To treasure the mystery and wonder of the world;
To learn together, teachers and students, by talking about what is important;
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.
Welcome to Religious Exploration for children and youth at the Boise Unitarian Universalist Fellowship. We are proud to offer a comprehensive liberal religious exploration for children and youth in the Treasure Valley. We are always happy to have visitors join us on Sunday mornings and welcome you and your children to our community of spiritual seekers.
We offer nursery care and Religious Exploration (RE) for preschool and elementary aged children at both the 9:30 and 11:15 services. Junior high and senior high groups meet at 11:15. All children and youth, except for nursery aged children, begin each Sunday with their families in the service before leaving for their classes.
Our RE classes are taught, or guided, by many wonderful volunteers. Curriculum, written for and by Unitarian Universalists, is selected for each classroom to provide age appropriate religious exploration. Refer to the Children's Religious Exploration Prospectus for specifics on this year's curricula and additional information about Children's Religious Exploration.
We ask that families register their children for RE following three visits. Registration forms are available on our website and from the Information Center in the north vestibule. Registering allows the Director of Religious Exploration and teaching guides or advisors to get to know your children. We also will add you to our mail and email lists so that you will be notified about special events at BUUF and in your children's classes. Lastly, registration is an important element of our Safe Congregation Policy.
Children's Religious Exploration at the Boise Unitarian Universalist Fellowship is a cooperative effort. We expect that an adult family member of children and youth participating in RE will serve as a classroom assistant on a rotating basis. These important individuals are required by our Safe Congregation Policy and vital for successful classroom experiences. Assistants do not teach lessons but support the planned activities. It is a great way to learn about Unitarian Universalism and meet members of our congregation.
Children enjoy religious exploration most if they have the opportunity to make friends and know what's going on. For that reason, regular attendance is important. Please plan to bring your children often. We'd love to see you every Sunday.
If you would like to discuss Children's RE further, please contact our Director of Religious Exploration, Emmie Schlobohm, at 658-1710, or .
We look forward to a great year in Children's Religious Exploration.
Our Religious Exploration 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 exploration 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 exploration (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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