by Austen Petersen, Director of Religious Education The Unitarian Universalist Circle at the College of William & Mary recently hosted a special self-care event, inspired by an invitation from the Minecraft Club. This group of young gamers, who use the popular world-building platform Minecraft to foster creativity and teamwork, wanted to explore how self-care could be integrated into life. To guide the discussion, they invited Austen Petersen to share insights on self-care and creativity. What is Minecraft? Minecraft is an online game where players build and explore limitless worlds, using creativity to construct landscapes, buildings, and even entire communities. Minecraft… My word for this month is TRANSITIONS. The gorgeous fall leaves and cool mornings we are experiencing now remind us to put away summer clothes and transition to sweaters, as we do every year. Congregational life also experiences transitions – that may or may not be expected. The Board has been working with Rev. Michelle to prepare for the transition next August from her interim ministry to a developmental ministry as planned. HOWEVER, we have recently learned that we will also be experiencing an UNEXPECTED TRANSITION. Rev. Michelle will be leaving in January to care for her own physical and… by the Soul Matters Sharing Circle team When the cracks come, who doesn’t desire – even demand – to restore what once was? Nothing is more human. We all long to reverse the damage. We all hold tight to the humpty dumpty hope that everything can be put back together again. But, as our faith teaches us, transition and change dictate the flow of life. The current of time is just too strong for us to swim back. And so the repair offered us is not that of returning our lives to their original state but working with what remains… Exploring Repair Through Discussions The following questions are designed to be used at a family gathering, most often a meal, but also during a quiet moment in the living room, before a board game night, or while driving in the car. This section strengthens the bonds within a family as members learn more about each other by asking and answering evocative questions. How To Go About It The most straightforward way to do this is simply to have an adult read off the questions they think will resonate the most with family members and have everyone take turns answering. Another… Dear YRUU Parents, We hope the first few months of our program and school year have been good ones for your family. As we navigate fall, we are going a little deeper in our discussions, knowing that part of our work is to help you guide your younger humans toward adulthood. Our focus topic in November is The Practice of Repair, and as youth leaders we know that learning how to center resiliency is an important step toward a life of living wholistically. This month is also a milestone in your child’s life. This will be the last presidential election… As the days grow shorter and the year winds down, we turn our attention to the theme of repair. Repair is a practice that asks us to acknowledge what has been broken, neglected, or strained—and to commit ourselves to the work of mending. In our personal lives, this might mean tending to relationships that have frayed over time. Perhaps there is a friend or family member with whom your connection has become distant or strained. What would it look like to reach out, to offer a word of reconciliation, or to simply listen with an open heart? Repair requires vulnerability,… As Unitarian Universalists, it’s essential that we nourish our spiritual exploration with meaningful practices that deepen our connection to ourselves, each other, and the wider world. Whether you’re exploring new avenues or deepening familiar ones, these opportunities offer diverse paths to enrich your spiritual journey. Discover practices that resonate with you and support your growth, balance, and well-being with some opportunities that will be available at WUU throughout the year. Little Sanctuary on Sundays: This fall, we’ll be trying out something new on Sundays before the regular worship service by having an intentionally meditative space in the Little Sanctuary. Various… by the Soul Matters Sharing Circle team This is your chance to listen carefully. Your whole life might depend on what you hear. – Joyce Sutphen Listening helps us find our way. The listening of therapists allows us to navigate our way through life. We turn to prayer to hear God’s guidance. We listen to experts so we can get ahead. Like a flashlight that leads us through the darkness, listening helps us stay on course. And yet maybe there’s more to it than that. What if listening doesn’t just guide us through the world, but also creates our world…. As the leaves begin to turn and the air takes on a crispness, we find ourselves in a season ripe for the practice of deep listening. Deep listening is not just hearing the words spoken; it’s engaging with the silence between those words, the emotions behind them, and the unspoken truths they carry. It requires a quieting of our own thoughts, an openness of heart, and a willingness to be changed by what we hear. In our personal lives, deep listening invites us to slow down and truly be present with one another. Whether it’s with a friend, a partner,… Details: – Date: October 27, 2024 – Time: Service at 10:00 AM – Activities: Intergenerational Service, Games, and Fun! You are invited to this celebration of faith, speaking up, and questioning where we all will explore themes of connection, courage, values, and change through hands-on activities and reflective practices. 
Unitarian Universalist Circle and Minecraft Club Collaborate at the College of William & Mary
November 2024 President’s Report
Welcome to the Practice of Repair
At the Table: Exploring Repair Through Discussions
November 2024 YRUU
November 2024 Newsletter Column – Repair
Spiritual Practices at WUU
Welcome to the Practice of Deep Listening
October 2024 Newsletter Column – Deep Listening
Celebrate Reformation Day at WUU on October 27!
