Midweek Message June 5, 2025

The First 65 days

Hello FUUN! 

I’ve been in the role of Acting Minister of Faith Formation for 65 days now, and most of them have been at full sprint speed!  Though the Children’s Religious Education Team and Youth Leaders (both of which I was a volunteer part prior to this role) did everything we could to fill the gap, being without a Director for so long was a bit of a challenge.  Additionally, we are seeing pre-Covid numbers (and sometimes more!) of people under 18 years old coming into our community.  (For example, this past Sunday, we had 26 kids here for Summer FUUN, and a dozen more in the nursery - and that was at the back end of a holiday week where many were still away.)

I have 4 goals in writing to you today:

1. Answering “What’s going on in the parking lot?”

You may have noticed that 14 spaces have been roped off down by the Morgan House!  As we begin this experiment of Summer FUUN Faith Formation, we're leaning away from a Sunday SCHOOL model and into more of a Summer CAMP feel while it’s hot outside.  The structure after the kids get sung out of the sanctuary is:

Chalice lighting

Joys & Concerns

Group Song

Group Game

Choose Your Own Adventure Community Building (Frisbee, Badminton board games, arts/crafts, puzzles, water play, bracelet making, reading, etc.)

We will have the parking lot roped off until Mid-August.  Please know we have plenty of parking at the lower lot, and there is also the oft forgotten bonus lot behind Moran house (enter off Hopkins).  Thank you for making space for the kids of FUUN - we appreciate everyone’s flexibility!

2. An Invitation to Pastoral Care for Families actively parenting children 18 and under

If you are actively parenting children birth through High School,  you and your family are welcome to contact me for pastoral care. You are welcome to reach out to me by phone, text or email, even if you’d just like to understand what pastoral care means and what it might look like for you.

3. Letting you know: What have I been doing the first 65 days with my time?  Here’s some broad and some specific samples!

First, I cleaned and organized the office that I now inhabit, including the entirety of the amazing library I inherited from my predecessors. I joined LREDA, and utilized our Southern Region of the UUA staff by reaching out to both the Youth Specialist and the Religious Education Specialist. I picked up some of the heavier pieces that CRE had been carrying. Together with the CRE team, organized one of our largest Easter Egg hunts in the last 10 years (now including a hunt for teens!). I held listening sessions to learn what you want to Keep, Stop, and Start doing  (it’s not too late to give input, just click this link!) I’ve made pastoral care calls, I’ve worked with our Building and Grounds Operations Crew to build a literal bridge (they built the literal bridge, I did the figurative, ritualistic one) for our recent Bridger heading off to college with our love, I’ve made mistakes and learned from them.  I’ve asked for feedback, (I invite you to do so, really!) I’ve learned from our outgoing minister and from our incoming minister; needs, hopes and dreams for the kids and families - and also how those groups can more fully integrate with our other groups and vice versa.  I’ve jumped in dumpsters to get free supplies for our program, I’ve moved supplies all over our campus.  Together with our Childcare Coordinator, Marina, we’ve dumped out every container in the Nursery, reunited lost toys, cleaned, organized and updated processes.  I’ve worked with our Summer FUUN Team Captains to launch the extravaganza going on each Sunday morning, building fellowship.  I’m keeping up with my responsibilities as a member of the UUMA.  I’ve worked with our Youth leaders and our Youth to implement the ideas gleaned from the Southern Region staff this Fall.  I’m reaching out to colleagues when I get stuck, asking them for budget amounts, program numbers, best practices, how long it takes to get to the vision, and when to cry uncle, it’s time to sleep. I optimistically tried to launch us away from paper sign ins, and learned we weren’t there yet (we need to expand our RE greeter team!).  I’ve met with the Safe Congregation Panel and the newly forming Safety Team.  I’m working on Coming of Age and bringing OWL under my portfolio. I’m keeping my bulletin board in the social hall up to date.  I’m planning to take Jr High and High School groups to Mountain Cons. (HS in the fall, Jr High in the Spring). Occasionally, I get to hold the adorable babies, but usually only for a minute - Sunday mornings move faster than they used to for me! 

Etcetera…

Thank you for your patience as I learn, flexibility while we grow, and volunteering to help make this all happen! (Wait, what? You want to volunteer? That’s so amazing! Just email me - please and thank you - we need a volunteer army to make the vision for kids come to life!! faithformationminister@firstuunash.org  I’ll find something that fits you and fills your cup!)

4. Letting you know: What does my calendar look like -  upcoming?

Religious Professionals do a lot of important things in the summertime!

In an effort to economize on fuel, save the planet and maximize a trapezoid travel plan, I’ll be driving to GA in Baltimore.  Ministers go early for Ministry Days, followed immediately by LREDA Professional Days, after which is actually General Assembly.  I’ll be working with the Youth, and taking one of our own. I’ll be able to respond to emails and phone calls, but slower than usual. Then, I’ll drive up to our UU Retreat Center off the coast of New Hampshire, Star Island (we have an ISLAND, y’all - ask me about it when you see me!) for a week of study leave where I have a free place to stay and read and develop/update curricula and some of the library that will help us this coming year.  I can respond to messages intermittently throughout the week.   I’ll then drive to Michigan for my family reunion, where I’ll actually be on vacation during the week of the 4th  (which I’ll need by then!)  I’ll peek for emergency messages only that week, and will be back in the fold in Nashville July 7 - and I plan to tackle some Morgan House organization at that time so we can really get rolling (Special thanks to our Room In the Inn friends for kickstarting that process - your spaces look amazing!). Mark your calendars, the Southern Region Specialist is meeting with all RE Volunteers Saturday August 9, and with the whole Church Sunday, August 10 11:30-12:30.  I can’t wait to start the new Church year with you and Rev. Charlotte! 

TLDR (Too Long, Didn’t Read):  Faith Formation as a whole and myself in particular  - we’re BUSY.  The work of the Church makes better UUs.  Better UUs makes a better world.  Smaller UUs who have a good experience of Church will grow up to be big UUs making a better world, which we desperately need. Thank you for helping us make a better world, one kid at a time!

With love and gratitude, 

(especially for those of you still reading this tome - I see you!)

Rev. Jennifer