Welcome to Unitarian Universalist Society East
Holiday Fair Friday/Saturday
Director's Corner
Emmy's Friday Update
For Sunday November 17th
Greetings CYM Families & Friends!
“Caring for myself is not self-indulgence, it is self-preservation, and that is an act of political warfare” -Audre Lorde
Lorde was a Black, civil rights activist, writer, lesbian, and feminist who was prominent in the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s. Lorde's quote is a famous teaching about self-care and challenges the idea that taking care of oneself is selfish. She believed that self-care was a radical act that sustained her ability to enact change and was a vital part of her work as an activist.
Rest is part of the work. Be well friends.
Join us in community at UUSE this Sunday for restoration of the spirit.
Here’s what’s happening in Children & Youth Ministry on Sunday, November 17, 2024:
@10:30 AM
Children & Youth Choir: Rehearsals are Sundays at 10:30 AM in the Children’s Chapel on the Garden Level. Open to all ages!
@11 AM
Sunday Service: “Building A Consensus Community” - For over five decades, unique individuals at UUSE have created "a welcoming, open-minded, spiritual community seeking truth and meaning in its many forms" by weaving their ideas together creatively to move our society forward. Join us as we share out thoughts around the hard work, commitment, and "love of the light in each other" that guide us in building a consensus community that includes the aspirations of all. Special Guest Musicians: Meeting House. Coordinator: Kate Kimmerle
Nursery: Childcare is available in our Nursery on the Garden Level at 11 AM for children 3 and under. Care is provided by two regular childcare staff including our Nursery Coordinator Molly, our Nursery Assistant Lilly-Rose. Our nursery staff have grown up at UUSE, and are equipped with loads of experience, patience, and creativity to keep our youngest UUs safe and engaged. Families are always welcome to tour and stay in the nursery at any time.
CYM Groups:
Children and Youth in 1st-12th grade will join their families in the Sanctuary for the beginning of worship every Sunday. (If you are prepping for teaching or need to stay with a little one during this time, we will look after your child in the Sanctuary.) Please look for youth name tags on the Main Level. Students will be dismissed from the Sanctuary to the Garden Level for classes after a Time For All Ages.
Spirit Play (Pre-K/Kindergarten): “The Extra Thankful Thanksgiving” - Spirit Play children will go directly to class at 11 AM for the day’s lesson. This Sunday, our students will talk about how the Thanksgiving holiday is coming soon. It is a time when we get together with our families and friends to share food and fun and to remember all the things we are thankful for.
Spirituality & Religion (Grades 1-5): “Indigenous Peoples Month” - This Sunday, our Elementary students will hear stories written by indigenous people of our country, focused on their spiritual practices of gratitude and honoring the Earth.
***Please send your child with a sweatshirt and outdoor shoes as we may visit our outdoor space. If you’d like to leave a sweatshirt, coat, hat, or play shoes in the classroom for the year, feel free to label and bring them on in.
Anti-Racism (Grades 6-8): “Prejudice is Personal” - This chapter expands on the concept of personal racism and how it reinforces the power of institutions that uphold prejudice with racist laws and policies. Jewell also teaches about “microaggressions”, which she defines as one subtle form of racism; an intention or unintentional insult, sight, or hostile, negative message to folx who do not fit into the imaginary box of dominant culture. Rev Josh is our guest teacher for the day!
High School Youth Group (Grades 9-12): It’s the 3rd Sunday of the month, so that means the High School Youth Group will meet in their classroom for fellowship after the Time For All Ages. HS Youth Group members should head directly to the Sanctuary for 11 AM. They may sit with family or friends, wherever they feel comfortable.
Multi-Gen Affirmation: Affirmation class meets this coming Sunday, the 17th, from 1:00 to 2:30. Due to fair set up, we will have to meet by Zoom. If you haven’t already, please check your email for a note from Josh with Zoom link and homework assignment!
Junior Youth Group will NOT meet this month.
UUSE Happenings:
December Engagement Opportunities
to discuss UUSE’s relationship with the UUA
We invite YOU to participate!
We would like to encourage everyone to participate. All voices are important –including those of folks who don’t see themselves as having strong views on the issues and those who haven’t been involved thus far. When we all share our views and listen to the perspectives of others, we develop a richer understanding of who we are as a congregation.
Come share your perspectives on A2 and the UUA and deeply listen to the views of others so that we are able to find a way forward as a unified congregation. Thematic analysis of the notes capturing the major ideas shared in each session will be presented in a final report to the congregation recommending ways forward.
Three more Radical Listening Workshops
Radical Listening Workshop (3-hour commitment) with internal facilitators
These are highly participatory workshops (8-10 participants) that include one-on-one and small group exercises.
· Friday, Dec. 6, 10 am-1 pm
· Sat. Dec. 7, 1-4 pm
· Tues. Dec. 10, 10 am-1 pm
Three more Focus Groups
Focus Group (3-hour commitment) with an outside facilitator
Highly participatory structured whole group conversation (8-10 participants)
· Sunday, Dec. 15, 3-6 pm
· Monday, Dec 16, 1-4 pm
· Saturday, Dec. 21, 1-4 pm
One more Task Force Led Conversation
Dec. 15 at the CYM Potluck after the 11 am service
Folks without children in CYM are also welcome to attend! An excellent opportunity to share conversation across generations. RSVPs preferred but not required for this engagement opportunity.
If you need childcare for any of the above opportunities, please let us know when you sign up.
Please sign up as soon as possible -- with a preferred choice and a back-up choice
by emailing monica.vanbeusekom@gmail.com OR
by texting or calling Sid Soderholm at 301-789-8638 OR
by signing up in person after services on Sundays
And lastly, if you haven’t been to CYM yet this year, please join us this Sunday! Children in the Nursery through 12th grade need to be registered every year for the Children & Youth Ministry program, so please register here if you haven’t already. Thank you!
With Love and Gratitude,
Emmy Galbraith
Cell: (860)576-7889
CYM Committee Members:
Desiree Holian-Borgnis, Chair
Michelle Spadaccini
Paula Baker
Sudha Sevin
Committee email: uusecym@uuse.org
Angela Attardo, CYM Program Assistant
Director of Children and Youth Ministry's Monthly Column for November
Of course as I am writing this, I have no idea who will win the 2024 presidential election. But I do know that our children and youth are hearing a lot about it. Rev. Josh and I had the opportunity to talk with the High School Youth Group about their concerns and questions regarding the current campaign season. They were very insightful and we’ll continue talks about their experiences over the next few weeks.
As a mom of teenagers, my kids are getting most of their information from social media. With the purpose of being funny, edgy, and attention-grabbing, the reels and memes circulating have little to do with issues and proposed solutions. My middle child will have turned 18 just two weeks before the 2028 election, so I’ve been reflecting on ways to bring the conversation to the dinner table, in a way that will interest and engage them. She always enjoys coming to vote with me, and has lots of questions. But I admit, I don’t always get to the polls for local and off-year elections. I’m not promoting that, but it does make me look within. How many opportunities am I missing to engage my children in civic and political matters?
My 8-year-old son Forrest watched both the Presidential and Vice Presidential debates with me. He also asked a lot of questions and learned quite a bit. The later bedtime on a school night may have been a large part of the appeal. But mostly I think he wanted to see the people behind the memes and jokes on YouTube. Regardless of age, it’s easy to see presidential candidates as celebrities and symbols rather than people. My children’s father is apolitical but if he were to choose a candidate, it would be Trump. Which offers some interesting conversation and jokes within my own family. Forrest is young but he can sense excitement and power dynamics built into that. How many of us, I wonder, are part of families with a similar dynamic? If we look into extended family, probably all of us.
I heard someone this week wisely proclaim that if it wasn’t Trump, it would be someone else. It’s a time in our country and history that has birthed this. A few days later I heard someone else say, this won’t end even if Trump loses. In 4 or 8 years, an even more palatable version of Vance will arrive on the scene. This doesn’t end with this election. It was hard to hear, but I think it’s true and gives me some deeper understanding. “The work” is never ending but we get to take turns.
Children and youth always give me hope for the future when I’m lacking it. If you haven’t spent time with any lately, I highly recommend it. As a liberal, progressive people we have put a lot of work into changing the world. Our communities, culture, and stories are truly better because of it. The proof is in the pudding, just talk to our kids. And by “our” I mean all of “our kids” at UUSE. They belong to all of us. They are watching us, they are eager to carry our legacy, and they already are. They are loving, they are kind. They crave fairness and fight for it. They delight in helping and in learning.
No matter who “wins” there is pain and loss in our country. The fractured families and friendships, the feelings of betrayal and devastation. “Our” children will feel and see it radiating off of us. We can show them how to walk through it, and how to continue “the work” when it is indeed most important. They will carry the seed we’ve planted, and I thank all of you for it.
Emmy Galbraith (she/her/hers)
Director of Children and Youth Ministry