Greetings BUF Families,
The holidays are fast approaching. As you may imagine-- there are many things going on at BUF to celebrate them! Here is what is happening for children and youth in December:
- YRUU (high school youth group) canceling regular sessions until the new year....
- Religious Education Classes and Sunday mornings-- Holiday focus in December, Lessons of Loss in January
- Hogwarts Christmas Banquet-- 12/3
- Children's Choir Rehearsals for Pageant (12/21) and Christmas Eve (6:00 pm service)-- 12/7, 12/14
- Middle School visits Church of the Assumption-- 12/7
- Holiday Craft Night with BCS-- 12/10
- Posada-- 12/13
- YRUU Bake Sale and Shopping for Interfaith Family-- 12/14
- Coming of Age Workshop-- 12/14
- Pageant Service-- 12/21
- Christmas Eve--12/24, 6:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m.
YRUU SCHEDULE CHANGE
High school students and advisors are busy this time of year so we decided to temporarily cancel regular meetings from now until January. In the meantime youth group will still meet for fun activities and events! We will announce such happenings here and youth can always find the latest information on the “BUF YRUU Group” Facebook page. If you have any questions you may contact Alicia Alford (lead advisor) at alicia.alford@comcast.net
Religious Education-- Holiday Focus:
Sunday, November 30-- Wrapping up Hogwarts curriculum: preparing children for Hogwarts report to the congregation and creating decorations for Hogwarts Banquet on December 3. Sprit Play and Middle School meet as usual. I will also be asking children about their participation preferences in the pageant on December 21.
Sunday, December 7-- Holiday gift making-- various craft stations will be set up in the flex room. Middle School visits the Church of the Assumption-- youth should arrive to BUF by 10:00 a.m. (RE Teacher meeting at 12:00 to prepare for Lessons of Loss).
Sunday, December 14-- Children's Worship-- Hanukkah-- stories, crafts, dreidel....
Sunday, December 21-- Christmas Pageant-- Spirit of the Christmas Tree. Children who wish to sing in the choir for this service should attend December choir rehearsals! Depending on how many singers we have-- most of the pageant parts will be non-singing parts.... Children wanting to be Mary, Joseph, Shepards, Wise People, Angels, Animals.... Should let me know by (or on) Sunday, November 30th.
Sunday, December 28-- Game Day! RE Teacher Holiday! Various board games will be set out in the Flex room. Substitute RE Volunteers/parents will play games with children on this Sunday.
Religious Education-- January: Lessons of Loss
Children and youth from k-8 will focus on death, dying, and grief with this wonderful UU curriculum. There are 4 sessions for each age group. Parents are encouraged to think about how their children might respond to this topic. Recent losses might come to the surface. Please feel free to contact me or your child's RE teachers if you have concerns. We have used this curriculum before-- several years ago-- to great effect. Children and RE Teachers alike seemed to really appreciate the discussions and rituals and unique opportunity to delve into this important topic. We found it to be deep and meaningful but not intense or depressing. I'm hopeful that this will be our experience again.
RE Sponsored Community Night Dinner-- Hogwarts Christmas Banquet!
Next Wednesday, December 3, recent graduates of the Hogwarts Magical School of Unitarian Universalist Principles (and everyone else) are invited to celebrate at a culminating banquet -- Christmas at Hogwarts! Join us for the RE-sponsored Community Night Dinner, and enjoy some Harry Potter wackiness with your pumpkin juice. The dinner starts at 6:00; cost is $5 per adult, $4 per child, $12 for families with small children.
On that same note:http://www.signupgenius.com/
Children's Choir Rehearsals
Sundays December 7 and December 14 after the service from 11:45-12:30 (possibly Saturday, December 20...).
Children will be rehearsing songs for the Christmas Pageant (on December 21) and also for a song to share at the 6:00 p.m. Christmas Eve service. Children wishing to be in the Pageant but not in the choir should check in with Crystal on Sunday, November 30.
Middle School visits: Church of the Assumption
Sunday, December 7 (service at 10:30)
Middle School youth should arrive at BUF by 10:00 a.m. to carpool (or walk) over to Assumption. Coming of Age participants should remember to mark down their points for attending!
Holiday Craft Night with BCS
Wednesday, December 10, 5:00 p.m.
Come early for dinner and make some crafts in this joint event with BUF and Bellingham Cooperative School. There are always great gift ideas and lots of supplies!
Posada!
Saturday, December 13, 5:00-8:00 p.m.
You won't want to miss this annual tradition! We will share a Mexican feast at 5:00 p.m. then Rev. Paul Beckel will tell the story of Maria and Joseph as they searched for an Inn on the fateful night when Jesus was born. We will wander the neighborhood caroling and acting out the parts of the journey. We will have a 4th or 5th grade Mary riding an actual donkey (pony), with a singing Joseph and "mean" innkeepers. We will then return to BUF where we will be welcomed in for cookies, hot chocolate and pinatas. It is a truly magical night that children remember for years! We hope you will join us.
We still need some volunteers to bring cookies, to set up for dinner and decorate the social hall, and to help clean up at the end of the night and also to prepare the social hall for pinata festivities while the rest of the participants are caroling. If you can help please contact me!
YRUU Holiday Gift Project
Sunday, December 14, 10:30-2:00(ish)
High School youth and youth advisors should each arrive at BUF at 10:30 a.m. with 4 dozen of the SAME KIND of cookie (someone should bring a couple of kinds of gluten free....). During the service, youth and advisors will make plates of mixed cookies to sell during the coffee hour. The group will then take their earnings to the mall (or some other department store) to purchase gifts for our Interfaith Family. Youth advisors have the specs of the family in need. Contact me if you have questions!
Coming of Age Workshop: Spirituality, Rituals, Worship
Sunday, December 14, 6:30 p.m.
Youth in Coming of Age and mentors are encouraged to attend this special workshop. We will discuss the essential elements of worship. Youth and Mentors will sign up for providing the worship experience for subsequent workshops and youth will begin to think about the Children's Worship Service that they will lead.
Christmas Pageant
Sunday, December 21, 10:30
Help Wanted! I will be out of town, celebrating Calley's graduation from college! Dee Dee Marshall will lead the children's choir, Paul will be our service leader, I am working on assigning pageant parts but need someone to direct the pageant, also someone to work with me to ensure we have needed costumes/props.... If you would like to be involved in making this year's pageant great-- please let me know ASAP!
Christmas Eve-- Two Services!
One service will be at 6:00 p.m. and will feature the Children's Choir. The other will be at 8:00 p.m. and will feature the BUF Choir.
I hope you all have a very merry Holiday Season!
Crystal
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