• For Grades Pre-K Through Sixth Grade
• For Seventh, Eight, and Ninth Grades
• High School Youth Group
• Religious Education Calendar
• After RE Classes Child Safety
• Yellow House Needs Snacks!

For Grades Pre-K Through Sixth Grade

There have been a few changes in the Yellow House Religious Education classes recently. The 9:30 service has continued to be quite popular with our families and is bustling with activity. The 11:00 service has had less in attendance, but continues to be a thriving group.

To accommodate our families needs we have maintained the three class divisions at 9:30. The classes are divided by grade level and are: Pre-Kindergarten and Kindergarten; first, second and third grades; and fourth, fifth and sixth grades. The largest class is the first, second and third grade, so we have moved to a plan of opening a second “overflow” class in the Yellow House foyer if the number of children in that class becomes too large.

The 11:00 service has moved to an all ages model drawing on small group ministry and one-room schoolhouse ideals. This class has a smaller ratio of children to adults, resulting in more individual attention, as well as allowing for more hands on participation. Each member has different skills, knowledge and interests. In this way we all learn from each other and can build a close community. By grouping children and adults of all ages together we create a "family model" of RE. Those with children who may benefit from this type of learning may consider changing to our 11:00 session. The multi-age class will be taught by Janet Granja, our new DRE (Director of Religious Education), with the activities focused on the same themes as the earlier session, but with a slightly different twist that will make use of Janet's background in Fiber Arts and as an elementary teacher.

Environmental Awareness

This curriculum is designed to help children in the RE program learn to appreciate the environment, realize our impact on it as humans, and connect human use of the environment and resources with social justice and equitability issues. The lessons rely on gifts and talents of the congregation members, who serve as guides and guest speakers.

Purpose:

Through the lessons we will explore the relationship between humans and their environment. We will examine how we affect the environment, both positively and negatively, as well as historical and cultural traditions that were shaped by the environment. From this we will develop an understanding of what we want our future relations with the natural world to look like.

Rationale:

People are not separate from the environment. We are as much a part of the forest as any squirrel, as much a part of the ocean as any dolphin. We depend on the workings of the natural world for our very existence, just as the eagle does. From the smallest workings of bacteria to the largest earth climate changes, we affect and are affected by the natural world. For this reason we must look at ourselves as part of this extended family and make our decisions like we would in a family. Just as we wouldn't willfully make a decision that would adversely affect our grandchildren, we must be cautious not to make poor decisions that would adversely affect the natural world they will depend on. This curriculum, like most spiritual education, is about respect. Respect for ourselves and those around us, respect for non-human living organisms, and respect for future generations of living things.

As the curriculum is somewhat fluid, the DRE will try to tie weekly lessons to ongoing events in the church, and to other events happening in the church and out in the community. On days when the calendar lists Multi-Age RE, there will be no age-grouped classes, but rather multiage activities and games that relate to UU principles and environmental/social justice concepts.

Spring Religious Education Calendar 2008
Environmental Awareness

For Seventh, Eight, and Ninth Grades

The purpose of this program is to help youth gain the knowledge, life principles, and skills they need to express their sexuality in life-enhancing ways. Our Whole Lives (OWL) program started October 7. In short, OWL is a sexuality education curriculum developed by the UUA in conjunction with the United Church of Christ. More that 'just the facts', OWL promotes open communication between parents and children and presents sexuality as an integral piece of our human spirituality. It is taught by trained members of our congregation and is used by many UU Churches throughout the United States and Canada. It has been a very popular class, with at least 19 students attending!

Although the large numbers might prove to be a challenge, the teachers, Sherry Caisley-Wilkerson, John Dahl and Joseph Erhard-Hudson are working hard with creative solutions to solve the challenges a larger group poses. The good news is that this large number is yet another sign of the enormous growing pains our church is undergrowing as our young population expands.

High School Youth Group

The high school youth group, open to grades 9 through 12 continues to meet on Sunday evenings at 6:30 in the Yellow House. At present, the youth are watching movies together (both at the Yellow House and on outings to local theatres) and then discussing them afterwards. The YRUU leaders are Pam Bettis, Archie George, Lysa and Tom Salysbury, and Jenny Sheneman.

Spring Con is scheduled to take place in Canada this April. The Youth are still trying to decide if they want to go as a group, or hook up with the Spokane congregation individually. The costs of obtaining passports and travel are some of the issues facing the group, and continued discussion and consideration is under way. Not to be daunted, however, one determined youth has already earned money and gotten their passport, just in case!

After RE Classes Child Safety

For safety reasons, it is extremely important for parents to remember that RE does not provide supervision on the playground after RE classes are finished.

With those same concerns in mind, it is critical that parents of children in grades PreK-3rd grade sign their children out before they, the children, leave the Yellow House.

Up to now, we have not been requiring the 4th-6th grade students to be signed out by parents. But as part of our overall Safe Congregations Policy, we are now asking parents of the 4th-6th grade students to fill out a form, available from Director of Religious Education Janet Guthrie-Granja or from the UUCP Executive Secretary Summer Stevens during their office hours, noting whether they wish their children to sign themselves out or they wish to personally pick up and sign their children out at the Yellow House. Please drop the form off in the RE registration box in the windowsill in the Church foyer.

As the RE program gears up for the Fall, we are going to need donations of healthy shacks:

Juice:

-Jugs or frozen cans
-Please no artificial colourings
-Low corn syrup

Crackers:

-The healthier, the better
-No nuts please

Popcorn/Fruit Snacks

-For our wheat allergies
-Low fat/sodium recommended

Information about volunteering can be found here

Janet Guthrie-Granja, Director of Religious Education
UU Church of the Palouse
PO Box 9342
Moscow, ID 83843
208-882-4328