Easter Sunday- This year’s Easter Sunday will include bag decorating for the children of First Parish followed by our annual Easter Egg Hunt outside (weather permitting) located behind the church on the playground and in and around the Memorial Garden. The children will have a chance to hunt for over four hundred eggs filled with treats and surprises! Please be aware that some egg will have products containing nuts and other possible allergens to those with food sensitivities so if your children have these sensitivities please check their eggs as they open them!

Religious Exploration April 14th – Easter is a religious holiday, but some of its customs, such as Easter eggs, are likely linked to pagan traditions. The egg, an ancient symbol of new life, has been associated with pagan festivals celebrating spring. From a Christian perspective, Easter eggs are said to represent Jesus’ emergence from the tomb and resurrection. Decorating eggs for Easter is a tradition that dates back to at least the 13th century, according to some sources. One explanation for this custom is that eggs were formerly a forbidden food during the Lenten season, so people would paint and decorate them to mark the end of the period of penance and fasting, then eat them on Easter as a celebration. This Sunday the children of Religious Exploration will get a chance to decorate their own Easter eggs as we discuss life, our own origins, and what individuality looks like!

Religious Exploration– What does it mean to be whole? Each week those that welcome us to First Parish invite us to bring our “whole selves” to our meetinghouse but how many of us understand what it means to be unified with the self, complete, or whole? This month the children of First Parish will be exploring the concept of the “whole self”, discussing what that means and untangling the many pieces that make us unique individuals. All about self-exploration, this month’s goal is to allow each of us to explore what makes us…well…us! Through a variety of expressive art exercises, games, discussions, and readings, the children will begin to put a voice to who and what they think they are, while at the same time learning about the inherent worth and dignity of those around them. Don’t miss this amazing opportunity for self-growth in April!

Religious Exploration– This week the children of Religious Exploration at First Parish will be closing out their unit on Catholicism with a look at the rituals known as the seven sacraments: baptism, confirmation, Eucharist, anointing of the sick, confession, holy orders, and matrimony. Our own UU practices have similar and different practices and we will be exploring those as we build our final religion board!

Religious Exploration– Last Sunday the children had popcorn theology class to begin exploring, in a contemporary way, the stories found in the Bible. Our study of Catholicism this weeks will be all about the myths and legends of a faith. We will hear about: The Creation myth, Noah’s Ark, Adam & Eve, Joseph’s Coat, David & Goliath, and Jonah in the belly of the fish. The children will see how things like Joseph’s story, or the story of Passover are shared among the religions we’ve learned about and how they tie together as well as how they relate to our own UU principles. As we head towards Easter/Passover, we are working on a special crossover event between our own Religious Exploration classes and those at Beth El. I hope to see you all Sunday!

Religious Exploration– This month our exploration of other religions continues; we are moving forward into our study of Catholicism. Last week we wrapped up Islam and reviewed our time spent on Judaism, this week brings new iconography, cultural practices, and rituals. The Roman Catholic church is the largest in the world with approximately 1.3 billion Catholics baptized worldwide as of 2016; what makes us similar and what sets us apart? This month the children of First Parish will find out!

Religious Exploration– In the Islamic culture, the Kaaba is a huge black stone structure that sits at the heart of the Grand Mosque, Islam’s most sacred place of worship. Some of its parts are connected to important episodes in Islamic tradition. The Kaaba is said to have been built by the prophet Abraham and his son Ishamet; this week the children of First Parish will learn about this important piece of Islamic history and make their own replicas of the Kaaba!