Wednesday, December 11, 2013

Herbal Book Group forming


Because of our connection with Roots and Wisdom, I started volunteering at their Fehr Ave garden this past spring. As the season was drawing to a close Jenny Hudman, the head grower, and I discovered a shared interest in herbal medicine and talked about how we might learn together during the winter months. From there the idea for an herbal book group was born.

I have shared my love of herbs and herbal medicine -making with children in religious education during our summer programming. 





I have also had lots of conversations with adults from the congregation interested in learning more about herbs

It also seemed a natural fit to have Green Sanctuary and RE co- sponsor an Herbal Book book group that was open to the community.

SO......we will have an Herbal Book Group planing meeting Thursday, December 12 at 7 PM in the Fireplace Room! Bring any and all ideas for meetings, herbs you want to learn about, book reading ideas, projects you'd like to try.

Thursday, December 5, 2013

HOMEMADE HOLIDAYS this Saturday 3-6PM










Homemade Holidays is a fun, all-ages event. Slow down for a few hours in the company of friends and enjoying some time crafting gifts. Come for an hour or three! 







Below are pictures from Homemade Holidays past. This has been an all ages fun event!
















Wednesday, November 27, 2013

Happy Thanksgiving!



Hoping that everyone can take some time to name what it is you are grateful for, today, tomorrow, and everyday. In the spirit of Gandhi's quote, "Be the change you want to see in the world," being intentionally and outwardly grateful is a wonderful place to start.

Monday, November 18, 2013

November Photo Essay

Lots going on in Religious Education during November. here's a photo essay highlighting some of the happenings...

Over 80 pounds of candy donated by children and adults for Jazzy Sun Birthday parties.





Coming of Age youth discussions on return from experiential learning trips on poverty in Schenectady.






 Service2Service Sunday: putting together care packages to send to UUSS college students; COA pizza fundraiser, putting together Welcome Bags for people at local homeless shelters, diaper drive collections.




Coming of Age youth working at Schenectady City Mission Soup Kitchen. Smiley, pictured in second photo, told us not to assume that everyone who came in was homeless or did not work. "These are hard times," he said. We feed over 75 people, half of them families with children.

Friday, October 25, 2013

CELEBRATE: Halloween, All Hallow's Eve, Samhain

Whatever you choose to call this time of year, we have rituals of celebration and transformation around it. A great online resource I have found to connect with many of the ways seasons are acknowledged and celebrated is called Living in Season.

At the Unitarian Universalist Society of Schenectady we have long celebrated local Halloween traditions with games and parties. This Sunday is an opportunity for an REC- led fun community celebration!

Children and adults of all ages are welcome to participate in our All Souls/Halloween parade. We will all begin together in the Great Hall. During the Prelude marchers will be lead around the Great Hall and out and over to Waters House. Children and youth are not required to participate. All RE activities will start after the parade.

Grades preK -5 will circulate to different activities in Waters House. Grades 6/7 will have treats in their room as they work on their "public service announcement." We hope to show the film at the November 10 service!

Coming of Age meets for an extended class. They will be watching a movie and beginning a period of time of both acting on and thinking about, the issue of hunger. This Sunday will be a movie. November 3 they will be participating in a poverty-awareness activity. Also, in November, the COA youth will have an opportunity to work at a local soup kitchen.

Another important practice for this time of year are additional opportunities to give to local social action groups.

Children who go trick or treating and collect candy have the option of giving some of their candy to an organization that  leads birthday celebrations for children at local homeless shelters. That candy will be collected at the Children's Chapel worship Sunday, November 3. You can also buy and donate the candy as well.

We are collecting toiletry products to make "Welcome Bags" with on Nov 10.

There are of course lots of other wonderful things going on at Unitarian Universalist Society of Schenectady!


Celebrating Indigenous Peoples

Dennis Yerry teaching Alligator Song
Song for Children
Round Dance

Saturday, October 5, 2013

RE-thinking Columbus Day

All Religious Education programs meet tomorrow.

Our theme for grades 1-5 thru is Native Wisdom. We will start in children's chapel. The children will learn a song we will sing next Sunday in worship. They will also learn some words of the Mohawk language and Native American social dancing. Children should come should come prepared to go outside.

Please check out the Waters House library for a special section on Indigenous Peoples. There you will find books for all ages, information, and a brochure, REthinking Columbus Day and Thanksgiving. Since at least 1970 the Unitarian Universalist Association has been involved in supporting and promoting Indigenous Rights. There is much we can learn just in our own geographical region.


Wednesday, October 2, 2013

Social Action and RE





We had our first Social Action Sunday this year with grades 1-5. The children began in children's chapel where we connected Unitarian Universalism's Seven Principles to animal rescue work. The children met some of the volunteers of local Companion Animal Placement Program. They had an opportunity to make toys and cushions for the rescued animals. One of the highlights was four rescued puppies the group brought. Wisely, the puppies already had homes where they would soon be placed!

The children were excited by the toy- making project. With our new dedicated art space we decided to keep supplies available for children to make more toys during RE that we can collect and then donate.


Our next Social Action Sunday will be our Service2Service multigenerational worship on November 10. REC will again collect toiletries to make Welcome Bags for Sojourn House and Bethesda House.

Friday, September 27, 2013

Social Action Sunday and Labyrinth Rededication

RE THIS SUNDAY:

PreK/K meets in their classroom


Grades 1-5: Social Action Sunday with our UUSS Social Action Council Children will learn about CAPPS, the Schenectady-based Companion Animal Placement Program. They will have an opportunity to make toys for the animals during RE too. Adults can donate to the organization during the third Sunday collection in worship.




Walking the labyrinth, offering good wishes by blowing bubbles.

Labyrinth Re- Dedication. Judy Clough will lead the labyrinth rededication with the children. Learn the story of its creation. Look for information sheets to learn more.

Grades 6/7, JUUNIOR youth meet in their room in Waters House.
Coming of Age, grades 8/9, meets in their room in Waters House.
Senior Youth, grades 10-12, meet in senior youth lounge.



Saturday, September 21, 2013

RE for the Fall and Coming of Age Orientation Sunday!

This Sunday marks the official beginning of Fall! Religious Education classes meet for all ages.

Children in preK/K start in their classroom, next door to the nursery.

Grades 1-5 start in Children's Chapel, located now on the second floor in Waters House. We will be talking about our Seven Principles, AKA our Promises. After children's chapel children go with adult guides to different activities. There is always an outside option so PLEASE have children dressed to go outside. Religious Education can be messy! Save your best clothes for multigenerational worship. There is also always an indoor art and library option too. This is our second Sunday with this new programming and we are still figuring it out. If you have questions, if you are interested in helping out in the different areas, see any RE council member (they are wearing bright green t shirts) or see Melissa.

Also Sunday, there is a Coming of Age orientation after worship. It will run from approximately 12 noon to NO LATER THAN, AND HOPEFULLY EARLIER THAN, 1:15 PM. There will be childcare available in the nursery. There will be pizza, salad and drinks at Waters House. Or please feel free to support Green Sanctuary's locavore meal and bring your meal to Waters House.


Thursday, September 12, 2013

Religious Education for children and youth begins Sept 15!

Religious Education (RE) programming for children and youth starts this Sunday!  We will begin together in the Great Hall, Sunday morning at 10:30. We usually start with singing, for anyone who wants to join in, around 10:20 -10:25.

For general class descriptions and information, see an earlier post, August 20,  or look for our new RE brochure.

The RE council and I have been working on some significant changes for this upcoming year's programs.  We are very excited about the different approach we are taking to organizing religious education. It has been at least two years in coming. This week, volunteers have been working re-organizing Waters House to create a dedicated art space and nature space!  We also have a dedicated Children's Chapel space on the second floor of Waters House. 



Sunlight streaming onto Waters House backyard.


Here are some highlights...

The PreK/K (ages 4-6 year old) class will be led by Joel Best, Tina Dell, Jeannine Jacobs and Sharon MacNeil! They meet on RE Sundays in the classroom next to the nursery.

Grades 1-5: Elementary Explorers, will see the most significant changes. This Sunday they will be introduced to the new spaces in Waters House. We have spaces dedicated to Children's Chapel, art and nature. Sept. 22 they begin together in the Water's House Children's Chapel. 

Outside, children will be introduced, or re-introduced, to our labyrinth and we will clean it up in preparation for our Labyrinth Rededication on Sunday, September 29. We will also have games and snacks too.

JUUNIOR Youth (grades 6-7) will be together on the second floor in Waters House. They will be working with their advisors, Jennifer Edgar-Johnson, Amy Khuzwayo, Abby and Steven Winters-Bona. Together they will plan a year of film- making. They will also have have time together exploring "Neighboring Faiths." The Neighboring Faiths calendar will be out later in the fall.

Coming of Age (COA), our year-long rite of passage RE program for 8th and 9th graders, begins September 29! COA is being led by Gary Feinland, Scott Horgen, Lisa Temoshok and Melissa MacKinnon. There is RE for grades 8/9 September 15 and 22. September 22, 12 noon -1:30 there will be a parent/youth information and orientation session for COA. Contact Melissa MacKinnon at melissa.dre@gmail.com for more information.

Check out the new RE Waters House library! We are working on a lending area for books that are current on UU history, parenting, contemplative practices, seasonal themes and world religions.

FREE books available in Waters House foyer. We are doing some housekeeping and looking to move out a number of books. We still need the boxes, but feel free to come over and take some books!

Looking ahead...

There's a heart shape at the center of our labyrinth.


Sunday, September 22 is our first, regular RE Sunday. Children begin in their RE spaces and the programs run 10:30 -11:45 AM. Children in grades 1-5 start in Children's Chapel, located on the second floor of Waters House. Children should dress for playing outside most RE Sundays.

September 29 is our first RE Social Action Sunday with our UUSS Social Action Council Children will learn about CAPPS, the Schenectady-based Companion Animal Placement Program. They will have an opportunity to make toys for the animals during RE too. Adults can donate to the organization during the third Sunday collection in worship.

Also on Sept 29, we will have our Labyrinth Re- Dedication during RE. It seems fitting to combine an inner contemplative practice, like labyrinth walking, with more outwardly focused social action work. I think the two compliment each other and have deep roots in our religious tradition.

Thursday, August 22, 2013

Teaching As Spiritual Practice: A CRUUNY RE workshop

Join Melissa MacKinnon and Leah Purcell
for
Ways to make your time volunteering with children and youth deeply meaningful to you.

Ways to support your connections with other teachers.

An opportunity to strengthen ties between our congregations and to grow Unitarian Universalism.

All those who have taught Sunday school- and those interested in teaching in the future - are welcome for this time to pause, connect and be renewed.
Saturday, Sept. 7, 2013
10:00 am to 3:00 pm – lunch provided

This Workshop for the four CRUUNY Congregations will be held at the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Saratoga Springs
624 N Broadway, Saratoga Springs, NY 12866

To register, request childcare onsite or for more info  contact
Leah at dre@albanyuu.org or 
Melissa at Melissa.dre@gmail.com.

Money is available for you to pay your babysitter at your homeLet Melissa or Leah know if you’d like childcare provided onsite.

Tuesday, August 20, 2013

Religious Education Programming for Children and Youth 2013-2014


Religious Education programs for children and youth start September 15, 2013. Registration forms will be available @ FUSS starting September 8 and online. Every child and youth must be registered. There is no fee for the programs, with the exception of Coming of Age.

Religious Education programs are run on a cooperative model. Parents of children and youth are asked to volunteer in areas that speak to their strengths. Because we are an intentional, committed, faith community, and not a service provider,  parents are expected to participate in the life of the congregation and must remain onsite while their children are in RE classes.

Our youngest, children ages three and under, are cared for by paid nursery attendants. The nursery is set up intentionally with age appropriate toys and books that acknowledge and honor and value different kinds of people and families. Our goal is to provide a safe and loving space for our youngest to become comfortable in our community.

2013-2014 Religious Education program offerings:

Grades PreK/K. Creating Home and Love Surrounds Us. Children ages 4-6 meet in a room next door to the nursery. They are led by a committed team of adults who have experience with our religious values and practices, the curriculum, and children.

Grades 1-5. Workshop Adventure. Children ages 6 - 11. Children begin together at Waters House for a short, interactive worship (approximately 20 minutes) focused on a wisdom story or ethical tale that teaches Unitarian Universalist values. Singing, sharing, mindfulness practices, curiosity, and movement are all part of a children’s chapel worship.

After group worship, the children head out with their adult guide to a designated workshop room. Room themes include outdoor explorations in nature, movement and art. Workshop leaders guide the children through an experience that helps children explore the worship theme or story as Unitarian Universalists.

There will be 2-3  groups with combined ages which will depend on the number of children registered in each age group.

Grades 6-7. JUUNIOR Youth: Building Bridges. Children ages 11-13. Adults and youth will work together continuing an exploration of film media. Working with adults, youth will plan, film and edit 2-3 short pieces. Youth will also travel off site to visit other faith communities including the Grafton Peace Pagoda,the Sikh Temple in Niskayuna, and a synagogue.

Grades 8-9. Coming of Age. Youth ages 13-15. A modern Rite of Passage that is welcoming, affirming, and connects across the generations of our FUSS community. Coming of Age meets 2-3 times monthly for workshops, UU pilgrimages, ropes course, social action and more. The Coming of Age program includes mentored learning, values clarification and physical challenges, ritual for both group and individual, and celebration.

Because of the scope and depth of the program, parents and youth must sign a commitment form in order to participate. There is a fee for this program. There will be an introduction to the program in September. Please contact Director of Religious Education Melissa MacKinnon at melissa.DRE@gmail.com or call 387-9373 for more information.

Grades 10 - 12. Senior Youth Group. Youth ages 15-18.
Our youth group meets Sunday morning beginning at 10:30 AM in the Youth Lounge (the basement of the main building). Youth group is open to the youth of our congregation and their friends. Our advisors work in collaboration with the youth. Youth group focuses on social action/justice, worship, fellowship, learning, and leadership opportunity. Members may also participate in district and continental events, including District Youth Conferences (Cons) and the Youth Caucus at General Assembly. Cons are held throughout the year at various UU congregations throughout our district. These weekend youth retreats offer opportunities for friendship and spiritual reflection in addition to workshops, worship, dances, shared meals and communal living.

*** NEW THIS YEAR ***

Water House library. Waters House, our religious education building, houses a small church library. The library is meant to offer lending resources on religion, theology, social justice, history, parenting, environmental stewardship. It is also a quiet space during RE times Sunday morning for children to sit and read, listen to a story with headphones and explore spiritual practices such as finger labyrinths and mandalas. It is meant for the child who wants or needs quiet time Sunday morning. There will be a volunteer adult in the room.


Thursday, August 1, 2013

End Poverty Schenectady


I remember vividly the morning last fall when I opened the local newspaper to learn that in the city of Schenectady 50.8% of its children live in poverty. Schenectady ranks 13th in the nation for highest childhood poverty rates among cities over 65,000 people. Most of the children in our city live in poverty. Most...of...them. Such is my privilege that biking and driving in and around this city, I did not realize the extent to which this is the experience of most of the children around me. Since then, this has been like a drumbeat for me, always there, reminding me what we are called to do NOW. 

While I believe we have an obligation to be part of solving this problem, I do not believe we have the answers. How could we? The answers come from the ground up. The answers, what to do, comes from working together with those who care in this community. Lots of people care. Importantly we need to work together, rich and poor, all races, all religions, together. This is interfaith work.

Recently I attended  an event by the Schenectady County Human Rights initiative, End Poverty Schenectady. End Poverty Schenectady hosted a panel of youth and young adults from Schenectady to share their insights on poverty. It was very eye-opening. First, I appreciated that End Poverty Schenectady realized the importance of a youth perspective. The youth and young adults talked about a culture of hopelessness that helps create drug dealers and prostitutes at a young age. They talked about how we needed to discus race, because that was part of it. They talked about how much quicker people are to offer sports to low income youth rather than innovative, more academically- oriented programs. End Poverty Schenectady will next meet on Saturday, September 21. They have a Facebook page that has information on their upcoming meeting dates too.

FUSS will host one of their upcoming meetings. I want to encourage all of us to be part of this current conversation at all the meetings. What might we do in this community together? 

Friday, July 26, 2013

Mission trip to Guatemala

Our fabulous youth and adult advisors left last night for their mission trip to Guatemala! In Guatemala City they will work with the organization Safe Passage for a week. Safe Passage is located in the slums adjacent to the Guatemala City garbage dump. It's mission is to provide a way out of poverty through education. Safe Passage is not a school, it is a support center that helps children with their schooling and works with parents as well.


The group of 17 have spent nearly a year preparing. Meeting monthly they: created a covenant, learned about Guatemala, raised funds, and planned lessons for their time in the children's classes. They are being led by a really wonderful group of adults: Mindy Whisenhunt, Randy Jennings, Roz Dahl, Dan Mackay, and Jon Marr. Mindy, Randy, Roz and Dan are also senior youth advisors, so they really know the youth they are traveling with well. Mindy, Roz and Jon traveled with the group on their last mission trip to Guatemala two years ago.




They are all representing FUSS (soon UUSS) and our Unitarian Universalist faith out in the world. I have no doubt that they will represent us with joy, kindness and compassion. They will be changed by this trip and they will change others too; this I know from personal experience.

A little history: This is the third time our congregation has helped send youth on a mission trip to Guatemala. Our connection began on a beach in Maine, UU retreat center Ferry Beach, when Mindy Whisenhunt learned about Safe Passage. Mindy has worked tirelessly maintaining a connection to Safe Passage, traveling there on her own and leading these three trips.




KIRTAN comes to the Great Hall





July 21, we worshiped all together with the Albany Kirtan Band! There was drumming and chanting and singing. There was a labyrinth in the back people could walk. There were mandalas that could be colored. Kelly Jennings led a wonderful version of the bond of union. We shared blessings.


Interfaith work

I have been working with a group of Native Americans and allies since January on an event that happens Saturday, July 27! I have loved every minute of it. Our local radio show, WAMC, had a great piece on it.

Between Idle No More, the Unity Riders and Honor the Two Row, I am ready to follow the lead of Native peoples saying we need to work together to heal ourselves and this land. Violence, oppression and racism, which Native peoples know and have experienced, damages EVERYONE. Which is why Onondaga Chief Jake Edwards has said that healing needs to happen on all sides

Wednesday, July 10, 2013

Healing Gardens

Last Sunday was our first day of summer Religious Education for children!

We started preparing an outdoor space for an herbal garden. We will plant lemon balm, aloe, calendula, nasturtium. Maybe even sunflowers!

Lemon Balm



We made lemon balm lip balm using these ingredients: 
fresh lemon balm infused in almond oil
shea butter,
local beeswax,
 local honey,
 wheat germ, 
  essential oil of lemon.


I found the lip balm recipe for this online at "Herbal Roots Zine." The magazine is geared towards children; you can download an entire issue about lemon balm.  



Wednesday, July 3, 2013

Summer Religious Education Classes Begin Sunday

Religious Education classes for children start this Sunday from 10:30-11:15 AM. Classes are structured for children ages 5-10 years.  Older children are welcome to help with the class. A nursery is available for children birth to age 4.

This summer will be similar to last in structure. We will explore our seventh principle; acknowledgement of the interdependent web of existence. We will do this with games, art, story and explorations of the gardens and area around FUSS.

We will again work on an outdoor garden. This year's will be a plant medicine garden. We will grow aloe, calendula, lemon balm and nasturtium. Throughout the summer children will have a chance to work on a children's herbal kit.

Similar to Maria Montessori teaching methods, after a gathering time, chalice lighting and story, children can choose which activities they would like to explore for the remainder of the morning. Many activities will remain the entire time, others will change weekly.

The books the activities and stories are drawn from include:  The Kid's Herbal Book, by Lesley Tierra, Planting Seeds, by Thich Nhat Hahn, Roots, Shoots, Buckets and Boots: Activities To Do in the Garden, by Sharon Lovejoy, and  Native American Gardening, by Michael Caduto and Joseph Bruchac.

Wednesday, May 8, 2013

Dinner & Bikes arrives May 15



I am thrilled that Religious Education and Green Sanctuary are hosting a Dinner and Bikes event next Wednesday, May 15! It's a multimedia roadshow of food and bicycle activism with Portland, Oregon bicycle advocate and writer Elly Blue, filmmaker Joe Biel and chef Joshua Ploeg.

You can read more about it and register here. I am hoping to have tickets for sale at the Green Sanctuary table this Sunday too.

I have been a fan of Elly Blue's since she wrote a series called "Bikenomics" for Grist (online) Magazine a couple of years ago. I followed their last two tours and waited, patiently, for them to travel this way. I think it will be a really fabulous event! I hope you will join us and let others know about it as well!



Saturday, April 20, 2013

Religious Education worship and luncheon Sunday



Native American storyteller of Mohawk descent, Kay Olan, will be our guest for worship tomorrow.  She will share wisdom from the Haudenosaunee/Iroquois tradition. Sharing these wisdom traditions will be the main part of the service.

I have written at length about the Doctrine of Discovery and our work in RE this year to educate our church and larger community. We have been a sponsor this year in the Two Row Wampum Renewal Campaign. Also on Sunday, as part of our RE Luncheon, Andy Mager,  Project Coordinator for the Two Row Wampum Renewal Campaign, will talk about the campaign. Andy is traveling from Syracuse to talk. This will be a brief talk for all ages.

Following it will be our teacher recognition and RE slideshow. The whole program will last 1/2 an hour during lunch. Hope you will be there!

Thursday, March 14, 2013

Children at the Well

"When you look and I look at these trees, these flowers, anything at all, we are the universe looking at its handiwork. You have perhaps seen the pattern of cross and yarn called the 'eye of God' made first in our Southwest in homage to the sun. We, too, all of us together, all the eyes of all the creatures, are the eye of God. That is why we need each other, our many ways of seeing, that together we may rejoice, and see clearly, and find the many keys to abundant life."               Greta W. Crosby


photo and "god's eye" by Lisa Temoshok

Since knitters shouldn't have all the fun, there will be an activity during this Sunday's multigenerational Children at the Well worship for the kinesthetic among us. We will have out supplies and directions to make “god's eyes” as a meditative tool during worship.  Look for adults and children handing them out before the worship service. 

Friday, March 8, 2013

Cranes for Marina





As many of you know, our entire FUSS community is involved in making 1000 cranes for Marina. They will decorate her recovery room as she recovers from surgery. Melinda Perrin has led this effort and so many people have joined. In RE one week we had a guest family excited to come and share how to make cranes with our 5th and 6th grade class.

Wednesday, February 13, 2013

Parents as Spiritual Guides

This spring Religious Education is again offering an evening program geared towards parents. Parenting: Mindfulness: Spirituality, looks at the intersections of these three things.  The course is for building community and support for each other in the work of parenting, especially children and adolescents. It is discussion based with no reading required, although there will be handouts and suggested readings to deepen your perspective on the topics we will be exploring.

The program combines RE curriculum on "Parents as Spiritual Guides," with practices and suggestions from the book Everyday Blessings: The Inner Work of Mindful Parenting. We will honor our own spiritual journeys as we consider faith development of children and adolescents. We'll look at the ways RE at FUSS can support parents and children. We will also look at a model for doing social justice work together in our community.

We will meet for 5 Sundays from 5-7PM: March 17 & 24; April 7,14 & 21. Potluck dinner for everyone, including children; childcare provided. Please e-mail or call Melissa MacKinnon, DRE with questions or to register.

Saturday, February 9, 2013

SUNDAE SUNDAY

Tomorrow is Sundae Sunday! Our fabulous Religious Education Council has organized this annual event. It's set up so all ages get to mingle and, hopefully, you'll enjoy some ice cream with someone you do not know well, yet.  Our senior youth will scoop the ice cream.  They will be asking for donations towards the mission trip some of them are taking to Guatemala this summer. There are vegan options too.

Saturday, January 19, 2013

Our Whole Lives for 5th&6th graders starting

Our Wholes Lives is an important curriculum we offer as part of religious education at First Unitarian Society Schenectady. In a culture filled with negative stereotypes about gender and sexuality, OWL offers a positive, life- affirming opportunity to link sexuality, social justice and spirituality. Here's a description from the Unitarian Universalist website,

Our Whole Lives helps participants make informed and responsible decisions about their sexual health and behavior. It equips participants with accurate, age-appropriate information in six subject areas: human development, relationships, personal skills, sexual behavior, sexual health, and society and culture. Grounded in a holistic view of sexuality, Our Whole Lives not only provides facts about anatomy and human development, but also helps participants clarify their values, build interpersonal skills, and understand the spiritual, emotional, and social aspects of sexuality.

At FUSS we offer OWL at two points in religious education, between 4th -6th grade and between 7th-9th grade.

We are offering the 8-week Our Whole Lives program for 5th and 6th graders beginning January 27, at 10:30 AM, with a parent/child class. There is a parent orientation this Sunday, January 20th, in Waters House, beginning at noon. We will have lunch available and there is childcare.

The OWL course requires parental approval in order for children to participate. During these 8 weeks there are no drop -ins allowed.

Our OWL programs are run by trained adult facilitators. Our facilitators are volunteers from FUSS who get additional training to lead Our Whole Lives. They are incredibly dedicated to this program and the children they serve. If you are interested in being trained, please talk with Melissa MacKinnon, Director of Religious Education.