An extremely important UUCA workshop for Congregational Leaders

Friday, February 27 5:00-8:00 pm and Saturday, February 28  9:00 am–3:00 pm

Generally speaking, it’s always good to set a destination before you set off on your journey.  Now that our new Director of Lifespan Religious Education has gotten the lay of the land here at UUCA, it’s time to help Joy Berry set the future direction of all the educational programs we provide for adults, youth and children.  We urge you to join in on this important opportunity to talk about the ministry of religious education and faith development at UUCA.

The UUA has consultants to help out with these types of workshops and sure enough, our Visioning weekend will be led by Kathy McGowan, a Congregational Life Staff member of the Southern Region.  Because lifespan religious education is such a vital piece of a UU congregation—what Rev. William Sinkford, former UUA President and current minister of one of our largest congregations, called the engine of new growth in our churches and what many of us understand to be the place where faith formation most concretely occurs—we need YOU to be in on the conversation.  This work is covenantal in nature, and so we are inviting all who have an interest in religious education and faith formation to attend—lay leaders, board members, parents, elders, teachers, and youth are especially invited.

As you know, our Board is working this year to discern again the future of UUCA, so too, this lifespan religious education visioning process needs your voice to help shape the future of UUCA.  During this time, we will share our knowledge of the history of RE at UUCA and look to the future as we envision the program of faith formation that we will work together to create. We will consider expectations of the congregation and outline mutual hopes for the future of the program.  A Covenant for Excellence in Religious Education invites us to place lifespan religious education and faith development at the center and heart of congregational life.

Here is a rough schedule of what’s planned:

Friday night, 5pm-8pm: It’s a Potluck History Party!!

All are invited to a church-wide potluck in RE Commons. We will start a conversation about “where do we come from;” a bit of the history of lifespan religious education at UUCA.  It would be very nice if people who actually had some historical knowledge of our congregation showed up!

Childcare will be provided – RSVP to cyc@uuasheville.org with ages of kids.

Saturday, 9am-3pm: On to the Future!!

Everyone in attendance—congregational leaders (that’s you) and board, RE committee members, RE staff, ministers, youth, members, friends—everyone who is passionate about the ministry of religious education and faith development will gather to set the course for the best, most meaningful faith formation/religious education program UUCA has ever known!

Lunch will be catered, childcare will be provided.  RSVP to dlre@uuasheville.org for lunch, cyc@uuasheville.org for childcare (specify ages please).

Y’all come!