UUSM - Religious Education - Parents/Guardians
Parents & Guardians
As a parent or guardian, you are the primary religious educator for your
children. Your words, actions and relationships convey to your children
much of what they understand about life and its meaning. Our church program
can help you fulfill your mission as a religious educator, but only to
the extent of your involvement in it. The more you know about—and
participate in—your child’s experience of RE, the more you
can support its goals and lessons in daily life and the more enriching
the experience will become for your child.
Ours is a cooperative, volunteer-led religious exploration program. All
adults with young people in the program are expected to volunteer in some
capacity (please see the registration form for list of options). You have
enrolled your children/youth because you agree with our philosophy of liberal
religious education. The responsibility for teaching, activities and policy-making
rests with our volunteers. Therefore, we ask the following:
1. Make a commitment as a family to attend church regularly and make sure
to arrive on time each Sunday. Regular attendance fosters friendships,
group solidarity, understanding of the curriculum, and familiarity with
our church rituals and church grounds. It develops a sense of belonging
to our church community and helps them learn to articulate and live their
religion.
2. Volunteer to help in the RE program when you register your children.
3. Meet your child/youth’s teacher/advisor and
review the curriculum if you wish. Spend some time each week discussing
what was learned/experienced that Sunday.
4. Share your own religious beliefs. Allow your young
person the time and space to develop their own spirituality.
5. Encourage appropriate behavior at church by discussing
and affirming the classroom covenants each class will be developing during
the first weeks of class and through discussions of our UU principles
and what they mean in terms of behavior.
6. Consider carefully your financial pledge to our church.
Our RE program budget is part of the unified budget of the church and
the program as a whole is an integrated part of the church community.
The children and youth of our church deserve the full support of every
member and friend.
7. Participate in intergenerational and all-church events
so your young person gets to know our whole church family.
8. Provide feedback about our RE program to the RE Council
and/or the DRE. We need your thoughtful input to build a strong program.
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