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Don’t Miss the Backpack Blessing with Rev. Pippin Sunday, August 7!

UUFA will be holding a backpack blessing on Sunday, August 7th at 10:30 AM. All students are welcome to bring their backpacks to be blessed at an intergenerational service with Rev. Pippin.

Blessing of the Backpacks

More Unitarian Universalist congregations are holding backpack blessings at the beginning of the school and congregational year: each child (and an invited friend, sometimes!) brings their school backpack to worship on the appointed day, and the congregation “blesses” the children and their backpacks. In some congregations, children also receive a small token (like a special talisman) to clip to their backpack.

In the words of Carolyn C. Brown,* backpack blessings embody two important messages to children:

  1. They realize that they and their lives are important to the church. They see themselves as significant members of the congregation.
  2. They hear that God (or the Source of Love) is with them at school and that their church cares about what happens there. God and church are not “off to the side” or just a Sunday thing.

 

*Carolyn Brown is a Certified Christian Educator in the Presbyterian Church USA (PCUSA).

From https://www.uua.org/worship/holidays/blessing-backpacks

Share the Plate/Cause-of-the-Month: Athens-Oconee CASA

During April Athens-Oconee Court-Appointed Special Advocates (CASA), a local non-profit, volunteer organization that provides advocacy for children in foster care, will receive one half of all undesignated offerings. For details contact justice@uuathensga.org

Help with Food Insecurity through April CANtributions

Please continue to bring non-perishable food items to Fellowship Hall’s wicker baskets. While all CANtributions are appreciated, in April the Athens Area Emergency Food Bank is especially in need of canned meats (canned chicken, beef stew, chicken and dumplings, spam), tomatoes (the chunky version such as whole, stewed or diced), and snacks (chips, nuts, granola bars, snack crackers). To give by credit card, visit uuathensga.org/give and look for “Charitable Giving.” To give by check, make the check out to UUFA and put “CANtributions 1-8016” in the memo line. To learn more, contact justice@uuathensga.org. If you are experiencing food insecurity or know someone in our UUFA community who is, please contact Rev. Pippin (revpippin@uuathensga.org).

UUFA Justice Partner Highlights

AADM Hosts End School-to-Prison Pipeline (ESTPP) Advocates Training

The Athens Anti-Discrimination Movement offers this April 11 hands-on workshop to equip individuals with the confidence, knowledge, and leadership skills needed to navigate school systems, avoid the pipeline, and create meaningful change in their communities. The 10 am to noon event is set for the Oconee Street United Methodist Church. 

Athens Immigrant Rights Coalition (AIRC) Meeting

All are welcome to attend the next meeting of the Athens Immigrant Rights Coalition on April 17 from 5:30 to 7 pm at the Oconee Street United Methodist Church. For more information contact justice@uuathensga.org