Summer Updates!

May 15, 2024 | Family Ministry

Everyone in for summer fun!

Please join us this Sunday, May 19 for the Faith Development Worship Service!
We will have All Ages Worship at 11:15 am this week and it’s all about Faith Development! We’ll hear from parents, teachers, youth, children, and your religious educators, PLUS Rev. Claudia. Talk about an all star lineup! We will also recognize folks who have served with Religious Exploration this year. Additionally, we will recognize our emerging adults who are graduating from high school this spring with a Bridging ceremony. Oh, and one more thing – it’s a Sundae Sunday so we’ll share some ice cream after worship in Sandburg Hall.

About the playground…
You may have noticed that we have had to remove the slides and the wooden decking that supported them from the playground. This is because the wood was really rotten and it was unsafe for it to remain in use. One of the slides remains on the playground for now, because it’s really heavy and we haven’t been able to move it yet. We are looking at this as an opportunity to reimagine our playground and we are going to want your input! Staff will meet soon to discuss plans, so be on the lookout for an invitation to get involved with the planning and execution! Special thanks to John Bates, Mara Sprain, and Adam Griffith for jumping into action to make our playground safer for the time being!

Widening the Lense – Support one of our youth!
For the last 9 weeks, two youths (including our very own Eliza Martin!) have been hard at work with photographer Peter J. Robinson, Jr. and Religious Educator Jil Novienski, using their photographic eye to capture UU values of justice, equity, transformation, pluralism, interdependence and generosity. They’re ready to show their stories their way, so please show your love and support and join us for the exhibition film screening and artist Q&A on Monday, May 20th at 8:00pm (ET) on Zoom. All are welcome to attend. Here’s the zoom link: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/84214954302

Help us mind the gap in child care!
One of our stellar child care providers, Phoebe, has headed home to Charlotte for the summer and won’t be back until school starts again in August. I am hoping that our community can help us make sure we are covered for the summer. Do you know someone who likes working with kids looking for a part time job this summer? Send them my way! I would love to hire someone to help out, but I am also hoping that you all can step up to help us out over the next few weeks – email lrec@uuasheville.org if you’re up for spending an hour in the company of the fabulous Via and our sweet kiddos!

Speaking of Summer…
We’re exploring banned books this summer! Do you have a passion for reading? Have books made a difference in your life? Come share that joy with others! I am actively recruiting collaborators for the following: Helping out on Sunday mornings with sharing stories and exploring art, or just being an extra set of helping hands. This is a great way to dip your toes into RE if you’re new to us. I am also seeking folks that would be interested in facilitating a youth book club if you prefer to work with older kids. Sign up here and I’ll share the schedule with you to choose your date(s)! https://forms.gle/hHzd4EkfYiHNaz3eA

Don’t forget about camp!
I heard on Sunday that several camps at The Mountain still have openings! Find out more here: https://www.themountainrlc.org/mountaincamp

Ready to sign up to be a Collaborator?
2024-25 Teaching teams are forming now! Find out about all the options and sign up here: https://forms.gle/HyMqqU2Ghg2L5BJ69

Sunday, May 26 All Ages Worship
Join Rev. Audette outside for some bubble fun! Bring a blanket for your fam and enjoy our beautiful campus! Weather permitting, of course!

Finally, a language update!
Maybe you’ve noticed that we’ve started using the word “collaborator” instead of volunteer – there’s a good reason for that! This faith community belongs to YOU. Without you, we simply can’t do all the good things we do here. Staff is here to support and guide, but the real work is done by the congregation. When you serve in our community, you are supporting the congregation that supports you, which is different from volunteering. We continuously update our language to reflect our understanding of this important work – it probably won’t be the last time! We are also going to be shifting from using the term Faith Development to using Faith Formation instead. This will help us define the work of our staff and make sure we are in alignment with our current understanding of what we do here at UU Asheville. Let us know if you have questions about any of this!

In faith, Kim Collins LRE

Let’s Go All In for the Kids

Let’s Go All In for the Kids

May 15, 2024 | Weekly Message

As we come to the end of the 2023-24 Religious Exploration year, I’ve had time for a few moments of reflection between planning for the summer and for next year. When I think about the good work we do here, it always makes me think of some of the words that guide me: “Faith development is all we do, and the Congregation is the curriculum”.

These words are paraphrased from the brilliant Connie Goodbread and whenever I wonder if we are making a difference, I remember them. I think about all the ways that it shows up, like the time this year that one of our younger kiddos had the choice between painting a rock or spreading mulch for a planned garden on our campus, and he chose mulch even though he is passionate about art. He chose mulch because no one else had chosen it yet and we didn’t have enough rocks for everyone to paint one. His parents were a little surprised when I mentioned it to them at pick up time, but I wasn’t. We have talked a lot this year about what it means for us to go all in on this congregation, and for this kiddo, it was the obvious choice. If you are wondering about the impact this congregation has in the lives of our children and youth, I encourage you to watch the recordings of the 2 credo services offered by our Coming of Age youth earlier this month. Get some tissues ready, you will need them! You can find them here.

There are so many ways to go all in, but the most important way that we can do it for our children and youth is to show up. Show up on Sunday mornings and collaborate with us in RE. Show up and buy some soup or attend The Big Event for the Coming of Age kids. Show up to the YRUU service, Coming of Age service, and the Faith Development service and hear what our kids have to say and receive the beautiful gifts that they share with us. Show up to help out in child care, or to serve as a chaperone for youth cons and trips. Show up to help new families get oriented on Sunday mornings. Show up with food and the willingness to do some dishes. Show up for a couple of Sundays in the summer to share your favorite banned children’s book, or to just share an extra set of hands. Our children and youth need you in their lives!

Please definitely show up this Sunday at 11:15 am, because not only is it the Faith Development service, but it will also be a Sundae Sunday! Join us after Worship in Sandburg Hall for some ice cream and fellowship!

Want to get involved? Click here!

Kim Collins, Lifespan Religious Educator