Religious Education

Chair: Tina Porter

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Teacher Break

In order to allow our teachers a short break over the holidays: there will be NO children's or youth Religious Education on Sunday, December 27th. We'll be back on January 3rd. Thanks!

What's Up (Or Down) in RE?

If you were at church on November 22nd, then you know that our children and teen religious education is full of good energy these days. I'm so grateful for the Faith in Action Committee and their work with the children to create a really wonderful story/drumming/feasting day. (Special thanks to our Hospitality Committee who really outdid themselves with the feast!)

Our RE consultant, Ashley Horan, has been to the church three times now, leading discussions and listening to children as well as parents and other adults, to get a general idea of how religious education for children and youth fits into the overall life of the congregation. Even more basic, Ashley is asking how do children fit into the overall life of this congregation.

Starting Sunday,December 6th, Ashley will introduce us to curriculum designed for a congregation such as ours- small, with a fluctuating number of children and youth who vary in age from 4 to 16. She will develop curriculum for each month that centers around a theologically-based theme. (For example, December's theme will be "Hospitality," and we will begin by learning and discussing "From You I Receive, To You I Give".) She will lead the first week of the month and then provide curriculum for the teachers to follow for the second and third Sundays. The final Sundays of the month will be defined by the RE committee.

After church on Sunday, December 6th, from 12:30 - 2PM, Ashley will lead "Growing our Kids' Religious Roots: A Theme Brainstorming Session" to which ALL MEMBERS OF THE CHURCH are invited to attend.This session will help us discern the themes for the remainder of the year-religiously-based themes that will help us provide the children in our church with the spiritual and intellectual grounding they will need to be free-thinkers in a society that doesn't always appreciate that in adults, let alone children. What are the fundamental ideas we should teach kids about Unitarian Universalism? Help us decide!

This is not a Parent-Teacher meeting only: we require the wisdom and the understanding of people from all walks of our congregational life to help us develop a curriculum that is as broad and as interesting as the people who make this congregation a community. Join us December 6th.

Then, be sure to place on your calendar a workshop we would like to hold on Saturday, January 9th (this date may change, so please stay tuned). Ashley will lead us as we begin to articulate our personal and congregational theology to and about children. More details to follow, but, again, we hope to see people from all walks of our congregational life there.

Contact Ashley Horan or Tina Porter through the church office if you have any questions or comments.