In the religious education office, it’s operetta time and the building is crackling with the youthful energy that comes from this creative annual undertaking. On Sunday we will officially wish our seniors safe travel as they head to summer jobs, hiking the Appalachian trail, exploration of the world, or resting up for the Next Big Things.
And here, in the RE office, we are deep into the planning and development of the next church year’s religious education programs and activities. Although the rhythm of this church’s life heads into a quieter, lower-key time over the next two weeks, the reality is that our planning has to be done at least six months – and really, more like eighteen months – ahead of time. And so the religious education action team and I are thinking about activities that begin in September and extend through next June – and beyond.
We’ve already got draft schedules of when our programs and classes will meet. We’ve been poring over curricula and are about to start planning our teacher retreat and training program that will occur in the fall. There are retreats to be booked, and thinking about what shape youth service learning/mission trips should take, as well as what the rhythm of a multi-year religious education program looks like. And so on.
We’ve revised our teaching schedule to provide more flexibility for adult teachers, and more support for you as teams…while also providing more continuity and stability in our classes. And to implement this plan, we are in search of a group of great folks who will be part of our teaching and advising team for the next church year. And while you may be thinking, “It’s June, and September’s a long way off,” the reality suggests that September will be here before you blink…and those of us on the RE action team want you to know that if we’re reaching out to you, now, to help us implement these goals. So — please take the time now to visit 2017-18 RE Teaching Teams.
One more note about teaching religious education: it’s not just for parents! If you have children, now-grown; if you are a young adult without kids; if you have been thinking that it would be fun to meet some of those terrific children and youth in this church – please come talk to us – we want you to join in the fun! We’ll have a religious education brochure to share with you shortly – which will help to convey more of the energy that drives our thriving RE program.
About schedules: as you may have read elsewhere in this newsletter, I’ll be away in new Orleans attending the Liberal Religious Educators Association Professionals Days, and the UUA General Assembly, from June 18 through the 27th. After that, I’ll be back in the office for several days before heading to Star Island for a week’s vacation. In the meantime, I wish you a summer filled with joy and new learnings,
Deb
Deborah Weiner
Interim Director of Religious Education