I hope that this week finds you and your family healthy and safe. It’s hard to believe that by the time you read this, it will be about 50 days since UCE closed its doors. Time seems to be going by quickly and slowly at the same time for me. For those of you with school-aged young people at home, it might feel differently!  

The Children and Youth Planning Team and I have been making some phone calls to see how families, especially parents, are doing. We want to hear from you what it is that we can be doing to help during this time. So far, we are learning that most families are feeling overwhelmed and not finding time to be together. That seems strange since we’re all stuck at home, right? For many of you though, the kids still have schoolwork to do, music lessons, martial arts, and other activities, and many parents now have to work from home. Please know that we want to provide programs that are helpful to you, and not to overwhelm you. So in that spirit, feel free to explore the following activities whenever the spirit moves you! And if there is something you would like to see happen that you or your family would enjoy, let me know. 

You can read this week’s VirtUUal RE session here or watch my video here.

If you missed the virtual Easter Egg Hunt (https://tinyurl.com/vpyujjy) you can still participate until May 1. So far, over 500 people have done the hunt!  

Calendar Connection:  

For middle school youth, you can learn about Native American medicine and healing in this short session. 

High school youth can connect Sunday evening at 7 pm on Zoom. Look for an email from the advisors later in the week with info on how to join. 

Of course, we also have our virtual worship service on Sunday mornings at 11:15a. I continue to post ideas on the UCE Children and Youth Facebook page, along with some interactive things to share, so look for that as well.  

For our theme of Liberation this month, here’s a family social action activity.

From Soul Matters: Creating Sabbath Space, week 4.

And for adults, the Non-Fiction Book Group will be discussing An American Summer: Life and Death in Chicago by Alex Kotlowitz on Sunday, May 3rd with Sarah Vanderwicken leading the discussion. Look for information on how to join this virtual gathering later this month. 

A new program facilitated by Robb Gieger, The Infrastructure of Morality, will be on Wednesday evenings beginning May 6. Email Robb if interested so he can send you some info and the link to the program: rjg6177@gmail.com.

In Faith, 

Kathy Underwood