New DRE Check List
by Natalie Wolc, DRE, Horizon UU Church
and Jennifer Nichols, SWUUC Director for Lifespan Faith Development
1. Join LREDA
LREDA, the Liberal Religious Educators Association, is the professional
organization of Religious Educators.
www.uua.org/lreda/ or Google “LREDA”
$35 for your first year (Your congregation should provide funds for this expense.)
This organization holds an excellent conference each October. Ask for enough professional expense money to attend at least every other year or so.
2. Call Jennifer Nichols, the district's consultant for faith development
817-446-0099 office, 817-874-4895 mobile, jnichols@uua.org
Ask about a “Start Up”
Tell her a little about the situation at your church.
Ask her for additional resources.
Ask her for a copy of the “RE Road Map”.
Ask her to identify the DREs in your Cluster.
3. Call your Cluster Representative
This DRE will be located at a church geographically located near
(relatively speaking) your church.
He or she can get you “plugged in” to important resources, current
events, and other Religious Professionals.
4. Join the District Religious Education Mailing List
Send a request to swuuc-re@lists.uua.org
5. Check out the Credentialing Program and the Renaissance Program
www.uua.org/leaderslibrary/religiouseducation/index.shtml
or Google “RE Credentialing”
6. Go to the SWUUC Mid-Winter RE Conference
Usually the second weekend in February
Register for the New DRE Workshop
Find information about this at www.swuuc.org
7. Go to a District Conference
There are three conferences/training events each year:
Fall Leadership (2nd weekend in November)
Annual Meeting (last weekend in April)
Faith Development Training (first weekend in June)
Renaissance Modules are offered at the Fall Leadership
Conference and at the Faith Development Training.
Get more information at www.swuuuc.org.
Contact Jennifer Nichols, the District Director of LFD, when:
l You need help understanding the role of the DRE in your congregation.
l You want to work on or understand your relationship to the congregation
or the ministry team.
l You want information about “Best Practices”.
l You would like help creating your compensation package (we have
compensation consultants who will come to your church for free to
talk with you and the leadership).
Contact
l You are experiencing conflict with a group or an individual.
l You need help advocating for the DRE position in your congregation.
l You want information about professional development.
Call any other DRE, especially those in your cluster, when:
l You want information on programs, curricula, or trips.
l You need resources or ideas.
l You need community.