Hello to our Religious Education family and friends,

I am in my office gearing up for our annual trip north with the Senior youth to help make holiday wreaths at H.O.M.E inc, in Orland, ME.  It is always such a wonderful trip, and never without a few good stories, so look for us on Sunday to hear how it went!

In this post:

• Holiday Celebration!! Dec. 4th
• Fair Trade Coffee/Tea Sale- Attn: 5th-8th graders! Dec 6
• Farm animal costumes needed
• Senior Youth Appalachia group potluck- Dec 13
• December is quirky! Here’s how it looks…
• First Night Chili Sale
• Families Tuugether- January 9th
• Social Justice opportunities for families in December

Holiday Celebration Potluck-Friday, December 4th, 5:30-8:00 pm
Join us at this lovely, traditional, Multi-generational kick-off to the winter holiday season! All are invited to celebrate the holiday season, sing a few carols, and enjoy great company. There will be a children’s activity room, and a shared meal for all. Please bring a dish that represents your history and heritage for the potluck. Potluck sign-ups will take place during coffee hour in late November, and online. For more information contact the office: scassist@southchurch-uu.org
Organized in collaboration by our Fellowship Associates and Religious Education Council.
Potluck~ Sign up: http://southchurchportsmouth.bringit.bz/public/9272c2
Party help~ Sign up: http://southchurchportsmouth.bringit.bz/public/70efeb

Fair Trade Coffee/Tea Sale- Attn: 5th-8th graders! Sunday, November 1st to help support Sustainable Harvest international and the UUSC by purchasing coffee, tea, and Chocolate from our Fair trade sale! Run by our 5th-8th grade youth, and recurring every first Sunday during both social hours. If your 5th-8th grader can help, please sign them up here:
http://southchurchportsmouth.bringit.bz/public/38975b

Farm animal costumes needed: If your family has any farm animal costumes you are willing to donate, or wish to make a costume for our annual pageant, we’d love to add to our our menagerie! We have plenty of sheep, but could use cows, donkeys, goats, horses, a llama… you get the idea.  Please let me know if you’ve got something or are planning to make something in time for the 20th.

Senior Youth Service Learning- Appalachia Potluck: Dec 13th at 5:30
For those families who have committed to this year’s service learning trip to War, West Virginia.  We will be holding our first planning meeting on Dec. 13th immediately following youth group.  Parents are asked to be present for this gathering. I will be reaching out with more details soon.

Sparks and Purple Flames Social groups- are invited to the holiday celebration this month!  Hope to see you all there- bring your families 🙂

December is Quirky, here’s how it looks: 

• 6th: Wholly Family (Multi-generational service in sanctuary). Children ages 4 and up are invited to remain in worship for the entire service.  Nursery is open for babies through 3 years old starting at 8:45am. No Junior youth (7-8th grade) or Senior youth group today.
• 13th: RE classes meet following the story for all ages. Junior youth meet in Karnan house at 11am. Senior youth meet in Karnan House from 4-5:30 pm. Nursery is open for babies through 3 years old starting at 8:45am
• 20th: Holiday Pageant (Multi-generational service in sanctuary). Nursery is open for babies through 3 years old starting at 8:45am. No Junior youth (7-8th grade)today. Senior youth will meet at 4-5:30 pm.
• 28th: All ages program for holiday with Special Guest! Nursery is open for babies through 3 year olds starting at 8:45am.  Children age 4 through 6th grade, head downstairs following the story for all ages in the sanctuary.  No Junior youth (7-8th grade) or Senior youth group today.

First Night Chili Sale at South Church! New Year’s Eve from 5:00–9:00pm: Swing by the church on New Year’s Eve while you explore First Night in Portsmouth. We will have a delicious assortment of chili, and all proceeds support the youth service fund, allowing our high school youth to travel to War, W.V. in June for a service learning and justice trip. To volunteer or to make a batch of chili, contact Cat Lyons: reassist.southchurch.uu@gmail.com

Families Tuugether- January 9th- 4:30-8pm
(No Families Tuugether in December, sorry!) Open to children 8 months through Sixth grade, Families Tuugether is a popular program for families of young kids; an opportunity for parents to reconnect and to recharge. Offered monthly during the church year starting in October, children are dropped off at South Church at 4:30pm with a potluck dish to share (Ready to serve, please.), and parents head up to the sanctuary for a short group gathering before heading out to enjoy some quite time. Children will strengthen friendships, enjoy a movie, and play fun games. Parents return to get their child no later than 8pm. Please note: Families MUST RSVP if they plan to come to this event, so that we are able to meet the staffing needs. Program is be closed after 25 children register, to ensure we have a safe and fun event.

Family Social Justice Opportunities in December:

• Walk and Vigil to commemorate victims of gun violence: Join us for the NH Chapter of Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America “Orange Walk ” and Vigil to commemorate the third anniversary of the Sandy Hook tragedy and to honor all victims and survivors of gun violence. Sunday, December 13th, 12:00pm to 1:30pm. Our walk will start at the steps of South Church and end with a Vigil at Prescott Park. Wear orange if possible.
• Giving Garland, November 22nd to December 13th: Once again this year, we’ll make an offering of gift cards to local non-profits that serve the Seacoast.  The recipients of your gifts this year will be the Dover Children’s Home, Families First Health and Support Center and York Community Action. Please purchase Gift cards from gas stations, grocery and clothing stores, bowling alleys and movie theaters. Please come and clip them on the garland located in the office. For more information contact Jennifer at scassist@southchurch-uu.org. Thank you for your generosity.
  
• Guest At Your Table: The end of November marks the beginning of the Unitarian Universalist Service Committee membership drive. The UUSC is a leading voice for human rights and social justice around the world. Become a member! Use one of the envelopes found in your pew or at the UUSC table downstairs. Make this a family event by taking a Guest at Your Table Box home, fill it with loose change, convert this to a check and turn the box in at the church. Help support this worthwhile organization. Contact John or Irene Bush at jnbush@comcast.net or irbush@comcast.net.
• Black Lives Matter vigil at Market Square in Portsmouth on December 22nd from 5:30-6:30 pm. https://www.facebook.com/events/425787320947694/

You may have noticed over the time you’ve been coming to South Church, that Rev. Chris and Rev. Lauren write their sermons around a theme each month. In fact they follow a multi-year calendar of themes, which guides discussions in the worship team, and is represented in many ways during Sunday worship in the sanctuary.

This year, we are beginning to embark on finding ways to reflect that discussion in our Religious Education program as well. Imagine, if a conversation in our sanctuary was also happening in our classrooms, and at social hour. Imagine, if we could share thoughts and insights from worship with our children and they could relate their own experience from a classroom conversation, or a social hour chat.  Theme based ministry can be a really dynamic and effective way to create connection across generations and throughout the fabric of our congregation. It can be lifted up into our small group ministries, committees, and even at our kitchen tables.

I would like to challenge our families to think about opportunities to hold up our experiences at South Church on Sunday as we navigate a crazy busy full lives.  It does not need to take a lot of time~ just small moments where you pause and reflect, or connect a dot to real time.

November’s theme of Grace is a perfect place to start. It is certainly a complicated word, Grace, but in it’s essence there is this notion of giving pause.  In many ways, that is what I am suggesting in this challenge, to stop and give pause, to reflect, to find grace in the moments of life.

Here are a few ideas about how you might deepen your family’s reflections on grace. There are countless other ways to do so, feel free to grab an idea here, or share your own! We have a worship theme bulletin in the Social Hall where you can share thoughts and ideas.

For all (adults and young):  this month I offer you this quote from May Sarton, which I love. Perhaps you can find some moment to dig your hands into the dirt, slow down, breathe in the earth.

Everything that slows us down and forces patience, everything that sets us back into the slow circles of nature, is a help. Gardening is an instrument of grace. – May Sarton

With youth:

• Go see the movie: He Named Me Malala (at the Music Hall Nov 17-20th).  Without a doubt, Malala demonstrates grace in countless ways, reflecting on how might be a great way to frame this inspiring story.
• Music often reaches our teens in deep ways, another idea might be to ask your teen to share a song that embodies the idea of grace. Listen to it together, and see if you can hear it, too.

Upper Elementary-Middle school kids: Explore the story of Misty Copeland- watch some of her dancing and news documentaries on youTube.. so much grace in form, and grace in facing challenges! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZY0cdXr_1MA     https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jHJoQw9xuU8

Children (and the whole family): Consider being intentional about saying grace before meals. Have a conversation about how that slows us down, and inspires reflection. What is the difference between a meal that starts with intention and one that begins without pause?  Here are a few ideas for a table grace:

Oh, we give thanks for fruit and grain,                                                                For earth and air and sun and rain,                                                                   For those with feathers, fur or feet                                                                     Who make it so that we may eat.

Cherished family, friends, and guests,
Let this food to us be blessed.
Bless those people who made this food.
May it feed our work for good.
Amen.

[Hold hands around the table.]
Say: “Let us have a moment of silence to give thanks for the food we eat.”
15 – 20 seconds of silence is about right.

[Hold hands around the table.]
Ask everyone at the table to say one thing he or she is thankful for that day.

Employ grace when reflecting on conflict: There is something in this complicated idea of grace that connects to the ability to let go and move forward. Imagine finding a way to name that process with our children, or even to model it in a more overt way. An example might be: In a moment where a fight between siblings resolves and they are then able to return to loving play, perhaps you can point out the grace of that choice, naming it for your kids. I read about another example: A mother deciding to wave a punishment, instead choosing to walk for ice cream with her child and explaining that choice as a lesson in grace. We as people take missteps so often, and being able to continue forward loving ourselves and one another in spite of our many mistakes is certainly grace in action.

Share what you learn!  Sending love to you all!

Hello to our Religious Education family and friends,

I hope this newsletter finds you in joyful spirit, embracing the arrival of autumn air and falling leaves. I can feel the approach of warm soups, cozy nights, and maybe some good books!

In this post:

• Children’s Chapel/Worship this Sunday~ Day of the Dead.
• Halloween Social- Join us on the front lawn to watch the parade! 7-8 pm
• Fair Trade Coffee/Tea Sale- Attn: 5th-8th graders!
• Senior Youth Service Learning- Appalachia commitments due!
• Sparks and Purple Flames Social groups- Nov. 6
• Family Social Justice Opportunities:
  • Senior Youth: Collecting Food, Coats, and Blankets for H.O.M.E!
  • Moms Demand Action for gun sense in America- Speaker 11/15
• Families Tuugether- November 14th
• OWL (Sexuality Education) 5th grade mandatory parent orientation.

Children’s Chapel/Worship this Sunday~ Day of the Dead : As you may know, this coming Sunday we will be having a Special Day of the Dead service with Rev. Lauren. Bring photographs/mementos of ancestors and loved ones who have died for the traditional Mexican altar. Our children will be able to experience some of this worship in the sanctuary. Following the story for all ages, children in 6th grade and below will head downstairs. Our Preschool-Kindergarten spirit play classroom will gather, and 1st-6th grade students will gather together for our monthly Children’s Chapel. Remember to give your child a small donation for our collection during Children’s chapel (.50c-$1) as this is a part of our gathering. I am still looking for volunteers to assist with Children’s chapel- Please click here if you are interested in helping with this sweet practice: http://southchurchportsmouth.bringit.bz/public/d14852

Halloween Social- Join us on the front lawn to watch the parade! October 31st, 7-8 pm; As you may know, Portsmouth takes Halloween pretty seriously. We’re hoping you will join many other South Church folks on the front lawn to watch the parade go by! This is a great chance to catch up, meet some new friends, and even enjoy some hot cocoa! Our senior youth will be offering hot refreshments and baked goods during the annual parade to raise funds for their service learning trip to Appalachia.

Fair Trade Coffee/Tea Sale- Attn: 5th-8th graders! Sunday, November 1st to help support Sustainable Harvest international and the UUSC by purchasing coffee, tea, and Chocolate from our Fair trade sale! Run by our 5th-8th grade youth, and recurring every first Sunday during both social hours.

Senior Youth Service Learning- Appalachia commitments due 11/1!
Thank you for everyone who was able to join us for the informational gathering last week! It is time to jump in to this adventure if you are able. We need to know numbers so we can begin to pin down travel details and such.  If you need a commitment form, email me and I’ll send it along (or pick one up on Sunday!)

Sparks and Purple Flames Social groups- Nov. 6 from 7-9pm.  The 5th-6th grade Sparks group will be meeting at South Church for a movie night.  7th-8th grade Purple Flames will be bowling this month at Bowl O’Rama in Portsmouth. Please RSVP if your child is planning to attend.

Family Social Justice Opportunities:

• Senior Youth: Collecting Food, Coats, and Blankets for H.O.M.E! Collection bins are in the social hall, and collections will be accepted from now through November 21st, when our youth head up to Orland, ME to volunteer at the H.O.M.E site.
• Moms Demand Action for gun sense in America- Speaker 11/15 The Social Justice Associates will be hosting an informational meeting on Gun Violence Prevention. All South Church Members, families, and friends are welcome. Sunday, November 15th, 12:30-1:30 in the Parish Hall.
  Speaker: Deb Howard
  Contact: valeriefagin@comcast.net with any questions.
  

Families Tuugether- November 14th- 4:30-8pm
Open to children 8 months through Sixth grade, Families Tuugether is a popular program for families of young kids; an opportunity for parents to reconnect and to recharge. Offered monthly during the church year starting in October, children are dropped off at South Church at 4:30pm with a potluck dish to share (Ready to serve, please.), and parents head up to the sanctuary for a short group gathering before heading out to enjoy some quite time. Children will strengthen friendships, enjoy a movie, and play fun games. Parents return to get their child no later than 8pm. Please note: Families MUST RSVP if they plan to come to this event, so that we are able to meet the staffing needs. Program is be closed after 25 children register, to ensure we have a safe and fun event.

OWL (Sexuality Education) 5th grade mandatory parent orientation: There is a mandatory parent orientation for our 5th grade OWL program on November 1st from 12:30-2pm at South Church. In the case of divorced parents, both parents should plan to attend. Please contact me if this is an issue. The 5th grade OWL program is 8 weeks long and will begin on November 8th.

Ok, I think that’s enough for now.  Sending autumn hugs to all of you! (and a poem)

Hello South Church RE families, teachers and friends,

Once again, we near the end of summer, in what has seemed like the blink of an eye. There is a LOT of information here about the launch of a new church year, so please find a little time to read below and take on what you can.

In This Post:

• Register your children/youth for RE!

• August 30th- RE IS OFF SITE!! at the Urban Forestry Center!

• September 6th-(last 10 am service) Water In-Gathering

• Teaching Volunteers still needed, please reach out!

• Teacher Training- 3 options!

• Fall class plan

• Seacoast Food Pantry Partnership

  • Sunday 8/23- Last day of Summer Meals 4 Kids- Bring Apples!!

  • September 13th- Bring Your Weight in Food Drive!

• Join our South Church Group on facebook!

Registration for the fall is online! If you can (and haven’t already 😉 please take a moment to click this link and register.  One of the biggest pieces of my summer work is planning our classrooms for the fall, and I need to know who’s coming in order to do that!  CLICK HERE to register (it will only take a few minutes). Thank YOU!!  https://southchurchuu.wufoo.com/forms/k60588f1mfaort/   If you prefer to fill it out on paper, I’m happy to email you the form, or you can grab one from the R.E. bulletin in the Parish Hall.

Don’t drive to Church August 30th*- Urban Forestry Center!! (*weather permitting)  On August 30th, our last day of Summer RE, we will be meeting at the Urban forestry for games, watermellon, and a nature walk!  Cat Lyons, our new RE program assistant will be running the show, along with some wonderful volunteer teachers. We could use a few extra parents if you’re willing to stay. For the rest of you, drop off your kids around 9:30 and then head to church! After worship, head back to retrieve your sweet kids, who will likely be smiling, sweaty, and wearing a watermelon juice beard. Please apply bug spray and sunscreen before drop off, and send them with a filled water bottle!!

September 6th-(last 10 am service!) Water In-Gathering: Each year, members and friends of all ages collect water from special places for our ingathering ritual in the fall. On September 6th, we’ll gather as a community to start the new program year, and all are invited to share a bit of water in the ritual. This is the last day of 10:00 am worship, Starting on September 13th, Worship will be offered at 9am and 11 am.

Teacher Training– 3 options! If you are signed up to join a teaching team this fall (or plan to sign up 🙂 I think you are wonderful, you are heading into a great experience that is sure to deepen your own understanding of Unitarian Universalism, create new friendships with fellow volunteers and lots of wonderful young people, and you need to find a time to attend a teacher training so we can gear up! If you haven’t considered volunteering, or think you don’t have time, please consider!  It is this a totally manageable commitment even for the busiest among us, and there are many ways to be involved.  I am happy to meet by phone, or in person, to give you more information- Jump in!!

Training dates: Please pick one and RSVP by email.

• Sunday, August 23 following worship. Traiining will begin at 11:15 and run till 1:15 (lunch included)
• Wednesday, August 26th from 5:30-7:30 pm (Dinner included)
• Sunday, September 6th (following Water In-Gathering) 11:30-1:30 (lunch included)

Fall RE program: Classes begin September 20th

9 am Program: The nursery is open at 8:45 for babies – 3 year olds. Classes will be offered for children age 4 (pre K) through 4th grade. (upper elementary and jr. youth programs are only offered at 11)

11 am Program: The nursery is open at 10:30 for babies – 3 year olds. Classes will be offered for children age 4 (pre K) through 6th grade as well as Junior Youth (7th-8th grade).

Senior Youth (grades 9-12) group meets most Sunday evenings from 4:00-5:30 in the parish hall.  There is no Sr. Youth group on the first Sunday of each month.  Sr. Youth will begin with an orientation (parents too) and overnight on September 12th.  The first day of youth group will be September 20th.

What will your child’s class be doing this year?

Children age 3 and Under: Children from birth through 3 years of age will attend or be cared for in the South Church nursery. Elizabeth Barrett and Zsuzsanna Fekete are both returning as Nursery staff, and there are always a bunch of wonderful RE volunteers rotating through this room as well!

Pre K-­Kindergarten: Spirit Play​is a Montessori based curriculum which helps children to live their own answers to life’s more existential questions through storytelling and self­directed play. Lessons, stories and activities allow them to explore concepts of purpose and self­worth in a fun, safe classroom space. (An overview of this curriculum is available to view online through the spirit­play.com website.)

First­-Second Grade Class:  ‘Love Will Guide Us​­’- In this program, students learn to seek guidance in life through the lens of our Unitarian Universalist Sources, with an emphasis on love. Together we will ask questions such as, “Where did we come from?” and “What is our relationship to the Earth?”. Application of wisdom from our sources will help us to form our own answers and to learn that asking questions is valued in our community of faith. (This curriculum is available to view online through the UUA.org website.)

Third-­fourth graders:   The ​’Signs of Our Faith’ ​curriculum asks us to think about religion as the practice of being faithful to what you love. This program guides children to do their best to live faithful lives every day by identifying and focusing on what they love. Students will examine values such as the quest for knowledge and supporting and respecting life and faith journeys. By exploring aspects of living faith through different traits and values, students will discover together how to live faithfully in a complex world. (This curriculum is available to view online through the UUA.org website.)

Fifth-­Sixth graders:   Theme­-Based Workshop Rotation​­ This program utilizes the rotating themes of worship services to go deeper into life’s essential questions. Focusing on a central story for each theme helps us to slow down and focus on the things that matter. In addition, selecting stories that correspond with the congregation’s current themes provides a chance for these students to grow and benefit from the learning as a spiritual community. This curriculum provides a transformative learning journey. (Information about theme-­based workshop rotation is available through the UUA.org website.)

Junior Youth (7th-8th grade):   ‘Building Bridges’ is a world religions program to deepen youth’s understanding of the dynamic, fascinating, and varied world in which they live. It seeks to broaden their knowledge of humanity and embolden their spiritual search. This program is an updated version of Neighboring Faiths, and will include several trips to nearby houses of worship, giving our inquisitive UU kids a chance to learn about other faith communities first hand.  (This curriculum is available to view online through the UUA.org website.)

Seacoast Family Food Pantry:

• Summer Religious Education: Summer Meals 4 Kids (SM4K)!This summer South Church has partnered with the Seacoast Family Food Pantry to support their Meals 4 Kids program, which provides bags of food including fresh fruits and vegetables to children in low income families who are experiencing food scarcity. Our last targeted weekly drive will be Sunday, August 23rd- We are collecting Apples, so grab a bag and bring them with you on Sunday!

• Bring Your Weight in Food Drive: The opportunity to help support the food pantry continues in September!  We will be hosting our 4th annual food drive for SFFP on September 13th. Donations will be collected curbside from 8:30-11:30 that morning!  In an effort to reach beyond our South Church Family, Click on this facebook event and pass it on by clicking share to post it to your own page!  https://www.facebook.com/events/799109250186737/

While you’re at your computer.. Join our South Church Group on facebook! This is a great tool for all of us to build connection with each other, and a really convenient place to share ‘non-essential’ goings on that can really deepen our community. I often hear about social justice events that I share there, articles about raising our kids, inspirations etc… So join us! https://www.facebook.com/groups/southchurch/

Ok, that’s all the news for now. Hope to see you all on soon, Don’t forget to register for RE!!  Thanks!!

Welcome to the South Church Religious Education blog.