Unitarian Universalist Congregation at Rock Tavern - UUCRT

05/21/2026

Because of the bad weather expected on Saturday, the UUCRT Brunch for Young Families will not be held. It will be rescheduled for another date, probably in September.

05/12/2026

Blending Education and Nature

Children in Ms. Bernie’s religious exploration class made a nature mandala May 10 at the UUCRT. A nature mandala is a temporary, circular art installation created by arranging natural
materials—such as flowers, leaves, twigs, stones, and shells—in symmetric patterns radiating from a central point. These creations blend art with mindfulness, celebrating natural biodiversity, encouraging environmental connection, and fostering relaxation

03/26/2026

🫶🏽

We'd like to thank the Unitarian Universalist Congregation at Rock Tavern - UUCRT for their generous donation from their Sunday collections! This is a much appreciated gift for the animals in our care. 🩷

Donations help animals waiting for their forever homes, like Bentley! He's a senior who has been with us for years. Every penny goes to caring for him and the rest of our animals. 😺🐶

02/28/2026

Our beloved teacher, Ms. Bernie, is currently navigating the aftermath of a building fire that has displaced her from her home. Please keep her in your thoughts during this time. If you would like to contribute to a group gift to show her some love and support, please reach out to Michelle.

While Ms. Bernie is away, other members of our RE children’s program team have agreed to step in to substitute teach, ensuring continuity for our children and their families. We are so grateful for this community of support!

March Theme: Paying Attention
This month, our theme In RE is Paying Attention, and throughout March our children will explore the power and purpose of attention in their lives.

The Greek Stoic philosopher Epictetus reminds us, “You become what you give your attention to. If you yourself don’t choose what thoughts and images you expose yourself to, someone else will.”This quote beautifully captures our focus for the month. Paying attention is not simply about avoiding distraction or sharpening our focus. It is about shaping our character and fine-tuning our hearts.

Together, we will reflect on 4 of the 5 following “Powers of Paying Attention”:

Session One: The Power of Paying Attention to Our Impact on Others
Session Two: The Power of Paying Attention to Inequality
Session Three: The Power of Paying Attention to the Present Moment
Session Four: The Power of Paying Attention to Our Relationship with Water
Session Five: The Power of Paying Attention to the Wisdom Within

Our first session invites children to consider the importance of noticing those who are suffering and recognizing the power they have to help. In Session Three, we explore Buddhism’s call to pay attention to the present moment, connecting with our UU value of religious pluralism. This intentional use of attention also reflects our UU value of Equity, which challenges us to “use our time, wisdom, attention, and money to build and sustain fully accessible and inclusive communities.”

RE Play Day

The last Sunday of the month is an unstructured RE Play Day for the children. On this Sunday, there is no formal lesson or official teacher. Children are encouraged to connect with one another and strengthen their sense of community through child-led play. They may use the playroom and the games available in the RE room (this includes access to some craft supplies: play-doh, markers, crayons, and paper). Parents provide supervision and support with cleanup as needed.

Warmly,

Michelle DiLorenzo
RE Chair

01/28/2026

Standing on the Side of Love. UU Clergy bear witness, join protests and provide mutual aid in Minneapolis

01/27/2026

In February, our children's program, Religious Exploration, will explore the theme “Embodying Resilience." Below is a description from the creators of the Soul Matters curriculum, which Ms. Bernie uses with the children on Sundays:

“This month is all about exploring how we can notice, grow, and strengthen our ability to bounce back when life feels challenging. Resilience isn’t just about enduring; it’s about finding ways to move forward with courage, creativity, and joy. As it is Black History Month, we are lifting up and celebrating several Black inspirational Unitarian Universalist ancestors whose courage, vision, and resilience continue to inspire us today.”

With that in mind, Ms. Bernie will choose 3 of the following four areas of "resilience" to explore with the children through picture books, songs, games, art/crafts, or other child-friendly activities:

Session One: Finding Resilience through Nature
Session Two: Finding Resilience through Grit
Session Three: Finding Resilience through Community
Session Four: Finding Resilience through Humor

The last Sunday of the month is an unstructured RE Play Day for the children. On this Sunday, there is no formal lesson or official teacher. Children are encouraged to connect with one another and strengthen their sense of community through child-led play. They may use the playroom and the games available in the RE room (this includes access to some craft supplies: play-doh, markers, crayons, and paper). Parents provide supervision and support with cleanup as needed on RE Play Days.

Hope you can join us!
Warmly,

Michelle DiLorenzo, RE Chair

01/17/2026

You are invited to 'It Takes a Village' Babies Shower on January 24, 2026 from 2-4pm at the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Poughkeepsie

01/17/2026

OCPEG Meeting cancelled for Saturday, Jan 17, 2026 due to
the weather forecast