In our classes this week, the Elementary group talked about school segregation and how “Separate but Equal” was both morally wrong and not at all equal. We used a variety of apples to exemplify this and then finished with an apple snack and a story.

The Middle & High School Youth spent some time with the adults watching the presentation about the future of our church & asking insightful questions before heading to the classroom to go over the “Big 9” safety rules that we’ll be using at the upcoming Coming of Age retreat.

Messages from each class are below:

Roots (pre-k to 1st) & Seedlings (2nd-5th) w/Piaf:

This week we talked about what we can each do when the news or events in the world feel heavy, when our hearts hurt for others who are suffering. Kids brainstormed ways that we can make change (go to a march, write a letter, spread the word, make a sign, help others in our daily lives, etc) and also ways that we can take care of ourselves when things feel too heavy (go outside, take deep breaths, pet a cat, do art, watch a funny show, talk to a grown-up, etc). Then we tried our hand at an activity that does both: painting kindness rocks to place somewhere out in the world to bring some love & kindness to someone passing by.

Wildflower Youth (Middle & High School), youth-led this week:

This week the youth led their own meeting (with two adult on-lookers as per Safe Church policy). They began by checking in and discussing what they wished adults understood about being a youth in 2023. Then they discussed the concept of respect – how to show it, who deserves it, and the difference between performing respect and actually feeling it authentically. Finally, they ended with snacks.

Roots Class (pre-k to 1st grade) w/Laura:

In our lesson this week, the Roots class continued to follow the Growing Anti-racist UU’s curriculum.  In Lesson 4, MY CHURCH, MY BELIEFS their attention is called to the UU church’s support for the “Black Lives Matter” movement.  We then read the book “Loving” which tells the story that people of different shades were not always allowed to marry although they loved one another.  We made buttons in shades of people and rainbows with the word “Love” on them to show that love is what matters.

Seedlings Class (2nd – 5th grade) w/Piaf:

Today, we focused on the 7th UU Principle and the interdependent web that makes up this planet and includes people, animals, plants, and all aspects of nature. We began with a fun yarn game where we created a giant web. Then, we crafted yarn weavings using paper plates and yarn to remind us how we are all connected. 

Wildflower Youth Group (Middle & High School) w/Solveij:

Today the youth talked about what makes them feel welcome or unwelcomed in a space. They also came up with “ground rules” for youth-led facilitation of youth group meetings and discussed plans for the upcoming Coming of Age retreat at UBarU.

This week we did a special all-ages activity and made our own gratitude chalices out of upside down flower pots. After painting them, we dried them with a blow dryer and then used Sharpies to write what we felt gratitude for. Not everyone had enough time to add all their gratitudes, so if you wanna grab a sharpie and add a few more at your holiday dinner, that could be a lot of fun 🙂

We had a great Religious Education this week!

Our Roots Class (pre-k to first grade) had a fun intro to our UU faith and added their names to our class wall with Laura.

Our Seedlings (2nd to 5th grade) discussed various scientific facts about water such as the water cycle and pondered how magical and incredible this substance is that we all depend on for life. We also connected the topic to various places near and far that don’t have reliable access to clean water and recalled our own experiences of missing water during the winter freeze last year. Finally, we watched a reading of We Are Water Protectors, a story of a young indigenous girl who is fighting to keep an oil pipeline off her tribal lands, and made watercolor raindrop art.

Our Youth were invited to remain in the service this week to experience the water ceremony with the adults.