14 August 2016 All-Ages Water Communion Worship Service

Please join us on Sunday (14 August 2016) at 11:00 AM for our annual water communion worship service.

PeteSeegerWater

This is the time of year when we return from our various summer adventures and activities, and share water from those experiences.

This is not a travelogue or a competition for who has the best travel tale — although your water may be from faraway places or from nearby.

Whether your water comes from the Mediterranean Sea or your own kitchen sink, we invite you to bring it to add to the communal waters and to tell briefly the story of why you have brought it.

If you forget or couldn’t bring water, we will have water on hand to pour symbolically into the common bowl.  The children and youth will be with us in the sanctuary this morning.

The combined water is filtered, boiled, and frozen for future use in child dedications or other church rituals.

Following the service, we will have a potluck lunch at the church (see 14 August 2016 Swim Party Cancelled on our web site for more details).

Church Governance Religious Education Class — 14 August 2016

gavelOn Sunday (14 August 2016) at 9:15 AM, the Committee on Ministry will offer a class on church governance at All Souls.

Our governance and congregational polity are rooted in the history of our faith tradition — a history of congregations who govern themselves independently while still being a part of a larger association.  This is also deeply rooted in our fifth Unitarian Universalist principle (“the right of conscience and the use of the democratic process within our congregations and in society at large”).

Join members of the Committee on Ministry to learn about the structures of church governance, our congregational by-laws, our Covenant of Right Relations, and some basics on Robert’s Rules of Order..

For more information, contact John Ratcliff at 318-573-2733 or Susan Bettinger at 318-868-0863.

14 August 2016 Swim Party Cancelled

PotluckLunchThe End-of-Summer Swim Party originally scheduled for Sunday (14 August 2016) after church has been cancelled due to the high probability of severe weather including thunderstorms tomorrow.

We will have a potluck after church.

Please bring the goodies you were planning to share and we will enjoy those together after our water communion service.

7 August 2016 Worship Service and Summer Fun for Children and Youth

BigRhythmPlease join us on Sunday (7 August 2016) at 11:00 AM for “One Big Rhythm” by Rev. Barbara Jarrell — a different way to explore the idea of listening to all voices, even  — perhaps especially —  when we may disagree.

The All Souls Choir is back this week.

The summer fun activity for today will be Adventures in Art History.

Adventures in Art History Summer Fun — 7 August 2016

ArtHistoryDemoDuring the summer, our children and youth take a break from their regular religious education classes to enjoy various artistic and creative activities all together.

On this Sunday (7 August 2016), our children and youth will be exploring and experimenting with the styles of famous artists with Melissa Gibson.

31 July 2016 Worship Service and Summer Fun for Children and Youth

AlanPraterPlease join us on Sunday (31 July 2016) at 11:00 AM for “The Contemplative Journey” with Alan Prater.

Alan is a teacher of the Christian meditative practice of centering prayer, having been commissioned as a teacher by Contemplative Outreach.

Centering prayer is both a relationship with God or Spirit and a discipline by which to develop that relationship.

The last Sunday of each month is our “Give Away the Plate Sunday” when we give all non-pledge contributions to a local organization suggested by the congregation and approved by the Board.

Our Give Away the Plate recipient for July is Volunteers for Youth Justice — a Shreveport success story offering multiple programs in service to children, youth and families in crisis.

Laurie Lyons, an All Souls member and active VYJ volunteer, will be on hand to give a brief message of support.

The summer fun activity for children and youth for this Sunday will be splatter painting.

Splatter Painting Summer Fun — 31 July 2016

SplatterPaintingDuring the summer, our children and youth take a break from their regular religious education classes to enjoy various artistic and creative activities all together.

On this Sunday (30 July 2016), our children will be making splatter paintings with Renee Burkhalter and Zoë Alex Williams.

This is a painting activity best performed in one’s grubbiest clothes.  The children and youth will be outside for this one (but if the storms continue, they will have a slightly more contained painting activity inside).

24 July 2016 Worship Service and Summer Fun for Children and Youth

TeaLightCandlePlease join us on Sunday (24 July 2016) at 11:00 AM for “As Love Grows Up” by Rev. Barbara Jarrell — the All Souls Choir will sing during this service as well.

The summer fun activity for children and youth for this Sunday will be nature print t-shirts.

Nature Print T-Shirts Summer Fun — 24 July 2016

NaturePrintShirtDuring the summer, our children and youth take a break from their regular religious education classes to enjoy various artistic and creative activities all together.

On this Sunday (24 July 2016), our children will be making nature print t-shirts with Cindy Mandarino, Amanda Lawrence, and Jennifer Russell.

Children and youth should bring a black or dark-colored t-shirt to turn into one of these beautiful, one-of-a-kind creations. We will have a few extras in limited sizes, so it’s best if your child can bring a shirt in a size you know will fit.

17 July 2016 Worship Service and Summer Fun for Children and Youth

labyrinthPlease join us on Sunday (17 July 2016) at 11:00 AM for “Companions for the Journey” with Jennifer Russell, Neill Normand, and Ron Thurston.

About four times each year, we hold “Companions for the Journey” worship services to feature reflections from our members.

Jennifer Russell, Neill Normand, and Ron Thurston will each speak to us about the spiritual journey that brought them to All Souls, and the reasons they stay.  Cherrie Groves Moussaoui is Worship Associate.

We will also have an installation of new board members and a thank you to those departing as well as a new member book signing ceremony.

The summer fun activity for children and youth for this Sunday will be yoga with Robin Drury.