This year we all worked together, even the adolescents, to “Build Bears of Wholeness.” We built teddy bears together and took them out monthly to add badges representing parts of our learning and our values. The badges included “Grow your Dreams,” “Listen to Life,” “Fostering Community” and “Share Your Blessings.” Everyone received bears, everyone received badges and everyone shared ideas and values about what went into being a whole person.
The Youth specifically met and started a mural that had the elements of “Air, Earth, Water and Fire” as part of the “Sing to the Power” curriculum. We shared songs that supported the values we learned each week like, “community” and “kindness.”
Our RE program grew this year as compared to the last 4 years. The RE Sunday school program grew from 3 to 9 children this year, and the youth program was consistent in numbers compared to last year with a total of 8 youth. We had a successful OWL program for 7 youth, and we had the addition of 2 toddlers in the nursery on a regular basis with 2 of our older youth serving as babysitters.
Next year we will continue to work to grow interest in the programs and support the youth and families in attendance at church. The RE children, kindergarten and up, will explore the “World of Wonder.” According to the program notes, “Children are born with an ability to feel wonder and our world is full of amazing plants, animals, spaces, processes, textures and patterns that can awaken it.” (uua.org) We will focus on how we can support those ideas and learn about “Sustainable Middleboro” and how we can be involved.
The youth will be meeting biweekly and exploring how “Love Connects Us.” The curriculum shows how we UUs are “moved by love and gathered in spirit” and that “we embrace our responsibility toward one another and the world at large.” “We encourage one another’s search for truth and meaning. We strive to be active in peace-making and other efforts to improve the world.” (uua.org) The youth will also be encouraged to be engaged with “Sustainable Middleboro.”
The Nursery will continue to operate with Niko Pucillo-Dunphy as Lead Teacher and Jesse Hoyle as the second in charge.
Ideas being explored for the upcoming year are running the “Coming of Age” curriculum, Parent Coffee Hour, running an adult “OWL” program and new ideas for outreach and volunteer opportunities as well as family social activity opportunities.
Kelly Lownds, Director of Religious Exploration
