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Special Events

            The Religious Education Program offers or participates in a number of special events throughout the year which are open to EVERYONE and are intended to foster a greater level of interaction between the children, youth, and adults of our Fellowship. Here is a list of the events which will be held over the coming church year and a brief description of each. This list is growing all the time. Watch the Newsletter and the News and Notes for details. See the Calendar of Events on the back cover for specific dates.

      Intergenerational Services: These are service held throughout the year during which the youth will be in the Sanctuary sharing the entire service with the adults.

      RE Sunday Services: Four times during the year the Religious Education program will be conducting the Sunday morning services.

      Holiday Craft Fair: Spend the afternoon creating ornaments for our Fellowship Christmas tree and craft items to bring home to brighten your Holidays.

      Secret Pal: One of the biggest highlights of the year for our kids. They get matched with a “secret” adult pal; exchange clues about their identity and small gifts for three consecutive Sundays; then lunch with their new Pal when she/he is revealed to them. The excitement and joy this generates for the kids is contagious. Don’t miss this one!

     Parents and Pizza Night: An opportunity for ALL adults to come and discuss their views on the year’s RE programs and hear a bit about next years programs and the Director’s philosophies about religion and education.

    Wildflower Picnic: Held Easter Sunday is a beautiful day, always an adventurous Easter Egg Hunt.

     The Magic in YoUU: Held in mid summer, using the setting of author J.K. Rowling’s Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, we explore the magic found in each of us and the special talents we can all use to explore and improve our world, UU style.

     Plaskett Creek Campout: Our annual weekend outing which gives us the opportunity to be with each other in a beautiful natural setting. It takes place in August.                                   

     Community Fair and Spring Cleanup: RE participates enthusiastically in these events intended to enhance our understanding of our Fellowship and to keep it clean and efficient.

     Family Fun Night: Usually the fourth Friday night of the month. Bring your dinner, RE supplies drinks and desserts. YOU supply the fun.

     The Next Great Idea: YOURS - what is it???

OUR Unitarian Universalist Mountain Retreat

Camp de Benneville Pines is a UU retreat nestled in the San Bernadino Mountains. The camp is in a gorgeous setting and accommodations are very comfortable and relaxing (hot showers, flush toilets, what more could you want!) They offer programs for children and families throughout the year of which the following is just a sample:

PSWD Choir Retreat: Late September.

Youth Camp Reunion: Late October

PSWD Junior High Winter Camp: Early December

PSWD Senior High Winter Camp: Late December

PSWD Elementary Winter Camp: Mid February

Rainbow Family Camp: for GLBT families in Mid April

PSWD Elementary Summer Camp: Second week in July

PSWD Junior High Summer Camp: Third week in July

PSWD Senior High Summer Camp: Fourth week in July

UU Family Camp: First week in August

            The Summer Camps for youth are especially popular (and a full week long) and fill up fast. Ensure your place by signing up at our Summer Super Camp Sunday on April 15th , 2007 and get a 10% discount on the registration fee at the same time.

            Many UU churches in the PSWD hold annual retreats at the Camp. Smaller churches often combine their retreats in order to fill the camp and keep the price down. If anyone is interested in exploring this idea for our Fellowship, see David or contact the Camp.

Watch the REview Column in the Newsletter and From the DRE in the News and Notes for details of upcoming events. More information can be obtained from the RE Director, on the de Benneville bulletin board in RE, from the Camp website - www.uucamp.org, or from the Camp Newsletter Connection which is printed twice a year with current schedules and details of upcoming Camps (copies are usually posted in RE and on the bulletin board across from the Fellowship Office).

The mission of Camp de Benneville Pines is to provide a mountain retreat where Unitarian Universalist principles and values are lived