Faith Development 1.25 to 1.31.21

What’s new or time-sensitive!

Online Anti-Racist Learning Book Group

Registration is open and available HERE. Register by Friday, 1/29. Information will be sent to registrants on 1/31 and our reading begins February 15. This will allow time to order the book and get familiar with the forum tool for our group.

As we turn an eye toward a stronger social justice presence, education is one of the components of a vibrant ministry. This asynchronous book group is one opportunity to learn together. The focus is to build our anti-racism muscle (the heart is a muscle and responds to exercise!) through reading and reflection. Rather than meet online over Zoom, participants respond, once a week, to a set of questions related to the reading. Participants read ~10 pages a day and commit to post their own reflection, and read those of others, responding as moved.

Based on interest, there may be two levels offered — one for those who feel they are just beginning the journey of understanding, and one for those who have already been reading and working on their own. Questions: dlfd@liveoakuu.org.

Parents and Caregivers as Sexuality Educators

Using a small group ministry format, sessions are designed to meet the needs of adults raising children of a wide age range, from elementary through high school. Like OWL workshops, these sessions build comfort in talking about sexuality-related topics and offer skill-building activities. The sessions address topics also provided in OWL sexuality education for youth ages 12-14 (grades 7–9), but these sessions focus on the participants’ needs as parents and caregivers. Participants are invited to engage deeply with their hopes and fears, their values and practices.

Where the OWL junior high program delivers a great deal of important knowledge, this program emphasizes the ongoing adult responsibility to seek and share accurate, current information, as needed, with their child or youth. The sessions also help adults build skills for healthy family communication. Communication is the foundation of this program, just as it is the foundation of healthy relationships within and beyond families.

Are you interested in participating? Please fill out this form. Deadline is February 7.

Faith Development for Families

Please note there are no faith development classes this week (1/31). We will gather again on February 7.

New to Live Oak? If you are interested in visiting a class, and are not registered for RE, please send me an email at dlfd@liveoakuu.org. You can register by clicking HERE.

Can’t make the scheduled RE time? No worries. As we say, families are the primary religious educators. All lesson plans are available to registered families via Live Oak Padlet. (Registration link in sidebar.) Lesson plans on the site include optional activities for home related to each session.

Don’t forget to visit the Parent Resource page on our website for ways to support your family.

Adult Faith Development

Monthly Learning Opportunities

Each month this winter our Adult Faith Team will be promoting a learning opportunity around justice issues. Our February session will be announced soon, so stay tuned!

Have an idea for a one time or ongoing online gathering that you are willing to lead? If you do, let us know and we’ll help with scheduling and publicity. And be sure to follow us on Facebook and subscribe to the newsletter for opportunities for online engagement.

???? – contact dlfd@liveoakuu.org