Feeling isolated? Longing for a deeper connection with others? Tired of the usual head talk and eager for some heart talk?
East Shore is introducing Soul Matters Sharing Circles, a new (to us) small group ministry program. Our monthly Soul Matters groups will be open to all and offered on zoom and in person to fit a variety of schedules … hopefully, including yours.
Why this program?
What makes the Soul Matters program uniquely powerful is that it is grounded in personal down-to-earth experience and deep intentional listening to one another and to our own still small voice. In Soul Matters Sharing Circles, we are all gently coaxed down from the lofty perch of analyzing, intellectualizing, and quoting others to the firm ground of our own unique life experience.
How it works
As a group member, you will receive a packet of materials each month from September through June. Each packet is divided into three sections: Spiritual Exercises, Discernment Questions, and a plethora of optional supportive resources. You’re free to shape your monthly journey through the materials as they speak to your unique, unrepeatable, irreplaceable life experience. There are no demands, no expectations, no assigned homework. Your journey is yours to define. At group sessions, you’re free to share whatever aspects of your monthly journey you feel moved to share.
Listening deeply and intentionally to the gifts of others, awakens new awarenesses within our own soul.
Being listened to deeply and intentionally by trusted companions nourishes self-trust, courage and loving kindness toward oneself and one another.
You can learn more about Soul Matters at soulmatterssharingcircle.com
We hope you can join us.
How to join a Soul Matters Sharing Circle
For this year, we are starting with 5 groups. We tried to get a variety of options for people. The times/dates are:
3rd Sundays,1:00 p.m. in person at ESUC (Ann Carden)
3rd Tuesdays, 12:00 p.m. via Zoom (Ann Carden)
3rd Tuesdays, 7:00 p.m. via Zoom (Kari Leon)
3rd Thursdays, 10:00 a.m. in person at ESUC (Eric Horner)
3rd Thursdays, 4:30 p.m. in person at ESUC (Grace Colton)
Thank you to everyone who bid on and donated to the Youth Tip at this year’s auction! Your Youth Tip Donations are at Work sending scholarships to youth to support the Cascadia SUUmer Con. East Shore Unitarian is sending six teens to the event and there are over forty youth from the region going. Taking place at the United Church of Christ Retreat and Conference Center, N-Sid-Sen, in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, SUUmer Con is an immersive, transformative experience for our young people — the only summer CON in the Pacific Northwest. Set on the beautiful shores of Lake Coeur d’Alene, it grounds youth in our UU faith, in community and love, in diversity and acceptance, and invites them into deeper connection with themselves, each other, and the wider UU community. It’s open to rising middle schoolers through graduating seniors, and a bus is available to bring folks from the west side out to camp, so distance doesn’t have to be a barrier. We’re thrilled to be able to use the Youth Tip contributions are helping make sure cost isn’t what stands in the way. Thank you again for your generosity — it’s already changing the shape of this summer for our kids.
On another note, it’s that time of year again! Each summer I ask parents to register their kids for the upcoming programming year. This information is very important as it is used to plan events, purchase supplies, and focus our ministry on the specific children and youth involved. Find our annual registration form online.
We Need R.E. Volunteers! This fall we are looking to provide a fun opportunities for children and teens to connect in community and faith each week. We need YOUR help to make it happen! Check out the details and Fill out our form online to get involved
— Amanda, Director of Religious Education
September and October RE Programs
REGISTRATION OPEN FOR 26-27 CHURCH YEAR!
For children and youth
Please take the time to register your child(ren) for Nursery care, Kids Religious Education groups at 10:30am, and Youth Group. You must do this yearly. As contact information, allergies, the kinds of supports kids need in order to fully participate all change over time, we need these updated each year. Thank you for taking the time to do this!
Religious Education classes for children and youth would not be possible without the amazing volunteer teachers. The more teachers we can get, the more kids we can teach! Multiple volunteers are needed for each age group. Teachers receive a volunteer shirt and a teachers packet with lesson plans. Fill out our form online or email [email protected] if you have any questions!
OPTIONS:
Be part of a team of lead teachers, assistants, and substitutes for the nursery, grades K-2, or 3-5, class that meets during the worship service;
Be part of a team of youth advisors to mentor middle and high school age activities, discussions, and service learning projects that meet after the worship service;
Be a parent volunteer be a safe second adult in the classroom to help as needed;
Be a Class Parent to welcome new families and help them connect with other parents and the congregation;
Be an RE greeter and staff the check in table at the start of each RE Sunday;
Be a liaison with a participating ministry team, (e.g. Grounds, Porchlight, Auction, Indigenous Connections, Welcoming Congregations, Giving Tree, etc.);
Be a Sex Ed Teacher with the Our Whole Lives program;
Help plan and implement seasonal events for families;
Care for young children in the nursery during congregational events;
Admin and Library weekday help;
And/Or, contact me for short, 1-3 hour opportunities!
SUPPORT for TEACHERS and FACILITATORS:
Amanda will provide an RE volunteer orientation September 6 from 12:30-2:30 PM and ongoing coaching for those working with our children.
A separate team of other volunteers will assist Amanda to provide the needed lesson plans, activity guides, resources, and supplies.
Volunteer teams will set up their rotation and communication systems to ensure coverage and allow members to attend worship on a regular schedule.
The Children and Youth RE Ministry Team will encourage related ministry teams and other interested adults to participate in RE in their areas of expertise.
Stay connected—Reach out to our staff to ensure you are on our email lists for enrolled youth.
Our Whole Lives is a comprehensive sexuality education providing not only facts about anatomy and human development, but also helps participants to clarify their values, build interpersonal skills, and understand the spiritual, emotional, and social aspects of sexuality. This intensive weekend training is designed to prepare facilitators to lead the Our Whole Lives/Sexuality and Our Faith curriculum at our congregation. Curriculum materials can be obtained through East Shore’s Director of Religious Education. The minimum age to be considered for an OWL facilitator is 21 years old. The facilitators who implement the curriculum are important determinants of the program success; therefore, it is very important for leaders to be highly skilled in communication and facilitation, in managing the learning process, and in using a variety of teaching techniques, such as role play. You must have the ability to create an atmosphere that engages the age group and to use language and communication styles that are relevant and age-appropriate. Facilitators must have a comfort with the subject matter and be willing to support the values and goals of the program.
In Person at Pilgrim Firs, Port Orchard, November 20, 2026@ 10am – November 22, 2026@ 12pm
Cost & What’s Included
$475.00 per facilitator
Includes: 2-nights cabin lodging (linens provided), meals and snacks from lunch on Friday until breakfast on Sunday, and full training cost with professional trainers, prepared handouts, and materials. OWL Curriculum is obtained through the congregation.
Interested or Have Questions?
Contact Amanda, Director of Religious Education
(425) 747-3780 ext. 104, [email protected].
by Amanda Alice Uluhan, Director of Religious Education
At our Children & Youth Bridging Worship Service on June 7, 2026, you experienced the enthusiasm that our children and youth, parents and teachers have for the Religious Education Programs at East Shore. We invited you to “Lean in” to help us get through the uncertainties of running these programs during the extensive construction activity in the Education Building next fall. Here are the two big takeaways we wanted to leave you with for the fall:
Volunteers are encouraged to sign up as teachers and teaching assistants, and
Ministry Teams and other affiliate groups are invited to involve children and youth in your programs.
If your ministry team or affiliate group wants to get involved in the RE program this fall, we invite you to imagine new ways of interacting with children and youth. You don’t necessarily need to offer traditional classroom instruction… we encourage creativity and re-imagining. Here are some different ways you might interact:
Take part in a service learning project
Explore ways of creative expression through art, music, writing
Lead a field trip to an organization that is working in your field/area
Design a curriculum for a 1 to 3 session mini-course on a topic
Collaborate with the RE Team to design a mini-course on your field using their vast resources
We invite you to think about topics or activities that you believe would capture the interest of the children and youth. What is it that you work on as a ministry team or affiliate group that would be appropriate for eager learners? What got you interested in your area to begin with? Ideally topics will be solutions oriented and offer hope for a better future. When we ask you to lean in and help with RE, it will be with the full support of the RE professionals who lead our programs. They have experience and skills of working with children and youth here at East Shore. They are ready to work with you and your teams to collaborate on educational offerings.
We invite you to think about which age groups you would like to be involved with:
Littles (under 5)
K-5
Middle school youth
High school youth
We invite you to think about what month(s) is(are) best for your team to get interactive with the children and youth? You may have a worship service or a special event. Could you involve children and youth in the preparation and presentation for that event? Will you have a special speaker visit East Shore, who could do a separate session with the children and youth? You may want to avoid a crunch time when your team is too busy, and perhaps get involved with kids once things quiet down.
We invite you to think about the ideal timing of the interaction. Should it be during worship, at the same time as worship, a family friendly event after worship on Sundays, on a Saturday morning, or another time of the week?
Once you feel ready, we invite you to submit your ideas, in whatever state of planning they may be. We’ve created this Google Form for you to fill out with as much or as little information as you and your team have. Please feel free to submit multiple ideas by repeating the process using the same form. All of your ideas will be considered by our RE professionals for further, collaborative development with your teams.
by Amanda Alice Uluhan, Director of Religious Education
East Shore Our Whole Lives (ESUC-OWL) offers local programs in the nationally recognized Our Whole Lives comprehensive sexuality curriculum. Our programs are offered by trained volunteers and staff who:
Attend a 2.5-day training in OWL facilitation, online or in person. For more information about the curriculum, please see the UUA page, uua.org/re/owl.
Participate in a thorough background check
Facilitate one session of developmentally appropriate classes for kids in K-1st, 4th& 5th, 7th-9th, 10th-12th grades or adults ages 18-35, 35-50, or 50+. Time commitments vary by age group; see schedules on our web page for current dates and times. esuc.org/owl
The OWL facilitator training online is $350. In person trainings run higher to training (include travel, room, and board). These fees can be covered by the congregation or member and are considered an investment in both the trainer and host congregation. The congregation provides a copy of the OWL curriculum for all facilitators.
Good facilitator candidates are:
Committed to values-based, comprehensive sexuality education.
Comfortable with their own sexuality.
Comfortable with the specific age group they plan to facilitate and its developmental needs.
Anti-bias aware and willing to continue educating themselves.
Advocates for sexual health and safety.
Dedicated team members and facilitators.
Interested in learning more?
For more information about the East Shore OWL program, please contact our Director of Religious Education at [email protected].
The summer sun is bringing a lot of anticipation about the school-less days ahead. Have you heard any little chirps in your neighborhood? Most of the birds in our area have finished laying their eggs and are starting to welcome their new friends. We even have a several nests around our church campus, but do you know what you should you do if you find a baby bird?
All summer long we’ll have Sunday fun with our nursery aged space and a class for older kids and youth. We also have a summer reading bingo you can do as a family. Last, we have the Seattle PRIDE parade coming up, a newly added youth bonfire on July 12th, and opportunities for community service hours at the church rummage sale, Trinkets and Treasures July 6-July 11.
Summer Reading Bingo
While you’re shifting into summer mode, check out our Summer Reading Challenge. You can download the bingo tracker here or pick one up at church. We’ll have an end of the year summer reading party on September 6th back at church. Adults and kids can do this one together! Read 5 books in a row that match the criteria on the bingo game (dimensions of diversity like Refugees & Immigrants, Cultures & Traditions, LatinX, etc., books about people a lot like you, books about people very different than you, books with poetry, books with nature, etc.) and get BINGO! Then bring your game back to our summer reading party on Sunday September 6 and have more fun with prizes, crafts, playground fun and stories!
