|
Visitor
Information About
Us. . . About
Unitarian Upcoming
Services LSUS
Programs |
Religious Education Welcome to Shore Unitarian Society’s Religious Educational Program We hope that you and your family will find what you are seeking here. Our Religious Education (RE) Program strives to provide children, youth and adults with experiences and relationships which will help them journey through life with integrity, compassion, hope, and wonder. We seek to encourage and foster the tools for each and all to grow in their unique spiritual and humanistic being. Caring for each other and reflecting on life and ourselves are important parts of each class. Our RE program, which includes a preschool and kindergarten class, a 1st-3rd Grade class, a 4th-6th Grade class, and a youth class (7th through 12th Grades), as well as an Adult RE classes, offers an atmosphere that is both intimate and social. Welcome to the journey! Director of Religious Education & Religious Education Committee Our Director of Religious Education (DRE), Charlotta Koppanyi, holds a MS in Psychology and a BA in Comparative Religion from Stockholm University, Sweden. Charlotta Koppanyi has been with the Lake Shore Unitarian Society (LSUS) since 2006 and can be reached at ckoppanyi@mac.com. The RE Committee meets at least three times a year and works closely with the DRE to further develop the RE program and classes. The RE Committee is comprised of members of the Lake Shore Unitarian Society and reports to the Board of Directors. Mission Statement The mission of Lake Shore Unitarian Society’s RE Program is to provide a safe environment in which each child can be a seeker of personal truth while developing:
Religious Education Lake Shore Unitarian Society’s RE Program, guided by the Unitarian Universalist (UU) Covenant and Principles, embraces the concept of life span religious education, and utilizes curriculum materials developed for the UU Association as well as other appropriate sources. All children attending RE on a regular basis are requested to register. The registration fee is $100/child and $200/family. New students to the RE program are to be introduced to the DRE by their parent or legal guardian at their first Sunday. Parents and legal guardians are welcome to join us in RE at any time. We accept RE students throughout the whole year. Guests are welcome to participate in our RE programs. Please advise the DRE in advance by email or by introducing your child/children on the visiting Sunday. 1st-6th Grade students and our youth group, YAREG (Young Adult Religious Education Group), attend structured, curriculum-based classes with an adult teacher. Our 1st-6th Grade classes are offered on a three-year rotation, with a focus on Judeo-Christian heritage, Unitarian Universalism (UU) and its history, and World Religions. All curricula is reviewed and revised for each year. The YAREG students are offered a similar rotation with age appropriate discussions and activities. An active Social Service Project Program is in place with class projects twice a semester for all students. A few intergenerational classes are scheduled each year. Preschool and kindergarten children are offered age-appropriate structured playtime. They participate in the intergenerational classes as appropriate. In general, students attend the first part of the adult service. Thereafter, they proceed to their classrooms. After the service, students are encouraged to join in fellowship during coffee hour. RE classes are held Sundays from 10:40 a.m. - 11:40 a.m. Preschool and Kindergarten Children Our preschoolers and kindergarten students attend structured playtime with either an adult or mature adolescent supervisor. The room offers age appropriate toys and games. The DRE and adult teachers are at hand if needed. 1st through 3rd Grade and 4th through 6th Grade Children in these two groups follow an established curriculum taught by our volunteer teachers (members and friends of LSUS) and the DRE. The classes provide introductions to and further knowledge of UU beliefs, Judeo-Christian heritage, and world religions. Each class starts with ‘Joys and Concerns’ and Chalice Lighting, which provide the students with a sense of togetherness before the formal instruction occurs. While each class is different, all include learning, sharing, discussing, artwork and hands-on projects. Unitarian Universalist History and Social Action
9/13/09 Welcome & UU Identity Day
9/20/09 … each and every person is important
9/27/09 … all people should be treated fairly
10/4/09 … our church is a place of acceptance and growth
10/11/09 … each person to be free to search for understanding and for what is right and good.
10/18/09 Social Service Project
10/25/09 Social Service Project
11/1/09 … each person should have a vote in what is important to them
11/8/09 … it is up to us to make the world a peaceful, fair, and free place
11/15/09 … in caring for our environment
11/22/09 Forming what I believe - My faith statement
11/29/09 What do you say when someone asks. Answers to questions about what UU's believe and do
12/6/09 Holiday Music Service (No RE)
12/13/09 Holiday and Winter Solstice Celebrations
HOLIDAY BREAK 1/3/10 How was your holiday & Review of the Fall Semester
1/10/10 Why Unitarianism began & Who are the founders?
1/17/10 Why Universalism began & Who are the founders?
1/24/10 Formation of the UUA & The Flaming Chalice
1/31/10 The Future of UU and you
2/7/10 Ethical Lifestyles
2/14/10 Kids who take action for social justice and action
2/21/10 Role models for a better society. Part I
2/28/10 Well-known UUs and others in history
3/7/10 Social Service Class
3/14/10 Social Service Class
3/21/10 YAREG Presentation (all students exp. Pre+K)
3/28/10 Spring Break (No RE)
4/4/10 Spring Break (No RE)
4/11/07 Role models for a better society. Part II
4/18/10 What do you say when someone asks...Answers to questions about what UU's believe and do
4/25/10 Review Class
5/2/10
5/9/10 RE Program preparation & rehearsal
5/16/10 RE Program-Intergenerational Service
YAREG (7th through 12th Grade) YAREG students explore both their personal growth as well as religious education in the UU tradition. Personal responsibility and active participation are encouraged. A three-year RE cycle provides the opportunity to create tradition and explore new venues as well as further the students’ perspectives on life and themselves. Forming My Faith and Meeting Our Members
9/13/09 Welcome & Focus for the year
9/20/09 What is of value and importance to me?
9/27/09 A Personal Statement - religious, spiritual, philosophical or ethical
10/4/09 Mentor Program with Suzy Vance (only 8-9 graders, starting time 10:30 am)
10/11/09 Check in and updates on project I
10/18/09 Social Service Project
10/25/09 Social Service Project 11/1/09 UU History and the freedom to believe - or not. Part I
11/8/09 What do you believe - What do others believe?
11/15/09 The Ten Commandments and The Seven Principles - articulating my own ethic, moral code
11/22/09 UU Social history and " Local UU guest"
11/29/09 Attending Service: A Buddhist View of Suffering and Happiness
12/6/09 Holiday Music Service
12/13/09 Check in and updates on project II
HOLIDAY BREAK
1/3/10 Welcome & focus for the year
1/10/10 Social Service Project and what next
1/17/10 UU History and the freedom to believe - or not. Part II
1/24/10 UU Faith, UU Social Action and UU Social Justice
1/31/10 Inspiring UUs. Part I
2/7/10 Inspiring UUs. Part II
2/14/10 Search for meaning, faith and doubt
2/21/10 Becoming an adult, leaving behind and embracing 2/28/10 Check in and updates on project. Part III
3/7/10 Social Service Class
3/14/10 Social Service Class
3/21/10 YAREG Presentation (1st-6th graders and YAREG students attending presentations)
3/28/10 Spring Break (No RE)
4/4/10 Spring Break (No RE)
4/11/07 Connecting and reflecting on our story. Part I 4/18/10 Connecting and reflecting on our story. Part II
4/25/10 Review class
5/2/10 RE Program preparation & rehearsal
5/9/10 RE Program preparation & rehearsal
5/16/10 RE Program-Intergenerational Service
2009 ¡V 2010 RE Program This year, the 1st-6th Grade students will study “Unitarian Universalism, its Values, Principles and its History”. YAREG students will participating in our “Coming of Age” program, which includes articulating their own faith statement and working with a mentor. In the Spring of 2010 YAREG 8th and 9th Grade students will provide one service dedicated to their faith statement. In addition, we will continue to have direct involvement from all of the 1st-6th Grade students and YAREG in our Social Service projects. Parent Involvement & Teaching Teaching is a rewarding experience! We are fortunate to have many involved and engaged parents, members, and even former students teaching in our RE program. The 1st -6th Grade students and YAREG classes are taught by the DRE, volunteer teachers and invited guests. Mature adolescents and adult volunteers supervise the preschool and kindergarten class. A well-written curriculum with extended information and prepared materials for each class, plus support from the DRE, makes teaching a fun and safe experience for our volunteers. We encourage teaching teams for those who feel new to the task. Teaching teams are also popular by seasoned teachers. Adult Religious Education Adult Religious Education (ARE) classes and programs are offered once a month, on Sundays, from 9:00 a.m. ¡V 10.00 a.m. ARE offers a variation of classes, programs, topics, formats and teachers. ARE programs are free of charge for members and friends of LSUS. For information about Adult RE, please contact Charlotta Koppanyi at ckoppanyi@mac.com. From the DRE Sophia Fahs, who more than a half century ago revolutionized liberal religious education, answered the question "What is Religion?" in this way: Life becomes religious whenever we make it so: when some new light is seen; when some deeper appreciation is felt; when some larger outlook is gained; when some nobler purpose is formed; and when some task is well done.
|
|
Lake
Shore Unitarian Society,
|
