Taryn Strauss

Director of Religious Education

November 2009

The following is an excerpt from an essay submitted by Henry Halff, a member of Community Unitarian Universalist Church of San Antonio, TX, about how to create a multigenerational church. Halff shares a story about his own experience as a parent of a child in a religious education program:

In 1976 I dragged my son, Larry, then about to turn six, over to the First Unitarian Church of Arlington, Virginia, and enrolled him in RE. I was met at the door of the RE building by one Norma Veridan. [The late Rev. Veridan served five UU congregations as religious educator and was the first district religious educator in the Massachusetts Bay District.]

The first thing she asked me was this: “What are you going to do?” “Do?” “Yes, ‘do.’ Teach? Work in the office? Children’s worship? What are you going to do?”
“I’m awfully busy, and I’d really like to go to church.”
“Wouldn’t we all. If your child is here, you’re here. That’s the rule.”

All of us parents bowed to the rule. I started as a teacher, worked my way into the children’s worship program, then the RE council, and finally board member and liaison to RE. By that time, Larry was in college.

The Veridan rule had the effect of building a strong, well-staffed RE program, but that was not its most important effect. Its most important effect was that of forging a community of parents. Because we were all in it together, we got together socially; we brought food to meetings; we put on extracurricular stuff like the Christmas Pageant; we developed strong personal ties to the church, or at least to RE. What Norma knew was that if you build a community of parents, the children will be taken care of. And, incidentally, you’ll have a multigenerational church.

Your own UUCA RE program desperately needs teachers for next year. Contact Taryn Strauss to sign up for January through May. We offer training, curriculum, and supplies. You only have to teach nine times. You will become involved in the meaningful work of children’s spiritual development. You’ll have the opportunity to forge lifelong relationships, and to join together in the work of building a strong community. We welcome your participation.