“Listen! The wind is rising, and the air is wild with leaves, we have had our summer evenings, now for October eves.”
― Humbert Wolfe
Continuing the month of Deep Listening…
The turning of the season continues to feel like more of a reality in the past week as we approach the latter half of October. It is a good time to listen deeply outdoors, as the winds rustle the leaves, and they crunch under each movement we take.
I really enjoyed the reflections and thoughts shared this past Sunday in MN Valley UU’s worship, in Children’s Chapel, and while I was walking with a UUFM parent afterwards.
In Children’s Chapel, we thought about the silence that comes briefly in between words, music, and noises, and how the way we sound internally might be like that too. After hearing the story, The Sound of Silence, we took some time to listen first to the sounds around us, then the sounds farther away outside, and finally, the very subtle sounds we might not typically notice. It takes a lot of practice to still the mind for more than just a moment, and it takes practice to notice what lies deeper within ourselves too. Young or old, there is a lot of wisdom there when we take time to listen to ourselves and one another. That sacred work of contemplation and connection is never done.
Keep in mind, I would love to reconnect with your family from a distance at a park or your yard. I will be reaching out in the coming days via phone and email to check-in and gauge the interest in this. I know some of us are craving in-person connection, and the opportunity to distance outdoors feels safe to me. It would truly brighten my day getting to see you too!
Please also know that I am just an email or a phone call away. While I am no longer holding virtual “office hours”, you can reach me on my personal phone at 507-995-7929 or by email at cfddirector@uumankato.org . If I do not answer, I encourage you to send a text or leave a voicemail. Currently, I am available for daytime meetings on Mondays, Wednesdays, Saturdays, and Sundays. I also do have availability most other weekday evenings. I will continue to do my best to serve as a resource to our community, through connecting you to one another and of course, directly. Being a light in the lives of others is as important as ever, and I hope you will stay connected.
Thank you,
Macey Forsyth
Reminder to register!
Registration for children and youth for participating during the 2020-21 school year is now open. While we are generally only seeing one another virtually, it is still important to us to have emergency, contact, and background information. The form should only take 1-2 minutes to fill out. Please consider staying involved virtually. Thank you for your time!
Go to UUFM Child Faith Development Registration 2020-2021:
https://uufm.breezechms.com/form/67ef5a56899
Please consider joining our private Facebook group:
UUFM Children’s Faith Development
(https://www.facebook.com/groups/1404655806251029/). This group is intended for families and congregants who are involved in Children’s Faith Development. My approval of new members’ access to the information there is what makes the group a safe space for sharing. I will be sharing our weekly stories as Facebook videos on my personal page publicly and sharing them in the group, as well as short prayers and meditations.
Link to the stories:
Our virtual Stories for All Ages are now available on the UUFM YouTube Channel. At least one new story will be available by Sunday, each week.
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNwWkbABO6HpDlw5Po2TdQA?view_as=subscriber
Virtual Children’s Chapel
Our Children’s Chapel will meet next via Zoom on Sunday, October 25th, from 11:30am-12:30pm with Danielle and Macey. More details to come!
Youth Group
Our Youth Group meets this Sunday, October 18th, with Lee and Macey. In addition to a typical check-in, we will take time to show and tell and practice deeply listening to one another. We encourage our youth to bring an item that feels significant, whether it is handmade, holds memories, or sparks joy.