March 26th, 2021
Religious Exploration/Education
March's Theme is Commitment
Hello Families,

I hope you have been able to get outside to celebrate Spring this week! It's been such glorious weather to welcome in the new season. We even heard spring peepers for the first time this year on the spring equinox. It was like they knew it was time to celebrate.

This week we embrace our curiosity. As UUs, we are committed to asking questions and being curious. Our fourth principle is a "free and responsible search for truth and wisdom" and our first source reminds us that we draw wisdom from "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 which create and uphold life."
So I invite you to dive into that mystery. Follow the curious wonderings and wanderings of your children. Open your eyes to the beauty, majesty and wonder of this world. Spring time is such a perfect time to re-awaken our senses and restore our feelings of wonder and gratitude for this world.

And for your convenience, all past newsletters can be found here on the UUCSC website
A Time for All Ages
Getting Curious about each other
This week we are having story time! This is a really important book, that I hope you of all ages will take the time to listen to. It follows Milo on a subway ride as he imagines the lives of his fellow travelers. But it turns out that his assumptions are not always correct. And it ends with a surprising revelation about Milo's own life that we couldn't have known by just looking at him.
Stories for RE
Picture Books
Martin Finds A Way, by T.H. Marshall. I love this clever book about a small boy on a journey. As he walks through the world he finds many Ways and follows them for a time. You never know where the path may lead when you open your heart and your mind.
The Curious Garden, by Peter Brown. This is about a boy whose curiosity brings him to a tiny bit of greenery in a big dreary city. Liam gives this little green patch love and attention, and grows a magnificent, wild garden.
I Wonder, by Annaka Harris. This is a gorgeously illustrated story about a little girl asking questions of her mom as she wonders about the everyday miracles of the world. This books reminds us to stay curious and full of awe.
Mindful Moment
A Spring Equinox Ritual

I'm going to leave this invitation here for this week. I just did the egg ritual with a group of three other families and it was so powerful. I hope you will make time to do it with your family.


And if you feel so inspired, come visit the backyard of UUCSC and walk our lovely spiral. Or make your own on the beach with stones!
Soulful Connections
Another wonderful offering from our Soulful Home packet for this month:
 
The UUA joins other groups in observing Climate Justice Month, from March 22 (World Water Day) to April 22 (Earth Day), a commitment to approaching climate justice as a matter of faith. UUs acknowledge that the issue of climate justice is best addressed when it acknowledges North America’s legacy of colonization, and looks to the leadership of indigenous peoples who have been protecting the earth and its waters for many, many generations.
 
A Scavenger Hunt!
See if you can find or find out:
  1. The names of the native peoples of the land you live on. Do you know anything about those peoples, historically and currently?
  2. A historical marker or heritage site in your area that acknowledges the land’s indigenous population. (The Historical Marker Database might be a place to start, or you could contact your local historical society for pointers.)
  3. Five native plants
  4. Five introduced plants
  5. Your watershed; have you been to the body of water that your land’s runoff drains into?
  6. The landfill closest to you (Not the most exciting field trip, we know, but an important visual to have in mind when we throw things “away.”)
  7. Who is leading environmental protection efforts in your area? Which one seems like the best fit for your family to be involved with?

Send me pictures if you find any of these things!
Sunday Zoom Time
We are expanding our offerings, so I hope you can make it to some of the following:

EVERY SUNDAY, 9am-9:30: Kid Circle Time. We have a lovely, simple time together, sharing Roses/Buds/Thorns, singing a song and doing an activity, scavenger hunt or movement together.

THIRD SUNDAYS, 9:30-10am: Adult Sharing Time.

LAST SUNDAYS, 9:30-10:30: CartUUns! THIS SUNDAY! We will be watching this short film and then doing a wonderful art project from the anti-racism class I attended. We will be thinking about what's special about us that people can't tell just by looking at us. Email me if you plan to attend. The art supplies you will need are just a piece of any kind of paper, some colored paper, glue stick and a writing utensil.
Pictures from the week
A blaze of color outside of RE!
We did our Equinox egg balance!
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