The New Year is upon us and, at least for me, it is a time full of reflection and of possibility.

Rationally I understand that the difference between 11:59:59 on 12/31 and 12:01 on 1/1 is a matter of seconds. And yet that change somehow means something to me. Somehow a new year seems like a second chance, a time to start over and try again, hopefully with wisdom gained from any past mistakes.

It is with great gladness that I am able to report that the empty bowl luncheon netted about $462.00 toward our Homeless and Hungry fund. Thank you to all for your generosity.

Also I am excited to announce that we will be a test site for the UUA’s new curriculum, Tapestry of Faith. This is a lifespan curriculum that the UUA is hoping to have ready for distribution for next fall. Our K-1 group will be field-testing the curriculum “Creating Home.” It is an honor to be part of the UUA’s process.

Also we have some exciting things coming up. One of them is a workshop on January 19^th with Sally Patton. The workshop will be from 9 am–1 pm at First Unitarian Universalism of Syracuse. The workshop is open to all who are interested and I am encouraging all guides to register for this opportunity. Please contact me for registration information

Creating beloved community for all children means being able to manage the diverse needs of all the children in our RE programs. It requires us to look beyond the labels to see the divine in each child and bid them welcome into our lives. In so doing, we are changed and blessed with a new understanding of ourselves and our relationship with all children. One of the ways we can become more accepting of children with special challenges is to find ways to see the world through their eyes, to drop assumptions about behavior, and listen to our children’s stories. Once we develop an accepting and loving attitude then we can effectively utilize basic teaching strategies and techniques based on a positive behavior supports philosophy.

Workshop leader Sally Patton, Ed.M. Developmental Psychology, has advocated and worked for children with disabilities for over 35 years. She also was development director for the UU Urban Ministry in Boston for seven years. For the past several years, she has written and conducted workshops on ministering to children with special challenges in faith communities and on spiritual parenting. She is the author of Welcoming Children with Special Needs: A Guidebook for Faith Communities. Sally is the mother of two children, one of whom has special needs.

Goals of this workshop:

• Weaving all children into the fabric of the congregation
• When the children are safe and loved, we are all safe and loved
• Disability awareness
• How labeling affects our treatment of children
• Managing Diverse Needs in Ministering to Children
• Making religious education less like school
• Multiple ways of learning and knowing
• Pro-active techniques for behavior management
• Creating moments of transcendence

Hope to see you there!