- Sparks and Flames Snackfest and Games Friday March 3rd (RSVP!)
- Prepared Meals Sale (plus fair trade coffee and chocolate!) Sunday March 19th
- 7th Grade OWL extended session Sunday March 26th (pizza provided!)
See you soon! ♥️
Calendar for this month…
Click Linked Items for additional Details:
Click here for 2022-2023 RE Program Information
- Friday, March 3rd:
- Sparks & Flames social group for grades 5 thru 8: Snackfest and Games! RSVP by 4pm Thurs to jendeldeo@southchurch-uu.org
- Sunday, March 5th:
- Worship at 10:00a, in person and live on YouTube. Sermon offered by guest speaker Tess Baumberger
- 8th grade Coming of Age does not meet today
- Age-based RE classes for Pre-K through 7th grade meet in rooms downstairs following the Time For All Ages
- 7th Grade OWL meets 4:00-5:30 at church
- Senior Youth meets 4:00-5:30pm at 73 Court St
- Sunday, March 12th:
- Worship at 10:00a, in person and live on YouTube. Sermon offered by Reverend Ellen
- 8th grade Coming of Age meets with mentors 9:45-11:00 at 73 Court St
- Age-based RE classes for Pre-K through 7th grade meet in rooms downstairs following the Time For All Ages
- 7th Grade OWL meets 4:00-5:30 at church
- Senior Youth meets 4:00-5:30pm at 73 Court St
- Sunday, March 19th:
- Worship at 10:00a, in person and live on YouTube. Sermon offered by Kirsten and adults returning from AL Service Learning trip.
- Ready-To-Go Dinner Sale! Senior Youth will be selling dinners to take home, plus fair trade coffee and chocolate after worship
- 8th grade Coming of Age meets 9:45-11:00 at 73 Court St (no Mentors)
- Age-based RE classes for Pre-K through 7th grade meet in rooms downstairs following the Time For All Ages
- 7th Grade OWL meets 4:00-5:30 at church
- Senior Youth meets 4:00-5:30pm at 73 Court St
- Sunday, March 26th:
- Worship at 10:00a, in person and live on YouTube. Sermon offered by Reverend Ellen
- 8th grade Coming of Age meets with mentors 9:45-11:00 at 73 Court St
- Age-based RE classes for Pre-K through 7th grade meet in rooms downstairs following the Time For All Ages
- 7th Grade OWL meets for extended session 1:30-5:30pm at church
- Senior Youth meets 4:00-6:00pm at 73 Court St for Alabama Learning Journey Session 3
- Sunday, April 2nd:
- Worship at 10:00a, in person and live on YouTube. Sermon offered by Reverend Ellen
- 8th grade Coming of Age meets 9:45-11:00 at 73 Court St (no Mentors)
- Age-based RE classes for Pre-K through 7th grade meet in rooms downstairs following the Time For All Ages
- 7th Grade OWL meets 4:00-5:30 at church
- Senior Youth meets 4:00-5:30pm at 73 Court St
March’s Church Theme is “Vulnerability”
Our UU faith in practice and action:
- Learn about spring faith traditions happening this month:
- The Jewish holiday Purim, which will be celebrated on March 6th-7th this year: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UG7UeaKE_dc
- The colorful Hindu festival of Holi, which will be celebrated March 8th: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8OA5mqVjaek
- The Christian observance of Lent, 2/22-4/6 this year: https://kids.britannica.com/kids/article/Lent/490137
- Pagan holiday Ostara and the Vernal Equinox on 3/20: https://multiculturalkidblogs.com/2019/03/15/10-fun-activities-to-celebrate-ostara-the-spring-equinox-2/
- The Muslim holiday Ramadan, which will begin on 3/22: https://www.learnreligions.com/what-is-ramadan-2004619
- World Water Day is March 22nd. Learn more and “become a hummingbird:” https://www.unwater.org/bethechange/
- International Transgender Day of Visibility is March 31st. Print some of these coloring pages and have a discussion about gender while you color together.
- Listen to this podcast together while you color, to start your conversation!
Chalice Lighting for mealtimes:
Now, I Love You. Now, I Witness.
I know sometimes you get cranky,
And sometimes your tea gets cold
Before you can drink it. Sometimes
The news is too much. The resistance
Seems too little. That’s real. But we are
Here. Imperfect and together and reaching.
You can hold my hand if you want. I washed
It with soap. It’s OK. In this kind of time,
Now is better than later. Now, I love you.
Now, I am sorry it hurts. Now, I witness
Your struggle, and mine. Sometimes
One answer is to be a yes in the face of
Every no. I am a yes for you. Now and again
Later, if you need me.
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