Religious Education
For those who pre-registered, Reverend Tom Goldsmith will facilitate our Aging and Spirituality program on Monday October 30. It will run three consecutive Mondays, October 30, November 6, and November 13 at 1:00 - 2:30 in Room 201. The afternoon time is designed for people who prefer not to drive at night: 1:00 - 2:30 p.m. in Room 201. Please purchase "Landscapes of Aging and Spirituality," edited by Kathleen Montgomery available from our Congregational Life table. This program will be repeated in Spring 2018.
Building Your Own Theology with Reverend Monica Dobbins begins this Wednesday, October 11 and runs every Wednesday evening through November 15th at 6:30 - 8:30 in the Haven. Childcare will be provided
REflections
Welcome!
Religious Education (RE) holds a central place in the life of our congregation. Our programs are based, in part, on the belief that the search for truth and meaning is a life-long pursuit. One of the roles of our faith community is to provide opportunities to embrace our heritage as Unitarian Universalists (UU) and to engage in experiences throughout life that help us stretch spiritually and personally.
We offer programs for children, youth and adults to help guide you on your spiritual paths. RE programs are age-appropriate and provide a safe and engaging place to explore growing personal beliefs. Religious Education for children includes infant and toddler supervision with highly-qualified staff at both the 9:00 and 11:00 am services. We offer a Pre-K and Kindergarten program for four and five year-olds as well as Sunday classes for children in grades 1-6. Sunday classes/religious education programs are offered only at the 11:00 am service.
This fall we are piloting a new program called Awake Camp for 5/6th grade children. The focus of this program is building awareness and skills in mindfulness, body-mind connection and being awake in—and responsive to—the natural world. The objective here is multifaceted: provide children with personal tools to help them focus, relieve stress, grow in individual control and be present without anxiety. These practices, we believe, enable pre-teens to develop a sense of spiritual life. Awake Camp curriculum incorporates UU Principles, the Golden Rule Project and service projects.
Middle schoolers and high schoolers continue to deepen their spirituality and beliefs as they develop their identities as Unitarian Universalists. Youth continue to learn about effective leadership skills.
We are hard at work living up to our theme this year—Faith in Action.
In Service,
Julie Miller, Amanda Esko and Lissa Lander, your dedicated RE Team
Like the Marines, Religious Education is Looking for a Few Good Men and Women.
Here’s the deal: the position we’re about to offer features very little travel and few career benefits! It also includes no health insurance but it does offer huge thanks for your time & energy!
Oh, and we’re saving best for last: no pay!
Julie Miller here, Director of Religious Education, and oh yes, this is truly a call for volunteers.
As you dedicated regulars know, being a teacher in our RE program means volunteering. Which means you might miss out on the 11 am Sunday morning service. It might mean a couple more hours on duty. And like any teaching position, it will inevitably mean devoting time to planning next week’s lesson.
Remember Yogi Berra, the legendary NY Yankees catcher who invented many of America’s most memorable “catch” phrases?
Well, Yogi, our ever-prescient road trip guide, said “When you come to a fork in the road, take it.”
So we’re at a crossroads. The proverbial fork. Consider this note your invitation to apply for fabulous volunteer opportunities: we need two 1st/2nd grade teachers; we need a Christmas Pageant “Director”; and we need parents willing to co-op in the Infant and Toddler Room (109) during the year.
What at first blush might seem like a daunting and unrewarding task actually delivers immeasurable satisfaction. How? By igniting young minds. By watching children dig into lessons and projects they’ll want to talk about at Sunday night dinner or get back to the following Sunday. And, did I mention it deepens your faith development in our church and helps to connect you to our families and other members.
When you volunteer to teach in our RE Program, we provide curriculum materials, supplementary resources, supplies, equipment and, not least, support from a very dedicated staff. Our initial teacher training is set for Sunday, August 27th at 11:30 am in room 208. For those already “signed up”, we look forward to seeing you there. Not quite ready to volunteer? Come by and see what we are about!
RE classes for all grade levels begin Sunday, September 10 at 11am. As always, childcare is provided at 9 and 11am.
If you’ve never taught before but feel you might be ready to handle the job, the RE staff would be delighted to meet you and help you get over the I’ve-never-done-this-before willies.
Hope you’ve all had a great summer, and we’re looking forward to seeing you in September.
In Service, Your RE staff,
Amanda Esko
The Religious Education staff can be reached at 801-582-867 ext. 206
First Church will be screening a gripping documentary "Screenagers" about the dangers and affects of digital screens on our youth. Mark your calendar for May 25, 6 pm in Eliot Hall.
First Church will be screening a gripping documentary "Screenagers" about the dangers and affects of digital screens on our youth. Mark your calendar for May 25, 6 pm in Eliot Hall.
Here at First Church, we are already looking ahead to a family-friendly theme in which we will integrate our Seven Principles into the six days of the week when you’re typically not in church. It’s actually very simple.
Our theme for next year is called “Faith in Action”. It involves a process that is underway at Unitarian churches nationwide. It revolves around making family, home and community the basis of our year-long teachings.
When you hear the word “silo”, you undoubtedly picture a tall, tubular structure in which farmers store their grain. Well, imagine for a moment that Church-on-Sunday is a silo. You’re in a fairly contained environment in which news, spiritual inspiration, conversation and coffee come together on that day.
So what about Monday through Saturday! Our objective is to move beyond the traditional one-day “silo” of worship, social justice and religious education…and explore new ways to extend Unitarian principles into everyday life.
Another way of looking at this shift is to take Sunday’s inspiration into the rest of the week—faith in action whether you’re at home, at work or in school.
It starts with creating a few home-based traditions. Consider linking the messages and comaraderie you experience on Sunday with conversations and activities at home. On the Church side of the equation, we’ll emphasize several themes in our RE program:
self-awareness (why do I go to church…can I relate to the messages I hear here?)
experiential learning (learning by doing through music, art and teaching)
intersection of spirituality and social justice (can I apply what I hear in church to everyday life?)
The RE program features four “strands” that, woven together, become a “tapestry of faith”. This fabric, so to speak, is the foundation for our overall curricula but takes on special meaning for our third and fourth graders (8- and 9-year-olds). The four strands include the following:
- ethical development
- faith development
- spiritual development
- Unitarian identity
Consider yourselves ‘moral agents’ … individuals who demonstrate honesty and compassion in everyday life. Extend that sensibility to your family, friends and colleagues. Enable your children to explore, grow and experience joy despite the inherent challenges of growing up.
We will continue to discuss the meaning of “Faith in Action” over the next two months. Please stay tuned!
In Service,
Julie Miller, DRE
OWL (Our Whole Lives)
Our award-winning comprehensive sexual education program will begin for first and second graders this Sunday at the 11am service and continuing through May 28. One parent or guardian will need to attend this class with his/her child. A suggested donation of $25 is requested to cover the basic costs of teaching this class.
Child Dedication Sunday, April 9, 9am & 11am services
On this Sunday, we will gather as a congregation to confirm our dedication to the youngest members of our First Church community. This event is for infants, but if you have other children who have not been dedicated, feel free to request their inclusion in this Service. You’ll need to complete a form, which is available in the Infant/Toddler Room (Room 109) by this Sunday April 2, and return to Lissa Lander or Julie Miller. You may also send an e-mail to with the following information:
- Full name of child
- Names of parents or guardians
- Date & place of birth
- Names of siblings
- How long you have been a member or friend of First Church
- A sentence or two about your child’s personality
- Please indicate if you would like to attend the 9am or the 11am service.
Collecting for Refugees
We are teaming up with the IRC to collect gently-used games, toys and NEW stuffed animals for the refugee children who have come to Salt Lake City in recent months. These items are being accepted now through Easter Sunday. There is a box outside the Little Chapel for donations. A “mystery” Easter Egg Hunt is also scheduled on this date (April 16) at our 11am Service for the youngest members of our community.
Celebration Sunday - The Big Mix-Up
But not what you think! I’m referring to the remarkable mix of generations that collaborated on one outstanding Sunday celebration—the one conducted on March 5. Not only did we have a full-to-overflowing house, but we had every set from our Religious Education program—the elementary-age kids, the junior high group and the seniors rally ‘round the pulpit, each with his or her individual and group insights in what represents the best, the essence, of what it means to be a devoted Unitarian—kind, concerned, fair and inclusive.
The presentation revealed how even the youngest members of our families are able to contribute to a strong sense of community which, of course, is one of the benefits of membership at First Church. This being Celebration Sunday, however, a key theme was taking responsibility for ensuring the vibrancy of the congregation.
Toward that end, Matthew Cockrum (our Minister of Congretational Life) transitioned to the Offering, in which he announced both good news and bad. The good news, said Matthew, is “we have all the money we need! (Pause….) The bad news is, it’s still in your pockets!” Special thanks to David Owens and David Zabriskie for their masterful musical and organizational skills, which energized the entire congregation.
For me, perhaps the strongest and most inspiring memory of the morning was the warm and cohesive sentiment that permeated the congregation—we are here, together, to support what is good and right for our entire community—the Church, our city and our country. My thanks to all who provide the “seeds”—the funds, the time and the talent that support our RE Program.
Just Around the RE Corner
Sunday March 19
RE Council Meeting Room 201, 12:30-2pm
Saturday March 25
Interested in launching a Family Fun Night for our older youth? Meet in the Haven for our first “Movie Night.” Thirteen and up are welcome—adults, you too! Check our community calendar for more information.
Sunday April 2
Our Arts Program ends for children 4 through 11 years of age and we return to traditional curricula/class programming EXCEPT for grades 1 & 2 for whom we will offer Our Whole Lives “OWL” program from 11:00 to noon. For this group, OWL (Our Whole Lives) supports parents in educating children about birth, babies, bodies and families. Parents are required to attend this program offering with their child. If you do not want your child to attend this award-winning program, your child will be able to join another class during this time.
Monday April 3
Family Fun Night. All families, interested members or friends of our congregation are welcome to join us at 6pm for dinner. Adult time and activities for the children to follow until 7:30pm. We strongly encourgage you to pre-register for this event.
Sunday April 9
Child Dedication Sunday, during both 9am and 11am services. If you have an infant or young child whom you want welcomed into our Church community, please let Lissa Lander or Julie Miller know as soon as possible.
Sunday April 16
Easter Sunday. Easter Egg Hunt for the youngest members of our RE community, weather permitting. On this Sunday, The RE program will support our Refugee Committee by collecting gently-used toys or games and NEW (Health Dept. requirement) stuffed toys. Your generous donation will be greatly appreciated by children who arrive in our State with very few, if any, personal items. Your donation can be dropped off in box which will be placed in the Little Chapel marked “Refugee Toy Donation”.
In Service,
Julie Miller, Director of Religious Education
Stay in touch with the other youth and families involved in religious education at First Church! Be “in the know” about upcoming events and reports on progress of programs.
World Religions - grades 6 & 7 - Facebook Group
Our Whole Lives - grades 8 & 9 - Facebook Group
High School - grades 10-12 - Facebook Group
A huge thank you for all of the support for the 10th-12th grade in recent months in their upcoming service trip to the Center for Ethical Living & Social Justice Renewal in New Orleans (http://celsjr.org/) and also by parents, teachers and other congregants who helped out with the recent high school Our Whole Lives weekends.
Special thanks to the teaching team: Annette Ephroni, James Griner, Mary Elizabeth Mitchell and Randon Beckstead.
Sleepless thanks to the chaperones: Bryan VandenBirge, Cooper, Elaine Stehel, Jenica Davis-Hockett, Kaden Colton and Nick Shifrar
Additional thanks to panelists: Beth Jennings and Marlin Taylor.
You are all part of maintaining this flourishing and critical ministry at First Church!
Interested in helping out with future youth ministry projects? We’ll begin selecting teachers, facilitators and mentors for the 2017-2018 church year in the coming months. To apply or ask questions please contact Rev. Matthew Cockrum at or 801.582.8687 ext. 205.