Welcoming Barbara Stoddard, Interim DRE

We welcomed Barbara Stoddard to our professional staff on August 1, 2009. Barbara is our Interim Director of Religious Education for Children and Youth. She will be with us for 2 years. With over thirty-five years of experience, Barbara is considered to be one of the most accomplished religious educators in the UUA. Emerson will be Barbara’s 6th Interim Director of Religious Education position. She was also part of the team that developed the UUA training for Interim DREs and continues to be part of the teaching team for that training. She feels called to do this specialized work with congregations and we feel very lucky th at she will be serving us in this capacity. On a personal note, Barbara has one daughter, Dayna who lives in Boulder, Colorado with her two grandsons Peter (10) and Isaac (8). Barbara can be contacted at (713) 782-8250, ext. 113 or contact Barbara by e-mail.

2010-2011 Program Click here for the 2010-2011 Religious Education Program Registration form.

Religious Education has always been important at Emerson. We have a complete Religious Education program that includes age-appropriate Church School classes for preschool through high school, junior and senior high youth fellowship groups, a choir for children and youth, and an intergenerational orchestra for all ages. We are proud of our “green” building that provides plenty of modern classrooms to suit our needs. We have numerous family events like our UNICEF Carnival at Halloween, Christmas Pageant, Christmas Vespers, Youth Follies, and special worship services like Religious Education Sunday, Affirmation Sunday, and Youth Sunday.

Within the RE program, class designations generally follow school grades, with the high school youth consolidated into Liberal Religious Youth (LRY). Other terminology in use defines Youth R.E. and activities as those serving grades six through high school, while Children's programs serve the fifth grade and younger.

Emerson has a professional staff of childcare providers who nurture our nursery and toddler-age children. Summer classes and curriculum for Preschool–Fifth graders at 11:15 is as follows:

Culture Camp Summer Sundays, Teaching Peace Thru Play

Come join us all summer as we travel to Guatemala, Iraq, Japan, Romania, South Africa, and Tibet. Bon Voyage: Namaste, Pace, Alafia, Yatanpa, Shanti, Irini, Paz, Shalom, Paix, Salaam and Peace!

Because our Church School is a vital part of our community, we also encourage adults not currently parenting to join us as volunteers. The loving involvement of adults helps maintain the integrity of our church school environment, gives our children an entire community of care, and enables us to offer a wide variety of programming and activities throughout the year.

Please print and complete the volunteer sign-up form and return it to the RE Office.

We live in a fast-paced society, so we strive to create a Sunday environment that inspires and motivates us to approach the coming week with renewed strength and a refreshed outlook. Being with people who are working together to make a better world is instrumental in this spiritual re–grouping process.