Taking It Home for Sunday, April 28th

Spirit Play (4-5 year-olds) 

This week children worked with the Flaming Chalice Lesson which is a central liturgical lesson in Spirit Play.

Wondering Questions:

I wonder if you have seen a chalice anywhere else in our church? 

I wonder what part of it you like best?

I wonder what part is most important?

I wonder how big this community could really be?

I wonder who is in this community?

I wonder if the people in the community have names?

I wonder how it feels to be in this community?

I wonder where you are in this community?

I wonder if you have ever made a promise?

I wonder what happens when you break a promise?

I wonder if a promise is different than a wish?     

I wonder if there is one promise that is more important than the others?

I wonder if there is one promise that we could remove and still live together peacefully?

I wonder what would happen if the promises weren’t here?

I wonder what would happen if someone new came to join this community?

I wonder if you have ever come close to the Mystery?

I wonder if you have ever felt the Spirit of Love and Mystery?

Extension wondering questions:

I wonder if you have ever taken care of a plant?

I wonder if you have ever taken care of an animal?

I wonder how plants and animals can be part of our community?

I wonder how big our community can really be?

Grades K-2: Wonderful Welcome

Taking It Home, Session 11: The Gift Of Stewardship

In "Wonderful Welcome," a Tapestry of Faith program

I tell you the truth; this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others. They all gave out of their wealth; but she, out of her poverty, put in everything — all she had to live on.

— Mark 12:43-44 (NIV)

IN TODAY'S SESSION...

The children learned the importance of stewardship in congregational life. In an adaptation of a biblical parable, The Most Generous Gift, the children heard a story about a poor woman who gives one "mite," a coin worth less than one penny yet half of all she has, to the donation box after hearing a sermon by Jesus. Jesus proclaims that her gift is more valuable than that of the wealthy who gave much more, because she gave all she could.

EXPLORE THE TOPIC TOGETHER. Talk about...

Here are some questions related to stewardship for your family to discuss.

• What does stewardship mean to each of us?
• What are some ways we contribute to the congregation?
• What are some other ways we could give of our time and our resources to enrich our faith community?
• Do family members ever get money as gifts for birthdays or other special events? How do we encourage one another to donate some of the money to the congregation?

EXTEND THE TOPIC TOGETHER. Try...

Discuss the importance of giving to the congregation and share with your child(ren) stories about how you have given your time, talents or treasure to the church. If children receive an allowance, talk about giving a percentage to the congregation. Take this opportunity to nurture a culture of generosity and stewardship within your family when your children are young.

A FAMILY RITUAL

Once a month, have a family meeting to discuss how the family will work together in support of a congregation project. If the congregation has a published mission, perhaps begin the meeting by reading that aloud. If there is not a current project, perhaps volunteer as a family to host coffee hour. The children can help bake or choose the snacks to be purchased.

Grades 3-5: Love Will Guide Us

Taking It Home, Session 5: We Are Loved, Flaws and All

When you are in the presence of the Holy Spirit, it is like sitting in front of a fire that does not burn you, but suffuses you with its qualities — its warmth, glow, and color. And as you are there, in the presence of the Spirit, you also become suffused with the divine attributes of compassion, gentleness, and love, without your doing anything about it except to be there. You are loved and you are held in this love.

 — Bishop Desmond Tutu, South African cleric and activist

IN TODAY'S SESSION... We looked at how the transformation of a flaw into something beautiful can astound us, through the lens of the first Unitarian Universalist Source:

Direct experience of that transcending mystery and wonder, affirmed in all cultures, which moves us to a renewal of the spirit and an openness to the forces that create and uphold life.

This Source is expressed in children's language as, "the sense of wonder we all share." We discussed how turning an imperfection into something beautiful can create a moment of "wow," in our hearts. In the story, "The Scratched Diamond," a gem carver uses a scratch on a diamond as the stem of a beautiful etched rose. Participants had the opportunity to turn knots or cracks in wooden treasure boxes into beautiful designs.

EXPLORE THE TOPIC TOGETHER. Talk about... ways you can transform uncomfortable situations, poor choices, bad behaviors, or imperfect objects into beauty. Watch for opportunities to:

• Find gratitude in the midst of a disappointment, by taking the time to name your blessings. See if you can find or create a new opportunity resulting from the disappointment.
• Talk about a failure, mistake, or poor choice See what new ideas or learning it provided. Point out that learning from our mistakes and succeeding at turning a bad situation around are important achievements that can make us feel a "wow" in our hearts.
• Turn a broken toy into something new.

EXTEND THE TOPIC TOGETHER. Try... learning about inventors, with a focus on the many mistakes an inventor must make before completing an invention. Online, view an "interview" with Thomas Edison (www.meetmeatthecorner.org/episode/happy-birthday-thomas-edison) from the Meet Me at the Corner website. Point out that mistakes are not only inevitable but necessary signs of the creativity and learning that lead to inventing something new.

Family Adventure. Take a "Wow" Walk. Make a point of noticing things around you with an attitude of wonder and awe. As you walk ponder how the things and creatures in your surroundings came to be there. Try a variety of "Wow" Walks: in the woods, in the supermarket, at a museum, in the rain.

Family Discovery. Share books that affirm the value of learning from our mistakes. Check out the Magic School Bus series of books and videos in which the main character, Ms. Frizzle, frequently states, "Take chances, make mistakes, and get messy."

A Family Game. Collect broken items or recyclable materials from around the house and work together as a family to transform them into a toy or game. You might work in teams; compete, using a scoring system that gives points for creativity, beauty, functionality, and fun.

A Family Ritual. Gather daily, or once a week, and have each family member share "wow" moments. Talk about what inspired you or evoked your awe and wonder.

Middle School

Taking It Home, Session 11: Touching All

When we try to pick out anything by itself, we find it hitched to everything else in the Universe. — John Muir

Talk about the quote. Do you agree with it? Can you think of anything that is not connected to something else in some way? Note that John Muir was a well known American naturalist and conservationist who lived from 1838 to 1914.

WHAT WE DID TODAY

Today's Big Question asks, "How am I connected with everything else?" We heard the story of Henry Bergh, a famous Unitarian who felt so strongly connected to animals that he started the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. He also started the New York Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children, but that is another story. We talked about our connections to the whole universe, and drew concentric circles to show how connections spread out from each of us to family and community to nation and to the whole universe. When we drew some lines out from ourselves, the circles began to look like a web, with us in the center connected to everything else. In WCUU, we talked about connections, community and responsibility. 

REFLECT ON YOUR BELIEFS

Write some poems about how you are connected with something very far away—like the moon, or the Amazon River or a kangaroo in Australia. The poems can be silly and fun or very serious.

SHARED SEARCH

Play a connection game with your friends or family. Count the people you connect with in any one day. Include anyone you communicate with by phone or computer, in person... everybody you can think of. Compare the totals.

MAKE A RECONNECTION

Reconnect to somebody you have not seen for a long time. Maybe they moved away, or just got busy. Find out where they are and phone them to say hello or send an email or a postcard. Or, reconnect with a place you used to love but have not visited for some time. Think about how hard it would be to stay connected to every person you ever meet and every place you ever visit.

PHOTO CHALLENGE

Ask somebody else to take a picture of you connecting with someone or something in one of your concentric circles. Tell the person taking the picture why this connection is important to you.

FAMILY FAITH IN ACTION — BEING RESPONSIBLE

Find a new way to be responsible for helping the environment that connects everything and everybody. Maybe it is as simple as helping clean up part of the Earth near your home. Maybe you will decide to eat more local foods to help reduce the expense and pollution of importing foods to your area.

Family Information for Sunday, April 28th

Hello Friends and Families of Westside!

It’s a Seabeck retreat weekend for some of you, and for those coming to our service on Sunday, we have a full range of great things happening in RE!

K-2 parents, your children have a very special art project this Sunday – they will be making textured and stamped acrylic greeting cards to sell during social hour to raise funds for their Heifer International project. The 3-5 class will be doing this next week. See below for information about their clothing with acrylic paints.

I am in San Jose this weekend for the Pacific Western Regional Assembly (and already had an outstanding professional development session today with other DREs), so I will not be in church this Sunday. Margaret Smith and Amy Hance-Brancati will be helping with RE needs in my absence.

ANNOUNCEMENTS:

1.    BAND REHEARSALS: This Sunday the Uke Band meets in the social hall from 9:15 to 10:00 with Larry Murphy and Margaret Smith. We have some extra ukuleles for practice. The Youth Band meets next week.

2.    MIDDLE SCHOOL CONS: A special email message went out to middle school families with information about a local June overnight, and the fall con. That information is also at the bottom of this message for anyone else who wants to know what’s happening.

3.    CHILDREN’S CHOIR: The Children’s Choir will sing again for our RE Celebration Sunday on June 9^th. Look for an announcement soon about rehearsals. All K-5^th graders are invited to participate, and older youth who are interested are also welcome to join.

4.    YOUTH ADULT COMMITTEE MEETING: Our first Youth Adult Committee (YAC) meeting will be held this Wednesday, May 1^st in the Fireside Room from 7-9pm. The youth members were elected during Youth Group, and they selected three adults to participate. Look for a report of youth ministry plans in upcoming communications!

THIS WEEK:

Story Time: This week our children will share a story and snack together. Please let the teachers in the class know if your child has a food allergy.

Spirit Play: This week’s focus is the “Flaming Chalice Lesson” – a primary liturgical lesson used to reinforce our UU Promises/Principles. Children will start with the chalice, talking about how some people feel that it holds the spirit of love and justice and truth, or maybe the spirit of mystery, which some people call God. They will put a candle in the chalice because the flame is mysterious and beautiful and reminds us of the spirit. And they will talk about the people and other elements of our community and environment.

Kindergarten through Second Grade: “Wonderful Welcome”:  This Sunday’s session will focus on the gift of stewardship, to help our young UUs to understand that their faith home belongs to them, and its vitality depends on their accepting and giving stewardship. The health and well being of a congregation depends on the generosity of its members. When congregants give their time, talents or treasure, they are giving to themselves as well as to others — and everyone is the better for it.

We will also make textured and stamped acrylic greeting cards in class – a special project with Alice Britt. Acrylic paints will not stain hands, but they may stain clothing. The kids will also be handling tissue paper that can bleed onto clothing and hands  -- it will stain.

PARENTS -- Our children will each be given a smock or covering for this project, but we suggest that you send them in clothing appropriate for this art activity. Thank you!

Third through Fifth Grades: “Love Will Guide Us”:  This week’s session, “We are Loved, Flaws and All” focuses on the first Unitarian Universalist Source, "Direct experience of that transcending mystery and wonder, affirmed in all cultures, which moves us to a renewal of the spirit and openness to the forces that create and uphold life," expressed in children's language as "the sense of wonder we all share." The children will consider human nature, with a focus on the wonder and awe of finding beauty in unexpected places. The session affirms that, although humans are imperfect creatures, with work and time and love we can turn our blemishes into strength and beauty. A story illustrates the concept, telling of a gem carver who transforms a deeply scratched diamond by crafting the scratch into a beautiful flower.

Middle School: “Riddle and Mystery”:  This week’s session, “Interconnected”, addresses the big question: How am I connected with everything else? Sixth graders stand at the brink of adolescence, finding new relationships, new challenges and a new sense of the self's place in the universe. This session makes the conceptual UU "interconnected web of all existence" concrete and meaningful for them. The youth consider their place in the many spheres that comprise their expanding lives. They will learn about Henry Bergh, founder of the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, a Unitarian who created a new way for humans to connect respectfully with other species. As part of their Faith in Action, our youth will continue to work on their social justice project with the White Center Food Bank.

High School: “Our Name is Earl”: This week’s episode addresses lies vs. honesty. Unitarian Universalists believe that what each of us knows about the world is a piece of the truth. This is why we are called to accept each other (Principle 3). When our youth participate in delivering a sermon, they are called to speak the truth as they know it. Likewise, we in the congregation are called to listen with an open heart and decide what we agree with and what we don't. In Unitarian Universalism, we call this “the free pulpit and the free pew,” and this is what is meant by “The Right of Conscience” (Principle 5).

Often people tell lies because of their perception of the truth. In this episode, Joy lies about her marriage and her family because she believes her father to be racist (not to mention, still a business owner). Joy's mother is deceitful because she believes no one will understand her gambling problem. Earl keeps Joy's secret – and Joy's mother's secret – because he believes it is the only way to have a happy Christmas. In the end, however, they all have to speak their truth the way they see it. Once they are truthful, they are able to have the day they all wish for.  

Youth Group will meet this week in the social hall from 7:00-8:30pm with Shelby and Cole.

Have a fabulous Sunday!

Betsy

Middle School Information:

1) If your middle schooler is participating in the Milk Money skit in this week's service, please bring them to church by 10:00am (10:15 at the latest) to meet in the Fireside Room to rehearse.

2) Another Middle School Fun Night -- We are planning another fun night in our social hall for May. A rousing game of hide-and-seek in the church is likely on the agenda. Watch for a date in next week's eNews.

3) Middle School Overnight Event -- June 7th and 8th at Northlake UU Church. It's a mini middle school con for local congregations! The space will go fast, so please let me know if your 6th-8th grader would like to attend. And parents, we need a couple of adult sponsors -- let me know if you're interested! The registration form is attached. You can submit them to me -- I will sign, and send them in altogether. Even before that, if I know you're interested, I'll call to reserve space for us. 

4) Middle School Fall Con -- Here is the announcement that just came out:

Middle School Conference 2013!

September 27-29, 2013 at Camp Sealth on Vashon Island

Join 70 other UU 6^th, 7^th and 8^th graders from around the Sound

as they enjoy a weekend of fun, sharing and living our UU Principles.

Sponsored by Liberal Religious Educators Association’s Puget Sound Cluster

Cost $120 before August. 31 or $135 after August 31 includes meals all day Saturday, breakfast & lunch Sunday, lodging, all camp activities: Archery, Boating, Talent Show!

For more information please contact your Director of Religious Exploration or Lori Fernholz-Hartman at dre@tuuc-wa.org or 253-476-2799

Final registration deadline Sept. 6, no exceptions.

Half-scholarships are available for early birds only. 

Family Information for Sunday, April 21st

Hello Friends and Families of Westside!

We have a Children’s Chapel this Sunday, and I am looking forward to seeing everyone there! We’ll actually start calling this a Chalice Chapel again (this was the term used last year). The Chalice Chapel is a worship experience designed for our children and youth together. Once we sing the children out from the service upstairs, our children and youth from preschool through 12^th grade will meet together in the social hall. Our high school youth have been helping, and the younger kids have loved it!

On Chalice Chapel days, the nursery and the Story Time class are both open. If your 4-5 year old child needs a smaller group environment, he/she is welcome in the Story Time class downstairs.

ANNOUNCEMENTS:

BAND SIGN-UP IN SOCIAL HALL: Rehearsals on Sunday mornings from 9:15-10:00am. Don’t forget to check out the band options for your youth!

Our Uke Band is for 4^th through 12^th graders. We will be singing to ukulele accompaniment that several band members will play. We’ll also need some hand drum and percussion players.

Our Youth Band is for middle and high school students who already play an instrument. Once we form, we’ll establish who’s doing what, and our genre of choice.

Each band will rehearse twice a month – every other week. Youth are welcome to be involved in both bands if they’d like! This Sunday our Youth Band will meet at 9:15 in the social hall.

THIS WEEK:

Chalice Chapel – Once we sing the children out, they will all go to the social hall together, where Lorelei Amato and I will lead them in a children/youth worship. 

This week we are talking about our Transylvania partnership church (Romania). We’ll watch a video of children from Transylvania captured by Marilyn Mayers from East Shore Unitarian when she visited there recently, and she will be joining us this week.

NURSERY AND STORY TIME – These will both be open for your little ones!

YOUTH GROUP – Will meet with Shelby and Suki from 7:00-8:30!

To talk with your child or youth about what’s happening in RE, check our blog at www.wsuureligiousexploration.blogspot.com.

See you Sunday!

Betsy

Family Information for Sunday, April 14, 2013

Hello Friends and Families of Westside!

It’s spring break for many of our Seattle families – hope you all enjoy your week!

ANNOUNCEMENTS:

BAND SIGN-UP AT GREETING TABLE AND IN SOCIAL HALL: Rehearsals on Sunday mornings from 9:15-10:00am. Two bands are starting that will perform at the RE celebration service on June 9^th.  Our Uke Band is for 4^th through 12^th graders. We will be singing to ukulele accompaniment that several band members will play. We’ll also need some hand drum and percussion players. Our Youth Band is for middle and high school students who already play an instrument. Once we form, we’ll establish who’s doing what, and our genre of choice. Rehearsals will begin April 14 for anyone who’s still in town during spring break week. J Each band will rehearse twice a month – every other week. Youth are welcome to be involved in both bands if they’d like!

THIS WEEK:

Children’s Chapel – Once we sing the children out, they will all go to the social hall together, where I will lead them in a children’s worship. We’ll talk about bullying and our UU commitment to principle one. We have activities designed for our youngest to our older youth -- children from Pre-K to grade 12 are invited to participate (high school youth are invited to help to work with our younger children).

NURSERY AND STORY TIME – These will both be open for your little ones!

YOUTH GROUP – Will meet with Shelby and Cole from 7:00-8:30!

To talk with your child or youth about what they learned in RE, check our blog at www.wsuureligiousexploration.blogspot.com.

See you Sunday!

Betsy

Taking It Home for Sunday, April 7th

Spirit Play (4-5 year olds):

This week's story is called "The Butterfly and the Cocoon: A Tale from Islam" and it comes from our world religions source. Children will hear about how the struggle of the butterfly to come out of its cocoon is part of what prepares the butterfly to use its wings. They will learn that Allah, what the Muslims call God, is seen as the Spirit of mystery, awe and wonder in the Islamic faith.

This is an Islamic Prayer:

I asked for Strength

And Allah gave me Difficulties to make me strong.

I asked for Wisdom

And Allah gave me Problems to solve.

I asked for Prosperity

And Allah gave me Brain and Brawn to work.

I asked for Courage

And Allah gave me Danger to overcome.

I asked for Love.

And Allah gave me Troubled People to help.

I asked for Favors.

And Allah gave me Opportunities.

I received nothing I wanted

I received everything I needed!

So blessed be Allah, the best of creators!

Wondering Questions:

I wonder which part of this you liked the best?

I wonder which part of this is most important?

I wonder if you have ever heard any of this before?

I wonder if you have ever watched a butterfly come out of a cocoon?

I wonder if you have ever felt sorry for an animal, bird or insect and tried to help it out?

I wonder if you have ever struggled with obstacles in your life?

I wonder how it feels to try to grow?

I wonder what it feels like to worship Allah as the Muslims do?

I wonder what this prayer means to you?

I wonder what other ways people pray?

I wonder if you have a special way of being with the Spirit of Love and Mystery?

Grades K-2: Wonderful Welcome

Taking It Home, Session 10: The Gift Of Protection

The whole idea of compassion is based on a keen awareness of the interdependence of all these living beings, which are all part of one another and all involved in one another.

Thomas Merton




IN TODAY'S SESSION... The children discussed the importance of connecting with nature and took a nature inventory of the grounds around the congregation.




EXPLORE THE TOPIC TOGETHER. Talk about...

Together with your child(ren), estimate the time they spend playing indoors as opposed to playing outdoors. Then, compare the free time they spend in front of computers, television, video games, etc. with the time spent in nature. Ask them which is more fun, and why. Some factors that can limit children's outdoor play time include the location of your home, the proximity of safe outdoor play places, the extent of a child's structured, indoor non-school activities, and your family's culture and practices. As you talk with your child(ren), think about ways you could increase their access to outdoor experiences.




EXTEND THE TOPIC TOGETHER. Try...

Make a commitment to engage your children in unstructured, outdoor play time. If you are concerned about children's safety outdoors on their own or with peers, spend time as a family in unstructured time outdoors. At a park, on a trail hike, at a beach, in a rowboat, or even at a neighborhood playground, make time for your children to simply be outside.




FAMILY ADVENTURE

Take pencils and notebooks to a meadow, a wood, or a body of water and do a nature inventory together. Sketch or write about some of the flora and fauna you see. At home, use the Internet and books to identify the plants and creatures you saw and learn more about them.




FAMILY DISCOVERY

The song, "Blue Boat Home," Hymn 207 in Singing the Journey: Supplement to Singing the Living Tradition (words by Peter Mayer, melody by Rowland Huw Prichard), would be a good one to listen to, talk about and sing together. Some of the lyrics are:




Far away from the rolling ocean 
Still my dry land heart can say 
I've been sailing all my life now 
Never harbor or port have I known 
The wide universe is the ocean I travel 
And the earth is my blue boat home.




A FAMILY RITUAL

Plan to include outdoor time in your week. Walking a short distance you normally drive (such as to school or to a nearby friend's house); having a snack or meal outdoors instead of indoors; or simply playing outdoors one afternoon a week will improve your child(ren)'s acquaintance with the outdoors and decrease their time spent interacting with two-dimensional media such as computers, video games and television.



Grades 3-5: Love Will Guide Us



Taking It Home, Session 4: Love in Our Congregation

The good we secure for ourselves is precarious and uncertain until it is secured for all of us and incorporated into our common life. 

— Jane Addams, American social activist and 1931 Nobel Peace Prize recipient



IN TODAY'S SESSION... the group learned about Jesus' life through a story, "Meet Jesus," based on passages from Christian scripture. They explored the fourth Unitarian Universalist Source, "Jewish and Christian teachings which tell us to love all other as we love ourselves," learning that Jesus preached and demonstrated the importance of taking care of everyone in a community. 



EXPLORE THE TOPIC TOGETHER. Talk about... Jesus' message of love and his ability to use love to create community wherever he went. Explore the meaning of community in your own life. What communities are important to you?



EXTEND THE TOPIC TOGETHER. Online, learn about Jesus and Christianity from a Unitarian Universalist perspective (www.uua.org/visitors/beliefswithin/6633.shtml) . 

Read five UU perspectives in the pamphlet UU Views of Jesus (www.uuabookstore.org/productdetails.cfm?PC=514) , edited by Bruce Southworth. 

Read resources about UU Christianity from the UU Christian Fellowship(www.uuchristian.org/R_Welcome.html) website.



The UUA Bookstore (www.uuabookstore.org/) offers Our Chosen Faith: An Introduction to Unitarian Universalism by John A. Buehrens and F. Forrest Church (Beacon Press, 1989). Highly recommended for leaders of this program, this book presents two essays focused on each of the six Sources of Unitarian Universalism. The UUA Bookstore also offers:


Meet Jesus: The Life and Lessons of a Beloved Teacher by Lynn Tuttle Gunney (Skinner House, 2007)
Unitarian Universalism Is a Really Long Name by Jennifer Dant and Anne Carter (Skinner House, 2008)
What If Nobody Forgave and Other Stories by Colleen McDonald (Skinner House, 2003).

A Family Ritual. If you read to your children on a regular basis, consider adding the parables of Jesus to your repertoire. You might read:


The Parables and Miracles of Jesus by Mary Hoffman (Frances Lincoln Children's Books, 2007)
Tomie dePaola's Book of Bible Stories, Tomie dePaola (Putnam Juvenile, 2002).