Children This Sunday

FFD Features: April 17, 2025

Hello Beloveds,

This past Sunday, during the Message for All Ages, I told our children “it’s ok to make mistakes,” while making a few of my own.  Afterwards, some very brave people shared their concerns with me.  Based on their feedback, I wanted to notify you about some changes moving forward:

  • The April 13 Message for All Ages has been removed from the YouTube recording, to protect our children’s privacy.
  • All future Message for All Ages that require calling the children forward – say, for a book – will intentionally utilize slides, so that no child will ever be on camera for more than a few seconds.
  • All future whole-group, covenantal conversations will happen in the chapel, and parents will be encouraged to participate.

Furthermore, I want to acknowledge that for some people, what I intended as a calling in, felt more like a calling out.  To those who felt called out, I invite you to come and speak with me, so I may say I’m sorry directly, and we may enter into deeper conversation.

Thank you to those of you who initially brought your concerns forward so that we may make First Church a better place for all.

Now, moving onto this coming Sunday…

This coming Sunday is a special Sunday.  We’ll all start in the sanctuary – for our annual Easter Flower ritual – and then we’ll move to Chapel where we will hold our own Easter service.  We’ll explore themes of resurrection and rebirth through the story of “The Velveteen Rabbit,” here an age-appropriate retelling of the Easter story (please note, there will be mentions of death), and discover why some Unitarian Universalists who aren’t Christian still celebrate Easter.  Afterwards, your children will be directed to participate in our annual Easter Egg Hunt.

A few things of note…

  • Your child is encouraged to bring a favorite toy (stuffy, car, action figure, etc.) with them to church this Sunday so they can help tell the story of “The Velveteen Rabbit.”
  • There will be two separate Easter Egg Hunts set up this Sunday.  One for Infants and Toddlers on the 1st floor of the church (around the art wall), and one for PreK – 6th graders in their classrooms.  Your child may wish to bring an Easter basket to collect their eggs, but they don’t have to, plastic bags will be provided.
    • P.S. All eggs will be filled with toys (to avoid food allergies), except one egg – the special golden egg – which will be filled with $20.
  • If you would like to know more about what your child did in class on Sunday, you can find the 1st – 6th grade Taking It Home below, and the PreK – K Taking It Home here.

In faith and love,
– M

Not registered for Family Faith Development? You can register anytime by following this link.

Special Announcements

Special Sunday’s This Spring

Spring is full of special Sundays for our families.  Here is a quick overview…

An flier listing the special Sunday's this spring. The information is just a repeat of everything in the announcement. The graphics include some leaves, flowers, a bee and a butterfly.
  • April 6th: Earth Day Intergenerational Service
  • April 20th: Easter Sunday – Easter Flowers, Extended Children’s Chapel, Egg Hunt.
  • May 11th: Citywide Service – Last Day of Curriculum & Religious Education’s Festival of Faiths (for our 1st – 6th graders)
  • May 18th – Flower Communion Intergenerational Service
  • May 25th – Religious Education’s Party on the Playground

Taking It Home: April 13, 2025

On Stargazing (and Humanism)

Have you ever looked up at the night sky and wondered about the universe?  People have been stargazing since the dawn of time.  Whole societies have weaved stories, crafted religions, and tied their fates around the stars.  In fifteenth century Italy, during the Italian renaissance – when the religious movement we now know as Humanism was just taking shape as a philosophy – great thinkers were doing something different with the stars.  They were founding a science around them, the science of Astronomy.  Humanists rely on science and reason to form their beliefs.  It’s one of five tenets according to Understanding Humanism.  The other tenets include:

  • “A scientific but also a sympathetic, generous, and cautiously optimistic understanding of human beings.”
  • A belief that “we should have the freedom to shape our own lives, finding happiness in the one life we have and supporting other people to do the same.”
  • A belief that “the origins of morality lie inside human beings.”
  • A belief that “human beings alone are responsible for improving the world: we cannot expect help to come from elsewhere.”

Some may say these tenets, alone, are no basis for a religious movement, that relying on science and reason ‘lacks spirituality.’  And, it’s true that not all humanists would claim to be spiritual.  But, some would.  And, to see why, all I ask is, have you been stargazing recently?  Have you been with your child?

Here are some resources that you can use with your child the next time you go stargazing…

Today’s Souvenir

Today, your child was introduced to Humanism.  Humanists believe that what we do for each other is more important than what we do for a god.  They rely on science and reason to inform their beliefs and actions.  To that end, today your child explored the universe through the lens of science.  For their souvenir, they picked up a few glow-in-the-dark stars.

Simple Song

Sign this simple song with your children so that they may sign along in an upcoming service.  A recording of the song, with lyrics, can be found at the link above.

Singing the Journey #1064 – Blue Boat Home

Though below me, I feel no motion

Standing on these mountains and plays.

Far away from the rolling ocean

Still my dry land heart can say:

I’ve been sailing all my life now,

Never harbor or port have I known.

The wide universe is the ocean I travel

And the earth is my blue boat home.

Sun my sail and moon my rudder

As I ply the starry sea,

Leaning over the edge in wonder, 

Casting questions into the deep.

Drifting here with my ship’s companions,

All we kindred pilgrim souls,

Making our way by the lights of the heavens

In our beautiful blue boat home.

I give thanks to the waves upholding me,

Hail the great winds urging me on,

Greet the infinite sea before me,

Sing the sky my sailor’s song:

I was born upon the fathoms,

Never harper or part have I known.

The wide universe is the ocean I travel,

And the earth is my blue boat home.

Suggested Resources

Here are some additional resources on this month’s theme for adults and children…