Summer at WSUU!

Thank You! Thank you to all who participated in our beautiful RE Celebration Service last Sunday, and thank you to all who received it with such warmth! It’s a gift to work in a community where our children and youth are so cherished and beloved!

Teaching and Advising in our RE Programs: We are filling our rosters with fabulous teaching teams for next year, and we invite YOU to consider the possibility of playing a role in bringing our rich Religious Exploration ministry to life! In addition to joining a teaching team, there are other opportunities to support our varied RE activities through the year. Bring all of your curiosity and questions and interest to Betsy (dre@wsuu.org) or Julie Forkasdi, RE Council Chair (julieforkasdi@email.com)!

Westside’s Summer RE Program: June 16^th will be the first Sunday of our RE Summer Program! As with last year, we will offer an engaging multi-age class for children ages 5—12 in the Social Hall. Each week we’ll have a guest speaker share a topic they are passionate about, linked to our seven UU Principles. Our RE teacher each week will lead our kids through the rituals of chalice lighting, check-in, community building, energizers, and wrap-up, and we’ll have music, art, and movement activities infused. The Nursery will be open for children from 6 weeks to age 4, and youth over the age of 12 are invited to participate in the service (unless they have arranged with the Summer RE Coordinator to assist with the RE class). Check our RE blog for updates on our topics and activities each week! (www.wsuureligiousexploration.blogspot.com)

Mackenzie Murphy, Summer RE Coordinator: Please welcome Mackenzie Murphy, our RE Summer Coordinator for 2013!  Mackenzie will join Betsy Lowry, our DRE, and a team of dedicated RE volunteers to coordinate WSUU’s summer RE program from June 9^th through September 8^th. You’ll see her greeting families on Sunday morning, and ensuring that our littlest Nursery babies through our high school youth are welcomed and included in engaging weekly sessions.

Recently out of high school, Mackenzie is currently a nanny for two families. She adores her jobs and even more so, the kids she works with. Mackenzie has dedicated her time to children and youth as a camp counselor, babysitter, and nanny for the past nine years. Watching them flourish is something she’s deeply passionate about. Mackenzie will continue to follow this passion as either an au pair or an assistant ESL teacher abroad next spring. She is very excited about this new position and getting to know the Westside community where her parents, Patti Hooper and Larry Murphy, are members. Feel free to approach her at any time with questions or concerns, or just to say hi!

Summer Youth Activities: Our Youth Group will not meet regularly during the summer. They will plan periodic gatherings and events, which will be shared with families through email, posted on the RE Blog, and announced in the eNews and our weekly Order of Service. 

Looking Forward to Fall: As we ease into our summer schedules, we can relax knowing that fabulous programs will be offered next fall as a part of Westside’s ministry for children and youth. In July, families will hear more about orientations and information sessions for OWL offerings (including our year-long junior high OWL class for 7^th and 8^th graders), Coming of Age (offered for all of our high schoolers who have not yet been through a COA class), and our middle and high school youth groups. Our RE program will offer music and art opportunities for kids of all ages, and multigenerational events for families. And our middle and high school youth have fall Cons to attend!