Religious Education Musings
by Rev. Ellie Duhamel, Director of Religious Education

January 2008

I have always loved it that every 365 days we get to  start over again on a brand new, clean page.  I suspect it has something to do with the fact that I am often better at starting projects than finishing them. There is something cathartic about starting a new year.  It’s a lot like starting out on a journey.  Even if you know where you expect to end up, there is the possibility of an adventure.  In the Jewish tradition, apples and honey are served in celebration of the beginning of a new year, and in Arab cultures, gifts of candy are given as “bon voyage” gifts.  In both cases, the symbolism is for sweetness in the unfolding of what is to come.

One of the things that is to come (again) in the Religious Education Program is our annual Special Friends program.  For those who don’t know what that means, here is a quick explanation.  All the children, ages four through grade seven, who want to participate are paired with a Special Friend adult member/friend of the congregation.  The Special Friend first contacts the parent of “their” child to identify him/herself to the parent, but his/her identity is a mystery to the child.  Then for three weeks, the Special Friend makes at least four “contacts” with the child.  Cards, postcards, little gifts, (like stickers), sometimes emails or phone calls are good “contacts”.  If the child is old enough, it is fun to give hints about the Special Friend’s identity.  On the Sunday before Valentine’s Day, at Social Hour, all the children meet their Special Friends and receive a small gift. This year, the Sunday to sign up to be a Special Friend is January 20 and the grand and glorious celebration is February 10. There will be lots more said about all this in the next few weeks. Please, if you have questions or suggestions, call me.

There are many more good things planned for the rest of the year.  You must know that your RE Committee is a marvelous bunch of people; they work hard and faithfully for the church and the children, always cheerfully and willingly, laugh frequently , and eat a lot of chocolate.  I am so very lucky to work with them.

By the time you receive this newsletter, we will have moved into the New Year.  I wish for you sweetness as you journey through it.

Love,