Youth Curriculum, 8-24-25
Announcements:
You’re Invited: CSL Olympia Community Picnic – Sunday, August 24th!
Join us after service on Sunday, August 24th for our Annual CSL Olympia Community Picnic — a joyful celebration for all ages! Our youth program is helping by, planning outdoor games, a kid-friendly water feature, an obstacle course, a photo booth, and live music to keep the fun flowing.
Bring your neighbors, friends, and family, a lawn chair, and a dish to share (sign-ups available). Let’s come together for a beautiful afternoon of connection, laughter, and summer sunshine!
Curriculum Overview – Week 4
This week, youth reflect on the challenges that come with loving others — and ourselves — fully. They’ll explore how conflict, misunderstanding, or hurt can feel turbulent, and how love helps us navigate through it with compassion and courage. Drawing from mindfulness practices and Science of Mind principles, youth will learn that resilience and grounding allow us to stay connected to love even in the storm.
August Monthly Theme: Love in Motion: Cultivating Compassion, Courage & Connection
Week 4 Value: The Turbulence of Love
Affirmation: God’s love is my love, and my love is resilient!
Spiritual Lesson:
Love isn’t always smooth or easy. This week, youth reflect on the challenges that come with loving others — and ourselves — fully. They’ll explore how conflict, misunderstanding, or hurt can feel turbulent, and how love helps us navigate through it with compassion and courage.
Mindfulness: Breathing Through the Storm
Youth will practice breathing deeply to imagine love as a calming light within their hearts, steadying them through moments of conflict or turbulence. With each exhale, they release heavy emotions, returning to peace and resilience.
Active Listening: Book/Music/Video
- Book: The Red Tree by Shaun Tan — a beautifully illustrated, metaphorical book that acknowledges difficult emotions and shows how hope and love can re-emerge, even in turbulence. (older youth)
- Music: “Three Little Birds” by Bob Marley — a timeless song reminding us to breathe, let go of worry, and trust love’s resilience. (older youth)
- Book: When Sophie Gets Angry—Really, Really Angry by Molly Bang (a story about handling big feelings with care) (younger class):
- Music: “Peace Like a River” (traditional kids’ song — simple and calming) (younger class)
Creative Expression: Complete Love projects/Presentation for 5th Sunday
Youth complete their collage from last week and the previous week’s love collaborative projects. Continuing their collaboration work, teens who were at camp organize a presentation to assist Rev David in wrapping up our month-long Love in Motion theme for the 5th Sunday.
Lessons in Action: Wind Walk with Nature Breaths
Youth will head outdoors to notice how the wind moves through trees, grass, and clouds, then mirror those rhythms with their breath — first strong and stormy, then soft and settling. They’ll each choose a natural object, breathe peace into it, and release a final group breath to symbolize resilience and calm flowing back into the world.