Youth Religious Education news for you

Volume 2, Issue XX | January 5, 2019

January 2020

Your monthly Religious Education

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.)

Forums at 9:15 a.m.

Sunday Service and Youth Religious Education at 10:30 a.m.

Nursery Care available from 9:15 to 11:30

Make the Next Decision a Good One

Sunday, January 5, 2020 @ 10:30am

By Steve Cooper, Director of Religious Education

January begins our month of thinking about what it means to be a people of integrity. Each of us builds our own character by the actions we take in the world. And most of us would say that we strive to be good people. Yet we know that we regularly say and do things that take us further from good character. We sometimes act petty, selfish, entitled, impulsive, aggressive, or hurtful. We want one thing, and we do another. How do we reconcile these two realities? We will have special music for this service for all ages. All are welcome!

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 January is INTEGRITY. The weekly topics will be:

Jan 5 - Make the Next Decision a Good One (service for all ages, no RE classes)

Jan 12 - Being True to Yourself by Finding Courage

Jan 19 - Being True to Yourself by Finding and Feeling the Integrity of "We"

Jan 26 - Being True to Yourself by Walking the Talk

Each week we will provide parent and family resources relating to the theme and/or topic. (see further below for more resources on Integrity)

Children's Choir

The Children's Choir will sing on February 2, 2020, and May 3, 2020. You do not need to commit to both dates. If your kids are interested in joining or if you have questions, please e-mail Jenny Hobbs to be added to the mailing list.

Blessing of Integrity

Parents of faith, bless you and thank you for your magnificent effort to raise noble, caring, whole children. Know that we, all of us, benefit from your undertaking, and share this task with you, for you are creating tomorrow’s society in the hearts and minds of today’s youth. May your stores of moral courage, forgiveness, compassion, creativity, and humor be rich and sustaining. And should they run short, may you remember that there is a community of integrity surrounding you, offering you its support and nourishment. May we all open and let that nourishment in. And, in return, may we pass it on to each other.

Resources for INTEGRITY

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 Integrity?”, we invite parents to ask “What does it mean to be a parent of Integrity” or “What does it mean to be a family of Integrity?”

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 half of the questions are at a higher age level and life maturity. The second half of the list of questions (in blue text) are kid friendly. You can find the January INTEGRITY Table Topics here . Print them out and have them available or cut the questions into strips and place them in a table topic jar.

Story To Read Together

The Empty Pot

Picture Book: https://www.amazon.com/Empty-Pot-Demi/dp/0805049002

Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mZqmNJvsGkM

Also Online from Tapestry of Faith, Creating Home

https://www.uua.org/re/tapestry/children/home/session13/60162.shtml

Theme Connection: A tale of honesty and integrity rewarded.

Family Movie Night Ideas

Mary Poppins

https://www.commonsensemedia.org/movie-reviews/mary-poppins

“Families can talk about how Mary Poppins gets her messages across. What's easier to hear, a command or a song? How does Poppins get respect from others?

Why is it important to spend time together? What happens if people get too busy sometimes to "go fly a kite"?

How does Mary Poppins teach and demonstrate ... integrity? " - Common Sense Media

For You

(Support for Parents as Faith Formation Guides)

The Unique Challenges of UU Parenting

By Michelle Richards, UU World

https://www.uuworld.org/articles/challenges-uu-parenting

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