April Updates for Children and Youth 

May Poduschnick,

Director of Children & Youth Ministries

Pastor Elizabeth's sermon this morning talked about the physiological effect of singing in groups. Seemingly magical things occur when human beings sing together—heart beats sync up, stress levels lower, and the voices of the people merge into one choral instrument that is larger than any one voice. The human voice remains the oldest and most primary instrument of civilization. When we use our voices to sing about the things we believe in, singing can result in radical social change.

Indeed, protest songs and spirituals are some of the most enduring songs of all time, both of which occur at a moment when speaking is no longer sufficient to express the depth of emotion needed. This is also how Sondheim decided when a musical theater production should move from spoken dialogue into the next musical number—at precisely the moment when words were no longer enough to convey the intended message.

Music is many things. It is solace, therapy, comfort, memory, and home. It is predictable, unexpected, harmonious, discordant, and inevitable. It is polished and unpolished, rehearsed and unrehearsed. Often, it is a mirror for the society we live in, amplifying trends and ideas that are circulating at any given moment. In this way, it helps us process and understand the world we inhabit while hearkening back to worlds past and invoking the future. Music is eternal.

As Lent comes to a close, pay attention to the music you consume. What is it asking of you? How might it be challenging you or supporting you? If you dislike it, why? What songs would be playing in a film telling the story of your life? What does it feel like to sing a hymn or protest song alongside other human beings? How might you use the music in your life as a force for social change?

During Holy Week, you will hear music at church that includes a Renaissance mass movement, a South African hymn, a spiritual, an up-tempo gospel number, simple Taizê chants, and so much more. You'll hear a violin, a cello, a piano, an organ, some handbells, and many voices. Consider what it means that all of these musical styles spanning many centuries can appear together in such proximity and work together to uplift the themes of the season. Listen deeply and look into the mirror each one provides. You may be surprised by what you find!

Love,

Ronnie

Our April collection for HOPE Food Shelf is all about the everyday items that help people feel cared for, comfortable, and ready to meet the day.

This month, we’re collecting personal hygiene and household cleaning items such as:
toothpaste, mouthwash, deodorant, soap, shampoo, lotion, laundry pods or sheets, and household cleaning supplies.

These items can be expensive, are often needed in every home, and can make a real difference for neighbors who are stretching every dollar.

To make it fun, consider:

• picking up one or two extra items each time you shop
• creating a “care bundle” with a few related essentials
• choosing a theme like morning routine, fresh laundry, or kitchen clean-up
• inviting your children to help choose items to give
• challenging yourself to fill a whole bag with practical necessities

You can bring donations to church on the 2nd, 3rd, or 4th Sunday of the month, or drop them off at the church office during office hours (M-F, 9AM-12PM).

Let’s fill the shelves with useful, thoughtful items that help our neighbors care for themselves, their families, and their homes.

Join us for a special Earth Day Service as we celebrate God’s creation and reflect on our call to be faithful stewards of the earth. Through scripture, prayer, and song, we will give thanks for the beauty and abundance of the natural world and consider how we can care for it with love and responsibility. All are welcome to this meaningful time of worship and reflection.

We invite you to join Pastor Elizabeth for a four-week Bible study exploring the timely and deeply scriptural topic of immigration. Beginning Tuesday, April 14 at 12:15 p.m. in Unity Hall, this study will guide participants through the biblical theme of welcoming the stranger — examining what scripture calls us to as a community of faith. Together, we will engage, connect, and discuss immigration through a Biblical lens, exploring our call to hospitality, the principle of God's blessing beyond borders, and what it means to navigate faithful risk and sacred welcome. All are welcome!