We Are Going!
Faith Development Newsletter
Greetings Families!

I hope you are all snug and warm during this cold snap. I'm feeling grateful to be sitting in a bright pool of sunlight in my dining room as the cold wind whips by outdoors.

We had a successful month of all ages exploration in January, and now age-based groups begin again! After Sunday's Family Chapel, kids will break into 3 groups, with preschool-age children joining the childcare providers in the Nursery for free play, K through 4th grade returning to Spirit Play in Jordan-Latimer, and 5th-8th grade to the Reeb Room for Crossing Paths. Meanwhile, 8th and 9th grade OWL students and their facilitators will be wrapping up that program with a final celebration.

Last week in our 4th Sunday of Finding Our Center, we talked about the idea of love being at the center of our UU faith, as illustrated in the diagram above from the proposed revision to Article 2 of the UUA Bylaws. Some of the kids began work on a large group "Love" collage.

Now, with our February theme of Love, we invite everyone in the congregation to add to that collage over the course of the month. Feel free to stop by the Dix Room on the lower level, off the Community Room, before or after the service to make a contribution big or small to this collective work. You will find materials at the ready.

Some notes about logistics as we try to find the right balance again:

It is our plan to try to have some extra staff on hand in case the Spirit Play group is too big, or just to diverse in age/stage to stay in one room for the whole hour. We would love to offer a separate older elementary class, and I have some great ideas for what that could be, but we are just not sure we have enough regular attenders to make two groups work. If you have 3rd and 4th graders who would like their own group, the best first step is to come and be counted!

Classes run roughly from 10:20-11:20. The service ends around the same time, hopefully a little sooner. The dream is that caregivers have time to get a hot beverage in hand and wait within sight of their kid's classroom, but the timing is far from exact! Be mindful that if the service gets done at 11 on the dot, the classroom teachers may have another full 15 minutes of planned activities and so it would be good to wait nearby for the teachers to signal that the class is over. Kids in the Nursery and Spirit Play will stay in their classrooms until their parent arrives.

If their program is complete and the service is over, Crossing Paths teachers will allow the older students to leave to find their parents. Because the timing is somewhat fluid, it is usually best to make plans to meet your middle schoolers in the Community Room or on the benches outside their classroom, not upstairs in the vestibule.

Looking Forward to seeing you all!


In faith,
Erika
Crossing Paths, encourages youth to explore neighboring Faiths while simultaneously becoming more grounded in our own.
At the opening session on Feb. 5th, kids will get to know the curriculum, the facilitators and each other through fun game and activities and offer input about which faith communities they would like to learn more about and to visit in the sessions to come.
Spirit Play, is a Montesorri-based curriculum that engages children in story and ritual to help them make meaning of their lives. Children begin in a circle, engage in UU rituals of chalice lighting and group singing. A story is presented, followed by a time for wondering questions, then children move into "work time" where they choose an activity within the space to reflect on the story (or just play and absorb.) As parents are gathering for coffee hour they circle up once more to share joys and sorrows and extinguish the chalice.
Family Chapel
Feb. 5 at 10 a.m., Community Room

Attention Caregivers! This Sunday we flipflop the normal routine by having families begin downstairs together for Family Chapel. When you arrive, please make your way down to the Community Room on the lowest level of the Meeting House. We will start the morning with about fifteen minutes of shared, child-centered worship, after which parents can head upstairs for the remainder of the service in the Sanctuary and children will move to their classes.

The themes of Family Chapel reflect the themes used in the sanctuary, and in adult Theme Circles. Children are encouraged to lead some portions of the chapel service: lighting the chalice, striking the chime, reading, singing, and reflecting.

This month's theme is Love.
Game Night!
Saturday, February 11, 4:30-7:30 p.m.
Community Room

Our multigenerational Game Night is back! All ages are invited to play, eat, and be together.

We have lots of games at the ready, but feel free to bring the one you hope to play. In the past we've done jigsaw puzzles, Dominoes, Ticket to Ride, Bananagrams, Azul, group card games, Apples to Apples, and more. There are generally several things happening at once! It's okay to come with a group of friends and the intention to play a particular game. You can bring children and play with them or have them play with childcare staff while you try out a game with an older crowd. Make it what you want!

We'll have a "no-stress" potluck; you can wow us with your culinary skills, or pick up a loaf of bread and a tub of hummus from the market or come with just your game-playing enthusiasm. The point is to have fun together and not go hungry! We'll have decaf and tea available, plates and utensils.

Come for a little bit or stay the whole time. Come ready to make new friends and reconnect with the old!

Please wear a mask when not eating.
Annual Elmore Campout!


Elmore State Park, June 16-18

I know it’s snowy outside but June will be here before we know it! Signing up early will let me know whether I need to book a few more sites before they’re gone.
Come join FUUSB friends of all ages at Elmore State Park for fun and community, with optional hiking, swimming, paddling, and s'mores! Last year’s event was a huge success with households ranging in size from 1 to 5 and age from 3 to 70. We'll potluck Friday evening, have a campfire sing on Saturday, and do a little campsite worship on Sunday morning; in between we'll find many other ways to connect with each other and enjoy this "Beauty Spot." Campers cover the cost of their sites as they are able, so please don’t let the expense be a factor. Look for the sign-up sheet in the Community Room to choose your spot! Contact Erika@uusociety.org with questions!

(Image: A rainbow over our 2022 potluck.)
Upcoming Sundays
February 5:
10:00- Families Begin together in the Community Room,
10:00- 8th/9th grade OWL
10:15- Crossing Paths 5-8th, Spirit Play K-4th, Preschool/Nursery free play
February 12:
10:00- Families begin together in the Sanctuary
10:15- Crossing Paths 5-8th, Spirit Play K-4th, Preschool/Nursery free play
11:30- YUUth Group Filed Trip to Anders and Kuba's Barn
February 19:
10:00- Families begin together in Sanctuary
10:15- Crossing Paths 5-8th, Spirit Play K-4th, Preschool/Nursery free play
February 26:
10:00- Families begin together in Sanctuary
10:15- All ages programming PreK through 8th, Nursery open
March 5:
10:00- Families Begin together in the Community Room,
10:15- All ages programming PreK through 8th, Nursery open
March 12:
10:00- Families begin together in Sanctuary
10:15- Crossing Paths 5-8th, Spirit Play K-4th, Preschool/Nursery free play