Unitarian Universalist Church of Indianapolis

General RE committee and council descriptions

• RE Council member - UUI Religious Education council meets once a month, the first Sunday of each month, after service. There are six seats on the council and each council member serves a three year term. RE Council members have portfolios (areas) they focus on. RE Council seats include: Family Ministry Chair, Junior High Chair, Senior High Chair, Volunteer Coordinator, Program Development Chair, and RE Administration/Historian Chair. Two members rotate off each year, while two new members rotate on. The open seats/portfolios vary from year to year on what seat needs filled. Council members’ positions begin at the 1st of August and their each three year term ends the last day of August. Please see the UUI website, section under youth religious education for more details about the RE Council seats.
• RE Associate - Religious Education Associates volunteer on Sunday mornings to greet new families, assist teachers when needed, and support the work of the Religious Educator. RE Associates volunteer their time on a given Sunday morning before and after the first and/or second service (first service begins at 9:15am/classes ending at 10:30am and second service begins at 11:00am/classes ending at 12:15am)
• Family Ministry committee member - Family Ministry Committee plans, hosts, and organizes family-focused events that help build community and welcome new families. This committee will meet as needed, usually before a planned event. This year, RE events include: Halloween event after service (10/30), Winter Pageant (12/10), Chili Supper (12/17), Stone soup (2/19), Egg Hunt (4/8), and Teacher Appreciation (end of spring)
• Program development task force - The Program development task force works with the Religious Educator to formulate goals, design the program, select curricula, recruit/train volunteer teachers, evaluate challenges and successes, and recommend changes to ensure a high quality and pleasant learning environment for youth and children. They meet on a as needed bases. Meeting usually fall in the late winter and spring as new programming planning begins.
• UU parent group facilitator - Throughout the year, UU parent groups will meet. Each group has a facilitator that will use a given curriculum with a parent group. Facilitators help lead the class.
• Words for all ages story teller - During service, we have words for all ages where the children are told a story. These happen every Sunday during service. Sometimes the storyteller is asked to come up with a story and other times they are given one. There usually is a theme to follow.

Special RE Events

• Youth Bash - Youth weekend overnight to start of our church year. Chaperones are needed to help throughout this weekend.
• Halloween - Help plan and carry out a Halloween event. Usually takes place on the Sunday morning closest to Halloween.
• Winter Pageant - Help plan and carry out the Winter Pageant. Usually takes place on Saturday or Sunday in December.
• Chili Supper - Help plan and carry out RE’s Chili Supper. Usually takes place in December.
• Stone soup - Help plan and carry out RE’s Stone Soup.
• Egg Hunt - Help plan and carry out UUI’s RE Egg Hung. Usually takes place on Easter Sunday.
• Teacher Appreciation - Help plan for Teacher Appreciation.

Children, 5th grade and under, volunteer descriptions

During first service

• Spirit Play storyteller - Spirit Play will run during the first service (9:15-10:30am). Spirit Play is a story based, Montessori like program where stories are the focus of learning and how children can grow spiritually. This class will be offered for grades kindergarten through 5th, and similar to a traditional Montessori classroom, k-5th will be in one classroom. Spirit Play storytellers lead the circle and the story of the day. Stories are based on themes for the semester and story kits are used to help tell the story. Storytellers also help children after the story in classroom focus areas. Storytellers are trained to learn the proper technique used in Spirit Play. Usually, story tellers are needed one to two times a month and have a classroom helper (Spirit Play Doorkeeper) to help in the classroom however needed. Storytellers work with a team of volunteers, working together to help plan the semester out using a chosen curriculum. This team volunteers one semester at a time (fall/winter, winter/spring, and summer).
• Spirit Play Doorkeeper - Spirit Play will run during the first service (9:15-10:30am). Spirit Play is a story based, Montessori like program where stories are the focus of learning and how children can grow spiritually. This class will be offered for grades kindergarten through 5th, and similar to a traditional Montessori classroom, k-5th will be in one classroom. The Spirit Play doorkeeper helps children get ready to enter the classroom as well as helping children & Storyteller however help is needed. Doorkeepers are trained to learn the proper technique used in Spirit Play. Usually, doorkeepers are needed on average two times a month. Doorkeepers work with a team of volunteers and are not responsible for the planning of the class. This team volunteers one semester at a time (fall/winter, winter/spring, and summer).

During second service

• Preschool teacher - This year our preschool class will run during our second service (11:00am-12:15pm) in our RE building. Our preschool class consists of 3 to 5 year olds. Teachers are responsible for planning and leading class on their given day. Usually, preschool teachers teach one to two times a month and have a classroom helper to help in the classroom however needed. Preschool teachers work with a team of volunteers, working together to help plan the semester out using a chosen curriculum. The preschool teaching team volunteers one semester at a time (fall/winter, winter/spring, and summer). This year’s curriculum is “We are Many, We are One”.
• K-1st grade teacher - This year our kindergarten-1st grade class will run during our second service (11:00am-12:15pm) in our RE building. Lead teachers are responsible for planning and leading class on their given day. Usually, teachers teach one to two times a month and have a classroom helper to help in the classroom however needed. Lead teachers work with a team of volunteers, working together to help plan the semester out using a chosen curriculum. This teaching team volunteers one semester at a time (fall/winter, winter/spring, and summer). This year’s curriculum is from the Unitarian Universalist Association’s online Tapestry of Faith program. K-1st class will use the “Wonderful Welcome” program.
• 2nd-3rd grade teacher - This year 2nd-3rd grade class will run during our second service (11:00am-12:15pm) in our RE building. Lead teachers are responsible for planning and leading class on their given day. Usually, teachers teach one to two times a month and have a classroom helper to help in the classroom however needed. Lead teachers work with a team of volunteers, working together to help plan the semester out using a chosen curriculum. This teaching team volunteers one semester at a time (fall/winter, winter/spring, and summer). This year’s curriculum is from the Unitarian Universalist Association’s online Tapestry of Faith program. 2nd-3rd class will use the “Faithful Jouneys” program.
• 4th-5th grade teacher - This year 4th-5th grade class will run during our second service (11:00am-12:15pm) in our RE building. Lead teachers are responsible for planning and leading class on their given day. Usually, teachers teach one to two times a month and have a classroom helper to help in the classroom however needed. Lead teachers work with a team of volunteers, working together to help plan the semester out using a chosen curriculum. This teaching team volunteers one semester at a time (fall/winter, winter/spring, and summer). This year’s curriculum is from the Unitarian Universalist Association’s online Tapestry of Faith program. 4th-5th class will use the “Toolbox of Faith” program.
• Classroom Support - Classroom support volunteers assist lead teachers in a given classroom. Usually, classroom assistants volunteer at least two Sundays a month. However, there is no class planning involved. Just show up on the given Sunday and help the lead teacher of the classroom. Choose the grades that you are willing to assist. Classroom assistants are needed during the second service (11:00am-12:15pm).
• Children/Youth worship (spirit circle) - Spirit circles are held throughout the year usually around the time of equinoxes and solstices, during the second service (11:00am-12:15pm). Volunteers can plan, lead, and/or help with children.

During both services

• Nursery room help - From time to time our childcare team is unable to work. If we are unable to find a sub, we turn to RE volunteers. Nursery care is during both services, beginning before the first service starts, at 8:45am and ending at 12:30pm.
• Classroom sub - There are times when a scheduled classroom volunteer is unable to come in (sometimes planned, sometimes not). When an RE volunteer cannot find someone on their teaching team to fill in for them, this is when a sub is needed. Subs would sub for any class, during either service, any time of the year. Subs would be on a sub list and teaching teams would have this list in order to contact a sub when needed. Usually, subs would not be responsible for planning a given class, however subs may be asked to lead the class in whatever was planned for that Sunday. Classroom subs would be on the sub list all church year (August through May).

Youth, grades 6th-12th volunteer descriptions

During second service

• 6th-8th grade facilitator - This year the junior high class will run during our second service (11:00am-12:15pm) in our RE building. Facilitators are responsible for planning and leading class on their given day. This year the junior high class will use our traditional Coming of Age program. Because the way the COA program is set up, facilitators are asked to lead this class for the entire church year (end of August through end of May). COA also includes two weekend (one in the fall, one in the spring) overnight outing s with junior high youth. Facilitators work with a team of volunteers, working together to help plan the semester out.
• 9th-12th grade facilitator - This year our senior high class will run during our second service (11:00am-12:15pm) in our RE building. 9th-12th grade facilitators are responsible for planning class on their given day, as well as encouraging senior high you to help lead class. Usually, teachers facilitate one to two times a month and have a classroom helper to help in the classroom however needed. Facilitators work with a team of volunteers, working together to help plan the semester out using a chosen curriculum. This team of facilitators volunteers one semester at a time (fall/winter, winter/spring, and summer). This year’s curriculum is from the Unitarian Universalist Association’s online Tapestry of Faith program. The senior high class will focus on the “Exploring Our Values through Poetry” program.
• Classroom support (6th-12th grades) - Classroom support volunteers assist lead teachers in a given classroom. Usually, classroom assistants volunteer at least two Sundays a month. However, there is no class planning involved. Just show up on the given Sunday and help the lead teacher of the classroom. Choose the grades that you are willing to assist. Classroom assistants are needed during the second service (11:00am-12:15pm).
• Classroom sub - There are times when a scheduled classroom volunteer is unable to come in (sometimes planned, sometimes not). When an RE volunteer cannot find someone on their teaching team to fill in for them, this is when a sub is needed. Subs would sub for any class, during either service, any time of the year. Subs would be on a sub list and teaching teams would have this list in order to contact a sub when needed. Usually, subs would not be responsible for planning a given class, however subs may be asked to lead the class in whatever was planned for that Sunday. Classroom subs would be on the sub list all church year (August through May).

General children and youth volunteer descriptions

• Junior High Youth Group Advisor - At this point the RE program does not have an active junior high youth group. Please check back soon for updates.
• Senior High Youth Group Advisor - Senior High Youth group facilitators work with the senior high youth in planning and leading youth group meetings, activities, and events. Youth group meets one to two Sundays per month after second service for an hour or two.
• CON chaperone - CONs (youth district conferences) are offered to both junior high and senior high (separately) throughout the year. These are weekend overnights (sometimes one night, but usually two) where youth and chaperones from all over the district attend. In order for youth to attend CONs, both junior high and senior high youth need at least once chaperone to attend the CON with the group of youth. Usually junior high and senior high each have 3 to 4 CONs a year. A CON chaperone would help drive registered youth from UUI to the CON, usually located within the Heartland district (IN, OH, MI, and KY). CONs usually cost $25-35/chaperone. Parents are able to serve as CON chaperones even if their youth are going to the CON. Usually volunteers take turns chaperoning the different CONs throughout the year.
• Habitat for Humanity - Each year our older youth volunteer for a week helping on job sites for Habitat for Humanity. Adults who volunteer to help with this program spend a week in the summer (Saturday through Sunday) with youth on a Habitat for Humanity construction worksite.
• COA mentor - Mentors work with junior high youth (grades 6th-8th) during the Coming of Age program. Mentors are matched up with youth and meet as a class with you and COA facilitators about once a month. Mentors mentor junior high youth for the entire church year (August through May), and mentor the same youth for the full year.
• OWL facilitator - Our Whole Lives (OWL) is a sexuality education program. K-2nd, 4th-6th, and 10th-12th grade sessions run for two to three months (with 8 sessions). The 7th-9th grade OWL program is more intense and runs through the entire church year (September through May). There is a weekend training session offered through various districts that is required in order to become an OWL facilitator.

General donations needed

• Healthy snack donations - Throughout the year during out classes, snacks are served. We are constantly in need of snack donations. The children at UUI have numerous allergies so if possible, please keep that in mind. Ideas for snacks: Fresh, long shelf-life fruits such as apples and oranges, popcorn, animal/graham crackers, cheese sticks…etc. Drop your snack donations off at the RE table located in Social Hall, with a “RE children & youth snack donation” note attached to it OR hand to the Religious Educator.

Still not sure? Need more information?

Feel free to contact the Religious Educator, Natalie Spriggs-Trobridge at re(at)uui.org.