Unitarian Universalist Church

Jeffrey Bauer is our new Director of Religious Education, effective August 22. Jeffrey is a lifelong Unitarian Universalist from Oak Ridge, Tennessee, where he has been an active member of the Oak Ridge UU Church. He has degrees in Chemistry and Curriculum & Instruction, and is also a certified lifeguard & EMT-Basic.
Jeffrey has extensive experience working with children & youth, notably at the Mountain Retreat and Learning
Centers, a UU camp in North Carolina. He has been a preschool teacher & a substitute teacher for most grade levels. Recently, he has worked as Resident Advisor at the Galena Interior Learning Academy, a vocational boarding school in Galena, Alaska.

The Purpose of our religious education program is to encourage and nurture the development of a faith foundation, which is personally sustaining and communally harmonious. The nature of the faith foundation we seek to develop is spiritual, dynamic, questioning, rational, socially concerned, informed, and aware of the ambiguities of life.

RELIGIOUS EDUCATION OPPORTUNITIES FOR CHILDREN AND YOUTH

2008-2009

3. That our churches are places where everyone is accepted and where we learn together.

5. That all people have the right to think for themselves and vote on issues that concern them.

Unitarian Universalist Church

333 Meridian Street

West Lafayette, Indiana 47906-2603

Love is the spirit of this Church, And service is its law. This is our covenant: To dwell together in peace, To seek the truth in love, And to help one another.
Religious Education Committee

Director of Religious Education: Jeffrey Bauer: (765) 743-8812 (w), (765) 412-0541 (c), or Ffejuu@gmail.com. Off Friday and Saturday. Office: Monday, Tuesday, Thursday 9am – 3pm. Study: Wednesday (but interruptible by phone or email).

Administrative Assistant: Karin Bergman: (765) 743-8812 or uuc@uulafayette.org Monday-Friday 9am- 5pm

Welcome to yet another year of the Religious Education Program at Unitarian Universalist Church of Lafayette. There has been a lot of change in the past year, getting used to a new building, staff changes and welcoming a new Director of Religious education and a new Interim Minister. The one thing that remains constant is the commitment of this congregation to a thriving religious education program where religion can be “caught” as well as taught, where each child is respected and honored for the precious individual they are and nourished in their growing spiritual journeys.

I look forward to getting to know the families, children and youth of this congregation in the months to come.

Hello and greetings to you. The Unitarian Universalist religion is a unique one; we do not tell children and youth what they are supposed to believe. We teach them our seven principles (the child version you see printed on the cover), we play fun games, create fun crafts and do a mixture of other activities to show our principles in action. But we do not tell them they must do things our way (they must not throw crayons or hurt other children- but these are class safe rules, not creeds).

Unitarian Universalism grew from two Christian branches: Unitarians and Universalists (they combined in 1961). We still remember our background from the Christian and Jewish faiths, but we are an evolving religion that gains ideas and strength from a wide variety of traditions, both old (Native American, Hindu, Buddhism) and newer (Islam, Wicca). We embrace diversity and encourage independent search for truth.

This is my first year as a Director of Religious Education, and we only recently moved in to our new building. So we have lots of changes happening, (and improvements, and organizing and streamlining and…). I invite you come be part of the change. Bring your family to RE! Let your child's uniqueness add to ours! Take a break now and again from service to help with Sunday School- it does not need to be your own child's class. We have wonderful kids of all ages!

This year, the curricula the classes are using are focusing on Unitarian Universalism. (Note: they don't always, we just completed a year of world religions and next year we are looking at our Christian and Jewish roots.) As parts of our curricula children will be searching for their own answers and values (so be prepared for good questions to be asked (while they are showing you the fun art project they have made)).

We do not require you to be a member for your children to attend RE, nor do you need to give money. We would love you to offer some of your time to help the RE program stay strong, and we encourage you to find your place in the church (friend, member, choir, visitor, or simply parent of one of our RE students) while we are creating a place for your child.

It takes a whole village to raise a child. We encourage everyone to help create a safe, fun place for the children to learn and grow.

About a year ago we were opening the doors of our new church building. Since then we have enjoyed the use of our new space and have welcomed new families. And now we have the excitement of the beginning of another school year, and along with that, some new faces—our new interim minister, Marlene Walker, and our new Director of Religious Education, Jeffrey Bauer. Reverend Walker comes to us with a strong background in religious education and will be a wonderful resource for our R.E. program. Jeffrey, a lifelong UU, brings a background in education and an array of experiences working with young people of various ages and in various settings including a boarding school in Alaska as well as The Mountain—a UU retreat center in North Carolina.

While these jobs have brought Marlene and Jeffrey to our church, please think for a moment about why you bring your children to our R.E. program, and we encourage you to share those thoughts with us at any time. It is our hope that we can provide an environment where your children (our children) feel safe and cared about, where they can learn about Unitarian Universalism, about our predominant culture's Judaeo-Christian heritage and about other world religions. We hope that our children will feel free to ask questions and express opinions. We hope that they will find a sense of connection in their similarities and a sense of appreciation in cherishing and honoring their differences. We hope that they will find friendship and a sense of belonging.

We welcome you and your children to our R.E. program for 2008-2009. Thank you for sharing your children and for sharing yourselves in whatever ways we can work together to make this a fulfilling year.

Our Church is a Welcoming Congregation that welcomes and accepts people who are gay, lesbian, and bisexual. But more than that: we strive to provide a safe and affirming environment for people of all kinds, one in which all areas of congregational life are open and inclusive, and with a congregation that has committed itself to work for the rights of everyone regardless of race, ethnicity, creed or sexual orientation. In our Religious Education Program, we welcome all children, youth and their families, we openly affirm both traditional and nontraditional family structures, and we strive to incorporate curriculum resources to help our members value diversity and which strengthens them to stand against prejudice in its many forms.

Our church also works to be inclusive of children and youth with special needs. We have a team of volunteer “Shadows” who follow the children and gives extra one-on-one help when needed. Our paraprofessional helps coordinate this team of volunteers and tracks behaviors so that we may better include all students. Please contact us to let us know when you will be attending so that we can have people lined up.

On most Sundays throughout the year, children and youth in the Kindergarten class and older will join the congregation in the sanctuary for the first part of the worship service. This portion of the service typically includes a hymn, the covenant, and the "Story for All Ages." Approximately 15 minutes into the service, students and teachers will be dismissed to go to their classes which last until 11:45 (see class descriptions for class location). Children in the Nursery and Preschool rooms go directly to their classes, which begin at the same time as the service. Childcare is available for all children during the Forum in the Nursery from 9:00 to 10:20.

Parents of children in the Nursery, Preschool, and Kindergarten-Second Grade classes must go to the classrooms and pick up their children when class is over at 11:45. Parents are requested to be prompt in picking up their young children. Children and youth in all other classes will be allowed to leave their classrooms and find their parent within the church building when class is over. If someone other than a parent is to pick up a child after a church activity, please notify the teacher beforehand. Children will not be allowed to wait outside the building for pick-up. Parents are responsible for supervising their children before and after RE class. Children must get parental permission before playing outside after class.

While children are playing on the playground, Parents either need to be outside with them or ask a different parent to watch them. A responsible must be actively outside watching for safety concerns. Parents are responsible for know where their children are. All adults watching the playground should be willing and able to intervene in situations that may be dangerous to our children. The posted rules must be followed for continued safety.

On occasion, the Sunday morning service is designed to be multigenerational. During such services, childcare will be available in the Nursery for nursery age children and the Preschool room will have class as usual. All other children and youth will participate in the full service with families and friends.

The safety and protection of the children and youth in our programs is a high priority. Our safety policies cover a number of areas, including field trips, fire and tornado procedures, the prohibition of alcohol and illegal drugs at RE events, classroom supervision, and required reporting of suspected child abuse. Teachers are required to complete a screening form, provide references, participate in an orientation session as well as attend training on the prevention of sexual abuse. Additionally, the Nursery always has two teachers present.

Our teachers come from all walks of life. Some are parents; some are not. Some are professional teachers, but most have no teaching experience before becoming RE teachers. All are volunteers (except for the Directors of Religious Education, Paraprofessional, Nursery Supervisor and Nursery Assistants). Many teach because they love being with children and youth and want to have a positive effect on their growth and development. Many teach because they want to contribute to the life of our community and to learn more about Unitarian Universalism themselves.

What we look for in a teacher is someone who has been with the congregation for about a year, is comfortable with children or youth, and is willing to make the necessary commitment of time and effort that our high-quality program requires. We do not choose our teachers based on educational level, marital status, gender, age, sexual orientation, race, ethnic background, or theological belief.

Each class has a team of about five teachers who take turns teaching during the year, usually in a block of Sundays. Each team has a Team Leader who coordinates the group and participates on the RE Committee. We provide preparation and training in our annual Teacher Orientation Session. Also, we ask each teacher to complete a screening form, provide references, and attend training on the prevention of sexual abuse in an ongoing effort to provide a safe environment for all our students.

We ask parents to encourage regular attendance at RE Classes. Students who attend frequently will derive the greatest benefit from the program. We also encourage parents to show interest in their young person's church experiences and to promote family discussion of themes and questions encountered during Sunday classes.

We encourage parents to inform the teacher, Director of Religious Education, RE Chair, or Minister about family situations that are causing difficulty for the child or youth, or are interfering with his/her RE participation. We invite parents to share comments, concerns, and ideas about the RE program. Your feedback will help our program remain vital and relevant to changing needs.

We invite parents to help with the many aspects of RE. Volunteering to be a teacher helper or Shadow on Sunday, being an advisor on CON or Lock-in are many other ways that you can help make RE better not just for your child, but for everyone.

Parents are asked to complete a registration form for each child or youth by the time of the third visit. Each family is asked to contribute a 64-oz. bottle of apple juice and a non-perishable snack containing less than 10 grams of sugar periodically each semester. –Please check with the teachers or team leaders to find out about possible food allergies in the class.

Parents are welcome to borrow items from the RE Library, the collection contains books and other materials for all ages on various subjects including Unitarian Universalism, Religion, the Bible, Worship, Social Responsibility, Youth, and Families. For assistance, please see the Director of Religious Education. We encourage you to take advantage of these resources.

Our Sunday morning nursery is administered as part of the Religious Education program. We believe the seeds of a faith foundation are sown when children feel comfortable, cared for, and at home in their church. Children learn these lessons of love and acceptance as they are encouraged to explore, form friendships, and to appreciate and affirm themselves. Our goal is to provide a safe, enriching, and stimulating environment with activities appropriate for each age including songs, stories from our diverse religious traditions, and simple artwork. Our older nursery children will have the opportunity to participate in theme-based activities.

The Nursery class consists of infants and toddlers who were not yet three years old on July 1, 2008, and who are not yet potty trained. Care is provided continuously from the beginning of Forum at 9:00 until the end of service at 11:45. Childcare is available for older children in the Nursery during the Forum. The Nursery is staffed by the Nursery Supervisor, a youth assistant, and volunteer adult helpers as needed.

This class is for preschoolers who were at least three years old on July 1, 2008. Three and four year olds are exploring their world and have great curiosity and energy. Every experience can be a lesson in spirituality and our faith. This year we will teach about Unitarian Universalism by using stories and examples from our many sources. Children will learn be encouraged to grow in their relationships with the church, each other, and their world through a variety of experiences as they begin to search for answers to their growing curiosity. A common theme might be “What would a UU do?”. In addition to the teachers who have volunteered, we hope to have a lot of parent input since the class could be large. NOTE: Children in this class will not participate in the first part of the service; class begins at the same time as the service.

The preschool teaching team consists of: Beth Misner, Josh and Linda Prokopy, Kirsten Reynolds, Christine Schertz, Angie Shamo

Echoing our theme this year of “Unitarian Universalist Identity” the K-2 curriculum is “Treasure Hunting—Take Two”—an updated version of an earlier and well-liked curriculum called “Treasure Hunting.” Ellen Schneider, one of the authors of the curriculum says, “The theme of treasure hunting was chosen to involve children in the excitement of the search for meaning in life at the concrete level of their understanding. Each week through games, crafts, songs and stories, the children explore the meaning behind a Unitarian Universalist principle or value.” The children will be making their own treasure boxes to take home and in which to collect theme-related items that they produce periodically in their R.E. class.

The K-2^nd teaching team consists of Kathy Coder, J-J and Bob Rode, and Kathy Schroth.

This curriculum is based on two premises: 1) that religion helps people find answers to important questions; and 2) that UUs find these answers for themselves. The important questions that this curriculum focuses on are: How did the world begin? How did life begin? How did I begin? How can I make life worthwhile? What is right and wrong? and Why do people die? This year is a chance for the children to begin to form their own religious identities and concepts, and the year will be spent learning about other cultures, religious identities and beliefs, in order to help the children identify their own.

The 3^rd -5^th teaching team consists of Jennifer Cominetti-Craig, Frank Arnold, Kim Harden, Suzanne & Tom McConville, and Linda LeMar and Cliff Sadof.

This year we will be drawing from "You The Creator", a curriculum whose theme is an exploration of creative empowerment. The basic message is that everyone can, and should, discover in themselves the creative forces with which to shape the world. The activity-based program offers experiences and ideas to help participants recognize and appreciate their creative potential.

The 6^th-8^th teaching team consists of: Mark VanMeeter, Amy French, Lisa Pantea, Elizabeth Garretson

The High School R.E. class is structured similar to the Forum. At the beginning of the year the students picked out a handful of subjects they would like to talk about. The teacher then leads an open discussion forum on that subject gearing the conversation towards the topics' relationship to Unitarian Universalist principles. Topics include; population crisis; education; cloning.

The High School teaching team consists of: Christine and Greg Reynolds, Kat Braz, Jason Dufair, George Reichler, Chuck Reynolds, Elizabeth Sternke

Throughout the year, we have several opportunities and ceremonies that celebrate our children and youth. These are our way of recognizing the spiritual and ethical growth of the children in our church community as they journey toward adolescence and adulthood.

Baby or Child Dedication Ceremonies are Unitarian Universalist celebrations for welcoming a baby or child into our community. This is an opportunity to dedicate ourselves and the child to a life of meaning and a search for his or her truths on the path to a religious or spiritual self. Please contact our Interim Minister, Rev. Marlene Walker for more information on planning a Dedication Ceremony.

This ceremony celebrates the entrance of our first graders into the world of books. As children begin to read, their worlds are opened up to the magic of learning and exploring. As we celebrate this important transition in children's lives, we celebrate the gifts they bring and their individual mark on our congregation and our world

Each spring, we celebrate the passage of our seniors into adulthood. As we build a "bridge" between their role as senior youth and their new identity as young adults, we recognize the achievements and contributions each have made to the world and our community and emphasize our ongoing support of our seniors as they make their own way in our complex world.