Children's Chapel in the Peace Park, planting trees, and worship in the sanctuary!
Friends and Families of Lifespan Spiritual Exploration (LSE)
April theme: Awakening
You tell me to live each day as if it were my last…
But why the last? I ask. Why not live each day as if it were the first—
all raw astonishment, Eve rubbing her eyes awake that first morning.
Above: Middle school youth group members gathered in Middlesex at the end of March to do some maple sugaring and enjoy some sugar on snow!
April 6, 2022
Dear families and friends of Lifespan Spiritual Exploration:
I write to you with all the stirrings of spring! On days like this, it seems that everyone in Vermont is out smiling in the sunshine--any stresses and hard parts of our lives are momentarily pushed out of mind. This spring is a time of Awakening for our congregation and I hope you'll be a part of it. Awakening is April’s worship theme in fact! After two years of a mostly closed building, we now have worship in-person every Sunday (important details here) with an online option too. Until the Air Quality Project is done, most of our children's programming will be outside still. I'm especially excited to invite all families and those young at heart to this Sunday's outdoor Children's Chapel. "Awakening to Spring" will be an outing from the Montpelier HS Track along the bike path to the Peace Park this Sunday at 1pm.
We’re intentionally trying to not overfill the calendar, to be gentle on all of us in this time of Awakening. But relationship building does take some coming together, so below you’ll find options to help us along that path.
I’ve savored the walks, cups of tea, and phone calls that I’ve had with some volunteers, parents, and even youth to help understand where they’re at and to better understand our collective needs in this unique time. I would love to set up more one-on-one or group conversations with people of any age in the congregation who want to touch base, so please do reach out to set up a time to connect. Spring is the time of planting seeds, so let’s talk about hopes and dreams of what might grow in the coming year.
Children's Chapel Outdoors:
Awakening to Spring! Sunday Apr. 10, 1pm meet-up at Montpelier High School Track
We'll sing a song, play a game of tag to start, then explore the bike path in search of spring! Feel free to bring your walking shoes, strollers, scooters, skateboards or bikes! At the Peace Park we'll have snacks and we can search for spring bulbs rising and send out some songs and prayers for peace, and even chalk the bike path if it is dry. We'll maybe even have some pansies to plant to spruce up the park with some color! A rain or shine event! Geared primarily for 4th grade and younger, but older kids always welcome! Led by Liza Earle-Centers.
Multigenerational Service Project: Tree Planting at the Nature Center Saturday April 30, 1:30pm
Our 7th principle of Unitarian Universalism is caring for the interconnected web of life. Here's a fun, hands-on way to show that care. Join with others from UCM. We'll learn about the project of reforesting their field, plant some trees and sing a song to bless the new trees. Find out more, and sign up for a reminder here. A collaborative effort with Friends of the Winooski River and the North Branch Nature Center. (If really bad weather on Saturday, our rain date will be Sunday May 1st.)
HS Youth Group 6:30pm Wed. April 13 Meet at Chill on State Street. We will place our gelato orders together (paid for with youth group funds) and then walk over to hang out on the State house steps and check in with each other. If you are running late please message the Whats App group or text Elizabeth at 703-927-8578 so we don't leave Chill without you. We will send a message if an alternate rain plan is needed.
High School Youth Group Goes to DC!
Several members of the youth group are interested in being part of the March on Washington organized by the Poor People's Campaign on June 18. We have some past fundraising money available and the youth advisors are happy to chaperone! Find out more and have your youth show interest here by April 15th. Details are in the survey linkhere.
SeedSwap With CoopGardensVT!
Sunday April 24th ~ 12-3pm
The UCM Racial Justice Group welcomes Farmer Ama in the UCM church yard for the CoopGardensVT at the corner of School Street & Main Street. FREE and All are Welcome, seeds or not! (Rain date: May 1)
MS Youth Group
The youth are hoping for an April gathering the second half of the month in Hubbard Park. Details TBA.
Adult Lifespan Spiritual Exploration
Book Discussion Wed. April 27, 6:30-8pm
Online and in-person I Never Thought of it That Way: How to Have Fearlessly Curious Conversation in Dangerously Divided Times by Monica Guzman. We have been feeling the effects of political polarization in our country for awhile now. Guzman offers some practical suggestions to help us have conversations to better understand the core values and inherent worth and dignity (our 1st UU principle) even in someone we disagree with. Led by Liza Earle-Centers. Sign up here if you’d like to be sent an email invite with specifics, or for help with copies of the book. Geared for adults, though interested youth welcome. If you are interested, but will not have time to read the book, you could participate after just watching the Ted Talk by Monica Guzman here.
Other dates of interest:
Sunday May 15th: Bridging Ceremony in worship for 12th grader Samantha Dean
Sunday June 5th: Lifespan Spiritual Exploration Sunday, potentially including a Child Dedication Ceremony
Save-the-Date for a UCM All Ages Camping Weekend
Kettle Pond State Park in Groton State Forest ~ July 8-10th
Stay tuned to upcoming e-news for more details as they firm up.
Spring 2022 Newsletter
If you missed the Spring 2022 Newsletter in your inbox a couple weeks ago, you can click on the link above to find out more congregational updates.
UPCOMING ONLINE PROGRAMMING
Youtube Archive of Worship In addition to finding worship live online each Sunday at 10am (go to ucmvt.org and click "Join Worship," you can find archived services to watch on your own schedule at our UCM Youtube channel. Sometimes on a quiet evening after the kiddo's bedtime, I light a candle have some tea and curl up for worship. Other times I watch just while prepping dinner or doing dishes!
Zoom Pre-worship Children's Chapel We have decided that our recent guest author, Katy Farber, was a great note to end our Zoom Children's Chapel. Families are craving outdoor connections and we'll put our energy there. Many, many thanks to Beth Merrill, Liz Benjamin, Janet Poeton, and Katie Spring for being such a great team throughout and to all the families whose participation--whether regular or sporadic--has made it so worth the effort!
Photo: Spring, sweet spring! Sugar on snow at Brian and Margot Prendergast's with the middle school youth group.
Liza Earle-Centers, Director of Lifespan Spiritual Exploration
ucm.dre@gmail.com (best option)
223-7861 ext. 2
Our mailing address is:
130 Main Street
Montpelier, VT 05602
Want to know more about LSE happenings? Visit ucmlse.blogspot.com
Want to know more about all UCM happenings? Sign-up for our weekly UCM e-news here. We're also on Facebook. Visit our public page, Unitarian Church of Montpelier, or join our private page by visiting Friends of UCM. (Request access by clicking 'Join.').
Liza Earle-Centers
We will place our gelato orders together (paid for with youth group funds) and then walk over to hang out on the State house steps and check in with each other. If you are running late please message the Whats App group or text Elizabeth at 703-927-8578 so we don't leave Chill without you. We will send a message if an alternate rain plan is needed.
Adult Lifespan Spiritual Exploration
