Welcome to Aurora United Church’s virtual Funday Sunday – Sunday School program! While we cannot meet together on Sunday morning, we can still meet virtually to learn about Jesus by reading the Bible, talking about what we’ve read and doing some activities. Get together with your family and do these lessons when it works for you or phone your friend or other family members who you can’t get together with to talk about these lessons. Have fun!
AUC Funday Sunday on Zoom
Sunday September 20 - In The Beginning...
Today we talked about Creation. There were flowers and new puppies to show. Here are the crafts and activities from the lesson today you can do at home.
Crafts and Activities from September 20
Sunday September 27 - Green and Growing Things...
Today we talked about green and growing things and the importance of oxygen for all of us. We heard the story of The Secret in the Forest and watched a video on the story of creation. Here are the crafts and activities from the lesson today you can do at home.
Crafts and Activities from September 27
Season of Creation
Every year, from September 1st to October 4th, churches are called to participate in the “Season of Creation”. The United Church of Canada was the first to celebrate it here in Canada. Since 2017, all churches in Canada are invited to celebrate the “Season of Creation” in their faith community. Here are some things to watch, sing and do at home to celebrate the Season of Creation.
Creation Colouring Book - Cover
Creation Colouring Book - Pages
Stories of the Bible - Creation (video)
Oats, Pease, Beans and Barley Grow (song)
He's Got The Whole World In His Hands (song)
Back To School
Back-to-school is starting, and no matter if your children are attending school in-person, digitally, or homeschooling, COVID-19 has made this school year much more difficult for both students and parents.
We understand that trying to juggle running a household, raising children, and adding work stress on top of everything else is overwhelming — we’re here to support you through this with our exclusive FREE Big Life Journal Back-to-School Care Package.
Developed with the help of a child development specialist, you’ll find tons of ideas and tools for both parents and children on everything from setting up at-home learning spaces, helping children combat loneliness, and helping children keep “teacher you” and “parent you” separate. You’ll also find useful calming exercises and ideas, including guided breathing prompts, to help you and your children refocus and reset.
Most importantly, we offer helpful tips on how you and your child can keep and develop your growth mindsets through this trying time — especially when staying positive can sometimes feel impossible.
Back To School Prayers and Blessings for Families
Let's Talk About Racism
Talking to your friends and family about racism can be tough. Here are some books and videos to help you start thinking about it.
More, More, More, Said the Baby
Written and illustrated by Vera B. Williams, Greenwillow Books (AGES 0-2) Blogger Sachi Feris at Raising Race Conscious Children says that in order to have conversations about racism when your kids are a bit older, you have to raise kids who are aware of race as early as possible. Making it seem like race doesn’t exist only serves to hide the fact that racism is something people face. To that end, she recommends reading the adorable and multiracial More, More, More Said the Baby with toddlers, and using it an opportunity to talk about the different races of the characters, and then expanding that conversation at the same time to talk about people of different ethnicities in your child’s life.
All the Colors We Are
Written by Katie Kissinger; photographs by Chris Bohnhoff, Redleaf Press (AGES 3+) All the Colors We Are takes a kidappropriate, demystifying and scientiIc look at why people have different skin colours (spoiler alert, it’s because of who our ancestors are, the sun, and melanin), and introduces the idea that skin colour is just one part of who we are. This smart book also includes activities to help with further discussions about this topic.
The Stone Thrower (Jael Ealey Richardson)
Written by Jael Ealey Richardson and illustrated by Matt James, Groundwood Books (AGES 4-9) A children’s version of a book Richardson wrote about her dad, Chuck Ealey, The Stone Thrower tells the story of Chuck’s life growing up as black kid in a thenracially segregated Portsmouth, Ohio. Chuck loved football, and though he faced many challenges, including poverty and racial taunts, he had an unbeaten record as a quarterback in both high school and university due to his determination. Even with all of this talent, he wasn’t chosen to play that position in the NFL because of his race. Instead, he became a quarterback in the Canadian Football League, and in his Irst year, led his team (the Hamilton Tiger-Cats) to win the Grey Cup in 1972.
Viola Desmond Won’t Be Budged
Written by Jody Nyasha Warner and illustrated by Richard Rudnicki, Groundwood Books (AGES 5-9) In 1946, a Black Nova Scotian woman named Viola Desmond refused to leave her seat in what was then a whites’-only area of a movie theatre. This picture book tells her story with striking illustrations, and offers a fantastic example of standing up for your rights, even when there are strong consequences. (Desmond was taken to jail, charged and Ined for her actions. She was later pardoned, though it was decades after her death.) Viola Desmond is the first Canadian woman featured on Canadian currency.
Kids Speak Their Mind About Race
Discrimination Explained for Kids
Miss Anna Talks to kids about racism. I appreciated THIS video for a lot of reasons: clear, empathetic, short.
Other Resources for Families...
Talking with Children about COVID-19 (Coronavirus) Talking Points from Jeffrey Dale, Shining Waters Regional Council 20.03.20
How to Talk to Children About the Coronavirus Pandemic by Alan Wolfelt at the Center for Loss and Life Transition, 19.03.20