Scary and Difficult Times
As I read about the new Omicron Corona virus BA.2 variant rising and being tracked across the country,
I noticed the fear arise in my body. As I considered the effects it could have on our in-person OWL and RE
classes for children and youth, I felt a knot tighten in my stomach. These are such hard, scary and impossible times!
Making so many difficult choices to navigate the increasingly thin line to balance safety with sanity is causing decision fatigue in so many people right now.
If you are parenting children, especially young children, during these times, please offer yourself as much grace as you possibly can! If you are not parenting or caretaking in these times, please offer parents and caregivers as much grace, and space and support as possible.
So many families, especially with young kids, are not OK right now. It’s a constant struggle to make all the decisions and do all the things for everyone day in and day out.
As many members of our church community regather together in person and others remain online, it creates new challenges as well as new opportunities. The ground has shifted and the time is ripe for new ways of relating to one another.
One of the key shifts for me is working to dismantle unhealthy ideas around grind culture and workaholism within my own life. This pandemic has highlighted aspects in our culture that need to shift. How do we NOT “go back to normal,” especially when normal wasn’t working for so many people and species on our planet?
What can we do to decolonize our minds from false ideas about living sustainably and in balance within our lives and on our planet?
If you are not feeling stretched to the time and energy limit in your own life, what can you offer to others at this time? Parents and caregivers do not have much extra capacity to volunteer at church these days. What ways can others of us fill in the gap and help out? How can we work together to help build the Beloved Community together, each according to their own ability?
Blessed Be, Diane Melvin, Director of Religious Education
Peace and Nature Camp
Save the Date: June 20-24, 2022
Our popular one-week day-camp at People’s Church for elementary-aged kids will return in a new manifestation.
Would you like to be a part of a team to help create the vision and plans for this summers camp? If so, contact Diane Melvin at re@peopleschurch.net.
Keepers of the Earth
Our 1st-6th grade religious education classes are going Great this winter. We are beginning the sessions masked in Room 9 for our opening rituals, story and discussion each week before heading outside to explore the church grounds for animal signs and nature sights.
We are blessed to have an excellent and committed teaching team leading these explorations each week!
Thank you so much to Chris Measzros, Betsy Johnson, Chris Semelbauer, Dawn Chamberlain, Teresa Klan and Teresa Cavanagh for sharing your time, energy and love with these kids!
