Roots and Wings
Faith Development Newsletter, June 14, 2023
Please click the image for Sign-up Genius & volunteer in Kids RE this Summer
What's Happening in Faith Development
June 18
- Nursery open 9:45 - 12:30
- Prek-K, Rainbow Connection, Sign-in at Nursery 11:15-12:15
- 1st-5th Grade - Magic Summer - Sign-in Room 205 11:15-12:15
- 12 yrs-112 yrs - Fifth Dimension - Room 105 11:15-12:15
June 23
- Board Games & Dinner 5:00-8:00 pm. This month is a Potluck Dinner. See below.
June 25
- All Ages Faith Development Hour "Show and Tell" in the Fellowship Hall. Bring an item, a memory, or a thought and share the story behind it with everyone in the story circle. Theme: Share Something Precious to You
July 2
- All Ages Faith Development Drum Circle in Fellowship Hall
Taking Flight Sexuality Education for recent graduated Seniors
(and rising 10-12th Grade)
PLEASE REGISTER ASAP!
Registration Form: https://forms.gle/qkY47TgXMBk699ey5
July 9 Mandatory parent & caregiver orientation: 11:30 am - 12:45 pm
July 16 session 1: Health - 11:30-4:00
July 23 session 2: Justice ā 11:30-4:00
July 30 session 3: Communication ā 11:30-4:00
May you be happy, May you be peaceful, May you be filled with love,
Chris
Summer Programming
Magic Summer- Childrenās RE (1st ā 5th Grades) 11:15-12:15 Check-in Room 205
This Summer in Childrenās RE we are embracing the magic of being together in beloved community thru the three āSāsā.
ā Service to Others - Helping others is a magic antidote to the challenges swirling around us these days. This curriculum invites us to gather and joyously work together, becoming helpers and building a sense of agency, empowerment, and enjoyment. That is magic!
ā Silence and Mindfulness - invites the children to listen for their inner voice, to magically imagine and visualize a special character, and to feel the gentle power of mindfulness and centering.
ā Sunshine and Movement - Summertime is a magical time of less formal learning, and connection to nature and the outdoors. Weāll play games to reinforce the dayās message and revel in the joy of being together. All the games also introduce the secret fourth magical āSā of Silliness, that special magical humor which helps us stay lighthearted and carefree, able to make it through when life gets hard.
These three magical āSāsā are remedies to modern day centerless, social-media saturated, consumer culture. They are also remedies for the isolation and worry. So letās have a Magic Summer with deep teachable moments, centered in joy and play!
June Schedule
6/18 Cards of Encouragement for Elders
We want our elders to know that they are remembered and loved. Elders hold wisdom and magic.
6/25 All Ages Show and Tell (Think Moth Story Hour)
The Rainbow Connection uses story books for preschoolers to discuss the values inherent in the Principles and in Unitarian Universalism.
At the preschool age, children begin to understand the concepts of justice and fairness and begin to learn about what is ārightā and āwrongā, or āgoodā and ābadā. Story books are chosen to help illustrate the values supported by parents.
Because socialization and comfort are important goals for this age, each class contains a fun craft project, time for songs and games, and time for free play with friends.
Welcome to the Fifth Dimension
This program is for ages 12-112 & Beyond-- Sundays, 11:15 ā 12:15
Facilitator: Carrie Holley-Hurt & Friends
Join us for RE with a twist as we examine the ethical and theological issues in episodes of the Twilight Zone.
This Religious Education class will help participants to:
- Consider social issues and the ways in which our faith can help us understand our values.
- Understand ways in which the right of conscience calls us to do whatās right, even if there are possible negative consequences.
- Examine how our choices affect others around us, as well as ourselves.
- Explore how taking a stand is related to perspective and point of view.
There is a fifth dimension beyond that which is known to man. It is a dimension as vast as space and as timeless as infinity. It is the middle ground between light and shadow, between science and superstition, and it lies between the pit of manās fears and the summit of his knowledge. This is the dimension of imagination. It is an area which we call the Twilight Zone. ~ Rod Serling
June Schedule
6/18 Number 12 Looks Just Like You - discusses conformity and objectification.
6/25 All Ages Show and Tell (Think Moth Story Hour)
10th-12th Grade Taking Flight Sexuality Education
Registration Form: https://forms.gle/qkY47TgXMBk699ey5
Priority registration is given in the following order: recently graduated seniors, rising seniors, rising juniors and if we have space rising sophomores.
Dear Families,
LOUUC is offering the opportunity for your child to participate in a modified 10th-12th grade sex education program. As it is modified, it cannot be called OWL but rather āTaking Flightā. It will consist of three 4.5-hour workshops, over 3 weeks- July 16th , 23rd, & 30th, ending before graduated seniors head out into the world with their respective plans.
We have done our best to not pare down the curriculum too much. The main goals are to help youth explore their own sexual values and to build social and sexual decision-making skills. These sessions will not include everything found in the OWL program. The three-week sessions are roughly divided into health, justice, and communication. The anonymous question box will remain, and we might show some short videos during group sessions and provide other links for independent viewing or reading. Copies of those will be sent to parents after each session. We will try to have a guest panel on July 23rd.
This program is a unique opportunity for your children to get honest helpful information about sexuality from adults and each other. They are free to bring up any sincere questions, concerns, or opinions to the group and their issues will always be respected and addressed in age-appropriate ways.
The program is based on some assumptions about the rights of young people. We believe teenagers have the right to:
1. Ask any questions they have about sexuality,
2. Receive complete information about sexuality
3. Explore any issues of sexuality that interest them
4. Have support in making their own decisions about sexual matters,
5. And express their sexuality in ways that are healthy and life affirming.
Youth may be asked to go home and discuss something with you or do an activity with you. Not mandatory but this does help facilitate conversations at home.
All our Facilitators are trained at the level they are leading. People assisting are also trained.
Youth are required to arrive on time and stay the entire time. Let us know if your child will miss, arrive late, or need to leave early. All cell phones will live in a communal phone basket during sessions.
Workshops will begin with a communal meal, which is part of our planned community building. Parents and congregants will be asked to volunteer in providing lunch for the teens and the facilitators. We will provide snacks.
Permission Forms are mandatory and need to be signed by both parents. You can return it the first session but cannot participate without it.
At the Parent Orientation you will be given the opportunity to review curriculum and outline of the offered sessions.
There is a $20.00 fee for non LOUUC members to cover the cost of snacks & the provided book.
Here are the dates and times:
Mandatory parent & caregiver orientation: Sunday, July 9th, 11:30 am
Roughly broken into topics:
session 1: July 16th: Health - 11:30-4:00
session 2: July 23rd: Justice ā 11:30-4:00
session 3: July 30th: Communication ā 11:30-4:00
Upcoming Events
April Huff is June's Board Games and Dinner Host.š
Parenting as Spiritual Practice
Youth & Young Adults
2023 UBarU Youth Summer Camps
Dates of Summer Youth camp 2023-
- June 11-17 for rising 4-6th graders
- June 18-24 form rising 7-9th graders
- June 25-July 1 for rising grade 10 through (15 years old)- 2023 high school graduates with a bridging ceremony on the last day of camp for the graduates
Detailed information can be found on our website at https://www.ubaru.org/summer-camps where there is all the information about camps & scholarships for this summer.
Looking forward to seeing you and your campers this summer at UBarU.
Robyn Stout, Executive Director - UBarU Camp & Retreat Center
Young Adult Revival Network
Check out the JUNE 2023 edition of The Sweet Potato, our roundup of online UU young adult ministries, media, and more!
Spiritual Practice through Music
Music as Spiritual Practice: 3rd Principle
Let's explore our Principles through Music. Which pieces speak to you? What songs should we add? Just click on the graphic to be taken to our 2nd Principle YouTube Playlist. I will share new playlists for each of the Principles at the beginning of the month.
REFLECTION ON THE THIRD PRINCIPLE
āSpiritual growth isnāt about a vertical ascent to heaven but about growth in every dimension at once. Itās spirituality in 3-D. Growth in spirit doesnāt measure oneās proximity to a God above, but rather the spaciousness of oneās own soulāits volume, its capacity, its size.āWe need souls that can take in the world in all its complexity and diversity, yet still maintain our integrity. And we need souls that can love and be in relationship with all of this complexity. Instead of fight or flight, we need a spiritual posture of embrace.āāRev. Rob Hardies, All Souls Church Unitarian, Washington, DC (read more from Rob in The Seven Principles in Word and Worship, ed. Ellen Brandenburg.
Parenting Resources
About Us
Email: dlfd@liveoakuu.org
Website: https://www.liveoakuu.org/
Location: 3315 El Salido Parkway, Cedar Park, TX, USA
Phone: 737-240-3127