Dear River Families,
As the leaves change colors and the weather cools down, I hope that October brings with it a sense of coziness and togetherness to you and your family. We have been having really good discussions at RiverKids this season as we delve into the different stories and poems about creation. We talked about the similarities between the narratives and how they also connect with the science we learn at school. One memorable conversation we had went something like this: 

Storyteller: "And God who is many and one calls to the seed to grow and become...hmm, I wonder what many and one means?"
Child 1: "Does that mean that God is one, but is also in every being?"
Child 2: "Does this mean that we are all connected?"

Throughout the year, we will continue to explore our theme: "God in Us and Around Us" in our stories. We will learn how to recognize the presence of God and attune to the divine flow of love, joy, peace, and hope. My hope is that connecting with God becomes second nature, an experience that our children can carry regardless of where their paths may lead.
As I am looking forward to more engaging conversations with your children, I am also excited to share the many events that may interest your family this month. Let's dive right in: 

Upcoming Events

• Sunday Family LifeGroup | Sunday, Oct 15 after the service @church
  This is a space for families to deepen their connections with God and develop stronger friendships in the community. We will discuss topics inspired by the sermons and break off into smaller groups for sharing and prayers. Please RSVP for childcare. 
• New & Returning LifeGroups | happening throughout the week at various locations
  Check out our website for more details. 
• Members' Meeting | Sunday, Oct 22 @church
  If you consider the River your church home, please plan on sticking around after the service on for a Members Meeting where we plan to discuss church updates together. Lunch will be provided. Please mark your calendar and RSVP if you need childcare
• River Family FALL FESTIVAL | Sunday, Oct 29 After the Service 
  Join us for fun activities, games, and treats. Children can come in costumes (please make sure that the costumes are comfortable to play in and are not scary :D). 

As always, please do not hesitate to contact me if you have any questions or concerns. 
Wishing you a delightful October!
​
Amelia Cunard | RiverKids Director

Important Group Changes for RiverKids/Youth
Effective Sunday, Oct 15, we will adjust the classrooms for RiverKids and RiverYouth. Our goal is to maintain a balanced volunteer-children ratio throughout our classrooms and develop plans that are appropriate and enriching for each developmental stage. 

• Nursery & Preschool: 2nd Floor, Weekly 
• Lower Elementary (Grades K-2): Basement, Weekly
• Upper Elementary (Grades 3-4): Basement, Weekly
• Lower Youth Group (Grades 5-8/9): 2nd Floor, Weekly 
• Upper Youth Group (Grades 9-12): Outing, Monthly
  
  

More information and details will be emailed to families in the affected group, so please be on the lookout. 

Dear River Families, 
I hope that the summer months have been great for you and your family. Whether you stayed in town or were away, I hope that you had a wonderful time of connection and relaxation. 
I am looking forward to welcoming your children and youth back into our classrooms. RiverKids will will kick off next Sunday, Sept 11 with some worship and fun back-to-church activities, so please make sure to bring your children along. Our new series: “Being and Becoming with God” will begin the following Sunday, Sept 18. In this series, we will make intentional space to recognize God’s movements in our stories, and in our lives, and will help facilitate responses to God. Through both of these movements, we hope to nurture our children’s sense of connectedness with God, with themselves, and with the people and world around them. 

Our classes will open at 10:15am and will be divided as follow:
Nursery & Preschool (0-4yrs old) 2nd floor
Elementary (K-Gr.5) Basement
Youth Group (Gr. 6-12) 2nd Floor 

The RiverKids and RiverYouth programs happen because of our volunteers' hearts and hard work. So if you are interested in helping out this season, please fill out this form. We would love to have you!

• RiverKids/Youth Kick-Off Meeting (Sept 11)

As we enter a new year, I would also like to gather together with our amazing partners for a special time to connect as a team. So If you are a current volunteer, a potential volunteer, or would like to learn more about our programs, please join us on Sunday, Sept 11 (after the worship service). We want to share hopes and plans for the upcoming year, and to discuss how we can best support you in leading our kids and youth. 
(Lunch is provided with RSVP: amelia@rivernyc.org, alison@rivernyc.org) 
​

• Murray-versary (Sept 25)

Can you believe that soon we'll be celebrating one-year of being at 75 Murray St.?! Mark your calendars for this special anniversary celebration in September. This will be an engaging morning of worship and community. Below are some pictures from our One-Day-Retreat (Aug 20)*, it was a wonderful time to gather and have fun as a community. We hope to create more connections and memories in this coming year.
 
As always, I am up for connecting with you, so if you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact me. Looking forward to another exciting year with your children and youth!
Amelia Cunard | RiverKids Director

*Follow us on Social Media for pictures

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. 

​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

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