October ’24 nUUs from Religious Education

~ resouthchurchuu

Special RE program, with Quinn and owls from the Center For Wildlife

Most of our regular RE programs are up and running and ready to engage your kids in community building, service, and understanding what it means to hold a UU identity. You can get more info about all of the programs using the tabs above, but here’s a brief list of offerings:

  • Nursery: Open and staffed 9:30-11:30am on Sundays, for babies and toddlers ages 6 weeks through 3 years.
  • PreK-4th Grade: Meets in the Milk Room, following the Time For All Ages. Stories, LEGOs and other activities that connect to the Article II UU Values.
  • 5th-7th Grades: Meets in the Carson Parlor, following the Time For All Ages. Learning about various groups and what they do at church, plus hands on activities working with those groups.
  • 8th Grade Coming of Age: Meets 9:45-11:15 at 73 Court St. UU Rite of Passage program, registration required.
  • Grades 9-12 (Senior Youth): Meets 4:00-5:30 at 73 Court St
  • Our Whole Lives (OWL) Sexuality Education: Classes for elementary and middle school, registration is required.
  • Sparks & Flames: Social group for grades 5-8, meets one evening per month for fun and peer connection.
  • Families Tuugether: Evening of connection, fun and free child care for families! One Saturday evening per month.

A couple of other elements to know about:

  • Multigenerational Worship: Approximately once per month. On those days, children and youth stay in the sanctuary and there are no RE classes for grades 7 and younger. This is an important way for all of us to deepen community and to raise kids who know what it feels like to worship together. More on Multigen Worship HERE. Multigen worship in October is 10/20.
  • RE Registration: We ask families to register their kids (babies through high school) every year. The purpose of this is to make sure we have all updated information and everything we need to give our kids a safe, engaging, and positive experience at church and in our Religious Education spaces. Registering does not require regular participation or attending! Please register HERE as soon as you are able, or ask us for a paper form.
  • Some Important Dates To Know This Month:
    • Families Tuugether, evening of connection, fun, and free child care!!–Saturday October 26th 5-8pm. RSVP to JenDB, more info HERE.
    • Halloween Social 10/31! All ages! There are several awesome parts to this:
      • Jack-o-lantern contest, for everyone, with prizes! Bring your carved pumpkin to church between 5-8pm to enter.
      • Bake Sale fundraiser 6-8:30pm, to support high school youth who will travel to Baltimore in June
      • Sparks & Flames Pumpkin Carving, for kids in grades 5-8. Thurs 10/31 6-7pm. After carving, pumpkins can be entered in the Jack-o-lantern contest! RSVP to JenDB
      • Watch the fascinatingly creepy Portsmouth Halloween Parade from the church yard as it comes by! church yard as it comes by!

October Church Theme is “The Practice of Deep Listening”

  • Book/story suggestions for this month: Read or watch videos of these stories…
  • Spiritual Decathlon: This is an exciting adventure open to people of all ages! This is a fun way to explore various kinds of spiritual practice each month. Read more HERE, and watch for it at church.
  • October Shared Plate Organization: Our shared plate organization this month was chosen by South Church kids learning and voting during RE classes. The kids chose Dover Children’s Home. From their website: “We provide tools and support for youth to heal from emotional trauma through community-based treatment programs that foster relationships and enable youth to create hope for the future.” https://doverchildrenshome.org

Chalice Lighting For Meal Times:
From poet James Crews

“May we listen more deeply to each other and keep showing up at the table. Even when it’s difficult, even when there is only the silence between us.”

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