Last month, we had a very successful couple of field trips and some wonderful activities

On November 19th, our 8th-12th graders had their first youth group outing, which was to Puzzle Break. Thanks to Christine Helfrich for joining me as chaperone. Our next event will have a social justice bend and we are still figuring out what that might look like.

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Building Bridges youth in 6th and 7th grade visit the Hindu Temple in Medford on November 13th, joined by five adults. People really learned a lot and engaged well and, this trip, brought out a dis/re-engaged family who really enjoyed it.

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In other news, our 3rd-5th graders have been embarking on a deep study of the book of Job in the bible. During our first few weeks of religious exploration, we had a bible scavenger hunt where we found different stories and characters in Hebrew and Christian Scripture, and during that hunt they discovered Job. Job is a good man who faces many undeserved challenges. What initially started out as laughter at the name Job, associating it with jobs (as in occupations), quickly became a fascination. Each week, we think deeply about a variety of tough, timely topics for this age group. We have focused on the central question of “Why do bad things happen to good people?” We explore this question as we discuss any challenges we face as people in this world, including bullying, mental health, physical health, friendship, and caring for those who are struggling. It helps that we have such comfy couches in the youth room while we have tough conversations!

Finally, in the hallway leading from the Sanctuary to Parish Hall, the whole congregation was invited to write down things they are grateful for in their lives and at FUUSN. People were grateful for many things including friendships, family, fellow congregants, health, happiness, and so much more. Be sure to check it out this Sunday because soon we will be exploring a new, wintery question.