Westminster Unitarian Church

Teaching the Truth

2010-03-17T11:14:00.004-04:00

Here is an email received by a colleague from a parent at her UU church in Illinois.

BEGIN QUOTE: Last week my son's middle school Social Studies teacher had them all write down what a "Muslim" was on a piece of paper. Then he asked them to share their answers. My son said he was the only one in his class that didn't write down "terrorist". The teacher then asked my son what his answer was and he said: "a Muslim is a person who practices the religion Islam, they pray 5 times a day, their church is called a Mosque..."...and one more thing that I don't recall right now. The teacher praised him for this knowledge and asked him where he learned that; he said church and the fact that he had visited a Mosque and talked with people who are Muslim just recently.

Later, in the hallway, the kids called him a terrorist.

It shows just how far we still have to go. This makes me proud as a parent but sad as a community member. Thanks for what you do to teach the truth." END OF QUOTE

My HEARTFELT thanks to our Religious Education Committee, the Neighboring Faiths Coordinators, the Neighboring Faiths teachers, and our community for supporting this wonderful program to "teach the truth."

It is so very important work we do...and the work continues.

Renee

Upcoming RE Calendar

2010-02-05T09:38:00.002-05:00

February 7th:

9 am RE Classes

10:15 am COA Class/Sharing Locker Orientation

11 am RE begins in the sanctuary

February 14th:

9 am Multigenerational Service "Love Makes a Family"

Join Rev. Barbara and Renee Pierre for a celebration our families. Join us for sweet music and sweet treats...not to be missed!

10 am Soup for the Soul! Yummy soup to warm us up on a cold winter's day.

11 am RE begins in the sanctuary

Youth History Prize by the Unitarian Universalist Historical Society

2010-02-05T09:25:00.004-05:00

This just in!

The Unitarian Universalist Historical Society is sponsoring a Youth History Essay Contest with prizes for first and second place. The deadline has been extended to April 1, 2010.

Check out the website for details: http://www25.uua.org/uuhs/

Students must be between the age of 12 and 19 and it must be an original work.

This is a wonderful opportunity to interest youth in our history and how it relates to them in their faith development.

Former Coming of Age graduates are especially encouraged to apply as they have each completed a biography of a famous UU during their program. Senior youth group members are also encouraged to apply as this could be a writing used for an upcoming Soulful Sundown Service.

Please feel free to contact me with any questions or if you would like reference material for your writing.

All this in just a Day!

2010-02-01T07:10:00.012-05:00

Although it was only one service at 10 am (rather than our usual 9 & 11 am services), church was a hoppin' place on Sunday!

The children are in Week 2 of our 3rd Term.
Grades 1 through 6 are learning about famous Unitarian Universalists.

The 5th and 6th grade class talked about Frank Lloyd Wright and created their own designs out of recycled materials.

The 3rd and 4th grade class had a local "famous UU" visit their class - Ginny Fox. Here she is seen standing with the children and their teachers who are holding the beautiful peace flags they created that morning. Ginny, a UU from the First Unitarian Church in Providence, is passionate about peace and sharing that passion with everyone she meets! Check out her website at http://thepeaceflagproject.org/.

The first and second grade class was learning about Christopher Reeve and focusing on the Second Rainbow Principle: Offer Fair and Kind Treatment to All. They too had a guest join their class, but they quickly realized that their guest would not be able to climb the stairs to their class on the second floor so they came down to the first floor to meet with her. Alice, a long-time member of our church, told the children that she had been in an accident several years ago and that she can no longer walk. She stressed to the children that she is still the same person on the inside even if she looks different on the outside. The kids asked lots of wonderful questions and Alice was patient and thoughtful in her responses.

And a stop by the nursery this morning found Kim and Evan sharing a story together!

Last, but not least...our congregation voted on building issues and budget issues... always keeping the future generations in their hearts and minds!

And just think.... all this in just a day!

Lots of Love!

2010-01-24T09:38:00.002-05:00

Our friend Tae was out sick today and we thought we'd send him some Get Well Wishes!

CHILDREN'S CHAPEL January 17, 2010

2010-01-19T14:05:00.009-05:00

The children began their morning in the Sanctuary this past Sunday. We listened to Rev. Barbara talk about her trip to New Orleans and the work she did helping to rebuild a home while she was down there. We talked about our 7 UU principles and how important it is to use our "Open minds, helping hands and loving hearts" to put our principles into action.

As a reminder, here are our principles:

Seven Rainbow Principles of Unitarian Universalism
Red: Respect the importance and value of all beings.
Orange: Offer fair and kind treatment to all.
Yellow: Yearn to learn through life.
Green: Grow by exploring ideas and values together.
Blue: Believe in our ideas and act on them.
Indigo: Insist on peace, freedom and justice for all.

Violet: Value our interdependence with nature.

After leaving the Sanctuary, the children and I headed over to Children's Chapel. The discussion segued from Martin Luther King Jr. to the tragedy in Haiti. The children brainstormed ways they could help those affected by the earthquake in Haiti. They decided they would like to help the "first responders" who are helping in Haiti right now and they chose to support the American Red Cross.

They came up with two ways to help: (1) doing extra chores around the house or neighborhood to raise money for the Red Cross and (2) hosting a used toy sale to be held next Sunday in Fellowship Hall - children can bring in a used toy or book (in excellent condition) to sell and bring in money to purchase a used toy or book. All of the proceeds will go to the American Red Cross.

Please contact me if you or your child have any questions about this wonderful giving opportunity.

Renee Pierre, Director of Religious Education

401-487-8618

westminsterdre@gmail.com

CHILDREN'S CHAPEL December 13, 2009

2009-12-13T14:53:00.005-05:00

CHILDREN'S CHAPEL 12/13/09 - PRAYER

OPENING WORDS: Open your hearts to the wonder of worship.Open your minds to the search for meaning and truth.Open your eyes to the miracle of creation. Open your arms to the embrace of loved ones. Open your souls, and let the divine sweep in. Rev David Usher-adapted

HYMN #389 (with hand gestures) Gathered Here in the Mystery of the hour Gathered here in one strong body Gathered here in the struggle and the power Spirit draw near

CHALICE LIGHTING #452 Life is a gift for which we are grateful. We gather in community to celebrate the glories and the mysteries of this great gift.

Rainbow Candles/Principles

CHILDREN'S AFFIRMATION:

We are Unitarian Universalists. We are people with open minds, helping hands, and loving hearts. (with hand gestures)

OFFERTORY - Today's offering will be shared 50/50

DISCUSSION OF PRAYER
Do you pray?
What kind of prayers? (table grace, bedtime prayers, same? different?)
Do you hear prayers that other people say?
Do UUs pray?
What kind of prayers?

BEDTIME PRAYER HANDOUT:

May I open my heart

To the Spirit of Life

May I be grateful for the goodness in my life (name something you are grateful for)

May I offer forgiveness to myself and others (say sorry to someone or for something)

May I remember those who love me and whom I love (name those you love and who love you)

Blessed be

and Amen.

CRAFT: UU Rainbow Prayer Beads

CLOSING: Carry the Flame

CHILDREN'S CHAPEL December 6, 2009 10 am

2009-12-06T14:36:00.000-05:00

PLANTING FOR THE FUTURE

OPENING WORDS

OPENING HYMN - Gathered Here
Gathered here in the mystery of the hour
Gathered here in one strong body
Gathered here in the struggle and the power
Spirit draw near

CHALICE LIGHTING/CHILDREN'S AFFIRMATION
We are Unitarian Universalists
We are people with open minds, helping hands, and loving hearts.

RAINBOW CANDLES

STORY - Once upon a time, there stood an old church house. One day a wandering traveler visited this old church house and found inside a wonderfully loving and caring community. This community helped those in need, came together for worship, learned and explored together, and celebrated good times and bad together.

This wandering traveler saw such a wonderful and loving community and wished for them a nicer church house. He saw that the paint was peeling, some of the hallways were dark, sometimes it was too cold and sometimes it was too hot, and all the time the church house needed repairs. He wished and wished for a new church house for them and lo and behold a wizard appeared to him. This wizard wore a long, flowing cape and inside this cape were many pockets.

The wizard spoke to the wandering traveler and said, "I've heard your wish, but I have come to ask what exactly you truly wish for." The wandering traveler told the wizard the story of finding this wonderful community and wanting to give them a new home in which to be together.

The wizard asked the wandering traveler to describe it. "It is a home with room for everyone to come together. A home with lots of rooms for children and adults to learn and explore, a home with a library to read and relax, a home with a bright and clean kitchen, and a home with plenty of room for celebrations of all kinds."

The wizard smiled. His smile got wider and wider as he heard the wandering traveler describe this beautiful new home.

Finally the wizard spoke. "My friend, I believe I have just what you are looking for." And he reached into his cape and searched in pocket after pocket until he found what he was looking for. He reached in deep into the pocket and he brought out his hand in a closed fist.

The wandering traveler looked a bit confused. "Open your hand" the wizard said. And the wandering traveler did. The wizard then placed into his hand something small and round.

"These are just seeds! How are seeds going to help me give them a new church house?" asked the wandering traveler.

"Oh, I'm sorry," said the wizard. "I don't have room in my cape for a whole church house! That would just be crazy!" "So what can I do?" said the wandering traveler.

The wizard said, "Well, to build a new church you need a vision, a picture in your head, of what the new church house would look like. But most of all, that picture needs to be shared by everyone in the loving community. Next, this community needs to make a sacrifice and raise money to pay for the new church house. This helps them to see the picture more clearly. Next, the community needs to work hard to make the vision, or the picture, come to life and the only way to do that is if everyone in the loving community works hard together."

The wandering traveler's face turned from confusion to knowing.

"Thank you most wise and wonderful wizard. I know that these seeds will not "grow" a church house, but it will remind me that if I am loving and faithful to this wonderful community, then I can help them make their dream come true."

DISCUSSION of the end of Westminster's Capital Campaign and the beginning of preparing for the next phase for a new church house.

OFFERTORY - From you I receive to you I give, together we share and from this we live.

JOYS AND CONCERNS

CLOSING WORDS

Sing: Carry the Flame

Children's Chapel November 29, 2009

2009-11-29T15:54:00.007-05:00

Children's Chapel
November 29, 2009
Is it True?

Opening Words:
We come together now to worship.
Spirit calls to spirit.
Hand reaches out to hand.
Heart joins with heart.
Voice lifts with voice a song of praise.
Come, let us worship together.
Calvin O. Dame

Hymn "Enter, Rejoice and Come In"

Chalice Lighting
We light this chalice for the light of truth, the warmth of love, and the energy of action.

Mary Ann Moore

Rainbow Candles/Principles

Red: Respect the importance of all people.

Orange: Offer fair and kind treatment for all.

Yellow: Yearn to learn throughout life.

Green: Grow by exploring ideas and values together.

Blue: Believe in our ideals and act on them.

Indigo: Insist on peace, freedom and justice for all.

Violet: Value our interdependence with all living things.

Children's Affirmation

We are Unitarian Universalists. We are people with open minds, helping hands, and loving hearts.

Offertory - Today's offering will be shared with our church and an organization that we would like to support. (The children came up with several suggestions that we will vote on in the upcoming weeks.)

Story~ "Tiger-Tiger, is it true?" by Byron Katie and Hans Wilhelm

Check out the author and story online at www.thework.net.

DISCUSSION

Guided Meditation: You see something on the horizon out over the ocean and you are scared because you don't know what it is and imagine something terrible. How can you turn your thoughts around so you aren't scared?

Moment of Silence

Hymn #123 Spirit of Life

Joys and Concerns

Benediction
May we seek to know what is true, recognize our thoughts, and learn to turn it around.

Carry the Flame

CHRISTMAS EVE PAGEANT SIGN-UPS

2009-11-26T10:31:00.004-05:00

Sign-ups for Soloists and chorus members will take place this Sunday, November 29th, in Fellowship Hall. If you are not able to attend on Sunday and would like to have your child sign up, please contact Renee at westminsterdre@gmail.com.

Soloist parts include:

Mary, Joseph, Archangel and the Wise Ones.

Soloist songs are:

Archangel- O Come All Ye Faithful
Joseph- O Little Town of Bethlehem
Mary- Away In a Manger
Wise Ones- We Three Kings

Entire Cast- Joy to the World

Chorus parts include:

Angels and Shepherds.

Chorus songs are:

Angels- Angels We Have Heard on High
Shepherds- The First Noel
Entire Cast- Joy to the World

Soloist Schedule:
Audition on Wednesday 12/2/09 at 6:45 pm with Nonetta
Practice songs at home 12/2/09 to 12/20/09
Run-through of pageant on Sunday 12/20/09 at 12:15
Dress Rehearsal on Sunday 12/24/09 2:30 to 4 pm
Pageant on Sunday 12/24/09 at 4:30

Chorus Schedule:
Rehearsal on Sunday 12/13/09 at 10:15 with Lauren
Rehearsal on Sunday 12/20/09 at 10:15 with Lauren
Run-through of pageant on Sunday 12/20/09 at 12:15
Dress Rehearsal on Sunday 12/24/09 2:30 to 4 pm
Pageant on Sunday 12/24/09 at 4 pm

GETTING READY FOR DECEMBER FUN!

2009-11-26T10:15:00.002-05:00

Sunday Services Calendar:

December 6: 10 am Service; Children begin in Children's Chapel; OWL class meets upstairs.
December 13: 9 am RE begins in Chapel & OWL class meets upstairs; 11 am RE begins in the Sanctuary with children's chapel to follow.
December 20: 9 am Multigenerational Service led by the RE Committee, no RE Classes & no OWL classes; 11 am RE begins in the Sanctuary with children's chapel to follow.
December 27: 10 am Service; no RE Classes & no OWL classes.

BOOK FAIR UPDATE: Many thanks to all of our Book Fair Shoppers! We raised nearly $500 for the RE Program. We also added books to our RE and OWL library thanks to folks who adopted books for the program as well. The RE Committee is deeply grateful for everyone's support. The Book Fair books will be distributed on Sunday December 6th during coffee hour. Books will be available in the Sun Room/Round Room in the front of the Church House. Please contact Natalie Aubin if you have any questions.

CHRISTMAS EVE PAGEANT SIGN-UPS: Our Christmas Eve 4:30 pm Family Service will include a Christmas Pageant. Children ages 4+ are invited to participate. There is a sign-up sheet in Fellowship Hall for Soloists and chorus members. Soloists will audition this coming Wednesday, 12/2/09, at 6:45 pm in the Sanctuary with Nonetta. Chorus members will practice with Lauren Kalian. See the rehearsal schedule in Fellowship Hall. Please contact Renee if you have any questions.

SAVE THE DATE! Our Family Holiday Potluck Party will be held on Sunday, December 13th from 4-7 pm. We will begin the festivities by caroling right here in our Kenyon Avenue neighborhood so dress for the weather and bring a main dish to share that serves 8-10. Grandma Rosie will entertain us with a Christmas story and it is rumored that Santa will even stop by to say hello!

(SPOILER ALERT!)
Parents are reminded to bring a small, wrapped and tagged inexpensive gift for your child/children. Gifts are to be placed in "santa's bag" in the kitchen before we head out for caroling. Santa will hand these out to the children at the end of the party. If you have any questions, please contact Renee.)

DECEMBER 20TH 9 AM SERVICE: Families are invited to join the RE Committee for a special Multigenerational Service which celebrates our Unitarian Universalist faith tradition mingled with a little bit of UU history, singing, and surprises! Don't miss this special service for all ages and stages!

Do You Believe It?

2009-11-16T08:47:00.004-05:00

Children's Chapel
November 15, 2009
Renee Pierre & Aisha Pierre

Opening Words:
Open your hearts to the wonder of worship.Open your minds to the search for meaning and truth.Open your eyes to the miracle of creation. Open your arms to the embrace of loved ones. Open your souls, and let the divine sweep in. Rev David Usher-adapted

Hymn #389 (with hand gestures)
Gathered Here in the Mystery of the hour
Gathered here in one strong body
Gathered here in the struggle and the power
Spirit draw near

Chalice Lighting #452 Life is a gift for which we are grateful. We gather in community to celebrate the glories and the mysteries of this great gift.

Rainbow Candles/Principles

Children's Affirmation: We are Unitarian Universalists. We are people with open minds, helping hands, and loving hearts. (with hand gestures)

Offertory - Today's offering will be shared with our church and an organization that we would like to support.

Story~

R: Hey Aisha, do you remember I was going to tell you about something that I found on my trip this week?

A: I remember you were going to tell me SOMETHING, but I don't remember what it was.

R: Well, I went to this conference and it was in a beautiful town in Massachusetts and it was at a beautiful guest house... kind of like a small hotel. And on the grounds of the beautiful guest house, there was a walking path.

A: Is THAT what you were going to tell me?

R: No.... So one morning, I got up early and I went for a walk along the path. The whole path was covered in leaves because there were so many trees. I had a hard time sometimes following the path because there were so many leaves.

A: Is that what you were going to tell me?

R: No, but I'm getting there. So I went for a walk and I was looking down at the ground and seeing all kinds of brown leaves everywhere I walked. Until finally I came to the end and I noticed that all the leaves were now yellow. So I looked more closely and this is what I found.

(Show her the pile of fan-shaped leaves from the Ginkgo tree.)

(Aisha picks one or two up and studies them. She looks like she doesn't believe they are leaves.)

A: I think these are fake.

R: What?!

A: I think they're fake.

R: Why?

A: Because I've never seen a tree with this kind of leaves before. (She asks Soleil to draw on the white board what a leaf looks like.) I've seen these leaves (draws a leaf) and these leaves (draws another leaf) and these leaves, but never that kind.

R: So how can I make you believe these are real leaves from a real tree?

A: You can't. I guess I will just have to believe you.

DISCUSSION/REFLECTION:
What does it mean to believe?
What if I told you that I believed in fairies? Would you believe me? (Note: Smart, smart kids...they said THEY believe that I believe...not that they believed in fairies necessarily!)
Close your eyes and picture a fairie. What does a fairie look like? (Note: Everyone had a different answer.)
Last week we talked about God hiding in the heart of every human. Does everyone use the same word for God? What word do you like for talking about God? (Note: Their top four answers were: God/Gods, Divine, Creator, and Spirit. We will use these words interchangably in chapel in the upcoming weeks in chapel.)
Now, close your eyes and picture your idea of God/Gods, Divine, Creator, and Spirit. What does it look like? (Note: Answers here included ghost, me, an animal of some kind, a kind old man, and don't know.)

Meditation #481 (adapted)

It is our quiet time.
We do not speak, because the voices are within us.
It is our quiet time.
We do not walk, because the heart is all within us.
It is our quiet time.
We do not dance because the music has lifted us to a place where the spirit is.
It is our quiet time.

Moment of Silence

Hymn #123 Spirit of Life

Joys and Concerns (We place stones in a basket rather than lighting candles. They can share silently or speak their joys and concerns.)

Benediction
May our faith sustain us, our hope inspire us, and our love surround us as we go our separate ways, knowing that we will gather again in this beloved community. Amen.

Carry the Flame (We sing this "fast")

Children's Chapel November 8, 2009

2009-11-09T10:01:00.000-05:00

Children's Chapel
November 8, 2009
Celebrating Worship

Opening Words: #441 To Worship

Hymn #188: Come, Come Whoever You Are

Chalice Lighting #452 Life is a gift for which we are grateful. We gather in community to celebrate the glories and the mysteries of this great gift.

Rainbow Candles/Principles

Children's Affirmation: We are Unitarian Universalists. We are people with open minds, helping hands, and loving hearts.

Offertory

Story~ Once upon a time, a long time ago when the Universe was new, God's angels were having a family meeting around a big dinner table. God sat in on the meeting, but the head angel, Tony, was in charge. He called the meeting to order and told the other angels seated around the table that he was afraid for God's safety.

Tony-the-Angel knew that it was God's plan for humans to grow in spirit and understanding. But he was worried. He was afraid that the humans would try to kidnap or try to take God for themselves. So, they decided that God needed to be hidden in a safe place, where all people could find her if they searched, but where no one could have her all to themselves. So they sent several angel scouts to go out and try to find a hiding place for God.

One angel came back and said that God should be hidden deep inside the earth, but the head angel said that humans would figure out how to mine the earth and would find her.

Another angel came back and said God should be hidden on the moon. But again, the head angel said no because humans would figure out a way to fly out into space and find her.

Finally, the smallest and quietest angel seated at the far end of the table raised her hand, but because she was so small Tony-the-head-angel couldn't see her. So she raised her hand and said, "Excuse me." Still he couldn't hear her. So finally, she stood up on her chair and yelled, "Excuse me?!" Well, that got everyone's attention.

Tony looked down at the far end of the table and noticed teeny tiny angel Molly who said in a very grown-up voice: "I think God should be hidden inside of the hearts of humans! They would never think to look there!"

Tony, the head angel, turned and looked at God, who was smiling. They all decided that it was a wonderful idea.

And so, that is why God hides deep within the heart of every one of us so that we may grow in spirit and understanding. It is that searching for the goodness within our own hearts that helps us to become our very best selves.

DISCUSSION

Meditation #481 (adapted)

It is our quiet time.
We do not speak, because the voices are within us.
It is our quiet time.
We do not walk, because the heart is all within us.
It is our quiet time.
We do not dance because the music has lifted us to a place where the spirit is.
It is our quiet time.

Moment of Silence

Hymn #123 Spirit of Life

Joys and Concerns

Benediction

Carry the Flame

Holiday Party 2008

2008-12-14T20:28:00.000-05:00

Kids, Kids and more Kids...

Rosie and Jim tell us the story, "A wish to be a Christmas Tree" in English and Kirundi.

What an amazing party we had today! I believe it was, by far, the largest party the RE Committee has ever thrown!

There was crafting and story-telling, photos with Santa and lots and lots of food!

Our invited guests are refugees from Burundi who are now living in Rhode Island.