Religious Education of Key Importance

  There are 175 children and youth registered in the Fox Valley UU Fellowship religious education program, including a high school group of 20.

  “Our growth is because of very dedicated teachers trying to make programming interesting and meaningful,” says director of religious education Ann Barker, who has headed the program since 1995. “We’re also flexible in adjusting the curriculum to meet the needs of the congregation.”

  Fox Valley used UUA curricula in a standard three-year rotation until two years ago when it began writing its own curricula in search of fresher approaches and to cut down teachers’ time. Many of the UUA curricula, Barker says, were so much like school that they helped create classroom behavior problems. Attendance would drop off toward the end of the year.

  Fox Valley has a team of parents who write curricula using a multi-intelligence approach to accommodate many learning styles, and including lots of movement. “We do drama, dance, and drumming, in addition to arts and crafts,” says Barker.

  RE is provided at all three services: 4:30 Saturday and 9:00 and 10:30 Sundays. Teachers used to teach four to six weeks straight, but no one wanted to miss that many services. Now Fox Valley has teams of four teachers. A teacher teaches one week, is class assistant the next, and then is off two weeks.

  “Before we started that new rotation we could only cover two services,” said Barker. “Now we can do all three.” In the summer RE is only available at 9:00 Sunday when kids (generally younger ones) meet as a big group.

  Class divisions are: nursery, preschool (3- to 4-year-olds); kindergarten through second, third through fifth, sixth through eighth, and high school. All children, except those in junior and senior high, start in the adult service for the chalice lighting, opening words, and first hymn. There is a children’s story at the 10:30 service but only infrequently at other services.

  When they are dismissed from the adult service, grades kindergarten through fifth gather in the RE wing for a children’s worship circle, including chalice lighting and joys and concerns. The music director meets with them briefly, and they learn about and sing a hymn. Then they are dismissed to their classes for 25 minutes of class time. Junior and senior high youth are not part of the adult service, but have their own opening worship.

  Sessions on other religions include visits by members of those faiths who explain traditions and beliefs and bring food, clothing, and other cultural items. Hands-on activities have included construction of a “flour-and-salt map” of India (Hinduism) and creation of a Buddhist shrine.

  For the third- through fifth-grade class, the social action unit included making gifts and taking them to residents of a nursing home and playing games with the residents. The class also designed a plan for a city park.

  Boys, who often drop out of RE programs, tend to stay around at Fox Valley, says Barker, in part because of less sitting and a high percentage of male teachers. Also, Fox Valley minister the Rev. Roger Bertschausen “is very visible and very child-friendly.”

  OWL (Our Whole Lives sexuality education) is for seventh through ninth grades; Coming of Age is ninth and tenth. It has Wednesday night sessions, three retreats, service projects, and credo development.

  OWL bonds the middle schoolers, says Barker. “Some go in very reluctantly, but in a short time they love the program. Then they just naturally gravitate to the youth group.”

  The middle school class meets only at the 4:30 Saturday service. Saturdays provide opportunities for after-church social events for that age group, says Barker. The senior high group meets at 10:30 Sundays, not for “class,” but to do a worship service, talk with invited guests about topics such as yoga, Buddhism, paganism, etc., and pursue social justice projects. Two of four volunteer youth advisors are at each session. The youth learn how to plan programs and conduct worship.

  Barker has to line up 100 volunteers annually. “I simply make a volunteer chart and tell the congregation if you want this program to happen, all these squares have to be filled in.”

  There’s also a strong adult education program at Fox Valley. This past year there were 26 offerings. “We find a lot of new people attend class after class,” said Barker. “It’s a way to make connections and get to know people.”

  Board member Prerna Kvalvik credits Barker with much of the program’s success. “Ann is a perfectionist, very kind and respectful, and straightforward, and she inspires others to do the best they possibly can. She’s completely focused on making sure that children have the best possible experience they can, not only in the classroom, but any time they’re inside the building.”

  When the congregation planned its current building it had to decide whether to build adequate RE space or adequate worship space, says Bertsch-hausen. It couldn’t afford both. “We chose RE space. Our RE program has been a major reason why we’ve grown over the years.