​
​Dear UU Parents and Guardians,

Thursday Night Services

Did you know that there's a Thursday night worship service at 7pm every week? I know this is often bedtime routine time for many parents and guardians, but I wanted to remind you that this is an option to connect with the church.

The services are called, "Vespers", and you receive the link for them each week from the office if you are signed up to receive emails from them.
Services last about an hour with time for connection in 'breakout groups' each service.

The fabulous part about Zoom? You can turn your video off, join in your jammies, or while cleaning up after dinnertime. You could even just have an earbud in while putting kiddos to bed.
I will be the worship leader for the service for the first time on March 4th, so I hope that you will consider hopping on! The service is for adults, but of course children and youth are welcome to tune in.

Parents as Primary Sex Educators Workshop

It has been highly recommended to religious professionals that we should NOT offer our OWL (Our Whole Lives) sexuality education courses online.

There will be a gap in our timeline for when we are able to offer OWL in-person to children and youth.

That being said, would you potentially be interested in a facilitated support group called, "Parents as Primary Sex Educators"?
For parents of K-12th students. The description states, "The 90-minute sessions use a small group ministry format to engage adults in topics including Gender Identity, Relationships, Social Media, and Consent."

If yes, would you please send me a message just saying something like, "Yes, I'd be interested"?

I would like to gauge whether this is something which would be worthwhile to offer. I know you would obviously need more information to commit to something, but it would help me wrap my mind around this if you are interested in this topic.

*Sunday School *
Approximately: 30 minute program geared towards K-5 but open to all ages
Sundays at 11am
Please email Chelsea for the link and passwords for K-12th online classes: [email protected]

***An email was sent a couple days ago with an attachment for a printable to bring to this week's class***

*Middle and HS *
We are joining up with the Omaha youth groups - 

Wednesdays at 7pm

We invite all Middle and High School students from Omaha and Lincoln to join us for discussion and community through this app.
'Would you rather' questions - Thoughts along our monthly Soul Matters themes - 'Big questions' related to UUism.
Also - a "Pet Page"!!! So much fun.
***Be aware that once joining Discord, it opens up the app to multiple pages which will need to be moderated by students themselves and their parents/guardians for security.

https://discord.gg/3NuSj6f

*Parent and Guardian Chat: *
The chance for parents and guardians to check in with me for 'open office hours'
Every other Thursday 8pm and every other Wednesday noon (I close the meeting after 15 minutes if no one checks in)

Thursday the 4th at 8pm
I will NOT be having a Parent Chat since I will be leading the Thursday night service that night - but feel free to schedule a time to meet with me!

Wednesday the 10th at noon
Link: https://zoom.us/j/5036046295

Videos This Week: 

Story with Miss Chelsea: 
Wanda's Roses: https://youtu.be/6wuhh0H01Lc

NEW THIS MONTH!
PRESCHOOL CURRICULUM!!!

I'm excited to share with you a new preschool curriculum called: POP!
Here are the links to the videos, and attached to this email you will find additional worksheets.
Introduction: https://youtu.be/zDzS6vgKXqY

 Session 1: https://youtu.be/dTkx3AEVSb0
 Session 2: https://youtu.be/z5CJW513Uto
 Session 3: https://youtu.be/pk_RWofC9T4

K-5: Soul Matters Theme: Beloved Community
These materials come to us from the Soul Matters Curriculum team

On the Porch
At the Bedside

Bonus Resources for Parents With the theme of:
Beloved Community

Wise Words 
​
Speaking to his supporters at the end of the Montgomery bus boycott in 1956, Martin Luther King Jr. declared that their common goal was not simply the end of segregation as an institution. Rather, he said, “Our ultimate end must be reconciliation; the end must be redemption; the end must be the creation of the beloved community. We have before us the glorious opportunity to inject a new dimension of love into the veins of our civilization. The type of love that I stress here is not eros, a sort of esthetic or romantic love; not philia, a sort of reciprocal love between personal friends; but it is agape which is understanding goodwill for all… It begins by loving others for their sakes and makes no distinction between a friend and enemy; it is directed toward both. It is this type of spirit and this type of love that can transform opposers into friends.”
Martin Luther King, Jr.
 
I knew as well as I knew anything that the oppressor must be liberated just as surely as the oppressed.
Nelson Mandela


The goal [of Beloved Community] is reconciliation, not to destroy your opponent, nor cast them out, but to stay in the struggle till love wins.
Rev. Victoria Safford
 
We, the member congregations of the Unitarian Universalist Association, covenant to affirm and promote: journeying toward spiritual wholeness by working to build a diverse multicultural Beloved
Community by our actions that accountably dismantle racism and other oppressions in ourselves and our institutions.
The 8th Principle
 
If we have no peace, it is because we have forgotten that we belong to each other.
Mother Teresa
 
Beloved community is formed not by the eradication of difference but by its affirmation, by each of us claiming the identities and cultural legacies that shape who we are and how we live in the world.
bell hooks, Killing Rage: Ending Racism
 
In my vision of a beloved community, I see a dazzling, light-filled, breathtakingly beautiful mosaic, a gigantic, all-encompassing mosaic, where each of us can see, can really see, and deeply appreciate each piece. We know that each piece is of immeasurable value. We know that each piece is part of a larger whole, a larger whole that would not be whole, indeed would not BE, without each piece shining through, and being seen and appreciated as its unique self.

Marla Scharf, First Unitarian Church of San Jose, California.

Dear UU Parents and Guardians,

Thursday Night Services

Did you know that there's a Thursday night worship service at 7:00PM every week? I know this is often bedtime routine time for many parents and guardians, but I wanted to remind you that this is an option to connect with the church.

The services are called Vespers and you probably receive the link for them each week in the Thursday eblast from the office. Services last about an hour with time for connection in 'breakout groups' each service. 

The fabulous part about Zoom? You can turn your video off, join in your jammies, or while cleaning up after dinnertime. You could even just have an earbud in while putting kiddos to bed. I will be the worship leader for the Vespers service for the first time on March 4, so I hope that you will consider hopping on! The service is for adults, but of course children and youth are welcome to tune in.

If you are not signed up for electronic communication (daily eblasts and monthly newsletter) you can do so HERE.

Parents as Primary Sex Educators Workshop

It has been highly recommended to religious professionals that we should NOT offer our OWL (Our Whole Lives) sexuality education courses online.

There will be a gap in our timeline for when we are able to offer OWL in-person to children and youth.

That being said, would you potentially be interested in a facilitated support group called, "Parents as Primary Sex Educators"? For parents of K-12th students. The description states, "The 90-minute sessions use a small group ministry format to engage adults in topics including Gender Identity, Relationships, Social Media, and Consent."

If yes, would you please send me a message just saying something like, "Yes, I'd be interested"?

I would like to gauge whether this is something which would be worthwhile to offer. I know you would obviously need more information to commit to something, but it would help me wrap my mind around this if you are interested in this topic.

*Sunday School *
Approximately: 30 minute program geared towards K-5 but open to all ages
Sundays at 11am

***An email was sent a couple days ago with an attachment for a printable to bring to this week's class***

*Middle and HS *
We are joining up with the Omaha youth groups - 

Wednesdays at 7:00PM

We invite all Middle and High School students from Omaha and Lincoln to join us for discussion and community through this app. 'Would you rather' questions - Thoughts along our monthly Soul Matters themes - 'Big questions' related to UUism. Also - a "Pet Page"! So much fun.
***Be aware that once joining Discord, it opens up the app to multiple pages which will need to be moderated by students themselves and their parents/guardians for security.

https://discord.gg/3NuSj6f

*Parent and Guardian Chat: *
The chance for parents and guardians to check in with me for 'open office hours'
Every other Thursday 8pm and every other Wednesday noon (I close the meeting after 15 minutes if no one checks in)


Wednesday, Feb 24 at NOON
Contact Chelsea for Zoom links


Thursday, Feb 4 at 8:00PM
I will NOT be having a Parent Chat since I will be leading the Thursday night service that night - but feel free to schedule a time to meet with me.

Videos This Week: 

Story with Miss Chelsea: 
Wanda's Roses: https://youtu.be/6wuhh0H01Lc

NEW THIS MONTH

Theme: Beloved Community
These materials come to us from the Soul Matters Curriculum team

From the Mailbox

At Play

Bonus Resources for Parents With the theme of: Beloved Community

Inspirational February Message from the Soul Matters Team
https://youtu.be/rUw4t3c9azc

An Invitation to Brave Space https://onbeing.org/poetry/invitation-to-brave-space/ 

Confronting racism is not about the needs and feelings of white people, by Ijeoma Oluo 
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2019/mar/28/confronting-racism-is-not-about-the-needs-and-feelings-of-white-people

Dear UU Parents and Guardians,

It has been highly recommended to religious professionals that we should NOT offer our OWL (Our Whole Lives) sexuality education courses online. There will be a gap in our timeline for when we are able to offer OWL in-person to children and youth.

That being said, would you potentially be interested in a facilitated support group called, "Parents as Primary Sex Educators"? for parents of K-12 students. The description states, "The 90-minute sessions use a small group ministry format to engage adults in topics including Gender Identity, Relationships, Social Media, and Consent."

If yes, would you please send me a message just saying something like, "Yes, I'd be interested"?

I would like to gauge whether this is something which would be worthwhile to offer. I know you would obviously need more information to commit to something, but it would help me wrap my mind around this if you are interested in this topic.

Sunday School K-5 
Approximately: 30 minute program geared towards K-5 but open to all ages. Sundays at 11:00AM; Email Chelsea Krafka for Zoom links. [email protected] 

Middle and HS 
We are joining up with the Omaha youth groups - Wednesdays at 7:00PM.

Both MS/HS meetings can be found at this link: 
https://zoom.us/my/firstuuomahareligiouseducation  

We invite all Middle and High School students from Omaha and Lincoln to join us for discussion and community through this app. 'Would you rather' questions - Thoughts along our monthly Soul Matters themes - 'Big questions' related to UUism. Also - a "Pet P age"! So much fun. 

***Be aware that once joining Discord, it opens up the app to multiple pages which will need to be moderated by students themselves and their parents/guardians for security.

https://discord.gg/3NuSj6f

Parent and Guardian Chat: 

The chance for parents and guardians to check in with me for 'open office hours'
Every other Thursday 8pm and every other Wednesday noon (I close the meeting after 15 minutes if no one checks in).
Email Chelsea for Zoom links: [email protected] 

Thursday Feb 18 and Wednesday Feb 24

Videos This Week: 
Story with Miss Chelsea: "I Love My Hair" https://youtu.be/ISmw52Q41TM

NEW THIS MONTH:
Theme: Beloved Community
These materials come to us from the Soul Matters Curriculum team

From the Mailbox

At Play

Finlandia by Jean Sibelius -- Cantus
 
James Baldwin & Nikki Giovanni, a conversation
One of the most brilliant and important conversations you will ever have the privilege of listening in on.
 
Video - Racial Wealth Gap

Selma’s Challenge - Rev. Dr. Mark Morrison-Reed

In joyful community,
Chelsea Krafka (she/her) 
Religious Growth & Learning Director
[email protected] 

\Dear UU Parents and Guardians, 

We have been told directly by the UUA that we should NOT offer our OWL (Our Whole Lives) sexuality education courses online. That being said, would you potentially be interested in a facilitated support group called, "Parents as Primary Sex Educators"? 

If yes, would you please send me a message just saying something like, "Yes, I'd be interested"? I would like to gauge whether this is something which would be worthwhile to offer. I know you would obviously need more information to commit to something, but it would help me wrap my mind around this if you are interested in this topic. 

Email Chelsea [email protected] for Zoom or Discord links.

*Sunday School *

Approximately: 30 minute program geared towards K-5 but open to all ages. Sundays at 11:00AM.

*Middle and HS *

We are joining up with the Omaha youth groups. Wednesdays at 7:00PM.

We invite all Middle and High School students from Omaha and Lincoln to join us for discussion and community through this app: 'Would you rather' questions; Thoughts along our monthly Soul Matters themes; 'Big questions' related to UUism; and even a "Pet Page"! 

***Be aware that once joining Discord, it opens up the app to multiple pages which will need to be moderated by students themselves and their parents/guardians for security.

*Parent and Guardian Chat: *

The chance for parents and guardians to check in with me for 'open office hours.' Every other Thursday 8:00PM and every other Wednesday at NOON. (I close the meeting after 15 minutes if no one checks in.)

Next two chats are Wednesday Feb 10 and Thursday Feb 18.

Email Chelsea [email protected] for Zoom or Discord links.


Videos This Week: 

Story with Miss Chelsea: "All Are Welcome Here" 


NEW THIS MONTH!

Theme: Beloved Community

These materials come to us from the Soul Matters Curriculum team

At the Table - Exploring Beloved Community Through Discussion

Around the Neighborhood - Scavenger Hunt for Beloved Community

A word for White People in 2 Parts - One Human Family

VIDEO
4 Rules [practices) For Achieving Peace and Justice [beloved community] 
Bryan Stevenson

#1 - get proximate to the marginalized
#2 - change the narrative from one of fear and anger
#3 - stay hopeful about creating justice, even when it’s complicated
#4 - be willing to do uncomfortable things