Spring Update for Families at BUF!

Greetings BUF Families,

It's that time again for an update!  Read on to find out more information about the following: 

• Sunday Curriculum Available on the Online Community!
• Children's Worship
• Easter Egg Dying
• UU Identity for Adults
• Poetry of Emily Dickinson
• Easter-Intergenerational Service
• Return to One Service

Curriculum... on the Online Community!
I have created 4 new groups on the BUF Online Community-- please visit the site and check them out!  There is a closed group for RE Teachers where I will post teacher schedules, substitute contact lists and weekly updates.  There are open groups for parents and teachers for the Spirit Play class, the Primary Elementary class, and the Intermediate class-- These group sites will provide links to the weekly curriculum and to ideas for taking the lessons home.  They would also be a great place for teachers and parents to begin to communicate with each other about class related things.  The old group for Religious Education for Children will continue to be a place to view these parent updates and other musings.  Please visit the Online Community at http://bellinghamunitarian.ning.com/ and join any and all appropriate groups, or contact the office at administrator@buf.org to get an invitation to join the community.  This will be an important way to communicate with the RE Program as we move into the future so please join today!!!

Children's Worship-- Everyone A Butterfly
Sunday, April 1, 2012, 9:15 and 11:15
Children in grades K-8 should come directly to the Flex room to begin their worship experience together (children will NOT start in the sanctuary as usual).  Please send children with a little money for our special collection.  We will be selecting possible organizations for our money in May and voting in June about where we will spend our money.

Easter Egg Dying
Wednesday, April 4, 7:00 p.m. (after Community Night Dinner)
We supply the dyes, crayons, and stickers..., you supply the hard boiled eggs for your family.  Please join us for this long time beloved BUF tradition!

UU Identity For Adults
Tuesdays, from April 17 to May 22, at 7:00 p.m.
This class is appropriate for an audience with a wide range of experience with Unitarian Universalism.  We will discuss the difference between history, heritage, and identity, explore our UU principles and our foundational sources, as well as attempt to answer Robert Lathem’s 5 compelling religious questions:  Who am I, How do I know what I know, Who or what is in charge, What is my purpose, What does my death mean?  Please RSVP to Crystal at uuneva@gmail.com to get more information. 

Poetry of Emily Dickinson
Thursdays, from April 12- May 17, from 3:00 to 4:30 p.m.
Share and explore the inspiring poetry of Emily Dickinson in a small group setting.  Allow the power of words take you deep into yourself and find connection to all existence.  We will read a broad range of poems and share our favorites with other members of the class.  RSVP to Crystal for the reading assignments and schedule!

BUF Community Worship Service-- Jumping Mouse
Easter Sunday, April 8, 9:15 and 11:15
Join us for an All Ages worship service that celebrates the long transforming journey that one mouse makes toward the vision of a better place.  She travels through all the seasons and finds her promised land in the spring after much adventure and adversary. It is an engaging Easter message for us all.  I hope you will come!

Return to One Service!
Beginning on Sunday, April 15, we will have only one worship service at 10:30 and ALL Religious Education Classes will meet at that time as well.  This schedule will last for the remainder of the spring, through the summer, until our In-gathering service on September, 9, 2012.

That's it for now!
In Joy,
Crystal

Adult Religious Education This Spring!!!

Bellingham Unitarian Fellowship

“THE POETRY OF EMILY DICKINSON”

Adult Religious Education Class

Description

Share and explore the inspiring poetry of Emily Dickinson in a small group setting.  Allow the power of words take you deep into yourself and find connection to all existence.  We will read a broad range of poems and share our favorites with other members of the class.

Facilitator:  Crystal Neva, Director of Lifelong Learning, BUF

Times:  Six Thursday afternoons: April 12-May 17, 3:00 to 4:30 p.m.

Place:  Bellingham Unitarian Fellowship, Conference Room

Materials:  The Complete Poems of Emily Dickinson, by Emily Dickinson and Thomas H. Johnson.  You can find this on Amazon at http://www.amazon.com/The-Complete-Poems-Emily-Dickinson/dp/0316184136/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1331841499&sr=8-5

For More Information:  Contact Crystal Neva at uuneva@gmail.com or 224-1984.

Method

1. Each week there will be an assigned section of text (see below) to read or peruse (whatever your time allows).  From this section, select a poem (or two or three or four) that particularly interests you and spend some time with it.
2. Then when you come to class there will be a sign in sheet inviting you to write down your name and the title(s) and page number(s) of the poem(s) that particularly interest you.  These will be the poems we discuss in that class.
3. Then during the class we will go through the book and when we get to the poem you selected, you will be invited to read it out loud (or you may ask someone else to read it) and share your comments with the group (e.g., what you see in it, why you like it, what is clear, or unclear…). After you have talked a little about the poem, the poem will be open to general discussion.
4. As facilitator, I will watch the time to make sure that everyone gets a crack at his/her poem.  I may call attention to certain poems that speak to our faith if others don’t….

Reading Assignments

Week 1:  April 12—pages 3-122

Week 2:  April 19—pages 123-241

Week 3:  April 26—pages 242-360

Week 4:  May 3—pages 361-479

Week 5:  May 10—pages 480-600

Week 6:  May 17—pages 601-716