September Unitarian Universalist Thread - All Welcome

[Adele_Mommy]

Welcome to the September support, community, information, conversation, and fun thread for UUs and UU curious.

Here is the link to the previous August Thread.

Come on in and say "Hi", ask a question, tell a story, or feel free to just lurk for awhile.

I just finished reading my church's September newsletter and I am so excited about the start of a new church year! My daughter will be doing the new "You the Creator". This is an intergenerational RE program and it looks like so much fun I am tempted to sign up myself! We could both attend and then I could attend the second service and dd could go to Bibleodeon and Philosopher's Club. I'll have to talk about this with dd and dh.

Our Wednesday night programming starts September 16. DD will have children's choir practice and Kids F.A.C.E. and I will attend second Wednesday church chats and fourth Wednesday Religious Services Committee meetings and go to craft classes or watch a documentary or play games on the off weeks.

Autumn is coming but my church is not winding down. On the contrary, we seem to be gearing up for a time of renewed creativity, vibrancy, and energy. Yay!

How are things going in your UU life?

"We are here to abet creation and to witness to it, to notice each other's beautiful face and complex nature so that creation need not play to an empty house." ~ Annie Dillard

Wishing you all a month of peace, joy, love, and creativity.

: :

Adele

[artgoddess]

Thank you for keeping up with starting new threads!

We overslept last week, and I can feel it. Glad to be going to church tomorrow. I'm looking forward to our board retreat next weekend. Which is really just 5 hours on a Saturday. But, even I can get bogged down with the business of being a board member at church, and forget to feed the spiritual side of church leadership. I've also been asked to be a part of the mentor committee for the interning minister we will have this year at our church. I'm really looking forward to dropping the kids with grandma and spending a couple hours a week with the other mentors and new minister discussing her spiritual journey and growth as she readies for the next chapter in her life.

[Adele_Mommy]

Being on the mentoring committee sounds like a very interesting and important role. You are helping shape a future UU minister! We also have an intern at our church this year. The congregation will be meeting him "officially" after our Blending of the Waters service next week.

Today I acted as facilitator for the service for the first time. It went OK, but for some reason, I could not get the first match to light to light the chalice! I ended up breaking off the head of the match and had to get another match. I was so

[artgoddess]

Oh the matches! We use one of those long fire place lighter things, and half the time people can't figure out the "trick" to holding one button down while flipping a switch at the same time.

I really am honored to be asked to be a part of the mentoring committee, it's me and one other member of the church, a minster from a neighboring congregation our district president and someone else I can't recall now. I'm also looking forward to how discussing things with the intern can lead to my own self reflection. I've been struggling more and more lately with missing most sermons because my DD just won't stay in child care. And I feel a need to feed my spirituality.

[Peacemamalove]

hi we are excited this weekend is our Water Communion service!! I am bringing water from our land we are hoping to build on someday!

[Adele_Mommy]

That sounds like wonderful water for the service! Our water service is today too. We are bringing in water collected from watering our garden, which did really well this year.

Our church is also having an ice cream social after the service and we get to meet our new intern minister.

Happy Sunday everyone! :

[Vojerleda]

We had a powerpoint presentation as our service today. It was on early UU "heroes," or people whose theology and actions defined them as UU. Interesting stuff, if a bit long i'm glad there were some pics for the visual learners among us..

in more personal news, I had an audition this week to get on the local symphony's temp list. I did the best I could at that time, but I still felt dissatisfied. Anyway, I'm trying to not be "down" about how I performed, but I can't be totally upbeat either, you know? Basically, I just need to remember that I don't need permission to be upset; but in my attempts to not let my mood ruin my day or my kid's attitudes, It's all or nothing. Does this make any sense?

[Adele_Mommy]

Welcomes to this month's thread, Vojerleda!

That is very cool that you could get a chance to play in your local symphony! When will you find out? I think it is natural to feel dissatisfied after an audition no matter how well you did, and the important thing is you gave it a shot! Please update us when you have news.

What do you play, by the way?

[Adele_Mommy]

Book Questions

Yesterday I was talking with the member of our church who is the driving force behind our little church bookstore. We were discussing how he offers tons of wonderful UU-related and themed adult books, and has a pretty good selection of picture books too, but there is almost nothing for middle readers - kids 9-12 or so who are reading chapter books.

Offerings would not necessarily have to be specifically or explicitly about Unitarian Universalism. He is just looking for books that are in line with and promote UU values, and that kids would want to read. He mentioned a book called The City of Ember. Neither I nor my dd has read this book. Anyone have opinions on it?

What books would you recommend for young UU readers?

[Gendenwitha]

If you want an overall description of the theme, try watching City of Ember the movie. I found very interesting message in it. The environment they live in is failing. Some have faith that the "builders" of their city will come and rescue them, others have fait...h that the builders have left them the plans and the supplies for them to rescue themselves. Others merely follow a path of selfishness.

[Gendenwitha]

So, there are two UU churches about equal distance from me. Several months ago they had an youth event at the one I'd been attending (the "south" church) that made me very uncomfortable. Not "wrong" exactly, but I think it would make people who are from lower socio-economic backgrounds uncomfortable, or maybe I was being overly sensitive because the make up of the congregation in general seems to be very narrow class-wise, which again isn't "wrong" but makes me uncomfortable.

So we just tried the congregation 20 minutes north, and so far I really like it. I'd switch in a minute if my son didn't mind, but for him we were going to do 1/2 and 1/2, every other sunday.

My question is, should I tell anyone at the "south" church how I feel? I'm not a member at either, and the people really worked hard and meant well. And if I do say something, who should I go to about it? My options would be the minister, (who I think would be immediately overly-apologetic), the youth group who put on the event (who I'm afraid I'd hurt their feelings), or someone from CUUPs (pagan group I've been involved in a lot longer than the sunday services but have no direct connection to the event.)

[Adele_Mommy]

Thank you for the info about City of Ember! I should probably read the book. I just feel like I read a short story with the exact same plot and themes years ago when I was in Junior High. I wish I could remember what that was called . . .

If you talk to anyone about the youth event I think it should be the minister. I don't really understand what it was about the event that made you uncomfortable, but if something at church makes you uncomfortable or unhappy it is always appropriate to talk to the minister. You are attending regularly, so I don't think it matters that you are not officially a member. I think my minister at least would want to know. Just my :

[Peacemamalove]

I am excited for our RE to start up this Sunday.It is very Waldorf inspired and I love that

I agree with Adele Mommy about talking to the Minister that is what I would do !

[Vojerleda]

Gendenwitha, that's what I would do, too.. ministers meet people from all corners of the spectrum, so I'm sure she/he would have some helpful words for you, and some great feedback for their programming.

And, Adele- I did get a message back- I'm on the temp 'list' which is what I was aiming for. I play oboe and english horn, and other things as well but those two are what I'd be doing for this group.

in other news

BOY OH BOY! I got a package in today from the UU Bookstore- we bought The Golden Rule , and Aisha's Moonlit Walk for our family's library. These are FANTASTIC!!!! I know I will be working these into RE at some point, they're very rich.

[artgoddess]

Those books look fabulous. I just ordered Unitarian Universalism is a Long Name for my kids.

[Vojerleda]

Good morning everyone- just wanted to sail up a happy Thursday ...
I've got two days in a row of my dh being late working; gotta love football (marching) season...

I think "The Golden Rule" is dd1's new favorite book! I think after getting them in yesterday, She's heard it maybe 4 times. She even asked for it at bedtime. I'm saving "Aisha's Moonlit Walk" for the actual celebrations; but I've read a few of the stories and they're wonderful. They aren't just descriptions of the pagan celebrations, but they take into account the different emotions that kids could feel about them.. Things like, "I didn't feel like going at first, but I'm glad I came and got to see my friends.." "I felt better afterwards, not as sad [about animal loss]" ... There's also a section in the back for parents and teachers; with talking points, activities, and background info. Normally I shy away from books from the UUA bookstore just because of the price- but these are worth the money they ask.

[VisionaryMom]

Hey UU, Mamas! I'm glad to see that so many of your churches are starting back up for the fall. We're trying to get some new things started. In about 1.5 hours, I am having the first practice for the new children's music group. One of the members donated some really awesome handheld percussion instruments she's collected from various travels, and the kids have been begging to use them. We're going to do singing/playing.

We've also started a new outreach project. We have a local women's home that houses women who are homeless and trying to get back on their feet. I volunteer there and the program is really wonderful. We're going to start doing dinner there once a month. Now I have to get people to sign up - though of course everyone was excited about the idea. :sigh I know this is often how volunteer efforts go.

I'm also looking for outreach ideas if anyone has them? I've been doing some searching online. Most of the things I'm finding are for Christianity, of course. Some can be tailored to a UU effort; others not so much. We have little money, so I'm trying to think of something great. DH mentioned a few days ago that we don't have a Facebook page, and I think we could reach some people with that. Other ideas?

[LaLaLaLa]

Hooray, regular church started back up again today! DD is in kindergarten and thrilled to be in a new classroom, ready to do exciting things. We have a new curriculum for RE that's based on our congregational covenant, which members wrote last year. For these first six weeks the kids are doing workshops about honoring and respecting the Spirit of Life. It should be great!

I'm happy to be back in the routine, too. I just couldn't make it to the summertime's 9:00 services. 10:45 is much more my style.

[Peacemamalove]

RE just started today here and the kids had so much fun. Today they did Pennies for Peace and the kids are making a quilt poster.

[VisionaryMom]

Originally Posted by Peacemamalove

RE just started today here and the kids had so much fun. Today they did Pennies for Peace and the kids are making a quilt poster.

I like this program. One of the discussions we have on the table is to use Three Cups of Tea for the children's services for a while. I haven't read the adult version, so I need to do that.