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UU Principles and
Purposes
Children's Version
- We believe that each and
every person is important.
- We believe that all people
should be treated fairly.
- We believe that our churches
are places where all people are accepted and where we keep on learning
together.
- We believe that each person
must be free to search for what is true and right in life.
- We believe that everyone
should have a vote about the things that concern them.
- We believe in working for a
peaceful, fair, and free world.
- We believe in caring for our
planet Earth.
RE
Safety Policy
It is our intention
to have a teacher and a teacher assistant in each classroom, and in the
nursery. This is for safety purposes and well as practical
assistance. Each teacher signs a code of ethics stating they will treat
the children respectfully and will report any evidence of abuse or neglect.
We reserve the right to do background checks on all personal who work or
volunteer with children. If you want to see the entire policy, follow
this link: SAFETY POLICY.
Sunday
Services
Worship services are held every Sunday morning
at 10:30 AM. The
children join us for approximately the first 15 minutes of the service to
share our opening words, chalice lighting, a song, and a special children's
focus. At that time they will be escorted to their classrooms by their
teachers.
Child care will be provided for younger
children. Our child care provider is Caitlin Rhea. Our child care attendant
will be available before, during and after church from 10 AM to 12:30 PM.
The following INTERGENERATIONAL SERVICES are
planned:
Sep. 13
Water Communion
Dec.
13
RE Holiday Music Service
Dec.
24
Christmas Eve
TBA
Music,
Poetry and Art Sunday
May
TBA
RE Recognition/Bridging Ceremony
June
20
Flower Communion
At these services, plan to have the children remain
in the worship service the entire time. Children are welcome to stay
for the entire service on any Sunday.
Group Activities
In addition to these regular age-appropriate
classes, there will be some scheduled group activities in which classes will
be joined together for fun and learning. The schedule will be as
follows: (Some activities may switch dates)
Sep. 20
Hike
Sep. 26
Welcome Party/ Meet
and Greet the Teachers
Oct. 18
Social Concerns
Halloween Candy for THI
Dec.
Group
activities with music (All Sundays)
Jan. 3
New
Year Party
Feb. 7
Social
Justice activity
Feb.
Group
Activities each Sunday with Dance
Mar. 23
Bullies
Apr. 4
Easter Egg
Hunt
Apr.
25 GLBT
Pride Activity
May
23 Park
Clean Up
Jun. 6
Spring Hike
Jun. 13
End of Year
Party
2009-2010
Children's Religious Education Teachers and Curricula for 2009-2010
Pre K- 1st grade
Teachers:
Jan Wehn, Edna Haugland, Suzanne Adams, Robyn Page, Janet
Williams , Sherry Spencer, Ellen Stark, Maureen Kundtz
A Discovery Year: Our
youngest children will be using this curriculum that nurtures children’s
spiritual and religious growth through connections to their ever widening
environment. They will explore friendship, families, church, nature,
religious and cultural days through ritual, sharing, quiet times, crafts, activities,
singing, music, games and movement, stories and talks. They learn to
appreciate the worth of each person, to work and play cooperatively, to
express feelings, to celebrate human diversity and to feel part of their
community. Each class will have a teacher and an assistant.
Grades 2-6
Teachers:
Lyn Koslo, Danelle Miller, Susan Paxson, Phyllis Hall, Cory Williams,
David Slawson, Janet Williams, Sherry Spencer
You, The Creator: This
program has activities based on creative empowerment. The participant
can and should be part of the creative forces in the world. The theme
of spirituality touches every session.
Grades 7-12
Teachers: Ken Ellis, Ted Macosko, Dan Paxson
This age group will follow a discussion type
format for most of the year. The teachers and youth will meet early on in the
year to select a theme for their meetings. Toward the end of the year,
the youth may collaborate with the middle school group on a social justice
project in the community.
In addition to regular RE classes, the
youth will attend regular church services approximately 1-2 times per
month. It is also planned to have them participate, on an individual
basis, in portions of the regular service throughout the year. This
will include readings, chalice lighting, music performance, etc. Youth who
are uncomfortable with this type of participation are, of course, under no
obligation to do so.
Our graduating seniors will be invited
to “bridge” into the adult group at the end of the year. The students and
parents participate in a special Sunday service where this transition is
acknowledged.
YOUTH GROUP
The SWUU Youth Group exists outside of the
regular RE programming and serves the 7th to 12th grade youth in our
church. Its purpose is to create an atmosphere where participants can
get to know each other, share ideas, have a greater say in the content of
their religious education, and be challenged to accept a somewhat greater
responsibility as UU’s and members of SWUU. The role of the Youth
Advisor is to facilitate the goals and activities of the Youth Group.
Ted Macosko is serving as advisor this year. Activities in the past
have included such things as:
· Fall
Party
· Movie
Nights (dinner, movie, and sometimes discussions at the
home of the advisors.
· Trips
to Trinity Cathedral where the Youth Group will help prepare and serve a
lunch for the homeless in the Cleveland area.
· A
skating outing at the Strongsville Ice-Rink
· A
winter camp-out (Don’t worry, we don’t really camp. We stay in heated
cabins.)
· Leading
a Group Activity for the younger children
· Helping
with the Annual Church Earth Day Clean-Up
· A
Bowling Night
·
A Spring Hike
· Participation
in District YAC (Youth Adult Committee) Conferences.
Some of these activities are already
scheduled, while other activities will obtain firm dates as the year
progresses. Updates and notices will be sent to the youth via e-mail
and posted in the SWUU Forum as well as the Sunday Bulletins.
Adult Religious
Education Classes for 2009-2010
Tuesday
Evening
(All
times are 7:30 – 9:00 PM, in the church office unless noted)
Food for Thought: Many of us are aware of the multiple complex issues
about the food industry. What are our common concerns? Classes
and field trips may be added according to group desires.
·
Sept. 15: Discovering Our Common
Ground
·
Sept. 22: What’s in Your Cupboard?
·
October 13: UU’s for Ethical
Treatment of Animals
Roots: An exploration of
the traditions and practices of the liberal church. An introductory course
for newcomers and seekers, and those hoping to deepen their understanding of
our faith tradition. We will look at the Unitarian Universalist
Trinity: Freedom, Respect & Justice. Format: video,
discussions, games.
·
December 1: Religious Freedom: A
Creedless faith
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December 8: A Tradition of Respect-
Covenant and Welcoming
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December 15: Justice- Living our
values in the world
Sacred Meals: This
covenant group will explore eating, food and food preparation as a spiritual
practice and as an art form in many of our world religions. How do they
revere and reject food? How do you? There will be a final project
chosen by the group. Methods include discussion, reading, eating,
meditation, and journaling. Some cost for food will be involved.
Classes will meet at the minister’s home.
·
January 5: Mindful Meals
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January 12: Meditative Cooking
·
January 19 Fasting
·
January 26: No class
·
February 2: Our Daily Bread
·
February 9: The Forbidden Fruit
·
February 16: Feast Days
·
February 23: No class
·
March 2: Hospitality
·
March 9: Sacrament
·
March 16: Sacrifice
·
March 23: Food as Stewardship
·
March 30: Final class project/
potluck
Rise Up and Call Her Name: A woman honoring journey into earth based
spirituality. We explore images of the Goddess from Europe, Africa,
Asia, and the Americas. Class format includes video, story, art
expression, journaling dialogue and chant. This curriculum is designed
for women, but men will be welcome. We will meet from 7:00 pm – 9:00 pm
at the church office.
·
April 6: Beginning the Journey
·
April 13: Tools for Traveling
·
April 20: Africa
·
April 27: African American
·
May 4: Asia
·
May 11: Pacific Islands
·
May 18: Americas
· May 25: The Return
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