Becoming a friendly family church toward our vision of a family friendly church.

by Karla Peterson

How can my children and I get more involved and more connected in the church? There are lots of ways. Some of these suggestions are things that I have done, but others are drawn from memories of the church I grew up in or suggestions I have heard from people who have attended other UU churches. Contact Director of Lifespan Religious Education, Becky Brooks, to find out how to get plugged-in to any of these opportunities.

Things you could do that are already in place:

Stay for coffee hour once in while

Help your child find some books they have outgrown and donate them to the book store

Have your child browse at the bookstore and buy a few books (they’re cheap!)

Help greet people and give out the order of worship

Sign up to light the chalice as a family

Take the monthly church tour as a family

Cook for Our Daily Bread (5^th Saturdays of the month)

Donate something to the auction (a service, an event, something you can make)

Special services to look forward to and participate in:

Participate in Springfest and Winterfest

Participate in Water and Flower communion (first and last service of the church year)

Participate in the Day of the Dead Service (around Halloween)

Come to the Winter Solstice celebration

Come to one or more summer services (such as the First Fruits service)

Eating your way through the church calendar:

(All of these events need volunteers to help with set up and clean up)

Come early for the pancake breakfast before the first service of the church year

Stay for the luncheon before the Cabaret and then go to the Cabaret

Come to the Halloween party

Stay for the luncheon before the Holiday Sale and then browse the tables

Come to Christmas Eve pot luck and services

Participate in the Mystery Buddies program and come to the potluck

Attend the church auction and dinner

Participate in your Neighborhood Circle (many are potluck style)

Things that you could request:

Ask for a special family friendly church tour

Ask for a special family friendly tour of the organ (it is so cool!)

Suggest a family friendly event for your neighborhood circle

Help with grounds keeping

Ask Jeffrey what he needs help with

Things that would be more work, but would be fabulous:

Host a family friendly “40-something” event (covenant group for those beyond the young people events)

Start a new covenant group with other parents your kid’s age

Work with the auction crew to create a kids auction to be held the same time or a different time

Start a tradition of going out together for lunch after church with other families

Things you could do outside of church:

Come out for a protest, lobby day, or vigil

Visit someone who is sick or in the hospital

Send get well cards, a note of condolence or congratulations to people listed in “Happenings”

Cook for someone who is hurt or just had a baby

Invite a person or family you want to get to know better over for dinner

Sing some of your favorite hymns at home for lullabies

Light a chalice at home for dinner and share what you are grateful for

Visit other churches when you travel and bring back good ideas

Did I miss something? Leave a comment to share your ideas for families to get connected to each other and the church as a whole.