To treasure the mystery and wonder of the world.
To learn together, teachers, students, by talking about what is important to us.
To support and respect each other as we work to understand important ideas.
To explore and appreciate the ways we are alike and the ways we are different.
To learn to take care of the earth, which is home to all of us.
And to share rituals together which celebrate these things that are important to us.
Our summer program runs between June 8 and August 31, inclusive. Children ages 0-5 years will be in the Sophia Fahs nursery/preschool room, the first room in the north wing, for nursery care and a preschool activity. Children who have completed Kindergarten–grade 6 will meet in the Olympia Brown room in the north wing and will enjoy Rudyard Kipling's Just So Stories.
Children will go directly to their classroom at 10:00. Please make sure to sign your children in on the attendance sheets in the classrooms so that we may get to know them. Youth groups do not meet during the summer. Older children and youth are welcome to attend the service.
During the school year, the Sunday following Labor Day and the first Sunday of June, we offer age specific Religious Exploration/Education Programs for children and youth. During the 9:00 and 11:00 services this includes nursery care, preschool/kindergarten class, and classes for elementary aged children. Junior High and Senior High will also meet at 11:00. On the first Sunday of each month we hold one service at 10:00 and will offer nursery care, preschool/kindergarten class, and Religious Education classes for elementary aged children. Junior and Senior High youth will remain in the service on the first Sunday of the month.
For more information about Religious Education for children and youth at the Boise Unitarian Universalist Fellowship please see the Newcomer Information packet on the greeter's table, the Religious Education/Exploration prospectus (available in late summer) located in the BUUF Information Rack, or contact Karen Raese or Cathy Carmen, Co- Directors of Religious Education, at 658-1710.
Our Religious Exploration/Education Program for Children and youth is
A welcoming, safe community that fosters life-long religious/spiritual
growth and social consciousness.
We believe:
That each and every person is important
That all people should be treated fairly and kindly
That we should accept one another and keep on learning together
That each person must be free to search for what is true and right in life
That all persons should have a vote about the things that concern them
In working for a peaceful, fair and free world
In caring for our planet earth, the home we share with all living things
(As used in We Believe RE curriculum for youth)
"As we enter the twenty-first century, I envision the goals of religious education being to create and maintain a human environment and atmosphere where people of all ages can find and create a just community, grow and develop skills and the confidence to live their lives wholly, find and give comfort and solace, and celebrate life."
Ginger Luke, in the essay from Essex Conversations, "The Children's Fire Is the Community Fire," captures the spirit of our program. As a Committee we seek to flesh-out this vision in many tangible ways. Our responsibilities include assisting our classroom Guides and parents to collaborate for the benefit of our youth, sponsoring many community-building events throughout the year, creating a vibrant Summer Religious Exploration experience, and supporting our staff as a sounding board for decision-making. Since we cannot do all of this alone, we welcome your comments, concerns, questions and even membership on the committee itself. Please contact an RE staff member or the committee chair. for further information. The committee meets on the second Thursday of each month, 7pm at BUUF. Please contact an RE staff member or the committee chair for further information.
No one ever wants to think that child abuse, be it sexual, emotional or physical could ever occur in our community. However, in this day and age, it is important to take preventative steps to insure the well being of our children long before we have any inkling of a problem. That is why we have implemented a "Safe Congregations" policy at BUUF.
In May 2004, the governing board of the BUUF unanimously adopted a safe congregations policy. Among other things, the policy gives the director of religious education (DRE) and the RE committee a back bone for screening and training volunteers (both older youth and adult) who serve as RE guides and nursery and childcare providers. It also requires that we assemble a group of members and friends to serve on a safe congregations panel (a group who will assist us with procedures in the event that something unfortunate occurs) and requires that families register their children in the RE program in a timely manner.
Copies of the policy are available at BUUF, or in PDF format, here.
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