From the Director of Religious Education
News from CLF
This will be my last issue of New Connections.
As an interim director of religious education, my commitment was
to work at CLF for just one year. My job was to keep the religious
education program running after the departure of Betsy Hill Williams.
My job was also to support the CLF Board, staff members, and Religious
Education Committee as they began to think about the next steps
for CLF's religious education program.
Part of an interim's job is to make any recommendations
she or he sees fit. I am developing some specific suggestions
for the CLF Board and for CLF families. Although I leave the CLF
office in late June, because of the long lead time for our publications
these suggestions won't be published until the September issue
of Quest. Look for them then.
I have really enjoyed my time here at CLF. I
have had some fascinating email correspondence with CLF families
around the world, and I have been constantly impressed with how
seriously these families take their home religious education programs.
I have also heard from a number of adults, including people in
prison and people overseas, who are pursuing personal religious
education programs with great dedication. I only wish I could
have been able to correspond with more of you! Two or three of
you have asked where I will go next. Beginning in August, I will
be the assistant minister of religious education at the UU Church
of Berkeley, California.
CLF has found a new, acting director of religious
education, the Rev. Helen Zidowicki. I've known Helen for a number
of years, and she is a talented, dedicated religious educator
with a lots of experience working with children and teenagers
and a deep knowledge of Unitarian Universalist religious education.
As I did, Helen will work just ten hours a week, due to the continuing
budget crunch at CLF. Helen will also continue to serve as the
part-time religious education program consultant for the Northeast
district of the Unitarian Universalist Association, where she
works with religious education programs ranging in size from two
or three children, to well over a hundred. I can't think of a
better person to serve as the new director of religious education
at CLF.
I look forward to hearing about the wonderful
things CLF members are going to do with home religious education.
Take care, and have fun with RE!
-- Dan Harper
Interim director of religious education |
