Religious Education Update: August 27

Religious Education Update


Share the Plate

I heard some exciting news this week from our Stewardship Committee. Our congregation will be sharing our offerings on Sunday mornings once a month with worthy local non-profit organizations, including the Petaluma People Services Center, COTS, the Petaluma Wetlands Alliance, the Redwood Empire Food Bank, and the Petaluma Educational Foundation.

So, why would I find this exciting as DRE? It is exciting to me because we can demonstrate to our children and youth that we are a people of faith who make a difference in our world. By choosing organizations within the county, we can also make our giving tangible. I need to work out details with the RE committee and RE teachers, and most importantly, the children and youth, but I want the children and youth to personally experience our money in action.

So, how do we make these groups real? We could have a Family Walk and Picnic at Shollenberger, and learn about why the wetlands are vital for migrating birds. Our children and youth could take a tour of the Food Bank. We could volunteer at a Saturday lunch at the Petaluma Kitchen. We could ask these groups to provide speakers to talk with our kids. Other ideas?

One of our strengths as UU’s is our long tradition of living our values Unitarians and Universalists before us fought to free the slaves, to give women the right to vote, for racial equality in the Civil Rights movement, for gay rights, to save the environment, to promote a living wage, and for peace in our world.

I’m excited that we are taking action right here in Petaluma. Thank you, Stewardship Committee for your leadership and vision!

Marlene Abel
Director of Religious Education, Unitarian Universalists of Petaluma