Are you interested in participating in an arts & crafts group at ESUC? Do you have an unfinished project that you would like to finish while connecting with the community? Do you love to sew, quilt, knit, crochet, embroider, paint, do calligraphy, make jewelry, and more? Would you like to teach or learn these skills? If you are interested, please email Rev. María Cristina with your top three options for meeting times. Let’s get together to have fun doing all the things that bring us joy and an opportunity to distress and build community. All ages welcome!
As we gear up for the start of RE classes on Sunday, January 7th, 2024, we are reaching out to our wonderful community with an exciting opportunity! Our UU students, children and youth, have thrived in our classes, finding a sense of belonging and growth among friends. We have a big ASK for both new and current volunteers.
Why Teach? Here are a few reasons:
Impact on UU Students: Our UU students absolutely love coming to classes with you and their friends. The positive impact on their spiritual and community development is immeasurable.
Community Building and Leadership: By joining or continuing with our teaching teams, you’ll not only contribute to the community but also have a chance to develop your leadership skills. It’s an opportunity for personal growth that extends beyond the classroom.
Roles and Responsibilities: As a volunteer teacher, your role involves effective communication with your teaching team, reviewing and selecting activities from the lesson plan, and assisting one another in creating a successful, welcoming, and warm UU environment. This clarity ensures that your commitment is manageable and fulfilling.
Training and Support: Rest assured, we provide training and ongoing support. Whether you’re a seasoned educator or new to teaching, we have resources in place to help you succeed.
Community Ministry and Impact: Your involvement goes beyond the classroom; it contributes to the broader impact of our community ministry. Together, we can make our community more vibrant and supportive for everyone.
Flexible Commitment: We understand that everyone has different schedules. Teaching about two Sundays a month provides flexibility, making it accessible for individuals with busy lives. Additionally, if you’re already a volunteer, we invite you to consider committing to one more Sunday a month.
Ready to make a difference? Sign up today and be a vital part of building our community from the ground up!
Thank you for considering this important opportunity. Together, let’s make the upcoming classes an enriching experience for our UU students and our entire community!
by Amanda Alice Uluhan, Director of Religious Education
I hope this message finds you in good health and high spirits. I want to extend an invitation for feedback regarding the Our Whole Lives (OWL) programs and consider an opportunity to either teach an OWL course or become a trained OWL facilitator.
Teaching an OWL Course
If you are a trained OWL facilitator and would like to collaborate with us in teaching an OWL course this year, your expertise and passion would significantly enhance the experience for our participants. Would you be interested in co-facilitating an OWL course this year? Please share your preferences and availability by completing this short survey.
OWL Training Opportunity
If you’re not already trained as an OWL facilitator and are interested in becoming one, we invite you to explore this rewarding training opportunity. OWL Training equips you with the skills needed to facilitate OWL courses and positively impact the lives of our community members. Are you interested in becoming an OWL facilitator by completing the OWL Training? Your enthusiasm and commitment to enriching our community are highly valued. Please express your interest and motivations by completing this short survey.
Your involvement, whether as a trained facilitator or a potential new facilitator, could make a significant difference in empowering individuals in our community with comprehensive sexuality education. Thank you for considering these opportunities and for your continued dedication to our mission!
by Amanda Alice Uluhan, Director of Religious Education
What a gorgeous summer we have had, full of fun memories outside in nature, and meaning-making inside ourselves and our communities. We’ve been connecting with a lot of you throughout the summer, building community in summer camp and in RE. We’re so proud of our youth who traveled to overnight sleep away camp, and of our teen counselors who helped lead our amazing Art Community camp right here at East Shore. As we turn our attention to fall, our programs are on a mission, and we need you!
Our 2023-2024 Kids and Youth programs support your families faith development, lift up kids and youth voices in our community, and engage families in our wide array of spirituality, social-emotional, and justice making ministries.
Classes run from September to June and we want you to sign up! Whether you come every Sunday, some Sundays, or are just checking us out, registering your kiddos helps connect you in a safe and supportive way to our lifelong community.
Registration
Register children and youth (ages 0-18) online. Once you register your kids and youth in our programs, you’ll stay connected to class details, volunteer opportunities, family events, and more. This rolling registration form helps our kids ministry work to keep your kiddos safe and well-served at East Shore UU. Register your kids once annually so we can stay up-to-date with you, and you can stay up-to-date with Sunday programs, special events, volunteer opportunities, and more. Register here
Little UU’s: RE Kids Nursery/Preschool
Discovery Year: RE Kids Lower Elementary
Stepping Stones: RE Kids Upper Elementary
Yes-UU: Youth Exploring Spirituality – Jr High Youth Group
YUUP HS Youth: Young Unitarian Universalist Project – Sr High Youth Group
Family Covenant Circle: monthly parent/caregiver community circle, UU childcare provided
Volunteer
Fill out our Volunteer Application Form at forms.gle/QmW1fxdNksMRCZWH7. Our programs are led by volunteers in the congregation. We’ll discuss faith development and mentorship, safety in our congregations, team building for your groups, and take a curriculum deep dive. Help us craft a community for moving forward!
All volunteers can attend the RE Kids Volunteer Training on Saturday, September 9 from 9:00-11:30 a.m.
Additional training for Youth Advisors working with junior and senior high youth will take place Saturday, October 28 from 10:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m.
All parents/caregivers will be invited to contribute 4-6 hours of RE Volunteer time in the 2023-2024 year. We’ve restructured some of our programs this year to create more opportunities for parents and volunteers outside of worship time. Our goal is that volunteering to serve in the children’s programs will connect our community and inspire leadership and organization in a way that nothing else can. We want you to feel more a part of this work! As you see volunteer opportunities published, be sure to reach out and connect.
We want to thank you so much for your support and interest in East Shore’s year-round programs to make community connections and get kids and families connected to spirituality, joy, and justice. We hope to see you in the Sanctuary and classrooms soon!
by Amanda Alice Uluhan, Director of Religious Education
Consider leading a small group of kids or youth in our upcoming school-year programs. We start September 10 and run through the end of May. Small groups with kids consist of hour-long sessions, three times a month, during worship. We have fun, talk about building up our characters and community, practice mindfulness and gratitude, and learn all about Unitarian Universalist values. In Kids RE, small group leaders mentor children and youth, modeling kind communication, problem solving, and cooperation. Small group leaders work in teaching teams, and it’s a great way to live out our UU mission and build a legacy for East Shore’s future. What these leaders do in our classes is plant seeds for our collective future. We also have opportunities to support families by volunteering during holiday events, leading multigenerational activities, and offering administrative support. Will you join us? Write to Amanda Alice [email protected] for an application and introduction to the 2023-24 curricula. There’s space for you!
by Amanda Alice Uluhan, Director of Religious Education
Hi! My name is Nilla, and I am interning at East Shore this summer through the TIPS Program. So far, I have worked at East Shore for two weeks and am loving it! This past year, I have been going to school in Sammamish. At East Shore, I will work in the RE department, working with Amanda Alice on different tasks. This has included Sunday School attendance sheets, helping catalog the RE Library, designing graphics for RE, and many other tasks. This past week, I have been helping with the Art and Community Summer Camp. I worked on the behind-the-scenes aspects last week, and this week I am working with the campers to make different crafts and work on mindfulness activities. I have enjoyed getting to know the campers and their parents and am so excited to do more with East Shore!
by Amanda Alice Uluhan, Director of Religious Education
