This month’s theme is a juicy one—heritage.
I decided to begin my preparations for this article by looking up the numerous definitions of heritage. There was one upon which I chose to focus—“valued objects and qualities, such as cultural traditions . . ., that have been passed down from previous generations.” UU’s have many beloved objects and qualities (and I might add rituals), that make up our heritage. Included among those objects, qualities, and rituals are our chalices (including our rituals of lighting and extinguishing them), our sharing of joys and sorrows, our commitments to social justice, and our respect for theological diversity. Our heritage is a rich and meaningful one, and our efforts to find creative and sustainable ways of passing our heritage on to the next generation of UU’s is the very heart of our work in Family Ministry.
The issues that we face each time we meet together as a Team and each time we meet with our children and youth in Kids Connection or teen meetings center on a few important questions. How do young people come to identify with UU values, rituals, and traditions? And how can we (the adults) work in such a way that our words and actions make our UU heritage clear, accessible, and engaging for our youth? This effort to highlight and share the some times intangible attributes of our UU heritage while interacting with our children and youth is important work. It is one of the many ways UU’s can touch the future.
If you would like to know more about the Family Ministry Team and the many opportunities for UUCM adults to find purpose and meaning inherent in our Team’s work, please reach out to one or the other of us—Cheryl Spaulding, Lindsay Dunckel, and Rene Wiley. We would be delighted to discuss with you ways that you might participate in building this program into one that is ready to serve our current group of children, as well as the children who will one Sunday show up with their parents ready to explore Unitarian Universalism for the first time.
TOGETHER WE CAN TOUCH THE FUTURE!!
Activities This Month Include:
Building and Grounds Workday: October 21, 9am-12pm. All ages welcome. Age appropriate
task will be made available for children.
Harvest Festival: Saturday, October 21, 3 pm to 6 pm, at UUCM. $10 for adults, kids are free.
Come enjoy music, face painting, apple crafts, corn hole, chili and corn bread, and more,
including lots of UUCM opportunities to connect with each other.