Time Travel

The workings of the Time Machine

The Explorers class has been traveling in time this year, meeting people from history and learning about how their lives reflected our Seven Principles.  This past Sunday was their final trip, to meet Henry David Thoreau.

Henry David Thoreau visits the Explorers class

Traveling at warp speed in the time machine!

Happy Spring!

Here's a Wordle made by Family Ministries Team Chair Ellie Peterson, using the most frequently used words in this blog.  I love seeing the words that "pop" from this image, and it highlights things that I hope are most important in our work with children and youth.  Take a look at this image and see what "pops" for you!

It's great to be back after maternity leave.  I hope to begin posting here on a regular basis again.  For now, here's some photos from yesterday's Treasure Hunters class, which explored the history and origins of celebrations of the Spring Equinox.

A Maya legend tells of a snake-like shadow on the first day of spring.  As surely as a snake sheds it skin, spring will transform the earth.

During the festival of Floralia in Rome, children wound garlands of flowers around a marble column in a temple dedicated to Flora, goddess of flowering plants.

The Jewish holiday of Passover began as an ancient spring festival.  The Passover story reminds everyone that joy can follow sorrow, and that winter will always be followed by spring.

When Christians think of spring, they are reminded of the Resurrection of Jesus.  Many Easter customs come from earlier traditions.  Eggs were honored, decorated, dyed, and exchanged by many ancient peoples.  It was the custom in Germany for children to build a nest in a field or garden in which the Easter Hare would lay its colored eggs.

We enjoyed learning these facts and more about spring from today's book:  The Spring Equinox by Ellen Jackson.  Our collages illustrate the different spring festivals we learned about.

Welcoming

Our theme for Lighthouse Chapel teams today was "Welcoming".

The Open Minds team talked about ways we can be welcoming to others at Saltwater.  

They worked together to create a large welcome banner for the front desk in the Lighthouse.

The Loving Hearts team assembled birthday cards for children and youth with upcoming birthdays.

Sending birthday cards is one way we show one another we care, and this helps to create a welcoming community.

The Helping Hands team heard from Katie about her experiences in Haiti.

They made collection containers to collect money to support the Guest at Your Table project.  Welcoming a Guest at Your Table is something we all can do to practice being welcoming. For more information on Guest at Your table, visit:  http://www.uusc.org/guest

Winter Approaches

Discovery children enjoy free-choice activities.

Today's story was about helping.  The ants helped the hungry grasshopper.

The Treasure Hunters enjoyed singing holiday songs. . . .

. . . and enjoyed sharing the holiday songs they knew.

They made pictures of autumn trees as they talked about holidays.

Explorers enjoyed a "snowball" game, learning about each other's interests.

They interviewed two guests from our church about what is special about our church and their religious beliefs.

The middle school youth also discussed seasonal holidays. . . .

. . . . and tried to explain Thanksgiving to their "alien visitors."

Helping Others

Today the Explorer's Class made chalice cookies that the Caring Team will include in care packages being sent to recent graduates.  One of the important things we do at our church is care for others and give service, both to people within our congregation and to people in the wider community.

Want to make chalice cookies at home?  Here is the recipe we used:  http://tressabelle.wordpress.com/2013/01/06/uu-chalice-cookies/
We didn't have a chalice shaped cookie cutter, so improvised with a half-moon and a triangle (with red-hots for the flames).

The Middle School class also learned about helping others.  Children and Youth will trick or treat for UNICEF in the sanctuary following the service on October 27.  All are encouraged to come for costume.  If you child would like to trick or treat for UNICEF at home, we will have extra boxes available to take home.  Read more about trick or treat for UNICEF at http://www.trickortreatforunicef.org/

Forgiveness

The forgiveness ritual can help us transform our hurt or angry feelings.  All ages gathered in the sanctuary today to participate in our annual community ritual of forgiveness.

"We forgive ourselves and each other, we begin again in love . . . " 

After the forgiveness ritual, the children and youth met with their leadership teams, to work together on projects that support the work of our church.
The Loving Hearts Team addressed birthday cards to children and youth with fall and winter birthdays.

Sending birthday cards is one of the ways we let each other know that each person in our community is valued and important.  We celebrate the growth of each of our young people.

The Helping Hands Team learned about the work of Hospitality House in supporting women who are homeless. 

The children thought up yummy, healthy dinner ideas that they and their families might bring to help the residents of Hospitality House.  Helping others is one of the important things we do in our church.

The Open Minds Team made "papel picado"--cut paper designs that are a traditional decoration in Mexico for celebrations and holidays.  Intricate cut tissue paper designs in purples, pinks, and oranges are used to decorate altars built to honor those who have died.

In November, our next intergenerational worship will be to remember those we love who have died.  We will build an altar together in the sanctuary, and it will be decorated with these beautiful tissue paper banners.  Remembering the gifts of those who are no longer with us, and supporting each other in times of loss are important things we do together in our church.

Discovery class practiced the forgiveness ritual today.  The children talked about how it feels when we hurt someone else, or when someone hurts us.  We talked about how it feels to say you are sorry and try to help the person you hurt, or when another person apologizes to you.  The children wrote or drew something they would like to forgive someone for, or be forgiven for on small pieces of paper, then burned those in the flame of the chalice.  We used tongs to be extra careful with the fire.  Next Sunday we will participate in the forgiveness ritual with the whole congregation.

The Explorers class has been learning about the five activities we do at church:  Welcoming, Worship, Learning, Service, and Creating Caring Community.  Today as service to our church, the children did a clean up of our art supply closet.  They tested markers to find ones that no longer work, and put away items that were not where they belonged.

Ideas to expand the learning at home:

In preparation for next Sunday's forgiveness ceremony, talk with your child about things that you might want to forgive someone for, or ask forgiveness for.  Is there something someone did that hurt you that you are still upset about and find it difficult to forgive that person?  Have you done something that hurt someone else that you would like to be forgiven for?  When we place that in the flame, it burns away, and helps us to feel a little better. Maybe the flame helps us to be brave enough to say “I'm sorry” to someone we haven't been able to say that to. Or maybe the flame helps us be less angry about something we wish someone else would say they were sorry for, and haven't.

How is your family involved in the 5 areas of church?  What do you do to be welcoming to new people?  When do you engage in worship?  How and when do you learn?  In what ways do you give service, either to the church or to the wider community?  What do you do to help create a caring community? Talk with your child about what you enjoy about our church and the ways you are involved.  Are there other ways you would like to be involved?