Fellowship holds ‘All Ages Sunday’ service
The Humboldt Unitarian Universalist Fellowship in Bayside will celebrate its first “All Ages Sunday” service at 11 a.m. this weekend in the sanctuary.
“All Ages Sunday is a new development for us at HUUF,” said Amy Day, the fellowship’s director of Lifespan Religious Exploration. “Traditionally, many UUs have followed the old school ‘Sunday school’ model, where children are quickly shuttled off to separate spaces and classrooms for lessons and activities curated for them, while adults remain inside the sanctuary for a more solemn and intellectually stimulating experience.
“But what have we lost by this siloing process?” she asked. “Children, who spend much of their week engaged with school or extracurricular activities, are once again separated from their caretakers, leaving parents to have to decide, ‘church or family time?’ But, what if we could provide them with an experience that didn’t force them to choose? Elders are revitalized by the presence of the young, and this format invites us to engage our faith in new, playful, dynamic and kinesthetic ways.”
Day added: “On these Sundays, there is not a separate space for children — save for the very young, 2 or younger, who will have nursery care provided. So, we are invited to participate in our learning and exploration (and worship, really) through song, skits, interactive activities, dialogue and movement. It truly has been designed with all ages in mind.”
This Sunday’s all-ages topic — facilitated by Day — is “Be the Change.” With guidance from the folks at the Northcoast Environmental
Center, everyone will look at ways people from all walks of life can be a part of the healing of the planet and culture in ways both ordinary and profound, she said.
“We’ll be looking at how individuals and families, who often feel overwhelmed by the enormity and complexity of our world’s problems, can reclaim some sense of their own agency and sovereignty in playing a part of the healing of our world,” Day said. “We’ll look at issues related to climate change, people experiencing homelessness and interpersonal, communal needs — how we overcome our inertia to take tiny, consistent and deliberate steps to liberate the whole.”
This indoor service is limited to 40 people, with advance reservations needed at huuf.org. Seating will be spread out and masks are required for the service.
“No communal singing will take place inside the sanctuary, and we are encouraging those who can to get vaccinated in order to keep our beloved community safe,” said Day, who started serving as director of Lifespan Religious Exploration in June.
“My role within this work is to look at spiritual development from a holistic perspective,” she said. “… (This) includes developing and overseeing our Sunday morning program for our youth, as well as creating small group opportunities throughout the week and season, where these disparate age groups can engage, learn from one another and be spiritually nourished, according to their needs.”
The Humboldt Unitarian Universalist Fellowship is located at 24 Fellowship Way in Bayside. For more information, visit huuf.org.