Religious Education at Gwynedd Friends
Classes for all ages (known as First Day School), are held at Gwynedd Friends Meeting at 10:45 AM on Sundays from September to June.
Adults explore such topics as religion, spirituality, and social issues. The three main areas of concentration for youth are Quakerism, Bible studies and spirituality. A program is in place which provides advice for young Friends who are concerned about military matters. A music program and a variety of field trips round out the program.
Service projects and guest speakers enrich programs for both adults and young friends.
Child care is provided each Sunday morning from 9:30 until 12:00.
Any questions concerning Youth First Day School should be emailed to JB Baker-McAllister at jbbakermc@gmail.com .
First Day (Sunday) Programs for Youth
Please join us for a religious education that is fun, enriching and individualized to meet the many spiritual needs of young people.
Sept, Oct, Nov, Dec The focus is on Spirituality as we explored individual understandings of “a worshipful state of mind” and how the spirit is at work in our lives.
January, February, March The focus is on Quakerism including the history of Quakerism, and what it means to our youth to be a Quaker and follow Quaker practice.
April, May and June The focus is on Bible Study in which youth are encouraged to explore how the Bible, Jesus’ life, and faithful responses to contemporary culture play a role in religious studies and practice.
Kindergarten, First and Second Grade First Day Teachers and Curriculum
Erica Jenkins will introduce the children to the idea of spirituality using guided meditation to begin the process of listening to the inner self. Classes also will discuss the light of God inside everyone. (Sept-Dec)
Beth Roberts and the class will read and discuss children's stories depicting characters whose peaceful, caring and thoughtful ways illustrate the Quakerly approach. Additionally, Beth will use gentle, children's Hatha yoga as a lead-in to silence with guided meditation. (Jan-March)
Joyce Ennis will focus on the New Testament and Jesus’ love for all and how we can practice what Jesus taught us about loving each other in our daily lives. (April-June)
Third, Fourth and Fifth Grade First Day Teachers and Curriculum
Jeannie Hansberry will explore ways to know and engage one’s spiritual self. The class will discuss the signs of spirit and learned ways to be in spirit in meeting. (Sept-Dec)
Marybeth Garrett will view Quakerism as it is practiced around the world. Susan Miller will use stories of the Underground Railroad to illustrate themes and symbols from the Bible (enslaved people, the Exodus, surviving and surmounting bondage.......) as a transition to Bible study. (Jan-March)
Susan Miller will address where the Bible came from, how it was gathered together, what it means and how it is considered in different religions. The class will then review the stories of the Creation, Garden of Eden, and the great flood. Exploring Quaker themes in the New Testament the class will look at being our "brother's keepers," the reasons for nonviolence and consider good rules to live by. Our study will include beautiful prayers, psalms and art. (April-June)
Middle School First Day Teachers and Curriculum
Stacy Kent Wyckoff will explore the peace and serenity gained by being outdoors and in nature. The class will travel to several locations, spend time in guided worship together, enjoy nature through activities such as canoeing, walking through the woods and cycling, regrouping afterwards to reflect quietly on experiences.
Faith Paulsen will explore spirituality through the use of labyrinths. The class will visit a local labyrinth, learn about the different kinds of labyrinths and learn to draw labyrinths. They will then try to create a canvas labyrinth to share with the meeting.
Liz Evans will be teaching both Quakerism and Bible study. The class will explore Bible stories that have relationships to Quaker beliefs. Students will create short scripts, and they will create the players in shadow and glove puppets.
Liz will look into Bible stories and discuss how they relate to daily lives, helping middle school children discover more about themselves and their family’s chosen religion.
High School First Day Teachers and Curriculum
High school students are beginning to share who they have become spiritually and faithfully. They are offered ways to express this through discussions. Projects stretch them as they consider how their faith and beliefs affect their own decisions. Religious and spiritual topics of interest, that the class wants to explore, are chosen. Often this leads to service projects as our young friends grasp the meaning of their faith, and begin to realize what it means to live through moral and spiritual guidance.
Mark Manta and Ranvir Bakshi, will focus on affording respect and commitment to one another. The class will discuss the organization of Philadelphia Yearly Meeting and review the Quaker Decision Making Process. This process will guide the class throughout the year as they design and re-design their religious education experience, making choices for discussion topics, art projects, movies and service projects.
First Day Programs for Adults
We seek to strengthen and nurture our sense of community in classes that take a variety of formats, from slide shows and talks, to panels of members speaking about their lives and callings, to small group discussions and intergenerational events that involve holiday celebrations, creative activities, or food and fellowship. Adult gatherings also serve as a forum to discuss Meeting policies and plans in depth.
Past classes have focused on world religions, environmental concerns, historical Quaker leaders, and the Meeting's policies on child safety. Often our own members and attenders lead the classes. At other times we welcome guest speakers.
The monthly Gwynedd calendar lists the upcoming Sunday programs for adults.
Special Events and Extensions to the Youth First Day Morning Program
A Christmas program presented by the youth is an eagerly awaited annual tradition.
Music - Kindergarten through 5th graders rejoice in the spirit through song each week with Carl Baron. He leads them in singing songs, which celebrate peace, Quakerism, the Bible, and indeed, all of God’s creation.
Youth and Militarism – Joanne Penn and Gary Lapreziosa bring “Youth and Militarism” into each of the grade levels. Their discussions center on learning to "think for oneself about war and peace.” In examining the causes of war and peace, all grade levels will be encouraged to (1) consider the militarization of U.S. society and government, and how it may affect their futures; (2) think and write about conscientious objection, which requires that they consider their own personal convictions and (3) prepare for a time when they will have to make critical life choices.
Take Your Classroom to Meeting for Worship – One Sunday (TBD) each month will be “Take Your Classroom to Meeting for Worship.” This is an opportunity for youth to worship with the entire meeting, become comfortable in silent worship and begin to understand what worship means to them.
Intergenerational Workshops provide an opportunity for all ages to relax, have fun and grow spiritually together.
Quarterly Meeting – Gwynedd hosted QM on February 7th.
For the young grades, Susan Miller held a Black History event involving Underground Railroad storytelling and music. We also hope to take a class or two on a class trip to Quarterly Meeting in the May when it is held at Upper Dublin Meeting.
Secret Friends is an intergenerational program designed to allow young and old friends to get to know one another over the course of several weeks. Intergenerational buddies exchange letters and notes, stories are shared, and friendships blossom. This program allows us to truly know one another, despite our age differences.
I
