Taking It Home For Sunday, May 26th

Grades K-2: Wonderful Welcome

Taking It Home, Session 15: The Gift Of Ourselves

Be here now.

— Ram Dass (Richard Alpert)

IN TODAY'S SESSION... The children explored the intangible gift of ourselves. They heard a story, "Maya's Questions," in which a young girl learns to be herself, to pay attention to what is going on around her, and to be kind. When we are present and attentive and our true selves, we are best able to respond to others authentically and kindly. Children learned the phrase, "Be here now" as a short way to remember what Maya learned.

EXPLORE THE TOPIC TOGETHER. Talk about... It is easy for adults as well as children to become distracted, to lose their sense of grounding, to be in a rush and not pay attention to what is going on around them. Talk about the situations and places where each member of the family feels most calm, most themselves, most able to pay attention to their environment and the people in it. Talk about situations where it is hard to simply "be here now."

FAMILY DISCOVERY

Try being present together by meditating as a family. Even young children can sit still for about a minute. Gather the family and have everyone agree to sit in silence for at least one minute. If you have meditation chimes, use them to begin and end the meditation. You may wish to use the phrase, "be here now" as a silent mantra. As your family increases its experience with sitting quietly, you may try increasing the time spent in meditation.

Mealtime is a different opportunity to be attentive and present with each other. Think about how family members can "be here now" at meals.

Middle School: Riddle and Mystery

Taking It Home, Session 15: What to Believe

Don't believe everything you think. — Bumper sticker

Talk about the quote. Have you ever seen it on a bumper sticker? What kind of people do you think have bumper stickers saying that? Would UUs use a bumper sticker like this?

WHAT WE DID TODAY

Today's Big Question asks, "How can I know what to believe?" We began with a story that led not to new beliefs but to new big questions. We saw that big questions grow out of our experiences. We said that mystery and big questions are among the reasons that religion exists. We made some art that came from deep inside us and saw that everybody has different art ideas, just the way everybody has different beliefs. In WCUU, a group of private detectives searched for help in knowing what to believe. In WIT Time, we thought about our favorite places, at this time in our lives, where we look for help shaping our beliefs.

FAMILY BELIEFS

In UU World magazine of Spring 2008, a father talks about sharing his beliefs with his seven-year-old son. The son had asked about Heaven and death. His father said he believed that when people die they live on in the memories of other people, but not in Heaven. The son replied this way, "I'll believe what you believe for now, and when I grow up I'll make up my own mind." Talk about this story. Is that how most UU kids decide on their beliefs? Is that the way it is in your family? What age do you think most kids are when they start to develop their own responses to the big questions?

BUILD A FAMILY BELIEF TREE

Use a piece of poster paper and some markers to create a family belief tree. Draw a traditional tree diagram if you like, using horizontal and vertical lines to show all the generations descended from somebody who lived long ago. Write the names of all the family members you know, along with their religions and their core beliefs if you know them. One might have been a Buddhist, for example, or a Roman Catholic, or a UU. Or draw a realistic tree, and hang tags with names and beliefs from the branches of that. The point is to have fun with the drawing and get an idea of some of the most important beliefs held by members of your extended family.

SHARED SEARCH

Visit a place you have never been that can help you decide what to believe. Maybe it is a library, or a museum, or a different Unitarian Universalist congregation.

PHOTO CHALLENGE

Photograph something that represents a belief of yours. Share the photo and belief with someone.

FAMILY FAITH IN ACTION — ACTING ON A BELIEF

Think about something your whole family believes related to the Unitarian Universalist Principles, then act on it. Maybe you will choose belief in "acceptance of one another and encouragement to spiritual growth." How can your family act upon this belief? Can you participate together in a program at your congregation? If the Riddle and Mystery group will design a worship service, could family members help? Maybe it's as simple as inviting someone you don't know well from your congregation to lunch and listening to their story. Beliefs are more meaningful when you act on them.

Family Information for Sunday, May 26th

Hello Friends and Families of Westside!

Happy Memorial Day Weekend! This week we will wrap up our May focus on our partner church in Romania with a visit with Marilyn Mayer from East Shore. Marilyn shared a video she created of our partner church community, and she is joining us this week to capture video to take back to Romania to show them who we are. We will visit each class for video recording.

Next week, June 2^nd, is the last week of classes before the summer program begins, and our kids will enjoy end-of-year celebrations. We will return to the sanctuary before the service ends to participate in our annual Flower Communion.

Please put the following week, June 9^th, on your calendars for RE Celebration Sunday! Our bands will play; we’ll honor milestone transitions our kids are making; we’ll see some video and pictures of our RE program in action; kids will share their RE experience as part of our worship; and we’ll recognize our fabulous teachers!

Note – there is no Youth Group meeting this Sunday since it’s a holiday weekend.

ANNOUNCEMENTS:

1.    DATE NIGHT JUNE 1, 6-9pm: The RE Council is sponsoring a date night for our WSUU parents to raise funds for two of our youth and a sponsor to attend General Assembly in Louisville this June. Your school-age children (ages 5-12) can have a fun night together in the social hall while parents go out for a nice dinner! $25 per child, $35 for two or more kids. RSVP to Kim Frappier (kimberly.frappier@gmail.com).

2.    BAND REHEARSALS: This Sunday the Uke Band meets from 9:15 to 10:00 – we’ll meet in the social hall. The Youth Band meets next week, June 2nd.

3.    CHILDREN’S CHOIR: To all families of young singers! We are reconvening the kids’ choir to sing for RE Celebration Sunday on June 9th. We rehearsed on May 5^th and we’ll meet again on June 2^nd from 12:00-12:30 in the Fireside Room. Contact Lisa Maynard (l.maynard@comcast.net) or Liz Bucklew (liz.bucklew@becu.org) if you have any questions or if you would like to add your child to this choir.

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 our Spirit Play class will revisit a favorite story, “Creation of Life on Earth.”  

Kindergarten through Second Grade: “Wonderful Welcome”:  This week’s session is about the wonderful gift of ourselves. Children will learn that the best gift to give others is to be truly present to them. This isn’t referring to our physical selves, or to giving away possessions, but rather the intangible positive qualities we can all give through love and caring. When a friend is talking to us, the effort we make to be attentive is the intangible gift of ourselves.

Third through Fifth Grades: “Love Will Guide Us”:  This week our 3-5 class will work with each of our other classes to capture video clips that we’ll share with our partner church community in Transylvania.

Middle School: “Riddle and Mystery”:  Our middle school session will focus this week on the big question, “How can I know what to believe?” Our commonly used Welcome: A Unitarian Universalist Primer book from 2009 makes the statement, “We teach children that all big questions have many answers, and that it is their duty to search responsibly for the answer that feel right to them.” In our session, middle schoolers will talk about what it feels like inside when an answer feels right to them individually.

High School: “Our Name is Earl”: There is no high school class this week. The next and final class for the year is next week, June 2^nd.

Youth Group – No meeting this Sunday!

See you Sunday!

Betsy

Taking It Home for Sunday, May 19th

Grades K-2: Wonderful Welcome

Taking It Home, Session 14: The Gift Of Spirit

Life becomes religious whenever we make it so: when some new light is seen, when some deeper appreciation is felt, when some larger outlook is gained, when some nobler purpose is formed, when some task is well done.

— Sophia Lyon Fahs, Unitarian minister and religious educator

IN TODAY'S SESSION... The children explored the intangible gift of spirit. They learned about ways they can give and receive this gift with others in our religious education group, in their congregation, and in the larger Unitarian Universalist faith community. The children experienced a ritual of sharing joys and concerns that illustrated one way we give and receive the gift of spirit. They sang together and made a chalice to bring the gift of spirit home.

EXPLORE THE TOPIC TOGETHER. Talk about...

Help your child understand how the gift of spirit is shared when people intentionally come together in faith.

EXTEND THE TOPIC TOGETHER. Try...

Spend some arts-and-crafts time together making individual "spirit posters." Give each family member a blank sheet of poster board or heavy paper, a photo of themselves, magazines to cut up, a glue stick, scissors, markers and stickers. You may like to title each poster, "The Gift of (Name's) Spirit." Invite each person to glue their own picture to their poster and add images that represent who they are, what they care about, and what they believe.

A FAMILY RITUAL

Try sharing your joys and concerns as a family at home. You will need some stones and a partially filled bowl of water. Have each member of the family hold a stone while they think about their joys and concerns. Then invite family members to drop a stone in the bowl as they share their joys and/or concerns aloud or speak them silently to themselves. Affirm each new stone by saying together, "We accept the gift of (name's) spirit." See how each added stone makes the water in the bowl rise, symbolizing how when each person shares their spirit and others accept it, our sharing of spirit grows.

Grades 3-5: Love Will Guide Us

Taking It Home, Session 9: Love of Learning

The reward of the young scientist is the emotional thrill of being the first person in the history of the world to see something or to understand something. Nothing can compare with that experience... The reward of the old scientist is the sense of having seen a vague sketch grow into a masterly landscape. — Cecilia Payne-Gaposchkin, astronomer, accepting the Henry Norris Russell Prize from the American Astronomical Society

IN TODAY'S SESSION... the children learned about the fifth Unitarian Universalist Source, in child-friendly words "the use of reason and the discoveries of science." We heard a story about Cecilia Payne, a Unitarian Universalist and the first professional astronomer. We conducted simple experiments to observe gravity and to investigate why sunsets are orange. Children learned that scientific investigation of falling objects or sunsets does not reduce their beauty or mystery, yet helps us understand our world.

EXPLORE THE TOPIC TOGETHER. Talk about... your own love of learning. We continue to learn new things all the time. Cecilia Payne faced challenges as a woman interested in a scientific field (astronomy) which did not yet exist, and yet she persevered. Discuss with your family a time you made a commitment to lifelong learning. Talk about something new you learned—in school, or not—and what that was like. How did you feel about school? What did you most enjoy doing in school? Why? Share with your child why you believe it's important that we learn and discover.

EXTEND THE TOPIC TOGETHER. Learn about and track the Hubble telescope (hubblesite.org/) on a website that includes downloadable photographs. Another online resource is Astronomy magazine(www.astronomy.com/asy/default.aspx) ; take note of the special editions.

Books your family might enjoy include:

• A Child's Introduction to the Night Sky: The Story of the Stars, Planets, and Constellations — and How You Can Find Them in the Sky by Michael Driscoll (Black Dog & Leventhal Publishers, 2004)
• Astronomy by Kristen Lippincott (DK Eyewitness Books, 2008)
• The Stars: A New Way To See Them by H. A. Rey (Houghton Mifflin Company, 2008)
• Maybe Yes, Maybe No by Dan Barker (Prometheus Books, 1993). In this child's introduction to healthy skepticism and critical thinking, the ten-year-old heroine, Andrea, is "always asking questions," writes Barker, because she thinks you should prove the truth.
• Humanism, What's That? by Helen Bennett (Prometheus Books, 2005). "This small volume holds out the hope and openness of Humanism in a form that can help young people confront Fundamentalist approaches to religion with confidence," writes Rev. William Sinkford, former President of the UUA.

Family Discovery. The science experiment that shows why the sky is blue, but the sunset is red would be easy to replicate at home. Download Session 9, Activity 3, Blue Sky, Red Sunset from the Tapestry of Faith website (www.uua.org/religiouseducation/curricula/tapestryfaith/index.shtml) .

A Family Ritual. Every week, take time to observe the night sky. Note the position of the Big Dipper and locate the North Star. Keep a log. The cold winter months are the best time of year to view these constellations.

Middle School: Riddle and Mystery

Taking It Home, Session 14: Life as Mystery

The fairest thing we can experience is the mysterious. It is the fundamental emotion which stands at the cradle of true art and true science... It was the experience of mystery, even if mixed with fear, that engendered religion. A knowledge of the existence of something we cannot penetrate, of the manifestations of the profoundest reason and the most radiant beauty—it is this knowledge and this emotion that constitute the truly religious attitude. In this sense, and in this alone, I am a deeply religious man. — Albert Einstein

Talk about the quote. Do you agree with it? Are you religious in the same way Albert Einstein said he was? When you look at the stars at night, do you have an appreciative sense of wonder and mystery?

WHAT WE DID TODAY

Today's Big Question asks, "Will we ever solve life's mystery?" We reviewed UU responses to some of the other Big Questions we have asked in Riddle and Mystery. We saw UUs have many responses to mystery, but mystery will never be completely "solved." Our story showed that questions lead to more questions, and that exploring mystery can lead to more mystery. 

MYSTERY TOOL KIT

If your family had a mystery tool kit, what would you put in it? Maybe someone knows a lot about science, and knowledge could go in it. Maybe others are very familiar with UU Sources, and our Sources could go in the tool kit. Someone who likes to dance or sing might have tools for celebrating mystery. What else? You decide.

FAMILY MYSTERY

When is the last time someone in your family said: "I don't know. It's a mystery to me." What is the biggest mystery your family has talked about in the last week? Did you solve the mystery? Will you ever solve it?

SHARE YOUR FAVORITE MYSTERY BOOKS AND TV SHOWS

What are some of your own or your family's favorite mystery books, films or television shows? What about your friends'? If you have a favorite mystery book or movie, share it with a friend or family member. If you really love mysteries, start a mystery book club at your school or congregation.

SHARED SEARCH

Travel to a mysterious place. Maybe it will be a haunted house. Maybe it will be a place where most people do not think about mystery—but you do.

PHOTO CHALLENGE

Photograph a mystery or try just the opposite: Photograph something that has no mystery to it at all. Can you think of such a thing? Before you answer "yes," remember some of the Big Questions you have talked about—like where things come from, and what they are. Now see if you can find something that has no mystery at all.

Family Information for Sunday, May 19th

Hello Friends and Families of Westside!

As part of our partner church focus in May, we are having special guests tomorrow, including two children and two young adults, who recently visited our partner village in Romania. All of our RE classes will spend half of their time in their classrooms, and half of their time in the social hall for this event. Come join the fun! Our guests will also share a Story for All Ages in the service.

ANNOUNCEMENTS:

1.    WSUU Youth Ministry Conversation: We have a special opportunity to meet with our Regional UU Youth Coordinator, Jennica Davis, next Wednesday, May 22^nd. She lives in Arizona, but will be in Seattle that week and agreed to be available to us that afternoon. Come join an informative conversation from 5:00—6:30pm in the Fireside Room, where she will share information about local, regional and national opportunities and events for high school youth. She will also help us to shape our youth programs for next year. All youth, their families, and anyone who is interested in supporting our youth programs are welcome to join! Contact Betsy with questions.

2.    HIGH SCHOOL OVERNIGHT: June 7-8 (Fri-Sat) our high school youth will have an overnight in the church! See Shelby Greiner or Henry Bennett for more information.

3.    DATE NIGHT JUNE 1, 6-9pm: The RE Council is sponsoring a date night for our WSUU parents to raise funds for two of our youth and a sponsor to attend General Assembly in Louisville this June. Your school-age children (ages 5-12) can have a fun night together in the social hall while parents go out for a nice dinner! $25 per child, $35 for two or more kids. RSVP to Kim Frappier (kimberly.frappier@gmail.com).

4.    BAND REHEARSALS: This Sunday the Youth Band meets from 9:15 to 10:00 – we’ll meet in the preschool classroom again this week. The Uke Band meets next week, May 26th.

5.    MIDDLE SCHOOL: I think everyone is up to speed on our middle school happenings for now! If you have any questions or want more information, please contact me (dre@wsuu.org).

6.    CHILDREN’S CHOIR: To all families of young singers! We are reconvening the kids’ choir to sing for RE Celebration Sunday on June 9th. We rehearsed on May 5^th and we’ll meet again on June 2^nd from 12:00-12:30 in the Fireside Room. Contact Lisa Maynard (l.maynard@comcast.net) or Liz Bucklew (liz.bucklew@becu.org) if you have any questions or if you would like to add your child to this choir.

7.    SOCIAL JUSTICE PROJECTS IN RE: Thank you for wonderful support of our K-5^th grade Heifer International project! Last Sunday our card sales added $263 to our collection! Also, you can continue to send extra change from around the house with your children to their classes on Sundays. This week you’ll hear more about the middle school class and their work with the White Center Food Bank.

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: Our Spirit Play class will start in the social hall with our special guests who will share experiences from their recent trip to Romania and our partner village. Back in their classroom, this week’s story is called “Butterfly Friends,” which is a Green Promise story – “grow by exploring what is true and right.” In this story, three butterflies make friends with red clover, who is not afraid of their differences.

Kindergarten through Second Grade: “Wonderful Welcome”:  Our K-2 class will start in the social hall with our special guests who will share experiences from their recent trip to Romania and our partner village.

Back in their classroom, this Sunday’s session will focus on the gift of spirit, which we give and receive as members of a faith community when we worship together, celebrate together, and support and comfort one another. At its best, a Unitarian Universalist faith community nourishes all members with affirmation of their spirit and acceptance of their unique spiritual paths. 

Third through Fifth Grades: “Love Will Guide Us”: Our 3-5 class will start in the social hall with our special guests who will share experiences from their recent trip to Romania and our partner village.

Back in their classroom, this Sunday’s session will focus on our fifth Source, which “…counsels us to heed the guidance of reason and the results of science…,” through Unitarian Universalist Cecelia Payne, the first person to be given the title “astronomer.” We will learn about Cecelia’s love of learning and do a mini science investigation to illustrate that UUs value discovery throughout life and use reason as a source of strength in our faith.

Middle School: “Riddle and Mystery”:  The middle schoolers will spend the first half of class in their classroom, and the second half in the social hall with our special guests who will share experiences from their recent trip to Romania and our partner village.

This week’s lesson is about life as mystery, focusing on the big question, “can we ever solve life’s mystery?” The typical answer will be “no,” but our kids will examine this seemingly obvious answer by revisiting a few of the big questions from previous sessions.

High School: “Our Name is Earl”: Our high school class will spend the first half of class (from 10:30-11:15) in their classroom, and the second half in the social hall with our special guests who will share experiences from their recent trip to Romania and our partner village.

This week’s lesson is “O Karma, Where Art Thou?” – Agents and Prophets. Some of our discussion questions include:

·      Do you believe people, in general, get what they deserve? Why or why not? Can you give an example of a time when you saw a person get EXACTLY what they deserved, good or bad? What about a time when someone didn't get what they deserved, good or bad?

·      How far do you think you have to go to make something up to someone? How much would you sacrifice to make things right?

·      Who or what do you turn to in times of crisis?

·      Can you think of a time when your faith in something or someone was challenged? What did you do? How did you feel?

Youth Group will meet this week in the social hall from 7:00-8:30pm with Shelby and Suki. The next few meetings are important – our YAC members (Mia, Henry and Lewis) will be leading the group through some planning for creating our youth room (starting in a couple of weeks), our upcoming overnight (June 7-8), and visiting other youth groups (this summer).  

See you tomorrow!

Betsy

Taking It Home for Sunday, May 12th

Grades K-2: Wonderful Welcome

Taking It Home, Session 13: The Gift Of Learning Together

Whenever you are asked if you can do a job, tell 'em, 'Certainly I can!' Then get busy and find out how to do it.

— Theodore Roosevelt

IN TODAY'S SESSION... The children explored the intangible gift of learning together. They heard a story about a rooster that did not know how to do its job —waking up the farmer and the other animals. The other farm animals attempt to teach the rooster what to do. Ultimately, the rooster realizes that he knew how to crow all along, but he needed his friends to help him learn. The children learned a new weaving skill and experienced learning from and with each other.

EXPLORE THE TOPIC TOGETHER. Talk about... what it means to learn together. What are some of the things you learn together as a family? What else would you like to learn together?

EXTEND THE TOPIC TOGETHER. Try... Choose an activity that the family has never tried before and learn about it together. For example, if you have never cooked as a family, choose a recipe that could involve all members of the family. You may want to try to weave something together. Use the instructions from Activity 4 of this session to make a belt together. If you give the belt to an extended family member or a friend, make sure you let that person know they are also receiving an intangible gift — the gift of learning together.

A FAMILY ADVENTURE

Visit a working farm in your area. There might be a dairy barn or goat farm near you that offers tours. When you go, find out how the different parts of the farm work together.

FAMILY DISCOVERY

Younger and younger children are accustomed to doing research online and this is a great way to learn together. Sit down with your child(ren) at a computer and research a topic together. You might investigate places where you all want to travel, animals you have always wondered about, a sport you would like to learn, the history of your own family's ethnic group(s), or upcoming schedules of family activities in your local area. If you find out about a course you can all take together, such as a local ecology or an ethnic dance course, consider signing up!

Grades 3-5: Love Will Guide Us

Taking It Home, Session 8: Love is Accepting

Learning to live with what you're born with/is the process,/the involvement./the making of a life. — Diane Wakoski, American poet and essayist, in The Motorcycle Betrayal Poems

IN TODAY'S SESSION... the children learned from our fourth Unitarian Universalist Source, "Jewish and Christian teachings which tell us to love all others as we love ourselves," and explored gender stereotypes through a story based on Jacob and Rachel, from Hebrew scripture. While we may wish to believe the damage of gender bias belongs to the past, there is still much to be learned about gender identity. We talked about gender as a feature of identity we find on a continuum, rather than a binary (male/female).

Another topic explored today is one of expressing emotions. The group role played expressing emotions and how they react to those emotions.

EXPLORE THE TOPIC TOGETHER. The story "The Strong Man Who Cried" challenges gender stereotypes. Jacob cries whenever he sees something beautiful. Rachel would rather tend sheep then stay home with other women. Use this story for a teachable moment in your family. Ask about Jacob and crying. Ask about Rachel and the way her father responds to her. The children learned that this story was written a long time ago, when gender roles and expectations were rigid. Talk together about what, if any, gender stereotypes exist today—at home, at school, or in the media. Name specific people who do not fit a gender stereotype. Talk about how a gender stereotype can hurt everyone—the person whose behavior does not fit it, as well as people whose behavior does seem to fit. Talk about how stereotyping can prevent people from giving and receiving the love and acceptance we all deserve.

Family Discovery. Try this session's Faith In Action activity at home, with items you have around the house. If more than one gender lives in your home, examine who plays with which toys. If there is only one gender represented, what toys do you have? Are any toys which, according to stereotype, "belong" to the other gender? Invite everyone to play with a toy they do not usually play with.

Middle School: Riddle and Mystery

Taking It Home, Session 13: Oh My Soul

If there is light in the soul, there will be beauty in the person. If there is beauty in the person, there will be harmony in the house. If there is harmony in the house, there will be order in the nation. If there is order in the nation, there will be peace in the world. — Chinese proverb

Talk about the quote. Do you agree with what it says? What does it mean to have light in your soul? Is having light in your soul the same as having love in your soul? How do you get light into your soul? How do you get light into somebody else's soul?

WHAT WE DID TODAY

Today's Big Question asks, "Do I have a soul?" We began with a meditation and talked about the general meaning of soul. We talked about what other people say about soul, and reacted to their ideas. We heard the story "Why and Where God Hides," and learned that some people think God or the Divine is in each of us, maybe even in our souls. During WCUU, we heard about what various UUs have said about soul in different times and places. Our NUUs Analyst said that many UUs today use the word "soul" when they speak of their deepest, nonphysical selves, but they do not think of the soul as something that lives forever and goes to Hell or Heaven when we die. Most UUs are more concerned about what we are and do in life than in death. Finally, we made masks to explore our own inner selves and souls.

FIND YOURSELF

Did you ever hear about people "finding themselves"? Talk to your family about what that means. Some people say that finding yourself means learning to know your deepest self. Other people can support you while you do that, but in the end, you are the only person who can really go inside yourself, and you are the person who can understand yourself best. Do other members of your family agree with that? Do they think that "soul-searching" is a way to find yourself? Can meditation help with that?

REFLECT ON YOUR BELIEFS

Here is a traditional prayer poem that children have sometimes said just before going to bed:

Now I lay me down to sleep,

I pray the Lord my soul to keep.

If I should die before I wake,

I pray the Lord my soul to take.

Are you familiar with that poem? Have people in your family ever said it? How do you react to it? What do you think would happen to the soul in the poem, if the person died in the night and the Lord took the soul? What sort of religious belief about soul does the poem reflect?

SHARED SEARCH

Travel to a place where the word "soul" or the idea of "soul" is important. Maybe it is a church or a cemetery. What do you find there?

PHOTO CHALLENGE

Photograph the spirit of yourself. How do you do that? Maybe you photograph a place where you have made a difference. Or maybe you photograph something that represents an idea of yours. You decide.

FAMILY FAITH IN ACTION — DEEPER CONNECTIONS

As a family, reach out to another family of people you like but could get to know better. Try to connect, and to understand each other. (Do this together with adults, because not everybody is safe and easy to get along with). Making better connections with other people can be very rewarding. You and they get to know more about who everybody really is inside.

Family Information for Sunday, May 12th

Hello Friends and Families of Westside!

Happy Mother’s Day Weekend! We are bustling with activity this spring in our programs for children and youth – check out the announcements below to learn more.

ANNOUNCEMENTS:

1.    BAND REHEARSALS: This Sunday the Uke Band meets in the social hall from 9:15 to 10:00. The Youth Band meets next week, May 19th.

2.    MIDDLE SCHOOL: This is a big month for middle school activities! Check below for more detailed information.

a.   May 17 (Fri) – Social Fun Night from 6:00-8:00pm

b.   May 18 (Sat) – Community service at White Center Food Bank from 10:30am-1:15pm

c.    May 21 (Tues) -- Community service at White Center Food Bank from 6:00pm-8:00pm

d.   May 30 (Thurs) -- Community service at White Center Food Bank from 6:00pm-8:00pm

e.   June 7-8 (Fri, Sat) – Northlake Mini Con

3.    DATE NIGHT JUNE 1, 6-9pm: The RE Council is sponsoring a date night for our WSUU parents to raise funds for two of our youth and a sponsor to attend General Assembly in Louisville this June. Your school-age children (ages 5-12) can have a fun night together in the social hall while parents go out for a nice dinner! $25 per child, $35 for two or more kids. RSVP to Kim Frappier (kimberly.frappier@gmail.com).

4.    CHILDREN’S CHOIR: To all families of young singers! We are reconvening the kids’ choir to sing for RE Celebration Sunday on June 9th. We rehearsed on May 5^th and we’ll meet again on June 2^nd from 12:00-12:30 in the Fireside Room. Contact Lisa Maynard (l.maynard@comcast.net) or Liz Bucklew (liz.bucklew@becu.org) if you have any questions or if you would like to add your child to this choir.

5.    SOCIAL JUSTICE PROJECTS IN RE: This Sunday during social hour you can purchase beautiful greeting cards painted by our K-5^th grade children, to support their social action initiative with Heifer International! Also, you can continue to send extra change from around the house with your children to their classes on Sundays. They have a class jar and they track their progress every week. Also look for the Milk Money social action project table, organized by our middle schoolers!

6.    MAY IS PARTNERSHIP MONTH IN RE: In our Chalice Chapel on April 21^st, our children and youth saw a video about our partner church in Transylvania, and their community. It was made by Marilyn Mayers who also joined us that day to share more about our partnership. She presented us with an original piece of art from the youngest children in that community, and we will be framing this for our children to see. In the next three weeks, our children and youth will hear from other kids who recently traveled to Romania, and they will be part of creating a video that we can share with our Romanian partners.

7.    HIGH SCHOOL OVERNIGHT: June 7-8 (Fri-Sat) our high school youth will have an overnight in the church! See Shelby for more information.

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: In our remaining weeks before the summer program begins, we will revisit some of our favorite stories and themes in our Spirit Play class.

Kindergarten through Second Grade: “Wonderful Welcome”:  This Sunday’s session will focus on the gift of learning together. As Unitarian Universalists, we use this gift in affirming and promoting our seven Principles. We cannot strive for justice, equity and compassion in human relations, nor work toward the goal of world community, without being willing to learn what others feel and need. To pursue a free and responsible search for truth and meaning, and to accept one another and encourage one another’s spiritual growth, we must be open to what we can learn from one another’s experiences, as well as from teachings of other peoples and faiths.

Third through Fifth Grades: “Love Will Guide Us”: This session focuses on the fourth Unitarian Universalist Source, expressed in children’s language as “Jewish and Christian teachings which tell us to love all others as we love ourselves.” The story from Hebrew scripture of Jacob and Rachel meeting for the first time highlights the importance of questioning gender stereotypes and of experiencing and showing emotions. Participants engage in dress-up and role playing to encourage discussion about gender issues. They explore how they communicate their feelings and how they understand the feelings of others.

Middle School: “Riddle and Mystery”:  This week’s big question is “Do I have a soul?” The word “soul” appears in Unitarian Universalism in the names of some congregations, in hymns and in readings, in articles, sermons and books. “Soul” is a word that means different things to different people and within different faith traditions. Sometimes “souls” is simply used as a synonym for “people.” But as a religious term, UU youth have a right to wrestle with its meaning for them and a right to know that it is a concept UUs can find meaningful. For some UUs “soul” refers to the center of individual self – one’s most true self. To some, it stresses the connective nature of the spiritual self to the Divine or to all other life. To some it means one’s inner light or inner life.

High School: “Our Name is Earl”: No class this week! Our next class is next Sunday, May 19^th.

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

Have a fabulous Mother’s Day Sunday!

Betsy 

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Middle School Events:

1) Middle School Social Fun Night: Friday, May 17^th from 6:00pm-8:00pm in the social hall – calling all middle schoolers to come join the fun for a night of community, pizza and hide-and-seek adventure! RSVP to Betsy (dre@wsuu.org). A donation to help cover pizza costs would be much appreciated!

2) White Center Food Bank Community Service: As part of their spring social action project, the middle schoolers can offer service to the food bank on one (or two, or all three) of these dates:

·      May 18 (Sat) –10:30am-1:15pm (we need two chaperones for this) Please plan to stay the whole time, as we will be handing out food to clients.

·      May 21 (Tues) -- 6:00pm-8:00pm (Wendy Swyt and Betsy will be helping) Come for the whole time if you can, or part of the time if needed to sort and bag donations.

·      May 30 (Thurs) -- 6:00pm-8:00pm (Wendy Swyt and Betsy will be helping) Come for the whole time if you can, or part of the time if needed to sort and bag donations.

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! I have reserved space for two middle schoolers so far.

4) Middle School Fall Con -- Here is the fall con announcement:

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.