2009-2010 Schedule Template Spirit Play Flames and Mysteries=

This small group offers our children 4 to 10-years-old an exciting adventure as they explore their Unitarian Universalist faith with Spirit Play, a Montessori style program that highlights wondering, great stories, affirming structure, reality and nature, beauty and order, and engaging materials. Inspired by the Christian Godly Play program because of its emphasis on the function of religious language in the moral and spiritual development of children, Spirit Play offers our children a unique and meaningful exploration of our UU values, principles, and sources. With inspiring stories, wondering questions, freedom to choose their own exploratory work, and community rituals, we are sure our Spirit Play children will have a wonder-filled, wonderful time!

January 31, 2010: Green Promise Story ~ The Empty Pot
Today the children will be hearing a story that demonstrates our green promise: grow by exploring what is true and right. The story is one by Rumi. An aging emperor proclaims he will choose his successor by finding one who can grow a plant the most successfully. He hands out seeds to all the children of his kingdom and asks them to come back in one year. Ping, who is known for his gardening skills, struggles but cannot make the seed sprout and returns to the king with an empty pot. The king choose him to succeed him despite all the other boys having beautiful plants, and reveals that he had given them cooked seeds and that Ping was the only one who had been honest.

February 7, 2010: Intergenerational Worship Service

February 14, 2010: Special Bring-A-Friend Sunday with All kids together

February 21, 2010: Special Social Justice Sunday ~ Kids’ Annual Meeting and Project ~ all kids together

February 28, 2010: Indigo Promise Story ~ The Pomegranate Seed
Today the children will be hearing a story that demonstrates our indigo promise: insisting on peace and freedom for all. In this story a starving man is arrested for stealing a loaf of bread. When being sentenced to death, he offers up a pomegranate seed, stating that it is magical and will grow and bear fruit overnight if planted by someone who has never done anything wrong. None of the king’s court members are able to accept the seed and came to realize that their punishment for such a crime was excessive, and they let the man go.

March 7, 2010: the Francis David story
The children will be exploring our Unitarian Universalist history. Today the children will be hearing the story of Frances David. David was a Unitarian minister in Transylvania who influenced King Sigismund to develop the Edict of Torda. This was the first example of religious tolerance in which citizens were able to choose their religion rather than being forced to practice the king’s religion. In the process of working with Frances David the king converted to Universalism himself.

March 14, 2010: the John Murray Story
Today the children will be exploring our Unitarian Universalist history. Today’s story is about the life of John Murray. He preached universalism, the then uncommon belief that all people could go to heaven. He brought these beliefs from England to America and founded the first American universalist church in Gloucester.

March 21, 2010: Intergenerational Youth Sunday Service with rites-of-passage ceremonies

March 28, 2010: I Love You Sun, I Love You Moon with Pledge to the Earth closing
Today the children will hear a story that demonstrates our violet promise. This simple story explores the love for our world and the many elements of nature within it.

April 4, 2010: Special Holiday Sunday ~ Easter ~ all kids together

April 11, 2010: a UUSC lesson ~ the Flaming Chalice

April 18, 2010: Special Social Justice Sunday ~ Earth Day ~ all kids together

April 25, 2010: Violet Promise story ~ Tenino and the Faires    (Music Sunday)

May 2, 2010: Intergenerational Coming-of-Age Worship Service (with community wide May Pole dance)

May 9, 2010: All Kids Together for a special Mother's Day Story and Activity

May 16, 2010: the Maria Mitchell story
Today the children will be exploring Unitarian Universalist history. They will hear the story of Maria Mitchell. She was a woman who grew up in the Quaker religion on Nantucket. She was taught astronomy by her father and developed a scientific mind at a time when it was not acceptable for women. She later in life joined the Unitarian church because she was looking for a place where it was accepted to question the status quo. She went on to teach at the first women’s college in the US.

May 23, 2010: Violet Promise story ~ I Live In the Universe
Today the children will hear a story called I live in the universe which encourages them to think of all the layers of community as well as pondering our existence in the universe

May 30, 2010: Special Sunday ~ “Favorites and Leftovers” ~ all kids together (Memorial Day weekend)

June 6, 2010: Special Sunday ~ Closure and Year End Celebration ~ all kids together   (Bridging Sunday)

June 13, 2010: Intergenerational Flower Communion Service

Revision 6. Last edited Sat 30 Jan 2010 8:10pm by RobertaAltamari