Religious Education (RE) Committee

The purpose of our Religious Education program for Children & Youth is to provide students with a thorough knowledge of the UU faith and a sense of belonging to a greater UU community with shared values and support for their spiritual journeys. Our goal is to foster UU faith development that will serve children & youth as they grow to be life-long Unitarian Universalists. The RE Committee and RE teachers are caring volunteers who are parents and congregation members of Emerson UUC. All teachers have training opportunities and have passed criminal background checks. They have also signed our Code of Ethics Statement for working with children and youth.

 

If you have any questions about the Religious Education Committee, please contact Pamela Ohberg. Questions about Adult Religious Education can be addressed to Nick White.

 

Some Facts About the RE Committee in 2009

• Kid’s RE enrollment was 60 children & youth, 27 visitors
• We had 41 Sundays of formal RE plus 11 in the Summer (Share Your Passion’ Sundays)
• OWL Program served 21 students in 2 levels in 2009 with two new facilitators
• Students from 3rd-12th grades went to The Mountain & Atlanta area youth CONs
• A covenant created between Emerson UUC and Families of Children with Special Needs to outline support and program needs for children
• The Committee hosted and supported family-friendly social events, such as the Easter Egg Hunt, Game Night, and Youth Circle Dinner
• This Committee Supported Stewardship festival with Spooky House and Cake Walk
• Coordinated childcare for all congregational meetings and "Parent’s Night Out"
• The Kids Faith In Action Group participated in Keep Cobb Beautiful roadside clean-up, Pennies4Peace Afghan school fundraiser, and more.
• Nine Senior Youth CRUU and 2 advisors toured Boston during a UU Heritage trip in June.
• Mystery Friends program matches 46 kids & adults up as buddies
• Christmas Eve Pageant Worship coordinated by DRE & volunteers; 100 attended
• Conducted Family RE program survey and student program survey
• RE Policy Handbook & guidelines being revised and updated
• Hosted Teacher Appreciation Dinner in April
• The Director of Religious Education, Beth Kline, assisted in multi-generational services including Easter, Senior High Bridging and Animal Blessing
• Children’s Choir led by professional choral teacher volunteer and coordinated by DRE ~ Annual RE Family Kick-offs hosted by age group; triples participation in 2009.
  
  

Emerson Advisors Each Receive
Youth Advisor of the Year Award

Emerson's Senior Youth Advisors were recognized by the UUA at the General Assembly in Salt Lake City, Utah, in June 2009. Since 2002 RE for Children & Youth has had a five-folk increase in student enrollment. Currently RE serves over 35 families in our congregation and 75% of the adult members serve as classroom assistants or on teaching teams.

Moreover, two of Emerson's long-time senior youth advisors, Carol Conchar and Mary Beth Manning, were recipients of the 2009 Youth Advisor of the Year Awards given by the Unitarian Universalist Association.


“This is church worth getting up for.”

– A member of the Senior Youth group commented to a visiting youth.