Taryn Strauss

Director of Religious Education

REflections

June 2009

I would like to take this opportunity to thank the leadership of our Religious Education program. The Religious Education program is run by a committee of dedicated volunteers who take time out of their busy schedules to plan and make this RE program a high quality experience for our children and youth. This year, they cooked homemade meals for our teachers during the teacher trainings. They recruited greeters to welcome new families and help them get acquainted with our church. They supported teachers with phone calls and letters. They planned an intergenerational church decorating party. They organized a teacher appreciation dinner. Most of all, the RE Committee wrestled with difficult issues to help improve the safety and security of our programs and to help us deepen our commitment to living our values. I am privileged to work alongside this strong and thoughtful committee, including Karla Antonio, Juliana Austin, Bernadette Cranford, Molly Hitchcock, Susanne Skok, Karen Vernon and Mariah Wright. This year, our RE Committee Chair was Michelle Goyeau. Michelle has worked especially hard to keep all of us on track and inspired. If you see any of these people at church this month, offer them your gratitude for another successful RE year. They have worked for it, and I know for all of us it is a labor of love.

I also want to honor the hard work and commitment of our very capable RE staff. They have consistently exceeded expectations and worked hard to establish a safe and sustainable infrastructure. I feel so well supported by our RE staff, and I know we are doing our part to make this program thrive. Susan Enwright, Kristin Doe, Melissa Morrisey, Christina Arias-Romero, Kristalynn Bunyan, and Christine Arnold are all outstanding staff and I am proud to work with them.