Volume XXV | December 1, 2018
December 2018
Your monthly news & updates
Upcoming youth activities and events as well as information for members
who want to know what is going on in the youth program.

(If you do not want to receive these monthly updates you may unsubscribe
at the bottom of this email. It will not affect your regular newsletter subscription.)
Unitarian Universalists love puzzles. We proudly announce that we are the religion that loves questions and questioning. Or to put it another way, we love figuring out life’s mysteries. 

But what if mystery isn’t just something to figure out? What if it’s also something to be listened to? This is the lesser recognized call of our faith. Being a people of mystery isn’t just about engaging life as a marvelous puzzle. It’s also about allowing yourself to be spoken to by life’s wonder.
December 2 - Service for All Ages
Let the Mystery Be:
The Practice of Gratitude and Appreciation
December is the month of exploring Mystery.
We will be installing three new chalice lighters during the service. Then we will launch ourselves into mystery, wonder, and not knowing. Come with us and venture into space and explore Star Stuff.

Services @ 9:30 & 11:15
Youth Religious Education
Sunday Topics
Everyone starts in the sanctuary for the worship service. On days with religious education classes the children will leave after the Time to Gather with their teachers and go to their classrooms.

Our theme for December is MYSTERY. The weekly topics will be:
Dec . 2 - Let the Mystery Be (no classes)
Dec. 9 - Mystery All Around Us: The practice of seeing the miracles in the ordinary.
Dec. 16 - The Mystery of Us: The practice of recognizing the divine in others and ourselves.
Dec. 23 One service only @ 11:15
The Mystery of the Nativity: an Unrehearsed Pageant (no classes)
Dec. 30 One service only @ 11:15
Fire Communion Service (no classes)
Each week we will provide parent and family resources relating to the theme and/or topic. (see further below for more resources on Mystery)
Our Whole Lives: Sexuality Education
for 1st & 2nd grade and 5th & 6th grade
  The Our Whole Lives (OWL) program for elementary age youth is guided by two principles: parents have primary responsibility for sexuality education with their children and sexuality education begins at home and continues through an open and honest communication between parents and children.
   The OWL classes take children through age appropriate activities and provide a support system for parents. Lessons and activities are led by UUA trained OWL facilitators.
 
*PLEASE NOTE: required parent and child orientation for both programs.
 
1st & 2nd grade Orientation Sunday, January 13 1:00 - 3:30 p.m.
1st & 2nd grade Classes Sunday, January 27 - March 17 1:00 - 2:00 p.m.
(8 sessions)
 
5th & 6th grade Orientation Sunday, January 6 1:00 - 3:30 p.m.
5th & 6th grade Classes Sunday, January 13 - March 17 1:00 - 2:00 p.m.
(10 sessions)

Steve Cooper will host a question and answer session on Sunday, December 9th from 10:30 to 11:00 in the Sophia Fahs classroom (middle, lower level)

Email Steve to confirm that your child will (or will not) be participating.

girl_by_christmas_tree.jpg
Calling All Young Musicians
Steve is looking for musicians, with a year or more of experience, to play their favorite holiday musical piece for the Christmas Eve Family Service (6:00 p.m. Dec. 24). Parents or siblings can accompany or if given enough notice Bonnie can accompany.

We have been asked to help support some Naperville families with some Christmas gifts. Most of the asks are for needed clothing. Find tags on the Christmas tree on your way to the sanctuary with the above picture and it will list the items and sizes on the back. Please return the unwrapped item with the tag attached by December 16th.

(other tags on the tree are for the PADS collection, please support that as well)
If you did not receive your Guest At Your Table box on November 25th you can pick one up in the church office. The boxes will be collected on January 20th.
Place the box on your dinner table and add a dollar or two as you prepare to eat.
Donations to Guest at Your Table help UUSC and their partners respond to extraordinary human rights challenges of today, address root causes of injustice, and build capacity to respond to future crises.  Find out more here.
Resources for MYSTERY
These resources support parents as they live out and engage our themes with their children. Playing off our monthly theme question of “What does it mean to be a people of Mystery?”, we invite parents to ask “What does it mean to be a parent of Mystery” or “What does it mean to be a family of Mystery?”

Each month we will provide a list of table topics which are questions based on the monthly theme that will open up discussion during meal times, family time or just time of contemplation. The first dozen questions are at a higher level but most can be re-framed for younger children. The last half dozen or so questions are framed to be more kid friendly. You can find the Mystery Table Topics here . Print them out and have them available or cut the questions into strips and place them in a table topic jar.


Family Adventure Ideas
 
December Star Gazing and the Geminid Meteor Showers - connect with the mystery
Arrange a time when your family can find a place to view the stars at night. Dec. 13 and 14 will be the prime viewing time for the Geminid Meteor Showers. https://www.space.com/34921-geminid-meteor-shower-guide.html
 
Take a Mystery Road Trip
Here are all the instructions you’ll need!...
 
Take a Mystery Trail Walk
Check out the step by step guide:
 
Make Magic Mud
 
Kitchen Table Craft
 
Chalice Snowflakes
A paper cutting craft resulting in a snowflake with chalices! Decorate!

You can contact Steve Cooper, Director of Religious Education at dre@dupageuuchurch.org or the Youth Religious Education Committee at yre@duuc.org