Wednesday, April 27, 2011
Beltane Celebration this Sunday, May 1st!
This Sunday, May 1st the children and youth will be participating in a fun celebration of Beltane being lead by members of the Tampa Covenant of UU Pagans. Children are encouraged to dress up as fairies, nymphs, etc. Come dance around the May Pole!
Thursday, April 21, 2011
Hello, My name is Katie, I am a UU and I love Easter!
I love Easter. I truly do. I understand that this religious holiday can be challenging for Unitarian Universalists. But I was raised in a Christian home, a BAPTIST home, and I have so many wonderful memories around this holiday. It really isn’t difficult for me to translate it into my Unitarian Universalist beliefs.
I have a 4 and a 5 year old. Today I told them the story I plan on telling this Easter Sunday during worship. The story, which was written by UU minister Chris Jablonski, tells of two bunnies, Flopsy Ears of Numbing Doom and his teacher, Master Poofum, who worked together with the Iron Paw Liberation Front, to free enslaved animals. Master Poofum died in one of their heroic efforts. Flopsy was so grief stricken that he gave up on life, he just couldn’t imagine living and fighting the good fight any longer.
But then he had a vision of his master – his teacher. The vision of Master Poofam reminded him that even though his body was dead, his impact, his lessons, his LIFE LEGACY would live on forever. To me, this is the story of Easter. That, even though the man we have been told of, the man known as Jesus of Nazareth, was killed – he is not dead. He lives on in those who learn from the lessons of his stories and the example he set forth.
Today, I casually sat on the couch with Desi (5) and Casey (4) looking out our den window at butterflies dancing in our backyard garden and I asked Desi, “Do you know about Easter? Do you know what this has to do with Jesus?” And that boy, that little five year old boy, told me, “DUH.” He went on to tell me that Jesus was a man who taught us how to be good people, that we should love each other and treat each other with kindness. And he told me that Jesus was killed. I asked him if he understood the story about Master Poofam. He said he totally understood, that Master Poofam’s body was dead but that he lives on in our hearts, just like Papa and Grandma Aldridge live on in our hearts and that we are nice because they taught us to be nice. Wow. Did I mention that he is FIVE???
I am a Unitarian Universalist Mom and Religious Educator. I love Easter. I love the pageantry of it – the clothes and the baskets and the passion of the children embarking on the hunt for candy and treats. I love the coming together as a community to celebrate LIFE and the amazing, surprising beauty of nature. I love the FOOD – ham, potatoes, casseroles, bread, vegetables, and, in our family, the BUNNY CAKE. I know that not all people share the same fond memories or traditions that I treasure as a member of G.R.I.T.S. (Girl raised in the south.)
But I hope that many folks can gain just a little bit of joy from this moment in time. If we think about it too hard, it certainly is depressing. That a man who crusaded for peace and love and equality was taken down by an evil oppressive regime, well, that doesn’t feel too joyful. But, that he lives on in each of us, that we can indeed be a testament to his teachings, to his living, and to his loving…that we can hold to each other with gentle hands and support one another on this journey towards wholeness, well, that’s pretty cool.
Happy Easter my Loves.
I have a 4 and a 5 year old. Today I told them the story I plan on telling this Easter Sunday during worship. The story, which was written by UU minister Chris Jablonski, tells of two bunnies, Flopsy Ears of Numbing Doom and his teacher, Master Poofum, who worked together with the Iron Paw Liberation Front, to free enslaved animals. Master Poofum died in one of their heroic efforts. Flopsy was so grief stricken that he gave up on life, he just couldn’t imagine living and fighting the good fight any longer.
But then he had a vision of his master – his teacher. The vision of Master Poofam reminded him that even though his body was dead, his impact, his lessons, his LIFE LEGACY would live on forever. To me, this is the story of Easter. That, even though the man we have been told of, the man known as Jesus of Nazareth, was killed – he is not dead. He lives on in those who learn from the lessons of his stories and the example he set forth.
Today, I casually sat on the couch with Desi (5) and Casey (4) looking out our den window at butterflies dancing in our backyard garden and I asked Desi, “Do you know about Easter? Do you know what this has to do with Jesus?” And that boy, that little five year old boy, told me, “DUH.” He went on to tell me that Jesus was a man who taught us how to be good people, that we should love each other and treat each other with kindness. And he told me that Jesus was killed. I asked him if he understood the story about Master Poofam. He said he totally understood, that Master Poofam’s body was dead but that he lives on in our hearts, just like Papa and Grandma Aldridge live on in our hearts and that we are nice because they taught us to be nice. Wow. Did I mention that he is FIVE???
I am a Unitarian Universalist Mom and Religious Educator. I love Easter. I love the pageantry of it – the clothes and the baskets and the passion of the children embarking on the hunt for candy and treats. I love the coming together as a community to celebrate LIFE and the amazing, surprising beauty of nature. I love the FOOD – ham, potatoes, casseroles, bread, vegetables, and, in our family, the BUNNY CAKE. I know that not all people share the same fond memories or traditions that I treasure as a member of G.R.I.T.S. (Girl raised in the south.)
But I hope that many folks can gain just a little bit of joy from this moment in time. If we think about it too hard, it certainly is depressing. That a man who crusaded for peace and love and equality was taken down by an evil oppressive regime, well, that doesn’t feel too joyful. But, that he lives on in each of us, that we can indeed be a testament to his teachings, to his living, and to his loving…that we can hold to each other with gentle hands and support one another on this journey towards wholeness, well, that’s pretty cool.
Happy Easter my Loves.
Wednesday, April 20, 2011
Gratitude for our UUCT Garden
"If it's drama that you sigh for, plant a garden and you'll get it. You will know the thrill of battle fighting foes that will beset it. If you long for entertainment and for pageantry most glowing, plant a garden and this summer spend your time with green things growing."
As our 2010/2011 RE year comes to a close and summer approaches I think about this poem, written by Edward Guest, and I am grateful. Grateful for the drama, the thrill, and the joyful entertainment of what we have accomplished this year in our RE program, our UUCT community, our garden of possibilities.
I am grateful for our RE Teachers who prepare lessons, answer questions, and miss Sunday worships so they can offer their time to the youngest members of our religious community, journeying on the path of spiritual growth together.
I am grateful for our RE Committee Members who attend meetings, formulate visions, work on projects, bring food to potlucks, participate in worship, and pitch in wherever needed to make sure the RE program functions well.
I am grateful for our Parents who bring their children to church each Sunday, who offer their support to the program, who appreciate the amazing life/world changing gift that is Unitarian Universalist Religious Education.
I am grateful for the UUCT Volunteers who have put so much time and energy into the many jobs that made our dream of a new Religious Education building a reality. (WOO HOO!)
And I am grateful to the congregation for supporting our vision of being a center for liberal religious education in Tampa with their time, talent, and treasure$.
With all that we do and all that we are, we plant seeds of love, seeds of peace, and seeds of compassion in our children, our youth, and ourselves. What fun it is to watch those seeds grow into strong hearts, questioning minds, and beautiful spirits. What a blessing!
As I mentioned, May rounds out our 2010/2011 curriculum based Religious Education (RE) year. The last scheduled day of class is Sunday, May 29th. Multi-aged play and activities will be offered in the small dome & on the playground throughout the summer while parents attend church. Children should be dropped off in the small dome before 11:00 worship and picked up from the small dome following the worship service.
A special multigenerational worship service honoring our RE volunteers will be held on Sunday, June 5th.
Our Parents Potluck Picnics (PPP) continue throughout the summer and are held on the 3rd Sunday on each month following service.
STAY INFORMED & CONNECTED! Please use the following tools for staying informed about the many opportunities for families at the UU Church of Tampa and for staying connected to the larger Unitarian Universalist community:
Twitter – Follow me! @UUKatie – There are so many great UU “Tweeters” out there tweeting such inspirational stuff. I strongly encourage you to start tweeting – it’s awesome. (Read my current blog for more of my gushing about Twitter. The RE Committee says I am all a “twitter” about Twitter and they are right!)
Facebook – UUCT RE Children and Youth – I update our Facebook page weekly with RE lesson details, including links to Tapestry of Faith curriculum. Also included are upcoming youth activities, worship details, and whatnot.
Blog – UUKatie.Blogspot.com – I update my blog with details about upcoming activities in our RE program and also just my general thoughts about UU’ism, the awesomeness that is UU RE, the craziness that is parenthood, and the wonderfulness that is life, love, and community.
Email – KatieCulbert@verizon.net
Website – www.uutampa.org
Yahoo Group – UUTampa@yahoogroups.com
As our 2010/2011 RE year comes to a close and summer approaches I think about this poem, written by Edward Guest, and I am grateful. Grateful for the drama, the thrill, and the joyful entertainment of what we have accomplished this year in our RE program, our UUCT community, our garden of possibilities.
I am grateful for our RE Teachers who prepare lessons, answer questions, and miss Sunday worships so they can offer their time to the youngest members of our religious community, journeying on the path of spiritual growth together.
I am grateful for our RE Committee Members who attend meetings, formulate visions, work on projects, bring food to potlucks, participate in worship, and pitch in wherever needed to make sure the RE program functions well.
I am grateful for our Parents who bring their children to church each Sunday, who offer their support to the program, who appreciate the amazing life/world changing gift that is Unitarian Universalist Religious Education.
I am grateful for the UUCT Volunteers who have put so much time and energy into the many jobs that made our dream of a new Religious Education building a reality. (WOO HOO!)
And I am grateful to the congregation for supporting our vision of being a center for liberal religious education in Tampa with their time, talent, and treasure$.
With all that we do and all that we are, we plant seeds of love, seeds of peace, and seeds of compassion in our children, our youth, and ourselves. What fun it is to watch those seeds grow into strong hearts, questioning minds, and beautiful spirits. What a blessing!
As I mentioned, May rounds out our 2010/2011 curriculum based Religious Education (RE) year. The last scheduled day of class is Sunday, May 29th. Multi-aged play and activities will be offered in the small dome & on the playground throughout the summer while parents attend church. Children should be dropped off in the small dome before 11:00 worship and picked up from the small dome following the worship service.
A special multigenerational worship service honoring our RE volunteers will be held on Sunday, June 5th.
Our Parents Potluck Picnics (PPP) continue throughout the summer and are held on the 3rd Sunday on each month following service.
STAY INFORMED & CONNECTED! Please use the following tools for staying informed about the many opportunities for families at the UU Church of Tampa and for staying connected to the larger Unitarian Universalist community:
Twitter – Follow me! @UUKatie – There are so many great UU “Tweeters” out there tweeting such inspirational stuff. I strongly encourage you to start tweeting – it’s awesome. (Read my current blog for more of my gushing about Twitter. The RE Committee says I am all a “twitter” about Twitter and they are right!)
Facebook – UUCT RE Children and Youth – I update our Facebook page weekly with RE lesson details, including links to Tapestry of Faith curriculum. Also included are upcoming youth activities, worship details, and whatnot.
Blog – UUKatie.Blogspot.com – I update my blog with details about upcoming activities in our RE program and also just my general thoughts about UU’ism, the awesomeness that is UU RE, the craziness that is parenthood, and the wonderfulness that is life, love, and community.
Email – KatieCulbert@verizon.net
Website – www.uutampa.org
Yahoo Group – UUTampa@yahoogroups.com
Wednesday, April 13, 2011
Upcoming Middle & High School Youth Events
Saturday, April 23, 2011 11:00 - 2:00. Earth Day at USF Botanical Gardens. Bring a lunch or buy food from onsite vendors.
http://usfweb2.usf.edu/Sustainability/earthday/earthday_2011.html#all
Sunday, April 24, 2011 11:00 Flower Communion Worship for All Ages. 12:15 Easter Egg Hunt and Finger Foods Potluck. Youth will gather in youth room to eat during potluck.
Saturday, May 7, 2011 6:00 - 10:00p.m. Location TBD.
http://usfweb2.usf.edu/Sustainability/earthday/earthday_2011.html#all
Sunday, April 24, 2011 11:00 Flower Communion Worship for All Ages. 12:15 Easter Egg Hunt and Finger Foods Potluck. Youth will gather in youth room to eat during potluck.
Saturday, May 7, 2011 6:00 - 10:00p.m. Location TBD.
Friday, April 8, 2011
Connected!
Oh. My. Goodness. All of a sudden I am more connected! More connected than I even knew possible. And I can FEEL how much more connected I will become as each day passes! Holy smokes technology is amazing. I love Twitter. I must admit, I was quite leary at first. Do I really need MORE text messages? Do I really need ANOTHER screen taking up my time? Well, the answer is, YES! I want EVERYONE to be on Twitter! How did I not know how awesome this was? I guess I just did not understand it. I now feel like I need to be an ambassador for Twitter! I am just learning about it and there is so much I do not know about how to use it fully but this I do know...I feel connected.
It isn't text messages coming in all day, which is what I thought it would be. I just click on that little bird and can read when I want to read and because the messages are so short it only takes a little time. I can click on links that I am interested in and ignore the others. But mostly, I feel connected to a larger movement of people who are working to change the world. WHEW! That is pretty damn awesome.
I have moments of feeling disconnected, feeling like I am just struggling alone. But now...I am learning and growing and being inspired by my PEOPLE! MY PEOPLE! I am becoming better! I am becoming more whole. It is pretty cool. I look forward to learning more and trying to convince others of the power and importance of being connected through an electronic medium that is NOT EMAIL. This blog entry is sloppy and not formatted. It is not pretty. But it is my stream of conscience and my excitement flowing out through my fingers. I will have to overcome my fear of not putting out the most perfect wording as I embrace the Twitter universe. Shold I really spend 5 minutes crafting the most eloquent tweet? Probably not.
I am grateful to the Florida District for bringing Peter Bowden to our meeting and encouraging us all to do better and jump in to this electronic pool with excitement. I am so excited! I look forward to using as many electronic ways as I can to reach as many people as I can because, damn it, what we got going on in the UU Church is powerful. Life changing, heart singing, happy joy joy joy, LOVE, fabulosity! We are where it's at and I am proud to be a part of it. Amen!
It isn't text messages coming in all day, which is what I thought it would be. I just click on that little bird and can read when I want to read and because the messages are so short it only takes a little time. I can click on links that I am interested in and ignore the others. But mostly, I feel connected to a larger movement of people who are working to change the world. WHEW! That is pretty damn awesome.
I have moments of feeling disconnected, feeling like I am just struggling alone. But now...I am learning and growing and being inspired by my PEOPLE! MY PEOPLE! I am becoming better! I am becoming more whole. It is pretty cool. I look forward to learning more and trying to convince others of the power and importance of being connected through an electronic medium that is NOT EMAIL. This blog entry is sloppy and not formatted. It is not pretty. But it is my stream of conscience and my excitement flowing out through my fingers. I will have to overcome my fear of not putting out the most perfect wording as I embrace the Twitter universe. Shold I really spend 5 minutes crafting the most eloquent tweet? Probably not.
I am grateful to the Florida District for bringing Peter Bowden to our meeting and encouraging us all to do better and jump in to this electronic pool with excitement. I am so excited! I look forward to using as many electronic ways as I can to reach as many people as I can because, damn it, what we got going on in the UU Church is powerful. Life changing, heart singing, happy joy joy joy, LOVE, fabulosity! We are where it's at and I am proud to be a part of it. Amen!
Tuesday, April 5, 2011
Sunday, April 10th, in RE...
We Are Many, We Are One (Age 4 – 6): "We Need the Rain" Goal: To exerience rain as a necesity for life; to recognize that natural forces can be harmful as well as helpful (nature is not always benevolent.)
Moral Tales (Age 7 - 10): "Justice for All" Goals: Make participants aware of the inequitable distribution of wealth around the world; teach participants to be allies for people who are oppressed, suffering or being treated unfairly.
Riddle & Mystery (Age 11 – 16): "Oh My Soul" Question of the Day: "Do I Have a Soul?" Goals: Offer the concept of soul as a way of understanding the nonphysical self, introduce some traditional ideas about soul, encourage youth to explore their core spirt and beliefs.
Worship story: The Stonecutter, based on a Japanese wisdom tale
Moral Tales (Age 7 - 10): "Justice for All" Goals: Make participants aware of the inequitable distribution of wealth around the world; teach participants to be allies for people who are oppressed, suffering or being treated unfairly.
Riddle & Mystery (Age 11 – 16): "Oh My Soul" Question of the Day: "Do I Have a Soul?" Goals: Offer the concept of soul as a way of understanding the nonphysical self, introduce some traditional ideas about soul, encourage youth to explore their core spirt and beliefs.
Worship story: The Stonecutter, based on a Japanese wisdom tale
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