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River Families Blog

Summer Plans And More

6/17/2022

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Dear River Families, 
As we move into the final month of school year, I would like to thank you, your family, and our volunteers for your continued partnership and support in cultivating a caring and resilient community. Despite the ever changing COVID policy and various uncertainties, we had a great year at RiverKids/Youth: reconnecting with old friends, making new connections, while interacting and exploring the stories of God together. So, to celebrate what your children/youth have done since the fall, let me share with you some of the highlights from our classrooms (see pictures below).

Whether you are staying in the city for the entire summer or traveling for part of the season, we hope to stay connected with you and your families. Here are a few of our upcoming activities: 
  • Child Dedication & Senior Graduation (Sunday, June 26) -- Join our worship service as we celebrate dedication of 4 children and the graduation of 2 high school seniors. We will pray and offer our blessings as we unite to be a supporting community for everyone. 

  • Picnic is a long time favorite activity of the summer -- We hope to gather adults and children after the service every other Sunday and walk over to nearby parks/playgrounds. Feel free to bring a picnic blanket, water bottles, some toys, or packed lunch. (Starting Sunday, July 3)

  • Parents' Discussion will be happening on the alternating Sundays after the service. Our hope is to create a space where parents can share their experience and support each other. Extended childcare provided during this event. (Starting Sunday, July 10)

  • River One-Day Retreat - we are gauging interest and availability to hold a one-day event to depend relationships, connect with God, and have fun together as a community, please complete this survey, if you have not done so. 

Please be on the lookout for our emails and further announcements. You can also follow us on Instagram and Facebook for more current updates on our community using the links at the bottom of this page. As always, I am up for connecting with you, so if you want to chat 1-on-1, or have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact me. I would love to hear from you! 
Amelia Cunard | RiverKids Director

JULY-AUGUST CHILDCARE: We need your help
 
Every summer our regular RiverKids program takes a break to give our volunteers well-deserved time off and our leaders a chance to plan for another year of fun. Please sign up here to help with childcare. It's easy! All will be prepared for you—just come ready to engage and have fun with the kids!

We'll be offering a combined childcare for Preschool & Elementary during our worship service. Nursery room will be open for parents of babies and toddlers (Live streaming available). 

We will continue our RiverYouth programming throughout the summer and reserved 2 Sundays for Youth outings: July 3, Aug 7. Please be on the lookout for our emails and  further announcements. 

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May Newsletter (Child Dedication, Events, Etc)

5/19/2022

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​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.
  • Visit the new playground nearby after church service this Sunday: The Battery Playspace 
  • Mother's Day Garden Party at NY Botanical Garden - music, crafts, face painting, and garden party games like croquet, bean bag toss, giant chess, etc. 
  • Family Fun Fest at Atlantic Terminal Mall - 25+ free kid-friendly activities from local community partners, include bouncy house, arts & crafts, games, dance classes, gardening, etc
May is Asian Pacific American Heritage Month. 
  • One great way to celebrate is through reading! Asia and Pacific Islands are comprised of many countries and cultures, so I like this recommended book list as it categorizes the different regions and provides a short summary of each book. 
Upcoming Community Events at RiverNYC
  • HIKING with Nick, next Saturday, May 14 (Indian Rock, Wanaque Ridge Trail Loop) -- Invitation open to adults and youth, RSVP by Wed, May 11.
  • YOGA with Savannah, May 18 @6PM (Church Basement Lounge) 
  • A great way to stay updated is to follow us on social media (links at the bottom of the page). You can also check out our weekly emails and Events Calendar for more information and RSVP. 

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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Thoughts of the week

1/21/2022

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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: 


  • Thoughts to Make Your Heart Sing (Winter) by Sally Lloyd Jones.
    This is a great follow up to Caroline's message about partnering with God and becoming new again and again. It is a short Read & Reflect that you can do together as a family to wind down for the day. 


  • Shapes Breathing Exercises
    When things become overwhelming and rough having a tool to help us pause and breath can 
    be helpful for children and adults alike. I created these exercises to help removing the focus from the anger or anxiety outburst, and moving the attention towards a totally different activity that requires concentration and precision. 

  • Lunar New Year: Craft and Cookbooks 
    The upcoming Lunar New Year (Feb 1) will probably still be different for many who celebrate it this year. However these resources may inspire new ways to celebrate at-home and to connect creatively with distant relatives. 


If you are coming this Sunday, please RSVP your attendance. This will help us plan, especially if you need childcare. In the meantime, please review our updated health protocols. To expedite our check-in process, you can email your (and your children's) vaccination card to mail@rivernyc.org.
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
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Becoming with God

1/11/2022

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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: 


  • Illustrated Story by Caroline Park 
  • Seed to Tree Yoga exercises.
  • Becoming with God Drawing Prompts.

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. 

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Happy New Year! Wishing you a year full of hopes, joy, and good health!

1/11/2022

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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: 
​
  • We are resuming in-person service this Sunday, Jan 9th with CHILDCARE only. 
    RiverKids/Youth will resume our lessons on Sunday, Jan 30th
    .
    We want to give both our volunteers and families time to stay home and quarantine if they feel unwell, to get tested and booster shot as needed, and to get their children fully vaccinated if they are eligible -- Please review our health protocols, as we currently updated it and make sure to
     RSVP your attendance to help us plan.


  • Stay tuned for more information. We will provide your children with some materials (digitally) in the following weeks to stay connected.

Last, but not least please let me know how to best help and serve your family and your children during this time. If you have any questions or concerns, you can email me or catch me in person on Sundays. I would love to connect with you. 
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. 
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  • Home
  • About
    • What We’re About >
      • What We Believe
      • LGBTQ Inclusion
      • Pastor Perspectives
      • How We Started
    • Member Stories >
      • Watch Member Videos
      • Read Faith Stories
    • Meet Our Staff
  • What to Expect
    • Time & Location
    • Kids, Youth, & Families
    • Get Plugged In
  • Connect
    • Contact A Pastor
    • Listen to a Sermon
    • Watch A Sermon
    • Join a Sunday Team
    • Calendar
  • OUR BLOGS
    • The River Blog
    • Families Blog
  • Give