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LIFESPAN RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

Work with RE Director to plan and develop programming for children, youth and adults in the congregation. Recruit teachers and leaders, and develop publicity.

Contact Persons: Sean & Mary Meehan, Angie Harder

Children/Youth RE
                Claryce Evans
                Valerie Flanagan
                 Pat Cook
Adult RE (bookstudy group)
               Jan Kooiker

Bookgroup Guidelines

To explore literature that may deepen our spiritual understanding of what it means to be human. This Adult RE Bookstudy Group meets every other month. Participants read, discuss and explore feelings, opinions, and knowledge gleaned from reading various books. Decisions on which books to read for discussion are made by group consensus after receiving suggestions from members. Newcomers are always welcome!

Children’s Religious Education Guidelines [updated September 2007]
Mission and Principles:
In our religious education we wish to promote and provide:
•    A sense of self-worth
•    A sense of community and belonging
•    Development of personal values and responsibilities
•    A knowledge of world religions
•    A knowledge of our Judeo-Christian heritage
•    Meaningful rituals
•    An understanding and embodiment of the 7 Unitarian Principles. We present these principles (as translated by the UUA for children) as the following:
      [1]Each person is important;
      [2]Be kind in all you do;
      [3] We’re free to learn together;
      [4]We’re free to search for what is true;
      [5]All people need a voice;
      [6]We work to build a fair and peaceful world;
      [7]We care for Earth’s lifeboat.

Many members have volunteered in the past on the RE committee or volunteered to visit with the children as guests including:
Val Flannagan, Dee Phillips, Claryce Evans, Bob Yeska

Process:
Currently (Fall 2007) the numbers and ages are sufficient for a children’s program for the elementary level (approximately ages 4-10); as numbers increase, there might also be the need to develop and staff (with volunteers) a program for middle school age/young adult students.

Beginning in 2006, we established some new procedures for the children’s program. Here is an overview: After announcements in the sanctuary, the children process out while the congregation sings “Go Now in Peace.” We then meet in our ‘sanctuary’ in the second floor of the house (the living room with the couch) and begin what we call “Children’s Church.” This service includes singing an opening song (“Enter, Rejoice and Come In”), lighting our chalice, and having our own version of sharing joys and concerns. We then will have a reading or brief discussion of some sort, relating to the curriculum/lesson for that day. Then, usually about 15 minutes in to this service, we proceed to the craft room for a craft, project or other kind of hands-on activity related to the focus for that week or month.

In 2006-07, the curriculum focused on the 7 Unitarian principles (based on a book that we have in our curriculum collection kept in the upstairs craft room). In 2007-08, we are focusing on exploring different religions and spiritual practices from around the world.

In the past, the RE was organized by having a different volunteer teacher each month. We feel that it is better to have the same teachers (2 or 3 if possible) for the entire year. Those teachers might rotate different weeks. The advantage is having consistency in the curriculum for the students, allowing the students to connect with the teachers and each other. We suggest that those members who wish to volunteer and support RE would do so by volunteering to come to the class on a particular week and be a guest speaker. In 2007, we have begun to do this with something we call “UU and I.” A member signs up for a particular week and comes in to class to talk and share with students a particular interest or belief or background they have. The objective is to connect the children with the adult members and to show them the diversity of beliefs and interests that
exist in the church.

In general, we have planned to have at least one intergenerational service each year, possibly two. This is a service where the children take the place of the sermon for that day and the program revolves around a presentation they have planned or organized. In the spring of 2007 we did this on Flower communion Sunday, where the focus was on the environment—and culminated with the children helping plant in the garden. For Spring 2008, we are hoping to revive the puppet theater (currently stored in the upstairs storage room) and have the children develop a puppet show related to themes we are exploring during the year.

Resources:
We have curriculum resources from recent years collected and stored on the shelves in the craft room; we also have books suitable for reading collected on the shelves in the children’s church (the living room). These books and curriculum resources are best located through the UUA web site, which offers lots of information and links for children’s religious education. [http://www.uua.org/religious education/index.shtml]

Other resources and insight can be found through connections with Prairie Star as well as other UUA congregations in the region (particularly larger congregations in Omaha and Des Moines).

Church connections:
In the past, the social action committee has asked the children to select a charity to donate ‘Change for Change.’ We have integrated this with the curriculum, having the children explore options and make the decision. In 2006 we donated $100 to the Heifer International foundation.

In 2007 we have also connected with the newly formed Green Sanctuary Committee, having Bob Yeska and Val Flannagan visit with the children and explore how we all might get involved and become more environmentally aware. This is both a great way to connect children with the larger mission and principles of the church and a way to put the knowledge and efforts of the children to work in the church and for the church.