From September through May, First Day School begins at 10:00 in the religious education rooms.  Children come in to sit with their parents in worship at 10:50. After worship, there is an adult program from 11:30 to 12:30 while children are tended in the classrooms.

During the summer, children are supervised during worship in projects or outdoor activities, and there is no adult discussion group.

The Youth Religious Education Committee is happy to report that the fall 2013 term is up and running with good energy.  Our plans for the year have evolved from a desire to have the children get to know more adults in meeting, and vice versa.  The hope is to foster community; but just as importantly it is also to have the children learn what it is to be a Quaker, directly from the real live Friends in our meeting and not only from books.

We are asking the adult Friends to volunteer at least once each semester, to spend first hour with our youth and share something of themselves.  They will take one age group and another adult will take the other, after everyone begins in worship together.  They may choose to follow a lesson suggestion which can be found in the JYF or K-5 “FAP Box” on the shelf, or read a book, or play games, or be interviewed.  The older children have a list of questions and at the end of the year will compile the interviews, all anonymous, into a book called “This Is Our Meeting.”

Summary of this term’s curriculum:

                  Theme for the year:  What Brings You Life?

                  Curriculum through December:

Bible and other religious stories

“This Is Our Meeting” interviews (JYFs)

Camp and other songs

Cooperative games

Making a movie and/or a play

The annual Simple Meal will be November 24, 2013.  The children will do the preparations either at home or during first hour, and then serve a simple meal of rice and beans during second hour, using proceeds from donations for the Heifer Project.

We are grateful to Friends who over the last few months have answered our requests for help, such as volunteering for creek duty in the summer and signing up for First Day School.  Your support for our committee has been noted by us and very much appreciated!