Senior's Week for 2020 Grads!
The Allen family is celebrating "Senior Week" for their daughters, Kaija and Nazeriah, before they both graduate from high school the end of this month. They woke them up early with songs, then went off to see the many decorations between their yard and the "Tantes" (Jeri and Sabine's yard). There were signs and flowers and all kinds of festivities, including Taco Tuesday.
Religious Education Virtual Classes K-12th
Engaging UU Identity
First African American graduate of Meadville Theological School, [May],1906, founder of Bowie State University, Ohio

“...Goodloe enrolled at Meadville despite realizing it was unlikely that a Unitarian church would ordain him. No Unitarian congregation had ever called a black minister. He also knew that a degree from a Unitarian seminary was not the best way to find work as a Methodist or other mainstream Christian preacher. Southworth reported that Goodloe had enrolled at Meadville "with his eyes open, knowing that it is probably not a good way into the orthodox ministry, but ready to take the consequences."

Theme Connection: Here is a man who crossed the threshold of being the first African American graduate of Meadville despite knowing that no Unitarian congregation had ever called a black minister. The door to ministry was closed to him because of his race, yet he still pursued the education because of the Unitarian doctrines.
First Japanese Unitarian Minister, graduates from Meadville in [May], 1891
Watari Kitashima

Kitashima of Tokyo, a member of the Rissho Kosei-kai (a Japanese liberal religious group based on the Nichiren school of Buddhism, with ties to the UUA)
was ordained in May 1894 by the First Congregational Church of Vineland, New Jersey.

Theme Connection: Another graduation threshold.
The Humanist Movement Brought Us Together Video
Symphony of Science - The Secret of the Stars
"Meanwhile, religious humanism had taken steadily stronger root out west, and 1933 was a significant year in its development. Unitarian ministers Curtis Reese and John Dietrich led that movement toward ever greater visibility and understanding, with eventual publication in 1933 of the influential document "A Humanist Manifesto." From that point on, the Unitarian context sponsored a very active humanist perspective affirming that our human experience and reason in this world can be the locus of truth and morality. There were also Universalist ministers signing on to the Humanist Manifesto, signaling a growing coherence between them and the Unitarians."
I am only one
But I am still one.
I cannot do everything,
But still I can do something.
And because I cannot do everything
I will not refuse to do the
something I can do "

-Edward Everett Hale, Singing The Living Tradition , 457
Helpful Resources
Click above to expand the images.
"The best-case scenario is that all our planning for a virtual ceremony is not needed! If that occurs, we will turn the submissions for the virtual ceremony into a video keepsake for each graduate and their families. It will also ensure that any senior who is unable to attend an in-person ceremony later in the summer is recognized. I ask each graduate to engage in the virtual planning as it will create a memory for your entire graduating class." Read more....
Update on Graduations for 2020 Pinellas County Seniors
...."The district will continue to also plan for a virtual ceremony which incorporates all portions of a traditional graduation ceremony including student speeches, the reading of each graduate’s name and a graduate address from their principal. This will ensure that if we are unable to hold an in-person ceremony, due to regulations associated with the current health crisis, each graduate still has a celebration to honor their accomplishments. Our virtual ceremony planning will be done in a manner that is personalized not just for each school, but each student through submission of photos and memories that will be included within the ceremony."

Unitarian Universalist Church of St. Petersburg is not affiliated nor a sponsor of the community events posted on our UUSP RE e-newsletters. The information is derived from PeachJar.com, The Parent's Guide Magazine and City of St. Petersburg Events page, PlayLargo.com and various applications for family engagement strictly for informational purposes only. The information posted is not for profit or for monetary gain unless specified to contribute to a fundraiser in whereas the donations are to UU and/or UUA affiliates such as UUSC. If you have any questions or concerns about this statement, reply to this email.
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If you have any submissions for the RE weekly newsletter, please submit your information to email  the Editor  by noon every Tuesday to have it posted to the newsletter for Thursday's e-print.

This E-Newsletter is put together by Jeanay Johnson, Re Coordinator.