February 2023 — News from Naomi

Naomi Yoshida, Director of Religious Education

Health and love are high on my list as we jump into the month of February. Take a moment to reach out to those who are dear to you and let them know you’re thinking of them with love. Share a memory, break bread together, be part of the light that is slowly warming the wintry world.

An act of love brings joy, which fosters health – both yours and theirs! Our Faith in Action (FIA) service project for January focussed on creating 100 Toiletry kits for homeless teens. We focus on providing items typically not donated in average kits, such as individually wrapped shaving razors and gel, and menstrual care products. As you find yourself traveling during the year, please consider starting a collection of complimentry hotel-size shampoos, lotions and hygiene items at home, which you can donate to us in the beginning of 2024! A huge thank you to our FIA angel who provided a very generous donation of items this year! We celebrate your contribution! As January was a five Sunday month, our children and youth enjoyed a Spiritual Practices day.

We start February with a Time For All Ages centered on “love” in the Worship service and then we will be sung out to Youth Chapel.

During Faith in Action on February 12th, youth will decorate and provide vases for elderly in our community. Our curricular days will follow, continuing our Soul Matters curriculum.

Reminder that this month we will be kicking off OWL (Our Whole Lives age-appropriate sexuality program) for 1st and 2nd graders. We are finalizing the dates as I write this. It is very important for every child and youth, especially in this age group, to be registered in RE for 2022/2023. Registered children, and their parents and guardians, will receive priority registration as there is a class size limit in order to optimize the OWL course experience.

On an administrative note, our RE Registration numbers are used to determine RE staffing and the RE Committee budget for the 2023/2024 year. Believe it or not, we are already crunching numbers now as we look ahead to next year. While a majority of youth are already registered, please register if you haven’t already!

Thank you to our volunteers who have stepped forward to assist in Religious Education events and programming, and completed their Background checks. We currently have a huge need for Volunteers who are willing to provide and/or supplement Childcare for various church events. As more events resume on campus, we strive to be inclusive and offer complimentary childcare. Lead Childcare providers must meet the new minimum age of 21. We need more adult volunteers in order to make childcare available. All volunteers for childcare, events, or in the classroom, must clear the FBI and Dept. of Justice background checks. Our volunteers make UUCLB a Safer Congregation!

Please contact me at dre@uuclb.org and inquire how you can volunteer within our Religious Education community, obtain a background check.

Blessed be,

Naomi

Sunday Mornings for Children and Youth

February 5     —  Time for All Ages and Youth Chapel

February 12   —  Faith in Action – Valentine Vases for the Elderly

February 19   —  Curricular day

February 26   —  Curricular day

If you, or if you wish your children to be notified to attend, register below or send an email to our Director of Religious Education. 

To register your child(ren) or youth for 2022-23 Religious Education, download, fill out the form below and drop it into the mail OR Download the Religious Education Registration Form (pdf)  

Or, click here to Register On-line.

Contact the Director of RE: Email