Lifespan RE Pages

Overview & Upcoming Events
Religious Education Consultant 
*Services for Religious Educators 
Lifespan RE Department 
Lending Library
Junior Youth Conferences How-To (pdf)
Policies (pdf)

Services for the Life-cycle of Religious Educators

As your District Program Consultant, one of my major goals this year (and every year) is to coordinate support for the life-cycle of religious educators in this District. I encourage you to contact me for my services to congregations and religious educators when:

• You have formed a DRE Search Committee and need consultation on the search process.
• You are a new religious educator and need a Start-Up Workshop (see description below).
• You are facing a major transition and/or challenging situation in your RE program and need consultation.
• You are considering professional development, including entering, continuing, and/or completing UUA Credendialing Program (see overview below).
• You are leaving your religious educator position and need an Exit Interview (see description below).

Right From the Start: Start-Up Workshop for Religious Educators

This Start-Up Workshop is designed to assist the religious educator who is new to the congregation, her or his professional colleagues and lay leaders, and congregants to get to know one another better at the beginning of their relationship. This process includes an exploration of the congregation’s history and “culture,” its current governance and operating structures, and mutual hopes for the future. Through the process of learning and sharing, a set of goals and action steps can be identified to guide all parties through the initial period of adjustment. An effective Start-Up Workshop sets the stage for an RE Covenanting Process to be facilitated after the first year of service.

UUA Religious Education Credentialing Program

The goal of the Religious Education Credentialing program is to strengthen Unitarian Universalist religious education through the professional development and accountability of professional religious educators. It will help to nurture the call to religious education as a profession, provide a comprehensive path for professional development, articulate and uphold professional standards and guidelines, and encourage meaningful institutional recognition of professional achievement.

The Religious Education Credentialing Program is primarily designed for professional religious educators who are committed to Unitarian Universalist religious education as a career, and desire professional development, recognition, and adherence to standards, but do not feel called to the professional ministry. Participants can achieve status in the program at three different levels – Credentialed Religious Educator (Associate Level), Credentialed Religious Educator, and Credentialed Religious Educator (Masters Level) - based on professional training and academic achievement, integration of knowledge of lifespan religious education, and length of professional experience.

Exit Interview

When a religious education professional leaves his/her position, the impact of the transition is experienced by the congregation as well as the religious educator. Honest sharing and constructive feedback about the departure can be a beneficial process for the religious educator, helping her/his colleague, congregation and district leaders to receive information that can be used to strengthen the RE program and inform the search process for a successor.