Blogs (Page 46)

I am always proud to be a Unitarian Universalist, but there are times when I am exceptionally proud. One of those times was last summer at General Assembly when I went into the dining area at the Minneapolis Convention Center. All the cups, utensils and plates were made from corn-based products, compostable and biodegradable. Another point of pride for me is our denominational Green Sanctuary movement and our upcoming Green Theology course at OCUUC. I was recently able to take…

One of the wonderful things about being a Unitarian Universalist is our appreciation for the world’s religions that is reflected in our Six Sources. In January, in addition to our regular classroom curricula, I read a Buddhist story for our all-church “Time for All Ages” by Buddhist author Jon J. Muth. Teachers and youth spent our fifth Sunday all-ages-together time in a further exploration of Buddhism. Personally, I have strong ties to Zen Buddhism. I learned and practiced Zen at…

Our Seventh Principle directs Unitarian Universalists to have “Respect for the interdependent web of all existence of which we are a part.” There are many ways that parents and religious educators can help foster that respect in our youth. This year our Pre-Kindergarten/Kindergarten class is using a UU curriculum called We Are Many, We Are One, by Colleen McDonald, published by the UUA. Two of these sessions caught my eye this year, since I am working on deepening my ties…

Who is the Messiah? It has been one of my great joys over the past few months to teach and assist in our Grades 1-3 Religious Education classroom. We are using the UUA Tapestry of Faith on-line curriculum “Moral Tales”. During a recent session I read the children the story The Messiah is Among You.* The story is about children in school who argue constantly. Their teacher, Mr. Cohen, after trying everything he knows, seeks help from his Rabbi. When…

Fall is the season that deeply resonates with me. I have always loved the bustle of children heading back to school, beginnings tucked into the traditional harvest time, the seasonal time of endings. This year, as a new Director of Religious Education, I added the start of our fall Religious Education program to my list of joys. There have been many joys and sorrows mixed into the fall days for me this year. One ending that saddened me was the…

The education of our youth is a sacred responsibility. We, as Unitarian Universalists, are passing along our tolerance, love and ethics to our young people and helping them to navigate the wider world. Is this the responsibility of one person, group, or sub-group of a congregation? Of course not! This is the responsibility of everyone in a congregation and in our entire denomination. Personally, I love the way our congregation connects with our youth. We have a caring community of…

We’ve gathered our SOS school supplies, we are wrapping up our summer programs for children and youth, many of our adult members are heading back to school and work at our local schools and universities. Fall has arrived! Even with our hot Southern California weather, we notice that the light is changing and the days are getting shorter. Our children and youth have had a fun and educational summer. Children in the grades K-6 program have enjoyed a curriculum based…

As the new Director of Religious Education at OCUUC, I feel excited and honored to have such a central role in the life of our community. I look forward to getting to know each of our younger members and helping them on their journey as Unitarian Universalists, as well as our adult members. My first week was a busy one. I met with our Religious Education Committee and participated in the annual Board retreat. I am so impressed by the…