What a successful year in RE it has been already! We have implemented a new Safety Policy and trained 33 volunteers on its importance. We have 7 classes running each Sunday. Additionally, we’ve had wonderful bonding experiences at a glorious weekend Youth Fall Retreat, a fun Haunted House, the multigenerational Thanksgiving Collection, and a highly successful pageant.
In elementary RE, we are focusing on learning Unitarian Universalist values and how we live those values in our everyday life. We are still doing Choose Your Own Adventure on the fourth Sunday each month; we will even do a Whole Church Choose Your Own Adventure in April! In Middle School RE (MSRE), we are introducing the basic beliefs and practices of other religious traditions, as well as helping our youth deepen and clarify their own UU identity. In the High School Youth Group, the youth are planning out their choice of activities through the process of inclusive democracy, ensuring that everyone’s needs and concerns are incorporated into decisions. We are practicing active listening and conflict resolution using skills recommended by the Transformative Justice consultants.
Other upcoming events we are looking forward to include a regional OWL training at All Souls on February 9-11, beginning 5th Grade OWL, and hopefully starting 1st grade OWL after the training. Just as exciting will be our HS Youth Group Overnight Lock-In and the yearly Youth-led service. In addition, we have regular minister visits to children’s chapel, are launching a parenting group, and are continuing work with the 8 team to ensure our programming, materials, and trainings are actively anti-racist and support our diverse, multicultural community.
Unfortunately, due to the damage from the water infiltration downstairs, we have lost the use of the Spirit Room (home of the Youth Group), the Studio (our art, drama, and music space), furniture (including an almost brand-new couch), and all of our art materials that were not stored in waterproof storage containers. Most importantly, we lost several items that were special to the youth due to water damage and concerns about mold. We had to move youth to the third floor, which is shared with our renters. The HS youth are especially distraught over losing their own room, which they had just decorated. The youth hope the Hope Rises Capital Campaign is able to raise enough funding so that the needed repairs to the building can be completed and they can again have rooms to make their own.
We are constantly impressed by the insights that our children have, their generosity, and their leadership. Want to be a part of the fun and enriching RE program? Contact Lara Profitt, lproffit@allsouls.ws for Nursery – Grade 5 and Michele Andersen, mandersen@allsouls.ws for Grades 6 – 12.
Your RE Team: Lara Profitt, Michele Andersen, and Ebonie Bazemore