It’s hard to believe that summer is more than half over for those who go by the school calendar. I prefer to go with the technical date of August 7, which is the halfway point between the summer solstice and the fall equinox. Time seems to go faster as I get older. As of this writing, I mark seven years at UUCE and 30 years as a religious educator. So much has changed in our congregation and in the larger world in that time!

 

At this time of year, I anticipate all the excitement in the coming church year – worship, potlucks, the Engagement Fair, game nights, campfires, and of course, faith formation! There is so much happening at UUCE all year, but fall has a special energy with it. 

 

I have been exploring ways to widen our circle and to encourage and invite more intergenerational connections based on the feedback that many parents gave last year. There are so many ideas that I can’t possibly do them all, so I thought I’d share some concrete ones here in the hope that many of you would find something that you would enjoy doing with our young people, youth, and families.

 

For a one-time commitment:

  • Co-sponsor a parent’s time out – team up with a friend to watch a small group of kids while parents gather for some adult time.
  • Invite youth or families to join your team or committee for a special event or task – this could be gardening, putting toiletries together for the shelter, making signs for an event, a dance party or talent show – the sky’s the limit! Perhaps add this to your team’s agenda – how to include young people and families
  • Do you like art shows, museums, mini-golf, picnics and parks? Invite a family to join you on an outing.
  • Do you have a special hobby or talent that you can share with youth or children? I can help find a way to make that happen.

 

For a little more commitment:

If you have 5 Sundays during the year to commit, you could connect more with youth and children by helping with faith formation on Sunday mornings. You can choose the age group you prefer and which Sunday mornings work best for you. Feel free to join our Volunteer Orientation on August 22 to learn more. 

 

For a bigger commitment:

  • Join the Family Ministry Team – you don’t need to be a parent to join us! We appreciate the perspectives from all ages and stages as we plan events all year.
  • Consider co-facilitating an OWL sex ed program in the future – training is provided to run programs for young kids, teens, and adults. Wouldn’t it be awesome to run an adult OWL program, wink-wink?!

 

These are just a few examples of the many ways we can connect across the ages and build relationships over time. If you have other ideas you’d like to try, I’m happy to help make them happen. Doing so can only make our community stronger, caring, and cultivate leadership for the future. We’re on our way to fulfilling our mission to create a world made whole.

 

In Faith,

Kathy