Our spiritual theme for the month of February is Love! Here are a few suggestions on ways to incorporate this theme into your daily lives as you live into our shared faith.

Word Roots & Definitions:  “While the word "love" initially meant "find pleasing," it later took on associations with "praise," "trust" and "belief." Thus, the etymology and experience of love resemble each other quite closely. As far as we can tell, both are first about pleasure, later about admiration but finally about trust.” (source)​

Chalice Lighting 

Spiritual practice is crucial for kids, youth, and adults!! Lighting a chalice at home is a beautiful way to live into our faith and help your children feel grounded in spiritual practice. This week try lighting a family chalice at dinner or bedtime, or whenever makes sense for your family.
Bedtime or Anytime Stories:
​Black History Month Read Alouds 

Visit our virtual Anti-Racism, Diversity, and Inclusion Library for some amazing read-aloud stories for kids.
As Unitarian Universalists, we try and live out our faith, our principles, and our values! Two such principles are our 3rd: Yearn to Learn Throughout Life, and our 8th: We must work together for diversity and against racism & oppression. As we know, February is Black History month! So with all that in mind, I hope you will enjoy reading these stories as a family, on your own, and or with friends, these stories, as a way of engaging as part of our Faith at Home: Read Alouds include: Sisters and Champions, Hidden Figures, Why are They Kneeling?, Juneteenth for Mazee, Mea Among the Stars, Malcome Little, The Undefeated, Your Name is a Song, Dave the Potter, and The 1619 Project: Born on the Water.

Movie Night

Snuggle up this month and watch some of the moves below. Each one lifts up to our theme of Love in a different way (click each title to see the movie trailer). As you watch be sure to look for the things that you LOVE about the movie  and take some time to chat about it with those you watched with.

Conversation Starters and Journal Prompts

Take a deeper, more personal dive into this month’s theme of LOVE and use these prompts to help you in your personal spiritual practice. Simply choose a question or two each week to explore on your own by journaling with family and friends during dinner, a drive, or any other time that works for you.  
  • What did love mean to you as a child? 
  • How have you changed your mind about love?
  • .What has been your greatest act of love? 
  • How has love changed as you’ve gotten older? Is it softer? Quieter? Larger? Tougher? Smaller? Sneakier? More central?

Family/Friend Actives 

Music

Music
In addition to our regular playlist on the theme, we’ve created two other playlists on love: one of romantic love and another on the journey of a broken heart. As always, each playlist is available on Spotify and YouTube music. And they are all organized as a journey, so consider listening from beginning to end and using them as musical meditations.

On Love (regular playlist)
● Spotify playlist here
● YouTube playlist here

Let Me Count the Ways (for sweethearts)
● Spotify playlist here
● YouTube playlist here

For a Broken Heart
● Spotify playlist here
● YouTube playlist here

Adult Faith Formation: Roots 

During the first week of Feb. our Adult Faith Formation Roots Class explored the ​Hosea Ballou and the Theology of Happiness​:
​Think of something you might do that could increase the happiness of others or yourself. Then, do it, as a personal faith project to explore your own "theology of happiness." You might pick up a cup of coffee for a co-worker when you buy your own and give it to them as an unasked for, unexpected gift. You might decide to ask a person how they are and really listen, asking more questions to demonstrate interest rather than trying to break into the narrative with your own personal tale. Perhaps, on a particular day, you will figure out how to make a comment or request in a positive, supportive manner to bring happiness rather than guilt, shame, anger, or other negative responses. After doing this faith project, decide how your own theology of happiness might inform a regular spiritual practice.