Education Matters
Registration for volunteers for 2026-27 religious exploration is now open!
Since the pandemic, our pool of religious education volunteers has been mighty, but small. In the last year our numbers have grown, but not quite fast enough to meet the needs of our growing numbers of children and youth. This year, we have had a shortage of volunteers for at least one class almost every week. What this means is that religious education staff need to spend time each week sending out requests to people to fill the slots. If no one is available, we need to make last minute adjustments to combine classes, and/or fill in with staff. Combining classes often results in large numbers of kids in one room, with younger kids sometimes feeling overwhelmed; when both Eric and I are needed in classrooms, there is no one to troubleshoot, answer parents’ questions, or monitor the whole.
Many changes have been made to our CYRE program over the past few years, as we experiment to find what works best for children, families, volunteers, and the church as a whole in today’s environment. We recognize that there have been many shifts in our society since the pandemic, and that we are not going back to what was the norm in early 2020. I’m eager to share these changes with the congregation, but for right now I want to focus on one important one: volunteer engagement.
In order to offer our full program for children and youth, we need 38 volunteers who are willing to co-lead an average of 1.5 Sundays per month, or 18 out of 52 Sundays per year.
This year, I would like to have all 38 volunteers in place by the end of May, so that I will have time to modify the program if fewer volunteers sign up. UUCB members should plan to help with children and youth religious education classes at least one year in every five; if you are not able to help this coming year, please let me know which year would be better for you!
REGISTER HERE TO HELP WITH CHILDREN/YOUTH RELIGIOUS EDUCATION
This year’s volunteer training will be held on Saturday, August 1, 10am - 3pm, with lunch provided. The training will cover safety protocols, church policies, classroom procedures, scheduling, materials and supplies, and curricula. Ongoing support for volunteers will be provided via a monthly meeting to discuss plans for exploring the upcoming congregational theme, as well as regular teacher breakfasts between services. RE staff members are available via email, text, phone and in person meetings as well.
Please let me know if you have any questions about your role in children/youth religious education. I am hopeful that this congregation will step up to support this important aspect of our community’s resilience and joy!
