What's Happening in Children's RE & Adult RE

Greetings RE Families and Friends!

I hope the beginning of this New Year has brought hope and strength to everyone in our RE Community. I just wanted to send out a couple of reminders and pass on some Adult RE Course information, I thought might peak your interest.

Snack-Parent!!! Please Sign-up!
Children have suggested homemade baked goods (of course!), carrots, fresh or dried fruit, graham crackers, popcorn, mini-bagels with a smear of cream cheese. AVOID juice boxes, individual packaging, and over-packaging. A single jug of juice, or better yet, water from the church’s tap, is fine. Pitchers are available in the little kitchenette, off of the foyer. Please double check with your group for any particular allergies...Above all UUCA is a Peanut Free ZONE! Also: When you sign up for snack parent, you are also expected to be the group helper for that day, unless the teacher says the help is not needed.

Embracing the RE Family Program and Communicating with Your Teachers!
The RE experience is not limited to the children, you are also invited to share in the experience as well. Feel free to stop by your child/childrens’ group and see what they’re learning. The UUCA RE is YOUR program to embrace, find out what’s going on and feel free to voice your opinions. I would love to hear what you enjoy about the program and/or what you think we can improve. Not only are we enriching the lives of our young ones but as adults we are equally effected. nikki.jones@uucava.org

ADULT RE Courses:

Deepening Your Connections at UUCA: Finding Your
Path – A Four Part Series
Third Saturdays, Jan. 21 to April 21, 10 a.m. to 12 p.m.
This four part series is about the practice of faith in the Unitarian Universalist Church of Arlington (UUCA) community. Each session will be a 2 hour seminar-style class covering the ‘how and why’ of being a religious community.
Who might be interested? Anyone with questions on the UU faith tradition and UUCA’s visions and plans – from the seasoned member to the newcomer –and everything in between. We hope to offer fresh perspectives and new ways to deepen your connection with UUism and UUCA. Deepening connections is an ongoing spiritual practice!
Do I have to attend all four sessions? Not necessarily, though to some extent the sessions will be interrelated.
January 21: What is church? The Theology of Congregational Life.
Why are religious communities formed and sustained? What grounds UUCA? What can congregations and members expect from one another? Instructors: Rev. Michael McGee and Sue Browning, Ministerial Student.
February 18: How does UUCA function? The Work of UUCA.
How does UUCA provide opportunities for spiritual growth, connections and relationship, and serving the world and community? Instructors: Rev. Carlton Smith, Lavona Grow and Beth Rager.
March 17: What are your gifts? Finding Your Sense of Belonging.
A workshop to consider your passions and interests in relation to the congregation, your purpose in the world. Instructors: Rev. Dr. Linda Olson Peebles and Jacomina deRegt.
April 21: How do I find connections? Skills for Active Participation.
A look at ways leadership and program roles in the church become opportunities for meaningful connection, including governance, administrative, facilitation and communication skills.
Instructors: Rev. Michael McGee and Bill Fogarty.

Being a UU Parent
Three Sundays – Jan. 29, Feb. 12, Feb. 26, 12:30 – 2 p.m.
Join with Rev. Linda to explore the questions about how to be a UU parent –how to nurture values, personal ethics, and empathy in our children. Conversations will include theological reflection as well as creative ideas. A light lunch will be provided. Child supervision available; Please register. Instructor: Rev. Dr. Linda Olson Peebles

Sexuality and Youth – Parenting Skills That Build Communication & Trust
Sunday, Feb. 12, 6:30 p.m.
The last class in a series. The topic is Inclusion & Diversity. What message are you really sending your kids? Join our panel for discussion and personal reflection on what it means to be truly inclusive. Panel members from the gay,
lesbian, transgender, bi-sexual and HIV positive community will be present to facilitate this discussion. If you are interested in attending, please email levyhlc1@comcast.net or 703-989-1284. Facilitators: Jacomina de Regt, Kevin
Hall and Maggie Clayton, all members of the Our Whole Lives (OWL) steering committee

What Shall We Tell Our Children?
Wed. March 7 and 14, 7:30 to 9 p.m.
This interactive workshop presents outlooks for population, the environment, and proposed solutions, and monetary and financial conditions. Instructor: Gene Mulligan - an economist with extensive experience in the population stabilization field.