Grand Valley UU Children's Religious Education (RE)
We offer children's programming each Sunday in a combined preK-5th grade class at 10:30am. Teachers lead classes drawing from the Soul Matters curriculum while making use of creative activities including music, art, theater, and story. The Soul Matters curriculum presents the same themes the adults engage in during service in an age-appropriate format. Our classes and services are designed to foster community, empathy, and a sense of social responsibility among our children and youth.
From Director of Programming and Community Outreach Maya Kraushaar
December 2024
Last month, we spent our time together gaining a better understanding of how we can manage hard emotions through practices of repair and care. We uncovered the truth behind certain feelings and also learned the power of slowing down our judgements of and reactions to life’s surprises. We finished the month with what has turned into a tradition, creating a Stone Soup of Gratitude.
I believe we met November’s goal of helping our children understand the many tools we have available to heal each other and the world. That regardless of how supposedly “large” or “small” these ways of going about repair may be, they are effective. We used the story of the Two Wolves in Our Heart to explore the power of intention in regard to positive virtues and negative tendencies. We learned that the wolf we feed is the wolf who wins the battle.
A major goal this month is to help our children leave behind the hustle & bustle of the holiday season as well as to escape the all-pervasive consumerist messaging. Instead, we want them to look around and notice the deeper gifts of the season. This is a time to notice the presence of stillness and the gifts already given.
With gratitude,
Maya
I believe we met November’s goal of helping our children understand the many tools we have available to heal each other and the world. That regardless of how supposedly “large” or “small” these ways of going about repair may be, they are effective. We used the story of the Two Wolves in Our Heart to explore the power of intention in regard to positive virtues and negative tendencies. We learned that the wolf we feed is the wolf who wins the battle.
A major goal this month is to help our children leave behind the hustle & bustle of the holiday season as well as to escape the all-pervasive consumerist messaging. Instead, we want them to look around and notice the deeper gifts of the season. This is a time to notice the presence of stillness and the gifts already given.
With gratitude,
Maya
Children’s Religious Education
December 2024 -Welcome to The Practice of Presence!
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December 1st 10:30 a.m.
Thanksgiving Weekend - No RE Childcare Provided December 15th 10:30 a.m. Presence & Darkness: Look for the Gifts Hidden in the Darkness! (Exploring the Invitation of Winter Solstice) This session invites children to use the pagan tradition and understanding of solstice to see things differently. Instead of something to be afraid of, times of darkness can be seen as spaces of rest, renewal and even rebirth. And from this perspective, we are all called to take on the practice of looking for and being present to the many gifts hidden in and emerging from the darkness. |
December 8th 10:30 a.m.
Presence & Attention: Look for the Gifts Already Given! (Exploring Tools to Battle the Busyness of the Season) In this session, we will be exploring how, during the winter holidays, our society often tells us that this is the time of year that we should be busy doing: busy buying, party planning, and making to-do lists. However, our faith tells us that this is a time to notice the presence of stillness and the gifts already given. December 22nd 10:30 a.m. All Ages Holiday Service Join us for this festive service, which will lead us through a reflection on various faiths and connection as the center of our shared experience. |
​Childcare provided every Sunday from 10:15am-11:45am during Sunday Worship.
Thank you volunteers!
A big thank you to our incredible teachers! Volunteers make our RE program fantastic!