dre@uucorvallis.org

RE Newsletter for March

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Greetings, Families!

It feels like spring has sprung and lots of fresh energy is popping up in Religious Exploration. Get your calendars ready, so you don’t miss any of the fun!

UPCOMING EVENTS for FAMILIES

3/9   Family Breakfast, 8:45-9:45, pre-register HERE by 3/5

3/20  Parent Peer Support Group, 6:30-8PM 

4/6 Seeds of Generosity Pitch Party, noon in the Foyer, pre-register HERE by 3/12

UPCOMING EVENTS for YOUTH

3/2, 3/16   OWL workshops

3/14-16 Youth Coast Retreat, pre-register HERE by 3/2

4/6 Youth Service at Heartland Humane 9:45 to noon, pre-register HERE by 3/28 

More information about our events can be found below, and info for all events  can be found at uucorvallis.org by clicking “News” in the menu bar and then selecting “RE Council” from the drop down menu.

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I genuinely hope that all of our families will choose to participate in this very cool program made possible by an endowment from the Bob Ozretich Memorial Fund. Children, youth, and families in any combination (teams, pairs, solo, whole family) will make a Shark-Tank style pitch for how they would spend $100 to generously benefit our local community, and then all partiers will vote on a winner, who will receive $100 cash to give in alignment with their pitch. Everyone who pitches will be entered into a drawing to win $50 in cash to give in a manner of their choosing, and everyone who attends will get a pizza and cake lunch in the social hall after the winners are announced. Please consider helping your child work on a pitch to make either as individuals or as a family, and then register each pitch they plan to make HERE so we know how much food to buy. You do not have to make pitch to participate.  Still use the registration link but indicate you will not be “pitching.”

In preparation for this event, Russ Karrow will be sharing with the children and youth during RE on March 2nd about his experience with the local Power of 100 program that does a larger scale version of our Seeds of Generosity program. 

We have the funds to offer three rounds of this pitch-party style giving program, so those who don’t win have two more chances, which we hope will foster the qualities of resilience and persistence in all who participate. Winners will be asked to share an account of their giving to inspire others to participate. 

On February 28th, the youth worked collaboratively to design this year’s Earth Month t-shirt. I will be putting in orders for shirt for all youth on March 5th, so please email me your youth’s t-shirt size preference. I will make an effort to order for everyone, and if I don’t hear back from you, I will make a guess at sizing for your youth and err on the larger side. 

On April 6th, youth should be dropped off at the Heartland Humane Society at 9:45 for a brief chalice lighting and service project. We will likely be doing some combination of cleaning, feeding, sorting donations of food, folding laundry, etc., and will end with socializing time, AKA playing with the pets! Youth will be delivered back to the Fellowship around 12:15. Please pre-register for this service project HERE by March 23rd.

It’s that time of year again! The youth will be heading to the beautiful Wavecatcher Beach House right on the beach in Waldport for 2 nights of community building and worship. Youth will cook together, play together, and write their own worship service collaboratively before being delivered back to the Fellowship as the service lets out (or as close to it as can be managed) on Sunday morning. 

Pre-registration is requested HERE no later than 3/2. If cost is an obstacle, please register anyway and we’ll cover the fee. This is the most anticipated and highly bonding gathering of the year, so we want everyone to be able to participate!

We’ve had a lot of fun opportunities in RE over the past month! Weather allowed the younger children to go outside most Sundays, and a lot of our Bluey lessons included activities with balloons as we explored friendship, caretaking, and patience. Balloons are ALWAYS a hit! 

Some of our youth traveled to Eugene for an overnight and participated in games, service and worship while we got to explore ways that other groups “do church.” And thanks to a generous gift from Joyce Marvel-Benoist, a small group of youth had a Splatter Party at SplatterBox in Albany and got super messy while making a piece of collaborative art for our new youth room when the classroom wing reopens. Thanks, Joyce!

I was so impressed by our very own Raya and Mirielle during the overnight trip to Eugene! These two spent a substantial amount of time in the kitchen cooking for the burrito bar dinner and washing breakfast dishes in a commercial kitchen. They also helped decorate the social hall for Valentines Day and participated in some technological troubleshooting when the movie set-up wasn’t cooperating. At every turn, they were exercising their skills in community building and service! It was a proud day for Corvallis to be represented so beautifully while visiting a neighboring congregations.

If you have any questions about what’s happening in RE, send them my way. And if, for some strange reason, you ever want to be removed from the monthly RE Newsletter list, let me know. Wishing you a joyful March!

Sensory Break Kits

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We are aware that the new confines and acoustics of our Sunday morning building use are less than ideal, and for some, quite overstimulating. While we lack the space to create a quiet zone on Sunday mornings, we have constructed 2 Sensory Break kits, which will be stored in yellow bags — one will hang on the back of the rocking chair in the gallery of the sanctuary and the other will be in the Spirit Play cart in the social hall.

Any time you or your child need a quiet moment or support in recovering from overstimulation, you are invited to grab one of these bags for as long as you need. While some of these items have toy-like appeal, they have been carefully selected for the support of those with exceptional sensory needs. We ask that they not be used as sanctuary entertainment so that they are available when the need arises.

Each kit contains sound cancelling headphones that can be adjusted for adult and child fit, and a variety of items for visual and tactile distraction.

This is part of our ongoing effort to be more welcoming and inclusive, recognizing that a wide range of needs come with us into the Fellowship each week. If you would like to know more about these efforts, please contact Skyla King-Christison.

February RE Newsletter

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Greetings, Families!

There is so much positive energy in RE these days. Can you feel it? Read on so that you don’t miss any of the good stuff!

UPCOMING EVENTS for FAMILIES

2/9   Family Breakfast, 8:45-9:45 

2/20  Parent Peer Support Group, 6:30-8PM 

3/16 Seeds of Generosity pitches from children, youth, and Families, noon

6/1 River of Life Sunday with children’s performance and rituals

UPCOMING EVENTS for YOUTH

2/2, 2/16   OWL regular workshops

2/15-16    Eugene youth overnight and Non-romantic Ball

3/14-16    Coast Retreat

More information about our events can be found below, and info for all RE events  can be found at uucorvallis.org by clicking “News” in the menu bar and then selecting “RE Council” from the drop down menu. 

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Our friends in Eugene have invited us to an overnight at their place. Come check out how other UUs “do church” and have fun helping with the non-romantic Valentine Ball. There will be food, opportunities for service, dancing, and midnight worship. Register directly with Eugene HERE by February 5th and don’t forget to email me and let me know you’re registered so that I can arrange for sufficient transportation. 
 

Due to the joyful increase in attendance at the monthly RE Family Breakfast, (last month saw 30 participants!) our gracious hosts, the Polinders, kindly request that parents fill out THIS registration form each month a few days before the breakfast. If you forget, please do come anyway. All are always welcome! Registering simply allows us to be better stewards of the RE budget by helping us prepare adequate amounts of food without over-purchasing. We are grateful for your support as this warm gathering continues to grow!
 

Thanks to a generous endowment from the Bob Ozretich Memorial Fund and the creative minds on the UUFC Endowment team, we will soon launch a year-long program to cultivate a spirit of generosity in our children and youth. 

The Seeds of Generosity program will involve 3 rounds of guest speakers sharing during Sunday morning RE about their experiences with generosity, and a pitch party at which families will enjoy food and drinks while children and youth make pitches for how they would spend $100 to make a difference in our community. Attendees of the pitch party will vote on who gets that round’s $100, and everyone who pitches goes into a drawing to win $50 to spend generously toward community betterment. 

More details about the program will come home from RE with your child in late February, but for now, mark your calendars for our first Seeds of Generosity Pitch Party, after the service on March 16th and plan to be there to help us develop a culture of generosity!

I know it’s a long way off, but a LOT of preparation goes into our River of Life Sunday at the end of each church year. In order to pull off something meaningful for our children and youth, we need your help.

First, this year, we’re aiming to have the Spirit Play children offer a very short performance of the JETPIG song we’ve been using to learn the UU shared values. It would be so helpful if parents went ahead and made a plan to be in attendance on June 1st AND listened to the JETPIG song at home or in the car once in a while to help the children gain confidence with the words and motions. 

Second, each year we honor children who are transitioning between classrooms with a stepping stone ritual on River of Life Sunday. If your child will falls into any of the following groups, please email me!

1. A new walker — meaning they’ll be planning to be join Chalice Children in the nursery in September.

2. Going into 3rd grade in September. We *may* have the capacity to split into 2 different elementary spaces when the classroom reopens, and if we do, we’ll be stepping the older kids into their own space! 🤞

3. Going into 6th grade AND planning to step into youth group. Because there is a wide range of development in 6th grade, we invite families to decide whether their 6th graders attend youth group (middle and high schoolers) or remain in the upper elementary group. 

The Fellowship depends on community members like Russ Anderson and Brian Egan, who arrived with their tools and smiles bright and early just about every day for weeks last month so that our building would be ready in time for official construction to begin. We’re lucky to have their knowledge and skill so freely given! If you see them in the social hall, don’t forget to thank them for their service. They are two of the many volunteers who keep this place moving forward!

If you have any questions about what’s happening in RE, send them my way. And if you’re someone who enjoys being out of the loop, and you want to be removed from the monthly RE Newsletter list, let me know. Wishing you a love-filled February!

Sharing Space at UUFC

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As we navigate this season of doing more gathering in less space at the Fellowship, it is important that each of us takes seriously the reality that sensitive and vulnerable sharing happens when our small groups gather. If you happen across a closed gathering that you are not a part of, please honor the sacred nature of the work that happens here by not entering unless there is a genuine emergency. 

We understand that you may need time to set up or want to check on a detail of the space before your gathering, but that cannot reasonably happen during another group’s meeting. Additionally, it is no longer possible for teams to store supplies in a space for days or even hours prior to their scheduled room use. We kindly ask that all facilitators communicate with the members of their group and make sure we have a shared understanding of how to show care for one another during this time. 

Cluster Overnight for Youth! RSVP by 2/5 for Event on 2/15

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WHO? All registered 6-12th graders

WHAT and WHERE? Youth overnight event at the Unitarian Universalist Church of Eugene

WHEN? REGISTER directly with Eugene and notify Skyla via email by 2/5 for event taking place on 2/15. Cars will depart from UUFC parking lot at 4PM on Saturday and return around 12:30 on Sunday afternoon.

DETAILS: Youth will share dinner and games, help set up and participate in the Sweetheart Aromantic Ball, have midnight worship, and attend services in Eugene before returning to UUFC on Sunday afternoon around 12:30. Don’t forget to email Skyla once you register so that we can plan for adequate transportation. The Fellowship will cover the requested fee for youth and advisors.

RE Volunteer Cafe 1/26

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All Volunteers who serve in RE in any capacity — whether you lead a Sunday morning class, facilitate one of our family gatherings, or attend the RE Council meetings — are invited to pop by the library on Sunday morning between 8:45 and 9:45 for a warm drink, connection with fellow volunteers, and a chance to tell Skyla anything you want her to know about how things are going in RE.

Cappuccinos, lattes, hot chocolate, and tea, as well some some baked goodies will be available during that time as long as supplies last. Volunteers with dietary restrictions are encouraged to contact Skyla in advance so that your needs can be provided for.

We look forward to seeing you there!

January in RE!

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Religious Exploration Newsletter
Religious Exploration Newsletter Here's what's new in January...
What's happening here? Shows photos about what's going on in the RE rooms.

It’s finally happening! The classroom wing is really, truly, actually closing this time. The doors are off most of the rooms, and Brian Egan has transformed the RE office into command central for the construction project. We are a go, people. This is not a drill. I repeat, this is not a drill.

Parents, we ask that you keep a close eye on your children while areas that feel familiar and welcoming to them are no longer safe for entry. 

Starting Now Our Younglings are Going to New Spaces!

If you’re the parent of preschool or elementary aged kiddos, I encourage you to arrive early on Sunday to help your littles get familiar with the new setup. 

STARTING THIS SUNDAY:

~Infants, toddlers, and preschool children will remain in the sanctuary. Additional toys have been added to the gallery, and I and several volunteers are more than happy to walk/distract willing wee ones during the service if you indicate an openness to that variety of support. We’re all in this together! Please communicate your needs!

 ~Grades K-5 will meet in the back of the social hall, behind the accordion doors.

~Middle and high school students will meet in the library.

Construction can’t keep us down! We have lots of great reasons to gather in the coming months, so pull out your phones and mark your calendars.

JANUARY EVENTS for FAMILIES

1/12   Family Breakfast, 8:45-9:45 

1/16   Parent Peer Support Group, 6:30-8PM  

UPCOMING EVENTS for YOUTH

1/18 -19   OWL kickoff overnight

2/15-16    Eugene Aromantic Ball and overnight

3/14-16    Coast Retreat

More information for all family events can be found at uucorvallis.org by clicking “News” in the menu bar and then selecting “RE Council” from the drop down menu. Registration and event details for youth gatherings will arrive in parent inboxes 2-4 weeks prior to the event. 

With the Our Whole Lives program (OWL) for middle schoolers returning for the first time since 2019, many Fellowship parents are seriously reflecting on how best to discuss matters of sex, sexuality, body changes, and identity with their kids. 

Even if your child is not old enough for the OWL program, we have plenty of resources to offer you!

  • Free copies of It’s Perfectly Normal are available to any Fellowship family that requests one by emailing dre@uucorvallis.org.
  • A limited supply of smaller resources like the Askable Parent pamphlet will be available in the library.
  • Beyond reading materials, now you are able to check out a set of anatomically correct dolls that are complete with pubic hair, working wombs, and more.

We want our parents to feel well supported, not just with peer groups and pastoral care, but with concrete resources that you can access as the need arises. If you have questions about the check out process, or ideas about other supportive resources we should add to our library, email me or find me on a Sunday morning so we can chat.

Thank you, Wolfgang, for your tireless efforts on the classroom wing!

I cannot remember the last time I ventured into the classroom wing and did not find Wolfgang hard at work hauling, boxing, or building custom storage shelves to fit our exact needs. Talk about love in action! If you see him around, give that man a big thank you! 

YOU CAN HELP!

Once the construction company is done, there will be some finishing touches to make as a community before we can move back in. This means opportunities to bring the whole family to help revitalize our newly secured building. How exciting is it that you’ll have a chance to leave your fingerprints on this piece of Fellowship history? From painting and trim work to unboxing, I’m sure the needs will be great. Please let me or Wolfgang know if you have hidden talents to share, a desire to build new skills, or just a strong back and energy to give. Moving this project across the finish line will surely take the whole village! 

As always, if you have any needs or big ideas to share, I’m here for you. Just send an email, text, or carrier pigeon. And if you’re not interested in receiving updates for children and families conveniently in your inbox, say the word and I’ll remove you from our mailing list.

Thanks for being one of the many reasons this community is so fabulous!

Parent Peer Support Group

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Come find support and understanding in the context of a discussion topic and a light dinner with other parents.

WHEN:6:30 on the 3rd Thursday of each month.

WHERE: Parents meet in the gallery of the sanctuary, with free childcare provided in the social hall.

To help our facilitators with meal plans and to receive a reminder email, we ask that you consider registering HERE.

Free Book for Families

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With the return of the Our Whole Lives program (OWL) for middle school, conversations are bubbling up all around the Fellowship about how we were taught (or not taught) about relationships and our bodies. Most often they center on how we want to do better for the next generation than was done for us. While we do not have the volunteer power, at this time, to offer OWL for younger ages, parents of elementary aged children are not without resources.

I am pleased to share that beginning in January, we will have several offerings for parents as they navigate questions about changing bodies, relationships, and identities.

  • Free copies of It’s Perfectly Normal are available to any Fellowship family that requests one.
  • A limited supply of smaller resources like the Askable Parent pamphlet will be available in the library.
  • Beyond reading materials, now you are able to check out a set of anatomically correct dolls that are complete with pubic hair, working wombs, and other surprising details.

We want our parents to feel well supported, not just with peer groups and pastoral care, but with concrete resources that you can access as the need arises. To receive a copy of It’s Perfectly Normal, ask questions about the check out process, or share ideas about other supportive resources we should add to our library, email me at dre@uucorvallis.org or find me on a Sunday morning so we can chat.

Blue Holidays Vesper Service, 12/16

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Are you feeling the tender ache of absence as the winter holidays approach? Or perhaps feeling lonely, anxious or depressed? Join us for an online Blue Holidays Vesper Service, followed by an optional time of sharing, at 6 p.m. Monday, Dec. 16. Rev. Leslie Chartier and Susan Sanford will facilitate. Please register in advance so we can send you the zoom link and suggestions for preparing your space for our time together. Contact Susan for more information.