Celebrate!
Welcome to summer (at least for those of us in the Northern Hemisphere). June is a special month for a lot of reasons—not only do many of us start summer vacation, but also it gives us a time to honor dads, and is also the month when the biggest UU gathering of the year, General Assembly, takes place. Look at the sections below to explore themes of fatherhood and voting, or just click on a link below to find out more about some June holidays and how you might celebrate them in your family.
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We Honor… |
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| On this month of Father's Day, it seems appropriate to honor some people whom Americans regard as Founding Fathers of the nation. John Adams was a life-long active member of the First Parish Church of Quincy, Massachusetts, which became Unitarian in 1750. John Adams was the first Vice President of the USA, and the second President. His son, John Quincy Adams, also a life-long member of that church, was the sixth president of the United States. Patriot John Hancock was baptized in this church by his father, the Rev. John Hancock, who served First Parish Quincy as minister from 1726 to 1744. Hancock, who you may remember best for his giant signature on the Declaration of Independence, was one of the leaders of the movement for American independence. |
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Act!
Father's Day is a great time to honor your dad, and to say thank you for the special things he does. But there are lots of families that, for one reason or another, don't have dads. And there are lots of men who may or may not be fathers, but play very special roles in the lives of kids who aren't part of their families. So this Father's Day, even if you have a great dad at home, how about finding a way to honor a man who isn't your father, but still has a special place in your life—a grandfather, uncle, teacher, coach, scout leader, friend's father, etc. Or, if you know of a man who makes a real difference in your community as a political leader, someone who works for a social service agency, a minister, a leader or teacher at a boys and girls club, or any other public role you can think of, that might be a great person to honor on Father's Day, too.
A handmade card that says why you think this man deserves to be honored on Father's Day makes a great gift. But if you want to make something more, you can find some ideas here or look in the Father's Day links in the Celebrate! section of this issue of KidTalk for more ideas. |
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Nurturing Your Spirit
Water is an important part of many religious traditions. Some Christians mark their entrance into the faith through baptism—being sprinkled with or dunked in water. Hindus in India bathe in the sacred river Ganges, and Orthodox Jewish women have a ritual purification bath called a mikveh. Summer is the perfect time to refresh your spirit in water. Here are a few possibilities:
- If you know how to float on your back in a pool, do a back float. Feel how the water carries you, how you are lifted and supported. Stay with that sensation of being held and supported by the original birthplace of life.
- In a pool, wading pool, or even bathtub, imagine what you would like washed away from your life—bad habits, troubling thoughts or disturbing feelings. Take a deep breath. Go all the way under the water, and then blow out a big burst of bubbles, imagining as you do that what you want to wash away is going out into the water. Do this three times. Of course, YOUNGER CHILDREN SHOULD ONLY DO THIS UNDER THE WATCHFUL EYES OF A GROWNUP.
- Get a big glass of water. As you hold it, remember that water is what holds all living things together. Molecules of water rise up and travel around the world as clouds, coming back to earth as rain or snow or dew. The molecules of water that make up most of your body have been in countless bodies before, for thousands and millions of years. Give thanks for the gift of water, which is the gift of life. Drink your water, honoring all the other beings, human and otherwise, who share the water of this planet with you.
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Practicing the Principles
Our fifth UU principle is “The right of conscience and the use of the democratic process within our congregations and in society at large.” This means that we believe that everyone should be free to follow what they think is good and right—which implies that we think all UUs should act on what we think is good and right. The second half of the sentence means that we believe that every person is entitled to a vote on the things that matter to us.
This principle seems perfect for this month because each year, toward the end of June, Unitarian Universalists gather for General Assembly—several days of worship and workshops and reports on how things are going with various committees and projects, and, most importantly, voting on things that are important to UUs everywhere. Some of the things they vote on at General Assembly (usually abbreviated to GA) have to do with how we run the organization. But some of the things they vote on have to do with us as UUs taking a stand on things that matter to us, called Study/Action Issues. For instance, our 2004-2006 Study/Action Issue has been global warming. Delegates from UU churches all over voted to make global warming the issue that all of our churches—and individual members—think about and learn about and try to take action on over the course of those two years. The Study/Action Issue that they will vote on at this GA has to do with Peacemaking, and deciding whether we, as UUs are opposed to all forms of war.
But you don't have to get to St. Louis this summer to give the idea of voting on Study/Action Issues a try. Your family can brainstorm a list of things that you think UUs should study and take action on. Vote on the list to see which are the top 4-6. Invite one person per issue to stand up and speak about why they think their issue is the most important. Vote to decide which one you think should be your Study/Action Issue. You may wish to make this issue an ongoing concern for your family and go ahead and learn about the issue and choose something that you can do to make a difference. And, hey, if you do this process, please let me know what you decided on—I'd love to share it in our Ask CLiF section. Just post it to the Ask CLiF box below. |
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Ask CLiF
Ask CLiF any questions you have about religion or living
a good life.
How can I get the email addresses for world leaders?
—(no name given)
Dear Activist,
How great to know that you are planning on writing to world leaders—please write again and let us know what concerns you want to share with them. There is an amazing website that will tell you how to get in touch with leaders of practically any nation in the world. So go for it!
—CLiF
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