RE Tips!

2005-01-24T14:42:00.000-05:00

RE Tip #44 Have you visited the UUA calendar lately?

I was wondering if all of you knew what a great service the UUA provides in its national calendar - look there for regional and continental training opportunities. The light green bars are "RE related," but all are interesting.

http://www.uua.org/calendar/

Some of them may be far away, but then again, someone in your congregation may be willing to donate some frequent flier miles to you!

2005-01-13T11:23:00.000-05:00

RE Tip # 43 KidTalk: a fun, interactive resource for UU kids!

A new interactive website from the CLF, called KidTalk, provides resources for celebrating holidays from around the world, and helps kids to understand who they are as Unitarian Universalists. The site is a place for UU kids to ask questions and share with one another their ideas and questions about what it means to celebrate their UU faith. Kids can access the new site, which is regularly monitored by CLF staff members, at www.clfuu.org/kidtalk. Kids’ questions posted online are answered by a UU religious education professional, the Rev. Lynn Ungar, and after registering with permission from their parents, children are invited to listen and talk to one another on the “KidTalk blogspot.” The KidTalk site includes resources designed especially for kids to help them learn more about who we are as UUs and about the world’s religious traditions, and to help them “meet” famous Unitarians, Universalists, and UUs.

2005-01-13T09:48:00.000-05:00

RE Tip # 42 Resource for when a sex offender is part of your community

Balancing Act When a sex offender is part of the community
http://www.uu Reverend a.org/cde/ethics/balancing/index.html Debra W. Haffner
Foreword
Among the most difficult decisions congregational leaders face are those dealing with ethics and safety, including the decision to allow and welcome (or not), someone with a history of sexual offenses/abuse into a congregation. The few calls that have come to my office on this subject are the result of a crisis - the congregation finds itself faced with making this decision and is ill-prepared to do so. The experience of these congregations and the complexity of the issues involved led me to invite experienced sexologist, the Rev. Debra W. Haffner, Director of the Religious Institute on Sexual Morality, Justice, and Healing and an ordained Unitarian Universalist Minister, to develop this resource. I am grateful to Rev. Haffner for her ministry with us. I trust you will find this a valuable resource for your congregation's work and ministry.Tracey Robinson-HarrisDirector for Congregational ServicesUnitarian Universalist AssociationFall 2004
Table of Contents
Foreword Acknowledgements Introduction and Overview Congregation Policies and Practices During a Crisis Keeping Children and Youth Safe Educating Children for Prevention Educating Adults in the Congregation When Abuse is Suspected Support for Survivors of Sexual Abuse Guidelines for Involving Sex Offenders Introduction Steps to Take Youth Who May be Abusers Background Information on Child Abuse, Pedophilia, and Sex Offenders A Case Study: A Sex Offender in Church Appendices Draft Limited Access Agreement Sample Screening Form Sample Agreement to Teach Code of Ethics Resources References Download this manual in PDF format

2005-01-13T09:47:00.000-05:00

RE Tip # 41 Synapse - the YRUU magazine

Synapse is the publication of Young Religious Unitarian Universalists (YRUU), the youth organization of the Unitarian Universalist Association. Each issue contains articles, essays, poetry, and artwork by YRUUers across the continent! Also enclosed are updates and information about leadership and job opportunities, continental YRUU conferences, and what's going on with the governance of YRUU. Use the links at the bottom of the page to browse the latest issue of Synapse, or the Synapse Archives.

Be published in Synapse!
We're now accepting submissions for the Spring 2005 issue of Synapse. Theme: Sexuality. We're interested in articles, essays, poetry, artwork, etc. related to this theme. We are specifically looking for contributions about the following:
Testimonials about Our Whole Lives - the UUA's Sexuality Education Curriculum
“Opposite-sex” housing on college campuses
Marriage equality and same-sex couple families
Sex ed for Queer Folks
Gender-neutral pronouns
Sex ed in public schools
Polyamory and non-couple relationships
Gender power dynamics in YRUU and non-YRUU situations
Poems, artwork; anything inspiring!!

Submissions are due January 1st. Share your creativity with the world of YRUU! Email us at the Youth Office, or mail it to us at the address below!

Subscribe to Synapse!
This online version of Synapse is free! If you would like to receive email announcements about when this online magazine is updated, go to this page and subscribe to Synapse-l. (Very low traffic; 4 or 5 announcements per year.)

If you want to receive a two-year subscription to Synapse in print form, you can:1) Go to ConnectUU and create an account for yourself and and choose "Subscribe to Email Lists and Paper Publications"; or 2) Email the Youth Office (or write to the address below) with your Name, address and birthdate and we will subscribe you (takes longer.)3) If you're a youth group leader or youth advisor and want a bunch of copies for your youth group, all to be delivered to the church, email the Youth Office and let us know how many copies you want, and the church address.

Important: Print Synapse is free for youth aged 14-20. For adults, a 2-year subscription will cost USD $10. Make checks payable to "UUA."

Tell Us What You Think!
How do you like the 'look' of online Synapse? What do you think about the content? Anything you'd like to see? Have questions for the editors? Email us at the Youth Office, or write to us at the address below!

2005-01-13T09:45:00.000-05:00

RE Tip # 40 Do you know where your packet is?

Sometimes it might be hard to locate the great packet of info sent monthly to your congregation - but the online version is ready and waiting!! Click below.

Calling all Congregational Leaders: The December Congregational Packet is now online!
Find out what's new from the UUA! You can read a new pamphlet, "My Seven Principles," find out about a new resource, "The Kid's Book of Awesome Stuff," become involved in shaping the 2005-2007 Study Action Issue, and much more!

2004-12-05T11:15:00.000-05:00

RE Tip # 39 More Safey Resources
Background Screening Services

Volunteer Select
www.volunteerselect.com

Services:
-Social Security Screen
-National Criminal File
-Sexual Offender Search

Fee: $3.50 pus state or county expenses

ChoicePoint
Recommended by Church Mutual
1.800.342.5339
www.choicepoint.com

Services: There are several options; one in particular is available for those working with children and youth.

Fees: Fees range depending on which option one chooses; the option mentioned above is $53.78.

Oxford Document Management Company
1.800.801.9114
www.oxforddoc.com

Services: They offer five, ten, and fifteen year background referencing.

Fee: Fees range from $90-150.00, depending on how far back one needs to go.

ScreenChurchStaff.com
Offered by Christian Ministry Resources

Services: A range of services to meet lay and professional needs in a congregation.

Fee: Depends on the number of searches done. Their recommended package for church volunteers is about $65.00.

Risk Management Resources
Compiled by Tera Little
January 2004
Updated September 2004

American Camping Association
www.ACAcamps.org
National organization that gives support and resources to encourage excellence in camping. They have a comprehensive safety accreditation program for camps and they offer workshops and trainings in safety as well as an online bookstore.

Church Law Today
www.churchlawtoday.com
The website hosts discussion boards, online bookstore, professional newsletters, and training programs for a variety of lay and professional roles within congregations.

Church Mutual
www.churchmutual.com
1.800.554.2642
Church Mutual has a very comprehensive website that offers many risk management resources and sample forms for church use. They also offer 14 pamphlets which deal with various areas of church risk free of charge to their members.

Energize Volunteer Resource Catalog
www.energizeinc.com
1‑800‑395‑9800.
The website is for “leaders of volunteers” and is full of many resources, including a bookstore and a library.

Nonprofit Risk Management Center
www.nonprofitrisk.org
(202) 785-3891
Organization which specializes in helping nonprofits manage risk. They offer training in various areas, and the website has newsletters, fact sheets, advice, and risk management tutorials. It is an excellent place to begin learning more about this important aspect of church life. They also provide free technical assistance by telephone or email to nonprofit staff and volunteers.

Public Entity Risk Institute
www.riskinstitute.org
This website has hundreds of articles, newsletters, papers, and reports dealing with risk management. They also have a bookstore and a quarterly newsletter. For especially energetic and innovative souls PERI operates a Grant and Research Program, and they seek applications that meet their current priority needs.

Religious Institute on Sexual Morality, Justice, and Healing
www.religiousinstitute.org
The Religious Institute on Sexual Morality, Justice, and Healing develops and supports an expanding religious network of clergy, religious educators, theologians, theological ethicists, and other religious leaders committed to this vision of religion and sexuality. It builds the capacity of religious institutions and clergy to offer sexuality education within the context of their own faith traditions and to advocate for sexual rights; helps congregations become sexually healthy faith communities; and educates the public and policy makers about this vision of sexual morality, justice, and healing.

Christian Ministry Resources. Risk Management for Churches: A Self-Directed Audit. Matthews, NC: Christian Ministry Resources. This self-study survey will walk you through critical areas that deserve focused attention: counseling activities, property concerns, church vehicles, child care facilities, financial management, volunteers, political activity, copyright concerns, employment practices and more.
Check out the website for Christian Ministries Resources, Institute for Church Leadership, http://www.iclonline.com/ ,. On this website there is a link to the GuideOne Insurance Company, which has a number of excellent on‑line resources for risk management. The web address: www.guideonecenter.com. Phone: 704‑821‑3845
Melton, Joy Thornburg. Safe Sanctuaries for Youth: Reducing the Risk of Abuse in Youth Ministries. Nashville, TN: Discipleship Resources, 2003.
Hanna, Jeffrey W. Safe and Secure: The Alban Guide to Protecting Your Congregation. Bethesda, MD: The Alban Institute, 1999. From the cover: "This indispensable, comprehensive, and practical guide helps identify and develop strategies for minimizing a congregation's liability and ensuring the safety and security of its members and visitors. From his unique perspective as a pastor and former detective, Hanna outlines issues, offers solutions to common problems, and helps readers assess their congregation's risks. Topics discussed include: handling money, building maintenance and security, personnel practices, and various types of criminal and civil liability."
Alban Institute book store: 1-800486-1318 ext 244, or online: http://www.alban.org/

Shelton, Michael. Secret Encounters: Addressing Sexual Behaviors in Group Settings. Martinsville, Indiana: American Camping Association, 2004.
This book has a very “OWL-esque” attitude toward the sexual nature of children and youth – they recognize that children and youth are sexual beings and this cannot be turned off because they are at a camp (or at a church conference). Topics range from our culture’s attitudes about sex, to exploring our own attitudes, to creating a culture of safety and respect, to chapters about sexual assault and sexual harassment, a chapter on childhood sexual development – what is normative and what is unusual, information on child sexual abuse, and creating a safety plan.

To order, go online to http://www.acacamps.org/, then go to bookstore or call the ACA bookstore directly at 800.428.2267.

2004-10-29T15:35:00.000-04:00

RE Tip # 38 - LREDA Membership and Fall Conference

LREDA (Liberal Religious Educators Assn) is a fantastic organization - membership is open to all who support Liberal RE.

ACTIVE membership has just been EXPANDED to include those currently employed or actively seeking employment as "Youth Directors, Young Adult and Campus Ministry Professionals" who have completed 3 yrs in a paid position with a UU Congregation or affiliated organization or who have completed a minimum of five renaissance modules.

STUDENT/NEW DRE membership is open to these same persons who have completed less than 3 yrs in a paid position or with less than 3 modules.

SUPPORTIVE and INSTITUTIONAL memberships open to all persons and congregations.

Check it out at www.uua.org/LREDA

Next year's Fall Conference will be Oct 21-24, 2005 in PHILADELPHIA!!!!!!!!!!!!
I'd love to see EVERY religious educator in the MNY district attend this great event, especially since it's so close to home.

2004-10-16T01:19:00.000-04:00

RE TIP #37 Six ways to screen your employees and volunteers

Check out this Church Mutual page!!

http://www.churchmutual.com/index.cfm?choice=risk&page=RM_SN_Six_Ways&id=39

2004-10-05T09:33:00.000-04:00

RE Tip #36 Resources for Creating Safe Congregations

This week's tip is short - but connects to a longer and very important webpage at the UUA

http://www.uua.org/cde/education/safecong.html

2004-10-05T09:32:00.000-04:00

RE Tip #35 Spiritual Renewal

I know many of you work long hours yet cannot feel spiritually "fed" at your own congregations. Self-care is important, and I recommend you find time for it - schedule time for it as a priority.

In this light, I'm letting you know about some retreat center programming around/close to our district.

And I'd LOVE to hear about other opportunities in the area!

Kirkridge (just inside PA, off rt 80) has many interesting workshops coming up:
http://www.kirkridge.org/upcoming.html
especially:
November 19 - 21: Building a Vocal Community: Singing in the African American Tradition Ysaye M. BarnwellOpen to all, this workshop is designed to facilitate the development of community through the vehicle of music from the African American vocal tradition.

Omega (Rhinebeck, north of NY along the Hudson)
http://www.eomega.org/omega/retreats/dstyjdstyjes/listWorkshops/
also offers workshops in manhattan like this one:
The Essence of Yoga A weekend conference at the Sheraton New York Hotel in New York City
October 22-24, 2004http://www.eomega.org/omega/conferences/9ee527b988cc97c44dbd255b40785773/

Rowe Camp and Conference Center
http://www.rowecenter.org/
October 22-24
The Chalice and The Blade
Riane Eisler
November 12-14
Earth as Teacher, Earth as Healer
Starhawk

2004-09-16T23:00:00.000-04:00

RE Tip # 34 Unplug the Christmas Machine is a workshop designed to help participants have a more spiritual and less materialistic holiday season. The exercises help each person learn which parts of the celebration are most important, and then eliminate or reduce those elements that cause stress or are not enjoyable.

Two of my former congregations offer it just about every year, and so I'd thought I'd share it with you!
http://www.simpleliving.org/catalog/Christmas.html#Link5

2004-09-09T22:05:00.000-04:00

RE Tip # 33 - LREDA Code of Professional Practices

WELCOME BACK to another great RE YEAR!! I know that many of you are LREDA members, who were bound by the following code when you joined - and I think it's a good idea to re-read it from time to time. Maybe try reading it like you've never seen it before...

It's especially good to review it in light of the upcoming Joint LREDA/UUMA Chapter Meeting on October 6. We need to hold our covenant as sacredly as the ministers do theirs in order to be viewed as colleagues.By the way, if you're not currently a Continental LREDA member - please consider joining!! All are welcome - RE Chairs, Youth Advisors, even institutions can join - go to www.uua.org/LREDA for the form and details.

Joining the local LREDA Chapter can be done by contacting Louan Minzner, Treasurer, at theminzners@patmedia.net

CODE OF PROFESSIONAL PRACTICES
Preamble
We, the members of the Liberal Religious Educators Association, do affirm this Code of Professional Practices as our standard of commitment to the practice of religious education. We envision and urge that this Code be followed by all LREDA members who are or have been engaged as professional religious educators, and that it be supported by all who by joining our membership have indicated that they honor the importance of religious growth and learning in our congregations.
I. Self
A. As a professional religious educator, or as a supporter of religious education within the Unitarian Universalist Association, I commit myself to honor the ideals of liberal religious education, and to actively explore and articulate the underlying values and principles that those ideals express.
B. I recognize that as a religious leader in whom trust and power have been placed, I am both morally and legally in a professional relationship to which I am called to be faithful (a fiduciary relationship). I must never abuse the authority of my position by manipulating others to satisfy my personal needs, which may include, but are not restricted to, sexualized behavior with any child, adolescent, or vulnerable adult seeking advice or comfort; with any adult in another committed relationship; with interns or with youth advisors. Nor will I engage in any other exploitative relationship that abuses the power and damages the trust that a specific individual, a congregation, or an institution has placed in me. As a religious education professional, I have the responsibility to be aware of, to advocate, and to live by this Code of Professional Practices, and to expect that my colleagues will do likewise. I accept the responsibility to confront a colleague's misuse of power or to report concerns about suspected misconduct to a LREDA Good Officer. Furthermore, I will be aware of and observe the legal requirements of my State or Province regarding reporting of physical or sexual misconduct.
C. The recognition of the importance of religious education by my congregation or employer requires acknowledgment of my worth as a professional religious educator. Understanding that other religious educational professionals will follow after me, I will work actively with an appropriately designated group within my congregation/place of employment to help establish up-to-date standards of fair compensation and working conditions that support our professional skills.
D. Because the role and the demands on the religious educator require continual updating of professional perspectives, I will seek and maintain outside collegial contacts and continuing education opportunities to provide such professional growth.
E. As a private person who brings a complex variety of needs and boundaries to my professional life, I commit myself as much as possible to seek needed personal assistance from a professional outside of my congregation. Since the demands of others upon me will be many and constant, I will try to keep especially aware of my rights and limits, and if I am not single, of the rights and limits of my family, and of my relation to them as a spouse, partner, parent, or friend.
II. Colleagues
A. Since I share the welfare of the congregation/place of employment with the parish minister and/or other staff, I will seek to be part of mutually cooperative and consultative relationships with them as we carry out our shared and separate responsibilities. Should difficulties arise, I will seek help judiciously and express my concerns professionally, keeping in mind the dignity and value of my position.
B. I recognize that in my relationship with colleagues in parish ministry, community ministry, religious education, and affiliate organizations, I have a responsibility to be supportive of them in both personal and public situations. I will offer honest and caring responses to them and endeavor to designate appropriate help.
C. Understanding the trust that colleagues place in relationships with each other, I will honor the need for confidentiality, keeping in mind that such confidentiality is not to be used to allow harm to another or to prevent appropriate help from being sought.
D. I will share leadership opportunities and responsibilities with my colleagues openly, honestly, and ethically. In particular, I will consult with them in advance of any professional or public engagements that I may be asked to undertake in their communities or congregations.
E. In the event that I remain a member in the congregation where I have previously served in a position of religious education leadership, I will refrain from being involved in the process of selecting my successor. Further, I will support my successor by leaving room for her/ him to establish her/his own identity and leadership in the congregation and by refraining from accepting positions on policy-making bodies in the congregation (such as the Board, Religious Education Committee, Finance Committee, or Personnel Committee) for two years after my professional leadership has been concluded in that congregation. I will consult with her/him before accepting or volunteering for roles in the religious education program, and will encourage members of the congregation to speak to the current religious educator or other appropriate persons for answers to all current religious education issues or concerns.
III. Congregation
A. I will uphold and honor the practice of congregational polity within the congregation I serve, knowing that by educating and modeling the practice of such polity, I am strengthening the experience of free corporate religious life.
B. I will respect the traditions of the congregation/place of employment I serve and will seek changes that reflect liberal religious principles of inclusivity in consultation with others in that body.
C. I will honor absolutely the confidences shared with me by members of the congregation or place of employment, keeping in mind that such confidentiality should not contribute to personal or professional misuse of power.
D. In the case of planned or forced resignation or significant change in role or responsibility, I will consult with a LREDA Good Officer for counsel and assistance in executing a well-managed departure or change.
IV. Wider Association
A. I will work to educate myself and to share with others the value of a liberal religious perspective that I both represent and extend.
B. As a LREDA member, I understand my responsibility to educate lay people and ministerial colleagues about the qualifications for and dimensions of religious education leadership, and to enlist their help in according appropriate status to liberal religious educators.
C. To promote professional integrity and leadership, I will be familiar with and advocate for LREDA's Code of Professional Practices and Guidelines.
D. I will support and participate in activities and programs of the Unitarian Universalist Association and encourage the participation of others in such events, knowing that wider participation will lead to deeper understanding of our goals as liberal religious educators.
E. Recognizing the relationship between liberal religious goals and values and adequate financial resources needed to support their attainment, I will work to support fair and appropriate funding efforts advocated by the Unitarian Uni-versalist Association and associated interests and programs of liberal reli-gious educators.
V. The Larger Community
A. As a professional religious educator, I understand that whenever I participate in the wider community, I represent my particular faith group and should pro-vide a living model of ethical and reli-gious leadership for people of all ages and circumstances. B. I will honor our liberal religious im-perative to work for social justice. In turn, I will encourage all people within my congregation to participate in com-munity and world issues as the embodi-ment of living religiously in the liberal tradition.

2004-05-18T16:51:00.000-04:00

RE Tip # 32 RE Council Job Descriptions

Several congregations that use the "council" model for their RE working group have shared their organizational structure with me - where there are several "portfolios" with descriptions, aimed at streamlining meetings and producing more efficient workload distribution.

If this interests you, please take a look at
http://www.uumetrony.org/services/re%20docs/RE_Council_model_jobs.doc
to read about this model of RE governance.

2004-05-11T11:25:00.000-04:00

RE Tip # 31 CLF Resources

*The CLF has recently launched CHURCH ONLINE, a web component of our Church on Loan program that has been serving small UU congregations for over a decade. Through Church OnLine, congregations can access:

- Sundays Online ~ More than 80 complete services with sermons by well-known UU ministers available for use in worship.

- Religious Education Curriculum Plan ~ designed by professional RE directors for small RE programs

- Religious Education Connections ~ online resource with ideas for seasonal celebrations, informative articles, and games and activities for families and children.

- Between Sundays ~ a website designed to help parents and other adults answer religious questions raised by children and youth.

- E-mail lists ~ CLF offers several email lists to help our members stay in touch with each other, and to share announcements and resources.

Also included are several print materials, plus access to the CLF Loan Library: a great resource for the growing congregation that does not yet have a library of its own.

For details, visit http://www.clfuu.org/churchonloan.

2004-05-04T23:49:00.000-04:00

RE Tip #30 Send a weekly email bulletin to Parents and Teachers

Here's a sample weekly bulletin that our Staten Island DRE sends to parents and teachers by email. This is an easy and inexpensive way to keep all up-to-date.

Why not try this at your congregation?

Religious Education News Bulletin
April 27, 2004

Empty Bowls Project

This coming weekend we will be finishing up the Empty Bowls Project. This innovative and wonderful project, undertaken by our Junior High group, under the leadership of Steve Nutt is to raise money for Project Hospitality. The group has made beautiful pottery bowls. They will be selling them at our Church Coffee Hour and serving soup to go into the bowls. So here’s how you can help:

1) Come to the Parish Hall on May 1st, Saturday, at 4 PM to help make soup.

2) Prepare to be generous on Sunday when you purchase a bowl. The proceeds all go to Project Hospitality. (It would be kind to give parents first option on the bowl made by their child.)

Religious Education Program is co-sponsoring a Coffee House

On Saturday, May 8th, at 7:30 PM the RE Program is working in conjunction with the Coffee House to host a family-oriented Coffee House centered on the theme of Cinco de Mayo (Okay, so we’re doing it on Cinco de Ocho). We need your help on this event too. Mainly, we would like you to attend, have fun, and support the event. So again, the main thing we are asking you to do is come and have a good time. If you need further information on this event, call ...

Help Wanted Ad

Dedicated people to teach and/or assist in our Religious Education Program. Varied opportunities, training and support provided, lots of fun moments. Your commitment can vary. Two Sundays a month; or a block of a few months; or whatever works best for you. Please let me know your availability, needs, and age group you would most prefer working with as soon as possible.

Murray Grove Update

This fun weekend is filling up fast. Sign up this coming Sunday before we run out of room!!!

Next RE Meeting on Sunday, May 16th at 9 am in the Parish Hall.

2004-04-26T10:02:00.000-04:00

RE Tip # 29 - Adding another Worship Service - Passing this on for those congregations considering this move...

The congregational resource, formerly known as "Two Services," has now been
updated with new research and recent experience. "Adding Worship Services:
A How-to Manual" is available on line at
http://www.uua.org/cde/education/addingworshipservices.pdf

This new document expands on the notion that an added service will duplicate
the existing service(s) by encouraging congregations to reach out to new
populations. It also covers adding a duplicate service. It talks about
ways of deciding whether to add, what kind of service to add, and ways of
implementing and evaluating the decision. It lists willing contacts who
will share their experience.

All District Executives and District Program Consultants will be receiving a
hard copy of this resource in the mail. In the meantime, have a look at it
on the web and refer others to it as you find it useful. Some of you may
want to forward this email to others who would find this useful.

Thanks to many of you for your referrals to congregations that have gone
through the process of adding a worship service. This is an invaluable
contribution to the usefulness of the resource. Please give us any feedback
you have for future updates.

Margaret L. Beard, Director
and
Susanna Whitman, Administrator

New Congregation and Growth Resources
Congregational Services
Unitarian Universalist Association
25 Beacon Street
Boston, MA 02108
phone 617/948-4270
fax 617/742-0321
swhitman@uua.org

2004-04-22T21:35:00.000-04:00

2004-04-20T11:42:00.000-04:00

RE Tip # 28 Thinking "Out of the Curriculum Box"

Sometimes great learning experiences happen when we think "out of the curriculum box," using other modalities to get our message across.

I'd LOVE to publish examples of innovative ideas like the one below on our website - send yours in today!!!

This memo was printed in a church newsletter and included in emailed weekly announcements:
MIDDLE SCHOOL YOUTH Please Bring your Laptops on Sunday! Plug in to our
wireless network in the RE Department for the Tim Berners-Lee
Presentation.
LAPTOPS NEEDED for Sunday April 11-Easter Sunday. The Middle School
Youth will be learning about Sir Tim Berners-Lee, famous UU who
developed the technology leading the formation of the world wide web.
Yes, a Unitarian was responsible for the FREE interdependent technology
that has changed global communication.

The DRE explained further:
FUUCSA has just installed a "wireless network." So when the youth brought their laptops they were able to access the Tim Berners-Lee website. http://www.w3.org/People/Berners-Lee/Overview.html

Access is better than a picture when you talk about the "Respect for the interdependent web of all existence of which we are a part."

2004-04-17T14:09:00.000-04:00

RE Tip # 27 Reducing the Risk of Sexual Misconduct
Here's a great document available on the web from Church Mutual
http://www.churchmutual.com/index.cfm?choice=risk&page=RM_sxmc&id=0

And a reminder that this is the last week to pre-register for the District Annual Meeting -
http://www.uumetrony.org/events/annualmeeting.htm
where you'll get a chance to learn more about assessing risk and planning for safety in this great workshop:

Risky Business: Safeguarding Our Beloved Community This workshop will cover the basics of congregational safety, including information on building and program safety; the development of policies for keeping children, teens, and vulnerable adults safe; sex abuse prevention; and how to deal with an accused or convicted sex offender who wants to come to church. Time for questions! Lots of handouts! Facilitators: Andrea Lerner, District RE Program Consultant, and the Rev. Debra W. Haffner, Director of the Religious Institute on Sexual Morality, Justice, and Healing, and a Community Minister serving the Unitarian Church in Westport (CT).

2004-04-05T11:30:00.000-04:00

RE Tip # 26 What's the best summer UU Experience for youth? GA? ConCon? Something else?

GA Youth Caucus or Con Con?
http://www.uua.org/YRUU/continental/gaorconcon.html
read this fine guide to these two experiences!

Of course, remember there are many fine camps and conference centers with family and/or youth weeks!! Here are some located in the northeast U.S.
Star Island www.starisland.org
The Mountain www.mountaincenters.org
UUMAC www.uumac.org
Sophia Fahs Encampment www.liacuu.org/
Unirondack www.unirondack.org
Ferry Beach www.ferrybeach.org
Rowe Camp & Conference Center www.rowecenter.org

2004-03-30T12:11:00.000-05:00

RE Tip of the Week #25 Leadership School
Leadership school is a wonderful way to learn about church systems, improve your leadership skills, and network with other church leaders. It also "counts" towards the five experiences required for "Renaissance Recognition" for religious educators. The first of the following is specifically for religious educators, and the others are more general leadership schools. It's great to go with a few folks from your congregation - a good way to build upon each other's insights.
IT'S ONE OF THE BEST INVESTMENTS YOU'LL EVER MAKE!!

1. http://www.mountaincenters.org/lcl_lsre.html
Leadership School for Religious Educators
July 4 - 10, 2004 at Ferry Beach in Saco, Maine
A program sponsored by the
Learning Center for Leadership

Expand your professional skills with religious education colleagues at The Mountain's Leadership School for Religious Educators. Leadership School provides opportunities to explore your own leadership style, gain interpersonal and organizational skills, deepen your spiritual life, and network with people from small, mid-size and large Unitarian Universalist congregations.

LSRE is an intense experience, but one which is exciting and meaningful. You'll look back on your experience long after you've gone home.

In order to enable you to completely focus on Leadership School, no concurrent youth program is offered.

Areas of Focus

Temperaments and styles — Learn your own preferences, and how to work from strengths to enhance group work.
Small group dynamics — Life cycles, group processes, and ways to empower groups through collaborative leadership.

Organizational development for UU congregations — Learn more about the vital role of religious education and governance.

Systems thinking — Acquire a systems perspective for congregational life.

Size dynamics — How does the size of your program and congregation affect your role in the church?
Professional standards — Learn state-of-the-art thinking on being an RE professional.

Working with volunteers — Making the most of human resources.

Conflict management — Learn how to manage conflicts effectively.

UU heritage and values — Strengthen your knowledge of Unitarian Universalist history and its meaning in today's world.

Worship — Join with others in planning and presenting worship.

2. http://users.nbn.net/~unilead/
UNILEAD: The Metro-NY and JPD Leadership School
Here you can learn about the annual July School, including information about the retreat center where the School is held, the daily schedule, staffing, accommodations, food, cost, and topics studied. The School, which has operated since 1983, has graduated more than 580 Unitarian Universalist lay leaders. Unilead accepts between 18 and 32 students annually.

3. http://www.uua.org/nels/
Northeast Leadership School 2004 Schedule and Location
August 1-7, 2004
Craigville Conference Center on Cape Cod
Craigville, Massachusetts
Overlooking Nantucket Sound on Cape Cod between Hyannisport and Centerville, MA, Craigville Conference Center campus is a part of a small private village surrounded by wooded areas and fresh water ponds. Ten minutes of walking on a trail through dunes reveals sandy Craigville Beach. Beach cottage style rooms lend an atmosphere of relaxation and informality.

4. http://www.sld.uua.org/brochures/pdf/2004EaglesBro.pdf
July 17-24 Eagles Leadership School in St Lawrence District

5. http://www.mountaincenters.org/lcl_mscl.html
The Mountain School for Congregational Leadership
August 1 - 7 , 2004
Focusing on skill-building in order to strengthen overall
congregational leadership

Expand your leadership skills at The Mountain. The Mountain School for Congregational Leadership provides opportunities to explore your own leadership style, gain interpersonal and organizational skills, deepen your spiritual life, and network with people from small, mid-size and large Unitarian Universalist congregations.

2004-03-24T21:32:00.000-05:00

RE Tip # 24 - Teacher Recruitment Brochure and Application
It's getting to be that time of year again when our thoughts turn to baseball...
wait, that's not right!
I meant teacher recruitment, of course!

I'm posting a sample brochure that is a good way to let lots of folks know what teaching in your RE program would require of them. It's called, "Who Me? Teach RE?" This could be handed out or mailed to all congregants as part of an educational process.

Also posting a sample teacher application. I recommend an application process (even when you're desperate) so that you can more carefully match applicants to the right position and even find a way to redirect their efforts occasionally.

Take a look at http://www.uumetrony.org/services/sampledocs.htm for these and more.

Safety policies are a good thing to review at this time also - does your church require background checks for people working with children? Not yet? You might want to make sure you attend our Annual Meeting in Stamford, April 30-May 1 and participate in the "Risky Business" workshop with Debra Haffner and yours truly.

2004-03-16T14:28:00.000-05:00

RE Tip # 23 Professional Covenants foster good working relationships

Many Parish Minister/Religious Educator teams gathered on February 18 to participate in Colleague Conversations - a facilitated process for developing good working relationships.

Next fall, this event is scheduled for Wednesday, September 29. Please discuss this with your colleague and put it on your calendars now!!

Thanks to David Leonard and Sue Fertig for sharing their covenant with us:

Professional Covenant
February 18, 2004
We, David Leonard, Minister and Sue Fertig, DRE, covenant this day:

To Maintain a Healthy Professional and Personal Relationship by
communicating openly and honestly
listening with an open mind
establishing and respecting boundaries
receiving and offering constructive feedback
upholding the premise of confidentiality
reviewing this covenant annually

To Support Each Other in Ministry by
scheduling and maintaining regular meeting times
working collaboratively
doing co-evaluations with yearly goal-setting

To Keep Uppermost in Our Focus and Direction the Total Wellbeing of the Congregation by
working with the congregation in achieving yearly goals
enhancing an awareness of the entire church community in all aspects of congregational life
supporting committee work and helping to make connections among committees so that they can be more effective

To Attend to the Responsibilities of Leadership by
understanding our own job responsibilities
encouraging and nurturing leadership among the Society’s members
promoting leadership skills and development within the congregation.

And to Have Fun!

2004-03-04T10:37:00.000-05:00

Subject: RE Tip #22 Keep in touch with your graduating youth
There are two items in this post -
1. District Bridging Con and Ceremony
2. UUA "Bridge Connections" packets - order now!

ONE:
Our annual meeting coincides with the district "Bridging Con" which is a joint youth/young adult conference culminating in a bridging ceremony on Saturday at the annual meeting.
Registrations are being accepted now.
Bridging 2004
Living Our Faith With Passion
April 30 – May 1, 2004
Bridging Conference from Friday night to Saturday morning
at the Unitarian Church in Westport, Connecticut

Bridging Ceremony at the
Annual Meeting of the Unitarian Universalist District of Metropolitan New York
at the Stamford Connecticut Marriott Hotel on Saturday afternoon.

We welcome youth and young adults to participate in this conference and ceremony!
To learn more contact:
Amy Strano
212-535-5530
Amy@allsoulsnyc.org

Limited space available so register early!
Mail Completed Registration Form, Signed Spirit Committee Covenant and $40 to:
Amy Strano at All Souls Unitarian Church 1157 Lexington Avenue, New York, NY 10021
or register online at http://mnyd.uuyan.org/
Please Make Checks Payable for $40 to “MNYD of the UUA”

TWO:
DEADLINE FOR THIS IS MARCH 15 !!
Bridge Connections 2004
A program of the UUA Office of
Young Adult and Campus Ministry

Bridge Connections are gifts for each UU youth turning 18 or graduating from
high school in 2004, intended to help keep them connected to Unitarian
Universalism as they become adults.

Thanks to the overwhelming response last year, this popular gift is being
offered for a second year. Unfortunately, due to budget restrictions, we
must charge a small fee for the program this year (the $5 fee entitles you
to a packet with a retail value of over $35).

Bridge Connections order form can be found on-line. Here is the web address for it :

http://www.uua.org/news/congpacket/jan2004/Bridge%20Connections%202004%20for
%20Cong%20Mailing.pdf

Each Connection Pack Contains:
· A copy of one of the UUA's wonderful hard-cover meditation
collections (titles include All the Gifts of Life, Listening for Our Song
and What We Share-each retails for $15.00), suitable for a personal message
of congratulations from the congregation;
· A postage-paid reply card entitling each bridging senior to one free
year of UUWorld, and Quest (the newsletter of the Church of the Larger
Fellowship), as well as the Canadian Unitarian Council's quarterly magazine
for those who live in Canada, and a subscription to our monthly electronic
Young Adult news; and
· A directory of UU Campus Ministry groups

Questions? Need more information? Contact us at ya-cm@uua.org or
617-948-4273

Send in the order form below by March 15 with payment. We will send the
packs to you by May 15, 2004, in time for bridging ceremonies or recognition
of your graduating seniors in a Sunday service.

Bridge Connections 2004 Order Form

Congregation Name:

Congregation Mailing Address:

Contact Person: Title:

Daytime Phone Number: E-mail address:

# of packets needed: Amount enclosed ($5 US or CDN per
packet): $
Date of your 2004 Bridging Ceremony:
Mail to:
Bridge Connections Orders
UUA Office of Young Adult and Campus Ministry
25 Beacon St
Boston MA 02108 USA
Order deadline: March 15, 2004. Late orders cannot be accepted

RE Tip # 21 On Line Learning Opportunities
Here's another way to hone your skills - taking an on-line course!

Are you looking for ways to better understand the dynamics of your congregation? Would you like your congregation to be more visible in your community? Do your volunteers need energizing?

The Learning Center for Leadership has online courses that can help equip you to fulfill your congregational leadership role!

Volunteer Management —
May 3-31, 2004

Volunteer service is essential to the life of a congregation--from day-to-day clerical assistance to Sunday morning responsibilities. This course will explore the concepts and practices involved in developing and sustaining effective volunteer programs in our faith communities.

Media Relations & Publicity 101
May 3-31, 2004

Want to grow your congregation and be a beacon of hope in your local community? Learning how to effectively promote your local congregation and our Unitarian Universalist principles and values in your wider community can make the difference. Register now for this course.

How Church Systems Work
March 1 – April 5, 2004
May 3 – June 7, 2004

Things happen in congregations within a systems framework. Learn how your church system operates, and how to work effectively within it. Strengthen your church community to reflect Unitarian Universalist values, principles and practices, and learn how to bring your theological perspectives to the forefront of church life.

How To Take An On Line Course
March 8 – 15, 2004
April 5 – 12, 2004
May 3 – 10, 2004
June 7 – 14, 2004

Learn how to make effective use of the Internet and web-based instructions, so you can take advantage of an increasing number of on-line courses. Step by step instruction and oversight by faculty will help you achieve your own learning objectives.

For more information or to register, visit our course descriptions at: http://www.mountaincenters.org/lcl_online.html
Helen Bishop, Director, Learning Center for Leadership,
HHBishop@aol.com
Laurel Amabile, Learning Center for Leadership, Laurelamabile@aol.com
The Mountain's Learning Center for Leadership
Visit our Web site: http://mountaincenters.org/lcl.html

RE Tip of the Week # 20 - Small Talk
Attached is the latest issue of Small Talk, a newsletter for small congregations. I know not all of you serve small congregations - but this move to serve those folks better deserves to be widely known.
Small Talk February 2004 http://www.uumetrony.org/services/re%20docs/smalltalkfeb04.pdf

RE Tip of the Week #19 - Our Annual Meeting!

I think Religious Educators, youth advisors, young adults and youth are a tremendous addition to any district annual meeting - hence I am forwarding Lynda Bluestein's invitation:

http://www.uumetrony.org/events/annualmeeting.htm is the web address for this year's Metro NY District Annual Meeting. You'll find great speakers (Amnesty International's William Schulz/ Harlan Limpert our Director of Lay Leadership Development) and 10 workshops! Well -- there simply have to be dozens of volunteers in your congregations who will want/need to attend one or more. I am sorry I am giving one because I would like to participate in any one of the 9 others!

Please click on the link above and take a look at the schedule and program and then -- this year for the first time ever -- register on line. What could be easier?

I am very proud of the work the Annual Meeting Planning Committee has done putting together a relentlessly useful and stimulating program for our 53 congregations' leaders. I can rave on like this because I had no part in the planning -- the committee pulled together this program and our staff made it happen.

Dear friends who are Ministers and Congregation Presidents: I see workshops for religious educators, worship leaders, canvass chairs and canvassers, membership chairs, board members, webmasters, social action committee leaders and members. Your strategic planners and growth folks are in for a real treat! UUs who attend the meeting will be fed, nurtured, inspired and energized. A burnout antidote. I promise.

In faith,

Lynda Bluestein, President
UU District of Metropolitan New York and
District President Association
61 Lantern Road Fairfield, CT 06824-2801
TEL 203 256-8085 FAX 203 256-8095

2004-01-26T10:46:00.000-05:00

RE Tip of the Week #18 - Youth Resources

There is LOADS of information about Youth Ministry available on the web at www.uua.org/YRUU - and here are some highlights:

Coming to Tour the Youth Office?
Want to come visit us in the Youth Office? There are some new guidelines you should know about! http://www.uua.org/YRUU/youthoffice/heritage.html

"Seven Steps to Hiring a Paid Youth Advisor." The short document outlines the steps needed for a congregation to figure out what they want in a paid youth advisor, how to find one, fair compensation, evaluation, and more!
All of this is one click away at: http://www.uua.org/YRUU/resources/7youthadvisor.htm

And, How to Fire Your (volunteer) Youth Advisor
http://www.uua.org/re/reach/youth/fire_advisor.html

New and Revised Youth Advisor Handbook Now Available!!
The long-awaited revision of our most popular publication, The Youth Advisor Handbook, is now available from the UUA Bookstore.

Lots more online resources are listed on http://www.uua.org/YRUU/resources.html#online

2004-01-22T00:08:00.000-05:00

RE Tip of the Week # 17 SCHOLARSHIP AWARDS

Annual scholarships are awarded to three deserving young people from District congregations. The criteria for the awards are service through leadership or participation in a local congregation and/or the denomination, or through these to the local community; and scholarship as indicated by academic achievement in high school or college.

LETTER AND APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS

THE DEADLINE IS FEB 28, 2004

RE Tip of the Week #16 - Create an RE FAQ page for your website!

This was not on my list of future tips, but I thought it was such a good idea when I came across it on the web that I thought I'd share.

I was surfing some church sites yesterday to tty to decide where to attend Sunday services, and really was puzzled by a couple of them - they listed the service times, but I did not understand what the schedule for children was. If I were a total newcomver, I'd appreciate a short guide to when and where to show up and what to expect.

Consider showing your webpage to an acquaintance or neighbor who's not a UU and ask them if they're clear about what it says. We need to make sure we're being welcoming!
All it would take for our movement to grow significantly would be for us to NOT ALIENATE two additional visitors per month per congregation. That would total about 24,000 new UUs this year!

So, this document is a good start:
http://www.uua.org/re/other/faq.html

But I'd add something like this to the website too:

Our Sunday Morning Schedule:
(I used to post a weekly schedule like this on all the building entrances and in the foyer)

10:45 Greeters available in our Foyer. Please introduce yourselves, get nametags, and ask for a welcome packet. There will be a map of our building and grounds enclosed.
10:45 Nursery opens for infants through age 5 in Room 17
11:00 Worship Service begins in our Sanctuary - please bring your children to the beginning of the service.
11:15 (approx) Story for All Ages in the Worship. At the conclusion of the story, the children will be excused to their classes. Feel free to accompany your children to help them get settled if you are new to our program.
12:00 Worship ends - Please join us for coffee hour in our Fellowship Hall
12:15 Children's Relgious Education ends - Please pick up your children promptly from their classes and rejoin us at coffee hour.

2004-01-07T00:32:00.000-05:00

RE Tip of the Week #15
Here's a collection of non-UU resources and sites that I've found useful:

1. Teaching Tolerance" magazine, from the Southern Poverty Law Center
available to educators at no charge - also online at
http://www.tolerance.org/teach/

Also, from Cathy Muller:
I wanted to send you information about a wonderful music resource. It's called "I Will Be Your Friend". It is offered from Teaching Tolerance and is free to educational organizations. It comes with a CD and music song book. The songs are catching with good messages. You can order by sending a request on your church letterhead to:
I Will Be Your Friend
Teaching Tolerance
400 Washington Ave.
Montgomery, AL 36104
or FAX 334-056-8486
The first copy is free and then $30 for additional copies. Our Youth Choir will be singing one of the songs at their first performance in November.

2. "ADDitude" Magazine - a positive and supportive magazine for families dealing with attention deficit disorder. Lots of articles spanning the lifespan issues of ADD - very upbeat, focusing on advocacy and viewing things in the most positive light.
http://www.additudemag.com/

3. "Family Fun" Magazine
Lots of great crafts and family friendly activities that can be used in RE settings
http://familyfun.go.com/

4. http://www.beliefnet.org/
which includes many services, including meditaions like "A Potato Chip Meditation" (multimedia ones, even) and inspirational messages (ok, there are jokes too.)

5. Don't know lots about this one, but I've heard it mentioned several times recently and it looks interesting:
http://www.culturalcreatives.org/bigpicture.html

6. Spirituality and Health -related to Frederic and Mary Ann Brussat, who wrote "Spiritual Literacy" - Including their selections for the best 50 spiritual books of the year
http://www.spiritualityhealth.com/newsh/items/home/item_216.html
I get their "soul-boosters" twice a week by email
http://www.spiritualityhealth.com/newsh/items/blank/item_2846.html

7. Bishop Shelby Spong's website, essays and email Q&A (some free, some for a fee)
http://secure.agoramedia.com/index_spong.asp?promo=0E80E175-C847-49EA-9392-AA60639CA6FF&email
I signed up for the free essay sample and am still getting the Q&A regularly

2003-12-31T00:29:00.000-05:00

RE Tip of the Week #14
Coming of Age Listserve

The COA programming list serve for facilitators, DREs, leaders
is now up and ready for folks to start helping each other out, or asking for help, or sharing goods / not so goods, etc -

COA-L is a discussion-list of Unitarian Universalist Coming-of-Age (COA) Programming. It is intended to facilitate communication among UU Religious Educators, to include: Ministers, DREs, Coming-of-Age facilitators or leaders, and program
developers. By using the to COA-L list, subscribers can share resources, ideas, helpful hints, and educational opportunities related to Coming-of-Age Programming. http://www.uua.org/mailman/listinfo/coa-l

RE Tip of the Week #13
Hanukkah Resource

I went to visit Ruth Owen at her new congregation - First and Second Church in Boston.
Her RE kids performed this Hanukkah piece in the worship last Sunday.

Celebrating Hanukkah – living menorah
(Recruit 9 volunteers to make up your living menorah. Provide Each of the “lights” with a large felt flame attached to a dowel. Instruct volunteers to keep flames behind their backs until it is their turn – The Shamus touches each of the volunteers on the head as their section is read and then they hold their flame aloft.)

About 2150 years ago Palestine was under the rule of the Syrian Empire. The Syrians destroyed the Jewish temples and would not let the Jews practice their religion. The Syrians forced them to worship Greek gods. Judah the Maccabee led the Jewish revolt against the Syrians. When Judah defeated the Syrians and re-entered Jerusalem the temples had to be repaired, cleaned and re-dedicated. According to tradition this involved re-kindling the eternal flame. Sacred oil had to be used for the flame, but it would take eight days to prepare the oil. A small amount of oil was found hidden away in the ruins of a temple but there was only enough for one day. But, when the flame was lit it miraculously burned, not for one day, but for eight, enough time for more oil to be prepared. So it is that the Hanukkah candles are lit, an additional candle each night, for eight nights. This morning we observe Hanukkah with an adaptation of the traditional Hanukkah candle-lighting.

We begin by lighting the servant candle. It is called the “shamus” which means “to serve.” As one candle may light others and yet lose none of its own light, so may our religious exploration kindle the light of truth for many people in many times and places.

The first light is for the first cause, the ultimate ground of existence,. The source of our highest values, that which gives meaning to our lives.

The second light is the light of great religious teachers and great scriptures, from many lands and many traditions, which illuminate our paths as we search for truth and meaning in our lives.

The third light is the light of justice. No nation can long endure which is unjust to the weak. “Justice, always justice, shalt thou pursue,” was the teaching of Moses.

The fourth light is the light of mercy. Cruelty hardens our hearts and destroys relationships. “Do justice and love mercy,” was the teaching of Micah the prophet.

The fifth light is the light of holiness. When we intentionally live so as to maintain a sense of wonder and respect and act in accordance with these qualities, we can make all of life sacred.

The sixth light is the light of love. “Love does not consist in gazing at each other, but in looking outward together in the same direction.

The seventh light is the calm light of patience. Nothing can be achieved in haste.

The eighth light is the light of courage. As Moses said to Joshua, “Be strong and of good Courage.”

RE Tip of the Week #12
Holiday Resources

Consider this an open invitation to share your favorite holiday readings, plays, activities, resources! Send them to me and I'll post them on the website.

Here are some sites:
http://www.uuintergenerational.org/script_menu.htm#x
http://www.uua.org/worshipweb/main.html
http://www.uuja.org/holidays/holidays.html
http://www.uua.org/clf/

A good over-all book that you might have in your church library:
Celebrating Christmas, An Anthology, edited by Carl Seaburg

My contribution is the "RE Pagaent in a Box" using the poem, "The First Christmas Carol." (I do not know the author, unfortunately.) I've done this several times with good success. What I do is bring a box of sound effects props and enlist folks to be in the pagaent as they arrive for the worship service to be in the pageant. I give them their prop and a numbered script. They line up and someone goes down the line with a microphone as I read this lovely poem Feel free to add or delete sound effects to suit your congregation.

I'm attaching the file, and it will be posted on
http://www.uumetrony.org/services/sampledocs.htm

RE Tip of the Week #11
Children's Chapel with Small Group Activities

This week's Tip is from Mary Collins in Danbury - the file she mentions will be posted on the
sample RE documents webpage:
http://www.uumetrony.org/services/sampledocs.htm

It's also related to a new acquisition for the RE Library -
Adapting Small Group Ministry for Children’s Religious Education:
An Implementation Plan with Thirty-One Sample Sessions
http://www.northparish.org/gailsbook.htm

Mary writes:
I thought I'd send you my file with the Children's Chapel & Small Group Notes for the Children's Chapel I did on Nov. 2nd utilizing the book The Great Ball Game (Joseph Bruchac). The file is many pages with some duplicate information in the small group notes (they all had a summary of the story to act out, for example) because I thought it would be easier to have it in the order each group leader would use it. I hope it is not too long. There's also a whole section on Announcements you might want to delete or consolidate it if you have time (ha!) ...

Feel free to distribute it where you think someone may need it - particularly new DRE's - to adapt as needed - (would appreciate my name being noted)

NOTE: Our congregation RE has the children for 1 1/2 hours when we do Chapels & Follow Up Small groups. Children start directly in the RE space. The Chapel was about 25-30 minutes long and we had the time they needed to "play ball," create, and have snack and chat... I was very pleased with this chapel and one of my quieter, 5th grade boys, said when I asked him if it was too babyish, "No, it was fun!"

Regarding the Music - "The Calypso Chant" (We come from the Mountain) and "Open the Door" both came from the Let Your Heart Sing! book & CD Joyce Poley which I got at GA in Boston from the either the UniUniques or UUA bookstore booth. I would be happy to sing the tune into someone's answering machine as well - if need be!

I noted some follow-ups to my notes this morning on the document and forgot to say " we did not need the extra books noted at the end of each small group but many of them would be great as the basis of another Chapel!"

Warmly,
Mary B. Collins, DRE
Unitarian Universalist Congregation
Danbury, CT
(Temporary office number) (203) 748-6963
Usual Office hours: Tues 9 am-noon, Thurs & Fri. 9 am to 2:30 pm

2003-12-31T00:24:00.000-05:00

RE Tip of the Week #10
Accessibilities

I'm passing the following along this week for your consideration....How accessible is your RE Program? How could you begin to take a look at this important issue?
Remember that UUA Staff is available for consultation. Contact Devorah Greenstein with your questions - DGreenstein@uua.org
Just a quick note to remind you that congregations in your districts can conduct an accessibilities audit of their facilities and programs by going to:
http://www.uua.org/programs/justice/accessibility
Click on the link titled "How Accessible is Your Congregation?" in the upper right corner. You might also consider using the audit checklist to conduct a quick site check of facilities you're considering using for district events.

Thank you for your ongoing support of increased accessibilities for Unitarian Universalists.

Yours in faith,
Helen Bishop
Chair, UUA Accessibilities Committee

2003-11-19T09:48:00.000-05:00

RE Tip of the Week #9
Dr Seuss Curricula

We had a great time at the Curriculum Renaissance Module last weekend. Seventeen RE Leaders were trained by Gaia Brown and Deborah Levering at Murray Grove and well-fed by culinary student Ben Lerner!

CONGRATULATIONS to Robin Slaw, who completed her fifth Renaissance Module, and who will shortly be presented with a letter of recognition from the UUA and a Renaissance lapel pin. I will honor Robin with these on a Sunday morning and celebrate her accomplishment with her congregation.

Here's a run-down on some of the Dr. Suess Curricula that are available. These often make great multi-age summer programs!

Dr Seuss Saved My Life (New addition to MNY Library)
by Cathy Cartwright
ccartwright@firstunitarianportland.org
First Unitarian Church Portland
1034 SW 13th Ave
Portland OR 97205-1702
(503)228-6389

Lessons from Dr Seuss - available on the web at:
http://www.rec-room.org/REsources/drseuss.html
A Church School curriculum for the Kindergarten
By Ellen Schmidt and Diana Pavao

Dr Suess and UUs - downloadable from the web at
http://www.hzmre.com/seuss/
by Helen Zidowecki

Fun with Dr Seuss
http://www.rec-room.org/map/multi/07004.html
Compiled by Pat Kahn, DRE
UU Congregation of Atlanta (UUCA)
1911 Cliff Valley Way
Atlanta, GA 30329
404-634-5134

2003-11-19T09:46:00.000-05:00

RE Tip of the Week #8 -
Healthy Parish Minister/Religious Educator relationships

One of the earliest - and hardest - lessons I learned as a new DRE was about honoring my colleague, the parish minister, and learning how to keep the lines of communication open. The best advice I ever got (thank you, Jeanellen) was that I needed to understand that the minister had the right to exercise the appropriate authority of their position as a called minister to the congregation - and something I had done had challenged that authority. Hardly the way to develop a good working relationship. This was before I got the bigger picture in mind, understood systems theory, and learned how to navigate between the roles of being staff and being a church member, etc., etc., etc. It's been a long learning experience, and I'd like to save y'all some of that rough road...

Some of you may have taken part in something called Colleague Conversations in the past. The purpose of these conversations is to provide an opportunity for parish ministers and religious educators, particularly where there is a new relationship in place, to participate in a structured dialogue leading towards a more intentionally positive relationship along with a covenant for that relationship.

Harry Green and I have scheduled this conversation for Wednesday, January 21, in Ridgewood, NJ, from 9:00-2:00.

Please discuss this opportunity with your parish minister. If you'd like to participate in order to get off to a good start in your new relationship or even to tune-up of your existing relationship, please have your minister register with Harry Green. All ministers received the invitation earlier this month.

2003-11-04T01:35:00.000-05:00

Youth at General Assembly

Since I've spent the weekend with the Youth at GA Revisioning Taskforce, my tip this week is about involving Youth with the larger association, specifically encouraging attendance at General Assembly.

RE-Tip #7: Encourage Attendance at General Assembly!

Youth Programming at GA is focused on youth 14-20 who want to be more involved with Unitarian Universalism and are interested/committed to participating in the business of the UUA and/or attending GA and YRUU Workshops.

Youth may serve as delegates from your congregation - Why not recommend this to your congregation Board? I am truly inspired by these youth who take this on and really get involved in the plenary sessions!!

What's involved in youth going to GA??

Since this is not a supervised "youth con" environment, and the youth are basically on their own in a large city for most of the experience, please send youth who are both independent and responsible. Each youth 14-17 must have a sponsor who will agree to be responsible for the youth while they are at GA - including attending orientation for sponsors, building a trusting relationship with their youth, checking in with the youth regularly, handling medical emergencies, and being responsible for the consequences of youth's actions, including making travel arrangements for the youth to go home if required due to a rule infraction.

While lots of the recommendations from this weekend will take time to be implemented, we were informed of some changes that will apply to the 2004 GA at Long Beach:

There will be no separate youth housing - there is a "GA recommended Hotel" where up to four may stay in a room for the same rate - all reservations will be made by the registrants and not through the youth office. Sponsors must stay in the same housing as their sponsored youth, wherever that housing may be.

The "24 hour space" of previous years is morphing into a "16 hour space" that will be open from 8 am to midnight, as it will be located in the convention center, which closes at night. All youth will be encouraged to get a goodly amount of sleep in their rooms while the youth space is closed.

2003-10-28T01:01:00.000-05:00

RE-Tip #6: REgistration

Every year your congregation sends adult membership and RE registration numbers to the UUA that end up being published in the UUA directory. The problem with using these numbers to track growth trends is that we're never sure what those numbers mean, especially for RE. Is it the number of children in the congregation, the number registered or the number attending?

I encourage you to keep track of several RE numbers for children and youth:

1. The total number of children and youth in the congregation (I kept their names in my database as unregistered, and mailed the program book to their houses also)

2. The number of children and youth whose parents actually hand in registration forms.

3. Attendance by class and Average Sunday attendance

4. You might also consider keeping a very detailed Sunday Attendance - including attendance at worship. It was my habit as a DRE to do this and report it to the board - noting things like the weather, major "competition" (the Super Bowl), and the nature of the Sunday service (Clergy/Lay led, sermon topic). In this way I began to be able to predict attendance and schedule events accordingly, and could really let the RE committee know why attendance surged or dropped on a particular Sunday. (I'm posting an actual spreadsheet for a large church with multiple services to give you an idea.) By the way, the church leadership REALLY appreciated this information!!

Toward all these ends, I've posted some sample forms on the website - feel free to send me your suggestions and sample forms - we'll post those too!!

SAMPLE DOCS

RE Registration Form
Behavior Covenant
Medical Release Form
Incident Report Form
"All About Me" Form
Sample Attendance Sheet
Sample Master Attendance Spreadsheet

_____________RESPONSE___

Hi Andrea,

I include on my registration forms the following:

What is your child's learning style?

Is there anything else you can tell us about your child or your family that might help us address your child's specific needs or challenges?

Is your child home schooled?

All information is held in confidence with the intention to share all relevant info with your child's teaching team members.

Good posting! It would have helped me a lot in the past.

Susan Ryan Freudenthal

2003-10-20T12:51:00.000-04:00

RE Tip #5: Self-care and soul-care...

Since there was no Tip of the week last week, I've decided to make Today's tip about self-care. The "Super Program Consultant" part of me still wanted to send you a tip last week - but a more reasonable path was to just let that go during a time of personal crisis.

We all need to practice good self-care at all stages of our professional career.

For those of you just starting out on your path - and especially for those who are serving a congregation in which you are/have been a member - have you considered ways to meet your own spiritual needs? Attending worship on Sunday mornings is not possible for most educators - what other opportunities exist within your congregation or your community for you to be fed in this way?

What structures are in place to support you everyday as well as in a time of crisis? How can you stay in touch with the sense of awe and wonder as you go about your work? Who can you call upon to fill your shoes if you need to be away? Who serves as your sounding board - perhaps a mentor or colleague in another congregation?

Here's a sermon about Stress and "Soul-Care" from Rev. Melora Croker. Take a few minutes to read it and see what it brings up for you

____________________ RESPONSE _____

From Liz Axelson, UUCC, Kingston, NY

Let me pass on some thoughts about how I have been able to meet my own spiritual needs through being part of our congregation's R.E. program. First, preparing for teaching sessions can be interesting and engaging, especially if there is research involved or I have a moment to read a children's story (something adults should do more often). Secondly, if you work with or "fall into" the kids' energy when you are teaching, it can be fairly liberating and the children become more comfortable with adults. When an adult acts silly or in a manner the kids don't expect, it loosens everyone up a little. Thirdly, when the arena is relatively open and comfortable, as in our small age groups, kids share little gems from inside their bright minds and it is magical.

Although I don't attend many sermons, I know that I belong with the kids, so more often than not, I don't feel that I am missing anything.

2003-10-06T13:02:00.000-04:00

RE Tip #4

Intergenerational Worship Resources!!

Here are some places to go when you're wondering about how to do great intergenerational worship - services that are meaningful for ALL AGES - and not just a service where the kids are there but we talk over their heads OR a service that is kid-centered but not stimulating to the adults. As I like to say - it should work on the level of "The Muppet Show" - engaging even for the youngest but with progressive levels of insight available to other age groups.

AND!!! If you develop and present a great intergen service - remember to apply for the Unitarian Sunday School Society Lifespan Worship ad!! (check with sponsor for updated submission info)

Creating Effective Intergenerational Worship Services (Without Going Insane)

Children's Focus Bibliography

IG Resources from the Rec-Room

"Together Time" and "Windmills Worship and Wonder" from GWAREC

REACH-UU Faithworks - check the worship sections in each issue and in the archives

UUA Worship Web

MNY District Library has resources to lend on this topic and many others.

2003-09-29T13:07:00.000-04:00

RE Tip #3: RE Road Map - basics of RE Administration

A great RE-Source, particularly for new religious educators is the R.E. Road Map - a loose-leaf notebook chock full of basic information on all areas of RE Administration.
Chapter headings include:

The Larger Picture
Vision
First Steps
Organizing Your Program
Programming
Teachers
Worship
Communications and PR
Professionalism and Self-care

This resource is available for loan from the district lending library, but it's really worth it to have your own copy - and currently I have about 5 of them available for purchase for $25 each. Just email me to reserve your copy.

OR - purchase this resource directly from Cindy Leitner, info below.

R.E. Road Map: A Guidebook for Religious Educators on Administering RE Programs by Cindy Leitner, Cindy Phillips and Lynn Sabourin (Resource book)

Order from: Cindy Leitner
(503) 639-4517
14985 SW 98th Ave.
Tigard, OR 97224

Email - Cindy Leitner

2003-09-22T13:09:00.000-04:00

RE Tip #2: RE Associates

I'd like you all to consider the idea of RE Associates - folks at your church who step forward to work with you on a specific topic for 2-3 years. The areas that come to mind first include Curriculum Planning, Worship (children's and intergenerational), and Teacher Training.
In order to make this system work well, these identified volunteers would come to the Renaissance Module on this topic with you (or by themselves, if you already have the training and don't want to repeat it). Other training options can be explored as well - perhaps tutorials with you and the minister on worship, etc. You would want to give them recognition in the congregation for their new role and hold it up as a growth experience for them as well as a service to the community.

Watch for upcoming module announcements. Second registrants from each congregation will be eligible for a reduced registration fee!!

2003-09-09T13:11:00.000-04:00

RE Tip #1: List-Serv for RE

Many of you probably belong to the REACH-L list - and may know how hard it is to search for particular topics in the archives. (If you're not subscribed, more info is available at http://www.uua.org/mailman/listinfo/reach-l

This lin is for an online indexed archive of the REACH-L was created by an enterprising subscriber:
http://www.geocities.com/reacharchives/

Hope you find it useful!

2003-08-22T01:06:00.000-04:00

Get the Youth Advisor Training - Information & Registration PDF

2003-08-22T00:58:00.000-04:00

2003-08-11T22:06:00.000-04:00

Hello!

Welcome to my Blog!

I'm looking forward to getting to know you.
Andrea