Religious Education & Faith Development
Community Unitarian Universalist Congregation at White Plains
January 16, 2022
2021-2022 RE Theme: Community, Wholeness, Discovering Our New Normal
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Sunday Class Helper Needed
We need a second adult for the 1st-5th grade class this Sunday, January 16th, to uphold our Safe Congregation practices. If you’d like to sit in and connect with this lovely group of children, contact Tracy. If you are not available this Sunday but would like to be a second adult another Sunday (no prep required!), contact Tracy (cuucwptracy@gmail.com).
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U & U
Have you ever wondered which well known people were/are Unitarian, Universalist, or UU? Or what the difference is between the U & the U? The 6th-7th grade class is learning about each branch in their next two classes. The Unitarian Universalist Association website offers links to lists. You can also see a list of well known Unitarians here, and here. Learn about John Murray, who brought Universalism to our shores in 1760 and the Murray Grove Center where our Coming of Age Youth participate in a Credo Writing Retreat.
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PreK/K Gathering
*Online Only*
9:45am Diane invites young children to gather for check-in, a seasonal story, and rhythm/movement activities. Come have some fun together! Log in to Zoom 8428 then Tracy will move you to your breakout room.
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1st-9th Grade Classes
*Online Only*
9:50am 1st-5th Grade Class Begins
10:00am 6th-7th Grade Class Begins
10:10am 8th-9th Grade Class Begins
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All classes log in to Zoom 8428 then move into class breakout rooms.
Zoom 8428 password embedded login: https://bit.ly/CUUC-RE
Phone (audio only): 646-558-8656 · Meeting ID: 817 388 428 · Passcode: 468468
Classes will include check-in, approx. 30 minutes of lesson,
then playing games to have some fun together.
We look forward to seeing you!
9:50am 1st-5th Grade Class, Love Connects Us: Gus C is leading session 5, We are Loved, Flaws and All. This session focuses on the first Unitarian Universalist Source, "Direct experience of that transcending mystery and wonder, affirmed in all cultures, which moves us to a renewal of the spirit and openness to the forces that create and uphold life," expressed in children's language as "the sense of wonder we all share." The session affirms that, although humans are imperfect creatures, with work and time and love we can turn our blemishes into strength and beauty. A story illustrates the concept, telling of a gem carver who transforms a deeply scratched diamond by crafting the scratch into a beautiful flower.
10:00am 6th-7th Grade Class, Amazing Grace: Exploring Right and Wrong: Alex Z and Laura G are leading session 6, The First U. The session begins with a basic tenet of early Unitarianism, the oneness of God and considers some historical consequences of holding that belief and of human actions in general. Then the session explores the consequences of wrong actions, paving the way for discussing Universalism's ideas about salvation in next Sunday's class.
10:10am 8th-9th Grade Class, Coming of Age Handbook: & Compass Points: Betsy W and Raquel B are leading session 7 from the Coming of Age Handbook, Unitarian Universalist Values. Betsy mailed each youth a packet for Sunday. Bring it to class with you. Youth will explore UU values, their own values, and obstacles that can keep people from acting on their values. Belief is a word that American culture typically associates with "opinion" or "faith in things unproven." However, the original meaning of believe and the Anglo-Saxon word from which it is derived is "to hold dear, to prize." This unit explores belief from both the perspective of faith in things unproven and the lens of what we hold dear.
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10:00am Worship
*Online Only*
“Celebrating bell hooks” ~ Adine Usher, Tara James, and Jeff Tomlinson
bell hooks (aka Gloria Jean Watkins) died on Dec 15 at age 69. She “wrote worlds into being.” She was a groundbreaking author, educator, and activist who explored how race, gender, economics, and politics intertwined. For 40 years, she shaped conversations both academic and popular. Three of our members share their appreciation.
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Honoring the Legacy of Dr. King
Local Events & Resources
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~ The Westchester Martin Luther King, Jr. Institute for Nonviolence is colleting your comments, pictures and videos to help everyone see where we Dr. King's vision is alive in our communities. Please share your comments, upload pictures or videos on this form
from January 21 to January 31. They will share this community "snapshot" next month to continue lifting up Dr. King's legacy and vision.
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The Westchester Center for Racial Equity & YWCA White Plains
Monday, January 17, 3:00pm
Tell Me the Truth: Exploring the Heart of Cross-Cultural Conversation
Join the YWCA White Plains & Central Westchester's Center for Racial Equity this MLK Day to learn how cross-racial conversation and collaboration lead to racial equity and the achievement of Dr. King's dream of Beloved Communities. Through "Tell Me the Truth," racial justice advocates and educators Shay Stewart-Bouley (Black) and Debby Irving (White) will share racism’s impact on their lives and how cross-racial conversation has been instrumental in their own understanding of 21st-century racial dynamics. They’ll also help audience members understand how interpersonal social patterns hinder organizations from living up to their own ideals for diversity. This program is presented in partnership with support from the Westchester Martin Luther King, Jr. Institute for Nonviolence. REGISTER HERE.
Tuesday, January 18, 8:00pm
National Day of Racial Healing: An Evening with Dr. Thema Bryant
The National Day of Racial Healing is a time for contemplating our shared values and engaging together on #HowWeHeal from the effects of racism. Launched on Jan. 17, 2017, this day is observed every year on the Tuesday following Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, and is an opportunity to bring all people together in their common humanity and inspire collective action to create a more equitable world. Fundamental to this annual observance is a clear understanding that racial healing is at the core of racial equity. REGISTER HERE.
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Virtual Teach-In
Teaching Truth: Putting Students First
Countering the Baseless Claims of Anti-CRT Politics
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Saturday, January 15, 2:00-4:00 pm
We have seen school board meetings erupt in debate around teaching anti-racism, anti-oppression curricula in school. To counter the baseless claims of anti-critical race theory (CRT) politics and reinforce the importance of teaching inclusive history, the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Fairfax (UUCF) will sponsor a virtual teach-in. Co-sponsors are UUCF, Emmaus United Church of Christ, SURJ NoVA (Showing Up for Racial Justice Northern Virginia). Among the panelists is Rev. Dr. William G. Sinkford, past president of the Unitarian Universalist Association.
Teach-In goals include:
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Provide an accurate counter-narrative to lies told about teaching accurate history in our schools.
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Reinforce the understanding of why learning accurate, inclusive history is good for students and our communities.
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Offer a curriculum for those interested in having their children learn accurate, inclusive history.
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Initiate a pledge for faith communities to teach inclusive history as a critical moral calling in our efforts to learn from our history and to help build the beloved community of all souls.
Learn more and register here.
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Westchester Youth Alliance's Virtual Interactive Film Screening & Art Advocacy Kick Off Event this Monday January 17 @ 1PM! Join them in viewing portions of HBO’s A Weapon of Choice Inspired by Gordon Parks and examine how Gordon Parks' work & methods create a cohesive group of photographs that continues to influence civil activism in the United States. REGISTER HERE.
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More New CUUC Trail Photos
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Social Action Spotlight
Meals for HOPE
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Begun in May 5, 2020, soon after Covid struck, CUUC’s “Meals for HOPE” project has produced weekly meal trays and sandwiches to feed about 150 people. Over 87+ weeks, our volunteers have prepared some 15,000 meals to support HOPE (Help Our People Eat) Community Services of New Rochelle. Through our Meals for HOPE project, CUUC is actively performing vital services in our community, and putting into action our congregation's mission to “engage in service to transform ourselves and our world.” We are grateful for the energy, enthusiasm, and dedication of our volunteers that has made this possible. Click here to visit our new webpage to learn more.
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