Strategic Plan of the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Boulder

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FOCUS # 4:  RELIGIOUS EDUCATION FOR ALL AGES

 

Goal # 1:  Provide quality, year-round religious education and childcare for UUFB children and youth (through high school age) which offers:

 

·        A loving, welcoming, and safe learning environment

·        An enriching curriculum which provides understanding of UU principles

as well as other religions

·        An opportunity for intergenerational exchange among children and adult members/friends

 

            Objective # 1 – Establish energized and active participation of adults and children

 

            Strategies:

 

1.      Communicate with UUFB on regular basis of RE work and its benefits to all

 

2.      Recruit additional members to RE effort, including teachers, CYRE committee

members, and volunteers

 

3.      Establish welcoming and registration effort

 

Responsibility:  CYRE committee and Director of RE

Resources and Milestones:  See Appendices

 

            Objective # 2 – Ensure proper planning and administration for a growing, well-funded, and

                        well-managed religious education program with solid leadership that follows our

                        strategic plan

 

            Strategies:

 

1.      Complete strategic plan, including RE calendar

 

2.      Communicate regularly with UUFB leadership and congregation

 

3.      Communicate regularly within CYRE committee

 

4.      Determine DRE back-up coverage

 

Responsibility:  CYRE committee and Director of RE

Resources and Milestones:  See Appendices

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

            Objective # 3 – Ensure a rich and deep program

 

            Strategies:

 

1.  Curriculum that gives our children a solid grounding in our UU faith while teaching an

understanding of and respect for the belief systems of others;  communicates our

objectives clearly to teachers so that they can be effectively incorporated into the

curriculum; and communicates our objectives clearly to the parents

 

2.      Family Potlucks that combine education with socializing by offering a speaker on a

particular parenting topic; and making potlucks accessible and appealing to a wider

group of participating RE families

 

3.      Well-organized summer program that provides a structured and safe environment for

children attending in the summer without implementing a new, full-scale religious

education curriculum

 

4.      Programs for encouraging good parenting that provide educational opportunities and

practical support for parents

 

5.      Social action programs that encourage our youth to recognize needs in their communities

that require social action, and empower them to develop and participate in social

action, which will address those needs

 

6.      Children’s services that provide regular, rich worship experiences for our children

through monthly children’s services

 

7.      Sunday activities that communicate to parents and teachers the many opportunities

offered; and provide opportunities for social bonding among our children, parents,

and families and encourage participation by all families, particularly those who have

not attended social events in the past

 

8.      Intergenerational connections that videotape elders of UUFB, capture their story, and

share with UUFB youth and children; and encourage our youth to have a more active     and visible role in the life of the Fellowship

 

Responsibility:  CYRE committee and Director of RE

Resources and Milestones:  See Appendices

 

           Objective # 4 – Provide a teen program that provides smooth transitions from teens to adults     

Strategies:

 

1.      Maintain committed youth leadership and adult advisors

 

2.      Create ongoing Coming of Age process and celebration

 

3.      Create ongoing Homecoming of Graduated Young Adults

 

4.      Create ongoing Baccalaureate for Graduating Seniors

 

5.      Keep communication flowing freely between advisors, teens, and parents

 

6.      Take advantage of district structure and training

 

7.      Treat teens as valued individuals with gifts to share with the congregation

 

8.      Create bonding opportunities for teens

 

9.      Offer programming that balances worship, education, service and social events

 

10.  Offer programming that is safe and comfortable, exciting and challenging

 

11.  Welcome new teen members and families with teens

 

Responsibility:  CYRE committee and Director of RE

Resources and Milestones:  See Appendices

 

Objective # 5 – Maintain a Place to Call Home for our Children

 

                        Strategies:

 

1.  Maintain the beauty of current space by cleaning, organizing supplies and snacks,      and obtaining a Boulder RE key

 

2.      Guide development of appropriate new space by providing inputs to UUFB

strategic and facilities search

               

3.  Enhance current space as possible, such as making some UU banners for Lodge                   room and Lounge and working to get outdoor play area

 

Responsibility:  CYRE committee and Director of RE

Resources and Milestones:  See Appendices

 

 

Goal # 2:  Provide quality Adult Religious Education for adults in the UUFB community

 

            Objective # 1 – Provide creative opportunities for adults to:  address the increasing

                        moral/ethical complexity of decision making in their maturing lives; grow in

                        connections to self, others, and a larger spiritual reality; and implement UU

                        Principles in daily life

 

Strategy:  Offer classes annually that deal with life’s basic questions: 

(1)   who am I?  (2) who is in charge?  (3)  how do I know what I know?

(4)     what does the fact that I will die mean for how I want to live?  (5)

what is the purpose of my life? And (6) what is my relationship and

responsibility to the larger world community and the interconnected

web of life?

 

Responsibility:  Adult RE committee

Resources:  UU curriculum, facilitators/teachers, Minister and staff

Milestones:  2002 to 2006

 

Strategy:  Obtain financial resources to acquire, maintain and distribute educational materials; and to acquire, maintain and insure equipment and to purchase supplies

 

                        Responsibility:  Adult RE committee

                                    Resources:  Finance committee, Board, ARE committee

                                    Milestones:  2002 to 2006

 

 

                        Strategy:  Recruit a part-time staff person to direct Adult RE program

 

                                    Responsibility:  Adult RE committee

                                    Resources:  ARE committee, Board, Minister

                                    Milestone:  2006

 

            Objective # 2 – Increase the knowledge of UUFB members about the background, principles

                        and implications of Unitarian Universalism

 

                        Strategy:  Offer classes annually on:  (1) UU Principles, (2) UU History, and (3)

                                    Sources of Wisdom

 

                                    Responsibility:  Adult RE committee

                                    Resources:  Curriculum, facilitators/teachers

                                    Milestones:  2002 to 2006

 

            Objective # 3 – Provide creative opportunities for adults to learn how to implement UU

                        Principles in daily life

 

                        Strategies:

 

1.      Offer Level III and Level IV classes for persons wishing for greater depth of

study

 

2.      Coordinate with Membership committee and Board to develop classes which

follow-up new member orientation to provide information on opportunities

and ways to participate in UUFB social action activities

 

3.      Coordinate with other committees to disseminate information on opportunities

and ways to participate in the life and function of the congregation

 

Responsibility:  Adult RE committee, Program Council, Membership com.

Resources:  Program Council chair, Membership chair

Milestones:  2003 to 2006