The Youth Religious Education Committee provides leadership in prayer, thought, and action with regard to the programs and activities for children. It administers the children’s Religious Education program whose purpose is to:
Belief that the power of God will work in each person is essential to service on the Committee. The Committee shall have at least five (5) appointed members. A majority of the appointed members shall be Members of the Meeting. All Meeting members and attenders are welcome to attend committee meetings.
The Committee is responsible to Meeting for Business.
The Committee shall annually appoint a Committee Presiding Clerk and Recording Clerk from among its members. The Committee normally meets monthly.
The Committee coordinates and administers the children’s First Day programs that, through activities, will fulfill the goals of the Youth Religious Education program (see General Responsibility above). This includes the following responsibilities:
The committee does not prescribe curricula to teachers, but is aware of the topics teachers are covering and ensures that the following topics are covered:
The First Day School schedule is dependent upon the adult Meeting for Worship schedule. When proposed changes impact the adult worship schedule, adult Business Meeting approves changes.
The current schedule is:
Other times that the Committee is not responsible for children’s programming:
Believing that it “takes a village to raise a child” and realizing the importance of teaching by example, the committee promotes intergenerational activities which have included:
by holding them in prayer when aware of difficult circumstances and helping to create a safe, creative space where all children experience love and acceptance.
The committee feels responsible to monitor the needs of children while at Meeting. The committee is aware of opportunities for peacemaking and creating peacemakers that occur in play time after Meeting introductions and until the children leave for home. The committee is not responsible for finding people to provide coverage of all Meeting times, but is responsible for bringing concerns about these times to the Meeting.
The committee encourages teachers and other adults with youth leadership gifts to plan outside-of-Meeting activities to promote friendship among the children, such as overnights, parties, outings, and service opportunities. Activities with other Quarterly Meeting first day schools and intervisitation are also encouraged.
to give children skills and practice in Quaker leadership positions and a direct, experiential understanding of Quaker process.
Links:
[1] http://concordfriendsmeeting.org/Contacts#YouthRECommittee