Religious Education Matters at First Universalist

2011-08-08T11:00:00.002-06:00

August 14, 2011
K-5th Grades
10:00

Join us for our Around the World party hosted by Kendra Quinn!

2011-08-08T11:00:00.001-06:00

August 14, 2011
Pre School and Pre Kindergarten
10:00

Summer in the Classroom!

For the next few month of summer the Preschool and Prekindergarten will be in room 1. We will be talking about different countries around the world. This week is Brazil!

Please join us for gathering, reading, drawing and playing for the summer!

2011-08-02T11:00:00.001-06:00

August 7, 2011
K-5th Grades
10:00

Join us as we travel to Egypt!

Ingrid Valdez will be presenting.

2011-08-02T11:00:00.000-06:00

August 7, 2011
Pre School and Pre Kindergarten
10:00

Summer in the Classroom!

For the next few month of summer the Preschool and Prekindergarten will be in room 1. We will be talking about different countries around the world. This week is Egypt!

Please join us for gathering, reading, drawing and playing for the summer!

2011-07-27T15:15:00.002-06:00

July 31, 2011
Pre School and Pre Kindergarten
10:00

Summer in the Classroom!

For the next few month of summer the Preschool and Prekindergarten will be in room 1. We will be talking about different countries around the world. This week is Egypt!

Please join us for gathering, reading, drawing and playing for the summer!

2011-07-27T15:11:00.002-06:00

July 31, 2011
K-5th Grades
10:00

Join us as we travel to Brazil!

Patricia DaCosta and Marcus Bianchi will be presenting.

2011-07-19T11:00:00.001-06:00

July 24, 2011
K-5th Grades
10:00

Join us as we travel to Nigeria!

Pamela Akiri will be presenting.

2011-07-19T11:00:00.000-06:00

July 24, 2011
Pre School and Pre Kindergarten
10:00

Summer in the Classroom!

For the next few month of summer the Preschool and Prekindergarten will be in room 1. We will be talking about different countries around the world. This week is France!

Please join us for gathering, reading, drawing and playing for the summer!

2011-07-12T11:00:00.001-06:00

July 17, 2011
Pre School and Pre Kindergarten
10:00

Summer in the Classroom!

For the next few month of summer the Preschool and Prekindergarten will be in room 1. We will be talking about different countries around the world. This week is France!

Please join us for gathering, reading, drawing and playing for the summer!

2011-07-12T11:00:00.000-06:00

July 17, 2011
K-5th Grades
10:00

Join us as we travel to Ethiopia!

Peter Kaufman and Megan Jamison will be presenting.

7/10 & 7/17 - SPRITED AWAY

2011-07-08T17:39:00.003-06:00

This Sunday's Foreign film:

Spirited Away

THIS SUNDAY AT 10AM

2011-07-05T11:00:00.001-06:00

July 10, 2011
K-5th Grades
10:00

Join us as we travel to Japan!

Alicia Anderson will be presenting.

2011-07-05T11:00:00.000-06:00

July 10, 2011
Pre School and Pre Kindergarten
10:00

Summer in the Classroom!

For the next few month of summer the Preschool and Prekindergarten will be in room 1. We will be talking about different countries around the world. This week is India!

Please join us for gathering, reading, drawing and playing for the summer!

2011-06-28T11:00:00.001-06:00

July 3, 2011
Pre School and Pre Kindergarten
10:00

Summer in the Classroom!

For the next few month of summer the Preschool and Prekindergarten will be in room 1. We will be talking about different countries around the world. This week is India!

Please join us for gathering, reading, drawing and playing for the summer!

2011-06-28T11:00:00.000-06:00

July 3, 2011
K-5th Grades
10:00

Join us as we travel to India!

Alicia Anderson will be presenting.

2011-06-20T14:12:00.003-06:00

June 26, 2011
K-5th Grades
10:00

Join us as we travel to Guatemala!

Blaine Stokes will be presenting.

2011-06-20T14:04:00.001-06:00

June 26, 2011
Pre School and Pre Kindergarten
10:00

Summer in the Classroom!

For the next few month of summer the Preschool and Prekindergarten will be in room 1. We will be talking about different countries around the world. This week is China!

Please join us for gathering, reading, drawing and playing for the summer!

2011-06-14T11:00:00.002-06:00

June 19, 2011
K-5th Grades
10:00

Join us as we travel to Mexico!

Judy Cardenas will be presenting.

2011-06-14T11:00:00.001-06:00

June 19, 2011
Pre School and Pre Kindergarten
10:00

Summer in the Classroom!

For the next few month of summer the Preschool and Prekindergarten will be in room 1. We will be talking different countries around the world. This week is China!

Please join us for gathering, reading, drawing and playing for the summer!

6/12 & 6/19 - WASTE LAND

2011-06-10T11:51:00.004-06:00

Filmed for over 3 years. WASTE LAND follows renowned artist, Vik Muniz, from his home in Brooklyn NY to the largest landfill in the world - Jardim Gramacho. This film offers the evidence of the transformitive power of art and the alchemy of the human spirit

**WINNER of the Sundance Film Festival - Audience award for the best World Cinema**

And 15 other awards for best foreign film

2011-06-08T11:29:00.002-06:00

June 12, 2011
Pre School and Pre Kindergarten
10:00

Summer in the Classroom!

For the next few month of summer the Preschool and Prekindergarten will be in Room 1. We will be talking different countries starting on June 12th with Mexico. Please join us for gathering, reading, drawing and playing for the summer!

2011-06-07T15:12:00.001-06:00

June 12, 2011
K-5th Grades
10:00

Join us as we travel to South Korea!

Cynthia Swanson will be presenting.

2011-06-01T12:02:00.001-06:00

June 5, 2011
Pre School and Pre Kindergarten
10:00

We will all be together for the summer! We will be talking about different countries, starting with Mexico! So for this Sunday and the next it is about this colorful, warm country. What do you know about Mexico? Have you ever gone South of the Border? Hey, who is up for Tacos!

Also, due to the garage sale, this Sunday we will be in the second room of the nursery! See you Sunday!

2011-05-31T12:17:00.003-06:00

June 5, 2011
K-5th
10:00

Join us as we travel to Macedonia!

Nora Burns will be presenting.

2011-05-28T21:52:00.004-06:00

Let the Summer of Foreign Films BEGIN!!!

We will start the summer off with a film from Iran called:

WINNER of the BEST FOREIGN FILM in 1998

2011-05-24T11:00:00.002-06:00

May 29, 2011
K-5th
10:00

Join us as we travel to Turkey!

Kendra Quinn and Zane Warton will be presenting the culture of the Turks. We will explore how the main religion is Islam, the capital is Istanbul, the many games the children play, and their art and music as well.

2011-05-24T11:00:00.001-06:00

May 29, 2011
Pre Kindergarten
10:00

Hey! It is still raining! We should be outside in the parks and getting connected to our summer earth. The Robins probably have plenty of worms by now! Lets continue to talk about what we will do this summer. Will we go camping, how about a road trip! Any one for the Zoo? What shall we do in class this summer? Tell the teachers all your ideas!

2011-05-24T11:00:00.000-06:00

May 29, 2011
Pre School
10:00

Hey! It is time to go outside and play in nature! What do you like to do? Do you have a pond with ducks in it near you? Will you be going camping this summer? Lets talk about what fun things outside in nature we can do. It might be time for a trip to the Zoo to see the animals, especially the new babies! Lets hope the sun comes out soon so we can go out and play.

What is Culture?

2011-05-19T21:58:00.002-06:00

What is Culture?

Over the summer we will be exploring 12 world wide cultures. Yet before we do, it is important to understand what the term culture means.

There are many meanings of the word culture. Yet our summer exploration will not be considering the meaning that includes going to a play or the art museum, nor will we talk about a biologist’s culture of a mold. For our purposes we will be looking at the anthropological term.

First, let us consider what do all large human groups/cultures across the world have in common? They all:

Share what facial expressions mean – a sad face means sadness world wide.
Communicate with a verbal language and non verbal cues.
Ask the question “where do we come from?”
Raise children in some sort of family setting
Use age and gender to classify people (teenager, senior, woman, man, tween)
Use family relationships to classify people (son, daughter, wife, uncle, cousin).
Divide labor along gender lines (women’s work and men’s work)
Has a concept of privacy
Distinguish between good and bad behavior
Use body ornamentation (earrings, rings, necklace, tattoo, etc)
Make jokes
Play games
Has art
Play music
Has a leadership structure

Culture determines what form these universal qualities take, how they are expressed, who is allowed to express which ones, and what they mean to those who use them. Culture gives these groups of people a way to cope and survive tough times and a means to celebrate good times.

Culture is:

Learned – passed from one another and passed from generation to generation or from one member of the culture to the next.
Shared – The majority of the people in that culture learn and/or believe the same thing.
A way of life: ideals, values, or rules for living.
Often described as “common sense” or what is “natural” by those in the culture.
Not static – it can change.

While this is all true, a story might make it more clear.

A Culture Story:

Not long ago I was driving home and was listening to National Public Radio to a reporter who happened to be in Haiti and Japan after each was hit by a natural disaster (as you likely have heard, Haiti was hit by an earthquake and Japan was hit by a Tsunami).

The survivors of these two disasters faced very similar situations; they had suddenly lost their homes, family members, friends, their livelihood (how they took care of their family), and nearly everything they had known.

The feelings the survivors had right after the disaster were also similar; shock, loss, fear, grief, sadness, anger, and more.

When the reporter was in

Haiti

, right after the earthquake in January of 2010, she said there was a huge amount of noise all over the city. The survivors were crying out to God and to their loved ones and using their voices to express all of their feelings. They had been taught that to honor your lost ones and your loss you used your voice to show how much you cared.

The reporter heard their cries and her heart broke.

In March of 2011, the same reporter was coincidentally in (or near) Japan when the Tsunami hit and was in the disaster area soon after. Here, however, the people were not noisy. Instead they were absolutely silent. It was so silent you could feel it. The Japanese had been taught that to bring honor your lost ones and yourself you did not show your emotions but withstood the pain quietly.

The reporter heard the deafening silence and, again, her heart broke.

That is culture. Two groups of people, hit by similar circumstances that caused similar feelings, dealt with those circumstances/emotions in completely different ways. Because of what they had been taught; taught by not just their parents but by most everyone around them, even in their music, stories, and jokes.

The amazing thing is, the different responses worked for each group. The effected Haitians and Japanese are dealing with what happened – they are surely changed forever, but they are dealing with it. Both groups are now in the process of recovery – thanks, in part, to their culture.

Culture is not all about how people deal with things when bad things happen. It’s about how they act when good things happen too. How do they celebrate? What do they celebrate? What games do they play? What is funny? What is bad? What is good? In short it helps people decide “How do I live?”

This is why we are studying different cultures here at church. We know that just like every person is important, every culture is important since it helps that person figure out how to live. We also know that the more we understand about other cultures the easier it will be to “Build a Fair and Peaceful World” (our 6^th Principle).

What about here in the United States? What is our culture? What do we celebrate? What is a sub-culture? These are other questions we will be exploring this Sunday, May 22nd.

Join us!

5/22/11 - End of Year Celebration!

2011-05-18T22:41:00.004-06:00

End of the Year Celebration @ 9:15!

Bring either a food or beverage to share!
We will plan to be in the park if it is nice!

2011-05-18T12:39:00.004-06:00

May 22,2011
K-5th
9:15

This Sunday we will launch our Peace Around the World program where we will learn about twelve different cultures in twelve different countries. First, however, we will need to understand what culture is and what it looks like in our own home, Colorado. Join us as Kendra Quinn leads the children through a short Anthropology lesson then we will make a Colorado Culture Collage and play a few games.

2011-05-18T12:37:00.004-06:00

May 22, 2011
Pre Kindergarten
9:15

Hey! It is still raining! We should be outside in the parks and getting connected to our summer earth. The Robins probably have plenty of worms by now! Lets continue to talk about what we will do this summer. Will we go camping, how about a road trip! Any one for the Zoo? What shall we do in class this summer? Tell the teachers all your ideas!

2011-05-18T12:35:00.001-06:00

May 22, 2011
Pre School
9:15

Hey! It is time to go outside and play in nature! What do you like to do? Do you have a pond with ducks in it near you? Will you be going camping this summer? Lets talk about what fun things outside in nature we can do. It might be time for a trip to the Zoo to see the animals, especially the new babies! Lets hope the sun comes out soon so we can go out and play.

2011-05-10T13:55:00.003-06:00

May 15, 2011
Pre Kindergarten
9:15 and 11:00

Hey! It is the month of May and the sun is shining and the flowers are out! What is your favorite flower? Summer is just around the corner, school will soon be out. What will you do during the summer? Lets draw some pictures of flowers and talk about having some summer fun!

2011-05-10T12:20:00.002-06:00

May 15, 2011
Children Making Change

We will be talking about our partner church in Kövend!

2011-05-10T11:00:00.000-06:00

May 15, 2011
Pre School
9:15 and 11:00

We love animals! We will talk about all the different kinds of animals there are. What are some of our favorites? Do we have animals at home? Cats or dogs? Does anyone have fish or turtles or hamsters? We can tell our stories and we can also draw our favorite pet.

5/8/11 - Faith Statements - COA

2011-05-04T21:22:00.003-06:00

The time has come....

Faith Statements

are due!

Bring them in to share and to prepare for our service on the 15th!

5/8/11 - Buddist temple Field trip - WCSS

2011-05-04T21:18:00.003-06:00

Neighboring Faiths Field Trip!

Leave the church at 8:45

Arrive at the Tri-State Buddhist Temple for their 9:30 Dharma Family Service

Back to the church by 11

All are welcome!
Please RSVP to Misha@firstuniversalist.org

5/8/11 - Poetry Session. Word. - YRUU

2011-05-04T21:14:00.002-06:00

Bring your words.
Your thought.
Your dreams.
Hopes.
Visions.
For the future.
For yourselves.
For the world.
Today we write.
A song.
For them to hear.
to feel.
to repeat.

We are writing our slam poetry for the service ya'll this Sunday, bring it! Its going to be amazing!!!

2011-05-04T12:41:00.003-06:00

May 8, 2011
Toolbox of Faith
4th-5th Grades, 9:15
K-5th Grades, 11:00

Resiliency (Hard Hat)

Miriam, the prophetess, the sister of Aaron, took a timbrel in her hand; and all the women went out after her with timbrels and dancing. — Hebrew scripture (Exodus 15:20)

The hard hat symbolizes resiliency. In this session, there are opportunities to reflect about how we use our faith to help us bounce back from hard times. Discussion may include the challenges we face and the qualities of faith we can use when enduring difficult times. We will allow time for participants to share bounce back strategies they have tried and strategies they want to try.

2011-05-04T12:37:00.002-06:00

May 8, 2011
Faithful Journeys
2nd-3rd Grades, 9:15

-7 principles Celebration-
The best way to keep good acts in memory is to refresh them with new. ~ Cato

This session concludes the Faithful Journeys program. The children use a game to review the Unitarian Universalist Principles they have explored in previous sessions and revisit the Faithful Journeys Path they have created together.

2011-05-04T12:31:00.003-06:00

May 8, 2011
Wonderful Welcome
K-1st Grade, 9:15

-The Gift of Ourselves-

Be here now. ~ Ram Dass (Richard Alpert)

This session introduces the intangible gift of ourselves. The children will learn that the best gift to give others is to be truly present to them. We will stress that the gift of themselves is not their physical selves, but the intangible positive qualities they can give through love and caring. Giving of themselves also does not mean giving away their possessions. When a friend is talking to them, the effort they make to be attentive is the intangible gift of themselves.

2011-05-04T12:29:00.001-06:00

May 8, 2011
Pre Kindergarten
9:15 and 11:00

This Sunday is Mother's Day! We need to remember mom and perhaps we could make her a card for her special day. What is your mom like? What is special about her? We can talk about our mom and make something for her too!

2011-05-04T12:18:00.002-06:00

May 8, 2011
Pre School
9:15 and 11:00

May 8th and May 15th the theme is: We love animals! We will talk about all the different kinds of animals there are. What are some of our favorites? Do we have animals at home? Cats or dogs? Does anyone have fish or turtles or hamsters? We can tell our stories and we can also draw our favorite pet. And don't forget that it is also Mother's Day and we might want to make a card for mom!

5/1/11 - Service Planning - YRUU

2011-04-28T21:22:00.002-06:00

This Sunday:

Service planning for 5/15

Bring music ideas, songs, speeches, poems and mural ideas.

We only have this week and 5/8 and
SAVE THE DATE: Friday 5/13 8-10pm
to plan and practice the service.

5/1/11 - Service Planning & Faith Statements - COA

2011-04-28T21:12:00.004-06:00

This Sunday:

Service planning for 5/15

Bring music ideas and instruments and thoughts for the service.

Belief statements.

We only have this week and 5/8 and
SAVE THE DATE: Friday 5/13 6-8pm
to plan and practice the service.

5/1/11 - Buddhism and Elightenment - WCSS

2011-04-28T21:05:00.003-06:00

Who Is BUDDHA?

How did he reach Enlightenment?

Do Buddhists worship Buddha?

Find out this Sunday as we continue our Neighboring faiths exploration.

SAVE THE DATE:
Next week - a trip to a Buddhist Meditation Center

2011-04-26T14:03:00.002-06:00

May 1, 2011
Pre Kindergarten
9:15 and 11:00

Spring is still trying to get here! It is cloudy and rainy out there! Can we draw some spring pictures of the sun? We also need to think about Mother's Day and what we are doing for that! Is there something you would like to do for your mom for her special day?

2011-04-26T14:00:00.004-06:00

May 1, 2011
Pre School
9:15 and 11:00

We will continue to discover our big and beautiful world. Do you know where you live on the globe? Can you tell us about your neighborhood? Where would you like to go if you could? lets also not forget that next Sunday (May 8th) is Mother's Day! How will you celebrate? Is there something special you would like to do for your mom?

2011-04-26T11:00:00.001-06:00

May 1, 2011

Children's Chapel

Our last children's Chapel is Sunday May 1st. Our story, following the monthly worship theme of Mercy, will be The Ant and the Grasshopper (adapted from Aesop's Fables). After the story we will have three Spirit Rotation Station that will explore the story and the topic further. Join us!

2011-04-19T17:10:00.001-06:00

April 24, 2011
Pre Kindergarten
9:15 and 11:00

Prekindergarten will also talk about Easter. What does it mean? How do we celebrate as Unitarians? What does everyone do on Easter? We can also have a discussion about Earth Day and what that means. Are we making sure to take care of our world? Lets hope it is a fun day for everyone!

2011-04-19T17:07:00.003-06:00

April 24, 2011
Pre School
9:15 and 11:00

We will continue learning about our world and we will also talk about Easter! What does Easter mean to you? Is it different in other parts of the world? How do you see your world and what do you do for Easter? We have colorings of the earth and we might go for and egg hunt! Don't forget your Easter bonnet!

Thank You Religious Education Volunteers

2011-04-19T12:01:00.007-06:00

Thanks so much to each and every RE Volunteer

who had made our program work this year!

Toddler Room - Rhiannon Gallagher, Mathew Holmes,Elizabeth Saxton, Colleen Domer

Preschool – Maggie Goodrich, Erin Pietryik, Aaron Brown, Jen Brown, Angela Schmitz

Pre-Kindergarten – Jill Smith, Christmas Gainsbrugh, Sarah Murray,
Stefanie Rucker, Jeff Johnson

Kindergarten to 1^st Grades – Karen Billings, Cynthia Swanson, Melissa Mooney

2^ndto 3^rd Grades – Laurie Ritchie, Zane Warton,
Laurence Ferrell-Carretey, Richard Hood

4^th to 5^th Grades – Rick Granquist, Bonnie Olson, Ashley Andrus

6^th to 7^th Grades – Pete Peterson, Susan Kinne, Roland Halpern, Gary Reser

Children’s Chapel – Josie Faix, Ben Curnett, Frank Orthman, Zane Warton

Children Making Change – Erica Stetson, Kirk Ward, Marvin Gatch,

Eden Ware, Bill Halpin, Dawn O’Neil, Hughes Smith.

RE Desk Greeters – Vanessa Johnson, Misty Dupuis, Jenny McCready, Megan Jamison.

Substitutes – Rich Pulling, Erin Pulling.

11:00 am K-5^th Grade – Bertha Maines, Michelle Wolfe.

5^th-6^th Grade OWL – Linda Kottman, Terry Nyberg.

8^th Grade OWL – Bill McQuinn, Leslie Levefre, Linda Kottman,

8^th Grade COA– Terry Nyberg, Cheryl Sterns, Joel Peacock, Cindy Daugherty

CoA Mentors – Betsy Rogers, Kevin Garlow, Laurie Ritchie, Barry Albright, Charlie Lyon, Barb Whitehead, Gary Reser, Linda Kottman, Lois Jurardo, Ben Curnett, KJ Paradise

9^th Grade Trip – Bill McQuinn, Diane Butler

9^th to 12^th Grade YRUU – David Barnhill, Charlie Billings, Karl Onsager

Youth Trip Coordinator – Terry O'Reilly

2011-04-19T11:57:00.002-06:00

April 24, 2011

Annual Egg Hunt

We invite all our Preschoolers-5th Graders to bring a small bag or basket in order to keep the eggs they find.

• Preschoolers will find their eggs during class.
• K-5th Graders please meet out on the porch after the Family Service.
We will let the youngest search first and then the older kids.
• 6-12th Graders please help us hide the eggs.

2011-04-19T11:52:00.003-06:00

April 24, 2011

Flower Communion Family Service (Easter Sunday)

Join us for this 45 minute Family Service. Bring a flower and add it to the bouquet a the front of the sanctuary. When you leave, take a different flower to remind you of our communion and the flower blessing. This is a wonderful way to celebrate our community and the coming of spring.

NOTE: There will be no Religious Education classes for K-12th Grades, please join us in the sanctuary.

2011-04-19T11:00:00.000-06:00

July 24, 2011
K-5th Grades
10:00

Join us as we travel to Nigeria!

Pamela Akiri will be presenting.

VISION QUEST 4/15 - 4/17 COA

2011-04-13T21:02:00.002-06:00

VISION QUEST!!!!

Is FRIDAY - SUNDAY

Meet at the Church Friday at 5:30
Back Sunday at 12:30

Bring ONLY WHAT FITS IN YOUR BUCKET!!
A snack to share, ropes permission form and
$35

Lets do this!!! Who is excited?!?!

2011-04-13T17:02:00.001-06:00

April 17th, 2011
Pre Kindergarten
9:15 and 11:00

This Sunday, the children will talk continue to talk about spring and perhaps we also talk about what we do for Easter. Do we have an Easter Egg Hunt? Where did Easter come from anyway? Would we like to make some some cards for our parents for Easter Sunday? As we always do, we will gather, and tell stories and have snacks.

2011-04-13T17:00:00.002-06:00

April 17th, 2011
Pre School
9:15 and 11:00

Our theme today is our big and beautiful world. What does it look like. How big is it? We will have some books and some pictures of our world. Where do we live anyway? And don't forget, Easter is coming and we might want to tell each other what we do for the day!

2011-04-12T11:00:00.001-06:00

Children of the Earth
April 17, 2011

In anticipation of Earth Day on April 22th and in recognition of First Universalist's UUA certification as a Green Sanctuary, our youth, along with Kirk and Jeannie, will celebrate our beautiful planet.

Raising a Compassionate Child

2011-04-07T11:57:00.002-06:00

Kendra Quinn

"How, in this materialistic, competitive world can I raise a kind and compassionate child?" Many UU parents have been asking this important question and it will be the topic of discussion for the next two Family Ministry Potlucks; Parents of Preschoolers on April 10th and Families with K-5th Graders on May 1st. The website eHow Family provides a list of tips and suggestions to get us started. Here is the short version:

Start early. A child is never too young to learn that compassion is a noble virtue and that everyone deserves to be treated with kindness and respect---even teddy bears, books and toys.

Set an example. Whether you volunteer at a shelter, donate to charity, listen to a friend's problems or help someone in a difficult situation, you show compassion in simple ways everyday.

Encourage them to fix things. Young children can be engaged in repairing broken things. Be it a tattered book or a torn teddy bear, involve kids in the process.

Teach them to recognize other emotional cues. Make sure your child is adept at reading facial expressions and body language.

Expose them to real-life compassion. Introduce your child to age-appropriate human-interest stories such as Mother Theresa or someone in your community doing good things.

Avoid exposing them to violence, even the virtual kind. Violence, even when not real, has a disturbing impact, especially on young minds. In order to nurture kids' sensitivity, be aware of what they are exposed to.

Encourage simple acts of kindness. From sharing a smile, to helping a sibling, to making get-well-soon cards, to lending a hand with household chores, make compassionate behavior a habit for your kids.

Set and enforce rules. Decide your no-compromise zone early on. Be firm when it comes to those rules.

Apologize when needed. Parents are not perfect and it’s OK. Kids need to know even adults make mistakes.

Other helpful links: Beliefnet Scholastic Parents Parenting.com Suite101

4/10/11 - Service Planning - YRUU

2011-04-06T11:51:00.002-06:00

Please plan to brainstorm all ideas again for our service happening on May 15th - Dreams!

We have a theme, now we need to fine tune it and find out who wants to speak!!

Come one, come all, we need your voice!!

4/10/11 - Mentor Meeting - COA

2011-04-06T11:48:00.002-06:00

Our Mentor meeting will happen this week in COA

This will also be the last Sunday before our VISION QUEST happening April 15th-17th!!

See you Sunday!

4/10/11 - Script Writing continued - WCSS

2011-04-06T11:42:00.002-06:00

Take 2!

Paul joins us again this week as we complete and finish our skits for the Earth Day Musical on April 17th!

2011-04-05T15:39:00.002-06:00

April 10, 2011
Toolbox of Faith
4th-5th Grades, 9:15
K-5th Grades, 11:00

Atonement; A Level

The beginning of atonement is the sense of its necessity. Lord Byron

The level, a carpenter's tool, symbolizes the balance we need to restore when we make a mistake. The session focuses on the meaning of "at-one-ment." Participants will explore the difficulty in acknowledging mistakes and the sense of relief in acknowledging a mistake.

2011-04-05T15:38:00.002-06:00

April 10, 2011
Faithful Journeys
2nd-3rd Grades, 9:15

Honor Life

Thank God I have the seeing eye, that is to say, as I lie in bed I can walk step by step on the fells and rough land seeing every stone and flower and patch of bog and cotton pass where my old legs will never take me again. ~ Beatrix Potter

The session introduces our seventh Unitarian Universalist Principle, respect for the interdependent web of all existence of which we are a part, through the story of British Unitarian Beatrix Potter, the creator of Peter Rabbit. In this session, the children identify connections that form the interdependent web of an ecosystem and explore their own relationship with the natural world.

2011-04-05T15:35:00.002-06:00

April 10, 2011
Wonderful Welcome
K-1st Grades, 9:15

The Gift of Spirit

Life becomes religious whenever we make it so: when some new light is seen, when some deeper appreciation is felt, when some larger outlook is gained, when some nobler purpose is formed, when some task is well done. Sophia Lyon Fahs, Unitarian minister and religious educator

This session introduces the intangible gift of spirit, which we give and receive as members of a faith community when we worship together, celebrate together, and support and comfort one another. At its best, a Unitarian Universalist faith community nourishes all members with affirmation of their spirit and acceptance of their unique spiritual paths.

In this session, the children recognize that they each have their own spirit. They learn that when they bring their spirit into their faith community, they are sharing a gift. To many people, this communion of spirits is synonymous with the presence of God or the Spirit of Life.

4/3/11 - Script Writing - WCSS

2011-03-29T23:59:00.003-06:00

Lights, Ideas, and ..... Write!!

The next three weeks we will be writing skits to perform in the Earth day Musical on April 17th.

Bring your ideas, your creativity and get ready to create something fun!

2011-03-29T12:24:00.003-06:00

April 3, 2011
Children's Chapel

This Sunday in Children's Chapel, our service for children by children, we will be talking about how we can make choices that affect the world. Our story will be The Answer is in Your Hands and we will have three Station Rotations including Music Time with Beryl when the kids learn a song with our Children's Music Director. Join us at 9:15 am.

2011-03-29T11:49:00.002-06:00

April 3, 2011
Pre Kindergarten
9:15 and 11:00

The class will continue to talk about spring and all the fun things there are to do. We can think about planting in the garden in the church when the weather gets warmer and how we are starting to be able to go outside more. What do you like to do in the Spring? Did your family take a spring break? Where did they go? The flowers are blooming, the trees are in bud and it might also be a good time to think about wonderful new things to do as the earth wakes up around us.

2011-03-29T11:00:00.000-06:00

April 3, 2011
Pre School
9:15 and 11:00

Spring!

Hey! The snow is trying to melt! The leaves are popping out and it is time to think about planting and getting outdoors and warmer activities. Do we want to plant some seeds that will grow in the summer? What fun things can we think of that we do outdoors when winter comes to an end? What would we like to grow in a garden?

3/27/11 - Whats that like - YRUU

2011-03-23T00:17:00.002-06:00

Hannah, Ian and Charlie take the lead this week:

What's that like?

Being who you are
Today
In this time
As you are.

Be there or be Square.

3/27/11 - Recap & GAMES - WCSS

2011-03-23T00:06:00.005-06:00

Who went to the POW - WOW!?

This week we will share what we saw, what we learned....

After our recap:

PLEASE JOIN US FOR FUN AND GAMES!!

4/3/11 -The Medicine Wheel - COA

2011-03-22T23:41:00.004-06:00

The Medicine Wheel: a symbol for the wheel of life which is continually evolving and bringing new lessons and truths. We must live in every section of the wheel of life to find balance and understanding.

North- I am the Buffalo ( When confronted with obstacles I live in the community)
South - I am the Mouse (This is the place of innocence and Trust, fire, passion and yet shy)
East - I am the Eagle ( I enjoy detachment, I plan carefully with foresight)
West - I am the Bear ( I seek the quiet and calm to balance my spiralling nature, I ponder, I am undecided)

Where do you fit in? Feel most comfortable? Where do you need to explore?
Join us in COA for this fascinating 2 week session!

2011-03-22T12:33:00.002-06:00

March 27, 2011
Pre Kindergarten
9:15 and 11:00

The children in the Pre Kindergarten class have been talking about feelings. Why do we get sad or happy? Can we share with others when we are happy and can we help when our friends are sad? What makes us feel afraid or really good inside?

We also cannot help but notice that SPRING has arrived! This is a beautiful time of year in Colorado. Much like our feelings the weather changes a lot in Spring. We can have warm, sunny days, or snow or big winds! Just wait, another kind of weather is just around the corner. Keep your eyes on the windows and layer your clothes! What is your favorite kind of weather in Spring? Do you see any buds coming up out of the ground or on the tips of trees? There is a lot to talk about these next two Sundays so don't forget to come!

2011-03-22T11:00:00.003-06:00

March 27, 2011
Toolbox of Faith
4th-5th Grades, 9:15
K-5th Grades, 11:00

Love: Gloves

But now faith, hope, and love remain, these three. The greatest of these is love. Christian scripture
(1 Corinthians 13:13)

My religion is simple, my religion is kindness. Dalai Lama

The gloves symbolize love. In this session, engage in reflection about the strength and universality of love. We will allow time for participants to explore why it may sound simple and desirable to love, or to act from love; it can actually be very hard. We will discuss how compassion is the goal of every major religion. In addition, we will emphasize the concept of universal love and how it is connected to the love we feel for and show to our families and friends.

2011-03-22T11:00:00.002-06:00

March 27, 2011
Faithful Journey
2nd-3rd Grades, 9:15

Build World Community

We need not think alike to love alike. Francis David (David Ferenz), 16th-century Transylvanian Unitarian minister

In this session, the Unitarian Universalist Partner Church program provides a doorway into our sixth Principle, the goal of world community with peace, liberty, and justice for all. The children hear a story of a girl in Transylvania whose village welcomes visitors from a U.S. partner church. They affirm world community by experiencing games, music and dance from cultures connected to our faith through the Partner Church program in Transylvania.

2011-03-22T11:00:00.001-06:00

March 27, 2011
Wonderful Welcome
K-1st Grades, 9:15

The Gift of Learning Together

No problem can be solved by the same consciousness that created it. We need to see the world anew. Albert Einstein

This session introduces the intangible gift of learning together. As Unitarian Universalists, we use this gift in affirming and promoting our seven Principles. We cannot strive for justice, equity and compassion in human relations (second Principle), nor work toward the goal of world community (sixth Principle), without being wiling to learn what others feel and need. To pursue a free and responsible search for truth and meaning (fourth Principle), and to accept one another and encourage one another's spiritual growth (third Principle), we must be open to what we can learn from one another's experiences, as well as from teachings of other peoples and faiths.

Community creates opportunities to learn with others. This session's story illustrates how a rooster learned something about himself and realized his potential through the support and care of his community. At their best, Unitarian Universalist communities challenge members to bring out the best in each other.

2011-03-22T11:00:00.000-06:00

March 27, 2011
Pre School
9:15 and 11:00

Spring!

Hey! The snow is trying to melt! The leaves are popping out and it is time to think about planting and getting outdoors and warmer activities. Do we want to plant some seeds that will grow in the summer? What fun things can we think of that we do outdoors when winter comes to an end? What would we like to grow in a garden?

3/20 - Words, Words, Words - COA

2011-03-18T21:33:00.003-06:00

GOD

What does that mean?

Can it/she/he/they be described?

Do words get in the way of our expression?

Do words get in the way of our beliefs?

What Our Kids Think About God

2011-03-17T09:57:00.001-06:00

On March 6^th 2011, our K-5^th Graders participated in a Children's Chapel titled “God is...” Our usual story time was replaced taking turns reading “God is...” statements written by UU kids from the Allen Avenue Unitarian Universalist Church in Portland, Maine. Our own UU kids where then asked to write what they thought and here are their amazing answers.

God is....

God is nature, everything, his hands and arms are trees, his head the world, his body the galaxy, and his feet the stars. Cate, Age 10

God is nothing but a belief to guide people on their way. CJ, Age 10

God is a star in heaven. God is Nature. God is a part of the world. Claire, Age 7

I don't believe in god, but I do believe in god backwards... dog. Elliot, Age 10

God is light. God is warmth. God is fire. Devon, Age 11

God is us, the people of the world. Anonymous

God is a figment of imagination. It's just what someone thinks or something that's an imagination. Rae, Age 8

God is up in the sky and he decides your future. You can not see God. Ava, Age 8

God is the black stuff between the stars. It is darkness and light itself. It is love and hatred itself. It is team work. It is male and female itself. It is balance. Riley, Age 10

I think god is you and I; we are all god. God is in your heart. Houston, Age 8

God is a conscience that tells you what's right and what's wrong. Also, if you help other people I think that is god. Jack, Age 10

God is a star in the sky that watches over all of the people on the Earth. Dana, Age 10

God is a piece of Asia. God is a piece of Africa. God is a piece of Egypt. God is a piece of America. Harvey, Age 6

God is hope inside you. Zade, Age 7

God is love. Louise, Age 6

What is God? Well that is a good question, because what if God is nothing. Nothing but a belief some people believe in. A belief that I do not believe in. Sophia, Age 10

God is something that people made up and is not one being. He is the part of you that wants to help. He is you. He is the part of you that does not only survive, but thinks. He is what differentiates us from animals, the part of thought, of philosophy. Tessa, Age 10

God is invisible and he has a long beard. Benjamin, Age 8

God is nothing. Zach, Age 8

I think God is everything and I think God's shadow made the black stuff in the night sky. Brycen, Age 8

God is all of your emotions balled up to make a different person. Zoe, Age 10

I think God is nothing to me. A'sas, Age 11

God is the world. Evan, Age, 11

God is pretty much nothing to me. Pretty much I don't believe in god. Ava, Age 11

God is everything. God controls time and space, peace and war, God controls hate and love, Ahhhh. Vance, Age 9

God is... everything. Grainne, Age 7, Meg Age 5, and Callie Age 5

God is love, it is also like grass and trees and bushes. Rachel, Age 7

God is up in the sky and he watches over you. Tsige, Age 8 and Mahilet, Age 6

God is every person, every animal, and the world. Aidan, Age 9

My Mom believes in a God named Jesus. Danny, Age 6

I think God is a star. Anonymous

God is nature and animals. God is art and colors. God is places like sky, moon, sun, and ground. Lola, Age 7.

3/20 - Pow wow - WCSS

2011-03-16T18:06:00.001-06:00

Please join us Sunday for our FIELD TRIP SUNDAY!

For the past 2 weeks we have been focusing on the American Indian traditions and religions as apart of our Neighboring Faiths class, we will be completing this session by attending the 37th Annual Denver Pow-Wow at the Denver Coliseum.
http://www.denvermarchpowwow.org/

Tickets are $7 (scholarships available)

Details are:

Meet at the normal time 9:15 at the church (Kinne family to meet us there)
Carpool with Pete Peterson and Mary down to the Coliseum
Meet up with the Kinne family at the interfaith service at 10am http://www.denvermarchpowwow.org/schedule2005.htm
Attend the Processional at 11 HERE IS A GUIDE: http://www.denvermarchpowwow.org/spectators2005.htm
Leave the coliseum at 12:15
Back at the church by 12:30/45
BRING: $7 (plus any extra money to buy food or souvenirs) and your permission slip

Have You Begun Your Family’s Spark Journey?

2011-03-15T12:11:00.005-06:00

by Nancy Tellett-Royce, author of the Blog Parenting Further and parenting expert

Are you looking for ways to connect at a deeper level with your child? Begin a spark journey together! Chances are, you and your child already have a spark; you just may not be calling it by that name.

So, what is a spark? A spark is an individual’s deepest passion and interest. It is something that gives them meaning, focus, joy and energy.

Research has shown the importance of finding one’s spark and finding ‘spark champions’ to affirm and support the development of that spark. Young people who could identify their spark and knew they had adults who saw and supported their spark were also more likely to:

Have higher grades in school and better attendance
Be socially competent and volunteer to help others
Be physically healthy, and
Have a sense of purpose

Tips for Starting Your Family Spark Conversation

Remember Parents Need Sparks Too! Ask Yourself:

When you are not working, caring for children, or doing chores at home, how do you usually spend your time?
If you suddenly had a free weekend, with no work, no chores, no kids to take care of, what would you love to do? (besides take a nap!)
When you’re really busy with the basics of life, what are the activities you wish you had more time to do?
When you were your children’s ages, what were your sparks? Can you remember?
Did you get support for your sparks from the caring adults in your life when you were a child? What did they do that helped?
Do you and your children share any of the same sparks?
Are there any interests you had when you were younger that you’d like to do again?

2011-03-15T11:00:00.005-06:00

March 20, 2011
Children Making Change

We will talk about the 4 groups chosen by the YRUU for Compassion in Action in March:

2011-03-15T11:00:00.002-06:00

March 20, 2011
Pre Kindergarten
9:15 and 11:00

It is time for the Teddy Bear Party! We have learned that we are friends and we have great imagination and we care for our friends. Sometimes we get lost or we are afraid but we can but church is still a safe and wonderful place to be! Let’s have a picnic with our bears and talk about all the fun Teddy Bear things we have been doing!

2011-03-15T11:00:00.001-06:00

March 20, 2011
Pre School
9:15 and 11:00

Feelings

What are feelings? How do we share ours and are they the same as others? Do you feel sad or happy? Everyone does. Should we do the freeze dance? Let’s read a book and talk about what we feel and how we can be caring of others with theirs.

3/13/11- A.I. Religions Part 2 - WCSS

2011-03-08T21:49:00.001-07:00

3/20/11 - Fun and Games - YRUU

2011-03-08T21:39:00.004-07:00

Food and Fun
promised
this Sunday
in YRUU!

-says our new Fun and Games steering committee Members (aka Hana and Kenny) Woot!

3/13/11 - Panel Discussion - COA

2011-03-08T21:29:00.005-07:00

This Sunday is...

a Mentor Sunday!

& A PANEL DISCUSSION

Bring 2 questions you would like to discuss with people of different religious beliefs.

Congratulations COA you raised over $500 for your vision quest!!

2011-03-08T12:13:00.002-07:00

March 13, 2011
Toolbox of Faith
4th–5th Grades, 9:15
K-5th Grades, 11:00

Humor: Sandpaper

It is the test of a good religion if you can joke about it. G.K. Chesterton (1874-1936), English writer and journalist

Laughter is perhaps one of the most mystical expressions of a human being. Laibl Wolf, rabbi and educational psychologist

People open themselves up to laughter so they become open-hearted. And in becoming open-hearted sometimes the tears come too. Jenny Thompson Richards, clown doctor

A merry heart does good like a medicine, but a broken spirit dries the bones. Hebrew scripture, Proverbs 17:22

Sandpaper symbolizes humor, a tool which smoothes the rough edges of life. This session provides opportunities to reflect on how humor and laughter in a life of Unitarian Universalist faith can help us survive and enjoy the life we are given. We will allow time for participants to engage with the issue of jokes that are based on stereotypes and emphasize that humor can heal when we laugh with others, and can harm when we laugh at others. In addition, we will explore how humor can be an affirmation of life in the face of life's sadness. Humor can be a source of inner spiritual strength that helps us survive.

2011-03-08T12:09:00.003-07:00

March 13th, 2011
Faithful Journey
2nd-3rd Grades, 9:15

Make Peace

Surely they hitched their wagon to a star – and though it fell to Earth, it left a pathway so bright that it still points the way to perfection. – Susan Thwang, on the Hopedale Community co-founded by Adin Ballou

In this session, participants explore the sixth Unitarian Universalist Principle, the goal of world community with peace, liberty, and justice for all. They hear about Adin Ballou, a Universalist Christian pacifist who helped establish the Hopedale Community, where members worked to create a new way of living based on the teachings of Jesus. Participants create peace pinwheels that represent their hopes for peace in our world.

2011-03-08T12:03:00.002-07:00

March 13th, 2011
Wonderful Welcome
K-1st Grades, 9:15

The Gift of Acceptance

When you find peace within yourself, you become the kind of person who can live at peace with others. Peace Pilgrim, born Mildred Lisette Norman, an American pacifist, and peace activist.

This session introduces the intangible gift of acceptance, a particularly important gift because it makes sharing other intangible gifts possible. Unitarian Universalists are proud of our tradition of accepting people marginalized by other communities. Our congregations strive to welcome people who have felt unwelcome in other faith communities, perhaps because of their sexual orientation or their rejection of religious doctrine. Unitarian Universalists explicitly embrace and value people who stand outside the mainstream in order to honor to their own truths and heartfelt beliefs.

Children can relate to the idea of "acceptance" on a personal, concrete level through their experiences of feeling accepted and accepting others. The simplicity of a child's understanding is not superficial, but deeply rooted in our Universalist heritage that includes the belief, heretical in its time, in a divine force which accepts each of us as we are. Built into our faith, too, is the belief that acceptance of others begins with acceptance of self.

2011-03-08T12:00:00.002-07:00

March 13, 2011
Pre Kindergarten
9:15 and 11:00

Sometimes everyone becomes afraid. What makes you afraid? Is it the dark or being lost? Let’s talk about it all together and hold our Teddy Bears. They make us feel safe. We could play a game of hide and seek with the bears to help us learn that sometimes things get lost but also found.

2011-03-08T11:54:00.003-07:00

March 13, 2011
Pre School
9:15 and 11:00

Feelings

What are feelings? How do we share ours and are they the same as others? Do you feel sad or happy? Everyone does. Should we do the freeze dance? Let’s read a book and talk about what we feel and how we can be caring of others with theirs.

3/6/11 - Native American Traditions - WCSS

2011-03-01T23:30:00.007-07:00

This week:

Native American Traditions and Religions

"Treat the earth well: it was not given to you by your parents, it was loaned to you by your children. We do not inherit the Earth from our Ancestors, we borrow it from our Children." -Ancient Indian Proverb

SAVE THE DATE:
Sunday March 20th (during class)
Denver Pow-Wow at the Denver Colluseum
Tickets are $7

3/6/11 - Roots and Treetops - YRUU

2011-03-01T23:21:00.003-07:00

Karl leads the way this week with-

"Roots and Treetops: a look into fundamentals and aspirations"

3/6/11 - Making Burritos for Vision Quest - COA

2011-03-01T23:12:00.003-07:00

Please be at the church at

9am

To MAKE & SELL BURRITOS for the

COA Vision Quest

2011-03-01T14:35:00.003-07:00

Children's Chapel - March 6th, 2011
9:15 and 11:00

God is...

At First Universalist there are many ideas of what God is or is not. This Sunday, our K-5th Graders will explore those ideas with quotes from other UU children in God is... Then we will learn that our Universalist roots tell us "God is Love." This idea is profound and flexible enough to encompass the many different opinions we hold as UUs about in a loving way. Join us and find out how!

2011-03-01T14:33:00.002-07:00

March 6, 2011
Pre Kindergarten
9:15 and 11:00

Teddy Bear Month continues with Fixed! Everyone needs to learn to help each other and be able to express their feelings in an appropriate way. If you aren’t sure you can say what you want to say to someone else, you can practice on your Teddy Bear. Didn’t bring one? No worries, there are plenty in the nursery!

2011-03-01T11:00:00.000-07:00

March 6th, 2011
Pre School, 9:15 and 11:00

Rainbows

What is a rainbow and how many colors does it have? Let’s read a book and find out! We could make a rainbow puzzle and see how many colors there are. How about a rainbow mural with everyone helping? How many different colors of foods can we count for snacks?