CRE: Virtual Children's RE & Teen Youth Classes

Children’s RE Programming via Zoom.

NOTE: In December class will be on December 13 (2nd Sunday) and December 20 (3rd Sunday).

If you have not registered your children and teen youth for RE, do so now: Children’s RE Registration

Zoom invites to class will be sent to re@gnuuc.org.

2ND AND 4TH SUNDAY: 1:00 - 2:00 PM: SOUL MATTERS CRE / TEEN YOUTH CLASSES VIA ZOOM

We will have RE classes via Zoom on the 2nd and 4th Sundays. Children will be divided into two groups: Children’s RE and Teen Youth RE. Children in grades 7 -8 can choose which programming to participate in.

CHILDREN CLASSES

Soul Matters Religious Education Program: For children in Kindergarten through approximately 6th Grade.

Soul Matters RE Program (for elementary and lower middle school children)

CRE Teachers & Helpers: Claire S, Tina C, Caren S-S, Lindyne B, Susan D. Backup: Jennie G.

COVID-19 UPDATE: The Soul Matters programming has been updated for virtual lessons!

SOUL MATTERS CHILDREN’S RE DESCRIPTION FROM SOUL MATTERS:

MULTI-USE BUILDING BLOCKS PICTURE

Instead of four weeks worth of class curriculum, our packets will now contain four sections of “building blocks” that you can use to create whatever kind of programming you offer: worship, small groups, mid-week storytime, etc.

Each section is designed around a particular “lesson” or angle on the monthly theme. The building blocks in each of these themed sections include:

• “Introduce It” - Object lessons and wonder box presentations to help leaders introduce the lesson/theme angle for the children

• “Tell It & Talk About It” - Stories (and some puppet scripts) to help bring the theme angle to life through storytelling

• “Meditate on It” - Various mindfulness practices to help children engage the theme angle in a more reflective and quiet way.

• “Explore It” - Small group activities and experiential learning designed for online experience. Just because we can’t be together physically doesn’t mean we can’t play and create together online!

• “Take It Home” - Ideas about how to weave the theme angle into family and home life.

FOUR RELATIONALLY BASED ENVIRONMENTS/MINISTRIES FOR ONLINE RE PICTURE

In this time of physical separation, we need to pay extra attention to the key relationships that nurture our children. So our packets support and encourage four distinct types of relationship and relationally-based environments:

• Leader to Child Relationship – supported by worship programming and environments

• Child to Child Relationships – supported by small group programming and environments

• Family Member to Family Member Relationships – supported by home life programming

• Family to Family Relationships – supported by special programming and events that bring church families together or mobilize them to engage their community

“LEAD-WITH” STRATEGIES

It’s difficult to create compelling online experiences. Too often leaders assume they can create those compelling moments on their own using their skill and charisma. It turns out that doesn’t always work. Remember Mr. Roger’s secret? He always pulled in guests when engaging his audience. In other words, he “led with” rather than led.

So throughout our packets we will sprinkle tips for how you can pull in children, families and other co-leaders as you present your online programming. After all, it’s fine to watch your DRE light the chalice, but if you know your DRE is inviting one of your buddy’s families to light the chalice or help tell the story, you’ll be a whole lot more excited about tuning in. If you lead online yoga for families, that’s cool, but if you recruit a family from your church to lead it alongside you, twice as many families will show up. And sure, you can do a neat science experiment to illustrate the monthly theme, but if you do it with Sandy’s mom who is a chemist, that’s definitely something kids - and parents - show up to watch!

PROGRAMMING THAT BUILDS OFF EACH OTHER (I.E. “PASSING THE BATON”)

As you know, Soul Matters was founded on the idea of bringing coherence to church life through monthly themes. Themes allow us to tie the various aspects of church life together. To enhance this commitment to connected programming, we will include programmatic “through lines” to compliment our thematic through lines. So the content and design of our RE packets supports what we call a “pass the baton” strategy. This allows what you do in worship to flow into your childrens’ small group. And what goes on in those small groups will set up and flow into your home life ministry. Which in turn will set the stage for the wider all-church activities you organize.

This is why our building blocks now include a “Take it Home” section. And why we’ve added a brand-new section called “Connecting with Other Families” which supplies you with plenty of ideas for special programming and events that bring church families together or mobilize them to engage their community.

YOUTH CLASSES

Soul Matters Teen Youth Programming: For teen youth approximately 7th through 12th Grade

“On the Road Together” Soul Matters Youth Program (for Teen Youth)

Youth Advisers: Kristin R, Chris G, Ryan D, Nathanael R

COVID-19 UPDATE: The Soul Matters programming has been updated for virtual lessons!

“ON THE ROAD TOGETHER” DESCRIPTION FROM SOUL MATTERS:

We've titled this subscription series "On the Road Together" in honor of the way youth groups offer partners for our journeys. Friends, community, shared values, support in the midst of life’s twists and turns: These are the building blocks that make UU youth ministries meaningful and transformative. Our “on the road” frame also highlights the way in which each monthly theme is a path all youth need to learn to navigate. 

The material itself is not a curriculum. It's more like a chest of building blocks. In other words, our goal isn't to create your youth group experience for you step-by-step. Instead we give you the tools and resources you need to build your own experience. Like a box of Legos! This is our way of honoring the fact that every youth group has its own unique culture. 

Our organizational structure flows from our commitment to whole person learning.  So you will find sections dedicated specifically to the head, heart, hands, body, spirit and community in every packet. Here's an overview of the sections for every single week:

I. Getting Started (community)
II. Spiritual Practice (spirit)
III. Discussion Starters (head)
IV. Express Yourself (hands)
V. Fun & Games (body)