Resources and Reminders: JPDLFD News 4 October 2007
Lyn Cox
District,
This issue of JPD Lifespan Faith Development News includes references
to useful resources and reminders about registration deadlines.
Toward the end of the newsletter, you'll find a calendar of my (Lyn
Cox's) preaching dates and UU event attendance.
If you know people who care about Unitarian Universalist Religious
Education in the Joseph Priestley District, please encourage them to
join this group! Group members do NOT have to get a Gmail address or
a Google ID in order to participate. Prospective members who want to
check it out before committing to join are welcome to visit
http://groups.google.com/group/jpdlfd and read the latest newsletter
issue.
*YOUTH ADVISOR/ YOUTH LEADER TRAINING
October 13 or October 20
Youth Advisors and Youth Leaders are invited for training together.
The SAME training is being offered in two options: October 13 at
Goodloe Memorial UU Congregation in Bowie, Maryland, OR October 20 at
the Unitarian Fellowship of West Chester, PA. See the registration
form for details such as cost.
Registration forms can be found in the September JPD Packet or
downloaded from the JPDLFD Google Group (http://groups.google.com/
group/jpdlfd). The official deadline is October 5 for the training in
Bowie (tomorrow, as I write this). If you or someone in your
congregation plans to attend but hasn't registered yet, please contact
Ka...@jpduua.org immediately; she will be able to hold a few places.
Register by October 12 for the training in West Chester.
*CAMPUS MINISTRY LEADERSHIP CONFERENCE
November 2 & 3
All UU students 18-35 are invited to a conference focusing on "Shared
Wisdom and Fun Times." Download the flyer from http://groups.google.com/group/jpdlfd
or the September JPD Packet. Visit http://connectUU.com/events/ and
search for "JPD Campus Ministry" to register on-line. Contact the
registrar, Patty Gallivan (patty.g...@gmail.com), with questions.
Please register by October 21.
*SPIRIT PLAY TRAINING IN WEST CHESTER, PA
November 10
Religious Education volunteers and professionals are invited to a one-
day Spirit Play training facilitated by Nita Penfold, D. Min. More
information about Spirit Play philosophy is available at http://www.spiritplay.net/.
A flyer and registration form for the workshop in West Chester is
available from the "Files" section of the JPDLFD Google Group (http://
groups.google.com/group/jpdlfd). The registration fee of $150 covers
lunch and materials. This does not include the book, "Teaching Godly
Play: The Sunday Morning Handbook," which participants are asked to
read before the workshop. For further information, contact Pam Baxter,
DRE at the Unitarian Fellowship of West Chester, 610-935-2711. The
registration deadline is October 27.
*OWL TRAINING IN METRO NEW YORK DISTRICT
October 19-21 for Adult/Young Adult OWL, Morristown, NJ
November 2-4 for Elementary OWL or Junior/Senior Youth OWL, Manhasset,
NY
Our Whole Lives is a comprehensive, reality-based sexuality education
program. Age-appropriate curricula have been developed for
Kindergarten, upper elementary, junior high, high school, young adult,
and adult participants. Metro New York District is offering training
for several levels of Our Whole Lives this fall, which is helpful
considering the rapid oversubscription for OWL trainings offered in
the JPD this fall.
Young Adult OWL is a new level for this program. JPD congregations
who field tested Young Adult OWL last year reported that participants
learned a lot about the content and about themselves, even if they had
prior experience with Junior High or High School OWL. In addition,
these Young Adult groups increased their sense of community and their
effectiveness as a ministry of the congregation. Young Adult OWL is
also appropriate as a Campus Ministry offering. Please consider
sending leaders to Young Adult OWL training October 19-21 in
Morristown, NJ.
As of October 3, there were plenty of spaces available in the Adult/
Young Adult OWL training, some left in the Elementary OWL training,
and not too many spaces left in the Junior/ Senior Youth OWL
training. For details, contact Andrea Lerner at ale...@uua.org or
visit http://www.uumetrony.org/home_page.htm to view the calendar,
download flyers, and find links to on-line registration.
*NEW ADULT RE CURRICULUM AVAILABLE FREE
Tapestry of Faith is a project in development in the Unitarian
Universalist Association that seeks to offer venues for ethical
development, spiritual development, Unitarian Universalist identity,
and faith development for all ages. Resources being developed for
Tapestry of Faith include downloadable, printed, viewable, and
interactive components. Participants in the 2007 Liberal Religious
Educators Fall Conference will learn more, so stay tuned for a report.
Meanwhile, the first resources from Tapestry of Faith have been
unveiled on-line! "Spirit of Life" is a resource for adults written
by Barbara Hamilton-Holway (of "Evensong" fame). Spirit of Life
program seeks to bring meaning, beauty, inclusivity, and growth to
Unitarian Universalist adults as they deepen their spiritual awareness
and connections. Over 50 congregations are officially testing this
curriculum. Other congregations are warmly invited to use the
resources and report back on their experiences.
Visit http://www.uua.org/religiouseducation/curricula/tapestryfaith/index.shtml
for more information about "Spirit of Life" and other Tapestry of
Faith resources in development.
*CONGREGATIONS SEEK PROFESSIONAL LEADERSHIP
Tell your friends & neighbors about open professional Religious
Educator positions. Serving as a professional Religious Educator is a
way to live out your Unitarian Universalist faith, nurturing souls and
building relationships with children, youth, and adults.
Cedarhurst UU's in Finksburg, MD, seek an Interim or Settled half time
Director of Religious Education to manage their active program for 55
children and youth. Contact Rev. Dr. Henry Simoni-Wastila at
410-861-8820 for more information.
The UU Church in Cherry Hill, NJ, is seeking an experienced Religious
Education professional dedicated to improving an established program.
This is a full-time position. The start date is in July 2008. For
more information, contact Paula Horton, phort...@comcast.net or
856-439-9588.
The Unitarian Universalist Society of Mill Creek, DE, is seeking a
permanent, three-quarter time Director of Religious Education. UUSMC
is a strong and growing congregation with 75 children and youth. Send
a cover letter, resume, and references to UUSMC DRE Candidate, 579
Polly Drummond Hill Rd, Newark, DE 19711.
Visit http://www.jpduua.org/pages/news.php for more information about
open positions with congregations in the Joseph Priestley District.
*RELIGIOUS EDUCATION LEADERS MEET FOR SUPPORT
New Religious Education clusters are forming. The DelMarVa RE Cluster
- which includes volunteer leaders as well as professionals from the
peninsula shores of Delaware, Maryland, and Virginia - will meet on
November 3 at the UU Fellowship at Easton, MD. The Central RE Cluster
(Delaware and Northern Maryland) will meet on November 1 at the UU
Fellowship of Harford County. The cluster your congregation meets
with for RE leadership support may be different from the Middle School
Clusters or regional growth clusters. Contact L...@jpduua.org for help
finding the nearest Religious Education cluster.
*MIDDLE SCHOOL CLUSTER EVENTS: HOW IS IT GOING?
The JPD Lifespan Faith Development team has been hearing scattered
reports of great events for Middle School Clusters. Hay rides,
service projects, arts, and worship abound for UU Middle Schoolers
meeting each other. Please include Ka...@jpduua.org and
L...@jpduua.org on publicity for Middle School Cluster events. Let us
know how it's going and how we can help. Don't forget to document
your budget, mileage, and receipts for Middle School Cluster events;
the JPD will reimburse up to half the cost for the first event in a
Middle School Cluster.
*CHURCH ON LOAN SERVES SMALL CONGREGATIONS
Have you heard about the Church of the Larger Fellowship's Church On
Loan? Church On Loan is a group membership for fellowships of 50
people or fewer who rely primarily on lay leaders. Religious
Education resources available through Church On Loan include a
subscription to RE Express Plus, which provides resources designed by
professional religious educators for small congregations. The CLF
Loan Library offers Religious Education curricula for children, youth,
and adults, as well as books on UU history and biography. Visit
www.clfuu.org for more information.
*NEW UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST VIDEO ON YOUTUBE
http://youtube.com/watch?v=st5Pv3lsG60
The latest UU news on YouTube is the video that you may have seen
being filmed at General Assembly in Portland, Oregon. This
professionally-produced film is an introduction to Unitarian
Universalism for potential visitors. Check it out.
*WHERE'S LYN?
Rev. Lyn Cox's upcoming calendar for preaching and UU events
October 6 & 7: JPD UUYAN Steering Committee Retreat, Philadelphia, PA
October 10 & 11: UUA Program Consultants, San Antonio, TX
October 12-15: LREDA Fall Conference, San Antonio, TX
October 27: JPD Racial Justice Conference, Fairfax, VA
November 1: Central RE Cluster, Churchville, MD
November 2 & 3: Campus Ministry Con, Philadelphia, PA
November 3: District Youth Steering Committee, Boiling Springs, PA
November 4: Preaching at UU Cumberland Valley, Boiling Springs, PA
November 11: Preaching at UU Church of Delaware County, Media, PA
November 14: Presenting at GWAREC, Baltimore, MD
November 25: Preaching at Channing Memorial UU Church, Ellicott City,
MD