It was a great JOY to be able to perform our Epiphany Pageant for all ages and abilities after being snowed out last year. Please enjoy the photos and video of A Very Special Child by Rev. Anna Strickland, adapted for WCUC by Rev. Hannah Brown.

On a lively Sunday morning after worship, children and adults alike enjoyed musical demonstrations, exploring, and playing a huge variety of instruments, courtesy of our musical directors Nan and Jim. We started in the parlor by exploring woodwind, stringed and percussion instruments and then moved into the sanctuary for demonstrations of a real WWII field organ and our own sanctuary organ. There was a long line-up of interested kids (and one adult!) for our sanctuary organ, and everyone got a turn to fill the sanctuary with creative organ “music.” It was quite a concert! We ended our time together with a drum circle and lots of smiles.

Apple pickers of all ages and abilities gathered on a gorgeous Sunday afternoon at Carver Hill Orchard in Stow to pick delicious fruit, climb trees, run and stroll with friends, and enjoy the beautiful sunshine. Some folks may have even sampled one or two (or six) cider donuts as well. Enjoy the pictures of our fabulous time together!

Nothing could dampen the spirits of the crowd at this year’s Minuteman March. The WCUC Youth Group joined many Sunday Fellowship friends in this important walk to raise awareness and money to support the amazing services that MMA provides annually for 1400 children and adults with disabilities. This year happens to be their 20th Anniversary which added to the joy of the celebration. A huge thank you to all who donated to the WCUC team, helping us to surpass our goal as we raised a total of $2135.00. It takes a village to support those we care about and we are very blessed to be a part of this one!

Enjoy the pictures from our vibrant celebration of our children on June 2nd!

After a successful helping hands trip to the Jenkins-Man house this past winter, word got out that our WCUC Youth are pretty adept at crawling into small spaces and working together as a team to clean out and relocate attic boxes. They were “hired” again for similar work to be done for a donation towards the cost of our new heating system. On Sunday after church, the youth made their way over to Ann and Tom Bailey’s house for another attic adventure. The pictures will speak for themselves, but please pay special attention to the “ancient” Bible they found with Bailey birth records from the early 1800’s! It was a fun and very productive afternoon.

During these first two Sundays of Lent, the children have been busy in Sunday School exploring our Lent theme of The Body Remembers. Beginning each class with mindful breathing and a yoga meditation for our bodies (the kids declare “it is so calming,” and “I feel soooooo relaxed”), we have moved through body awareness and how our bodies, minds, and spirits are connected – both to ourselves and to one another. The first Sunday of Lent we focused on the Body of Christ and the children created The Body of WCUC with all its essential parts and connections, and the second Sunday of Lent we focused on hunger and how to meet the needs of others with what we have. We even prepared a special treat for the congregation during coffee hour, feeding everyone a tasty snack made with very few ingredients. The snack was so popular I got requests for the recipe, so here it is!

No Bake Energy Bites

• 1 cup rolled oats
• 1/2 cup ground flaxseed
• 1/2 cup chocolate chips
• 1/2 cup nut butter (your choice!)
• 1/4 cup honey
• 1 teaspoon vanilla

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl. Measure (roughly) 2 tablespoons of mixture and form into a ball. Makes about 24 Energy Bites. Chill to firm. Enjoy!

On Sunday, we honored our three third graders with their special bible gift from WCUC. To celebrate, our three bible boys helped to host coffee hour after worship! Special goodies and expertly passed hors d’oeuvres delighted the congregation, and crumbs and spills were cleaned away in mere seconds by our attentive coffee hour hosts. A wonderful celebration for all!