Youth Curriculum, 12-10-23

Announcements:

CSL Olympia Youth & Family has a variety of fun activities planned for you this holiday season. Families, meet us on Sunday, Dec 17, at 6:00 pm for Olylights. Last year we had the best time and got some amazing photos! Olympia Fire Department, Reeves Middle School bake sale, and Voyager Coffee will help create a magical experience for everyone.

We will hold youth and teen programs during our Christmas Eve morning and evening services, and Mr. and Mrs. Claus will make an appearance to hand out gifts for youth and teens after the morning Christmas Eve celebration. Any youth or teen that would like to perform a holiday song or participate in a musical collaboration with Brent, our music director, during our Christmas Eve morning celebration, see Adrienne.

A variety of fun, creative activities are planned during classes for both Christmas Eve services, and many will be gift or décor ready. Anyone wanting to invite families with younger children to our Christmas morning or evening services, child care will be provided for ages 18 months to 4 years.

CSL families can check their email for these event details and respond with participation confirmation regarding holiday activities.

Curriculum Overview

Youth practice recognizing the divine in others this week. We start with a guided meditation to connect with the vision of love and wholeness within. We discuss and demonstrate that we are interconnected and mutually interdependent by playing a “Web of Connection” game and working on their month-long “Living as Wholeness” art project. Using mirrors, we participate in a closing circle activity, recognizing and honoring the spark in ourselves and others.

2023 Theme: Living Out Loud!
December Monthly Theme: Living as Wholeness
Week 2 Value: Recognizing Wholeness, Seeing the Good in All  

Message: Recognizing Wholeness curriculum’s goal is to engage youth in exploring the profound concept of recognizing the divine in others, fostering a sense of interconnectedness, and promoting acts of love and kindness in their daily lives.

Spiritual Practice: We start with a guided meditation, “The Divine Spark Within,” to connect with the vision of love and wholeness within themselves, encouraging them to recognize the divine spark that unites us all.

Active Listening: Youth play a game of “Human Bingo,” encouraging them to find commonalities with each other and focusing on the shared humanity we all possess. Youth listen to a reflection quote from Diana Butler Bass and explore the idea that recognizing our common humanity is a pathway to seeing the face of God. We play and sign to the blessing song, You Are the Face of God.

Activity: Youth discuss and demonstrate that we are interconnected and mutually interdependent by playing a “Web of Connection” game and working on their month-long “Living as Wholeness” art project.

Connecting: Using mirrors, we participate in a closing circle activity recognizing and honoring the spark in ourselves and others and share their favorite holiday music with the class.