MAY 2022
message from charla
"BUILDING COMMUNITY IS TO THE COLLECTIVE AS SPIRITUAL PRACTICE IS TO THE INDIVIDUAL." ~ GRACE LEE BOGGS
The worship theme for May is Beauty and we think we’ve got a good handle on that in RE. This month we'll be exploring the beauty of our seven principles (and the possibility of an 8th). We'll be looking at the beauty of the many identities that make up each one of us. We'll be nurturing the soil in a neglected flower bed and planting narrowleaf milkweed and other native plants to create a beautiful pollinator garden. And we'll be witnessing our 2022 Coming of Age cohort emerge from childhood into youth at our annual COA worship service. It doesn't get more beautiful than that!
Summer is right around the corner and we could use your talents and energy in CRE. Summer Sundays are a time when we turn to imagination and play. While we’ll bring back our popular Maker Space Sundays, we’d also like to invite congregants to spend an hour on a Sunday morning sharing a hobby, talent, or special interest with our kids. Do you like to draw or paint, take pictures, build things, do science experiments, write poetry, play board games, work in the garden, sing, go bird watching, or collect rocks, stamps, or anything else? How about sharing that passion with our kids for an hour this summer? Sign up at the RE table in the garden during coffee hour and we’ll talk!
Let's also start planning some fun, summer activities for families! Come to RE Parent Circle on May 4 to get the conversation started!
Yours in faith,
Charla
don't miss the re & COA Photos at the end of this newsletter!
mark your calendars
here's what's coming up in re this month
may SUNDAYS
Childcare is open from 9:45-11:30 in Starr King for children five and under. Older children begin in the sanctuary with their parents for a Time for All Ages before being sung out to their RE classes
MAY 1
- Childcare for children five and under 9:45-11:30 AM in Starr King
- Children's Worship 10:00-11:15 Following the Time for All Ages in the sanctuary, elementary school children will join Charla, Janey & Christina for a Children's Worship service about race and personal identities.
- COA 11:30-1:00 in Jefferson Hall. Rev. Julia and our Music Director, Matthew Grisset, will join youth to begin planning their May 22 COA worship service.
MAY 8
- Childcare for children five and under 9:45-11:30 AM in Starr King
- K-7th CRE Janey Madlani & Christina Boardman will lead a fun and creative Mother's Day Makerspace! 10:15 in Jefferson Courtyard.
- COA 11:30-1:00 in Jefferson Hall. Youth will be partnering with their mentors to begin crafting their personal faith statements.
MAY 15
- Childcare for children five and under 9:45-11:30 AM in Starr King
- K-4th Grade CRE Following the TFAA, join Janey for an exploration of the May worship theme.
- 5th-7th Grade CRE Following the TFAA, join Christina for a 7 Principles escape room!
- COA 11:30-1:00 in Jefferson Hall. Youth will be going over the final plans for the service next week!
MAY 22
- Childcare for children eight and under 9:45-11:30 AM in Starr King
- Multigenerational COA Worship Service. Children are encouraged to attend with their families. We will extend childcare to children eight and under for those who need it.
MAY 29
- Childcare for children five and under 9:45-11:30 AM in Starr King
- CRE Pollinator Garden! Fingers crossed that we will be ready to start planting out pollinator garden in the Jefferson Courtyard this morning, All parents and children are invited to dig in the dirt and help!
RE Pollinator garden
You may have noticed the neglected planting bed to the left of the sanctuary, overlooking the Jefferson Courtyard. Well, we would like to do something about that! We are planning to create a pollinator garden in that space.
Before we can begin the fun part of planting native milkweed and flowering plants (which we hope to do on May 29th), we need to do some prep work on that hard Santa Barbara soil. (We're also getting the drip system up and running again.)
Please contact Charla if you have an interest in helping with this prep work before May 29. We'll find a time that works for volunteers to come in and get the soil ready for planting.
"THERE'S NO SUCH THING AS A PERFECT PARENT. SO JUST BE A REAL ONE." - SUE ATKINS
RE PARENT CIRCLE
wednesday, May 4, 7:00 PM on zoom
Meeting ID: 974 9442 4620; Passcode: 051875
Let's talk about summer plans this month!
Our monthly zoom parent circle begins with a chalice lighting, brief RE announcements, and a few good, deep breaths! The space will then be open to participants to check-in and share the joys and challenges of raising children. This is an opportunity to give and receive support, encouragement, and resources from peers in parenting. These are challenging times for families. Laughter and tears are welcome!
COA worship service
may 22, 10:00 am
The Coming of Age lead worship service is an important rite of passage at USSB. It is a time when the congregation witnesses the transition from childhood to burgeoning adulthood, inviting the youth into membership and participation in the congregation in their own right.
8th graders Emma, Sam, Kaitlyn, Phoebe, Antonio, Zander and Ada have spent the last several months exploring the big questions of life in personal reflection and in conversation with their mentors and COA facilitators. They will be spending the weeks leading up to May 22 planning everything from the music to the story for all ages to the readings for this service. They will also be crafting their personal faith statements, which they will share with all of us.
We hope you will plan to be there to support these youth in this important rite of passage.
enjoy a few snapshots of what we've been up to in re
DRE "DROP-IN" office hours
Do you have questions about RE or ideas to share? Do you just need to talk? Just click on the button below to schedule a time or send me an email. I'd love to hear from you.
Can't meet during office hours? No problem! Send me an email and we'll find a time that works for you.
please contact me with questions, concerns, or your great ideas
Credits:
Created with images by Khaleel - "Golden poppy field with blue sky and clouds in Lake Elsinore California" • MarekPhotoDesign.com - "Welcome May in letterpress wood type"