 Dear River Families,
It seems as though April flew by, especially with Spring break, Easter, State testing, and everything in between. Nonetheless, we wrapped up our Lent season and had a wonderful Easter celebration together. Do check out our YouTube Channel if you missed out on our Easter service. As we move into the beginning of the Summer, there are many exciting things coming up in and around the city, as well as at our church. Here are just a few things that may be of interest for you and your family: This weekend is Mother's Day - Here are a couple of family friendly events to do.
CHILD DEDICATION. At the River, we recognize parents' desire to dedicate their child to God and to invite God's blessings on their life. So if you have been thinking about dedicating your child at the River, we have reserved Sunday, June 26. Please contact me at amelia@rivernyc.org if you are interested. Feel free to invite your families and friends for this special occasion. Let me know if you have any question or concerns, I am always up for connecting with you. Thank you for your partnership and participation in cultivating a welcoming and inclusive community of faith. With Gratitude, Amelia Cunard | RiverKids Director
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 After only two days of being in school, I received another message that a person in my child's classroom has been diagnosed with COVID-19, so the children need to be picked up and quarantined again unless we submit a negative result from the at-home kit by the next morning. My guess is that many of our families are experiencing similar things lately, but my hope is that the vaccine rollout and the new quarantine policy can provide a (small) sigh of relief and help us ride out this "strange" season.
If you find yourself with more at-home time or are simply looking for something new to do as a family, you may find these resources to be helpful:
The RiverKids/Youth volunteer team and I are looking forward to welcome your children in our classrooms again next Sunday, Jan 30. Amelia Cunard | RiverKids Director  Last Sunday, we had the pleasure of having Caroline Park speaking about: "What does it mean to live with Faith? Becoming with God". Caroline spoke about us and every being in the world as partners and co-creators. She said "God calls, but it is the creatures that respond, that choose. Every moment, the world becomes. The world puts forth more life, diversity, and beauty". Click here to listen to the full sermon.
With the ongoing uncertainties that we are experiencing in this world, it is encouraging to hear that God is always present and is speaking to us, all the time. One of the spiritual practices that we often do at RiverKids/RiverYouth is practice noticing and listening to God. Now, this is not always easy, because we have our own thoughts and feelings and it is difficult sometimes to distinguish them from God's. Caroline suggested that we could start by listening to ourselves first, maybe writing down or praying out all of our thoughts and feelings, then see if there's anything new that comes to mind. We also recognize that sometimes God speaks to us in pictures. So you could choose to draw, instead of writing down your thoughts and feelings. Colors, patterns, and images are a kind of language too. And for those who prefer to move your body, you can certainly respond, communicate, and express in movements. I truly believe that God is not only speaking to us, but God is also listening and watching us with delights. As promised, although we are not meeting in classrooms in the next couple of Sundays, we can continue thinking and wondering about God and how God is working with us and in our lives. Here are just a few tools to help you get started:
RiverKids/Youth will resume our lessons on Jan 30th. Childcare is available in the meantime. Please RSVP your attendance to help us plan. Amelia Cunard.  With the new surges of COVID cases, I understand how this new year can feel different. Our family started off the first week of 2022 with remote schooling and some worrying symptoms. Between the limited availability of COVID tests and ever changing guidelines, the next few weeks can be challenging and disruptive for many....However we can be hopeful. I am hopeful, as I am reminded: "...those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint." (Isaiah 40:31) And while the spread of the virus in its many forms seems uncontrollable, we are not seeing the levels of mortality and disorder we experienced a year ago. The fact that many of us have taken the step to get vaccinated, get tested, stay masked, and stay home when sick, has helped all of us individually and as a community. So in order to continue to prioritize the health of our community and to make room for the various implications, we are making some adjustments:
Thank you for your continued support and understanding. Amelia Cunard | RiverKids Director Missed out on our Christmas Service?
We had a wonderful Christmas celebration on Dec 19. Thank you for all the children who participated in the reading. For our families who missed the service, please contact me for the link to our RiverKids/Youth Video presentation. This video summarizes what we have been doing in our classrooms since the beginning of the semester. Also, if you miss a Sunday or two, you can always check out our Sunday Worship videos on our YouTube channel. Dear River Families,
It's always wonderful to spend time with your kids and youth. Below are our plans for past Sundays. 11/7/21 For Elementary | Falling Apart For Youth | Reading of Genesis 2:5-24 11/7/21 For Elementary | Abraham (The Promise) For Youth | Reading of Genesis (Abraham) 11/14/17 For Elementary | Moses For Youth | Reading of Exodus 3, 4 (Moses) |
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