WAYS TO CONNECT

MULTIGENERATIONAL ACTIVITIES AND SERVICES

MULTI-GEN SERVICES

Multigenerational services (Multi-gens) are led by the Director of Religious Exploration, and are for all members of the congregation to take part in. Classes are not held when we have Multi-gens, as they are planned with the children in mind, with extra songs and movement activities. The Nursery is always provided though. Children and Youth also take part in these services, and participate by reading poetry or other special readings, performing music or skits, lighting and extinguishing the Chalice, and helping in other ways depending on the service.

We generally offer 4 Sunday morning Multi-gens, and 1 evening Christmas Eve Multi-gen each year:

The Water Communion

In August, we have our Water Communion service. This service brings closure to our summer RE programming, and prepares the children and adults for heading back out into the world: to school, work, and wherever each person’s path takes them during the week.

This is a communion specific to Unitarian Universalists, and was created by 2 UU women in the 1980’s.

The Winter Holiday Service

Our Winter Holiday service is held in mid-December, and is focused on one or more of the winter holidays from around the world. These services generally have a lot of music and have parts for all children that are interested in participating!

The Christmas Eve Service

Our Christmas Eve Service combines the reading of the Christmas Story, a secular holiday Story For All Ages, lots of holiday caroling and musicians, ending with a White Elephant gift exchange and a cookie and cider reception!

RE Sunday and Flower Communion

The RE Sunday service and the Flower Communion have been combined the past 2 years, but might be separated into 2 distinct services in the future. RE Sunday is a service that celebrates the children and youth of the RE classes, recognizes and gives thanks to the teachers and volunteers, and also includes a Bridging Ceremony for graduating seniors.

The Flower Communion is a special service that celebrates the beauty of nature, friendship and family, coming together, and sharing with one another.

This is a communion specific to Unitarian Universalists, and was first created 100 years ago!

And one more special service.

This might be a special service for a holiday or holy day like Halloween or the Spring Equinox; a UU related service about the Chalice, our UU Principles or Sources; or on something that the RE has been working on, like a social justice or environmental project.

RE MOVIE NIGHT

The 2^nd Friday of each month is set aside for Movie Night at the UUFT. Parents are welcome to stay and watch the movie with their children, or they can drop off their children and come back to pick them up after the movie! The movie titles will be posted in the UUFT newsletter, with reminders in the Weekly RE Newsletter, so that parents can decide if the movie is the right fit for their children and family. Popcorn is provided from the RE budget, and families can bring other snacks and drinks for themselves or to share! As the evening comes to a close, we ask all that are able to help get the sanctuary ready for the Sunday service!

UUFT 4^th FRIDAY GAME NIGHT

The UUFT Game Night is a great way to get to know other members and friends of our congregation! This is not a Religious Exploration event, though children and youth are very welcome to attend with a responsible adult!

This is usually held on the 4^th Friday of each month, from 6-8pm at the UUFT. Bring your favorite game or games, bring a snack to share, and feel free to bring a friend or family member as well! This is a lovely way to introduce people from outside our congregation to the awesome cool UUFT

WEEKLY RE NEWSLETTER

The Weekly RE Newsletter is sent out on Sunday afternoons, and details the events in the different classes that day, along with important information on upcoming gatherings and activities. It also offers extra activities and ideas to help continue religious exploration throughout the week, and discussion questions and prompts for families to expand on what was learned and explored in the classes that day.

THIS MONTH AT A GLANCE, THE MONTHLY UUFT NEWSLETTER

A Sprinkle of Stardust

by Erin Forstein, Director of Religious Education

A Side Quest…

The last papers have been written, the last grades have been tallied, random lost oddities have been cleared from the lockers, and summer is here! It is time to get outside before the heat of the Kansas summer really takes hold. It’s time to enjoy a coffee on the porch, early in the morning when the birds are waking up with the sweet sounds of their song, and time to kayak in the evening when the cicadas start to trill and the first fireflies begin to blink about, and the air feels like a soft caress.

It is time, for some of us, to slow down and let the world drift by like a lazy flowing stream. Do you remember making little rafts and boats out of bark when you were young? Using leaves for sails, and placing tiny pinecone and acorn creatures into their crafts to sail off to unknown worlds? Or, at least to see how far they could make it before their ships took on water?
If you never did this, you are not too old to try it now…in fact, I have a side quest for everyone that reads these words! Find a small and peaceful stream. Using only your hands and imagination, along with found nature items like tree bark that fell onto the ground, a few pieces of grass, a pretty leaf, and a twig or two, create a small craft and set it to sail. If you have children, or know some children, they can help you if you need any help. Children usually have the answers to magical things that deal with the imagination. In fact, they tend to be quite extraordinary experts in this field.
If life does not slow down for you in the summer, you can hopefully find a little time that can be stretched out a bit. Pause on the hurrying and worrying that happens to the best of us during the rest of the year. Find a stream after work, on your lunch break, or perhaps before you come to the UUFT on Sunday morning. Bonus points to those of you that take and send me a picture of your crafts! You can never have too many bonus points, after all.

The Nursery Newborn through age 3

Farai’s presence at the UUFT is a breath of calm. Please spread the word that our nursery is up and running with a very qualified and awesome person in charge!
I felt that because the older children and youth were going to be working on the UU Lego Sources curriculum, I would put some age appropriate Lego Duplo blocks in the nursery. I love the idea of all the children and youth learning/playing/working in synch!

The Children and Youth

The children and youth will be spending the first 2 Sundays in June exploring the outdoors with the other 2 classes for some fun multi-age learning and exploring as they create nature art, have some water fun, and help out with the garden. They will split back into their regular classes on the 3rd Sunday of the month as they begin their summer curriculum, UU Lego Sources!

Children entering PreK (age 4) to 1st grade will be back in the Spirit Play room.

Children entering 2nd grade to 5th grade will be in the new Upper Elementary room with Jebel as the new Volunteer In Charge!

Youth will be back in their cool couch-lined Den of Awesomeness!

The MultiGen!!

I just can’t say how completely thrilled I am that so many Youth helped out with the MultiGen service on May 21st. From reading poetry to lighting and extinguishing the chalice, to performing music, to helping with flower arrangements and helping to pot some plants, and more! We are so lucky to have such a fabulous group of Leaders In Learning!! I am also thrilled with all of the wonderful adults that helped to make the service so beautiful as well! Every single one of you rock!!
If you or your child would like to help out with our next MultiGen service, The Water Communion, on August 20th, please let me know! If all the current spots have been filled, I will create a new area just for you! The most important spots are the Callers of the Four Directions. This job entails standing at one of the 4 water stations set up for the service, and then reading a short paragraph into the microphone that I will bring around. Then, bringing your bowl of water to the center of the room and pouring it (with help if preferred) into our combined water collection basin (small molded plastic pool).

Volunteers Needed!

The Youth Group, the Spirit Play class, the Upper Elementary class, and the nursery all need volunteers! If you are interested in helping out our Religious Exploration program, please contact DRE Erin for more information! You will be sent a link short online form to fill out for a background check.

All RE volunteers receive a beautiful handmade UUFT keychain in rainbow colors to represent the colors that go along with the UU Principles! You can attach this to your backpack, purse, or even your keys! Showing off your UUFT rainbow style is easy when you volunteer! These are also running out! Get yours while they last! New and different keychains will be created with love for the Water Service in August.