The Religious Education (RE) Committee met on January 7th, 2017, chaired by Lucas Gonzalez Milliken, Director of Religious Education.

Our Mission is to make First Parish in Dorchester a meaningful spiritual home for all its people by fostering authentic relationships across generations. One of the ways we are doing this is by encouraging RE Committee members to reach out to specific families and check in. To ask how folks are doing, if there is anything that the RE teachers should know about familial schedules or what might be going on in the larger life of our kids, and if there is any feedback that folks might wish to offer the RE Program.

On a similar front, Marcia Hubelbank is livening up our bulletin boards – including the RE Bulletin Board. Our hope is to have something of a “suggestion box” included on that board, where folks can offer anonymous feedback for the RE Program. We are also hopeful to have a “question of the month” featured on that bulletin board, with provocative questions generated from our kids to the congregation. Everyone will be invited to place their answers to these questions (anonymously or otherwise) in an envelope also on the bulletin board.

Further, RE Committee members will be keeping an ear out for stories and thoughts from congregants that they feel would be enriching for our young ones to hear. So, folks may be invited to share a five-to-ten-minute story during a Sunday School session. (Or perhaps offer a Q & A about a faith-formative experience they might have had.)
All of this is with the intention to deepen relationships and the sense of community between the young and the young at heart. And to open up as many possible venues for feedback and communication within the RE Program and the church.

The RE Committee Members are Denise Whall-Marlin, Noel Currier, Marcia Hubelbank and Melissa Wender. Mary Grady serves as RE Chair