0:21  
Oh, my gosh, they're hilarious. You know, they're running around with their goofy selves. And, oh, tippy arc. Oh, my God, there's three little black ones, and they have some white on them. And, you know, we call it tippy because his little paws have white tips. Oh my that makes me love you, and I don't even like know you know you and I love you. Thank you for spending time, taking time out of busy schedules. Oh my gosh, religious educators, holy,

0:55  
that's right. So Halloween shopping, and then we're going to be building a haunted house this afternoon. So wait your family or the congregation. Oh, the congregation, the the kids, actually the the high schoolers. This is, this is related. So the high schoolers every year. Um, since I came back, there have been building a haunted house as part of the Halloween parade and party and for the younger kids. Well, then in this summer kids leadership meeting, I had impromptu thing they expressed. The younger kids expressed that they wanted to be part of building a haunted house, not just going through it. So I translated that into, Okay, how about you guys build a non scary haunted house for the really little ones. Oh, love that idea. And they came up with these fantastic, you know, details and ideas about it. So this afternoon, there'll be two haunted houses being built, you know, in the room that has a divider, one side one, one side the other, with the high schoolers doing one and the third through eighth graders building this other one for the little one. Oh my gosh, that is fantastic, yeah, okay, a Summer Leadership conversation. What? Yeah, it was kids like, okay, let's have, we're going to have a conversation with your input about faith formation, just whatever you want to say. I mean, they had all kinds of ideas and things,

2:29  
so this was one of them. But and how do they even know what faith formation is?

2:36  
Do you think they're in it? You know, they hear the word all the time they're experiencing it so

2:43  
but you know what their parents think

2:47  
it's supposed to be, and what they want it to be, maybe different, yeah, kind of, how do you negotiate that, and what you what you as a professional? Yeah? Well, kind of like

3:00  
the same as when people come for adult because I do adult faith formation as well. And you know, when people come, my mode of operation is always yes. Is the base, is the starting answer, usually 90, 99% of the time it's yes. And we'll see what it ends up looking like. It may not be exactly the way the person was visioning it when they came to me. So with the kids, for instance, two years ago, we were doing owl, seventh to ninth grade owl, and that is a particularly a group where the entire group has either ADHD or some other sensory input issues. So they were really struggling with owl especially, I mean, they very active. So,

3:53  
so I finally had what I call the the come to Buddha conversation with them, and, you know, I put it in there, and I said, Okay, so here's what's going on, and here's what your teachers are trying to do, and what your parents want and what you want. You know what what you will want, even if you don't quite know it yet.

4:13  
So how do we how do we do, like, what's going to make this better? You know? And so they came up with all kinds of ideas, including, you know, that we should have flamethrowers in glass. And, you know,

4:25  
let's see massage chairs. Get rid of the chair and tables. Massage chairs. Not wrong, yeah, wall, table, you know, all this stuff. So I said, Okay, some of these things aren't going to happen. The flame throwers are out of the question. But we could do what I say, we could use flash paper and do a ritual with that. You know, if you have the need for some fire, and

4:49  
you know, we have a candle boat if you wanted light candles, the the massage chairs, actually. So one of the facilitators.

5:00  
Came back next week had these, you know, just those massage seat things that you attach to the chair. So we created two of those, and said, whoever is doing well that week gets to have the privilege of being in the massage chairs. We got rid of the table and chairs as they wanted, and we just put cushions on the floor, which was fine. And then this is the universe working its magic, right? I was helping my mom that day, that Sunday evening, helping my mom clean out a storage area, and in there was a brand new foosball table that she had bought for one of her grandkids or something and had never and I'm like, okay, Mom, I'm taking this. This is my payment. So we put the foosball table in the owl room, and when they're at the end of class, they can play foosball.

5:51  
That's fantastic. There is something magical at I know a little bit about your congregation, and there is something

6:02  
may magical, I think of

6:06  
Reverend Carolyn also, is being a very yes

6:10  
person is the congregation

6:13  
naturally, yes, it's a very positive. It's a it's an extremely healthy congregation. I mean,

6:22  
I've appreciated all the congregate I've worked in three other congregations, and I've appreciated all of them. They all have their wonderful, beautiful things, and they all have their struggles and whatever they're working through. But I will say this is a special place in that you don't have any big issues other than the ones that come up naturally, like, Oh, what are we going to do with this space? Or,

6:50  
you know, okay, a staff person's leaving, how are we going to adapt and adjust? But when you have a healthy congregation, you're just working through those things as an entity. And it doesn't mean there isn't conflict. It's just that it's not allowed to get unhealthy, or for that to take over, or for someone who's being difficult to lead the way. No, you know it's

7:13  
and that is what I think of your congregation is having a clear mission, like, yes,

7:21  
knowing what your role is in the community and with each other. And that's what's centered, yes. And there's Carolyn's leadership, you know, which to give credit there. And it's, it's the people too. It's just this, you know. And it kind of builds on itself. When you have that, then you keep building.

7:42  
So it does give the space to do all the right things, you know. And we don't have all, I don't feel like, and in this conversation, I don't feel like I have all the answers to our current conditions, you know, and in the world and in religious communities. But, you know, we can experiment and try things. And, you know, people sort of be on board with, okay, yeah, sure, let's do this.

8:11  
Okay, so what you you've described the the haunted and UN haunted houses. What are some other what does your what does the program look like?

8:23  
Okay, so

8:24  
during the pandemic, and well, during the pandemic, of course, the beginning part, we went online and had to figure out faith formation online, which was this whole thing in itself.

8:36  
And then when we came back in person, slowly,

8:41  
we we found that what the children really needed was just connection and fun, right? I mean, there was so much anxiety and fear and struggle with school and all of what the pandemic was meant. They needed community. They had been socially isolated. They needed connection and community, and they needed to have fun on Sunday, you know, which was already happening anyway, where we realized what faith formation needed to be, this accelerated that whole process. So the pandemic meant, and so we started off with just games and connection, a little bit of value words worked in there, you know, and what we're doing with the games we have, we actually more intentionally, had a theme of the month in

9:31  
the congregation, in adult worship, and sort of connected the theme. So whatever the value word of the month was, or the theme, we brought that into whatever we were doing, and that's it. So they were just hearing that that was it. That was the only content, really was the value building, which is what parents wanted, and having them have fun, and having a community.

9:55  
Then I would say, wasn't until maybe last.

10:00  
Last year, maybe the year before that, a little we did owl the year before that, but otherwise it continued with mostly focusing on the theme of the month and some fun activities.

10:13  
We then last year, built in a little bit more content, so started using some curriculum materials.

10:22  
But adapting it, and, you know, picking and choosing,

10:28  
and then from there. This year kind of really, each class does have a curriculum and a more of the quote, unquote, traditional content, while still a lot of adaptation. And the interesting thing is that I've noticed we're skating on the edge, so some of it has just been too much for them, where they're not ready for it or can't handle it with what's going on. Still, there's still all of the mental health struggles, all of the effects from that whole time, and what's still going on in the world still remains. So we're, we're never going back to what it was before. But we're also, I don't know, we're not in a place of being able to say, Okay, everybody feels fine and good again, and we can just do our our thing. It's,

11:23  
it's a constant challenge to balance what they need with fun and connection and the content. I mean, that is, we say all the time, that is part of the content. But this other piece of well, the parents want values. They want them to learn about different religions. You know, they want to work our whole lives into the program. So how are we doing that and still maintaining a good atmosphere and something that they want to participate in and be part of? Right? I have Okay, so one of the perennial challenges is volunteer recruitment.

11:58  
How, what does your recruitment look like in your your development. Like, how do you how do you get teachers ready for Yeah, I have been so lucky and fortunate with that. Like, we have always had enough teachers. It takes effort and recruitment. But we're not having issues with that. We are in the greater context of the congregation in leadership positions, leading efforts, whether it's a social justice thing or it's certain committee, or whatever

12:29  
it's it's the fact of life now where people want to do a, you know, time limited, like, okay, I can bring the juice, or I can do this thing for you, but I'm not leading anything.

12:41  
So

12:43  
I mean, we've had to work harder to get all of those things, but we've also, with Carolyn's leadership, discerned, well, what is necessary, like what is essential, and what do we want to pare down and let's simplify. So we've, we're very good at, we were very good at that through the pandemic, really letting go of things, being flexible, adapting. This was a congregation that could really do that well and and I think that was really important.

13:13  
So there weren't people having to hold on to things or do it the old way. You know, we really moved quickly. So that being said now we're seeing people wanting more. So people are asking for more adult faith formation, you know, social justice thing. So they want an expansion of programming at the same time as there isn't a lot of capacity. So that's what we're navigating right now. So I meet, met with a team for adult faith formation, you know. And what are people what's most alive for them? What are they able to do? And somebody's taking one thing on that they're into, and these other things that have come up as things people want. But if there isn't any immediate energy there, it's like, okay, that's going to the parking going to the parking lot and thrown out, but not this year, right, right? So we have to be very discerning. So in children and youth faith formation,

14:16  
our recruitments been good. I think it's a lot of one on one conversations. It's making sure people have a good experience when they're there, so that and they're supported, so that they want to return. We've had good retention. The next year.

14:32  
We've brought in other people also by saying we've had to completely let go of that consistency thing that people want to really hold on to, and say, No, we're going to have a team of four or five people for each class. People are going to rotate so that they get to go to services, and they going, they're going away on their trips, and it doesn't feel like they're stuck teaching every week. That's really important in today's world, the lessons are all and material.

15:00  
Are all prepared for them, so all they have to do is look it over beforehand and show up and do it. We're fortunate to have a faith formation admin, who right now is five to 10 hours a week.

15:17  
It was a 10 hour position, and our person. Arlene retired, and it didn't work out with the next person, so we coaxed her back out of retirement, and in order to do that, we had to cut it down to five instead of 10 hours. But we said, well, she can do as much in five hours as other people

15:36  
can do 10 hours so, but just having that person to help pull materials together to take care of the attendance. The little things, you know, is a start to me being able to really focus on the curriculum, because it's an inordinate amount of time to create

15:55  
sessions. Because, yeah, taking a curriculum and taking other pieces from here and putting it, it's, you're creating an original program. You know, almost every time that's time intensive, it really is. So if you're trained in it, it still is,

16:15  
right? So I've gotten used and proficient do it, but still. So I took, there's a curriculum called passport to spirituality, and I should, I can't remember the author's name, I'll tell it, but it's not a tapestry of faith. It's something that an individual educator wrote years ago,

16:34  
and the core of it is really cool, but it needs a lot of adaptation and adjustment

16:41  
for multiple

16:43  
Yeah. So the basic of it is that the kids visit a place, a country, you know, a specific place, and learn about a religion in that place and a spiritual practice of that religion. So each week is a different spiritual practice.

17:01  
So what I've done is we created a plane where the the chairs are set up like a would be in a plane, and they got to create part. Took cardboard, they created windows for the plane and a tail for the plane, and so we made it look more like a plane, and I have a big screen TV in the front. And then, when they're going to a place, we find what you can on YouTube, find a video of taking off from Bradley airport in Connecticut. And so they get to feel like they're going taking off. And then, and then we land in whether it's Italy or, you know, whatever Ireland, whatever the place is. They went to Dublin recently, it's like so it shows that place where you're coming in to the airport, so they see some of the sites and scenery, and then we land in that airport, and we get out of our plane and we do whatever our spiritual practice or activity is. This is magnificent. So, oh my god, what age? What age group is, I would want to that's third to fifth grade that particular

18:08  
so they, Oh, they also have suitcase. And part of the curriculum was, you have suitcases, and you have luggage tags, and you have a passport, you know, and you get a little trinket at the end of the session that goes in your suitcase. We did a thing,

18:24  
but we've totally adapted what the activities are, you know. So

18:29  
we're going to Ireland and paganism and connection to nature, you know, we went outside and collected nature items and created, created an altar. You have to put items in their suitcase. And so anyway, things like it reminds me of a bit like haunting house, you know, when the kids would create their own house and then put stuff in it. And

18:53  
which, I also that curriculum is magnificent, and I wish that would be updated as well. Wow, right? It's all about updating with a lot of these things. Yeah, it really is.

19:04  
So what else I mean? We're doing Bible audience with the what was fifth to seventh grade last year and sixth to eighth this year? They're actually finishing it in the first half of the year. Because actually, this brings up another point. I'm just sort of spouting off. I one of the things is we found

19:26  
is that things need to be more spacious that you can't do, like, okay, 1234,

19:32  
we're going through these activities and elements of today's session, and you need space for the kids to just have the freedom to move around a little bit, to have these side conversations. It's hard to put your finger exactly on it, but there needs to be a spaciousness where things take more time, and it's part of just the state of mind and where things are and part of that fun act.

20:00  
Aspect and all of the mental health, it's it's you, there isn't the same kind of focus, and you can't ask them to have that focus again on Sunday after getting through a school week. It's one of the gifts. Actually, I wish I church should be the place, or religious community should be the place where there is a spaciousness. How do you prepare that? That the adults that are accompanying them, that's the hardest part, and I'm patient. It's like three years really emphasizing I don't care if you get through what's on the plan. I only care that it's a good experience, and they take away one simple message from the day, and whatever happens in the moment. Go with that, and you can let go of any piece of the plan.

20:49  
It's funny. It feels like it's the third year. It feels like this is where it's starting to register, because, and it's really just about people having their own need, like they'll say it has nothing to do with what we're telling it has to do with their own need of like, no, if I see something and it says I'm supposed to be doing these four things, I have to do those four things.

21:12  
Yeah. So well. The other thing is, this year for the teacher orientation, we have a newer member of the congregation who is a therapist counselor, specializes in spectrum disorders and difficulties and in schools and life. And he came in and did a program for about a half an hour in the training. And it was great, because it opened up a whole lens for them, and they started going, oh yeah. Oh everything. Just all the things he was saying made sense, and we're clicking with what was happening in the room. And even for the neurotypical kids, it was still this whole thing about what's happening, you know, and what's going on for the kids who are struggling, but also in the whole atmosphere,

21:59  
that was really helpful, and is an ongoing thing. He's sending us particular exercises that we can do

22:06  
in the moment, in the moment, or the start of class that will help

22:11  
sort of bring down some of the,

22:16  
you know, spinning energy or and what will make the classroom welcoming,

22:22  
and what our fidgets should be, and I mean, all kinds of little things, but it's a work in progress.

22:29  
So that was really fortunate.

22:33  
I'm so glad that you said yes to this vocation. You are a real blessing. You are a real blessing, not just in your congregation, but a beacon to others, and I'm really grateful for you. No, thanks. No, I feel pretty fortunate actually. You know this, this was not a planned vocation, and it was another one of those, like the world works in mysterious ways.

22:56  
This career happened. She's like, well, it was so low risk, you know, was an interim acting position. If it didn't work, it didn't work. Again, that thing about risk, right? Like, willing to take risks experiment. It's like,

23:10  
okay, this is not somebody with a deep UU experience, but a strong interest, and, you know, has some educational experience and whatever, and just, yeah, yeah, she saw it in me. I didn't even know that it

23:26  
was possible at the times. I have a feeling that you pay that seeing it in other people, I think you probably pay that forward tenfold. Yeah, that's interesting. She Yeah,

23:39  
it's kind of a it was kind of amazing because it and the whole way through the process, it was like, oh yeah, this really fits. This is what I was meant to do.

23:51  
Jen aspect, what we discovered was that our families, they didn't want that they didn't want their kids in worship more. They wanted their own time in worship. They It was a time to, like, have a break and just have their own mind space and experience without having to worry about managing their kids in a warship.

24:14  
So the every the multi Gen worship that we did have on the you know, we do our water community, and we do our Thanksgiving bread community. Those things were fine,

24:26  
you know, the every

24:28  
in the liturgical calendar, those things, but they didn't want more. They actually wanted that that break in their kids, to have something to do. They the connection though, between what's happening in the sanctuary and what's happening in faith formation was nice. So if there can be some things that they can share to talk about,

24:50  
you carry the themes, what I heard before. You carry the themes. You carry the values. What are the common things? So that like in the car ride or on the bike, bike ride home or walk.

25:00  
Home, the family's talking about a common message, right? You can unpack it so they need to know what the kids are doing. And sometimes that thread, common message is there, and sometimes we're doing something different, but, yeah, I mean, they want to know what's happening, but, but not more multi Gen. And I also want to hold up that you all did your work. You didn't, you didn't just take what somebody else said and said, okay, yeah, we're going to do that. You took it, you had a conversation about it, and you discerned what's right for your specific context and community. Yeah. And we have once a year, at least once a year, if not twice, we have a what we call our parent meeting, where we just invite parents with Carolyn and I to have a conversation about everything.

25:47  
So trying to keep the communication going, that's fantastic. And when you asked about recruiting, it also relates to communication with parents. It's, it's these days, it's totally different. You know, you can't just send out emails. It's, it's crazy, but you have to actually text each individual person if you really want a response to something. I am so sorry. I am that parent. Yeah, no. It's, it's just the way it is. Yeah, yeah. It seems overwhelm of

26:19  
words. That's what it is. It's like, people so many messages and information coming in, yeah, and, you know, give us a couple months and it'll switch, and we'll be like, yeah, don't text us. Do this other new thing that's just discovered, yeah, we had, well, we also had that conversation where it's like, we need to track for each family, what their preferred mode of communication is, because for some people, it's phone calls. For some it's text for some, it's emails.

26:46  
That's

26:48  
one of the hardest parts of the work right now is figuring out, how do we get the message to people about what's happening and what's needed?

26:59  
Oh, thank you. Carrie.

Transcribed by https://otter.ai