Newsletter for February, 2008
From Our Minister:
As I prepare for our newsletter deadline, I'm awarethat we are likely to have a congregational meetingon our building program February 10. We'll beasked to make one more momentous decision before weproceed into the next phase. I hope we will be able tomove forward quickly and smoothly.
What an experience this building program has been!Here is some of what I've learned from it:
From Our President:
Discuss Building Program on February 10
On February 10 we will have a congregational businessmeeting on the building program.
Over the past years, hundreds of hours have beenspent on plans that best represented the wants and needsof our community. These efforts resulted in a building estimatedat $3.1 million, plus another $300,000 to $400,000to complete occupancy. With severe cuts this numbercould be reduced, but would still be excessive.
It is the opinion of the capital campaign committee,the building committee, and the board of directors thatsuch a sum is beyond our means. Ultimately, this decisionis left to the congregation.
An alternative plan providing for most of our needsand some of our wants has been developed for congregationalconsideration.
Under this plan we can exceed the required parkingrequirement.
Adoption of a plan is contingent on congregationalapproval at a formal business meeting. The proposed planstarts with how much funding we have rather than whatfunding we would need.
The decision of how to proceed is one to be made byall of us.
We need your mind, your heart, and your body (tomake a quorum).
Please! Participate in the congregational businessmeeting so that the best possible result will come from thebest possible process - UU democracy.
For what we are and what we will become,
- Ron Crane
Featured Articles:
"Secret Pals" is coming
How many people at UUCCSM do you know?How many people at UUCCSM who are not ofyour generation do you know? Here's anopportunity to spend a month making a new friend(or getting to know an old one better) - you're invitedto take part in our annual Secret Pals program.
On Sundays during the month between Valentine'sDay and St. Patrick'sDay, everyone who signsup to be a Secret Pal willleave hints and clues totheir identity such as,"I'm wearing red shoes tochurch today," or "Myfavorite food in the wholeworld is mint chip icecream," in the bag thatbelongs to the Palsthey've been assigned.And that's not where the fun ends - someone elsewill be leaving small gifts for them in their bags, too.With our super-secret high-tech latticework assignmentprocess, every adult will be given a child oryouth as a pal, and all children will have an adultassigned to them, so every participant will, in the end,have two Pals.
Sign-ups will begin on February 3 after each service,when you will fill out an info sheet to be given toyour Pal, and will have an opportunity to decorateyour goodie bag. Sign-ups will continue on February10 and then from February 17 to March 9, make sureto leave clues, or letters, or photo hints (baby photo?extreme close-up of your eye? Be creative!) in yourPal's bag each week. And mark your calendars now forMarch 15, 5 to 7 p.m., for our St. Patrick's Day-themedSecret Pals party, when all will be revealed. So,whether you're a kid or a grown-up, don't miss out onthis great opportunity to get to know more aboutsomeone new at UUCCSM - or maybe someone youalready know. For more information, contact CatherineFarmer at the church office.
- Ian Dodd
UUCCSM Committees Support Bonding Out Project
UUCCSM Committees SupportBonding Out ProjectDiana S. is a transgender immigrant who wasdetained by the U.S. Immigration and CustomsEnforcement (ICE) last year. Diana is seekingasylum in the United States because of persecution inher country of origin on the basis of gender identity.
Along with many others, Diana was held in the SanPedro detention center, one of four centers cited by theU.S. Government Accountability Office for overcrowding,inadequate medical care, and other systemic problems.At the San Pedro center, a detainee who had AIDS diedwhen she was refused medical treatment, despite theefforts of other detainees, including Diana, to alertauthorities to her deteriorating condition.
Diana, who was a close friend of the detainee andwas traumatized by her death, spoke out against conditionsat the center. She was transferred to a detentioncenter in Texas, but with the help of her attorney she wasbrought back to San Pedro, where she has reportedlybeen a mentor and an inspiration to other detainees,helping them gather evidence for their legal cases andcaring for others with HIV and AIDS. In November of lastyear, however, she was sent back to Texas when the SanPedro center was closed down and the detainees movedto different centers, many in other states, withoutadvance notice to their families, attorneys, or thedetainees themselves. Although the move is allegedlytemporary, it has meant a serious setback for the legalcases of the detained immigrants, in addition to the personalhardship for them and their families.
The Long Beach branch of the Los Angeles Legal AidFoundation has been providing social services to thedetainees at San Pedro. The Unitarian Universalist ServiceCommittee (Southern California Unit) is workingwith the Foundation and is currently attempting to raisefunds for bail for Diana and other detainees. The MultiracialDevelopment Committee and the Faith-in-ActionCommission of the Santa Monica Church are supportingthis effort. Diana's lawyer is hopeful that she can bereleased under the minimum bond, estimated at $1,500.This would allow her to return to California where shecan work with her lawyer on her asylum case. If she winsher case, she hopes to become a nurse for children withHIV and to help other HIV immigrants who have beendetained by immigration authorities.
For anyone wishing to contribute, checks should bemade out to the First Unitarian Church, marked for BondFund, and sent to the Church at 2936 West 8th Street, LosAngeles, CA 90005, attention Sonia. Funds beyond theamount needed for Diana will go toward bonding outother detainees whose cases are pending. If there are anyquestions, please contact Nora Hamilton Rochelle McAdam.
Dining for Dollars Bidding is in February
This is a preliminary list of the events offered for the biggest fund-raisingeffort of the year.Bidding will take place on February 17 and 24 after the early service, from 10a.m. to 11 a.m., and after the second service, from noon to 1:15 p.m. There will bea final list in the order of service on the days of bidding.Look at your calendars now, so you can bid on as many events as possible.
| Event # | Date | Theme | Host | Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sat., Mar. 8 | Bollywood - Indian Snacks & Film Viewing | Jain | 5 pm |
| 2 | Sat., Mar. 8 | Champagne Hike in the S.M. Mtns. |
Van Den Beemt/McDonald/ Guidotti/Ewen |
9 am |
| 3 | Sat., Mar. 29 | Subway Art Tour | Malich/Simmons | 8:30 am |
| 4 | Sat., Mar. 29 | Moroccan Feast | Jones/Hamilton | 6 pm |
| 5 | Sun., Mar. 30 | Dinner with a Persian Accent | Elahi | 7 pm |
| 68 | Fri., Apr. 4 | An Evening with Rod Serling | Guidotti/Ewen | 7:30 pm |
| 6 | Sat., Apr. 5 | Authentic Swiss Cheese Fondue | Van Den Beemt | 7 pm |
| 7 | Sat., Apr. 5 | Five-Course Italian Dinner | Nyquist/Gates | 6:30 pm |
| 8 | Sun., Apr. 6 | Scandinavian Sunday Supper | Bjornlie | 6 pm |
| 9 | Sat., Apr. 12 | Adamson House Tour & Picnic | Howell | 10 am |
| 10 | Sat., Apr. 19 | Enjoying the Beatles | Goodwin/Lisovsky | 6 pm |
| 11 | Sat., Apr. 19 | Northern Italian Dinner with a View | Loran | 6:30 pm |
| 12 | Fri., Apr. 25 | "Loaves and Fishes" Simply Sublime Seafood | Kernochan | 6:30 pm |
| 13 | Sat., Apr. 26 | Mom's Lasagna & Pie | Canady/Mitchelson | 6 pm |
| 14 | Sat., Apr. 26 | Indonesian Dinner | Nannini/Bickford | 6 pm |
| 15 | Sat., Apr. 26 | Greek Roast Lamb | Pinkham | 6:30 pm |
| 16 | Sat., Apr. 26 | Bird Walk & Light Supper | Lyness/Reuter | 4 pm |
| 17 | Sat., Apr. 26 | Chinese Acrobats and Lunch | Malich/Armondo | 10:30 am |
| 18 | Sat., May 3 | Kentucky Derby Buffet | Bleak/Smith | 12:30 pm |
| 19 | Sat., May 3 | Lunch & Art with Malaysian Artist & Chef | Briggs/McDonald | 1 pm |
| 20 | Sat., May 3 | Pizza & Playreading | Cranis | 6 pm |
| 21 | Sat., May 3 | Dime Ante Poker | Meighan/Thiel | 8 pm |
| 22 | Sun., May 4 | Afternoon High Tea | Egan | 3 pm |
| 23 | Fri., May 9 | Bridge Buffet | Goodwin/Lisovsky | 6 pm |
| 24 | Sat., May 10 | Docent-Led Walking Tour Santa Monica History & Lunch | Agate | 9 am |
| 25 | Sat., May 10 | Dining for Dollars Greatest Hits | Choir | 7 pm |
| 26 | Sat., May 17 | Wildflower Walk & Picnic | Steinicke | 1 pm |
| 27 | Sat., May 31 | Four Course French Family Style Dinner | Bar/Kendall | 5 pm |
| 28 | Sat., May 31 | Derbyshire (England) Dinner | Trutt | 5 pm |
| 29 | Sun., Jun. 1 | Brunch at the Bel Air Club | Olson | 12:30 pm |
| 30 | Sun., Jun 1 | Fettucine & Fellini (dinner & move) | Cresciman/De Govia | 6 pm |
| 31 | Sat., Jun 7 | ¡Ay Caramba! Mexican & Margaritas! | Goetz | 7 pm |
| 32 | Sat., Jun 7 | Dean & Bob's Fabulous Pancake Breakfast | Dietz/Levy | 10 am |
| 33 | Sun., Jun. 8 | Ladies Night at the Heated Pool | Nyquist | 5:30 pm |
| 34 | Sun., Jun. 8 | Group Progressive Dinner |
Lowney-Lankton/Thompson/ Gaillot/Pappas |
6 pm |
| 35 | Sat., Jun. 14 |
Italian Spring |
Hanson | 6:30 pm |
| 36 | Sat., Jun. 21 | Asian Dinner VIP Harbor Seafood Restaurant | Voegtlen | 6 pm |
| 37 | Sun., Jun. 22 | BBQ for Families with Young Children | Zinner | 5 pm |
| 38 | Sat., Jun. 28 | Mystery Dinner | Kharraz | 6 pm |
| 39 | Sat., Jun. 28 | Seafood Dinner, Marina View & Live Piano Music | Rhoads | 6 pm |
| 40 | Fri., Jul. 4 | Fourth of July BBQ & Games | Bonacich | 3 pm |
| 41 | Sat., Jul. 12 | Cafe del Rey Luncheon | Ward/Armondo | 12 pm |
| 42 | Sat., Jul. 12 | Gourmet Greek | Crawford | 6:30 pm |
| 43 | Sat., Jul. 19 | Indian Wedding Dinner | Parkerton | 6 pm |
| 44 | Sun., Jul. 20 | 4th Annual UUCCSM Scrabble Tournament & Alphabet Soup | Fuller/Kegel | 5 pm |
| 45 | Sat., Jul. 26 | Santa Maria Style Tri-tip BBQ | Shinno/Burrows | 4:30 pm |
| 46 | Sat., Jul. 26 | Pre-Columbian Dinner | Jonathan | 6 pm |
| 47 | Fri., Aug. 8 | Lunch Fashion/Men's Professional Tennis | Ludowitz | 11 am |
| 48 | Sat., Aug. 9 | Cocktails Anderson's Home Dinner Jonathan Club | Anderson | 6 pm |
| 49 | Sun., Aug. 10 | Gourmet BBQ, Ping Pong & Croquet | Howell | 3 pm |
| 50 | Sat., Aug. 16 | Chocolate Lovers of the World Unite 5 Course Dinner | Peacock | 6:30 pm |
| 51 | Sun., Aug 17 | Flavors & Aromas of Eastern Provence | Winston | 5:30 pm |
| 52 | Sat., Sept. 6 | Martinis, Live Classical & Jazz Music & Munchies | Murray | 4:30 pm |
| 53 | Sun., Sept. 7 | "Que-tenanny" BBQ & Sing-Along | Greenman/Simmons | 4 pm |
| 54 | Sat., Sep. 13 | Vegan Japanese Temple Banquet | Jones/Hamilton | 6 pm |
| 55 | Sat., Sep. 20 | British Pub Night with Team Trivia Quiz | Weaver | 6:30 pm |
| 56 | Sat., Sep. 20 | Watts Tower & Nature Park Picnic | Malich/Eklund/Rhoads | 10 am |
| 57 | Sun., Oct. 11 | A Nobel Dinner | Wright | 7 pm |
| 58 | Sun., Oct. 12 | Napa Valley Brunch | Paddock | 1 pm |
| 59 | Sun., Oct. 12 | Reggae Jamaican Feast | Dodd/Page | 4 pm |
| 60 | Sat., Oct. 18 | Evening in Tuscany | Kory | 6:30 pm |
| 61 | Sun., Oct. 26 | "Bohemian Rhapsody" Dinner | Lee | 6 pm |
| 62 | Sat., Nov. 1 | Beach Walk at Sunset & Autumn Dinner | MacQueen | 4:30 pm |
| 63 | Sat., Nov. 1 | Fortune Reading/Gourmet Delights of Spain | Hermann | 7 pm |
| 64 | Sat., Nov. 1 | Dia de los Muertos/Day of the Dead | Alison/Van Ligten | 7 pm |
| 65 | Sat., Nov. 8 | Diwali Celebration - Indian Feast | Lacombe | 5 pm |
| 66 | Camp de Benneville Pines Weekend | |||
| 67 | Camp de Benneville Pines Weekend |
Letter to the Editor
After hearing the discussion aboutchanging our church name on January 20,I realized that whether or not we actuallydo change our name, I am still free to callmy "church" by any name I want.From now on I will tell my friends andfamily that I belong to the UU Congregationin Santa Monica or that I am going toan activity with the Unitarian Universalists(Thanks, Katie) of Santa Monica.Oh joy, oh rapture, I'm free.
- Sandra Trutt
News & Announcements:
Second Annual UUCCSM Malibu Family Campout
Ocean breezes. Good conversation. S'moresand chillin' and good things grillin'. Hikes,folksinging, and comaraderie with fellow SantaMonica UUs - yes folks, it's the Malibu FamilyCampout.
The details: February 29 to March 2, Fridayevening to Sunday midday, at La Jolla GroupCamp Site, only 30 miles from Santa Monica.Come for two nights, one night, or just the day.Running water and flush toilets available, but noshowers.
All ages - all welcome. Cost is a mere $10 forboth nights, $5 for one. That price does notinclude meals. You'll be asked to contribute to ameal or meals from one of our meal coordinators.
Space for 50 people - this will sell out. Paymentholds your spot. Check (to UUCCSM) orcash to Melinda Ewen. For more info contact ChrisBrown.
Appreciation
• To Susan Marsh, for volunteering to be anadult participant at the Senior High wintercamp at de Benneville Pines.
• To the Faith-in-Action Commission and toeveryone who contributed to our generouscongregation offering for the OPCC BuildingFund. Our church donated $5,000 in all,fulfilling our pledge.
Building News:
Revised Building Project Plan
On Sunday, February 10, at 12:30 p.m., there will be a Special Business Meeting of Church Membersto discuss and vote on the following:
Agenda Item #1:
To authorize the Board of Directors to proceed with detailedconstruction design and obtain city approval for a revised planfor construction and remodeling of church buildings, primarilyForbes Hall and Religious Education classrooms.
Should you have questions you know in advance that you would like addressed, please e-mail them to the Congregational Concerns Sub-Committee of the Building Committeec/o (Chair) Pat Parkerton
Phase 1:
The Cottage: complete.
Phase 2:
New Building: A new single story building with two classrooms will be built on the northwest corner of our property.
Open Space: There will be a separate play area for children between the new classrooms and the cottage. A lower courtyard off Forbes Hall will be connected by stairs and ramp to a long courtyard north of the sanctuary.
Forbes Hall Layout: The social hall, kitchen, and restrooms will be renovated, and the second floor classrooms will be combined into four larger classrooms.
Accessibility: All levels will be connected by ramps or an elevator while improving the space 'flow'.
Parking: There will be seven parking spaces off the alley, which will not require a new city "parking variance".
Landscaping: We will install pavers and plant the north side yard and front yard of the Cottage to the Anderson Courtyard. Drainage from the site will be improved. We will use the Santa Monica City $20,000 grant for water conserving landscaping.
Conditional Use Permit: We do not expect the city to require a new building permit.
Phase 3:
Sanctuary: Expansion of our sanctuary will be deferred.
2008 Tentative Schedule: (Depends on timely church actions and city approvals):
February 10 - Congregational Meeting to Approve Revised Plans
February - City Review of revised plans for compliance with 2007 CUP
March - Architectural Review Board Application: Landscape, Building Design
April - Submit Construction Drawings for Building Permit
May - Architectural Review Board review and approval of Landscape Plan, Elevations, Materials Contractor Bids, Negotiation, Contract Signed
June 17 - Deadline: Obtain Building Permit
July - Construction Start on New Building
Green Living Committee:
Re-Use Everything
- Disposable items can often be reused for the same ordifferent purposes - margarine tubs, glass jars and manyfood containers and bags.
- Paper that has been printed or written on one sidecan be flipped over and the blank side used in the printeror for writing drafts.
- Blank back sides of ads and coupons from mailingscan be saved, stapled together and used for lists andscratch pads.
- When printing from the computer, be sure to click"Print page 1 to 1", then turn the sheet over and insert itinto the hand feed to print "Print page 2 to 2", for doublesidedprinting. Or set your default printer settings todouble-sided printing.
- I am sure you can think of many more examples ofreuse than I have here. Doesn't it feel good to be thriftyand use fewer natural resources every day?
- Sandra Trutt
Tree Care with Tree People
Saturday, March 15, Tree Care from 9 a.m. to noon,Downtown Los Angeles
Taking care of baby trees is such a joyful experience.You pull the weeds and grass surroundingthin trunks so they don't take water and nutrientsfrom the sapling. You loosen the soil to help the rootsexpand. You add mulch to protect and insulate the soilfrom the weather and add several buckets of water tothoroughly soak the roots. To be out in the sun, wind,and fresh air with a group of like-minded people is wonderfuland a day you'll remember and want to repeat.
You can join Tree People as they care for young pinktrumpet trees planteddowntown. To register,contact Lisa Sotello at volunteer@treepeople.org .Shewill send you the meetinglocation and other information.
If you want to carpoolfrom church, contact Sandra Trutt. You must register at least a weekahead of time as these events often fill up.
Reduce Unwanted Catalogs
There is a new website that will help you conserveresources by way of not receiving unwanted catalogsin the mail. To opt out of receiving these mailings:
- Make a pile of your catalog rejects that you wishnot to receive any more, or just rip off and save theaddress page.
- Log on to: http://www.catalogchoice.org
- Enter your name, the catalog name, and thecustomer # on the back of the catalog.
If you don't have a computer, ask a friend whodoes to help you reduce this wasteful use of paper.Thank you.
Green Newsletters
Go green - contact office@uusm.org to receive the newsletter online only.
Think Small When Recycling
It struck me one day about all the little pieces ofpaper, foil and plastic we use each day - wrappersfrom a tea bag, foil seals on food coffee cans and yogurtcups, candy packaging, cash register receipts. All thesecan be recycled and may often be overlooked as "justtrash."
These small pieces should be contained in a largerbag so they won't fly out of the bin on trash pick up day.You can use a plastic bag to collect bits of plastic andplastic bags. A paper bag can hold paper scraps.Be sure to tie, tape or staple the tops beforeputting into the recycle bin so it won'tbecome litter.Packaging often has recyclable cardboardand plastic film, including such items ascereal boxes, plastic film from napkins,cleaned foil from treats or cooking, and soforth. Once you start paying attention towhat you throw away, you'll be amazed athow much can actually be recycled.In no time you will notice that there is lesstrash to throw out each week. You are taking astep on your way to having zero waste.The Earth thanks you.
- Sandra Trutt
Splinters from the Board:
At the board meeting on January 8, the boardapproved payment of the invoice submitted byAlison Kendall for services related to renovations ofthe cottage.
The board also considered recommendations from thepersonnel committee, presented by Kim Miller and VictorPaddock, regarding the creation and duties of thecommittees needed to advance the building program.After some discussion of the scope of the responsibilitiesof the committee, the board approved a motion that thepersonnel committee proceed with preparing the jobdescriptions for planning coordinator and constructioncoordinator for the building project.
Rod Lane, Co-Chair of the Design and ConstructionCommittee, pointed out that the conditional use permitexpires in June. In response, the board approved up to$25,000 of the building fund be spent on design and costassessment and up to $3,000 be used for landscapeimprovements between Forbes Hall and the cottage.
Our architect, Ralph Mechur, and Alison Kendallpresented the revised design for Phases II and III of thebuilding program. The design will be presented to thecongregation at a meeting on February 10.
Melinda Ewen, Director of Administration, reportedthat Teri Bond, and Stephon and Wakana Litwinczukbecame members of the church. David Hedin, Janine Sweet, Paula Bernstein, Nancy Lyon, and Melvin Lyonresigned. Church membership now stands at 440.
Melinda also gave the finance report showing bothpledges and expenses running behind budget. Althoughdiscrepancies between monies expected and received isnot unusual, the writer's strike and the tanking economymay cause long-term issues.
The Rev. Judith Meyer reported that she received anacknowledgment letter from the UUA, thanking us for ourparticipation in the first annual Association Sunday. Weraised $1,892.35. UUA will use this money for marketinginitiatives, PSWD local projects, and financial support forUU ministers of color along with the congregations thatcall them.
Catherine Farmer, Director of Religious Education,reported that the transition of the preschool through 5thgrade classes to the cottage was successful. Sheemphasized the need for prompt installation of a walkwayfrom the sliding glass doors in Forbes Hall to the cottage.Walking small children around the corner to the frontentrance, so close to traffic, is undesirable. Beth Rendeiroreported that there are 15 enthusiastic members of theOWL (Our Whole Lives) class and their parents.
Kathy Cook has accepted the chairmanship of theBylaws and Policies Committee. She said that currentprojects of the committee included considering the needfor additional committees to be included in the bylaws,methods of selection of members for the nominatingcommittee, and setting guidelines for term limits of nonbylaws committees.
- Geralyn Lambson
Other UU News & Events:
UU seminary studiesavailable for the laity
Starr King School for the Ministry is offeringonline courses for lay leaders and staff of congregations.Two courses are scheduled for thesecond half of the spring semester, for seven weeksfrom March 31 to May 19. The tuition is $220 each,with a 10 percent discount if five people register fromour church. The course descriptions are:
Polity, Governance and Structure: UnitarianUniversalist congregations are grounded in polity -their authority rests in the congregation itself, ratherthan in an outside entity. This course will describeorganizational structures common to congregationsof various sizes, relate governance practices to structure,staffing, and size, and provide models and toolsrelated to congregational polity and authority. Studentswill compare and contrast four structural models:policy governance (described by John Carver),independent, interdependent/collaborative, andteam. Each model will be considered in terms of linesof authority, staffing practices, and leadership.
Conflict Management for Lay Leaders: Thiscourse will provide methodologies for assessing, analyzing,and managing issues related to each of fivelevels and three types of conflict. Emphasis will be onprocedure- and resource-based conflicts. Studentswill examine their own conflict management stylepreferences, analyze case studies, and utilize systemsthinking to develop plans for managing conflicteffectively.
For more information, go to sksm.edu andclick on the "Seminary for the Laity" link. The registrationdeadline for these classes is March 1. If youare interested, contact Carol Agate.
Join a Women's Spiritual Musical Retreat
Acclaimed "Spirit of Life" composer, feminist,activist, and poet Carolyn McDade will lead a women'sretreat February 22 and 23 for singers and non-singers.Celebrating our ninth year of gathering in the L.A. areato sing our vision of a transformed world, a circle ofwomen from various faith traditions meets Fridayevening and all day Saturday. It's more about the community,heart, and spirit than about proper singing ofnotes printed on paper. We join in the circle to create aholy space, "... to let story and song move you deeperinto yourself." Carolyn's new CD focuses on the EarthCharter and is available fromcarolynmcdademusic.com. The retreat is created by anad hoc group and will meet at the United Church ofChrist in Simi Valley. Registration, limited to 40, is $70plus hotel accommodations. For further information seethe recent UU World feature article,http://www.uuworld.org/life/articles/35893.shtml, or contactJoyce Holmen.
Asian/Pacific Islander UUs Offer Weekend Community-Building Retreat
From February 15 at 6 p.m. to February 17 at 6 p.m.,UUs of Asian/Pacific Islander (API) ancestry and theirfamilies are invited to a Community-Building Weekendin Pasadena. It is hosted by Throop Church and sponsoredby the Asian/Pacific Islander Caucus of DRUUMM (Diverse Revolutionary Unitarian Universalist MulticulturalMinistries).The weekend will include seminars, caucusing, worship,games, and field trips to Los Angeles area ethnicenclaves and museums. There will be concurrent programsfor children and API allies. For registration/hoteland scholarship information, contact Vivien Hao at conference@apiuu.org. Check out the latestnews at www.apiuu.org
RE News:
From Our Director of Religious Education
Stories are powerful. We in the RE (Religious Education)program know that sharing stories with ourchildren is a wonderful way to share our historyand our values, our dreams, and our challenges as UnitarianUniversalists. We know that telling stories to peopleof all ages engages their creativity and encouragesthem to draw their own conclusions about life's bigquestions. And we know that developing a pool ofshared stories brings communities closer together.
We are embarking on a new adventure in our elementaryRE classes this spring with two curricula thatwe're very excited about: "Spirit Play" for kindergartenthrough 2nd grades, and "Toolbox of Faith" for upperelementary grades. Spirit Play is grounded in the sharingof sacred stories from many faith traditions as wellas from our own history. Each week we'll explore a newstory in a format that includes tactile materials andsmall props that provide visual cues along with thetelling. These materials will help anchor the children inthe story so that they can continue to explore its meaningas they work with the propsthemselves or choose art materialsto use in responding to the story.The Toolbox of Faith curriculumwas developed with our active 3rdthrough 5th graders in mind, anduses a physical "tool" each week,along with an accompanyingstory, to help us reflect on qualitiesof our Unitarian Universalistfaith, such as integrity, courage,and love, as tools they can use inliving their own lives and in buildingtheir own UU faith. Each of the sessions uses anactual tool as a metaphor for a quality of our faith. Forexample, these tools include a hammer for justice, ducttape for flexibility, and a mirror for reflection.
It won't be long until it's time for us to start our curriculumplanning for the 2008