I was in a local office supply store this week, buying some items for the DRE office (on the second floor – please come visit and say hello or make an appointment for coffee or to get together!)
The place was jammed with youth and families buying school supplies. The line stretched back down the side aisle, and it was immediately clear that I needed to swallow a large Patience Pill and chill out while the harried cashiers did their work with each customer in turn.
And yesterday I was outside sweating in the sun, but very aware that, all too soon, I’ll be going through my customary cursing of snow and ice (warning: you will hear this from me again, as I am a New Englander who HATES winter weather). Everything is changing; we exist in liminal time and space and what lies ahead is…uncertainty.
The interim time is a lot like that – a lot of the time. Some people love change (I am one of them, usually) and others dread it. In this interim time at Follen Church, I want to ask some things of you to make the transitions progress more smoothly:
- If you have a child or youth who has been involved in Follen’s religious education program (including FUUY) please register your child(ren) NOW. The forms for registration – including medical release and other information – are on the web at https://follen.org/children-youth/religious-education/registration-information-and-forms/ . Please remember to include your activity fee for each child; if paying this fee is a hardship, please speak to me or a member of the RE Action Team. Religious Education classes and programs will be starting soon after Labor Day, and our policy is that no children are permitted to participate in programs without being registered – this is a matter of safety for your children and for those of us who lead programs.
- We still need teachers for our religious education classes and programs. If you have taught before and are willing to teach again, please let me know! If you have never thought, but are considering it – please be in touch! I promise to do my best to help you get ready to teach and review the curriculum you’ll be using.
- We need Coming of Age Advisors! Coming of Age (COA) is a cornerstone of this and other UU religious education programs. There are a very large number of Follen youth who will be participating in this program – but this program depends on skilled and committed (which is not to say, experienced) adults who want to make this program fly! I can promise a strong curriculum and lots of support and hope you’ll want to get more involved.
- We need more FUUY youth group advisors! This youth group is booming (nearly sixty youth are potentially involved) and we need some fabulous adult advisors to strengthen our core group of experienced advisors. Youth Coordinator Brian Sewell and I will help orient you to “all things FUUY” as will the amazing Howie Bernstein…can you help?
For all these programs from middle school on up, we can’t invite you to lead or advise if your own child is enrolled in the program. But if not – we’re ready for you (and there are other opportunities where you could help this growing faith development program too).
Yes, it’s that time of year again – time for changes, and for coming together again as gathered community. We all play a part in that web of connection. Please email me: dre@follen.org or call the church (781-862-3805, extension 204), or find me at church, and tell me how you’d like to help. We all need to come together to make this program fly!
Faithfully yours,
Deb
Deborah Weiner
Interim Director of Religious Education