Taryn Strauss

Director of Religious Education

REflections

September 2008

After experiencing so much this summer, I feel renewed and motivated for the coming year. Connecting with other congregations and other DREs has inspired me to develop a deeper sense of reverence in our Religious Education program.

Church is different from the rest of our lives. It is not school or home, although it is a home in a different sense. This is a place where we come to find peace, to find spirituality, to find connection with a community. We establish an identity of place as soon as we enter on Sunday mornings. One of my goals this year is to make the RE program a sacred experience and space for our children. One way I will try to instill this sense in them is through our Intergenerational (IG) Beginning Sundays. As the children leave the Sanctuary, I will ask them to line up single-file while I light a candle from the flame of our sacred chalice. Together, we will take that candle downstairs to Sunday School, in ceremonious procession, where we will continue our lessons.

During children’s worship time, we will begin with a movement prayer, and allow our minds and bodies to settle and prepare for learning. We will ask each child if he or she is ready to enter into religious education time, and leave life’s daily distractions at the door. Even if it’s only for an hour, the children will have this time to connect with the Divine and a sense of inner peace that can fortify them for the rest of the week.

With our older youth, we will focus on a new method of YRUU called Contemplative Youth Ministry. The idea is that Youth Ministers (formerly called advisors) will be doing their own spiritual work with each other and approaching the YRUU youth with that mindset. The intention is that the activities will go deeper and hold more meaning for the group. Our focus will be on building and strengthening relationships. Ultimately, we will re-enter our church life with a renewed spiritual connectedness. I cannot wait to begin.