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Children & Youth
 

Recipe for Creativity

 

  1. Mix together 20 caring, well-intentioned, intelligent people (including one minister, one youth, two board members, three committee chairs, six people who do not have children in the RE program, seven religious education teachers, two youth advisors, three OWL leaders, five RE committee members, three new members and friends, and one DRE—yep, if you are adding the numbers, several folks wear more than one hat!) for a little more than six hours of brainstorming, interactive discussion and prioritizing to stimulate their minds.

  2. Add excellent brunch food from quinoa salad to quiche, coffeecake to cookies, eaten in community and sunshine to nurture their bodies (thank you RE Committee members and friends).

  3. Open the day with inspirational words and a song sung together, and close the day with an interconnected circle of hands held to warm their hearts.

  4. Provide child care for those who need the support to be present.

  5. Hold all in the container of respect and belief in what a small group of people with similar values and a love of children and youth can do.

  6. Allow time for sharing and speaking with open hearts.



Lisa Ashley, DRE

 

What do you get?  “Ah-has and yums,” according to one participant, plus a big helping of renewal, reassurance, inspiration, creative ideas, excitement and a sense of connection.

 

The two-part RE Visioning Workshop process was one in which all who wished to be heard were heard, and many, many great ideas and creative solutions were shared.  Learning spirits were nurtured with background provided on what is currently going well in RE and questions were answered for those new to Cedars and new to the RE program.  Small groups had time to brainstorm and “open the window” to express new ideas and passions.

 

The top two priorities were:

  1. Hold more intergenerational events for fun and community building between adults and children and youth.

  2. Give more energy and focus to youth programming.

 

Other priorities with close votes included:

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Articulate our UU faith for children and adults; a class for this, plus a fun night of UU Knowledge Bowl

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Support teachers to become facilitators of interactive RE classes rather than as traditional teachers talking “at” our kids and youth

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More music: in the classrooms, with an intergenerational choir, and in intergenerational events

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Balancing rituals with learning in the classroom and supporting parents to learn and grow spiritually along with their children

 

The group began working on “how do we do these things?” and this work will continue into RE Committee meetings this summer and beyond.  “Portfolios” will be created on the RE Committee and each person on the committee will manage the portfolio.

 

Portfolios could include (but are not limited to):  Intergenerational events, Youth programming, Communications (photography, brochures, website updates), Child care, Registration and membership support, Teacher support, and Music liaison.

 

If you would like to help develop what happens next, please attend our next RE Committee meeting on June 16 at 7:15 pm in the Sterling Building, 600 Winslow Way East, Bainbridge Island.  If you don’t want to be a part of the working committee, please answer yes to helping when the actual events roll around and someone asks.  The RE Team wants to help shape our future in the coming year with a new, inclusive, fun-loving and experiential approach to spiritual learning together.  Woo hoo!

 

      Lisa Ashley, DRE

 

RE Table Welcomes All
Check out the RE table before or after church.  We offer an informational flyer for new families, registration forms, and pamphlets from the UUA. We will post photos from classes and events on the bulletin board.  An RE Greeter will be there every week to help newcomers find their way to church and classes.  Contact Lisa Ashley or Terry Siebert if you’d like to help with the Greeter Table one Sunday a month.

RE Scholarship Fund Available
Some RE programs cost more than our pledges are able to cover.  In those cases, we ask families to pay extra for an activity, such as the Coming of Age program (The Quest).  In order to ensure that our programs do not become a hardship for families, we have limited scholarship funds available.  Money will be awarded at a 50% subsidy of the total cost of the event.  If you want to request a scholarship, contact Lisa Ashley.

Questions?  Contact: Lisa Ashley or call the Church Office at 206-780-0373.

 

Between Sundays
 is designed to help parents and other adults answer religious questions raised by children and youth. 
uu&me!
is a magazine that helps kids think about what really matters.

Between Sundays and uu&me! are projects of the
UUA's Church of the Larger Fellowship.

 

                            

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