Greetings Magic Makers!

Welcome back to Magic School!! We have exciting plans for the religious education program this year, with a focus on Unitarian Universalist identity for the pre-school and elementary school kids and world religions for our Jr. High class.

New this year: SpiritMagic: developing as spiritual beings with age-appropriate introductions to disciplines such as prayer, yoga, journaling and guided meditation.

Continuing from last year: the collection of color-coded “gems” representing the magical acts of courage, love, persistence and creativity performed by our students over the course of the year.

OUR CLASSES:

Nursery care will be provided for all children 0-2 in our recently redecorated nursery. New this year, we will have an adult volunteer work with a paid babysitter. If you’d like a chance to cuddle babies and play with toddlers — let me know!

Chalice Children: Children ages 3-5 (pre-school and kindergarten) will work from the Chalice Children curriculum, with class sessions that teach what it means to be a part of a Unitarian Universalist church. Over the course of the year they will learn about our church as a place where we worship, wonder about the world, welcome friends, share life milestones, and help one another. In addition, they will learn about the flaming chalice, a symbol of Unitarian Universalism.

Magical UU: Kids in 1st-5th grades will learn about our Unitarian Universalist principles and purposes through classes such as: Interdependent Webweavers: learning about and honoring the web of life; Questing: engaging the free and responsible search for truth and meaning; and Magical U: celebrating the inherent worth and dignity in every human. We will also have Cauldron Chemistry classes again this year, selling homemade concoctions such as candles to raise money for charity, and 3 magic tournaments filled with challenges designed to build teamwork and cooperation.

World Religions: Kids in grades 6-9 will learn about major world religions, including Judaism, Christianity, Hinduism, Islam, paganism, and Buddhism. Over the year we will visit neighboring houses of worship. Students will be given opportunities to compare and contrast the beliefs and practices they learn about with our own Unitarian Universalism. Ultimately, they will go on a pilgrimage to a Unitarian Universalist site to develop credo statements of their own beliefs.

CH-CH-CH-CHANGES:

The religious education committee and I have decided to try some new things this fall. At 11:45, when classes end, parents of all kids under age 10 will be expected to pick their kids up from their classrooms and bring them to coffee hour. Also new this year, our babysitters will stay until 12:20, helping to entertain the kids for the first part of coffee hour.

REGISTRATION

Registration forms will be going out in the beginning of September. You can mail yours to me at church or register during coffee hour during the first few weeks of September.

SNEAK PREVIEW: COMING SOON TO A MAGIC SCHOOL NEAR YOU

• September 10: Intergeneration service. See article about the water communion. Childcare will be provided in our nursery. Registration table will be set up during coffee hour.
• September 17: Classes begin! Registration table will be set up during coffee hour.
• September 24: Registrations are due by this date! Chalice Children class will begin by learning about the chalice. Magical UU kids will make wands and other such necessary materials. World Religions class begins to learn about Islam.

NEW CO-CHAIRS FOR THE RELIGIOUS EDUCATION COMMITTEE

Thanks to Jen and Wendy for signing on the serve as co-chairs for the R.E. Committee this year. Other members include: Ted, Amy, Tricia and Lauren. What a crew!!

ATTITUDE OF GRATITUDE

Even during the summer months, work continued in our classrooms! Thanks to Jen for coordinating efforts to redecorate the nursery and to helpers Eden and Jack, Keelan, Leonor, and Tricia.

Yours in Faith,
Alice Anacheka-Nasemann