Here is the second installment in the list of books for children that illustrate the UU principles. Adults are able to appreciate and enjoy them also!

We believe that all people should be treated fairly and kindly.

Crow Boy by Taro Yashima

Black is Brown is Tan by Arnold Adoff

Daddy's Roommate by Michael Willhoite

Horton Hears a Who! by Dr. Seuss

Amazing Grace by Mary Hoffman

How My Parents Learned to Eat by I. Friedman

One of the blessings that recently befell our Unitarian Fellowship of Longview was the arrival of Gelene Grim and her family: husband, Robert Marquez, and children Emily, Allena, Sydney and Robert. One Sunday Jessica was hopefully asking for help in the R E room and that’s when Gelene and family appeared. And if you were fortunate enough to have been here for the live production of a bit of UU history, you know Emily and Sydney from their bravura performances.

Gelene has over 15 years experience in childcare and numerous college credits in Early Childhood Education. For the past five years she has been Director of a Kindercare learning center in California. She is currently working at her brand new job as Director of Childworld in Plano, Texas. The family moved into a nice home in Canton this past weekend so as to be closer to her new job and still be able to attend church and other functions with friends here in Longview.

The children made the binoculars you see them peering through in preparation for some birdwatching they are planning to do

Perhaps you noticed some of the earlier work the children and Gelene were doing. She posted it on the R E classroom window. As I read it, I knew we had found a treasure in Gelene. In case you missed it, I took notes. Here is what Gelene elicited from the children during their discussion of the UU first principle:

But, wait! The good R E news does not end there. Our Fellowship received a $10,000 grant from NTAUUS (see Page 5 for the whole story!) to remodel the back building into a classroom/storage area. The teenagers and their teacher, who have so graciously given up their room so it could be converted into the Food Service/Office area, will have a place of their own! They are eagerly contributing to the planning of their new space. They have already come up with several good ideas which will be incorporated into the overall plan that Jessica and Sheila are still working on.

Do you know about the Young Religious Unitarian Universalists or, YRUU?

Young Religious Unitarian Universalists, or YRUU, is an organization of Unitarian Universalist youth ages 14 - 20. YRUU is considered a "Sponsored Organization" of the Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA) (www.uua.org), which is the national association of affiliated UU congregations. YRUU is primarily organized on three levels:

  * As youth groups in UU congregations,

  * As Youth-Adult Committees or Youth Steering Committees on a District/Regional level which plan conferences and trainings for youth and youth advisors, and which advocate for youth on a congregational and district/regional level, and

  * On a continental level as Youth Council, the governing body of YRUU, and at continental events and trainings.

The RE Department has subscribed to Synapse, which is YRUU's

magazine, produced by the Youth Office, so we can read about what's going on. It should arrive in print form soon. It is also available at their web site http://www.uua.org/YRUU/synapse/. Each issue contains articles, essays, poetry, and artwork by YRUUers from across the United States