Religious Exploration (RE) is in full swing now. There are many, many programs and events that comprise the RE program but not many detailed records. And so, as I began my tenure here, I began to build records and infrastructure to streamline planning and execution. The RE Committee has also begun to look at what we want new parents to know as they join our community. Overall, this first three months has been an exploratory time of growth for the RE program.
RE in General
The Christmas Pageant went really well. We had a mix of enrolled RE families, new families and congregants who make a special trip just to see the kids.
We covered Hanukkah and Kwanzaa in general RE with many of our nursery-age kids joining the elementary kids for story time and holiday crafts.
Up next will be our Second Fun Sunday: Board Games and Popcorn.
Our Whole Lives (OWL)
We have a full class at 11 students. The final session for Grades 5/6 was January 26. We’re planning the K/1 six-week program for the spring. And we’re putting together a plan for a OWL training here at UUSM in late June/early July — as well as sending interested folks to be trained for Adult OWL in March in Orlando.
Coming of Age (COA)
COA is still going along. COA journals are going to be distributed next session. We have an excellent tapestry of teachers filling in and even have two brand new kids joining this week and next. This brings us up to eight teens total!
Programming
We’re looking into purchasing some new curricula to use for summer. And we are looking at the logistics of running a Spring Break camp for RE and neighborhood kids that is staffed by our teens.
Attendance
When at full attendance (which has happened twice) we have 29 (soon to be 31) kids and teens onsite on any given Sunday.
RE still averages eight or nine but is frequently hitting the 12-kid mark. This variable makes lesson planning hard, but the kids are always game to adapt activities for number or ages.
But… we do only have 15 kids who have turned in RE Registration forms. Starting in February, we’ll be instituting a policy that will prohibit kids from attending class if they don’t have a completed registration form. Visiting families will be given a day-of contact form.
Thank you all for your contributions and support to our RE program!
