This year the staff team has worked to schedule out a full year of themes. When, in the last few years, we have tried themes by month, we have found the time to be too short to dive deep into the richness of the topic. This year we are trying larger themes while acknowledging that December really does stand on its own. We are offering a full year of planning with the following themes
September, October, November – Your Place in the Universe
December – Special attention to Charles Dicken’s classic, A Christmas Carol
January, February, March— Anti-Colonialism
April, May, June – Environments of Abundance
How to use the wheel to plan for the year:
Children and Chalice Lighting – Check the RE board inside the back staircase for opportunities to sign up for a special date or a special theme. Having the arc of the year means that you can look ahead from autumn to spring. (You will also find cards that you can take home and use for your own chalice lighting.)
Flowers for Sunday Service – We accept donations to the flower fund and will dedicate the flowers on the day you choose to the event, person, or occasion you wish to honor. If you see a special service coming up, it is never too early to offer flowers for that Sunday. The sign-up sheet is on the bulletin board next to the office door.
Worship Associate – If you are excited about themes or special occasions in the coming year, contact Rev. Mitra about helping with Sunday service. minister@stjohnsuu.org or 513-503-8600
Musicians – We are blessed to have an amazing church choir, but also use other music in service. Perhaps a coming theme or service sparks your interest. If you would like to offer your gifts for special music, please contact Rev. Mitra
Study group – Would you be interested in leading a special study group or book discussion on something related to one of the themes? A read-a-round of A Christmas Carol? A discussion of the book, Justice on Earth: People of Faith Working at the Intersection of Race, Class, and the Environment? Contact Ashleigh Rhodes to share your interest in organizing or facilitating an effort.
We know that life can be busy and that you all have a lot going on. We hope that having a full year’s schedule will help you get excited about the year to come and find places where you can share your gifts and help build the beloved community.