Special Friends 2010

Now is your chance to be part of something special in the cross-generational web of life at GUUF. We invite friends, young and old, to participate in a Valentine’s week of delightful surprises. Please join us in an opportunity to make an interesting new friend in the congregation.

We need adults to sign up to be paired with a child. During Valentine’s Week, you will contact your child two or three times by sending valentines, poems, riddles, etc. You’ll send one of two identical nametags you create at the end of the week to be worn by each of you on Sunday, February 14^th. On that Sunday your “Special Friend” identity will be revealed to your child and you two will visit at a hot chocolate and cookie reception after the service. If you would like to participate, please sign up in the RE area to receive further details. There will also be sign-up sheets distributed in the weekly Spark. Don’t miss this opportunity to win a child’s heart!

PARENTS: We hope your children will want to participate. It is a lot of fun, and we have had excellent participation in past years, forging strong intergenerational bonds. Please contact this year’s coordinator, Kristen Brewer, at brewkris@gmail.com if you have any questions. Drop children’s forms in the Special Friends box in the RE area.

Special Friends is a program where children, aged preschool and up, have the opportunity to get to know an adult in our Fellowship as their Special Friend. Adults have the wonderful opportunity to develop a new friendship with one of the children in our congregation. Parents, grandparents, and adult members (or older youth) without children are all equally encouraged to participate as the Special Friend to a child. The only requirement is that the adult participants be active members or friends of the Fellowship for at least the past 6 months.

Three weeks prior to Valentine Sunday (February 14, 2010), each adult participant (approved by the Director of Lifespan Religious Education and the RE Committee) will be paired as a mystery friend with a child. After speaking with the parents, the adult contacts the child 3-4 times during the week prior to Valentine Sunday by sending such items as a letter, poem, riddle, or valentine. A special nametag is made by the adult and is sent to the child which matches one that the adult wears. Each pair of Special Friends then “find” each other on Special Friends Sunday by wearing their matching nametags. After the service on February 14^th we will hold a reception for all the Special Friends participants and serve light refreshments. This is the time to reveal who you are! If you wish to bring a small gift to your child, we ask that only small homemade gifts be offered – such as some homemade cookies. (Parents, please remember to have your child bring or send a note of appreciation to their adult friend after the reception).

We hope to have as many adults and children taking part in this program as possible! Please complete the appropriate portion of this form and return it to us by placing it in the Special Friends box on the table in the RE area or mail to GUUF, 1335 State Park Road, Greenville, SC 29606, ATTN: RE Special Friends by January 24, 2010. Additional registration forms and guidelines are in the RE area. If you have questions about Special Friends, please contact Kristen Brewer at brewkris@gmail.com). We look forward to having another great celebration of new friends!