2016-17 Spirit Play compact.
Words we can all live by!
First day of RE update by Senior Minister Rev Roger
-If you are a new person or family at UUSS, click here.

-If you have been here for a while, read on:
We had 50 kids and youth last Sunday, September 18! Many thanks to our staff and volunteers for navigating all the pandemonium of a new beginning. We had some newer families show up too, so at 5 minutes till show time there was a crowd around the RE Welcome Table. Miranda and I don't think we lost anybody, but who knows. This is why we are happy now to have coverage by volunteer hosts for TWO Sunday mornings out of every month at the RE table! Thank you to Karen and Claudia. Would you be able to take a shift on one Sunday each month? Let us know!
First day of RE update by RE Coordinator Miranda
Wow! Thanks to all the volunteers, RE families, and my colleagues that made the first day of our 2016-17 Religious Education year a wonderful one. It feels so great to see you all piling into the sanctuary and filling up the RE rooms. I appreciate the support, smiles, and enthusiasm! Let us all work collaboratively to keep the momentum going. See you tomorrow. 

Our Whole Lives Orientation: grades 4-5-6- this Sunday!
Parent/grandparent/guardian orientation for this program is this Sunday from 12:00 to 2:00 PM in the Fahs Classroom. Your attendance is necessary for your youth to participate and register. We welcome you to purchase a salad lunch at our UUSS Board of Trustees  Salad Sunday fundraiser for our operating budget before the orientation. Kids are welcome at the orientation at the start and then we will separate into adult/youth groupings. This is the day to make the commitment and register. Read more about OWL here .

Our Whole Lives Orientation: grades 7-8-9 - postponed. 
We are sorry to say that we don't have a large enough group of youth to make this level of OWL happen this program year. We are grateful to those families who showed interest and were looking forward to it. We are grateful also to the four teachers who trained for this and had scheduled the sessions for this year. We're sorry, as we know you were looking forward to it. Three of our trained OWL teachers will be here next year, and they hope to offer it in fall of 2017. 
>This means:  No OWL Orientation for grades 7-8-9 this Sunday.
2016-2017 Registration forms 
Please help us better serve your family by filling out a registration form for our program. A new form should be completed at the beginning of a new RE year. All names of children and youth can be listed on one form. Form now available online to print or you may pick one up at the RE Table at church. Please send any questions to re@uuss.org . Thanks!  
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Save the Dates
Middle school MUUGs weekend Retreat scheduled for: November 4-6, 2016. For more information please contact  Marlene Abel, Registrar:  marlenea@sonic.net.  

High school YRUUP Fall Con weekend scheduled for: November 4-6, 2016.  If you have any questions, feel free to contact the registrar at registrar@yruup.org.
Once a month?
Would you like to help by assisting at the RE Table before service one Sunday a month? Let Miranda know at re@uuss.org . This small gesture is a huge help. Thank you! 


More Religious Education news: 

-Read Spirit Play champion Alecia Sanchez's summary of the first day orientation session here. 

-Read JHYG Grades 6-7-8 "Neighboring Faiths" lead teacher Anthony Johnson's summary of the first day of RE session here.

-Coming this Sunday, 9/25: The Game returns in Grades 6-7-8. Read Cooperative Game Construction lead teacher Kate Anderson's look forward to the fall at this link.

-Read SHYG Advisor, Anita Lee-Lundin's welcome to Grades 9-10-11-12 summary of the first RE session and possible dialogue topics here. 
Sunday, September 25: Happenings at UUSS & 2nd day of RE!

9:25 AM: Nursery Opens in Education Building, Room 11, so adults can attend the spiritual practice.

9:30 AM: "Exploring Unitarian Universalism" every 3rd Sunday in the Fahs Classroom

9:45 AM: Sunday Morning Spiritual Practices: Reading and reflecting spiritually on poetry and prose (the topic on every 4th Sunday) in Classroom 6, ends at 10:15. Child care in Room 11.

10:15 AM: Families with children arrive at the RE Table in the Welcome Hall to register for a new year of Religious Education programs. REMEMBER: Please register for the new RE year! We need all this information to serve your child well, to keep them safe, AND to be able to send them a birthday card!
PS-we are happy now to have coverage by volunteer hosts for TWO Sunday mornings out of every month at the RE table! Thank you to Karen and Claudia. Would you be able to take a shift on one Sunday each month? Let us know!

10:25 AM: Greet others in the Welcome Hall and get a name tag and then have a seat!

10:30 AM: Worship Service - Rev. Lucy will be preaching on the stress and spiritual challenge of our politically polarized society in a sermon entitled, Why Can't We Get Along?  After the first 15 minutes, Rev. Roger will depart with the kids, youth and RE volunteers for a morning with our RE activities! 

10:30 AM: Junior High Youth Group (JHYG) starts in Classroom 6. Note this change for this year! Youth in this program will have an extra 15 minutes together AND have enough time to take full advantage of each session of our TWO curricula!  JHYG youth will now sign in and make a name tag in Room 6. This Sunday, join lead teacher Kate Anderson for another round of game-construction based on UU values. Sorry, this is only for youth, but if you want to be an adult helper, contact RE Coordinator, Miranda.

11:35 PM: Stay after service for coffee, tea, lemonade, conversation, and a look at our many activity tables, including Adult Enrichment, Children's RE, and the Connections Table. Have a salad, last one before Soup Sundays begin in October! 

11:55 AM: Orientation to UUSS & Tour of the Campus every 4th Sunday. Two lay leaders will meet you in the Welcome Hall and take you to the Sanctuary and then all around the campus. Come learn about us and introduce yourselves to other new folks. Longtime members also welcome; maybe you don't know where everything is around here! Krystal and Yer stay later in the Room 11 Nursery to care for children during this orientation. 

12:00 PM: Mandatory Parent/Guardian Orientation for OWL, Our Whole Lives sexuality education program for those in grades 4-5-6.  
Garden Day, 10/2
Spirit Play families: join us in the Garden on Sunday, October 2 for RE Salsa Day. We are always extremely grateful for Glory Wicklund who plans for amazing outdoor fun. Dress in garden clothes, wear a hat, and enjoy getting your hands dirty! 

Thanks again for your continued support.

Sincerely,
Miranda
UUSS Religious Education Coordinator