by the Religious Education Committee
Kayaking, seasonal crafts, virtual workshops, game days, and more! The Religious Education Committee this year has worked hard to provide a variety of options to meet the needs of families while navigating the ever changing realities of the pandemic. That is why our goal has been a focus on the social-emotional needs of children and teens while giving them an opportunity to connect to our principles. It has been a challenging yet rewarding year so far!
In order to provide options that are available to as many as possible, we have offered programming in both in person and virtual formats. In person seasonal events have been a hit, like the All-Ages Halloween Parade where over 30 people (& pets!) joined in costume fun and the Yule Craft Day where a unseasonably warm day allowed for many ornaments and bird feeders to be made. There have also been online events, like game days and the Get Real weekly workshop that WUU put on in partnership with Virginia League of Planned Parenthood, that offered ways to connect in the virtual world. Getting outside and active has also been important, and events like Kayaking on the James River, pumpkin picking, and Kite Day have given everyone opportunities to connect with nature and enjoy the changing seasons.
After an unusual year, what does the future of RE at WUU look like? The RE Committee received feedback from a survey a few weeks ago and has been using that to guide programming for the rest of this year as well as help us plan for the future. Expect larger monthly and seasonal events to continue, more options for multi-week workshops, and more! And as always, if you are interested in volunteering, please contact Austen at austen@wuu.org.