September 15, 2021 

Dear families and volunteers of Lifespan Spiritual Exploration,

Many of you with kids in school have been navigating the start-stop nature of school with COVID protocols and quarantine. I'm so proud of all you do to create a sense of calm in your homes despite these topsy turvy times. The UCM Caring Network is here to help. Please reach out to ucmcaringnetwork@gmail.com if you could use some support with a home cooked meal to lighten the load on a week when you have to work but your kid is quarantining.

What is helping buoy me today is the 25 folks of all ages from UCM came out for our River Clean-up and Art Service Projects last Saturday. It was such a treat to celebrate the river in a variety of ways with preschoolers up through elders. Stop by our church yard to see some of the great artwork created and answers to "What do you love about the Winooski River?"

Also, on Sunday, we had ten kids preschool - 6th grade join us for the Children's Chapel online.  What a special reunion with them. After online worship at 10am the High School Youth Group had their kick-off gathering at the Nature Center and make a plan for a late September service project at the church!     

Coming up, I'm really looking forward to creating a big huge circle at the Dog River Fields this Sunday Sept. 19th for some ritual and then some play.  This is our official kick-off to Lifespan Spiritual Exploration. Come to either or both events.  I anticipate a group about 30-50 people.  

• 4pm Multigenerational Water Ceremony -- some masked singing with UCM Choir members and Paula Gills on guitar
• 5:15pm All Ages Kickball and Pizza Party with Ben & Jerry's ice cream

Hope to see you this Sunday in-person, or online in worship! 

Liza Earle-Centers
Dir. Lifespan Spiritual Exploration (LSE)
ucm.dre@gmail.com
802.223.7861 ext. 2  or 802.793.8510 (cell)

LSE Registration for 2021-2022 (click here) 
Parents/caregivers: please take a few to complete this for any child or youth ages 0-18 who even might participate in a church event this year. This is critical to us keeping you informed as opportunities arise. For example, we do hope we can find volunteers and figure out a way to offer some form of Our Whole Lives sexuality education this year to 7th-8th graders and 5th-6th graders.  Or a modified Coming of Age program for 9th-10th graders, or an outdoor story time for toddlers!  This is how we will keep you in the loop for age-specific programs.  It also helps us know about any food allergies, photo permissions, etc.   

Must watch! Did you miss worship last Sunday?  Take a moment to watch our multigenerational Water Ceremony Slideshow, to the music of the congregation singing "Blue Boat Home." 

• Outdoor gatherings:
  • HS Youth Group: Sun. Sept. 26th, 10am-noon Service project of painting the fence at the back of the churchyard, next to the river.  Coffee, juice, and fresh doughnuts!  
  •  
  • Middle School Youth Group, we're still trying to round out our volunteer team, but hope to offer a monthly outdoor fire circle and a monthly online Coffee Hour. Stay tuned!  **If you would like to volunteer to volunteer once a month, please let me know!**
  •  
  • Outdoor Coffee Hours after online worship, in the church yard Sept. 26th and Oct. 3rd.  BYO coffee/tea and lawn chair.  More details coming in the e-news.   
  •  
  • Family Community Service: Gleaning on a local Farm ~  Wed. October 6th, 4-5:30pm (rain date October 13th).  Click here to read more (and RSVP). We have a lot of fun when UCM teams up with Community Harvest of Central VT!
  •  
  • Save-the-date: All Ages LSE Circle of Trees ~ This will be a yearlong outdoor exploration of how many forest dynamics epitomize our UU values of interconnection and mutual support.  One gathering a month. No commitment necessary.  Come to one or all sessions. Old Shelter in Hubbard Park, 3pm. Led by Liza and Grae Frechette. Stay tuned for more information!

• Online: 
  • Zoom Pre-worship Children's Chapel 9:15-9:45am for kids/youth/families each Sunday (link at ucmvt.org). Led by Liza and LSE volunteers.  This Sunday will be led by Liz Benjamin with strategies for not letting our worries consume us. (Fitting for these times, eh?)
  • Sunday online worship led by Verdis Robinson and the UCM Worship Team. This Sunday at UCM 4th grader, Maizy, will be leading us in song with "Peace Like a River!" Click "Join Worship" at ucmvt.org
  • Midweek Meditation: The organizers and participants of the summer's meditation services, are continuing with Midweek Meditations!  First and third Wednesdays starting Sept. 15th, 9-10am on Zoom.  45 mins. of quiet meditation, perhaps with some thoughts shared here and there, followed by 15 mins. of conversation.  Join Zoom Meeting here.