January / February 2025 RE Newsletter

Paula Del Rio, DRE



Dear Families,

During this semester RE will continue with World Blessings Curriculum where our young
UUs will explore different cultural traditions through the joy of cooking! Each month, we’ll
focus on a different culture’s celebrations and traditional foods, learning about religious
and cultural diversity while developing practical cooking skills.

Every Sunday we start our class with the RE Chalice Lighting words:
We light this chalice for the warmth of love, the light of truth, and the energy of action.

Then we move into our unique class for the day:
January 26 th , we are celebrating, Lunar New Year by cooking Festive Stir-Fried Rice and reading together The Runaway Wok, by Ying Chang Compestine. The most significant
holiday for Chinese people is the Chinese New Year. This holiday emphasizes sharing
and generosity, symbolized through the wok in the story that is big enough to cook a
meal for many families.

February 2nd, we are enjoying a Kenyan story of generosity and community. Then
make savory pancakes using the recipe from the book, Mama Panya’s Pancakes: A
Village Tale from Kenya, by Mary and Rich Chamberlain.

February 9th is our monthly intergenerational service, come to paint rocks with us!

February 16th our popular Shanga program continues to grow!

February 23rd, Caprese Salad Skewers as Imbolc celebrates the coming of spring and
new life, seeds, greens and milk products are seen as representing this time of year.
We use cherry tomatoes (seeds), basil (greens) and fresh mozzarella in this recipe.

At the end of each Sunday, we say the extinguishing words:
We extinguish this flame, but not the light of truth, the warmth of community, or the fire
of commitment. These we carry in our hearts until we are together again.

Thank you for your support and love,
Paula Del Rio, DRE
Email: dre@hsuuc.org

Teacher and assistants needed!

  • Cooking helpers for our Lunar New Year celebration
  • Meditation circle assistants

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